TOUGH TALK FROM OUR FOREIGN MINISTER AS THE COOK ISLAND'S PM HEADS TO CHINA WITHOUT CONSULTING NEW ZEALAND ABOUT THE DEALS HE PLANS TO SIGN THERE. HOW WEALTHY IS WEALTHY? THE GOVERNMENT LOWERS THE THRESHOLD IN A BID TO LURE MORE RICH FOREIGNERS HERE. AND BLACK CAPS SUPERSTAR RACHIN RAVINDRA IS FORCED OFF THE FIELD IN PAKISTAN AFTER A SICKENING BLOW TO THE HEAD. CAPTIONS REBECCA SCHOLTZ AND BRIGIT KELLY CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025 NAU MAI, HAERE MAI. MALO E LELEI. WELCOME TO THREENEWS. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND AND THE COOK ISLANDS IS UNDER EXTREME PRESSURE TONIGHT AFTER WINSTON PETERS ISSUED A SCATHING STATEMENT, CLAIMING THE ISLAND NATION HAS FAILED TO PROPERLY CONSULT ON ITS NEW DEAL WITH CHINA. AS SENIOR CORRESPONDENT LISETTE REYMER REPORTS, ONE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS EXPERT IS CALLING THIS LATEST ESCALATION A DIPLOMATIC DEBACLE. RAROTONGA IS A PLACE MOST KIWIS HEAD TO WHEN IT'S TIME TO RELAX, BUT RIGHT NOW, THE ISLAND NATION IS CAUSING THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT SERIOUS STRESS. WHEN WE HAVE DIFFERENCES LIKE THIS, WE EXPECT THEM TO BE DISCUSSED VERY OPENLY, VERY TRANSPARENTLY, AND THAT HASN'T HAPPENED HERE. THE COOK ISLANDS PRIME MINISTER, MARK BROWN, IS CURRENTLY WINGING HIS WAY TO BEIJING, SET TO SIGN A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH CHINA THIS WEEK. TO THOSE WHO SUGGEST THAT OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH CHINA IS SOMEHOW SECRETIVE ` I REJECT THAT COMPLETELY. IN AN ADDRESS TO HIS COUNTRY LAST NIGHT, HE INSISTED THE RELATIONSHIP WITH AOTEAROA IS STRONG. TO THOSE WHO HAVE QUESTIONED THE LEVEL OF CONSULTATION WITH NEW ZEALAND, LET ME BE CLEAR ` OUR ENGAGEMENT HAS BEEN CONSISTENT, RESPECTFUL AND OPEN. BUT THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT HAS A DIFFERENT VERSION OF EVENTS. WE EXPECT TRANSPARENCY, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'VE SEEN. TODAY, A BLISTERING STATEMENT WAS RELEASED ON BEHALF OF WINSTON PETERS, READING ` THE FOREIGN MINSTER IS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB OF RAISING OUR CONCERNS, AS I HAVE DONE ALSO WITH THE PRIME MINISTER AS WELL, SEPARATELY. BUT NOT EVERYONE AGREES. IT SEEMS THAT DIPLOMACY HAS COMPLETELY BROKEN DOWN BETWEEN THE COOK ISLANDS AND NEW ZEALAND AND RELATIONS BETWEEN MARK BROWN AND WINSTON PETERS HAVE HIT ROCK BOTTOM. IT DOESN'T GET MUCH WORSE THAN THIS IN DIPLOMACY. OUR FREE ASSOCIATION DEAL WITH THE COOK ISLANDS DICTATES THAT THE NATION INTERACTS WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS A SOVEREIGN AND INDEPENDENT STATE, BUT IT ALSO SAYS THE TWO COUNTRIES WILL ` IN THE END, IT'S A VERY AMBIGUOUS SITUATION. AND MARK BROWN HAS OPENLY SAID THAT NEW ZEALAND'S ONLY PROVIDED $60m IN GRANT MONEY IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. HE WANTS MORE MONEY. HE WANTS MORE THAN THAT. AND I THINK WINSTON PETERS POSSIBLY COULD'VE STOPPED THIS AGREEMENT FROM PROGRESSING IF HE'D GOT OUT HIS CHEQUEBOOK AND GIVEN MORE MONEY TO THE COOK ISLANDS. I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT MARK BROWN HERE HAS BEEN FISHING FOR. HE MIGHT'VE HOOKED CHINA, BUT HE'S BAITED NEW ZEALAND IN THE PROCESS. IN A BID TO LURE MORE CASH-RICH FOREIGNERS HERE, THE GOVERNMENT IS 'LOWERING' ITS IDEA OF WHAT WEALTHY IS. THE PRIME MINISTER AND HIS ECONOMIC GROWTH MINISTER THIS AFTERNOON REVEALED AN OVERHAUL OF THE GOLDEN VISA SCHEME, BUT AS RUWANI PERERA REPORTS, SOME IMMIGRATION EXPERTS RECKON THE CHANGES DON'T GO FAR ENOUGH. THE WORLD IS AWASH WITH CASH, AND OUR GOVERNMENT IS DESPERATE FOR NEW ZEALAND TO GET ITS HANDS ON IT. THERE IS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CAPITAL OUT THERE, THAT INVESTORS ARE LOOKING TO FIND A HOME. THE GOVERNMENT TODAY MAKING CHANGES TO THE INVESTMENT VISA SCHEME, WELCOMING MORE FOREIGN INVESTORS WITH DEEP POCKETS. IT'S MUCH NEEDED WEALTH TO HELP BOOST OUR AILING ECONOMY AND HELP WITH THINGS LIKE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE DEFICIT. FOR WAY TOO LONG, NEW ZEALANDERS PUT UP THE SHUTTERS ON INVESTMENT. WE'VE BEEN RELUCTANT TO RECOGNISE THE BENEFITS FOR KIWIS. THE CHANGES COMING IN ON APRIL 1 LOOSEN THE RULES AROUND FOREIGN INVESTMENT, MEANING THEY CAN INVEST AS LITTLE AS $5m IN DIRECT INVESTMENTS OR MANAGED FUNDS. LOWER-RISK INVESTMENT IS ALSO BEING TARGETED, WITH A MINIMUM OF $10m AND SHORTENING THE TIME INVESTORS HAVE TO SPEND IN THE COUNTRY. IN 2019, JUST OVER 200 INVESTORS WERE APPROVED AND GOT RESIDENCY. THE IMMIGRATION MINISTER EXPECTS THOSE NUMBERS TO GROW QUICKLY. I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO FOUR LAWYERS AND IMMIGRATION AGENTS WHO ` BETWEEN JUST THOSE FOUR ` HAVE 50 APPLICANTS READY TO GO. THE PROPOSED CHANGES WILL ALSO SEE AN END TO THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT. WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A MASSIVE TSUNAMI OF ASIAN INVESTORS BACK OR WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT, IT'S GOING TO REALLY BOIL DOWN TO THE DETAILS OF THE ACTUAL INSTRUCTIONS. BEING ASKED TO ACTUALLY SIT A TEST LIKE YOU'RE BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL DOESN'T EXACTLY SAY WELCOME TO NEW ZEALAND. BUT WHILE SOME ARE APPLAUDING THE SIMPLER RULES, BUSINESS IMMIGRATION EXPERTS SAY THE REFORMS DON'T GO FAR ENOUGH. WHETHER IT MOVES THE NEEDLE OR NOT, I'M STILL RELATIVELY SCEPTICAL. THE $5m HASN'T BEEN THAT EFFECTIVE. THE RELAXED RULES AIM TO MAKE IT EASIER TO FIND A HOME FOR WEALTHY INVESTORS' CASH, BUT THERE'S STILL NO MOVEMENT ON FINDING A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS AND SCRAPPING A FOREIGN BUYERS BAN ON PROPERTY. WELL, LOOK, THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS AROUND. THAT'S ONE OF THEM, AS THERE IS OTHER THINGS AS WELL. WORK STILL TO DO BEFORE THE WELCOME MAT IS ROLLED OUT. THE RED CROSS HAS EXPRESSED INCREASING CONCERN OVER THE CONDITIONS OF THE HOSTAGES AND PRISONERS BEING RELEASED AS PART OF THE GAZA CEASEFIRE. THREE MORE ISRAELI HOSTAGES AND 183 PALESTINIAN PRISONERS WERE FREED IN THE FIFTH ROUND OF EXCHANGES OVERNIGHT, BUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE DRAWN WIDESPREAD CRITICISM. HERE'S LISETTE REYMER AGAIN. IT WAS HIGHLY CHOREOGRAPHED AND CONTROLLED. THREE ISRAELI HOSTAGES PARADED IN FRONT OF THE CROWD AND THE WORLD BY GUN-TOTING HAMAS MILITANTS ` LED ONTO A SMALL STAGE, AND MINUTES BEFORE THEIR RELEASE, MADE TO GIVE SPEECHES OF GRATITUDE AFTER 16 MONTHS IN CAPTIVITY. IT'S ESTIMATED 20,000 HAMAS FIGHTERS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THIS CONFLICT, BUT THIS WAS A DELIBERATE SHOW OF STRENGTH AND POWER. ELI SHARBI WAS CAPTURED AT HIS KIBBUTZ ON OCTOBER 7TH. HIS WIFE AND TEENAGE CHILDREN WERE KILLED, BUT HE NEVER LEARNT THEIR FATE. TODAY, IT WAS THE ARMS OF HIS SIBLINGS THAT HE FELL INTO. IN FREEDOM HIS TORTURE CONTINUED, TOLD FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTERS ARE GONE. RELATIVES IN THE UK HAD WATCHED AS HIS RELEASE TOOK PLACE, RELIEVED BUT WORRIED. THIS IS HIM BEFORE CAPTURE, AND THIS IS HIM NOW. HE'S GAUNT AND DRAWN. UM, YOU KNOW, DARK RINGS AROUND HIS EYES. HE'S VERY PALE, LOOKS LIKE HE HASN'T SEEN SUNLIGHT FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THE BEFORE AND AFTERS OF ALL THREE OF THE HOSTAGES, REVEAL THE COST OF CLOSE TO 500 DAYS OF CAPTIVITY. WE ARE SAT TO SEE THE SITUATION. HOW THEY LOOK? THEY LOOK VERY HUNGRY. THEY LOOK LIKE THEY SUFFERED A LOT. BUT THAT CONCERN WAS SHARED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE EXCHANGE ` AS THE ISRAELI HOSTAGES HEADED HOME, 183 PALESTINIAN PRISONERS DID TOO, AND AT LEAST SEVEN OF THEM REQUIRED HOSPITAL CARE. AS THE ISRAELI HOSTAGES HEADED HOME, 183 PALESTINIAN PRISONERS DID TOO, AND AT LEAST SEVEN OF THEM REQUIRED HOSPITAL CARE. TRANSLATOR: 'THE CONDITIONS WERE VERY BAD ` 'NO FOOD, NO WATER, NO MEDICINE. 'WE WERE IN A TORTURE CENTRE FOR 24 HOURS. 'I SPENT 40 DAYS HANDCUFFED AND BLINDFOLDED.' SOME OF THOSE DETAINED HAD BEEN HELD FOR DECADES, WITHOUT EVER BEING CHARGED OR TRIALLED. TRANSLATOR: 'MY BROTHER WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE. 'WE DIDN'T SEE HIM FOR 25 YEARS AND WE WEREN'T EXPECTING HIS RELEASE.' BUT ABU SHKHAYDAM HAD BEEN SERVING THE EQUIVALENT OF 18 LIFE SENTENCES, OVER HIS INVOLVEMENT IN HAMAS ATTACKS THAT KILLED DOZENS OF ISRAELIS IN 2004. TODAY, HE WAS HOISTED ON SHOULDERS AS A FREE MAN AND A HERO. TRANSLATOR: 'TODAY YOU CAN ANNOUNCE THAT I AM REBORN. I AM REBORN. 'THE PRISONERS ARE SUFFERING A LOT; THEY ARE BEING ABUSED.' THE RED CROSS HAS EXPRESSED INCREASING CONCERN OVER THE CONDITIONS SURROUNDING THE RELEASES, URGING ALL PARTIES TO ENSURE THE PROCESS IS DIGNIFIED AND PRIVATE. AND AS NEGOTIATIONS TOWARDS A PERMANENT END TO FIGHTING BEGIN AGAIN, THE HAUNTED FACES OF THOSE FREED TODAY, HAVE REMINDED EVERYONE THAT EVERY DAY IS A COSTLY DELAY. ESTONIA, LATVIA AND LITHUANIA HAVE DISCONNECTED THEIR ELECTRICITY SYSTEMS FROM RUSSIA'S POWER GRID. IT'S PART OF A PLAN TO INTEGRATE THE THREE BALTICS STATES MORE CLOSELY WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION. THEY ARE DUE TO JOIN THE EU'S POWER GRID OVERNIGHT. LATVIAN WORKERS USED A CRANE TO REACH HIGH-VOLTAGE WIRES CLOSE TO THE RUSSIAN BORDER TO CUT THEM AND HANDED OUT CHOPPED WIRE TO CELEBRATING ONLOOKERS. THE GRID WAS THE LAST LINK TO RUSSIA FOR THE THREE COUNTRIES, WHICH RE-EMERGED AS INDEPENDENT NATIONS IN THE EARLY 1990s AFTER THE FALL OF THE SOVIET UNION. A U.S. JUDGE HAS TEMPORARILY BLOCKED ELON MUSK FROM ACCESSING TREASURY DEPARTMENT RECORDS. THE SYSTEM IS USED TO PROCESS TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PAYMENTS AND CONTAINS SENSITIVE PERSONAL DATA FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS. MUSK WAS ALSO ORDERED TO IMMEDIATELY DESTROY ANY MATERIALS ALREADY DOWNLOADED, THE JUDGE NOTING THE POSSIBILITY FOR IRREPARABLE HARM. THE BILLIONAIRE, ON 'X', CALLED THE RULING 'ABSOLUTELY INSANE'. MEANWHILE, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS RULED OUT DEPORTING PRINCE HARRY FROM THE U.S., BECAUSE THE ROYAL HAS 'ENOUGH PROBLEMS' WITH HIS 'TERRIBLE' WIFE. THE DUKE OF SUSSEX IS FACING LEGAL QUESTIONS OVER HIS VISA STATUS AMID CLAIMS HE CONCEALED HIS PAST DRUG USE ON HIS APPLICATION FORM. TRUMP HAD PREVIOUSLY SAID HE WOULDN'T PROTECT HARRY IF RE-ELECTED. HOWEVER, HE APPEARS TO HAVE HAD A CHANGE OF HEART, TELLING THE NEW YORK POST HE HAS NO INTEREST IN THROWING HIM OUT OF THE COUNTRY. ALREADY SODDEN PARTS OF NORTH QUEENSLAND ARE SET FOR FURTHER HEAVY RAINFALL. FLOOD WARNINGS HAVE BEEN RENEWED FOR TOWNSVILLE, CARDWELL AND INGHAM WITH UP TO 250mm EXPECTED TO FALL OVER A 24-HOUR PERIOD. SOME PARTS OF THE STATE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED OVER 2m OF RAIN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY. ADDING TO THEIR WOES IS A LOOMING TROPICAL CYCLONE NEAR THE KIMBERLEY COAST. LUCY'S HERE WITH SPORT NOW ` AND IT WAS AN ACTION-PACKED OUTING FOR THE BLACKCAPS OVERNIGHT. IT CERTAINLY WAS. PHILLIPS MADE A CENTURY AND SANTNER HELPED THEM WIN. BUT THE MATCH WASN'T WITHOUT DRAMA. WE'LL HAVE ALL THE ON-FIELD ACTION FOR YOU NEXT. PLUS, MEET THE NEW THE BOAT CLASS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE MORE WOMEN INTO PROFESSIONAL SAILING. AND IT'S BEEN DUBBED ONE OF THE GREATEST FA CUP GOALS EVER, BUT WAS IT ENOUGH TO HOLD OFF MAN CITY'S FIGHTBACK? TAKE TO THE WATER WITH SUZUKI ULTIMATE OUTBOARDS AND THREE NEWS SPORT. RACHIN RAVINDRA IS SAID TO BE DOING WELL AFTER A SICKENING BLOW TO THE HEAD DURING THE BLACKCAPS 78-RUN WIN OVER PAKISTAN IN THEIR TRI-SERIES OPENER. RAVINDRA WAS STRUCK IN THE HEAD BY THE BALL WHILE FIELDING, RESULTING IN A LACERATION AND HEAVY BLEEDING. GORDON FINDLATER REPORTS. IT WAS A MOMENT THAT HAD CRICKET FANS ALL AROUND THE WORLD HOLDING THEIR BREATH. AND WITH THE SWEEPSHOT AND STRAIGHT TO THE MAN... AND HE'S ABSOLUTELY MESSED IT UP. I THINK HE'S LOST IT AND IT'S HIT HIM. HOPEFULLY HE'S ALL RIGHT. RACHIN RAVINDRA IN SERIOUS TROUBLE AS BLOOD POURED FROM HIS HEAD, EVERYONE IN GADDAFI STADIUM HOPING FOR THE BEST AS THE YOUNG STAR WAS AIDED FROM THE FIELD. RAVINDRA? HE IS A TOUGH BOY. SAW HIM JUST IN THE CHANGING ROOM JUST NOW. YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN CONSCIOUS THE WHOLE TIME, SO THAT'S FANTASTIC. OBVIOUSLY, IT WAS A PRETTY TERRIFYING MOMENT. HE LOST THE BALL IN THE LIGHTS AND, UNFORTUNATELY, THE BALL WON THAT SITUATION THIS TIME. EARLIER ON, GLENN PHILLIPS MADE SURE IT WAS THE BALL COMING OFF SECOND BEST. THAT IS MASSIVE! MAXIMUM! PHILLIPS' BAT DOING THE BLUDGEONING AS HE SMASHED 23 FROM THE FINAL OVER TO REACH A MAIDEN ODI CENTURY. HE WANTS TO... RACES BACK AND GETS HIS HUNDRED ` HIS FIRST HUNDRED IN ODI CRICKET. WHAT AN INNING'S THIS HAS BEEN. HIS KNOCK OF 106 NOT-OUT HELPING THE BLACK CAPS TO A MORE-THAN-COMPETITIVE TOTAL OF 330 FOR SIX. PHILLIPS WASN'T JUST PRODUCING WITH THE BAT EITHER, TAKING THE KEY WICKET OF FAKHAR ZAMAN. GLEN PHILLIPS CAN DO NO WRONG TODAY! ONCE HE DEPARTED, IT WAS ONE-WAY TRAFFIC, THE HOME SIDE EVENTUALLY ALL OUT FOR 252. OH YES, THAT'S IT; THAT'S THE END OF IT. THE 78-RUN VICTORY PROMISING SIGNS AHEAD OF THE CHAMPIONS TROPHY. THE BLACKCAPS' NEXT ASSIGNMENT ` SOUTH AFRICA TOMORROW NIGHT. THE BLACK FOILS HAVE IMPROVED ON DAY TWO OF THE LATEST SAIL GP EVENT IN SYDNEY, BUT A WIN AND PODIUM FINISH TODAY WASN'T ENOUGH TO SEE THEM ADVANCE TO THE THREE-BOAT FINAL. AFTER FOUR RACES TO FORGET ON THE OPENING DAY, THE KIWIS IMPROVED IN THE FIFTH FLEET RACE, CROSSING THE LINE SECOND. IN RACE SIX, THEY WENT ONE BETTER, LEADING FROM THE OPENING LEG AND GOING ON TO WIN WITH EASE. AND RACE NUMBER SIX WILL COME TO A CONCLUSION FOR THE NUMBER ONE TEAM. IT WILL BE EMIRATES NEW ZEALAND. THEY CLAIM THEIR FIRST VICTORY HERE IN AUSTRALIA. AND WITH SAIL GP WRAPPING UP IN SYDNEY, BLACK FOILS STRATEGIST LIV MACKAY IS PREPARING TO HEAD TO ASIA TO LEARN MORE ABOUT A NEW BOAT CLASS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE MORE WOMEN INTO PROFESSIONAL SAILING. THE SWITCH CLASS, ORIGINATING IN THAILAND, IS DESIGNED TO BRIDGE THE GAP AND BETTER PREPARE ATHLETES FOR THE HIGH SPEED, HIGH PERFORMANCE ENVIRONMENT. MEET THE REVOLUTIONARY NEW BOAT CLASS ENCOURAGING FEMALE SAILORS TO TAKE FLIGHT. IT'S BASICALLY BRAND NEW AND IT STARTED IN THAILAND FROM ELEMENT 6, WHO DO THE` WHAT PEOPLE WOULD MOST KNOW IS THE LASER CLASS. AND SO THEY'RE JUMPING INTO THIS ONE-DESIGN, FOILING, ONE-PERSON BOAT. SIMILAR TO A MOTH, THE ONE-DESIGN MONOHULL CAN REACH SPEEDS OF UP TO 30 KNOTS, AND WHEN RACED IN FLEETS OF UP TO 40 BOATS WILL PROVIDE A PERFECT TRAINING GROUND FOR SAILORS WITH THEIR SIGHTS SET ON EVENTS LIKE SAILGP. THEY'RE TARGETING WOMEN IN THE SENSE OF BRIDGING THAT GAP FOR PROFESSIONAL SAILING. SO, YOU KNOW, FROM OLYMPIC CLASSES, THERE IS A BIG SKILLS GAP INTO GETTING INTO THE F50, FOR EXAMPLE. THE CLASS IS YET TO ARRIVE IN NEW ZEALAND, SO LIV MACKAY'S HEADING OFFSHORE TO TEST IT OUT. THERE WILL BE FIVE OF US FROM SAILGP WOMEN GOING THERE, A FULLY SUPPORTED CAMP. AND IT'S REALLY TO GET A TASTE OF THE CLASS, GET TO KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE BOAT FROM THE MANUFACTURER, WHICH IS SUPER HELPFUL. AND SHE'S HOPEFUL OTHERS WILL JUMP ON BOARD TOO. I THINK IT WILL KICK OFF REALLY QUICKLY. THERE'S A HUGE PASSION HERE FOR THE MOTH CLASS, BUT FOR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE, IT'S A BIT MORE AFFORDABLE AND DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, EASIER ACCESS TO GET ON THE WATER. SO I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT BOAT AND I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF WE SEE, YOU KNOW, REALLY GOOD FLEETS HERE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. AND IN TURN, MORE TOP FEMALE SAILORS LIKE MACKAY ON THE WORLD STAGE. A LAST-GASP TRY AND CONVERSION COURTESY OF HALFBACK FIN SMITH HAS LIFTED ENGLAND OVER SIX NATIONS TITLE FAVOURITES FRANCE 26-25 IN A TWICKENHAM THRILLER THIS MORNING. THE SCORE CHANGED THREE TIMES INSIDE THE LAST 10 MINUTES OF THE MATCH AFTER ENGLAND GRABBED THE LEAD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE 70th MINUTE THROUGH REPLACEMENT PROP FIN BAXTER. FIVE MINUTES LATER, FRANCE REGAINED THE LEAD BEFORE A LINEOUT INSIDE FRENCH TERRITORY SAW FIN SMITH AND ELLIOT DALY COMBINE TO SCORE BESIDE THE POSTS IN THE 79th. DALY ALL DAY LONG! IT'S A TRY. DALY AND ENGLAND HAVE FOUND THE KEY. SMITH'S CONVERSION COMPLETING THE REMARKABLE FIGHTBACK. MEANWHILE, WALES ARE ON THE PATH TO A SECOND SUCCESSIVE SIX NATIONS WOODEN SPOON AFTER ILL-DISCIPLINE SAW THEM SUFFER A 22-15 LOSS TO ITALY. AND IT'S A PENALTY TO ITALY. WALES RUGBY LIES BROKEN IN THE RUINS OF ROME. THE LOSS EXTENDS WALES' RECORD RUN OF LOSSES TO 14 GAMES, DATING BACK TO OCTOBER 2023. FINALLY, MANCHESTER CITY HAS SURVIVED A SCARE AGAINST THIRD-TIER SIDE LEYTON ORIENT TO ADVANCE TO THE FIFTH ROUND OF THE FA CUP. ORIENT THREATENED TO PULL OFF A FAMOUS UPSET WHEN THEY LED 1-0 AT HALFTIME, COURTESY OF JAMIE DONLEY'S SPECTACULAR SHOT FROM JUST PAST THE HALFWAY MARK. IT'S IN! (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) HE HAS SCORED AN UNBELIEVABLE GOAL THAT IS FANTASTIC. THINK DAVID BECKHAM, THINK JAMIE DONLEY. BUT THE GOAL WASN'T ENOUGH TO HOLD OFF CITY'S FIGHTBACK, THE FOUR-TIME DEFENDING PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONS SCORING TWICE IN THE SECOND HALF TO SECURE A 2-1 VICTORY. WHAT DO YOU RECKON? A BIT OF LUCK INVOLVED. THEY WILL TAKE IT, I'M SURE. BLENHEIM TOOK OUT TODAY'S TOP TEMPERATURE ` 30 DEGREES TODAY. I'LL HAVE THE WEATHER TO START YOUR WORKING WEEK NEXT, ALONG WITH YOUR WEEKEND WEATHER PHOTOS. WELCOME BACK. YOU'RE WATCHING THREENEWS. HERE ARE OUR TOP STORIES FOR YOUR SUNDAY EVENING ` THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NEW ZEALAND AND THE COOK ISLANDS IS UNDER PRESSURE TONIGHT WITH FOREIGN MINISTER WINSTON PETERS SAYING THE ISLAND NATION HAS FAILED TO PROPERLY CONSULT ON ITS NEW DEAL WITH CHINA. AND THE GOVERNMENT IS OVERHAULING ITS SO-CALLED 'GOLDEN VISA' SCHEME IN A BID TO LURE MORE WEALTHY INVESTORS HERE. TIME NOW FOR A LOOK AT THE WEATHER. PLANNING A ROAD TRIP? REMEMBER TO TAKE BREAKS, WATCH YOUR FOLLOWING DISTANCE, AND PLAN YOUR ROUTE. A WEAK FRONT MOVES SLOWLY ACROSS THE SOUTH ISLAND ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY WHILE A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE LIES OVER THE NORTH ISLAND. SCATTERED SHOWERS, SOME POSSIBLY HEAVY ABOUT THE CANTERBURY HIGH COUNTRY AND CENTRAL OTAGO. PARTLY CLOUDY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS IN THE NORTH, WITH SOME THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE IN CENTRAL AREAS. CLOUDY MORNING WITH SHOWERS, POSSIBLY HEAVY, AFTER MIDDAY FOR AUCKLAND, AND POTENTIAL AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS FOR KAITAIA WITH SOUTHERLIES. TOKOROA AND TAUPO COULD GET SOME HEAVY SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON TOO, AND PERHAPS THUNDERSTORMS. MAINLY FINE FOR TAURANGA AND WHAKATANE. MORE SETTLED HERE; SOME CLOUD WITH OCCASIONAL DRIZZLE FOR DANNEVIRKE AND MASTERTON, BUT MOSTLY FINE ELSEWHERE WITH AFTERNOON SEA BREEZES. FINE MORNING FOR MOST, BUT SOUTHERLY WINDS THEN HEAVY SHOWERS POSSIBLE FROM THE AFTERNOON FOR TAUMARUNUI. WELLINGTON, THAT DRIZZLE WILL CLEAR AFTER LUNCH AND THE SOUTHERLIES WILL EASE IN THE EVENING. SIMILAR MONDAY TO TODAY. MAINLY FINE FOR NELSON, THEN MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A FEW SHOWERS ELSEWHERE, BUT THERE SHOULD BE SOME REPRIEVE IN THE AFTERNOON. AND A CLOUDY START TO YOUR WEEK WITH A SHOWER OR TWO. THEY'LL GET MORE PERSISTENT IN THE AFTERNOON FOR CANTERBURY AND WILL BE RAIN BY EVENING. A COOL MONDAY AHEAD FOR MOST AND A FEW SHOWERS IN THE MORNING THAT SHOULD START TO CLEAR AFTER LUNCH, BUT THOSE SOUTHERLIES OR SOUTH-WESTERLIES WILL PICK UP IN THE SECOND HALF OF YOUR MONDAY. A MIXED BAG IN AUSTRALIA WITH SOME SUNNY FINE WEATHER FOR ALICE SPRINGS AND ADELAIDE. AND OVERCAST AND WET IN MOST OF THE PACIFIC. NOW LET'S LOOK AT YOUR EXTENDED FORECAST. THAT IS THREENEWS FOR TONIGHT. YOU CAN STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS AND INFORMATION ON STUFF.CO.NZ. I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH YOUR WEEKEND WEATHER PHOTOS. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. I'M LAURA TUPOU. POMARIE. CAPTIONS BY REBECCA SCHOLTZ AND BRIGIT KELLY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025