KIA ORA. IT'S MIDDAY ` DISGRACED FILM PRODUCER HARVEY WEINSTEIN HAS A RAPE CONVICTION OVERTURNED. WHY HE'LL STILL REMAIN BEHIND BARS. PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTS SPREAD TO MORE AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES AS STUDENTS CLASH WITH AUTHORITIES. PLUS, IN A WORLD FIRST, WHY TOURISTS TO VENICE WILL NOW HAVE TO PAY TO VISIT THE HISTORIC ITALIAN CITY. CAPTIONS BY ALEX BACKHOUSE AND SAM BAKER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 DISGRACED HOLLYWOOD FILM PRODUCER HARVEY WEINSTEIN HAS HAD ONE OF HIS RAPE CONVICTIONS OVERTURNED. THE NEW YORK COURT OF APPEALS HAS ORDERED A NEW HEARING, SAYING HE DID NOT RECEIVE A FAIR TRIAL. BUT WEINSTEIN WILL REMAIN IN PRISON FOR A SEPARATE CONVICTION OF RAPE. THE BBC'S EMMA VARDY REPORTS. WHEN HARVEY WEINSTEIN, ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL MEN IN HOLLYWOOD, WAS ACCUSED OF RAPE, IT LED TO AN OUTPOURING ABOUT A CULTURE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND MISOGYNY EXPERIENCED BY WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD, WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE 'METOO' MOVEMENT. MANY WOMEN CAME FORWARD ACCUSING HARVEY WEINSTEIN OF FORCING THEM INTO SEX. FOR YEARS, THERE WAS A FEAR OF SPEAKING OUT, THEY SAID, BECAUSE OF HIS ABILITY TO MAKE OR BREAK CAREERS. BUT NOW THE RAPE CONVICTION AGAINST HARVEY WEINSTEIN THAT CAME OUT OF THE METOO MOVEMENT HAS BEEN OVERTURNED IN NEW YORK. ASHLEY JUDD, THE FIRST ACTRESS TO MAKE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM PUBLICLY, SAID THE COURT'S DECISION WAS A SHOCK. TODAY IS AN ACT OF INSTITUTIONAL BETRAYAL AND OUR INSTITUTIONS BETRAY SURVIVORS OF MALE SEXUAL VIOLENCE. THE COURT OF APPEALS SAID PROSECUTORS HAD CALLED WITNESSES WHOSE ACCUSATIONS WERE NOT PART OF THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM. THAT MEANT, IT SAID, HE WAS UNFAIRLY TRIED FOR PAST BEHAVIOUR. HARVEY WEINSTEIN WAS ALSO CONVICTED OF RAPE IN A SEPARATE CASE HERE IN L.A. LAST YEAR. HE WAS SENTENCED TO 16 YEARS FOR RAPING A WOMAN IN A BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL. HE WILL REMAIN IN PRISON WHILE A DECISION IS MADE IN NEW YORK OVER WHETHER TO RE-TRY HIM. HARVEY WEINSTEIN'S LAWYER HAS COMMENDED THE APPEALS COURT, HE SAID, FOR UPHOLDING THE PRINCIPLES THAT SHOULD GOVERN A CRIMINAL TRIAL. IN THIS COURTHOUSE BEHIND US AT THAT TRIAL, THE LAW WAS NOT APPLIED FAIRLY TO HARVEY WEINSTEIN. YOU CAN'T THROW OUT 100 YEARS OF LEGAL PRECEDENT BECAUSE SOMEONE IS UNPOPULAR. HARVEY WEINSTEIN'S CONVICTION IN CALIFORNIA IS ALSO BEING APPEALED, HIS LEGAL TEAM ARE LOOKING INTO WHAT IMPLICATIONS THE NEW YORK RULING COULD HAVE HERE. THE NUMBER OF SOLDIERS LEAVING THE DEFENCE FORCE IS FINALLY STARTING TO SLOW, THANKS IN PART TO BONUS PAYMENTS FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO STAY. IT COMES AS THE NZDF WARNS THE GOVERNMENT IT'S IN A 'DIRE STATE' DUE TO AGEING EQUIPMENT AND PERSONNEL LEAVING. THE LATEST FIGURES SHOW THE ATTRITION RATE'S IMPROVED TO 10.3% COMPARED TO 15% FOR THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR. THE DEFENCE CAPABILITY PLAN WILL SET THE SCENE FOR HOW WE START TO REINVIGORATE THE PLATFORMS THAT THE DEFENCE FORCE USES, SO THAT'S THE EQUIPMENT BUT ALSO HOW WE GROW THE DEFENCE FORCE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. THE MINISTER SAYS MORE WILL BE REVEALED ABOUT HER PLANS TO RETAIN STAFF AND REFRESH EQUIPMENT IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET. THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH HAS ATTENDED THE ANZAC DAY SERVICE AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY OVERNIGHT. PRINCE EDWARD REPRESENTED THE ROYAL FAMILY AT THE TRADITIONAL SERVICE ALONGSIDE NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE PERSONNEL AND OUR HIGH COMMISSIONER TO THE UK, PHIL GOFF. NEW ZEALAND BUSINESSES CONTINUE TO SPEND UP LARGE ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. THE LATEST FIGURES FROM STATISTICS NZ SHOWS THE BUSINESS SECTOR SPENT $3.7B ON R&D LAST YEAR, A 17% INCREASE ON THE PREVIOUS YEAR. OF THE 13 INDUSTRIES SURVEYED, 12 HAD HIGHER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EXPENDITURE COMPARED TO 2022. SERVICE INDUSTRIES HAD THE HIGHEST INCREASE, GROWING BY $331M, LARGELY LED BY COMPUTER SERVICES, WHOLESALE TRADE, AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. THE NEW MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS MINISTER SAYS HE'LL LISTEN TO THE INDUSTRY AFTER TAKING OVER THE PORTFOLIO. PAUL GOLDSMITH WAS APPOINTED AFTER MELISSA LEE WAS DUMPED FROM CABINET. THE MINISTER RECOGNISING THE IMPORTANCE OF A STRONG BROADCASTING SECTOR, AND THAT CHANGES ARE NEEDED. GOT A BIT OF A SENSE OF, MANY OF THE CONCERNS, PARTICULARLY AROUND TRYING OUR BEST TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD, I SUPPOSE, BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL MEDIA AND ALSO THE ONLINE PLATFORMS THAT WE HAVE AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME REAL CHALLENGES THERE. AND SO I'LL BE LISTENING AND I'LL BE MOVING REASONABLY SWIFTLY. MR GOLDSMITH SAYS HE'S ALREADY SPOKEN WITH PRIME MINISTER CHRISTOPHER LUXON. YEAH, WELL, I'VE GOT A CLEAR SENSE OF DIRECTION FROM HIM. AND, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE A REAL SUCCESS OF IT. WHAT'S THAT SENSE OF DIRECTION? OH THERE'S THAT` WE RECOGNISE THAT THERE ARE BIG CHALLENGES IN THIS AREA. IT IS IMPORTANT, IT'S COMPLICATED AND WE'VE GOT TO WORK THROUGH IT CAREFULLY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE A STRONG MEDIA PRESENCE IN NZ. PENNY SYMONDS WAS ALSO STRIPPED OF THE DISABILITY ISSUES PORTFOLIO IN THE CABINET RESHUFFLE, REPLACED BY LOUISE UPSTON. AS MAORI ACROSS THE MOTU PREPARE FOR THE NEXT NATIONAL UNITY HUI, ONE IWI LEADER BELIEVES THEY'RE STRONGER TOGETHER. NGATI KAHUNGUNU IS SET TO HOST THE EVENT IN HAWKE'S BAY, AIMING TO BUILD ON THE SUCCESS OF THE FIRST HUI IN JANUARY. IWI CHAIR BAYDEN BARBER SAYS IT'S ABOUT UNIFYING MAORI IN RESPONSE TO GOVERNMENT POLICIES DEEMED 'ANTI-MAORI'. WE'VE GOT MAJOR OUTCOMES THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT IMPROVING ` HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, JOBS, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, AND THE LIST GOES ON ` CULTURAL IDENTITY ` AND WE'RE IN THE BEST PLACE TO DO THAT OURSELVES. BARBER HOPES THIS SHOW OF UNITY WILL CONTINUE FOR MAORI. PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTS ON AMERICAN COLLEGE CAMPUSES ARE SPREADING, WITH HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS AS POLICE CLASH WITH DEMONSTRATORS. UNREST INTENSIFIED LAST WEEK WHEN STUDENTS AT NEW YORK'S COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SET UP A GAZA SOLIDARITY PROTEST CAMP. DEMONSTRATIONS HAVE SINCE SPREAD QUICKLY, FROM THE EAST COAST TO THE WEST. THE BBC'S SARAH SMITH HAS MORE. THIS PROTEST IS GETTING LOUDER AS DEMOS ARE SPREADING THROUGH THE COUNTRY. WHAT STARTED HERE NOW FEELS LIKE A NATIONWIDE MOVEMENT. STUDENTS WHOSE PASSION IS OFTEN FUELLED BY IMAGES OF THE WAR IN GAZA THEY SEE ON THEIR PHONES. WHEN YOU WAKE UP EVERY DAY AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ARE CHILDREN WHO HAVE LOST EVERYTHING, HAVE LOST LIMBS, FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN TORN APART, LOSING THEIR HOMES, IT'S HARD, LIKE, WHATEVER AGE, RIGHT, TO IGNORE THAT. STUDENT PROTESTERS CLASHED WITH POLICE AT EMERSON COLLEGE IN BOSTON LAST NIGHT. TODAY AT EMORY UNIVERSITY IN ATLANTA, SOME WERE TACKLED TO THE GROUND AS A NUMBER WERE DETAINED. (LOUD CHANTING) AND PROTESTS ARE CONTINUING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN AUSTIN, DESPITE DOZENS OF ARRESTS OVERNIGHT. AT COLUMBIA, ISRAELI FLAGS AND PICTURES OF THE HOSTAGES HELD BY HAMAS IN GAZA HAVE BEEN ERECTED BY JEWISH STUDENTS WHO FEEL HOSTILITY FROM THE PROTESTERS. ILHAN OMAR, A LEFT-WING DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSWOMAN, JOINED THE PROTESTERS TODAY AS THIS IS BECOMING A NATIONAL POLITICAL BATTLE. THE LEADING REPUBLICAN IN CONGRESS CAME YESTERDAY TO CALL THE PROTEST ANTI-SEMITIC. THESE SCENES GREETED PRESIDENT BIDEN AS HE ARRIVED IN NEW YORK TODAY. ALL CHANT: CEASEFIRE NOW! CEASEFIRE NOW! AT GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN THE CAPITAL, PROFESSORS HAVE JOINED THEIR STUDENTS ON A PROTEST, ONE THAT JEWISH STUDENTS FEAR IS CALLING FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ISRAELI STATE. I BELIEVE IN THE CONSTITUTION. I BELIEVE IN THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT FOR FREE SPEECH AND TO GATHER AND TO PROTEST HOWEVER YOU GUYS LIKE TO THE POINT WHERE` THERE... BUT THERE IS A LINE WHERE IT GOES FROM BEING PURELY PROTESTING ANOTHER GOVERNMENT'S ACTIONS INTO PROTESTING THE IDEA OF THE STATE'S EXISTENCE AND PROJECTING HARM ON TO OTHER PEOPLE. THE PROTESTERS AT COLUMBIA SAY SOME ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS WERE CAUSED BY INTERLOPERS, AND THEY POINT TO THE JEWISH STUDENTS IN THEIR MIDST. IT'S COMPLICATED. I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE HERE AND THAT OUR VOICES ARE HERE, NOT JUST TO SHOW THAT THERE ARE JEWS THAT ARE VERY, VERY SUPPORTIVE OF PALESTINE AND PALESTINIAN LIBERATION, BUT ALSO TO BE VOICES THAT ARE INTERNALLY SUPPORTIVE OF MAKING THE SPACE MORE ACCEPTING FOR JEWISH STUDENTS. THE STUDENTS SAY THEY ARE DETERMINED TO STAY PUT DESPITE LOOMING FINALS AND THE IMMINENT END OF TERM. THE UNIVERSITY STILL WANTS THEM OUT BY THE END OF THE WEEK. WHILE THE QUESTION OF DONALD TRUMP'S PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY PLAYED OUT IN THE SUPREME COURT, THE FORMER PRESIDENT WAS BACK IN A NEW YORK COURTROOM TODAY FOR HIS HUSH MONEY CRIMINAL TRIAL. THE FIRST WITNESS CONTINUED HIS TESTIMONY FOR A THIRD DAY ` THE FORMER TABLOID PUBLISHER DAVID PECKER SAYING HE WAS THE EYES AND EARS FOR TRUMP DURING THE 2016 ELECTION. THE ABC'S MORGAN NORWOOD REPORTS. CATCH AND KILL, BUY AND BURY. DAVID PECKER, A CRUCIAL WITNESS IN DONALD TRUMP'S CRIMINAL HUSH MONEY TRIAL, PEELING BACK THE LAYERS OF WHAT PROSECUTORS SAY WAS A CONSPIRACY BETWEEN TRUMP AND THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER TO BURY SCANDALOUS STORIES ABOUT HIM DURING HIS 2016 RUN FOR PRESIDENT, INCLUDING THE ONE ABOUT ADULT FILM STAR STORMY DANIELS THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS A 34 COUNT CRIMINAL INDICTMENT REAP REPAYING DANIEL'S $340,000 AND HUSH MONEY RIGHT BEFORE THE 2016 ELECTION TRUMPETS DELIGHT DENIED ANY WRONGDOING AND DENIED ANY SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH DANIEL'S I'M GONNA GO A NOUN IS A SELECTION INTERFERENCE PICKER RECOUNTED ON THE STAND THE MOMENT HE WAS ASKED DANIEL'S TRYING TO SELL THE STORY THE EDITOR TEXTED THEM PICKER SAYS HE WAS GIVEN A GREEN LIGHT TO CALL: TO ARRANGE TO BUY DANIEL'S SILENCE DESCRIBING HIS CONCERN ABOUT TRUMPS REPAYMENT TELLING PROSECUTORS I BELIEVE A PAYMENT WOULD RAISE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND ISSUES PICKERS TESTIFIED THE BOSS IS GOING TO BE VERY ANGRY WITH YOU EVEN THE ENQUIRER THE PAYING OFF OF THE STORIES STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE BLACKCAPS GO DOWN TO THE FINAL BALL TO TAKE THE LEAD IN THEIR T20 SERIES WITH PAKISTAN. PLUS, MANCHESTER CITY KEEP THE PRESSURE ON, AS THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE RACE CONTINUES. VISITORS TO VENICE NOW HAVE TO PAY A FEE. THE HISTORIC ITALIAN CITY IS THE FIRST CITY IN THE WORLD TO CHARGE TOURISTS, WITH THOSE WHO DON'T PAY IN LINE FOR A FINE. HERE'S THE BBC' MARK LOWEN. SOMETIMES BEAUTY CAN BE OVERSHARED. VENICE ` GLORIOUS, UNIQUE, AND CREAKING UNDER THE WEIGHT OF MASS TOURISM. 30 MILLION VISITORS A YEAR ` TWO-THIRDS OF THEM DAY-TRIPPERS ` CROWDING THE SAME SITES AT THE SAME TIMES, PUSHING OUT THE LOCALS. SO A NEW WAY TO TACKLE IT ` A 5 EURO ENTRY FEE FROM TODAY, THE WORLD'S FIRST SUCH SCHEME. RESIDENTS AND OVERNIGHT TOURISTS ARE AMONG THOSE EXEMPT IN CONTROLS ACROSS VENICE. SO THIS IS HOW IT WORKS. I'VE ENTERED THE CITY AT THE MAIN TRAIN STATION. I GO TO THE PAYMENT WEBSITE, FIND THE 5 EURO FEE FOR TODAY, CLICK THROUGH AND ENTER MY NAME AND CREDIT CARD DETAILS. SO I GET A QR CODE. I COME THROUGH AND HAVE IT SCANNED. BUONGIORNO. IT SHOWS THAT I'VE PAID, AND I CAN ENTER THE CITY AND AVOID A FINE OF UP TO 300 EUROS. I THINK IF IT CAN HELP WITH THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE OR WHATEVER ELSE THEY MAY HAVE, LIKE, A NEED FOR, THEN I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THE AUTHORITIES SAY IT'S A TRIAL UNTIL JULY THAT COULD BE EXTENDED IN PRICE AND DURATION. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO DISCOURAGE THE DAY-TRIPPERS AND TO KNOW IN ADVANCE HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL VISIT VENICE SO WE CAN ARRANGE ALL THE SERVICES, THE TRANSPORT, THE CLEANING OF THE CITY. A LOT OF CITIES IN EUROPE, MOST OF ALL, ARE AFFECTED BY OVERTOURISM. SO DO YOU THINK THAT YOU WILL BE A GUINEA PIG, IF YOU LIKE, FOR OTHER CITIES? YES. IT'S NOT THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ROLE, BUT I THINK YES. BUT THE TIDE OF CRITICS IS GROWING, LIKE ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST JANE DA MOSTO. SHE'S LIVED HERE FOR 30 YEARS AND SEEN THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS DROP TO RECORD LOWS IN A CITY THREATENED BY TOURISM AND CLIMATE CHANGE. A 5 EURO TICKET IS LESS THAN THE COST OF A DRINK AT A BAR. I THINK WE KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING TO NOT NEED TO DO EXPERIMENTS. WE JUST NEED TO GET ON AND ADDRESS THE REAL ISSUES OF PROTECTING VENICE AND MAKING IT A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. SO THIS HISTORIC CITY GRAPPLES WITH AN INSTAGRAM ERA PROBLEM, AS VENETIANS WAIT TO SEE IF THIS SCHEME CAN SAVE THEIR INCREASINGLY FRAGILE JEWEL. DAIRY CATTLE MOVING FROM STATE TO STATE IN THE U.S. ARE BEING TESTED FOR BIRD FLU AS THE COUNTRY SEES A FLARE-UP IN THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS. THE MEASURE IS AIMED AT CONTAINING THE VIRUS FROM REACHING FURTHER FARMS IN THE U.S. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN DETECTED IN EIGHT STATES, AND TESTING HAS FOUND TRACES IN PASTEURISED MILK. IT IS CONCERNING BECAUSE IT IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE SEEN THIS IN IN DAIRY CATTLE, AND THIS VIRUS ACTUALLY HAS BEEN WITH US FOR OVER 20 YEARS, AND IT IS A VIRUS THAT IF IT WERE EVER TO PICK UP CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN-HUMAN TRANSMISSION, THAT WOULD BE VERY WORRYING. BUT RIGHT NOW, THAT VIRUS DOES NOT HAVE THAT CHARACTERISTIC. IT IS A BIRD VIRUS, BUT IT HAS BEEN TRANSMITTED NOW TO COWS, AND THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THERE IS COW-TO-COW TRANSMISSION AND COW-BACK-TO-BIRD TRANSMISSION. WHILE THE RISK OF SPILL-OVER TO HUMANS IS LOW, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION SAYS BIRD FLU HAS AN 'EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH' MORTALITY RATE FOR PEOPLE AT ABOUT 50%. HAITI'S PRIME MINISTER HAS RESIGNED, ALLOWING A TRANSITIONAL COUNCIL TO TAKE POWER, HOPING TO END THE LATEST UPSURGE IN GANG VIOLENCE. THE COUNTRY'S POWERFUL GANGS ATTACKED THE CAPITAL, PORT-AU-PRINCE, IN FEBRUARY, PLUNGING HAITI INTO ITS WORST HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN MORE THAN A DECADE. AMID THE VIOLENCE, ARIEL HENRY ANNOUNCED HIS RESIGNATION. THE NEW GOVERNMENT WILL TAKE CONTROL UNTIL A NEW PRESIDENT IS ELECTED WHICH MUST HAPPEN BEFORE 2026. ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS ATTRACTIONS HAS TAKEN A HIT. THE 'MOULIN ROUGE' HAS DRAWN AUDIENCES FOR 135 YEARS. BUT THE FAMOUS CABARET CLUB HAS LOST SOME OF ITS SPARKLE AFTER THE BLADES ON ITS ROOFTOP WINDMILL SNAPPED OFF AND SMASHED TO THE GROUND. THE CLUB HAS BEEN A HOT SPOT FOR PARISIAN NIGHTLIFE SINCE THE LATE 1800S AND IS KNOWN AS THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE CAN-CAN DANCE. THE CAUSE OF THE SAILS' COLLAPSE ISN'T CLEAR. TO SPORT, AND THE BLACKCAPS' FOURTH T20 AGAINST PAKISTAN HAS GONE DOWN TO THE FINAL BALL, WITH NEW ZEALAND ABLE HOLDING ON FOR A FOUR-RUN WIN. NEW ZEALAND POSTED 178/7 FROM THEIR 20 OVERS. BOWLER JIMMY NEESHAM CLOSING OUT THE MATCH. IT WILL JUST BE THE ONE. IT WILL JUST BE THE ONE. THAT MEANS NEW ZEALAND ONCE AGAIN HAS COME OUT ON TOP. THE BLACKCAPS NOW LEAD THE SERIES 2-1 WITH ONE GAME TO PLAY. THE WARRIORS ARE HOPING AN EXTENDED BREAK WILL HELP TURN AROUND THEIR NRL FORTUNES. YESTERDAY'S 27-24 LOSS TO THE TITANS LEAVES THE CLUB WITHOUT A WIN FROM THEIR LAST THREE GAMES. WITH A 10-DAY GAP UNTIL THEIR NEXT MATCH, COACH ANDREW WEBSTER SAYS THE TEAM NEEDS SOME TIME OFF BEFORE GETTING BACK ON THE PRACTICE FIELD. WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT, BUT I THINK THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING AWAY FROM FOOTY FOR THREE DAYS AND COME BACK FRESH WITH AN ATTITUDE FOR IMPROVEMENT. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO ` WE WANT TO CHASE IMPROVEMENT, AND WHEN WE'RE AT OUR BEST, IT'S INDIVIDUALLY, AS UNISON, AS TEAMS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE AFTER. THE WARRIORS NOW SIT 12TH ON THE TABLE BUT COULD SLIP FURTHER DOWN AFTER THIS WEEKEND'S GAMES. AND IT WAS MORE LOPSIDED IN YESTERDAY'S OTHER GAMES, THE ROOSTERS THRASHING THE DRAGONS 60 POINTS TO 18, TO MOVE BACK INSIDE THE TOP EIGHT. WALKER GOES THE LOW KICK, AND BUTCHER'S THERE. WALKER'S SHORT-KICKING GAME IS SUPREME. AND THE STORM HAVE RETURNED TO THE TOP OF THE TABLE WITH A 54-20 WIN OVER THE RABBITOHS. MANCHESTER CITY HAVE KEPT THE PRESSURE ON IN THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE RACE, WITH A COMFORTABLE 4-0 WIN OVER BRIGHTON THIS MORNING. THE BBC'S NATALIE PIRKS HAS THE ACTION. AMIDST THE UNRELENTING PRESSURE OF THIS TITLE RACE, MANCHESTER CITY HAVE BEEN UNYIELDING. HE KNOWS IF THEY WIN ALL THEIR REMAINING GAMES, THE TITLE IS THEIRS AGAIN FOR AN UNPRECEDENTED FOURTH SUCCESSIVE TIME, AND THIS TEAM KNOWS JUST HOW TO GET AHEAD. THE PERFECT START FOR MANCHESTER CITY! EVEN HE SURPRISED HIMSELF. THEIR SECOND GOAL CAME AS NO SURPRISE, THOUGH. PHIL FODEN, AS SO OFTEN THIS SEASON, STEPPING UP WHEN NEEDED MOST. THE STOCKPORT BOY SPRINKLED WITH STARDUST! ARSENAL FANS HAD BEEN DESPERATE FOR A FAVOUR ON THE SOUTH COAST, BUT BRIGHTON LOOKED ALL AT SEA, PULLED FROM PILLAR TO POST AND PUNISHED. AND CITY ARE THREE GOALS TO THE GOOD! CITY'S TOP STRIKER WAS MISSING WITH INJURY BUT IT WAS A CASE OF NO HAALAND, NO HASSLE AS CITY PUT THE SEAGULLS TO THE SWORD. PEP SAYS HIS SIDE ARE TIRED ` THIS CERTAINLY LOOKED A WEARY TACKLE ` BUT CITY OVERCAME A VAR CHECK TO GO 18 LEAGUE GAMES UNBEATEN. LIVERPOOL NOW LEAPFROGGED; MANCUNIAN BREATH DOWN ARSENAL'S NECK. IT'S BEEN REPORTED THE CHIEF DESIGNER OF RED BULL'S FORMULA 1 TEAM IS SET TO LEAVE DUE TO THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING TEAM PRINCIPAL CHRISTIAN HORNER. ADRIAN NEWEY, WHO JOINED RED BULL IN 2005, IS REGARDED AS ONE OF THE GREATEST DESIGNERS IN F1 HISTORY. THE 65 YEAR OLD'S CONTRACT WITH RED BULL ENDS NEXT YEAR, BUT IT'S UNDERSTOOD HE'S NEGOTIATED AN EARLY EXIT ALLOWING HIM TO WORK WITH ANOTHER TEAM. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY, I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. ('DIRTY HARRY' BY GORILLAZ) # I NEED A GUN TO KEEP MYSELF AMONG # I NEED A GUN TO KEEP MYSELF AMONG # THE POOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BURNING IN THE SUN. # BUT THEY AIN'T GOT A CHANCE. # THEY AIN'T GOT A CHANCE. # I NEED A GUN COS ALL I DO IS DANCE, # COS ALL I DO IS DANCE... # THANKS FOR JOINING US. TE KARERE IS HERE AT 4, FOLLOWED BY THE 1 NEWS TEAM AT 6. PLUS, YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH ALL OF TODAY'S NEWS ONLINE AT 1news.co.nz. BUT FROM THE WHOLE MIDDAY TEAM, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY ALEX BACKHOUSE AND SAM BAKER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024