IT'S MIDDAY ` A CRACKDOWN ON CRIME, OR JUST MORE TALK? WHY SOME BUSINESS OWNERS ARE REMAINING SCEPTICAL OVER THE GOVERNMENT'S MOVES TO TACKLE OFFENDING. AND MERCURY RISING LIKE NEVER BEFORE. HOW PARTS OF THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE ARE SET TO SWELTER UNDER UNPRECEDENTED HEAT. PLUS, IS THIS THE END FOR THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES? AS VICTORIA PULLS THE PLUG ON THE MAJOR SPORTING EVENT. CAPTIONS BY DREW WELSH AND SAM BAKER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 THE NEXT COMMONWEALTH GAMES SET FOR 2026 ARE UP IN THE AIR. THE GAMES WERE DUE TO BE HELD ACROSS THE AUSTRALIAN STATE OF VICTORIA, BUT IN THE LAST HOUR, THE STATE GOVERNMENT HAS ANNOUNCED IT DOESN'T HAVE THE FUNDING. AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT ANDREW MACFARLANE JOINS US NOW FROM SYDNEY. WHAT MORE CAN YOU TELL US? YOU CAN AFTERNOON CHRIS. YOU CAN AFTERNOON CHRIS. VICTORIA SIMPLY DOES NOT HAVE THE CASH TO HOST THE GAMES. HE'S BEEN UP ALL NIGHT ARE MAKING ARGUE BE DIFFERENT PHONE CALLS SAYING THE MONEY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT SIBLEY AS THEY ARE. TACTLESS AND WHAT YOU SAID IN A PRESS OFFICE MOMENT AGO. WHAT'S BECOME CLEAR IS THE COST OF HOSTING THESE GAMES IN 2026 IS NOT THE $2.6 BILLION WHICH WAS BUDGETED AND IS SITTING AND HAS NOT BEEN SPENT IT'S NOT $2.6 BILLION, IT'S AT LEAST $6 MILLION AND COULD BE A SIZE $7 BILLION. AND I CANNOT STAND HERE AND SAY GOT ANY CONFIDENCE THAT THAT NUMBER WOULD APPROPRIATELY AND ADEQUATELY FUND THESE GAMES. I THINK IT COULD BE MORE THAN THAT. $7 BILLION POTENTIALLY FOR A 12 DAY EVENT IS TOO MUCH OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT, HOWEVER ALSO BE USED IN SOME CAPACITY. NO SOONER CAN CONTRACT AND SIGN JUST YET, AND THE MONEY WILL STILL GO TO LOCAL SPORTS FACILITIES. BUT FOR ATHLETES, THIS DOES THOSE THINGS IN A TAILSPIN. IT IS UNUSUAL FOR HOST COUNTRIES TO PULL OUT OF HOSTING THIS EVENT HAPPENED FOR THE 2022 GAMES ARE MEANT TO BE HELD IN SOUTH AFRICA, AND THAT WAS CANNED AND HANDED TO BIRMINGHAM AS WELL. IT'S NOT UNUSUAL, BUT IT'S UNEXPECTED FOR VICTORIA PARTICULAR SOMETHING WHICH IS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ON THE SIDE OF THE TASMAN. BUT OUR AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENCE ANDREW MACFARLANE LIVE IN SYDNEY. 'IT'S TOO LATE'. THOSE WERE THE WORDS MURDER-ACCUSED LAUREN DICKASON TOLD HER HUSBAND WHEN HE ARRIVED HOME AFTER SHE HAD KILLED THEIR THREE DAUGHTERS IN SEPTEMBER 2021. GRAHAM DICKASON, THE FATHER OF LIANE, MAYA AND KARLA, IS APPEARING VIA VIDEO LINK AT THE HIGH COURT IN CHRISTCHURCH TODAY. HIS WIFE HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO MURDERING THEIR GIRLS IN SEPTEMBER 2021 AND IS USING THE DEFENCE OF INSANITY AND INFANTICIDE. A TWO HOUR AND 50 MINUTE VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH THE FATHER, RECORDED WITH POLICE THE DAY AFTER THE KILLINGS, IS CURRENTLY BEING PLAYED BEFORE HE'S QUESTIONED IN COURT. 'THE PROOF WILL BE IN THE PUDDING'. THAT'S THE MESSAGE FROM SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, IN THE WAKE OF LABOUR'S 'TOUGH ON CRIME' ANNOUNCEMENT. THE GOVERNMENT POLICY ANNOUNCEMENT INCLUDES A CRACKDOWN ON YOUTH AND GANG CRIME, WITH HARSHER PUNISHMENTS FOR USING OR REWARDING A CHILD FOR COMMITTING CRIME AND FILMING RAM-RAIDS. BUT ONE BUSINESS OWNER SAYS THEY'RE WAITING TO SEE WHETHER IT TRANSLATES INTO ACTION FOR STOPPING KNOWN OFFENDERS. WE'D FIND OUT WHO THEY ARE, THEY'VE BEEN REPORTED TO THE POLICE. WE'VE EVEN GIVEN THEIR ADDRESS BASED ON THE INTEL WE HAVE FROM PRIVATE SECURITY. AND THEY'RE STILL OUT THERE OFFENDING. SO WE'RE JUST ABSOLUTELY FED UP. I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING MORE WE CAN DO. THE PRIME MINISTER TELLING BREAKFAST THE POLICY ANNOUNCEMENT WILL ALSO GIVE POLICE GREATER POWERS TO TACKLE OFFENDING. KIDS RAM RAIDING DAIRIES, KIDS DOING THIS OFFENDING SMASH AND GRABS AND SO ON ISN'T ACCEPTABLE. GETTING ON TOP OF THAT IS GOING TO REQUIRE THE POLICE TO DEVOTE RESOURCES TO THAT, AS THEY ARE NOW. WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS ADDING EXTRA TOOLS THAT THE POLICE CAN USE. CHRIS HIPKINS SAYS THE ANNOUNCEMENT IS JUST THE FIRST PIECE IN A YOUTH CRIME 'CRACKDOWN', WITH MORE ACTION TO COME. GREEN PARTY CO-LEADER MARAMA DAVIDSON ISN'T CONCERNED A NEW BOLD TE TIRITI O WAITANGI POLICY COULD LOSE VOTERS ONLY 3 MONTHS OUT FROM THE ELECTION. THE POLICY INCLUDES REMOVING DEADLINES FOR TREATY BREACHES AND GETTING LAND BACK INTO MAORI HANDS. MARAMA DAVIDSON SAYS THE CURRENT PROCESS HAS UNDERMINED INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. IN FACT, EVERY SINGLE SETTLEMENT, THERE ARE FRACTIONS CAUSED, AND THAT WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS A WAY TO HEAL THOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE CAUSED BY THE CURRENT TREATY PROCESS, WHICH IS BENEFITTING THE CROWN FIRST AND FOREMOST. ACT HAS SLAMMED THE PROPOSAL, SAYING IT WILL RESULT IN 'IHUMATAOS' ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. A BLISTERING HEATWAVE IS INTENSIFYING IN PARTS OF THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE. WILDFIRES HAVE BROKEN OUT ACROSS SOUTHERN EUROPE WHICH HAVE FORCED THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS TO FLEE. ACROSS THE ATLANTIC, THE U.S. AND CHINA HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED RECORD HIGHS IN RECENT DAYS, REACHING TEMPERATURES ABOVE 50 DEGREES. THE BBC'S JUSTIN ROWLATT REPORTS. THERE ARE WILDFIRES HERE IN SPAIN. 4000 PEOPLE HAD TO BE EVACUATED AS 300 FIREFIGHTERS FOUGHT TO CONTROL A BLAZE ON LA PALMA IN THE CANARY ISLANDS. THIS MAN SAYS IF A FRIEND HADN'T PHONED TO WARN HIM, HE WOULD HAVE DIED IN THE INFERNO. IT COMES AS A SECOND BLISTERING HEAT WAVE SWEEPS INTO EUROPE. TEMPERATURES IN SOUTHERN SPAIN ARE PUSHING INTO THE 40s ` 10 CELSIUS HOTTER THAN NORMAL IN PLACES. IT MAKES IT ALMOST UNBEARABLE TO WORK OUTSIDE. IT'S BEEN EXTREMELY HOT THIS YEAR. LIKE, I NORMALLY GET UP AT LIKE 8, 9 IN THE MORNING, BUT I'VE BEEN GETTING UP AT LIKE 5 JUST TO GET THINGS DONE BY 9 BECAUSE IT'S JUST HARSH. COLIN RUNS AN ANIMAL SANCTUARY JUST INLAND FROM THE TOURIST BEACHES OF THE COSTA DEL SOL. THERE YOU GO. HOT ANIMALS MEAN MORE WORK FOR HIM. YOU'VE GOT SWEAT ALL OVER YOU. THEY NEED TO BE HOSED DOWN TO KEEP THEM COOL. AND IT'S TOO HOT FOR THE TOURISTS TOO, HIS MAIN SOURCE OF DONATIONS. THE ONLY ANIMALS THAT SEEM TO BE ENJOYING THEMSELVES ARE THE MEERKATS. SO COLIN HAS HAD TO CLOSE THE PLACE, AND THE CASH IS RUNNING OUT. I THINK WE'LL JUST HAVE TO JUST... BEAR WITH IT JUST NOW AND JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS. THIS YEAR HAS JUST BEEN UNBEARABLE. LIKE, IT REALLY HAS. YOU GET NO BREAK FROM IT AT ALL. HERE'S WHY IT'S SO HOT. A HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM HELD IN PLACE BY THE JET STREAM, A RAPIDLY MOVING FLOW OF AIR HIGH IN THE ATMOSPHERE IS FUNNELLING HEAT UP FROM THE DESERTS OF NORTH AFRICA AND ACROSS SOUTHERN EUROPE. THE CLIMATE OF SOUTHERN EUROPE IS CHANGING, SAY LOCAL PEOPLE. IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE LIKE NORTH AFRICA. THE SAHARA DESERT IS SLOWLY CREEPING INTO EUROPE. THE WEATHER IS BEING TURBOCHARGED BY CLIMATE CHANGE, SAY SCIENTISTS. HUMANS ARE 100% TO BLAME FOR THE GLOBAL TREND IN HIGH TEMPERATURES THAT WE ARE SEEING. SO ALL OF THE OBSERVED GLOBAL WARMING IS BECAUSE OF OUR BURNING OF FOSSIL FUELS. AND IT'S NOT JUST HOT IN EUROPE. CHINA IS RECKONED TO HAVE RECORDED ITS HIGHEST TEMPERATURE EVER YESTERDAY ` 52.2 DEGREES CELSIUS, AND TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE UNDER EXTREME HEAT WARNINGS IN THE U.S. TOO. THE SOLOMON ISLANDS' PRIME MINISTER HAS ACCUSED AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OF PULLING PIN ON PROMISES OF BUDGET SUPPORT. THE PACIFIC ISLAND LEADER ANNOUNCED CHINA IS PROVIDING FUNDING FOR HIS COUNTRY'S TROUBLED BUDGET AFTER ACCUSING AUSTRALIA AND ITS PARTNERS, INCLUDING NEW ZEALAND, OF SUDDENLY WITHDRAWING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT. HE CLAIMED AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND PLEDGED '12 AND 15 MILLION DOLLARS RESPECTIVELY' TO THE SOLOMONS, THOUGH IT'S NOT CLEAR WHICH CURRENCY THAT FIGURE IS IN. HE SAID THIS LEFT HIS COUNTRY IN A PREDICAMENT. AUSTRALIA DENIED ITS GOVERNMENT HAD BACKTRACKED ON ANY FORMAL COMMITMENTS. SCIENTISTS LEADING TRIALS IN THE UK HAVE DESCRIBED A NEW DRUG FOR ALZHEIMER'S AS 'A TURNING POINT'. DONANEMAB WAS FOUND TO SLOW THE PACE OF THE DISEASE BY ABOUT A THIRD IN PATIENTS WITH EARLY STAGE ALZHEIMER'S. THE NEW DRUG CAN HAVE SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS AND STILL NEEDS REGULATORY APPROVAL, BUT AS THE BBC'S FERGUS WALSH EXPLAINS, IT'S A MOMENT OF HOPE FOR MANY. HELLO? YOU ALL RIGHT, MR. KOHLI? HI. YES. I GOT YOUR DONANEMAB HERE FOR YOU. MIKE COLLIE HAS ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. YET THE 80 YEAR OLD FEELS INCREDIBLY FORTUNATE. I'M ONE OF THE LUCKIEST PEOPLE YOU'LL EVER MEET. JUST FOR THIS. THAT'S BECAUSE HE'S BEEN ON THE GLOBAL TRIAL OF DONANEMAB FOR TWO YEARS. HE'S COME WITH HIS SON FOR HIS MONTHLY INFUSION AT THIS CLINIC IN LONDON. I SEEM TO GET MORE CONFIDENT EVERY DAY, AND I'M SURE THIS IS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THEY'LL GET ALL THE RUBBISH OFF THE TOP OF MY BRAIN AND I'LL BE BACK TO NORMALITY. I'M VERY CONFIDENT ABOUT THAT. I'D LIKE YOU TO SUBTRACT SEVEN FROM 100 AND KEEP SUBTRACTING SEVEN FROM EACH ANSWER UNTIL I TELL YOU TO STOP. SO WHAT IS 100 TAKEAWAY SEVEN? 93. DESPITE MIKE'S OPTIMISM, DONANEMAB IS NOT A CURE. HIS MEMORY AND ABILITY TO PROCESS INFORMATION ARE STILL IMPAIRED. BUT FULL RESULTS OF THE TRIAL SHOWED THE DRUG SLOWED COGNITIVE DECLINE BY ABOUT A THIRD, ENABLING MANY PATIENTS TO CONTINUE LEADING INDEPENDENT LIVES FOR LONGER. IN ALZHEIMER'S, A ROGUE PROTEIN CALLED AMYLOID BUILDS UP AROUND NEURONES, DESTROYING CONNECTIONS. DONANEMAB IS AN ANTIBODY WHICH BINDS TO AMYLOID. THIS PROMPTS IMMUNE CELLS TO ATTACK AND CLEAR AMYLOID FROM THE BRAIN. SO LOTS OF TOXIC AMYLOID PROTEIN. YOU CAN SEE IT CLEARLY IN THESE SCANS. THIS PATIENT STARTS WITH A LOT OF AMYLOID SHOWN IN GREEN, YELLOW AND RED. BUT AFTER SIX MONTHS ON DONANEMAB, MOST OF THE AMYLOID HAS BEEN REMOVED. THIS IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT. I MEAN, THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST BREAKTHROUGHS IN SO MUCH IS THAT THIS DISEASE IS A PANDEMIC. IT'S GETTING MORE AND MORE COMMON AND BEING ABLE TO BOTH REMOVE THE AMYLOID PROTEIN AND DEMONSTRATE THAT THAT CORRELATES WITH A SLOWING OR HOPEFULLY STEADYING OF SYMPTOMS. IS LIFE CHANGING? SO A MOMENT OF HOPE? A MOMENT OF ENORMOUS HOPE. THIS IS FANTASTIC. AFTER DECADES OF FAILED TRIALS, THE ERA OF ALZHEIMER'S TREATMENT IS UPON US. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` WE'RE OFFICIALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER. WE'LL TELL YOU OUR MOST DANGEROUS REGION FOR SLIPS AND TRIPS. A MYSTERIOUS OBJECT HAS WASHED UP IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA. COULD IT BE WRECKAGE FROM MH370? PLUS, THE FOOTBALL DRAMA RAMPS UP AHEAD OF THE WORLD CUP. WHY SOME PLAYERS WANT A BIGGER PRIZE. CHILDREN'S HEALTH HAS RECEIVED A BOOST IN AUCKLAND TODAY ` STARSHIP CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OPENING ITS NEW PAEDIATRIC RESEARCH HUB. THE WHITI ORA FACILITY OPENING WITH A BLESSING FROM LOCAL IWI NGATI WHATUA THIS MORNING. IT'LL BE USED BY CLINICIANS WORKING ON PAEDIATRIC RESEARCH FUNDED BY STARSHIP FOUNDATION. ONE DOCTOR SAYS THE ABILITY TO RESEARCH HERE IN NEW ZEALAND WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS FOR CHILDREN'S HEALTH OUTCOMES. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO RESEARCH IN AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND BECAUSE THE HEALTH PROBLEMS WE FACE HERE ARE DIFFERENT FROM SOME OTHER COUNTRIES. THEY ARE SERIOUS PROBLEMS, THAT WE HAVE TO FIND THE ANSWERS HERE. IT'S HOPED THE NEW WORLD-CLASS FACILITIES WILL ALSO ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL RESEARCHERS TO CONDUCT THEIR WORK HERE. NEW FIGURES SHOW OTAGO IS LEADING THE CHARGE IN WINTER SLIP INJURIES, WITH JULY THE MOST DANGEROUS MONTH. ACC HAS RECORDED ALMOST 14,000 CLAIMS OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS FOR INJURIES RELATED TO SLIPPING ON FROST, ICE OR SNOW. ALMOST 3500 OF THESE OCCURRED IN OTAGO. THE TOTAL COST OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS IS $36.4M. SELF-POLICING WILL PLAY A LARGE ROLE IN FIORDLAND'S BIGGEST OVERHAUL OF FISHING REGULATIONS SINCE 2005. IT'S HOPED BLUE COD, PAUA AND GROPER FISHING WILL BECOME MORE SUSTAINABLE, AFTER THE MINISTRY FOR PRIMARY INDUSTRIES APPROVED THE REGION'S MARINE GUARDIANS PROPOSITION. CONSULTATION BEGINS TODAY ON THE NUMBER OF FISH ALLOWED PER VESSEL, AND REMOVING BULK HARVESTING PRACTICES. REBECCA MCLEOD SAYS FISH FOR A FEED NOT TO FILL UP YOUR FREEZER. THE RULES WERE FIT TO PURPOSE BACK IN 2005 WHEN WE BROUGHT THEM IN, BUT NOW WITH INCREASED NUMBERS OF VISITORS AND FISHERS IN FIORDLAND, THE TIME HAS COME TO MAKE THEM MORE CONSERVATIVE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO FISH SUSTAINABLY IN THERE FOR THE FUTURE. THE NEW RULES WILL TAKE AFFECT THIS SUMMER. A MYSTERIOUS OBJECT THAT'S WASHED UP IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA HAS PUZZLED LOCALS AND SPARKED SPECULATION IT COULD BE WRECKAGE FROM THE MISSING MALAYSIAN AIRLINES FLIGHT MH370. POLICE ARE LEADING AN INVESTIGATION TO DISCOVER ITS ORIGIN, THOUGH EXPERTS HAVE POURED COLD WATER ON THE MH370 THEORY. A 2M CYLINDER ON THE SAND COVERED IN BARNACLES DISCOVERED BY LOCALS OVER THE WEEKEND. LIKE A TANK OF SOME DESCRIPTION, SORT OF FIBREGLASS, PLASTIC ON THE INSIDE AND JUST` IT LOOKED BEAUTIFUL OUT IN THE WATER WHEN IT WAS FLOATING IN ON SATURDAY. IT'S A BIT OF THE TALK OF THE TOWN AT THE MOMENT, SO, YEAH, I THOUGHT I'D COME FOR A LOOK AND TRY AND WORK OUT WHAT IT IS, REALLY. THE MYSTERY OBJECT WASHED UP ON GREEN HEAD BEACH ABOUT THREE HOURS NORTH OF PERTH ON WA'S MID COAST. POLICE ARE NOW LEADING A JOINT INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT IT IS AND WHERE IT MIGHT HAVE COME FROM, ENLISTING HELP FROM STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES, INCLUDING THE MILITARY. IT APPEARS TO BE A POSSIBLE FUEL TANK FROM A ROCKET THAT WAS BEING LAUNCHED IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS HAS DROPPED INTO THE INDIAN OCEAN, SOMEWHERE IN THE INDIAN OCEAN. EARLY SPECULATION THAT IT COULD BE A PIECE FROM MISSING MALAYSIAN AIRLINES PASSENGER JET MH370 IS BEING DOWNPLAYED. I HAVE SPOKEN TO TRIPLE-7 EXPERTS, AND ALSO MH370 TRACKING EXPERTS, AND BOTH OF THEM SAY IT CAN'T BE PART OF MH370. AND THE FACT IS MH370 WAS LOST NINE AND A HALF YEARS AGO, SO IT WOULD SHOW A GREAT DEAL MORE WEAR AND TEAR. THE OBJECT IS BEING TREATED AS HAZARDOUS UNTIL ITS ORIGINS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED. IT REMAINS A CURIOUS TOURIST ATTRACTION UNTIL THEN. TO SPORT, AND JUST DAYS BEFORE THE FOOTBALL WORLD CUP KICKS OFF IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND, THE MATILDAS HAVE DEMANDED EQUAL PRIZE MONEY FROM FIFA. BUT THE SPORT'S GOVERNING BODY SAYS IT DOES HAVE PLANS TO MAKE THE PLAYING FIELD MORE EQUAL. THE BBC'S KATIE SILVER REPORTS. IN 2015, FIFA MADE US PLAY THE WORLD CUP ON ARTIFICIAL PITCHES. THE GRASS WAS FAKE AND THE DISRESPECT WAS REAL. IN 2013, WE SIGNED A NEW DEAL TO MAKE SURE WE GOT OUR LAUNDRY DONE FOR US. PEOPLE WILL STILL ONLY OFFER WOMEN ONE QUARTER AS MUCH PRIZE MONEY AS MEN FOR THE SAME ACHIEVEMENT. MEMBERS OF THE HOME TEAM, THE MATILDAS, MAKE THEIR APPEAL TO FIFA AND FOOTBALL'S POWERBROKERS JUST DAYS BEFORE THE WORLD CUP KICKS OFF. ALL: THIS IS OUR LEGACY. THE SOARING POPULARITY OF THE WOMEN'S GAME IN AUSTRALIA HAS BEEN ON FULL DISPLAY. TWO BILLION PEOPLE GLOBALLY ARE EXPECTED TO TUNE IN TO WATCH THIS WORLD CUP. YET THE PRIZE MONEY FOR FEMALE PLAYERS IS FAR SMALLER THAN THE MEN'S. THE ARGUMENT FOR WHY WE'RE GETTING PAID SO MUCH LESS IS JUST KIND OF DWINDLING. IT'S NOT REALLY MUCH OF AN ARGUMENT ANY MORE. I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE TICKET SALES AND THE INTEREST AND THE TV VIEWINGS AND ALL OF THAT, THERE'S JUST NOT MUCH OF AN ARGUMENT THERE ANY MORE. IN 2015, THE PLAYERS WERE PAID $15 MILLION BY FIFA. IN 2019, IT WAS 30, AND IN 2023 IT'S GONE UP TO 110. IT'S IMPROVED, BUT THERE'S ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. THIS WORLD CUP, THERE HAVE BEEN STAND OFFS BETWEEN MULTIPLE TEAMS AND THEIR FOOTBALL ASSOCIATIONS, INCLUDING THE UK, SOUTH AFRICA, NIGERIA AND CANADA. AND THESE FIGHTS ARE OVER EVERYTHING FROM BASIC EQUAL PAY TO BONUSES. SOME TEAMS ARE EVEN THREATENING TO BOYCOTT MATCHES IF THEIR DEMANDS ARE NOT MET. IT'S HOPED THAT WITH THIS MOMENTUM, THE NEXT GENERATION'S BATTLE WILL BE JUST ON THE PITCH. NEW ZEALAND CRICKET HAVE ANNOUNCED ITS INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULE FOR NEXT SUMMER. IT WILL POTENTIALLY COMPRISE OF 48 DAYS OF CRICKET, INCLUDING WORLD TEST CHAMPIONS AUSTRALIA MAKING THEIR RETURN FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2016. IT'LL BE THE FIRST TIME NEW ZEALAND'S HOME SEASON WILL BE FREE TO AIR ON TVNZ IN 24 YEARS. AND RUNNER MITCH JOYNT HAS ADDED TO NEW ZEALAND'S MEDAL TALLY IN AN EVENTFUL 200m FINAL AT THE PARA ATHLETICS WORLD CHAMPS IN PARIS THIS MORNING. JOYNT, RUNNING IN LANE THREE, LOOKED AS THOUGH HE'S MISS THE PODIUM UNTIL THE DEFENDING CHAMPION FELL AT THE LINE. JOYNT ENDED UP WITH A BRONZE, RUNNING AN AREA RECORD 23.32 SECONDS. I KNEW HE HAD FALLEN. IT DIDN'T KNOW IF HE'D ACTUALLY CROSSED THE LINE OR ANYTHING OR WHETHER HE'D BE DISQUALIFIED, SO I KNEW I STILL HAD TO RUN THROUGH. I KNEW THE ITALIAN OUTSIDE ME WAS PRETTY CLOSE, SO I DID TRY AND REEL HIM IN. HE DIDN'T HIT ME, BUT I WAS AWARE THERE WAS A CHANCE, BUT EVEN WHEN I CROSSED THE LINE, I DIDN'T WANT TO DARE BELIEVE UNTIL I ACTUALLY SAW IT UP ON THE CLOCK. NEW ZEALAND'S COLLECTED NINE MEDALS AT THE WORLD CHAMPS, ITS BEST PERFORMANCE IN 21 YEARS. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. IT MAY NOT BE REGARDED AS ONE OF THE COOLER INSTRUMENTS, BUT THE FLUTE IS EXPERIENCING A BOOST IN POPULARITY. ONE REASON IS LIZZO, THE AMERICAN MUSICIAN WHO'S ALSO A CLASSICALLY TRAINED FLAUTIST. HERE'S THE BBC'S FIONA LAMDIN. # IT AIN'T MY FAULT THAT I'M OUT HERE GETTING LOOSE, # GOTTA BLAME IT ON THE GOOSE... # LIZZO, ONE OF AMERICA'S BIGGEST RAPPERS, POP STAR AND DEVOTED FLAUTIST. AND WITH HER FLUTE MIKED UP, 200,000 GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL-GOERS WERE TREATED TO A BIT OF MOZART. (FLUTE TRILLS) OVER 100 MILES AWAY IN THIS MUSIC LESSON IN COVENTRY, LIZZO'S PERFORMANCE IS HAVING A HUGE IMPACT. SHE PERFORMED AT GLASTONBURY, AND THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF MY DREAMS. IT'S WONDERFUL JUST TO SEE IT OUT THERE. FLUTE PLAYING, ANY KIND OF INSTRUMENT, MUSIC TAKES TIME. LIZZO HAS WORKED VERY HARD TO GET TO WHERE SHE IS. Y'ALL KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS. LIZZO FIRST PICKED UP THE FLUTE WHEN SHE WAS 10, AND FOR THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS WAS CLASSICALLY TRAINED. IN MAY, LIZZO AND HER FLUTE STARRED IN THE U.S. ANIMATED SITCOM THE SIMPSONS. AND SHE FINALLY GOT TO PLAY AT THE MET GALA WITH ONE OF HER HEROES, NICKNAMED THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN FLUTE ` SIR JAMES GALWAY. HE MIGHT BE SEVEN DECADES OLDER THAN THESE STUDENTS, BUT THEY WERE DELIGHTED WITH HIS MESSAGE. (PLAYS FLUTE) HELLO, I'M JAMES GALWAY, AND I'VE BEEN PLAYING THE FLUTE SINCE I WAS 9 YEARS OLD, AND I HOPE YOU'RE GOING TO ENJOY IT AS MUCH AS I DO. THAT'S JUST FOR YOU GUYS. YEAH. WHEN I WAS A KID, I LISTENED TO JEAN-PIERRE RAMPAL AND MARCEL MOYSE AND ALL THESE BIG FLUTE PLAYERS, AND THAT'S WHAT LIZZO WAS DOING NOW. SHE'S LISTENING TO ALL THE BIG FLUTE PLAYERS LIKE ME. THIS UNLIKELY DUO ` LIZZO AND SIR JAMES ` SPANNING THE DECADES, DOING ALL THEY CAN TO KEEP THE FLUTE FLAG FLYING. NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. # ('GOOD AS HELL' - LIZZO) # THANKS FOR JOINING US. FROM THE WHOLE MIDDAY TEAM, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY DREW WELSH AND SAM BAKER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023