IT'S MIDDAY — FILL UP WHILE YOU CAN AS PETROL STATIONS AND CONSUMERS BRACE FOR THE END OF THE FUEL SUBSIDY. WHAT'S REALLY IN THAT DIET COKE? THE NOT-SO-SWEET ADDITIVE THAT'S ABOUT TO BE CLASSIFIED AS A CARCINOGEN. PLUS, GOOD NEWS FOR SKI BUNNIES JUST IN TIME FOR THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS. CAPTIONS BY SAM BAKER AND DREW WELSH. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 HOUSEHOLDS WILL BE FEELING THE PINCH EVEN MORE TOMORROW AS TWO GOVERNMENT SCHEMES HELPING TO EASE THE COST OF LIVING COME TO AN END. SOME ADVOCATES SAY IT'S NOT JUST BAD FOR BUDGETS BUT THE PLANET AS WELL. TESSA PARKER HAS MORE. GOT FIVE CONTAINERS — THREE OF PETROL, TWO OF DIESEL. MAKING THE MOST OF CHEAPER FUEL BEFORE IT COMES TO AN END TOMORROW. IT'S A BIT OF A PUNCH IN THE STOMACH. THE GOVERNMENT'S REMOVING ITS FUEL EXCISE TAX SUBSIDY THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR NEARLY A YEAR. THE COST OF PETROL IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE BY AS MUCH AS 29c A LITRE. IT'S A BIT ANNOYING, BUT IN THE END, I'VE GOT TO TRAVEL, SO... GOT TO GET TO WORK. IT IS WHAT IT IS WITH WHERE WE ARE IN THIS CLIMATE, BUT, YEAH, WHAT CAN YOU DO? THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF THE UKRAINE WAR PUSHED GLOBAL PRICES UP. IN MARCH 2022, KIWIS WERE PAYING MORE THAN $3 A LITRE. NOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE WITH THE SUBSIDY IS $2.34. PRICES WON'T BE AT THE LEVEL IN MARCH WHEN MR PUTIN PUT HIMSELF IN TO BAT. QUEUES HAVE ALREADY BEEN FORMING PETROL STATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY. IF YOU CAN AVOID PEAK TIMES, AFTER SCHOOL, HEADING INTO 5 O'CLOCK, WILL BE CRUNCHY. FULL PRICE PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARES WILL BE BACK FOR ADULTS FROM TOMORROW AS WELL. ADVOCATES SAY THIS WILL RESULT IN HIGHER EMISSIONS. WE'RE PRETTY DISAPPOINTED THAT IN THE MIDST OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND COST OF LIVING CRISIS, THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO DOUBLE PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARES FOR LISTENERS AND VIEWERS. BUT DUE TO BUDGET 2023, THOSE UNDER 25 AND COMMUNITY SERVICE CARDHOLDERS GET TO CONTINUE TO PAY HALF PRICE, WHILE KIDS UNDER 13 CAN RIDE FOR FREE. WE NEED TO KEEP GOING AND RAMP IT UP RATHER THAN PULLING BACK WHEN PEOPLE ARE FACING SO MANY COSTS AND EMISSIONS ARE SUCH A PROBLEM. DOING AS MUCH AS WE CAN. 'FREE FARES NZ' IS CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT TO KEEP THE DISCOUNT. IT'S GOING TO MAKE THINGS MORE EXPENSIVE FOR EVERYONE. I LIKE TO USE THE FERRY TO GET TO THE CITY, SO, YEAH, IT'S GOING TO SUCK. I WISH IT WOULD CONTINUE A WHILE LONGER. EVERYONE ENJOYED HALF PRICE, INCLUDING ME. WHETHER IT'S A BUS, TRAIN OR CAR, TRAVELLING IS GOING TO BE MORE EXPENSIVE. ANOTHER STRAIN ON KIWI HOUSEHOLDS DURING THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS. TESSA PARKER, 1 NEWS. SINGLE-USE PRODUCE PLASTIC BAGS WILL BE BANNED COME TOMOROW. THE BAN BROUGHT IN BY THE GOVERNMENT IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE WASTE. PLASTIC PLATES, BOWLS, CUTLERY AND STRAWS WILL NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE AND FOLLOWS THE 2019 DECISION TO REMOVE SINGLE-USE PLASTIC SUPERMARKET BAGS. EVERY PERSON IN NEW ZEALAND SENDS ABOUT 60 KILOS OF PLASTIC WASTE TO LANDFILL EVERY YEAR, WHICH IS QUITE A FRIGHTENING STAT. SO IT'S REALLY COOL THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS ACTUALLY STARTING TO FIGHT FOR BANNING PRODUCTS SO THAT YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY BUY THEM ANY MORE. THE BAN HOPES TO TAKE 150 MILLION PLASTIC BAGS OUT OF CIRCULATION EACH YEAR. IT'S CONFIRMED — MT RUAPEHU WILL OPEN TOMORROW JUST IN TIME FOR THE SCHOOL HOLIDAY RUSH. IT COMES A WEEK AFTER THE COMPANY WAS OFFICIALLY PLACED INTO LIQUIDATION. WHEN CREDITORS REJECTED PROPOSALS TO SAVE THE COMPANY FROM DEBT. THE GOVERNMENT INJECTED $5 MILLION INTO THE SKI FIELDS TO ENSURE THE SEASON WOULD GO AHEAD. TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE FOR BOTH TUROA AND WHAKAPAPA, WITH SEASON PASSES AVAILABLE FROM MONDAY. STATE HIGHWAY 1 THROUGH DOME VALLEY NORTH OF AUCKLAND WILL REMAIN CLOSED OVER THE WEEKEND, DESPITE NEARLY $80 MILLION BEING SPENT ON REPAIRS. CREWS HAVE BEEN CLEARING 30 TRUCKLOADS OF DEBRIS ON THE ROAD CAUSED BY A SLIP ON WEDNESDAY. AUCKLAND AND NORTHLAND, BUT THIS IS THE LATEST ISSUE FOR THE ROAD, WHICH HAS SEEN CONTONUOUS SLIPS AND REPAIRS SINCE IT WAS DAMAGED DURING CYCLONE GABRIELLE. THE ROAD IS SET TO OPEN EARLY NEXT WEEK. ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST COMMON ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS IS SET TO BE DECLARED A CARCINOGEN. 'ASPARTAME', WHICH IS USED IN PRODUCTS FROM DIET DRINKS TO CHEWING GUM IS EXPECTED TO BE LISTED AS A POSSIBLE CARCINOGENIC BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION IN JULY. IT'S 200 TIMES SWEETER THAN SUGAR AND IS USED IN AROUND 6000 FOOD PRODUCTS. OTHER SUBSTANCES ON THE CARCONIGEN LIST INCLUDE ALOE VERA, DIESEL, AND PICKLED ASIAN VEGETABLES. 40,000 POLICE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED ACROSS FRANCE TO DEAL WITH A THIRD NIGHT OF PROTESTS AND VIOLENCE. RIOTS BROKE OUT AFTER POLICE SHOT AND KILLED A BOY (17) DURING A TRAFFIC STOP IN PARIS. THE OFFICER WHO SHOT THE TEENAGER HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH VOLUNTARY HOMICIDE. THE BBC'S LUCY WILLIAMSON HAS MORE. (CROWD CHANTS) IN NANTERRE TODAY, THOUSANDS GATHERED TO MARK THE VOID LEFT BY ONE LOCAL TEENAGER, AND THE RAGE THAT FLOWED IN TO FILL IT. JUSTICE POUR NAEL! THE VIOLENCE HERE LAST NIGHT STILL MAPPED ON TO THE SURROUNDING STREETS IN ASH AND DEBRIS. NAEL'S MOTHER LEADING A CHANT OF 'POLICE ASSASSINS'. EVAN CAME FROM A SUBURB ON THE OTHER SIDE OF PARIS, BUT THE PROBLEMS THERE WERE JUST THE SAME, HE SAID. TRANSLATOR: WE DON'T HAVE JOBS. WE DON'T GET HIRED IF WE DON'T LIE ON OUR CV. THERE'S NOTHING FOR US. WE FEEL ABANDONED, AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE GET ATTACKED BY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT US. THIS IS ONE OFFENCE TO MANY. THE MARCH ENDED THIS AFTERNOON IN A DIFFERENT KIND OF PROTEST — BURNING CARS, TEAR GAS, CLASHES WITH POLICE. ONE LOCAL RESIDENT TOLD US HER OWN TEENAGE SON HAD BEEN MISTREATED BY POLICE AND THAT THE VIOLENCE FOLLOWING NAEL'S DEATH WAS JUSTIFIED. TRANSLATOR: I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THE TROUBLE CONTINUES AS LONG AS THERE ARE NO CONSEQUENCES FOR THIS POLICE OFFICER. I'M NOT IN THE HEADS OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE, BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS JUSTIFIED. THE POLICE ARE THE DELINQUENTS HERE, NOT OUR YOUTH. PARENTS ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN. THE OFFICER IS NOW IN CUSTODY AND FACING A CHARGE OF VOLUNTARY HOMICIDE. FRANCE'S INTERIOR MINISTER SAID IT WAS TIME FOR THE VIOLENCE TO STOP. TRANSLATOR: LAST NIGHT'S RIOTS AND BURNING A SCHOOL, A TOWN HALL, A SOCIAL CENTRE — THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT HAPPENED IN NANTERRE. THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TROUBLES SHOULD NOW GO HOME. BUT NO ONE WE SPOKE TO IN NANTERRE THOUGHT THE ANGER HERE HAD RUN ITS COURSE. WHAT'S FUELLING THESE FIRES ISN'T JUST RUBBISH BINS AND VEHICLES, BUT DECADES OF FRUSTRATION WITH THE FRENCH STATE. NAEL'S DEATH TRIGGERS WIDER FEELINGS OF GRIEVANCE, BETRAYAL AND INEQUALITY, AND SMOULDERING CARS GET THE ATTENTION OF FRANCE'S LEADERS IN A WAY SMOULDERING RESENTMENTS RARELY DO. THOUSANDS OF EXTRA POLICE WERE DEPLOYED ACROSS THE PARIS REGION LAST NIGHT. TONIGHT, THOSE NUMBERS ARE BEING MULTIPLIED AGAIN. SYMBOLS OF THE STATE PROVIDING EXTRA SECURITY AND EXTRA TARGETS. THE U.S. SUPREME COURT HAS RULED UNIVERSITIES CAN'T CONSIDER A PROSPECTIVE STUDENT'S RACE WHEN DECIDING ADMISSION. THE RULING ENDS THE DECADES-LONG PRACTICE OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AIMED AT IMPROVING DIVERSITY. THE ABC'S EM NGUYEN REPORTS. DISCRIMINATION STILL EXISTS IN AMERICA. WE CANNOT LET THIS DECISION BE THE LAST WORD. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN SLAMMING TODAY'S SUPREME COURT DECISION, STRIKING DOWN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ADMISSIONS POLICIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION, URGING COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES NOT TO ABANDON THEIR PURSUIT OF GREATER DIVERSITY ON CAMPUS. WHAT I PROPOSE FOR CONSIDERATION IS A NEW STANDARD WHERE COLLEGES TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE ADVERSITY A STUDENT HAS OVERCOME WHEN SELECTING AMONG QUALIFIED APPLICANTS. THE SUPREME COURT HEARD TWO CASES CHALLENGING THE ADMISSIONS POLICIES AT HARVARD AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA. THE HIGH COURT'S CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY RULED 6-3 TO END THE USE OF RACE AS A FACTOR IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS. CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS WRITING THE MAJORITY OPINION, SAYING BOTH SCHOOLS VIOLATED THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT AND THEREFORE MUST BE INVALIDATED. IN A FIERY DISSENT, JUSTICE SONIA SOTOMAYOR WROTE, THIS DECISION... YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO INCLUDE RACE, WHICH IS SUCH AN ENCOMPASSING PART OF AT LEAST MY IDENTITY AS AN UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY. IT MAKES ME FEEL UPSET. ROBERTS CLARIFIED THAT STUDENTS COULD STILL USE THEIR EXPERIENCES ABOUT RACE IN ADMISSION ESSAYS, BUT SCHOOLS COULDN'T USE THOSE ESSAYS TO CIRCUMVENT TODAY'S RULING, SAYING... NOW WE LOOK AT THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT AND WHAT THEY'VE ACCOMPLISHED, AND WE CAN LOOK AT WHAT BARRIERS THEY'VE OVERCOME. EDWARD BLUM REPRESENTING THE CONSERVATIVE ADVOCACY GROUP SEEKING TO OVERTURN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ARGUED BEFORE THE JUSTICES THAT THE TWO SCHOOLS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST ASIAN-AMERICAN APPLICANTS. BOTH INSTITUTIONS DENY THE ALLEGATIONS. RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS MADE FURTHER PUBLIC APPEARANCES FOLLOWING LAST WEEKEND'S REBELLION. BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN OVER THE WHEREABOUTS OF SERGEI SUROVIKIN, A TOP RUSSIAN GENERAL KNOWN TO HAVE TIES WITH WAGNER CHIEF YEVGENY PRIGOZHIN. THE GENERAL HASN'T BEEN SEEN SINCE THE ATTEMPTED COUP. THE BBC'S STEVE ROSENBERG HAS MORE. VLADIMIR VLADIMIROVICH PUTIN. IF YOU'RE THE PRESIDENT AND YOU FACED A MUTINY. WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT? PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF ADORATION. WE'RE WITH YOU. WE ALL SUPPORT YOU, SHE SAYS AT THIS MOSCOW EVENT. VLADIMIR PUTIN LIKE THAT. AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT. PUTIN MOBBED IN DAGESTAN IN THE SOUTH OF RUSSIA. VERY UN-PUTIN-LIKE THIS GETTING UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH PEOPLE. GOOD TIMING, THOUGH. A FEW DAYS AGO, IT WAS THE WAGNER MERCENARIES BEING CHEERED, INCLUDING THEIR LEADER, YEVGENY PRIGOZHIN, AS THEY ENDED THEIR REBELLION. STATE TV WENT INTO OVERDRIVE ABOUT PUTIN. EVEN ROCK STARS DON'T GET THIS TREATMENT, SHE SAYS. THIS IS A TURBOCHARGED PUTIN WE'RE SEEING. SUDDENLY HE'S HERE. HE'S THERE. HE'S EVERYWHERE, TRYING TO SHOW HE'S SUPER POPULAR AND IN CONTROL. BUT HAVING SURVIVED THIS MUTINY, RUSSIA'S PRESIDENT FACES ANOTHER PRESSING TASK, TRYING TO WORK OUT WHO HE CAN TRUST. CAN HE TRUST THIS SENIOR COMMANDER? GENERAL SUROVIKIN WAS HEAD OF RUSSIA'S INVASION FORCE IN UKRAINE. HE'S THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN CLOSE TO MR PRIGOZHIN. HE HASN'T BEEN SEEN IN PUBLIC SINCE SATURDAY, FUELLING SPECULATION HE MAY BE UNDER SUSPICION. FOR MANY HERE, THE MUTINY HAS ADDED TO THE ATMOSPHERE OF UNCERTAINTY AS RUSSIA'S WAR IN UKRAINE GRINDS ON. IN REALITY, FEW RUSSIANS ARE CHEERING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING TO RUSSIA. BUT SOME STILL HAVE HOPE. WHEN THIS STORY WOULD FINISHED ON THIS OTHER WAY, THEN WOULD BE A NEW BEGINNING. AND IT'S NECESSARY TO BE PREPARED. BUT WOULD A NEW BEGINNING BE BETTER OR POSSIBLY WORSE? FIRST IT WOULD BE WORSE. AND THEN IF WE SURVIVE, IT WOULD BE A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY. AND IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO USE IT. AS FOR RUSSIA'S IMMEDIATE FUTURE AFTER THE MUTINY, THAT'S UNCLEAR. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY — THE SYDNEY ICON PREPARING TO CELEBRATE ITS 50th ANNIVERSARY. PLUS, WE'RE LIVE AS THE FOOTBALL FERNS UNVEIL THEIR LINE-UP FOR THE WORLD CUP. SIR RICHARD BRANSON'S COMMERCIAL SPACE OPERATION HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED ITS FIRST FLIGHT WITH PAYING CUSTOMERS. THE VIRGIN GALACTIC ROCKET PLANE 'UNITY' LAUNCHED FROM ITS BASE IN NEW MEXICO, CARRYING A TEAM OF ITALIAN RESEARCHERS. THE 72-MINUTE FLIGHT REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF 85km BEFORE SAFELY RETURNING BACK TO EARTH. AN ENGINEER ONBOARD SAID IT EXCEEDED ALL EXPECTATIONS. THE FUTURE IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO DEAL WITH SPACE. SPACE IS THE NEW FRONTIER. WE ARE GOING TO EXPAND OUR KNOWLEDGE AND OUR CAPABILITY TO LIVE AND WORK AND SPEND TIME IN SPACE. AROUND 800 PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY BOUGHT THEIR TICKETS TO FLY TO THE EDGE OF SPACE, PAYING AS MUCH AS $740,000 FOR THEIR SEAT. IT'S BEEN 50 YEARS SINCE THE UNVEILING OF THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE, NOW ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC BUILDINGS IN THE WORLD. TO CELEBRATE THE GOLD ANNIVERSARY, LITTLE PIECES OF HISTORY INSIDE THE FAMOUS SAILS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TOGETHER AND PUT ON DISPLAY. NINE'S MIKE DALTON HAS MORE. OCTOBER 1973 AND THE OPERA HOUSE IS OPENED. THERE IT STANDS IN ALL ITS SHIMMERING MAGNIFICENCE. THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE NOW AT LAST COMPLETE. AND RIGHT FROM THAT FIRST YEAR OF PERFORMANCE, THE HOUSE WOULD HOST FAR MORE THAN OPERA THROUGH TO THE SYMPHONIES, THROUGH TO ROCK CONCERTS, EXHIBITIONS, FILMS, THEATRE, DRAMA, THROUGH TO CARMEL, THE BEE GEES AND LES GIRLS. AND ALL TAKING PLACE SIDE BY SIDE. BUT ELEVATING IT FROM ITS ARCHITECTURE AND ARTISTIC EXPRESSION WOULD BE THE LOCALS QUICKLY FORMED AFFECTION FOR THE NUNS IN A SCRUM. IT'S THE WAY THAT THE OPERA HOUSE IS SO ANCHORED IN THE PSYCHE NOT JUST OF SYDNEY, OF AUSTRALIA, BUT ALSO OF THE WORLD AS AN ICON OF THIS CITY. AND THAT WOULD BE IN THE FORM OF TEASPOONS AND TEA TOWELS, SNOW GLOBES AND KEYRINGS, WEDGWOOD AND ASHTRAYS. IT'S THE WAY THAT PEOPLE BRING THE OPERA HOUSE BACK HOME WITH THEM AND IT BECOMES A PART OF THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES. I THINK WHAT MAKES THE OPERA HOUSE SO SPECIAL IT'S THAT COMBINATION OF THE EXPERIENCE OR WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AT THE OPERA HOUSE WITH THE PLACE AND THE BUILDING AND THE MAGIC IN THAT ARCHITECTURE. OUT ON THE PROMONTORY, I THINK IS THE KEY TO ITS SUCCESS. THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE, THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE AT 50 OPENS AT THE MUSEUM OF SYDNEY THIS WEEKEND. TO SPORT, AND THE FOOTBALL FERNS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF REVEALING THEIR SQUAD FOR THE FIFA WORLD CUP. ZION DAYAL IS THERE AND JOINS US NOW. KIA ORA, ZION. FOR MOST FOOTBALLERS, IT IS A DREAM TO REPRESENT YOUR COUNTRY AT THE WORLD CUP AND ON 2023, NEW ZEALAND WOMEN'S PLAYERS IT HAS COME TRUE. THE COACH IS NAMING THE 23 WHO WILL REPRESENT NEW ZEALAND AT THE WORLD CUP IN NEW ZEALAND. BEHIND ME, THEY ARE BEING PRESENTED THEIR JERSEYS. ONE OF THEM AS A YOUNG PHOENIX STRIKER. THIS SQUAD IS MADE UP OF YOUTH AND EXPERIENCE. SPEAKING OF EXPERIENCE, OUR MOST CAPPED FOOTBALL PHONE HAS BEEN NAMED. YEAH, DEFINITELY. IT'S A BIG DAY FOR US. I THINK HOSTING IT, LIKE YOU SAY, AND HAVING EVERYONE HERE. I THINK, OBVIOUSLY, TO HAVE THE SQUAD NAMED NOW IS A GOOD FEELING, AND, YEAH, WE'RE ALL FEELING EXCITED. FOR SOME OF THE YOUNG WOMEN IN THIS TEAM, IT MUST BE AN EXCITING DAY, AN EXCITING MOMENT FOR THEM. MASSIVE FOR THEM, AND I THINK, OBVIOUSLY, I REMEMBER BEING IN THEIR SHOES MANY YEARS AGO, BUT I THINK NOW FOR THEM TO HAVE THIS CHANCE AND, OBVIOUSLY, FOR SOME OF THEM BEING THEIR FIRST WORLD CUP IN A SENIOR TEAM ON HOME SOIL, I THINK THEY COULDN'T HAVE DREAMED FOR MUCH MORE. THE FOOTBALL PHONES HAVE ONE FRIENDLY MATCH AGAINST VIETNAM AND NAPIER ON JULY 10 BEFORE THE BIG EVENT KICK-OFF ON EDEN PARK AGAINST NORWAY AND JUST UNDER THREE WEEKS. THE BLACK FERNS HAVE SMASHED AUSTRALIA, HOLDING THE WALLAROOS SCORELESS TO RETAIN THE O'REILLY CUP. SYLVIA BRUNT AND DEBUTANTE MERERANGI PAUL SCORED DOUBLES IN THE 50-0 VICTORY. WHAT ABOUT THE FOOTWORK THERE FROM HER. BACKING UP AROUND THE CORNER, AND NOW SENDS IT WIDE OUT TO MEHURANGI PAUL. AHEAD, CAN SHE REGATHER? OH, IT'S A TRY! QUITE BRILLIANT FROM THE BLACK FERNS! ON DEBUT. THE TEAM SURPRISED BY THE TURNOUT OF SUPPORTERS AT THE BRISBANE MATCH. IT FEELS EXACTLY LIKE WE'RE BACK AT HOME. WE GOT QUITE THE SHOCK DRIVING INTO THE STADIUM AND SEEING A WALL OF BLACK JERSEYS. WE CAN FEEL THE AROHA, WE CAN FEEL THE TAUTOKO. THE BLACK FERNS' NEXT GAME IS AGAINST CANADA NEXT MONTH. THE NEW ZEALAND UNDER 20S SIDE HAS FALLEN TO FRANCE AT THE JUNIOR RUGBY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP THIS MORNING. FRANCE SOLIDIFYING THEIR PLACE AT THE TOP OF THE POLL WITH THE DOMINANT 35-14 WIN. STILL, THEY RUMBLE ON. HE FINDS HIM TO HIS RIGHT. LOOKING FOR THE INSIDE BALL. IT'S WONDERFUL FROM FRANCE. DID HE CONTROL THE BALL? HE THINKS HE DID. STRONG CARRIES FROM THEIR FORWARDS. AND OVER THEY GO, BUT HAS THE BALL GONE? YES, IT IS NOW. (WHISTLE TRILLS) NEW ZEALAND NOW NEED TO BEAT JAPAN IN THEIR FINAL POOL GAME TO HAVE ANY CHANCE OF REACHING THE SEMI FINALS. ENGLAND ARE STILL 138 RUNS BEHIND AUSTRALIA'S FIRST INNINGS TOTAL AFTER THE SECOND DAY OF THE SECOND ASHES SERIES. ENGLAND FINISHED THE DAY 278/4, WITH ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S KEY BOWLERS IN DOUBT. THE BBC'S JOE WILSON HAS MORE. A LIGHT IN THE GLOOM. ANDREW STRAUSS ON THE DAY LORDS IN RED REMEMBERS HIS LATE WIFE RUTH AND RAISES MONEY FOR FAMILIES DEALING WITH BEREAVEMENT. (BELL DINGS) ENGLAND BEGAN SMARTLY. TAKEN BY BAIRSTOW. YEAH, JONNY BAIRSTOW WAS CATCHING PEOPLE AGAIN — AUSTRALIA'S MITCHELL STARC IN THIS INSTANCE. BUT HERE'S THE BIG WICKET. STEVE SMITH. ANOTHER SUCCESS FOR JOSH TONGYE ON A STRONG ASHES DEBUT. SMITH MADE 110 AND WAS GUTTED. AUSTRALIA SOON ALL OUT. WHILE ENGLAND COULD FEEL SATISFIED WITH THAT, BUT NOW IT WAS THEIR TURN TO BAT IN REPLY TO AUSTRALIA'S 416. A CHALLENGE, AN OPPORTUNITY. QUICKLY, BEN DUCKETT WAS MAKING AUSTRALIA CHASE IN VAIN. ENGLAND'S BATTING LOOKED STRONG AND SMOOTH. AUSTRALIA'S NATHAN LYON WAS IN PAIN. AFTER THAT, IN HIS 100th CONSECUTIVE TEST MATCH, WE WONDER ABOUT HIS IMMEDIATE FUTURE. IT'S HIS CALF. AUSTRALIA HAD TO TRY SOMETHING. THEY DID. DUCKETT TEMPTED AND TRAPPED AND OUT FOR 98. ENGLAND COULDN'T RESIST. THAT'S JOE ROOT CLUTCHED AND HELD BY STEVE SMITH. HARRY BROOK BATTING. THIS IS STILL A TEST MATCH, ISN'T IT? SECOND DAY? WELL, ENGLAND FEEL FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE. AND IT DID HERE. BROOK DROPPED. THEY'LL RESUME 138 BEHIND. AND OF THE TWO CAPTAINS, MAYBE AUSTRALIA'S IS THE MORE NERVOUS. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY — I'LL HAVE YOUR AFTERNOON WEATHER. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. (COVER OF POST MALONE'S 'SUNFLOWER') THANKS FOR JOINING US. REMEMBER, 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 SAM BAKER AND DREW WELSH. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023.