AND WE FOUND MORE POLICE ON THE ROAD SOUTH FROM MAROKOPA TO AWAKINO. WE ALSO CAME ACROSS A GROUP OF ARMED POLICE PACKING AWAY THEIR EQUIPMENT. POLICE TOLD US THIS WAS A PRECAUTION AS THEY BELIEVE TOM PHILLIPS MAY BE CARRYING A FIREARM. AND POLICE ARE TAKING SUCH A HIGH PROFILE ` NOT JUST TO LOCATE TOM PHILLIPS AND HIS CHILDREN WHO'VE BEEN MISSING FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS ` BUT ALSO THEY WANT TO TALK TO THE PUBLIC AFTER THEIR OFFER OF THAT $80,000 REWARD. THE NEXT MONTH AND REMEMBER, THEY HAVE BEEN MISSING FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS NOW. ALSO BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE AVAILABLE IN THIS AREA, SHOULD ANYONE WANT TO COME FORWARD AND TALK TO THEM, AS A RESULT OF THAT $80,000 REWARD AND YOU'VE BEEN TALKING TO SOME LOCALS, SIMON? THE MESSAGE WE'RE GETTING FROM PEOPLE HERE, VERY MUCH IS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE THIS ALL TO BE OVER WITH. PRIMARILY FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHILDREN THEMSELVES, THE THREE CHILDREN BUT ALSO SO THEY CAN GET BACK TO LIFE AS NORMAL. A COUPLE DID SUGGEST TO BE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO MAY BE ASSISTING TOM PHILLIPS ARE PROBABLY VERY STAUNCH SUPPORTERS AND THEY QUESTION WHETHER THAT POLICE REWARD IS ENOUGH MONEY. IF I WAS GOING TO SAY ANYTHING, I WOULD'VE SAID IT BEFORE THE REWARD. THE REWARD WOULDN'T MAKE THE DIFFERENCE. WELL, I DON'T THINK IT'S ENOUGH. IF SOMEBODY'S HIDING HIM OR LOOKING AFTER HIM OR... I DON'T THINK IT'S ENOUGH. THEY'RE NOT GONNA GIVE HIM UP FOR 80 GRAND. WHAT WOULD BE A GOOD AMOUNT? I DON'T KNOW. POLICE SAY THAT THEY WILL BE ULTIMATE DISTRICT FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND IT IS LONG AND ARE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT COULD OFFER CREDIBLE AND CURRENT INFORMATION. IN THE MEANTIME THEY ARE STILL ASSESSING INFORMATION THAT HAS COME TO HAND SO FAR. THE GOVERNMENT HAS ORDERED A BANKING INQUIRY, AND PART OF IT WILL BE FOCUSING ON THE RURAL SECTOR AFTER COMPLAINTS FROM FARMERS THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN GETTING A FAIR GO FROM THEIR LENDERS. MANY FEEL SERVICES ARE SUB-STANDARD AND THEY'RE GETTING HIT WITH HIGHER INTEREST RATES. HERE'S SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER BENEDICT COLLINS. FARMERS TURNED UP IN DROVES TO FIELDAYS TODAY, AND POLITICS WAS ON THE MENU. FARMERS AND OTHERS IN THE PRIMARY SECTOR HAVE TOLD US THAT ACCESS TO BORROWING HAS BECOME MORE DIFFICULT, THAT FARMERS ARE PAYING HIGHER INTEREST RATES COMPARED TO OTHER BORROWERS. HE WANTS MPs TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF WHAT'S GOING ON, ANNOUNCING A SELECT COMMITTEE INQUIRY. WE'VE HEARD CONSISTENTLY TIME AND TIME AGAIN, HEY, ARE WE GETTING OVERCHARGED WITH OUR INTEREST RATES? BUT FARMERS WE SPOKE TO TODAY WERE ALL PRETTY HAPPY WITH THEIR BANKS. I HAVE TWO BANKS, BUT THEY'RE ALL REALLY GOOD WITH THEIR RELATIONSHIP MANAGERS. INTEREST RATES ARE HIGH, BUT IT'S ALWAYS TO AND FRO WITH THEM. YOU CAN ALWAYS MAKE A DEAL WITH THEM. MY RELATIONSHIP'S GOOD BECAUSE MY DEBT'S NOT BAD. AND OUR MPs HAVE ALREADY BEEN LOOKING INTO IT... HELLO. I'M MARK CAMERON. I'M THE CHAIR OF THE PRIMARY PRODUCTION SELECT COMMITTEE. ...SEEKING ANSWERS FROM BANKS ABOUT RURAL LOANS AND BORROWING. HISTORY HAS SHOWN US THAT LENDING TO BUSINESSES, INCLUDING AGRIBUSINESS, IS RISKIER THAN HOMEOWNERS, AND AS A RESULT, WE DO HOLD TWICE AS MUCH CAPITAL AGAINST AN AGRI-LOAN THAN A HOME LOAN. BUT BANK BRANCHES HAVE BEEN SHUT ACROSS RURAL NEW ZEALAND. FROM THE FARMERS' PERSPECTIVE, THE LEVEL OF SERVICE FROM THE BANKS HAS BEEN WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER PRETTY ORDINARY. DEBT IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR HAS BALLOONED OVER THE LAST 35 YEARS, FUELLED BY DAIRY CONVERSIONS AND INCREASES IN THE PRICE OF LAND, AND NOW HIT WITH HIGH INTEREST RATES, SOME FARMERS ARE FEELING THE PINCH. IF YOU'RE A SHEEP AND BEEF FARMER AND YOU'VE MOVED INTO THE SECTOR IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, YOU'RE PROBABLY CARRYING A LOT ` TOO MUCH DEBT AT THE MOMENT, JUST BECAUSE OF THE PRICES. THE GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO KEEP AGRICULTURE OUT OF THE EMISSIONS TRADING SCHEME ALSO ON FARMERS' MINDS TODAY. GOOD ON THEM. WHY 'GOOD ON THEM'? BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE IN THE CARBON EMISSIONS. I THINK WE DO NEED TO BE PART OF THE ETS BECAUSE IT GIVES US A BASE POINT THAT WE CAN DEFEND OURSELVES FROM GOING FORWARD. THE GREENS WEIGHING IN TOO. CLIMATE DELAY IS THE NEW DENIAL, AND IT'S DEEPLY DISAPPOINTING THE GOVERNMENT'S DECIDED TO SET UP YET ANOTHER WORKING GROUP WHICH IS SEEMINGLY PUTTING THIS ISSUE IN THE 'TOO HARD' BASKET. OUR AGRICULTURAL EMISSIONS REMAIN A HOT TOPIC. BENEDICT JOINS US NOW LIVE FROM PARLIAMENT. BENEDICT, ON ANOTHER MATTER, POLICE ARE LOOKING INTO AN ALLEGED ASSAULT ON A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? THE MP FOR WEST COAST-TASMAN WENT AND MET WITH MEMBERS OF THE GOLDEN BAY COMMUNITY BOARD TO HEAR THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT A GOLDMINE COMING INTO THEIR AREA UNDER THE FAST TRACK LEGISLATION. WHEN MAUREEN PUGH LEFT, SHE WAS SURROUNDED BY PROTESTERS. AND APPEARS ONE OF THE PROTESTERS NUDGED MAUREEN PUGH WITH THEIR PLACARD, AND BASICALLY, SHE GOT TO HER CAR AND HER CAR WAS SURROUNDED BY PROTESTERS. I UNDERSTAND SHE WAS SHAKEN AND INTIMIDATED AND THE POLICE WERE CALLED. THE POLICE TOLD ME THEY ATTENDED THE INCIDENT, AND I UNDERSTAND THEY GAVE THE MAN A FORMAL WARNING. THE POLICE HAVE GIVEN ME A STATEMENT TODAY. THEY SAY THE ENQUIRIES ARE STILL ONGOING. THANKS, BENEDICT. THE RECESSION IS DRIVING ANOTHER BRAIN DRAIN. THE LATEST STATS NZ FIGURES REVEALING PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THE COUNTRY IN RECORD NUMBERS. JUST OVER 130,000 LEFT IN THE YEAR TO APRIL ` THE HIGHEST NUMBER OVER 12 MONTHS. AND THE MAJORITY ARE KIWIS ` MORE THAN 80,000, EXCEEDING THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF ALMOST 72,500 NEW ZEALAND CITIZENS IN FEBRUARY 2012. WHILE THE NUMBER OF MIGRANTS COMING INTO THE COUNTRY REMAINS HIGH, NET MIGRATION HAS FALLEN IN THE YEAR TO APRIL BELOW 100,000 ` DOWN FROM MORE THAN 105,000 PEOPLE IN MARCH'S FIGURES. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT KATIE BRADFORD HAS MORE. PACKING UP AHEAD OF THE MOVE ACROSS THE TASMAN, THIS CHILEAN FAMILY CAN'T QUITE BELIEVE THEY ARE LEAVING THEIR ADOPTED HOME AFTER 13 YEARS. IT'S A MIX OF EMOTIONS. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE BUT I GUESS IT WASN'T OUR FIRST OPTION TO LEAVE NZ. HER ENGINEER HUSBAND WAS MADE REDUNDANT EARLIER THIS YEAR. IT'S BEEN REALLY CHALLENGING TO TRY TO FIND A JOB. HE RECEIVED A FEW OFFERS FROM AUSTRLALIA, SO WE HAD TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR OUR FAMILY. ALREADY THERE, MADDY HUNTER MOVED TO SYDNEY A FEW WEEKS AGO. LIKE SO MANY YOUNG KIWIS, SHE DREAMT OF BIGGER OPPORTUNITIES. WASN'T GETTING PAID ENOUGH, RENT WAS TOO HIGH, COST OF LIVING ` I MEAN I JUST I WASN'T SAVING. BETTER NIGHTLIFE AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT WAS ALSO ATTRACTIVE. AND IT'S A GREAT CITY. THE NUMBER OF NEW ZEALAND CITIZENS WHO LEFT IN THE LAST YEAR IS UP 41%. BUT MIGRANTS ARE ALSO SEEKING GREENER PASTURES TOO ` DEPARTURES UP 23%. WE HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE. YOU'LL REMEMBER IN THE EARLY 2000S, THERE WAS A MASSIVE EXODUS OF NEW ZEALANDERS TO AUSTRALIA AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, AND BY BUILDING ACTUALLY GOOD ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT; GOOD, SAFER SOCIETY; BETTER PUBLIC SERVICES ` NEW ZEALANDERS CAME BACK AS WELL, SO THAT'S OUR OPPORTUNITY. IN 2007, THEN OPPOSITION LEADER JOHN KEY, USED AN EMPTY WELLINGTON STADIUM TO SIGNIFY THE NUMBER OF KIWIS SPREADING THEIR WINGS. THE EQUIVALENT OF THIS ENTIRE STADIUM AND MORE, LEAVE TO PERMANENTLY LIVE IN AUSTRALIA. BUT THAT KEPT GROWING, HITTING A RECORD IN FEBRUARY 2012 ` THE NET LOSS OF 56,000 NEW ZEALAND CITIZENS THIS APRIL EXCEEDING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2012. I THINK THIS GOVERNMENT HAS STALLED THE CONSTRUCTION AND INFRASTRUCTURE INDUSTRIES, THEY'VE CUT 5000 JOBS, THEY'VE DONE A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS LIKE END THE FIRST HOME BUYER SUBSIDY AND THEY'VE CRASHED MORALE; AND WHEN PEOPLE LOSE HOPE THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO PACK UP. SO IT'S OFF TO QUEENSLAND FOR NOW, FOR THIS FAMILY OF FOUR. I WILL DEFINITELY MISS KIWIS, PEOPLE HERE ARE AMAZING. JUST ONE OF THOUSANDS EXCITED TO BUILD A NEW LIFE - OVERSEAS. AND KATIE JOINS US NOW. SO DO WE PUT THIS MASS EXODUS DOWN TO THE RECESSION? AS ASB ECONOMISTS SAID TODAY, NEW ZEALAND IS LOSING THE LUSTRE. UNEMPLOYMENT IS RISING AND IT IS GETTING HARD TO FIND JOBS. PEOPLE ARE SEEKING GREENER PASTURES. THERE IS STILL A BIT OF A COVID LAG. PEOPLE ARE MAKING THE MOST OF IT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FACT THAT NET MIGRATION IS SLOWING, THAT IS HAVING AN IMPACT AS WELL, BRINGING SOME OF THE HEAT OUT OF THE ECONOMY. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE WAY DIRECT ONTO ME, WE WILL GET A BETTER IDEA OF THAT. CORRECTION: ECONOMY. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LEAVING THE COUNTRY, UNEMPLOYMENT RISING, BUSINESSES LIQUIDATING... IT SEEMS LIKE WE WILL STEVE CONTINUE TO HAVE A SLOW ECONOMY FOR SOME TIME. A MAN (31) HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER AFTER AN ALTERCATION ON THE KAPITI COAST TRIGGERED A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATION. POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SUBURB OF WAIKANAE BEACH YESTERDAY WHERE THEY FOUND A MAN SERIOUSLY INJURED. HE DIED AFTER RECEIVING MEDICAL ATTENTION. TODAY, POLICE HAVE CONTINUED THEIR SCENE INVESTIGATION. THE FINAL WITNESS IN SCOTT WATSON'S APPEAL HAS GIVEN EVIDENCE AS HIS LAWYERS NOW START TO LAY OUT THEIR ARGUMENT FOR A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE. WATSON, WHO HAS BEEN IN JAIL FOR NEARLY 25 YEARS, IS CHALLENGING HIS 1999 DOUBLE MURDER CONVICTION FOR KILLING BEN SMART AND OLIVIA HOPE. CUSHLA NORMAN IS COVERING THE HEARING. WHAT DID THE COURT HEAR TODAY? SCOTT WATSON'S LAWYERS CONTINUED TO TRY TO UNDERMINE THE RELIABILITY OF THE FORENSIC EVIDENCE. THEIR MAIN ARGUMENT IS THAT EITHER TRANSPARENCE OR CONTAMINATION IS THE EXPLANATION FOR THE TWO LONG BLONDE HAIR HAS THAT ARE LINKED TO OLIVIA BEING FOUND ON SCOTT WATSON'S BLANKET. EXPERTS AT THE HEARING SAID HERE TRANSPARENCE IS A POSSIBILITY. THE CROWN SAYS THIS WAS A LIVE ISSUE AT THE TIME OF THE HEARING AND YOU CAN'T RELITIGATE IT. IDENTIFICATION IS ANOTHER PLANK, AND HOW POLICE GOT THE IDENTIFICATION BY THE WATER TAXI DRIVER. THE JURY IN 1999 WERE NEVER MADE AWARE THAT GUY WALLACE WAS GIVEN A SINGULAR PHOTOGRAPH OF SCOTT WATSON BEFORE HE EVEN PICKED HIM OUT FROM A MONTAGE. IT'S INCONTROVERTIBLE THAT THE JURY WAS DEPRIVED OF THIS MATERIAL INFORMATION WHICH WOULD HAVE PROVIDED THE DEFENCE A POWERFUL TOOL WITH WHICH TO CHALLENGE MR WATSON'S EVIDENCE. THE COURT HAS THREE OPTIONS IN THIS CASE. IT CAN DISMISS THE APPEAL; AND COULD QUASH THE CONVICTIONS AND ORDER A RETRIAL; AND COULD QUASH THE CONVICTIONS AND ORDER NO RETRIAL, IN WHICH CASE SCOTT WATSON WOULD WALK FREE. AROUND 2000 MASSEY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE SHUTDOWN OF ONLINE EXAMS TODAY FOLLOWING TECHNICAL GLITCHES. THE UNIVERSITY SAYS IT'S 'EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED' OVER THE FAILURE OF ONLINE SUPERVISION SOFTWARE WHICH MONITORS STUDENTS PARTICIPATING REMOTELY. AN INVESTIGATION'S BEEN LAUNCHED AFTER STUDENTS EXPERIENCED WORK NOT BEING SAVED AND THE PERSONAL INFORMATION OF OTHER LEARNERS BEING DISPLAYED. THE FLAT'S PRETTY TENSE AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE SOME OF MY FLATMATES HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FINISH THEIR EXAMS, START THEIR EXAMS. THEY'RE AT WORK AT THE MOMENT, SO NOW THEY'VE GOT TO WAIT. AND WE HAVE OTHER EXAMS THAT WE NEED TO BE DOING AND WORRYING ABOUT. THE PRIVACY COMMISSIONER'S BEEN ALERTED TO THE INFORMATION BREACH, AND THE UNIVERSITY'S SWITCHED OFF REMOTE SUPERVISION FOR THE REST OF THE EXAM PERIOD. AFFECTED EXAMS HAVE BEEN RESCHEDULED. 'THIS IS JUST THE START.' THAT FROM THE EDUCATION MINISTER AFTER FACING CRITICISM A $12m BUDGET BOOST TO REPAIR KOHANGA REO BUILDINGS ISN'T ENOUGH. ON A VISIT TO A KOHANGA TODAY, ERICA STANFORD ALSO FACING QUESTIONS OVER HER GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO THE MAORI LANGUAGE. OUR MAORI AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT TE ANIWA HURIHANGANUI WAS THERE. (WOMAN SINGS KARANGA) THE EDUCATION MINISTER IN UNCHARTED TERRITORY. THIS IS MY FIRST VISIT TO A KOHANGA REO, AND I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO ACCEPT THE INVITATION. THERE ARE AROUND 480 KOHANGA REO ACROSS THE COUNTRY... (CHILDREN SING) ...AND MANY NEED URGENT REPAIRS. TE MAHA... TE NUINGA. THE GOVERNMENT'S $12m BOOST OVER FOUR YEARS TE MAHA... TE NUINGA. THE GOVERNMENT'S $12m BOOST OVER FOUR YEARS WILL ADD TO AN ANNUAL BASELINE FUNDING OF $5m FOR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS. NGA MIHI NUI KI A RATOU. BUT IT'S A FRACTION OF WHAT THEY ASKED FOR. SIGNIFICANTLY MORE. I'M NOT GOING TO DISCLOSE IT. THE REJECTED FUNDING BID WOULD HAVE COVERED JUST OVER 50 KOHANGA REO. WE WILL HAVE TO GO OUT AND START THAT CONVERSATION ALL OVER AGAIN WITH OUR WHANAU BECAUSE SOME ARE GOING TO MISS OUT. THE MINISTER SAYS IT'S JUST A START. IT'S HONOURING THE TREATY AS WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE CHILDREN WHO ARE ABLE TO CHOOSE TO GROW UP IN CENTRES LIKE THIS WITH THEIR REO. BUT HANGING OVER HER VISIT IS AN URGENT HEARING IN THE WAITANGI TRIBUNAL WHERE CLAIMANTS SAY THE GOVERNMENT IS BREACHING THE TREATY... KAUE RA TU E WHAKAPAI KI TE REO. ...AND DOING IRREVERSIBLE HARM TO THE MAORI LANGUAGE BY REQUIRING PUBLIC SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TO COMMUNICATE PRIMARILY IN ENGLISH. IS THAT AT ODDS WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? I THINK WE'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR ` BOTH LANGUAGES ARE IMPORTAND AND SHOULD SIT SIDE BY SIDE. KOHANGA REO ARE CONSIDERED THE CORNERSTONE OF MAORI LANGUAGE REVITALISATION. KA TAEA NGA TAMARIKI, NGA MOKOPUNA NEI, KI TE TU WHAKAPAKARI AI, KI ROTO I TO RATOU AKE AO. AND THEY SAY THEY'LL KEEP FIGHTING FOR THAT... I'D LIKE TO PUT ASIDE THE LAST SIX MONTHS AS A... I DON'T KNOW WHAT` A HICCUP FOR MAORI. WE'RE NOT GIVING UP. ...REGARDLESS OF GOVERNMENT POLICY. TE ANIWA HURIHANGANUI, 1 NEWS. JUST AHEAD, THERE'LL BE NO PARDON FOR THE U.S. PRESIDENT'S SON AFTER HUNTER BIDEN WAS CONVICTED FOR LYING ABOUT HIS DRUG USE ON A GUN LICENCE APPLICATION. NEXT, HOW JOE BIDEN'S REACTED TO THE VERDICT AND ITS IMPACT ON THE CAMPAIGN. PLUS, DESPITE BEING FOUND NOT GUILTY OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A NUMBER OF MEN, KEVIN SPACEY MAKES AN ADMISSION. PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES. IN WHAT WAY? BEING TO HANDSY, YOU KNOW? IN WHAT WAY? BEING TOO HANDSY, YOU KNOW? TOUCHING SOMEONE SEXUALLY. WHAT ELSE THE EMBATTLED OSCAR WINNER'S REVEALED IN A RARE INTERVIEW. THEN ON SEVEN SHARP, FIELDAYS IS THE PERFECT PLACE TO GAUGE THE FINANCIAL STATE OF THE RURAL SECTOR. SO IS THERE GOOD NEWS ON THE HORIZON? PLUS, THERE'S MUCH MORE TO MINCE THAN JUST SPAG BOL. FIND OUT HOW THIS VERSATILE FOOD CAN HELP SAVE YOU MONEY. AND I CHAT WITH BRITISH FUNNY WOMAN SARAH MILLICAN. THAT'S TONIGHT AT 7. HOKI MAI ANO. WELCOME BACK. HUNTER BIDEN HAS BECOME THE FIRST CHILD OF A SITTING U.S. PRESIDENT TO BE CONVICTED OF A FELONY. A JURY FOUND HIM GUILTY OF LYING ABOUT HIS DRUG ADDICTION WHILE BUYING A GUN, SIX YEARS AGO. U.S. CORRESPONDENT LOGAN CHURCH HAS TODAY'S DEVELOPMENTS. THE SON OF THE U.S. PRESIDENT NOW A CONVICTED FELON. NO ONE IN THIS COUNTRY IS ABOVE THE LAW. EVERYONE MUST BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS, EVEN THIS DEFENDANT. HUNTER BIDEN, CONVICTED OF THREE FELONY GUN-CHARGES AFTER LYING TWICE ON A BACKGROUND CHECK FORM, WHILE BUYING A REVOLVER AT A DELAWARE GUN STORE IN 2018. THE THIRD CHARGE IS FOR POSSESSING A GUN WHILE ADDICTED TO ILLEGAL DRUGS. THIS CASE WAS ABOUT THE ILLEGAL CHOICES DEFENDANT MADE WHILE IN THE THROES OF ADDICTION. HIS CHOICE TO LIE ON A GOVERNMENT FORM WHEN HE BOUGHT A GUN, AND THE CHOICE TO THEN POSSESS THAT GUN. MR BIDEN'S STEPMOM, U.S. FIRST LADY JILL BIDEN, IN THE COURTROOM FOR TODAY'S VERDICTS. WELL, I'M SURE IT'S VERY SAD FOR HIS FAMILY AND SAD FOR HUNTER BIDEN. MANY PEOPLE HAVE KNOWN INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SUFFERED FROM ADDICTION. ON THE OTHER HAND, I THINK IT IS A GOOD DAY FOR THE RULE OF LAW. IN A STATEMENT, HUNTER BIDEN SAID HE WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH THE JURY'S DECISION. IT'S NOT YET CLEAR IF HE WILL APPEAL. MEANWHILE, HIS DAD, THE U.S. PRESIDENT, SAID HE ACCEPTED THE OUTCOME OF HIS SON'S CRIMINAL TRIAL, WILL NOT PARDON HIM, AND WILL CONTINUE TO RESPECT THE JUDICIAL PROCESS. REPUBLICANS TODAY, USING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SCORE POLITICAL POINTS. TODAY IS THE FIRST STEP IN DELIVERING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE BIDEN CRIME FAMILY. JOE BIDEN MET WITH HIS SON THIS AFTERNOON JUST AFTER GIVING A SPEECH, SOMEWHAT IRONICALLY, ABOUT GUN SAFETY. MORE CHILDREN ARE KILLED IN AMERICA BY GUNS THAN CANCER AND CAR ACCIDENTS COMBINED. BUT THE PRESIDENT DIDN'T MENTION HIS SON'S TRIAL. HUNTER BIDEN WILL BE SENTENCED IN THE COMING MONTHS. IT WILL BE UP TO THE JUDGE, THOUGH, WHETHER HE SEES THE INSIDE OF A PRISON CELL. LOGAN CHURCH, 1 NEWS, NEW YORK. HAMAS HAS SUBMITTED ITS RESPONSE TO A U.S-BACKED PEACE DEAL IN GAZA, SAYING ITS AGREEMENT HINGES ON A COMMITMENT TO A PERMANENT CEASEFIRE. THE PLAN ` BROKERED BY THE U.S. AND QATAR ` PROPOSED A SIX-WEEK PAUSE IN HOSTILITIES, THEN NEGOTIATIONS TOWARDS A PERMANENT CEASEFIRE. THERE WOULD ALSO BE EXCHANGES OF ISRAELI HOSTAGES AND PALESTINIAN PRISONERS BUT THE EXACT NUMBERS REMAIN UNCLEAR. DOMESTIC ISRAELI POLITICAL ISSUES COULD YET SCUPPER THE DEAL. WITH SOME HARDLINE MEMBERS OF BENJAMIN NETANYAHU'S COALITION THREATENING TO COLLAPSE HIS GOVERNMENT IF IT GOES THROUGH. UKRAINE'S NEWLY ACQUIRED ABILITY TO TARGET MISSILE LAUNCHERS INSIDE RUSSIAN TERRITORY APPEARS TO BE PAYING OFF. THE MAYOR OF KHARKIV SAYS THE CITY, WHICH HAD BEEN UNDER INTENSE SHELLING, IS NOW CALMER. IT'S BEEN ABOUT TWO WEEKS SINCE THE U.S. AND OTHER WESTERN NATIONS GAVE UKRAINE PERMISSION TO USE SUPPLIED WEAPONS TO HIT TARGETS IN RUSSIA NEAR KHARKIV. ACTOR KEVIN SPACEY, WHO WAS FOUND NOT GUILTY LAST YEAR OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING FOUR MEN, HAS SAID HE'S BEEN, QUOTE, 'TOO HANDSY' IN THE PAST. THE 64-YEAR-OLD WAS ASKED IN AN INTERVIEW WITH BROADCASTER PIERS MORGAN ABOUT VARIOUS ALLEGATIONS. MR SPACEY ADMITTING THAT SOMETIMES HE ENGAGED IN INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOUR. WHAT'S YOUR IDEA OF BAD BEHAVIOUR WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AT WHAT YOU WERE DOING? PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES. IN WHAT WAY? BEING TO HANDSY, YOU KNOW? CORRECTION: IN WHAT WAY? BEING TOO HANDSY, YOU KNOW? TOUCHING SOMEONE SEXUALLY... GROPING PEOPLE? ...IN A WAY THAT I DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME THEY DIDN'T WANT. SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY THAT THAT IS CRIMINAL, THAT IF YOU GROPE PEOPLE IN A SEXUAL WAY AGAINST THEIR WISHES THAT THAT IS A CRIME. I AGREE THAT THE WORD 'GROPE' IS A VERY ODD WORD. I PERSONALLY... I HAVE CARESSED PEOPLE. I HAVE BEEN GENTLE WITH PEOPLE. LAST MONTH, THE OSCAR-WINNER DENIED FRESH ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM. HE'S ALSO INVOLVED IN A CIVIL TRIAL OVER A 2008 SEXUAL ASSAULT ACCUSATION. EIGHT MIGRANTS WITH POSSIBLE LINKS TO ISIS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AFTER ILLEGALLY ENTERING THE U.S. THE MEN FROM TAJIKISTAN ARRIVED THROUGH THE SOUTHERN BORDER WITH MEXICO LAST YEAR. THEY WERE DETAINED WHEN AUTHORITIES LATER UNCOVERED INFORMATION ABOUT A POSSIBLE AFFILIATION WITH ISIS. THE FBI'S PREVIOUSLY WARNED ISLAMIST RADICALS MIGHT TRY AND ACCESS THE U.S. VIA THE MEXICAN BORDER. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS HAVE VANDALISED THE FIRST OFFICIAL PORTRAIT OF KING CHARLES. TWO PEOPLE USED ROLLERS TO PUT STICKERS ON THE PAINTING, WHICH IS ON DISPLAY AT A LONDON GALLERY. THE STUNT ` TRYING TO BRING ATTENTION TO A REPORT ON FARM ANIMAL WELFARE. THE PAINTING WASN'T DAMAGED AS IT'S PROTECTED BY A LAYER OF PERSPEX. E WHAI AKE NEI ` COMING UP ` HAVING A FIELD DAY AT FIELDAYS. OFF THE FARM AND INTO THE CROWDS FOR THOUSANDS FLOCKING TO THIS RURAL EXTRAVAGANZA. NEXT, THE BARGAIN'S BAGGED AND THE WORKHORSES PUT TO THE ULTIMATE TEST. THEN, THEY'RE PLANNING ON BLOWING AWAY THE COMPETITION. WE'RE GOING TO WIN THIS THING. (CHUCKLES) THE STUDENT ROCKET ENGINEERS PREPARING TO GO TO NEW HEIGHTS AT AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT. THEN ON SEVEN SHARP, COMEDIAN SARAH MILLICAN ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A RANT AND ROUTINE, WHAT'S COMEDY AND WHAT'S NOT? COS YOU STILL EVEN GET THE NEW MATERIAL GIGS, AND YOU GET THE WORK IN PROGRESS WHERE I'M STILL JUST BEING FURIOUS, AND WOMEN ARE CLAPPING AND THEY'RE AGREEING. THEY'RE NOT LAUGHING, BUT THEY'RE CLAPPING. (CHUCKLES) AND IT'S HAPPY TEARS IN TAURANGA AS WE SURPRISE A WORTHY RECIPIENT OF OUR ASB GOOD AS GOLD. THAT'S COMING UP AT 7. QUEUES OF TRAFFIC AND BIG CROWDS GREETED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO TURNED OUT FOR THE ANNUAL FIELD DAYS AT MYSTERY CREEK NEAR HAMILTON. THE ANNUAL ARRAY OF UTES, TRUCKS AND TRACTORS WERE ALL ON DISPLAY, AND AS NICOLE BREMNER REPORTS ` THERE WAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. FOR MANY HERE, A TRIP TO FIELD DAYS IS AN ESSENTIAL ANNUAL EVENT. BIT OF A FAMILY TRADITION TO COME TO FIELD DAYS, SO DIDN'T WANT TO BREAK THAT. JUST GETTING OUT, OFF THE FARM AND HAVING A LOOK AROUND AT WHAT'S OUT THERE. FOR THESE YEAR 11 STUDENTS, IT'S A CHANCE TO CONTEMPLATE THEIR CAREERS. WE CAME HERE TO SEE THE DIFFERENT WAYS WE CAN GO AFTER SCHOOL. WHILE OTHERS ENJOY A DAY OFF FROM THE CLASSROOM... IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN. WE WENT TO LOTS OF PLACES AND GOT LOTS OF FREE FOOD. ...BAGGING A BARGAIN'S ALSO ON THE MINDS OF MANY HERE. I'M THE PACKHORSE TODAY ` THE CLYDESDALE, IF YOU WILL, CARRYING EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE BUYS. SO, I' VE GOT THIS JACKET HERE. I GOT MYSELF SOME HUNTING BOOTS AND A NEW KNIFE. THERE WE ARE. AND THERE'S THRILLS FOR PETROL HEADS TOO ` EVERY YEAR, THERE IS A TRACTOR RACE. THE BIG WORKHORSES A REAL DRAWCARD, WITH A GRANDSTAND FOR A GOOD VIEW OF THE HOT ROD VERSIONS... (TRACTORS BURR) ...STAKES HIGH IN THE SLEDGE RACING TOO. THE COMPETITION IS WON BY THE TRACTOR THAT CAN PULL THAT SLEDGE, THE LONGEST DISTANCE. THE TRICK IS KEEPING THE TRACTOR GOING AS THE TENSION FROM BEHIND RAMPS UP. THIS IS A PLACE WHICH KNOWS IT'S PEOPLE ` I LOVE IT HERE, IT'S BLOODY GREAT, ` AFTER MORE THAN 50 YEARS IN THE GAME, IT LOOKS LIKE FIELD DAYS IS A KEEPER. NICOLE BREMNER, 1 NEWS. A SCALED-BACK VERSION OF CHRISTCHURCH'S A&P SHOW WILL NOW GO AHEAD THIS YEAR AFTER IT RISKED CANCELLATION. THE CANTERBURY A&P ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN FACING FINANCIAL HARDSHIP AND HAD CANCELLED THE 2024 EVENT. NOW IT'S PARTNERED WITH A PRIVATE FIRM TO RUN A SLIMMED-DOWN SHOW. IT'LL INCLUDE FOOD STALLS, COMPETITIONS, AND AMUSEMENT RIDES WITH THE ASSOCIATION RUNNING THE ANIMAL COMPETITIONS. THE COUNTDOWN'S ON FOR CANTERBURY UNIVERSITY'S AEROSPACE TEAM HEADING OVERSEAS WITH HOPES OF ROCKETING TO VICTORY. THEY'RE COMPETING IN SPACEPORT AMERICA ` THE WORLD'S LARGEST UNIVERSITY ROCKET ENGINEERING COMPETITION. KATIE STEVENSON CAUGHT UP WITH THE STUDENTS BEFORE THEY TAKE OFF. PACKING UP PRECIOUS CARGO. THIS ROCKET'S NEXT STOP ` SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO. 150 UNIVERSITIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD DESIGN AND BUILD A ROCKET, GET TOGETHER, DO A BUNCH OF TECHNICAL REPORTING, AND HAVE A CONFERENCE AND THEN ROCKET LAUNCH COMPETITION. THE CANTERBURY GROUP ARE THE ONLY NEW ZEALANDERS COMPETING. THE AIM ` TO GET THEIR CREATION TO 30,000FT. WHICH IS PRETTY HIGH, ROUGHLY THE HEIGHT OF COMMERCIAL AEROPLANES. IT'S ONLY A FOUR-SECOND MOTOR BURN. SO IT REACHES 2400KM/H. SO THAT'S ROUGHLY TWICE THE SPEED OF SOUND. AND IT WILL REACH ITS TARGET, SO 30,000FT, IN ABOUT 40 SECONDS. THE TEAM HOPING TO BETTER LAST YEAR'S PERFORMANCE. LAST YEAR, WE CAME FIRST IN OUR CATEGORY AND THIRD OVERALL. WE'RE GOING TO WIN THIS THING. TESTING WAS CARRIED OUT IN HAMILTON LAST MONTH, AND THEY GOT TO 20,000FT. I WAS TESTING ESSENTIALLY HOW OUR AIR BRAKES CONTROL SYSTEM CAN COPE WITH THE HIGH Gs THAT IT ENDURES DURING FLIGHT. AND YEAH, WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD RESULTS FROM THAT. WE'RE REALLY CONFIDENT WITH OUR ELECTRONICS, AND WE THINK IT WILL SURVIVE WELL DURING FLIGHT. NEW MEXICO'S TEMPERATURE IS A COMPLICATING FACTOR. IT'S FORECAST TO REACH HIGH-30s DURING THE COMPETITION. WE HAVE TO DESIGN ALL OUR INTERNALS TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT HEAT. WHEN WE'RE IN NEW ZEALAND, WE CAN'T OBVIOUSLY TEST THAT FROM BEING OUTSIDE. SO WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, PUT THINGS IN OVENS AND MAKE SURE THINGS WORK AS EXPECTED. IF ALL GOES TO PLAN, THESE STUDENTS FEELING HOPEFUL ABOUT THEIR FUTURES. ALL OF THE TEAM MEMBERS KIND OF HAVE THE GOAL OF WORKING IN AEROSPACE WHEN WE GRADUATE. AND THIS IS KIND OF A REALLY GOOD GATEWAY INTO THAT. FOR NOW, ALL EYES ON AMERICA. WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT OTHER TEAMS BRING TO THE TABLE, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN PERFORM WELL. WHEN THE COMPETITION KICKS OFF NEXT WEEK. KATIE STEVENSON, 1 NEWS. A 16-TIME AMERICAN HOT-DOG-EATING CHAMPION HAS BEEN BANNED FROM THIS YEAR'S CONTEST OVER A CONTRACT DISPUTE. JOEY CHESTNUT, THE WORLD'S NUMBER ONE RANKED COMPETITIVE EATER ACCORDING TO MAJOR LEAGUE EATING, HAS SIGNED A NEW ENDORSEMENT DEAL WITH PLANT-BASED BRAND 'IMPOSSIBLE MEAT'. BUT THAT CLEARLY HASN'T GONE DOWN WELL WITH THE COMPETITION'S SPONSOR, NATHAN'S HOT DOGS. JOEY CHESTNUT HOLDS THE RECORD FOR THE EVENT IN 2021. HE ATE 76 HOT DOGS IN 10 MINUTES. JENNY'S HERE NOW WITH SPORT, AND NOT LONG NOW TILL THE SUPER RUGBY SEMI-FINALS. IT'S PUT ME OFF MY DINNER NOW. YEAH, TICKETS GOING FAST FOR SATURDAY'S MATCH BETWEEN THE CHIEFS AND HURRICANES. MEANWHILE, THEY'RE DOING ALL THEY CAN TO SWEETEN THE DEAL AT THE BLUES-BRUMBIES GAME ` WHAT ELSE IS ON OFFER FOR FANS. PLUS... THEY'RE MAKING THEIR MARK IN THE U.S. ` TWO OF OUR MOST PROMISING BASKETBALLERS RETURN HOME TO PASS ON SOME VALUABLE KNOWLEDGE. AND IN WEATHER, THINGS ARE ABOUT TO CHANGE BIG TIME. WE START OFF OK, WITH JUST SOME PATCHY FROST AROUND. CLOUD INCREASES THROUGH THE DAY, AND BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE LATER PARTS OF THE DAY AND THE NIGHT-TIME, THERE'S SOME RAIN AND SOME THUNDER. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AFTER SPORT. KIA ORA, WELCOME TO SPORT. THE BLUES ARE TRYING EVERYTHING TO ENTICE FANS TO TURN UP ON FRIDAY NIGHT TO THEIR EDEN PARK SUPER-RUGBY SEMI-FINAL AGAINST THE BRUMBIES. FROM CUT-PRICE TICKETS TO CUPCAKES, AT THE SAME TIME THEY'RE NOT BUTTONING-OFF IN THEIR PREPARATIONS. ANDREW SAVILLE'S BEEN WITH THE BLUES TODAY YOU'D THINK WITH A SHORT SIX DAY TURNAROUND AND A BRUISING RUN INTO THE PLAYOFFS... ...THE BLUES MIGHT JUST EASE OFF... (OVERLAPPING GRUNTING AND YELLING) ...THINK AGAIN. THROUGHOUT THE WEEK YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE AN INTENSE TRAINING, GET THE MIND STIMULATED. EVEN AT THIS TIME OF YEAR? YEAH 100% ` THIS IS WHERE IT'S PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT. HEARD YOU BARKING OUT A FEW ORDERS ` A FEW MORE THAN USUAL, OR JUST NORMAL? OH, MUST'VE BEEN THE WIND BLOWING. THE TRAINING RUN TODAY PROVING THE BLUES SEE THE BRUMBIES AS A THREAT, DESPITE THRASHING THEM BY NEARLY 40 POINTS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO ON EDEN PARK. YOU'VE COACHED A LOT OF TEAMS IN KNOCKOUT FOOTBALL. WHAT'S THE KEY TO WINNING KNOCKOUT GAMES? KEEP THINGS SIMPLE, RESPECT THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE GAME; DON'T HAVE TO INVENT ANYTHING NEW OR DIFFERENT, JUST BE VERY GOOD AT WHAT WE'RE DOING. THERE'S GONNA BE MENTAL ANXIETY AROUND FIELD POSITION AND SCORELINE AND BITS AND PIECES ` SO, JUST UNDERSTAND THAT'S PART OF THE GAME. THE FIRST SEMI-FINAL CLEARLY ISN'T A LOCAL DERBY BLOCKBUSTER, SO BLUES OFFICIALS HAVE PIVOTED, OFFERING KIDS TICKET AT JUST $10. YOU'RE ENCOURAGING KIDS TO COME ALONG BY THEMSELVES? (LAUGHS) 100% ` KIDS GET TO THE GAME, MAN, WE WANNA MAKE IT A SOLID HOUR. LEAVE YOUR PARENTS AT HOME, GET TO THE GAME. YEAH, JUST EVERYONE, EVERYONE. WE WERE PRESENTED WITH CUPCAKES TODAY ` IS THAT TO THANK US FOR ATTENDANCE THIS YEAR, OR IS IT BUILDING US UP FOR SAUSAGE ROLLS NEXT WEEK? WOULD YOU PREFER SAUSAGE ROLLS? I WOULD PREFER SAUSAGE ROLLS, YEAH. NO AUSTRALIA TEAM HAS EVER WON A PLAYOFF GAME HERE, IN NZ. (OVERLAPPING GRUNTS AND YELLS) WARM UP THE OVEN. ANDREW SAVILLE, 1 NEWS. MORE THAN 20,000 TICKETS HAVE ALREADY BEEN SOLD FOR SATURDAY'S BIG SEMI-FINAL BETWEEN THE HURRICANES AND CHIEFS IN WELLINGTON. THOSE FANS WILL HAVE A CLOSE-UP VIEW OF ONE OF SUPER RUGBY'S BIGGEST CROWD-PLEASERS, ASAFO AUMUA. VICTOR WATERS CAUGHT UP WITH THE HOOKER AIMING FOR AN ALL BLACKS RECALL. ASAFO AUMUA... I HATE TALKING ABOUT MYSELF. ...THE SOFTLY SPOKEN HURRICANES LEADER, WHO DOES HIS TALKING ON THE FIELD. TURNS IT IN FOR AUMUA! AUMUA! BOY, WHAT A PLAYER HE IS. I KNOW THAT I DEFINITELY HAVE TO, LIKE, LEAD FROM THE FRONT. I TALK WHEN I NEED TO. I JUST KNOW I GOT TO BACK IT UP WHEN I COME ON THE FIELD. I'M LIKE, I'VE TOLD THE BOYS TO GO HARD IN THESE CERTAIN AREAS. IT'S IN ALL FACETS OF RUGBY THE HOOKER HAS IMPROVED ` THIS SEASON HIS BEST YET, PLAYING A MAJOR PART IN THE HURRICANES' RUN TO THE SEMI-FINALS. THE FIRST COUPLE DAYS AT TRAINING, RUNNING A FIVE-MINUTE BRONCO, 118 KILOS, BENCH-PRESSING 200KG... AND JUST LEADING IN EVERYTHING AT TRAINING. LESSONS FROM MY PAST... TOOK A FEW THINGS MORE SERIOUS IN MY CORE ROLE ` EATING, REHAB... THAT'S ONE THING THAT I DIDN'T USED TO GO HARD ON WHEN I WAS A BIT YOUNGER. AUMUA BURST ON THE SCENE AT THE VICTORIOUS UNDER-20S WORLD CUP IN 2017. ASAFO AUMUA GETS A HAT TRICK! MONTHS LATER HE WAS WITH THE ALL BLACKS FOR THE NORTHERN TOUR, PLAYING TWO NON-CAPPED FIXTURES. I JUST FELT LIKE A LITTLE KID AT THAT TIME. I DIDN'T REALLY CLICK I WAS IN THE ALL BLACKS UNTIL, LIKE, I GOT HOME. A TEST DEBUT DIDN'T ARRIVE UNTIL 2020 AND DRIED UP AFTER HIS LAST THE FOLLOWING YEAR. AUMUA OFTEN THINKS BACK TO 2017. I FEEL LIKE I DIDN'T REALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MY OPPORTUNITY WITH THE TEAM. IT'S SORT OF SOMETHING I LOW-KEY REGRET, BUT THIS YEAR HAS BEEN GOOD, AND HOPING TO GET BACK IN THERE AGAIN. JUDGING BY HIS BARNSTORMING PERFORMANCES, AUMUA WILL SOON ADD TO HIS SIX INTERNATIONAL CAPS. IT WOULD MEAN A LOT. THIS YEAR, I JUST WANTED TO BE PART OF THE PLAYING GROUP, YOU KNOW? I DON'T WANT TO BE GOING THERE JUST TO SIT AND WATCH, HOLD TACKLE BAGS. YEAH, I'M LOVING FOOTY AT THE MOMENT. AND WHAT A OMINOUS PROSPECT THAT IS. VICTOR WATERS, 1 NEWS. JARRYD HAYNE HAS HAD HIS SEXUAL ASSAULT CONVICTIONS QUASHED, BUT THE FORMER NRL STAR COULD FACE A FOURTH TRIAL. NEW SOUTH WALES' TOP COURT UPHELD AN APPEAL BROUGHT BY HAYNE, WHO'S SPENT A YEAR BEHIND BARS AFTER A JURY LAST YEAR CONVICTED HIM OF TWO COUNTS OF SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITHOUT CONSENT ON THE NIGHT OF THE 2018 NRL GRAND FINAL. A NEW TRIAL HAS BEEN ORDERED, BUT WHETHER HE FACES A FOURTH TRIAL WILL BE A MATTER FOR PROSECUTORS TO DECIDE. HAYNE PLAYED MORE THAN 200 NRL GAMES ALONG WITH TESTS FOR BOTH AUSTRALIA AND FIJI. DON'T PANIC ` THAT'S THE CALL FROM THE BLACKCAPS AHEAD OF TOMORROW'S CRUCIAL CRICKET WORLD CUP MATCH IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO. THE WEST INDIES LOOKING TO BRING THE THUNDER ON HOME SOIL IN WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN A WET WEEK FOR THE KIWIS. HERE'S BRODYN KNUCKEY. WITH SO MUCH TALK ABOUT THEIR PREPAREDNESS AT THIS YEAR'S CRICKET WORLD CUP, BEING FORCED TO FINISH TRAINING EARLY AHEAD OF A CRITICAL MATCH ISN'T HELPING THE BLACKCAPS. WE HAD THAT DOWNPOUR FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, I SUPPOSE, AND THE PRACTICE WICKETS GOT WET OUT IN THE MIDDLE THERE. I THINK GUYS WORKED OUT PRETTY QUICK THAT THERE WASN'T GOING TO BE A LOT OF POINT IN IT. AND WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TRAIN, THE ALREADY QUESTIONABLE QUALITY OF SAID PITCHES HASN'T HELPED WHEN IT COMES TO SOME MUCH-NEEDED BATTING PRACTICE. THE GUYS MANAGED TO GET IN, ALBEIT WAS FACING MAINLY SLOW BOWLING BECAUSE THE` AGAIN, THE PITCHES WEREN'T GREAT. SO BALLS WERE SORT OF RISING UP AROUND THROAT HEIGHT REGULARLY. ALTHOUGH THEY'RE NOT MAKING EXCUSES. PREPARATION, I THINK, FALLS ON THE INDIVIDUALS. AND HITTING MORE BALLS ` YOU CAN'T SORT OF DO THAT IN ONE TRAINING SESSION AND IMPROVE THAT MUCH. IT'S PROBABLY A MENTAL THING WHEN IT COMES TO WORLD CUPS. IT ALL CULMINATES IN TOMORROW'S TOUGH TASK AGAINST CO-HOSTS THE WEST INDIES AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO. IT'S HIGH. HAS IT GOT THE DISTANCE? YES IT DOES. ESSENTIALLY A MUST-WIN MATCH AFTER THEIR HORROR 88-RUN LOSS TO AFGHANISTAN TO OPEN THE TOURNAMENT. WE KNOW WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US. WE HAVE TO WIN THREE GAMES. WE HAVE TO WIN THEM WELL. SO THAT'S WHAT OUR FOCUS IS ABOUT. WEST INDIES HAVE BEEN PLAYING SOME GREAT CRICKET. SO DOING OUR HOMEWORK IS IMPORTANT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S A FRESH GAME. SO NOT CARRYING TOO MANY DEMONS FROM THE LAST GAME. BUT THEY WILL BE CARRYING SOME CHANGES. WE'VE GOT 15 PLAYERS THAT COULD SLOT IN IN DIFFERENT PLACES WITHIN THE ORDER. I THINK ONE OF THE DANGERS IS, IF YOU CHOP AND CHANGE TOO MUCH, THEN IT DOES LOOK LIKE THAT YOU'RE PANICKING A WEE BIT. A CALL FOR CALM IN THE CARIBBEAN BEFORE CRUNCH TIME TOMORROW. BRODYN KNUCKEY, 1 NEWS. AFTER TWO DEMORALISING DEFEATS, INCLUDING ONE AGAINST THE UNITED STATES, PAKISTAN KEPT THEIR SUPER EIGHT HOPES ALIVE WITH A WIN OVER CANADA. CHASING 106 RUNS FOR VICTORY, PAKISTAN'S TOP ORDER DELIVERING MUHAMMAD RIZWAN'S UNBEATEN ` 53 HELPING HIS SIDE TO A SEVEN-WICKET WIN. HE WANTS TWO. AND HE'LL COME BACK FOR TWO. AND YET ANOTHER HALF-CENTURY. HE MIGHT GET THREE WITHIN THIS FIELD. HE DOES. YET ANOTHER HALF-CENTURY FOR MUHAMMAD RIZWAN. ELSEWHERE, AUSTRALIA THUMPED NAMIBIA BY NINE WICKETS, CHASING DOWN 73 RUNS IN ONLY 5.4 OVERS TO JOIN SOUTH AFRICA IN ALREADY QUALIFYING FOR THE SUPER EIGHTS. THE SRI LANKA-NEPAL MATCH WAS ABANDONED DUE TO RAIN. THE COUNTDOWN IS ON FOR EUROPEAN FOOTBALL'S GREATEST SPECTACLE ` THE EUROS, BUT PRESSURE'S MOUNTING ON HOST TEAM GERMANY AHEAD OF KICKING OFF THE TOURNAMENT ON SATURDAY. THE FOUR-TIME WORLD CUP WINNERS AND THREE-TIME EURO CHAMPIONS HAVEN'T WON A KNOCKOUT GAME AT A MAJOR TOURNAMENT IN EIGHT YEARS. IT'S HOPED HOME SUPPORT WILL HELP IN THEIR OPENING MATCH AGAINST SCOTLAND. TRANSLATOR: ESPECIALLY AFTER THE LAST TOURNAMENT, WE HAVE TO PROVE OURSELVES, BUT WE ARE EXCITED. THE MOOD IN THE TEAM IS JOYFUL. I HOPE WE WILL BE ABLE TO COPE WITH THE WHOLE SITUATION. SCOTLAND HAD AN IMPRESSIVE RUN IN QUALIFYING FOR THE EUROS, BEATING NORWAY AND SPAIN. AND YOU CAN CATCH EVERY GAME LIVE AND EXCLUSIVE ON TVNZ+ THROUGHOUT THE TOURNAMENT. AND WE ALSO HAVE 12 GAMES ON OUR DUKE CHANNEL, STARTING WITH SATURDAY'S FIRST MATCH AT 7AM. CLOSER TO HOME, AND THE ALL WHITES HEAD TO VANUATU TOMORROW FOR THE OFC NATIONS CUP, AND FOR MANY, IT'S A LAST CHANCE TO ALSO STAKE A CLAIM FOR THE UPCOMING PARIS OLYMPICS. THE NEW ZEALAND-BASED PLAYERS TRAINED THIS WEEK. COACH DARREN BAZELEY OPTED FOR A NUMBER OF YOUNGSTERS IN THE SQUAD, INCLUDING TYLER BINDON (19), WHO RECENTLY RETURNED FROM THE UNITED STATES. I HAD MY EXPECTATIONS JUST TO PERFORM WELL AND BUILD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH MY TEAMMATES GOING FORWARD SO THEN WE CAN BE MORE COMPETITIVE IN OTHER TOURNAMENTS AS WELL. NEW ZEALAND WON THE LAST NATIONS CUP IN 2016. THE 2020 TOURNAMENT WAS CANCELLED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. TWO OF NEW ZEALAND'S BRIGHTEST BASKETBALL TALENTS ARE HEADING INTO THEIR FINAL YEAR OF COLLEGE AT SOME OF AMERICA'S STRONGEST SPORTING PROGRAMMES. TALL FERNS' CHARLISSE LEDGER-WALKER AND TAYLA DALTON TRANSFERRING SCHOOLS FOR THEIR FINAL YEAR TO HELP THEM TRANSITION TO PROFESSIONAL CAREERS. ZION DAYAL REPORTS. IF THERE ARE TWO GIRLS THAT HAVE GAME, IT'S THESE TWO. INTERNATIONAL TEAM-MATES AND GOOD FRIENDS CHARLISSE LEGER-WALKER... EASY, EH. EASY, EASY. ...AND TAYLA DALTON BACK HOME BEFORE EMBARKING ON THEIR BIGGEST SEASONS SO FAR. IT'S HARD BEING AWAY FROM HOME. THE COLLEGE SYSTEM IS REALLY HARD. WE DO HAVE A FRIENDSHIP THAT WE BOTH WENT AND VISITED EACH OTHER. BEING ABLE TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT YOU CAN HAVE A CRY TO ON THE PHONE OR A GOOD GIGGLE WITH. LEGER-WALKER AND DALTON GETTING AN EXTRA YEAR TO PLAY AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL AFTER COVID RULED A SEASON OUT. BOTH ENTERING THE TRANSFER PORTAL, LEGER-WALKER PICKED UP BY UCLA ` LAST SEASON, RANKED 10TH IN AMERICA. YEAH, IT SETS ME UP A LOT. I MEAN, THEY HAVE TRAINERS AND ATHLETIC TRAINERS AND COACHES WHO HAVE DEALT WITH SITUATIONS LIKE THIS BEFORE. THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF GIRLS GO TO THE WNBA. HER WNBA ASPIRATIONS PUT ON HOLD LAST YEAR FOLLOWING A SEASON-ENDING INJURY. SHE WAS PROJECTED TO BE DRAFTED, BUT A NEW SEASON MEANS A CLEAN SLATE. BEING ABLE TO HAVE MENTORS WHO, ONE, ARE PLAYERS CURRENTLY AND WHO HAVE, YOU KNOW, DONE THE WHOLE PROFESSIONAL THING. IT'S GOING TO SET ME UP AWESOME. AS FOR DALTON, SHE'S ALSO BEEN CHOSEN BY A SUCCESSFUL SPORTING PROGRAMME ` GONZAGA UNIVERSITY. THEIR WOMEN'S TEAM RANKED 14TH IN AMERICA. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE AROUND GIRLS THAT JUST WANT TO BE IN THE GYM ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. YOU'RE AROUND COACHES THAT HAVE, YOU KNOW, GOT A GREAT SUCCESS RATE, DEVELOP MY GAME, SO THAT WHEN I LEAVE COLLEGE, MY OPPORTUNITIES GROW. WHILE THE WNBA ISN'T ON HER RADAR, PLAYING PROFESSIONALLY STILL IS ` COMING HOME TO ACHIEVE THAT WITH THE IMPROVED TAUIHI LEAGUE AN OPTION. THE NEW ZEALAND LEAGUE MAKES IT SO MUCH MORE APPEALING TO COME HOME. YOU DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO STAY OVERSEAS OR TO GIVE UP BASKETBALL AND HANG UP THE SHOES. AN IMPORTANT SEASON AHEAD AS TWO OF NEW ZEALAND'S MOST TALENTED TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN THEIR CAREERS. ZION DAYAL, 1 NEWS. SOME VERY LUCKY KIDS. EXCELLENT. THANKS, JENNY. STAY WITH US. WHAT THE WEATHER IS DOING AT YOUR PLACE, NEXT. THEN ON SEVEN SHARP ` COMEDIAN SARAH MILLICAN REVEALS HER SUPERPOWER ` SIMPLE BRUTAL HONESTY. PLUS, IT'S EASY ON THE BUDGET AND EASY TO COOK. WHY THERE'S MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE WITH HUMBLE MINCE. WE'LL SEE YOU SHORTLY AT 7. TOMORROW BRINGS A SHIFT OF GEARS. KEEP A HAND OR CLOSE HAND AS LOW PRESSURE SETS UP SHOP AND THE TASMAN SEA. REMEMBER TALKING ABOUT THE COLD AIR COMING IN... IT'S THE SECOND SURGE DOWN SOUTH. THE COLD INSTABILITY MEETING OVER IN THAT SECTION. MEANING, IT CUTS OFF THE FLOW ` PUSHING THE CLOUD. THAT WILL BE A SURGE OF WET WEATHER, FRIDAY. NORTHWESTERLY AREAS FAVOURING RAIN. DON'T BE SURPRISED, IF OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS IF THINGS ARE CHANGING ` THOSE OF THOSE MESSY LOWS. 16 DEGREES TODAY. LOOK AT SOME OF THESE TEMPERATURES DOWN SOUTH. THREE DEGREES ALEXANDRIA,QUEENSTOWN. LOOK AT THIS FROST ` LOVELY FROST IN ASHBURTON. TEMPERATURES ` CHRISTCHURCH -16. LIST MANAGING SOME LOVELY WEATHER AS WELL. YELLOW BOXES ARE RAN WATCHES. PARTS OF NORTH AND WEST TASMAN... ON THAT WARM SECTION, THAT COLD FRONT... NORTHLAND, AUCKLAND ` WATCH FOR THAT IN THE EARLY HOURS. FURTHER EAST, MOSTLY DRY. AUCKLAND IS OKAY TO START. SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON. 16 DEGREES NORTH OF THE RIDGE. HAMILTON, INCREASING CLOUD. FROSTY, 15. BAY OF PLENTY ` REALLY OK. SAME THING FOR THE NORTH ISLAND. BY THE EVENING, CLOUD DRAGGING AND ` FROSTY FOR SOME. MASTERTON, FREEZING. THE RAIN THEN COMES AN OVERNIGHT, GOING INTO THE EARLY HOURS OF FRIDAY. SAME IN THE UPPER SOUTH. BANK, THERE IT IS. 14 FOR THE AFTERNOON. CHRISTCHURCH ` SOME OCCASIONAL RAIN. NOT AS CHILLY, WITH SOME CLOUD. FURTHER WEST, MORE RAIN. FROSTY FURTHER EAST ` THEN CLOUD INCREASES. A FEW SPOTS OF RAIN... OCCASIONAL RAIN... BECOMES HEAVY BY THE END OF THE DAY... RAIN, WIND, THUNDER ` WATCH OUT. SEE HOW THIS CUTS IN, CUTS OFF. LUMPS OF RAIN ` HOWEVER YOU WANT TO SLICE IT. WILL BE A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE.