IT'S MIDDAY. A HALT ON THE USE OF MESH SURGERIES BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS. WHY PATIENTS ARE WELCOMING THE MOVE AFTER YEARS OF PROTEST. A NATIONAL MP COMES OUT SWINGING OVER THE PARTY'S LIST. CHRISTOPHER LUXON EXPLAINS HOW THEY MADE THE RANKINGS DECISION. AND A TERRIFYING ORDEAL IN PAKISTAN AS 8 PEOPLE ARE LEFT DANGLING IN A CABLE CAR 300m ABOVE A RIVER. CAPTIONS BY KITTY WASASALA AND TOM CLARKE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 KIA ORA, GOOD AFTERNOON. THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH HAS PAUSED THE USE OF SURGICAL MESH IMPLANTS IN WOMEN FOR STRESS URINARY INCONTINENCE. SURGICAL MESH IS A NET-LIKE FABRIC OR TAPE USED IN THE PROCEDURE. THE MOVE FOLLOWS AN INVESTIGATION BY A SPECIALIST MONITORING GROUP AFTER YEARS OF PROTEST TO THE PROCEDURE. TESSA PARKER REPORTS. A SMALL PIECE OF MESH THAT, FOR SOME, HAS LED TO A LIFE TIME OF PAIN. I HAD MINE IMPLEMENTED IN 2009, AND I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I HAD LOTS OF BLEEDING, PAIN AND EVERYTHING. SALLY WALKER WENT IN FOR A PROLAPSE PROCEDURE. YEARS LATER, SHE NEARLY LOST HER LIFE. I WENT THROUGH 10 OPERATIONS WITH HER TO TRY SAVE MY BLADDER. THEY THOUGHT I HAD CANCER IN THE BLADDER, BUT IT WAS THE MESH THAT HAD GONE ROTTEN. THE DECISION WAS MADE MY BLADDER HAD TO COME OUT BECAUSE IT WAS SO ROTTEN, SO I HAD IT REMOVED, AND IT WAS A HORRIFIC OPERATION. SHE NOW HOPES NO ONE ELSE WILL HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE, WITH A PAUSE ON THE USE OF MESH IN FEMALE PELVIC SURGERIES STARTING TODAY. WE IDENTIFIED THAT WITHOUT A REALLY SYSTEMATIC IMPLEMENTATION OF ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE COME TO US TO MAKE THIS SAFE, WE SIMPLY DIDN'T HAVE ASSURANCE WE COULD USE IT SAFELY ENOUGH AND THAT HARM WASN'T CONTINUING FOR WOMEN. THE RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE ` TAILORED TRAINING FOR SURGEONS WHO PERFORM THE PROCEDURE, A NEW REGISTRY FOR ALL PATIENTS AND A MORE DETAILED CONSENT PROCESS. THIS IS GOING TO GIVE THEM BACK HOPE AND BUILD UP THEIR TRUST AND MAKE THEM BELIEVE THAT NOW THAT IT WILL BE` THAT IT ISN'T IN THEIR HEADS, WHICH THEY'VE BEEN LEAD TO BELIEVE. SURGICAL MESH IS TYPICALLY USED TO TACKLE STRESS URINARY INCONTINENCE, OR A LOSS OF BLADDER CONTROL. TE WHATU ORA SAYS 75% OF WOMEN WHO'VE HAD THE PROCEDURE HAD GOOD OUTCOMES, BUT THIS PATIENT SAYS NO ONE BELIEVED THE OTHER 25%. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SUPPORT; THEY JUST HIDE AWAY. THEIR FRIENDS DON'T UNDERSTAND. WE'VE HAD INCREDIBLE SUPPORT FROM WOMAN WHO HAVE BEEN INJURED, AND THEY'VE REALLY SUPPORTED OUR PROCESS IN HELPING US TO NOW MAKE THE SYSTEM SAFER. THOSE WOMEN SPEAKING UP AND FINALLY BEING LISTENED TO. TESSA PARKER, 1 NEWS. WESTPORT LOCALS SAY THE STAFFING SITUATION AT BULLER HEALTH IS QUOTE 'GETTING SCARY'. STAFF SHORTAGES HAVE FORCED THE FACILITY TO OCCASIONALLY CLOSE OVERNIGHT, DESPITE A NEW MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR HOSPITAL. ONE GRANDMOTHER SAYS SOMEONE WILL DIE SOON IF THE ISSUES AREN'T ADDRESSED. MY NEWEST GRANDDAUGHTER COULD HAVE DIED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO BECAUSE SHE WAS UNABLE TO BE ADMITTED TO WESTPORT HOSPITAL DUE TO BRONCHITIS, WHICH THEN TURNED INTO RSV VIRUS. DR GRAHAM ROPER SAYS TE WHATU ORA WEST COAST IS ACTIVELY WORKING TO RECRUIT HEALTH WORKERS INTO THE REGION. I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE ARE MAKING HEADWAY WITH OUR RECRUITMENT AND I FEEL THAT OUR STAFFING LEVELS ARE ALL HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE THE CARE THEY NEED. SINCE OCTOBER LAST YEAR, BULLER HEALTH HAS HAD TO CLOSE OVERNIGHT ON 12 OCCASIONS. CHRISTOPHER LUXON HAS DEFENDED NATIONAL'S LIST RANKING WHICH HAS SEEN MP MICHAEL WOODHOUSE ACCUSE THE PARTY OF CHOOSING DIVERSITY OVER EXPERIENCE. WOODHOUSE WILL STAND IN THE DUNEDIN ELECTORATE BUT ASKED TO BE PULLED FROM THE LIST BECAUSE HIS RANKING WAS SO LOW. THE NATIONAL LEADER SAYS THEY'VE HAD TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN SEASONED MPs AND NEW SKILLS. MICHAEL MADE HIS OWN DECISION TO ACTUALLY WITHDRAW FROM THE LIST. I HAVE TO RESPECT THAT DECISION. I THINK HE'S HAD AN INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC CAREER OVER 15 YEARS IN PARLIAMENT. HE'S BEEN A MINISTER IN THE KEY AND ENGLISH GOVERNMENTS, AND HE'S GOT A GREAT CAREER TO BE INCREDIBLY PROUD OF, BUT ULTIMATELY THAT'S HIS DECISION. CHRISTOPHER LUXON SAYS A TEAM OF MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE DETERMINED THE LIST RANKINGS. DUE TO AN OUTAGE, CUSTOMERS IN WELLINGTON'S AKATARAWA'S VALLEY ARE EXPECTED TO BE WITHOUT POWER UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING. 73 CUSTOMERS ARE AFFECTED. WELLINGTON ELECTRICITY SAYS DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT WAS CAUSED BY WHAT IT DESCRIBED AS A NATURAL DISASTER. AT ITS WORST, THE OUTAGE WAS AFFECTING OVER 200 HOUSEHOLDS THIS MORNING. 18 PEOPLE BELIEVED TO BE MIGRANTS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN A WILDFIRE IN NORTHERN GREECE. THEIR BODIES WERE FOUND NOT FAR FROM THE TURKISH BORDER THE BBC'S ORLA GUERIN REPORTS. (FLAMES ROAR) IT IS AN INFERNO, AND ITS LEAVING LITTLE IN ITS WAKE. FIREMEN HAVE BEEN BATTLING THE FLAMES NIGHT AND DAY, BUT THE WILDFIRES ARE SPREADING. THEY'VE COME BEARING DOWN ON AVANTAS, A VILLAGE WHERE LOCAL PEOPLE ARE COUNTING THEIR LOSSES. TRANSLATOR: IT HAS REACHED THE ENTIRE VILLAGE. OUR OWN HOUSE UP THERE, WHERE THE FIRE STARTED, HAS COMPLETELY BURNED DOWN. THERE IS NOTHING. (SPEAKS GREEK) TRANSLATOR: FIRE, ONLY FIRE ` THAT'S WHAT WE COULD SEE. THE WIND WAS SO STRONG. HIGH WINDS AND SOARING TEMPERATURES HAVE CREATED A PERFECT STORM, AND BENEATH THE SMOKE, A TERRIBLE DISCOVERY IN THE FOREST ` CHARRED BODIES OF THOSE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN SEEKING A BETTER LIFE. SO FAR, THEY ARE UNNAMED, THEIR STORIES UNKNOWN. (SPEAKS GREEK) TRANSLATOR: IN THE WILD FIRE OF ALEXANDROUPOLIS AND AN ON-SITE INSPECTION BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE WIDER AREA OF AVANTAS, 18 BODIES WERE FOUND NEAR A SHACK. (SIRENS WAIL) THE AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THE DEAD MAY HAVE BEEN MIGRANTS OR REFUGEES. WHO ENTERED GREECE ILLEGALLY AND WERE HIDING OUT NEAR A NATIONAL PARK. THERE'S A WELL-TRODDEN ROUTE HERE FOR THOSE WHO CROSS OVER FROM NEIGHBOURING TURKEY, DESPERATE TO REACH EUROPEAN SOIL. MANY WHO CALL THIS AREA HOME WILL HAVE NOTHING LEFT TO COME BACK TO. THIS IS AN INCREASINGLY FAMILIAR PICTURE IN PARTS OF EUROPE. A POSTCARD FROM SUMMER IN OUR TIME. WILDFIRES ARE NOT NEW IN GREECE, BUT SCIENTISTS WARN THEY ARE WORSENING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE. (BELLS TOLL) SO IN AVANTAS, THE BELLS TOLL ARE WARNING ` RESIDENTS MUST GO WHILE THEY STILL CAN. SCIENTISTS BELIEVE CLIMATE CHANGE MADE THE EXTREMITY OF CANADA'S WILDFIRES TWICE AS LIKELY. THIS YEAR HAS BEEN CANADA'S WORST WILDFIRE SEASON ON RECORD, WITH NEARLY 14 MILLION HECTARES BURNED. THAT'S AN AREA LARGER THAN THE NORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND. THE FIRES, MORE THAN DOUBLE THE SIZE OF THE PREVIOUS RECORD, HAVE KILLED DOZENS OF PEOPLE AND PROMPTED THOUSANDS OF EVACUATIONS. A GROUP OF SCIENTISTS HAVE NOW FOUND THE INTENSITY OF THE FIRES AND THE WEATHER THAT FUELLED THEM WERE DRIVEN BY THE CLIMATE CRISIS. AND AS BLAZES CONTINUE TO RAGE IN EUROPE, THE U.S. AND CANADA, NEW ZEALAND IS ALREADY STARTING TO PREPARE FOR ITS WILDFIRE SEASON. THE LAST OF THE KIWI FIREFIGHTERS DEPLOYED TO CANADA HAVE RETURNED HOME AHEAD OF THE FORECAST DRY SPELL. FIRE AND EMERGENCY'S TIM MITCHELL SAYS THEY'VE STARTED THEIR SEASONAL OUTLOOKS AND PRE-CHECKS EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE CHANGE IN CLIMATE DRIVER IS GOING TO MEAN THAT THIS COMING SEASON WE'RE EXPECTING WARMER THAN NORMAL, HOTTER THAN NORMAL, DRIER THAN NORMAL, WINDIER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS IN MANY OF THE EASTERN AREAS OF BOTH OF OUR ISLANDS AND CERTAINLY UP INTO THE NORTH AND AUCKLAND AREA. AUCKLAND ACCOUNTED FOR THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF WILDFIRES FOR EACH OF THE LAST TWO SEASONS ACROSS THE WHOLE OF NEW ZEALAND. THE FIRST OF DONALD TRUMP'S CO-DEFENDANTS IN THE GEORGIA ELECTION CASE HAVE TURNED THEMSELVES IN TO FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES. THE FORMER PRESIDENT AND 18 OTHERS WERE CHARGED LAST WEEK WITH ATTEMPTING TO OVERTURN HIS 2020 ELECTION DEFEAT IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA. JOHN EASTMAN, TRUMP'S FORMER LAWYER, AND ONE OF THE KEY CO-DEFENDANTS NAMED IN THE INDICTMENT, FACES 9 COUNTS OF RACKETEERING AND CONSPIRACY. WHILE TRUMP IS EXPECTED TO SURRENDER ON FRIDAY, HIS FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF HAS ASKED FOR AN EMERGENCY COURT ORDER TO PREVENT HIS ARREST IF HE DOESN'T TURN HIMSELF IN THIS WEEK. JAPAN WILL START RELEASING TREATED RADIOACTIVE WATER AFTER BEING STRANDED FOR MORE THAN 12 HOURS, EIGHT PEOPLE INCLUDING SIX CHILDREN HAVE BEEN RESCUED FROM A CABLE CAR IN NORTHERN PAKISTAN. THE CARRIAGE WAS LEFT DANGLING ALMOST 300m AFTER ONE OF THE GONDOLA'S CABLES SLAPPED. THE BBC'S CAROLINE DAVIES REPORTS. (CROWD SHOUTS INDISTINCTLY) THROUGH THE DARKNESS AND FOREST, THE SIGHT THE CROWDS HAD BEEN HOPING, WAITING AND PRAYING FOR. STRAPPED TO THE CABLE, THE FINAL RESCUE, WAITING ARMS AND SHOUTS OF 'GOD IS GREAT.' ALLAH AKBAR! 15 HOURS EARLIER, THE CHILDREN WERE TAKING THE CABLE CAR TO SCHOOL WHEN A CABLE SNAPPED. MAKESHIFT CABLE CARS ARE COMMON IN THE RURAL MOUNTAINS OF PAKISTAN, TAKING MINUTES OVER RAVINES WHILE ROADS TAKE HOURS. AT FIRST, ARMY HELICOPTERS COULDN'T RESCUE THEM. BUFFETED BY WINDS, SCARED THE DOWN RUSH FROM THE BLADES COULD MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE. ON THE GROUND, FRUSTRATION. ABDUL KARIM SAID THAT HIS BROTHER AND SON WERE INSIDE THE CAR. (SPEAKS IN PUNJABI) TRANSLATOR: DOESN'T THE GOVERNMENT HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES TO SAVE THE LIVES OF THESE INNOCENT CHILDREN? IF THE GOVERNMENT IS SO HELPLESS, THEN IT SHOULD SEEK HELP FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY. LOCAL TV MANAGED TO SPEAK TO ONE MAN INSIDE THE CABLE CAR, RISING PANIC BEFORE HIS PHONE DIED. (SPEAKS IN PUNJABI) TRANSLATOR: I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE A REQUEST, BUT IT'S A MATTER OF HUMAN LIVES. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE AUTHORITIES SHOULD RESCUE ALL OF US AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. OFFICIALS TRIED TO REASSURE THE GROWING CROWDS. (SPEAKS IN PUNJABI) TRANSLATOR: NOW SPECIAL UNIT IS COMING. THE LOCAL RESCUE TEAM ARE ALREADY ON STANDBY. WE ARE TRYING, BUT REALLY DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY CHANCES HERE. (HELICOPTER BLADES WHIRR) WITH THE CROWDS WATCHING THIS RESCUE, A ROPE FROM THE HELICOPTER, A LEAP AND SWEPT TO SAFETY. THEN THINGS BECAME MORE COMPLICATED ` AS THE LIGHT WENT, THE HELICOPTERS LEFT. INSTEAD, LOCALS AND RESCUE OFFICIALS USED PULLEYS AND ZIP LINES, DRAGGING THEMSELVES ALONG WIRES AS THE NIGHT SET IN, DARK, STRONG WINDS, HUNDREDS OF FEET IN THE AIR, BUT DETERMINED TO REACH THOSE STRANDED. SLOWLY AND STEADILY, SAVING ALL OF THEM. (MEN EXCLAIM) SOME APPEARED STUNNED, LANDING IN THE CROWD. A JOURNEY TO SCHOOL NEAR TRAGEDY NOW FOLLOWED BY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD AND RELIEF AT THEIR SAFE RETURN. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY... THE SCAN THAT COULD REVOLUTIONISE HOW PROSTATE CANCER IS DIAGNOSED. PLUS ` WE'LL TELL YOU HOW MANY RUGBY WORLD CUP GAMES ENGLAND'S CAPTAIN WILL MISS BECAUSE OF THIS HIT. HOKI MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK. A 10-MINUTE MRI SCAN COULD REVOLUTIONISE THE WAY PROSTATE CANCER IS DIAGNOSED. U.K. RESEARCHERS FOUND THE SCANS PROVED FAR MORE ACCURATE AT DIAGNOSING CANCER THAN BLOOD TESTS CURRENTLY USED TO CHECK FOR THE DISEASE. THE BBC'S FERGUS WALSH EXPLAINS. PAUL ROTHWELL FEELS FORTUNATE; HIS PROSTATE CANCER WAS CAUGHT EARLY AT LONDON'S UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL AFTER HE TOOK PART IN A TRIAL USING MRI SCANS. THE 62-YEAR-OLD'S CANCER WOULD HAVE BEEN MISSED IF HE'D ONLY HAD THE STANDARD PSA BLOOD TEST ` WHICH CAME BACK AS NEGATIVE. IF I JUST HAD THE BLOOD TEST, I WOULD BE CARRYING ON LIFE AS NORMAL, WALKING AROUND UNAWARE THAT THERE WAS SOME SORT OF TICKING TIME BOMB INSIDE ME OF A` OF A CANCER SLOWLY GROWING. AND BY THE TIME I THEN DID FIND OUT, PRESUMABLY, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH HARDER TO TREAT AND MUCH MORE DANGEROUS TO ME. WE DON'T SEE ANY SIGN OF CANCER RECURRENCE THERE. PAUL WAS AMONG 300 MEN AGED 50 TO 75 WHO TOOK PART IN THE TRIAL LED BY UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON. OF THE 25 MEN WHOSE AGGRESSIVE CANCERS WERE PICKED UP VIA MRI, OVER HALF, LIKE PAUL, HAD NEGATIVE BLOOD TESTS. WE THINK THESE ARE REALLY SIGNIFICANT RESULTS. WHAT WE SEE IS THAT A SHORT 10-MINUTE MRI SCAN USED AS A SCREENING TEST CAN SELECTIVELY PICK UP SIGNIFICANT CANCERS IN A MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE WAY THAN THE PSA BLOOD TEST ALONE. THAT WILL HELP US TO DIAGNOSE THE IMPORTANT CANCERS EARLY WHEN THEY'RE CURABLE. THE PROSTATE IS A WALNUT-SIZED GLAND WHICH SITS BELOW THE BLADDER. IT'S THE UK'S MOST COMMON MALE CANCER, WITH 52,000 NEW DIAGNOSES EVERY YEAR. THIS IS WHAT MEN OVER 50 CAN REQUEST FROM THEIR DOCTOR ` A BLOOD TEST FOR THE PROTEIN PSA ` HIGH LEVELS CAN INDICATE CANCER, SO IT'S A USEFUL TEST, BUT UNRELIABLE, AS IT'S NOT ALWAYS ACCURATE. LARGER TRIALS WILL BE NEEDED TO CONFIRM THE VALUE OF MRI SCANS BEFORE A NATIONAL SCREENING PROGRAMME FOR PROSTATE CANCER COULD BE SET UP ` WHICH MAY TAKE UP TO A DECADE. ANIMALS AT CHRISTCHURCH'S ORANA WILDLIFE PARK COULD SUFFER FROM LONG TERM-STRESS AFTER GETTING SPOOKED BY BOY RACERS. POLICE SAY DRIVERS HAVE BEEN DOING SKIDS AND BURNOUTS OUTSIDE THE ZOO ` WHICH ALSO POSES AN EXTREME FIRE RISK TO THE PARK. SOME OF THE ANIMALS HAVE ENDED UP WITH SERIOUS INJURIES, INCLUDING ABRASIONS AND BRUISES. WE HAVE AMAZING NATIVE BIRDS THAT WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO RELEASE INTO THE WILD. THE IMPACT ON THEM COULD WELL BE THINGS LIKE IMPACTS BREEDING SEASON OR EVEN THE QUALITY OF EGGS THAT IT PRODUCES. SO THERE IS QUITE SOME IMPACTS FROM THIS FAILURE 'OPERATION GUMTREE HAS BEEN LAUNCHED TO TARGET THE BEHAVIOUR. POLICE HAVE IDENTIFIED 16 VEHICLES INVOLVED AND HAVE SO FAR IMPOUNDED 10 OF THEM. ONLY ONE OF INTERISLANDER'S THREE FERRIES HAS BEEN RUNNING THIS MORNING, WITH ONE BROKEN AND ONE UNDERGOING SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THE KAITAKI FERRY WAS HIT BY A LARGE WAVE ON MONDAY NIGHT AND IS STILL BEING REPAIRED. PICTON ACCOMMODATION OWNER ROB BURN SAYS THE ONLY SAVING GRACE IS THIS IS A QUIET TIME OF YEAR FOR TRAVELLERS. WE ARE ETERNALLY HOPEFUL THAT INTERISLANDER ARE GOING TO DO THE MAINTENANCE AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S RELIABLE FOR THE SUMMER. IT'S NOT SO BAD NOW; THE WORST THING NOW IS THE FREIGHT THAT CAN'T GET ACROSS. THE LAST REMAINING FERRY, THE ARATERE, WILL BE RUNNING AN ADDITIONAL FREIGHT-ONLY SERVICE TOMORROW TO HELP WITH DEMAND. IT'S ENOUGH TO PUT ANY HOLIDAY IN TURMOIL ` YOUR LUGGAGE FAILING TO APPEAR AT BAGGAGE CLAIM. AROUND 26 MILLION BAGS WERE LOST, DELAYED OR DAMAGED GLOBALLY LAST YEAR. THAT'S THE HIGHEST NUMBER IN A DECADE, WITH THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY BLAMING STAFF SHORTAGES POST-PANDEMIC. THE BBC'S JENNIFER MEIERHANS EXPLAINS. SO DIDN'T REALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE HAVING PHOTOS TAKEN OF ME IN THE SAME OUTFIT ALL THE TIME. CHLOE FLEW TO ITALY FOR HER FRIEND'S WEDDING, BUT HER LUGGAGE GOT LOST ON THE WAY. I SPENT THE FIRST COUPLE OF HOURS, WHICH YOU WOULD NORMALLY THINK, 'OH, I'LL GO AND SEE THE SIGHTS,' RUNNING AROUND SHOPS, 'OH, I'LL GO AND SEE THE SIGHTS,' RUNNING AROUND SHOPS, TRYING TO FIND PHARMACIES TO GET, LIKE, REPLACEMENT TOOTHPASTE, TOILETRIES ` A LOT OF STRESS THAT I DIDN'T PARTICULARLY WANT ON, KIND OF, MY FIRST HOLIDAY THAT I'VE HAD IN QUITE A FEW YEARS, AND, OBVIOUSLY, THE EXPERIENCE OF WITNESSING MY FRIEND GET MARRIED, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY I'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO RELIVE, BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY. CHLOE'S EXPERIENCE IS THANKFULLY RARE, BUT LAST YEAR SAW THE WORST LOST BAGGAGE RATES GLOBALLY IN A DECADE. WE HAVE SEEN A 75% INCREASE YEAR ON YEAR, AND THAT'S AS A RESULT OF THE POST-PANDEMIC. WE'VE SEEN STAFF SHORTAGES, AND WE'VE SEEN A SURGE IN PASSENGER TRAFFIC. SO PEOPLE ARE REALLY ANXIOUS ABOUT TRAVELLING WITH BAGGAGE, AND WE'RE SEEING THAT WITH THE BAGGAGE MOUNTAINS. I THINK WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS PUT CONFIDENCE BACK IN TO PASSENGERS WHO TRAVEL WITH BAGS. AIRLINES ARE NOW USING A.I TO HELP REUNITE HOLIDAYMAKERS WITH THEIR LOST LUGGAGE. THERE'S AN ALGORITHM THAT BASICALLY WORKS OUT WHAT'S THE NEXT BEST AVAILABLE FLIGHT, AND THAT BAG IS THEN SENT DIRECTLY ON THAT FLIGHT WITHOUT ANY HUMAN INTERVENTION. THERE ARE A FEW THINGS YOU CAN DO TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF YOUR LUGGAGE GOING MISSING ` MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF YOUR BAG, SO IF IT DOES GO MISSING, THE AIRLINE KNOWS WHERE TO SEND IT; MAKE YOUR BAGS STAND OUT, ADD COLOURFUL STRAPS OR STICKERS SO SOMEONE AT THE AIRPORT DOESN'T PICK UP YOUR BAG INSTEAD OF THEIRS; YOU CAN ADD A GPS TRACKER TO FOLLOW YOUR LUGGAGE'S JOURNEY; KEEP ALL OF YOUR VALUABLES IN YOUR HAND LUGGAGE ` JUST FOR YOUR PEACE OF MIND, THEY'LL BE WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES; AND ALWAYS CHECK YOUR INSURANCE BEFORE YOU FLY SO IF ANYTHING DOES GO MISSING, YOU'RE COVERED. EASYJET HAS APOLOGISED TO CHLOE AND SAID IT WILL KEEP LOOKING FOR HER BAG FOR 45 DAYS BEFORE IT IS DECLARED LOST. FOR NOW, ALL CHLOE CAN DO IS WAIT AND HOPE HER BAG IS FOUND. TO SPORT ` AND ENGLAND HAVE SUFFERED A MAJOR BLOW FOR THE RUGBY WORLD CUP. CAPTAIN OWEN FARRELL WILL MISS THE FIRST TWO POOL GAMES AFTER BEING HANDED A FOUR-GAME BAN. FARRELL'S RED CARD WAS OVERTURNED BY AN INDEPENDENT JUDICIAL COMMITTEE AND THEN SUCCESSFULLY APPEALED BY WORLD RUGBY THIS MORNING. THE SKIPPER WILL MISS ENGLAND'S FIRST GAMES AT THE TOURNAMENT ` AGAINST ARGENTINA AND JAPAN, PLUS TWO WARM-UP MATCHES. AUSTRALIAN COACH EDDIE JONES HAS SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE ROLE SIR STEVE HANSEN WILL PLAY IN THE WALLABIES' BUILD-UP TO THE WORLD CUP. THE FORMER ALL BLACKS COACH CAUSED SHOCK WAVES WHEN IT WAS REVEALED HE'S HELPING AUSTRALIA BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT. JONES SAYS HANSEN'S THERE TO LOOK AT THE YOUNG AUSTRALIAN SIDE. THE TWO MAIN AREAS, MATE ` TRAINING QUALITY, WHICH IS A WAY OF IMPROVING, AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE TEAM. SO STEVE'S HAVING A LOOK AT BOTH OF THOSE AREAS, AND... LOOK, EVERY TIME HE SPEAKS, THERE IS SOME WISDOM IN WHAT HE SAYS. THE WALLABIES PLAY FRANCE NEXT WEEK IN THEIR FINAL WARM-UP MATCH BEFORE THE WORLD CUP. GEORGE BEAMISH HAS RECORDED THE BEST FINISH BY A NEW ZEALAND MAN IN THE STEEPLECHASE AT THE ATHLETICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. THE 26-YEAR-OLD FINISHED FIFTH IN THE MEN'S FINAL, JUST UNDER 10 SECONDS OFF THE WINNING PACE. AN IMPRESSIVE LAST LAP SAW BEAMISH MOVE TO THE FRONT OF THE PACK ` THE U.S.-BASED RUNNER CONFIDENT A PODIUM FINISH IS WITHIN REACH. I CAN'T BELIEVE I CLOSE THE MEDALS WERE TONIGHT. I THINK THEY WERE ALL WITHIN REACH, AND I DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO BE LOSING ANY SLEEP OVER IT, BUT JUST KNOWING THAT IT'S REALISTIC, AND, YEAH, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO PARIS, AND I THINK THERE IS A MEDAL OPPORTUNITY THEREFORE SHALL. BEAMISH WAS JUST 0.20 SECONDS OUTSIDE HIS NATIONAL RECORD SET IN MONACO LAST YEAR. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS HELD BY NICK WILLIS, THE BLACKCAPS COACHING STAFF WILL BE BOLSTERED BY TWO FORMER ENGLAND INTERNATIONALS FOR THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS OF TOURING. FIVE-TIME ASHES WINNER IAN BELL WILL JOIN THE TEAM AS AN ASSISTANT FOR THE T20 SERIES AGAINST ENGLAND LATER THIS MONTH. JAMES FOSTER WILL THEN ARRIVE FOR THE ONE DAY SERIES AND STAY FOR THE TEAM'S WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN. SPAIN'S PRIME MINISTER HAS MADE HIS OPINION CLEAR SURROUNDING THE CONTROVERSIAL KISS FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTRY'S FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION ON A PLAYER AFTER THE WORLD CUP FINAL. PRIME MINISTER PEDRO SANCHEZ BELIEVES IT SHOWS THERE'S STILL A LONG WAY TO GO IN TERMS OF EQUALITY AND RESPECT TOWARDS WOMEN IN SPAIN. HE SAYS THE APOLOGIES MADE BY LUIS RUBIALES DON'T GO FAR ENOUGH. (SPEAKS SPANISH) TRANSLATOR: I BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE SAW WAS AN UNACCEPTABLE GESTURE. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE APOLOGIES MADE BY MR RUBIALES WERE NOT ENOUGH. I EVEN BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE NOT ADEQUATE, AND THEREFORE, MR RUBIALES MUST TAKE STEPS TO CLARIFY WHAT WE ALL SAW THROUGH THE MEDIA. THE PLAYER INVOLVED, JENNI HERMOSO, SAID SHE DIDN'T LIKE THE ACTIONS, BUT A STATEMENT RELEASED LATER PLAYED DOWN THE ACTIONS. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY, I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. (WARM, RELAXING MUSIC) (WARM, RELAXING MUSIC) (WARM, RELAXING MUSIC) THANKS FOR JOINING US. FROM THE WHOLE MIDDAY TEAM, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY KITTY WASASALA AND TOM CLARKE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.