IT'S MIDDAY. ACCUSATIONS OF BULLYING WITHIN THE HALLS OF PARLIAMENT ` A LABOUR MP'S CLAIMS THAT THE BEHAVIOUR IS NOT ONLY IGNORED BUT ENABLED BY THOSE WHO ARE MEANT TO PREVENT IT. HEAT WARNINGS IN THE UK, AND A MAMMOTH WILDFIRE RAGING NEAR BORDEAUX DESTROYS THOUSANDS OF HECTARES OF FOREST AS FRANCE BATTLES ITS FOURTH HEATWAVE THIS SUMMER. PLUS, RETAILERS REJOICE! TAMAKI MAKAURAU WELCOMES BACK ITS FIRST CRUISE SHIP IN TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS. CAPTIONS BY PHOEBE UPTON AND KATE MCCULLOUGH. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2022. PARLIAMENTARIANS HAVE PUT UP AN UNUSUALLY UNITED FRONT, AFTER A LABOUR MP MADE ACCUSATIONS OF BULLYING BETWEEN MPS. IT COMES AFTER AN OPINION PIECE BY DOCTOR GAURAV SHARMA PUBLISHED BY THE NEW ZEALAND HERALD SAID PARLIAMENTARY SERVICES AND PARTY WHIPS, HAVE IGNORED AND ENABLED BULLYING AMONG PARTY RANKS. LABOUR'S CHIEF WHIP HAS RESPONDED, SAYING HIS OFFICE BECAME AWARE OF ISSUES BETWEEN THE MP FOR HAMILTON WEST AND HIS STAFF A YEAR AGO, AND RECENTLY PAUSED HIRING OF STAFF INTO HIS OFFICE. MPS TODAY SAY THEY HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED THE BULLYING DOCTOR SHARMA DETAILED. ARE THERE BULLIES IN THE LABOUR PARTY? NO, THERE AREN'T. NO. I DON'T THINK SO. IT HASN'T BEEN MY EXPERIENCE. I THINK IF THERE WAS, THEN YOU WHO SPEND ALL YOUR TIME ROUND PARLIAMENT SHOULD HAVE PICKED UP ON IT. HAVE YOU PICKED UP ON IT? NO. I HAVEN'T DIRECTLY SEEN ANYTHING OF THAT TYPE, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE REPORTED THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOUR. ANY BULLYING IN THE NATIONAL PARTY? NO, NOT AT ALL. THE THINGS HE DESCRIBED ARE NOT WHAT I EXPERIENCE IN PARLIAMENT, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT SORT OF PLACE. THE LABOUR WHIPS OFFICE SAY THEY MET WITH THE MP YESTERDAY TO PROGRESS ONGOING ISSUES, AND WILL CONTINUE TO SEEK A RESOLUTION IN THE COMING WEEKS. CANDIDATE NOMINATIONS HAVE NOW CLOSED FOR THE LOCAL BODY ELECTIONS. WITH NOMINATIONS EXPECTED TO BE DOWN, THERE'S CONCERN AMONGST COUNCILS OVER THE NUMBER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ROLES WHICH WON'T BE FILLED OR WILL GO UNCONTESTED AHEAD OF THIS YEAR'S ELECTIONS. THAT'S STOKED FEARS SOME CANDIDATES WHO FOLLOW CONSPIRACY THEORIES COULD BE GIVEN A CLEAR PATH INTO POWER. DOCTOR SANJANA HATTOTUWA FROM THE DISINFORMATION PROJECT SAYS WE SHOULD BE VERY WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY IN AOTEAROA. IT STARTS SMALL AND LOCAL, BUT IT ENDS UP AS NATIONAL ` A NATIONAL LEVEL PROBLEM, NOT UNLIKE HOW COVID-19 SPREADS, WHICH IS SMALL AT THE START, BUT INFECTS SOCIETY VERY, VERY QUICKLY AND INVISIBLY. ENROLMENTS TO VOTE ALSO CLOSED AT MIDDAY. HIGH-PROFILE AUCKLAND BUSINESSMAN LEO MOLLOY WON'T BE ON THE BALLOT FOR MAYOR, WITHDRAWING FROM THE MAYORAL RACE. THE RESTAURANT OWNER ANNOUNCING HIS WITHDRAWAL JUST WITHIN THE PAST HOUR, CALLING IT 'THE RIGHT THING TO DO'. MOLLOY HAD SEEN A SLUMP OF SUPPORT IN RECENT POLLS, BUT INDICATED HE MAY HAVE ANOTHER RUN IN THREE YEARS. MEANWHILE, TIM SHADBOLT HAS ANNOUNCED HE'S OFFICIALLY RUNNING FOR MAYOR OF INVERCARGILL AGAIN. SHADBOLT IS SET TO MAKE A DUAL RUN FOR MAYOR OR CITY COUNCILLOR. THE 75-YEAR-OLD HAS FACED CONTROVERSY IN RECENT YEARS, INCLUDING THE RESIGNATION OF THE CITY'S DEPUTY MAYOR, AND CLAIMS OF DETERIORATING HEALTH. SHADBOLT SAYS HE WANTS TO FINISH THE JOB AND SEE HIS ACTIONS THROUGH. THERE'S GREAT INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENTS, BUT WE NEED MORE PEOPLE HERE, AND THAT'LL BE MY FORTE. IT'S A COMMON TERM IN THE TRADES THAT YOU'VE` NO MATTER WHAT THE JOB IS HURLING AT YOU, YOU'VE GOT TO FINISH IT. SHADBOLT IS AOTEAROA'S LONGEST SERVING MAYOR, AND BELIEVES HE'S 'STILL GOT A LOT TO OFFER'. THE FORMER HEAD OF MUSIC AND CHOIRMASTER OF AUCKLAND'S DILWORTH SCHOOL WILL SERVE EIGHT YEARS BEHIND BARS FOR SEX CRIMES AGAINST STUDENTS. LEONARD CAVE WAS SENTENCED AT THE HIGH COURT IN AUCKLAND THIS MORNING FOR 11 CHARGES SPANNING ALMOST FOUR DECADES, INCLUDING INDECENT ASSAULT AND SUPPLY OF DRUGS. IN A LETTER WRITTEN TO THREE OF HIS FIVE VICTIMS, THE 75-YEAR-OLD SAID HE BELIEVED THE INCIDENTS HAD BEEN OF 'MUTUAL ADVENTURE', BUT NOW REGRETTED HIS ACTIONS. THE JUDGE, WHO DESCRIBED HIS OFFENDING AS PRE-MEDITATED, SAID ONE WOULD HAVE HOPED FOR A HEART-FELT APOLOGY, RATHER THAN SELF PITY. CAVE'S THE SIXTH MAN TO BE SENTENCED FOR HISTORICAL ABUSE LINKED TO THE BOY'S BOARDING SCHOOL. THE FIRST CRUISE SHIP TO ARRIVE IN AOTEAROA SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WAS WELCOMED INTO AUCKLAND'S HARBOUR THIS MORNING. THE PACIFIC EXPLORER AND ITS 2000 PASSENGERS THE FIRST OF MANY SHIPS TO RETURN TO NEW ZEALAND PORTS. AMONG THOSE ON BOARD WERE FAMILY MEMBERS ABLE TO BE REUNITED ` 1 NEWS SPOKE WITH A MOTHER AND SON WHO HAD BEEN SEPARATED FOR FOUR-AND-A-HALF YEARS. THIS IS MY SON, MY ELDEST. WE HAVE JUST CRUISE OVER, VERY EXCITING TO BE ON THE FIRST SHIP THAT IS BACK, AND GET TO AUCKLAND AT THE SAME TIME. A SMALL BOAT WAS TRAILING THE PACIFIC EXPLORER ON ITS ARRIVAL, PROTESTING THE CRUISE INDUSTRY'S NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT. THE MAJORITY OF NEW ZEALANDERS DON'T THINK THE GOVERNMENT'S DOING ENOUGH TO TACKLE GANG VIOLENCE. THE LATEST 1 NEWS KANTAR PUBLIC POLL SHOW ONLY 14% OF KIWIS SAY THE GOVERNMENT'S DOING ENOUGH TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, BUT A STAGGERING 70% SAY NO. 16% DON'T KNOW. ONE EXPERT SAYS THE FIGURES AREN'T SURPRISING, BUT FIXING THE ISSUE REQUIRES A LONG-TERM, MULTI-GENERATIONAL RESPONSE. CERTAINLY WE NEED TO COME AT THINGS FROM A DIFFERENT LENS, LOOK AT SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY. BUT WE'VE GOTTA HAVE RESEARCH BEHIND WHAT WE'RE DOING. THIS STUFF, THE KNEE-JERK REACTION IF YOU LIKE, IS ONLY GOOD FOR A QUICK FIX. LANCE BURDETT SAYS PREVENTION, AS OPPOSED TO RELYING SOLELY ON HARSHER CRACKDOWNS, IS THE COUNTRY'S BEST CHANCE AT TACKLING THE ISSUE. AN EXTREME HEAT WARNING IS NOW IN PLACE FOR PARTS OF THE UK. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO PEAK AT 37 DEGREES OVER THE NEXT FOUR DAYS, AND WARNINGS OF AN 'EXCEPTIONAL' RISK OF FIRES SPREADING. THE SOARING TEMPERATURES HAVE ALSO MEANT ITS INCREASINGLY LIKELY A DROUGHT COULD ALSO BE DECLARED FOR SOME PARTS OF ENGLAND TOO, ACCORDING TO GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. AND OTHER PARTS OF EUROPE ARE SIZZLING UNDER A HEATWAVE ` MORE THAN 1000 FIREFIGHTERS ARE STILL BATTLING A MASSIVE WILDFIRE IN SOUTHWESTERN FRANCE. THE BBC'S MARK LOWEN HAS MORE. A CLOAK OF FIRE SHROUDING SOUTHWEST FRANCE ` A LANDSCAPE OF BEAUTY TURNED TO HORROR AS FLAMES TEAR THROUGH THE GIRONDE, DESTROYING ALMOST 7000 HECTARES, FANNED BY WINDS, SEARING HEAT, AND FRANCE'S WORST DROUGHT ON RECORD. A TRANQUIL VILLAGE LAST WEEK ` A GHOST TOWN THIS ONE, WITH 10,000 PEOPLE EVACUATED. FIREFIGHTERS AND PLANES HAVE COME FROM ACROSS EUROPE TO HELP FRANCE MANAGE A NIGHTMARE THAT KEEPS RECURRING. (SPEAKS FRENCH) TRANSLATOR: WE MUST CONTINUE MORE THAN EVER TO FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE, AND WE MUST ALSO CONTINUE TO ADAPT TO IT. WE WILL BEGIN DEBATES ON A NEW NATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE PLAN THIS AUTUMN. ELSEWHERE IN EUROPE, TWO FIRES RAGE ` IN SPAIN, GALICIA IS ONE OF A DOZEN REGIONS BATTLING THEM, WHILE IN PORTUGAL, FLAMES HAVE DESTROYED MORE THAN 10,000 HECTARES OF FORESTS, SCARRING THE NIGHT SKY. HOW QUICKLY OUR EARTH IS DRYING UP ` THIS WAS FRANCE A YEAR AGO, AND NOW LOOK ` LUSH LAND TURNED TO WASTELAND, FORESTS AND FIELDS BARREN. PARIS MAY BE LOOKING GLORIOUS IN THE SUNSHINE, DELIGHTING ITS TOURISTS, BUT WE ARE, OF COURSE, FACING A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION. CROPS ACROSS EUROPE ARE DYING, WORSENING THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS LINKED TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE. AND EXTREME DROUGHTS AND HEATWAVES THAT WERE FREAK EVENTS ARE NOW BECOMING MORE COMMON AND PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. FRANCE'S FOURTH SUCCESSIVE HEATWAVE IS BEING LAPPED UP BY SOME, BUT DESPITE THE PLEASURE, THEY KNOW THE PAIN IS DEEPENING. THINK IF THIS SUMMER HAS TAUGHT PEOPLE ANYTHING, IT'S THAT THIS IS HAPPENING, AND IT'S HAPPENING NOW. THESE TEMPERATURES ARE EXTREME. AND IF PEOPLE DON'T START TO ACT, IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE, BY THE LOOKS OF IT. BECAUSE WE ARE THE NEW GENERATION, WE HAVE TO LIVE IN THIS PLANET AND IT'S GOING REALLY BAD. AND WE ARE A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT OUR FUTURE. FRANCE IS TAKING THE HEAT OF WHAT WE ARE DOING TO OUR WORLD. THE POSTCARD BEAUTY MAY LOOK STUCK IN TIME, BUT THE PLANET IS CHANGING, AND THERE'S FEAR OF WHAT'S TO COME. UKRAINE'S ZAPORIZHZHIA NUCLEAR PLANT HAS BEEN STRUCK BY MORE SHELLING. IT'S THE SECOND TIME THE FACILITY'S BEEN ATTACKED IN RECENT WEEKS. UKRAINE AND RUSSIA HAVE TRADED BLAME FOR THE STRIKE, EACH SIDE SAYING THERE WERE 10 HITS ON THE PLANT'S ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND FIRE STATION. THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY CHIEF HAS CALLED ON BOTH SIDES TO COOPERATE TO ALLOW INSPECTORS TO ACCESS THE PLANT. WE CANNOT ALLOW SUCH FACTORS TO DELAY US ANY LONGER. I REITERATE THAT THE MILITARY ACTIONS THAT HAVE EVEN THE SMALLEST POTENTIAL TO JEOPARDISE NUCLEAR SAFETY OR NUCLEAR SECURITY. THE UNITED NATIONS HAS ALSO URGED AN IMMEDIATE END TO ALL MILITARY ACTIVITY AROUND THE PLANT. MORE DETAILS HAVE BEEN REVEALED AROUND THE LEGAL BATTLES FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS FIGHTING. TRUMP AND OTHER REPUBLICANS ARE USING THE FBI RAID OF HIS MAR-A-LAGO PROPERTY IN FLORIDA TO FIRE UP SUPPORTERS. IT COMES AS THE U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS MADE HIS FIRST PUBLIC STATEMENT SINCE THE SEARCH. THE ABC'S EM NGUYEN HAS THE LATEST. NEW DETAILS INTO THE FBI'S RAID OF DONALD TRUMP'S FLORIDA HOME, MAR-A-LAGO. SOURCES FAMILIAR WITH THE MATTER TELL ABC THAT IN THE SPRING, THE FORMER PRESIDENT RECEIVED A SUBPOENA FOR DOCUMENTS RELATED TO WHAT HE IS BELIEVED TO HAVE TAKEN FROM THE WHITE HOUSE AND FAILED TO TURN OVER TO FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS. IT'S NOT CLEAR WHETHER TRUMP PROVIDED ANY DOCUMENTS IN RESPONSE TO THE SUBPOENA. FOLLOWING THE SUBPOENA, FEDERAL OFFICIALS VISITED WITH TRUMP IN JUNE, AND PRIOR TO THAT, THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES RETRIEVED 15 BOXES, SOME OF THEM CLASSIFIED, THAT TRUMP HAD PREVIOUSLY TAKEN. REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN DEMANDING FBI DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER WRAY OR ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK GARLAND EXPLAIN WHY THEY RAIDED A FORMER PRESIDENT'S HOME. THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS A LONGSTANDING POLICY OF NOT DISCUSSING AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION. BUT THIS AFTERNOON, GARLAND BROKE HIS SILENCE. THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS FILED A MOTION IN THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA, TO UNSEAL SEARCH WARRANT AND PROPERTY RECEIPT, RELATING TO A COURT-APPROVED SEARCH THAT THE FBI CONDUCTED EARLIER THIS WEEK. I PERSONALLY APPROVED THE DECISION TO SEEK A SEARCH WARRANT IN THIS MATTER. SINCE THE RAID, THERE HAVE BEEN CALLS FOR A CIVIL WAR. THREATS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST THE FBI, AND EVEN UNFOUNDED ACCUSATIONS THAT SOME AGENTS MAY HAVE BEHAVED IMPROPERLY. I WILL NOT STAND BY SILENTLY WHEN THEIR INTEGRITY IS UNFAIRLY ATTACKED. NOW, TRUMP AND OTHER REPUBLICANS ARE CAPITALISING FINANCIALLY ON THE SITUATION, FUNDRAISING OFF THE RAID AND TRUMP'S OTHER LEGAL TROUBLES, CALLING THEM A NEVER-ENDING WITCH HUNT. THOSE INCLUDE A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION IN GEORGIA OF TRUMP'S ALLEGED EFFORTS TO OVERTURN THE STATE'S ELECTION RESULTS. AND ON WEDNESDAY, TRUMP SAT FOR A CIVIL DEPOSITION WITH NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES, WHO IS INVESTIGATING WHETHER THE TRUMP FAMILY BUSINESS MISREPRESENTED THE VALUES OF CERTAIN PROPERTIES TO PAY LESS IN TAXES. GARLAND SAYS HE'S REQUESTING THE COURT UNSEAL THE WARRANT AND LIST OF ITEMS THEY REMOVED, BECAUSE THE FORMER PRESIDENT AND HIS LAWYERS PUBLICLY CONFIRMED THE SEARCH, AND BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE MATTER. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` IAN FOSTER RINGS THE CHANGES FOR THIS WEEKEND'S CLASH WITH THE SPRINGBOKS ` WILL IT BE ENOUGH TO SAVE HIS ALL BLACKS COACHING TENURE? PLUS, THE AUCKLAND TUATARA BOOK THEMSELVES A SPOT IN THE NBL GRAND FINAL IN THEIR FIRST-EVER SEASON. A BROWN BEAR CUB HAS BEEN RESCUED IN TURKEY, AFTER GETTING DRUNK ON 'MAD HONEY'. IT'S A TYPE OF RHODODENDRON HONEY THAT CAN HAVE HALLUCINOGENIC EFFECTS. FOOTAGE SHOWS THE DEBILITATED BEAR WOBBLING AROUND IN THE BACK OF A PICK UP TRUCK, AFTER A NATIONAL PARK TEAM STEPPED IN TO HELP. THE BEAR WAS CHECKED OVER BY A VET AND IS EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED BACK INTO THE WILD IN THE COMING DAYS. JOHN GILROY WAS A POST-WWII ARTIST WHO LIKED A DRINK OR TWO, AND WAS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR BRITISH ARTISTS OF THE LAST CENTURY. NOW, ONE OF HIS UNIQUE MURALS IN A PUB IS BEING RESTORED. THE BBC'S DANNY SAVAGE HAS THE STORY. IN A TRADITIONAL ENGLISH BAR IN THE HILLS OF COUNTY DURHAM IS A UNIQUE WORK OF ART. A MURAL OF DICKENSIAN FRIVOLITY CREATED BY AN ARTIST WHO LIKED A DRINK. WHY DID HE DO IT? LEGEND HAS IT THAT HE'D RUN UP A BAR BILL, BASICALLY FOR THE GIN THAT HE'D DRUNK WHILST HE WAS HERE, AND HE CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER PAINTING THE SPIDER THAT'S ON THE WALL. THE MAN WITH THE BRUSHES BACK IN 1946 WAS JOHN GILROY, FAMED FOR TURNING TOUCANS INTO THE INSTANTLY RECOGNISABLE BRAND OF GUINNESS. THE ANIMALS ARE NOT A CARICATURE TOO MUCH, BUT THEY WERE, I THOUGHT, ALWAYS HAPPY. THERE'S NOTHING... THEY WERE VERY BRITISH. HE EVEN CARICATURED HIMSELF AS THE ZOOKEEPER. TO THINK THIS IS HIS FIRST MURAL. IT'S INCREDIBLE. IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, WE WERE GIVEN SPECIAL ACCESS TO ITS RESTORATION, SO IT CAN LAST ANOTHER CENTURY. I WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT IF HE WAS JUST TO WALK IN, YOU KNOW, ORDER A DRINK AND LOOK UP AND GO, 'OH. LASTED QUITE WELL.' AND THAT TO ME WOULD BE PERFECT. JOB WELL DONE. GILROY DIDN'T JUST MAKE UP THE CHARACTERS IN THE MURAL. THEY WERE ALL STAFF, CUSTOMERS OR REGULARS AT THE TIME, AND THEY'VE HAD QUITE THE MAKEOVER. WHO'S THE ANCESTOR ON THE WALL THEN? MY GRANDPA. WHICH ONE? THIS ONE HERE. WITH HIS TOP HAT AND HIS CANE. BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW HE HAD A CANE UNTIL IT WAS RESTORED. AND THE MAN WHO PUSHED FOR THE RESTORATION HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE SCENE. PEOPLE NO LONGER SAY TO ME, 'YOU'RE NO OIL PAINTING,' BECAUSE NOW I CAN SAY, 'YES, I AM.' YEARS OF CIGARETTE SMOKE HAD DAMAGED THE ORIGINAL. THAT WILL NO LONGER BE A PROBLEM IN THIS LOVELY OLD BAR. AUSTRALIAN RESEARCHERS MAY HAVE FOUND A CLUE TO THE CAUSE OF MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE. IT'S HOPED IT WILL HELP FIND MORE EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS. 9 NEWS' GABRIELLA ROGERS EXPLAINS. JOHN WARWICK (68) FOUND OUT HE HAD MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE AFTER UNDERGOING REHAB FOR KNEE AND BACK SURGERY. THE EXERCISES DIDN'T HELP HIS TROUBLED FOOT. I HAD A DROP FOOT, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE I HAD THE KNEE OPERATION. THAT WAS TWO YEARS AGO. THE DISEASE CAUSES PROGRESSIVE PARALYSIS WHEN THE MOTOR NERVES IN THE BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD, WHICH CONTROL THE BODY'S MUSCLES, GRADUALLY DIE. WE DON'T KNOW THE CAUSE OF THE DISEASE IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF CASES. THERE ARE NOW BIGGER CLUES, AFTER RESEARCHERS ANALYSED THE SPINAL CORD TISSUE OF 16 PATIENTS WHO DIED. AN ABNORMAL PROTEIN CALLED SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE ONE WAS IDENTIFIED IN ALL SAMPLES. THIS ABNORMALITY IN THIS SOD-ONE PROTEIN IS FOUND NOT ONLY IN PATIENTS WITH THIS MUTATION IN THE GENE, BUT IN ALL CASES OF MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE. IT'S CLUMPING TOGETHER AND ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEATH OF THE MOTOR NEURONES. A COPPER CONTAINING COMPOUND THAT TARGETS THIS TOXIC PROTEIN IS ALREADY IN CLINICAL TRIAL. IT MEANS THAT ANY TREATMENT THAT COULD BE DEVELOPED THAT TARGETS THIS PROTEIN COULD BE USEFUL FOR ALL FORMS OF MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE. CURRENTLY, THERE IS ONLY ONE TGA APPROVED MEDICATION AVAILABLE FOR MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE, WHICH CAN SLOW DOWN THE DISEASE BY SEVERAL MONTHS. BUT BETTER TREATMENTS ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED. AND IAN FOSTER HAS SHAKEN UP HIS STARTING XV AHEAD OF THE ALL BLACKS NEXT CLASH AGAINST THE SPRINGBOKS ` SOME WONDERING IF IT'LL BE HIS LAST CHANCE TO ROLL THE DICE. HERE'S JESSICA SWAN. CRUSADERS PROP FLETCHER NEWELL IS USED TO LIFTING HEAVY LOADS. BUT WILL HIS POTENTIAL DEBUT BE ENOUGH TO LIFT THE WEIGHT OFF IAN FOSTER'S SHOULDERS? THE CHALLENGE DOESN'T GET ANY EASIER. THE ALL BLACKS ARE ON A THREE-GAME LOSING STREAK, AND HAVE SLUMPED TO FIFTH IN THE WORLD RANKINGS. BUT FOSTER'S KEEPING HIS CHIN UP. THESE EXPERIENCES ARE ABSOLUTELY GOLD FOR US. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T LIKE NOT WINNING, BUT THE REALITY IS WE'RE GETTING SOME CLEAR MARKERS AGAINST A VERY GOOD TEAM. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, I JUST TRUST THE LESSONS THAT WE TAKE. NEW MARKERS MAKING FOR A NEW LINE-UP AHEAD OF THEIR SECOND GAME AGAINST THE SPRINGBOKS, WITH COACH FOSTER SHAKING THINGS UP. YOU LOOK AT THE CHAMPIONSHIP WE'RE CURRENTLY IN, WE'VE DROPPED THE FIRST ONE, AND WE'VE JUST GOT TO MAKE SURE WE GROW AND TAKE OUR OPPORTUNITIES. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NO GOOD US LINGERING ON THE PAST. WE KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME DEVELOPMENT AS A TEAM THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH. I GUESS THE GROWTH IS ALWAYS HURTING. TWO NEW PROPS COME IN TO THE FRONT ROW, AND RICHIE MO'UNGA GETS THE NOD AT FIRST FIVE FOR HIS FIRST START OF THE YEAR, RELEGATING BEAUDEN BARRETT TO THE BENCH. THAT'S DESPITE BARRETT FEELING GOOD AFTER THIS DANGEROUS MID-AIR COLLISION HAD HIM FEARING THE WORST. ESPECIALLY WHEN I WAS ON THE GROUND, AND CAN'T REMEMBER WHO IT WAS TELLING ME TO STAY STILL. AND IT WASN'T UNTIL DOC CAME ON AND ASKED ME TO` 'CAN YOU MOVE YOUR FINGERS, YOUR TOES?' I WAS RELIEVED THAT I PASSED ALL THOSE TESTS. THE BOKS ARE FEELING CONFIDENT IN THEIR GAME, NOT DISTRACTED BY THE ALL BLACKS' PROBLEMS. BUT I THINK FOR US IT'S JUST TO FOCUS ON OUR PROCESS. WE WON'T CHANGE ANYTHING. WE'LL TRY TO GET BETTER AND EVERYTHING, BUT WE WON'T CHANGE OUR SYSTEM. THERE'LL STILL BE PRESSURE ON THE SOUTH AFRICANS. THEY HAVEN'T RECORDED CONSECUTIVE WINS AGAINST THE AB'S IN THE REPUBLIC SINCE 2009. ALL EYES ON THIS WEEKEND'S CLASH TO SEE IF HISTORY IS MADE, OR IF IT'S THE END OF AN ERA. JESSICA SWAN, 1 NEWS. THE AUCKLAND TUATARA HAVE PULLED OFF A REMARKABLE LATE COMEBACK TO REACH THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE GRAND FINAL. THE TUATARA TRAILED THE TARANAKI MOUNTAIN AIRS BY 5 POINTS WITH ONLY 9 SECONDS TO PLAY, BEFORE A FRANTIC FINISH FROM ROB LOE. THERE'S ROB LOE FINISHING THE OTHER END, 23 POINTS, 19 REBOUNDS. ROB LOE HAS BEEN STELLAR TONIGHT, AND A TURNOVER AS WELL FROM LOE. PUTS UP A THREE BALL. STILL HE MAKES IT IN, ROB LOE MAKES IT IN. THE BUZZER WAS GOING OFF. LOE'S 5 POINTS IN 3 SECONDS TYING UP THE SCORES TO FORCE OVERTIME, WHERE THE TUATARA PULLED AWAY FOR A 1-0-7, 1-0-4 WIN. LOE FOR THREE. IT GOES, AND YOU BET IT GOES. 29 POINTS, AND TARANAKI DOES NOT KNOW WHAT HIT THEM. THE TUATARA WILL PLAY EITHER THE WELLINGTON SAINTS OR OTAGO NUGGETS IN SATURDAY'S GRAND FINAL. NBA LEGEND BILL RUSSELL'S JERSEY NUMBER WILL BE PERMANENTLY RETIRED ACROSS THE LEAGUE, THE FIRST PLAYER TO EVER RECEIVE THE HONOUR. RUSSELL PASSED AWAY TWO WEEKS AGO AT THE AGE OF 88. AS WELL AS WINNING 11 TITLES IN 13 SEASONS WITH THE BOSTON CELTICS, RUSSELL WAS THE LEAGUE'S FIRST BLACK HEAD COACH, AND A LEADER IN THE U.S. CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. THE NUMBER 6 JERSEY WON'T BE ISSUED BY THE NBA AGAIN. WITH PLAYERS TO ALSO WEAR A PATCH THROUGH THE NEW SEASON TO HONOUR RUSSELL'S LEGACY. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAYS WEATHER. # SAY YOUR PRAYERS, LITTLE ONE # DON'T FORGET, MY SON # TO INCLUDE EVERYONE # TUCK YOU IN # KEEP YOU FREE FROM SIN # UNTIL THE SANDMAN, HE COMES # BUM, BUM, BUM # BUM, BUM, BUM # BUM, BUM, BUM # EXIT LIGHT # ENTER NIGHT # TAKE MY HAND # OFF TO NEVER NEVER LAND # BUM, BUM, BUM # BUM, BUM, BUM # HUSH, LITTLE BABY THANKS FOR JOINING US. YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH ALL OF TODAY'S NEWS ON THE 1 NEWS WEBSITE. THAT'S 1NEWS.CO.NZ, OR YOU CAN FOLLOW 1 NEWS ACROSS YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. BUT FROM THE MIDDAY TEAM, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY PHOEBE UPTON AND KATE MCCULLOUGH. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.