IT'S MIDDAY. THE DEATH TOLL FROM THE TURKEY-SYRIA EARTHQUAKE SURPASSES 12,000 AS FAMILIES SLAM THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE. NOT AGAIN. TROPICAL CYCLONE GABRIELLE INTENSIFIES. WHEN IT COULD HIT AND WHAT TO EXPECT. PLUS, DANE COLES IS HANGING UP HIS BOOTS. WHY THE VETERAN HOOKER WILL RETIRE AT THE END OF THE YEAR. CAPTIONS BY JULIE TAYLOR AND EMMA BARTOSZEWICZ POOLE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 KIA ORA, GOOD AFTERNOON. TURKEY'S PRESIDENT SAYS IT'S 'IMPOSSIBLE' TO PREPARE FOR DISASTERS THIS BIG AS HE FACES A WAVE OF OUTRAGE OVER HIS GOVERNMENT'S EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE. TODAY, THE PRESIDENT TOURED THE QUAKE-DAMAGED AREAS, MEETING THOSE NOW DISPLACED AND LIVING IN TENTS. HE'S FOUGHT BACK AGAINST CRITICISM BY SOME FAMILIES AUTHORITIES WERE 'TOO SLOW' TO REACT. THE DEATH TOLL IN TURKEY AND SYRIA NOW STANDS AT MORE THAN 11,000 PEOPLE. OUR EUROPE CORRESPONDENT MEI HERON HAS BEEN IN ONE OF THE WORST HIT AREAS, ADANA, AND SENT THIS REPORT. RESCUERS ARE WORKING INTO THEIR THIRD NIGHT NOW, TRYING TO FIND SURVIVORS TRAPPED UNDER RUBBLE. AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME, THERE IS A LOT OF MECHINERY, A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING, THE LIGHTS ARE UP. THIS USED TO BE A 14-STOREY BUILDING. JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME REFERENCE HERE ABOUT HOW LARGE THAT IS, THE SAME BUILDING IS JUST OVER THERE ON MY RIGHT. THAT'S HOW TALL THAT BUILDING WAS. OVER 150 PEOPLE WERE THOUGHT TO HAVE LIVED IN THERE AND NOW IT HAS BEEN REDUCED TO RUBBLE. IT IS UNCLEAR HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE STILL TRAPPED INSIDE. THERE ARE NUMBERS RANGING FROM 50 TO 100. BUT WHAT'S CLEAR IS THAT RESCUERS STILL HAVE HOPE. WAITING WITH OUR HOPE. STILL WAITING TO SEE SOMEBODY RESCUED ALIVE. WE CANNOT REACH THEM YET. WE ARE JUST WAITING FOR SOME` A LITTLE BIT OF HOPE. ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE HOPE. SO WE WILL KEEP DIGGING. WE WILL FIND THE OTHER PEOPLE. THIS IS OUR AIM. JUST HOURS AGO, THEY ASKED EVERYONE TO BE QUIET. THEY SHUT THE MACHINES DOWN AND THEY WERE SILENT AS THEY TRIED TO HEAR VOICES OF PEOPLE INSIDE. THE TURKISH CITY OF MARAS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE WORST HIT, BUT RESCUE EFFORTS AREN'T SLOWING. THE BBC'S ANNA FOSTER REPORTS. THE DEVASTATING POWER OF THE EARTH SEEN FROM THE AIR. SWATHES OF THIS CITY LIE IN RUINS. BUILDINGS, HOMES, LIVES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED. IN MANY CITIES, THE SEARCH NOW ISN'T FOR SURVIVORS, IT'S ONLY FOR THE DEAD. WHEN THE RUBBLE SHOWS A SIGN, THE DIGGER STOPS. BEHIND THIS BLANKET, AN ARM REVEALS A BODY. SLOWLY, CAREFULLY, IT'S UNCOVERED. AND THEN THE MOMENT OF REALISATION. (MAN WAILS) A FATHER LOST. THEY'VE SPENT THE WHOLE DAY HERE SEARCHING FOR BODIES, AND THE LIGHT IS STARTING TO FADE NOW. BUT THE RESCUERS SAY THAT THEY WILL COME BACK TOMORROW AND THE NEXT DAY. THEY WILL RETURN TO SITES LIKE THIS FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES TO RETURN LOVED ONES TO THEIR RELATIVES. THEY'RE RARE, BUT THERE ARE STILL MOMENTS OF HOPE. A LITTLE GIRL, HEALTHY AND ALIVE, AFTER THREE DAYS BURIED. THE RESCUERS CELEBRATE. SHE SAYS HER SIBLINGS ARE DOWN THERE, TOO. TODAY, THE PRESIDENT CAME TO VISIT THOSE WHO'VE LOST EVERYTHING, BUT THERE'S GROWING ANGER THAT HELP IS COMING TOO SLOWLY AND THERE ISN'T ENOUGH OF IT. HE SAYS IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO PREPARE FOR DISASTERS ON THIS SCALE. TRANSLATOR: WE HAD SOME PROBLEMS IN SOME PLACES, LIKE AIRPORTS, IN THE BEGINNING, WE HAD PROBLEMS ON THE ROADS. BUT IT'S BETTER TODAY, AND IT WILL BE EVEN BETTER TOMORROW. BODIES NOW FILL THIS SPORTS HALL. MORE ARE ARRIVING ALL THE TIME. EVERY HOUR, THE DEATH TOLL RISES. AND EVEN NOW, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW HOW MANY LIVES THIS QUAKE HAS CLAIMED. AUTHORITIES ARE BEGINNING TO WARN THOSE IN THE UPPER NORTH ISLAND TO PREPARE FOR THE EFFECTS OF TROPICAL CYCLONE GABRIELLE. IT'S CURRENTLY INTENSIFYING IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC, WITH SEVERAL PREDICTIONS POINTING TO LANDFALL IN NEW ZEALAND ON MONDAY OR TUESDAY. THERE'S STILL UNCERTAINTY ABOUT ITS EXACT PATH, BUT METSERVICE SAYS IT'S LOOKING MORE AND MORE LIKELY THE STORM WILL BRING SEVERE WEATHER TO OUR SHORES. IT SAYS THERE'S HIGH CONFIDENCE OF WARNING LEVELS OF RAIN FOR NORTHLAND, AUCKLAND, BAY OF PLENTY AND GISBORNE ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY. THAT'LL LIKELY BE ACCOMPANIED BY SEVERE GALES THAT COULD CAUSE DAMAGE. LARGE WAVES AND STORM SURGE ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO START ROLLING IN FROM SUNDAY. AS ALWAYS, YOU CAN GET MORE DETAILS ON THIS STORY AT OUR WEBSITE ` 1NEWS.CO.NZ THERE'S BEEN CELEBRATION AND BACKLASH AFTER CHRIS HIPKINS BACKTRACKED ON SOME KEY LABOUR POLICIES. CUSHLA NORMAN HAS DETAILS AND REACTION. WELL, THE PUBLIC MEDIA MERGER HAS BEEN SCRAPPED ENTIRELY. RNZ AND TVNZ, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT MERGER, THEY BOTH SAY THAT NOW PROVIDES THEM WITH SOME CERTAINTY. MEDIAWORKS, A PUBLIC MEDIA COMPANY, HAS WELCOMED THE MOVE. THEY WERE WORRIED THAT IT COULD HAVE DISTORTED THE MEDIA MARKET. NOW, THE SOCIAL INSURANCE SCHEME, THAT'S BEEN PUT ON ICE. THIS IS A SCHEME THAT WOULD HAVE GIVEN WORKERS 80% OF THEIR INCOME IF THEY'D LOST THEIR JOBS. NOW, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS PLEASED ABOUT THIS; THE UNIONS NOT SO MUCH, BECAUSE THE UNIONS SAY, WELL, WE'RE POTENTIALLY HEADING FOR A RECESSION; NOW IS THE TIME WHEN WE NEED THIS SORT OF SCHEME. NOW, ALL OF THESE CHANGES CHRIS HIPKINS SAYS IT SAVED THE GOVERNMENT IN THE ORDER OF SORT OF LOW HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. BUT WHAT IT'S REALLY DONE IS TAKEN THE STING OUT OF NATIONAL'S TAIL ON THESE ATTACK POINTS. MORE CHANGE IS TO COME. SO, THREE WATERS IS BEING LOOKED AT. THERE IS LIKELY TO BE TWEAKS AND A BIT OF A FACELIFT. IWI LEADERS, THOUGH, ARE URGING THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO WALK AWAY ON CO-GOVERNANCE OF OUR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE. WE'RE LIKELY TO SEE MORE ON THREE WATERS IN THE COMING WEEKS. ALONGSIDE SCRAPPING A LIST OF POLICIES YESTERDAY, THE GOVERNMENT ALSO ANNOUNCED IT'S LIFTING THE MINIMUM WAGE TO $22.70 AN HOUR. THE EMPLOYERS AND MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION SAYS THE MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE IS ANOTHER BLOW TO BUSINESSES AFTER A SERIES OF RECENT CHALLENGES. THE EMA'S ALAN MCDONALD SAYS IT'S A SHARP RISE THAT'LL ULTIMATELY BE PASSED ON TO CONSUMERS. JUST THE SCALE OF IT AT SUCH SHORT NOTICE WILL CREATE DIFFICULTIES, PARTICULARLY FOR THAT SMALLER END OF TOWN THAT IS STRUGGLING QUITE HARD. ECONOMIC COMMENTATOR BERNARD HICKEY AGREES THE INCREASE APPEARS LARGE ON THE SURFACE. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU LOOK BACK, THAT INCREASE ` 7.1% ` IS AROUND ABOUT IN LINE WITH WHAT WE'VE SEEN ON AVERAGE FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS OR SO. THE DIFFERENCE IS THIS TIME, IT'S ONLY KEEPING UP WITH INFLATION ` THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE WERE PRETTY MUCH DOUBLE INFLATION. SO IN REAL TERMS, THIS IS ACTUALLY A SLOW-DOWN IN THE MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE. THE CHANGES COME INTO EFFECT ON APRIL 1ST. A TRANSNATIONAL CRIME EXPERT IS WARNING IT'LL ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE A NEW ROUTE OR GROUP EMERGES, AFTER NEW ZEALAND'S BIGGEST COCAINE BUST EVER. 81 BOUND PACKETS OF THE DRUG WERE SPOTTED FLOATING IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND THEN RETRIEVED BY THE DEFENCE FORCE. CRIME EXPERT JOSE SOUSA-SANTOS SAYS IT'S A SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTION FOR REGIONAL SYNDICATES. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO RECOVER A FULL LOAD, YOU KNOW, IN ITS ENTIRETY. AND I THINK THIS IS THE IMPORTANCE AND THE REAL PUNCH TO THE NOSE OF THE REGIONAL` OF THIS LARGE REGIONAL SYNDICATE. NO ARRESTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN RELATION TO THE BUST. A MAN IS FACING CHARGES IN WELLINGTON DISTRICT COURT TODAY AFTER AN INCIDENT AT A CENTRAL CITY CURRENCY EXCHANGE. THE 43-YEAR-OLD HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ROBBERY AND POSSESSION OF AN IMITATION FIREARM. ARMED OFFICERS SWARMED THE LAMBTON QUAY STORE YESTERDAY MORNING. POLICE ARE APPEALING FOR THE PUBLIC TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION THEY MAY HAVE. A BOMB THREAT IN CHRISTCHURCH THIS MORNING DISRUPTED COMMUTER TRAVEL AND BUSINESSES. FERRY RD WAS SHUT OFF FROM BOTH DIRECTIONS AT AROUND 8.30 FOR NEARLY TWO HOURS WHILE POLICE CONDUCTED A SCENE EXAMINATION. A BUSINESS OWNER TOLD 1 NEWS POLICE TOLD HIM THERE WAS A BOMB THREAT AT THE BUSINESS NEXT DOOR AND THOSE INSIDE WERE EVACUATED. THE PACKAGE HAS SINCE BEEN DEEMED NOT SUSPICIOUS. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` MORE PEOPLE RESCUED, BUT NO SIGNS OF A KIWI PILOT HELD HOSTAGE IN INDONESIA. BUT NO SIGNS OF A KIWI PILOT HELD HOSTAGE IN INDONESIA. WHY THE SEARCH IS SO DIFFICULT. PLUS ` ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER TOP ALL BLACK PACKING HIS BAGS. DANE COLES CALLS IT QUITS. AND WHAT CAN'T HE DO? LEBRON JAMES BREAKS A MAJOR BASKETBALL RECORD. THOSE SEARCHING FOR A NEW ZEALAND PILOT MISSING IN THE INDONESIAN PROVINCE OF PAPUA HAVE FOUND OTHERS UNDER THREAT FROM ARMED SEPARATIST FIGHTERS. POLICE AND SOLDIERS LOOKING FOR PHILIP MEHRTENS FOUND 15 PEOPLE WHO'D TAKEN REFUGE IN A PRIEST'S HOME AFTER MEMBERS OF THE WEST PAPUA LIBERATION ARMY THREATENED TO KILL THEM. THERE'S NO UPDATE ON MR MEHRTENS' WELL-BEING AFTER HIS PLANE WAS STORMED AND SET ON FIRE TWO DAYS AGO. CAMMI WEBB-GANNON OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS FOCUSSED WEST PAPUA PROJECT SAYS IT'S A DELICATE SITUATION. THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT AND OTHER PARTIES INVOLVED WOULD BE TRYING TO BALANCE GETTING THE PILOT SAFELY HOME AND TRYING TO APPEASE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HOLDING HIM HOSTAGE, BUT ALSO TO WORK WITH THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT. OFFICIALS SAY THE AREA IS DIFFICULT TO REACH AND IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE BY PLANE. WELLINGTON HOMEOWNERS WILL NEED TO DIG DEEPER INTO THEIR POCKETS, WITH A HEFTY RATES HIKE OF NEARLY 13% FORECAST FOR THIS YEAR. IT FOLLOWS AN INCREASE OF 13.5% IN 2021, AND 8% LAST YEAR. MAYOR TORY WHANAU SAYS IT'S A 'BITTER PILL TO SWALLOW FOR MANY', BUT COUNCIL NEEDS TO SPEND MONEY ON INFRASTRUCTURE URGENTLY. THE COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON THE FORECAST RATES RISE AFTER PUBLIC CONSULTATION LATER THIS YEAR. BRITISH PRIME MINISTER RISHI SUNAK CLAIMS 'NOTHING IS OFF THE TABLE' AFTER VOLODYMYR ZELENSKY MAKES A PLEA FOR FIGHTER JETS. THE UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT MADE A SURPRISE VISIT TO THE UK TODAY, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE WAR BEGAN. THE BBC'S CHRIS MASON HAS THE STORY. THE LEADER OF A COUNTRY AT WAR ARRIVES. A LEADER GRATEFUL FOR THE UK'S HELP AND ASKING FOR MORE. THE PRIME MINISTER GREETED PRESIDENT ZELENSKY OFF THE PLANE. IT'S THE UK HE HAS CHOSEN FOR ONLY HIS SECOND FOREIGN TRIP SINCE THE FULL-SCALE WAR BEGAN ALMOST A YEAR AGO. THE FACE AND VOICE OF UKRAINE. PRESIDENT ZELENSKY ARRIVING IN DOWNING STREET WITH THE PRIME MINISTER. MR ZELENSKY, DO YOU WANT BRITISH FIGHTER JETS NEXT? THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES, HE DOES. THE POPE, NELSON MANDELA AND CHARLES DE GAULLE ARE AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE SPOKEN HERE IN PARLIAMENT'S WESTMINSTER HALL. TODAY, THE TURN OF PRESIDENT ZELENSKY. THIS IS WHAT SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE AND ITS CAUSE, IN BROAD TERMS, LOOKS AND SOUNDS LIKE HERE. (CROWD CHEERS) BUT PRESIDENT ZELENSKY CAME HERE WITH A GIFT AND A SPECIFIC REQUEST, PACKAGED IN POWERFUL RHETORIC. THIS A FIGHTER PILOT'S HELMETS. THE WRITING ON THE HELMET READS ` WE HAVE FREEDOM, GIVE US WINGS TO PROTECT IT. (CROWD APPLAUDS) TWO YEARS AGO, I THANKED YOU FOR DELICIOUS ENGLISH TEA. (CROWD LAUGHS) AND I WILL BE LEAVING THE PARLIAMENT TODAY THANKING ALL OF YOU IN ADVANCE FOR POWERFUL ENGLISH PLANES. (CROWD LAUGHS, APPLAUDS) AND FROM THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER TO BUCKINGHAM PALACE. WE'VE ALL BEEN WORRIED ABOUT YOU, THINKING ABOUT YOUR COUNTRY FOR SO LONG. NEXT FOR THE PRESIDENT, AN AUDIENCE WITH THE KING. AND FROM THERE TO AN ARMY BASE IN DORSET, WHERE UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN TRAINING. AND THIS FROM THE PRIME MINISTER ON PROVIDING WARPLANES. WHEN IT COMES TO A FIGHTER COMBAT AIRCRAFT, OF COURSE, THEY ARE PART OF THE CONVERSATION. INDEED, WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THAT TODAY AND HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY. AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT WE WILL BE TRAINING UKRAINIAN AIR FORCE. NOTHING IS OFF THE TABLE. TONIGHT, PRESIDENT ZELENSKY HEADS TO PARIS AS HIS REQUESTS FOR EUROPEAN HELP CONTINUE. THERE ARE FEARS THE BLACK FRIDAY BUSH FIRES IN AUSTRALIA THREE YEARS AGO MAY HAVE WIPED OUT AN ENTIRE KOALA POPULATION IN PART OF NEW SOUTH WALES. NEW DATA SHOWS THERE HASN'T BEEN A SIGHTING OF A KOALA IN THE REGION SINCE THEN. ABC'S ISOBEL ROE HAS MORE. CHARRED TREETOPS AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE. THE SHOALHAVEN, SOUTH OF SYDNEY, IS SLOWLY RECOVERING FROM THE BUSHFIRE DISASTER, BUT KOALA POPULATIONS ARE NOT. SINCE THE 2019-20 BUSHFIRES, THERE HAVE BEEN NO KOALA SIGHTINGS. A MAJOR STUDY OF KOALA POPULATIONS BETWEEN THE HUNTER AND SHOALHAVEN HAS FOUND POPULATIONS HAVE DECREASED 22% IN JUST TWO DECADES. IN SOME REGIONS THEY'RE ALMOST WIPED OUT. WE HAVE LOST THE CENTRAL COAST. WE'RE LOOKING LIKE WE'RE LOSING SHOALHAVEN, AND THE ONLY REAL GROWING KOALA COLONY IS THE ONE AROUND CAMPBELLTOWN, WOLLONDILLY. IN CAMPBELLTOWN, EAGLE-EYED LOCALS CAN STILL SPOT A KOALA IN THEIR BACKYARD. OH YEAH, THERE HE IS. THE SURVEY FOUND THIS IS THE HEALTHIEST POPULATION IN THE STATE, BUT THEIR HOMES ARE BEING SQUEEZED BY OURS. IT'S HORRENDOUS THE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING ON HERE. ALL IN KOALA HABITAT. LOCALS SAY ROADS LIKE THIS ONE ARE AN ABSOLUTE DEATH TRAP FOR THE LOCAL KOALA POPULATION. WITHOUT A SPECIAL CROSSING, KOALAS ARE FORCED TO MAKE A RUN FOR IT BETWEEN THE CARS. SOMETIMES THERE'S A LUCKY ESCAPE. WE'VE BEEN PROMISED SPAN BRIDGES, CULVERTS, BUT NOTHING'S HAPPENED. THE NEW SOUTH WALES GOVERNMENT HAS A KOALA STRATEGY, BUT CONSERVATIONISTS SAY IT DOESN'T ADDRESS LAND CLEARING. THE LAWS APPLY WHERE KOALA HABITAT IS MET. ONLY A HANDFUL OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS IN NEW SOUTH WALES HAVE THOSE MAPS IN PLACE, LEAVING AUSTRALIA'S ICON WITH FEWER PLACES TO GO. TO SPORT, AND NEW ZEALAND RUGBY WILL SAY GOODBYE TO DANE COLES AFTER HE ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT THIS MORNING. THE 36-YEAR-OLD WILL FINISH HIS PROFESSIONAL CAREER AT THE END OF THE SEASON. COLES PLAYED 84 TESTS IN THE BLACK JERSEY AND WAS A 2015 WORLD CUP CHAMPION. HE'S THE THIRD MOST-CAPPED ALL BLACKS HOOKER BEHIND KEVIN MEALAMU AND SEAN FITZPATRICK. AND ANOTHER ALL BLACK IS FOLLOWING BEAUDEN BARRETT AND AARON SMITH OUT THE DOOR TO JAPAN AT THE END OF THE 2023 SEASON. VETERAN LOCK BRODIE RETALLICK WILL RETURN TO HIS JAPANESE SIDE KOBELCO STEELERS AFTER THE RUGBY WORLD CUP. ENGLAND'S TEST CRICKET SIDE HAS ARRIVED IN NEW ZEALAND, PREPARING FOR THEIR SERIES AGAINST THE BLACKCAPS. CURRENTLY THEY'RE PLAYING A TWO-DAY TOUR MATCH AGAINST THE NEW ZEALAND ELEVEN IN HAMILTON. THE SIDE HAS LOOKED STRONG SCORING 465 ON THE FIRST DAY. THE TEAM'S FOCUS IS TO ENJOYING THEMSELVES ON AND OFF THE PITCH. THEY'RE ENJOYING THEIR CRICKET. YOU SEE THEM WALK AROUND THE DRESSING ROOM AT TRAININGS OR WHEREVER THEY GO, THEY'VE GOT SMILES ON THEIR FACES, AND THEY'RE LAUGHING AND JOKING, AND WHEN THEY PUT THEIR HEAD DOWN AND START WORK, AND THEY PUT IN THE YARDS. THE FIRST DAY-NIGHT TEST BEGINS IN MT MAUNGANUI IN A WEEK. ANOTHER WARM-UP MATCH AND ANOTHER TOP ORDER COLLAPSE FOR THE WHITE FERNS. THE SIDE ONCE AGAIN STRUGGLED TO FORM PARTNERSHIPS AT THE TOP OF THE BATTING ORDER, FALLING TO ENGLAND BY FIVE WICKETS IN THEIR FINAL WARM-UP MATCH OF THE T20 WORLD CUP. WE KNOW IN ANY FORMAT OF THE GAME SOME TYPES OF WICKETS CAN STAND I THOUGHT THEY BATTED PARTICULARLY WELL. THEY WERE AGGRESSIVE AND TOOK TO US, BUT AGAIN, I DON'T THINK WE WERE THAT GREAT WITH THE BALL. PLENTY OF LEARNINGS FOR US. IT'S A WARMUP GAME, SO THERE IS NO REAL CONSEQUENCE. THE WHITE FERNS OPEN THEIR TOURNAMENT AGAINST AUSTRALIA ON SUNDAY. LOS ANGELES LAKERS STAR LEBRON JAMES HAS BROKEN A 39-YEAR-OLD RECORD TO BECOME NBA'S ALL TIME POINT SCORER. THE 38-YEAR-OLD SURPASSING THE GREAT KAREEM ABDUL JABBAR AGAINST THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER LAST NIGHT. THE BBC'S NESTER MCGREGOR HAS MORE. LEBRON JAMES, A SHOT AT HISTORY. (CROWD CHEERS) THE MOMENT A MILESTONE MANY THOUGHT TO BE INSURMOUNTABLE WAS FINALLY SURPASSED. THE NBA'S ALL-TIME SCORING RECORD. LEBRON JAMES, NICKNAMED THE KING, ADDING A NEW JEWEL TO HIS CROWN. I WOULD NEVER, EVER IN A MILLION YEARS DREAMT THIS EVEN BETTER THAN WHAT IT IS TONIGHT. OFF THE BOARD! FOR TWO DECADES, HE HAS BEEN THE DOMINANT FORCE IN THE NBA. OH, SHOWTIME. PLAYING FOR HIS HOMETOWN, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS, THE MIAMI HEAT, AND NOW THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS, WINNING A CHAMPIONSHIP WITH EACH. HE'S UP THERE WITH MESSI, RONALDO, SERENA WILLIAMS, MUHAMMAD ALI. AND I JUST WANT TO TELL HIM AMAZING JOB, MAN. YOU INSPIRE A LOT OF PEOPLE TO WANT TO BE GREAT, AND GREATNESS IS INSIDE OF HIM AND HE LETS THAT GREATNESS OUT EVERY DAY. AMONGST ALL HIS ACHIEVEMENTS, THIS MAY BE CONSIDERED THE GREATEST YET. HE HAD ALREADY OVERTAKEN SUPERSTARS OF THE GAME LIKE MICHAEL JORDAN AND KOBE BRYANT. BUT FOR SOME, BREAKING KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR'S LONG-STANDING RECORD CEMENTS JAMES' STATUS AS THE BEST EVER. (CROWD CHEERS) TO SEE HIM ACHIEVE THIS MILESTONE, IT MEANS A LOT, MAN. TO JUST BE HERE IN A MOMENT. YOU SAW HIS EMOTION COME OUT IN HIM, AND I KIND OF TEARED UP, TOO. AND I'M NOT EVEN A BIG BASKETBALL FAN. HE'S TRANSCENDED THE LAST DECADE OF BASKETBALL, AND IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENT, WHAT HE'S BEEN ABLE TO DO. BASKETBALL FANS HERE IN THE U.S. ARE WELL USED TO SEEING LEBRON JAMES PERFORMING AT THE VERY TOP LEVEL. HE STILL AVERAGES AROUND 30 POINTS PER GAME, SO THE BIG QUESTION NOW ` HOW MUCH LONGER CAN HE CONTINUE? AS HE CELEBRATES THIS ACHIEVEMENT WITH HIS LOVED ONES, JAMES HAS MADE NO SECRET OF THE FACT HE WANTS TO STICK AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO PLAY WITH OR AGAINST HIS TEENAGE SON. AND WHO WOULD BET AGAINST HIM? E WHAI AKE NEI, STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. A COOLER DAY FOR MOST, WITH A FEW SHOWERS TO WESTERN PARTS OF BOTH ISLANDS. DETAILS COMING UP. PLUS, RAISE YOUR GLASS. POP STAR P!NK IS BRINGING HER SIGNATURE THEATRICS BACK TO NEW ZEALAND. WHERE SHE'LL BE PLAYING, NEXT. We got a new car you have to plug in. It goes for two wee stops. (DOG BARKS) One masterpiece. And four unlucky possums! Five! VOICEOVER: Fast charge on the road and pay like you're at home. With Genesis at charge net stations. TENA KOE, YOU'RE WITH MIDDAY. RAISE YOUR GLASS, INTERNATIONAL POP STAR P!NK IS COMING TO AOTEAROA. SHE'S BRINGING HER 'SUMMER CARNIVAL' TOUR TO AUCKLAND'S EDEN PARK AND DUNEDIN'S FORSYTH BARR STADIUM IN MARCH NEXT YEAR. # SO SO WHAT? # I'M STILL A ROCK STAR. # TICKETS GO ON SALE NEXT FRIDAY. AND YOU CAN CATCH HILARY BARRY'S CHAT WITH P!NK TONIGHT ON SEVEN SHARP, HERE ON TVNZ1 AFTER THE NEWS HOUR. STICKING IN DUNEDIN AS WE TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER, AND IT'S COOLER TEMPERATURES FOR MOST. OTEPOTI, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A HIGH OF JUST 16 DEGREES TODAY. THAT SOUTHWEST FLOW BRINGING THE MERCURY RIGHT DOWN AS THE NORTH PREPARES FOR CYCLONE GABRIELLE. HERE'S THE FORECAST WITH P!NK AND 'TRUSTFALL'. # PICTURE A PLACE WHERE IT ALL DOESN'T HURT, # WHERE EVERYTHING'S SAFE AND IT DOESN'T GET WORSE. # OH MY, WE SEE THROUGH BLOODSHOT EYES. # PICTURE A PLACE SOMEWHERE ELSE FAR AWAY # WHERE YOU KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN, # AND THEY MEAN WHAT THEY SAY TO US, # AND WOULD THAT BE ENOUGH? # ARE WE RUNNING OUT OF TIME? # ARE WE HIDING FROM THE LIGHT? # ARE WE JUST TOO SCARED TO FIGHT FOR WHAT WE WANT TONIGHT? # CLOS YOUR EYES AND LEAV IT ALL BEHIND # GO WHERE LOVE IS ON OUR SIDE. # IT'S A TRUST FALL, BABY. # IT'S A TRUST FALL, BABY. THANKS FOR JOINING US. OUR NEXT NEWS IS TE KARERE AT 4, AND THE 1 NEWS TEAM WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY JULIE TAYLOR AND EMMA BARTOSZEWICZ POOLE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023