TWO OFFICERS AND TWO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE INJURED WHEN A POLICE CAR IS STRUCK IN NORTHLAND. THEIR BOSSES SAY THEY'RE LUCKY NOT TO BE DEALING WITH ANOTHER DEATH. CALL THIS SUMMER? WE'VE HAD SNOW, SWELLS AND UNSEASONABLY COLD TEMPERATURES. SO WHEN WILL NORMAL TRANSMISSION RESUME? IN SPORT ` THE BLACK CAPS MAKE LIGHT WORK OF SRI LANKA IN THE FIRST ONE-DAYER ` WITH TIME, WICKETS AND OVERS TO SPARE. AND WAS THIS THE BIGGEST EVER WAVE TO BE SUCCESSFULLY SURFED? CAPTIONS BY FAITH HAMBLYN AND ALEX WALKER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025. NAU MAI, HAERE MAI, AND WELCOME TO THREE NEWS. POLICE SAY THEY'RE LUCKY NOT TO BE DEALING WITH ANOTHER DEATH AFTER A VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A PATROL CAR ON STATE HIGHWAY 14 NEAR WHANGAREI LAST NIGHT. TWO OFFICERS AND TWO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE INJURED. IT COMES JUST DAYS AFTER SENIOR SERGEANT LYN FLEMING WAS HIT BY A CAR AND KILLED IN NELSON. NORTHLAND DISTRICT COMMANDER MATT SRHOJ SAYS ALCOHOL MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR IN LAST NIGHT'S CRASH. IT WAS HEADING TOWARDS THE, OR VEERED ACROSS THE CENTRE LINE, TOWARDS THE POLICE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WASN'T SLOWING DOWN. IT APPEARS, AT THIS STAGE, THAT THE DRIVER OF THAT VEHICLE MAY HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP. SO ONE OFFICER WAS STRUCK BY THE VEHICLE AS HE WAS TRYING TO GET OUT OF THE WAY. THE OTHER OFFICER WAS IN THE VEHICLE AND SUFFERED SOME INJURIES AS WELL. ALL POLICE OFFICERS AT THE MOMENT HAVE THE EVENTS OF NEW YEAR'S EVE AND NELSON FRESH IN THEIR MINDS. I THINK THE OFFICERS ARE EXTREMELY LUCKY. WE COULD HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH VERY SERIOUS INJURIES OR FATALITIES HERE. IT CAN'T GET WORSE ` THAT'S HOW ONE RECRUITMENT CONSULTANT HAS DESCRIBED THE JOB MARKET, AS WE GET SET FOR THE START OF THE WORK YEAR. JOBSEEKERS ARE ENTERING 2025 WITH RISING UNEMPLOYMENT, AN ECONOMY IN RECESSION AND WITH FAR FEW PUBLIC SERVICE JOBS. BUT AS ZANE SMALL REPORTS, WHILE THE OUTLOOK MIGHT SEEM BLEAK, SOME ECONOMISTS EXPECT THE MARKET TO IMPROVE IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR. YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION HAVE TAKEN A TOLL ON AUCKLAND'S CBD. BUT, LIKE THIS FINISHED SECTION OF VICTORIA ST, THERE ARE SIGNS OF RENEWAL AND BETTER THINGS TO COME. AS SOON AS THESE THINGS OPEN UP, PEOPLE GET EXCITED ABOUT, KIND OF, WHAT'S EMERGING, SO IT IS REALLY HOPEFUL, I THINK. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE ECONOMY HAS TURNED A CORNER. WE'RE STARTING TO ETCH OUT A LITTLE BIT OF POSITIVE ECONOMIC MOMENTUM. THE DOWNTURN CAN BE TRACED BACK TO THE COVID ERA, WHEN CONSUMER PRICES SOARED, INTEREST RATES WERE HIKED UP TO COOL DEMAND AND BRING INFLATION UNDER CONTROL, BUT BUSINESSES THEN STRUGGLED WITH REDUCED INCOME, AND UNEMPLOYMENT BEGAN TO RISE. AND THE CAPITAL HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY HARD HIT. I HAVEN'T SEEN A TIME LIKE THIS IN OUR MARKET. I'VE BEEN IN THE RECRUITMENT INDUSTRY FOR 30 YEARS ` I HAVEN'T SEEN A TIME LIKE THIS IN 30 YEARS. THE PUBLIC SERVICE SHRANK 2.2% IN THE YEAR TO SEPTEMBER, AFTER THE GOVERNMENT SET A TARGET OF TRIMMING $400M FROM SPENDING ON CONTRACTORS AND CONSULTANTS. CONTRACTING HAS BECOME A DIRTY WORD. THE PUBLIC SERVICE ASSOCIATION ESTIMATES THOUSANDS OF PUBLIC SERVANTS ARE NOW JOBLESS. FINANCE MINISTER NICOLA WILLIS SAID LAST MONTH... WELLINGTON IS GONNA DO IT A BIT TOUGHER OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, AS THE PROCESS OF FISCAL CONSOLIDATION TAKES PLACE. LAST MONTH TREASURY REVISED DOWN THE GOVERNMENT'S TAX-TAKE BY $13B, AT A TIME WHEN THE NUMBER OF JOBSEEKER BENEFICIARIES IS EXPECTED TO BALLOON TO 217,000. WE HAVE A TOUGH JOB ON OUR HANDS. RECRUITMENT CONSULTANT TROY TURNER SEES THE GLASS AS HALF FULL. I SIT THERE AND LOOK AT IT, AND THE ECONOMIC INDICATORS SAY, IT CAN'T GET WORSE, SO LET'S ASSUME WE'RE AT THE BOTTOM. I THINK THE JOB MARKET WILL IMPROVE IN THE BACK-HALF OF 2025, BUT IT'LL BE PRETTY TOUGH IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2025. SO PERHAPS A GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT FOR THE JOB MARKET ` MUCH LIKE AUCKLAND'S CBD. ZANE'S WITH ME NOW. SO, ZANE, WHEN CAN WE EXPECT THE NEXT ROUND OF ECONOMIC FIGURES? LATER THIS MONTH, STATS WILL RELEASE THE LATEST ELECTRONIC SPENDING DATA, WHICH WILL GIVE US AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH PEOPLE ARE SPENDING OVER THE SUMMER BREAK. ON 5 FEBRUARY, WE WILL GET THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATES. IT IS CURRENTLY AT 4.8%. MOST ECONOMISTS EXPECT IT WILL KEEP RISING, PEAK AT 5.3% THIS YEAR. AS YOU HEARD FROM CAMERON, THE EXPECTATION IS THAT THE JOB MARKET WILL CHANGE THIS YEAR, IS HOMEOWNERS CHANGE THEIR FIXED-RATE. IT'S BEEN REVEALED ONE OF THE 14 VICTIMS IN THE NEW ORLEANS TRUCK ATTACK WAS CLOSELY CONNECTED TO PRINCES WILLIAM AND HARRY'S FORMER NANNY. PRINCE WILLIAM SAYS HE AND WIFE CATHERINE ARE SHOCKED AND SADDENED BY THE DEATH OF EDWARD PETTIFER (31), SEEN HERE AT THE BACK, HEADING INTO MEGHAN AND HARRY'S WEDDING. HE WAS THE STEPSON OF TIGGY PETTIFER ` FORMERLY LEG-BIRKE ` WHO CARED FOR THE ROYALS IN THE 1990s. KING CHARLES IS UNDERSTOOD TO HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE PETTIFER FAMILY TO PASS ON HIS CONDOLENCES. SIX DAYS OF FUNERAL OBSERVATIONS FOR FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER HAVE BEGUN IN SOUTH GEORGIA. THE 100-YEAR-OLD DIED THERE ON DECEMBER 29. A FUNERAL PROCESSION TODAY SAW HIS COFFIN, DRAPED WITH THE AMERICAN FLAG, PROCEED THROUGH HIS HOMETOWN OF PLAINS. FORMER SECRET SERVICE AGENTS WHO WORKED WITH CARTER WALKED ALONGSIDE THE HEARSE. HE WAS THEN TAKEN TO ATLANTA, WHERE THE PUBLIC ARE ABLE TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS BEFORE HE'S TAKEN TO WASHINGTON FOR HIS FUNERAL ON FRIDAY, NZ TIME. WHERE HAS SUMMER GONE? THAT'S THE QUESTION ON MANY MINDS AFTER A COUNTRY-WIDE SHIFT TO COOLER, WETTER WEATHER OVER RECENT DAYS. WELLINGTON BORE THE BRUNT OF IT TODAY, WITH FERRY SAILINGS ONCE AGAIN CANCELLED DUE TO STRONG WINDS AND SWELLS, AND THERE WAS EVEN SOME SNOW IN THE NORTH ISLAND. BUT DON'T WORRY ` IT'S NOT THE END OF SUMMER YET, AS GRACE THOMAS EXPLAINS. SUMMER IN AOTEAROA APPARENTLY NOW MEANS SNOW ON DESERT ROAD. THIS IS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING. THIS WINTER WONDERLAND IS THANKS TO THE SOUTHERLIES AFFECTING MUCH OF THE COUNTRY IN RECENT DAYS. IT'S ADDED TO A COLD AND WET HOLIDAY PERIOD FOR WELLINGTONIANS TOO. I'M WEARING MY WINTER CLOTHES, DAMN IT, AND IT'S JUST EARLY JANUARY. IT'S 14 DEGREES HERE TODAY, AND WE'VE GOT 40 DEGREES BACK IN MELBOURNE, SO... BIT DIFFERENT. I'VE KIND OF JUST BEEN AT HOME MAJORITY OF MY HOLIDAYS. SOME COOK STRAIT FERRY CROSSINGS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED THIS WEEKEND AND TOMORROW BECAUSE OF STRONG WINDS AND BIG SWELLS. OVER THE PAST PROBABLY WEEK-ISH, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE, WE'VE HAD MORE SOUTHERLIES THAN NOT, AND THAT HAS CAUSED COOLER TEMPERATURES. JUST AWFUL WEATHER IN WELLINGTON, ESPECIALLY FOR EARLY MID-SUMMER ` WIND, SHOWERS, CHILLY TEMPERATURES, AND IT'S NOT MUCH BETTER IN PLACES LIKE HAWKE'S BAY. LUCKILY FOR THOSE IN AUCKLAND'S MISSION BAY TODAY, IT WAS LOOKING SLIGHTLY LESS GLOOMY, MANY SAVOURING THE SUN WHILE THEY CAN. IT'S BEEN ALL RIGHT ` HASN'T BEEN THE BEST, TO BE HONEST. I THINK THE SUN COMES OUT WHEN WE ALL GO BACK TO WORK. I WAS HOPING TO CATCH THE SUN, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN A LITTLE BIT DRIZZLY. WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BETTER WEATHER, BUT... AND YOU'RE SITTING HERE IN YOUR JUMPER? YES. YUP. STAYING WARM. THOSE WHO VENTURED FURTHER AFIELD HAPPIER WITH THEIR SUMMER TEMPS. ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL. WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? PAUANUI WITH MY SON. RIDING OUR OLD-SCHOOL BMX BIKES, PLAYING WITH OUR CHIHUAHUA, SURFING. WHEN IT'S A LITTLE BIT CLOUDY AND WINDY, LIKE IT IS HERE IN AUCKLAND RIGHT NOW, IT CAN BE EASY TO FORGET THAT MOST PLACES ACROSS AOTEAROA SAW ABOVE-AVERAGE TEMPERATURES FOR MOST OF EARLY DECEMBER. THERE'S NO MISTAKING THE DATA SAYS 1, 2 DEGREES WARMER THAN AVERAGE FOR THAT MONTH. IF THAT WEATHER WE HAD IN DECEMBER, IF WE COULD MAGICALLY MOVE THAT OVER TO, SAY, CHRISTMAS EVE, TO ABOUT MID-JANUARY, WE WOULD NOT BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS, THOUGH, EXPECT MORE SHOWERS AND CHILLY TEMPERATURES IN PARTS, ESPECIALLY FOR WELLINGTON AND HAWKE'S BAY. BUT DON'T WORRY ` CHRIS BRANDALINO SAYS IT DOESN'T MEAN WINTER'S COME EARLY. THE GUIDANCE STILL SUGGESTS AND TELLS US THAT THE TEMPERATURES WILL START TO REBOUND. THIS PATTERN BASICALLY GOES AWAY AS WE WORK OUR WAY THROUGH JANUARY, ESPECIALLY INTO FEBRUARY. ARE YOU HOPING FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE SUN? YES, DEFINITELY. HOPE SO. SUMMER'S JUST STARTING. LET'S GIVE IT MORE TIME AND SEE. AND HOPEFULLY THAT HAPPENS BEFORE EVERYONE'S DUE BACK IN THE OFFICE. AHEAD ON THREE NEWS ` WE FIND OUT WHO OR WHAT IS BEHIND THE MASSIVE NEW STRUCTURE TOWERING OVER STATE HIGHWAY 1 IN MANUKAU. IN SPORT ` THE BLACK CAPS MAKE SHORT WORK OF SRI LANKA IN THEIR FIRST ONE-DAYER IN WELLINGTON. MATT HENRY AND WILL YOUNG HAVE A GREAT DAY AT THE OFFICE. AND A SHOCK EARLY EXIT FROM THE ASB CLASSIC WOMEN'S FINAL FOR NAOMI OSAKA. WE'LL TELL YOU WHY. (PHONE CHIMES) SONG: # You # You've got what I need... # Thank you, Sam! You're welcome, Wendy. # You're like medicine to me... # VOICEOVER: Wonderful stories enter our stores every day. Find your wonderful. New World. IT LOOKS OUT OVER SH1 AND RAINBOW'S END IN AUCKLAND'S MANUKAU, BUT WHAT EXACTLY IS THE NEW TOWERING STONE BEHEMOTH OF A BUILDING? WHO BUILT IT, WHY IS IT SO MASSIVE, AND WHAT'S INSIDE? EXPLAINER-EDITOR LLOYD BURR WENT TO SOUTH AUCKLAND TO FIND OUT. IT'S ENORMOUS, BOLD, STRIKING. SOME WOULD SAY IT'S BEAUTIFUL, OTHERS THAT IT'S AN EYESORE. PERCHED ON THE HILL OVERLOOKING THE MOTORWAY, THE ROLLER COASTER AND AMUSEMENT RIDES IN CENTRAL MANUKAU, THIS NEW BUILDING DOMINATES THE SKYLINE. IT'S NOT A CATHEDRAL OR AN ABBEY OR A SCHOOL. IT'S A TEMPLE ` THE NEW AUCKLAND TEMPLE FOR THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS. IT'S COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE MORMON CHURCH, ALTHOUGH THEY PREFER PEOPLE DON'T USE THAT TERM THESE DAYS. IT WAS ANNOUNCED IN 2018. CONSTRUCTION STARTED IN 2020, AND SINCE THEN, IT'S EMERGED FROM THE GROUND AND NOW TOWERS 55M ABOVE IT. IT WILL BE OFFICIALLY OPENED IN APRIL BY THIS GUY ` ELDER PATRICK KEARON OF THE QUORUM OF THE 12 APOSTLES, WHICH IS A FANCY NAME FOR THE CHURCH'S TOP 12 LEADERS. IT WAS BUILT BY WESTLAND CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS A UTAH-BASED COMPANY THAT'S OWNED BY THE HAUGHTON FAMILY. THEY'RE PROMINENT WITHIN THE CHURCH, AND THEY'VE BUILT AROUND A DOZEN TEMPLES ALL AROUND THE WORLD. THE EARTHWORKS WERE DONE BY A KIWI COMPANY CALLED MIDGLEY DEVELOPMENTS, OWNED BY CHURCH MEMBER GAVIN MIDGLEY, WHO'S BASED IN NGARUAWAHIA. OTHER COMPANIES INVOLVED WERE THE WALKER GROUP ARCHITECTS, BECA CONSULTING, TOPLINE ROOFING AND METSPRAY. IT'S MADE OF STEEL BUT CLAD IN GRANITE SOURCED FROM CHINA. WE'RE NOT ALLOWED INSIDE, BUT IT'S NOT ONE SINGLE CAVERNOUS SPACE; INSTEAD, IT'S DIVIDED INTO ROOMS WITH SPECIAL PURPOSES CALLED ORDINANCE ROOMS. THERE'S ALSO A BAPTISTRY, WHERE FULL-IMMERSION BAPTISMS ARE PERFORMED. THIS IS THE SECOND TEMPLE FOR THE CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND. THE FIRST ONE WAS BUILT IN RURAL HAMILTON, AND THERE'S A THIRD ONE PLANNED FOR PORIRUA. THIS SITE WAS CHOSEN BECAUSE THERE'S A LARGE POPULATION OF CHURCH MEMBERS BASED IN SOUTH AUCKLAND, AND BECAUSE THE SITE IS WEDGED BETWEEN A MEETING HOUSE TO THE NORTH AND THEIR MISSIONARY TRAINING CENTRE TO THE SOUTH. AUCKLAND COUNCIL VALUES IT AT $36.9M. IT HAS HISTORICAL VALUE TOO. RIGHT BEHIND IT IS THE SITE OF THE ST JOHN'S REDOUBT, AN EARTH FORT BUILT IN 1863 FOR THE WAIKATO LAND WARS. A TEMPLE IS NOT WHERE REGULAR SUNDAY SERVICES ARE HELD. IT'S RESERVED FOR SPECIAL WORSHIP ONLY, AS WELL AS MARRIAGES AND BAPTISMS, AND ONLY CHURCH MEMBERS OF GOOD STANDING ARE EVER ALLOWED INSIDE. BUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC WILL BE ALLOWED TO HAVE TOURS FOR MOST OF MARCH BEFORE IT BECOMES OFF LIMITS FOLLOWING ITS DEDICATION IN APRIL. TIME NOW FOR A LOOK AT THE DAY'S SPORT. TAKE TO THE WATER. SUZUKI ULTIMATE OUTBOARDS AND THREE NEWS. THE BLACKCAPS HAVE GOT THEIR ODI SERIES AGAINST SRI LANKA OFF TO THE PERFECT START WITH A COMMANDING NINE-WICKET WIN IN WELLINGTON. MATT HENRY WAS THE CHIEF DESTOYER WITH THE BALL, HELPING CLEAN UP THE TOURISTS FOR JUST 178, WILL YOUNG THEN LEADING THE CHARGE, AS THE BLACKCAPS' TOP ORDER MADE EASY WORK OF THE RUN CHASE. GORDON FINDLATER WATCHED THE ACTION. AFTER WINNING THE TOSS ON A COLD, WINDY AND OVERCAST DAY IN WELLINGTON, IT WAS AN EASY CHOICE FOR THE BLACKCAPS TO BOWL FIRST. IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR THE DECISION TO REAP REWARDS. OH, LOBBED IT UP. LOBBED IT UP, AND IT'LL BE OUT. COMFORTABLE CATCH FOR SANTNER. KNOCKED HIM OVER! INSIDE EDGE ON TO LEG STUMP! THE BLACKCAPS BOWLERS STARTING STRONG, WITH TWO WICKETS INSIDE THE FIRST SIX OVERS. WORSE NEWS FOR SRI LANKA ` THE FIELDERS WERE ON THEIR GAME TOO. NOW GOTTA GO QUICKLY. THAT'S GONE! THAT IS ABSOLUTELY GONE! SANTNER'S GOT HIM. HE KNOWS IT TOO, KAMINDU. SRI LANKA DID REBUILD THROUGH AVINSHKA FERNANDO AND JANITH LIYANAGE. OH, THAT'S LOVELY. GOT ON TOP OF THE BOUNCE, DRIVEN THROUGH EXTRA COVER FOR FOUR. BUT ONCE THEIR FIFTH WICKET STAND OF 87 CAME TO AN END... THAT'S UP. BRACEWELL TAKES THE CATCH! ...IT ALL CAME QUICKLY TUMBLING DOWN FOR THE TOURISTS. AND THAT ONE IS GOING TO BE OUT, SURELY. YES, TAKEN BY SANTNER. SRI LANKA ALL OUT FOR JUST 178. KNICKED, CAUGHT BEHIND. THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL DELIVERY. MATT HENRY FINISHING THE BEST OF THE BOWLERS WITH 4/19. WALKING TO THE CREASE, RACHIN RAVINDRA AND WILL YOUNG WOULD'VE BEEN CONFIDENT OF MAKING LIGHT WORK OF THE SMALL TOTAL. PULLED AWAY. THAT'S FOUR ALL DAY LONG. THE OPENING PAIR NOT MUCKING AROUND, TAKING 70 FROM THE FIRST 10 OVERS. AND HE FINDS THE GAP. FOUR FIELDERS THERE FOR RAVINDRA. STILL GOOD ENOUGH TO FIND THE GAP AND PICK UP FOUR. THAT'S CLASSY STUFF. AND ALTHOUGH RAVINDRA WOULD FALL JUST SHY OF A HALF CENTURY, IT WASN'T A MISTAKE WILL YOUNG WOULD MAKE. OH, WOWSER. HOW HAS THAT GONE FOR FOUR? YOUNG PULLING OUT ALL THE TRICKS IN HIS KNOCK OF 90 NOT OUT, SEEING HIS SIDE HOME. IS IT GONNA GO? YES, IT IS. WE WANNA PUT ON A BIT OF A SHOW FOR THE CROWD. OBVIOUSLY A GREAT START HERE. PLENTY FOR THE BLACKCAPS TO SMILE ABOUT, AS THEY HEAD TO HAMILTON FOR GAME NUMBER TWO. NAOMI OSAKA HAS SUFFERED THE CRUELEST OF FATES IN THE ASB CLASSIC FINAL, FORCED TO RETIRE INJURED AFTER WINNING THE OPENING SET. TAKING ON FIFTH SEED CLARA TAUSON, OSAKA BROKE THE DANE'S SERVE TWICE IN THE OPENING EXCHANGES, THE WORLD NUMBER 57 GOING ON TO TAKE THE FIRST SET IN JUST OVER 40 MINUTES. BACK WHEN SHE NEED IT, CONTROL. THEY ONLY TAKE THE FIRST SET. SIX GAMES TO 4. THERE WERE NO CELEBRATIONS. NO MENU SHE HAD INJURED HERSELF DURING THE SET AND MADE THE DECISION TO RETIRE, HANDING THE TITLE OVER. LUCA HARRINGTON HAS CREATED HISTORY, BECOMING THE FIRST KIWI TO WIN A FREESTYLE SKIING BIG AIR WORLD CUP EVENT. THE 23-YEAR-OLD FROM WANAKA TOOK THE LEAD AFTER HIS OPENING RUN WITH A FLAWLESS SWITCH RIGHT TRIPLE CORK 1620. HIS SECOND RUN WAS EQUALLY IMPRESSIVE, STOMPING A RIGHT DOUBLE CORK 900 BRING-BACK WITH A JAPAN GRAB. THE COMBINED SCORES OF 182.60 ENOUGH TO GIVE HIM THE TITLE. I DON'T HAVE WORDS RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW? I'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD THIS YEAR, THE PAST FEW YEARS. MAKING FINALS HAS BEEN HUGE, AND TO PUT DOWN THESE TWO TRICKS TONIGHT AND WALK AWAY WITH THE WIN IS JUST THE MOST INSANE THING EVER AND THE BIGGEST DREAM COME TRUE, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL. MEANWHILE, ALICE ROBINSON HAS MADE A STRONG START TO HER YEAR, FINISHING THIRD AT THE F.I.S. GIANT SLALOM WORLD CUP EVENT IN SLOVENIA. ARSENAL'S PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE HOPES HAVE SUFFERED A SEISMIC BLOW, WITH A UNIQUE PENALTY HOLDING THEM TO A 1-1 DRAW WITH BRIGHTON. ARSENAL LOOKED LIKE THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO KEEP PRESSURE ON LEAGUE LEADERS LIVERPOOL WHEN THEY TOOK A 1-0 LEAD IN THE FIRST HALF. HOWEVER, THEY OPENED THE DOOR FOR BRIGHTON WHEN DEFENDER WILLIAM SALIBA CONCEDED A PENALTY AFTER MISTIMING A HEADER AND CATCHING HIS OPPONENT'S FACE. PEDRO WITH A PENALTY AGAINST DAVID. PEDRO SCORES! BRIGHTON ON THE HOUR MARK. THE RESULT MEANS LIVERPOOL ARE NOW FIVE POINTS CLEAR WITH TWO GAMES IN HAND. MEANWHILE, FOURTH-PLACED CHELSEA ALSO DROPPED POINTS THIS MORNING, HELD TO A 1-1 DRAW AT CRYSTAL PALACE. SHANE VAN GISBERGEN HAS FINISHED HIS SUMMER BREAK IN NEW ZEALAND ON A HIGH, FINISHING ON THE PODIUM IN LAST NIGHT'S FEATURE SPRINTCAR RACE AT WESTERN SPRINGS. SVG CAME HOME IN SECOND BEHIND DEAN COOPER. THE RACE WAS VAN GISBERGEN'S LAST BEFORE HEADING BACK TO THE UNITED STATES TO PREPARE FOR THE UPCOMING NASCAR SEASON. I'VE HAD A BLAST THIS SUMMER. IT'S BEEN REALLY COOL OUT HERE. AND TO DRIVE FOR UNITED TRUCK PARTS AND EVERYONE WHO'S HELPED US... IT'S BEEN AWESOM. MEANWHILE, BRAD MOSEN WAS UNABLE TO DEFEND HIS NEW ZEALAND MIDGET CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER THIS NASTY CRASH IN HIS OPENING HEAT. THE TITLE GOING OFFSHORE, WON BY AMERICAN BUDDY KOFOID. AN AMERICAN SURFER HAS RIDDEN WHAT COULD BE A WORLD-RECORD 33M WAVE, IN CALIFORNIA. ALLESANDRO SLEBIR RODE THE MONSTER WAVE AT THE FAMOUS MAVERICKS SURF SPOT SOUTH OF SAN FRANCISCO. A DECISION ON WHETHER IT WILL BECOME A WORLD RECORD WILL BE MADE BY GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS AND THE WORLD SURF LEAGUE. IF CONFIRMED, THE 23-YEAR-OLD WOULD ECLIPSE THE CURRENT RECORD BY 6M. STILL TO COME ON THREE NEWS ` FOLLOWING ON FROM OUR COLD SNAP, WE'LL SEE IF WE WILL BE GETTING ANY BEACH WEATHER IN OUR NEAR FUTURE. WELCOME BACK. YOU'RE WATCHING THREE NEWS. HERE ARE OUR TOP STORIES FOR YOUR SUNDAY EVENING. TWO NORTHLAND OFFICERS HAVE BEEN INJURED AFTER AN OUT-OF CONTROL CAR CRASHED INTO THEIR PATROL VEHICLE. THEIR BOSS SAYS IT'S LUCKY NO ONE DIED. AND THERE MAY BE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE FINANCIAL TUNNEL, WITH SOME ECONOMISTS PREDICTING AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE JOB MARKET IN THE SECOND HALF OF THIS YEAR. AND NAOMI OSAKA HAS BEEN FORCED TO RETIRE FROM THE ASB TENNIS CLASSIC FINAL WITH INJURY, HANDING THE TITLE TO DENMARK'S CLARA TAUSON. TIME NOW FOR A LOOK AT THE WEATHER. PLANNING A ROAD TRIP REMEMBER TO TAKE BREAKS, WATCH YOUR FOLLOWING DISTANCE AND PLAN YOUR ROUTE. AMI, BRINGING YOU THREE NEWS WITH. THE COUNTRY IS STILL UNDER A SOUTH TO SOUWEST FLOW TOMORROW, AND A LOW STILL SITS OUT TO THE EAST. FORTUNATELY, A RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE SOUTH ISLAND TOMORROW. THIS WILL EASE THAT SOUTHERLY FLOW AND HELP DELIVER MORE SETTLED WEATHER. JUST ISOLATED SHOWERS REMAINING TOMORROW FOR BULLER AND NELSON, BUT CLEARING FOR EVERYONE ELSE. NOT SO SETTLED WILL BE THE NORTH ISLAND. PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE TOMORROW CAN EXPECT AT LEAST A SHOWER OR TWO. IT WILL BE DRY, THOUGH, FOR NORTH TARANAKI AND NORTHLAND. SO DRY UP THE VERY TOP, BUT MORNING SHOWERS FOR WEST AUCKLAND, AND AFTERNOON SHOWERS FOR HAMILTON. EVERYONE STILL WITH A SOUTH OR SOUWESTER. MORNING IS THE BETTER PART OF THE DAY HERE, WITH CLOUD INCREASING AND THEN A FEW AFTERNOON SHOWERS. WINDS AGAIN FROM THE SOUTH OR SOUWEST. THE EAST CAN'T CATCH A BREAK THIS SUMMER ` ANOTHER DAY OF RAIN ON AND OFF AND SOMETIMES HEAVY. IT WILL EASE TO SHOWERS IN THE MORNING IN THE SOUTH. MOSTLY CLOUDY FOR THE REST OF THE NORTH WITH THE ODD SHOWER. NEW PLYMOUTH SHOULD REMAIN DRY. FRESH TO STRONG WINDS WILL EASE TOMORROW NIGHT. A CRACKER DAY FOR THE NORTHWEST OF THE SOUTH ` FINE ALL DAY WITH JUST THE CHANCE OF AN AFTERNOON SHOWER FOR NELSON. WINDS ARE ALMOST NON-EXISTENT. NOT QUITE AS CLEAR OUT EAST, BUT SUN WILL FEATURE. THERE ARE A FEW SHOWERS FOR KAIKOURA AND CHRISTCHURCH, WITH FRESH SOUWESTERLIES. AND LIKE THE NORTHWEST, THE REST OF THE SOUTH WILL BE BATHING IN SUNSHINE, WITH WINDS TURNING NORTHERLY TOMORROW NIGHT. ALEXANDRA THE WARMEST WITH 26. ANOTHER MONSTER HIGH IS SITTING RIGHT UNDER AUSTRALIA, JUST SHOWERS SKIRTING ROUND THE END OF THE SYSTEM. AND LOW PRESSURE DOMINATES THE PACIFIC WITH ANOTHER SHOWERY AND THUNDERY DAY AHEAD. TIME FOR A LOOK AT THE WEATHER AS WE HEAD INTO A NEW WEEK. THAT'S THREE NEWS FOR TONIGHT. THANKS FOR JOINING US. YOU CAN GET IN TOUCH BY EMAILING NEWSROOM@STUFF.CO.NZ OR HEAD TO THE STUFF WEBSITE. I'M HEATHER KEATS. POMARIE. AND WE'LL LEAVE YOU WITH SOME OF THE BEST WEATHER SHOTS WE'VE RECEIVED THIS WEEK. AS ALWAYS, THANKS FOR SENDING THEM IN. CAPTIONS BY FAITH HAMBLYN AND ALEX WALKER. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025.