IT'S MIDDAY. SCHOOLS CLOSED, TRAINS CANCELLED AND RESIDENTS TOLD TO STAY INDOORS AS A FIRE SENDS A TOXIC SMOKE CLOUD OVER AUCKLAND. ARE MORE TEACHER STRIKES ON THE WAY? THE GOVERNMENT MAKES NEW OFFERS TO PRIMARY AND SECONDARY TEACHERS, WITH THE ADVICE FROM ONE UNION ` REJECT IT. AND A THREAT AT THE SAME LEVEL AS PANDEMICS OR NUCLEAR WAR. ANOTHER WARNING OF THE LOOMING DANGERS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. CAPTIONS BY KRISTIN WILLIAMS AND KATE MCCULLOUGH. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 A PLUME OF TOXIC SMOKE CONTINUES TO BILLOW ACROSS PARTS OF AUCKLAND DUE TO A SCRAP METAL FIRE THAT STARTED IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THIS MORNING. LOCAL RESIDENTS ARE TOLD TO KEEP WINDOWS AND DOORS SHUT AND NEARBY SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES HAVE CLOSED FOR THE DAY. THE CONSTANT STREAM OF SMOKE HAS ALSO CAUSED AUCKLAND'S TRAIN NETWORK TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. FOR MORE ON THAT, WE'RE JOINED BY ISOBEL PRASAD IN THE SUBURB OF FAVONA. ISOBEL, HOW HAS THE FIRE AFFECTED PUBLIC TRANSPORT? KIA ORA. THE FIRE HAS CAUSED HUGE DISRUPTION ACROSS OUR PUBLIC NETWORK THIS MORNING. PARTS OF IT WERE BROUGHT TO A HALT EARLIER TODAY BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING CLAIM AND TOXIC SMOKE BEHIND ME. IT FOR THE EVACUATION OF A NEARBY KIWI RAIL CENTRE. AUCKLAND TRANSPORT HAS SAID THAT SOME OF THE SERVICES ARE BACK UP AND RUNNING BUT AT A REDUCED FREQUENCY. THAT INCLUDES THE SOUTHERN LINE IN CERTAIN PARTS. HOWEVER, THERE IS STILL DISRUPTION OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY THOSE WANTING TO TRAVEL ON THE ONEHUNGA AN EASTERN LINES THAT WILL REMAIN CLOSED FOR MOST OF THE DAY. WE'RE HEARING THE FIRE IS CHANGING DIRECTIONS. WHAT DO PEOPLE NEED TO BE AWARE OF? THAT IS RIGHT. AROUND 10 AM, FIRE AND EMERGENCY WARNED THAT THE WIND IS CONTINUING TO CHANGE, AND IT IS, AS WE GO TO AIR RIGHT NOW, CHANGING. THAT MEANS THAT MORE SUBURBS ARE BEING IMPACTED BY THE TOXIC SMOKE. THAT INCLUDES IN GREEN LANE, ELLERSLIE AND MOUNT WELLINGTON. PEOPLE IN THESE AREAS ARE ADVISED TO STAY INDOORS AND KEEP THEIR DOORS AND WINDOWS SHUT. FIRE AND EMERGENCY ARE STILL AT THE SCENE CONTINUING TO BATTLE THE FIRE. WE SPOKE TO THEM EARLIER IN THE MORNING. HERE IS WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY. IT IS TOXIC SMOKE. THERE'S NO CHEMICALS BURNING. IT'S MORE THE COMPOSITES OF PLASTICS AND THE LIKES THAT ARE MIXED WITH THE SCRAP METAL. SO OBVIOUSLY, WHEN PLASTICS BURN, IT'S GONNA RELEASE TOXIC SMOKE INTO THE ENVIRONMENT. NOW, FIRE AND EMERGENCY ALSO SAID WHILE THE FIRE IS CONTINUING TO BURN AT THIS STAGE, IT IS CONTAINED BUT IT IS LIKELY IT WON'T BE EXTINGUISHED FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. THANKS FOR THE UPDATE. ISOBEL PRASAD, LIVE FROM FAVONA IN AUCKLAND. ARMED POLICE ARE RESPONDING TO A POTENTIAL FIREARMS INCIDENT IN DUNEDIN. POLICE WERE ALERTED JUST AFTER 10 AM. THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF INJURIES. THE AREA HAS BEEN CORDONED OFF AND ENQUIRIES ARE ONGOING. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY TEACHERS ARE CONSIDERING NEW OFFERS IN THEIR ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT. THE SECONDARY TEACHERS UNION THE PPTA HAS COME OUT SWINGING, CALLING ITS OFFER 'INADEQUATE' AND RECOMMENDING MEMBERS REJECT IT. MEANWHILE, PAID UNION MEETINGS ARE TAKING PLACE ACROSS PRIMARY SCHOOLS THIS AFTERNOON AS NZEI MEMBERS CONSIDER WHAT'S ON THE TABLE BEFORE VOTING ON ITS OFFER OPENS TONIGHT. THE LAST COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS WITH TEACHERS EXPIRED IN JUNE LAST YEAR. LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE SET TO BENEFIT FROM NEW ZEALAND'S FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH THE UK, WHICH KICKS IN TODAY. IT'S EXPECTED TO BOOST THE ECONOMY BY INCREASING ANNUAL GDP BY UP TO $1 BILLION. BUSINESSES WILL IMMEDIATELY SAVE AROUND $37 MILLION THROUGH THE ELIMINATION OF TARIFFS AND NEW DUTY FREE QUOTAS. TIM LIGHTBOURNE, THE FOUNDER OF INVIVO WINES, SAYS IT'S A BIG DAY FOR THE INDUSTRY, AND WITH INFLATION UP, EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS. FOR US, WE'RE SENDING A COUPLE MILLION BOTTLES UP THERE EVERY YEAR, SO IT'S PRETTY HUGE. IT'LL BE A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND SAVING STRAIGHT AWAY IN YEAR ONE, BUT FOR THE NEW ZEALAND WINE INDUSTRY, WE SEND ABOUT 470 MILLION UP TO THE UK, AND STRAIGHT AWAY IT'LL BE ABOUT 25 MILLION SAVINGS FOR NEW ZEALAND. FROM TODAY ` 99.5% OF CURRENT TRADE WILL BE ABLE TO ENTER INTO THE UK DUTY-FREE. GLOBAL ANNIHILATION, OR EVEN EXTINCTION ` THAT'S THE WARNING FROM LEADERS IN THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FIELD IF THE TECHNOLOGY IS LEFT UNCHECKED. DOZENS HAVE CO-SIGNED A STATEMENT SAYING THE RISK OF AI SHOULD BE A GLOBAL PRIORITY AT THE SAME LEVEL AS PANDEMICS AND NUCLEAR WAR. THEY'RE CALLING FOR THE TECHNOLOGY TO BE REGULATED BEFORE ANYTHING 'TOO SMART' IS UNLEASHED. NORTH KOREA HAS LAUNCHED A ROCKET SHORTLY AFTER ANNOUNCING PLANS TO SEND UP ITS FIRST MILITARY SPY SATELLITE. THE LAUNCH PROMPTED EMERGENCY ALERTS AND EVACUATION WARNINGS IN PARTS OF SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN. THEY HAVE SINCE BEEN WITHDRAWN WITH NO DANGER REPORTED. EARLIER PYONGYANG SAID IT PLANNED TO LAUNCH A SATELLITE BY THE 11TH OF JUNE TO MONITOR U.S. MILITARY ACTIVITIES. TOKYO THREATENED IT WOULD TAKE 'DESTRUCTIVE MEASURES' IF ANYTHING FROM NORTH KOREA ENTERED ITS TERRITORY. A RUSSIAN GOVERNOR SAYS ONE PERSON HAS DIED AS THE RESULT OF A DRONE ATTACK ON MOSCOW OVERNIGHT. DESPITE UKRAINE DENYING DIRECT INVOLVEMENT WITH THE ASSAULT, RUSSIA HAS VOWED RETALIATION, CLAIMING IT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE 'THE HARSHEST POSSIBLE MEASURES' IN RESPONSE. THE BBC'S STEVE ROSENBERG REPORTS. (BOOM!) RUSSIAN TELEVISION SAYS THIS IS THE MOMENT THAT MOSCOW CAME UNDER ATTACK. THE BBC HAS NOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED THE IMAGES RUSSIAN TV SHOWED. BUT FROM EARLY MORNING, PEOPLE IN AND AROUND THE RUSSIAN CAPITAL DID REPORT HEARING EXPLOSIONS. I HEARD THEM TOO. AT HOME, MY WINDOWS SHOOK FROM THE FORCE OF THE BLASTS. RUSSIA'S DEFENCE MINISTRY ACCUSED UKRAINE OF CARRYING OUT THE ATTACK BUT SAID THAT RUSSIA'S MILITARY HAD DOWNED ALL THE DRONES. UKRAINE HAS DENIED HAVING ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS. PRESIDENT PUTIN CLEARLY DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT. (SPEAKS RUSSIAN) TRANSLATOR: THE KYIV REGIME HAS CHOSEN A PATH OF SCARING RUSSIA AND RUSSIAN CITIZENS BY LAUNCHING STRIKES ON RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS. THIS IS A CLEAR SIGN OF ITS TERRORIST ACTIVITY. AS THEY FLEW TOWARDS MOSCOW, THE DRONES SPARKED DISBELIEF. 'LOOK AT THAT,' A MAN SAYS. 'IT'S RIGHT ABOVE OUR HOUSE.' ONE OF THE DRONES CRASHED INTO A HIGH RISE APARTMENT BLOCK. ANOTHER FLEW INTO THIS RESIDENTIAL BUILDING. HERE'S PART OF IT ON THE GROUND. THE EXPLOSIVES FAILED TO DETONATE. THE AREA WAS CORDONED OFF, AND EMERGENCY SERVICES REMOVED IT. AMONG LOCAL RESIDENTS, THE SENSE OF SHOCK IS PALPABLE. (SPEAKS RUSSIAN) 'WE'RE ALL ON EDGE,' MORAT SAYS. 'I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE SHOULD DO ABOUT IT.' (SPEAKS RUSSIAN) 'I FEAR FOR MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF MY LOVED ONES,' SAYS JELENA. 'THINGS ARE NOT AS CALM AND STABLE AS WE'VE BEEN TOLD.' THE MOSCOW AUTHORITIES SAY THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE, NO SERIOUS INJURIES, AND THE SITUATION IS UNDER CONTROL. BUT FOR MUSCOVITES, THIS DRONE ATTACK IS A WAKE-UP CALL ` A SIGN THAT THIS WAR, THAT MANY HERE STILL PERCEIVE AS BEING FAR AWAY, IS COMING MUCH CLOSER TO HOME. THAT FEELING HAS BEEN GROWING SINCE THESE EXPLOSIONS OVER THE KREMLIN EARLIER THIS MONTH ` AN APPARENT DRONE ATTACK. AND JUST DAYS AGO, A LARGE SCALE CROSS-BORDER INCURSION FROM UKRAINE INTO RUSSIAN TERRITORY WAS ANOTHER EMBARRASSMENT FOR THE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES AND A SIGN OF GROWING INSECURITY. BUT NO SIGN OF ANY POLITICAL U-TURN, AFTER THIS MORNING'S DRONE ATTACK, THE MESSAGE FROM THE KREMLIN IS CLEAR. WHAT IT CALLS THE 'SPECIAL MILITARY OPERATION' IN UKRAINE WILL CONTINUE. A NEW STUDY ON ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION FOUND 32% OF ADULTS DRANK ALONE DURING COVID-19 LOCK DOWNS. THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND ANALYSED DATA FROM AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND THE UK AND FOUND MEN OVER 35 INCREASED HOW MUCH THEY DRANK IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE PANDEMIC. SOCIAL DRINKERS ` A CATEGORY LARGELY MADE UP OF WOMEN AND YOUNGER PEOPLE ` SAW THEIR ALCOHOL INTAKE DROP WHILE STUCK AT HOME. A FORMER CHINESE GOVERNMENT SCIENTIST SAYS THE POSSIBILITY COVID-19 LEAKED FROM A LABORATORY SHOULDN'T BE RULED OUT. GEORGE GAO WAS DIRECTOR FOR THE CHINESE CENTRE FOR DISEASE CONTROL FOR MOST OF THE PANDEMIC, AND SAYS THE ORIGIN OF THE VIRUS IS STILL A MYSTERY. A FORMAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE WUHAN INSTITUTE OF VIROLOGY WAS CARRIED OUT, BUT PROFESSOR GAO BELIEVES NOTHING WAS FOUND. BEIJING HAS ALWAYS DENIED THE LAB-LEAK THEORY, AND AN INVESTIGATION BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION TWO YEARS AGO CONCLUDED COVID-19 MOST LIKELY PASSED NATURALLY FROM ANIMALS TO HUMANS. MEANWHILE A TINY AUSTRALIAN FARMING TOWN HAS UNCOVERED A TYPE OF GARLIC SO POTENT SCIENTISTS HAVE USED IT TO STOP COVID IN ITS TRACKS. LAB TESTING REVEALED THREE PARTICULAR TYPES CAN FEND OFF BOTH INFLUENZA 'A' AND THE COVID DELTA STRAIN. NINE'S LAURA TURNER HAS MORE. 527KM NORTH OF MELBOURNE, IN A TINY PLACE CALLED IRAAK, 95% OF AUSTRALIA'S GARLIC IS PRODUCED. AND FOR WHAT'S CONSIDERED A PRETTY ORDINARY VEGETABLE, PEOPLE GROWING IT SAY THEY'VE MADE AN EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERY. I'VE SPENT A LIFETIME ON, YOU KNOW, FUNCTIONAL FOODS, GARLIC ESPECIALLY, AND, YOU KNOW, AND FINALLY, WE'VE SORT OF WORKED OUT THAT NOT ALL GARLIC IS EQUAL. THERE'S ABOUT 340 TYPES OF GARLIC IN THE WORLD. BUT THE GROWERS IN IRAAK FELT THEIRS WAS SUPERIOR AND COULD HELP FIGHT ILLNESS. IT TURNS OUT THEY WERE RIGHT. LET'S TEST WHETHER OR NOT IT CAN KILL THE VIRUS. AND YEAH, WE DID LOTS AND LOTS OF TESTS OF LOTS OF DIFFERENT PRODUCTS AND WE FOUND ONE OF THEIR PRODUCTS REALLY, REALLY WAS QUITE ACTIVE. THE REASON THEY GOT THE DOHERTY INSTITUTE ON BOARD WAS BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO PROVE THE GARLIC SUPPLEMENT THEY WERE DEVELOPING WASN'T A GIMMICK, AND ACTUALLY HAD ANTI-VIRAL PROPERTIES. AND SO IRAAK'S GARLIC WAS TRIALLED AND TESTED FOR 18 MONTHS. ONE GARLIC VARIETY ACTUALLY CONSISTENTLY REDUCED THE INFECTIOUSNESS OF THE VIRUS, AND SOME FORMS OF IT ACTUALLY DEGRADED THE VIRUS GENOME, INDICATING COMPLETE VIRUCIDAL ACTIVITY. SCIENTISTS HAVE LONG SAID THAT THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE IN GARLIC IS LOST AS SOON AS YOU HEAT IT. AND THE NEW FINDING IS THAT NO MATTER THE TEMPERATURE, SOME STRAINS OF GARLIC ARE ONLY GOOD FOR THEIR TASTE. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND THE PLANET ARE EATING GARLIC FOR HEALTH BENEFITS, AND THEY MIGHT NOT BE EATING A VARIETY THAT OFFERS ANY HEALTH BENEFITS. AUSTRALIAN GARLIC SUPPLEMENTS HAVE NOW BEEN RELEASED ON THE MARKET. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` AN HISTORIC TELESCOPE BACK OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, ALLOWING CANTABRIANS TO GAZE AT THE STARS. AND THE BLUES AND MAROONS PREPARE TO SQUARE OFF IN STATE OF ORIGIN. WELCOME BACK. SIR ASHLEY BLOOMFIELD HAS FORMALLY RECEIVED HIS KNIGHTHOOD THIS MORNING. THE FORMER DIRECTOR GENERAL OF HEALTH BECAME A HOUSEHOLD NAME FOR HIS ROLE IN NEW ZEALAND'S RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. HE SAYS ONE OF HIS GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS WAS TAKING ON AN ELIMINATION APPROACH AND SUCCESSFULLY BEING ABLE TO DELIVER THAT. AFTER A BREAK IN THE LIMELIGHT, SIR ASHLEY SAYS HE'S NOW READY TO TACKLE SOME NEW ROLES. THE TROUBLED CARGO SHIP IN WELLINGTON HARBOUR, THE SHILING, HAS NOW BEEN SERVED A NOTICE OF DETENTION BY MARITIME NEW ZEALAND. THE ALMOST 300m-LONG CARGO VESSEL WAS TUGGED INTO THE HARBOUR LAST WEEK. IT'S BROKEN DOWN TWICE IN RECENT MONTHS. THE NOTICE MEANS A NUMBER OF SAFETY MEASURES MUST BE MET BEFORE THE SINGAPORE-FLAGGED SHIP SETS SAIL AGAIN. FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKES, THE TOWNSEND TEECE TELESCOPE IS NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT DURING WINTER, YOU CAN HAVE A MAGICAL STARGAZING EXPERIENCE THROUGH A PIECE OF HISTORY. DIGBY WERTHMULLER WENT TO CHECK IT OUT. ('ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA' BY RICHARD STRAUSS) A 126-YEAR-OLD STARGAZING TRADITION HAS FINALLY RETURNED TO THE GARDEN CITY'S CBD. THE TELESCOPE AND THE TOWER HAVE BEEN BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED, AND NOW WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RUN FRIDAY OPEN NIGHTS AGAIN. UP UNTIL THE CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKES 12 YEARS AGO, THEY'D BEEN RUNNING THE OPEN NIGHTS INSIDE THE OBSERVATORY TOWER SINCE 1896. WHEN THIS WAS CANTERBURY COLLEGE, THIS TELESCOPE WAS DONATED BY TOWNSEND, BY JAMES TOWNSEND IN 1891. AND THE TOWER WAS BUILT, AND THE TELESCOPE WAS INSTALLED IN 1896. THE ARTS CENTRE OWNS MOST OF THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS, AND 20 RESTORATION PROJECTS HAVE NOW BEEN COMPLETED. THIS ONE WAS FOUR YEARS. WE HAD TO TAKE IT DOWN BRICK BY BRICK, PUT IN NEW FOUNDATIONS, PUT IN A NEW SEISMIC CORE, AND THEN REPLACE ALL THE ORIGINAL MATERIALS THAT WE COULD FIND OR DUPLICATE MATERIALS TO GET IT EXACTLY BACK AS IT WAS BEFORE. THE TOWER ITSELF WAS AN $11M REBUILD, AND CLOSE TO $200M HAS BEEN SPENT ON THE ENTIRE SITE. WE HAVE THREE BUILDINGS STILL TO COMPLETE THAT WE ARE FUNDRAISING FOR, BUT WE ARE STILL SHORT OF ABOUT $70M, WHICH IS PRETTY TRICKY TO FIND IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE. NOW BACK TO ITS FORMER GLORY, SESSIONS ARE FILLING UP FAST FOR A SPOT AMONGST THE STARS. AND ONE U.C. ASTRONOMY GRADUATE JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF IT. DEALING WITH THE BIGGEST EXPLOSIONS AND HIGH-ENERGY THINGS IS EVERYONE'S DREAM, RIGHT? GIVEN THE TOWER IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY, THERE ARE A LOT OF BRIGHT LIGHTS. BUT THIS WON'T RUIN THE EXPERIENCE. OH, WOW. YOU CAN SEE NEARBY STARS, YOU CAN SEE BRIGHT STAR CLUSTERS, DOUBLE STARS. YEAH, YOU CAN SEE ALL THOSE THINGS FROM THE TOWER. THE TOUR IS 30 MINUTES LONG, AND BE PREPARED TO CLIMB 75 STEEP STAIRS. DIGBY WERTHMULLER, ONE NEWS. A SAN FRANCISCO DOG OWNER IS URGING FELLOW PET OWNERS TO BE VIGILANT AFTER HER DOG GOT SICK FROM EATING SOMETHING SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE. THE ABC'S DION LIM HAS "POCKETS'" UNSAVOURY STORY. IF YOU COULDN'T TELL BY THESE ADORABLE VIDEOS, 1-YEAR-OLD HIMALAYAN SHEEPDOG-POODLE MIX POCKETS IS A POOCH WITH A LOVE FOR THE OUTDOORS. I LIVE IN THE AREA, AND WE FREQUENTLY COME HERE. DURING A TRIP TO FORT MASON THURSDAY, WHAT POCKETS FOUND ON THE GROUND WAS THE BEGINNING OF A TERRIFYING AND EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE FOR OWNER JACKIE. I NOTICED SHE WENT AND WAS EATING SOMETHING, SO I RAN OVER TO SEE WHAT SHE WAS EATING. AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS POOP. NOTHING NECESSARILY UNCOMMON FOR DOGS, BUT WHAT HAPPENED SEVERAL HOURS LATER WAS. PROBABLY ABOUT 8 O'CLOCK, AND SHE WAS LIKE WOBBLING, AND SHE WAS, LIKE, HER TAIL WAS DOWN. SHE... SOMETHING WAS DEFINITELY WRONG WITH HER. DOCUMENTS FROM EMERGENCY CARE SHOWED POCKETS HAD SYMPTOMS FROM MARIJUANA INTOXICATION. AND THERE WERE OPIOIDS IN HER SYSTEM. FRIGHTENING ENOUGH ON ITS OWN, BUT SOMETHING ELSE WAS ALARMING. ESSENTIALLY, THE DOCTOR ON THAT NIGHT TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS RELATIVELY COMMON AND SHE SEES IT A FEW TIMES A WEEK. DOG OWNERS WE SPOKE WITH WERE UNDERSTANDABLY SHOCKED AT THE NEWS. THAT'S HORRIBLE. THAT'S MY WORST NIGHTMARE. AND SAY IT'LL BE HARD TO PREVENT THEIR PETS FROM EATING THINGS ON THE GROUND. I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY COULD PREVENT THIS. LUCKILY, POCKETS DIDN'T INGEST ENOUGH TO NEED NARCAN, AND IS BACK TO HER OLD STICK CHEWING, PLAYFUL SELF. A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL TOLD ME JACKIE DID EVERYTHING RIGHT, AND HAD THE DOSAGE BEEN BIGGER, POCKETS COULD HAVE SUFFERED KIDNEY OR LIVER DAMAGE. JACKIE SAYS SHE'LL KEEP AN EVEN CLOSER WATCH ON HER PET FROM NOW ON, AND HOPES HER STORY WILL ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO DO THE SAME. THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE WITH DOGS WHO PROBABLY DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS A THREAT TO THEIR DOGS, SO I WANTED TO SHARE IT JUST TO SPREAD AWARENESS AND TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE REALLY CAREFUL AND CAN LOOK OUT FOR THE SYMPTOMS OF THIS. FOOD FOR THOUGHT FOR PET OWNERS. TO SPORT, AND NEW ZEALAND'S BEEN KNOCKED OUT OF THE UNDER-20 FOOTBALL WORLD CUP IN ARGENTINA IN CONVINCING FASHION. THE KIWI SIDE NO MATCH FOR THE UNITED STATES IN THE ROUND OF 16 MATCH, THE AMERICANS PUTTING AWAY FOUR UNANSWERED GOALS. AMBITIOUS, OH, BUT IN! IT JUST TRICKLED OVER THE LINE. AND A HIT. THAT WILL MOST CERTAINLY DO. IT'S A GOOD WHIP. AND IT IS A FOURTH GOAL. THE RESULT PUTS THE U.S. THROUGH TO THE QUARTER FINALS FOR THE FOURTH STRAIGHT TOURNAMENT. THE NORTHERN STARS MIGHT BE FIRMLY FOCUSED ON THIS WEEKEND'S NETBALL PREMIERSHIP FINAL, BUT THEY'VE ALREADY CONFIRMED A KEY SIGNING FOR NEXT YEAR. COACH KIRI WILLS IS STICKING WITH, THE FRANCHISE FOR A SIXTH SEASON REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME OF SUNDAY'S GRAND FINAL AGAINST THE MYSTICS. IT'S THE FIRST TIME THE TWO TEAMS HAVE MET TO DECIDE THE TROPHY. THE AUCKLAND RIVALRY IS VERY STRONG. THERE'S NO OTHER TEAM I THINK WE WANNA BEAT MORE THAN THE STARS BECAUSE THEY'RE AN AUCKLAND TEAM. IT'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT PLAYING THEM THAT BOTH OF US ARE VERY COMPETITIVE. OFF THE COURT, WE'RE ALL REALLY GOOD FRIENDS, BUT ON THE COURT, WE BOTH JUST REALLY WANNA WIN. THE ALL-AUCKLAND SHOWDOWN'S BEING PLAYED IN HAMILTON ` THE VENUE LOCKED IN BEFORE THE SEASON STARTED. HE'D BEEN IN THE RUNNING TO BE TENNIS WORLD NUMBER ONE. INSTEAD, DANIIL MEDVEDEV'S BEEN SENT PACKING FROM THE FRENCH OPEN IN THE FIRST ROUND. THE RUSSIAN STUNNED BY WORLD NUMBER 172 THIAGO SEYBOTH WILD IN FIVE SETS. THE BRAZILIAN QUALIFIER'S FOREHAND PROVING HIS BIGGEST WEAPON. (MEN GRUNT) (CROWD CHEERS) AN UPSET OF EPIC PROPORTIONS. THE 23-YEAR-OLD LAPPING UP THE OPPORTUNITY. I'VE ALWAYS DREAMED ABOUT PLAYING ON THIS COURT, PLAYING THESE KIND OF PLAYERS. I MEAN... IN MY BEST DREAMS, I'VE HAD, I'VE BEEN IN THEM, SO IT'S A DREAM COME TRUE. IN THE WOMEN'S DRAW, COCO GAUFF (19) FOUGHT FROM BEHIND TO WIN 3-6, 6-1, 6-2. QUEENSLAND COACH BILLY SLATER'S BACKING REECE WALSH TO SHINE IN HIS DEBUT STATE OF ORIGIN MATCH. THE FORMER WARRIOR'S BEEN MAKING HEADLINES OVER WHETHER HE CAN HANDLE THE PRESSURE AHEAD OF GAME ONE IN ADELAIDE TONIGHT. NINE'S DANIKA MASON REPORTS. THERE'S NO RIVALRY LIKE STATE OF ORIGIN, BUT SOMETIMES ALLEGIANCES CAN BE A LITTLE CONFUSING WHEN ORIGIN FEVER TAKES OVER. IT WAS A MUCH CALMER DAY FOR THE BLUES, WHO WERE IN PANIC MODE AS LATRELL MITCHELL WAS RULED OUT AND STEVEN CRICHTON REPLACING HIM AT CENTRE. QUEENSLAND ADMIT IT ALSO CAUSED A STIR FOR THEM. THE REACTION HAS PROBABLY BEEN SHIFTED TOWARDS STEVEN CRICHTON AND THE STRENGTHS THAT HE BRINGS TO THE FOOTBALL TEAM, COS THEY'RE DIFFERENT TO LATRELL'S, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE AWARE OF THAT. THE MAROONS ARE ALSO AWARE MANY ARE QUESTIONING WHETHER REECE WALSH IS UP TO THE CHALLENGE. EVEN ONE OF THE GAME'S BEST FULLBACKS HAS NOTICED SOME WEAKNESSES. HE DOES MAKE SOME MISTAKES, SO IF WE CAN PUT PRESSURE ON HIM, GET THAT BALL UP, IT'S GONNA BE SLIPPERY AND REALLY MOUNT THE PRESSURE, THEN WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. BUT THE MAROONS HAVE FULL CONFIDENCE IN THE 20-YEAR-OLD. HAVE YOU SEEN REECE WALSH PLAY? IT'S A BIG STEP UP THOUGH, BILLY. WELL, HE WAS PICKED TWO YEARS AGO TO PLAY FOR QUEENSLAND, AND HE IS A MUCH BETTER PLAYER RIGHT NOW. WHILE NEW SOUTH WALES OPENLY ADMIT WALSH WILL BE A TARGET, THEY PLAN TO GIVE HIM A SPECIAL INITIATION TO THE ORIGIN ARENA. WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT HE'S DONE FOR BRISBANE AND THE BRILLIANCE HE DOES BRING, YOU'VE GOTTA WATCH HIM EVERYWHERE. HE LEFT, RIGHT, THROUGH THE MIDDLE. AND YOU TALK ABOUT HABITS. HE'S GOT A LOT OF 'EM COS, YOU KNOW, HE'S A PRETTY FIT BLOKE WHO'S IN THE GAME A LOT. SO... BUT IT'S HIS FIRST GAME, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT. SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT HE UNDERSTANDS IT'S A STEP UP. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY, I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. WELCOME BACK. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. ('I GOT YOU' BY SPLIT ENZ) # I GOT YOU, THAT'S ALL I WANT. # I WON'T FORGET, # THAT'S A WHOLE LOT. # I DON'T GO OUT, # NOW THAT YOU'RE IN. # SOMETIMES WE SHOUT, # BUT THAT'S NO PROBLEM. # I DON'T KNOW WHY SOMETIMES # I GET FRIGHTENED, # YOU CAN SEE MY EYES, # YOU CAN TELL THAT I'M NOT LYING. # LOOK AT YOU, YOU'RE A PAGEANT...# THAT'S IT FOR MIDDAY. THANKS FOR JOINING US. HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY KRISTIN WILLIAMS AND KATE MCCULLOUGH. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023