FOOTBALL FERNS CAPTAIN ALI RILEY FOLLOWS UP LOSING HER HOME IN THE L.A. FIRES BY GAINING A PARTNER FOR LIFE. THE DEATH TOLL RISES SHARPLY AS AUTHORITIES WARN THE CATASTROPHIC CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE INTO NEXT WEEK. FEEDBACK ON ACT'S REGULATORY STANDARDS BILL CLOSES TONIGHT ` WHY CRITICS ARE URGING THE PUBLIC TO SWOT UP AND GET THEIR SUBMISSIONS IN. AND ` FEELING RIPPED OFF BY THE COLD, WET SUMMER? AND ` FEELING RIPPED OFF BY THE COLD, WET SUMMER? DON'T WORRY ` YOU'RE FAR FROM ALONE. CAPTIONS BY ALEX BACKHOUSE AND LENA ERAKOVICH. 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. TALK ABOUT FINDING A SILVER LINING IN THE WORLD'S BIGGEST ASH CLOUD ` FOOTBALL FERNS CAPTAIN ALI RILEY HAS MARRIED JUST DAYS AFTER LOSING HER HOUSE IN THE LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES. RILEY LED NEW ZEALAND AT THE WORLD CUP IN 2023, AND, AS SENIOR REPORTER JULIET SPEEDY EXPLAINS, SHE'S ONE OF A NUMBER OF KIWIS MAKING THE BEST OF A DIRE SITUATION. FROM HEARTBREAK, TO A HEARTFELT 'I DO'. (GUESTS CHEER) FOOTBALL FERNS CAPTAIN ALI RILEY GETTING MARRIED YESTERDAY, JUST DAYS AFTER HER L.A. HOME WAS RAZED TO THE GROUND. IT'S BEEN A REALLY BITTERSWEET TIME FOR THEM AS A FAMILY, BECAUSE JUST YESTERDAY SHE CELEBRATED HER WEDDING IN THE NORTH OF LOS ANGELES, SAFELY OUT OF HARM'S WAY. AND I TALKED TO HER FATHER EARLIER TODAY, AND HE SAID IT WAS A VERY JOYFUL EXPERIENCE WITH VERY HEIGHTENED EMOTIONS. AND ALI WAS JOINED BY A FEW OF HER FOOTBALL FERN FRIENDS AS WELL, SO, THAT WAS A LOVELY MOMENT TO HEAR ABOUT. JUST DAYS AGO, RILEY TOOK THIS VIDEO OF HER NEIGHBOURHOOD AFTER HER PALISADES HOME WAS DESTROYED IN THE WORST WILDFIRES IN LOS ANGELES HISTORY, HER DAD RELAYING THE NEWS OF HER WEDDING TO THE CONSULATE GENERAL. HE DID SHARE, THOUGH, WITH ME THAT HE HAD SUNG AN ELVIS PRESLEY SONG, 'CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU', AT THE WEDDING CEREMONY. SPECIAL MOMENTS IN A TRULY DARK PERIOD FOR CALIFORNIA, AND ONE THAT'S IMPACTED HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF NEW ZEALANDERS. SO WE'RE ESTIMATING ANYWHERE FROM 5,000 ` 10,000 KIWIS ARE LIVING OR TRAVELLING IN LOS ANGELES CURRENTLY. SHE KNOWS OF TWO HOMES LOST TO NEW ZEALANDERS, INCLUDING RILEY'S. BUT EVERYONE HAS A STORY, INCLUDING THE CONSULATE GENERAL HERSELF. IT WAS MY SON'S FIRST DAY BACK AT SCHOOL. THEY WERE ACTUALLY STILL JETLAGGED FROM THE NEW ZEALAND SUMMER HOLIDAYS, SO THEY'D DONE- THEY WERE ABOUT AN HOUR OR TWO INTO THE FIRST DAY. WE RECEIVED A CALL, UM, THAT THEY NEEDED TO BE EVACUATED. HER TWO BOYS GO TO SCHOOL IN THE HEART OF PACIFIC PALISADES, THE WORST-HIT AREA IN THE WILDFIRES. WE COULD TELL VERY EARLY ON THAT THIS WAS A SERIOUS SITUATION. SO MY PARTNER LEFT TO PICK UP THE KIDS, AND I HAVE TO SAY, THE TIME THAT I SPENT WAITING FOR THAT CONFIRMATION THAT HE HAD SAFELY GOT THE KIDS, FELT LIKE HOURS WHEN IT WAS REALLY SORT OF A MATTER OF 20 MINUTES. THEIR SCHOOL IS NOW LARGELY DESTROYED. AND LIKE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN LOS ANGELES, HER BOYS ARE IMPACTED. THEY'VE BEEN RATTLED. AND THEN, THE REALLY DIFFICULT THING FOR THEM TO COME TO TERMS WITH HAS BEEN THE IMPACT ON THEIR CLOSEST FRIENDS. SO, I WOULD ESTIMATE ABOUT HALF THE KIDS IN THE BOYS CLASSES HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES AND ALL THEIR POSSESSIONS. SO IT'S REALLY A DEVASTATING SITUATION. ST. ANDREW'S COLLEGE HERE IN CHRISTCHURCH CURRENTLY HAS A BASKETBALL TEAM OVER IN LOS ANGELES WHO HAVE HAD SOME OF THEIR PLANS INTERRUPTED BY THE FIRES. LIKE MOST NEW ZEALANDERS THERE, THEY ARE ALL OK, BUT KIWI TRAVELLERS NOW AND IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS ARE BEING URGED TO KEEP ACROSS UPDATES. LOG IN TO SAFETRAVEL, SO WE KNOW WHERE YOU ARE AND WE CAN REACH YOU WITH UPDATES AS WELL. FIRE AND EMERGENCY NEW ZEALAND STILL HASN'T HAD A REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE USA, BUT FIREFIGHTERS HERE ARE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON IT... IT'S ACTUALLY GOT SOME PARALLELS ` WITH THE WIND-DRIVEN FIRES FOR THEM, IS WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE. CANTERBURY SAW SOME WIND-DRIVEN FIRES EARLIER IN OUR SEASON AND IT'S THE SAME THING WHEN IT COMES OVER THE HILLS AND COMES DOWN. IT GETS A LOT HOTTER AND DRIER, AND THAT REALLY RAMPS UP THE FIRE ACTIVITY EXPONENTIALLY. ...FIRES THAT ARE STILL NOW HOLDING PARTS OF LOS ANGELES HOSTAGE. BUT THE COMMUNITY IS RALLYING TOGETHER ` AND LIKE ALI RILEY, THERE ARE SIGNS OF RESILIENCE AND LOVE TRIUMPHING OVER TRAGEDY. (GUESTS CHEER) ALMOST A WEEK INTO THE LOS ANGELES WILDFIRE DISASTER, AND IT MAY YET GROW LARGER ` FIREFIGHTERS ARE STILL BATTLING TO CONTAIN THE TWO MAJOR FIRES, AND OFFICIALS WARN THE RISK REMAINS 'VERY HIGH', WITH CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS CONTINUING INTO NEXT WEEK. THE DEATH TOLL HAS RISEN TO 24, AND ENTIRE STRETCHES OF THE CITY, FROM MALIBU TO PASADENA, ARE WITHOUT POWER, WATER AND COMMUNICATIONS. CHANNEL 4'S ALEX THOMSON HAS MORE. LA'S WEEK-LONG ATTRITIONAL BATTLE AGAINST THE FLAMES BEARS ITS SCARS ` THE ASH-CLOAKED MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA STRETCHING FOR THOUSANDS OF ACRES. SO MANY HOMES IN THE NEIGHBOURHOODS THEY ENCIRCLED OBLITERATED. BUT, CRITICALLY, THE WINDOW OF WEAKER WINDS HAS ALLOWED FIREFIGHTERS TO MAKE HUGE PROGRESS AGAINST ALL THE MAIN FIRES, THOUGH THERE REMAIN WARNINGS THAT HIGH WINDS MAY TEST THOSE GAINS. ELEVATED CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THESE WINDS, COMBINED WITH LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND LOW FUEL MOISTURES, WILL KEEP THE FIRE THREAT IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY VERY HIGH. MANDEVILLE CANYON ` HOUSES BUILT IN A DEEP CLEFT INTO THE MOUNTAINS ON THE VERY EDGE OF LOS ANGELES ` NOW A KEY HOTSPOT OF THE PALISADES FIRE. MOST BACK GARDENS HAVE FIRE CREWS STATIONED 24-7, IT SEEMS, WATCHING THE ADVANCING FLAMES. AS THESE FIREFIGHTERS HAVE PUT IT, EFFECTIVELY, THEY'RE TRIAGING THE HOUSES ` THIS ONE, THEY CONSIDER WELL WORTH SAVING. NEXT DOOR ` NOT SO GOOD. THERE ARE PILES OF LEAVES AND GAS TANKS. THEY'RE MUCH MORE SCEPTICAL ABOUT THAT HOUSE'S CHANCES. AND OF COURSE, EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE FIRES BURNING JUST 80m UP THE HILLSIDE. THESE FIREFIGHTERS DROVE THEIR APPLIANCES FOR TWO DAYS SOUTH FROM WASHINGTON STATE TO REINFORCE THE EFFORT HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. YOU'RE HERE NOW ` WHAT'S THE PLAN WITH REGARD TO PROTECTING THESE PROPERTIES? SO THIS BACKING FIRE THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GOING TO LET IT BACK DOWN TO HERE. WE'RE GOING TO STOP IT, AND DO OUR BEST TO STOP IT HERE AND PROTECT THE HOUSE. YOU LET IT COME ALL THE WAY DOWN AND THEN YOU STOP IT? YEP. WHY IS THAT? UM... BECAUSE, UP THERE, IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY HARD TO SECURE THAT WITH DOZERS OR HAND LINES OR ANYTHING. WE HAVE NICE CONCRETE STRUCTURES` BULLDOZERS, YEAH? ...HERE, SO IF WE CAN GET IT TO THAT, THEN WE CAN PUT IT OUT, AND WE KNOW IT'S NOT GOING TO GROW AND REKINDLE. AND IT'S NOT JUST NEIGHBOURING STATES GIVING SUPPORT ` 70 FIREFIGHTERS SENT BY MEXICO, THE COUNTRY FROM WHERE AROUND A THIRD OF ANGELENOS DESCEND. ITS CULTURE THE BEDROCK OF LA'S IDENTITY. THIS IS WHAT FRIENDS DO. THIS IS WHAT RELATIONSHIPS ARE ALL ABOUT. THEY'LL BE OUT ON THE LINES WITHIN THE NEXT 24, 36 HOURS. AND WE'RE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL. 3000 MILES AWAY, PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP, WHO HAS NEVER BEEN A FIREFIGHTER, ATTACKED THE STATE RESPONSE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. CALIFORNIA'S GOVERNOR, GAVIN NEWSOM, HAS INVITED TRUMP TO LA TO SEE THE DEVASTATION FOR HIMSELF. AS THE DEATH TOLL RISES, STORIES EMERGE, OF COURSE, OF THOSE WHO DIDN'T MAKE IT. 66-YEAR-OLD VICTOR SHAW'S BODY FOUND, HOSEPIPE IN HAND, IN THE ROAD OUTSIDE HIS ALTADENA HOME. SOME WHO CHOSE TO STAY, THOUGH, WERE MORE FORTUNATE. PALM TREES LIT UP ` LIKE, IT JUST LOOKED LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A MOVIE. TRISTIN PEREZ DEFIED EVACUATION ORDERS AND FOUGHT FLAMES AROUND HIS HOME. NEIGHBOURING HOUSES SUCCUMBED TO THE BLAZE, IGNITING STORED BULLETS AND GAS TANKS. SO NOW YOU HAVE BULLETS FLYING, GAS TANKS EXPLODING, EMBERS RAINING DOWN ` YOU CAN'T SEE ANYTHING. BREATHING'S UNBEARABLE. AND THAT'S JUST A SMALL SNIPPET OF WHAT I WAS EXPERIENCING IN MY STAY HERE. LA'S TRAFFIC PULSES ALONG THE ARTERIAL 405 FREEWAY, AND LIFE ROLLS ON. BUT THE PSYCHE, THE CONFIDENCE IS DENTED HERE UNDER THE LOOMING REMINDER OF THE THREAT. NEARLY 1000 INCARCERATED FIREFIGHTERS HAVE JOINED THE FRONT LINE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE LA FIRES. THEY'RE PRISONERS ` OR FORMER PRISONERS ` WHO ARE PART OF A LONG-RUNNING VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME LED BY CALIFORNIA'S CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT. THEY WORK ALONGSIDE CAREER FIREFIGHTERS AND ARE PAID A DAILY WAGE OF AROUND $10 TO $17 A DAY, PLUS $1 A DAY WHEN ON ACTIVE DUTY. CELEBRITY KIM KARDASHIAN IS CALLING FOR THEM TO BE PAID MORE, SAYING THEY'VE BEEN ON THE SAME PAY RATE SINCE 1984. SHE SAID IN AN INSTAGRAM POST THAT THE PRISONERS RISK THEIR LIVES ON THE JOB, AND SHE SEES THEM AS HEROES. A MAJOR NORTH ISLAND ROUTE WILL CLOSE FOR TWO MONTHS FROM TODAY FOR VITAL REPAIR WORK. MAINTENANCE ON THE DESERT ROAD BETWEEN TURANGI AND WAIOURU WILL INCLUDE RECONSTRUCTING 16KM OF ROAD AND REPLACING THE DECK OF A BRIDGE BUILT IN 1966. THE WORK HAS TO BE DONE DURING SUMMER MONTHS TO AVOID GROUND FROSTS. DETOURS ARE IN PLACE, AND WILL ADD 30-40 MINUTES TO THE JOURNEY. THE PRIME MINISTER'S CUTTING A TRIP TO THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES SHORT TO ATTEND THE FUNERAL OF A NELSON POLICE OFFICER. SNR SGT LYN FLEMING WAS STRUCK BY A CAR AND KILLED IN THE EARLY HOURS OF NEW YEAR'S DAY. HER COLLEAGUE, SNR SGT ADAM RAMSAY, WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. A MAN (32) HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH MURDER AND OTHER OFFENCES. FLEMING'S FUNERAL WILL BE HELD IN NELSON ON THURSDAY, AND CHRISTOPHER LUXON PLANS TO ATTEND. HE FLEW TO THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES TODAY TO WITNESS THE SIGNING OF A TRADE DEAL, BUT WILL RETURN ON THURSDAY MORNING. FEEDBACK ON THE REGULATORY STANDARDS BILL CLOSES TONIGHT, AND CRITICS ARE URGING THE PUBLIC TO MAKE A NOISE AND BE HEARD. THE PROPOSED GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION HAS BEEN SLAMMED AS 'DANGEROUS', WITH CONCERNS IT WILL ENTRENCH ACT PARTY IDEOLOGY IN THE COUNTRY'S CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK. BUT PROPONENTS SAY THERE'S NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. SENIOR CORRESPONDENT LISETTE REYMER REPORTS. FORGET BEACH DAYS AND BARBECUE SNAPS ` THIS SUMMER, TIKTOK WAS POLITIC-TOK-ING, FLOODED WITH TALK OF BILLS AND SUBMISSIONS. I KNEW POLITICS WAS ABOUT BEING SLIMY AND SNEAKY, BUT, DAVID SEYMOUR, YOU'VE OUTDONE YOURSELF. WHAT IS THE REGULATORY STANDARDS BILL? AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE? IT'S A TROJAN HORSE, AND WE NEED TO BE AWARE. AFTER THE TREATY PRINCIPLES BILL PROMPTED AN UNPRECEDENTED PUBLIC RESPONSE ON THE STREETS AND IN FORMAL SUBMISSIONS... (MEN CHANT) ...THE SPOTLIGHT IS NOW TURNING TO THE REGULATORY STANDARDS BILL... THIS IS A BIG DEAL. ...WHICH OUTLINES A SET OF PRINCIPLES WHICH WOULD BE USED TO ASSESS THE QUALITY OF NEW LAWS. THE CONSULTATION PERIOD HAS ALIGNED WITH SUMMER HOLIDAYS AND THE TREATY PRINCIPLES BILL CONSULTATION, AND NEW ZEALANDERS REALLY AREN'T AWARE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED. HOW MUCH THE BILL WILL IMPACT YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ASK. THOSE IN FAVOUR SAY... PROBABLY NOT A GREAT DEAL. IT'S A PROCESS THING, A TRANSPARENCY THING. BUT THOSE AGAINST ARE WARNING... THIS CAN EFFECTIVELY PUT A STRAITJACKET ON HOW GOVERNMENTS REGULATE IN THE FUTURE, AND THAT AFFECTS EVERY PERSON'S LIVES IN SOME WAY. PROFESSOR JANE KELSEY SAYS THE ACT PARTY IS PRIORITISING THE WRONG THINGS IN THE PROPOSED PRINCIPLES. IT'S SEEKING TO IMPOSE ITS IDEOLOGY ON EVERYONE ELSE, AND THAT MEANS... PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS BECOME PARAMOUNT, IT MEANS THAT SOCIAL AND CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC AND TIRITI BECOME LESS RELEVANT IN THE SPHERE OF MAKING LAW AND REGULATION INTO THE FUTURE. DR BRYCE WILKINSON HELPED TO FORM THE FOUNDATIONS OF AN EARLIER VERSION OF THE BILL, AND SAYS ITS MAIN PURPOSE IS TO INCREASE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY, DISMISSING ANY TALK OF IT BEING DANGEROUS. IT'S INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO ME. IT DOES NOT IMPEDE PARLIAMENTARY SOVEREIGNTY. IT DOES NOT STOP PARLIAMENT FROM PASSING ANYTHING. THE PUBLIC FEEDBACK WILL INFORM THE FINAL VERSION OF THE BILL, WHICH NATIONAL HAS SAID IT WILL SUPPORT. AND PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS ON THE TREATY PRINCIPLES BILL CLOSE TOMORROW AT LUNCHTIME AFTER PARLIAMENT'S JUSTICE SELECT COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY AGREED TO RE-OPEN THEM AFTER TECHNICAL ISSUES. INITIAL INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE COMMITTEE RECEIVED A RECORD 300,000 ONLINE SUBMISSIONS ` HALF OF WHICH CAME IN ON THE LAST DAY OF THE DEADLINE. IT WAS THE FIRST DAY BACK TO WORK FOR MANY ACROSS THE MOTU AFTER WHAT WAS... WELL, A DISMAL SUMMER WEATHER-WISE. WELLINGTON AND CHRISTCHURCH SEEMED TO COP THE WORST OF IT OVER THE THREE-WEEK CHRISTMAS PERIOD. IMOGEN WELLS ASKED PEOPLE LIVING THERE IF THEY'RE FEELING RIPPED OFF. AFTER A NOT-SO-SUNNY SUMMER, THINGS WERE STILL PRETTY GREY IN WELLINGTON AS MANY HEADED BACK TO THE OFFICE. SLOW MORNING SO FAR, BUT IT HELPS THAT IT'S SHIT WEATHER, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT MISSING OUT. OPTIMISTICALLY, HAVE MY SUNGLASSES, BUT YEAH, IT'S COLD. IT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT, IS IT, FOR SUMMER? THEY SAY YOU CAN'T BEAT WELLINGTON ON A GOOD DAY, BUT LOCALS RECKON THOSE HAVE BEEN FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. WE'VE HAD THREE GOOD DAYS, I THINK, AND THAT'S IT. IT'S COLD. SOME DAYS WERE SUNNIER, SOME WERE CLOUDY, SOME WERE RAINY. IRONICALLY, I WENT TO CHRISTCHURCH, AND I THINK WELLINGTON AND CHRISTCHURCH HAD THE WORST WEATHER, SO I'VE HAD BOTH. YEAH, AND WE GOT CAUGHT UP WITH THE FERRY DISRUPTIONS AND THINGS ` ON THE WAY, OUR FERRY WAS CANCELLED, AND THEN ON THE WAY BACK, WE WERE ON ONE OF THOSE REALLY ROUGH SAILINGS, SO... YEAH. SPEAKING OF CHRISTCHURCH, UNLESS YOU WERE A SURFER, THE SUMMER SENTIMENT WAS PRETTY SIMILAR IN THE GARDEN CITY TODAY. SHOCKING. IT FELT LIKE WINTER MOST OF THE TIME. TERRIBLE. (CHUCKLES) ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. WET, WINDY... CLOUDY. YEAH. NO GOOD. HAVEN'T HAD A SUMMER. OVER THE LAST THREE WEEKS, TEMPERATURES IN CHRISTCHURCH HAVE ONLY TOPPED 22 DEGREES TWICE, THE METSERVICE CONFIRMING IT'S BEEN A BELOW-AVERAGE SUMMER. IT'S A CLASSIC STORY OF LOW PRESSURE TO THE EAST OF US DRIVING COLD AIR UP AND ACROSS NEW ZEALAND, AND WITH THAT EASTERLY COMPONENT, IT'S BEEN FEEDING THE CLOUD AND THE COOL TEMPERATURES IN TOWARDS PARTICULARLY THOSE EASTERN AREAS OF THE COUNTRY. AND IF YOU'RE LIVING IN OUR SECOND AND THIRD BIGGEST CITIES, IT COULD BE PUFFA JACKETS IN JANUARY FOR A WEE WHILE YET. WE'LL FIND, AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE WEEK A BIT MORE IN THE WAY OF SUNSHINE, SO, HOPEFULLY A BIT OF DRIER, BRIGHTER WEATHER, BUT IT PROBABLY WON'T BE UNTIL THE END OF THE WEEK WE START TO FIND THOSE TEMPERATURES THAT CLIMB BACK UP. GOOD NEWS FOR THOSE WANTING TO STILL SOAK UP SOME SUN... FINGERS CROSSED FOR BETTER WEATHER, YEAH. ...EVEN IF WE'RE NOW BACK TO WORK. AND GRACE IS HERE NOW WITH MORE ON JUST HOW UNUSUAL THESE COOLER TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN. KIA ORA, GRACE. HERE'S A LOOK AT THE FIRST 10 DAYS OF 2025 AND HOW DIFFERENT FROM NORMAL THE TEMPERATURES WERE. IT WAS COLDER ACROSS THE BOARD FOR THE NORTH ISLAND ` GISBORNE 4.7 DEGREES COLDER THAN AVERAGE, AND WELLINGTON 2.9 DEGREES COLDER. THE WEST COAST OF THE SOUTH ISLAND ACTUALLY SAW WARMER THAN AVERAGE TEMPERATURES, BUT IT WAS CHILLY RIGHT ALONG THE EAST, AND THOSE COOL TEMPERATURES CONTINUE THIS WEEK. I'LL HAVE THE FULL FORECAST AFTER SPORT. COMING UP ` DONALD TRUMP'S INAUGURATION IS JUST OVER A WEEK AWAY, SO WHAT CAN WE EXPECT ON DAY ONE OF HIS SECOND TERM? AN UNPRECEDENTED RISK TO LIFE ON EARTH ` WHY SCIENTISTS ARE SO CONCERNED ABOUT ATTEMPTS TO MIRROR BACTERIA. AND LATER ` THE QUESTION YOU'VE NO DOUBT SPENT ALL SUMMER AT THE BEACH PONDERING ` DO DOLPHINS HAVE ACCENTS? VOICEOVER: I loooove you, insurance! That's what you think when you need to use it. But no one ever thinks that before they have to use it. So, we're making it simpler to get. Simple to change. Simply helpful. And simple to claim. More yeps, less nah's. And not freaky to pay for. So how do you feel about insurance now? We'll take it! State. # Ohhh! # WE'RE NOW JUST OVER A WEEK AWAY FROM DONALD TRUMP'S INAUGURATION ` THE PRESIDENT-ELECT HAS PROMISED TO MAKE HEADS SPIN AS HE MOVES FULL SPEED INTO HIS SECOND TERM. BUT HIS OATH OF OFFICE IS SET TO DRAW THE ATTENTION OF MILLIONS REGARDLESS. SENIOR CORRESPONDENT LISETTE REYMER REPORTS. EVERY FOUR YEARS ON THE 20TH OF JANUARY, THE U.S. CAPITOL PLAYS HOST TO HISTORY OF THE HIGHEST ORDER, WITH THE PRESIDENT SWORN INTO OFFICE AND A NEW ERA OF OVAL OCCUPANCY USHERED IN. FOR MR TRUMP, IT WILL BE A VERY BIG EVENT. IT'S CERTAINLY` LIKE HIM OR DISLIKE HIM, IT'S AN INCREDIBLE POLITICAL COMEBACK. UNLIKE TRUMP IN 2021, PRESIDENT BIDEN WILL BE THERE, COMMITTED TO A PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER. THAT'S WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL GATHER IN THE MALL ` HOW MANY OF THEM TURN OUT WILL NO DOUBT BE DEBATED. THIS WAS THE LARGEST AUDIENCE TO EVER WITNESS AN INAUGURATION ` PERIOD. AND AMID ALL THE POMP, PERFORMANCE AND PROTOCOL, TRUMP WILL GIVE HIS INAUGURAL ADDRES OUTLINING HIS SECOND-TERM PRIORITIES OFTEN IN POLITICS, IT'S NOT WHAT PEOPLE SAY THEY'RE GOING TO DO, IT'S HOW THEY REACT TO UNSCRIPTED OR UNANTICIPATED SITUATIONS. MR TRUMP IS GOING TO GET SOMETHING ALONG THE LINE THAT HE HASN'T BARGAINED FOR, AND IT WILL BE HOW HE RESPONDS TO THAT THAT MAY DETERMINE` IT MAY EVEN SHAPE HIS PRESIDENCY. HE'S ALREADY MADE IT CLEAR THERE WILL BE A BLIZZARD OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS. TRUMP: HE SAYS 'YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE A DICTATOR, ARE YOU?' I SAID, 'NO, NO, NO ` OTHER THAN DAY ONE.' HERE'S WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA ` IMPOSING TARIFFS ON IMPORTED GOODS, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM CHINA... TO ME, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WORD IN THE DICTIONARY IS 'TARIFF'. ...SETTLING THE WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE... I'LL HAVE THAT DONE IN 24 HOURS. I'LL HAVE IT DONE. ...DEPORTING RECORD NUMBERS OF ILLEGAL MIGRANTS AND ROLLING BACK ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS, INCREASING PRODUCTION OF U.S. FOSSIL FUELS... WE'RE CLOSING THE BORDER AND WE'RE DRILLING, DRILLING, DRILLING. ...AND PARDONING HIS SUPPORTERS WHO RIOTED AT THE CAPITOL. WOULD YOU PARDON THOSE PEOPLE? WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN` OH, ABSOLUTELY, I WOULD. YOU WOULD PARDON THOSE`? IF THEY'RE INNOCENT, I WOULD PARDON THEM. THEY'VE BEEN CONVICTED. GIVEN TRUMP WILL BE THE FIRST SITTING PRESIDENT WITH A FELONY CONVICTION, HAVING FALSIFIED BUSINESS RECORDS, HE COULD ALSO PARDON HIMSELF. I THINK IT'S REGRETTABLE THAT MR BIDEN HAS PARDONED HIS SON, BECAUSE IN A SENSE, THAT SORT OF PREVENTS THE DEMOCRATS NOW FROM REBUKING MR TRUMP IF HE STARTS PARDONING HIMSELF AND OTHER PEOPLE. THEY'VE GOT NO LEG TO STAND ON, BASICALLY. DONALD TRUMP HAS PROMISED A BIG SPLASH ON DAY ONE ` THE REST OF THE WORLD IS NOW BRACING FOR THE MOP-UP. LEADING SCIENTISTS HAVE CALLED FOR ANY EFFORTS TO MAKE 'MIRROR BACTERIA' IN A LABORATORY TO STOP, WARNING THAT IT WOULD PRESENT AN 'UNPRECEDENTED RISK' TO LIFE ON EARTH. DESPITE BEING MANY YEARS AWAY FROM REALITY, THEY FEAR THE SYNTHETIC BACTERIA, WHICH MIRRORS MOLECULES FOUND IN NATURE, COULD BE INVISIBLE TO ANYTHING THAT COULD KILL IT, ENABLING IT TO SPREAD WITHOUT CHECK ` THAT WOULD PUT HUMANS, ANIMALS AND PLANTS AT CONTINUOUS RISK OF LETHAL INFECTIONS. HERE'S ITV'S JANE DEITH. MOLECULES ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF ALL PLANT, ANIMAL AND HUMAN LIFE, BUT THE POTENTIAL TO MAKE MIRROR IMAGES OF MOLECULAR ORGANISMS IN THE LAB COULD UNLEASH UNSTOPPABLE INFECTIONS, RISKING LIFE ON EARTH, SCIENTISTS WARN. MOLECULES FOR LIFE EXIST IN EITHER A LEFT-HANDED OR RIGHT HANDED FORM. DNA, FOR EXAMPLE, IS RIGHT-HANDED. SCIENTISTS ARE BEGINNING TO EXPLORE ONE DAY CREATING ARTIFICIAL MIRROR-IMAGE VERSIONS OF ORGANISMS LIKE BACTERIA TO ADVANCE SCIENCE AND MEDICINE. BUT A GROUP OF EXPERTS, INCLUDING NOBEL-PRIZE WINNING BIOLOGISTS, IS WARNING SUCH SYNTHETIC MIRROR BACTERIA COULD POTENTIALLY EVADE ANIMAL ` INCLUDING OUR HUMAN IMMUNE DEFENCES ` AND THOSE OF PLANTS. WHEN NATURAL BACTERIA ENTER THE HUMAN BODY, OUR ANTIBODIES ATTACK IT BY RECOGNISING ITS PROTEINS. HOWEVER, IF THE BACTERIA STRUCTURE WERE FLIPPED, OUR ANTIBODIES WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO RECOGNISE IT AND ACTIVATE DEFENCES. IT WOULD BE LIKE TRYING TO SHAKE SOMEONE'S LEFT-HAND WITH YOUR RIGHT-HAND. IT JUST WOULDN'T FIT. THE BACTERIA MIGHT BE ABLE TO SPREAD EASILY IN HUMANS AND IN NATURE. PROFESSOR NICK TALBOT HAS JOINED 37 LEADING SCIENTISTS WHO ARE CALLING FOR A HALT IN RESEARCH INTO MIRROR MICROBES, WARNING THAT IF THEY ESCAPE THE LAB, AND LEAKS CAN HAPPEN, THEY'D BE VERY HARD TO STOP. OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM WORKS BY CREATING ANTIBODIES, OR THROUGH HAVING RECEPTORS WHICH ARE ABLE TO DETECT MOLECULES LIKE A LOCK IN A KEY. AND OF COURSE, IF YOU'VE GOT A MOLECULE IN THE OPPOSITE HANDEDNESS, THEN IT CAN'T LOCK INTO A RECEPTOR, SO IT CAN'T BE SEEN. SO YOU END UP WITH AN ORGANISM WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY STEALTH-LIKE. SO WOULD IT SWEEP THROUGH THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE? THIS WOULD PROBABLY HAPPEN QUITE SLOWLY, BUT I DON'T REALLY WANT ANYONE TO HAVE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS ABOUT THIS. I THINK THAT WE HAVE MANY YEARS TO PREPARE FOR THIS TYPE OF RESEARCH, AND TO THINK VERY CAREFULLY ABOUT WHETHER IT SHOULD HAPPEN AT ALL. DOCTOR KATE ADAMALA WAS WORKING TOWARDS ENGINEERING MIRROR CELLS FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH. NOW SHE ARGUES AGAINST IT. IT WAS DEFINITELY A COOL IDEA, BUT THERE IS NO WAY TO DO IT SAFELY. IF YOU MAKE SOMETHING, THEN OTHER PEOPLE WILL BE WORKING ON IT AND THEN IT BECOMES SUSCEPTIBLE TO OTHER PEOPLE DOING THINGS NOT NECESSARILY CORRECTLY. SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT IF SOMEONE MAKES A MISTAKE, THEY COULD POTENTIALLY EITHER RELEASE IT OR NEGATE SOME OF THOSE SAFEGUARDS. SO THE ONLY SAFE MIRROR CELL IS A MIRROR CELL THAT DOESN'T EXIST. AND THEY DON'T EXIST YET. BUT THE CRITICS OF THE SCIENCE SAY WHILE THE CHANCES OF SOMETHING GOING WRONG ARE REMOTE, THE RISKS ARE REAL. STILL TO COME ` SOME OF THE MOST FAMOUS SPECS IN SHOWBIZ GO UNDER THE HAMMER AND FETCH AN EYE-POPPING AMOUNT. CAN OUR OWN JULIET SPEEDY FIND HER WAY OUT OF CANTERBURY'S NEWEST TOURIST ATTRACTION? AND WHY SOME PEOPLE PREFER TO REMAIN LOST. AND THE FIRST BIG NAME FALLS AT THE AUSSIE MEN'S OPEN ` FORMER FINALIST STEFANOS TSITSIPAS IS KNOCKED OUT IN FOUR SETS. (ENGINE REVS) Oh. OK, turn off the car. (PHONE RINGS) GIRL: Dad! Hey, man. Long time no talk. Yeah, just... I'm teaching Samara how to drive. (BRIGHT MUSIC) Hi! Could you do something for me? SONG: # Oh, baby, you... # Thanks. # You've got what I need # You got everything I need # You're like medicine to me... # VOICEOVER: Wonderful stories enter our stores every day. Find your wonderful. New World. THIS IS THREE NEWS ` IF YOU'VE JUST JOINED US, HERE ARE OUR TOP STORIES SO FAR TONIGHT. FOOTBALL FERNS CAPTAIN ALI RILEY HAS MARRIED JUST DAYS AFTER LOSING HER HOUSE IN THE LOS ANGELES WILDFIRES. RILEY'S ONE OF A NUMBER OF KIWIS MAKING THE BEST OUT OF A DIRE SITUATION. FIREFIGHTERS ARE STILL BATTLING TO CONTAIN THE TWO MAJOR FIRES, AND OFFICIALS WARN THE RISK REMAINS 'VERY HIGH', WITH CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS CONTINUING INTO NEXT WEEK. AND FEEDBACK ON ACT'S REGULATORY STANDARDS BILL CLOSES TONIGHT ` AND CRITICS ARE URGING THE PUBLIC TO SWOT UP AND GET THEIR SUBMISSIONS IN. A FIRE IN A RESTAURANT IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC HAS KILLED SIX PEOPLE AND INJURED EIGHT OTHERS. MORE THAN 60 FIREFIGHTERS WERE NEEDED TO CONTROL THE BLAZE, WHICH BEGAN WHEN AN OVERTURNED GAS HEATER EXPLODED. 30 PEOPLE WERE SAFELY EVACUATED FROM THE RESTAURANT AND A NEIGHBOURING APARTMENT BUILDING. A TROPICAL STORM HAS HIT THE FRENCH TERRITORY OF MAYOTTE JUST WEEKS AFTER A CYCLONE CAUSED WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION. PEOPLE WERE ORDERED TO STAY INDOORS AND STORE FOOD AND WATER AMID HEAVY RAINS, STRONG WINDS, AND FLOODING. MAYOTTE HAD ONLY JUST STARTED THE PROCESS OF REBUILDING AFTER CYCLONE CHIDO STRUCK IN MID-DECEMBER. 39 PEOPLE WERE KILLED, AND MORE THAN 200 ARE STILL MISSING. ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS PAIRS OF GLASSES IN BRITISH ENTERTAINMENT HAS SOLD FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. ERIC MORECAMBE, OF THE COMEDY DUO MORECAMBE AND WISE, WAS RARELY SEEN WITHOUT HIS THICK-RIMMED SPECS. AND NOW THEY, AND A HOST OF HIS OTHER BELONGINGS, HAVE BEEN SNAPPED UP AT AUCTION. ITV'S WILL TULLIS HAS MORE. # BRING ME SUNSHINE # IN YOUR SMILE... THEY WERE ONE OF BRITAIN'S BEST-LOVED COMEDY DUOS, RENOWNED AND REVERED IN MILLIONS OF HOUSEHOLDS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. IT MAY BE DECADES SINCE MORECAMBE AND WISE GRACED THE NATION'S TV SCREENS, BUT THIS WEEK ERIC MORECAMBE'S FAMILY GAVE FANS THE CHANCE TO TAKE HOME THEIR OWN PIECES OF ENTERTAINMENT HISTORY, PUTTING SOME OF HIS POSSESSIONS UP FOR AUCTION. YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIT LIKE REHOMING A PET. YOU WANT IT TO BE LOVED, YOU WANT IT TO BE CHERISHED AND NOT JUST PUT IN A DRAWER, OR IN THE BACK ROOM OF A MUSEUM, OR ON A SKIP, FRANKLY. AMONG THE ITEMS UP FOR GRABS INCLUDE HIS OBE, WHICH SOLD FOR �11,000. ALSO SOLD ` A HELMET GIFTED TO HIM BY THE FORMULA 1 DRIVER JAMES HUNT, BUT THE MOST COVETED AND EXPENSIVE OBJECT SOLD ` ERIC MORECAMBE'S ICONIC GLASSES. �20,000! (SCATTERED APPLAUSE) SOLD! (CHEERING) THEY HAVE NOW SOLD FOR FIVE TIMES THE PRICE THEY WERE EXPECTED TO FETCH. SUCH IS THE IMPACT THAT MORECAMBE AND WISE MADE, AND SUCH IS THE INTEREST STILL NOW, THAT INTEREST IN THE AUCTION HAS BEEN OUR MOST POPULAR EVER RECEIVED SALE. WHILE ERIC MORECAMBE'S FAMILY BIDS FAREWELL TO THESE OBJECTS, THEY NOW GET NEW HOMES AND A NEW LEASE OF LIFE THROUGH THE FANS THAT BOUGHT THEM. IF YOU'RE STRUGGLING TO FIND ACTIVITIES FOR THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS, A LITTLE SPOT IN NORTH CANTERBURY COULD BE JUST THE TICKET. ONE FAMILY HAS TAKEN INSPIRATION FROM THE GROWING POPULARITY OF AGRITOURISM IN THE U.S., AND HAS GROWN A CORN MAZE. AND AS SENIOR REPORTER JULIET SPEEDY DISCOVERED, NOT EVERYONE'S IN A HURRY TO FIND THEIR WAY OUT. WELL, WE'RE GOING` IS THIS THE RIGHT WAY? SOME PARENTS MAY BE STARTING TO GET A LITTLE OVER THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS. DAD: I'M GOING THIS WAY. OH! WELL, HERE'S A WAY YOU CAN KINDLY TELL THE KIDS TO... GET LOST. WE COULDN'T FIND THE MAZE AGAIN AND GOT TOTALLY LOST. IN THIS LITTLE PATCH OF SWANNANOA IN NORTH CANTERBURY, THERE'S CORN AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE. VISUALLY, IT'S REALLY NICE. YEAH. VERY NICE, VERY NICE. BUT FROM THE AIR, YOU'LL SEE THIS IS AN EPIC MAIZE MAZE ` THE BRAINCHILD OF ANDREW McALLISTER. I WAS LOOKING AT WHAT THEY DO IN AMERICA WITH THE AGRITOURISM BUSINESS OVER THERE, AND IT'S PRETTY BIG ` NOT SO POPULAR HERE AS OF YET. BUT THIS PLACE MAY CHANGE THAT. DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF EXPECTATIONS, BUT IT WAS IT WAS A REALLY GOOD... REALLY GOOD MAZE. THERE ARE, IN FACT THREE MAZES ` A SUNFLOWER MAZE, A KIDS' MAZE, AND THEN THE BIG MAZE, WHERE ROWS OF TOWERING CORN HAVE TRANSFORMED INTO A TRICKY LABYRINTH. AND TURNS OUT IT'S MORE LIKE A COB OF CORN THAN A PIECE OF CAKE. WE ARE IN SOME KIND OF CORN MAZE, AND WE'RE PHENOMENALLY LOST. WE GET PROBABLY 30% OF THE PEOPLE WALKING BACK OUT THE ENTRANCE, WHICH MEANS THEY'VE... UH, FAILED. WE WERE IN THERE FOR, LIKE, AN HOUR AND A HALF. IT WAS REALLY TRICKY. I THINK WE STARTED HERE TUESDAY` AND, UH, WHAT'S TODAY NOW? BOY: FRIDAY. YEAH, WE'VE GONE THROUGH ALL OF OUR RATIONS. I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF PHONE CALLS FROM SLIGHTLY STRESSED-OUT PARENTS. THE PARENTS THEMSELVES ARE PROBABLY ONLY STRESSED BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE STARTING TO LOSE THE PLOT. THE KIDS WOULD DISAGREE. IT WAS LIKE` IT WAS HITTING US IN THE FACE, AND ME AND MY BROTHER LOVED IT, BUT MY MUM WAS LIKE, 'ARGH! THIS IS THE WORST DAY EVER.' AND AS FOR THE TEENAGERS... A LITTLE BIT OF ROMANCE OUT THERE OCCASIONALLY, I THINK ` A COUPLE OF TEENAGERS PLAYING UP. (CHUCKLES) UM... A LITTLE BIT OF SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE, THEN. (CHEERING) AND IF YOU'RE LUCKY, YOU'LL GET HOME AT THE END OF IT. I'M WITH HER MUM. I THINK IT WOULD BE PRETTY STRESSFUL. I'M I'M GLAD THEY MADE IT HOME OLLIE'S HERE WITH SPORT NEXT ` AND ONE OF THE BIG NAMES HAS ALREADY FALLEN AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN? SOME OF THE BIG NAMES ARE FALLING AND SOME OF THE BIG NAMES THROUGH AS MOST OF THE BIG NAMES DO IT EASY. PLUS ` CREWS HIT THE WATER AHEAD OF AUCKLAND'S SAILGP DEBUT ` WHY THIS WEEKEND'S RACING IS SET TO BE THE FASTEST YET. AND HOW A GROUP OF PART-TIME FIFTH-TIER PLAYERS ALMOST STUNNED ONE OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE BIG GUNS IN THE FA CUP. ARYNA SABALENKA HAS MADE THE PERFECT START IN HER BID FOR A THIRD CONSECUTIVE AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLE ` THE WORLD NUMBER ONE PUTTING IN A DOMINANT DISPLAY DURING HER FIRST-ROUND WIN OVER SLOANE STEPHENS. THE FIRST BIG UPSET OF THE TOURNAMENT HAS ALSO BEEN SERVED UP TODAY ` 2023 FINALIST STEFANOS TSITSIPAS BUNDLED OUT BY 20-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN ALEX MICHELSEN. GORDON FINDLATER HAS THE ACTION. ARYNA SABALENKA HAS ALREADY FOUND HER GROOVE AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN... (PUMPING TECHNO) (CROWD CLAPS) ...AND THE TWO-TIME DEFENDING CHAMPION WAS ALSO DANCING ON THE COURT DURING HER FIRST-ROUND WIN. (GROANS) THE BELARUSSIAN MAKING LIGHT WORK OF FORMER U.S. OPEN CHAMPION SLOANE STEPHENS. SHE USED HER TRADEMARK POWER ` (GROANS) LET'S GO! BUT THE WORLD NUMBER ONE DIDN'T JUST ROAR LIKE A TIGER, SHE HAD THE POISE TO GO WITH IT, CONSTANTLY CATCHING HER OPPONENT OFF-GUARD. CROWD: OOOOH! THE 6-3, 6-2 VICTORY TAKING HER JUST ONE HOUR AND 11 MINUTES. THE TWO-TIME DEFENDING CHAMPION... ...IS UP AND RUNNING. SABALENKA MORE THAN CONFIDENT IN HER BID TO BECOME THE FIRST WOMAN SINCE MARTINA HINGIS IN 1999 TO WIN THREE CONSECUTIVE AUSTRALIAN OPEN TITLES. LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT AFTER I FINISH THE TOURNAMENT, HOPEFULLY WITH A THREE-PEAT ` AND THEN I CAN TELL YOU WHICH ONE WAS THE TOUGHEST ONE. HER TWO BIGGEST RIVALS ALSO MADE STRONG STARTS IN THEIR CAMPAIGNS TODAY. C'MON! JUST TOO GOOD. WORLD NUMBER THREE COCO GAUFF HARDLY TROUBLED BY FELLOW AMERICAN SOFIA KEENAN ` IN FACT, THE ONLY THING CAUSING HER ISSUES WAS HER OUTFIT. IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF A PAIN TO GET INTO, BECAUSE IT IS A BODYSUIT, GUYS. SO I HAVE TO, LIKE, PUT THE BOTTOM PART FIRST AND THEN PULL IT LIKE OVER MY HEAD ` IT'S KIND OF A STRUGGLE. AND IF YOU CAN'T HOLD YOUR BLADDER, IT'S ALSO NOT A GREAT IDEA. (LAUGHS) SWIATEK WAS ALSO UNTROUBLED IN THE FIRST ROUND, WINNING STRAIGHT SETS. SWIATEK IS UP AND RUNNING AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN. THE BIGGEST SHOCK OF THE DAY CAME IN THE MEN'S DRAW ` OHH! MICHELSEN MAGIC IN MELBOURNE. ASB CLASSIC QUARTER-FINALIST ALEX MICHELSEN SENDING 11TH SEED STEFANOS TSITSIPAS PACKING IN FOUR SETS. THE FIRST SURPRISE SPRUNG IN MELBOURNE... DON'T EXPECT IT TO BE THE LAST. SPECTATORS ARE SET TO BE TREATED TO THE FASTEST SAILGP RACING YET, WITH NEW FOILS TO BE ROLLED OUT ON THE F50s THAT COULD SEE BOATS REACH SPEEDS OF MORE THAN 100km/h. TEAMS HIT THE WATER FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY, AHEAD OF AUCKLAND'S DEBUT ON THE SAILGP CALENDAR THIS WEEKEND. AND WITH NEW ALUMINIUM FOILS TO BE INTRODUCED, TEAMS ARE EXPECTING TO REACH NEW HEIGHTS. IF WE GET CONDITIONS LIKE WE ARE TODAY, WITH ALL 12 TEAMS PUSHING ON THAT FIRST REACH, I THINK WE WILL SEE THE 100 K BARRIER BEING BROKEN. THE IMAGE OF HAVING THOSE BOATS COME OFF THE START LINE, THAT IS SOMETHING YOU DON'T SEE IN ANY OTHER SAILING EVENT. THE BLACK FOILS ARE THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS ON HOME WATERS, HAVING WON LAST SEASON'S EVENT IN CHRISTCHURCH. PHOENIX STALWART AND FAN FAVOURITE DAVID BALL HAS BEEN GRANTED A RELEASE FROM HIS CONTRACT WITH SIX MONTHS STILL TO RUN. THE CLUB AND BALL MUTUALLY AGREED TO END HIS TIME IN THE CAPITAL, BRINGING DOWN THE CURTAIN ON A SUCCESSFUL FIVE AND A HALF YEARS AT THE CLUB. BALL HAS ONLY FEATURED ONCE FOR THE NIX THIS SEASON, AND IS SAD TO HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE. IT'S BEEN PROBABLY THE SIX BEST YEARS OF MY CAREER, THIS EXPERIENCE, LIKE DON SAYS HERE, WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT, WHEN I FIRST CAME OUT, MOVING TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD, BUT I'VE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF BEING AT THE FOOTBALL CLUB. BALL SCORED 15 GOALS AND ASSISTED ON 26 OTHERS FOR THE PHOENIX IN ALL COMPETITIONS. THE PHOENIX WOMEN HAVE SUFFERED THE EXACT SAME FATE GOING DOWN 2-1 TO ADELAIDE UNITED. IT ALL UNRAVELLED FOR THE PHOENIX JUST BEFORE HALF-TIME, CONCEDING TWICE IN THE SPACE OF JUST THREE MINUTES. THEY WERE ABLE TO GET ON THE BOARD IN THE SECOND HALF, BUT COULDN'T FIND AN EQUALISER. THE LOSS SEES THE PHOENIX DROP TO FIFTH ON THE LADDER. MANCHESTER UNITED HAVE SURVIVED A RED CARD AND CONTROVERSIAL PENALTY DECISION TO DEFEAT ARSENAL IN A SHOOTOUT IN THE THIRD ROUND OF THE FA CUP. UNITED TOOK THE LEAD THROUGH BRUNO FERNANDEZ EARLY IN THE SECOND HALF, BUT WERE THEN DEALT A BLOW WHEN DIOGO DALOT WAS SENT OFF AFTER RECEIVING A SECOND YELLOW CARD. ARSENAL EQUALISED AND THEN LOOKED SET FOR VICTORY AFTER BEING AWARDED A PENALTY WHEN KAI HAVERTZ FELL TO THE DECK. THE HOSTS WERE UNABLE TO CONVERT, AND WERE MADE TO PAY WHEN THE MATCH WENT TO A PENALTY SHOOTOUT. HE DOES IT! AND MANCHESTER UNITED, AGAINST THE ODDS, HAVE PRODUCED A MEMORABLE FA CUP VICTORY IN NORTHAMPTON. UNITED NOW FACE LEICESTER CITY IN THE FOURTH ROUND. IT DIDN'T QUITE HAVE THE FAIRY-TALE ENDING THEY WOULD HAVE DREAMED OF, BUT IT WAS A SPECIAL DAY FOR FANS OF THE NON-LEAGUE SIDE TAMWORTH FC, WHO HELD OUT AGAINST PREMIER LEAGUE SIDE TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR UNTIL THE 100TH MINUTE OF THEIR FA CUP TIE. THE MIDLANDS SIDE, WHICH IS MADE UP OF PART-TIME PLAYERS, TOOK THE TEAM FOUR DIVISIONS ABOVE THEM TO EXTRA TIME, AND EVEN HAD CHANCES TO WIN IT. ITV'S CHRIS SKUDDER REPORTS. THEY WEREN'T USED TO THIS ` THE PREMIER LEAGUE'S ELITES HAVING T ROUGH IT OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE. THERE WAS EVEN A HOLE IN THE NET THAT DELAYED THE START. YOU WOULDN'T CATCH THE SPURS STARS HAVING TO FIX IT, BUT THE PART-TIMERS WERE IN THEIR ELEMENT. THE GUY WHO'S ACTUALLY FIXING IT IS BECK-RAY ENORU, WHO SPENDS HIS DAYS AS A SHOP ASSISTANT IN ZARA. TOMMY TONKS SELLS SAUSAGE ROLLS FROM A FOOD TRUCK FOR HIS DAY JOB, AND ALSO SERVES UP A MEAN LONG THROW THAT HAD SPURS SCRAMBLING TO SURVIVE. AND IT ACTUALLY HIT THE POST. 96 LEAGUE PLACES SEPARATED THE TWO CLUBS, BUT THE UNDERDOGS, NICKNAMED 'THE LAMBS', WOULD NOT SUBMIT TO THE SLAUGHTER. IN FACT, THERE WERE TIMES WHEN YOU WONDERED WHICH OF THE TWO WERE THE PREMIER LEAGUE ELITE. AND, BUT FOR A NEAR MISS IN THE DYING SECONDS OF THE 90, MIGHT HAVE PULLED OFF ONE OF THE ALL-TIME CUP SHOCKS. WHAT A FINISH THAT COULD HAVE BEEN! FOR A TEAM WHO ONLY TRAIN TWICE A WEEK TO HOLD THE MIGHTY SPURS WAS A MORAL VICTORY, BUT SURVIVING EXTRA TIME WAS BEYOND THEM, AND AN OWN GOAL A CRUEL WAY TO CONCEDE. TIRED LEGS AND MINDS MADE THE DIFFERENCE ` TWO OF SPURS' STARS, SON AND KULUSEVSKI, COMBINED TO MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE THEY GOT A THIRD GOAL AS WELL, BUT WORTH REMEMBERING IF THIS GAME HAD BEEN PLAYED LAST SEASON BEFORE REPLAYS WERE SCRAPPED, THE PART-TIME LAMBS WOULD HAVE RICHLY DESERVED A MONEY-SPINNING FA CUP REPLAY. THAT IS CERTAINLY A STORY FOR THEM TO TELL THE GRANDKIDS ` I HOPE SAUSAGE ROLL SALES FOR THAT FOOD TRUCK HAD GONE THROUGH THE ROOF. AND FOR ZARA! WE DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING STRANGE ABOUT PEOPLE SPEAKING WITH DIFFERENT ACCENTS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD, BUT WHAT ABOUT DOLPHINS? A RESEARCHER HAS FOUND THAT THEY ARE MORE LIKE US THAN WE THOUGHT. ITV'S ELLIE PITT REPORTS. THESE DOLPHINS WERE FILMED OFF THE ANTRIM COAST ` COULD THEY HAVE A NORTHERN IRISH ACCENT? YES, ACCORDING TO SCIENTISTS. (BUBBLING, WATER SLOSHES) BENEATH THE WAVES, BIOLOGISTS ARE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE SOUNDS AND SHOUTS OF THE DOLPHIN. THESE LINES ARE ALL DOLPHIN WHISTLES, AND MY SOFTWARE PICKS UP ON REALLY SUBTLE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE WHISTLES, AND CAN IDENTIFY THEM TO SPECIES MUCH MORE ACCURATELY THAN WE CAN JUST BY LISTENING TO THEM. DR OSWALD AND HER TEAM PLACED MICROPHONES UNDERWATER TO RECORD NOISES MADE BY DOLPHINS, AND FOUND THAT A COMMON DOLPHIN SOUNDS LIKE THIS... (HIGH, STEADY CHIRP) ...WHILE A BOTTLENOSE WHISTLES LIKE THIS. (GURGLY, MID-RANGE WHISTLING) AND THIS IS A ROUGH-TOOTHED DOLPHIN. (STATICKY, LOOPING WHISTLING) THIS WORK ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE SAME SPECIES GROUPS HAVE A SLIGHT TWANG DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY LIVE. WE'VE FOUND THAT, YEAH, THE DIFFERENT DOLPHINS HAVE DIFFERENT REGIONAL ACCENTS, SO A SCOTTISH BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN SOUNDS QUITE DIFFERENT TO A CALIFORNIAN BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN, FOR EXAMPLE. SO THAT'S BEEN A REALLY FUN THING TO FIND OUT. AND IT TURNS OUT THAT HOW DOLPHINS GET THEIR ACCENT IS JUST THE SAME AS HOW WE PICK UP OURS ` LIKE US, THEY'VE GOT TO BABBLE AND BE TAUGHT BY THEIR ELDERS, BY THEIR MOTHERS, BY THE OTHERS IN THEIR GROUPS, AND THAT MEANS BECAUSE THEY LEARN HOW TO USE THEIR VOICES, THEY'RE INFLUENCED BY EACH OTHER. OVER THE YEARS, MARINE BIOLOGISTS HAVE FOUND OUT THAT DOLPHINS ARE INTELLIGENT, CHATTY CREATURES WHO HAVE EVEN BEEN SAID TO ENJOY A GOSSIP ` NOT TOO DISSIMILAR TO US, THEN. AND NOW WE KNOW THAT, JUST LIKE HUMANS, WHERE THE DOLPHIN IS FROM DICTATES HOW IT SOUNDS. GRACE IS HERE WITH A LOOK AT THE WEATHER FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK ` WHAT CAN WE EXPECT? SAM, IT'S LOOKING MOSTLY QUIET ACROSS AOTEAROA OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, SO GOOD NEWS IF YOU'RE EASING BACK INTO THE WORK YEAR! EXPECT DECREASING WINDS, AND IT SHOULD STAY MOSTLY DRY OUTSIDE OF SOME ISOLATED EVENING SHOWERS ` WATCH OUT FOR THOSE COOLER THAN AVERAGE TEMPERATURES, THOUGH. IT MAY NOT LAST FOR THAT LONG, HOWEVER ` LOW PRESSURE FORMING IN THE TASMAN SEA COULD BRING WETTER WEATHER BY NEXT WEEKEND. E WHAI AKE NEI ` I'LL HAVE THE FULL FORECAST NEXT. SUNNY WEATHER PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR WET DAYS, TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CUT BACK BRANCHES. NAU MAI ANO. IT MIGHT NOT BE SO BAD BEING BACK IN THE OFFICE THIS WEEK, BECAUSE IT'S STILL GOING TO BE CHILLY FOR SOME. WE'RE STUCK BETWEEN AN AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE TO THE WEST OVER THE TASMAN SEA, AND A SLOW-MOVING AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OVER TO THE EAST SO WE'RE REMAINING IN A FEED OF COOL AIR FROM THE SOUTH FOR MUCH OF THIS WEEK. THE GOOD NEWS IS IT'LL BE DRY FOR MOST, APART FROM A FEW SHOWERS. IN TERMS OF THE WIND, IT'S SET TO BE STRONGEST OUT TOWARDS THE CHATHAM ISLANDS. IN TE WAIPOUNAMU ` THE SOUTH ISLAND, A BIT OF CLOUD AROUND FOR DUNEDIN UP IN TOWARDS CANTERBURY, BUT THAT WILL MAKE WAY FOR SOME CLEAR SKIES. LOOKING VERY SETTLED FOR MOST HERE. LATER IN THE AFTERNOON THOUGH, SOME CLOUD STARTS TO BUILD AGAIN WITH SHOWERS EXPECTED FROM CENTRAL OTAGO UP INTO THE CANTERBURY HIGH COUNTRY AND RIGHT THROUGH TO NELSON. UP NORTH ` TE IKA-A-MAUI, EXPECT ANOTHER CLOUDY START FOR THE SOUTHERN COAST OF WELLINGTON AND INTO WAIRARAPA, BUT THAT STARTS TO BREAK UP AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE DAY MAKING FOR SOME FINE, DRY WEATHER. AND IT'S SET TO STAY PRETTY SETTLED EVERYWHERE, LOTS OF SUNSHINE FOR CENTRAL PARTS OF THE ISLAND ESPECIALLY. STARTING UP TOP, LOTS OF SUNSHINE AROUND HERE WITH SOUTHWESTERLIES FOR MOST. A BIT MORE CLOUD COVER FOR AUCKLAND LATER ON, WITH THE CHANCE OF A SHOWER IN THE WEST AND NORTH OF THE HARBOUR BRIDGE. IT'S ANOTHER STUNNER OF A DAY DOWN HERE ` HIGHS OF 26 FOR ROTORUA AND TOKOROA AND FINE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. EXPECT SOME NORTHERLIES FOR MOST IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. OVER TO THE EAST, AND THERE'S A BIT MORE CLOUD AROUND. THAT BREAKS UP LATER IN THE DAY TO MAKE WAY FOR A SUNNY AFTERNOON. NOT HUGELY WARM, THOUGH ` HIGHEST TEMP HERE IS 24 DEGREES IN HASTINGS. AND A SIMILAR STORY HERE, MAINLY FINE APART FROM CLOUD IN PARTS, THE SUN DOES COME OUT LATER ON, THOUGH. HOTTEST IS TAUMARUNUI WITH 25 DEGREES. WESTERLIES DEVELOP FOR PALMERSTON NORTH IN THE AFTERNOON. OVER TO THE SOUTH ISLAND ` LOTS OF CLOUD AROUND TO START, SOUTHWESTERLIES DEVELOPING IN THE MORNING FOR WESTPORT. SUN COMES OUT LATER ON FOR GREYMOUTH AND HOKITIKA, WESTERLIES FOR BOTH IN THE EVENING. AND IN THE EAST, LOTS OF CLOUD AROUND, SOUTHERLIES DEVELOPING FOR CHRISTCHURCH IN THE MORNING. THE CLOUD BREAKS UP FOR SOME IN THE AFTERNOON ` BLENHEIM IS THE WARMEST WITH 21 DEGREES. FURTHER SOUTH, THERE'S SOME MORNING CLOUD AROUND, BUT IT SHOULD CLEAR UP TO MAKE WAY FOR A PRETTY FINE DAY. QUEENSTOWN COULD SEE A SHOWER OR TWO IN THE AFTERNOON. AND TO OUR MAIN CENTRES ` OTEPOTI ` DUNEDIN IS IN FOR A FINE DAY, NOT THAT WARM AT ALL, THOUGH, WITH A HIGH OF 16 DEGREES. EASTERLY WINDS FOR YOU. MOSTLY CLOUDY FOR OTAUTAHI, WITH SOUTHERLIES DEVELOPING FOR A TIME IN THE MORNING. THE CLOUD BREAKS UP LATER ON, THOUGH... HIGH OF 19 DEGREES HERE. IN THE CAPITAL, MAINLY FINE WITH SOME CLOUD AROUND. SOUTHERLY WINDS FOR YOU, AND I'M SORRY, IT'S STILL NOT THAT WARM ` HIGH OF 17 DEGREES. TO TE MATAU-A-MAUI ` HAWKE'S BAY, THE SUN IS OUT FOR MOST OF THE DAY AND SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL EASE IN THE EVENING. BIT MORE LIKE SUMMER HERE, WITH HIGHS OF 23 AND 24 DEGREES. SAME IN TAURANGA, FINE ALL DAY WITH A HIGH OF 25 DEGREES FOR YOU. SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO TURN NORTHERLY FOR A TIME IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. KIRIKIRIROA ` EXPECT SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS THAT BECOME FRESH FOR A TIME IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING, BUT YOU WILL SEE A VERY NICE HIGH OF 26 DEGREES. AND IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU, MORE SOUTHWESTERLIES HERE AS WELL, THAT COULD BECOME FRESH FOR A TIME IN THE EVENING. OVERSEAS NOW, THERE'S PLENTY OF CLOUD AROUND FOR AUSTRALIA'S MAIN CENTRES, ADELAIDE THE SUNNIEST WITH A HIGH OF 32. AND IN THE PACIFIC, WHERE THERE'S THUNDERSTORMS FORECAST FOR VANUATU AND NEW CALEDONIA. BACK TO US, THOUGH, MAINLY FINE AND DRY WEATHER IS FORECAST FOR MUCH OF THE MOTU FOR THE REST OF THE WORKING WEEK, WITH THE ODD SHOWER OR TWO IN PARTS. TOWARDS THE END OF THE WEEK, THOUGH, A COMPLEX LOW-PRESSURE SYSTEM FROM THE NORTH IS SET TO BRING RAIN AND WARMER TEMPERATURES FOR THOSE THAT HAVE SEEN A CHILLY WEEK. IT DOES STAY PRETTY SETTLED FURTHER SOUTH, WITH WESTERN AREAS AND THE LOWER SOUTH ISLAND CONTINUING TO BE THE BEST PLACES TO BE THIS SUMMER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT IS THREE NEWS FOR TONIGHT ` THANKS FOR JOINING US. YOU CAN STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS AND INFORMATION ON STUFF.CO.NZ I'M SAMANTHA HAYES ` PO MARIE. I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN TOMORROW. CAPTIONS BY ALEX BACKHOUSE AND LENA ERAKOVICH. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025