DONALD TRUMP SAYS GOD WAS ON HIS SIDE WHEN HE SURVIVED AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, AND HE HAS SOME FRIGHTENING WORDS FOR ANYONE CONCERNED ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE. MEANWHILE, JOE BIDEN NOW HAS A QUEUE OF HEAVYWEIGHT DEMOCRATS AT HIS BACK WANTING TO PUSH HIM OUT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE. POTHOLES REPAIRED IN 24 HOURS ` THE TRANSPORT MINISTER HAS OUTLINED HIS PANS FOR THE UPKEEP OF STATE HIGHWAYS. AND WE TALK EXCLUSIVELY TO A PAIR OF KIWIS WHO'VE TRIUMPHED IN ONE OF THE WORLD'S TOUGHEST ENDURANCE RACES, THE YUKON 1000. NAU MAI, HAERE MAI. WELCOME TO THREENEWS. IN BREAKING NEWS, THERE APPEAR TO BE WIDESPREAD CYBER OUTAGES AFFECTING A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES BOTH HERE AND AUSTRALIA. SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT JENNA LYNCH JOINS US NOW FOR MORE ON THIS. JENNA, WHAT DO WE KNOW? VERY MUCH JUST DEVELOPING NEWS. IN AUSTRALIA, A NUMBER OF BIG BROADCASTERS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. SKY NEWS HAS BEEN OFF AIR MOST OF THE DAY. IT SEEMS LIKE SOME OF THE BANKS ARE BEING AFFECTED. THAT IS HAPPENING HERE AS WELL. A NUMBER OF ASB APP USERS HAVE TOLD US THE SERVICE IS DOWN. IT MAY BE LINKED TO A WORLDWIDE MICROSOFT PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH DETAILS ARE STILL COMING TO HAND. WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON WHETHER IT MAY BE A CYBER ATTACK, BUT BOTH THE MINISTER AND CHARGE OF THE SPY AGENCY AND THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE DID NOT HAVE ANY INFORMATION. IF WE DO GET ANY, WE WILL BRING IT TO YOU OVER THE NEWS HOUR. KEEP US UPDATED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. DONALD TRUMP SAYS HE WILL 'BRING BACK THE AMERICAN DREAM'. 'BE EXCITED,' HE TOLD HIS SUPPORTERS AT THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION. THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS FORMALLY ACCEPTED THE PARTY'S NOMINATION, DETAILING WHAT HE WILL DO IF HE'S VOTED IN AS PRESIDENT AGAIN ` STARTING WITH ENDING THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE MANDATE AND GREEN ENERGY POLICIES. INSTEAD, HE WANTS TO 'DRILL, BABY, DRILL'. HE STOOD BEFORE THE CROWD LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF HIM, AND DURING HIS SPEECH, HE DETAILED WHAT HAPPENED, SAYING, 'I HAD GOD ON MY SIDE ` I FELT SAFE.' LAURA TUPOU HAS MORE. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY PROMISED A DIFFERENT TRUMP TODAY ` A SOFTER, MORE REFLECTIVE ONE ` AND THAT'S WHO TURNED UP. WE RISE TOGETHER OR WE FALL APART. I AM RUNNING TO BE PRESIDENT FOR ALL OF AMERICA, NOT HALF AMERICA, BECAUSE THERE'S NO VICTORY IN WINNING HALF OF AMERICA. FOR THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME, HE DETAILED THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, WHEN HE FELT A SHARP PAIN TO HIS RIGHT EAR. I SAID TO MYSELF, 'WOW, WHAT WAS THAT? IT CAN ONLY BE A BULLET.' HE WORE A LARGE BANDAGE TODAY, AND HIS SUPPORTERS IN THE AUDIENCE DID THE SAME. TRUMP SAID AFTER HE DROPPED TO THE GROUND AT THE RALLY AND WAS SURROUNDED BY SECRET SERVICE OFFICERS, HE COULD STILL HEAR BULLETS FLYING. I HAD GOD ON MY SIDE. I FELT SAFE. HE SAID HE WORRIED PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WAS DEAD AND WANTED TO SHOW PEOPLE HE WAS OK, SO ROSE HIS FIST. I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO BE HERE TONIGHT. CROWD CHANTS: YES YOU ARE. YES, YOU ARE. TRUMP PAID TRIBUTE TO THE INNOCENT MAN SHOT DEAD THAT DAY, KISSING HIS UNIFORM DISPLAYED SIDE OF STAGE. THIS WAS A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRUMP, BUT IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE HE TRANSITIONED INTO RALLY-STYLE TRUMP, DETAILING CONCERNS WITH THE CURRENT DAY... A MASSIVE INVASION OF OUR SOUTHERN BORDER THAT HAS SPREAD MISERY, CRIME, POVERTY AND DISEASE AND DESTRUCTION TO COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS OUR LAND. NO ONE'S SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. ...AND PROMISING CHANGE. I WILL END THE DEVASTATING INFLATION CRISIS IMMEDIATELY, BRING DOWN INTEREST RATES AND LOWER THE COST OF ENERGY. WE WILL DRILL, BABY, DRILL. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY SAID TRUMP WOULDN'T NAME BIDEN BY NAME IN HIS SPEECH, BUT HE DID ` TWICE. IF YOU TOOK THE 10 WORST PRESIDENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE USA, ADDED THEM UP ` THEY WILL NOT HAVE DONE THE DAMAGE BIDEN HAS DONE. I'M ONLY GOING TO USE THE TERM ONCE ` BIDEN. HE ALSO NAMECHECKED THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, LABELLING NANCY PELOSI 'CRAZY' ` BUT HAD DIFFERENT WORDS FOR NORTH KOREA'S KIM JONG-UN. IT'S NICE TO GET ALONG WITH SOMEONE WITH LOTS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. I THINK HE MISSES ME, IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH. TRUMP WANTS TO REDUCE TAXES, FINISH THE WALL ON THE SOUTHERN BORDER, CURB INFLATION, END THE UKRAINE WAR AND MAKE AN IRON DOME OVER ALL OF AMERICA ` AND MAKE SURE IT'S AMERICAN-MADE TOO. HE ENDED HIS FEATURE-FILM LENGTH SPEECH A LITTLE MORE ON BRAND ` AMERICA'S FUTURE WILL BE BIGGER, BETTER, BOLDER, BRIGHTER, HAPPIER, STRONGER, FREER, GREATER AND MORE UNITED THAN EVER BEFORE. WHICH WILL BE A HUGE UNDERTAKING IN A COUNTRY THAT'S STILL VERY MUCH DIVIDED. AFTER THREE WEEKS OF INSISTING THAT ALMOST NOTHING WOULD DRIVE HIM OUT, PRESIDENT BIDEN APPEARS TO BE ON THE PRECIPICE OF ENDING HIS RE-ELECTION BID. SOME OF HIS CLOSEST AIDES ARE TRYING TO PERSUADE HIM TO EXIT THE RACE, INCLUDING FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI. BUT THE HARSHEST BLOW CAME FROM HIS OLD BOSS, FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, WHO REPORTEDLY BELIEVES IT'S TIME FOR BIDEN TO STEP ASIDE. ITV'S ROBERT MOORE REPORTS. AS HE EMERGED FROM AIR FORCE ONE IN DELAWARE LAST NIGHT, STRICKEN WITH COVID BUT UNMASKED, HIS PHYSICAL AND POLITICAL FRAILTIES WERE STARKLY EVIDENT ` THE PRESIDENT BARELY ABLE TO MUSTER A RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS ON THE TARMAC. REPORTER SHOUTS: ANY RESPONSE TO CHUCK SCHUMER? FOR WHAT? AND THEN A CAMERA ANGLE SHOWING THE EFFORT REQUIRED SIMPLY TO GET INTO THE PRESIDENTIAL LIMOUSINE. THE LATEST DAMAGING REPORTING IS THAT BARACK OBAMA ` HERE TOGETHER WITH BIDEN AT A FUNDRAISER LAST MONTH ` HAS SUGGESTED THERE IS NO PATH TO VICTORY FOR THE 81-YEAR-OLD PRESIDENT. GIVEN OBAMA'S STATUS IN THE PARTY, EVEN SUCH TALK MAY PROVE FATAL TO BIDEN'S HOPE OF STAYING IN THE RACE. EVEN THE PRESIDENT'S ULTRA-LOYALISTS ARE DEFECTING. NANCY PELOSI, THE HUGELY INFLUENTIAL FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER, HAS TOLD BIDEN DIRECTLY HE CANNOT WIN. SO HAS THE NEW LEADER OF THE DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE, HAKEEM JEFFRIES; AND THE TOP PARTY LEADER IN THE SENATE, CHUCK SCHUMER, HAS ALSO GIVEN BIDEN ALARMING POLLING DATA. AND THE CONGRESSMAN ADAM SCHIFF, WHO HAS LONG BEEN A POWERFUL PELOSI ALLY, HAS DIRECTLY CALLED FOR THE PRESIDENT TO STEP ASIDE. INFLUENTIAL DEMOCRATS TELL 'NEWS AT 10' THE PARTY IS IMPLODING. PART OF ME IS UPSET ` THAT THIS WENT ON THIS LONG, WHEN THE STAKES ARE THIS DAMN HIGH. WE CAN'T AFFORD FOUR YEARS OF DONALD TRUMP. WE CAN'T AFFORD A CAMPAIGN AGAINST DONALD TRUMP THAT'S NOT RUN BY OUR A-TEAM, AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. THE PRESIDENT HAS GIVEN SHIFTING EXPLANATIONS ABOUT WHAT FACTORS MIGHT TRIGGER A DECISION TO STEP ASIDE. WELL, IT DEPENDS ON` IF THE LORD ALMIGHTY COMES OUT AND TELLS ME THAT, I MIGHT DO THAT. BUT NOW A NEW CONCESSION. IF I HAD SOME MEDICAL CONDITION THAT EMERGED. IF SOMEBODY` IF DOCTORS CAME TO ME AND SAID, 'YOU GOT THIS PROBLEM, THAT PROBLEM.' INSIDERS SEE THE BOUT OF COVID AS AN OPPORTUNITY. THIS MAY, IN FACT, BE THE MESSAGE FROM GOD ALMIGHTY THAT HE SAID HE NEEDED TO STEP OUT. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID AT ONE POINT. GOD MAY BE SENDING HIM A MESSAGE. WE ARE CLOSE TO THE END. TONIGHT, EVEN DEMOCRAT-FRIENDLY TV NETWORKS ARE SUGGESTING BIDEN'S FATE MAY SOON BE SEALED. THEY'RE FINALLY REALISING IT'S A WHEN, NOT IF. GOOD AFTERNOON, NORTH CAROLINA! (CHEERING) ALL EYES ARE SWITCHING TO HIS VICE PRESIDENT, THOUGH WHETHER KAMALA HARRIS IS IN A STRONGER POSITION TO BEAT DONALD TRUMP IS ITSELF BEING FIERCELY DEBATED. THE POTHOLE PANDEMIC IS SET FOR A QUICK-FIX JOB, WITH THE GOVERNMENT UNVEILING A NEW 24-HOUR REPAIR TARGET. KIWIS ARE BEING ASKED TO DIAL IN POTHOLE SIGHTINGS SO THE TRANSPORT AGENCY CAN SEND SOMEONE TO RESEAL IT WITH AN INNOVATIVE NEW ROAD PATCH. HERE'S SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT JENNA LYNCH. YEAH, THE TRUCK'S NOT` NO GOOD. THREE WEEKS AGO, JOSHUA SKINNER NEARLY DIED ON ONE OF OUR STATE HIGHWAYS. YEAH, I WAS LUCKY TO SURVIVE A CRASH OF THAT MAGNITUDE. HE WAS TRAVELLING ON STATE HIGHWAY 8 JUST OUTSIDE TWIZEL. THE ROAD WAS ICY; HIS VEHICLE ROLLED. MY RIGHT HAND WAS PINNED UNDER THE ROOF OF THE CAR, WHICH I'M SURPRISED I'VE STILL GOT ALL MY FINGERS. THE CONSTABLE SAID I WAS LUCKY TO SURVIVE THE ACCIDENT. THERE WERE MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS THAT DAY OF MY CRASH. ON THE VERY SAME STATE HIGHWAY YESTERDAY, TWO BUSES SEPARATELY CRASHED 100m FROM EACH OTHER ON A FOGGY MORNING, THE ROAD COVERED IN BLACK ICE. 15 PEOPLE WERE INJURED. IT'S TOO EARLY TO SAY IF THE ROAD NEEDED TO BE CLOSED PRIOR TO THOSE ACCIDENTS. DILAPIDATED ROADS ARE DOTTED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, MANGLING TYRES AND INCREASING THE RISK OF ACCIDENTS. WE ALL KNOW 'DRIVE TO THE CONDITIONS', BUT IT'S HARD TO DO THAT WHEN THE CONDITIONS OF THE ROADS AREN'T UP TO STANDARD AS WELL. IT'S JUST` IT'S STUPIDITY, ISN'T IT? ENTER POTHOLE ENEMY NUMBER ONE ` TRANSPORT MINISTER SIMEON BROWN. POTHOLES ARE APPEARING. THEY NEED TO BE FIXED QUICKLY, BUT THEY ALSO NEED TO BE FIXED PROPERLY, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS FUNDING'S ALL ABOUT. HE TODAY SET A NEW TARGET OF FIXING 95% OF POTHOLES ON HIGH-VOLUME, NATIONAL AND ARTERIAL STATE HIGHWAYS WITHIN 24 HOURS. ON HIGH-VOLUME NATIONAL AND ARTERIAL STATE HIGHWAYS WITHIN 24 HOURS. NZTA WILL ALSO TRIAL INNOVATIVE NEW 'ROAD BAND-AIDS' ` METRE-SQUARE CHIP-SEAL PATCHES WHICH ARE LAID OVER POTHOLES, HEATED, THEN COMPACTED WITH TRUCK TYRES ` AS A QUICK FIX. POTHOLES ARE BAD, BUT SURFACES THAT WE'RE DRIVING ON EVERY DAY NEED TO BE LOOKED AFTER AS WELL. I MEAN, YOU CAN'T GO DRIVING ON TAR SEAL THAT HASN'T GOT ANY GRIP. WE ARE EXPECTING INCREASED NUMBER OF KILOMETRES OF REHABILITATION AND RESEALING ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, SO WE ARE IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF OUR ROADS AT THE SAME TIME. THE GOVERNMENT HAS POURED $4bn OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS INTO POTHOLE PREVENTION, BUT IT NEEDS YOUR HELP. IF YOU SPY A POTHOLE ON YOUR TRAVELS, THERE'S A NUMBER TO CALL IT IN ` 0800-44-44-49. NZTA'S CONTRACTORS CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME. THE PUBLIC NEED TO PLAY THEIR PART. THE ROAD TO BETTER ROADS PAVED WITH GOOD INFORMANTS. A DIRECTOR OF PHARMAC HAS RESIGNED IN PROTEST OVER A NEW DIRECTIVE FROM ASSOCIATE HEALTH MINISTER DAVID SEYMOUR; THE ACT PARTY LEADER SAID THE DRUG-BUYING AGENCY SHOULD NO LONGER CONSIDER TE TIRITI O WAITANGI. POLITICAL REPORTER GLENN McCONNELL BROKE THE STORY EARLIER TODAY AND JOINS US NOW FOR MORE. GLENN, HOW DID THE GOVERNMENT RESPOND TO THIS SHOCK EXIT? YEAH, THIS WAS A HUGE SHOCK EXIT. DR ANTHONY JORDAN RESIGNED ON TUESDAY NIGHT, JUST HOURS AFTER HEARING SEYMOUR DELIVER HIS NEW EDICT TO PHARMAC. HE SAID THAT HE COULDN'T STAY IN THE ROLE. HE TOLD ME THAT THEY KEPT IT UNDER WRAPS FOR A FEW DAYS AFTER HIS RESIGNATION LETTER ARRIVED. THIS IS JUST ANOTHER DAY IN THE LIFE OF DAVID SEYMOUR. HE IS NOT SAD TO SEE THE DOCTOR GO, AND HE SAYS THIS IS IN FACT GOOD NEWS CONSIDERING HE THOUGHT THAT PHARMAC WAS SPENDING FAR TOO MUCH TIME THINKING ABOUT THE TREATY. IF A PERSON IS GOING TO RESIGN FROM THE BOARD DUE TO WHAT I'D DESCRIBE AS A FOOTNOTE IN THAT LETTER, THEN I WOULD ARGUE IT'S PROBABLY BETTER FOR THEM TO MOVE ON. HE DESCRIBED IT AS A FOOTNOTE, BUT IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT IT WAS THE HEADLINE NEWS THAT THE ACT PARTY WANTED YOU TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE PHARMAC ANNOUNCEMENT ` REMOVING THE TREATY FROM PHARMAC WAS THE MAIN TALKING POINT FROM TUESDAYS ANNOUNCEMENT. OF COURSE, DR JORDAN TELLS ME IT WILL BE HARDER TO TREAT MAORI. THOSE WERE THE THINGS HE SAYS THE ADVISORY GROUP CAME UP WITH ` NEW SOLUTIONS TO MAKE IT MORE EQUITABLE TO TREAT MAORI. EXPECT MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE TREATY IN THE YEAR AHEAD. DAVID SEYMOUR WILL BE LATER THIS YEAR ANNOUNCING THE TREATY PRINCIPLES BILL, WHICH WILL BE A HUGE SHAKEUP FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND FOR HOW IT RELATES TO AND SERVES MAORI. THANK YOU SO MUCH. EXTRA POLICE HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED TO LEEDS FOLLOWING A NIGHT OF VIOLENT RIOTS. HUNDREDS OF LOCALS CLASHED WITH OFFICERS, PELTING THEM WITH ROCKS AND BRICKS; A DOUBLE-DECKER BUS WAS SET ON FIRE AND A POLICE CAR OVERTURNED. THE RIOT BROKE OUT AFTER SOCIAL SERVICES TOOK AWAY FOUR CHILDREN FROM A FAMILY IN THE HAIRHILLS AREA. HOME SECRETARY YVETTE COOPER CONDEMNED THE VIOLENCE, SAYING IT HAS NO PLACE IN SOCIETY. THE FAMILY OF MISSING CHRISTCHURCH WOMAN YANFEI BAO SAY THEY ARE 'YEARNING' FOR HER BODY TO BE FOUND SO SHE CAN BE RETURNED HOME TO CHINA. IT'S BEEN ONE YEAR SINCE THE REAL ESTATE AGENT WENT MISSING WHILE WORKING IN SUBURBAN CHRISTCHURCH. TINGJUN CAO HAS SINCE BEEN CHARGED WITH HER MURDER AND WILL FACE TRIAL LATER THIS YEAR. SENIOR REPORTER JULIET SPEEDY SPOKE TO THE DETECTIVE IN CHARGE OF THE CASE, WHO SAYS THE TEAM REMAINS COMMITTED TO FINDING HER. POLICE HAVE SPENT DAYS, WEEKS AND MONTHS SEARCHING FOR THE BODY OF YANFEI BAO. WE FEEL IT VERY KEENLY THAT WE HAVEN'T YET LOCATED HER. BUT THE TEAM IS REALLY MOTIVATED AND DEDICATED TO FINDING YANFEI AND BRINGING HER BACK TO HER FAMILY. A YEAR ON, THEY ARE STILL GETTING NEW INFORMATION, WHICH, WHILE THEY WON'T DISCLOSE WHAT IT IS, HAS LED TO POLICE SEARCHING JUST WEEKS AGO BACK IN THE GREEN PARK AREA THEY'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON. WE ARE STILL ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR YANFEI. WE CONDUCTED SEARCHES ABOUT A FORTNIGHT AGO. BAO DISAPPEARED FROM THE CHRISTCHURCH SUBURB OF HORNBY ON JULY 19th LAST YEAR AFTER SHOWING A CLIENT THROUGH A HOUSE THAT WAS FOR SALE. TINGJUN CAO WAS CHARGED WITH HER KIDNAP AND MURDER AND WILL FACE TRIAL IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR. WE ARE PROGRESSING TO A TRIAL IN OCTOBER, AND WE WILL PROGRESS TO TRIAL WHETHER WE HAVE FOUND HER BODY OR NOT. THERE IS CLEARLY PLENTY OF OTHER EVIDENCE. IN A MURDER TRIAL, WE NEED TO PROVE THAT A PERSON HAS DIED. THAT'S USUALLY DONE BECAUSE WE HAVE A BODY, SO IN THIS INSTANCE, WE JUST HAVE TO PROVE THAT IN OTHER WAYS. SO WE'LL PRODUCE DIFFERENT EVIDENCE IN ORDER TO PROVE THAT AND DRAW THAT INFERENCE FOR PEOPLE. ON TOP OF YANFEI BAO'S BODY, POLICE ARE STILL ALSO SEARCHING FOR HER HANDBAG AND ITS CONTENTS ` AND A SPADE. REEVES SAYS ANYONE WITH INFORMATION, BIG OR SMALL, SHOULD CONTACT THEM IMMEDIATELY. YANFEI'S PARTNER HAS RELEASED A STATEMENT TO MARK THIS ANNIVERSARY, SAYING... ESPECIALLY AS YANFEI'S ANNIVERSARY DRAWS NEAR. AND THAT... HER DAUGHTER IS CERTAINLY SURROUNDED BY A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LOVE HER. SHE'S SUPPORTED BY HER SCHOOL AND HER FRIENDS, AND SHE'S DOING PRETTY WELL. HER FAMILY REMEMBERS YANFEI AS A HARDWORKING, GENEROUS WOMAN WITH AN INFECTIOUS SENSE OF HUMOUR AND SAY THEIR HEALING CAN'T BEGIN UNTIL HER BODY COMES HOME. HER CHINA-BASED FAMILY ALSO RELEASED A STATEMENT. REEVES SAYS ONE YEAR IS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE FOR HER TEAM. WHAT KIND OF TOLL HAS THIS TAKEN ON YOU PERSONALLY, HEADING UP AN INVESTIGATION LIKE THIS? IT'S OBVIOUSLY BEEN A LONG ROAD ALREADY. YEAH. THIS, UM, IS... UNLIKE ANY OTHER INVESTIGATION THAT I'VE LEAD. IT IS CHALLENGING NOT HAVING BEEN ABLE TO FIND HER, AND I THINK ABOUT THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY. HER TEAM WILL CARRY ON WORKING TO BRING YANFEI'S BODY ` AND JUSTICE ` HOME FOR HER FAMILY ONCE THE COURT PROCESS BEGINS IN THREE MONTHS' TIME. HEATHER'S IN NOW WITH THREENEWS WEATHER. AND THERE'S BEEN TALK ALL DAY OF A WEATHER BOMB? THIS TIME I THINK IT IS SAFE FOR US TO USE THAT TERM. A WEATHER BOMB, OR BOMBOGENESIS, OR EXPLOSIVE CYCLOGENESIS, IS WHEN A STORM RAPIDLY FORMS AND THE AIR PRESSURE DROPS AT LEAST 24 HECTOPASCALS IN 24 HOURS. AND THIS ONE... HAS. BUT UNLIKE OTHER WEATHER BOMBS IN OUR PAST, THIS ONE WILL BE LESS DESTRUCTIVE. HEAVY RAIN FOR THE NORTH, NORTH-EAST AND TASMAN ` BUT JUST WATCHES, NOT WARNINGS ` AND THE STRONG WIND WILL REMAIN OFF SHORE. FULL DETAILS AFTER SPORT. AS ISRAEL RAMPS UP ITS ATTACKS ACROSS GAZA, INCLUDING SO-CALLED SAFE AREAS, WE MEET A PALESTINIAN FAMILY WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO RETURN TO THEIR DEMOLISHED HOME IN THE DANGER ZONE. FRIENDS AND FAMILY PACK AN AUCKLAND CATHEDRAL TO FAREWELL TRISH McKAY, KILLED IN AN ATTEMPTED ROBBERY IN CALIFORNIA TWO WEEKS AGO. AND THE ONLY FREESTANDING HOUSE LEFT IN WELLINGTON'S CBD GOES ON THE MARKET, BUT DEVELOPERS BEWARE ` IT COMES WITH A CATCH. DATA OUT TODAY HAS CONFIRMED THE SLUMP IN THE HOUSING MARKET. CORELOGIC'S JULY HOUSING FIGURES SHOW HIGH MORTGAGE RATES ARE CONTINUING TO DAMPEN BUYER DEMAND, WITH THE NUMBER OF HOUSES SOLD IN THE PAST MONTH DOWN BY NEARLY A QUARTER ON THE JUNE 2023 NUMBERS. THAT'S BROKEN A RUN OF GROWTH SINCE APRIL LAST YEAR. BUT BUYERS ARE SPOILT FOR CHOICE, WITH 20% MORE PROPERTIES ON THE MARKET COMPARED TO THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR. BUT THOSE HIGH MORTGAGES RATES ARE EASING, WITH KIWIBANK THE LATEST BANK TO LOWER FIXED SPECIAL AND STANDARD HOME LOAN INTEREST RATES FROM MONDAY. IT'S GETTING HARDER TO FIND A JOB. EMPLOYMENT WEBSITE SEEK SAYS THE NUMBER OF JOB ADS IT CARRIES HAS DROPPED BY 35% OVER THE PAST YEAR. COUNTRY MANAGER ROB CLARK SAYS IT'S A PRETTY TOUGH MARKET FOR JOBSEEKERS AT THE MOMENT, WITH DEMAND FOR WORKERS DROPPING IN NEARLY EVERY REGION, AND IN MOST OF THE COUNTRY'S BIGGEST INDUSTRIES. SOUTHLAND IS THE EXCEPTION, WITH THE NUMBER OF ADS FOR JOBS THERE GROWING BY 3% IN THE PAST MONTH. AS ISRAEL STEPS UP ITS ATTACKS ON SO-CALLED 'SAFE ZONES', PALESTINIANS ARE RETURNING TO THEIR OLD NEIGHBOURHOODS TO LIVE AMONG THE RUBBLE OF THEIR BOMBED HOMES. THIS IS THE DESIGNATED HUMANITARIAN ZONE IN AL-MAWASI ON THE GAZA STRIP. IT HAS NO RUNNING WATER OR BATHROOMS, WITH OVER HALF A MILLION PEOPLE ESTIMATED TO BE LIVING THERE. BUT THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST 10 ATTACKS THERE SINCE EARLY MAY ` TWO IN THE LAST WEEK, WHICH HAVE KILLED MORE THAN 100 CIVILIANS. ITV'S JOHN IRVINE MET ONE FAMILY WHO'S DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE DANGER ZONE. THIS IS NOT A BALCONY; IT'S THE REMNANTS OF A LIVING ROOM IN A LARGELY DESTROYED HOUSE IN THE CITY OF KHAN YUNIS, IN SOUTHERN GAZA. THE BUILDING IS A SKELETON, DEVOID OF WALLS COURTESY OF THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE; BUT NONETHELESS, THERE'S WASHING ON THE LINE, FOR, INCREDIBLY, THIS IS ONCE MORE A FAMILY DWELLING. THE AL-NAJJARS HAVE DECIDED TO STOP RUNNING AWAY. THEY SPENT FOUR MONTHS UNDER CANVAS IN THE SUPPOSEDLY SAFE ZONE OF AL-MAWASI BEFORE REACHING THE CONCLUSION THAT THERE IS SIMPLY NO PLACE LIKE HOME ` NO MATTER HOW LITTLE OF IT IS STILL STANDING, AND REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT THEY ARE BANG IN THE MIDDLE OF AN IDF-DESIGNATED DANGER ZONE. SO, ERM, NO SAFETY IN ANY PLACE IN GAZA, SO WE DECIDED TO COME BACK HERE, ER, BESIDE OUR RUBBLES OF OUR HOME. AND WE WISH THIS WAR, ER, TO BE END, TO... BACK TO OUR LIFE. INCIDENTALLY, THIS IS A PARTICULARLY PRECARIOUS EXISTENCE FOR SARAH, WHO IS BLIND. THE AL-NAJJARS DON'T HAVE RUNNING WATER OR MAINS GAS OR ELECTRICITY, BUT WHAT THEY DO HAVE IS A SENSE OF BELONGING. (SPEAKS ARABIC) 'IT'S BETTER LIVING IN THE RUBBLE THAN IN A TENT,' SAYS 11-YEAR-OLD ADAM. 'THIS IS OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD, 'AND WE LIVED HERE HAPPILY BEFORE THE WAR.' THIS IS DAD WITH A YOUNGER ADAM IN BETTER TIMES. THEY'RE ON A ROOF WHICH TODAY OFFERS A VIEW THAT'S SIMPLY CATACLYSMIC. HE HAS BROUGHT HIS FAMILY TO LIVE IN A RUIN SURROUNDED BY RUINS, BUT HE THOUGHT LONG AND HARD. FOR ONE THING, THE ISRAELIS KEEP ON ATTACKING SUPPOSEDLY SAFE HAVENS LIKE FORMER U.N. SCHOOLS THAT REFUGEES HAVE PACKED INTO. ALSO, THE LACK OF SANITATION AND A BREAKDOWN IN LAW AND ORDER HAVE BECOME BIG THREATS IN THE CAMPS. HE MAY HAVE TO BURN HIS CHILDREN'S BEDS TO FUEL THE COOKING STOVE, BUT MR AL-NAJJAR IS CONVINCED HE'S DONE THE RIGHT THING. INSIDE MY HOUSE, WE HAVE THE TWO ROOMS ` WE HAVE ONE KITCHEN, BATHROOM. IT'S OK. BETTER THAN THE CANS IN THE CAMPS. ONE OF THE YOUNG ONES DOING HOMEWORK IN THE REMNANTS OF HER FAMILY HOME. SHE DOESN'T KNOW IT YET, BUT SHE'S LIVING A LESSON ABOUT RESILIENCE, THE TIES THAT BIND AND THE PULLING POWER OF HOME ` EVEN IF IT IS MOSTLY MEMORIES. WHILE GLOSSY MAGAZINES HAVE BEEN FACING A CULTURE DEATH FOR YEARS, WE FIND OUT HOW NEW ZEALAND 'HOUSE AND GARDEN' MAGAZINE HAS MADE IT TO ITS 30th ANNIVERSARY. AND THE KIWI DUO WHO CONQUERED ONE OF THE MOST GRUELLING RACES IN THE WORLD SPEAK EXCLUSIVELY TO THREENEWS. AND WHO IS THE SURPRISE LEADER AFTER DAY ONE OF THE BRITISH OPEN, AND WHAT'S HIS WORLD RANKING? THIS IS THREENEWS. IF YOU'VE JUST JOINED US, HERE ARE OUR TOP STORIES SO FAR TONIGHT. THERE APPEAR TO BE WIDESPREAD CYBER OUTAGES AFFECTING A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES BOTH HERE AND IN AUSTRALIA. BNZ, ASB, ANZ AND KIWIBANK ARE THOUGHT TO BE AMONG THOSE AFFECTED, AS WELL AS SUPERMARKETS AND UBER. DONALD TRUMP IS PROMISING TO MAKE AMERICA GREAT ONCE AGAIN AS HE OFFICIALLY ACCEPTED THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION AT THE PARTY'S NATIONAL CONVENTION. THE POTHOLE PANDEMIC IS SET FOR A QUICK-FIX JOB, WITH THE GOVERNMENT UNVEILING A NEW 24-HOUR REPAIR TARGET. THE KIWI WOMAN KILLED IN AN ATTEMPTED ROBBERY IN CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN FAREWELLED IN AUCKLAND THIS AFTERNOON. TRISH McKAY DIED AFTER BEING HIT BY A CAR DRIVEN BY ONE OF THREE ALLEGED OFFENDERS ON JULY 2nd AT THE NEWPORT BEACH MALL. MOURNERS GATHERED AT ST PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL IN CENTRAL AUCKLAND FOR HER FUNERAL, WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A WAKE AT EDEN PARK. HER ALLEGED ATTACKERS ARE BEING HELD WITHOUT BAIL. THE COUNTRY'S UNIVERSITIES ARE WARNING THE CONSEQUENCES COULD BE CATASTROPHIC IF THE GOVERNMENT DOESN'T RENEW A ONE-OFF FUNDING BOOST MADE BY THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT. UNIVERSITIES NEW ZEALAND CHIEF EXECUTIVE CHRIS WHELAN HAS TOLD RNZ THAT THE TERTIARY EDUCATION SECTOR IS IN THE MIDDLE OF ANOTHER DIFFICULT YEAR, WITH HALF OF THE EIGHT INSTITUTIONS EXPECTING TO LOSE MILLIONS. HE SAYS THE SITUATION WILL GET EVEN WORSE IF NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET DOESN'T INCLUDE AN EXTRA 4% INCREASE TO SUBSIDIES FOR ENROLMENTS AT DEGREE LEVEL AND ABOVE. LOCAL DEMOCRACY IS RETURNING TO TAURANGA, WITH RESIDENTS VOTING IN THEIR FIRST COUNCIL ELECTIONS IN ALMOST FIVE YEARS. THE LAST COUNCIL WAS SACKED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN 2021 AND REPLACED WITH COMMISSIONERS, WHO HAVE BEEN RUNNING THE CITY SINCE. EARLIER, I SPOKE TO STUFF REPORTER ANNEMARIE QUILL, WHO'S IN TAURANGA, AND BEGAN BY ASKING ` WHAT WENT WRONG WITH THE LAST COUNCIL? WELL, SAM, THE GOVERNMENT HAD NOTED THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT CONFLICT AMONG ELECTED MEMBERS, AND BEAR IN MIND, FOR A GOVERNMENT TO INTERVENE, IT HAS TO BE PRETTY SERIOUS. AND HOW SERIOUS IT WAS WAS REVEALED IN AN INDEPENDENT REPORT WHICH NOTED THINGS LIKE NAME-CALLING, POINT-SCORING AND A RAFT OF CODE OF CONDUCT COMPLAINTS AMONG MEMBERS. NOW, MAYOR TENBY POWELL SAID THE RACE FOR MAYOR NEVER ENDED, AND THAT'S WHAT HE PUT DOWN THE DYSFUNCTION TO. BUT HE WAS ACTUALLY QUITE UNPOPULAR WITH THE OTHER COUNCILLORS, AND HE HAD A VERY POLARISING STYLE, WHICH MANY PUT DOWN TO HIS ARMY BACKGROUND, WHICH HE USED TO MENTION QUITE A LOT. HE WOULD DO THINGS LIKE REGULARLY BARK ORDERS, SWEAR, AND OTHERS JUST THOUGHT HE WAS SIMPLY OUT OF HIS DEPTH. OK, SO THAT COUNCIL WAS DISCHARGED OF ITS DUTIES BECAUSE IT WASN'T FUNCTIONING AS IT SHOULD BE, BUT SOME OF THOSE SAME PEOPLE ARE STANDING AGAIN IN THIS ELECTION? YES. PERHAPS SURPRISINGLY, VERY SURPRISINGLY, SIX OF THE PREVIOUS DYSFUNCTIONAL COUNCIL ARE STANDING AGAIN, INCLUDING TENBY POWELL, ALTHOUGH HE'S NOT STANDING AS MAYOR; HE'S STANDING AS A COUNCILLOR. NOW, COMMISSIONER ANNE TOLLEY HAS BEEN VERY VOCAL, SAYING, 'I WOULDN'T VOTE FOR THEM,' AND SHE SAID, 'WHY WOULD YOU?' AND PERHAPS THAT'S A VALID QUESTION, GIVEN THAT THEY'VE BEEN JUDGED AS NOT FIT FOR GOVERNMENT. SO THOSE ARE THE OLD FACES. BUT THERE ARE SOME NEW AND FAMOUS FACES IN THE MIX TOO ` OLYMPIAN MAHE DRYSDALE AND SINGER RIA HALL. HOW ARE THEIR CAMPAIGNS GOING? SO YES, THEY ARE OFTEN TOUTED AS THE FRONT RUNNERS. BUT THEY ARE NOT WITHOUT CONTROVERSY EITHER. MAHE HAS COME UNDER A LOT OF CRITICISM BECAUSE HE DOESN'T LIVE IN TAURANGA. HE'S FROM CAMBRIDGE, ALTHOUGH HE'S COVERED THIS OFF IN EVERY MEETING, SAYING HIM AND HIS FAMILY ARE GOING TO MOVE TO TAURANGA. BUT THEN A FEW WEEKS AGO, HIS OWN UNCLE, DOUG OWENS, WHO'S ALSO STANDING FOR MAYOR, CAME OUT AGAINST MAHE, REVEALING IN A VIDEO THAT APPARENTLY MAHE HAD BEEN TAPPED ON THE SHOULDER BY A GROUP OF TAURANGA BUSINESSMEN, WHICH ISN'T ANYTHING ILLEGAL OR UNTOWARD ` IT'S QUITE NORMAL. BUT IT WAS PRETTY STRANGE THAT A FAMILY WOULD COME OUT LIKE THIS. MAHE AGAIN DENIED THAT HE WAS BEING BACKED BY ANYONE AND SAID HE WAS INDEPENDENT. AND MAHE HAS BEEN A PRETTY POPULAR CANDIDATE, AS HAS RIA HALL, WHO IS VERY WELL KNOWN IN TAURANGA. SHE'S A SINGER, SHE'S THE COUSIN OF STAN WALKER. SHE'S BORN AND BRED TAURANGA, WENT TO SCHOOL HERE. SHE HAS FACED A LOT OF RACISM IN HER CAMPAIGN, LIKE, VICIOUS RACISM, WHICH SHE HAS NOT RESPONDED TO AT ALL. UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF RIA'S VOTERS ARE YOUNGER PEOPLE, AND WE'RE NOT SURE WHETHER THESE YOUNGER PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY TURNED OUT TO VOTE. ANNEMARIE QUILL REPORTING FROM TAURANGA. AND SO FAR, ONLY ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE HAVE RETURNED THEIR VOTING PAPERS, BUT THERE IS STILL TIME ` VOTING CLOSES AT MIDDAY TOMORROW. FORMER CO-STARS AND FANS ARE PAYING TRIBUTE TO AMERICAN COMEDIAN AND ACTOR BOB NEWHART, WHO HAS DIED AGED 94. HE RULED TV FOR THE BETTER PART OF TWO DECADES, STARING IN TWO LONG-RUNNING SITCOMS THAT BORE HIS NAME. KNOWN AS THE MASTER OF COMEDY, HE'S CREDITED WITH HELPING SHAPE THE HUMOUR OF BILL COSBY AND JERRY SEINFELD, AMONG OTHERS. MORE RECENTLY, HE STARRED IN CLASSIC CHRISTMAS FILM 'ELF' AND 'THE BIG BANG THEORY'. AN INQUIRY INTO THE UK'S RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC HAS CONCLUDED THAT OFFICIALS WERE ILL PREPARED BECAUSE THEY PLANNED FOR THE WRONG KIND OF VIRUS ` THE FLU, NOT COVID. THE DAMNING REPORT FOUND THE GOVERNMENT FAILED ITS CITIZENS, NAMING AND SHAMING FORMER HEALTH SECRETARIES MATT HANCOCK AND JEREMY HUNT FOR NOT DOING ENOUGH TO GET READY. AROUND A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UK DIED WITH COVID. CHAIR BARONESS HALLETT CALLED FOR RADICAL REFORMS BEFORE THE NEXT PANDEMIC HITS. THE EXPERT EVIDENCE SUGGESTS IT'S NOT A QUESTION OF IF ANOTHER PANDEMIC WILL STRIKE, BUT WHEN. UNLESS THE LESSONS ARE LEARNED AND FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IS IMPLEMENTED, THE HUMAN AND FINANCIAL COST AND SACRIFICE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WILL HAVE BEEN IN VAIN. BRITAIN'S NEW PRIME MINISTER, SIR KEIR STARMER, HAS PROMISED TO MAKE PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS A TOP PRIORITY. LUCY'S HERE WITH SPORT NOW. AND A RELATIVE UNKNOWN IS LEADING THE BRITISH OPEN? THAT'S RIGHT. WORLD NUMBER 272, ENGLISHMAN DANIEL BROWN IS NOW LEADING AFTER THE FIRST ROUND OF HIS FIRST EVER MAJOR TOURNAMENT. WE'LL HAVE MORE FROM THE OPEN, INCLUDING HOW THE KIWIS ARE FARING, NEXT. PLUS ` THE WARRIORS RECEIVE A MUCH-NEEDED BOOST AHEAD OF TONIGHT'S NRL CLASH WITH THE RAIDERS. AND WE MEET THE KIWI DUO ON TOP OF THE WORLD AFTER SECURING VICTORY AT ONE OF TOUGHEST ADVENTURE RACES ON THE PLANET. WELCOME TO A NEW SWIFT WORLD WITH SUZUKI AND THREENEWS SPORT. THE FIRST OF THE KIWIS IS UNDERWAY IN THE SECOND ROUND OF GOLF'S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, WITH RYAN FOX CURRENTLY ONE OVER. BUT IT'S THE SHOCK FIRST-ROUND LEADER, ENGLISHMAN DANIEL BROWN, THAT HAS EVERYONE TALKING AT ROYAL TROON. RANKED 272nd IN THE WORLD, BROWN ONLY MADE THE FIELD AFTER QUALIFYING EARLIER THIS MONTH. AND WHILE SO FAR HE'S MADE IT LOOK EASY, THE SAME COULDN'T BE SAID FOR SOME OF GOLF'S BIGGEST NAMES. GORDON FINDLATER WATCHED THE ACTION. BROWN TO TAKE THE LEAD ON HIS OWN. HE POURS IT IN THE MIDDLE! THAT WAS NEVER MISSING! (CHEERING) WHAT A ROUND FROM BROWN. LAST WEEKEND, DANIEL BROWN WAS CELEBRATING MAKING HIS FIRST CUT IN OVER FOUR MONTHS; TODAY, HE SHOT A SIX UNDER 65 TO LEAD BRITAIN'S BIGGEST GOLF TOURNAMENT BY ONE STROKE. IT'S A GREAT FEELING. ERM, I COULDN'T HAVE... I COULDN'T HAVE WRITTEN IT UP, TO BE HONEST. WATCHING HIM COME DOWN THE 18th, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE GUESSED HE'S PLAYING IN HIS FIRST MAJOR TOURNAMENT. OH, WHAT A SHOT THAT IS. WILL IT GRAB? IT DOES. BUT THE WORLD NUMBER 272 ADMITS SOME EARLY NERVES GOT TO HIM. I WAS STRUGGLING TO FEEL MY LEGS A LITTLE BIT. ERM, I DID SAY THAT WALKING DOWN TO MY CADDIE. HIS CADDIE HIS BROTHER BEN, WHO ALSO TRIED TO QUALIFY FOR THE OPEN HIMSELF. HE'S BEEN STRUGGLING WITH A LITTLE INJURY, SO HE HASN'T BEEN PLAYING MUCH. SO I SAID TO HIM, I WAS LIKE... I LIKE HAVING HIM ON THE BAG. HE'S... HE'S GOOD AT READING GREENS. ALSO READING THE GREENS WELL EARLIER IN THE DAY WAS TIGER WOODS. GO ON, GET DOWN THERE. (CROWD EXCLAIMS, CHEERS) BUT AFTER A BIRDIE ON THE THIRD HOLE, TIGER'S ROUND LITERALLY WENT BACKWARDS... OHH, CAREFUL. WATCH YOUR LEG. ...THE 15-TIME MAJOR CHAMPION FINISHING EIGHT OVER. HE'S ONE SHOT BEHIND RORY McILROY, WHO ALSO HAD A DAY TO FORGET. OH, THAT'S COMING BACK. OH, BOY. UH-OH. UH-OH. AND DON'T GO BACK IN THE SPLASH MARK, WHATEVER YOU DO. THE IRISHMAN'S FRUSTRATIONS COMPOUNDED WHEN HE DROVE OUT OF BOUNDS BEYOND A RAILWAY LINE ON THE 11th HOLE. NOW, THAT, I'M AFRAID, HAS GONE. BEMUSEMENT FOR RORY, BUT IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STORY FOR THE MAN WHO HAS SHOCKED THE OPEN. I KNOW THERE'S STILL 54 HOLES LEFT. THERE'S A LONG WAY TO GO. YES, ROYAL TROON IS LIKELY TO HAVE MANY SURPRISES LEFT. KURT CAPEWELL AND MITCH BARNETT WILL BACK UP FROM WEDNESDAY'S STATE OF ORIGIN DECIDER FOR THE WARRIORS IN TONIGHT'S NRL CLASH WITH THE RAIDERS. THE PAIR ARRIVED IN CANBERRA LAST NIGHT, WITH BARNETT FRESH OFF DEBUT FOR NEW SOUTH WALES IN THEIR 14-4 SERIES DECIDING VICTORY OVER QUEENSLAND. DESPITE THE WARRIORS' ONGOING INJURY WOES, THE SIDE'S EAGER TO RIGHT THE WRONGS OF THEIR LAST PERFORMANCE AND SECURE THE TWO POINTS WITH THE TOP EIGHT IN THEIR SIGHTS. WE GOTTA WIN. I DON'T THINK ANYONE CAN HIDE THAT FACT. WE GOTTA WIN. IT IS EXTREMELY TIGHT. LIKE YOU SAY, I THINK WE'RE TWO WINS FROM THE EIGHT, SO... WE KNOW WHAT'S AHEAD OF US. LIKE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE ADDRESSED IT SO WE CAN STAY PRESENT. WE JUST GOTTA` IT'S ALL IN OUR CONTROL; WE GOTTA WIN GAMES, PLAY WELL. BOTH TEAMS ARE COMING INTO THE MATCH OFF A BYE WEEK. THE WARRIORS HAVE BEATEN THE RAIDERS IN FOUR OF THEIR LAST FIVE ENCOUNTERS. JUST ONE WEEK OUT FROM THE PARIS OLYMPICS, THE CITY'S STOOD UP AN ANTI-TERRORISM PERIMETER THAT RUNS FOR KILOMETRES ALONG THE BANKS OF THE RIVER SEINE WHERE THE OPENING CEREMONY WILL TAKE PLACE. FROM NOW ON RESIDENTS, WORKERS AND TOURISTS ARE ALL REQUIRED TO PRODUCE A QR CODE TO ENTER THE RESTRICTED AREA THROUGH POLICE CHECKPOINTS. THE PERIMETER WILL STAY IN PLACE UNTIL AFTER FRIDAY'S CEREMONY. FINALLY TONIGHT ` TWO KIWIS HAVE TRIUMPHED IN ONE OF THE MOST DEMANDING ADVENTURE RACES IN THE WORLD, THE YUKON 1000. SOPHIE HART AND NATHAN FA'AVAE KAYAKED 18 HOURS A DAY FOR ALMOST A WEEK, PASSING THROUGH SOME OF NORTH AMERICA'S WILDEST TERRAIN. NATASHA PAYNE HAS THE EXCLUSIVE STORY. (CLAPPING) AFTER A RELENTLESS SIX DAYS AND 23 MINUTES, SOPHIE HART AND NATHAN FA'AVAE FINISHED ONE OF THE WORLD'S HARDEST RACES. WE'VE JUST BEEN KAYAKING ALL WEEK, ALL DAY, EVERY DAY FOR A WEEK. IT'S QUITE SURREAL. THE KIWI DUO WON THE YUKON 1000 THIS MORNING, PADDLING OVER 1500km UP THE YUKON RIVER. THE RACE BEGINS AT WHITEHORSE, THE CAPITAL OF YUKON IN CANADA. TEAMS MAKE THEIR WAY TO DAWSON CITY, THEN CROSS THE ALASKAN BORDER BEFORE FINISHING AT THE DALTON HIGHWAY BRIDGE. THE TERRAIN IS SO UNTOUCHED, MORE PEOPLE HAVE MADE IT TO THE TOP OF MOUNT EVEREST THAN PAST DAWSON CITY. YEAH, A LOT OF THE TIME IT HASN'T ACTUALLY FELT LIKE A RACE, BECAUSE YOU WERE JUST OUT IN SUCH REMOTE PLACES. OVER 6000 TEAMS APPLIED FOR THE RACE, BUT ONLY 32 TEAMS MADE THE CUT DUE TO THE INTENSITY OF THE CONDITIONS. THERE ARE NO SUPPORT CREWS, NO COMMUNICATION WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD, AND HELP CAN BE UP TO 24 HOURS AWAY. TO GO IN AND DO THIS RACE, YOU'VE REALLY GOT TO BE A SPECIAL INDIVIDUAL THAT ALMOST LIKES TO SUFFER TOO MUCH. BEN LOTT COMPLETED THE RACE HIMSELF IN 2022, A GOAL HE SET WHILE RECOVERING FROM A HUGE BRAIN INJURY IN 2018. HE KNOWS JUST HOW GRUELLING IT CAN BE. FEET ` YOU'RE WATCHING FOR TRENCH FOOT, WATCHING THAT YOU'RE NOT CHAFING WITH YOUR BACK. YOU'RE SITTING FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME IN THE SAME POSITION, SO OF COURSE YOU'RE FACING A LOT OF ALMOST PERMANENT NERVE DAMAGE. DESPITE THE LOWS, THERE ARE SOME INCREDIBLE HIGHS, LIKE SEEING THE LOCALS RIGHT UP CLOSE. PROBABLY THE MOST EXCITING ONE WAS WHEN WE GOT WOKEN UP IN OUR TENT BY A MUM AND HER TWO BABY MOOSE SPLASHING AROUND IN THE RIVER (LAUGHS) NEXT TO OUR TENTS. AND THEY AREN'T THE ONLY KIWIS INVOLVED, WITH TWO MATES, SCOTT AND DAVE, AKA TEAM DAFFODIL, WHO ARE STILL KAYAKING ALL THE WAY TO THE BERING SEA TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CANCER. THEY'RE BOTH OVER 65. BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL, BUT WE'VE GOT THESE TWO GREAT MATES OUT THERE JUST SLOGGING AWAY. SOPHIE AND NATHAN JUST MISSED OUT ON BREAKING THE RACE RECORD, WHICH IS FIVE DAYS AND 11 HOURS, BUT THE PAIR DON'T THINK THEY'LL TRY AGAIN ANY TIME SOON. IN TERMS OF THE HARDSHIP, HAS IT BEEN WORTH IT? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY, IT'S BEEN WORTH IT, BUT... I'M NOT SURE IF WE'LL BACK IT UP. (LAUGHTER) AND WHO CAN BLAME THEM? WHAT AN INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT. HATS OFF TO THEM. THAT'S A VERY LONG WAY! THAT LINE ABOUT HOW YOU HAVE TO ENDURE SUFFERING ` NOT MY CUP OF TEA, BUT THEY ARE AWESOME. WHAT'S UNDERSTOOD TO BE THE LAST REMAINING FREESTANDING HOUSE IN WELLINGTON'S CBD HAS GONE ON THE MARKET. PHOENIX HOUSE IS A 116-YEAR-OLD MOCK-TUDOR TWO-STOREY BUILDING ON THE CORNER OF WILLIS AND GHUZNEE STREETS. IT'S A HERITAGE CATEGORY-ONE LISTED STRUCTURE AND HAS BEEN PUT ON THE MARKET BY OWNER JANET MASON, WHO'S EXPECTING TO GET OVER $4m FOR IT. NEW ZEALAND HOUSE AND GARDEN MAGAZINE IS CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF ITS PRINT EDITION ` NO EASY FEAT IN THE CURRENT CLIMATE. ITS EDITOR NAOMI LARKIN SPOKE TO LAURA TUPOU ABOUT WHY IT'S LASTED THE DISTANCE. THIS IS OUR 30th BIRTHDAY ISSUE. WE'RE REALLY HAPPY WITH THIS ISSUE. IT'S A BUMPER SPECIAL ISSUE. DISPLAYING DIFFERENT TEXTURES IN OUTDOOR SPACES, THERE'S FOOD AND LIFESTYLE, AND OF COURSE, BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS, INCREDIBLY FINISHED HOMES... LOOK AT THIS LIGHT FEATURE. I KNOW. IT'S AMAZING, ISN'T IT? AND SOME OF THESE ASPECTS HERE. ...REALLY SHOWCASING KIWI'S LIVES... THIS IS THE HOME OF AN INTERIOR DESIGNER, AND THIS IS HER WEST AUCKLAND FAMILY HOME. AND THERE'S A LOT OF PERSONALITY HERE. THERE'S A LOT OF LAYERS. IT'S NOT A COOKIE-CUTTER HOME. ...EACH EDITION CATERING TO MANY. SO THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PICK UP THE MAGAZINE AND LOVE EVERYTHING ` NOR, HOPEFULLY, WILL YOU HATE IT ALL ` BUT THERE WILL BE SOMETHING THAT RESONATES WITH YOU. BUT ALTHOUGH THE PUBLICATION HAS LASTED THE DISTANCE, THE SAME CAN'T BE SAID OF ALL THE TRENDS. THERE ARE SOME ASPECTS THAT WE REALLY WOULD BE HAPPY TO FORGET ABOUT, SUCH AS COBALT BLUE KITCHENS OR YELLOW WALLS, OR RAG-ROLLED PAINT EFFECTS. COUNTRY KITCHENS AND FRENCH INSPIRED HOMES, HOWEVER, ARE STILL IN VOGUE, AND WHEN KIWIS ARE LOOKING TO MAKE CHANGES TO THEIR HOMES, THEY'RE STEPPING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX. PEOPLE HAVE FOUND IN ACTUALLY NOT FEELING THAT THEY NEEDED TO CREATE A WHITE HOME FOR RESALE VALUE, BUT SOMETHING THAT REALLY EXPRESSES WHO THEY ARE. MORE RECENTLY, THROUGH COVID, PEOPLE REASSESS THEIR INTERIORS. PEOPLE ARE TAKING TRENDS, BUT THEY'RE NOT BEING DICTATED BY THEM. NAOMI LARKIN HOPES NZ HOUSE AND GARDEN CAN CONTINUE TO INSPIRE KIWIS AND REMAIN A FIXTURE IN HOMES FOR ANOTHER 30 YEARS. TIME NOW FOR A LOOK AT THE WEEKEND'S WEATHER, AND IT STARTS WET, HEATHER? HEAVY RAIN HAS ALREADY STARTED FALLING, WITH THE IMPENDING ARRIVAL OF THE LATEST SUB-TROPICAL LOW. THIS ONE IS SPECIAL, THOUGH, BECAUSE WE CAN REFER TO IT AS A WEATHER BOMB. DON'T WORRY, THOUGH ` AT THIS STAGE, THE CARNAGE STAYS WELL OFF SHORE, JUST BRUSHING THE NORTHEAST. SO YES, HEAVY RAIN WATCHES ARE IN PLACE, WITH IT STARTING TO RAMP UP TONIGHT FOR TASMAN, AUCKLAND AND NORTHLAND ` MIDNIGHT FOR THE COROMANDEL, AND TOMORROW MORNING FURTHER EAST. MORE DETAILS NEXT. WELCOME BACK. WE'VE BEEN WATCHING ALL WEEK TO SEE HOW CLOSE THIS NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM GETS TO US, AND FORTUNATELY, WE'VE BEEN SPARED ` NOT ENTIRELY, THOUGH. YOU CAN'T MISS IT ` IT'S QUITE PROMINENT ON YOUR SCREEN ` A RAPIDLY DEEPENING SUBTROPICAL LOW; IT SINKS SOUTH BUT SLIDES PAST TO THE EAST OF THE NORTH ISLAND TOMORROW, THEN AWAY TO THE SOUTH-EAST ON SUNDAY. STILL PLENTY OF WEATHER, THOUGH, FOR BOTH ISLANDS, WITH RAIN IN THE NORTH OF THE SOUTH ISLAND TONIGHT; HEAVY FALLS TOO, WITH THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTH-WEST. CLOUDY AND WITH SOME RAIN FOR THE SOUTH AND EAST TOO, WITH NOR'EASTERLIES. TOMORROW, THE RAIN EASES IN THE NORTH DURING THE MORNING, CLEARING COMPLETELY IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN OUT WEST ALSO EASES BY TOMORROW NIGHT, WITH DYING NOR'EASTERLIES. THIS LOOKS IMPRESSIVE ` IMAGINE THE NORTH ISLAND UNDERNEATH ALL THIS RAIN. THERE WILL BE HEAVY FALLS TONIGHT FOR THE NORTH, AS PER THE HEAVY RAIN WATCH, BUT TOMORROW, IT STARTS TO EASE IN THE MORNING FOR NORTHLAND. IT RAMPS UP FOR THE NORTH-EAST IN THE MORNING, BUT JUST SHOWERS LEFT IN THE TANK BY LATE TOMORROW NIGHT. WINDS SHIFT AROUND A BIT, LEAVING NORTHERLIES IN THE SOUTH. SO, YES, RAIN TONIGHT, WITH HEAVY FALLS, BUT STARTING TO EASE IN THE MORNING FOR NORTHLAND, IN THE AFTERNOON FOR AUCKLAND, AND CLEARING TOMORROW NIGHT FOR EVERYONE. WINDS END UP FROM THE SOU'WEST. WHEN YOU WAKE, THERE WILL BE RAIN ` POSSIBLY HEAVY IN THE MORNING FOR TAURANGA ` BUT IT'S ALL CLEARING THROUGH OUT THE AFTERNOON AS SOUTH TO SOU'EAST WINDS TURN WEST OR SOU'WEST. RAIN EVERYWHERE HERE TOMORROW, WITH EASTERLY-QUARTER WINDS FIRST UP; THEN THEY'LL TURN SOU'WEST FROM THE AFTERNOON. THE RAIN EASES TO JUST THE ODD SHOWER BY TOMORROW NIGHT. OCCASIONAL RAIN OR SHOWERS FOR THE REST OF THE ISLAND, BUT LIKE EVERYWHERE ELSE, IT ALL MOVES AWAY FROM THE AFTERNOON. WINDS END UP FROM THE WEST OR SOU'WEST FOR MOST; NORTHERLIES FOR WELLINGTON. THE RAIN WATCH FOR TASMAN EXPIRES AT 7am, AND YOU CAN SEE WHY ` THE RAIN WILL EASE TO SHOWERS EARLY AND CONTINUE TO PULL BACK TOWARDS EVENING. WINDS ARE MOSTLY LIGHT. A LITTLE BRIGHTER OVER THE DIVIDE, WITH JUST A FEW SHOWERS FROM ASHBURTON NORTH, BUT THEY'RE GONE BY THE AFTERNOON. WINDS ARE LIGHT TOO; THE NOR'EASTER FOR CHRISTCHURCH WILL EASE IN THE AFTERNOON. MOST HERE MISS THE SHOWERS ` JUST A FEW FOR QUEENSTOWN ` THERE IS MORNING FROST, THOUGH, AND HIGH CLOUD ROLLING IN DURING THE MORNING. NOR'EASTERS NEAR THE COAST. SO, DUNEDIN, YOU WILL WAKE TO AREAS OF CLOUD, BUT IT CLEARS BEFORE MIDDAY; THE NOR'EASTERLY HANGS AROUND BUT EASES TOMORROW NIGHT. CLOUDY WITH A FEW SHOWERS FIRST THING AROUND CHRISTCHURCH, BUT THE SUN IS OUT DURING THE AFTERNOON, AND THAT'S WHEN THE NOR'EASTERLY WILL EASE. RAIN FOR YOU, WELLINGTON, BECOMING PERSISTENT LATE MORNING, WITH NORTHERLIES; IT WILL EASE TO ISOLATED SHOWERS, BUT NOT TILL DARK. RAIN FOR HAWKE'S BAY ALL DAY, WITH EASTERLIES IN THE MORNING TURNING SOU'WEST LATE AFTERNOON. RAIN REDUCES TO ISOLATED SHOWERS TOMORROW NIGHT. THE HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES FOR YOU IN THE MORNING, TAURANGA, BUT IT CLEARS THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON AS SOU'EASTERLIES TURN SOU'WEST. THE RAIN WILL BE PERSISTENT FOR HAMILTON OVERNIGHT, HANGING ROUND IN THE MORNING, BUT EASING TO JUST THE ODD SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON ` AROUND THE SAME TIME THE SOU'EASTERLY TURNS SOU'WEST. AND PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN TONIGHT, AUCKLAND, ESPECIALLY NORTH OF WHANGAPARAOA; THAT CONTINUES IN THE MORNING BUT EASES TO SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON AND CLEARS TOMORROW NIGHT. SOU'EASTERS TURN SOU'WEST BEFORE MIDDAY. A REAL MIX FOR OZ ` SYDNEY'S COPPING THE WIND, WITH STRONG WESTERLIES THERE FOR THE DAY, BUT NOT BAD OVER THE PACIFIC ` JUST A FEW SHOWERS FOR THE CENTRAL ISLANDS. BACK TO US, AND SUNDAY IS LOOKING MUCH BETTER THAN SATURDAY ` SHOWERS IN THE NORTH, BUT THEY WILL HAVE CLEARED BY TUESDAY. SAME HERE ` THE WIDESPREAD SHOWERS EASING ON MONDAY; SUNNY BY TUESDAY. WELLINGTON STAYS DRY ON SUNDAY, BUT SHOWERS RETURN FOR ALL HERE ON MONDAY. TOP HALF OF THE SOUTH ISLAND IS GOOD ` JUST A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS ON SUNDAY, BUT CHRISTCHURCH WILL HAVE STRONG SOU'WESTERLIES WITH OCCASIONAL RAIN FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY. LOTS OF INTEREST IN THIS SUBTROPICAL LOW. AT THIS STAGE, THE WORST IS SET TO MISS US ` BUT WE ALL NOW HOW MUCH THE WEATHER LIKES TO PROVE US WRONG, SO WORTH KEEPING AN EYE ON UPDATED WARNINGS FROM METSERVICE. EARLIER, WE ASKED YOU IF JOE BIDEN SHOULD WITHDRAW FROM THE U.S PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST, AND IT'S AN OVERWHELMING 'YES', WITH 91% OF YOU SAYING HE SHOULD. FINALLY TONIGHT, A STORY OF SURVIVAL FROM GOLDEN BAY. THIS IS NINA, A 13-YEAR-OLD JACK RUSSELL BICHON FRISE CROSS WHO SURVIVED SIX DAYS STUCK IN A TOMO ON TAKAKA HILL. SHE WAS FOUND THANKS TO TIPS FROM AN EXPERT DOG TRACKER AND HAD TO BE RESCUED BY THE SMALLEST CAVER THE RESCUE TEAM COULD FIND. NINA LOST LOTS OF CONDITION DURING HER ORDEAL BUT IS NOW SAID TO BE AT HER IDEAL WEIGHT. THAT IS THREENEWS FOR TONIGHT. THANKS FOR JOINING US. WE HAVE MORE ON THE DEVELOPING STORY OF THE WIDESPREAD IT OUTAGE IMPACTING NZ AND AUSTRALIA ON stuff.co.nz. I'M SAMANTHA HAYES. PO MARIE. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND. CAPTIONS BY MAEVE KELLY AND KATE MCCULLOUGH. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024