IT'S MIDDAY. THE SEARCH CONTINUES FOR A SUBMERSIBLE MISSING IN THE ATLANTIC. THE CHALLENGES FACING RESCUE TEAMS, EVEN IF IT IS FOUND. CYBER SCAMS ARE ON THE RISE. THE NEW TOOLS ONLINE CRIMINALS ARE USING TO GET YOUR MONEY, AND HOW TO SPOT THEM. PLUS, AGE ISN'T STOPPING HIM FROM SHAKING THINGS UP ` THE PLANS FOR SIR ELTON JOHN'S FIRST EVER GLASTONBURY PERFORMANCE. CAPTIONS BY COURTNEY SOLE AND JAMES BROWN. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 KIA ORA, GOOD AFTERNOON. TWO STAFF HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM ORANGA TAMARIKI RESIDENCES AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF UNACCEPTABLE SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR. THE NEWS WAS REVEALED TO MEDIA IN A PRESS CONFERENCE IN THE PAST HOUR. JESSICA SWAN WAS LISTENING IN AND JOINS US NOW. KIA ORA JESS, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? WE JUST HEARD FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND BEFORE I GET INTO THOSE DETAILS, I WANT TO REMIND YOU ORANGA TAMARIKI AS THE MINISTRY FOR CHILDREN SO IT'S TAKING CARE OF SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN. SOME ALLEGATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE INVOLVING STAFF WHO HAVE ACTED SEXUALLY AND APPROPRIATELY TOWARDS YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR RESIDENCES. IN TERMS OF THE INFORMATION WE HAVE, BECAUSE THE INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THESE INCIDENCES WEREN'T LINKED THAT FIVE CHILDREN HAVE BEEN IMPACTED. STAFF WERE REMOVED FROM RESIDENCES. I WAS NOT PREPARED TO WAIT FOR THE OUTCOME OF ANY INVESTIGATION. THESE ARE CURRENTLY INDIVIDUAL AND ISOLATED INCIDENCES. THAT IS TOO MANY. I AM NOT PREPARED TO COMPROMISE ON THE WELFARE OF OUR CHILDREN. CHILDREN IN OUR CARE MUST BE CARED FOR, CHILDREN IN OUR FACILITIES MUST BE SAFE. THE OTHER ELEMENT HERE IS THAT FORMER POLICE COMMISSIONER HAS BEEN CALLED IN SO THIS FRIDAY HE WILL TAKE LEADERSHIP OF THE YOUTH JUSTICE IN CARE AND PROTECTION RESIDENCES. THIS WILL INCLUDE A DAY-TO-DAY LEADERSHIP ROLE BUT ALSO A RAPID REVIEW. HE WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN TWO MONTHS. AND ANY FINDINGS ABOUT WHAT WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE WILL BE MADE PUBLIC. THE U.S. COAST GUARD IS STEPPING UP ITS SEARCH EFFORTS FOR THE SUBMERSIBLE THAT WENT MISSING IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN ON A DIVE TO THE WRECK OF THE TITANIC. FIVE PEOPLE WERE ON BOARD THE VESSEL WHEN IT LOST CONTACT ON MONDAY AND NOW IT'S FEARED TIME TO FIND THE SUB IS RUNNING OUT. COURTNEY HAMMOND REPORTS. A RACE AGAINST TIME. LESS THAN 34 HOURS ON THE CLOCK BEFORE THE TITAN'S OXYGEN SUPPLY RUNS OUT. THE U.S. COAST GUARD LEADING THE RESCUE OPERATION FOR THE MISSING SUBMERSIBLE, COORDINATING AERIAL AND NOW A SUBSURFACE SEARCH. OUR CREWS ARE WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO LOCATE THE TITAN AND THE FIVE CREW MEMBERS. THIS IS A COMPLEX SEARCH EFFORT, WHICH REQUIRES MULTIPLE AGENCIES WITH SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE AND SPECIALISED EQUIPMENT. BUT THOSE WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH THESE KINDS OF MISSIONS ARE FEARING FOR THE WORST. IT'S FINDING A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK. FIRST, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ARE ABOVE THE SURFACE, WE CAN USE GPS, WE CAN USE RADAR, WE CAN USE RADIO. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THAT, THAT WE CAN USE BELOW THE SEA, BECAUSE SIMPLY PUT, THE ELECTROMAGNETIC FREQUENCIES, THE ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES DO NOT PROPAGATE FAR UNDERSEA. AND IF THE SUB HAS IN FACT SUNK, THE CHANCES OF FINDING IT ARE SLIM. AMIDST ALL THE DEBRIS AND THE CURRENTS AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS, THE CHANCE OF FINDING THIS, IF IT STILL SURVIVES, IS EXTREMELY REMOTE. LESS THAN 5% CHANCE I WOULD THINK. AND ONCE YOU'VE LOCATED IT, HOW ON EARTH ARE YOU GONNA GET IT TO THE SURFACE? TIME IS THE SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM'S BIGGEST CHALLENGE. I'M AFRAID TO SAY THAT EVEN IF WE LOCATE IT, THE TIME IT'S GONNA TAKE TO ACTUALLY BRING IT TO THE SURFACE, I THINK IT WOULD BE TOO LONG. I HATE TO BE PESSIMISTIC, BUT ALL THE INDICATIONS ARE THAT WE MUST PREPARE OURSELVES FOR THE WORST HERE. THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE FIRM HOSTING THE DIVE IS ONE OF THE FIVE PEOPLE ON BOARD. IT'S BEEN REVEALED A LETTER WAS SENT BY SUBMERSIBLE EXPERTS TO STOCKTON RUSH IN 2018, RAISING CONCERN OVER THE TITAN'S DESIGN. JOURNALIST DAVID POGUE WENT IN THE VESSEL LAST YEAR. I WAS VERY SURPRISED TO DISCOVER THAT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OFF-THE-SHELF, IMPROVISED ELEMENTS. THE CEO OF STOCKTON RUSH, WHO DESIGNED THE SUB, TOLD ME THAT THE LIGHTS IN THE SUB HE BOUGHT FROM CAMPERWORLD.COM. HE DRIVES THE SUB ` I'M NOT KIDDING YOU ` WITH AN XBOX VIDEO GAME CONTROLLER. SO I WAS ALARMED, AND I ASKED HIM ABOUT ALL THIS. CONTACT WITH THE SUB WAS LOST ABOUT AN HOUR AND 45 MINUTES INTO ITS JOURNEY TO THE WRECK OF THE TITANIC, OFF CANADA'S SOUTH-EASTERN COAST. THESE ARE THE LAST IMAGES OF THE TITAN, BEFORE IT SUBMERGED.. AS SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS SCOUR THE ATLANTIC, HOPE, LIKE TIME, IS RUNNING OUT. COURTNEY HAMMOND, 1 NEWS. NATIONAL PARTY LEADER CHRISTOPHER LUXON WON'T CONFIRM IF A GOVERNMENT REBATE WAS CLAIMED FOR A FAMILY-OWNED TESLA. LUXON HAS PREVIOUSLY CRITICISED THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY THAT SUBSIDISES ELECTRIC VEHICLES, CALLING IT A 'UTE TAX' THAT BENEFITS 'WEALTHY TESLA OWNERS.' WHEN QUESTIONED ON BREAKFAST THIS MORNING ABOUT THE CONTRADICTION, LUXON SAID IT'S STILL A POLICY HE DISAGREES WITH. THOSE THAT CAN AFFORD TO PAY SHOULD. THOSE THAT CAN'T SHOULD BE SUPPORTED. BECAUSE WHEN WE TARGET GOVERNMENT SPENDING IN A MUCH BETTER WAY ` AND THIS GOVERNMENT'S BEEN VERY POOR AT THAT ` THAT GIVES US, WE SAVE MONEY, AND WE GET TO DO BETTER THINGS WITH THAT MONEY, THAT GET OUTCOMES FOR NEW ZEALANDERS. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS OVER 100,000 REBATES HAVE BEEN GRANTED SINCE THE SCHEME CAME INTO EFFECT IN 2021. RUAPEHU ALPINE LIFTS HAS OFFICIALLY BEEN PLACED INTO LIQUIDATION AT THE HIGH COURT IN AUCKLAND THIS MORNING. IF FOLLOWS A VOTE BY CREDITORS YESTERDAY ON THE MT RUAPEHU SKI FIELDS' FUTURE. THE COMPANY'S LAWYER TOLD THE COURT THEY HAD FILED AN URGENT APPLICATION FOR LIQUIDATION. IT IS RARE FOR A COMPANY ITSELF TO APPLY TO PUT ITSELF INTO LIQUIDATION BUT, IN MY SUBMISSION, IT HAS NO OTHER OPTION BUT TO DO SO IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, YOUR HONOUR. THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE COMPANY ENDED YESTERDAY. CONTROL OF THE COMPANY WAS RETURNED TO THE DIRECTORS BUT IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE COMPANY IS HOPELESSLY INSOLVENT AND UNABLE TO PAY ITS DEBTS. THE ADMINISTRATORS WILL ALSO STAY ON AS LIQUIDATORS OF RUAPEHU ALPINE LIFTS. A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO REFORM LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS NOW UP FOR DISCUSSION, AFTER AN INDEPENDENT REPORT FOUND THE STATUS QUO TO BE OUT OF STEP WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD. THE REPORT MAKES 17 RECOMMENDATIONS, SOME OF THEM LIKELY TO BE CONTROVERSIAL, TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF COUNCILS AROUND NEW ZEALAND ` CLOSER RELATIONSHIPS WITH MANA WHENUA, A NEW GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT, AND LOWERING THE VOTING AGE IN LOCAL ELECTIONS TO 16 AMONG THEM. SOME COUNCILS WOULD ARGUE ` AND THEY'RE PROBABLY RIGHT ` AT THE MOMENT, THEY'RE OK. BUT ARE THEY GONNA BE OK IN FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS, 15, 20 YEARS' TIME? BECAUSE THIS IS, FRANKLY, A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR AND SAY, 'WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER?' LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER KIERAN McANULTY HAS WELCOMED THE REPORT, BUT SAYS CENTRAL GOVERNMENT WON'T ENTER DISCUSSIONS UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION. EMOTIONS ARE RUNNING HIGH AT A COUNCIL MEETING IN CHRISTCHURCH, AS THE FUTURE OF THE CITY'S ORGANICS PLANT IS DISCUSSED. THE FACILITY HAS BEEN CONTRIBUTING TO AN UNRESOLVED STENCH IN THE SUBURB OF BROMLEY FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS, AND LOCALS HAVE HAD ENOUGH. EMOTIONALLY: I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE TOO MUCH OF THE WRONG STUFF, OR IF PART OF THE PLANT IS BROKEN. IF THE PLANT CAN'T COPE, IT SHOULD CEASE TO EXIST. I FEEL TRAPPED AND A PRISONER IN MY OWN HOME, HELD CAPTIVE TO A FOUL ODOUR. THE COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING VARIOUS OPTIONS, INCLUDE PROCESSING GREEN WASTE AT SMALLER PLANTS AROUND THE REGION OR TRANSPORTING IT ALL TO THE KATE VALLEY LANDFILL. CYBER SECURITY AGENCY CERT NZ IS URGING PEOPLE TO BE MORE CAUTIOUS ONLINE AND PREDICTS SCAMS WILL BE HARDER TO SPOT THANKS TO THE USE OF AI. ITS LATEST REPORT SHOWS NEW ZEALANDERS LOST $6m TO SCAMS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR. THAT'S A 66% RISE IN FINANCIAL LOSSES. PEOPLE SHOULD BE WEARY OF, AGAIN, IF YOU'VE GOT A LINK THERE THAT DOESN'T SEEM QUITE KOSHER. IF YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO INVEST IN A SCAM VIA WHATSAPP, ALL OF THESE ARE SIGNS THAT YOU'RE BEING INVEIGLED INTO A SCAM AND AI IS JUST CONTINUALLY GENERATING THAT. NEARLY 2000 SCAMMING INCIDENTS WERE REPORTED TO CERT NZ IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2023. ONLINE PERSONALITY ANDREW TATE HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH RAPE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN ROMANIA. OFFICIALS ALLEGE TATE, ALONGSIDE HIS BROTHER AND TWO ROMANIAN WOMEN, FORMED A CRIMINAL GROUP THAT SEXUALLY EXPLOITED SEVEN WOMEN. TATE HAS SIX MILLION TWITTER FOLLOWERS, THE MAJORITY OF THEM YOUNG MEN. HE HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN BANNED FROM SOCIAL PLATFORMS FOR EXPRESSING MISOGYNISTIC VIEWS AND HATE SPEECH. THE SON OF U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, HUNTER BIDEN, HAS AGREED TO A PLEA DEAL THAT WILL SEE HIM PLEAD GUILTY TO A PAIR OF MISDEMEANOUR TAX CRIMES AND ADMIT TO ILLEGALLY POSSESSING A GUN WHILE USING DRUGS. IT'S EXPECTED HUNTER BIDEN WILL ALSO AGREE TO DRUG TREATMENT, MEANING HE WON'T FACE JAIL TIME. THAT HAS DRAWN CRITICISM FROM REPUBLICANS, AS DONALD TRUMP FACES FEDERAL CHARGES. THE ABC's JUSTIN FINCH HAS MORE ON THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S CASE. SPEAKING TO FOX NEWS, FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WAS PRESSED ABOUT HIS ALLEGED MISHANDLING OF CLASSIFIED RECORDS CONTAINING THE NATION'S MOST VALUABLE NATIONAL DEFENCE AND NUCLEAR SECRETS. YOU WERE RECORDED` IT WASN'T A DOCUMENT. I HAD LOTS OF PAPER. I HAD COPIES OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES. A KEY PORTION OF SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH'S INDICTMENT OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT CENTRES ON A 2021 AUDIO RECORDING. PROSECUTORS SAY IT CAPTURES TRUMP SHOWING AND DISCUSSING DETAILS OF WHAT HE CALLS SECRET INFORMATION FROM CLASSIFIED MATERIAL. THE FORMER WAS PRESIDENT ALLEGEDLY HEARD SAYING, 'AS PRESIDENT, I COULD HAVE DECLASSIFIED, BUT NOW I CAN'T.' BUT TRUMP TELLING FOX NEWS HE WAS NOT REFERRING TO AN ACTUAL DOCUMENT. I DIDN'T HAVE A DOCUMENT PER SE. THERE WAS NOTHING TO DECLASSIFY. THESE WERE NEWSPAPER STORIES, MAGAZINE STORIES AND ARTICLES. LAST WEEK TRUMP PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO THE 37 FEDERAL CRIMINAL CHARGES BROUGHT BY THE SPECIAL COUNSEL, INCLUDING WILFUL RETENTION OF NATIONAL DEFENCE INFORMATION, CONSPIRACY AND OBSTRUCTION. BECAUSE I HAD BOXES. I WANNA GO THROUGH THE BOXES AND GET ALL MY PERSONAL THINGS OUT. I DON'T WANNA HAND THAT OVER TO NARA YET. AND I WAS VERY BUSY, AS YOU'VE SORT OF SEEN. TRUMP APPEARING TO ADMIT HE DIDN'T COMPLY WITH THE GRAND JURY SUBPOENA TO RETURN THOSE RECORDS, BECAUSE HIS PERSONAL ITEMS WERE PACKED ALONGSIDE THEM. GOLF SHIRTS, CLOTHING, PANTS, SHOES. THERE WERE MANY THINGS. AILEEN CANNON, THE FEDERAL JUDGE OVERSEEING TRUMP'S DOCUMENTS TRIAL, HAS SET THE START DATE FOR AUGUST 14th. JUDGE CANNON, WHO WAS APPOINTED BY TRUMP, ALSO ORDERING A CHANGE OF VENUE TO FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA, A MORE REPUBLICAN-LEANING PART OF THE STATE, WHERE SHE IS ALSO BASED. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD, HELLO GLASTONBURY. SIR ELTON JOHN PREPARES FOR ONE OF MUSIC'S BIGGEST STAGES. PLUS ` QATAR TURN ACCUSATIONS OF RACIAL ABUSE BACK ON THE ALL WHITES. HUTT ROAD IN WELLINGTON HAS RE-OPENED, FOLLOWING A TRUCK CRASH IN THE CAPITAL DURING PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AT 6.30am NEAR THE THORNDON QUAY OFF-RAMP ON HUTT RD, AFTER THE VEHICLE HIT A BRIDGE. AT ITS WORST, TRAFFIC WAS REPORTED AS MODERATE TO HEAVY. AND ANOTHER TRUCK CRASH, THIS ONE IN AUCKLAND, HAS SEEN THE CLOSURE OF THE SOUTHERN MOTORWAY IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, BETWEEN DRURY AND PAPAKURA. MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO DELAY THEIR JOURNEY OR EXPECT LONG DELAYS. WEEKLY RENTAL PRICES HAVE CLIMBED AGAIN ` UP TO $610 FOR THE MONTH OF MAY. NEW DATA FROM TRADE ME SHOWS THE AVERAGE TENANT IS PAYING $35 MORE A WEEK WHEN COMPARED WITH THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR. AUCKLAND HAS THE HIGHEST MEDIAN RENTAL PRICE WHICH TRADE ME BLAMES ON WIDESPREAD FLOODING CAUSING SUPPLY ISSUES. BUT COMPARED WITH THIS TIME LAST YEAR, SUPPLY IS DOWN 19% ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND DEMAND IS UP 35%. UNIVERSITY AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE GETTING THE PLACARDS OUT TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR THEIR EDUCATORS TODAY. LEARNERS WILL PROTEST AT PARLIAMENT SHORTLY WITH A LIST OF DEMANDS FOR THE EDUCATION SECTOR. SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENT KAY STODART SAYS THE CURRENT SITUATION ISN'T IDEAL FOR TEACHERS OR STUDENTS. A LOT OF THE STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY IN THE SCIENCES, ARE LOOKING TO STUDY OVERSEAS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY OR A COUPLE OF STUDENTS TRY AND GO TO AMERICA. AND STUDENTS THAT ARE WANTING TO DO THAT, THEY DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THEIR GRADES AREN'T GOING TO BE HIGH ENOUGH BECAUSE OF THE INDUSTRIAL ACTION. LEARNERS WILL GATHER AT PARLIAMENT AT 12.30pm. SIR ELTON JOHN SAYS HE'S PUT TOGETHER A BRAND NEW SHOW FOR HIS HEADLINING GLASTONBURY PERFORMANCE THIS WEEKEND. AT 76 YEARS OF AGE, THE SINGER SAYS IT'S EVEN GOING TO BE DIFFERENT TO HIS CURRENT AND LENGTHY FAREWELL TOUR. BBC CORRESPONDENT CLARA AMFO SAT DOWN WITH HIM. WITH A CAREER SPANNING FIVE DECADES AND A BACK CATALOGUE FEATURING SOME OF POP MUSIC'S GREATEST RECORDS, ELTON JOHN IS FINALLY MAKING HIS DEBUT ON GLASTONBURY'S PYRAMID STAGE. BUT BEFORE HIS HEADLINE PERFORMANCE ON THE SUNDAY, I SAT DOWN WITH HIM AT HIS HOME AMONGST HIS VERY IMPRESSIVE RECORD COLLECTION TO PICK THE ARTISTS THAT HE'S MOST EXCITED TO SEE AT THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL. THANK YOU, CLARA. SO LOVELY TO SEE YOU IN MY RECORD ROOM, MY VINYL ROOM. WE ARE IN YOUR ACTUAL RECORD ROOM. IT'S JUST, IT'S SUCH A ROMANTIC WAY OF COLLECTING MUSIC. IT'S NEVER LOST ITS ROMANTICISM FOR ME. AHEAD OF YOUR VERY FIRST GLASTONBURY SHOW, YOUR LAST EVER UK SHOW ` I'M GONNA SAY FOR NOW ` I HOPE YOU DON'T LEAVE US FOREVER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US. OH, IT'S SO GREAT. I'M SO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT GLASTONBURY AND HAVING THE BEST TIME. NEVER PLAYED IT, BUT IT'S COME AROUND AT THE BEST TIME IN MY CAREER TO PLAY IT, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE GUESTS ` BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU. BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT SHOW TO WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SEEING ON THE 'FAREWELL YELLOW BRICK ROAD' TOUR. (PLAY'S 'GOODBYE, YELLOW BRICK ROAD' INTRO) WHICH IS GOOD. I DIDN'T WANNA DO THE SAME THING FOR GLASTONBURY. I'VE NEVER PLAYED GLASTONBURY. I'VE NEVER BEEN TO GLASTONBURY. I'VE WATCHED GLASTONBURY ON THE TV. AND THE THING THAT I LOVE ABOUT GLASTONBURY IS NOT THE HEADLINERS PER SE, IT'S THE PEOPLE IN THE SMALLER STAGES THAT THEY GIVE THE CHANCE TO SHINE TO. HOW DOES ONE GO WHISTLING DOWN, YOU KNOW, YOUR COLLECTION OF SONGS, ESPECIALLY FOR ASSESSING LIKE THAT? YOU SAY IT'S A BRAND NEW SHOW ` IT'S NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS TOUR; IT'S BRAND NEW ` HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT SELECTING, GIVING THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT? WELL, ON FAREWELL YELLOW BRICK ROAD, THERE'S QUITE A LOT OF DEEP CUTS. THERE'S NOT ALL HITS. AND I WENT THROUGH... YOU'VE GOTTA KEEP PEOPLE INTERESTED. THERE'S NO DEEP CUTS WHERE THEY'RE GONNA GO, 'I NEED TO HAVE A PEE,' OR SOMETHING. AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU PUT A SET LIST TOGETHER, IT'S REALLY LIKE, YOU WANT IT TO CLIMAX AT THE END. AND THEN TOWARDS THE END OF THE SHOW, ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE. SO I'M STARTING THE SET WITH A SONG I HAVEN'T PLAYED ON STAGE FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS. SO WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES. BRING ON GLASTONBURY. OK, GIRL. TO SPORT, AND NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL HAS REFUTED A CLAIM ITS PLAYERS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR RACIAL ABUSE IN YESTERDAY'S CONTROVERSIAL FRIENDLY WITH QATAR. THE NEW ZEALAND PLAYERS ABANDONED THE SECOND HALF OF THE MATCH AFTER OFFICIALS FAILED TO ACT ON AN ALLEGED RACIAL SLUR DIRECTED AT DEFENDER MICHAEL BOXALL. IN A STATEMENT RELEASED THIS MORNING, THE QATAR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION STATED NO RACIAL OR DISCRIMINATORY LANGUAGE WAS USED BY ITS PLAYERS AND CLAIMED RACIAL ABUSE WAS AIMED AT THEM. NZ FOOTBALL HAS REFERRED THE MATTER TO FIFA FOR INVESTIGATION. WHITE FERN LEA TAHUHU WILL MAKE HER RETURN TO THE CONTRACT LIST THIS COMING SEASON. DESPITE PLAYING FOR THE FERNS LAST SEASON, TAHUHU CONTROVERSIALLY MISSED OUT ON A CONTRACT SPOT. WHITE FERNS COACH BEN SAWYER SAYS THE MAGICIANS BOWLER HAS BROUGHT STRONG LEADERSHIP THROUGHOUT THIS PAST SEASON. THE WHITE FERNS DEPART FOR THEIR TOUR OF SRI LANKA TOMORROW. AUSTRALIA HAVE WON THE NAIL-BITING FIRST ASHES TEST BY TWO WICKETS AT EDGBASTON. A TAIL-END PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PAT CUMMINS AND NATHAN LYON WAS ENOUGH TO GUIDE THE VISITORS HOME. THE BBC's PATRICK GEARY HAS MORE. ALL THE CENTRAL CHARACTERS HAD ARRIVED ON SET, BUT THE DRAMA WAS PAUSED ON A CLIFF-HANGER. A MORNING'S PLAY DRAINED AWAY WITH THE EDGBASTON RAIN ` TIME DRIPPING ON. BUT AT A QUARTER PAST 2, THIS PLACE ROSE TO THE CHALLENGE AHEAD. A DAY TO SAY YOU WERE THERE ` MAYBE. MOEEN ALI NEVER THOUGHT HE WOULD BE. HE REMOVED TRAVIS HEAD, HAVING BEEN COAXED OUT OF TEST RETIREMENT. AUSTRALIA FIVE DOWN AND UNDER HUGE PRESSURE. BUT THEY PLAY CLASSIC CRICKET, NEVER PANICKING. THE TARGET CREPT BELOW 100. IN THIS GAME, THOUGH, YOU WERE NEVER FAR FROM THE NEXT TWIST. CAMERON GREEN BOWLED OLLIE ROBINSON ` ENGLAND BACK IN IT. BUT MOEEN'S SPINNING FINGER WAS PROVING TOO PAINFUL, SO THE CAPTAIN TOOK THE BALL. AND BEN STOKES MAKES THINGS HAPPEN. GONE! EVEN ON A WEAKENED KNEE. GONE WAS THE DANGEROUS USMAN KHAWAJA. AND SO TOO ALEX CAREY, DISAPPEARING IN A MIRACULOUS MOMENT FROM JOE ROOT. ENGLAND NEEDED JUST TWO WICKETS, AUSTRALIA 54 RUNS. TIME TO FIGHT. PAT CUMMINS, THEIR CAPTAIN, AIMED SKYWARDS. MOMENTUM SHIFTED. THE MOOD SHIFTED. THE OTHER BATTER, NATHAN LYON, FELT EMBOLDENED. BUT WAIT. STOKES WAS OUT THERE. HAD HE CAUGHT IT? AGONISINGLY, NO. AND A TEST MATCH OF VIOLENT SHIFTS WAS FINISHED BY A DELICATE AUSSIE TOUCH. A WONDERFUL GAME, WON BY THE BAT OF CAPTAIN PAT. THE EBB AND FLOW OF THE WHOLE GAME, THE WAY ENGLAND CAME OUT AND PLAYED, IT WAS NO ONE'S TEST MATCH UNTIL RIGHT AT THE VERY END, WHEN WE WON. SO FOR ME, THIS IS PROBABLY MY FAVOURITE TEST MATCH I'VE PLAYED IN SO FAR. YOU KNOW, A LOSS IS A LOSS, BUT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO KEEP COMING AT AUSTRALIA IN THE WAY THAT WE DID. WE'RE GONNA KEEP TRYING MAKING SORTA MOVES, AND WE FEEL LIKE THE TIME IS RIGHT. AND IF WE END UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF OF RESULTS, BUT ALL THE GAMES SORTA GO DOWN TO THE WIRE LIKE THIS, THEN THERE WON'T BE TOO MUCH TO COMPLAIN ABOUT. THE WOMEN'S BLACK STICKS HAVE BEEN THUMPED 4-0 BY ARGENTINA IN THEIR LATEST PRO LEAGUE MATCH THIS MORNING. NEW ZEALAND HELD STRONG IN THE FIRST TWO QUARTERS, LETTING ONE EARLY GOAL THROUGH. BUT ARGENTINA WEREN'T FINISHED, QUICKLY FINDING THE NET THREE TIMES IN THE SECOND HALF. SQUARE ONE BACK BY SANCHEZ. THIS IS A GOOD PLAY. TOCCALINO FABULOUS. IN ARGENTINA HAVE SEALED THE DEAL HERE. THE KIWIS HAVE LITTLE TIME TO REST BEFORE FACING BELGIUM TOMORROW. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` NOW IT'S TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER, WHICH INCLUDES AN ORANGE RAIN WARNING FOR THE TAIRAWHITI REGION. HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO KICK IN AROUND 3pm TODAY AND LAST FOR 24 HOURS. LET'S CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. (SMOOTH FUNK MUSIC) THAT'S IT FOR MIDDAY. THANKS FOR JOINING US. HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY COURTNEY SOLE AND JAMES BROWN. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023