IT'S MIDDAY. THE PROMISE PHARMAC IS MAKING AROUND ITS DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES, AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR ACCESS TO POTENTIALLY LIFE-SAVING MEDICINE? AND WHY THE POLICE FORCE IS BRACING FOR AN AUSSIE BRAIN DRAIN OF ITS OWN. PLUS, THE SCRAMBLE TO EVACUATE SUDAN LEAVES EXIT ROUTES BLOCKED AS FIGHTING REIGNITES. CAPTIONS BY KATE HARRIS AND JULIE TAYLOR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 PHARMAC IS COMMITTING TO A 'FASTER, CLEARER AND SIMPLER' DECISION MAKING PROCESS. IT FOLLOWS A NEW REPORT THAT TAKES A HARD LOOK AT THE DRUG-BUYING AGENCY'S FUNDING WAITLISTS. JESSICA SWAN HAS MORE ON WHAT THE RESEARCH FOUND. WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT A HEALTH SECTOR AT BREAKING POINT... (SIREN WAILS) ...AND NOW A NEW REPORT'S FOUND YET ANOTHER FACTOR, WITH PHARMAC TAKING 7.7 YEARS ON AVERAGE TO MAKE FUNDING DECISIONS AND GET MEDICINES OFF THE WAITLIST. THIS LIST IS VERY LONG. MEDICINES HELP OUT IN THE HEALTH SYSTEM SO IT'S CONCERNING THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING THEM INTO THE HEALTH SYSTEM WHICH IS ALREADY UNDER CRISIS, TO HELP RESOLVE SOME OF THE ISSUES WE'VE GOT. HE SAYS NEW ZEALAND'S ALREADY TWICE AS SLOW TO GET DRUGS FUNDED. THE OECD STATS NEVER LIE, AND WE DON'T INVEST AS MUCH MONEY AS OUR TOTAL HEALTH BUDGET AS OTHER COUNTRIES DO, AND THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AGAIN BY THE GOVERNMENT. IT'S NOT REALLY PHARMAC'S RESPONSIBILITY. THE REPORT WAS FUNDED BY ADVOCACY GROUP MEDICINES NEW ZEALAND AND LOOKED FURTHER THAN THE LISTS. IT ALSO FOUND IT WAS UNCLEAR HOW MAORI HEALTH NEEDS AND CANCER TREATMENT OPTIONS WERE BEING PRIORITISED. THE REPORTS' RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE ` GETTING FUNDING DECISIONS MADE MORE QUICKLY BY SETTING A PERFORMANCE BENCHMARK, HANDLING INFORMATION AND CLINICAL ADVICE FASTER, AND BEING MORE TRANSPARENT IN THE PROCESS. PHARMAC ACCEPTS IT'S GOT A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT THAT A FIXED BUDGET MEANS TRADE-OFFS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN. WE ARE NOT WHERE WE WANT TO BE. THE CRITICAL THING TO LOOK AT IS NOT COMPARING HOW MUCH MONEY NEW ZEALAND SPENDS COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTRIES, BUT WHAT KIND OF HEALTHCARE ARE WE GETTING CITIZENS AS A RESULT FOR SPENDING THAT WE HAVE. AND ACTUALLY, NEW ZEALAND'S MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY OUTCOMES COMPARE VERY WELL. LISA'S POINT ABOUT THE MORTALITY ` MORTALITY IS NOT JUST DOWN TO YOUR HEALTH; IT'S DOWN TO THE ENVIRONMENT YOU LIVE IN AS WELL. SO IT'S A SPURIOUS CLAIM TO USE THAT FACT. I THINK IT'S VERY CLEAR WE'RE NOT GETTING THE STANDARD OF CARE AND MEDICINES OTHER COUNTRIES PROVIDE. WORK STILL TO BE DONE IN MAKING SURE LIFE-SAVING DRUGS END UP IN THE RIGHT HANDS FASTER. JESSICA SWAN, 1 NEWS. WARKWORTH RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ASKED TO LIMIT THEIR WATER USE AFTER LOCAL RESERVOIR LEVELS BEGAN TO DROP. AROUND 9am, A WATER TANKER WAS DELIVERED TO THE TOWN NORTH OF AUCKLAND, WITH SOME HOUSEHOLDS WATER SUPPLY COMPLETELY CUT OFF THANKS TO A BREAK IN A WATER MAIN. WATERCARE IS ADVISING LOCALS WHO CAN ACCESS WATER TO KEEP SHOWERS SHORT AND AVOID LAUNDRY. FOUR 'RESTORE PASSENGER RAIL' PROTESTORS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN WELLINGTON THIS MORNING. POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE TERRACE OFF-RAMP ON SH1 AT AROUND 8am THIS MORNING. PROTESTORS WERE BLOCKING TRAFFIC IN AN EFFORT TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE GOVERNMENT, WARNING NOT ENOUGH IS BEING DONE TO TACKLE CLIMATE CHANGE. POLICE ARE STILL CONSIDERING CHARGES. THE POLICE ASSOCIATION SAY THEY CAN'T KEEP UP WITH AUSTRALIA AND A CRISIS COULD BE ON THE HORIZON IF OFFICERS CHOOSE TO LEAVE AOTEAROA. IN SOME AUSTRALIAN STATES, OFFICERS CAN EARN DOUBLE IN THEIR FIRST YEAR COMPARED TO WHAT'S ON OFFER HERE. THE NORTHERN TERRITORY IS CURRENTLY RECRUITING BUT CHRIS CAHILL WARNS MORE PEOPLE COULD HEAD ACROSS THE TASMAN TO MORE ATTRACTIVE LOCATIONS SUCH AS THE GOLD COAST. THE REALITY IS THAT IF WE HADN'T MANAGED THE SIGNIFICANT RECRUITING REGIME OF CLOSE NOW TO 1800 EXTRA POLICE IN THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS, WE'D BE IN CRISIS NOW. IF WE WERE TO LOSE HUNDREDS TO AUSTRALIA` AND, LOOK, HOPEFULLY THAT'S NOT THE CASE. BUT THE OFFER IS GOING TO BE TEMPTING WHEN THEY START TALKING ABOUT THOSE EASTERN STATES. WE WOULD HAVE A REAL PROBLEM. CHRIS CAHILL SAYS BETTER FUNDING FOR AOTEAROA POLICE IS NEEDED TO SLOW THE BRAIN DRAIN. THE GOVERNMENT'S EMISSIONS TRADING SCHEME HAS BEEN LABELLED 'OUT OF DATE' BY THE LATEST REPORT FROM THE CLIMATE COMMISSION. THE REPORT CONTAINS ADVICE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO HELP IT ACHIEVE ITS SECOND EMISSIONS BUDGET BETWEEN 2026 AND 2030. THE CLIMATE COMMISSION'S ROD CARR SAYS THERE'S EMERGING CONCERN THE CURRENT E.T.S. WILL UNDERMINE RATHER THAN HELP AOTEAROA ACHIEVE SUSTAINED LOW EMISSIONS. IT INCENTIVISES TREE-PLANTING AHEAD OF REDUCING GROSS EMISSIONS. IN OTHER WORDS, IT UNDER-REWARDS TAKING UP BUSINESS PRACTICES AND LIFESTYLES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH LOW EMISSIONS, AND IT OVER-REWARDS CONVERTING OFTEN PRODUCTIVE FARMLAND INTO STORES OF CARBON. CLIMATE MINISTER JAMES SHAW SAYS WHILE THE GOVERNMENT WILL REVIEW THE SCHEME, IT IS STILL IMPORTANT. BECAUSE EVERY GRAM OR EVERY TON OF CARBON DIOXIDE THAT WE CAN DRAW DOWN FROM THE ATMOSPHERE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE IS CRITICAL, BUT WE HAVE BEEN VERY SLOW IN REDUCING WHAT WAS OUR GROSS EMISSIONS, REDUCING THE POLLUTION THAT WE PUT INTO THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND SO THAT HAS TO BE THE CRITICAL THING. PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE ADVICE IS NOW OPEN. NEW ZEALAND RESEARCHERS HAVE TAKEN PART IN THE FIRST EVER GLOBAL STOCKTAKE OF THE WORLD'S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS. OVER 100 COUNTRIES WERE INVOLVED INCLUDING A TEAM FROM NIWA. IT CONTRIBUTED FINDINGS FROM THE BARING HEAD CLEAN AIR STATION NEAR WELLINGTON. NIWA'S DAVE POLLARD SAYS NO STUDY HAS BEEN DONE ON THIS SCALE BEFORE, AND HAS PROVIDED A UNIQUE VIEW OF HOW MUCH CARBON DIOXIDE EACH COUNTRY EMITS AND REMOVES FROM THE ATMOSPHERE. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF SUDANESE AND FOREIGN NATIONALS HAVE LEFT SUDAN IN THE PAST WEEK, ESCAPING THE VIOLENCE THAT HAS BROKEN OUT BETWEEN TWO MILITARY FACTIONS. A TEMPORARY CEASEFIRE DECLARED ON TUESDAY IS STILL HOLDING, ALLOWING LAST-MINUTE EVACUATIONS FOR HUNDREDS OF STRANDED BRITISH CITIZENS. THE BBC'S LUCY MANNING HAS MORE. (SOBBING) FROM FIGHTING BACK TO FAMILY. (SOBS) FROM THE WAR ZONE TO SAFETY. THE EMOTIONS OF ESCAPE OVERWHELMING. SHAMA MADIBO WAS WORKING FOR SAVE THE CHILDREN. SHE WAS FLOWN OUT OF SUDAN WITH HER MOTHER. RELIEVED. WE'RE SAFE. THERE'S NO BOMBING. WE'RE NOT IN DANGER. I MEAN, IT TOOK 11 DAYS, BUT THANK GOD. THANK GOD WE'RE BACK. AND WHAT DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE BRITISH RESPONSE TO GETTING YOU OUT? OH... SLOW, BUT WE'RE HERE. THE AIRFIELD THAT WE WERE LIFTED FROM WAS REALLY FAR. IT'S ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE TRI-STATE, OMDURMAN. AND TO GET THERE, IT WAS` WE HAD TO LITERALLY WALK THROUGH THE WAR ZONE. WE WERE STOPPED, SEARCHED. THERE WAS BOMBINGS, BURNINGS. LIFE-THREATENING JUST TO GET THERE. MORE THAN 100 ARRIVED BACK AT STANSTED... VERY HAPPY. VERY, VERY HAPPY. LIFE IN SUDAN IS VERY DIFFICULT. THEY KILL US. VERY BAD. ...ALL PRAISING THE TEAMS WHO BROUGHT THEM OUT BUT WITH CONCERNS ABOUT THE DELAY AND THE DANGERS THEY FACED. AHMED MEKKI FLED WITH HIS SISTER AND THEIR MUM. IT'S NICE TO BE IN A SAFE COUNTRY, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, IN SUDAN, THERE'S CONSTANT GUNSHOTS, AND YOU CAN HEAR EXPLOSIONS EVEN IN, LIKE, CEASEFIRES. SO IT'S NICE TO BE IN A COUNTRY WHERE YOU COULD JUST LOOK AROUND, AND IT'S NO THERE'S NO SMOKE. THERE'S NO BLASTS. HOW DO YOU THINK THE BRITISH HAVE HANDLED THE EVACUATION SO FAR? I THINK THEY HANDLED IT WELL. I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED IT TO BE FASTER, BUT I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, ORGANISED WELL. YOU KNOW, LIKE, GOING TO THE AIRBASE, I WISH THEY HAD A BIT MORE SUPPORT. PETER BADAWI FEARED FOR HIS LIFE, TRYING TO ESCAPE WITH ELDERLY RELATIVES. IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY HOW... STOMACH-CHURNING IT WAS. YOU KNOW, YOU LOSE APPETITE, YOU'RE JUST CONSTANTLY IN STRESS, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN. AM I GOING TO MAKE IT? THERE WILL BE MORE FLIGHTS OUT OF SUDAN AND MORE FLIGHTS BACK HERE TO BRITAIN, BUT THERE ARE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS MORE THAT NEED TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO SAFETY. THEY'VE LEFT THE CONFLICT BEHIND, BUT SOME HAVE ALSO LEFT FAMILY AND JOBS AND HOMES. MISINFORMATION IS ON THE RISE. IT'S A WARNING FOR EVERYONE AS THE ELECTION CLOSES IN AND RESEARCH REVEALS IT'S A GROWING ISSUE. NEW DATA SHOWS NEARLY HALF OF KIWIS EXPERIENCE MISINFORMATION EVERY DAY. RAINBOW AND NEURO-DIVERSE COMMUNITIES WERE MORE AFFECTED. COVID MISINFORMATION AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON TOPICS ONLINE WHICH APPEAR TO BE FACTUAL BUT ARE UNTRUE. ONLINE IS WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL COME ACROSS IT. THINGS THAT HAVE A FALSE CONTEXT, FOR EXAMPLE, MAYBE A DEMONSTRATION THAT HAPPENED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO NOW BEING PUT ON FACEBOOK AS HAPPENING NOW AND UP THE ROAD FROM YOU. THAT IS FALSE CONTEXT. THERE IS ALSO MANIPULATED CONTENT, SO SOMETHING THAT WAS TRUE, HAVING SOMETHING UNTRUE SUPERIMPOSED ON IT. NETSAFE RESEARCH SHOWS 95% OF NEW ZEALANDERS EXPERIENCE MISINFORMATION ON A MONTHLY BASIS. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` WHAT WAS SAID ON THE FIRST PHONE CALL BETWEEN CHINA AND UKRAINE'S LEADERS SINCE THE RUSSIAN INVASION. AND KIWI SNOWBOARDER ZOI SADOWKSI-SYNNOTT IS BACK ON TOP IN ALASKA. - Hey, Kyle. (MELANCHOLY MUSIC) - If you're lagging behind in the conversation, you might... - Morning! - ...have bad net. LONG-HAUL FLIGHTS BETWEEN AUCKLAND AND NORTH AMERICA WILL SOON BE TAKING OFF AT LEVELS HIGHER THAN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. THIS COMING SUMMER, AUCKLAND AIRPORT SAYS THERE WILL BE AN 11% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FLIGHTS COMPARED TO 2019 LEVELS. IN TOTAL, SEVEN AIRLINES WILL BE FLYING NON-STOP FROM AUCKLAND TO EIGHT DESTINATIONS IN NORTH AMERICA. FROM SEPTEMBER, QATAR AIRWAYS WILL ALSO RESUME DAILY NON-STOP FLIGHTS TO AND FROM DOHA TO AUCKLAND. U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND HIS SOUTH KOREAN COUNTERPART HAVE ISSUED A WARNING TO PYONGYANG AS THEY REAFFIRM THEIR ALLIANCE. AT A WHITE HOUSE SUMMIT, THE TWO COUNTRIES ANNOUNCED A NEW AGREEMENT TO COUNTER NORTH KOREA'S ONGOING NUCLEAR THREAT. IT COULD SEE THE U.S. SENDING A NUCLEAR-ARMED SUBMARINE TO THE KOREAN PENINSULA. THE ABC'S EM NGUYEN REPORTS. PRESIDENT BIDEN UNVEILING NUCLEAR DETERRENCE INITIATIVES AIMED AT PREVENTING A NORTH KOREAN ATTACK ON SOUTH KOREA. AND IT'S ABOUT STRENGTHENING DETERRENCE AND RESPONSE TO THE DPRK'S ESCALATORY BEHAVIOUR AND THE DEAL IN COMPLETED CONSULTATION. U.S. OFFICIALS SAY THESE STEPS INCLUDE A VISIT BY A U.S. NUCLEAR BALLISTIC SUBMARINE TO SOUTH KOREA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN FOUR DECADES, AS WELL AS EFFORTS TO IMPROVE CYBER SECURITY, ECONOMIC INVESTMENTS AND EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS. THIS COMES AS PYONGYANG HAS STEPPED UP BALLISTIC MISSILE TESTS. TRANSLATOR: OUR TWO COUNTRIES HAVE AGREED TO IMMEDIATE BILATERAL PRESIDENTIAL CONSULTATIONS IN THE EVENT OF NORTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR ATTACK AND PROMISED TO RESPOND SWIFTLY, OVERWHELMINGLY AND DECISIVELY. BIDEN, AT THE WHITE HOUSE, WELCOMING SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT MOON SUK YEOL WITH GREAT POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE, UNDERSCORING THE TWO COUNTRIES' RELATIONSHIP AS THEY MARKED THE 70th ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR ALLIANCE. TODAY WE CELEBRATE THE IRONCLAD ALLIANCE, THE SHARED VISION OF OUR FUTURE. BUT THIS VISIT FOLLOWS JUST WEEKS AFTER THE PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF HIGHLY CLASSIFIED LEAKED DOCUMENTS, WHICH APPEAR TO INCLUDE INFORMATION SUGGESTING WASHINGTON SPIED ON SOUTH KOREA. ONE RELEASED DOCUMENT APPARENTLY INDICATED SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS WERE CONCERNED AMMUNITION SOLD TO THE U.S. COULD BE REDIRECTED TO UKRAINE, WHICH COULD VIOLATE THE COUNTRY'S POLICY OF NOT SUPPLYING WEAPONS TO COUNTRIES AT WAR. AND U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN HAS ASSURED AMERICANS HIS AGE WILL NOT BE AN ISSUE WHEN HE RUNS FOR RE-ELECTION IN 2024. NOW 80, MR BIDEN IS ALREADY THE OLDEST PRESIDENT IN U.S. HISTORY. HE WILL BE 82 JUST WEEKS AFTER THE ELECTION IN NOVEMBER NEXT YEAR. BUT THE PRESIDENT IS SHRUGGING OFF CONCERNS ABOUT HIS AGE, SAYING HE 'FEELS GOOD' AND IS READY FOR A POTENTIAL REMATCH AGAINST DONALD TRUMP. GUESS HOW OLD I AM. I CAN'T EVEN SAY THE NUMBER. IT DOESN'T REGISTER WITH ME. BUT THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE GONNA FIND OUT, THEY'RE GONNA SEE A RACE, AND THEY'RE GONNA JUDGE WHETHER OR NOT I HAVE IT OR DON'T HAVE IT. I RESPECT THEM TAKING A HARD LOOK AT IT. I TAKE A HARD LOOK AT IT AS WELL. I TOOK A HARD LOOK AT IT BEFORE I DECIDED TO RUN. AND I FEEL GOOD. I FEEL EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECTS. POLLS REVEALED 70% OF ADULT AMERICANS DO NOT WANT MR BIDEN TO RUN AGAIN, WITH MOST SAYING HIS AGE WAS A CONCERN. CHINA'S PRESIDENT XI JIN PING IS SENDING A PEACE TALKS DELEGATION TO UKRAINE IN AN EFFORT TO RESOLVE THE CONFLICT WITH RUSSIA. IN HIS FIRST PHONE CALL WITH PRESIDENT ZELENSKY SINCE RUSSIA'S INVASION, PRESIDENT XI URGED THE COUNTRIES TO RESTART PEACE NEGOTIATIONS, WARNING THERE IS NO WINNER IN A NUCLEAR WAR. THE PHONE CALL COMES TWO MONTHS AFTER BEIJING SAID IT WANTED TO ACT AS A PEACE MEDIATOR. CHINA HAS REFUSED TO CONDEMN MOSCOW'S INVASION OF UKRAINE. THE NUMBER OF BODIES DISCOVERED IN CONNECTION TO A STARVATION CULT IN KENYA HAS RISEN TO 98. THE BODIES WERE DUG UP ON THE PROPERTY OF A LOCAL PASTOR DURING AN INVESTIGATION INTO AN ALLEGED CULT. HE WAS ARRESTED EARLIER THIS MONTH FOR TELLING HIS FOLLOWERS TO FAST TO DEATH IN ORDER TO MEET JESUS. MOST OF THE DEAD ARE BELIEVED TO BE CHILDREN. KENYA'S PRESIDENT HAS VOWED TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST PASTORS WHO USE RELIGION TO ADVANCE 'UNACCEPTABLE IDEOLOGY'. ENTERTAINMENT GIANT DISNEY IS TAKING FLORIDA'S GOVERNOR TO COURT OVER WHAT IT CALLS RETALIATION FOR OPPOSING THE STATE'S 'DON'T SAY GAY' LAW. THE COMPANY IS SUING DESANTIS AND OTHER STATE OFFICIALS FOR TRYING TO ASSERT CONTROL OVER ITS BUSINESS OPERATIONS IN ORLANDO WHERE IT HAS SPECIAL STATUS AROUND ITS THEME PARK. A DESANTIS-APPOINTED PANEL HAD VOTED TO REVOKE THAT STATUS AFTER DISNEY SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE LAW WHICH BANNED DISCUSSIONS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN FLORIDA SCHOOLS. TO SPORTS NOW, AND KIWI SNOWBOARD SENSATION ZOI SADOWSKI-SYNNOTT HAS RETURNED TO WINNING WAYS ON THE NATURAL SELECTION TOUR IN ALASKA. SADOWSKI-SYNNOTT DEFEATED AMERICAN ELENA HIGHT WITH HER FIRST RUN SCORE OF 88. THE 22-YEAR-OLD WON BACK-TO-BACK EVENTS AND BECAME THE OVERALL TOUR WINNER. I REALLY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING I WAS STOKED ON. LIKE, GET SOME GOOD SNOW AND FIND SOME AIR TIME, AND... YEAH, IT WAS PRETTY` IT'S PRETTY PSYCHO UP THERE, SO I'M JUST TO, LIKE, MAKE IT DOWN IN ONE PIECE. THE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST SCORED AN 85 IN HER SECOND RUN OF THE FINAL. BLUES COACH LEON MACDONALD FEELS AS THOUGH A WEIGHT HAS BEEN LIFTED OFF HIS SHOULDERS AFTER BEING NAMED THE NEW ALL BLACKS ASSISTANT COACH. THE CURRENT BLUES HEAD COACH CAN NOW OPENLY TALK ABOUT THE ROLE AFTER KEEPING IT UNDER WRAPS FOR SOME TIME. HE HAS BEEN AT THE AUCKLAND FRANCHISE FOR FIVE YEARS AND SAYS YESTERDAY WAS WHEN IT ALL FINALLY SUNK IN. YEAH, IT'S BEEN A BIG PART OF MY JOURNEY, THE BLUES, AND, YOU KNOW, WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT COMING FROM BLENHEIM UP TO AUCKLAND AND COACHING THE BLUES INITIALLY, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING, 'MAN, WHAT AM I DOING?' YEAH, YOU KNOW, AND NOW I'M SO GLAD I DID, AND IT'S BEEN A GREAT DECISION FOR US TO COME UP HERE AND BE PART OF THE BLUES FAMILY. THE 45-YEAR-OLD WILL TAKE UP HIS NEW POSITION ALONG WITH THE OTHER NEW COACHES IN NOVEMBER. MANCHESTER CITY HAVE DEALT A MAJOR BLOW TO ARSENAL'S TITLE HOPES IN THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE THIS MORNING. THE SKY BLUES SIMPLY A CLASS ABOVE AT THE ETIHAD STADIUM, GOING 2-0 UP BEFORE HALFTIME, BEFORE UNDERLINING THEIR OWN TITLE CREDENTIALS IN STYLE. DE BRUYNE GOT IT UP TO HAALAND. BACK TO KEVIN DE BRUYNE. SO COOL AND COLLECTED. HERE'S HAALAND. HAIR UNLEASHED. SHOT UNLEASHED. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT NOW. THE PARTY IN MANCHESTER CAN MOVE INTO FULL SWING. ARSENAL SCORING A CONSOLATION GOAL, BUT IT WAS NEVER GOING TO BE ENOUGH. 4-1 WAS THE FINAL SCORE. CITY ARE NOW JUST TWO POINTS OFF THE GUNNERS WITH TWO GAMES IN HAND. TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR THE WELLINGTON PHOENIX TO FIND PRECIOUS POINTS AS THEY TRY TO CLAIM THE LAST SPOT IN THE A-LEAGUE FINALS. THE PHOENIX NEED TO WIN OR DRAW AGAINST MACARTHUR IN THEIR LAST GAME TO SEAL A TOP-SIX FINISH. MIDFIELDER STEVEN UGARKOVIC SAYS A WIN WOULD BE THE PERFECT WAY TO BEGIN A PLAYOFF CAMPAIGN. YOU TAKE A WIN TO THE FINALS, AND THAT'S A MINDSET THAT FLIPPED, AND YOU COME INTO FINALS AND IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BALL GAME. A LOT MORE PRESSURE ON THE TEAMS ABOVE YOU AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WHEN WE DO MAKE FINALS, IT'S GONNA BE AN INTERESTING BATTLE WHOEVER WE DO COME UP AGAINST. BUT, FIRSTLY, WE GOTTA GET THROUGH THIS GAME AND GO FROM THERE. THE PHOENIX ARE WITHOUT A WIN IN THEIR LAST FIVE APPEARANCES. THE DEBATE CONTINUES OVER WHETHER PLAYERS ON THE CONTROVERSIAL LIV GOLF TOUR SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKING SYSTEM. THE SAUDI-BACKED TOUR IS WAITING FOR A DECISION ON RANKING POINTS WHICH PLAY A KEY ROLE IN SECURING ENTRY TO THE MAJORS. SIX-TIME MAJOR WINNER PHIL MICKELSON WANTS A SYSTEM THAT'S INCLUSIVE SO THE SPORT'S PINNACLE EVENTS FEATURE THE WORLD'S BEST PLAYERS. YEAH, IT'S GONNA ALL IRON ITSELF OUT, BECAUSE... IF YOU'RE ONE OF THE MAJORS, IF YOU'RE THE MASTERS, YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT, 'WE SHOULD KEEP THESE GUYS OUT.' YOU'RE SAYING TO YOURSELF, 'WE WANT TO HAVE THE BEST FIELD. WE WANT TO HAVE THE BEST PLAYERS. 'AND THESE GUYS ADDED A LOT TO THE TOURNAMENT THIS YEAR 'AT THE MASTERS. HOW DO WE GET THEM INCLUDED?' MICKELSON FINISHED IN A TIE FOR SECOND AT THIS YEAR'S MASTERS ALONGSIDE FELLOW LIV PLAYER BROOKS KOEPKA. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` OVER A THOUSAND ITEMS THAT ONCE BELONGED TO FREDDIE MERCURY ARE UP FOR AUCTION. PLUS, I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. (INSTRUMENTAL OF BEN E KING'S 'STAND BY ME') - Thank you. - (GROWLS SOFTLY) - Whether you're just starting out or growing your business, it helps to have someone strong beside you. A COLLECTION OF HANDWRITTEN LYRICS, COSTUMES AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS BELONGING TO FREDDIE MERCURY ARE AMONG 1500 OF HIS PERSONAL BELONGINGS GOING UNDER THE HAMMER. THE LEAD SINGER OF QUEEN'S ITEMS WERE LEFT TO HIS FRIEND MARY AUSTIN WHEN HE DIED IN 1991, AND SHE NOW SAYS IT'S TIME TO SELL. BBC'S REBECCA JONES WENT TO SEE THE COLLECTION. # WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS, # MY FRIEND. IN PUBLIC, HE WAS THE ULTIMATE SHOWMAN. IN PRIVATE, FREDDIE MERCURY RETREATED TO A HOUSE HE FILLED WITH OBJECTS HE LOVED. THE MUSIC WORLD HAS BEEN PAYING TRIBUTE TO FREDDIE MERCURY, THE LEAD SINGER OF THE ROCK GROUP QUEEN. HE DIED LAST NIGHT, 24 HOURS AFTER CONFIRMING HE WAS SUFFERING FROM AIDS. WHEN FREDDIE MERCURY DIED IN 1991, FANS PAID TRIBUTE AT THE HOUSE, WHICH HE LEFT, ALONG WITH ITS CONTENTS, TO HIS CLOSE FRIEND MARY AUSTIN. SHE'S LIVED THERE SURROUNDED BY HIS TREASURES FOR 30 YEARS BUT SAYS SHE'S NOW SELLING THEM TO CLOSE THIS CHAPTER OF HER LIFE. THE ONLY THINGS I'M KEEPING ARE THE PERSONAL GIFTS THAT HE GAVE ME. I DECIDED THAT IT WOULDN'T BE APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO KEEP THINGS BACK. IF I WAS GOING TO SELL, I HAD TO BE BRAVE AND SELL THE LOT. SO THERE'S AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR ON WHICH IT'S THOUGHT HE WROTE AND RECORDED 'CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE'. THERE ARE COSTUMES, ARTWORKS. THIS PICASSO HUNG IN HIS KITCHEN. EVEN THE PHONE BY HIS BED IS FOR SALE. # SHE KEEPS MOET ET CHANDON IN HER PRETTY CABINET. AND LYRICS TO HITS INCLUDING 'KILLER QUEEN'. # JUST LIKE MARIE ANTOINETTE. 'I LIKE TO BE SURROUNDED BY SPLENDID THINGS,' FREDDIE MERCURY ONCE SAID. NOW THEY'RE BEING SOLD WITH SOME OF THE MONEY RAISED GOING TO CHARITY. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. (QUEEN'S 'I WANT TO BREAK FREE') # I WANT TO BREAK FREE. # I WANT TO BREAK FREE. # I WANT TO BREAK FREE FROM YOUR LIES. # YOU'RE SO SELF-SATISFIED. # I DON'T NEED YOU. # I'VE GOT TO BREAK FREE. # GOD KNOWS. # GOD KNOWS I WANT TO BREAK FREE. # I'VE FALLEN IN LOVE. # I'VE FALLEN IN LOVE FOR THE FIRST TIME. # THIS TIME I KNOW IT'S FOR REAL. THANKS FOR JOINING US. TE KARERE IS HERE AT 4, FOLLOWED BY THE 1 NEWS TEAM AT 6. PLUS, YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH ALL OF TODAY'S NEWS ONLINE AT 1NEWS.CO.NZ. BUT FROM THE WHOLE MIDDAY TEAM, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY KATE HARRIS AND JULIE TAYLOR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.