IT'S MIDDAY. TRIBUTES FLOW FOLLOWING THE SHOCK DEATH OF GREEN MP EFESO COLLINS AFTER COLLAPSING AT A CHARITY EVENT IN AUCKLAND. PLUS, FRESH WARNINGS FROM RESCUE TEAMS AFTER A CLOSE SHAVE ON THIS ROCKY SHORE. AND A MAJOR DISCOVERY BY ASTRONOMERS OF THE BRIGHTEST AND HUNGRIEST OBJECT IN THE UNIVERSE. CAPTIONS BY BILLY GARRATT-JOHN AND JULIE TAYLOR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 KIA ORA, GOOD AFTERNOON. GREEN MP AND FORMER AUCKLAND MAYORAL CANDIDATE FA'ANANA EFESO COLLINS HAS DIED AT AN AUCKLAND CHARITY EVENT THIS MORNING. KIM BAKER WILSON IS AT BRITOMART FOR US. KIM, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED? CHRIS I AM OUTSIDE BRITTO MART. FLOWERS ARE STARTING TO BE LAID ON THE GROUND. THIS WAS A CHILDFUND WATER RUN. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A JOYOUS MORNING AND FOR A WHILE IT WAS. A LOT OF SMILES TO BE SEEN BUT THEN THINGS TOOK A TURN FOR THE WORST. AT 9 O'CLOCK, GREEN MP COLLINS COLLAPSED. A LOT OF PARAMEDICS WORKED ON HIM FOR A LONG AMOUNT OF TIME DESPERATELY TRYING TO SAVE HIM, DOING EVERYTHING THEY COULD. EVENTUALLY IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT HE HAD PASSED AWAY. HIS BODY HAS NOW BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM HERE AND THERE HAVE BEEN BLESSINGS ON THE SCENE. PEOPLE WERE HAVING TO WATCH THIS UNFOLD, THE PEOPLE TAKING PART, THE ORGANISERS AND VOLUNTEERS. ALL THEY COULD DO WAS WATCH WITH THEIR HANDS UP TO THEIR MOUTHS. WE HEARD FROM ANOTHER COMMUNITY LEADER WHO WAS A BIG PLAYER IN THIS EVENT. I THINK ANYONE THAT COMES FROM OUR COMMUNITY AND GETS INVOLVED IN POLITICS AND IS A SUCCESS IN LIFE REPRESENTS HOPE, THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO COME FROM WHERE WE COME FROM AND BE A SUCCESS AND MAKE A SUCCESS OF YOUR LIFE. LET US TURN TO WHAT THE GREEN PARTY HAS SAID. IT IS SAYING THAT THEY ARE DEVASTATED THAT A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY HAS LOST THE DEDICATED FATHER, DEDICATED HUSBAND AND A COMMUNITY LEADER. A LOT OF TRIBUTES ARE STARTING TO COME IN NOW AND MORE FLOWERS ARE STARTING TO BE LAID. AS FOR WHAT HAPPENS IN PARLIAMENT, THEY WILL GATHER AT THE USUAL TIME THEY WILL LOOK TO GET AN ADJOURNMENT UNTIL NEXT WEEK OUT OF RESPECT. THANK YOU, KIM BAKER WILSON. WITH ME NOW IN THE STUDIO IS PACIFIC CORRESPONDENT BARBARA DREAVER. BARB, EFESO COLLINS WAS SUCH A BIG FIGURE IN THE PASIFIKA COMMUNITY. HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT DID HE HAVE? HUGE. THIS IS A MASSIVE, DEVASTATING LOSS. EVERYONE I TALK TO IS IN SHOCK. HE WAS THE SON OF A PASTOR, A PENTECOSTAL PASTOR AND HIS MUM WORKED IN A FACTORY. HE ALWAYS HAD THE HEART OF THE PEOPLE, HE WORE THE HEART OF THE PEOPLE ON HIS SLEEVE. OF COURSE HE WAS A MAYORAL CANDIDATE, HE WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL AS A COUNSELLOR AND A GREEN MP. HE REALLY ROSE TO GREAT HEIGHTS AND MUCH LOVED AS YOU HEARD. HE WAS REALLY RESPECTED, HE WAS A VOICE OF HOPE. WHAT WILL HIS LEGACY BE? EVERY PACIFIC PARENT DREAMS THEIR SON OR DAUGHTER WILL TAKE ON THE WORLD AND THAT'S WHY THEY COME TO NEW ZEALAND. HE REPRESENTED THAT SO MANY. HE CAME FROM A HUMBLE BEGINNING, BUT COULD RELATE TO PEOPLE AT A COMMUNITY LEVEL, AT A PERSONAL LEVEL AND ALSO AT A POLITICAL LEVEL. HE WAS THE VOICE ON THE STAGE NATIONALLY FOR SO MANY. , HE WAS BRAVE HE HAD A LOT OF RACISM TO CONTEND WITH. THERE WERE DEATH THREATS TOWARDS HIM AND HIS FAMILY. HE ALWAYS STOOD STRONG AND SPOKE SO WELL AND HIS ACTIONS SPOKE LOUDER THAN WORDS. HE WILL BE REALLY MISSED IN THE PACIFIC AND WIDER COMMUNITY. THANKS. PACIFIC CORRESPONDENT BARBARA DREAVER. TO OTHER NEWS NOW, AND THE OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SAYS IT'S SHOCKED AND CONCERNED AT AN ALARMING SURGE IN ECE CENTRES FALLING BELOW MINIMUM STANDARDS. THERE'S BEEN A NEARLY 40% RISE IN THE NUMBER OF CENTRES ON A PROVISIONAL LICENCE COMPARED TO THE YEAR BEFORE. SARAH ALEXANDER SAYS IT'S SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN SUCH AN INCREASE BEFORE. CHILDREN SHOULD BE HAPPY, WELL CARED FOR, WELL EDUCATED, PARENTS DELIGHTED WITH THE QUALITY PROVIDED. INSTEAD WE ARE SEEING THE OPPOSITE. IN OVER THE SPACE OF ONE YEAR, THERE HAS BEEN THIS MASSIVE INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF SERVICES JUST FIGHTING TO MEET EVEN THE BASIC MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR HEALTH AND SAFTEY CURRICULUM MANAGEMENT. SARAH ALEXANDER SAYS ECE CENTRES SHOULD BE FANTASTIC PLACES FOR CHILDREN. THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF WOOLWORTHS IN AUSTRALIA, WHICH OWNS WOOLWORTHS AND COUNTDOWN SUPERMARKETS HERE HAS RESIGNED. TO TELL US MORE, AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT AZIZ AL SA'AFIN JOINS US NOW FROM SYDNEY. AZIZ, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? THE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM WOOLWORTHS GROUP CAME A SHORT TIME AGO. AFTER 13 YEARS AT THE COMPANY, HE WILL BE RESIGNING. HE IS DUE TO EXIT HIS ROLE IN SEPTEMBER. AS YOU KNOW, IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING TIME FOR HIM HIS BEEN FACING GROWING CRITICISM IN THE PAST AND THAT ALL CAME TO A HEAD YESTERDAY ON ABCS FOUR CORNERS PROGRAM WHERE HE WAS CHALLENGING QUESTIONS ABOUT PRICE GAUGING. ARE WE GONNA LEAVE IT IN THERE IF WE ARE...? WELL, I MEAN, WE'RE ON THE RECORD. YOU SAID IT. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, LET'S MOVE ON, BUT... YEAH, NO, I THINK I'M DONE, GUYS. NOW HIS EXIT IS NOT THE ONLY THING WOOLWORTHS WAS DUE TO ANNOUNCE THIS MORNING. WE ARE EXPECTING THEIR HALF YEARLY RESULTS AS WELL AND WE WILL BRING YOU THOSE ROLES AS WELL AS MORE AT 6 PM. THE U.S. HAS VETOED A CEASEFIRE PROPOSAL AT THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL BUT PUT FORWARD ITS OWN PLAN TO PAUSE THE VIOLENCE. AMERICAN DIPLOMATS SAID ALGERIA'S CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE END TO THE CONFLICT COULD JEOPARDISE TALKS TO END THE WAR. IN ITS OWN PLAN, THE U.S. WARNED ISRAEL NOT TO INVADE THE CITY OF RAFAH, WHICH IS CURRENTLY HOME FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DISPLACED PEOPLE. THESE WERE NOT JUST U.S. IDEAS; THEY WERE ALL OF OUR IDEAS THAT I HAVE HEARD NEARLY EVERY MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL DISCUSS BOTH PRIVATELY AND PUBLICLY; IDEAS THAT WOULD NOT PUT SENSITIVE NEGOTIATIONS IN JEOPARDY THAT COULD LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR SUSTAINABLE PEACE. ISRAEL MAINTAINS ONGOING MILITARY ACTION IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET HOSTAGES BACK. PATIENTS ARE STILL BEING EVACUATED FROM THE NASSER HOSPITAL IN SOUTHERN GAZA DAYS AFTER IT WAS RAIDED BY THE ISRAELI MILITARY. ISRAEL HAS CONSISTENTLY ACCUSED HAMAS OF USING HOSPITALS AS COMMAND POSTS ` A CLAIM THE GROUP DENIES. THE BBC'S PAUL ADAMS REPORTS. RT: ONE PATIENT IN A WHEELCHAIR. ONE PATIENT ON A STRETCHER CAN BE` FIT IN THE AMBULANCE. IN THE DARKNESS OF NASSER HOSPITAL, A RESCUE UNDERWAY. FOR 14 PATIENTS, SOME OF THEM ELDERLY, A CHANCE TO ESCAPE A HOSPITAL ON ITS KNEES. (BOOM!) THE WAR IS NEARBY. THIS WAS NOT A SIMPLE OPERATION. WE DON'T SEE THEM HERE, BUT ISRAELI SOLDIERS CONTROL THE HOSPITAL. THE MISSION HAD TO BE CAREFULLY COORDINATED. THE HOSPITAL IS FILTHY, LARGE PARTS OF IT DESERTED. THIS IS A FORMER EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OF NASSER MEDICAL COMPLEX, AND IT'S A DEATH ZONE. THE HOSPITAL DIRECTOR LOOKS SHATTERED ` HE AND A HANDFUL OF STAFF KEEPING PATIENTS ALIVE DURING DAYS OF MILITARY SIEGE AND OCCUPATION. MY WORDS ARE NOT ENOUGH TO EXPRESS THE RESPECT THAT I'M FEELING, NOT ONLY FOR YOU, BUT FOR THESE PEOPLE THAT HAVE WORKED HERE. YOU CAN'T THINK ABOUT THE WAR SITUATION EVER. YOU, YOU MULTIPLY BY 10, AND THIS IS THE WORST SITUATION I HAVE SEEN IN MY LIFE. THE DEBRIS IS` THE LIGHT, WORKING IN THE DARKNESS. PATIENTS EVERYWHERE. ISRAEL SAYS IT HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO RAID THE HOSPITAL. HAMAS, IT SAYS, WAS HERE IN FORCE. THE ARMY FINDING WEAPONS AND ARRESTING SCORES OF SUSPECTED GUNMAN. IN THE CAR PARK, VEHICLES STOLEN FROM ISRAEL DURING THE ATTACKS OF OCTOBER THE 7th. AND IN THE PHARMACY ` A CHILLING DISCOVERY. MEDICATIONS SUPPOSED TO BE GIVEN TO VULNERABLE ISRAELI HOSTAGES. THE MEDICATIONS REMAIN. THE HOSTAGES ARE GONE. ISRAEL INSISTS NASSER HOSPITAL IS FUNCTIONING, BUT THE U.N. STILL WANTS TO GET PATIENTS OUT. AND THE CHARITY MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES SAYS NASSER IS NO LONGER CAPABLE OF TREATING PATIENTS. WHAT'S LEFT OF GAZA'S HEALTH SYSTEM, THEY SAY, IS BARELY FUNCTIONING. THE MOTHER OF LATE RUSSIAN OPPOSITION POLITICIAN ALEXEI NAVALNY IS DEMANDING HIS BODY BE RELEASED TO HER. NAVALNY DIED FOUR DAYS AGO IN A REMOTE PENAL COLONY IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE. PRISON AUTHORITIES SAY HE DIED OF 'SUDDEN DEATH SYNDROME' AND THAT INVESTIGATIONS ARE ONGOING. HIS MOTHER HAS BEEN MAKING DAILY VISITS TO THE MORGUE WHERE HIS BODY IS BELIEVED TO BE, BUT OFFICIALS HAVE NOT RELEASED IT FOR BURIAL. THE UNITED STATES WILL ANNOUNCE A NEW PACKAGE OF SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA AS THE FALLOUT OVER ALEXEI NAVALNY'S DEATH CONTINUES. THE NEW SANCTIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON FRIDAY U.S TIME. SUPPORTERS OF JULIAN ASSANGE HAVE MADE THEIR NOISY PRESENCE FELT AS HE CHALLENGES AN EXTRADITION RULING WHICH COULD SEE HIM SENT BACK TO THE UNITED STATES. ASSANGE CLAIMS THE EXTRADITION IS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED. THE BBC'S DOMINIC CASCIANI REPORTS. U.S! UK! (CROWD) HANDS OFF ASSANGE. A MOMENT OF LEGAL RECKONING, BUT NOT GOING QUIETLY. THE SCENE OUTSIDE THE HIGH COURT THIS MORNING, AS JULIAN ASSANGE'S LAWYERS PREPARED FOR WHAT MIGHT BE HIS LAST OPPORTUNITY TO PERSUADE BRITISH JUDGES TO STOP HIS EXTRADITION. HUNDREDS OF THE WIKILEAKS FOUNDER'S FAITHFUL TURNED OUT. ALL OUTRAGED AT HIS TREATMENT, ALL BELIEVING HE'S EXPOSED MAJOR WAR CRIMES AND IS BEING PUNISHED FOR REVEALING THE TRUTH. THE ROAD TO THIS HEARING STARTS WITH THESE SHOCKING PICTURES FROM 2010. LEAKED US FOOTAGE PUBLISHED BY JULIAN ASSANGE'S ORGANISATION... ...SHOWING A MILITARY HELICOPTER GUNNING DOWN CIVILIANS IN IRAQ. TWO YEARS LATER, MR. ASSANGE WAS HOLED UP HERE, ECUADOR'S EMBASSY IN LONDON CLAIMING ASYLUM, FEARING HE'D SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE IN A U.S JAIL. HE WAS DRAGGED OUT SEVEN YEARS LATER TO FACE EXTRADITION TO THE U.S, AN ORDER THAT WAS APPROVED TWO YEARS AGO BY THE COURTS AND HOME SECRETARY. BUT IN COURT TODAY, EDWARD FITZGERALD CASEY FOR MR. ASSANGE, SAID HE WAS A VICTIM OF A POLITICALLY MOTIVATED PLOT. HIS CLIENT WAS... FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAD EVEN ASKED THE CIA FOR DETAILED OPTIONS ON HOW TO ASSASSINATE MR. ASSANGE, HIS LAWYERS CLAIMED. OUTSIDE COURTS, HIS WIFE, STELLA ASSANGE, ACKNOWLEDGED TIME MIGHT BE RUNNING OUT. JULIAN WILL TRY TO BRING HIS CASE TO THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND HE WILL TRY TO OBTAIN AN ORDER TO STOP THE ACTUAL EXTRADITION OF HIM GETTING ON- BEING PUT ON A PLANE. IN THIS CASE, THERE WOULD BE IRREPARABLE HARM. SO WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS WILL RECOGNISE THAT JULIAN'S LIFE IS AT RISK. TOMORROW ,THE COURT WILL HEAR FROM THE UNITED STATES' TEAM. THEY SAY THE CASE IS BEING TOTALLY MISREPRESENTED. THEY WANT THEIR MAN AND THEY'RE NOT GIVING UP. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY - THE DRAMATIC COASTAL RESCUE THAT'S PROMPTED A WARNING FROM EMERGENCY SERVICES. PLUS, THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE RACE TIGHTENS UP AS MANCHESTER CITY SCORE A VITAL WIN. We got a new car you have to plug in. It goes for two wee stops. (DOG BARKS) One masterpiece. And four unlucky possums! Five! VOICEOVER: Fast charge on the road and pay like you're at home. With Genesis at charge net stations. THE FINALISTS FOR THE NEW ZEALANDER OF THE YEAR AWARDS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED THIS MORNING. THE NOMINEES FOR THE TOP AWARD ARE CLIMATE SCIENTIST DOCTOR JIM SALINGER, FASHION DESIGNER KIRI NATHAN AND ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL FIGURES IN INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL, SARAI BAREMAN. THE AWARDS CELEBRATE NEW ZEALANDERS WHO LEAD, GIVE HOPE AND INSPIRE. OTHER CATEGORIES INCLUDE INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR, LOCAL HERO AND YOUNG AND SENIOR NEW ZEALANDERS OF THE YEAR. RESCUE TEAMS ARE DOUBLING DOWN ON SAFETY WARNINGS FOLLOWING AN EMERGENCY RESCUE AT AUCKLAND'S BETHELLS BEACH LAST WEEK. THE TEAMS WERE CALLED IN WHEN A PERSON BECAME STUCK WHILE ROCK FISHING. COURTNEY HAMMOND HAS MORE. LUCKY TO BE ALIVE ` THAT'S HOW EMERGENCY TEAMS HAVE DESCRIBED THIS MAN AFTER FLOCKING TO HIS RESCUE LAST FRIDAY. INCOMING TIDE AND REASONABLY LARGE SWELLS. HE FOUND HIMSELF IN A SPOT OF BOTHER. FOOTAGE FROM THE RESCUE HELICOPTER SHOWING THE MAN STRANDED ON ROCKS AS WAVES CAME DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO SWEEPING HIM AWAY. A LUCKY INDIVIDUAL. TO SORT OF CHALLENGE THE ELEMENTS OUT ON THE WEST COAST VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING, DARK. AND, YOU KNOW, NO FLOTATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU JUST REALLY SORT OF START TO, YEAH, PUT THE ODDS AGAINST YOURSELF. THIS SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION ONE OF MANY THIS SUMMER. WE'VE HAD A SPATE OF THESE THIS YEAR. YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE RAGLANS, THE PORT WAIKATOS. THE WEST COAST HAS BEEN A BIT OF A HOTBED OF THESE SORT OF EVENTS UNFOLDING. WESTPAC RESCUES MARK CANNALL PUTTING IT DOWN TO SOME STERLING WEATHER. WE'RE ENJOYING A BEAUTIFUL SUMMER COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, AND I THINK WE'VE SEEN IT ` YOU KNOW, QUITE A FEW MORE PEOPLE GETTING OUT THERE AND, YEAH, REGRETTABLY, JUST WITH SOME OF THOSE, YOU KNOW` DUE DILIGENCE NOT BEING DONE, UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE SEEN A NUMBER OF FATALITIES. THE SPIKE IN CALL OUTS PROMPTING RESCUE TEAMS TO REITERATE SOME CRUCIAL SAFETY ORDERS. KNOW THE CONDITIONS. KNOW WHAT THE TIDE'S DOING. HAVE A BIT OF AN EXIT PLAN AS WELL. THE LIKES OF HAVING FLOTATION, A LIFE JACKET AND A FORM OF COMMUNICATION, SO IF SOMETHING DOES GO WRONG THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY RAISE THE ALARM. A WARNING TO TAKE CAUTION ON THOSE OUTDOOR EXCURSIONS. COURTNEY HAMMOND, 1 NEWS. ONE PERSON IS BELIEVED TO HAVE DIED DURING A STORM WHICH HIT THE U.S. STATE OF CALIFORNIA. THEIR BODY WAS FOUND IN A CREEK ` ONE OF MANY WHICH ROSE SWIFTLY, TAKING PEOPLE BY SURPRISE. NEARLY 30cm OF RAIN FELL IN A SINGLE DAY, AND THERE IS MORE RAIN FORECAST FOR COMING DAYS. THE DOWNPOURS EVEN SERIOUS ENOUGH TO CLOSE THE REGIONAL AIRPORT. VISITORS TO ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST PHOTOGRAPHED LANDMARKS WILL BE DISAPPOINTED, WITH THE EIFFEL TOWER STILL CLOSED AMID AN EXTENSION TO A WORKERS STRIKE. UNION MEMBERS VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO EXTEND THE STRIKE AND SAY THEY'LL KEEP DOING SO UNTIL A DEAL IS REACHED. IT'S HOPED THAT WILL HAPPEN BEFORE PARIS HOSTS THE SUMMER OLYMPICS LATER THIS YEAR. ASTRONOMERS HAVE JUST DISCOVERED THE BRIGHTEST AND HUNGRIEST OBJECT IN THE UNIVERSE. THE BBC'S JONATHAN AMOS EXPLAINS. AT THE CORE OF EVERY GALAXY THERE IS A GIANT BLACK HOLE. EVEN IN OUR OWN MILKY WAY, WE'VE GOT ONE. HERE IN THIS PICTURE. IT'S THE DARK REGION AT THE CENTRE OF THIS RING OF LIGHT. IT'S ACTUALLY QUITE MODEST, WEIGHING JUST 4 MILLION TIMES THE MASS OF OUR SUN, BUT FAR OFF IN SPACE, ALMOST AS FAR AS WE CAN SEE, THERE ARE TRUE MONSTERS WITH SO MUCH GRAVITY THAT THEY PULL PRODIGIOUS AMOUNTS OF MATTER ONTO THEMSELVES AND THIS IS THE LATEST TO BE DISCOVERED. IT GOES BY THE UNGAINLY NAME OF J0-529-4351, BUT THOSE NUMBERS BELIE ITS SIZE. IT WEIGHS SOME 17 BILLION TIMES THE MASS OF OUR SUN, AND IT HAS A VORACIOUS APPETITE. WHAT IS UNUSUAL IS THE RATE AT WHICH IT'S A DIGESTING OTHER MATERIAL, YOU KNOW, SWALLOWING MASS. AND THAT'S AT THE RATE OF ABOUT ONE SUN, ONE SOLAR MASS PER DAY... WOW. WHICH IS AN ENORMOUS RATE AND THAT MAKES IT VERY, VERY LUMINOUS. SCIENTISTS USED THE MOST ADVANCED TELESCOPES ON EARTH TO STUDY THE BLACK HOLES BEHAVIOUR. THEY SAY THE OBJECT IS EATING THROUGH SO MUCH MATTER IT'S EMITTING LIGHT EQUIVALENT TO 500 TRILLION SUNS. ALL GALAXIES SEEM TO HAVE A SUPERMASSIVE OBJECT AT THEIR CORE, WHICH PROBABLY MEANS SUCH AN OBJECT IS INTRINSIC TO THE EVOLUTION OF A GALAXY. WITHOUT THESE BLACK HOLES, OUR GALAXY AS WE KNOW IT WOULDN'T BE WHAT IT IS TODAY. AND IN FACT, ALL GALAXIES WOULD BE VERY DIFFERENT WITHOUT THEIR SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES. IN FACT, IT MAY EVEN BE POSSIBLE THAT ALL GALAXIES FORM AROUND THESE SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES. THE PUZZLE IS HOW SOME OF THESE BLACK HOLES GOT SO BIG SO EARLY IN TIME, WHICH COULD MEAN THEY WERE FORMING EVEN BEFORE THE FIRST STARS. TO SPORT, AND IT'S GAME DAY FOR THE BLACKCAPS, UP AGAINST AUSTRALIA IN THE FIRST OF THREE T20 INTERNATIONALS IN THE CAPITAL. IT HAS BEEN NEARLY FIVE YEARS SINCE AUSTRALIA LAST PLAYED IN NEW ZEALAND, WITH OVER 22,000 FANS EXPECTED FOR THE MATCH IN WELLINGTON. BLACKCAPS ALL-ROUNDER GLENN PHILLIPS IS CONFIDENT THEY KNOW WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO WIN. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S GONNA COME DOWN TO THE BOWLERS. THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE THEIR PLANS REALLY NAILED DOWN AND UNDERSTAND THAT AS WE GO ALONG FOR THE INNINGS, WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY HAVE TO CHANGE A FEW THINGS, ESPECIALLY WITH GUYS LIKE MAXWELL COMING IN AND TRYING TO CHANGE UP THE GAME, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE GROUND DIMENSIONS ARE VERY SIMILAR TO ADELAIDE, WHERE THEY PLAY QUITE A LOT. AND THE BLACKCAPS' SUMMER OF CRICKET WILL CONTINUE ON TVNZ AND TVNZ+ TONIGHT FROM 6.55. THE CRUSADERS ARE CONFIDENT THEY CAN FILL THE VOID LEFT BY INJURED FULL BACK WILL JORDAN. THE CRUSADERS ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY THAT JORDAN WILL MISS THE 2024 SEASON DUE TO SURGERY FOR AN ONGOING SHOULDER INJURY. LOCK QUINTEN STRANGE SAYS THE TEAM AREN'T WORRIED ABOUT THEIR DEPTH. THEY'RE STILL GONNA ADD OFF THE FIELD. THERE'S SHAFFEY. HARKEY'S HAD A REALLY GOOD PRE-SEASON. HE'S READY TO GO. HE'S BEEN HERE A FEW YEARS NOW, SO EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HE CAN BRING AND WILL CONTRIBUTE IN THE BACKGROUND. YOU KNOW, HE'LL BE MISSED, BUT HE'S STILL THERE. THE CRUSADERS SPENT SOME TIME WITH FIRE CREWS YESTERDAY, SHOWING THEIR APPRECIATION TO THOSE WHO BATTLED THE PORT HILLS BLAZE. MANCHESTER CITY HAVE CLOSED THE GAP TO ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE LEADERS LIVERPOOL AFTER A 1-0 WIN OVER BRENTFORD THIS MORNING. THE BEES MADE IT A CHALLENGE FOR THE HOME SIDE. MAN CITY'S STRIKER ERLING HAALAND BREAKING THE DEADLOCK IN THE 71st MINUTE. ...TRY AND BREAK IN EARLY. HAARLAND. IT COULD BE A GOAL HERE. THIS IS ERLING HAALAND. MAKES NO MISTAKE. MANCHESTER CITY HAVE FOUND A BREAKTHROUGH AFTER SO MANY CHANCES IN THIS GAME. THE SKY BLUES ARE NOW JUST ONE POINT BEHIND LIVERPOOL ON THE LADDER. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. PLUS, BRACE YOURSELVES, BEATLES FANS. THE FOUR FILMS PLANNED ON THE FAB FOUR. FANS OF THE BEATLES ARE IN FOR A TREAT ` IN FACT, FOUR OF THEM. IT'S BEEN ANNOUNCED OSCAR-WINNING BRITISH DIRECTOR SAM MENDES WILL HELM FOUR SEPARATE BIOPICS ON THE FAB FOUR. THE MOVIES WILL TELL THE STORY OF THE BEATLES FROM THE PERSPECTIVES OF EACH BAND MEMBER. PAUL McCARTNEY, RINGO STARR AND THE FAMILIES OF JOHN LENNON AND GEORGE HARRISON HAVE GIVEN THEIR BLESSING TO THE PROJECT, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE RELEASED IN 2027. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. (COVER OF TAYLOR SWIFT'S 'LOVER') # WE CAN LEAVE THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS UP TILL JANUARY, # COS THIS IS OUR HOUSE, AND WE MAKE THE RULES. # AND THERE'S A DAZZLING HAZE, # A MYSTERIOUS WAY ABOUT YOU, DEAR. # HAVE I KNOWN YOU 20 SECONDS OR 20 YEARS? # CAN I GO # WHERE YOU GO? # CAN WE ALWAYS # BE THIS CLOSE # FOREVER AND EVER? # AND, AH, TAKE ME OUT, # AND TAKE ME HOME. # YOU'RE MY, MY, MY, MY # LOVER... # THANKS FOR JOINING US. FROM THE WHOLE MIDDAY TEAM, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY BILLY GARRATT-JOHN AND JULIE TAYLOR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.