TONIGHT THE SUSPECTED PONSONBY ROAD KILLER FOUND DEAD AS POLICE REVEAL HIS GANG LINKS AND NAME THE VICTIM KILLED IN SUNDAY NIGHT'S SHOOTING. ONE OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST SOCIAL MEDIA APPS FIGHTING BACK ` WHY TIKTOK IS SUING THE US GOVERNMENT. PLUS ` (ROCK MUSIC PLAYS) THE WORLD'S BIGGEST, MADDEST SONG CONTEST IS BACK. WHICH COUNTRY PROVED A FAN FAVOURITE AS EUROVISION SWINGS INTO ACTION? CAPTIONS BY JOHN GIBBS AND JESSIE PURU. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 KIA ORA, GOOD EVENING. THERE ARE MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PONSONBY ROAD HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION, WITH THE MAN WANTED FOR THE FATAL SHOOTING IN AUCKLAND OVER THE WEEKEND ` HIMSELF FOUND DEAD. POLICE TODAY ALSO REVEALING THE IDENTITY OF THE VICTIM. SIMON MERCEP HAS THE LATEST. AT THIS DAIRY FARM JUST OUTSIDE TAUPO, POLICE FOUND THE BODY OF THE ALLEGED GUNMAN. WHILE THEY WERE ON THE SCENE, NEARBY, A LARGE GATHERING OF MEN WAITED AND WATCHED. POLICE SAY THE DEAD MAN IS HONE KAY-SELWYN ` THE 31-YEAR-OLD, THEY SAY, FIRED A GUN SEVERAL TIMES ON PONSONBY ROAD LAST SUNDAY NIGHT. THE DEATH IS CURRENTLY BEING TREATED AS UNEXPLAINED. 1 NEWS UNDERSTANDS HE DID NOT WORK ON THE FARM, BUT POLICE BELIEVE HE MAY HAVE DIED THERE YESTERDAY. THE PROPERTY IS WELL OVER 250KM AWAY FROM THE SCENE OF THE SHOOTING ON SUNDAY NIGHT. MANY IN PONSONBY WHO SAW CCTV IMAGES OF THE ALLEGED GUNMAN, TOLD 1 NEWS THEY BELIEVED HE WAS A GANG MEMBER. I CAN CONFIRM THAT THE MALE THAT WE WERE SEEKING IS A MEMBER OF THE KILLER BEEZ GANG. HONE KAY-SELWYN WAS ALSO THE SON OF CELEBRATED ACTOR AND FILMMAKER, DON SELWYN ` AN OFFICER OF THE NEW ZEALAND ORDER OF MERIT. WE ALSO LEARNT MORE TODAY ABOUT THE VICTIM OF SUNDAY'S SHOOTING ` HE'S ROBERT HORNE (33). A FORMER DRAINAGE CONTRACTOR, A COLLEAGUE DESCRIBED HIM AS... AND... WE ARE SUPPORTING THE VICTIM'S FAMILY, WHO ARE UNDERSTANDABLY DEVASTATED. IT'S UNDERSTOOD ROBERT HORNE IS BEING MOURNED TONIGHT AT PARAWERA MARAE, NEAR TE AWAMUTU. BACK IN PONSONBY, AS BUSINESSES LOOK TO IMPROVE SECURITY, THEY'RE ALSO GRATEFUL THE OFFENDER DIDN'T ENTER A BAR ON SUNDAY NIGHT. THE FACT THAT HE WAS TURNED AWAY AND THEN THIS HAPPENED, IT'S REALLY SADDENING THAT THIS HAPPENED, BUT THE FACT THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED IN, WHAT TIME, HOW TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE. THE PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT SAFE WERE THE MEN OUT ON THE FOOTPATH CONFRONTED BY A GUNMAN. SIMON MERCEP, 1 NEWS. THE GOVERNMENT'S GETTING RID OF THE SCRAPS, PROMISING IT'LL FEED MORE FOR LESS IN ITS REJIG OF THE HEALTHY SCHOOL LUNCHES PROGRAMME. ACT LEADER AND ASSOCIATE EDUCATION MINISTER DAVID SEYMOUR SAYS THE GOVERNMENT'S TREATING TAXPAYERS' MONEY WITH RESPECT ` SAYING, FORGET QUINOA, COUSCOUS, AND HUMMUS, IT WILL BE MORE LIKE SANDWICHES AND FRUIT. CURRENTLY FEEDING 235,000 STUDENTS, THE NEW PLAN AIMS TO SAVE APPROXIMATELY $107M. COMPARED TO HOW LABOUR FUNDED IT. THE COST-CUTTING WILL COME FROM ORDERING TO ATTENDANCE NUMBERS, TO STOP FOOD WASTE AND ORDERING IN BULK, TRIMMING PRICES FROM AROUND EIGHT DOLLARS PER LUNCH TO THREE. $478M WILL BE ALLOCATED IN THE BUDGET TO KEEP THE PROGRAMME GOING UNTIL THE END OF 2026. THE PLAN ALSO INCLUDES $4M DOLLARS TO FEED UP TO 10,000 2 TO 5-YEAR-OLDS WHO ATTEND LOW-EQUITY, NOT-FOR-PROFIT AND COMMUNITY-BASED EARLY LEARNING SERVICES. SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER BENEDICT COLLINS HAS MORE. AT THIS WAINUIOMATA PRIMARY SCHOOL TODAY MAC AND CHEESE WAS ON THE MENU. SNACKS TOO. IS IT GOOD? YES. I'M EATING IT RIGHT NOW. AND FOR THEIR PRINCIPAL, RELIEF WAS IN THE AIR. THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE BEEN REALLY AWFUL, SO WE'VE BEEN VERY VOCAL AS A SCHOOL, BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS PROGRAMME WORKS. THEY HAD FEARED DAVID SEYMOUR WAS GOING TO SCRAP THE FREE SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAMME. BUT TODAY HE REVEALED MORE OF A TWEAK. EVERY STUDENT WHO'S ELIGIBLE TODAY WILL BE ELIGIBLE THIS TIME NEXT YEAR. FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS, THE PROGRAMME STAYS EXACTLY THE SAME. FOR OLDER CHILDREN, THOUGH, THE GOVERNMENT WILL TRY AND SAVE MONEY AND BUY LUNCHES IN BULK. WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER BOUGHT 200,000 LUNCHES BEFORE, BUT THEY TELL ME IF YOU DO, IT'S LESS THAT IF YOU BUY A COUPLE OF HUNDRED FOR YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL. THEY'RE HOPING TO GET THEM CHEAP. WE ARE BUDGETING $3 PER LUNCH. WE BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE MAY BE SURPRISED AT THE QUALITY. I SEE THAT HE SEEMS TO BE APPOINTING HIMSELF NUTRITIONIST IN CHIEF FOR SCHOOLS AND PROPOSES TO REMOVE CHOICE. THIS INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL ANXIOUS THE NEW MODEL MIGHT NOT WORK AS WELL FOR THEM. IF THERE HAD BEEN MORE RESEARCH INTO THE DIFFERENCE IT WAS ACTUALLY MAKING, MAYBE THEY WOULD BE LESS LIKELY TO INTERFERE WITH IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVES THEY'LL SAVE $100M. BY THINKING SMARTER. AND THEY'LL EXPAND THE PROGRAMME TO UP TO 10,000 EARLY CHILDHOOD KIDS. KIDS DON'T JUST BECOME HUNGRY WHEN THEY TURN 5. AND SO I THINK IT'S A HUGE WIN. WHILE IT WAS PLAIN, HEARTY FARE IN WAINUIOMATA TODAY, DAVID SEYMOUR SAYS TOO OFTEN THAT'S NOT THE CASE. A LOT OF THE DELIVERY THAT'S BEING DONE IN THE HEALTHY SCHOOL PROGRAMME IS EXTRAVAGANT. IF YOU DON'T GET THAT SUSHI'S WOKE, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WAKE YOU UP. THAT'S NOT A WORD THAT I WOULD USE TO DISCUSS SUSHI. I WOULD DESCRIBE IT AS DELICIOUS. WHAT DO YOU THINK WOKE FOOD IS? FEED THE KIDS! THE PRIME MINISTER, THOUGH, HAD NO APPETITE FOR DISCUSSING IT. AND THAT'S NEWS? WELL, YES. IS IT NEWS TODAY? PERHAPS A LITTLE HANGRY. AND IF SUSHI TRULY IS WOKE, IT'S CLEARLY NOT SENDING THE ACT PARTY BROKE. BENEDICT COLLINS, 1 NEWS. AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY INTO THE CAUSE OF A FATAL FIRE AT BURNHAM MILITARY CAMP NEAR CHRISTCHURCH OVERNIGHT. IT'S BEEN REPORTED THAT A TEENAGE GIRL WAS KILLED WHILE THREE OTHERS ARE IN HOSPITAL BEING TREATED FOR BURNS FOLLOWING THE BLAZE INSIDE DEFENCE FORCE HOUSING. POLICE AND FIRE INVESTIGATORS CONDUCTING A SCENE EXAMINATION TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE, WHILE THE BODY OF THE DECEASED IS UNDERGOING A FORMAL IDENTIFICATION PROCESS, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO TAKE SOME TIME. THE DEFENCE FORCE SAYS IT'S THOUGHTS ARE WITH WHANAU, AND WELFARE HOUSING IS BEING PROVIDED. TWO WELLINGTON IWI ARE THE LATEST TO QUIETLY OPPOSE THE GOVERNMENT'S FAST-TRACK LEGISLATION. NGATI TOA RANGATIRA AND TE ATIAWA HELD A SILENT HIKOI TODAY AS THEY PRESENTED THEIR CONCERNS AT PARLIAMENT. THEY SAY THE BALANCE ISN'T RIGHT. THEY WANT DEVELOPMENT, BUT ALSO WANT TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT. AND THEY SAY THE BILL AS IT STANDS WOULD DIMINISH THEIR ABILITY TO BE PART OF DECISION-MAKING THAT AFFECTS THEIR LAND AND RESOURCES. WE WON'T BE VIOLENT, BUT WE WILL ORGANISE OURSELVES. OUR COMMUNITY WILL COME AND WE WILL ENSURE THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOUR CONSENT SAYS, THERE WILL BE NO DEGRADATION ANY MORE OF THE WHENUA AND THE WATER IN THE ROHE OF NGATI TOA RANGATIRA. IN THE ROHE OF NGATI TOA RANGATIRA. THE MINISTER IN CHARGE OF THE LEGISLATION CHRIS BISHOP SAYS HE BELIEVES THERE IS A SHARED VIEW ON GETTING DEVELOPMENT UNDERWAY, THE DEBATE IS HOW THAT HAPPENS. THE BILL IS CURRENTLY BEFORE SELECT COMMITTEE. OVERSEAS, AND ISRAELI TANKS HAVE ROLLED INTO RAFAH, SEIZING A MAJOR BORDER CROSSING INSIDE GAZA. U.S. MEDIA'S REPORTING FROM UNNAMED SOURCES THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN'S ADMINISTRATION IS NOW DELAYING SHIPMENTS OF BOMBS TO ISRAEL. AS THE BBC'S PAUL ADAMS REPORTS FROM JERUSALEM, IT COMES AS CEASEFIRE TALKS IN EGYPT REACH A CRITICAL POINT. A DEAL MAY NOW BE TANTALISINGLY CLOSE, BUT IN RAFAH, ISRAEL'S MILITARY PRESSURE IS RELENTLESS, TODAY, SEVERING GAZA'S LAST LINK WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD ` THE CROSSING POINT INTO EGYPT. AND RAISING THEIR FLAG, SENDING AN UNMISTAKEABLE MESSAGE TO HAMAS. THE NOOSE IS TIGHTENING. THE SOUNDS OF APPROACHING WAR ECHO AMONG THE DISPLACED. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIANS LIVING IN THE SAND AGAINST THE EGYPTIAN BORDER, OR NEXT TO THE SEA. GAZANS HAVE BEEN ON THE MOVE SINCE YESTERDAY MORNING, HEEDING ISRAEL'S LATEST WARNINGS, NOT KNOWING IF THE COMING DAYS WILL BRING RELIEF OR DESPAIR. AFTER WHAT WE'VE WITNESSED, THEY'VE SAID MULTIPLE TIMES THAT THERE WILL BE A CEASEFIRE. BUT WE'RE FRUSTRATED AND WE HAVE NO HOPE. THERE'S NO BIG HOPE, ONLY A SMALL ONE. FOR THE FAMILIES OF ISRAELI HOSTAGES, THESE ARE ALSO MOMENTS OF ACUTE ANXIETY. JOHN AND RACHEL'S SON HERSH WAS ABDUCTED AND BADLY INJURED ON OCTOBER THE 7TH. IT'S SCARY TO HAVE MILITARY ACTIONS GOING ON. THERE ARE INNOCENT CIVILIANS, INCLUDING OUR SON... WE JUST- WE JUST NEED THIS TO COME TO AN END. AND WE NEED THE MEDIATORS ON ALL SIDES AND THE TWO MAIN PARTIES TO JUST SIT IN THE ROOM AND HAMMER THIS OUT AND DON'T COME OUT OF THE ROOM WITHOUT A DEAL. AWAY FROM THE QUIET DIGNITY OF THE HOSTAGE FAMILIES, FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS ARE DETERMINED TO MAKE AS MUCH NOISE AS POSSIBLE, DEMANDING THE GOVERNMENT DO MORE TO RESCUE HERSH AND ALL THE OTHERS. ISRAEL'S DEFENCE MINISTER SAYS THE RAFAH OPERATION WON'T STOP UNTIL HAMAS IS ELIMINATED OR THE HOSTAGES START TO RETURN. TALKS ARE CONTINUING. A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME STILL FAR FROM GUARANTEED. THE ADULT FILM ACTRESS AT THE HEART OF DONALD TRUMP'S HUSH MONEY ELECTION FRAUD TRIAL HAS STARTED HER TESTIMONY IN NEW YORK ` SOME OF IT SO GRAPHIC, WE'VE CHOSEN NOT TO REPORT ALL THE DETAILS. STORMY DANIELS TALKING ABOUT A SEXUAL ENCOUNTER SHE CLAIMS SHE HAD WITH HIM IN 2006. TRUMP DENIES IT EVER HAPPENED. HE'S ACCUSED OF FRAUDULENTLY PAYING DANIELS HUSH MONEY IN 2016 ` WEEKS BEFORE THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ` TO STOP HER TALKING TO THE MEDIA. TRUMP, WHO COULD BE SENT TO JAIL IF FOUND GUILTY, SAYS HE WAS TRYING TO PROTECT HIS FAMILY, NOT HIS CAMPAIGN. U.S. CORRESPONDENT LOGAN CHURCH REPORTS. AN ADULT FILM ACTRESS AND A FORMER PRESIDENT ` THIS IS NOT A BAD TV DRAMA, BUT A REAL LIFE LEGAL SHOWDOWN SET TO SHAPE AMERICAN HISTORY. FOR NEARLY FOUR HOURS ` STORMY DANIELS DELIVERED FAST-PACED, OFTEN EXPLICIT TESTIMONY, FOCUSED ON A SEXUAL ENCOUNTER SHE SAYS SHE HAD WITH DONALD TRUMP IN 2006, WHICH LIES AT THE HEART OF THIS CRIMINAL CASE. SAYING SHE FOUND THE FORMER PRESIDENT POSING ON A HOTEL BED IN HIS UNDERWEAR, BEFORE GRAPHICALLY RECOUNTING HOW THEY HAD SEX ` TRUMP REPEATEDLY NUDGING HIS LAWYER TO OBJECT. THE JURY STRUGGLING TO CONTAIN GIGGLES AS DANIELS SPOKE. THE JUDGE, WHILE NOT HAPPY WITH THE DEGREE OF DETAIL, REJECTING TRUMP'S DEMANDS FOR A MISTRIAL. THE PROSECUTION ARGUING THEY'RE THE VERY DETAILS TRUMP WAS TRYING TO HIDE FROM VOTERS IN 2016. THIS IS ALL BUILDING UP INTO FORMING THIS IDEA ` LOOK SHE WAS THERE, THIS DID HAPPEN, AND THUS, EVENTUALLY WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE MONEY. DONALD TRUMP HAS REPEATEDLY DENIED HAVING SEX WITH STORMY DANIELS. HIS LAWYERS SAYING SHE HAS MADE IT UP, BECAUSE AT THE TIME, THEY SAY, SHE WANTED TO GET ON TO HIS TV SHOW, 'THE APPRENTICE'. DURING QUITE HOSTILE CROSS EXAMINATION TODAY, THEY QUESTIONED WHETHER STORMY DANIELS WAS SIMPLY OUT FOR REVENGE. TRUMP'S LAWYERS CLAIM DANIELS' MAIN MOTIVATION IS MONEY. SINCE THE HUSH MONEY ALLEGATIONS EMERGED, SINCE THE HUSH MONEY ALLEGATIONS EMERGED, STORMY DANIELS HAS BEEN BUILDING A BLOCKBUSTER BUSINESS EMPIRE WITH A BOOK DEAL, AND TV APPEARANCES ON LATE SHOWS. CALL UP STORMY DANIELS AND FIX THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL. SHE EVEN APPEARED AS HERSELF IN A SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE SKIT ABOUT THIS CASE. WHY CAN'T I SOLVE US? SORRY DONALD, IT'S TOO LATE FOR THAT. I KNOW YOU DON'T BELIEVE IN CLIMATE CHANGE, BUT A STORM IS COMING, BABY. A STORM INDEED FOR TRUMP, WHO TODAY HAD TO SILENTLY SIT AND WATCH BEFORE DELIVERING HIS OWN LEGAL ASSESSMENT. SO THIS WAS A VERY BIG DAY, A VERY REVEALING DAY. AS YOU SEE, THEIR CASE IS TOTALLY FALLING APART. HOW ALL THIS AFFECTS HIS RE-ELECTION EFFORTS REMAINS TO BE SEEN. LOGAN CHURCH, 1 NEWS, NEW YORK. THE POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM TIKTOK IS SUING THE U.S. GOVERNMENT FOR VIOLATING THE FIRST AMMENDMENT. IT COMES AFTER CONGRESS ENACTED A LAW THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BAN THE SOCIAL MEDIA GIANT UNLESS IT'S SOLD BY JANUARY, AMID NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS. THE CHINESE PARENT COMPANT 'BYTE DANCE' CLAIMS THE BILL IS A VIOLATION OF FREE SPEECH. STILL TO COME ` A HUGE TORNADO TEARS THROUGH OKLAHOMA. THE MASSIVE CLEAN-UP EFFORT AHEAD AFTER WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION. AND AS EUROVISION BEGINS, WHY THIS YEAR'S SHOW IS PROVING CONTROVERSIAL. PLANS TO DEMOLISH A DERELICT APARTMENT BLOCK IN WELLINGTON ARE ON HOLD AFTER THE GOVERNMENT REJECTED THE CITY COUNCIL'S BID TO REMOVE ITS HERITAGE STATUS. BUT AS CUSHLA NORMAN REPORTS, THE MAYOR'S NOW VOWING TO TRY AN 'ALTERNATIVE ROUTE' TO GET THE BUILDING DELISTED. AN UNOCCUPIED EYESORE TO SOME, AN ARCHITECTURAL GEM TO OTHERS. WELLINGTON'S GORDON WILSON FLATS HAVE BEEN AT THE CENTRE OF A HEATED HERITAGE DEBATE. AN INDEPENDENT PANEL FOUND IT SHOULD BE PROTECTED, BUT THE COUNCIL WANTED THAT GONE. ENTER THE RMA MINISTER. THE TEST THAT I WAS REQUIRED TO MAKE AS A DECISION-MAKER, LEGALLY UNDER THE LAW, WAS WHETHER OR NOT THEY QUALIFIED AS HERITAGE. I HAD TO WEIGH UP THE EXPERT EVIDENCE, AND THERE WAS NO EXPERT EVIDENCE LAID BEFORE ME THAT THEY ARE NOT A HERITAGE BUILDING. BUILT IN THE 1950s CONSTRUCTION BOOM AND NAMED AFTER ITS FAMOUS DESIGNER, THE GORDON WILSON FLATS WERE USED FOR SOCIAL HOUSING BUT WERE CLOSED IN 2012 DUE TO EARTHQUAKE RISK. ARCHITECTS WANT THE BUILDING RESTORED, AND SAY TODAY'S DECISION GIVES THEM TIME TO MAKE A CASE. IT'S A BRILLIANT DESIGN. IT HAS WONDERFUL SUNLIGHT ACCESS, GOOD AIRFLOW AND IT HAS JUST INCREDIBLE VIEWS ACROSS THE CITY. SO ANYBODY WANTING TO LIVE HERE, IT WOULD BE MY CHOICE. THE FLATS ARE OWNED BY VICTORIA UNIVERSITY. IT'S DISAPPOINTED WITH THE MINSTER'S DECISION, SAYING IT DELAYS ITS PLANS FOR TURNING THIS INTO STUDENT ACCOMMODATION. THE COUNCIL ALSO DISAPPOINTED. IT CURRENTLY WILL REMAIN. LOOK, THAT'S NOT WHAT PEOPLE WANT; IT'S NOT WANT THE UNIVERSITY WANTS, SO WE ARE LOOKING AT AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE TO GET THAT DELISTED. THE MAYOR SAYS THE RULES STOPPED COUNCIL GIVING MORE EVIDENCE. THE LAW IS SO TIGHT THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, WE COULDN'T USE ANY EVIDENCE AND HE COULDN'T EITHER, BECAUSE IT WASN'T IN THE SUBMISSIONS. THE HIGH-RISE, ONE OF 10 WELLINGTON HERITAGE BUILDINGS GETTING A REPRIEVE TODAY, BUT BOTH LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT WANT TO FIND AN EASIER WAY OF REMOVING PROTECTED STATUS. CUSHLA NORMAN, 1 NEWS. IN THE U.S, ONE PERSON IS DEAD AND MORE THAN 60 HOMES DESTROYED AFTER A POWERFUL TORNADO SWEPT THROUGH OKLAHOMA. 25 PEOPLE WERE RESCUED FROM THE WRECKAGE OF THEIR HOMES AFTER THE E.F.4 TWISTER TORE THROUGH SEVERAL TOWNS IN THE STATE'S NORTHEAST. THE ROOF OF THIS HOTEL WAS RIPPED OFF, WHILE IN MICHIGAN, 50 WORKERS WERE BRIEFLY TRAPPED INSIDE A BADLY DAMAGED COURIER DEPOT. THE TORNADOES PART OF A STORM SYSTEM THAT UNLEASHED AT LEAST 20 TWISTERS ACROSS SEVEN MIDWESTERN STATES. IF YOU'RE NOT A FAN OF CHORES, THIS NEW A.I ROBOT COULD BE JUST THE THING FOR YOU. GERMAN-BASED COMPANY NEURA ROBOTICS CREATING A HUMANOID ROBOT THAT CAN COMPLETE MUNDANE TASKS LIKE TAKING OUT THE RUBBISH. CALLED 4.N.E.I, THE COMPANY HOPES THE ROBOTS WILL BECOME A FIXTURE OF EVERYDAY LIFE. WILL BECOME A FIXTURE OF EVERYDAY LIFE. 4.N.E.1 IN 5 OR 10 YEARS, YOU WILL HAVE HUMANOIDS ON THE STREETS, AND IT'S QUITE FAST, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE. I MEAN, EVERYTHING YOU SEE HERE IS MADE IN FIVE YEARS. THE ROBOT WAS ON DISPLAY AT NORTH AMERICA'S LARGEST ROBOTICS TRADE SHOW, AUTOMATE. THIS YEAR'S EUROVISION SONG CONTEST HAS KICKED OFF WITH OUTLANDISH POP AND POLITICAL PROTEST, THE GAZA WAR LOOMING OVER AN EVENT WATCHED BY MILLIONS. BUT IT WASN'T ALL CONTROVERSY AT THE FIRST SEMI-FINAL IN SWEDEN, WHICH IS CELEBRATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF ABBA'S FAMOUS WIN. EUROPE CORRESPONDENT MEI HERON REPORTS. THE WORLD'S BIGGEST AND HOTTEST SONG CONTEST IS HERE, FIRM FAVOURITES CROATIA ALREADY STEALING THE SHOW. # HEY! I'M A BIG BOY NOW. # I'M READY TO LEAVE. CIAO, MAMA, CIAO. # HEY! I'M A BIG BOY NOW. # I'M GOING AWAY AND I SOLD MY COW. THE FIRST SEMI-FINAL DELIVERING ON ALL THE CRAZY ` YES, THAT IS A PANTLESS MAN EMERGING FROM AN EGG ` # YOU'RE ALL GONNA BE FREE. # FORGET THE RULES AND SCREAM! ...THE THEATRICAL AND POWERFUL. # MAMA TERESA! AND WHILE ALL THOSE ACTS MADE THE FINAL, AUSTRALIA DIDN'T. # MILKALI LA! # HELD IN SWEDEN THIS YEAR, IT'S EXACTLY 50 YEARS SINCE SWEDISH MEGA GROUP ABBA WON WITH THIS. # WATERLOO. # COULDN'T ESCAPE IF I WANTED TO. # STARTED IN 1956 TO FOSTER UNITY AFTER WW2, EUROVISION HAS ALWAYS TRIED TO STAY POLITICALLY NEUTRAL. BUT THIS YEAR THE GAZA WAR THREATENS TO OVERSHADOW THE EVENT, WITH PROTESTS AGAINST ISRAEL'S INCLUSION. THE OPENING ACT, A FORMER CONTESTANT WEARING A KEFFIYEH WRAPPED AROUND HIS WRIST, EUROVISION SAYING IT COMPROMISED THE EVENT'S NON-POLITICAL NATURE ` A HEADACHE FOR ORGANISERS, WITH SEVERAL ACTS VOCAL ABOUT THEIR STANCE. BUT I AM FIRMLY PRO-PALESTINE, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO USE MY PLATFORM TO SHOW MY SUPPORT IN HOW MUCH I ACTUALLY CAN. WE ARE REALLY, REALLY SUPPORTING THAT PEOPLE ARE USING THEIR VOICE IN THE WAY THAT THEY WANT TO ` IF THEY WANT TO BOYCOTT, IF THEY WANT TO PROTEST. SECURITY RAMPING UP, WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS EXPECTED TO DO JUST THAT WHEN ISRAEL'S ACT PERFORMS IN THE SECOND SEMI-FINAL ON FRIDAY. MEI HERON, 1 NEWS, LONDON. TO SOME CUTE BABY ANIMAL NEWS FOR YOUR HUMP DAY ` A ZOO IN THE EAST OF ENGLAND HAS WELCOMED A VERY SPECIAL NEW ARRIVAL. ITS FIRST BABY CAMEL IN EIGHT YEARS. NAMED SALLY, THE BACTRIAN CAMEL CALF IS SAID TO BE MAKING HERSELF AT HOME AT THE WHIPSNADE ZOO, AND GETTING ON WELL WITH MUM AND DAD IZZY AND OAKLEY. WILD CAMELS ARE CRTICIALLY ENDANGERED, WITH FEWER THAN A THOUSAND LEFT IN THE DESERTS OF MONGOLIA AND CHINA. JUST AHEAD, A FROSTY NIGHT FOR MUCH OF THE COUNTRY TONIGHT, WHO COULD BE IN FOR SOME SHOWERS TOMORROW. PLUS, A GLITTERING ARRIVAL ` HOW THE CITY OF MARSEILLE WELCOMED THE OLYMPIC FLAME ONTO FRENCH SOIL. A LARGE FIREWORK AND DRONE SHOW HAS LIT UP THE NIGHT SKY IN THE FRENCH CITY OF MARSEILLE, THE DISPLAY CELEBRATING THE IMMINENT ARRIVAL OF THE OLYMPIC TORCH TO THE PORT CITY. MORE THAN 800 DRONES WERE USED, FORMING DIFFERENT SHAPES AND PATTERNS, INCLUDING THE PARIS 2024 LOGO. THE FLAME HAS TRAVELLED BY SHIP FROM ANCIENT OLYMPIA IN GREECE, THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE GAMES. NOW TO TOMORROWS WEATHER WITH FIRST AID KIT AND 'FIREWORKS.' (FIRST AID KIT'S 'FIREWORKS') # I COULD'VE SWORN I SAW FIREWORKS # FROM YOUR HOUSE # LAST NIGHT. # AS THE LIGHTS FLICKERED AND THEY FAILED, # I HAD IT ALL # FIGURED OUT. # WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF # EVERY TIME? # I KNOW THE WAY IT ENDS. # BEFORE IT'S EVEN BEGUN, # I AM THE ONLY ONE # AT THE FINISH LINE. # THAT'S IT FROM US HERE ON TONIGHT. THANKS FOR WATCHING PO MANAHAU, GOOD NIGHT. CAPTIONS BY JOHN GIBBS AND JESSIE PURU. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024