IT'S MIDDAY. THE NEW SCHOOL TERMS BEGINS WITH THE THREAT OF MORE INDUSTRIAL ACTION ` WHAT NEW DISRUPTIONS MIGHT BE COMING TO THE CLASSROOM. FOREIGN COUNTRIES RUSH TO GET THEIR DIPLOMATS OUT OF SUDAN AS THE FIERCE FIGHTING STRETCHES INTO A SECOND WEEK. PLUS ` FINAL PREPARATION FOR TOMORROW'S ANZAC COMMEMORATIONS, BOTH HERE AND IN EUROPE. CAPTIONS BY TOM CLARKE AND STACEY SPARY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 POLICE HAVE CONFIRMED A PERSON HAS BEEN KILLED BY A BOULDER ON MOUNT TARANKAI. THE MAN WAS TRAMPING ON THE MOUNTAIN YESTERDAY WHEN IT'S UNDERSTOOD HE WAS STRUCK BY A LARGE BOULDER THAT HAD BEEN DISLODGED BY LOOSE SCREE FROM THE SLOPES. POLICE WERE ALERTED AT 4PM, BUT THE MAN DIED AT THE SCENE. POLICE SEARCH AND RESCUE, ASSISTED BY THE TARANAKI RESCUE HELICOPTER AND THE TARANAKI ALPINE CLIFF RESCUE TEAM HELPED RECOVER THE BODY. AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY IN FEILDING AFTER A MAN WAS FATALLY SHOT BY POLICE LAST NIGHT. OUR REPORTER KATE NICOL-WILLIAMS IS AT THE SCENE THIS MORNING. WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE INCIDENT SO FAR, KATE? THIS IS THE HOUSE BEHIND ME, WHERE A MAN WAS SHOT BY THE POLICE, AND THE SMASHED WINDOWS THAT ARE SEEN OTHER PROPERTY ARE A SIGN OF WHAT WENT DOWN HERE WITH AN EIGHT HOUR POLICE STAND-OFF ENSUING, POLICE WERE CALLED AFTER REPORTS OF A MAN ALLEGEDLY SHOT AT HIS NEIGHBOURS WINDOW. NEGOTIATORS GOT INVOLVED, AND THE MAN WAS ASKED TO LEAVE HIS PROPERTY, BUT BY 9 PM LAST NIGHT, A FIREARM WAS PRESENTED BY THE MAN AND OFFICERS SHOT THE MAN. HE DIED WHEN BEING TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL. WE HAVE SEEN OFFICERS GOING FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE ASKING THERE AS IF THEY HAVE SEEN SOMETHING. ONE POLICE OFFICER REMAINS ARMED OUTSIDE THE PROPERTY. HATRED HAS BEEN MADE IN THE FORM OF A FLOWER BOUQUET. WILL HAVE MORE ON THIS AT SIX. AS SOME PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATORS GEAR UP FOR MORE INDUSTRIAL ACTION THIS TERM, ONE TEACHER SAYS THE PROFESSION IS BECOMING LESS AND LESS ATTRACTIVE TO YOUNG PEOPLE. IN RESPONSE TO A BREAKDOWN IN TALKS FOR A NEW COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT, PRIMARY AND AREA PRINCIPALS WILL BEGIN A WORK BAN FROM TODAY; DOING NO WORK AFTER HOURS OR FOR THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION. SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS WITH THE PPTA WILL ALSO BEGIN NATIONWIDE ROLLING STRIKES IN THREE WEEKS' TIME. KIERAN GAINSFORD FROM THE PPTA'S NEGOTIATING TEAM SAYS MANY FRESHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS ARE BEING TEMPTED TO HEAD ACROSS THE DITCH. INCLUDING MANY PEOPLE THAT I MYSELF TRAINED WITH, STARTED THEIR CAREERS HERE IN AOTEAROA, HAVE MADE A GOOD START. HAVE REALLY BECOME STRONG ADVOCATES FOR THEIR STUDENTS AND THEIR SCHOOLS AND THEN HAVE LEFT TO AUSTRALIA FOR CONSIDERABLY BETTER WAGES, BETTER CONDITIONS, AND, OF COURSE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO STRUGGLE IN THE HOUSING MARKET AND JUST WITH THE COST OF LIVING MORE GENERALLY. HE SAYS WHILE MORE SUPPORT IS NEEDED, THERE'S STILL SOME 'DISTANCE' BETWEEN THE NEGOTIATING PARTIES. WE'VE FOUND THE GOVERNMENT TO BE QUITE INFLEXIBLE IN OFFERING A VERY 'ONE SIZE FITS ALL' PAY MODEL ACROSS THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND WE KNOW WE NEED SOMETHING IN SECONDARY EDUCATION THAT'S GOING TO SOLVE THOSE REAL, KEY WORKFORCE SHORTAGES WE'RE SEEING ACROSS SCHOOLS, ACROSS DIFFERENT SUBJECTS AND ACROSS REGIONS. KIERAN GAINSFORD SAYS IF THE GOVERNMENT COMES THROUGH WITH A BETTER OPTION, THEY'D BE HAPPY TO CANCEL THE PLANNED INDUSTRIAL ACTION. IT'S ODOURLESS, COLOURLESS AND TOXIC ` AND NEW PRELIMINARY WATER TESTING RESULTS SHOW LOCALS IN PARTS OF THE SOUTH ISLAND ARE DRINKING NITRATE EVERY DAY. GREENPEACE SAYS 70% OF SAMPLES WERE ABOVE THE CANCER RISK LEVEL OF 1mg PER LITRE. 38% WERE ABOVE THE PRE-TERM BIRTH RISK LEVEL OF 5mg PER LITRE. CHRISTINE ROSE TOLD BREAKFAST PEOPLE IN ASHBURTON WERE QUEUING TO GET THEIR WATER TESTED. THE NUMBER OF DAIRY COWS HAS DOUBLED IN NEW ZEALAND BETWEEN 1990 AND 2019. AND THE AMOUNT OF SYNTHETIC NITRITE FERTILISER BEING POURED ON OUR LAND HAS GONE UP 700 TIMES. SO IT'S TOO MUCH; IT'S OUTRAGEOUS. THE GOVERNMENT MUST ACT NOW TO KEEP PEOPLE'S DRINKING WATER SAFE. FONTERRA DECLINED TO COMMENT ON THE FINDINGS. BUT FEDERATED FARMERS TOLD 1 NEWS FARMERS ARE REDUCING THEIR IMPACT ON THE WATER BUT IT'S AN ISSUE WHICH TAKES TIME TO FIX. THE GREENPEACE REPORT ` IT'S SOMETHING THAT FARMERS HAVE BEEN WELL-AWARE OF, THE INCREASED NITRATE IN THE WATERWAYS. LOOK, WE ARE ON THE JOURNEY WITH THIS. WE HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS FOR ABOUT 10 TO 15 ODD YEARS. WE ARE WORKING ON IT REALLY HARD. THERE ARE REDUCTIONS GOING ON. THE FERTILISER USAGE IS DOWN BY 10%. ENVIRONMENT CANTERBURY BELIEVES GREENPEACE IS BEING MISLEADING IN THE WAY IT'S PRESENTING THE RESULTS OF ITS SAMPLES BY USING STATISTICS BASED ON A SINGLE DANISH STUDY. THE VIOLENT POWER STRUGGLE IN SUDAN IS RAGING ON INTO A SECOND WEEK. CLASHES BETWEEN THE COUNTRY'S RIVAL MILITARY FORCES HAVE PARALYSED SUDAN'S MAIN AIRPORT, LEAVING TENS OF THOUSANDS STRANDED. GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD ARE NOW WORKING URGENTLY TO EVACUATE THEIR DIPLOMATS AND CITIZENS. COURTNEY HAMMOND HAS MORE. THE FIRST FLEET OF EVACUATION PLANES TOUCHING DOWN IN DJIBOUTI AS DIPLOMATS AND FOREIGN NATIONALS FLEE THE WAVE OF CONFLICT OVERRUNNING SUDAN. THE U.S. AND THE UK THE FIRST TO EVACUATE THEIR DIPLOMATS, FLYING INTO THE CAPITAL, KHARTOUM, OVERNIGHT TO AIRLIFT STAFF TO SAFETY. (DISTANT GUNFIRE, EXPLOSIONS) OVER 1200 PEOPLE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS OPERATION. IT WAS DANGEROUS AND PRECARIOUS BUT NEVERTHELESS, WE MANAGED TO USE BOTH C130S AND AN A400 AIRCRAFT TO GO IN, COLLECT OUR DIPLOMATS AND THEIR RESIDENTS AND FLY OUT TO SAFETY. GERMANY, FRANCE AND ITALY ARE AMONG SEVERAL OTHER COUNTRIES FOLLOWING SUIT, CONTINUING EVACUATION OPERATIONS TODAY. DIPLOMATS ARE AT THE FRONT OF THE QUEUE WHILE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER FOREIGN NATIONALS ARE LEFT BEHIND. THE DIPLOMATS THAT WERE WORKING IN THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN KHARTOUM HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DISCHARGE THEIR FUNCTIONS BECAUSE OF THE VIOLENCE IN THAT CITY. AND IN ORDER TO... CONTINUE TO PROTECT THE BRITISH NATIONALS, WE WILL OF COURSE BE ENHANCING OUR TEAMS IN THE REGION. THERE ARE SEVEN NEW ZEALANDERS REGISTERED AS BEING IN SUDAN. NEW ZEALAND EMBASSY STAFF IN NEIGHBOURING ETHIOPIA ARE IN CONTACT WITH THEM. BOTH THE U.S. AND THE UK HAVE DECLARED THE SITUATION TOO DANGEROUS TO GO BACK. BUT THE U.N. IS WORKING URGENTLY TO SET UP ALTERNATIVE ESCAPE ROUTES. THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE THERE ON EIGHT MISSIONS, THERE IS ACTUALLY A U.N EFFORT NOW TO GET PEOPLE FROM KHARTOUM OUT OVER THE LAND QUARTER. THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE RIVAL GROUPS IS ESCALATING, NOW ENTERING ITS SECOND WEEK. ON ONE SIDE IS THE SUDANESE ARMED FORCES, AND THE OTHER, THE PARAMILITARY RAPID SUPPORT FORCES ` BOTH VYING FOR CONTROL. THERE IS NO HOPE OF SURVIVAL. EVERYONE IS JUST... RUNNING HELTER-SKELTER. LOOKING FOR SHELTER. TO SURVIVE. AND THESE PEOPLE, THEY ARE FIGHTING` ITS LIKE THEY DON'T VALUE HUMAN LIVES. AFTER A STRING OF FAILED CEASE FIRES, THERE IS STILL NO SIGN OF A DECLARATION OF TRUCE IN SIGHT. COURTNEY HAMMOND, 1 NEWS. 47 BODIES HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED ON THE PROPERTY OF A LOCAL PASTOR IN KENYA. THE BODIES WERE DUG UP DURING AN INVESTIGATION INTO A CULT RUN BY THE PASTOR, WHO WAS ARRESTED EARLIER THIS MONTH FOR TELLING HIS FOLLOWERS TO FAST TO DEATH. THE FOLLOWERS SAY THEY WERE STARVING UNDER THE PASTOR'S INSTRUCTIONS TO MEET JESUS. LOCAL POLICE EXPECT THE DEATH TOLL TO RISE WITH MORE GRAVES ON THE FARM YET TO BE DUG UP. UKRAINIAN TROOPS HAVE REPOSITIONED NEAR KHERSON, SPARKING SPECULATION A LONG-AWAITED COUNTEROFFENSIVE COULD BE UNDERWAY. KYIV HAS INDICATED FOR MONTHS THAT WHEN THE WEATHER PERMITS, TROOPS WOULD TRY TO PUSH RUSSIAN FORCES OUT OF CAPTURED TERRITORY IN THE SOUTH. BUT THE COUNTRY'S LACK OF AMMUNITION HAS SLOWED PLANS AS THE GOVERNMENT WAITS ON THE DELIVERING OF HEAVY ARTILLERY FROM ITS ALLIES. IT'S PROMPTED PRESIDENT ZELENSKY TO RENEW CALLS FOR ADDITIONAL MILITARY AID, INCLUDING FIGHTER JETS AND LONG-RANGE MISSILES. THE NUCLEAR THREAT IS GROWING ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA, WITH EXPERTS WARNING NORTH KOREA IS FINE TUNING ITS TECHNOLOGY AND CONTINUING TO TEST MISSILES THAT COULD REACH AS FAR AS THE U.S OR AUSTRALIA. THE ABC'S JAMES OATEN TRAVELLED TO POHANG IN SOUTH KOREA TO WITNESS HUGE MILITARY DRILLS HELD IN RESPONSE. (MEN GRUNT) (TANK FIRES) WAR GAMES ARE BACK ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA... (DISTANT EXPLOSION, MEN CHEER) ... WITH HUGE DRILLS IN THE SEA, AIR AND LAND. THE MAIN MEDIA EVENT IS THIS ` A MASSIVE BEACH LANDING. (GUNFIRE) PLUMES OF SMOKE ARE DEPLOYED AS AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT VEHICLES STORM TOWARDS LAND. THIS IS A ROUTINE EXERCISE. IT'S DEFENSIVE IN NATURE. AND IT'S JUST CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMBINED DEFENCE OF THE KOREAN PENINSULA. THE BEACH LANDING IS JUST ONE COMPONENT OF MUCH WIDER EXERCISES HELD THROUGHOUT MARCH AND APRIL. BUT NORTH KOREA VIEWS THESE DRILLS WITH HOSTILITY, LABELLING THEM AN 'INVASION REHEARSAL'. IS THIS DEFENSIVE IN NATURE? SO, IT'S DEFENSIVE IN NATURE. YES, IT IS. WE ARE HERE TO SHOW HOW WE ARE CAPABLE WITH OUR ALLIES AND THAT WE SUPPORT STABILITY IN THE REGION. THE CAPITAL OF SOUTH KOREA HAS HAD TO ENDURE THIS THREAT FOR DECADES. SEOUL IS JUST A SHORT DRIVE FROM THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER, AND PYONGYANG HAS ABOUT 1000 ARTILLERY SYSTEMS POINTED DIRECTLY AT IT. BUT THE PEOPLE HERE HAVE HEARD NORTH KOREA'S SABRE RATTLING MANY TIMES BEFORE. TRANSLATOR: THIS IS WHAT NORTH KOREA HAS ALWAYS DONE. WE DON'T WORRY MUCH, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN OUR COUNTRY AND OUR FRIENDLY RELATIONS WITH THE U.S. THESE LARGE SCALE EXERCISES BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND SOUTH KOREA WERE DROPPED IN 2019 WHEN THE PREVIOUS SOUTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT TRIED TO SMOOTH THINGS OVER WITH THE NORTH. THE WAR GAMES BECAME SIMULATED, DONE MOSTLY ON COMPUTERS. BUT AS WE'VE SEEN TODAY, THAT OLD STRATEGY HAS BEEN CHUCKED OUT THE WINDOW. SO WHERE IS THIS ALL HEADING? NORTH KOREA IS SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT IF THEY USE NUCLEAR WEAPONS, IT'LL BE THE END OF THEM. FOR NOW. BUT AS TENSIONS ESCALATE OVER A MORE POWERFUL CHINA AND ITS THREATS TO INVADE TAIWAN... REGARDLESS OF NORTH KOREAN OR EVEN SOUTH KOREAN WISHES TO TRY TO BE NEUTRAL IN THAT SITUATION, I THINK, YES; WE WOULD BE DRAWN INTO SUCH A CONFLICT. A CONFLICT THE REGION IS DESPERATE TO AVOID. FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE START OF COVID, DEFENCE FORCE STAFF WILL BE PRESENT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY TO HONOUR THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE THEM ON ANZAC DAY. WHILE DOMESTIC COMMEMORATIONS WILL BE WIDESPREAD, MINISTER ANDREW LITTLE HAS TRAVELLED TO GALLIPOLI TO MARK THE OCCASION. TESSA PARKER HAS MORE. YOUNG SAILORS TYPICALLY SPEND THEIR DAYS TRAINING HERE AT DEVONPORT NAVY BASE PREPARING FOR A LIFE AT SEA. BUT TOMORROW THEY'LL BE ATTENDING A RANGE OF EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE WILL BE ATTENDING THE DEVONPORT CIVIC SERVICE, WHICH I'M VERY EXCITED FOR. IT WILL BE THESE SAILOR'S FIRST ANZAC DAY AS PART OF THE DEFENCE FORCE ` THE COMMEMORATION CLOSER TO THEIR HEARTS. I THINK IT'S A MOMENT TO BE ABLE TO REFLECT ON SERVICE MEMBERS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE US. SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY LOVE IN ORDER TO CREATE A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR THE REST OF US. THE DEFENCE FORCE PARTICIPATION IN COMMEMORATIONS HAS BEEN LIMITED IN RECENT YEARS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. NOW THEY SAY IT'S A PRIORITY TO RECONNECT WITH COMMUNITIES. YOU KNOW, STANDING AT THE DRIVEWAY ISN'T QUITE AS USEFUL AS IT IS ACTUALLY GETTING OUT THERE AND SEEING THOSE PEOPLE IN PERSON AND BEING ABLE TO CONNECT WITH THEM. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE JUST... COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AND... PAY OUR RESPECTS AND USE THOSE SACRIFICES AND PUSH FORWARD. TOMORROW MARKS THE DAY AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS LANDED ON GALLIPOLI PENINSULA IN TURKEY IN 1915 DURING WORLD WAR I; THOUSANDS LOST THEIR LIVES. WE LOST NEARLY 2800 KIWI SOLDIERS HERE, 7500 WHO WERE INJURED` LEFT INJURED OR SICK. 7500 WHO WERE INJURED` LEFT INJURED OR SICK. SO, THE PRICE NEW ZEALAND PAID ON THE GALLIPOLI PENINSULA WAS VERY HIGH ` AND MANY OF THEM FELL AND STILL LIE WHERE THEY FELL. THE DEFENCE MINISTER'S CURRENTLY IN TURKEY. HE WILL HONOUR THE FALLEN FROM THE SITE OF THE DEVASTATION, ATTENDING A DAWN SERVICE AT CHUNUK BAIR. A WELLINGTON BATTALION BRIEFLY OCCUPIED THE HILL IN ANZAC COVE BUT NOT WITHOUT SUFFERING MASS CASUALTIES. AND SO, AS A KIWI, WHEN YOU COME HERE, YOU FEEL THE CONNECTION WITH THE PLACE. IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR NATION'S HISTORY EVEN THOUGH IT'S SO FAR AWAY. IT'S A VERY EMOTIONAL TIME FOR A LOT OF US IN GENERAL. I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SERVICE MEMBER FAMILIES; AND... I THINK, BEING IN UNIFORM MYSELF, IT WILL HOLD A LOT MORE OF AN EMOTIONAL WEIGHT KNOWING IT IS NOW OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE ON THAT CHALLENGE. THOSE IN SERVICE JOINING ORDINARY KIWIS TAKING THE TIME TO REMEMBER. TESSA PARKER, 1 NEWS. AUCKLAND MOTORISTS ARE BEING ADVISED TO EXPECT DELAYS AFTER A DIESEL SPILL ON THE SOUTHERN MOTORWAY. POLICE WERE NOTIFIED AT 11.30AM TO THE INCIDENT NEAR THE MARKET ROAD OFF-RAMP. ONE SOUTH BOUND LANE HAS BEEN CLOSED WHILE THE SPILL IS CLEARED. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` SCORE ONE FOR THE HUMANS AS STUDENTS OUTPERFORM ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ON ASSESSMENTS. PLUS ` NEWCASTLE PUT A BIG DENT IN TOTTENHAM'S HOPES OF PLAYING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL NEXT SEASON. AND UNITED SET UP AN ALL MANCHESTER F.A. CUP FINAL IN DRAMATIC FASHION. IT'S GOOD NEWS FOR THE HUMAN RACE ` A RECENT STUDY HAS FOUND ACCOUNTING STUDENTS OUTPERFORMED THE POPULAR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE PLATFORM 'CHAT GPT' ON ASSESSMENTS. THE RESEARCH FOUND STUDENTS OVERALL SCORED AN AVERAGE OF AROUND 77%. THE AI-POWERED CHAT GPT, IF AWARDED CREDIT FOR PARTIALLY CORRECT ANSWERS, WOULD'VE SCRAPED THROUGH AT AROUND 57%. THE STUDY ALSO SHOWED THE AI SOMETIMES MADE UP FACTS. AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY'S RUTH DIMES SAYS SHE WAS SURPRISED THE CHAT ENGINE DIDN'T PERFORM AS WELL AS EXPECTED, BUT NEWER VERSIONS MAY DO BETTER. A WOMAN IN THE U.S. STATE OF CONNECTICUT IS RECOVERING AFTER AN ENCOUNTER WITH A BLACK BEAR. AS THE ABC'S JACLYN LEE EXPLAINS, IT'S THE LATEST IN A GROWING NUMBER OF SIGHTINGS ACROSS THE U.S. BEAR ALERT. ALL MY FURNITURE! MY FURNITURE! A CONNECTICUT WOMAN (74) IS NOW IN THE HOSPITAL AFTER SHE WAS BITTEN BY A LARGE BLACK BEAR WHILE WALKING HER DOG. IT'S THE SECOND BEAR ATTACK IN THAT AREA IN THE SAME WEEK. AS THE BEARS HAVE GOTTEN MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE AROUND HUMANS, THEY'RE HABITUATED, THEY'RE FOOD CONDITIONED. THEY START TO THINK THAT HOUSES AND PEOPLE'S YARDS ARE PLACES TO LOOK FOR FOOD. THE BLACK BEAR POPULATION BOOMING IN RECENT YEARS. WHO COULD FORGET WHEN THIS ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA MAN WAS LOUNGING IN HIS CHAIR, SUDDENLY LOCKING EYES WITH A STARTLED BEAR. LUCKILY FOR HIM, THE BEAR RAN AWAY. LOOK AT THESE LITTLE BABIES! AND OVER IN CALIFORNIA, AS THAT RECORD SNOW MELTS, BEARS ARE EMERGING FROM HIBERNATION, HUNGRY AS THE SNOW NOT MELTING FAST ENOUGH. OH, YOU CAN DO IT. OH. OH. IN LAKE TAHOE ` SORRY, GUYS. NO, NO, NO. GO AWAY. GO LISTEN TO YOUR MAMA. AND THIS HOMEOWNER SEEING TWO LARGE BEARS RIGHT OUTSIDE HER WINDOW. TERRIFYING. TERRIFYING. EXPERTS SAY TO KEEP TRASH, ESPECIALLY FOOD WASTE INDOORS AND COVERED UNTIL JUST BEFORE IT'S ABOUT TO BE COLLECTED AND KEEP WINDOWS AND DOORS LOCKED. THE BEST RULE IS TO KEEP YOUR DISTANCE, KEEP YOURSELF SAFE, AND KEEP THE BEAR SAFE BY AVOIDING ANY CONTACT WITH THEM. TO SPORT AND THE COUNTDOWN IS ON FOR THE FIGHT FOR LIFE AS SOME OF NEW ZEALAND'S TOP FORMER AND CURRENT ATHLETES PULL ON THE BOXING GLOVES. THERE WAS SOME BRIEF PUSHING AND SHOVING AT THIS MORNING'S MEDIA EVENT. HEADLINE ACT MEA MOTU WAS ALL SMILES THOUGH; EXCITED TO GET IN THE RING THIS THURSDAY. THE BIGGEST THING IS COMING DOWN TO BELIEVING MYSELF AND LISTENING TO MY CORNER MEN. AND.. THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING, IS THE... REALLY` NUMBER ONE THING FOR ME IS` AND THAT I'VE LEARNT EVEN THROUGHOUT ALL OF MY FIGHTS IS... WHATEVER MY COACH SAYS ` GOTTA DO. IT'LL BE THE FIRST TIME A FEMALE BOUT HAD HEADLINED A FIGHT FOR LIFE FIGHT CARD. KIWI DRIVER LIAM LAWSON HAS HAD TO SETTLE FOR FOURTH IN THE LATEST ROUND OF THE SUPER FORMULA SERIES IN JAPAN. LAWSON STARTED THE RACE IN EIGHTH POSITION BUT MOVED UP TO FOURTH ON THE FIRST LAP. THE 21-YEAR-OLD HELD THIRD BUT WAS KNOCKED OFF THE PODIUM IN THE FINAL LAPS. THE KIWI NOW SITS THIRD IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP. THE CHENNAI SUPER KINGS TOP ORDER, INCLUDING BLACKCAP DEVON CONWAY, HAVE PUT ON A MASTERCLASS TO BEAT THE KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS BY 49 RUNS IN THE IPL THIS MORNING. THE SUPER KINGS SET THE TONE EARLY, POSTING 235 IN THE FIRST INNINGS. CONWAY HAVING ANOTHER IMPRESSIVE NIGHT WITH THE BAT SCORING 56 RUNS. AND THEN... OH, GREAT SHOT. LOVELY SHOT. GREAT USE OF HIS FEET. EVERY NOW AND THEN HE SURPRISES US BY DOING THAT. WHAT A SHOT! EVERY TIME HE HAS RUN DOWN THE TRACK THERE HAS BEEN CLARITY IN A SHOT. A SIX TO FINISH THE OVER. 10 RUNS COMING OVER. 89 FOR ONE. IN THIS MORNING'S OTHER GAME, TRENT BOULT'S GOOD FORM CONTINUED ` CLAIMING VIRAT KOHLI'S WICKET WITH THE FIRST BALL OF THE INNINGS. BUT IT WASN'T ENOUGH TO STOP HIS RAJASTHAN ROYALS LOSING TO THE ROYAL CHALLENGES BANGALORE BY SEVEN RUNS. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR HAVE HAD A PERFORMANCE TO FORGET, CRUSHED 6-1 TO NEWCASTLE IN THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE THIS MORNING. THE MAGPIES TAKING A FIVE NIL LEAD INSIDE THE FIRST 20 MINUTES. IT'S HIS BEST RETURN IN A NEWCASTLE SHIRT. THEY'RE IN THE MOOD FOR` OHHH! (CROWD ROARS) STUNNING STRIKE! THEY ARE TAKING TOTTENHAM APART! (CROWD ROARS) ISAK AGAIN. 5-0! THE WIN LIFTS NEWCASTLE UP TO THIRD WHILE SPURS REMAIN FIFTH. MANCHESTER UNITED ARE THROUGH TO THE F.A. CUP FINAL WHERE THEY'LL FACE CROSS-TOWN RIVALS MANCHESTER CITY. UNITED GETTING THE JOB DONE IN A PENALTY SHOOT OUT, 14 ATTEMPTS NEEDED BEFORE A WINNER WAS FOUND. THE BBC'S NATALIE PIRKS REPORTS. (CROWD CHEERS) HIGH-FLYING BRIGHTON LANDED AT WEMBLEY, RELISHING THEIR STATUS OF FAVOURITES. THE SEAGULLS ARE PUSHING FOR EUROPE IN THE LEAGUE, AND UNDER A GREY LONDON SKY, AN F.A. CUP FINAL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS WAS AT STAKE. UNITED WERE LOOKING TO RESPOND AFTER A DEFENSIVE HORROR SHOW IN EUROPE. EARLY ON, ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER PUT DAVID DE GEA'S REFLEXES TO THE TEST. UNITED WERE BUOYED BY THE RETURN OF BRUNO FERNANDES. SANCHEZ NEEDED TO BE SHARP. BUT IT WAS BRIGHTON WITH ALL THE RUNNIN ` THEY CAME OUT FOR THE SECOND HALF, ALL GUNS BLAZING. AND AS THE GAME OPENED UP FOR THEM, DE GEA HAD TO YET AGAIN BE ON HIS TOES. TIRED LEGS AND HEADS NOW FACED EXTRA TIME. CHANCES CAME AND WENT IN THIS SLUGFEST; NEITHER COULD INFLICT THE FINAL BLOW. EVEN ALL PENALTIES WERE SCORED UNTIL SOLLY MARCH STEPPED UP... AND HE'S BLAZED IT OVER THE BAR! HE'S ENJOYED A BRILLIANT SEASON, BUT FOOTBALL CAN BE CRUEL. AND THAT PROVED DECISIVE. SCORES! (CROWD CHEERS) LINDELOF ENSURED UNITED WON THE SPOT KICK LOTTERY, WHILE BRIGHTON COULD ONLY RUE WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN. WELL AFTER AN ABJECT PERFORMANCE IN EUROPE, THIS WAS THE PERFECT WAY TO BOUNCE BACK. IT WAS BY NO MEANS VINTAGE. BUT NOW UNITED WILL ATTEMPT TO STOP THEIR NOISY NEIGHBOURS FROM COMPLETING THE TREBLE IN THE FIRST MANCHESTER DERBY IN AN F.A. CUP FINAL STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. (JAZZY COVER OF THE WHITE STRIPES' 'SEVEN NATION ARMY') # I'M GONNA FIGHT 'EM ALL. # A SEVEN NATION ARMY COULDN'T HOLD ME BACK. # THEY'RE GONNA RIP IT OFF. # TAKING THEIR TIME RIGHT BEHIND MY BACK. # AND I'M TALKING TO MYSELF AT NIGHT, # BECAUSE I CAN'T FORGET. # OOH, BACK AND FORTH THROUGH MY MIND # BEHIND A CIGARETTE. # AND THE MESSAGE COMING FROM MY EYES SAYS # 'LEAVE IT ALONE'. # THAT'S IT FOR MIDDAY. THANKS FOR JOINING US. HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY TOM CLARKE AND STACEY SPARY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.