CAPTIONS BY TOM CLARKE 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. MORE KIDS IN SCHOOL, FEWER COMMITTING CRIMES AND MUCH FEWER PEOPLE ON THE BENEFIT ` THE GOVERNMENT UNVEILED ITS PUBLIC SERVICE TARGETS TODAY. WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THE HEALTH ONES, BUT IT HAS ADDED TARGETS ACROSS THE REST OF GOVERNMENT. THE LAW AND ORDER FOCUS IS ON YOUTH OFFENDING AND VIOLENT CRIME, WITH TARGETS OF 20,000 FEWER VICTIMS OF ASSAULT, ROBBERY OR SEXUAL ASSAULT ` LAST YEAR THERE WERE 185,000 VICTIMS; AND A 15% REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO ARE PERSISTENT OFFENDERS; AT SCHOOL, ONLY 46% OF KIDS ARE THERE AT LEAST 90% OF THE TIME; THE GOVERNMENT IS SETTING A NEW TARGET OF 80%; IT ALSO WANTS TO SEE 80% OF YEAR 8 STUDENTS AT OR ABOVE THEIR CURRICULUM LEVEL IN READING, WRITING AND MATHS BY DECEMBER 2030 ` UP FROM 35% TO 56% IN THOSE SUBJECTS; IT HAS CONFIRMED THE TARGET REMAINS TO HIT NET-ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS BY 2050; AND IN THE WELFARE SPACE, THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO SEE 50,000 FEWER PEOPLE ON THE JOBSEEKER BENEFIT, FROM A TOTAL OF 190,000; 75% REDUCTION OF HOUSEHOLDS IN EMERGENCY HOUSING. POLITICAL EDITOR JENNA LYNCH HAS MORE. SCHOOL'S OUT ` A FLOOD OF BOUNCING BACKPACKS, KIDS LIKE TOBY FITZJOHN BOUNDING TO TELL MUM AND DAD WHAT THEY LEARNED TODAY. MATHS. YEAH I LIKE MATHS. BUT THE GOVERNMENT'S CONCERNED CHILDREN AREN'T GETTING ENOUGH OF THE BASICS. IN 2022, ONLY 42% OF YEAR EIGHT STUDENTS HAD REACHED THEIR CURRICULUM LEVEL FOR MATHS. THE LATEST DATA ON WRITING IS EVEN WORSE ` ONLY 35% OF YEAR EIGHTS HIT THE TARGET IN 2019. ABSOLUTELY, HOW COULD YOU NOT BE CONCERNED BY THOSE RESULTS? IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH. ONE OF MY CHILDREN DEFINITELY FALLS INTO THAT CAMP WHERE ME AND THEIR DAD ARE LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT SO THE GOVERNMENT'S NEW TARGET ` 80% OF YEAR EIGHTS ON TRACK IN READING WRITING AND MATHS BY 2030. A DECLINE IN EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT IS A WORRY THAT KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT. ITS ONE OF THE NINE GOALS NATIONAL HAS SET FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE, ALL TO BE HIT IN SIX YEARS. THE BIG NINE ROCKS WE THINK FOR NEW ZEALANDERS MATTER THE MOST TO THEM. ALONG WITH A FOCUS ON LAW AND ORDER AND EDUCATION, THE GOVERNMENT IS HONING IN ON WELFARE IT WANTS TO SLASH BENEFIT NUMBERS BY 50,000. THE GOALS ARE OF PROVOCATIONS FOR CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN MINISTERS AND AGENCIES. TO MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO DEAL WITH THESE NUMBERS. IN DECEMBER 2023, THERE WERE ABOUT 190,000 PEOPLE ON THE JOBSEEKER BENEFIT, BUT JUST OVER 80 OF THOSE WERE RECEIVING IT BECAUSE THEY HAVE A HEALTH CONDITION OR DISABILITY, WHAT USED TO BE KNOWN AS THE SICKNESS BENEFIT, LEAVING NEARLY 110,000 WHO ARE DEEMED 'WORK READY'. THE 50,000 REDUCTION WON'T JUST APPLY TO WORKREADY, THOUGH. IT'LL TARGET AT THOSE ON THE HEALTH OR DISABILITY JOBSEEKERS BENEFIT. THEY MAY WANT TO DO PART-TIME WORK. MY FATHER HAD TO GO ON THE BENEFIT TO LOOK AFTER MY MUM WHEN SHE WAS DYING FROM CANCER. HE NEEDED GOVERNMENT SUPPORT, NOT THE PRESSURE TO GO BACK TO WORK. LAST YEAR, THERE WERE 3100 HOUSEHOLDS LIVING IN EMERGENCY HOUSING. THE GOVERMENT WANTS THAT REDUCED BY 75%, MEANING MORE THAN 2000 HOUSEHOLDS WILL NEED TO BE MOVED OUT OF THE MOTELS. DON'T THINK 3100 FAMILIES WAKING UP THIS MORNING IN HOTELS BEING THERE OFTEN LONGER THAN 12 WEEKS IS ACTUALLY A SUCCESS. THE TARGET FOR YOUTH OFFENDING IS THE LOWEST OF ALL, MEETING THAT 15% REDUCTION WOULD STILL SEE ABOUT 900 RECIDIVIST YOUTH OFFENDERS. ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH 900 YOUTH OFFENDERS BEING RECIDIVIST? NO, BUT I WANNA START SOMEWHERE. A SIX-YEAR STRETCH GOAL A STARTING POINT. JENNA, THE GOVERNMENT IS SET TO ANNOUNCE ITS SCHOOL ATTENDANCE ACTION PLAN TOMORROW. WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THAT? THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF NOISE ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF FINING PARENTS. ENFORCEMENT ACTION WILL FORM PART OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT TOMORROW. BUT A LOT OF THE NUTS AND BOLTS ARE STILL TO BE WORKED THROUGH. ONE OF THE FRUSTRATIONS HAS BEEN THE MEASUREMENT OF HOW BIG THE PROBLEM IS. WE GET ATTENDANCE DATA TERM BY TERM. THERE IS A LAG IN THE DATA. DAVID SEYMOUR IS IN CHARGE OF THIS WORK. IN THE CAMPAIGN, HE WAS PITCHING THE IDEA OF DAILY ATTENDANCE DATA. A LOOSE COMPARISON COULD BE DRAWN HERE TO THE DAILY COVID CASE REPORTING. NOT INDIVIDUALISED TO CHILDREN, BUT NUMBERS, SO GOVERNMENT COULD LOOK AT TRENDS IF AREAS OR SCHOOLS WERE PROBLEMATIC. THAT MIGHT BE WHERE THEY ARE HEADING. BUT ONE QUESTION TO ANSWER TOMORROW IS HOW QUICKLY THEY COULD GET THAT UP AND RUNNING. A PROBLEM THAT YOU CANNOT MEASURE IS A PROBLEM YOU CANNOT MANAGE. FIRE INVESTIGATORS ARE WORKING WITH POLICE TO ESTABLISH THE CAUSE OF A MASSIVE BLAZE THAT DESTROYED A BOARDING LODGE IN THE AUCKLAND SUBURB OF PARNELL. THE RESIDENTS LIVING THERE ARE BEING RELOCATED, AND NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT LOCALS SAY THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT ANTISOCIAL ACTIVITY AT THE PROPERTY IN THE LEAD-UP TO THE FIRE. ALICE WILKINS REPORTS. A BUILDING SO BURNT-OUT AND UNSTABLE THAT TODAY FIREFIGHTERS WERE FORCED TO INSPECT THE CHARRED REMAINS FROM ABOVE, WHILE DOWN ON THE STREET, NEIGHBOURS WERE TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF WHAT THEY HAD WITNESSED. I LOOKED OUT MY BEDROOM WINDOW, AND THE WHOLE TOP OF THE HOUSE WAS ON FIRE. THERE WAS ONE GUY UP IN THE FIRST FLOOR. I CAN SEE OUT MY KITCHEN WINDOW, AND HE ACTUALLY THREW HIS BAG OUT, AND THEN HE LEAPT OUT THE WINDOW. NOT ONLY WAS THE BLAZE TERRIFYING FROM UP CLOSE, BUT GIANT FLAMES AND PLUMES OF THICK BLACK SMOKE COULD BE SEEN RIGHT ACROSS AUCKLAND'S CENTRAL CITY. THE FIRE EVEN VISIBLE TO FERRY PASSENGERS IN THE HARBOUR. THE FIRST CALL WAS A PRIVATE FIRE ALARM CALL FROM THE BUILDING, A MONITORED CALL, AND THEN WE GOT MULTIPLE 111 CALLS. THE FIRE WAS CONTAINED WITHIN AN HOUR AND FULLY OUT WITHIN THREE. BUT AS MORE THAN 40 FIREFIGHTERS ATTACKED THE BLAZE, WITNESSES SAY A SCUFFLE BROKE OUT BETWEEN SOME OF THE RESIDENTS WHO HAD EVACUATED THE BUILDING. POLICE TOOK ONE PERSON INTO CUSTODY. THEY WERE LATER RELEASED WITHOUT CHARGE. THEY STARTED TO HAVE A PHYSICAL ALTERCATION OUT ON THE STREET. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS ABOUT, BUT THERE WERE, LIKE, SEVERAL OF THE MEN FIGHTING, AND THEN ONE OF THEM PULLED OUT A KNIFE. AND THE CROWD WERE JUST` WE WERE JUST STANDING THERE. A NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING ON ST GEORGE'S BAY RD HAVE TOLD US THAT THEY'VE HAD ONGOING ISSUES WITH SOME OF THE RESIDENTS LIVING HERE, WITH ONE PERSON SAYING THEY FELT LIKE IT WAS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT HAPPENED. THE CITY GARDEN LODGE HAD INITIALLY STARTED OUT AS A BACKPACKERS. DEPUTY MAYOR DESLEY SIMPSON SAYS THEY HAD BEEN WORKING WITH THE OWNERS OVER BUILDING ISSUES, AND A FINAL COUNCIL INSPECTION WAS DUE TO HAPPEN TOMORROW. THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING HERE WERE RELOCATED LAST NIGHT, AND WE WILL BE WORKING WITH TE WHATU ORA AND MSD TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ALL THE SUPPORT THEY NEED. THEY'RE VULNERABLE PEOPLE. THEY'RE MSD CLIENTS. FIRE AND EMERGENCY UNDERSTANDS ALL RESIDENTS GOT OUT. NOW INVESTIGATORS ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH POLICE TO ESTABLISH HOW THE FIRE STARTED. ALICE WILKINS, NEWSHUB. ISRAEL IS PULLING MOST OF ITS GROUND TROOPS OUT OF SOUTHERN GAZA, AS THE COUNTRY MARKED SIX MONTHS OF WAR AGAINST HAMAS. BUT IT'S NOT BEING SEEN AS A POSITIVE SIGN. THE MILITARY IS BEING TOLD TO REST AND REGROUP AHEAD OF EITHER THE LONG-PLANNED ASSAULT ON RAFAH OR TO COUNTER A POSSIBLE REVENGE ATTACK NOW BEING THREATENED BY IRAN. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT LISETTE REYMER REPORTS. HALF A YEAR OF HELL, BUT THE SORROW FEELS INFINITE. THE SIX-MONTH MILESTONE DRAWING MOURNERS TO MEMORIALS AT THE SITE WHERE HAMAS ATTACKED ISRAEL ON OCTOBER 7th. THIS IS A WAR OF CHILDREN. THE AGONY EXTENDS TO BOTH SIDES OF THE WAR. AND HOPE IS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FACTS. MORE THAN 30,000 PEOPLE DEAD. 130 HOSTAGES REMAIN CAPTIVE. THE TERROR GROUP REMAINS UNBEATEN. AND ISRAEL IS NOW LARGELY CONTROLLING IF AND WHEN GAZANS GET TO EAT, DRINK, SLEEP, LIVE. ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, DECLARED TODAY THAT ISRAEL IS ONE STEP FROM VICTORY. BUT HIS CLAIM WAS UNDERMINED BY HIS TROOPS' MOVEMENTS. THE IDF HAS WITHDRAWN FROM SOUTHERN GAZA, WITH RAFAH STILL UNCONQUERED, ALTHOUGH IT IS LIKELY JUST A RESET. RELATIVES OF THE STILL-MISSING HOSTAGES ARE BEYOND DESPERATE TO BE HEARD, ACCUSING THEIR PRIME MINISTER OF IMPEDING NEGOTIATIONS THAT COULD FREE THEIR LOVED ONES. THIS IS THE FAULT NOT JUST OF ISRAEL'S GOVERNMENT, BUT THIS IS THE FAULT AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WHOLE WORLD. BUT THE IDEA OF A TRUCE IS STILL UNTHINKABLE FOR MANY ISRAELIS, THIS SPEEDING CAR PLOUGHING INTO PROTESTERS, INJURING FIVE. NO ONE SAID THAT THIS WOULD BE EASY. NO ONE SAID THAT THIS WOULD BE SHORT. MOST ISRAELIS STILL VERY MUCH SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT'S CONTINUED EFFORT TO DEFEAT AND WEAKEN HAMAS. BABY MASA WAS BORN ON OCTOBER 7TH. HER MOTHER WENT INTO LABOUR AS SHE SHELTERED FROM MISSILES. (SPEAKS ARABIC) TRANSLATOR: THERE IS NO FUTURE NOW. THE HOUSE IS GONE. THERE'S NO LIFE NOW. A NEW GENERATION RAISED UNDER THE DEADLY LULLABY OF DRONES, WITH ONLY A WASTELAND LEFT TO GROW OLD IN ` IF THEY ARE LUCKY. IN LONDON, LISETTE REYMER, NEWSHUB. THE PRIME MINISTER IS REFUSING TO EXPLICITLY ACKNOWLEDGE A LINK BETWEEN THE ISRAEL-HAMAS CONFLICT AND THE HOUTHI ATTACKS IN THE RED SEA. THAT'S DESPITE OFFICIAL ADVICE MAKING A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO. POLITICAL REPORTER JAMIE ENSOR HAS THE STORY. COMMERCIAL SHIPS ` THE TARGETS OF ATTACKS IN THE RED SEA AT THE END OF LAST YEAR. THE HOUTHIS, UM... ARE ATTACKING SHIPPING LINKED TO ISRAEL BECAUSE OF THE ABSENCE OF A CEASEFIRE. IN RESPONSE, IN JANUARY, NEW ZEALAND DEPLOYED SIX DEFENCE FORCE PERSONNEL TO THE MIDDLE EAST. DO YOU SEE THIS DEPLOYMENT AS AN EXTENSION OF THE ISRAEL-GAZA CONFLICT? BECAUSE THE HOUTHIS DO. I HAVE TO SAY TO YOU I THINK YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY WRONG TO CONFLATE THOSE TWO ISSUES. NEWSHUB'S OBTAINED THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS ADVICE, MINISTERS CONSIDERED. IT SAYS... THE VERY NEXT SENTENCE WENT ON TO TALK ABOUT IRANIAN-BACKED HOUTHI MILITANTS IN YEMEN UNDERTAKING ATTACKS IN THE RED SEA. DOESN'T THAT CONTRADICT YOUR STATEMENT THAT YOU SHOULDN'T CONFLATE THE TWO? NO, I DISAGREE. TO CONFLATE THOSE TWO ISSUES I DON'T THINK IS FAIR. ISN'T THAT WHAT THE ADVICE IS DOING? SORRY? ISN'T THAT WHAT THE ADVICE FROM OFFICALS WAS DOING? NO, I WOULD DISPUTE THAT. THERE IS DEFINITELY A LINKAGE. THE AMERICANS RECOGNISED IT. THEY SAID THEY WERE CONCERNED OTHER ACTORS IN THE REGION, PROBABLY IRAN, MIGHT TAKE ADVANTAGE. LUXON TODAY REFUSED TO EXPLICITLY ACKNOWLEDGE A LINK BETWEEN THE TWO EVENTS. DO YOU SEE THE LINK BETWEEN THE TWO EVENTS? I HAVE ALSO SEEN HOUTHI ATTACKS ON SHIPS THAT GOT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH ISRAEL. THE GOVERNMENT JUSTIFIED THE DEPLOYMENT AT THE TIME BY SAYING DISRUPTION TO GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS WILL IMPACT KIWIS BY DRIVING UP PRICES. THE ADVICE SHOWS BUSINESSES WERE ALREADY FEELING THE EFFECTS, WITH SHIPPING DELAYS, RISING TRANSPORT COSTS AND CANCELLATIONS. IT SAID NEW ZEALAND EXPORTS TO EUROPE, THE UK AND NORTH AFRICA WERE WORTH $7.7 BILLION IN THE YEAR TO SEPTEMBER 2023. THE VALUE OF IMPORTS WAS EVEN BIGGER ` $15.7 BILLION. THINGS LIKE FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION AS A SMALL TRADING NATION, THAT'S IMPORTANT. AS IS NAVIGATING COMPLEX FOREIGN AFFAIRS ISSUES. JAMIE ENSOR, NEWSHUB. HAWKE'S BAY RUGBY IS REVIEWING SAFETY AT GAMES AFTER ANGRY SCENES AT A HASTINGS MATCH LED TO THE VISITING TEAM'S VAN BEING SHOT AT AND RAMMED. THE GAME BETWEEN TAMATEA AND YOUNG MAORI PARTY HAD TO BE ABANDONED ON SATURDAY AFTER SPECTATORS DREW WEAPONS, INCLUDING MACHETES, AND REFUSED TO LEAVE. AS WILLIAM TERITE REPORTS, POLICE SAY THE INCIDENT WAS PROBABLY GANG-MOTIVATED. THIS WAS THE TERRIFYING RESULT OF A HIGH-SPEED CHASE THROUGH THE STREETS OF HASTINGS ` A VAN COVERED IN BULLET HOLES FROM A SHOTGUN. IT TAKES A LOT TO SCARE THEM, SO YEAH, THERE WAS CONCERN. THE VEHICLE WAS TRANSPORTING MEMBERS OF THE YOUNG MAORI PARTY RUGBY TEAM, WHO HAD JUST LEFT THEIR SATURDAY MATCH AGAINST THE HOME-SIDE TEAM, TAMATEA ARIKINUI, AFTER IT WAS ABRUPTLY CALLED OFF BY THE REFEREE IN THE SECOND HALF DUE TO THREATENING BEHAVIOUR FROM THE SIDELINES. WEAPONS WERE DISPLAYED, AND THERE WERE QUITE A FEW CHILDREN THERE, WE HAD OUR OWN CHILDREN THERE, AND SO THERE WAS QUITE SOME CONCERN. SOON AFTER LEAVING, THOUGH, THE YOUNG MAORI PARTY TEAM FOUND ITSELF AT THE CENTRE OF A DRAMATIC CAR CHASE. EVERYONE JUST WANTED TO SEE AN END TO IT AND HOW WE COULD GET OUT OF IT, BASICALLY, SO AT ONE STAGE, WE HAD FOUR VEHICLES IN PURSUIT. POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING AND SAY THOSE INVOLVED ARE BELIEVED TO BE GANG-LINKED, WHICH NEWSHUB UNDERSTANDS TO BE THE MONGREL MOB AND BLACK POWER. ALL INDICATIONS LEAD TO THAT. I GUESS FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT WE'RE SEEING A FACTION OF OUR COMMUNITY USE RUGBY AS A VEHICLE FOR THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOUR. I THINK IT'S ABHORRENT. HAWKE'S BAY RUGBY SAYS IT'S ALSO LOOKING INTO THE ATTACK AND WORKING ON A PLAN TO ENSURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. WHAT RUGBY HAS TO DO IS ACTUALLY MAKE SURE THE CONTROLS AROUND GROUND CONTROLLING AND MAKING SURE THE SAFETY OF OUR OFFICIALS, REFEREES AND SPECTATORS, AND WE'LL GO THROUGH AND DO THAT. AND IT SAYS THE COMMUNITY SHOULD STILL HAVE CONFIDENCE ATTENDING RUGBY MATCHES IN THE REGION. WILLIAM TERITE, NEWSHUB. MOST RURAL RESIDENTS WON'T BE ABLE TO GET THEIR SATURDAY NEWSPAPER DELIVERED, AS NEW ZEALAND POST HAS ANNOUNCED IT WILL END ITS WEEKEND RURAL RUN. FROM JUNE THERE WILL NO LONGER BE NEWSPAPER AND PARCEL DELIVERIES FOR MOST RURAL ADDRESSES, WITH THE REMAINING ADDRESSES PHASED OUT BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR. NZ POST SAYS SATURDAY SERVICES TO RURAL AREAS ARE NOT COMMERCIALLY VIABLE. HEATHER'S IN NOW WITH NEWSHUB WEATHER. AND THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM IS ALMOST HERE. YES, AND IT'S SET TO BE A SIGNIFICANT ONE. LOW PRESSURE, ACTIVE FRONTS AND A FEED OF SUBTROPICAL AIR. THE FRONTS ARRIVE IN THE SOUTHWEST TONIGHT, THEN TRACK NORTH, ALMOST STALLING OVER WESTLAND ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY ` AND THAT'S WHEN THINGS COULD GET ROUGH. I MENTIONED THE SUBTROPICAL AIR BEFORE. THAT NORTHERLY FLOW IS WARM AND LADEN WITH MOISTURE. IT ACTS AS FUEL. SO RAIN WON'T JUST BE HEAVY, IT WILL BE PROLONGED. NOW THE ENTIRE COUNTRY WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS SET-UP. AND WARNINGS ARE ALREADY ACTIVE. I'LL HAVE MORE AFTER SPORT. NEW FIGURES SHOW INTEREST IN NEWS IS STILL HIGH BUT TRUST HAS PLUMMETED, AND THOSE WHO ACTIVELY AVOID THE NEWS HAVE GROWN IN NUMBER. A YOUNG GIRL SURVIVES BEING WASHED OFF A JETTY BY A WAVE, WHILE HER DAD SURVIVES THE PUBLIC SCOLDING DISHED OUT BY HIS WIFE. AND AMERICANS PREPARE TO LINE THE PATH OF TOTALITY FOR TOMORROW'S BIG SOLAR ECLIPSE. (BRIGHT PIANO MUSIC) (PHONE CHIMES) Thank you, Sam! You're welcome, Wendy. SONG: # You, you've got what I need # You've got everything you need # You're like medicine... # VOICEOVER: Wonderful stories enter our stores every day. Thank you so much. Find your wonderful. New World. THE AUTHORS OF A NEW REPORT SHOWING A MAJOR LOSS OF TRUST IN THE NEW ZEALAND NEWS MEDIA SAY IT'S TIME FOR NEWS ORGANISATIONS TO 'LOOK IN THE MIRROR.' JUST A THIRD OF KIWIS NOW SAY THEY TRUST THE NEWS. THAT'S DOWN 20% FROM FIVE YEARS AGO. AS ISOBEL EWING REPORTS, THE RESEARCHERS SAY THE NEWS MEDIA NEEDS TO REBUILD PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF ITS ROLE. CAN I ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION, PLEASE? YES. 'DO KIWIS TRUST THE NEWS? WE ASKED AROUND.' I THINK I TRUST THE TV MEDIA, YEAH, GENERALLY, I DO. HOPEFULLY BECAUSE THEY DO INFORMED RESEARCH, SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TRUST THEM. BUT THAT WAS FAR FROM THE COMMON RESPONSE. THERE'S A NEW REPORT OUT TODAY THAT SHOWS ONLY 30% OF NEW ZEALANDERS TRUST THE MEDIA ` DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU? NOT REALLY. DO READ THE NEWS? NO, (LAUGHS) I DON'T. DO YOU TRUST THE MEDIA? NO. NEWSHUB'S ANECDOTAL FINDINGS ARE BACKED UP BY THE FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT PUBLISHED BY AUT'S RESEARCH CENTRE FOR JOURNALISM, MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY. THE MEDIA DOES NEED TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR NOW. NOT THAT I THINK IT'S LOST ITS PURPOSE, NOT THAT I THINK IT'S LOST ITS INTEGRITY. BUT IT'S CERTAINLY LOST ITS AUDIENCE. SINCE 2020, TRUST IN THE NEW ZEALAND NEWS MEDIA HAS DROPPED BY A WHOPPING 20%, AND NEARLY HALF OF THAT TRUST WAS LOST IN THE LAST YEAR. IN THE FIVE YEARS WE'VE BEEN DOING IT, TRUST IN THE NEWS IN NEW ZEALAND HAS DECLINED AT A FASTER RATE THAN OTHER COUNTRIES. SO WE'VE GONE FROM THE TOP OF THE BUNCH OF THE COMPARABLE COUNTRIES TO VERY NEAR THE BOTTOM. THE AUTHORS SAY THE REASONS ARE COMPLEX, BUT SOME ARE EASY TO IDENTIFY ` THE PANDEMIC AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF TRUST IN GOVERNMENT SPILLED INTO A MISTRUST OF ALL PROVIDERS OF INFORMATION; BUT ALSO, AUDIENCES ARE TURNED OFF BY THE MIXING OF OPINION WITH NEWS. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE MEDIA DOESN'T HAVE A RIGHT TO ITS VIEWS OR THAT OPINION COLUMNS AREN'T USEFUL, BUT THE AUDIENCE SEEMS TO BE NO LONGER ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE, AND THE AUDIENCE THINKS THEY'RE JUST BEING PREACHED AT. THERE WAS ALSO MISTRUST OVER MEDIA USING THE GOVERNMENT-PROVIDED PUBLIC INTEREST JOURNALISM FUND DURING THE HARD TIMES OF THE PANDEMIC, A MISTRUST SPURRED ON BY WINSTON PETERS, WHO CALLED IT 'STATE-FUNDED BRIBERY.' YOU CAN'T DEFEND $55 MILLION OF BRIBERY. THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY SITS YOU AND THE MEDIA INDUSTRY YOURSELVES TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE BUILDING YOUR SOCIAL LICENCE, YOU ARE BUILDING YOUR TRUST WITH THE NEW ZEALAND PEOPLE. MICHAEL BAKER SAYS THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA PLAYS AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN CONVEYING INFORMATION DURING CRISES LIKE A PANDEMIC. IT'S REALLY STILL THE BEST PLACE TO GET FACT-BASED AND SCIENCE-BASED INFORMATION. AND THE ALTERNATIVE IS FAR, FAR WORSE ` THAT IS EVERYONE DOES THEIR OWN RESEARCH ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THE NEWS MEDIA AND JOURNALISM IN NEED OF A MAJOR PR OVERHAUL... DO YOU TRUST THE MEDIA? CERTAIN MEDIA. WHAT IS THIS GOING ON? (LAUGHS) NEWSHUB LIVE AT 6. HOPEFULLY WE ARE ONE OF THOSE ONES. YEAH. (BOTH LAUGH) ...BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE. ISOBEL EWING, NEWSHUB. A FREAK WAVE HAS WASHED AN AUSTRALIAN TODDLER OFF A JETTY AND INTO THE OCEAN, RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER FATHER, WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKING AFTER HER. HE QUICKLY TRIED TO JUMP TO HER RESCUE BUT MET WITH SOME UNEXPECTED RESISTANCE, AS AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENT EMMA CROPPER REPORTS. THE CRASHING WAVE DID NOTHING TO STOP A LITTLE GIRL RUNNING CAREFREE INTO THE PATH OF DANGER. SHE'S GONNA TO GET BOWLED OVER HERE. A PREDICTION THAT MOMENTS LATER COMES TRUE. OH! DISAPPEARING IN FRONT OF HER DAD'S EYES, HE'S QUICK TO REACT. BUT HIS T-SHIRT GETS CAUGHT AS HE TRIES TO JUMP OVER THE RAILING. EVENTUALLY HE MADE IT, BUT THEY WERE TOSSED ON TO ROCKS. LUCKILY, LOCALS CAME TO THEIR RESCUE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN` LIKE, THERE'S SECONDS IN THERE. HE WAS THAT EXHAUSTED, BUT HE NEVER LET GO OF THE KID, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? DAVID GRAHAM HELPED THE DAD, WHILE MELINDA CONSOLED THE MOTHER WATCHING THE DRAMA UNFOLD. MUM WAS HYSTERICAL. YEAH, SHE WAS BESIDE HERSELF. SHE'S LIKE, 'HOW COULD HE DO IT? 'WE JUST CAME DOWN HERE FOR A NICE WALK.' THE MUM TELLING A COMMUNITY GROUP... ALSO THANKING THE RESCUERS. YEAH, NO, SHE WAS HYSTERICAL. WHAT WE SAW WAS COMMUNITY SPRIT. EVERYONE JUST JUMPED IN AND DONE WHAT THEY HAD TO DO. BOTH FATHER AND DAUGHTER ARE OK, BUT IT'S UNDERSTOOD HE'S DEVASTATED AND FEELS GUILTY. HE'S NOT LIKE ME. HE WASN'T A SURFER OR ANYTHING. HE WAS JUST AN AVERAGE DAD. SO YEAH, HE'S BLESSED BY GOD, MAN. LUCK THIS FATHER WILL BE THANKFUL WAS ON HIS SIDE. IN SYDNEY, EMMA CROPPER, NEWSHUB. ANDREW'S IN LATER WITH SPORT. AND THE SILVER FERNS CAPTAIN'S LEADING CALLS FOR CHANGE. AMELIARANNE EKANASIO EXPLAINS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO GET THE FERNS BACK ON TOP OF THE WORLD ` MORE FROM HER SHORTLY. PLUS ` KIWI CYCLIST LAURENCE PITHIE PRODUCES A COURAGEOUS RIDE AFTER TAKING A TUMBLE DURING THE RACE KNOWN AS 'THE HELL OF THE NORTH'. AND THE CHARITY RUN THAT LASTED A WHOLE YEAR, SPANNED AN ENTIRE CONTINENT, AND COULDN'T EVEN BE STOPPED BY A ROBBERY AT GUN POINT. MORE BAD NEWS FOR BOEING ` JUST AS A 737 IN AMERICA WAS GETTING AIRBORNE, PART OF AN ENGINE FELL OFF. AND THE STATES OF AMERICA DIVIDED DOWN POLITICAL LINES FINALLY HAVE SOMETHING TO UNITE OVER ` A SOLAR ECLIPSE. DO YOU PREFER THE NICKNAME 'CRUSHER COLLINS' OR 'COSMO COLLINS'? DO YOU KNOW, I REALLY LIKE THAT COSMO. I'VE NEVER BEEN A FAN OF THE CRUSHER ONE. COSMO IS SO MUCH MORE POSITIVE, ISN'T IT? (LAUGHS) WELL, I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE THAT ONE. (LAUGHS) THE MINISTER IN CHARGE OF OUR FIRE SERVICE IS ASKING IT TO JUSTIFY WHY IT NEEDS TO FURTHER HIKE THE LEVIES IT COLLECTS THROUGH OUR INSURANCE POLICIES. FENZ GETS ALMOST ALL ITS FUNDING FROM INSURANCE LEVIES, WHEN PEOPLE TAKE OUT POLICIES ON THEIR CAR, HOME OR BUSINESS. THOSE LEVIES WILL INCREASE BY 12.8% FROM JULY, THEN IT PROPOSES TO RAISE THEM BY A FURTHER 5.2% FROM 2026. WE HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION OF FENZ THAT WE WOULD OF ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY ` HOW DO WE DO MORE WITH LESS, AND HOW DO WE JUSTIFY ASKING FOR LEVY PAYERS TO PAY MORE, WHEN WE ALREADY KNOW PEOPLE ARE STRETCHED WITH A COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS? BROOKE VAN VELDEN SAYS SHE DOESN'T WANT TO SET LEVIES SO HIGH THAT PEOPLE WON'T GET INSURANCE. BUT THE PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS UNION CALLS THE INCREASE 'MODEST' AND SAYS ALL IT WILL PAY FOR IS MAINTAINING FRONT-LINE SERVICE. MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE GROWING INCREASINGLY EXCITED FOR AN EXTREMELY RARE EVENT. TOMORROW 13 STATES WILL PLUNGE INTO DARKNESS DURING A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE. THE LAST TIME A TOTAL ECLIPSE WAS VISIBLE IN THE STATES WAS 2017, BUT THE NEXT TIME WON'T BE TILL 2044. U.S. CORRESPONDENT MITCH MCCANN REPORTS. ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ISN'T GEARING UP FOR ITS MOMENT IN THE SUN; THE VERY OPPOSITE. IN FACT, IT'S MOMENTS OF DARKNESS THAT COULD LAST ALMOST FOUR MINUTES. IT'S PRETTY RARE, AND THEY KNOW IT. THIS IS THE ONE-IN-A-LIFETIME CHANCE. KIND OF A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EVENT. ONCE IN A LIFETIME. SO PROBABLY ALL OF US ARE GOING TO BE DEAD BEFORE THIS HAPPENS AGAIN. THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT TOMORROW'S TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE. THAT'S WHEN THE MOON WILL GLIDE INTO LINE WITH THE SUN, COMPLETELY OBSCURING IT. THAT'LL CAST A SHADOW OVER THE EARTH, PLUNGING MILLIONS INTO DARKNESS. THESE GUYS GET IT. THE MOON IS IN FRONT OF THE SUN. WHEN THE MOON COVERS THE SUN. 13 U.S. STATES ARE IN THE PATH OF THE ECLIPSE, WHICH WILL MOVE UP FROM MEXICO TO CANADA. THAT'S CALLED THE PATH OF TOTALITY. IT'S NO EXAGGERATION TO SAY AMERICANS ARE GOING CRAZY FOR THE ECLIPSE. THIS MAP SHOWS AIRBNB BOOKINGS ACROSS THE U.S. THE BLACK DOTS ARE IN THE ECLIPSE'S PATH, REPRESENTING AREAS AT MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY. ERIE, WHICH IS IN THAT PATH, is A TOWN OF 90,000 PEOPLE. TOMORROW THEY'RE EXPECTING 200,000 HERE. WE'RE SELLING SHIRTS, UNIQUE PRINTS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE ECLIPSE. WE GOT CUSTOM HATS AND STICKERS RIGHT HERE. YOU COULD SAY IT'S EASY TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THE EXCITEMENT. 31 MILLION AMERICANS ALREADY LIVE IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY, AND THERE WON'T BE ANOTHER TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE OVER THE U.S. FOR ANOTHER 20 YEARS. AND COME TOMORROW AFTERNOON, THEY'LL BE GRABBING THE PROTECTIVE SUNGLASSES, READY FOR THE MOMENT THEY'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR A MOMENT. THAT MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE. IT'S, UM, THE SPIRITUALITY, RIGHT? YEAH, SPIRITUALITY. YEAH. (LAUGHS) YEAH, SPIRITUALITY. YEAH. (LAUGHS) THE SPIRITUAL ASPECT OF IT, THAT BEING SORT OF ONE WITH THE WORLD, IF YOU WILL. SO` AND THAT'S NOT MY THING EITHER. I'M ALL ABOUT BASEBALL AND FUN AND FIREWORKS AND ALL THAT TYPE OF STUFF. IT ALMOST FEELS THE PHENOMENON IS BRINGING A DIVIDED COUNTRY TOGETHER. AS ONE PERSON TOLD US TODAY, THERE'S NO REPUBLICAN ECLIPSE OR DEMOCRAT ECLIPSE; IT'S ONE EVERYONE CAN ENJOY, EVEN IF IT'S FOR JUST A FEW MINUTES. IN PENNSYLVANIA, MITCH MCCANN, NEWSHUB. BOEING'S BEEN INVOLVED IN ANOTHER SCARY MOMENT, THIS TIME PART OF AN ENGINE FALLING OFF, JUST AS THE 737 WAS GETTING AIRBORNE. THE ENGINE BIT HIT ONE OF THE WINGS, BUT THE PILOTS MANAGED TO LAND SAFELY. CBS'S SHANELLE KAUL REPORTS. AS THIS SOUTHWEST AIRLINES BOEING 737 TOOK OFF FROM DENVER, PASSENGERS INSIDE COULD SEE ONE OF THE ENGINES METAL COVERS PEEL OFF. THE FAA SAYING THE PLANE'S ENGINE COVER DETACHED DURING TAKEOFF, STRIKING A WING FLAP. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE ENGINE WAS MADE BY CFM, NOT BOEING, BUT IT COMES FOLLOWING SEVERAL RECENT HIGH-PROFILE INCIDENTS. LAST MONTH, VIDEO CAPTURED THE MOMENT A WHEEL FELL OFF A UNITED AIRLINES BOEING AIRCRAFT. BOEING PAID $160 MILLION TO ALASKA AIRLINES AFTER A DOOR PANEL BLEW OUT MID-FLIGHT BACK IN JANUARY. WE'VE GOT SEVERAL EVENTS, BUT NONE OF WHICH SEEM TO BE RELATED. THIS ONE THIS MORNING MORE THAN LIKELY A MAINTENANCE ISSUE. DESPITE SOME VERY SCARY AND PUBLICLY SEEN EVENTS, OUR AVIATION SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES IS VERY SAFE. THESE INCIDENTS ARE RARE. THERE HASN'T BEEN A COMMERCIAL AVIATION DISASTER IN THE U.S. SINCE 2009. RWANDA HAS MARKED THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MASS KILLING OF TUTSIS BY HUTU EXTREMISTS. RWANDA'S PRESIDENT LED THE CEREMONY OF REMEMBRANCE AT A MEMORIAL TO THE 800,000 TUTSIS KILLED BY HUTUS IN 1994 AFTER THE THEN HUTU PRESIDENT'S PLANE WAS SHOT DOWN. HUTUS WHO TRIED TO OPPOSE THE GENOCIDE WERE ALSO KILLED. RWANDA BLAMED WESTERN LEADERS FOR NOT STEPPING IN SOONER TO PREVENT THE MASSACRES. EVER WONDERED WHAT YOU'D SAY AT YOUR OWN FUNERAL? WELL, NEW AI TOOLS ARE ALLOWING JUST THAT, THROUGH THE RECREATION OF DEAD LOVED ONES AS DIGITAL AVATARS. BUT EXPERTS WARN THIS TYPE OF TECH COULD INTERFERE WITH THE GRIEVING PROCESS AND LEAD TO THE EXPLOITATION OF PEOPLE AT THEIR MOST VULNERABLE. FINN HOGAN HAS MORE. SOME OF OUR DARKEST SCIENCE FICTION IS RAPIDLY BECOMING A REALITY. CHECK THE LINK. CAN YOU TALK TO IT? IT READS THROUGH ALL THE THINGS THEY'VE EVER SAID ONLINE. THE MORE IT HAS, THE MORE IT'S HIM. ADVANCES IN AI ARE ALLOWING THE DEAD TO SPEAK, LIKE THIS WOMAN, ANSWERING QUESTIONS AT HER OWN FUNERAL... HOW DID BECOMING A GRANDPARENT CHANGE YOU? OH, I THINK IT BROUGHT IMMENSE JOY. ...OR THIS TAIWANESE ARTIST CREATING AN AVATAR OF HIS DECEASED DAUGHTER TO SING HER MOTHER HAPPY BIRTHDAY. WELL, IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A VERY UNHEALTHY COPING MECHANISM FOR THE PEOPLE WHO USE THESE TOOLS. AT BEST, IN THERAPEUTIC SETTINGS, PERHAPS THESE THINGS COULD BE USED AS A WAY TO SAY YOUR FINAL GOODBYES AND START TO MOVE ON. BUT MOST OF THE TIME, RESEARCH INDICATES PEOPLE TEND TO CLING TO THESE FACSIMILES OF THEIR DEAD LOVED ONES, AND IT STOPS THEM FROM MOVING ON AND LENGTHENS THE GRIEVING PROCESS AND MAKES THINGS WORSE. ROBBINS WARNS THIS TECH COULD ALSO ENABLE SOME TRULY SINISTER SCAMS. PEOPLE WHO ARE GRIEVING, ESPECIALLY WHEN THAT GRIEF IS FRESH, COULD BE QUITE VULNERABLE. I IMAGINE A GRIEVING COUPLE WHO HAVE A LOVED ONE THAT IS MISSING OR HAS BEEN MISSING, PRESUMED DEAD, FOR SIX MONTHS A YEAR, AND THEN THEY SUDDENLY START GETTING TEXTS AND EVEN VOICE MESSAGES, AND MAYBE EVEN A VIDEO THAT SEEM LIKE THEIR LOVED ONE. THAT WOULD BE AN INCREDIBLY POWERFUL TOOL THAT YOU COULD USE TO MANIPULATE THESE PEOPLE INTO DOING THINGS OR JUST GIVING UP MONEY. BUT AI VERSIONS OF DECEASED LOVED ONES, LIKE THOSE OFFERED BY HEREAFTER AI, COULD BE JUST THE START. TELL ME SOMETHING ELSE SURPRISING ABOUT YOU. AS THEY GROW MORE SOPHISTICATED, AVATARS WILL INCREASINGLY ACT INDEPENDENTLY. YOU CAN IMAGINE A SCENARIO THAT WE COULD` YOU KNOW, WE COULD PROBABLY ACTUALLY DELIVER, YOU KNOW, TODAY IF AN INDIVIDUAL WANTED TO, UH, WHICH IS TO LEAVE BEHIND A VERSION OF THEMSELVES TO BE THE EXECUTOR OF THEIR WILL, FOR INSTANCE. WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ALREADY TOUCHING SO MUCH OF OUR LIFE, WE NOW MUST ASK WHETHER IT SHOULD ALSO TOUCH OUR DEATH. FINN HOGAN, NEWSHUB. AND THERE'S A TREAT COMING FOR FANS OF AUSSIE POP STAR 'TONES AND I' ` # STOP ME DAD WHILE I WAS PASSING BY, # I BEG TO SEE YOU DANCE ONE MORE TIME. THE ONLY WOMAN TO HAVE 3 BILLION PLAYS OF ONE SONG ON SPOTIFY IS STOPPING IN AUCKLAND ON HER FIRST HEADLINE TOUR. THE SILVER FERNS CAPTAIN RENEWS CALLS FOR CHANGE TO PRESERVE NEW ZEALAND'S STATUS IN WORLD NETBALL. PLUS, TRIBUTES FOR ONE OF OUR ALL-TIME GREATS, AS NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL'S MOST CAPPED PLAYER EVER HANGS UP THE BOOTS. AND THE FULL-CIRCLE STORY BEHIND THE TEARS ` THE EYE-WATERING, RECORD-BREAKING PRICE FETCHED FOR THE DAUGHTER OF A CHAMPION. (LAUGHTER AND CHATTER) (LIVELY MUSIC PLAYS) (PEOPLE GASP) (BELLOWS) Call this a feast?! Fetch more foodage! (DRAMATIC MUSIC) M'lady. (PEOPLE CHATTER) (EPIC MUSIC) (PEOPLE CHEER) Is this Greek salad? Nah, it's from New Zealand, eh! VOICEOVER: Four Square. What'll it be today? THE CAPTAIN OF THE SILVER FERNS HAS TODAY LED CALLS FOR BIG CHANGES TO OUR DOMESTIC COMPETITION, WITH AMERLIARANNE EKANASIO CLAIMING OUR LEADING NETBALLERS 'CAN ONLY BE BETTER IF WE PLAY THE BEST.' THIS WEEKEND MARKS THE START OF THE SEASON IN THE ANZ PREMIERSHIP, WHICH PULLED AWAY FROM TRANS-TASMAN COMPETITION IN 2017, BUT SOME BELIEVE OUR LACK OF INTERNATIONAL EXPOSURE IS NOW HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT ON NEW ZEALAND'S PERFORMANCE ON THE WORLD STAGE. NATASHA PAYNE REPORTS. TODAYS ANZ PREMIERSHIP LAUNCH MIGHT'VE CELEBRATED THE PAST... TODAY'S ANZ PREMIERSHIP LAUNCH MIGHT'VE CELEBRATED THE PAST... (ALL CHEER) ...BUT IT'S THE CURRENT FORMAT THAT'S CAUSING CONCERN FOR ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S BEST PLAYERS. THERE'S STILL A GAP, STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE. IT'S NOT NEW; WE'VE SAID THIS FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. EKENASIO WANTS KIWI SIDES TO PLAY DOMESTIC TEAMS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES DURING THE SEASON. HOWEVER THAT CAN WORK, WE'RE UP FOR IT AS PLAYERS. WE WANT TO HAVE THAT AS PLAYERS. WE WANT TO BE BETTER, YOU KNOW, AND WE CAN ONLY DO THAT BY PLAYING THE BEST. SOME TEAMS HAVE ALREADY HAD A TASTE. THE MELBOURNE VIXENS, ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S BEST SIDES, PLAYED THE NORTHERN MYSTICS AND STARS IN PRESEASON HITOUTS THIS YEAR. STARS COACH KIRI WILLS THOUGHT HER SIDE STACKED UP WELL. THEY'RE NOT UNTOUCHABLE. WE CAN COMPETE, AND WE DID IT REALLY WELL. THE SILVER FERNS DID, HOWEVER, STRUGGLE IN LAST YEAR'S WORLD CUP COMING FOURTH. NETBALL LEGEND YVONNE WILLERING BELIEVES THAT CAMPAIGN SHOWED NEW ZEALAND DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH DEPTH. THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH PLAYERS AVAILABLE AT THE MOMENT FOR THAT SILVER FERNS SELECTION. AND EVEN THE LAST TIME, I THOUGHT A COUPLE OF PLAYERS REALLY WERE THERE AND NOT HAD EARNT THE RIGHT. BUT WILLS BELIEVES CREATING MORE PLAYING OPPORTUNITIES MIGHT BE THE ANSWER. EVEN IF WE'RE NOT IN A COMBINED COMPETITION, WHAT CAN WE DO TO MIX THESE TEAMS UP? AND I THINK THE FANS REALLY WANT TO SEE THAT AS WELL. SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEE HOW FAR THE GAME HAS COME, IT JUST AS IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT ITS FUTURE. NATASHA PAYNE, NEWSHUB. THERE'S BEEN DOUBLE DELIGHT FOR NEW ZEALAND AT THE HONG KONG SEVENS. THE BLACK FERNS SEVENS CRUISED TO THEIR THIRD CONSECUTIVE TOURNAMENT TITLE WITH AN EASY WIN OVER USA THAT MOVES THEM TO THE TOP OF THE WOMEN'S STANDINGS, WHILE THE MEN HAVE PICKED UP THEIR FIRST TOURNAMENT WIN THIS SEASON AS THEIR WORLD SERIES CAMPAIGN STARTS TO TAKE OFF IN THE BUILD-UP TO THE PARIS OLYMPICS. TIA MCDOUGALL REPORTS. THE BLACK FERNS HAVE MADE IT THREE IN A ROW AT THE SPIRITUAL HOME OF SEVENS... SO GOOD! BACK TO BACK IN HONG KONG! ...RUNNING AWAY WITH THE FINAL 36-7 AGAINST THE U.S. RELISHING A TRY, ANOTHER TRY. WE WANTED TO COME TO HONG KONG WITH THE MINDSET OF THE PEAK TOURNAMENT, SO WE TREATED IT LIKE IT WAS AN OLYMPIC GAMES. THEIR WIN FUELLED BY A HAT-TRICK TO PLAYER OF THE MATCH MICHAELA BLYDE. A DELIGHTFUL BALL. WICKLIFFE IS THERE, AND SHE'S GONNA GO TO MICHAELA BLYDE. FINGERTIP CONTROL, AND ANOTHER TRY FINISHING IN THE CORNER. ITS A GOOD FEELING RIGHT NOW, BUT WE CAN'T BE COMPLACENT. THERE'S STILL TWO MORE TOURNAMENTS TO GO. THE FERNS NOW ATOP THE WOMEN'S STANDINGS, WHILE THE ALL BLACKS SEVENS FINALLY WON THEIR FIRST TOURNAMENT OF THIS WORLD SERIES. WE HAVE AN HONOURS BOARD AT HOME, AND THIS IS THE ONE TOURNAMENT WE PUT UP THERE. WE WANNA WIN THIS EVERY YEAR. AFTER A FIRST HALF STALEMATE, SCOTT CURRY BROKE THE DEADLOCK AGAINST FRANCE. SCOTT CURRY IN THE CORNER! AND A LATE SECOND TRY FROM CODY VAI POWERED NEW ZEALAND TO VICTORY. NEW ZEALAND HAVE IT. BRADY RUSH. CODY VAI! THE MEN UP TO FIFTH IN THE STANDINGS WITH TWO TOURNAMENTS LEFT IN THE SEASON. TIA MCDOUGALL, NEWSHUB. A BRUTAL CRASH COULDN'T STOP LAURENCE PITHIE FINISHING SEVENTH ON THE FAMED PARIS TO ROUBAIX RACE, THE BEST-EVER RESULT BY A KIWI CYCLIST. WITH 30KM LEFT, PITHIE WAS BATTLING FOR A PODIUM SPOT BEFORE BEING UNDONE BY THE TRICKY CONDITIONS. ONE OF CYCLING'S FIVE 'MONUMENTS', THE EVENT IS NICKNAMED 'THE HELL OF THE NORTH' DUE TO LARGE SECTIONS OF THE RACE TRAVELLING OVER COBBLED ROADS AND RUTTED TRACKS. YEAH, I'M DISAPPOINTED TO HAVE CRASHED IN THAT CHASING GROUP, AND, YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE MISTAKE. I FOUGHT REALLY HARD TO COME BACK, BUT I JUST` JUST COULDN'T CLOSE THE GAP. THE 21-YEAR-OLD NOW TURNS HIS ATTENTION TO THE GIRO D'ITALIA STARTING NEXT MONTH. NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL'S MOST CAPPED PLAYER EVER HAS DECIDED TO CALL IT A DAY WITH RIA PERCIVAL ANNOUNCING HER RETIREMENT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL GAME. AFTER MAKING HER FOOTBALL FERNS DEBUT AT JUST 16, NOW 34-YEAR-OLD PERCIVAL WENT ON TO EARN 166 INTERNATIONAL CAPS, MORE THAN ANY NEW ZEALAND PLAYER ` MALE OR FEMALE. SHE DIES FOR THE TEAM, BODY ON THE LINE, AND THEN ALSO HAS THE TECHNICAL ABILITY. YOU KNOW, SHE WAS THE ONE WHO WOULD TAKE OUR PENALTY KICKS. SHE HAD THAT COMPOSURE, THAT FINESSE. SHE WAS SUCH A WELL-ROUNDED FOOTBALLER. AND TO HAVE SOMEONE LIKE THAT FOR 18 YEARS, THAT'S THE SAME AGE AS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR TEAM-MATES NOW. THE FOOTBALL FERNS ARE IN CHRISTCHURCH PREPARING FOR THEIR SECOND FRIENDLY AGAINST THAILAND TOMORROW. LIVERPOOL HAVE DROPPED CRUCIAL POINTS IN THEIR PURSUIT OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE, ESCAPING OLD TRAFFORD WITH A 2-2 DRAW. HEADING INTO THE MATCH ONE POINT BEHIND LEADERS ARSENAL, LIVERPOOL GOT OFF TO THE IDEAL START THROUGH LUIS DIAZ, BEFORE MANCHESTER UNITED HIT BACK WITH TWO STUNNING STRIKES TO LEAVE THE REDS SWEATING. OH, NOW, BRUNO FERNANDES SPOTTING KELLEHER OFF HIS LINE. MANCHESTER UNITED! WAN-BISSAKA AVAILABLE. MAINOO! IT'S A GREAT EFFORT. WHAT A GOAL... FROM KOBBIE MAINOO! DESPITE A LATE PENALTY FROM MOHAMED SALAH LEVELLING THE SCORES, ARSENAL REMAIN ON TOP FOR NOW, THANKS TO THEIR SUPERIOR GOAL DIFFERENCE. MEANWHILE, ALL WHITES STRIKER CHRIS WOOD CONTINUED HIS RED-HOT SCORING STREAK, FINDING THE BACK OF THE NEXT FOR THE FOURTH STRAIGHT PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH IN NOTTINGHAM FOREST'S 3-1 LOSS TO TOTTENHAM. A 'GEEZER' IS UK SLANG FOR AN ORDINARY BLOKE, BUT RUSS COOK IS NO ORDINARY GEEZER. THE BRITISH ENDURANCE RUNNER HAS JUST FINISHED A FUNDRAISING CHARITY RUN ` 16,000km, AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY THAT TOOK IN THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF AFRICA AND SAW HIM DODGE ILL-HEALTH AND ARMED ROBBERS ALONG THE WAY. ITV's ALEX ISZATT REPORTS. AND IT'S ALL OVER. RUSS COOK, THE SELF-PROCLAIMED 'HARDEST GEEZER', IS IN THE HISTORY BOOKS. MEN CHANT: GEEZER! GEEZER! PUSHING HIS BODY TO THE LIMITS, THE ULTRA RUNNER HAS BECOME THE FIRST PERSON TO RUN ACROSS THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF AFRICA. THE 27-YEAR-OLD BEGAN HIS GRUELLING 9500-MILE JOURNEY IN CAPE AGULHAS, SOUTH AFRICA, BEFORE HEADING UP THE WEST COAST AND CROSSING 16 COUNTRIES, BEFORE FINISHING IN TUNISIA ` THROUGH UNBEARABLE HEAT, SANDSTORMS AND BLIZZARDS. YET THE WEATHER WAS THE LEAST OF ROSS'S CHALLENGES, STRANDED, KIDNAPPED AND ROBBED AT GUNPOINT. YOU KNOW, IT WAS A VERY TRAUMATIC COUPLE OF DAYS. IT DID PROBABLY WOBBLE ME. I CAN'T DRESS IT UP ANY OTHER WAY THAN THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, I SAID AT THE START OF THIS, IT'S RUN AFRICA OR DIE TRYING. EVEN INJURIES WOULDN'T STOP RUSS, DETERMINED TO FINISH HIS EPIC ADVENTURE, DOCUMENTING EVERY STEP ON SOCIAL MEDIA ` THE HIGHS AND THE LOWS. HE'S RAISED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS FOR CHARITY AND INSPIRED SO MANY PEOPLE, SOME JOINING HIM IN THE FINAL LEG. AND ALTHOUGH THIS CHALLENGE MAY BE OVER, THE NEXT ONE IS NO DOUBT JUST OVER THE HORIZON. THERE HAVE BEEN EMOTIONAL SCENES IN SYDNEY THIS AFTERNOON, FOLLOWING THE RECORD-BREAKING SALE OF A VERY SPECIAL FILLY. A YEARLING OUT OF THE LEGENDARY FOUR-TIME COX PLATE WINNER 'WINX' WENT UNDER THE HAMMER, WIDELY EXPECTED TO CHALLENGE THE AUSTRALIAN RECORD OF $5M. WELL, SHE DOUBLED IT, SELLING FOR $10M TO THE KEPITIS FAMILY, WHO WERE AMONG THE OWNERSHIP GROUP OF HER CHAMPION MUM. AT 10 MILLION. LAST CHANCE. DONE. HOPEFULLY SEE IF SHE CAN GET TO THE RACE TRACK. IF SHE CAN'T GET TO THE RACE TRACK, SHE'LL BE AN AMAZING MUM. AND SHE'S GOING TO BE JUST FABULOUS. THE FILLY WILL BE TRAINED BY THE SAME MAN WHO OVERSAW HER MUM'S RACING CAREER, EX-PAT KIWI CHRIS WALLER. SHE WILL CERTAINLY BE IN GOOD HANDS. $10 MILLION, THAT IS ONE EXPENSIVE HORSE. AND GETTING EMOTIONAL ABOUT PARTING WITH THAT MUCH MONEY. FRESH OFF THE TOUR WITH PINK, AUSTRALIAN MUSICIAN TONES AND I HAS ANNOUNCED HER OWN HEADLINE SHOW IN NEW ZEALAND. # SO I SAY, DANCE FOR ME, DANCE FOR ME, DANCE FOR ME. # OH-OH-OH. # I NEVER SEEN ANYBODY DO THE THINGS TO DO BEFORE. # THE 'DANCE MONKEY' HIT MAKER WILL PLAY AT THE AUCKLAND TOWN HALL IN AUGUST. TICKETS GO ON SALE ON FRIDAY. A YOUNG GIRL PLAYING ON HER BIKE IN NORTHERN ENGLAND SUDDENLY HAD TO RUN FOR HER LIFE AS A CRANE THAT WAS OPERATING IN THE SAME STREET STARTED TOPPLING OVER. THE GIRL SAW IT COMING AND RAN INSIDE HER HOME, THOUGH GOODNESS KNOWS WHAT SHE TOLD HER PARENTS. THE CRANE ACTUALLY SLICED ITS WAY THROUGH THE WALLS AND BECAME EMBEDDED IN THE BADLY DAMAGED BUILDING. NOBODY INSIDE THE HOUSE WAS HURT, BUT THEY ARE NOW SEEKING NEW ACCOMODATION. A FATHER OUT FOR A MOTORCYCLE RIDE WITH HIS YOUNG DAUGHTER, REALISED SOMETHING WAS VERY WRONG WHEN HE SUDDENLY GOT A SINKING FEELING ` LITERALLY. THE GROUND BENEATH THEM WAS COLLAPSING INTO A SINKHOLE, AND A NEARBY RIVER WAS THREATENING TO MAKE THINGS WORSE. FORTUNATELY, RESCUERS WERE ABLE TO GRAB THE PAIR AND GET THEM TO SAFETY. HEAVY TRUCKS USING THE ROAD TO REACH A CONSTRUCTION SITE ARE BEING BLAMED. OUR TOP STORIES TONIGHT ` THE GOVERNMENT UNVEILED ITS PUBLIC SERVICE TARGETS TODAY. THEY INCLUDE MORE KIDS IN SCHOOL, FEWER COMMITTING CRIMES AND MUCH FEWER PEOPLE ON THE BENEFIT. NEIGHBOURS SAY RESIDENTS FOUGHT ON THE STREET AS THE PARNELL BOARDING HOUSE THEY LIVED IN WENT UP IN FLAMES. THE RESIDENTS LIVING THERE ARE BEING RELOCATED, AND NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT LOCALS SAY THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT ANTISOCIAL ACTIVITY AT THE AUCKLAND PROPERTY IN THE LEAD UP TO THE FIRE. AND ISRAEL'S MARKED SIX MONTHS OF WAR BY WITHDRAWING TROOPS FROM SOUTHERN GAZA, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE FIGHTING'S OVER. THE MILITARY'S BEING TOLD TO REST AND REGROUP AHEAD OF EITHER THE LONG-PLANNED ASSAULT ON RAFAH, OR TO COUNTER A POSSIBLE REVENGE ATTACK NOW BEING THREATENED BY IRAN. COMING UP, NEWSHUB WEATHER ` AND THE HEAVY RAIN IS JUST ARRIVING IN THE SOUTHWEST, HEATHER. THE BEGINNING OF A LONG WEEK ` HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WINDS. OVER THE NEXT FIVE DAYS A PLUME OF MOISTURE FROM THE NORTH, SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS AN ATMOSPHERIC RIVER, WILL BE FEEDING RAIN ON TO ALL OF US. YOU CAN SEE, THOUGH, THE WEST COAST WILL BEAR THE BRUNT OF THE STORM. AND WITH THE RAIN COMES THE WIND ` STRONG NORTH-TO-NORTHWEST GALES. MORE IN THE FULL FORECAST NEXT. Craving a big burger? (DRAMATIC RUMBLING) Well, we've got big value. The iconic Subway Footlong sub. Because we know size matters. (BRIGHT MUSIC) TOMORROW'S WEATHER, BROUGHT TO YOU BY NATURE, TURNED INTO POWER BY MERIDIAN. NAU MAI ANO. WELCOME BACK. IT'S A BUSY WEATHER WEEK, SO STRAIGHT INTO IT. THE LARGE HIGH THAT GAVE US DECENT WEEKEND WEATHER IS SLOWLY HEADING EAST. AS IT MOVES FURTHER AWAY FROM US TOMORROW, IT OPENS UP THE SPACE FOR ALL THIS TO ARRIVE. THE FRONT HEADS NORTH OVER FIORDLAND TOMORROW AND WILL SLOW RIGHT DOWN WHEN IT HITS WESTLAND ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. TEMPS WILL BE WARM, THANKS TO THE NORTHERLY FLOW. THINK OF IT AS A DIRECT FEED FROM THE TROPICS. SO SHOWERS TURN TO RAIN OVER THE SOUTHWEST TONIGHT, WITH SHOWERS SPREADING FURTHER NORTH. IT'S FINE OUT EAST. THE NORTHEASTERLY WILL RISE TO GALE FORCE DOWN THE FIORDLAND COAST. TOMORROW THINGS REALLY RAMP UP, WITH HEAVY RAIN IN THE WEST SOUTH OF HOKITIKA, DOWN TO GEORGE SOUND. SHOWERS WILL REACH UP TO NELSON TOO. SHOWERS SPREAD TO OTAGO AND CANTERBURY AFTER MIDDAY. THE NORTH IS STILL OK ` FOR NOW. THE ROUGH STUFF COMES LATER IN THE WEEK. TONIGHT MAINLY FINE, APART FROM SOME CLOUD AND ISOLATED SHOWERS FOR BAY OF PLENTY AND FROM THAMES NORTH. TOMORROW THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST WILL HAVE CLOUDY PATCHES AND A FEW SHOWERS. THOSE SHOWERS WILL BECOME MORE FREQUENT TOMORROW NIGHT. SO AS WE JUST SAW, CLOUDY PERIODS UP TOP WITH A FEW SHOWERS. THOSE SHOWERS INCREASE IN FREQUENCY TOMORROW NIGHT FOR AUCKLAND, WHITIANGA AND HAMILTON. AND EVERYONE HAS A NORTHEASTERLY. SIMILAR HERE, WITH CLOUDY PERIODS AND A FEW SHOWERS. THE NUMBER OF THOSE SHOWERS INCREASE TOMORROW NIGHT FOR ROTORUA, TOKOROA AND TAURANGA, AND ALL WILL HAVE NORTHEASTERS. LOOKING GOOD OUT EAST ` SUNSHINE ALL DAY, AND THANKS TO THE NORTHEASTERLY, HAWKE'S BAY WILL HAVE A NICE AUTUMN HIGH OF 24 DEGREES. MASTERTON AND GISBORNE, YOU HAVE A NORTHERLY. AND A MIX OF FINE AND CLOUD FOR THE REST OF THE ISLAND. SHOWERS ARE POSSIBLE FOR TARANAKI AND TAUMARUNUI FROM THE AFTERNOON, WITH NORTHERLY-QUARTER WINDS EVERYWHERE. ENJOY THE LAST LITTLE BIT OF SUN HERE TOMORROW. SHOWERS DEVELOP ACROSS THE MORNING. PERSISTENT AND HEAVY TOMORROW NIGHT FOR HOKITIKA AND GREYMOUTH. THE ALPS PROTECT THE EAST FOR NOW, WITH JUST HIGH CLOUD ` A TELLTALE SIGN OF WHAT'S COMING. A FEW SPOTS OF RAIN ARRIVE TOMORROW NIGHT FOR ALL OF CANTERBURY, WITH A STRENGTHENING NORTHERLY. CLOUD DEVELOPS ACROSS THE MORNING HERE, WITH RAIN ARRIVING IN THE MORNING FOR THE DEEP SOUTH AND FROM MIDDAY FOR EVERYONE ELSE. PERSISTENT RAIN FOR SOUTHLAND TOMORROW NIGHT. DUNEDIN, YOU HAVE A CLOUDY BUT DRY MORNING. A FEW SPOTS OF RAIN DEVELOP AT AROUND MIDDAY, WITH A NOTICEABLE NORTHERLY, WHICH EASES TOMORROW NIGHT. CHRISTCHURCH, FINE FOR MOST OF THE DAY, BUT HIGH CLOUD SPREADS OVER FROM THE AFTERNOON, SIMILAR TO WHEN THE NORTHERLY STRENGTHENS. SHOWERS ARRIVE TOMORROW NIGHT. IT'S NICE FOR THE CAPITAL ` FINE WITH JUST MORNING AND EVENING CLOUD. WINDS WILL BE FROM THE NORTH, WITH A HIGH OF 21 FOR THE HUTT VALLEY. LOVELY FOR HAWKE'S BAY ` FINE WITH A NORTHERLY. A LITTLE COOL TO START FOR HASTINGS ` A LOW TONIGHT OF 8, BUT WARMING NICELY TO 24 DEGREES. CLOUDY FOR TAURANGA, WITH A FEW SHOWERS. THAT CLOUD INCREASES AND SHOWERS BECOME MORE FREQUENT TOMORROW NIGHT, WITH A NORTHEASTERLY. CLOUDY TOO FOR HAMILTON, BUT WITH A DRY MORNING. SHOWERS ARRIVE IN THE AFTERNOON OR EVENING, WITH A NORTHEASTERLY. AND SIMILAR FOR AUCKLAND, WITH CLOUDY PERIODS AND A FEW SHOWERS. THOSE SHOWERS WILL RAMP UP IN THE EAST DURING THE EVENING, THANKS TO THE NORTHEASTERLY. TO OZ ` TROPICAL CYCLONE OLGA, WHICH WAS CATEGORY 3 EARLY THIS AFTERNOON, IS EXPECTED TO STAY OFFSHORE, PASSING TO THE NORTHWEST OF W.A. AND THERE'S STILL PLENTY GOING ON OVER THE TROPICS THIS WEEK ` RAIN WITH HEAVY FALLS AND THUNDERSTORMS. I DID WARN YOU, THE NORTH WAS NOT GOING TO ESCAPE THE ROUGH WEATHER. THE SET-UP FOR THE WEEK WILL SEE WIDESPREAD RAIN AND STRONG NORTHEASTERLIES, AFFECTING ALL AT SOME STAGE. HOWEVER, GISBORNE AND HAWKE'S BAY CAN EXPECT JUST SHOWERS. THE RAIN DOES GRADUALLY EASE TO SHOWERS FROM THE WEST ON FRIDAY. PLENTY OF RAIN FOR THE SOUTH ISLAND, WITH THE WORST AFFECTING THE WEST. BUT BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT, THE RAIN WILL BE HEAVY AND MORE WIDESPREAD, CONTINUING ON THURSDAY. ON FRIDAY, RAIN CLEARS SOUTH OF CANTERBURY. BUT THERE WILL STILL BE STRONG WINDS AND SNOW TO 900m IN THE SOUTH AND EAST. SO A BUSY WEATHER WEEK. AS THE SYSTEM SHIFTS, NEW WATCHES AND WARNING WILL BE ISSUED. SO BEST TO STAY UP TO DATE. IN WE WILL KEEP ACROSS THAT. THAT'S NEWSHUB LIVE AT 6 FOR TODAY. REBECCA WRIGHT AND THE NEWSHUB LATE TEAM ARE HERE ON THREE AT 10.25, 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 MANAHAU. CAPTIONS BY JAMES BROWN AND TOM CLARKE.