IT'S MIDDAY ` CYCLONE GABRIELLE ROLLS IN, LEAVING THOUSANDS WITHOUT POWER ACROSS THE NORTH ISLAND AND CAUSING MAJOR DISRUPTIONS. ANOTHER UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT IS SHOT DOWN OVER NORTH AMERICA, THE THIRD IN THREE DAYS. WHO THE UNITED STATES SAYS IS BEHIND THE PHENOMENON. AND THE COUNTDOWN IS ON TO THE BIGGEST DAY ON THE AMERICAN SPORTING CALENDAR AS THE CHIEFS AND EAGLES SQUARE OFF IN THE SUPER BOWL. CAPTIONS BY JAMES BROWN AND TOM CLARKE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023. CYCLONE GABRIELLE IS ALREADY MAKING ITS PRESENCE FELT ` LEAVING THOUSANDS WITHOUT POWER, CAUSING ROAD CLOSURES AND DISRUPTION TRANSPORT AND SHUTTING SCHOOLS. BUT THERE'S A WARNING ` THE WORST IS YET TO COME. RED HEAVY RAIN WARNINGS ARE IN PLACE FOR NORTHLAND, AUCKLAND, COROMANDEL, AND GISBORNE, AND THIS IS WHY ` RED HEAVY RAIN WARNINGS ARE IN PLACE FOR NORTHLAND, AUCKLAND, COROMANDEL, AND GISBORNE, AND THIS IS WHY ` RAIN IS FORECAST TO SET IN IN NORTHLAND AND THE EAST COAST EARLY THIS AFTERNOON, AND AUCKLAND THIS EVENING. WE ARE MONITORING THE OVERALL SIUATION. AND ASSESSING EVERY FOUR HOURS WHETHER WE NEED TO DECLARE A NATIONAL STATE OF EMERGENCY. WE HAVE NOT REACHED THAT POINT AND WE MAY NOT HAVE TO. THIS IS AN ALL OF GOVERNMENT RESPONSE WITH ALL AGENCIES READY TO RESPOND AS NEEDED. FIRE AND EMERGENCY NEW ZEALAND HAS ALL UNITS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY AT A HEIGHTENED STATE OF READINESS WAKA KOTAKI HAS UNITS READY TO KEEP ROADS AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE. THE DEFENCE FORCE HAS DEPLOYED ON 50 PEOPLE TO KEY AREAS AND HAVE A NUMBER OF UNIMOS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST WITH EMERGENCY AND HAVE A NUMBER OF UNIMOGS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST WITH EMERGENCY STATES OF EMERGENCY ARE NOW IN PLACE IN NORTHLAND, AUCKLAND, THAMES-COROMANDEL, AND THIS MORNING IN OPOTIKI AND TAIRAWHITI. OUR BIGGEST CITY IS STILL RECOVERING FROM RECORD-BREAKING FLOODS EXPERIENCED A FORTNIGHT AGO, BUT AUCKLAND'S NOW BATTENING DOWN THE HATCHES IN PREPARATION FOR CYCLONE GABRIELLE. OUR REPORTER TESSA PARKER IS IN AUCKLAND. HOW IS AUCKLAND CURRENTLY, TESSA? THE WEATHER ISN'T TOO BAD IN AUCKLAND AT THE MOMENT. A LITTLE BIT OF RAIN AND A SLIGHT BREEZE. HOWEVER, IT IS GOING TO INTENSIFY THIS AFTERNOON. AUCKLAND CURRENTLY HAS A HEAVY RAIN WARNING AND A HEAVY WIND WATCH. AUCKLAND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SAY THIS IS NO TIME FOR COMPLACENCY. THEY SPOKE ABOUT THAT AT A PRESS BRIEFING. IF YOU HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED HEAVY WINDS OVERNIGHT, DON'T THINK THAT THEY WON'T BE COMING FOR YOU AT SOME OTHER POINT IN THE DAY. EQUALLY, IF YOU'RE GETTING A BIT OF A REPRIEVE RIGHT NOW, MAKE THE MOST OF THAT, BECAUSE THEY COULD RETURN, ALSO, LATER. AUCKLAND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WANTS EVERYONE TO STAY PREPARED. THEY HAVE 27 CIVIL DEFENCE STATIONS AND 12 COMMUNITY CENTRES AS WELL. MINISTER FOR AUCKLAND MICHAEL WOOD VISITED A FEW OF THOSE TODAY AND HAD A LOOK AT SOME OF THE SUPPLIES AND PREPARATIONS BUT THEY WANT TO EMPHASISE THAT EVERYONE SHOULD STAY PREPARED AND BE PREPARED TO EVACUATE IF THE SITUATION WORSENS. WHAT IMPACTS OF CYCLONE GABRIELLE ARE ALREADY BEING FELT ACROSS AUCKLAND? THE STRONG WIND IS BEING FELT IN NORTHERN AUCKLAND. VICTOR SAYS IN THE AUCKLAND REGION 16,000 HOMES AND BUSINESSES ARE WITHOUT POWER, AND MOSTLY NORTH OF OREWA. THERE IS DISRUPTION TO TRANSPORT, BECAUSE AUCKLAND TRANSPORT HAS CLOSED SOME OF THE TRAIN SYSTEM, UNTIL AT LEAST 3 PM TODAY. THE HARBOUR BRIDGE IS CURRENTLY OPEN, BUT WITH REDUCED LANES. THERE IS SOME DISRUPTION TO BUSES. THEY ARE RUNNING ON A REDUCED TIMETABLE. THEY ARE TRYING TO HAVE STRONG COMMUNICATION, BECAUSE AUCKLAND TRANSPORT SUFFERED STRONG CRITICISM AFTER THE FLOODS. CHRIS HIPKINS SPOKE TO BREAKFAST. IF YOU LOOK AT ISSUES THAT WE DID HAVE IN THAT AUCKLAND FLOODING A WEEK OR TWO AGO, THERE WERE ISSUES AROUND TRANSPORT, FOR EXAMPLE, AND WAKA KOTAHI KNOCKING OFF A BIT EARLY FOR THE EVENING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOODING. I WENT AND VISITED THEM YESTERDAY. I CAN TELL YOU, THEY'VE GOT A 24/7 COMMS TEAM THERE TO KEEP PEOPLE REALLY INFORMED ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON. SO WE'VE REALLY SCALED UP THE RESPONSE FOR THIS. SO I THINK THAT THOSE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS ARE NOW WIDE OPEN. BECAUSE OF THE STRONG WIND AND RAIN, WE COULD SEE MORE SLIPS AND DAMAGED ERODING. HOWEVER IT IS NOT JUST LAND TRANSPORT. AUCKLAND AIRPORT IS SEEING DISRUPTION. FLIGHTS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED AT DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TERMINALS AND IN NEW ZEALAND HAS CANCELLED ALL OF THEIR FLIGHTS. LET'S HEAD TO NORTHLAND NOW WHERE NICOLE BREMNER IS STANDING BY IN WHANGAREI. GOOD AFTERNOON, NICOLE. WHAT'S THE SITUATION THERE? THE WIND HAS CERTAINLY DROPPED HERE FROM THE ABSOLUTE HAMMERING THIS MORNING. YOU CAN SEE THE RAIN HAS NOT. THE SKIES HAVE OPENED. THERE IS WATER EVERYWHERE. THAT IS PART OF THE BIG PROBLEM HERE. ALL EYES WILL BE ON THE RIVER, THE MAIN RIVER THAT RUNS THROUGH WHANGAREI. HIGH TIDE IS AROUND 2. THERE IS CONCERN AS TO HOW MUCH WATER WILL BE IN THE RIVER AND WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN NEXT. PART OF THE PROBLEM HERE IS THAT THE BIG SURGE, THE BIG TIDES COMING IN, PUSHED BY THE CYCLONE, ARE COMING UP THE RIVER, AND IT MEANS A LOT OF THE SURFACE FLOODING THE WATER IN DRAINS CAN'T GET OUT, BECAUSE IT IS GOING AGAINST THE FORCE OF THE SEA. SO IT IS A BIG PICTURE HERE NOW. IT IS VERY WET AND COLD. PEOPLE ARE BEING ASKED TO STAY OFF ROADS. THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH COMMUNICATION. WE ARE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING PEOPLE ON PHONES. ONE OF THE BIG CELL PHONE TOWERS IS OUT. AND THERE IS ELECTRICITY CUTS TO HOMES. EVERYBODY IS WORKING HARD. PEOPLE ARE ASKED TO HUNKER DOWN, STAY DRY AND CALL 111 IF THEY NEED EMERGENCY HELP. THE COROMANDEL IS BRACING FOR THE FULL FORCE OF GABRIELLE WITH RED HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WIND WARNINGS IN PLACE. SIMON MERCEP SENT THIS UPDATE FROM WHITIANGA. WELL, THE RAIN HAS WELL AND TRULY SETTLED HERE IN WHITIANGA. IT ARRIVED IN FULL FORCE THIS MORNING, EXPECTED TO CARRY ON RIGHT THROUGH THE REST OF THE DAY AND INTO TOMORROW. THEY'RE EXPECTING 400mm OF RAIN HERE, A HUGE AMOUNT, COMPARABLE, THEY SAY, TO CYCLONE BOLA, BACK IN THE '80s. WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE OUT ON THE FORESHORE HERE ON BUFFALO BEACH PROTECTING PROPERTIES WITH SANDBAGS. WE'VE ALSO SEEN ONE PART OF A KERBSIDE SLIP AWAY INTO THE OCEAN. AND HIGH TIDE IS DUE AT AROUND ABOUT 1 O'CLOCK, SO THERE'LL BE CONCERNS ABOUT MORE SLIPS ALONG THE FRONTAGE HERE. HIGHWAYS ` THERE HAVE BEEN MORE CLOSURES DURING THE COURSE OF THE MORNING SH25, NORTH OF WHITIANGA, UP TO MATARANGI, ACROSS TO COROMANDEL AND DOWN TO THAMES AGAIN ` THAT'S CLOSED IN SEVERAL PLACES BECAUSE OF SLIPS. AND THE CIVIL DEFENCE TEAMS ARE OUT RIGHT THROUGH THE DAY KEEPING AN EYE ON THOSE AREAS. THEY SAY SO FAR PEOPLE HAVE HEEDED ADVICE AND ARE STAYING PUT, NOT GOING OUT ON TO THOSE ROADS. THE DEFENCE FORCE ALSO IS HERE HELPING OUT WITH DUTIES LIKE SANDBAGGING. THEY'RE EXPECTING A FAIRLY WET AND TRICKY AFTERNOON AHEAD HERE ON THE COROMANDEL PENINSULA. A STATE OF EMERGENCY IS NOW IN PLACE FOR TAIRAWHITI AS CYCLONE GABRIELLE CLOSES IN. JOHN CAMPBELL IS IN THE REGION AND SENT THIS. JENNY, WE ARE INLAND FROM TOLAGA BAY. THIS IS THE RIVER THAT BECAME SO FAMOUS ` SO INFAMOUS, ALMOST ` AFTER CYCLONE HALE AT THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY FOR BEING SO COVERED IN FORESTRY DEBRIS ` FOREST DEBRIS, SLASH ` SO MUCH WOOD HERE. NOW, CONTRACTORS ` FORESTRY COMPANY CONTRACTORS MOSTLY; I THINK THE GDC WERE HERE TOO ` CAME IN AND CLEARED A LOT OF IT. BUT THE PROBLEM IS, AS THE RAIN FALLS UP IN THE HIGH COUNTRY INLAND FROM TOLAGA BAY ` AND BEAR IN MIND, GABRIELLE IS ONLY JUST STARTING HERE ` MORE AND MORE MATERIAL WILL WASH DOWN. NOW, ANDY OUR WONDERFUL CAMERAMAN, IS GOING TO PEEK OVER THE EDGE. NOW, THIS RIVER HEADS DOWN TO TOLAGA BAY. IT HEADS THROUGH FARMLAND. AND WE'VE BEEN ON THE FARMLANDS, AND WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED AFTER CYCLONE HALE ` THE PADDOCKS, THE MAIZE, THE CORN, EVERYTHING GETS SWAMPED BY THIS MATERIAL. A HUGE AMOUNT JUST GOING DOWN BELOW US NOW. AND THEN IT GOES OUT TO SEA. AND SO ALL OF THIS IS STARTING AGAIN. NOW, THESE EVENTS USED TO BE ONE-IN-100-, ONE-IN-20-YEAR, ONE-IN-10-YEAR EVENTS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT'S HAPPENED THIS YEAR. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT'S HAPPENED THIS YEAR, AND IT'S ONLY FEBRUARY. AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT ` AND WE'LL BE FILING ON THIS FOR 6 O'CLOCK ` THE LOCALS HERE HAVE HAD ENOUGH. LOOK AT THIS ` I'M JUST GOING TO LEAVE YOU ON THIS SHOT THAT ANDY'S GETTING NOW. AND THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF IT. THE HEAVY RAIN IS YET TO COME. THE UNITED STATES HAS SHOT DOWN YET ANOTHER UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT, THE UNITED STATES HAS SHOT DOWN YET ANOTHER UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT, THIS TIME OVER LAKE HURON IN MICHIGAN. THE OPERATION MARKS THE THIRD DAY IN A ROW THAT A HIGH-ALTITUDE OBJECT HAS BEEN TAKEN DOWN IN NORTH AMERICAN AIRSPACE. THE U.S. CLAIMS THE UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT BROUGHT DOWN IN CANADIAN AIRSPACE JUST YESTERDAY WAS ANOTHER SURVEILLANCE BALLOON, BUT CANADIAN OFFICIALS HAVE STOPPED SHORT OF SPECULATING ON THE OBJECT'S ORIGIN. WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO EVERYTHING NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE SOVEREIGNTY OF OUR SHARED NORTH AMERICAN AIRSPACE, BUT TO DO ALSO EVERYTHING TO KEEP OUR CITIZENS SAFE. RECOVERY TEAMS ARE ON THE GROUND LOOKING TO FIND AND ANALYSE THE OBJECT. FOLLOWING TODAY'S SHOOTING DOWN, U.S. OFFICIALS SAY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE ANSWERS. THE TURKEY AND SYRIA EARTHQUAKE DEATH TOLL HAS SURPASSED 33,000. REMARKABLY, A WEEK ON FROM THE MASSIVE QUAKE, SURVIVORS ARE STILL BEING PULLED FROM THE RUBBLE. BUT FOR THE REBEL-HELD AREAS OF NORTH-WESTERN SYRIA, RESCUE EFFORTS HAVE COME TO AN END. THE BBC'S QUENTIN SOMMERVILLE HAS THIS REPORT FROM IDLIB, SYRIA. A BORDER AND A CATASTROPHE SHARED, BUT IN THE EARTHQUAKE'S AFTERMATH, SYRIA AND TURKEY COULDN'T BE FARTHER APART. WE'VE JUST CROSSED INTO SYRIA. AT THE BORDER CROSSING, THERE WERE ABOUT A DOZEN AID TRUCKS, FUEL TANKERS COMING IN. BUT ACTUALLY, THERE MORE REFUGEES, MORE CORPSES COMING OUT THAN THERE WAS AID COMING IN HERE. THE MAIN STREET IN IDLIB'S HARAM IS GONE. THEY WAITED FOR HELP HERE, BUT NONE CAME. IT WAS HERE THAT FADEL GHADAB'S AUNT AND COUSINS' FAMILIES ALL DIED. (SPEAKS ARABIC) TRANSLATOR: THERE IS NO ONE ALIVE HERE; EVERYONE IS DEAD. WE JUST NEED THEM TO COME IN AND DIG THE BODIES UP FOR BURIAL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY. WE TRAVEL FURTHER WEST. THERE ARE NO AID CONVOYS HERE, FEW SIGNS OF RELIEF, BUT A LOT OF URGENT NEED. THIS WAS THE TOWN OF BSANIA. THESE WERE PEOPLE'S HOMES. THEY WERE NEWLY BUILT, BUT LOOK AT IT NOW. 80% OF THIS VILLAGE IS GONE, AND THEY'VE HAD HARDLY ANY HELP SINCE THE EARTHQUAKE STRUCK. MORE THAN 100 HOMES HAVE GONE HERE, AND MUCH MORE BESIDES. ABU ALA LOST TWO OF HIS CHILDREN. TRANSLATOR: I STARTED RUNNING LIKE A MADMAN IN THE STREETS SHOUTING, 'DEAR GOD!' IT WAS THEN THAT I SAW MY WIFE AND 7-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER ALIVE. I KEPT ON RUNNING IN THE STREETS UNTIL I SAW THEM. SHE TOLD ME MY CHILDREN WERE GONE. (SOBS) ISLAMISTS ARE IN CONTROL HERE. WE WERE ACCOMPANIED AT ALL TIMES BY ARMED MEN WHO DIDN'T INTERFERE WITH OUR WORK, BUT IT'S MADE GETTING AID HERE MORE DIFFICULT. (CRIES) AT THE BAB AL-HAWA HOSPITAL, THEY'VE NO TIME FOR POLITICS. WITH FEW STAFF, THEY'VE HAD TO TREAT OVER 350 EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH, UH... MEDICAL STAFF TO... TO HELP PEOPLE IN A NORMAL SITUATION WITHOUT ANY CATASTROPHES, WITHOUT ANY EARTHQUAKE, WITHOUT ANY BOMBS, WITHOUT ANY WAR. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MEDICAL STAFF. DOWN THE HALLWAY LIES MOHAMMAD GHAYYATH, JUST 3 MONTHS OLD. HIS PARENTS WERE KILLED BY THE EARTHQUAKE. HE WAS FOUND IN THE STREET BY A NEIGHBOUR. MOHAMMAD IS ALL ALONE. AND SYRIA, TOO, AGAIN FEELS FORSAKEN, DISREGARDED BY THE WORLD IN ANOTHER HOUR OF NEED. AND A NUMBER OF SEARCH-AND-RESCUE OPERATIONS IN TURKEY AND NORTH-WESTERN SYRIA HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED. RESCUE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN COMPLICATED BY THE ONGOING CIVIL WAR, WITH INTERNATIONAL RESCUE GROUPS CITING SIGNIFICANT SECURITY THREATS. AFTER MORE THAN 100 HOURS SEARCHING FOR SURVIVORS, SYRIA'S CIVIL DEFENCE BELIEVES NO ONE STILL BURIED BENEATH THE RUBBLE IS ALIVE. 'NOT EASY' ` THAT IS THE RESPONSE FROM POLISH PRESIDENT ANDRE DUDA TO UKRAINE'S RENEWED CALLS FOR FIGHTER JETS. DUDA HAS CAST DOUBT ON WHETHER HIS COUNTRY WILL SUPPLY COMBAT AIRCRAFT TO KYIV, EXPRESSING CONCERNS THAT PROVIDING JETS TO KYIV WILL PULL NATO DIRECTLY INTO THE CONFLICT. POLAND HAS FEWER THAN 50 JETS IN ITS AIR FORCE, AND AS A NATO MEMBER, DUDA SAYS THE MOVE TO SUPPLY THEM MUST BE A 'JOINT DECISION'. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE BREAKERS ARE A WIN AWAY FROM THE AUSTRALIAN NBL GRAND FINAL AFTER THUMPING THE TASMANIAN JACK JUMPERS IN GAME ONE OF THE PLAYOFFS. THE BREAKERS HELD A TWO-POINT LEAD HEADING INTO THE HALFTIME BREAK. BUT THE AUCKLAND SIDE STEPPED THINGS UP A GEAR IN THE FINAL QUARTER TO PULL AWAY FOR THE WIN. BRANTLEY WENT LOW, AND THAT'S WHAT HE NEEDED! SPEAK OF THE DEVIL, HERE HE IS ` OPERATING WHERE SHE'S SUPPOSED TO, GETS THE AND-ONE. HE'LL GO TO THE LINE AND SHOOT A FREE THROW. AND THAT WILL PRETTY MUCH PUT A SEAL ON THIS ONE. FINAL SCORE ` 88-68 TO THE BREAKERS. THE TEAMS FORCED TO JET OUT TO TASMANIA EARLY THIS MORNING TO AVOID CYCLONE GABRIELLE. GOD KNOWS IT HASN'T BEEN A SMOOTH RIDE UNTIL NOW, AND IT'S NOT A SMOOTH RIDE NOW EITHER, SO OUR GUYS FINALLY EARNED A DAY OFF IN NEW ZEALAND ` THEY'RE NOT GONNA GET IT NOW. SO WE LEAVE AT 3am TO THE AIRPORT, AND WE HAVE 2.5 DAYS TO PREPARE IN TASMANIA. AND WE DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR OURSELVES; WE FEEL GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. WE GO DO THE WORK. GAME TWO IN THE BEST OF THREE SERIES IS ON THURSDAY. THE WHITE FERNS NEED TO FIX THEIR BATTING WOES QUICKLY AFTER A DISAPPOINTING OPENING TO THEIR T20 WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN. THE SIDE LOST TO AUSTRALIA BY 97 RUNS IN THEIR FIRST MATCH. THE FERNS UNABLE TO BUILD MEANINGFUL PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE BAT. THE TOP ORDER DESPERATELY TRYING TO FIND THEIR RHYTHM. WE'RE TRYING TO PLAY A BRAND WHERE WE CAN SET UP THE BACK INNINGS AND FINISH REALLY STRONGLY. AND OBVIOUSLY, YESTERDAY'S PERFORMANCE AGAINST AUSTRALIA, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT. WE LOST EARLY WICKETS, AND AS I SAID, THAT'S JUST SOMETIMES THE NATURE OF T20 CRICKET. BUT WE'RE TRYING TO GO OUT THERE, PLAY POSITIVELY, PLAY TO OUR STRENGTHS, AND PUT TEAMS UNDER PRESSURE BY BEING PROACTIVE. THE WHITE FERNS PLAY SOUTH AFRICA TOMORROW. ENGLAND HAVE CLAIMED THEIR FIRST WIN UNDER NEW COACH STEVE BORTHWICK, BEATING ITALY 31-14 IN THE SIX NATIONS THIS MORNING. THE RED AND WHITES DOMINATED FROM THE GET-GO, CLAIMING THEIR 30TH WIN FROM 30 MEETINGS AGAINST ITALY. THEY NOW JUMP TO THIRD ON THE SIX NATIONS STANDINGS AND WILL HEAD TO CARDIFF TO FACE WALES IN TWO WEEKS. A LATE DOUBLE HAS HELPED MANCHESTER UNITED DISPATCH LEEDS 2-0 IN THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, BRIEFLY LIFTING THEM TO SECOND ON THE TABLE. THE RED DEVILS DIDN'T FIRE FOR MOST OF THE MATCH, MARCUS RASHFORD BREAKING THE DEADLOCK IN THE 80TH MINUTE. A SECOND FOLLOWED FIVE MINUTES LATER. AND GARNACHO WILL MAKE HIS WAY FORWARD HERE. (CROWD ROARS) AND THERE'S NUMBER TWO! CROSS-TOWN RIVALS MAN CITY LEAPFROGGED UNITED TO CLAIM SECOND SPOT. THE SKY BLUES DOMINATED VILLA 3-1, FINDING THE BACK OF THE NET IN THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES. RODRI GOT COMPLETELY FREE! (CROWD ROARS) AND IT IS A PERFECT START! MAN CITY NOW SIT TWO POINTS AHEAD OF UNITED. AMERICAN FOOTBALL FANS ARE JUST MINUTES AWAY FROM SUPERBOWL LVII KICKING OFF. THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES FACE THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS WHILST RIHANNA GETS SET TO ENTERTAIN FANS AT THE HALFTIME SHOW. THE ABC'S MELISSA ADAN REPORTS. THE STRONGEST FOOTBALL TEAMS IN THE NFL ENTERING THE FINAL MATCH-UP, SUPER BOWL LVII, AND THEY'RE EXPECTING THE BATTLE FOR CHAMPIONSHIP GLORY TO BE FIERCE. IT'LL BE A GREAT GAME. I MEAN, IT'LL BE A BATTLE. YOU GOT THE BEST OF THE BEST PLAYING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER. THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES RECORDED THE MOST REGULAR SEASON WINS IN TEAM HISTORY, LED BY QUARTERBACK JALEN HURTS. THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS RETURNING TO THE SUPER BOWL AFTER A HEROIC EFFORT FROM QB PATRICK MAHOMES TO WIN BACK-TO-BACK PLAYOFF GAMES DESPITE A SERIOUS LEG INJURY. MAHOMES SEEKING TO BECOME THE FIRST BLACK QUARTERBACK TO WIN TWO SUPER BOWL RINGS. NOT NECESSARILY TRYING TO GET CLOSE TO BRADY, BUT I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LIST OF QUARTERBACKS THAT HAVE WON TWO SUPER BOWLS, IT'S NOT A VERY LONG LIST. THE HEAD COACHES HAVE THEIR WORK CUT OUT FOR THEM. BOTH TEAMS WITH STRONG DEFENCES, SO THEY WILL HAVE TO ADJUST TO THE STYLE OF THESE QBs. AND FANS EAGERLY ANTICIPATING A SPECTACULAR HALFTIME PERFORMANCE. RIHANNA MAKING A COMEBACK ON STAGE SEVEN YEARS AND ONE BABY LATE. SHE AIMS TO MAKE THOSE 13 MINUTES COUNT. THAT'S WHAT THIS SHOW IS GONNA BE. IT'S GONNA BE A CELEBRATION OF MY CATALOGUE IN THE BEST WAY THAT WE COULD HAVE PUT IT TOGETHER. AS MUSIC, FOOTBALL AND FANS GATHER FOR AMERICA'S GREATEST SPORTING EVENT STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. 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. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. HERE'S BALU BRIGADA AND 'OH! NOT AGAIN'. # DISCONNECT. # I'LL REASSEMBLE ALL OF THIS AGAIN. # IS IT EVER ENOUGH? # SIDE EFFECT. # A LITTLE HEAVIER THAN I'D EXPECT. # IT'S A HELL OF A DRUG. # I CAN'T MAKE NO SENSE OF IT ALL. # YOU CAN'T SLEEP ON MY SOFA NO MORE. # SELL MY DREAMS JUST TO MAKE A QUICK BUCK. # LEFT ON READ AND I'M WAITING ON... # CLOSURE, COME ON SETTLE THE DUST. # COS YOU KEEP SLEEPING ON, SLEEPING ON US. # YOU KEEP SLEEPING ON, SLEEPING ON US. # OH,... # NOT AGAIN. # SAID YOU WERE LIGHTING ME UP, BUT YOU'RE SETTING ME ON FIRE. # OH,... # NOT AGAIN. # I'M PUTTING MY PIECES BACK TOGETHER FOR THE LAST TIME. THANKS FOR JOINING US. TE KARERE IS HERE AT 4 FOLLOWED BY THE 1 NEWS TEAM AT 6. PLUS, WE'LL HAVE ALL THE LATEST UPDATES ON CYCLONE GABRIELLE ON OUR WEBSITE AND ACROSS ALL SOCIAL PLATFORMS. SO MAKE SURE YOU'RE FOLLOWING 1 NEWS. BUT FROM THE WHOLE MIDDAY TEAM, HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON AND STAY SAFE. CAPTIONS BY JAMES BROWN AND TOM CLARKE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023.