IT'S MIDDAY ` AN ECONOMY SLOWING DOWN. HOW MUCH THE ANNUAL INFLATION RATE'S DROPPED AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU. MORE MONEY FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY THIS YEAR'S EXTREME WEATHER, BUT UNCERTAINTY REMAINS OVER FUTURE PLANS. PLUS ` THE FIFA BIGWIG IS IN TOWN, WITH JUST ONE SLEEP TO GO AS NEW ZEALAND PREPARES TO KICK OFF THE WOMEN'S FOOTBALL WORLD CUP. CAPTIONS BY LENA ERAKOVICH AND JULIE TAYLOR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 KIA ORA, GOOD AFTERNOON. THERE'S HOPE OF RELIEF FOR NEW ZEALANDERS' POCKETS, WITH THE ANNUAL INFLATION RATE DROPPING TO 6%. STATISTICS NEW ZEALAND SAYS THE QUARTERLY INFLATION RATE IS 1.1%. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT CORAZON MILLER JOINS US NOW FOR MORE DETAIL. CORAZON, WHAT DO THE NUMBERS TELL US? BASICALLY, THAT IS GOOD NEWS. IT IS A NUMBER THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD BEEN HOPING TO SEE, THE EVIDENCE THAT AUSTIN INFLATION HAS DROPPED AGAIN. THAT 6% FIGURE HAS COME BACK DOWN OFF THE MARCH FIGURE WHICH WAS 6.7, AND THE PEAK IN JUNE LAST YEAR WHEN INFLATION WAS SITTING AT 7.3%. BUT A LOWER INFLATION DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT FLIGHT PRICES ARE DROPPING. IT JUST MEANS THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING UP AS HIGH AS THEY ONCE DID. KIWIS ON THE STREET SAID THE DAY-TO-DAY EXPENSES ARE STILL QUITE EXPENSIVE. IT'S SUPERMARKET SHOPPING. SUPERMARKET SHOPPING. REALLY EXPENSIVE. IRELAND'S MUCH CHEAPER. FOOD'S GETTING OUT OF HAND. CLEARLY FOOD PRICES ARE AT THE TOP OF KIWIS MINDS. AND FOOD PRICES HAVE HELPED KEEP THE INFLATION FIGURE HIGH. ECONOMISTS HAD EXPECTED PERHAPS THAT THE INFLATION RATE WOULD DROP BELOW 6% THAT IT MAY BE A WEE WAY AWAY BEFORE WE REACH THAT TARGET. FURTHER FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO HELP CYCLONE AND FLOOD-AFFECTED VICTIMS UNSURE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THEIR PROPERTY WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE. IT'S HOPED IT WILL PROVIDE HOUSEHOLDS WITH MORE CERTAINTY ABOUT THEIR FUTURE IN TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION. JACOB JOHNSON WAS AT THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND JOINS US NOW FROM WEST AUCKLAND. JACOB, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? WE JUST GOT BACK INTO SERVICE AFTER THAT ANNOUNCEMENT WHEN THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER MET WITH ABOUT 30 AFFECTED RESIDENTS TO ANNOUNCE A WEEKLY PAYMENT FOR DISPLACED HOMEOWNERS WHOSE INSURANCE MONEY TO PAY FOR THIS IS RUNNING OUT. THIS WILL BE PAID DIRECTLY TO THE HOMEOWNERS AND FOR EXAMPLE IF YOU ARE SINGLE IN AUCKLAND YOU WILL GET AROUND $130 PER WEEK BUT IT WILL DIFFER DEPENDING ON YOUR FAMILY SITUATION. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN DISPLACED FOLLOWING THE LIKES OF THE AUCKLAND FLOODS AND CYCLING GABRIELLE. THIS HAS BEEN CALLED FOR FOUR MONTHS. I PUT THIS TO THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER. WHAT WE HEARD WAS REALLY MOST PEOPLE'S INSURANCE PAYMENT TO SUPPORT THEM WITH RENT STARTS TO RUN OUT IN JULY. SO THIS WILL ACTUALLY COVER THEM. AND ANNOUNCING IT NOW PROVIDES THE CERTAINTY, EVEN THOUGH THE PAYMENT CAN'T KICK IN UNTIL SEPTEMBER. THIS PAYMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM SEPTEMBER BUT OF COURSE MANY PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO RUN OUT OF THAT INSURANCE MONEY TO PAY FOR TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION. SO IF IT IS NEEDED THEY CAN GET A LUMP-SUM PAYMENT THAT PAYMENT THAT WILL BE BACKFILLED UP TO 1 JUNE. MANY PEOPLE ARE WELCOME ANY ANNOUNCEMENT BUT OTHERS SAY IT IS A BAND-AID SOLUTION. THE GOVERNMENT SAYS IT WILL REASSESS IN A FEW MONTHS AND POTENTIALLY THE FATHER OF THE THREE LITTLE GIRLS ALLEGEDLY KILLED BY THEIR MOTHER IN TIMARU TWO YEARS AGO IS BEING CROSS-EXAMINED IN THE HIGH COURT IN CHRISTCHURCH. GRAHAM DICKASON IS APPEARING VIA VIDEO LINK FROM HIS HOME IN PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA, FOR HIS WIFE'S MURDER TRIAL. MEDIA AREN'T PERMITTED TO FILM HIS EVIDENCE. LAUREN DICKASON'S DEFENCE LAWYER BEGAN THIS MORNING BY ACKNOWLEDGING HIS LOSS AND HOW DIFFICULT THIS TIME WILL BE FOR HIM. IT IS NOT THE DEFENCE CASE THAT YOU ARE TO BLAME IN ANY RESPECT FOR WHAT HAPPENED, OR THE DEFENCE CASE THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY. HE REPLIED, 'THANK YOU.' THE TRIAL IS EXPECTED TO LAST THREE WEEKS. THE AUSTRALIAN SAILOR WHO SURVIVED TWO MONTHS LOST AT SEA HAS REVEALED HOW HE MADE IT THROUGH HIS TIME ADRIFT. SYDNEY MAN TIM SHADDOCK AND HIS DOG BELLA LEFT MEXICO FOR FRENCH POLYNESIA IN APRIL, BUT THEIR BOAT WAS DAMAGED IN A STORM SEVERAL WEEKS LATER. THEY WERE RESCUED IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN THIS WEEK AFTER A HELICOPTER SPOTTED THEM. THE 51-YEAR-OLD, WHO IS IN GOOD HEALTH, SURVIVED BY EATING RAW FISH AND DRINKING RAINWATER. HE'S REVEALED MORE DETAILS OF HIS SURVIVAL. INITIALLY, MY PILOT FRIEND HERE FLEW OVER IN THE CHOPPER, AND IT WAS THE FIRST HUMAN VEHICLE I'D SEEN IN MONTHS. AND THE CHOPPER BASICALLY FLEW AWAY, YOU KNOW... (LAUGHS) AND THEN CAME BACK WITH A BOAT, A SPEEDBOAT, AND I WAS JUST VERY GRATEFUL. I DIDN'T THINK I'D MAKE IT, ALI` ESPECIALLY WITH THE HURRICANE COMING. MR SHADDOCK SAYS HE'S LOOKING FORWARD TO RECONNECTING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN AUSTRALIA. CALIFORNIA'S DEATH VALLEY ` ONE OF THE HOTTEST PLACES ON EARTH ` IS NEARING RECORD TEMPERATURES AS A SUMMER HEATWAVE INTENSIFIES. THE AMERICAN HOT SPOT REACHED TEMPERATURES ABOVE 50 DEGREES, COOLING JUST SLIGHTLY OVERNIGHT TO 49 DEGREES. HEALTH AUTHORITIES ARE WARNING OF THE DANGERS OF EXTREME HEAT, URGING PEOPLE TO DRINK WATER AND STAY INDOORS. THOSE EXTREME TEMPERATURES CAN BE REALLY DANGEROUS FOR PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE NOT ACCLIMATISED TO THE ENVIRONMENT. EVEN AS RANGERS, IT TAKES US A LITTLE WHILE TO GET ADJUSTED TO THE ENVIRONMENT AS THE HEAT STARTS TO PICK UP, SO WE REALLY ENCOURAGE VISITORS TO VISIT THE PARK TO BUT REALLY STAY CLOSE TO THEIR VEHICLES AND CHECK OUT THE SITES FROM CLOSE BY SO THAT THEY HAVE SAFETY NEARBY. HEATWAVES IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE ARE FORECAST TO INTENSIFY IN THE COMING DAYS. ACROSS THE ATLANTIC, FIREFIGHTERS ARE BATTLING BLAZES IN GREECE, SPAIN AND SWITZERLAND AS TEMPERATURES IN PARTS OF EUROPE PUSH UPWARDS OF 45 DEGREES. THE BBC'S JUSTIN ROWLATT HAS MORE. WILDFIRES CONTINUED TO RAGE IN GREECE TODAY. FIREFIGHTERS STRUGGLE TO CONTAIN THEM AS HIGH WINDS FANNED THE FLAMES. AND ITALY HAS BEEN CONTINUING TO FEEL THE HEAT TOO, WITH TEMPERATURES INTO THE 40s AND 20 CITIES NOW ON HEATWAVE ALERT. IT TURNS OUT RAIN ISN'T THE ONLY WEATHER THAT CAN TAKE THE SHEEN OFF YOUR SPECIAL DAY. IRENI AND HER COLLEAGUE PEDRO LOOK AFTER HOMELESS PEOPLE IN THE SOUTHERN SPANISH CITY OF MURCIA. THEY WORK OUT ON THE STREETS, CHECKING PEOPLE ARE COPING WITH THE HEAT. SO, JUST THINK WHAT THESE TEMPERATURES DO TO THE HUMAN BODY. OUR BODY TEMPERATURE IS 37 DEGREES ` ANY HIGHER OR LOWER THAN THAT AND OUR SYSTEMS BEGIN TO SHUT DOWN. SO OUR BODIES ARE FIGHTING TO STAY AT 37 DEGREES. AND THAT TAKES A HUGE AMOUNT OF ENERGY, A HUGE TOLL ON OUR BODIES. IRENI AND PEDRO GIVE OUT WATER, HATS AND ADVICE. THE HIGHER THE TEMPERATURE, THE GREATER THE RISK TO HUMAN HEALTH. AND OF COURSE, CLIMATE CHANGE IS DIALLING UP THE HEAT. LOOK HOW ANNUAL AVERAGE GLOBAL TEMPERATURES HAVE INCREASED SINCE PRE-INDUSTRIAL LEVELS. THE WORLD IS NOW ABOUT 1.1 CELSIUS WARMER THAN IT WAS IN THE LATE 19th CENTURY. NOW, THAT MIGHT NOT SOUND A LOT, BUT EVEN A SMALL INCREASE IN AVERAGE TEMPERATURES MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. THAT'S BECAUSE IT SHIFTS THE ENTIRE DISTRIBUTION OF DAILY TEMPERATURES TO WARMER LEVELS. AS THIS GRAPH SHOWS, IT MAKES HOT DAYS BOTH MORE LIKELY AND LIKELY TO BE HOTTER. AND IT ISN'T JUST EUROPE THAT'S SEEING THAT IMPACT. PARTS OF THE U.S. WERE EVEN HOTTER THAN SPAIN AND ITALY. LAS VEGAS ISSUED AN OFFICIAL WARNING THAT THERE IS UNLIKELY TO BE ANY RESPITE FROM THE HEAT FOR AT LEAST A WEEK. BACK IN SPAIN, HELICOPTERS JOINED THE BATTLE TO CONTAIN A WILDFIRE IN LA PALMA, ONE OF THE CANARY ISLANDS ` MORE EVIDENCE OF THE BRUTAL IMPACT OF THIS SUMMER'S EXTREME WEATHER. THE UNITED NATIONS IS TALKING WITH NORTH KOREA TO SECURE THE RELEASE OF A U.S. SOLDIER WHO CROSSED THE FORTIFIED BORDER FROM SOUTH KOREA WITHOUT PERMISSION. THE AMERICAN SOLDIER WAS ON A TOUR OF THE DEMILITARISED ZONE THAT DIVIDES THE TWO COUNTRIES WHEN HE WILFULLY CROSSED INTO NORTHERN TERRITORY. OFFICIALS SAY THE JUNIOR SOLDIER HAD RECENTLY BEEN RELEASED FROM A SOUTH KOREAN PRISON AND ESCORTED TO THE AIRPORT. BUT INSTEAD OF BOARDING HIS PLANE, HE SOMEHOW JOINED THE TOUR. THE UN SAYS IT'S IN CONTACT WITH NORTH KOREAN MILITARY TO NEGOTIATE THE MAN'S RELEASE. LAS VEGAS POLICE HAVE EXECUTED A SEARCH WARRANT RELATING TO THE MURDER OF AMERICAN RAPPER TUPAC SHAKUR. POLICE CONFIRMED A HOME IN THE LAS VEGAS AREA WAS SEARCHED YESTERDAY AS PART OF THE ONGOING INVESTIGATION INTO HIS DEATH. TUPAC SHAKUR WAS FATALLY SHOT IN A DRIVE-BY SHOOTING IN 1996 AT THE AGE OF 25. NO ARRESTS HAVE EVER BEEN MADE. DONALD TRUMP BELIEVES HE'S SET FOR ANOTHER RUN-IN WITH THE LAW, PREDICTING HE WILL BE ARRESTED BY A FEDERAL INQUIRY INTO THE U.S. CAPITOL RIOTS. IN A LETTER FROM THE SPECIAL COUNSEL INVESTIGATING THE JANUARY 6 INSURRECTION, IT'S SUGGESTED THE FORMER PRESIDENT COULD FACE FEDERAL CHARGES RELATING TO HIS ATTEMPTS TO RETAIN POWER AFTER THE 2020 ELECTION. THE ABC'S JUSTIN FINCH REPORTS. ON CAPITOL HILL, DIVIDED REACTION TO FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S RECEIPT OF A TARGET LETTER FROM SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH'S OFFICE IN REGARDS TO THE ONGOING GRAND JURY PROBE INTO THE INSURRECTION AT THE CAPITOL. THAT CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION ALSO LOOKING INTO ALLEGED EFFORTS BY TRUMP AND OTHERS TO OVERTURN THE 2020 ELECTION RESULTS. WE EXPECT THAT THE TARGET LETTER AND THE WORK THAT THE GRAND JURY CONTINUES TO DO WILL MEET THAT THRESHOLD OF SEEKING THE THE FACTS AND HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE TO BEAT PRESIDENT TRUMP, IS TO ARREST HIM, SMEAR HIM, CHARGE HIM WITH RIDICULOUS CHARGES. FOR MORE THAN A YEAR, A GRAND JURY HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING THE EVENTS SURROUNDING THE DEADLY JANUARY 6TH CAPITOL ATTACK AND OTHER EFFORTS TO OVERTURN THE 2020 ELECTION RESULTS. THEY'VE TALKED TO MULTIPLE SENIOR ADVISERS IN TRUMP'S INNER CIRCLE. PROSECUTORS HAVE BEEN DELVING INTO TOPICS RANGING FROM THE ALLEGED ENCOURAGING OF SO-CALLED FAKE ELECTORS TO SUBMIT ALTERNATE ELECTORAL VOTES IN BATTLEGROUND STATES. TRUMP LOST TO ALLEGED EFFORTS TO BLOCK THE PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER, TYING HIM DIRECTLY TO A CRIME THAT CAME OUT OF THAT DAY, I THINK WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY BIG CHALLENGE TRUMP CONFIRMED HE RECEIVED THE TARGET LETTER ON HIS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM, INSISTING HE'S DONE NOTHING WRONG. THE SPECIAL COUNSEL ALSO SENT TRUMP A TARGET LETTER BEFORE HE WAS INDICTED ON 37 CRIMINAL COUNTS FOR HIS ALLEGED MISHANDLING OF CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS. LAST MONTH. TRUMP PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO ALL CHARGES. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE SEAHORSE HOTELS HELPING ONE OF SYDNEY HARBOUR'S MOST ENDANGERED INHABITANTS. PLUS, WAS RISING COSTS THE REAL REASON VICTORIA PULLED THE PIN ON HOSTING THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES? WELCOME BACK. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN A CENTURY, SOUTH ISLAND NGATI TAHU KAKAPO WILL BE MAKING HOME UP NORTH NEAR CAMBRIDGE. FOUR MALE BIRDS ARE BEING TRANS-LOCATED FROM WHENUA HOU CODFISH ISLAND TO SANCTUARY MOUNTAIN MAUNGATAUTARI ` A MOVE 15 YEARS IN THE MAKING. IT WILL KEEP THE BIRDS IN A PROTECTED AREA, WITH MANY PREDATOR-FREE OFFSHORE BREEDING ISLANDS ALMOST AT CAPACITY. THE MOVE WILL BE MARKED WITH A POWHIRI AND CELEBRATION. SYDNEY'S PICTURESQUE HARBOUR IS HOME TO PLENTY OF SEA LIFE, BUT SOME NEED A HELPING HAND. AN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF SEAHORSE NOW HAS SOME SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION TO BOOST THEIR NUMBERS. CHANNEL 9'S MIKE DALTON HAS THE STORY. THEY SIT IN THE SOFT PUSH OF BAYSIDE CURRENT. WHAT LOOK LIKE MILK CRATES OR GAS MAIN GUARDS ARE IN FACT LUXURIOUS WATERFRONT ACCOMMODATIONS FOR ONE OF THE HARBOUR'S STRUGGLING TENANTS, THE SYDNEY, OR WHITE'S, SEAHORSE. WHITE'S SEAHORSE IS ONE OF ONLY TWO ENDANGERED SEAHORSE SPECIES OF 50 OR SO ON EARTH. WITH THEIR POPULATION DWINDLING, THE SYDNEY INSTITUTE OF MARINE SCIENCE EMBARKED ON BEEFING UP THEIR NUMBER BY BEEFING UP THE SEAHORSES THEMSELVES. SO WE CAN, FOR INSTANCE, GO AND COLLECT THE FOOD, THE LITTLE SHRIMPS THAT THEY NEED TO EAT RIGHT FROM THE HARBOUR, FRESH THAT DAY FOR THEM. AND THEN THERE WAS FINDING THEM A PLACE TO LIVE ` A DIFFICULT THING IN SYDNEY, HENCE THE SEAHORSE HOTELS. THE TAIL OF A SEAHORSE IS ESSENTIAL. IT'S THE SLOWEST MOVING FISH IN THE OCEAN, SO THEY NEED THAT TAIL TO HOLD ON TO SOMETHING, OTHERWISE THEY GET SWEPT AWAY IN THE BIG SWELLS AND STRONG CURRENTS. IT'S A BUSY BUSINESS, SEAHORSE BREEDING ` FOR DAD. SO IN THE ANIMAL WORLD, THE SEAHORSE IS THE ONLY ANIMAL WHERE THE MALE GIVES BIRTH ` 100 TO 150 BABIES AT A TIME. AND ONCE HE GIVES BIRTH, THE FEMALE THEN GO AND IMPREGNATE HIM AGAIN. SO SHE MIGHT REPRODUCE WITH HIM FOUR OR FIVE TIMES OVER A BREEDING SEASON. GEE, SHE'S KEEN. THE DADS AND THE KIDS TAKING TO THE SHARK NETS OF CHOWDER BAY ON THEIR RELEASE TODAY. SIX PREGNANT DADS CAME FROM RIGHT HERE. SO THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY'RE GETTING THEIR KIDS BACK, BUT MORE THAN THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE GOT IF THEY'D POPPED THEM OUT IN THE WILD. THIS IS THE BIGGEST, MOST POWERFUL, STRONG SEAHORSES WE'VE EVER RELEASED. THEY'RE SUPER SEAHORSES. THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL HAS HELD ITS FIRST OFFICIAL TALKS ON THE RISKS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. THE BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY IS CHAIRING THE DISCUSSION, CALLING FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CONVERSATION ABOUT THE IMPACT OF AI ON GLOBAL PEACE AND SECURITY. SEVERAL GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD ARE ALREADY CONSIDERING LEGISLATION THAT COULD MITIGATE THE DANGERS OF THE EMERGING TECHNOLOGY. THE UN SECRETARY GENERAL BACKS THE PROPOSAL BY SOME INDUSTRY EXPERTS FOR THE CREATION OF AN INTERNATIONAL WATCHDOG, MUCH LIKE THE NUCLEAR WATCHDOG. GENERATIVE AI HAS ENORMOUS POTENTIAL FOR GOOD AND EVIL. ITS CREATORS THEMSELVES HAVE WARNED THAT MUCH BIGGER, POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC AND EXISTENTIAL RISKS LIE AHEAD. WITHOUT ACTION TO ADDRESS THESE RISKS, WE ARE DERELICT IN OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. INTERNATIONAL AI EXPERTS HAVE DELIVERED BRIEFINGS ON ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE COUNCIL'S 15 MEMBER COUNTRIES. TO SPORT, AND THE HUNT CONTINUES FOR A NEW HOST FOR THE BELEAGUERED 2026 COMMONWEALTH GAMES AFTER VICTORIA'S ABRUPT PULL-OUT SHOCKED MANY IN THE SPORTING COMMUNITY. DISMAYED ATHLETES ARE EXPRESSING THEIR DISAPPOINTMENT, WHILE ONE LOCAL CITY CLAIMS IT COULD STEP UP AND TAKE ON THE EVENT. HERE'S DIGBY WERTHMULLER. FOR ATHLETES WHO ATTEND THE PRESTIGIOUS GAMES, ITS MORE THAN JUST AN EVENT. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THEIR SPORT ACROSS THE ENTIRE WORLD. THE ENVIRONMENT, THE ATMOSPHERE, THE OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, THE CROSS SECTION OF SPORTS, THE VILLAGE LIFE ` THERE'S NO OTHER COMPETITION WITHIN YOUR SPORT THAT CAN REPLICATE THAT ENVIRONMENT. VICTORIA'S SUDDEN EXIT, DESCRIBED BY COMMONWEALTH SPORT AS 'A BOMBSHELL', DEEPLY UPSETING SOME. THE GOVERNING ORGANISATION SHARING ITS FRUSTRATION. YES, COSTS HAVE ESCALATED, BUT NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT IS BEING BLAMED, AND I THINK IT IS REALLY UNFORTUNATE THAT THE GAMES HAVE BECOME THIS SORT OF TOOL IN THE MIDDLE. AS TIME WENT ON MORE WAS ADDED ` MORE VENUES, MORE SPORTS, AGAINST THE ADVICE, I MIGHT HAVE TO SAY, OF THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES FEDERATION AND COMMONWEALTH GAMES AUSTRALIA. KEREYN SMITH IS SURE THE GAMES WILL REMAIN VIABLE, THOUGH, TELLING BREAKFAST THE HOSTING WITHDRAWAL IS 'JUST A HICCUP'. I'M REALLY CONFIDENT THAT THERE WILL BE A GAMES, AND WE ARE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO WORK REALLY HARD TO TRY AND FIND A HOST, AND THERE'S MANY CITIES THAT CAN HOST. IT'S JUST WHETHER THEY CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN IN THAT TIMEFRAME, BUT I AM SURE WE WILL DO IT. CHRISTCHURCH'S MAYOR PHIL MAUGER INDICATING HIS CITY COULD STEP UP OR BE THE CENTRE OF A NEW ZEALAND-WIDE EVENT, WITH THE STADIUM AND METRO SPORTS FACILITY PROJECTS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN 2026. AN IDEA QUEENSTOWN'S MAYOR COULD GET BEHIND. IF PHIL WANTS TO GET IT UP AND RUNNING IN CHRISTCHURCH, WELL, ALL POWER TO HIM. I AM SURE QUEENSTOWN COULD HELP HIM OUT IN SOME RESPECT. BUT SPORT MINISTER GRANT ROBERTSON IS ALREADY INDICATING IT'S UNLIKELY TO GET GOVERNMENT SUPPORT, LEAVING THE FUTURE FOR SOME OF AOTEAROA'S TOP ATHLETES UNCERTAIN. DIGBY WERTHMULLER, 1 NEWS. EXCITEMENT IS BUILDING, WITH JUST ONE MORE SLEEP UNTIL THE WOMEN'S FOOTBALL WORLD CUP KICKS OFF TOMORROW NIGHT. FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO HAS ARRIVED IN AOTEAROA AND HAS ONE MESSAGE FOR KIWIS ` WITH MORE THAN 1.3 MILLION TICKETS SOLD, INFANTINO SAYS IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO BUY YOURS. NEW ZEALAND, WE WANT YOU. WE NEED YOU. IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO DO THE RIGHT THING. COME TO WATCH THE MATCHES. WE NEED FULL STADIUMS TO WARM US ALL UP. NEW ZEALAND WILL OPEN THE TOURNAMENT AGAINST NORWAY AT EDEN PARK. WORLD CUP DEFENDING CHAMPS THE UNITED STATES ARE PREPARING FOR THEIR FIRST MATCH THIS WEEKEND. THEY'LL OPEN THEIR CAMPAIGN AGAINST VIETNAM IN THEIR QUEST TO BECOME THE FIRST TEAM TO WIN THREE CONSECUTIVE WORLD CUP TITLES. THE U.S. IS ALSO AWARE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HAVING THE TOURNAMENT IN AOTEAROA. I KNOW HOW SPECIAL IT IS FOR THE NEW ZEALAND PLAYERS, FOR THE AUSTRALIAN PLAYERS, I THINK FOR THE PEOPLE OF NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA ` I'M REALLY CLOSE WITH ALI RILEY, LIKE, SHE HAS SO MUCH PRIDE IN THE FACT THAT THIS TOURNAMENT IS GETTING PLAYED IN NEW ZEALAND AND, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE OF NEW ZEALAND WILL GET TO EXPERIENCE THIS GAME UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL. THE AMERICANS HAVE LIFTED THE WORLD CUP FOUR TIMES. AND WELLINGTON PUBLIC TRANSPORT IS BOOSTING CAPACITY AND CUTTING COSTS TO GET WORLD CUP TICKET-HOLDERS TO MATCHES. FREE FARES WILL BE APPLICABLE ON METLINK BUSES, TRAINS AND THE HARBOUR FERRY. BUT THE COMPANY HAS WARNED DUE TO LOW DRIVER NUMBERS, IT'LL BE UNLIKELY TO ACCOMMODATE MORE SERVICES DURING ANY PEAK TIMES. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` TV DATING SHOW 'THE BACHELOR' GOES WITH A GOLDEN OLDIE FOR ITS NEXT SEASON. PLUS, I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. HERE'S PROOF YOU'RE NEVER TOO OLD TO FALL IN LOVE ` ON TV ANYWAY. THE NEWEST 'BACHELOR' HAS BEEN REVEALED FOR THE AMERICAN TV FRANCHISE, BUT THIS TIME IT'S A SENIOR CITIZEN. THE ABC'S KELLEY CARTER MET THE 'GOLDEN BACHELOR'. I'M GERRY. I'M 71 YEARS YOUNG. I'M FROM INDIANA. AND I'M GOING TO BE THE FIRST GOLDEN BACHELOR, BECAUSE IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO FALL IN LOVE AGAIN. HOW DOES THAT FEEL? IT FEELS AMAZING, AND IT'S STILL SINKING IN. YOU, ESSENTIALLY, ARE GOING TO BE THE REPRESENTATION FOR WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO DATE IN YOUR 70s. I THINK MY THOUGHTS ALWAYS GO TO THE WAY I'VE DONE THINGS ` DON'T GIVE UP. THERE'S ALWAYS POSSIBILITIES. GERRY TURNER MARRIED HIS HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART, TONI ` TOGETHER FOR 43 YEARS, HAVING TWO DAUGHTERS. BUT THEN IN 2017, HIS WIFE BECAME SICK AND PASSED AWAY. YOU KNOW, SHE GOT ROBBED. EVERY DAY THAT GOES BY, THAT'S THE THOUGHT THAT I HAVE. WHAT DO YOU THINK SHE WOULD MAKE OF ALL OF THIS? FOR A WHILE, IT WAS LIKE, UM... I WAS HAVING A HARD TIME FIGURING OUT IF SHE WOULD BE OK. BUT WE ALWAYS TOLD EACH OTHER, WHEN ONE OF US GOES, WE WANT THE OTHER ONE TO BE HAPPY. SHE'S UP THERE ROOTING. SHE'S SAYING, 'YEAH, GERRY. 'DO THIS.' GERRY IS READY TO FIND LOVE AGAIN. HE SAYS HIS DAUGHTERS TEXTED HIM TO SIGN UP FOR THE SHOW, AND HE FELT LIKE THERE WAS NOTHING TO LOSE. THEY STARTED SCREAMING, AND EVERYBODY GATHERED ROUND. ONE OF THOSE 25 LADIES WILL BE SUPER LUCKY. JESSE PALMER IS LIKE, 'YES, I SCORED!' I'D LOVE IT IF I FOUND A PARTNER WHO WAS HIGH ENERGY, SOMEONE THAT MAYBE PLAYS PICKLEBALL. SOMEONE THAT MAYBE PLAYS GOLF. SO WE MIGHT SEE A WEDDING SPECIAL IN YOUR FUTURE, THEN. I WOULDN'T DISCOUNT IT. (LAUGHS) GOOD LUCK TO YOU. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. (TUPAC SHAKUR'S 'CALIFORNIA LOVE') THANKS FOR JOINING US. FROM THE WHOLE MIDDAY TEAM, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY LENA ERAKOVICH AND JULIE TAYLOR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023