A CHARITY BOSS ACCUSES ISRAEL OF DELIBERATELY TARGETING AN AID CONVOY IN WHICH SEVEN WORKERS WERE KILLED. A MAN AND A WOMAN APPEAR IN COURT CHARGED OVER AN ALLEGED KIDNAPPING AFTER A DRAMATIC ARREST AT A BAR. AND THE GOVERNMENT IS PROMISING TO MAKE BUILDING A NEW HOME CHEAPER AND EASIER BY CUTTING RED TAPE ON OVERSEAS PRODUCTS. CAPTIONS BY FAITH HAMBLYN AND JAMES BROWN. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024. TENA TATOU KATOA. GOOD EVENING. THE FOUNDER OF THE CHARITY WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN SAYS THE ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE THAT KILLED SEVEN OF HIS AID WORKERS IN GAZA WASN'T AN ACCIDENT. JOSE ANDRES SAYS HIS TEAM HAD BEEN CO-ORDINATING THEIR MOVEMENTS WITH THE ISRAELI DEFENCE FORCE, AND THEY WERE SYSTEMATICALLY TARGETED. BUT THE IDF MAINTAINS THE AIRSTRIKE WAS A MISTAKE. ALICE WILKINS REPORTS. JOSE ANDRES, AN AWARD-WINNING SPANISH-AMERICAN CHEF AND THE FOUNDER OF CHARITY 'WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN', PUTTING THE BLAME ON ISRAEL. WE WERE TARGETED DELIBERATELY, NONSTOP, UNTIL EVERYBODY WAS DEAD IN THIS CONVOY. HE SAYS HIS SEVEN DEAD TEAM MEMBERS WERE HIT SYSTEMATICALLY, CAR BY CAR, WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING FOOD INTO GAZA. THE CHARITY WORKERS CAME FROM THE UK, POLAND AND AUSTRALIA, AND ONE WAS A DUAL CITIZEN OF THE U.S. AND CANADA. THEIR PALESTINIAN COLLEAGUE WAS ALSO KILLED. THIS WAS NOT JUST A BAD-LUCK SITUATION, WHERE, OOPS, WE DROPPED A BOMB IN THE WRONG PLACE, OR... NO, THIS WAS OVER 1.5km, 1.8km, WITH A VERY DEFINED HUMANITARIAN CONVOY. ANDRES REVEALED HE WAS MEANT TO BE WITH THE GROUP, AND BECAME EMOTIONAL DURING AN INTERVIEW ON ISRAELI TV. I'VE BEEN IN GAZA MYSELF. I MET, AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT DIED WERE... (VOICE BREAKS) WERE MY FRIENDS. AND I SERVED WITH THEM. (SIREN WAILS) TODAY A CONVOY OF A DIFFERENT KIND, AS THE SIX FOREIGNERS' BODIES WERE CARRIED OUT OF GAZA IN A SERIES OF AMBULANCES TO BE REPATRIATED. AT THE BORDER WITH EGYPT, AS THEIR PAPERWORK WAS PROCESSED, BATTERED PASSPORTS GAVE AN INDICATION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THEIR DEATHS. JIM HENDERSON (33) WAS FROM THE UK AND AN EX-MARINE WHO WAS PART OF THE SECURITY TEAM. IT SORT OF SUMS HIM UP, IN A WAY ` WHAT HE DIED DOING, PUTTING EVERYONE ELSE AHEAD OF HIM FOR NO REWARD AT ALL. HEY, THIS IS ZOMI AND CHEF OLIVIER. AUSTRALIAN ZOMI FRANKCOM WAS 43 YEARS OLD AND THE RELIEF LEAD. SHE'S MY OLDEST FRIEND. I'VE KNOWN HER SINCE WE WERE 6 YEARS OLD. SHE WAS SO PASSIONATE. ISRAEL'S MILITARY HAS VOWED TO INVESTIGATE WHAT IT HAS CALLED A 'GRAVE MISTAKE'. BUT WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN SAYS IT WAS CO-ORDINATING ITS MOVEMENTS WITH THE ISRAELI MILITARY, AND THAT THE TEAM TRIED TO CALL THE IDF EVEN AS THEY CAME UNDER FIRE. AND NOW THE FOUNDER OF THE INTERNATIONAL FOOD KITCHEN IS DEMANDING ANSWERS ON WHAT WENT WRONG. ALICE WILKINS, NEWSHUB. THE COMMERCE COMMISSION HAS RELEASED A STATEMENT DETAILING ISSUES THEY HAVE WITH THE POTENTIAL MERGER OF FOODSTUFF'S NORTH ISLAND AND SOUTH ISLAND COMPANIES. FOR MORE ON THIS, LET'S GO TO OUR REPORTER LAURA TUPOU. LAURA, WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS? ONE OF THE HUGE CONCERNS AS THE MARKET POWER AND NEW ENTITY WOULD HAVE OVER SUPPLIERS, EFFECTIVELY INCREASING THE VULNERABILITY WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS LIKE NEGOTIATING TRADE TERMS AND MARGINS. THE SUPERMARKETS SAY IF WE ARE BUYING SOMETHING AT A LOWER PRICE, WE WILL PASS THAT ON TO CUSTOMERS, SO WILL BE PAYING LESS AT THE TILL. THERE IS AN ISSUE AROUND POTENTIALLY THE CAPABILITY OF THE SUPPLIERS TO INVEST OR INNOVATE, FOR EXAMPLE. AT THE MOMENT IN NEW ZEALAND WE HAVE THREE MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE SUPERMARKET GAME. WE HAVE FOODSTUFFS NORTH ISLAND, FOURSQUARE, NEW WORLD, PACK AND SAVE. FOODSTUFF SOUTH ISLAND HAS A COUPLE MORE AND WOOLWORTHS, FORMALLY COUNT DOWN. THE COMMERCE COMMISSION'S ROLE HERE IS THEY MUST BE SATISFIED WITH THE MERGING OF THOSE TWO COMPANIES THAT IT WOULDN'T LIKELY HAVE THE EFFECT OF SUBSTANTIALLY LESSENING COMPETITION IN ANY MARKET IN NEW ZEALAND. AT THE MOMENT, THEY ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THIS PROPOSAL. THEY HAVE INCREASED THEIR DECISION. THEY HAVE PUSHED OUT TO 31 MAY. THEY HAVE I UNTIL 18 APRIL TWO HAVE SUBMISSIONS FROM THE PUBLIC. A MAN (32) HAS APPEARED IN AUCKLAND'S NORTH SHORE DISTRICT COURT CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING, WOUNDING AND FIREARMS CHARGES. IT COMES AFTER A WOMAN WAS FORCIBLY TAKEN FROM A BEACHHAVEN HOME THIS WEEK. ADAM HOLLINGWORTH REPORTS. THE AUCKLAND MAN IS CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING, WOUNDING WITH INTENT TO CAUSE GRIEVOUS BODILY HARM, COMMISSION OF A CRIME USING A FIREARM AND BURGLARY USING A FIREARM. THE JUDGE GRANTED HIM INTERIM NAME SUPPRESSION TO GIVE HIM 72 HOURS TO CALL HIS MOTHER IN AUSTRALIA. HIS APPEARANCE COMES AFTER DRAMATIC PICTURES WERE RELEASED OF HIS ALLEGED ARREST AT HEADQUARTERS WATERFRONT BAR YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. A WOMAN WAS ARRESTED MOMENTS LATER. A 28-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WAS DUE TO APPEAR AUCKLAND DISTRICT COURT TODAY OVER OUTSTANDING ARREST WARRANTS AND POSSESSION OF A 12-GAUGE SHOTGUN IN A PUBLIC PLACE. THE 32-YEAR-OLD MAN HAS BEEN REMANDED IN CUSTODY TO APPEAR AGAIN IN COURT ON THE 23rd OF APRIL, WHEN HE WILL ENTER A PLEA. ADAM HOLLINGWORTH, NEWSHUB. THE LATEST ROUND OF GOVERNMENT JOB CUTS HAS SEEN THE PROPOSED DISESTABLISHMENT OF THE SUICIDE PREVENTION OFFICE. THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH TODAY PROPOSED A RESTRUCTURE WHICH WOULD REDUCE ITS HEADCOUNT BY 134 JOBS, INCLUDING THE DIRECTOR OF THE SUICIDE PREVENTION OFFICE. POLITICAL EDITOR JENNA LYNCH JOINS US FOR MORE ON THIS. JENNA, WHAT'S THE MINISTRY'S REASONING FOR THIS? THIS IS THE LATEST IN THE PUBLIC SERVICES EFFORT TO MEET THE PROPOSED CUT TARGETS BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE MINISTRY FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT ALSO TODAY OPENED A ROUND OF VOLUNTARY REDUNDANCIES. THE SUICIDE PREVENTION OFFICE WAS CREATED IN 2019 BY THE LABOUR GOVERNMENT IN RESPONSE TO A KEY RECOMMENDATION OF THE MENTAL HEALTH ENQUIRY. THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH IS PROPOSING THE DISESTABLISHMENT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THAT OFFICE ALONG WITH TWO OTHER ROLES. IT IS PROPOSING THE TWO REMAINING ROLES WITHIN THAT UNIT BE ABSORBED INTO THE WIDER MENTAL HEALTH TEAM AT THE MINISTRY, WHICH THE OFFICE OPERATED WITHIN. IT SAYS THE SUICIDE PREVENTION WORK WILL CONTINUE, EVEN IF THE OFFICE IS NOT. THIS NEWS HAS BEEN MET WITH MIXED REACTION FROM THE SICK. PLATFORM TRUST, THE BODY THAT REPRESENTS MENTAL HEALTH NGOS, SAID THEY WILL BE DISAPPOINTED BY MOVES THAT WILL AFFECT THE DELIVERY OF SUICIDE PREVENTION. OTHERS I SPOKE TO IN THE SECTOR SAID WHILE THE OFFICE DID SOME GOOD WORK, IT WAS NEVER RESOURCED WELL ENOUGH TO REACH ITS FULL POTENTIAL. SURPRISING DEVELOPMENT JUST BEFORE WE CAME TO AIR; I GOT A STATEMENT THROUGH FROM THE MINISTER OF MENTAL HEALTH, WHO HAS BEEN COMPLETELY CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY THIS. HE SAID THE CLOSURE OF THE SUICIDE PREVENTION OFFICE WAS NEVER RAISED WITH HIM. HE HAS NOW SPOKEN TO THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF HEALTH, TO MAKE HIS EXPECTATIONS CLEAR THAT THE OFFICE REMAIN OPEN AND THE SUICIDE PREVENTION WORK CONTINUES. THE CLOSURE OF A SUICIDE PREVENTION OFFICE IS NOT A HEADLINE YOU WANT WHEN YOU ARE THE FIRST EVER MENTAL HEALTH MINISTER IN THIS COUNTRY. DOZENS OF PEOPLE ARE STILL MISSING, AFTER TAIWAN WAS HIT BY ITS BIGGEST EARTHQUAKE IN 25 YEARS YESTERDAY. THE DEATH TOLL STANDS AT NINE, AND MORE THAN 900 PEOPLE ARE INJURED. THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SAYS 157 NEW ZEALANDERS WERE IN TAIWAN WHEN THE 7.4-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE STRUCK NEAR THE CITY OF HUALIEN, BUT NONE ARE THOUGHT TO BE INJURED. NICK TRUEBRIDGE HAS THE LATEST. A GRIM DISCOVERY NEAR TAICHUNG, ON TAIWAN'S WEST COAST. THESE PICTURES, COURTESY OF THE TAICHUNG FIRE BUREAU, REVEALING BODIES SCATTERED AMONG THE BOULDERS. BACK IN BATTERED HUALIEN, THE CAREFUL TASK OF DEMOLISHING TEETERING BUILDINGS HAS STARTED. TRANSLATOR: WE HOPE TO COMPLETE THE DEMOLITION IN TWO DAYS' TIME. THERE ARE FOUR BUILDINGS IN TOTAL. THE BUILDINGS ARE TILTED, AND THEY ARE A SECURITY RISK. AFTER DISCUSSING WITH THE RESIDENTS AND TURNING OFF THE WATER PIPE AND ELECTRICITY, WE STARTED THE DEMOLITION. THEN THERE ARE THESE SCENES. RESCUERS DIG INTO CONCRETE RUBBLE TO TRY AND FIND THOSE UNACCOUNTED FOR. DOZENS OF PEOPLE ARE THOUGHT TO BE PINNED UNDERNEATH. TRANSLATOR: ALL RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FROM BUILDINGS THAT ARE IN A DANGEROUS STATE WERE EVACUATED. MEANWHILE, THIS PICTURE OF A GIANT BOULDER CLIPPING A CAR SHOWS JUST HOW CLOSE SOME CAME TO LOSING THEIR LIVES. AND IN THE COUNTRY'S HOSPITALS, NURSES GRABBED AT BASSINETS, AS NEW-BORNS GOT A ROCKY INTRODUCTION TO LIFE. AND JAPANESE AUTHORITIES SAY IT'S NOT OVER. TRANSLATOR: THE POSSIBILITY OF SIMILAR EARTHQUAKES OCCURRING AFTER THE MAJOR EARTHQUAKES ARE FROM 10% TO 20%, SO PLEASE BE CAREFUL OF THE EARTHQUAKES FOR ANOTHER WEEK. SCENES LIKE THIS ARE A STARK REMINDER OF WHAT LIFE'S LIKE IN THE PACIFIC RING OF FIRE. THE FOCUS IN THE COMING DAYS IS ON RESCUING THOSE STILL TRAPPED IN THE FLATTENED BUILDINGS IN HUALIEN, TO THE BATTERED HILLSIDES SURROUNDING IT. NICK TRUEBRIDGE, NEWSHUB. THE GOVERNMENT IS PROMISING TO LOOSEN THE RULES AROUND THE USE OF OVERSEAS BUILDING PRODUCTS TO MAKE IT CHEAPER AND EASIER TO BUILD NEW HOUSES. IT PLANS TO PASS LEGISLATION BY THE END OF YEAR WHICH WILL ALLOW BUILDERS TO RELY ON PRODUCT STANDARDS FROM OVERSEAS. HERE'S POLITICAL REPORTER JAMIE ENSOR. MEETING THOSE ON THE TOOLS BUILDING THE NEXT BATCH OF KIWI HOMES. DO YOU HAVE, LIKE, THE BEST SHED AT HOME? OH, SORT OF, YEAH. BUT IT'S MORE HOUSES THAT WE NEED. AND THEY'RE INCREASINGLY EXPENSIVE TO BUILD. BUILDING COSTS IN NEW ZEALAND ARE 50% HIGHER THAN IN AUSTRALIA. WE'RE SAYING 'UNACCEPTABLE'. A 2022 MARKET STUDY INTO BUILDING SUPPLIES RECOMMENDED REMOVING BARRIERS FOR A RANGE OF PRODUCTS TO CREATE MORE COMPETITION. ENTER THE GOVERNMENT WITH A GRAND DESIGN OF ITS OWN. WE WANT TO MAKE IT EASIER AND CHEAPER TO BUILD. TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS OF GETTING NEW MATERIALS INTO THE MARKET, THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSES RECOGNISING BUILDING PRODUCT STANDARDS FROM TRUSTED OVERSEAS JURISDICTIONS, LIKE AUSTRALIA; REQUIRING CONSENTING AUTHORITIES TO ACCEPT PRODUCTS THAT COMPLY WITH OVERSEAS STANDARDS EQUIVALENT TO OR HIGHER THAN OURS; AND APPROVING PRODUCTS ALREADY ENDORSED THROUGH REPUTABLE OVERSEAS CERTIFICATION SCHEMES. SO THAT WE CAN BRING COMPETITION INTO THE MARKETPLACE, SO THAT WE CAN LOWER PRICES, SO THAT KIWIS GET CHEAPER HOUSES. BUT THE SECTOR WARNS NOT TO JUST OPEN THE FLOODGATES. THERE'S MANY COUNTRIES IN WESTERN EUROPE THAT HAVE GOOD QUALITY PRODUCTS, NORTH AMERICA, JAPAN. OTHERS, WE'VE JUST GOTTA WORK THROUGH A BIT MORE CAREFULLY. THEY MAY HAVE A DECENT STANDARD, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THE PRODUCT HAS BEEN ACTUALLY MANUFACTURED. WE'VE GOT THE BUILDING CONSENT AUTHORITIES STILL HAVE TO APPROVE THE BUILDING PROJECT OVERALL. AN OVERSEAS PRODUCT MAY ALSO NOT BE RIGHT FOR NEW ZEALAND'S ENVIRONMENT. YES, WE HAVE SOME UNIQUE WEATHER CONDITIONS, BUT ACTUALLY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT NORTH AMERICA, WITH 370 MILLION PEOPLE IN IT, WITH A RANGE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS AS WELL, THAT'S SOMETIMES USED AS AN EXCUSE. LABOUR SAYS THE CHANGES DON'T GO FAR ENOUGH. THINGS LIKE REBATES USED BY THE BIG PLAYERS TO SKEW THE MARKET AND KEEP SMALLER SUPPLIERS OUT NEED TO STOP. AND NATIONAL KNOW THAT, BUT THESE CHANGES DON'T ADDRESS IT AT ALL. THE GOVERNMENT WILL INTRODUCE LEGISLATION INTO THE PARLIAMENT LATER THIS YEAR. AT THE SAME TIME, IT WILL CONSULT WITH THE SECTOR ON SOME OF THOSE KEY DETAILS, INCLUDING WHICH COUNTRIES' STANDARDS WE COULD CHOOSE TO ACCEPT. JAMIE ENSOR, NEWSHUB. MAORI SEATS ON SOME COUNCILS COULD BE ABOUT TO GO, AFTER THE GOVERNMENT CONFIRMED ITS PLAN TO REQUIRE REFERENDUMS FOR THEM. THAT MEANS MOST COUNCILS WILL HAVE TO POLL RESIDENTS OR SCRAP THE SEATS ALTOGETHER. LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS CALLED THE MOVE A COMPLETE OVERREACH AND SAYS IT PUTS MAORI REPRESENTATION AT RISK. LEIGHTON HEIKELL REPORTS. PERA PANIORA IS THE KAIPARA DISTRICT'S MAORI WARD COUNCILLOR. I GET A GREAT SENSE OF SATISFACTION AND ENJOYMENT OUT OF REPRESENTING AND ADVOCATING FOR THE RIGHTS AND INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE IN THE KAIPARA. AND SHE'S NOT AFRAID TO STAND UP FOR THEM, SPARKING A PROTEST IN 2022 AFTER BEING SHUT DOWN FOR REQUESTING A COUNCIL MEETING TO BEGIN WITH A KARAKIA. I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT. SORRY, YOU CANNOT INTERJECT. BUT NOW HER SEAT AT THE TABLE COULD BE IN JEOPARDY, BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT WILL INTRODUCE A BILL REQUIRING COUNCILS TO HOLD REFERENDUMS ON MAORI WARDS. IT WAS JUST ANOTHER BLOW, ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE SWIPES AT MAORI AND THE ADVANCEMENTS THAT WE'VE FOUGHT REALLY HARD FOR. THESE ARE MOST OF THE COUNCILS THAT HAVE MAORI WARDS, OR WILL BY NEXT YEAR. AND UNDER THE CHANGES, ALL BUT FOUR OF THEM WILL HAVE TO HOLD A REFERENDUM. THIS IS ABOUT LOCAL COMMUNITIES, LOCAL VOTERS MAKING THOSE DECISIONS FOR THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THE MOVE WAS PART OF THE COALITION AGREEMENT WITH NZ FIRST AND THE ACT PARTY. I'M NOT INTERESTED IN TRYING TO CATEGORISE PEOPLE BY A RACIAL OBSESSION THAT HAS GRIPPED THIS COUNTRY FOR TOO LONG. UNDER THE LAST LABOUR-LED GOVERNMENT, CHANGES WERE MADE SO COUNCILLORS COULD DECIDE WHETHER TO INTRODUCE MAORI WARDS. WILLIE JACKSON IS CALLING THIS CHANGE A BACKWARDS STEP. IT'S DISGRACEFUL THE WAY THEY CONTINUE TO BOOT MAORI IN THE GUTS AND ATTACK MAORI AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES. LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEW ZEALAND SAYS IT'S A COMPLETE OVERREACH. THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE FAR BETTER FOCUSED ON WORKING WITH US TO RESOLVE ISSUES LIKE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORT THAN TO HAVE THIS AS A DISTRACTION. PLUS, IT WILL COST COUNCILS TOO. THE REFERENDUMS WILL NO DOUBT ADD AN ADDITIONAL COST FOR COUNCILS WHO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. THAT COMES AT A TIME WHEN RATES ARE HIGHER THAN THEY'VE EVER BEEN. COUNCILS CAN JUST SAVE MONEY BY CANCELLING RACE-BASED WARDS. BUT THEY'D ALSO RISK LOSING MAORI VOICES AT THE TABLE. LEIGHTON HEIKELL, NEWSHUB. THE HOSTS OF LAST MONTH'S SECOND CRICKET TEST AT CHRISTCHURCH'S HAGLEY OVAL HAVE ADMITTED THEIR WASTE-MANAGEMENT APPROACH SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER. VENUES OTAUTAHI SUPPLIED RECYCLING BINS, BUT NEGLECTED TO MAKE A PLAN TO SORT THE WASTE, SO IT ALL WENT TO THE DUMP. THOUSANDS WHO ATTENDED THE FOUR-DAY EVENT USED THE RECYCLING BINS, BUT THE ORGANISERS SAID THE WASTE WAS NOT RECYCLED, DUE TO CONTAMINATION. THE ZERO WASTE NETWORK SAID IT'S UNFAIR TO BLAME THE CONSUMERS. IT'S VERY SURPRISING TO FIND THAT YOU COULD STILL GO TO AN EVENT, WHERE SOMEONE'S PRETENDING THEY'RE RECYCLING, WHEN THEY'RE NOT, AND GIVING PEOPLE THE IMPRESSION THAT THAT'S HAPPENING, AND THAT'S JUST THE CLASSIC GREENWASH ` YOU KNOW, YOU'RE MAKING IT LOOK AS THOUGH YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE NOT, IN ORDER TO GIVE A FALSE IMPRESSION. AND I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE BEYOND THAT, AT THE MOMENT, WITH RECYCLING, BUT IT SEEMS THAT WE'RE NOT. SUE COUTTS SAID WASTE-MANAGEMENT PLANS AT LARGE EVENTS SHOULD BE MONITORED TO HOLD ORGANISERS TO ACCOUNT. TIME NOW FOR NEWSHUB WEATHER, AND THE STATS ARE OUT. MARCH WAS COLD, HEATHER? NIWA'S CONFIRMED IT ` SUMMER ENDED ABRUPTLY. MARCH, IN FACT, WAS OUR COLDEST MARCH IN 12 YEARS. THE AVERAGE TEMP WAS 14.8 DEGREES ` THAT'S 0.99 DEGREE BELOW AVERAGE. A COUPLE OF KEY CLIMATE DRIVERS ARE TO BLAME ` A DISPLACED POLAR JETSTREAM AND A WANING EL NINO. THE CLIMATE EXTREMES FOR THE MAIN CENTRES ARE ALL FAIRLY PREDICTABLE, BUT A RECORD WAS BROKEN OUTSIDE OF THE CITIES ` HICKS BAY HAD THEIR DRIEST MARCH EVER. LOOKING AHEAD ` TEMPERATURES FOR APRIL ARE EXPECTED TO BE NORMAL; MAYBE EVEN ABOVE NORMAL. I'LL BE BACK WITH THE FULL FORECAST AFTER SPORT. WHY HAS TEACHING HISTORY BECOME SUCH A PROBLEM IN OUR SCHOOLS? THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE LOCAL HISTORY OF AOTEAROA AND THE GLOBAL HISTORY IS PROVING DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE. THE CHRISTCHURCH COMPANY WORKING WITH NASA TO CREATE A SOLAR-POWERED SPACESHIP. AND, MAMMA MIA, HERE WE GO AGAIN ` REALLY? A THIRD FILM? HOUSE-INSURANCE PREMIUMS HAVE JUMPED BY MORE THAN A THIRD IN SOME PARTS OF NEW ZEALAND. THOSE GROWING CHARGES ARE BEING BLAMED IN PART ON CLIMATE CHANGE, AND ONE BANK IS WARNING URGENT ACTION IS LONG OVERDUE. PERRY WILTON REPORTS. TAMAKI MAKAURAU FEELING THE PREMIUM PINCH. I PULLED MY INSURANCE FROM MY CAR. YEAH, IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE. MEDICAL CARE IS REALLY EXPENSIVE ` THE PREMIUM ON THAT STUFF HAS GONE UP, SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO WORK A LITTLE EXTRA HARDER AND LONGER, JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET. SOARING INSURANCE COSTS TODAY EXPOSED IN NEW FIGURES FROM CONSULTANT FIRM FINITY, WHICH PAINTS A GRIM PICTURE. FINITY HAS BEEN PROVIDING UPDATES TO TREASURY AND GOVERNMENT MINISTERS EVERY THREE MONTHS, AND BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 2022 AND JULY 2023, THE AVERAGE 'CHEAPEST' INSURANCE QUOTE ROSE 22.6% FROM $1400 TO $1700. IT'S A REAL CONCERN FOR THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY. CONSUMER NZ HAS DONE ITS OWN RESEARCH AND CONFIRMS INSURANCE PRICES ARE HITTING HARD. 60% OF THE PEOPLE WE THE PEOPLE WE SURVEYED LATE LAST YEAR 60% OF THE PEOPLE WE THE PEOPLE WE SURVEYED LATE LAST YEAR ARE CONCERNED WITH COST OF INSURANCE AND ARE CONSIDERING TAKING STEPS TO REDUCE THEIR OVERALL INSURANCE COSTS. AND CLIMATE CHANGE IS A MAJOR FACTOR. THE ANNIVERSARY FLOODS AND CYCLONE GABRIELLE CAUSED ALMOST $4B WORTH OF INSURANCE LOSSES. THE INSURANCE COUNCIL SAYING WHILE INFLATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR HAS CONTRIBUTED, THE CLIMATE FACTOR IS IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE. INSURANCE PREMIUM HAVE INCREASED IN THE ORDER OF 20%, 25% IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS. ASB TODAY RELEASED ITS OWN REPORT ` INFRASTRUCTURE NOT A PIPE DREAM; IT SAYS NZ'S FACING A TRILLION-DOLLAR BILL OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS TO FUTURE-PROOF ITS INFRASTRUCTURE; SENIOR ASB ECONOMIST MARK SMITH WARNING INSURANCE IS THE ECONOMIC CANARY IN THE CLIMATE-CHANGE COAL MINE. WE'VE PROBABLY KICKED THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD FOR A BIT TOO LONG ` NOW THE CONSEQUENCES ARE REALLY BECOMING VERY CLEAR. THE CHICKENS HAVE COME HOME TO ROOST, ESSENTIALLY. IF WE DON'T INVEST NOW, THE BILL EVEN FURTHER DOWN THE TRACK WILL BE THAT MUCH GREATER. AND WITH SOME SOLUTIONS ON THE TABLE,... A GREAT START WOULD BE TO STOP BUILDING IN DUMB PLACES. ...DUMB DECISIONS THAT SEE CLIMATE CHANGE HITTING US IN THE WALLET. PERRY WILTON, NEWSHUB. DUNEDIN'S NEW HOSPITAL BUILD IS WELL UNDERWAY, BUT REPORTEDLY OVER BUDGET. NEW ZEALAND'S LARGEST EVER HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT HAD ALREADY HIT A PRICE TAG OF CLOSE TO $1.7B. HEALTH NEW ZEALAND TE WHATU ORA TODAY CONFIRMED THAT COST PRESSURES HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO MINISTERS, BUT WEREN'T ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAIL WHILE ADVICE IS BEING CONSIDERED. CHRISTCHURCH-BASED SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN AWARDED FUNDING TO DEVELOP HIGH-ALTITUDE SOLAR-POWERED AIRCRAFT WITH NASA. THE AIRCRAFT GET BETTER QUALITY PICTURES THAN SATELLITES, AND KEA AEROSPACE WILL USE IT TO IMPROVE THE MONITORING OF COASTAL WATER QUALITY. JULIET SPEEDY REPORTS. THREE, TWO, ONE. SOLAR-POWERED, GRACEFUL AND HEADING INTO THE STRATOSPHERE. IT'LL BE USED FOR REMOTE SENSING, TO CAPTURE IMAGERY AND OTHER DATA, TO ANALYSE WHAT'S GOING ON BELOW US. FLYING AT AROUND 50,000 FEET, THEY'RE 20 TIMES CLOSER TO THE GROUND THAN A SATELLITE, PROVIDING HIGHER RESOLUTION IMAGERY AND DATA. WE HAVE HUGE DATA GAPS RIGHT NOW. WE JUST DON'T GET THE FREQUENCY OR HIGH RESOLUTION THAT WE NEED. SATELLITES ARE ALSO CONSTANTLY ON THE MOVE, BUT THESE CAN REMAIN IN ONE PLACE FOR CONTINUOUS MONITORING. SO WE HAVE THE CAMERA SENSOR THAT'S GONNA BE UNDER THE FUSELAGE THERE. CHRISTCHURCH-BASED KEA AEROSPACE HAS PARTNERED WITH NASA AND WILL BE USED TO GATHER RESEARCH TO IMPROVE THE MONITORING OF COASTAL WATER QUALITY. INCREDIBLY EXCITED ABOUT WORKING WITH THE NASA TEAM. THE LIGHT AIRCRAFT USES THE POWER OF THE SUN TO OPERATE AT A SIMILAR POWER TO A HAIRDRYER, AT AROUND 1 TO 2 KILOWATTS. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE REALLY COOL NEW AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGIES. IT'S GREEN, IN THE SENSE THAT WE'RE NOT BURNING A WHOLE LOT OF AVIATION FUEL. IT'S ONE OF 12 PROJECTS FROM ACROSS NEW ZEALAND TO RECEIVE UP TO $75,000 FROM THE GOVERNMENT FOR A SIX-MONTH EARTH OBSERVATION STUDY. INCREASING AIR SPEED. IT'S HOPED THESE STRATOSPHERIC AIRCRAFT WILL HELP FILL DATA GAPS ACROSS MANY OTHER AREAS, LIKE MARITIME AWARENESS, SMART CITIES AND FORESTRY, WITH THEIR EYE IN THE SKY. JULIET SPEEDY, NEWSHUB. NASA IS INVESTIGATING WHETHER A CHUNK OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION BROKE FREE AND FELL THROUGH THE ROOF OF A HOUSE IN FLORIDA. THE METAL CHUNK, WEIGHING ABOUT A KILOGRAM, TORE THROUGH THE ROOF OF THE TWO-STOREY HOME, DAMAGING THE FLOORS AND CEILING. ENGINEERS BELIEVE IT MIGHT BE PART OF A DISCARDED BATTERY PACK. ANDREW'S IN LATER WITH SPORT ` WHAT A DAY FOR WOMEN'S BASKETBALL IN AOTEAROA! THE GENDER PAY GAP HAS BEEN TURNED ON ITS HEAD ` WOMEN WILL BE PAID DOUBLE, AND MORE THAN THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS, THANKS TO BIG CHANGES TO OUR DOMESTIC COMPETITION THAT COULD SEE SOME OF THE BIGGEST STARS IN THE WORLD HEAD TO NZ. AND WHAT A WAY TO START A GAME. WHAT SPARKED THESE INCREDIBLE SCENES, AS SOON AS THE PUCK DROPPED IN THE NHL? THEY'RE CALLING IT AN 'ASSAULT ON HUMAN CREATIVITY' ` SOME OF THE WORLDS TOP MUSICIANS WANT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO STOP STEALING THEIR VOICES. AND HE WAS MEANT TO BE ON A PLANE TO THE UK WITH HIS OWNER ` INSTEAD, MILO'S BEEN RUNNING WILD AT THE AIRPORT. KATIE AND DEAN SHANNON RUN THE TWO BROWN DOGS AND A CAT KENNEL. THEY'VE ALSO DEDICATED THEIR LIVES TO HELPING TROUBLED TEENS. WE GET THE KIDS THAT GO THROUGH THE COURTS AND ASK TO DO THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE WITH PETS HERE WITH US, AND WE TEACH THEM ANIMAL EMPATHY. TEACHERS SAY THEY NEED CLEARER DIRECTION ON HOW TO TEACH THE NEW AOTEAROA HISTORY CURRICULUM, AFTER A REVIEW FOUND THEY HAVE BEEN TOO FOCUSED ON LOCAL HISTORY, RATHER THAN NATIONAL EVENTS. THE EDUCATION REVIEW OFFICE ALSO SAYS SCHOOLS NEED TO DO MORE TO PLACE NZ HISTORY IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT. WILLIAM TERITE REPORTS. MORE THAN A YEAR AFTER IT WAS MADE COMPULSORY TO TEACH NZ HISTORY, THE ERO SAYS MOST SCHOOLS HAVE MANAGED TO ADAPT TO THE CURRICULUM. I DID LIKE SOME TOPICS, SUCH AS THE NZ WARS AND THE TREATY OF WAITANGI ` I FELT THAT THOSE WERE GOOD THINGS TO COVER. BUT WELLINGTON COLLEGE STUDENT LUKE ELLIOTT RECKONS THE BALANCE IS OFF. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS MORE OF A FOCUS ON NZ HISTORY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE OF A VIEW ON DIFFERENT EVENTS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES. WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THE EDUCATION REVIEW OFFICE FOUND IN ITS LATEST REPORT. WE'RE NOT YET TEACHING THE FULL BREADTH OF THE CURRICULUM, SO THERE'S BEEN A REALLY STRONG FOCUS ON LOCAL HISTORIES ` THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT SO IS HOW THAT LINKS TO NATIONAL AND HOW THAT LINKS TO GLOBAL. PARENTS WOULD EXPECT THAT THEIR CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL AND YOU KNOW THE TALLEST MOUNTAIN IN THE WORLD, THE LONGEST RIVER AND CAPITAL CITIES ` YOU KNOW, IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT THE WORLD THAT ARE NOT NOW BEING TAUGHT. THE ERO REPORT ALSO REVEALED TEACHERS FELT OVERWHELMED BY THE NEW CURRICULUM AND NEEDED MORE HELP WHEN DECIDING WHAT ASPECTS OF NZ HISTORY TO TEACH. THEY DID SAY TOO MUCH IS EXPECTED OF THEM, TO MAKE UP THEIR OWN LOCAL CURRICULUM, AND THAT MEANS THEY'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME MAKING THAT UP, RATHER THAN DOING THE TEACHING. I'M AN HISTORIAN, I'M A HISTORY SPECIALIST, I'VE GOT A DEGREE IN NZ HISTORY, BUT WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE, WHO DON'T HAVE THAT, TO BE ABLE TO TEACH THAT, TO BE ABLE TO CONFIDENTLY TEACH THAT, AND SO WE NEED TO BE UPSKILLING THEM. IT WASN'T A TOTAL FAIL MARK, THOUGH. THE POSITIVES ARE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT ` WITH MORE THAN HALF OF STUDENTS SAYING THEY'RE ENJOYING IT, TEACHERS LOVING TEACHING IT, AND STUDENTS TALKING ABOUT SEEING HOW IT CONNECTED TO THEMSELVES, AND THEIR COMMUNITIES AND FEELING IT HELPED THEM UNDERSTAND NZ. THE ERO IS CALLING FOR A CURRICULUM THAT PROVIDES GREATER CLARITY FOR EDUCATORS, MORE OFF-THE-SHELF RESOURCES, SO TEACHERS DON'T NEED TO CREATE CONTENT THEMSELVES, AND MORE SUPPORT FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT. WILLIAM TERITE, NEWSHUB. THE 12-YEAR-OLD FINNISH BOY WHO SHOT AND KILLED A FELLOW PUPIL, AND WOUNDED TWO OTHERS, HAS TOLD POLICE IT WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE BULLYING HIM. POLICE SAY THE BOY'S CLAIM HAS BEEN BACKED UP BY THEIR OWN INVESTIGATIONS. IT'S ALSO BEEN REVEALED THAT HE THREATENED OTHER PUPILS ON THEIR WAY TO SCHOOL, AFTER LEAVING THE SCENE. FROM NICKI MINAJ TO BILLIE EILISH AND AOTEAROA'S OWN BENEE, SOME OF THE BIGGEST ARTISTS IN THE WORLD ARE SLAMMING THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN MUSIC. EXPERTS HERE SAY NEW LEGISLATION TO PROTECT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IN THE AGE OF AI IS OVERDUE. FINN HOGAN HAS MORE. FROM AN AI-ENHANCED NEW SINGLE FROM THE BEATLES DECADES AFTER JOHN LENNON'S DEATH... # AND NOW AND THEN... ...TO JOHNNY CASH BASHING OUT BARBIE BANGERS... # I'M A BARBIE GIRL IN A BARBIE WORLD. ...TO, WELL, WHATEVER THIS IS... 'ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER': # SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW... # ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS ALREADY CHANGING MUSIC AS WE KNOW IT. WE'RE SEEING AI NOW EMULATING AUDIO IN WAYS WE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE. NOW, FOR THE ARTIST, THIS MEANS THAT THEIR IP OR THEIR PERSONAL PERFORMANCES ARE BEING STOLEN TO SOME DEGREE. THERE IS NO PROTECTION IN HOW THEY SOUND. RATHER, THE PROTECTION IS IN WHAT THEY SAY AND THE RECORDINGS THEMSELVES. NOW TOP MUSICIANS ARE FIGHTING BACK. # SO YOU'RE A TOUGH GUY. # AN OPEN LETTER SIGNED BY MORE THAN 200 ARTISTS, INCLUDING BILLIE EILISH AND NICKI MINAJ, BLASTS THE USE OF THEIR WORK IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS, SAYING THAT 'THIS ASSAULT ON HUMAN CREATIVITY MUST BE STOPPED,' AND THAT AI TOOLS COULD 'DESTROY THE MUSIC ECOSYSTEM.' AND KIWI SINGERS ARE ADDING THEIR VOICE, WITH AUCKLAND'S OWN BENEE A SIGNATORY. LEGAL EXPERTS HERE APPLAUD THE LETTER, SAYING REGULATION IS OVERDUE. THE LAW IS ALREADY SEVERAL YEARS BEHIND, BUT AS WE SEE THIS EXPONENTIAL GROWTH IN AI, WE SEEM TO BE FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHIND ` PERHAPS WE WERE A YEAR BEHIND FEW MONTHS AGO, AND NOW WE'RE TWO YEARS BEHIND. ACTION IS UNDERWAY OVERSEAS. IN MARCH, TENNESSEE BECAME THE FIRST U.S. STATE TO PASS LEGISLATION BANNING AI TOOLS FROM RECREATING AN ARTIST'S VOICE WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT. HUNT SAYS A SIMILAR MOVE HERE COULD ALSO PROTECT EVERYDAY KIWIS FROM NEFARIOUS USES OF AI. BY PROTECTING MUSIC, WE COULD GO FURTHER THAN THAT AND ACTUALLY PROTECT SOMEONE'S AUTONOMY THEMSELVES, IN THEIR VOICE, IN THEIR IMAGE, HOW THEY LOOK. THAT COULD THEN EXTEND TO PROTECTION AGAINST DEEPFAKE PORNOGRAPHY, BUT ALSO INTO ANY OTHER USES OF SOMEBODY'S IMAGE WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT. THE ARTIST-VS-AI BATTLE CONTINUES. BUT WITH VIRAL AI SONGS LIKE THIS TAYTAY FAKE GETTING BETTER EVERY DAY 'TAYLOR SWIFT': # I'M ONE STEP CLOSER TO KELCE BEING MY LAST NAME. ...A BOT BEING TOP OF THE BILLBOARD CHARTS COULD BE CLOSER THAN YOU THINK. FINN HOGAN, NEWSHUB. A 5-YEAR-OLD JACK RUSSEL TERRIER IS AT THE CENTRE OF A SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION AT MELBOURNE'S AIRPORT. MILO WAS SUPPOSED TO FLY TO BRITAIN WITH HIS OWNER BUT TOOK OFF ` IN A VERY DIFFERENT SENSE. CHANNEL 7'S EMMA O'SULLIVAN REPORTS. FAMILY AND VOLUNTEERS COMBING A LARGE AREA FOR A LITTLE DOG. MILO! COME ON! THE 5-YEAR-OLD JACK RUSSELL ESCAPED FROM TRANSPORT SERVICE AEROPETS. HE WAS GOING IN FOR HIS FINAL VET CHECK, ALL READY FOR HIS FLIGHT TO LONDON. WE PASSED HIM ON TO THE DOG HANDLER, WHO TOOK HIM OVER, AND THEY HAD GREAT RAPPORT. ABOUT HALF AN HOUR DOWN THE ROAD, I GOT A CALL FROM THEM SAYING THAT THEY'D ACTUALLY LOST MILO ` HE'D ESCAPED. THAT WAS 16 DAYS AGO. NOW THE COMPANY HAS HIRED ANIMAL RESCUERS TO JOIN THE SEARCH. MILO HAS JUST BEEN SIGHTED TWO MINUTES AGO. JASON'S MOTHER, JENNY, OWNS MILO'S MOTHER. I'VE HAD PEOPLE JUST RANDOMLY PULL ME UP JUST ON THE STREET NOW. 'ARE YOU LOOKING FOR MILO?' 'YEAH!' AND SO WERE THEY. HOPEFULLY, HAVING MILO'S MUM OUT THERE, MILO SEES MUM, MILO'S GONNA COME RUNNING STRAIGHT TO THEM. THIS MORNING MILO WAS CAPTURED BY MOTION-SENSING CAMERAS. SAW THE DOG JUST DASHING ACROSS THE PADDOCK AROUND HERE, AND CAME OUT TO TRY AND GET HIM, BUT HE WAS TOO FAST. I'M FEELING HELPLESS, BECAUSE I'M IN THE UK. AND I HAD TO COME OVER ` I COULDN'T CHANGE MY FLIGHT. IN A LAST-DITCH EFFORT TO CATCH MILO AFTER MORE THAN TWO WEEKS ON THE RUN, THE ANIMAL RESCUE SERVICE IS SETTING UP THIS TRAP. TO LURE MILO IN, THEY'LL PLACE DOG TREATS AND SOME OF JASON'S CLOTHES. THEY WON THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST IN 1974. 50 YEARS LATER, ABBA IS STILL SO POPULAR THAT A THIRD 'MAMMA MIA' MOVIE COULD BE COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE. WE LOOK AT WHAT'S BEHIND THE TRANSFORMATIONAL MOVE THAT WILL SEE OUR WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYERS PAID MORE THAN THE MEN. PLUS, AFTER SUFFERING THEIR SECOND LOSS OF THE SEASON, DO THE CHIEFS BELIEVE THEY STILL DESERVE TO BE FAVOURITES TO CLAIM THE SUPER RUGBY TITLE? AND THE FRESH SCANDAL ENGULFING A DISGRACED SPANISH FOOTBALL OFFICIAL, ARRESTED IN HIS HOMELAND. MAJOR CHANGES TO WOMEN'S BASKETBALL IN NEW ZEALAND HAVE SPARKED BELIEF SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN THE SPORT COULD SOON HEAD OUR WAY. TAUIHI BASKETBALL AOTEAROA HAS CONFIRMED IT WILL DOUBLE PLAYER WAGES THIS YEAR, IN A MOVE THAT WILL SEE WOMEN PAID MORE THAN MEN. AND IT'S HOPED A CHANGE IN SCHEDULE AND THE PROMISE OF MORE TEAMS COULD LURE INTERNATIONAL STARS OF THE SPORT. ALEX CHAPMAN HAS MORE. IT'S A LANDMARK DAY THAT HAS SO MANY CELEBRATING. IT'S JUST EXCITING, AND I KNOW THE WHOLE BASKETBALL COMMUNITY IS FIZZING ABOUT THIS NEWS. AND NOT JUST ANY NEWS ` GROUNDBREAKING NEWS WHICH MANY BELIEVE WILL OPEN NEW ZEALAND'S BASKETBALL COURTS TO THE WORLD. THE EXPANDED TAUIHI BASKETBALL AOTEAROA COMPETITION WILL MOVE FROM WINTER TO SPRING, WITH PLAYER PAYMENTS INCREASED, SO THE WOMEN WILL NOW EARN MORE THAN MEN. THE ATTRACTION TO PLAY IN NEW ZEALAND IS NOT JUST BECAUSE WE ARE A BUCKET-LIST TYPE OF COUNTRY. IT'S BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE AN INCREDIBLY TALENTED, STRONG LEAGUE, AND WE'LL BE PAYING THESE PLAYERS, RELATIVE TO WHAT THEY WOULD RECEIVE. FORMER TALL FERN MEGAN COMPAIN, THE ONLY KIWI TO PLAYER TO PLAY IN THE U.S. PROFESSIONAL RANKS, BELIEVES IT PAVES A BETTER PATH. BUT THE FACT YOU CAN COME HOME AND PLAY, AND PLAY IN A REALLY, REALLY MEANINGFUL COMPETITION, YOU KNOW, I WISH IT WAS 20 YEARS AGO. SHIFTING THE KIWI DOMESTIC COMPETITION TO LATER IN THE YEAR MEANS THE LIKES OF U.S. COLLEGE STAR CHARLISE LEGER-WALKER COULD JOIN HER SISTER IN THE LEAGUE. SHE COULD PLAY A SEASON IN THE WNBA, THE BEST LEAGUE IN THE WORLD, AND THEN COME HOME AND BRING HER TALENTS HERE AND ENCOURAGE OTHER GIRLS TO GO DOWN THAT PATHWAY. OR EVEN THE FACE OF NCAA BASKETBALL, CAITLIN CLARK. YEAH, THAT'S THE PLAN. WE'RE ALREADY... I'LL SLIDE HER A LITTLE DM AND SEND HER THE ANNOUNCEMENT AFTER THIS. THEY ARE LEGITIMATE OPPORTUNITIES TO GO AFTER AND SAY, 'HEY, FINISH UP YOUR WNBA SEASON, AND THEN NIP YOUR WAY DOWN HERE.' WOULDN'T THAT BE SOMETHING? IT CERTAINLY WOULD. ALEX CHAPMAN, NEWSHUB. A SECOND LOSS OF THE SUPER RUGBY SEASON HAS DONE NOTHING TO DENT THE CONFIDENCE IN THE CHIEFS, WHO REMAIN ONE OF THE FRONTRUNNERS FOR THE COMPETITION. LAST WEEK'S DEFEAT TO THE CRUSADERS WAS FAR FROM IDEAL, BUT THERE'S A SENSE IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE RESET THEY NEED, AS THEY LOOK TO MAKE ANOTHER RUN DEEP INTO THE FINALS. RUGBY REPORTER OLLIE RITCHIE HAS MORE. AFTER COPPING A REALITY CHECK IN CHRISTCHURCH, THE CHIEFS ARE UPBEAT AND ENERGISED, AS THEY BRACE FOR MOANA PASIKA ON SATURDAY. THERE'S NOTHING LIKE A LOSS TO BRING YOUR FOCUS BACK TO EXACTLY WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. THIS WEEK THAT FOCUS NEEDS TO BE ON THE IMPROVING. BUT DESPITE FALLING SHORT AGAINST THE CRUSADERS, THE CONFIDENCE AND BELIEF IN CHIEFS CIRCLES HASN'T WAIVERED. ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE IN OUR GROUP. ARE WE HAPPY WITH THE CONSISTENCY OF OUR PERFORMANCES? PROBABLY NOT. ARE WE HAPPY WITH THE CONSISTENCY OF OUR PERFORMANCES? PROBABLY NOT. BUT THAT HASN'T DETRACTED FROM OUR INTERNAL BELIEF THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BEAT ANYONE IN THIS COMPETITION. THAT CONFIDENCE IS ALSO SHARED AMONG THE PLAYING GROUP, STILL ADAMANT THIS SIDE CAN BE A TITLE-WINNING ONE. VERY CONFIDENT IN WHAT WE CAN DO, AND I STILL DON'T THINK WE'VE REALLY PUT IN A FULL PERFORMANCE YET. SO THERE'S STILL A LOT OF LITTLE THINGS WE'VE GOTTA WORK ON, AND IT'S A PRETTY TIGHT RACE AT THE TOP AT THE MOMENT. THE CHIEFS SHOULD HAVE LITTLE TROUBLE STAYING NEAR THE TOP THIS WEEK, BUT HELPING ENSURE THEY DO IS DAMIAN McKENZIE, BACK AT FIRST FIVE AFTER BEING FORCED TO SIT OUT THE LOSS TO THE CRUSADERS WITH INJURY. JUST HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A NIGGLE WITH MY KNEE, MAINLY WHEN I'M KICKING, BUT IT WAS NICE` WELL, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO HAVE A COUPLE OF WEEKS OFF HERE AND THERE, WITH THE ABs REST, SO... IT WAS KIND OF A CHANCE TO REST UP MY KNEE AND GET IT RIGHT, SO IT'S FEELING A LOT BETTER NOW. BECAUSE IF THE CHIEFS ARE TO STAY NEAR THE FRONT OF THE PACK, THEY COULD ILL AFFORD TO LOSE HIM. OLLIE RITCHIE, NEWSHUB. THE WHITE FERNS HAVE SUFFERED ANOTHER SERIES DEFEAT TO ENGLAND, THIS TIME IN THE 50-OVER FORMAT. THEY'VE LOST THE SECOND ONE-DAYER AGAINST ENGLAND BY 56 RUNS, TO SURRENDER THE SERIES WITH A GAME TO SPARE. GORDON FINDLATER WATCHED THE ACTION. PLAYING TO KEEP THE SERIES ALIVE, IT WASN'T THE START THE WHITE FERNS WOULD HAVE WANTED. NICE SHOT. GOOD TIMING. TASMIN BEAUMONT AND HEATHER KNIGHT TAKING ENGLAND PAST 100, JUST ONE WICKET DOWN. HEATHER KNIGHT MAKES IT LOOK VERY, VERY EASY. JUST WHIPS IT. BUT THE NEW ZEALAND BOWLERS STRUCK BACK. YEAH! OH YES! ALL OF A SUDDEN ENGLAND WERE TEETERING AT 166/7. PLAYED ON. PLAYED ON. IT WAS A WRONG'UN FROM MELIE KERR. BUT AS WAS THE CASE IN WELLINGTON, ENGLAND'S LOWER ORDER WAS ALLOWED TO FIRE. LAUNCHES THAT ONE. SOPHIE ECCLESTONE GOES 'BANG' AND PUTS THAT UP ON THE HILL. THE VISITORS PUTTING ON A FURTHER 86 RUNS BEFORE BEING BOWLED OUT FOR 252. AND THE TASK WAS SOON LOOKING EVEN TOUGHER. TOP EDGE. THIS SHOULD BE OUT. IT'S A SOFT ONE FOR NEW ZEALAND. AND GONE. THE WHITE FERNS SLUMPING TO 66/4. BUT STEP UP BROOKE HALLIDAY AND IZZY GAZE. STRAIGHT DOWN THE GROUND. SHE LOVES THAT SHOT. AND THAT'S ONE BOUNCE, FOUR. THE PAIR PUTTING ON A 100-RUN PARTNERSHIP FOR THE FIFTH WICKET, BEFORE A COSTLY MOMENT OF MISCOMMUNICATION. OH, COULD BE A MIX-UP HERE. THE THROW GOES TO THE RIGHT END. AND THAT'S THAT. THAT'S THAT. AND THAT'S A DISAPPOINTING END. FROM THERE, YOU COULD SAY THEY THREW IT AWAY ` OH, GOODNESS ME! ...LITERALLY. IN THE END, THE TOTAL WAS TOO BIG FOR THE WHITE FERNS, COMING UP 56 RUNS SHORT. GORDON FINDLATER, NEWSHUB. DISGRACED FORMER SPANISH FOOTBALL PRESIDENT LUIS RUBIALES HAS BEEN ARRESTED AS PART OF A CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION. RUBIALES WAS BRIEFLY DETAINED AT MADRID AIRPORT, AS HE RETURNED TO SPAIN. THE CORRUPTION PROBE RELATES TO A BUSINESS DEAL THAT SAW THE SPANISH SUPER CUP MOVED TO SAUDI ARABIA. RUBIALES IS ALSO FACING A SEXUAL ASSAULT TRIAL FOR KISSING JENNY HERMOSO FOLLOWING SPAIN'S WORLD CUP WIN LAST YEAR. ARSENAL HAVE FOR THE TIME BEING KNOCKED LIVERPOOL OFF TOP SPOT IN THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE, WITH A 2-0 WIN OVER LUTON. MANCHESTER CITY ARE THIRD, AFTER A VERY SUSPECT ASTON VILLA WALL HELPED PHIL FODEN BLAST THEM TO A 4-1 WIN AT THE ETIHAD. AND CHAMBERS MIGHT HAVE PRESENTED HIM THE CHANCE TO GET IT. A HAT-TRICK FOR PHIL FODEN. LIVERPOOL ARE SECOND, BUT CAN RETURN TO THE SUMMIT IF THEY BEAT SHEFFIELD UNITED TOMORROW MORNING. FINALLY, TODAY'S NHL CLASH BETWEEN THE NEW YORK RANGERS AND THE NEW JERSEY DEVILS CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION, BECAUSE IT STARTED WITH AN ALL-IN BRAWL. MATT REMPE AND KURTIS MacDERMID WERE EXPECTED TO SETTLE THEIR DIFFERENCES ON THE ICE, AFTER A FIERY ENCOUNTER LAST MONTH. BUT AS SOON AS THE PUCK DROPPED, IT WAS ALL ON, FOR EVERYONE. JIMMY VESEY AND LAZAR. GOODROW HAS DROPPED THEM WITH KEVIN BAHL AS WELL. NOW IT'S FIVE-ON-FIVE! MacDERMID AND REMPE EXCHANGING BLOWS. BUT EVERYBODY HAS GLOVES OFF AT THE GARDEN. MacDERMID AND REMPE WERE EVENTUALLY SEPARATED AFTER MORE THAN A MINUTE, AND THE OPPOSING COACHES ALSO EXCHANGED WORDS. A TOTAL OF EIGHT PLAYERS WERE EJECTED. MAYBE THAT IS THE SPARK THAT SUPER RUGBY NEEDS. THAT IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SPORT. THE UNFORGETTABLE MUSIC OF ABBA IS APPROACHING TWO MAJOR ANNIVERSARIES. AND THE WOMAN WHO PERSUADED A RELUCTANT BAND TO LET HER TURN THEIR SONGS INTO A MUSICAL AND TWO MOVIES IS POISED TO STRIKE AGAIN. YES, MAMMA MIA, HERE WE GO AGAIN, BECAUSE GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES. ITV's NINA NANAR REPORTS. # DIGGING THE DANCING QUEEN. IT TOOK YEARS FOR PRODUCER JUDY KRAMER TO PERSUADE ABBA THAT A STAGE MUSICAL USING THEIR SONGS COULD WORK. DESPITE INITIAL DOUBTS, THE SONGWRITERS BENNY ANDERSSON AND BJORN ULVAEUS WERE WON OVER, AND 'MAMMA MIA' IS 25 YEARS OLD. THEY KNEW ME, SO THERE WAS A TRUST. BUT IT WAS ALWAYS KIND OF, 'YOU KNOW, JUDY, THIS WILL BE A VERY SMALL MUSICAL, WON'T IT? 'NOBODY WILL REALLY SEE IT.' BUT OF COURSE WE OPENED BIG TIME IN THE WEST END AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WENT ALL OVER THE WORLD WITH IT AND OPENED ON BROADWAY, AND TWO MOVIES, AND RECENTLY A TV SERIES. SO THE 'KEEPING IT SMALL' WAS... I LIED. I LIED TO THEM. # WHOA-OH! MAMMA MIA! # I SHOULD NOT HAVE LET YOU GO. THE TWO FILM VERSIONS ATTRACTED AN A-LIST CAST AND A BILLION-DOLLAR BOX OFFICE. IN 1999 THE THEATRE SHOW THAT INSPIRED THE FILMS, BASED ON POP MUSIC, WITH AN ALL-FEMALE CREATIVE TEAM INCLUDING DIRECTOR PHYLLIDA LLOYD, HERE ON THE LEFT, AND WRITER CATHERINE JOHNSON WAS, SAYS KRAMER, NEW FOR THE WEST END. MUSICALS IN THE '80s AND '90s HAD BEEN VERY MUCH KIND OF BIG, SUNG THROUGH, MAYBE SLIGHTLY VICTORIAN, THINKING OF, OBVIOUSLY, THE STILL VERY SUCCESSFUL 'LES MIS' AND 'PHANTOM'. I'M SURE THERE WAS A FEW SNICKERS OF, YOU KNOW... I DUNNO, ALL-WOMAN TEAM. WHATEVER. WE SHOWED THEM. (SINGS IN DUTCH) FROM HOLLAND TO KOREA. MORE THAN 40 COUNTRIES HAVE STAGED THE SHOW. NOW YOU'RE USING YOUR POWERS OF PERSUASION AGAIN TO TRY AND GET BENNY AND BJORN ON BOARD FOR THE THIRD FILM. THEY PUSH BACK. I PUSH FORWARD. I THINK... I'M SURE IT WILL HAPPEN. WE'RE ALL GETTING OLDER, SO WE HAVE TO GET A MOVE ON. # WATERLOO. 'MAMMA MIA' TURNS 25 ON THE SAME DAY AS THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF ABBA'S EUROVISION WIN. TRULY A GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING. OUR TOP STORIES TONIGHT ` THE FOUNDER OF THE CHARITY WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN SAYS THE ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE THAT KILLED SEVEN OF HIS AID WORKERS IN GAZA WASN'T AN ACCIDENT. JOSE ANDRES SAYS HIS TEAM HAD BEEN CO-ORDINATING THEIR MOVEMENTS WITH THE ISRAELI DEFENCE FORCE AND THEY WERE SYSTEMATICALLY TARGETED. THE COMMERCE COMMISSION IS CONCERNED ABOUT PLANS BY FOODSTUFFS TO MERGE ITS NORTH AND SOUTH ISLAND BRANCHES. IT SAYS WITH THE PROPOSED MERGER, THERE WOULD ONLY BE TWO MAJOR GROCERY RETAILERS, WHICH WOULDN'T BE GOOD FOR SUPPLIERS. THE GOVERNMENT'S PROMISING TO LOOSEN THE RULES AROUND THE USE OF OVERSEAS BUILDING PRODUCTS TO MAKE IT CHEAPER AND EASIER TO BUILD NEW HOUSES. IT PLANS TO PASS LEGISLATION BY THE END OF YEAR, WHICH WILL ALLOW BUILDERS TO RELY ON PRODUCT STANDARDS FROM OVERSEAS. COMING UP ` NEWSHUB WEATHER, AND HOW'S THE WEEKEND LOOKING, HEATHER? VERY PLEASANT. A LARGE HIGH SPREADS OVER THE ENTIRE COUNTRY ON SATURDAY, WITH VERY LITTLE GOING ON. THE HIGH HOLDS FIRM ON SUNDAY, SO AGAIN, ANOTHER GOOD DAY. MONDAY ` IT STARTS TO HEAD EAST, ALLOWING A NORTHERLY FLOW TO STRENGTHEN OVER THE SOUTH ISLAND, WITH THE NEXT FRONT ARRIVING TUESDAY. MORE DETAILS, UP NEXT. # R-E-S-P-E-C-T. # TAKE CARE, T-C-B. # TOMORROW'S WEATHER, BROUGHT TO YOU BY NATURE, TURNED INTO POWER BY MERIDIAN. NAU MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK. WEEKEND'S LOOKING GOOD ` JUST HAVE TO GET THROUGH TONIGHT AND TOMORROW, WHICH WILL HAVE A FEW SHOWERS THANKS TO THE COLD FRONT, CURRENTLY MOVING UP THE NORTH ISLAND. THIS WILL CLEAR OFF TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE ISLAND TOMORROW AFTERNOON, LEAVING A WEAK TROUGH BACK OVER THE LAND. THERE'S ALSO A WEAK COLD FRONT CROSSING THE SOUTH OF THE COUNTRY TONIGHT, BUT WILL FADE OUT TOMORROW MORNING, WITH A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE SET TO REPLACE ALL THE RAIN. BUT TONIGHT LOOKS TO BE MOSTLY CLOUDY, WITH PATCHY DRIZZLE FOR CANTERBURY AND MARLBOROUGH, BUT CLEARING TONIGHT SOUTH OF CHRISTCHURCH. A FEW SHOWERS OVERNIGHT TOO FOR THE LOWER SOUTH, BUT CLEARING FROM BULLER. TOMORROW, THE DRIZZLE FOR CANTERBURY STICKS AROUND, WITH MOST OF THE CLOUD EVERYWHERE ELSE CLEARING; JUST ISOLATED AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS INLAND FOR THE TOP. YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE WHERE THE FRONT WILL BE TONIGHT. SOME RAIN IN THE WEST WILL BE HEAVY ` DOWNPOURS AND THUNDERSTORMS FOR NORTH TARANAKI, WAITOMO AND TAUMARUNUI. STRONG NORTHERLIES AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND COOLER SOU'WESTERS BEHIND IT. TOMORROW ` THINGS CLEAR, BUT SHOWERS HANG AROUND FOR THE DAY FOR HAWKE'S BAY AND GISBORNE. SHOWERS CONTINUE UP TOP. HAMILTON ` YOU MAY HAVE A COUPLE OF THUNDERSTORMS BEFORE SUNRISE, BUT IT CLEARS IN THE AFTERNOON. WHITIANGA ` SHOWERS RETURN FOR YOU IN THE EVENING. EARLY RAIN, POSSIBLY HEAVY FOR TOKOROA AND TAUPO. EVERYONE WILL HAVE AT LEAST SHOWERS, BUT IT IS CLEARING. WINDS END UP FROM THE SOU'EAST FOR ALL. TAURANGA ` ONE OF THE WARMEST SPOTS TOMORROW. CLOUDY AND SHOWERY OUT EAST, BUT MASTERTON AND DANNEVIRKE ` YOU'LL BE DRY DURING THE AFTERNOON. SHOWERS CLEARING FURTHER NORTH TOMORROW NIGHT. AND THE MORNING WILL STILL BE A LITTLE CLOUDY AND WITH SHOWERS FOR THE REST OF THE ISLAND, BUT IT'S ALL CLEARING TO A FINE AFTERNOON, WITH DEVELOPING SOUTH TO SOU'EAST WINDS. FOR THE SOUTH ISLAND ` NOT BAD, LOOKING FINE FOR THE NORTHWEST, WITH WINDS PICKING UP IN THE AFTERNOON. SOU'WESTERS FOR THOSE ALONG THE WEST COAST, AND A NORTHERLY FOR NELSON. IT'S A DRIZZLY FRIDAY OUT EAST. BLENHEIM, IT CLEARS FOR YOU EARLY, BUT WON'T CLEAR CANTERBURY TILL LATE MORNING OR EARLY AFTERNOON. WINDS END UP FROM THE EAST FOR ALL. AND STEWART ISLAND AND INVERCARGILL WILL HAVE THE ODD SHOWER, BUT IT'S MOSTLY FINE FOR THE LOWER SOUTH, WITH WESTERLIES A LITTLE FRESH FOR THE DEEP SOUTH IN THE AFTERNOON. OTEPOTI DUNEDIN ` WINDS TURN NORWEST FOR YOU TONIGHT, THEN SOU'WEST AGAIN TOMORROW. THE CLOUD CLEARS TO A FINE AFTERNOON. CLOUDY PERIODS FOR YOU, OTAUTAHI CHRISTCHURCH, WITH ANOTHER DAY OF DRIZZLE. SOUTHERLIES WILL TURN EASTERLY IN THE AFTERNOON. CLOUD, SUN AND SHOWERS FOR THE MORNING AROUND WELLINGTON, BUT THE SUN WINS OUT IN THE AFTERNOON, AND THE SOUTHERLY WILL EASE TOMORROW NIGHT. TE MATAU A MAUI HAWKE'S BAY, IT'S MOSTLY CLOUDY, AND WITH A NUMBER OF SHOWERS FOR THE DAY. WINDS WILL BE FROM THE SOUTH AND WILL EASE THE SAME TIME THE SHOWERS EASE DURING THE EVENING. A FEW SHOWERS FOR YOUR MORNING, TAURANGA, BUT IT CLEARS IN THE AFTERNOON, JUST REMAINING PARTLY CLOUDY ` THE SHOWERS RETURN TOMORROW NIGHT, THOUGH. YOU MAY BE WOKEN BEFORE YOUR ALARM BY A THUNDERSTORM OR TWO AROUND THE WAIKATO, THEN IT CLEARS, WITH JUST CLOUDY PERIODS AND A SOUTHERLY. AND SHOWERS EASE AROUND MID-MORNING FOR TAMAKI MAKAURAU AUCKLAND ` THEY MAY RETURN LATE TOMORROW NIGHT, THOUGH. WINDS WILL BE FROM THE SOUTHWEST. TO OZ ` IT'S ANOTHER DAY OF RAIN FOR SYDNEY, CANBERRA, BRISBANE AND CAIRNS, THANKS TO A BROAD TROUGH THAT'S HANGING AROUND. AND RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS HIT FIJI AND SAMOA AGAIN, WITH RAIN FOR NIUE AND SHOWERS OUT EAST. INTO THE FIRST WEEKEND OF APRIL, AND IT'S GOOD ` JUST A FEW SHOWERS, BUT THEY'RE NOT HANGING AROUND FOR LONG. IT'S GREAT HERE, WITH JUST PASSING CLOUD AND THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS FOR GISBORNE AND HAWKE'S BAY. AND VERY LITTLE TO TALK ABOUT HERE ` IT'S SUNNY AND SETTLED AND SET TO BE A GREAT WEEKEND. IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME FOR THE TOP HALF OF THE SOUTH ISLAND ` FINE, CALM. AND APART FROM A FEW SHOWERS IN THE DEEP SOUTH ON SATURDAY AND SOME CLOUD FOR DUNEDIN, THE REST OF THE COUNTRY IS LOOKING GOOD. SO GOOD WEEKEND WEATHER WILL MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER TO PUT YOUR CLOCKS BACK AN HOUR ON SATURDAY NIGHT ` DAYLIGHT SAVING ENDS AND WE GET A BIT OF A SLEEP-IN. WE WILL REMIND EVERYONE TOMORROW. THAT'S NEWSHUB LIVE AT 6 FOR TODAY. REBECCA WRIGHT AND THE NEWSHUB LATE TEAM ARE HERE ON THREE AT 10.35, AND YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH THE NEWSHUB TEAM AT news@newshub.co.nz. I'M MIKE MCROBERTS. AND I'M SAMANTHA HAYES. PO MARIE. CAPTIONS BY FAITH HAMBLYN AND JAMES BROWN. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024