IT'S MIDDAY ` WINSTON PETERS REFUSES TO BACK DOWN OVER COMMENTS ABOUT A FORMER AUSTRALIAN MINISTER. GROWING CONCERN IN ISRAEL THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT COULD FILE WAR CRIMES WARRANTS AGAINST TOP OFFICIALS. PLUS, A FORMER KIWIS RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYER IS DIAGNOSED WITH CTE, THE FIRST NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE LINKED TO THE BRAIN DISEASE. CAPTIONS BY DREW WELSH AND SAM BAKER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 THE UNDER-FIRE FOREIGN MINISTER HAS SPOKEN TO A POWERFUL GROUP OF BUSINESS LEADERS THIS MORNING ABOUT NEW ZEALAND'S RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA AS AN AUSTRALIAN POLITICIAN THREATENS LEGAL ACTION. WINSTON PETERS ISN'T BACKING DOWN, AND SAYS HIS ARGUMENT WITH FORMER AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER BOB CARR WON'T DAMAGE NEW ZEALAND'S REPUTATION. KATIE BRADFORD WAS AT THE SPEECH AND JOINS US NOW. SO, WHAT'S WINSTON SAYING THIS MORNING? HE WAS SPEAKING TO THE NEW ZEALAND CHINA BUSINESS COUNCIL. THAT IS SOME OF OUR BIGGEST BUSINESS LEADERS ON THAT. HE JUST GAVE AN OVERVIEW OF SOME OF THE RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHINA, BUT COMES AT A TIME WHEN IT IS IN THE SPOTLIGHT AND ALL THIS TALK ABOUT IF NEW ZEALAND WILL JOIN AUKUS. THIS ARGUMENT WITH FORMER AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER BOB CARR, HE HAS SPOKEN OUT AGAINST THAT. WINSTON PETERS SAYS HE STANDS UP FOR THE RIGHTS AND PRINCIPLES OF NEW ZEALAND, THAT HE HAS A RIGHT TO SAY THE THINGS THAT HE WANTS TO SAY. HE IS STANDING FIRM ON US, BUT BOB CARR'S LEGAL TEAM SENT LETTER TO LAST NIGHT. WE ASKED WINSTON PETERS ABOUT THAT THIS MORNING. HERE IS WHAT HE HAD TO SAY. NO, NO, NO, NO. I'M NOT GONNA WASTE` I'M NOT GONNA WASTE THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY'S TIME AT ALL ON THIS MATTER, BECAUSE I'VE GOT A RIGHT TO SAY WHAT I'VE SAID, TO DEFEND THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY TO DECIDE THEIR FOREIGN POLICY. SO, WHO WOULD FUND ANY LEGAL CHALLENGE? I TRIED TO ASK THAT THIS MORNING. AS HE SAYS, THIS IS NOT AS FIRST LEGAL RODEO. HE'S BEEN THROUGH A NUMBER OF COURT CASES THEMSELVES IN THE PAST. HE SAYS HE HAS HAD A NUMBER OF LAWYERS APPROACH ALREADY TO TALK ABOUT THIS LEGAL ACTION. HE SAID THAT HE HAS SPENT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON THE SERIOUS FRAUD CASE FROM PEOPLE INVOLVED IN NEW ZEALAND FIRST. I'M NOT GETTING ANY ANSWERS FROM HIM ABOUT WHERE THIS WILL GO. IT WAS A BIT IMPOSSIBLE THIS MORNING. HE IS TWEETED ABOUT PEOPLE STAYING OUT OF NEW ZEALAND'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS. BOB CARR HAS TWEETED ABOUT THIS. THIS IS SOMETHING I DO NOT THINK AT THIS STAGE WILL GO AWAY ANYTIME SOON. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE MIDDAY TEAM. MY FINAL CROSS AFTER MANY HOURS HERE. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL. AND IT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL HAVING YOUR MIDDAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. BUS DRIVERS IN OUR BIGGEST CITY SAY THE WORKFORCE IS IN CRISIS, PROMPTING CALLS FOR AUCKLAND TRANSPORT TO STEP UP AND TAKE ACTION. EXTRA SECURITY MEASURES ARE IN PLACE AT SOME AUCKLAND BUS STATIONS FOLLOWING SEVERAL VIOLENT ATTACKS. THIS WEEK, A GIRL (13) WAS ASSAULTED BY AS MANY AS 20 TEENAGERS IN THE CITY'S WEST. FIRST UNION'S HAYLEY COURTNEY SAYS AGGRESSION IS INCREASING AND DRIVERS ARE FEARING FOR THEIR LIVES. WE WANT TO SEE SECURITY BEING STEPPED UP. NOT JUST TEMPORARILY, BUT FOR ALL THE TIME AT THESE HOTSPOT PLACES. THEY ALSO TALK ABOUT IMPLEMENTING BUS SCREENS FOR DRIVERS TO HAVE THEM SEPARATED FOR PASSENGERS. THAT TRIAL HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR OVER A YEAR NOW. AUCKLAND TRANSPORT SAYS IT'S WORKING TO INSTALL SECURITY SCREENS IN 33 MORE OF ITS BUSES ACROSS THE ENTIRE NETWORK. OBVIOUSLY, THE SAFETY SCREENS IS ONE THING. PROGRESSING THAT FROM A FUNDING PERSPECTIVE HAS BEEN CONSTRAINED. WE'VE HAD A COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE ON WITH THAT IN A SMALLER CAPACITY, BUT UNTIL WE GET THROUGH WHAT WE CALL THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE WITH FUNDING IN ORDER TO FAST TRACK THAT, WE ARE LIMITED. AUCKLAND BUS STATIONS IN NEW LYNN, HENDERSON, AND ALBANY HAVE BOOSTED SECURITY FOLLOWING THE RECENT ATTACKS. A BIG JUMP IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARRIVING IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS IS HARMING NEW ZEALAND'S ENTIRE HEALTH SYSTEM. THAT'S THE VIEW OF A REPORT FROM THE ASSOCIATION OF SALARIED MEDICAL SPECIALISTS, WHICH SHOWS A 22.5% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PRESENTING TO HOSPITAL ED'S IN THE PAST DECADE. THE PROPORTION OF PATIENTS ARRIVING IN A SERIOUS CONDITION, INCLUDING LIFE-THREATENING CONDITIONS HAS ALSO RISEN FROM HALF TO TWO-THIRDS. MORE PEOPLE ARE TAKING ADHD MEDICATION, BUT RESEARCH FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO HAS HIGHLIGHTED THAT THERE'S STILL A BIG GAP IN TREATMENT. THERE'S BEEN A TENFOLD INCREASE OF MEDICATION DISPENSED FOR ADULTS BETWEEN 2006 AND 2022, BUT THE MAJORITY OF PATIENTS STILL REMAIN UNTREATED. FIGURES FOR 2022 SHOW ONLY 0.6% OF ADULTS RECEIVE TREATMENT, FALLING SHORT OF THE ESTIMATED 2.6% WITH THE CONDITION. THE POPULATION IS BECOMING MORE LITERATE WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. SO, AS WELL AS DOCTORS INITIATING DIAGNOSES, PATIENTS ARE INCREASINGLY ASKING THE QUESTION, DO THEY HAVE ADHD, AND COULD THEY BENEFIT FROM ADHD TREATMENT? THERE ARE NOW CALLS TO THE SPECIAL AUTHORITY REQUIRED TO PRESCRIBE ADHD MEDICATIONS TO CHANGE REQUIREMENTS. THE SOLOMON ISLANDS HAS A NEW PRIME MINISTER AFTER LAST MONTH'S HIGH-STAKES GENERAL ELECTION. JEREMIAH MANELE WAS VOTED IN AS PM BY HIS FELLOW ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES. MR MANELE WAS THE FOREIGN MINISTER IN 2019, WHEN THE SOLOMONS SWITCHED ITS DIPLOMATIC ALLEGIANCE FROM TAIWAN TO CHINA. HIS VICTORY'S EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THE ISLANDS' ALREADY CLOSE TIES WITH CHINA, THOUGH COULD ALSO EASE TENSIONS WITH THE WEST. THE PRIME MINISTER-ELECT HAS SIGNALLED THAT HE'S GONNA BROADLY CONTINUE THE LOOK-NORTH, PRO-CHINA FOREIGN POLICY THAT HE WAS A KEY PART OF IMPLEMENTING UNDER PRIME MINISTER SOGAVARE'S ADMINISTRATION. ON THE OTHER HAND, I THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE PRIME MINISTER MANELE REALLY SEEK TO LOWER THE TEMPERATURE WITH COUNTRIES LIKE AUSTRALIA AND THE UNITED STATES, WHICH COULD OPEN THE DOOR TO MORE PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WHILST MAINTAINING A BROAD PRO-CHINA FOREIGN POLICY. THE SOLOMON ISLANDS AND CHINA HAVE SHARED A SECRETIVE SECURITY PACT SINCE 2022 THAT MIGHT HAVE ALLOWED CHINESE MILITARY FORCES IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC. ISRAELI OFFICIALS ARE GROWING CONCERNED THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT IS SEEKING ARREST WARRANTS FOR ITS TOP MILITARY AND POLITICAL LEADERS ON SUSPICION OF WAR CRIMES. THE COURT HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING ISRAEL'S ACTIONS IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. MEANWHILE, A UN INDEPENDENT EXPERT SAYS THE KILLING OF AN UNARMED BOY (8) IN THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK BY THE IDF WAS A POTENTIAL WAR CRIME. A BBC TEAM HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING. HERE'S ISOBEL YEUNG'S REPORT, AND A WARNING, IT CONTAINS DETAILS YOU MIGHT FIND DISTRESSING. WE'VE BEEN IN THE WEST BANK FOR FIVE WEEKS INVESTIGATING HOW TWO BOYS DIED ON THE 29TH OF NOVEMBER LAST YEAR. ARE YOU COMFORTABLE TAKING ME BACK TO WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY? (SPEAKS ARABIC) (SPEAKS ARABIC) IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON ON THE 29TH OF NOVEMBER, A CONVOY OF AT LEAST SIX ARMOURED ISRAELI MILITARY VEHICLES ARE RETURNING FROM A NEARBY RAID. AT THE SAME TIME, THE BOYS AND AROUND SEVEN FRIENDS ARE OUT ON THE STREET. BASIL IS HOLDING SOMETHING IN HIS HANDS. WE WERE NOT ABLE TO CLARIFY WHAT THAT WAS. ACROSS THE STREET, ONE OF THE FRIENDS IS FILMING ON HIS PHONE AS AN ISRAELI MILITARY VEHICLE DRIVES BY. WHEN THE FOOTAGE IS SLOWED DOWN AND ENHANCED, IT SHOWS THE DRIVER'S DOOR OPENING. THE DRIVER HAS A DIRECT VIEW OF THE BOYS BEING AROUND 24M AWAY FROM BASIL AND 36M FROM ADAM. WE CAN SEE FROM OTHER CAMERA ANGLES THAT JUST A FEW SECONDS AFTER ADAM'S FRIEND CAPTURED THE DOOR OPENING, AT LEAST 11 SHOTS WERE FIRED FROM THE DIRECTION OF THE ARMOURED VEHICLE. WE'VE OBTAINED COPIES OF BASIL AND ADAM'S MEDICAL REPORTS. THEY SHOW THAT TWO BULLETS STRUCK BASIL'S CHEST... AND ANOTHER HIT ADAM IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD AS HE WAS RUNNING AWAY. THE ISRAELI ARMY HAS SHARED A PICTURE WITH US TAKEN AT THE SCENE BY ONE OF THEIR SOLDIERS, WHICH THEY SAY SHOWS AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE. WE'VE CROPPED THE IMAGE BECAUSE OF ITS GRAPHIC CONTENT. THEY ALSO SAY SUSPECTS HAD BEEN ATTEMPTING TO HURL EXPLOSIVES TOWARDS THEIR FORCES, PUTTING THEM IN IMMEDIATE DANGER. THEY RESPONDED WITH FIRE, AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE EVENT ARE UNDER REVIEW, BUT IT SEEMS LIKELY THEY WERE IN AN ARMOURED VEHICLE AT THE TIME. AND ACCORDING TO ALL THE VIDEO EVIDENCE WE'VE EXAMINED, ADAM (8) WAS NOT ARMED WHEN HE WAS SHOT IN THE BACK OF HIS HEAD. UNLIKE GAZA, THE WEST BANK IS NOT CLASSED AS A WAR ZONE, AND SO THE INTERNATIONAL LAWS AROUND THE USE OF LETHAL FORCE ARE MORE PROHIBITIVE. PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS WARNED PRO-PALESTINIAN PROTESTERS ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES ACROSS THE U.S. THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO CAUSE CHAOS. DEMONSTRATIONS FUELLED BY THE WAR IN GAZA HAVE COME TO A HEAD THIS WEEK, INCLUDING POLICE CLASHING WITH STUDENTS. OFFICERS IN RIOT GEAR SURGING AGAINST A MASSIVE CROWD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IN LOS ANGELES AFTER THEIR ENCAMPMENT WAS DECLARED UNLAWFUL. THE BBC'S EMMA VARDY HAS MORE. (LOUD BANGS) AFTER MIDNGIHT, THE FIRST SIGNS POLICE HAD BEGUN TO EXECUTE THEIR OPERATION. (CLAMOURING, CHANTING) DESPITE BUILDING A MAKESHIFT FORTRESS AROUND THEM, THE PROTESTERS' BARRICADES WERE OVERPOWERED. WE'RE SEEING POLICE GOING INTO ONE SIDE OF THE ENCAMPMENT AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE STARTING TO TEAR THIS DOWN. THERE IS SOMETHING OF A SIEGE MENTALITY HERE RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THE SUPPORTERS HAVE GATHERED AROUND THIS WHOLE ENCAMPMENT ON ALL SIDES. IT BECAME CLEAR THE ENCAMPMENT WAS UNLIKELY TO LAST THE NIGHT. HUNDREDS OF POLICE FORMED A RING OF STEEL WHILE OTHERS SYSTEMATICALLY TOOK GROUND. A LARGE NUMBER OF OFFICERS ARE GRADUALLY MAKING THEIR WAY FURTHER IN, AND THEY'RE SETTING OFF A VOLLEY OF FLASHBANGS HERE TO DISRUPT THE CROWD AS THEY DO IT. THE DEAFENING POLICE GRENADES CONTINUED FOR SEVERAL HOURS. OFFICERS WERE SEEN FIRING RUBBER BULLETS. IMAGES ONLINE SHOWED ONE PERSON WOUNDED AFTER BEING SHOT IN THE HEAD. JUST BEFORE DAWN, THE RATE WAS ALMOST COMPLETE. IN A MATTER OF HOURS, POLICE HAVE DISMANTLED AND FLATTENED MUCH OF THIS ENCAMPMENT, IN THE LAST REMAINING PROTESTERS ARE BEING DETAINED AND TAKEN AWAY. PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID STUDENTS HAVE A RIGHT TO PROTEST, BUT NOT TO BREAK THE LAW. ACTIVISTS NOT AFFILIATED WITH UCLA HAVE BEEN INVOLVED, AS WELL AS OTHER STUDENTS FROM OTHER COTTON LODGES. WHY DID YOU WANT TO BE HERE? BECAUSE IT IS UPSETTING. WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE ACHIEVED WITH THIS? BY MORNING, THIS IS WHAT REMAINED OF THE ENCAMPMENT. POLICE OPERATIONS ACROSS THE US HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT ENCAMPMENTS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED BELONG. AT UCLA, IT IS DISRUPTED EXAMS AND IT WILL BE SOMETIME BEFORE THIS CAMPUS RETURNS TO NORMALITY. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` SELF-MEDICATING IN THE WILD. THE ORANGUTAN RECORDED USING A MEDICINAL PLANT TO HEAL A WOUND. PLUS, CAN THE WARRIORS TURN THEIR SEASON AROUND A HOUSE IN THE U.S. STATE OF UTAH HAS BEEN BLOWN UP AFTER A SURPRISING DISCOVERY IN THE BASEMENT. 50 STICKS OF DYNAMITE WERE FOUND IN THE HOME OF AN ELDERLY WOMAN. AUTHORITIES DEEMED THEM TOO DANGEROUS TO REMOVE, SO INSTEAD DETONATED THEM. IT'S BELIEVED THE EXPLOSIVES HAD BEEN STORED IN THE BASEMENT SINCE THE 1980S. THERE'S A MYSTERY IN THE WEST OF SYDNEY WHERE A CREEK HAS TURNED A BRIGHT SHADE OF BLUE. RESIDENTS ARE CALLING FOR MORE OVERSIGHT, SAYING NOT ENOUGH HAS BEEN DONE TO MONITOR THE WATERWAY'S HEALTH. NINE NEWS' MIKE DALTON INVESTIGATES. IT IS A HUE MORE APPROPRIATE OFF THE COAST OF AMALFI THAN THROUGH THE COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND. BUT THE RECENT BLUE TINGE TO TOONGABBIE CREEK, SNAKING THROUGH THE WEST OF PARRAMATTA, HAS LOCAL BROWS FURROWED. THERE'S SOMETHING CAUSING IT. WE'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT AND WHO HAS CAUSED THAT PROBLEM. THE BLUE PHENOMENA WAS FIRST NOTED BY LOCAL FACEBOOK GROUPS A FEW DAYS AGO. NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER MURRAY SAYLE NOTING THE CHANGE IN COLOUR WHERE THE CREEK IS JOINED BY TWO OTHERS AT OLD TOONGABBIE. EVERYWHERE YOU GO, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE BOTTOM. SUDDENLY IT WAS AQUA BLUE. AT THIRD SETTLEMENT RESERVE, HOME OF THE FIRST WINSTON HILL SCOUTS, THE BLUE WAS NOW TURNING TEAL. AND FURTHER DOWNSTREAM AT HAMMER'S ROAD BRIDGE, ITS PRESENCE WAS STILL STRIKING AGAINST THE GREEN OF BUSHLAND. IT'S A GLORIOUS PART OF THE SYDNEY LANDSCAPE. IT HAS EELS, IT HAS FISH, TURTLES, WONDERFUL BIRDLIFE. THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AUTHORITY SAYS THEIR OFFICERS HAVE BEEN INSPECTING THE CREEK TODAY AND IS WORKING WITH BLACKTOWN COUNCIL TO INVESTIGATE ITS SOURCE, BUT LOCALS REMAIN CONCERNED THERE IS NO OVERARCHING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CREEK WEDGED BETWEEN PARRAMATTA AND BLACKTOWN COUNCILS, ALONG WITH THE EPA. IT'S HIGHLIGHTING THE FACT THAT THERE'S NO MONITORING OF THIS VERY IMPORTANT STREAM. BORIS JOHNSON HAS BEEN TURNED AWAY AT THE POLLING BOOTH AFTER FORGETTING HIS PHOTO ID. MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ACROSS ENGLAND AND WALES HAVE BEEN VOTING IN LOCAL ELECTIONS TODAY, THOUGH THE FORMER BRITISH PM FAILED AT THE FIRST HURDLE, LEAVING HIS NEEDED ID AT HOME. HE DID TRY USING AN ENVELOPE WITH HIS NAME AND ADDRESS ON IT. MR JOHNSON ONLY HAS HIMSELF TO BLAME ` HE INTRODUCED THE LAW REQUIRING ID AT POLLING STATIONS WHILE HE WAS PM. A WOUNDED ORANGUTAN IN INDONESIA HAS WOWED HIS OBSERVERS BY SELF-MEDICATING. THE SUMATRAN ORANGUTAN WAS SEEN USING A PASTE MADE FROM PLANTS TO HEAL A LARGE WOUND ON HIS CHEEK. A MONTH AFTER HE STARTED TREATMENT, THE WOUND IS GONE. IT'S THE FIRST TIME A CREATURE IN THE WILD HAS BEEN RECORDED TREATING AN INJURY WITH A MEDICINAL PLANT. SCIENTISTS BELIEVE THE BEHAVIOUR COULD BE INHERITED FROM A COMMON ANCESTOR SHARED BY HUMANS AND GREAT APES. A FORMER KIWIS RUGBY LEAGUE PLAYER HAS BECOME THE FIRST NEW ZEALAND REPRESENTATIVE ATHLETE DIAGNOSED WITH THE BRAIN DISEASE CTE. THE NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE IS CAUSED BY REPEATED HEAD KNOCKS OFTEN SEEN IN CONTACT SPORT. THE IDENTITY OF THE PLAYER HASN'T BEEN MADE PUBLIC, BUT IT'S BELIEVED HE PLAYED FOR THE KIWIS DURING THE 1960S AND EARLY '70S. THE PAPER PUBLISHED IN THE NEW ZEALAND MEDICAL JOURNAL SAYS IT'S THE FIRST TIME A CASE WITH LINK TO CTE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED IN NEW ZEALAND. THE WARRIORS ARE HOPING TO TURN AROUND A RECENT DIP IN FORM THIS WEEKEND. WITHOUT A WIN IN THREE GAMES, THE WARRIORS ARE FLYING OUT TO FACE THE KNIGHTS IN NEWCASTLE. THE KNIGHTS SIT JUST ONE POINT BELOW THEM ON THE TABLE IN 14TH. THEY'RE COACHED WELL FROM BLAKE GREEN AND ADAM O'BRIEN. EVERY GAME WE'VE HAD AGAINST THEM LATELY HAS BEEN A CLASH. IT'S A VERY HARD STADIUM TO PLAY IN, THEIR FANS GET BEHIND THEM, SO IT'S GONNA BE A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT. THE WARRIORS KICK OFF AGAINST THE KNIGHTS AT FOUR O'CLOCK ON SUNDAY. AND THE PENRITH PANTHERS HAVE REJOINED THE THREE-HORSE RACE AT THE TOP OF THE NRL LADDER AFTER THUMPING THE SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS 42-12. IT STARTED WELL FOR THE BUNNIES, SCORING EARLY, BUT THE DEFENDING CHAMPS' RESPONSE WAS EVEN BETTER, SCORING AN UNANSWERED 42 POINTS. KENNY POPPING BACK, FINDS SCHNEIDER. EDWARDS TIPPING IT ON, QUICK HANDS. DUNG BALL TO TURUVA. HE BEATS WIGHTON. NOW HE DIGS FOR THE CORNER. FIRES IT BACK INFIELD ` AN ABSOLUTE HAIL MARY FOR LUKE GARNER WHO HAS HIS SECOND TRY OF THE GAME. THE PANTHERS SIT LEVEL WITH THE SHARKS AND STORM, WHO ARE YET TO PLAY. THE BLACK FERNS HAVE CONFIRMED THEY'LL HEAD TO ENGLAND TO PLAY THE RED ROSES AT TWICKENHAM THIS SEPTEMBER. THE LAST TIME THE TEAM'S MET AT THE FAMOUS VENUE WAS IN 2012. THE UPCOMING MATCH WILL BE THE FOURTH TIME THE TEAMS HAVE MET, THE FERNS STILL SEARCHING FOR THEIR FIRST WIN. WITH A CAPACITY OF 82,000, THE TWICKENHAM FIXTURE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BREAK THE RECORD FOR THE LARGEST CROWD AT A WOMEN'S TEST MATCH. CHELSEA HAVE UPSET TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2-0 THIS MORNING IN THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE. THE BLUES HEADING IN THE OPENING GOAL FROM A FREE KICK, THE SECOND COMING AFTER THE HALFTIME BREAK. THERE'S STILL TIME. PALMER... OH! ON THE SIDE OF THE BAR... AND THEN THE HEADER INTO THE GOAL AS CHELSEA DOUBLE THEIR LEAD. CHELSEA NOW MOVE UP INTO EIGHTH POSITION, WHILST HOTSPUR REMAIN IN FIFTH. ENGLAND'S WOMEN'S FOOTBALL TEAM HAVE BEEN A DOMINANT FORCE IN RECENT YEARS. THE BBC'S JO CURRIE DISCOVERED WHAT'S BEHIND THE SUCCESS OF THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS AND WORLD CUP FINALIST. THE LIONESSES ARE LEADING THE WAY ON THE PITCH. BUT WHAT'S BEEN THE SECRET TO MOMENTS LIKE THIS OFF IT? WELL, A CLUE IS IN THE BRA. IT'S JUST ONE OF THE WAYS ENGLAND AND THE AFA ARE TACKLING THE TABOOS OF FEMALE HEALTH. LED BY THIS MAN, DOCTOR RITAN MEHTA. I'VE BEEN REALLY SURPRISED AT HOW OPEN PLAYERS ARE. AS A MALE DOCTOR IN A FEMALE ENVIRONMENT, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I WAS PROBABLY MORE CONSCIOUS THAN THEY WERE. TALKING ABOUT FEMALE HEALTH MEANS TALKING PERIODS. AS ELITE ATHLETES, ENGLAND ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO FIND THAT 1%, BUT THIS IS ALSO ABOUT PLAYER CARE. THAT'S WHY FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, ENGLAND HAVE TRACKED THEIR PLAYER CYCLES ON AN APP. IT'S TRYING TO UNDERSTAND EACH INDIVIDUAL BECAUSE IT'S NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL. WE HAD A PLAYER WHO HAD LOTS OF NAUSEA, AND WE WERE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS CAUSING IT. WAS IT DUE TO THE STOMACH, OR WAS IT DUE TO SOMETHING ELSE? AND BY THEM TRACKING IT, THEY REALISED IT WAS ACTUALLY RELATED TO A TIME OF THEIR CYCLE. AND WITHOUT HAVING TRACKING IT REGULARLY, YOU'RE NOT` YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER. BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT PERIODS. ATTENTION IS NOW ALSO TURNING TO PLAYERS' PELVIC FLOORS. IT'S THE AREA OF MUSCLES THAT CONTROL THE BLADDER AND THE BOWELS. SOME OF THE RESEARCH THAT'S DONE IN THE PROFESSIONAL GAME IS THAT ABOUT 20% OF PLAYERS ARE AFFECTED. SO, IT'S A HUGE NUMBER, AND SO AND YOU HEAR THE ANECDOTAL COMMENTS FROM PLAYERS ABOUT LEAKING OR SOME, SOME ISSUES AND IT'S AN AREA WE'VE FELT OVER THE LAST YEAR THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE IN. PELVIC HEALTH LINK TO MENSTRUAL CYCLE. THOSE ARE THINGS TO BE AWARE OF THAT JUST THE SAME WAY YOU SEE A PSYCHOLOGIST, YOU SEE A PHYSIO, YOU DO STRENGTH TRAINING. THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF THAT THAT CAN HELP YOUR GAME. LIONESSES NOW ALSO UNDERGO BRA FITTINGS, SOMETHING MANY OF THEM HADN'T EXPERIENCED BEFORE. THEIR APPROACH TO FEMALE HEALTH MEANS THEY'RE BUILDING A LEGACY THAT BENEFITS ALL WOMEN. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. WELCOME BACK. NOW LET'S CHECK OUT YOUR WEATHER. (SIMPLE MINDS' 'DON'T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME') # HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY. # OOH, WOAH. # WON'T YOU COME SEE ABOUT ME? # WON'T YOU COME SEE ABOUT ME? # I'LL BE ALONE, DANCING, # YOU KNOW IT, BABY. # TELL ME YOUR TROUBLES AND DOUBTS. # GIVING EVERYTHING INSIDE AND OUT. # LOVE'S STRANGE, SO REAL IN THE DARK. # THINK OF THE TENDER THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. # SLOW CHANGE MAY PULL US APART # WHEN THE LIGHT GETS INTO YOUR HEART, BABY. # DON'T YOU... FORGET ABOUT ME. THAT'S IT FOR MIDDAY. THAT WAS OUR LAST BULLETIN. YOU CAN STILL CATCH UP WITH ALL THE LATEST NEWS ON 1news.co.nz OR DOWNLOAD OUR 1 NEWS MOBILE APP. FROM ALL THE REPORTERS, PRESENTERS, CAMERA OPERATORS, EDITORS, GRAPHIC DESIGNERS, DESKIES, SOUNDIES, DIRECTORS, AUTOCUE OPERATORS AND PRODUCERS WHO HAVE HELPED MAKE THE MIDDAY NEWS OVER THE YEARS. IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO PRESENT MIDDAY TO YOU ALL. WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR WATCHING. TAKE CARE. MOU ME'A A. CAPTIONS BY DREW WELSH AND SAM BAKER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024