DONALD TRUMP'S ACCUSED OF READING FROM PUTIN'S PLAYBOOK AS HE LAUNCHES AN ASTONISHING ATTACK ON VLODYMIR ZELENSKYY, CALLING HIM A DICTATOR. THE GOVERNMENT MISSES ALL ITS TARGETS AS STATS SHOW CHILD POVERTY RATES HAVE STALLED. IT'S NOT A LIQUID, SOLID, OR GAS ` MICROSOFT'S MINDBOGGLING NEW TECH THAT CAN CREATE A BRAND-NEW TYPE OF MATTER. AND THE BLACKCAPS CRUSH HOSTS PAKISTAN IN THE CHAMPIONS TROPHY OPENER, WITH HUNDREDS FROM WILL YOUNG AND TOM LATHAM. CAPTIONS BY KATE MCCULLOUGH AND BRIGIT KELLY. 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. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS UNLEASHED ON PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY IN A SHOCKING TIRADE, CALLING HIM A DICTATOR AND WARNING HIM TO MOVE FAST, OR HE WON'T HAVE A COUNTRY LEFT. HIS COMMENTS ` WHICH INCLUDED THE ASSERTION THAT WE'RE CLOSE TO WORLD WAR 3 ` HAVE SHOCKED OTHER WORLD LEADERS, WITH GROWING CONCERN OVER HOW TRUMP APPEARS TO BE NOW PARROTING THE PROPAGANDA THAT PUTIN HAS BEEN SPINNING FOR YEARS. SENIOR CORRESPONDENT LISETTE REYMER REPORTS. WHERE ONCE UKRAINE TURNED TO FIND A FRIEND AND ALLY, A NEW ENEMY IS EMERGING, PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY NOW FIGHTING OFF WITHERING ATTACKS BY THE WORLD'S MOST POWERFUL MAN. BUT THINK OF IT ` A MODESTLY SUCCESSFUL COMEDIAN PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY TALKED THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INTO SPENDING $35b TO GO INTO A WAR THAT BASICALLY COULDN'T BE WON. THE PAST 24 HOURS HAVE SEEN THE U.S. PRESIDENT SEEMINGLY PICK A PAGE OF PUTIN'S PLAYBOOK AND START READING FROM IT. A DICTATOR WITHOUT ELECTIONS ` ZELENSKYY BETTER MOVE FAST. OR HE'S NOT GOING TO HAVE A COUNTRY LEFT. GOT TO MOVE. GOT TO MOVE FAST. AS UKRAINE PREPARES TO ENTER IT'S FOURTH YEAR OF WAR WITH RUSSIA, TRUMP HAS CLAIMED TONIGHT THAT THE UKRAINIAN LEADER WANTS TO KEEP THE 'GRAVY TRAIN' GOING, AND THAT HE'S DONE A TERRIBLE JOB. SOMEBODY SAID, 'OH NO, HIS POLLS ARE GOOD.' GIVE ME A BREAK. THE ONLY THING HE WAS REALLY GOOD AT WAS PLAYING JOE BIDEN LIKE A FIDDLE. HE PLAYED THEM LIKE A FIDDLE. THE WAR OF WORDS ESCALATING AFTER THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF FIRST CLAIMED, EARLIER THIS WEEK, THAT UKRAINE STARTED THE WAR. YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER STARTED IT. YOU COULD HAVE MADE A DEAL, LEAVING ZELENSKYY LITTLE CHOICE BUT TO RESPOND. TRANSLATOR: WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO TRUMP AS A LEADER, HE IS LIVING IN A DISINFORMATION SPACE. WHAT WILL BE MOST ALARMING FOR THE UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT AND HIS EUROPEAN ALLIES IS HOW MUCH TRUMP'S NEW POSITION MIRRORS PUTIN'S OWN. THE KREMLIN HAS LONG QUESTIONED ZELENSKY'S LEGITIMACY, DEMANDING ELECTIONS ` NO DOUBT ANGLING TO INSTALL A RUSSIA-LEANING LEADER IN HIS PLACE. TODAY, THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT WAS STANDING STAUNCH, DEFENDING THE FACT UKRAINE WASN'T INVITED TO PEACE TALKS HELD WITH THE UNITED STATES YESTERDAY. TRANSLATOR: RUSSIA HAS NEVER REFUSED CONTACT WITH EUROPEANS, AND NEVER REFUSED NEGOTIATIONS WITH UKRAINE. THE UKRAINIAN PORT CITY OF ODESSA WAS AGAIN HIT OVERNIGHT, PUTIN CONTINUING TO FIRE MISSILES, WHILE TRUMP UNLEASHES A BARRAGE OF LIES. HE CLAIMED UKRAINE STARTED THE WAR, BUT IT WAS RUSSIA THAT LAUNCHED A FULL-SCALE INVASION IN 2022, AND THE CLAIM THAT THE U.S. HAS CONTRIBUTED $350b IN AID IS ALSO FAR FROM REALITY, THOUGHT TO BE LESS THAN HALF THAT. ZELENSKYY IS NOT A DICTATOR. IN WARTIME, ELECTIONS ARE OFTEN SUSPENDED UNDER MARTIAL LAW DUE TO THE DIFFICULTY FOR SOLDIERS AND REFUGEES TO BE ABLE TO VOTE, AND THE RISK OF STRIKES DISRUPTING VOTING DAY. TRUMP ALSO CLAIMED ZELENSKYY HAS A MERE 4% APPROVAL RATING IN UKRAINE, BUT IN A SURVEY THIS MONTH, THE PRESIDENT'S TRUST RATING HIT 57%. THE OUTBURST HAS PROMPTED QUICK CRITICISM FROM EUROPEAN LEADERS WHO KNOW THEIR OWN SECURITY IS ALSO AFFECTED BY THIS SHIFT IN GLOBAL DIPLOMACY. TRUMP'S MESSAGE OF COMFORT TONIGHT ` 'WE'RE CLOSE TO WORLD WAR 3.' THERE'S NO PROFIT FOR ANYONE IN HAVING WORLD WAR THREE, AND YOU'RE NOT SO FAR AWAY FROM IT, I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW. BUT HE'S PROMISED TO STOP IT. AND LISETTE, THESE COMMENTS FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP COME AT A PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT TIME FOR UKRAINIANS? THEY DO. WE KNOW IF YOU DAYS AWAY FROM THE ANNIVERSARY OF THIS WAR, ENTERING THE FOURTH YEAR. ALREADY, WE ARE HEARING FROM UKRAINIANS THAT MORALE IS DOWN IN THE COUNTRY AND FRONTLINE BECAUSE OF THE GAINS RUSSIA MAKING. THIS TALK FROM TRUMP WILL ONLY ADD TO THAT DESPAIR. THERE IS A GLIMMER OF HOPE FOR ZELENSKYY THAT HE WILL BE HOLDING ON TO, THIS IS A BIG MOMENT FOR EUROPEAN LEADERS. THEY WILL BE IN THIS JUGGLING ACT OF TRYING TO AVOID BECOMING THE NEXT IN THE FIRING LINE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT OF FRANCE AND THE PRIME MINISTER OF UK ARE HEADING TO WASHINGTON NEXT WEEK. WE WILL BE ACROSS THAT. TODAY WAS THE LAST SITTING DAY OF PARLIAMENT BEFORE A RECESS, AND WASN'T IT OBVIOUS. WINSTON PETERS DOUBLED DOWN ON HIS INFERENCE THAT IMMIGRANTS SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO REFER TO NEW ZEALAND AS AOTEAROA, WHILE JUDITH COLLINS WAS FORCED TO DEFEND HER MALE COLLEAGUES' COMMENTS ABOUT MENOPAUSE, PERIOD PRODUCTS, AND WHY WOMEN ALLEGEDLY CAN'T WORK AS LATE AS MEN. AND AS SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT JENNA LYNCH REPORTS, THE PRIME MINISTER MISSED THE WHOLE THING. WHEN THE PRIME MINISTER'S AWAY, HIS DEPUTY GETS A SAY. THE NAME OF THIS COUNTRY WAS ALWAYS NEW ZEALAND UNTIL IN THE 1880S SOMEONE DECIDED TO CALL IT AOTEAROA. DOUBLING DOWN ON HIS 'NAME OF NEW ZEALAND' WAR, WHILE SPEAKING ON THE PRIME MINISTER'S BEHALF. WE ARE GOING TO NOT MAKE A NAME CHANGE FOR THIS COUNTRY UNTIL THE DEMOCRATIC TRADITIONS OF THIS GREAT NATION, WE FIRST CONSULT AND GET THE AGREEMENT OF THE NEW ZEALAND PEOPLE. YESTERDAY, PETERS ARGUED RICARDO MENENDEZ MARCH COULD NOT REFER TO THE COUNTRY AS AOTEAROA, AS HE HAD ONLY MIGRATED HERE IN 2006. HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE TO BE IN NEW ZEALAND BEFORE WINSTON PETERS THINK OF YOU IS NOT AN IMMIGRANT BUT A NEW ZEALANDER? OUR POLICY HAS BEEN THAT IF YOU ARRIVE HERE LEGALLY, YOU HAVE ALL THE SAME RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN HERE A THOUSAND YEARS, IN TERMS OF GENEALOGY. AGAIN IN THE ABSENCE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, PETERS ANSWERING ON HIS BEHALF. DO WINSTON PETERS' COMMENTS SUGGEST THAT NEW ZEALAND IS BORN OVERSEAS SHOULD HAVE FEWER RIGHTS, MR PETERS MADE NO STATEMENTS AT ALL. BUT HIS IDENTITY WAR WAS OVERTAKEN TODAY AS LABOUR DRILLED THE COALITION ON ITS ATTITUDE TOWARDS CERTAIN COLOURFUL COMMENTS MALE MPS HAD MADE ABOUT WOMEN. CAN SHE HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS PRIORITISING ISSUES PERTAINING TO WOMEN, WHEN MARK MITCHELL JOKED IN AN INTERVIEW, 'I DON'T KNOW IF A GANG MEMBER WANTS TO DEAL WITH THE PERIMENOPAUSAL WOMAN'. LETTING THE EYEBROW DO THE TALKING. I FULLY SUPPORT HIM AND STANDING UP AGAINST THE GANG'S. ASTHMA HIS STATEMENT, I WILL DEAL WITH THAT LATER. I AM NOT HIS MOTHER AND I DON'T ANSWER FOR HIM. THAT'S THE END OF THAT. ASKED TO DEFEND DAVID SEYMOUR SAYING THE GENDER PAY GAP EXISTS, BECAUSE 'YOU HAVE TO BE THERE LATE AT NIGHT TO MAKE THE SALE, 'PUT IN THE EXTRA HOURS AND DO ALL THE EXTRA THINGS, 'THAT WOMEN ARE OFTEN UNAVAILABLE TO DO.' I THINK WE NEED TO STICK TO THE STUFF THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR MOST WOMEN, LIKE NOT LIVING WITH VIOLENCE, HAVING A FAIR GO AT WORK. WHAT ABOUT BEING TOLD THAT THE GENDER PAY GAP IS BECAUSE WE CAN'T WORK LATE? I'VE NEVER NOTICED THAT ONE MYSELF, I HAVE ALWAYS WORKED LATE. FINALLY, ASKED ABOUT SIMON COURT ADVISING A WOMAN ON MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS. I'M NOT SURE IF YOU ARE AWARE OF THE MENSTRUAL CUP, WHICH IS A REUSABLE PRODUCT AVAILABLE FOR ABOUT $15 FROM CHEMIST WAREHOUSE. DO YOU THINK IF PEOPLE KNEW MORE ABOUT HOW TO ACCESS PRODUCTS LIKE THAT, THAT THIS CONCERN MIGHT BE SOMEWHAT MITIGATED? WHAT A STUPID QUESTION. THE LAST THING WE NEED IS FOR WOMEN TO BELITTLE OTHER MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT WHO ARE TRYING TO DO THEIR JOB. STAND UP FOR WOMEN WHEN THEY ASK YOU TO. (APPLAUSE) NEW ZEALAND FIRST ROLLING IN FOR BACKUP. I THINK WE ARE ALL EQUALLY SHOCKED AT THE THE WAY THE HOUSE HAS BEEN DEMEANED BY THAT SORT OF BEHAVIOUR. IT IS APPALLING. IMAGINE IF A MAN STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE CONVERSE. YOU ARE TAKING YOUR LIFE INTO YOUR OWN HANDS IF YOU TALK ABOUT WOMEN'S ISSUES AND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HOUSE IS JUDITH COLLINS. BUT THEY'RE NOT SO MONOGAMOUS IN SUPPORT, WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR EIGHT VOTES. YESTERDAY, THEY VOTED FOR A LABOUR PARTY BILL WHICH WOULD MEAN NOT PAYING AN EMPLOYEE WAGES WOULD BE DEFINED AS THEFT. YOU CAN'T BE JEALOUS ABOUT A GOOD IDEA, AND IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE THAT NOW AND AGAIN THE LABOUR PARTY COME UP WITH A GOOD IDEA. SO YOU WOULD WORK WITH THEM AGAIN? (LAUGHS) I CAN SEE YOU COMING A MILE OFF. NEW ZEALAND FIRST FOLLOWED THAT VOTE UP, WITH SUPPORTING A GREEN PARTY BILL. LISTEN CLOSELY FOR THE NATIONAL PARTY MP CALLING THEIR COALITION PARTNERS NEW ZEALAND FIRST CRAZY. NEW ZEALAND FIRST, EIGHT VOTES IN FAVOUR. CRAZY! HE MIGHT'VE HAD A BAD NIGHT. AS THE COALITION ALL GOOD? WHAT'S THAT? IT'S NEWS TO ME. YOU CAN'T CALL OUT CRAZY WHEN A VOTE IS TAKING PLACE. WHO WAS THAT? I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW. BUT THE MENTAL HEALTH MINISTER SAYS THE RELATIONSHIP IS SO INTACT, IT'S BORDERING ON ROMANTIC. I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT OF LOVE FOR EACH OTHER, AND IT WAS SHOWN ON VALENTINE'S DAY, WASN'T IT. WAS IT? HOW SO? IT WAS VALENTINE'S DAY, A DAY TO SHOW LOVE TO EVERYONE. LOVE IS IN THE AIR... APPARENTLY. SO JENNA, WHAT DOES THE PRIME MINISTER MAKE OF ALL THIS? I'D LOVE TO TELL YOU, BUT FOR THE SECOND WEEK RUNNING, THE PRIME MINISTER CHOSE NOT TO ENGAGE WITH THE MEDIA ON A THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. THAT IS UNUSUAL. JOHN KEY MADE HIMSELF AVAILABLE EVERY DAY MOST OF THE TIME, JACINDA ARDERN PULLED IT BACK A BIT NEAR THE END WHEN HER POPULARITY WAS WANING. TO GO TWO WEEK DAYS WITHOUT ENGAGING WITH MEDIA IS A, AVOIDING SCRUTINY, BUT B, A REAL MISSED OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PRIME MINISTER TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC. AS MUCH AS HE MIGHT SEE VALUE IN EXPANDING HIS AUDIENCE REACH THROUGH HIS TIKTOK, IF HE IS ABSENT FROM MAINSTREAM NEWS SOURCES MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK, HE MIGHT FIND HE RISKS THE PERCEPTION OF LOOKING LIKE HE'S NOT WORKING AS MUCH AS HE CLAIMS. JACINDA ARDERN GOT TARRED WITH THE PART-TIME PRIME MINISTER BRUSH FOR GOING ON A PRIME MINISTERIAL TRIP TO TOKELAU. THE POLLS ARE CLEARLY SHOWING THE PRIME MINISTER IS STRUGGLING TO GET HIS MESSAGE ACROSS ` THE AIRWAVES AND HEADLINES BEING SUCKED UP BY HIS ALL TOO HAPPY TO COMMENT COALITION PARTNERS, AND IF HE LEAVES A VOID FOR THEM TO FILL, HE MAY RISK LEAVING VOTES ON THE TABLE FOR THEM TO SCOOP UP WITH IT. THANKS SO MUCH. THE GOVERNMENT'S CHILD POVERTY REPORT CARD IS OUT ` AND IT'S A FAIL. STATS NZ HAS RELEASED ITS CHILD POVERTY REPORT, WHICH SHOWS PROGRESS TO COMBAT POVERTY HAS STALLED. BUT THE MINISTER IS CALLING THIS AN 'ENCOURAGING' REPORT. GLENN MCCONNELL HAS THE STORY. STOCKING THE SHELVES, A LUXURY THAT THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES CAN'T AFFORD. 156,000 TAMARIKI, OUR SMALLEST NEW ZEALANDERS GOING WITHOUT. WE HAVE SEEN THAT WE ARE FAILING TO MAKE PROGRESS ON REDUCING CHILD POVERTY. THE OFFICIAL ASSESSMENT ` NONE OF THOSE THREE TARGETS HAVE BEEN MET. WE ARE STILL FAILING. UNDER THE LAW, THE GOVERNMENT HAS THREE TARGETS, AND IT HAS FAILED. THE GOVERNMENT IS BEHIND TARGET ON BOOSTING DISPOSABLE INCOME FOR FAMILIES BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER HOUSING COSTS, AND IT HAS FALLEN BEHIND FOR REDUCING MATERIAL HARDSHIP. THEY MIGHT BE UNABLE TO AFFORD FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. THEY HAVE TO PUT OFF GOING TO THE DOCTOR OR DENTIST, OR THEY MIGHT GET AN UNEXPECTED BILL THAT THEY COULDN'T PAY. THOSE CHILDREN LIVING WITHOUT THE BASICS. THE OFFICIAL REPORT SHOWED THAT SINCE 2021, MATERIAL HARDSHIP HAS BEEN INCREASING. THESE RESULTS ARE FOR THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 2024. THE CROSSOVER OF LABOUR AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS. WE TOOK STEPS TO PRIORITISE OUR POOREST CHILDREN AT THAT TIME. DID WE GET AS FAR AS WE WOULD HAVE LIKED? NO, BUT THAT WORK NEEDS TO CONTINUE. THE MINISTER FOR CHILD POVERTY REDUCTION WAS MISSING FROM PARLIAMENT AS THESE RESULTS CAME OUT, BUT ISSUED A STATEMENT, SAYING IT WAS ENCOURAGING TO SEE NO SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN CHILD POVERTY GROWTH. BUT NO RELIEF FOR FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE. MICROSOFT HAS UNVEILED A CHIP IT SAYS COULD MAKE QUANTUM COMPUTING ` THE HOLY GRAIL OF TECH ` A REALITY WITHIN YEARS. THE CHIP IS POWERED BY THE WORLD'S FIRST TOPO-CONDUCTOR, WHICH CAN CREATE A NEW STATE OF MATTER THAT IS NOT SOLID, LIQUID OR GAS, AND IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARD A NEW COMPUTER POWER THAT'S ALMOST UNFATHOMABLE. AND AS SENIOR REPORTER JULIET SPEEDY FOUND OUT, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT FROM MICROSOFT WILL BE GOOD NEWS FOR SOME KIWIS. THEY'RE CALLING IT A BREAKTHROUGH IN QUANTUM COMPUTING. A NEW APPROACH THAT IGNORES THE LIMITATIONS OF CURRENT MODELS. MICROSOFT SAYS IT WILL REVOLUTIONISE MANY FIELDS LIKE SCIENCE AND MEDICINE, ALL WITH A SINGLE CHIP. MILLIONS OF POTENTIAL CUBITS ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO SOLVE UNSOLVABLE CHALLENGES. IT BRINGS THIS INCREDIBLE UPLIFT IN COMPUTING IN MANY WAYS. MILLIONS OF TIMES MORE POWERFUL THAN THE COMPUTERS THAT WE TYPICALLY HAVE ACCESS TO TODAY. SO THINGS LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE AND WEATHER MODELLING, PHARMACEUTICAL DRUG RESEARCH. MICROSOFT SAID TODAY THEY COULD USE THIS TECHNOLOGY TO DESIGN, FOR INSTANCE, PLASTICS THAT DON'T BREAK DOWN INTO MICROPLASTICS THAT POLLUTE THE ENVIRONMENT. IT'D BEEN THOUGHT QUANTUM COMPUTERS OF THIS SCALE WERE DECADES AWAY. THERE'S THIS RACE ON TO TRY AND BUILD QUANTUM COMPUTERS THAT ARE RELIABLE AND ACTUALLY WORK. AND THE BIG NAMES LIKE IBM, GOOGLE AND MICROSOFT ARE INVOLVED IN THAT. A LOT OF START-UPS AS WELL ARE GOING AFTER IT. BUT WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, MICROSOFT HAS TRIED A BRAND-NEW TECHNOLOGY. AND GET THIS ` THEY CLAIM THEY CAN CREATE AN ENTIRELY NEW STATE OF MATTER. IT'S NOT A LIQUID, IT'S NOT A SOLID OR A GAS ` IT'S SORT OF AN IN-BETWEEN STATE, AND THAT'S A VERY EFFICIENT WAY TO STORE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF INFORMATION. WHICH THEY SAY MEANS QUANTUM COMPUTERS COULD NOW BE JUST YEARS AWAY. AND WHEN THEY DO THAT, THEY CLAIM THAT QUANTUM COMPUTER WOULD BE MORE POWERFUL THAN ALL THE CLASSIC COMPUTERS THAT ALREADY EXIST IN THE WORLD COMBINED. THAT'S HOW POWERFUL IT WOULD BE. BUT THERE'S MUCH WORK STILL AHEAD. THE ONE DOWNSIDE WITH THESE QUANTUM COMPUTERS ` THEY'RE VERY FIDDLY AND THEY MAKE A LOT OF ERRORS. SO FOR IT TO BE A RELIABLE COMPUTER, THEY NEED TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM. IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT SOMEONE HAD INVENTED THIS INCREDIBLE NEW JET PLANE THAT COULD GO 20 TIMES AS FAST AS ANYTHING ELSE, THAT WOULD BE PRETTY EXCITING, UNTIL YOU HEAR THAT IT'S UNRELIABLE AND IT CRASHES 50% OF THE TIME. AND, LIKE MANY GROUNDBREAKING TECH INNOVATIONS, THERE IS AN EVEN MORE OBVIOUS AND VERY SERIOUS DOWNSIDE. YOU CAN IMAGINE A SCENARIO WHERE THIS TECHNOLOGY GETS MAYBE INVENTED BY, LOOKING AT IT FROM A GEOPOLITICAL STANDPOINT, BY A NATION OR A POWER THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE BEST INTENTIONS FOR IT. IT COULD GET USED TO SORT OF BREAK ENCRYPTION AND CAUSE ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS ACROSS SOCIETY. SO THAT'S THE BIG WORRY FOR GOVERNMENTS FROM A NATIONAL SECURITY POINT OF VIEW. HOW DO THEY KEEP THEIR INFORMATION AND THEIR SECRETS SECURE? TODAY'S NEWS WILL OPEN NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW ZEALAND QUANTUM AND AI RESEARCHERS... SO THAT WE CAN BUILD A WHOLE SYSTEM OF THESE COMPUTERS, WHAT ARE THE LITTLE BITS THAT WE CAN ADD VALUE, AND WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN DO THAT. IT'S JUST ABOUT BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER TO MAKE IT COMPELLING FOR SOME OF THESE HUGE TECH TITANS TO BUY FROM US. ...CONTRIBUTING TO A GROUNDBREAKING INDUSTRY THAT MAY BE ARRIVING SOONER THAN EXPECTED. LAURA'S HERE WITH TODAY'S WEATHER, AND WE HAVE A TIE FOR THE TOP TEMPERATURE. OH, YES. GISBORNE AND HASTINGS BOTH TOOK OUT TOP SPOT WITH 30 DEGREES. NAPIER NOT FAR BEHIND ON 29, AND FOUR CENTRES IN THIRD THERE. HASN'T BEEN TOO MUCH RAINFALL THIS SIDE OF MIDNIGHT, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN COMPLETELY DRY EITHER ` MOSTLY CONCENTRATED ON THE WEST COAST OF THE SOUTH ISLAND. BUT THINGS WILL CHANGE TOMORROW. A SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL PUSH OUT THAT MUGGY WEATHER, BUT THERE'LL ALSO BE SOME HEAVY FALLS FOR EASTERN AREAS. I'LL HAVE MORE DETAILS AFTER SPORT. AFTER THE BREAK ON THREE NEWS, HAMAS SAYS IT'S READY TO RELEASE ALL ITS REMAINING HOSTAGES IN A SINGLE EXCHANGE IF THE CEASEFIRE MOVES TO ITS SECOND PHASE. AND WE SPEAK TO A KIWI MIDWIFE WORKING IN GAZA. DIRECTOR JAMES CAMERON CAN BRING DREAMS TO LIFE ON SCREEN, AND HE'S GOT AN AMBITIOUS VISION FOR WELLINGTON TOO. AND THE HEALTH ISSUES OF POPE FRANCIS CONTINUE TO CAUSE CONCERN, WITH PNEUMONIA IN BOTH LUNGS. A hard night the night before. Went out the next day riding. I was slightly hungover and going a bit quick. Accelerator stuck on. Clouded judgement. Made the wrong decision. Pulled the brake instead of the clutch. My brain just...just froze. The bike went down. I went down. Took the skin off all my arms. Smashed a few bones up. It just happened so quick. So, a hangover that lasted six months. WELCOME BACK. HAMAS HAS SAID IT IS READY TO RELEASE ALL ITS REMAINING HOSTAGES IN A SINGLE EXCHANGE IF THE CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT WITH ISRAEL MOVES FORWARD TO A SECOND PHASE NEXT MONTH. THE OFFER CAME AS PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU APPOINTED ONE OF HIS CLOSEST ADVISERS, RON DERMER, TO LEAD THE ISRAELI DELEGATION TO THE TALKS. IN THE FINAL STEPS OF THE FIRST PHASE, HAMAS WILL HAND OVER THE BODIES OF FOUR ISRAELI HOSTAGES TOMORROW, INCLUDING THOSE OF TWO YOUNG BOYS FROM THE SAME FAMILY. THE GROUP WILL RELEASE SIX HOSTAGES ON MONDAY AND THEN TRANSFER FOUR MORE BODIES NEXT FRIDAY. MEANWHILE, A NEW ZEALANDER WORKING IN GAZA AS A MIDWIFE HAS SPOKEN OF THE UNPRECEDENTED TRAUMA SHE HAS ENCOUNTERED DURING HER TIME THERE. SENIOR CORRESPONDENT LISETTE REYMER REPORTS. YOU'RE ABOUT TO MEET A PERSON BRAVER THAN MOST, AND THIS IS HER CURRENT DRIVE TO WORK. USUALLY, SHELLEY HARRIS STUDDART SPENDS HER TIME IN WHANGAREI AS A LOCAL MIDWIFE, BUT FOR THE PAST THREE WEEKS, SHE HAS BEEN WORKING IN GAZA AT NASSER HOSPITAL, HELPING TO DELIVER BABIES, AND HOPING THE CEASEFIRE HOLDS. YOU MUST FEEL A LONG WAY FROM HOME? I DID SIGN UP TO COME HERE 3 MONTHS AGO WHEN THE WAR WAS STILL ACTIVE, AND THE RESPONSE FROM A LOT OF FRIENDS WAS, 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!' BUT THIS IS PART OF THE WORK THAT WE DO. SHE'S DONE IT BEFORE ` PREVIOUSLY WORKING IN AFGHANISTAN AND YEMEN ` BUT THE UPHEAVAL AND HURT SHE HAS ENCOUNTERED IN GAZA IS DIFFERENT. IT'S UNLIKE ANYTHING I HAVE SEEN BEFORE. IT'S RARE TO SEE, AND IT'S ALMOST SHOCKING TO SEE A BUILDING THAT'S FULLY INTACT. THE DESTRUCTION IS EVERYWHERE. I'M FINDING IF PEOPLE HAVE 2 WALLS, THEY ARE GOING BACK AND MAKING A HOME THERE, MAKING A HOME IN THE RUBBLE. NASSER HOSPITAL IN KHAN YUNIS IN THE SOUTH WAS BESIEGED AND ATTACKED IN THE HEAT OF THE WAR. STILL, 220 BABIES ARE BORN THERE IN SHELLEY'S CLINIC EVERY WEEK. ONE MOTHER SHE MET JUST DAYS AGO, WAS HOLDING A PERFECT 2-HOUR-OLD BABY AND CARRYING UNIMAGINABLE GRIEF. SHE LIVED IN A FOUR STOREY BUILDING WITH ALL HER FAMILY MEMBERS. HER AND HER HUSBAND HAD LEFT THE BUILDING TO BAKE SOME BREAD. BEFORE THEY RETURNED, THE ENTIRE BUILDING WAS DESTROYED. 77 OF HER FAMILY MEMBERS WERE IN THAT BUILDING, AND HER FOUR CHILDREN IN THAT BUILDING. JUST HER AND HER HUSBAND SURVIVED. SHE HAD JUST GIVEN BIRTH TO A BABY ` THEIR ONLY BABY ` AND THE TEARS WERE FLOWING. SHE WAS UTTERLY TRAUMATISED, SUFFERING PTSD, WITH A BEAUTIFULLY GROWN, PINK, HEALTHY BABY GIRL IN HER ARMS. HER WORK WITH DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS PROVIDES WRAP-AROUND SUPPORT FOR THE MUMS ` EVERYTHING FROM HELP BREASTFEEDING TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE. IT'S NOT OVER FOR HER, BECAUSE OF COURSE SHE'LL GO BACK TO HER TENT, WITH HER NEWBORN BABY. THE CEASEFIRE IS FRAGILE. EVERY DAY SHELLEY HEARS THE DRONES, AND WITH TANKS PARKED IN THE BUFFER ZONE AND WARNING SHOTS BEING FIRED FROM THAT DIRECTION, THE PEACE IS UNCOMFORTABLE, AND THE CONDITIONS ARE BRUTAL. RIGHT NOW, I'VE GOT ABOUT 5 OR 6 LAYERS OF CLOTHING ON. IT'S WINTER. PALESTINIANS DRAW WARMTH AND STRENGTH FROM THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS, LIKE SHELLEY. A LOT OF PEOPLE I TALK TO ` MANY OTHER COUNTRIES ` THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE NEW ZEALAND IS, BUT THEY DO IN GAZA; SHE IS NOT SHORT OF MOTIVATION FOR BEING THERE. EVERY DAY SHE SEES THE CAMPS, THE CHILDREN, THE MOTHERS, AND FEELS CALLED TO HELP AS A MUM OF TWO HERSELF. WOULD THEY PREFER YOU WEREN'T IN GAZA RIGHT NOW OR DO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS WHAT MUM DOES, BECAUSE SHE'S A LITTLE BIT CRAZY, BUT A VERY GOOD PERSON? (LAUGHS) THEY UNDERSTAND, BUT THEY DID DRAW BREATH WHEN I SAID I WAS COMING TO GAZA. DUE HOME IN MARCH, SHELLEY IS ALREADY WILLING TO RETURN TO GAZA UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, AT ANY TIME. OSCAR WINNING DIRECTOR JAMES CAMERON HAS DELIVERED HIS VERDICT ON A VISION FOR WELLINGTON ` THE CITY NEEDS NEW BLOOD, AND ITS FILM SECTOR NEEDS A SHOT OF ADRENALINE. HIS COMMENTS WERE MADE AT AN EVENT HOSTED IN THE CAPITAL, ALONGSIDE MOVERS AND SHAKERS IN THE GAMING AND URBAN PLANNING INDUSTRIES. HERE'S IMOGEN WELLS. HE MAY BE MORE WELL KNOWN FOR HIS WORK CREATING EPIC BATTLE SCENES LIKE THESE... BUT AS A RESIDENT LIVING IN A CAPITAL CITY UNDER CONSTANT FIRE, JAMES CAMERON'S WISDOM COULD COME IN HANDY. MOST OF YOU ARE HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE ANGRY, BUT PLEASE DON'T THROW ANY TOMATOES. THE OSCAR AWARD-WINNER JOINED ON STAGE BY GAMING INDUSTRY LEADER EMMA PROCTOR AND URBAN DESIGNER STUART NIVEN AT AN EVENT HOSTED BY VISION FOR WELLINGTON, A GROUP CONSISTING OF 17 HIGH-PROFILE WELLINGTONIANS WHO SAY THE CITY ISN'T THRIVING AND NEEDS ASPIRATION. I THINK WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF THE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE HERE IN WELLINGTON. THERE'S ONE WORD, AND IT'S CONFIDENCE, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO REDISCOVER IN OURSELVES AGAIN ABOUT THIS PLACE. I THINK YOU NEED TO ATTRACT INVESTMENT, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK INNOVATION IS A GREAT WAY TO DO THAT. THAT WORD 'INVESTMENT' COMING UP TIME AND TIME AGAIN, WITH CALLS FOR MORE FOR THE GAMING INDUSTRY. THE INDUSTRY LAST YEAR MADE ABOUT HALF A BILLION DOLLARS. A PLEA TO BACK UP-AND-COMING KIWI MOVIE BUFFS... WE NEED TRAINING, WE NEED A NEW GENERATION, WE NEED NEW BLOOD COMING. ...AND A CHANGE IN ATTITUDE TOWARDS OUR FILM REBATE SCHEME. I TRY TO MAKE THIS CASE ALL THE TIME, BUT PEOPLE SOMETIMES THINK, 'OH, WHY ARE THE TAXPAYERS SUPPORTING'` YOU KNOW, THEY THINK OF IT LIKE IT'S A SUBSIDY, BUT IT'S NOT. IT'S AN INVESTMENT WITH A VERY DEFINED ROI` THE USUAL ROADING-RELATED SUSPECTS WERE ALSO TOUCHED UPON. ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT PARKING? IT'S A NIGHTMARE. PARKING IS A NIGHTMARE. I WANT TO EXPRESS A VIEW ABOUT THE BIKE LANES, WHICH I KNOW IS HUGELY CONTENTIOUS. OOH, HE'S GOING THERE. BUT THERE WAS ONE GLARING OMISSION PICKED UP BY AN AUDIENCE MEMBER ` THERE HAS NOT BEEN ONE WORD ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE IN THIS DISCUSSION TONIGHT. WELL, LOOK, I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. CAMERON IS CONFIDENT THE CITY CAN TURN THINGS AROUND. YOU CAN SOLVE THIS, WE CAN SOLVE THIS. IT'S A MATTER OF A MENTALITY, RIGHT? TO GET WELLINGTON FEELING A LITTLE LESS LIKE IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS... AND INSTEAD, A LITTLE MORE LIKE THIS... I'M FLYING. STILL TO COME ON THREE NEWS ` CONCERNS GROW OVER POPE FRANCIS' CONDITION AS DOCTORS DEAL WITH HIM HAVING PNEUMONIA IN BOTH LUNGS. AND TALK ABOUT TAKING ITS TOLL ` WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHY TAURANGA HAS MORE TOLL ROADS THAN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY COMBINED. PLUS, CHRIS WOOD IS SET TO FACE OFF AGAINST FELLOW GOAL MACHINE ERLING HAALAND WHEN THE ALL WHITES MEET NORWAY LATER THIS YEAR. THIS IS THREE NEWS. IF YOU'VE JUST JOINED US, HERE ARE OUR TOP STORIES SO FAR TONIGHT ` PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS UNLEASHED ON UKRAINE'S PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY IN A SHOCKING TIRADE, CALLING HIM A DICTATORYOU IN A SHOCKING TIRADE, CALLING HIM A DICTATOR AND WARNING HIM TO MOVE FAST OR HE WON'T HAVE A COUNTRY LEFT. WILL THE GOVERNMENT HAS MISSED ALL THREE OF ITS CHILD POVERTY TARGETS AS A STATS NZ REPORT SHOWED PROGRESS TO COMBAT POVERTY HAS STALLED. DESPITE THAT, THE MINISTER CALLED THE REPORT 'ENCOURAGING'. A BIOSECURITY OPERATION IS UNDERWAY ON AUCKLAND'S NORTH SHORE AFTER A FRUIT FLY WAS DISCOVERED. A SINGLE MALE ORIENTAL FRUIT FLY WAS FOUND IN A SURVEILLANCE TRAP IN A BACKYARD IN BIRKDALE. HERE BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND SAID BIOSECURITY NEW ZEALAND SAID IT'S THE SAME SPECIES OF FRUIT FLY FOUND IN PAPATOETOE RECENTLY. LEGAL RESTRICTIONS WILL BE PUT IN PLACE ON THE MOVEMENT OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLES OUT OF THE AREA. THE ITALIAN LEADER GEORGIA MELONI VISITED POPE FRANCIS IN HOSPITAL TODAY, AND DESCRIBED HIM AS 'ALERT, RESPONSIVE AND FULL OF GOOD HUMOUR'. NEVERTHELESS, THE CONDITION OF THE POPE ` WHO HAS NOW BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH PNEUMONIA IN BOTH LUNGS ` CONTINUES TO GIVE CONCERN. ITV'S ELLIE PITT REPORTS FROM ROME. INSIDE THIS HOSPITAL, THE POPE IS RECEIVING TREATMENT FOR 1/5 NIGHT. OUTSIDE, BENEATH THE STATUE OF HIS PREDECESSOR, OTHER SIGNS CATHOLICS IN ROME AND BEYOND THINKING OF THE PONTIFF. WE WANT TO SEE HIM COMING BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE NEED HIM BACK TO DO HIS WORK. WE NEED HIS WORK FOR ALL HUMANITY. THE UPDATE FROM THE VATICAN THIS EVENING ON THE POPE'S HEALTH EXPLAINS THIS ` HE WAS ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL ON FRIDAY, BUT NOT BEFORE FINISHING HIS MEETING WITH THE SLOVAKIAN PRIME MINISTER. HE HAD BEEN SUFFERING WITH BRONCHITIS. AND ASKED A PRIEST TO TAKE OVER DURING THIS SPEECH LAST WEDNESDAY, BECAUSE OF THE ILLNESS. CONCERNS OF THE POPE'S CONDITION HAS BROUGHT JOURNALISTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO ITALY TO CAPTURE SYMBOLIC MOMENTS, AND UPDATE MORE THAN A BILLION CATHOLICS WORLDWIDE. TONIGHT, NOW WE KNOW WHAT HE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH, THEY WILL BE WAITING FOR NEWS ON HOW THE POPE IS RESPONDING TO HIS TREATMENT.. GRACE IS HERE WITH SPORT AFTER THE BREAK, AND GRACE, THE BLACKCAPS ARE OFF TO THE PERFECT START IN THE CHAMPIONS TROPHY. YES, THAT'S RIGHT, SAM. THEY'VE CRUISED PAST HOSTS PAKISTAN, THANKS TO CENTURIES TO BOTH WILL YOUNG AND TOM LATHAM. TOPPED OFF BY SOME GLENN PHILLIPS ACROBATICS IN THE FIELD. WE'LL HAVE A FULL WRAP OF THE ACTION NEXT. BORN TO ADVENTURE, WITH SAYS YOU KEEP MOTORCYCLES AND THREE NEWS SPORT. CENTURIES FROM TOM LATHAM AND WILL YOUNG HAVE PROPELLED THE BLACKCAPS TO A 60-RUN WIN OVER PAKISTAN IN THE OPENING CHAMPIONS TROPHY FIXTURE OVERNIGHT. THE PACKED KARACHI CROWD LET DOWN BY A POOR PAKISTAN PERFORMANCE AS THE COUNTRY HOSTED ITS FIRST INTERNATIONAL CRICKET COUNCIL EVENT SINCE 1996. HERE'S PAUL MAYOW. IT'S ALL OVER. MATT HENRY HAVING THE FINAL SAY IN A COMPREHENSIVE VICTORY FOR THE BLACKCAPS TO KICK OFF THEIR CHAMPIONS TROPHY CAMPAIGN. THE 60-RUN WIN SET UP BY A DOMINANT DISPLAY WITH THE BAT IN SPITE OF SOME EARLY INNINGS WOBBLES. WILLIAMSON ON HIS WAY. BRILLIANT FROM HIM! KANE WILLIAMSON'S SOLITARY RUN MARKED HIS FIRST SINGLE-FIGURE SCORE IN ODIS SINCE 2019, AND WHEN DARYL MITCHELL BECAME THE THIRD WICKET TO FALL WITH THE SCORE AT 73, WILL YOUNG AND TOM LATHAM WERE LEFT WITH THE TASK OF RESURRECTING THE INNINGS. NICE SHOT. BRILLIANT SWEEP. THE REPAIR JOB DONE, THE PAIR STARTED DISHING OUT THE DAMAGE, MATCHING QUICK SINGLES WITH REGULAR BOUNDARIES. YOUNG BRINGING UP HIS FOURTH ODI CENTURY OFF 108 BALLS. AND WILL YOUNG WRITES HIS NAME INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS. HIS DISMISSAL SEVEN RUNS LATER BROUGHT NO RESPITE FOR PAKISTAN'S BOWLERS AS GLENN PHILLIPS WENT ON THE CHARGE. DOWN ON THE GROUND. POWER FROM PHILIPS. ...AND TOM LATHAM JOINED IN THE FUN. LATHAM'S 118 NOT OUT EARNING HIM THE MAN OF THE MATCH AWARD AND GUIDING THE BLACKCAPS TO 320/5. A TOTAL THAT QUICKLY LOOKED OUT OF REACH TOMMY AND I TALKED ABOUT BUILDING A PARTNERSHIP, AND IT JUST FELT LIKE IF PAKISTAN GOT THREE OR FOUR... WE GOT A BOUNDARY AWAY FROM A BIT AFTERWARDS AND IT KEPT THE MOMENTUM OF THE INNINGS GOING. A TOTAL THAT QUICKLY LOOKED OUT OF REACH AS PHILLIPS MATCHED HIS FIREWORKS WITH THE BAT, WITH ANOTHER SUPERMAN EFFORT IN THE FIELD. WOW! GLENN PHILLIPS IS A SPECIAL MAN. HE HAS A UNIQUE DIVING STYLE. HE LETS THE BALL COME AND PLUCKS IT OUT OF FEAR. TWO DOWN FOR 22 AFTER 10 OVERS, PAKISTAN NEVER RECOVERED. WILL O'ROURKE WITH THREE WICKETS LED WHAT WAS AN ALL-ROUND EFFORT FROM THE BLACKCAPS ATTACK AS THE CHASE PETERED OUT IN THE 48TH OVER. RIGHT, HE IS IN PLAY THIS TIME. FOR TOURNAMENT HOSTS PAKISTAN, IT WAS A BITTERLY DISAPPOINTING OPENING TO THEIR FIRST ICC EVENT IN MORE THAN THREE DECADES. NEXT UP, THEY GO TO DUBAI TO FACE INDIA ON SUNDAY, BEFORE THE BLACK CAPS PLAY BANGLADESH IN RAWALPINDI ON MONDAY. THE BLUES ARE LOOKING FOR REDEMPTION IN THEIR MATCH AGAINST THE HIGHLANDERS THIS WEEKEND. IT'LL BE THEIR FIRST AWAY-GAME OF THE SEASON, AND COMES AFTER A 25-14 LOSS TO THE CHIEFS LAST WEEK, WHERE THE BLUES FAILED TO SCORE A POINT IN THE SECOND HALF. IT'S HOPED THE RETURN OF HOSKINS SOTUTU TO NUMBER 8 ` AFTER A LEG NIGGLE IN PRE SEASON ` WILL BOLSTER THE TEAM, AHEAD OF THE BATTLE DOWN SOUTH. FROM WHAT WE CAN SEE THROUGH HIS ACTIONS, HE'S THERE ` HE'S BACK IN THE TEAM, AND GIVES THAT BIT OF X-FACTOR AND LITTLE TOUCH AROUND THE BALL AND PLAY YOU DON'T HAVE WITHOUT HIM. COACH VERN COTTER SAYS THE TEAM IS AWARE OF THE PRESSURE FOR THE HIGHLANDERS TO PERFORM, TOO, AFTER BEING PIPPED IN THE 80TH MINUTE BY THE WARATAHS IN THEIR OPENING GAME OF THE SEASON. FORMER U.S. OPEN CHAMPION EMMA RADUCANU HAS BEEN REDUCED TO TEARS MID-MATCH AT THE DUBAI TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS AFTER IDENTIFYING AN ALLEGED STALKER IN THE STAND. JUST TWO GAMES INTO HER SECOND-ROUND LOSS TO KAROLINA MUCHOVA, THE 22-YEAR-OLD HID BEHIND THE UMPIRE'S CHAIR AND LOOKED PANICKED AS THE UMPIRE CALLED FOR HELP. SECURITY SOURCES BELIEVE RADUCANU WAS HANDED A LETTER AT HER HOTEL BY THE SAME MAN WHO 'EXHIBITED FIXATED BEHAVIOUR' EARLIER IN THE WEEK. IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME RADUCANU HAS BEEN TARGETED. IN 2022 ` WHILE SHE WAS STILL A TEENAGER ` A MAN WAS HANDED A FIVE-YEAR RESTRAINING ORDER AFTER HE VISITED HER HOME THREE TIMES FOLLOWING HER U.S. OPEN WIN. TWO OF THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE'S MOST PROLIFIC GOALSCORERS ARE SET TO GO HEAD-TO-HEAD IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA WHEN THE ALL WHITES TAKE ON NORWAY IN OSLO IN OCTOBER. NOTTINGHAM FOREST'S CHRIS WOOD AND MANCHESTER CITY'S ERLING HAALAND WILL BOTH FEATURE IN THE MATCH ` ONE OF EIGHT FIXTURES THE ALL WHITES WILL BE HOPING TO PLAY BETWEEN JUNE AND NOVEMBER. WE HAVE ALWAYS SAID WE WANT TO GET TO COMPETING AGAINST THESE TEAMS RANKED AROUND THIS SPACE . HAVING THOSE TWO FIGHTING IT OUT FOR GOALS IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE AND HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY AGAINST EACH OTHER... IT IS A GREAT FIXTURE. BUT BAZELEY SAYS THEY'RE NOT GETTING AHEAD OF THEMSELVES, WITH THEIR CURRENT FOCUS ON THE UPCOMING WORLD CUP OCEANIA QUALIFIERS IN MARCH. CHAOS STRUCK THE VOLTA AO ALGARVE'S OPENING STAGE AS A MAJOR ROUTE BLUNDER SENT MOST OF THE PELOTON THE WRONG WAY. SPRINTING THERE, BUT THIS FINISHES ON THE OTHER SIDE. WHAT IS HAPPENING? HE HAS GOT AWAY. HE IS RIGHT THERE. THE REST OF THE PALETTE AND ARE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS IS A FARCICAL FINISH. CONFUSED RIDERS FOUND THEMSELVES SPEEDING DOWN A ROAD PACKED WITH SPECTATORS INSTEAD OF THE FINISHING STRAIGHT. WITH MOST OF THE PELOTON ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BARRIERS, OFFICIALS HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO CANCEL THE STAGE. HOPEFULLY THE ORGANISERS HAVE BETTER LUCK ON STAGE TWO TOMORROW. THAT WAS VERY CONFUSING. I WOULD HAVE BEEN CONFUSED TOO, SAM. TAURANGA IS HOME TO TWO-THIRDS OF THE COUNTRY'S TOLL ROADS, AND IT'S ABOUT TO GET TWO MORE. IT MEANS THE CITY WILL RETAIN ITS STATUS OF HAVING MORE TOLL ROADS THAN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY COMBINED. EXPLAINER EDITOR LLOYD BURR LOOKS AT WHETHER TAURANGA'S BEING UNFAIRLY TARGETED. WELCOME TO TAURANGA. TOLL ROADS HAVE BEEN OPERATING HERE SINCE 1988. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE HARBOUR BRIDGE AND TOLLS HERE, WE WOULD HAVE TO TRAVEL RIGHT AROUND WELCOME BAY. THE CITY HAS HAD TWO MORE TOLL ROAD SINCE THEN. TAURANGA IS LOOKING FOR CLARITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHENEVER A NEW ROAD IS BUILT. THIS MAN WANTS NATIONWIDE CONSISTENCY IN THE ROLLOUT OF TOLL ROADS. THERE IS ONE IN AUCKLAND BY THE NORTHERN GATEWAY, BUT THERETO IN TAURANGA. MIGHT FOCUS ON TAURANGA? DECISIONS MADE AT THE TIME BY NATIONAL AND LABOUR. THERE ARE MORE TOLL ROADS ON TAURANGA'S HORIZON. THE NEXT BRANCH INCLUDES AUCKLAND'S HIGHWAY, AND AN EXPRESSWAY IN A DIFFERENT AREA. I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR THAT THE BAY OF PLENTY WILL HAVE FOUR OF THE SEVEN TOLL ROADS IN NEW ZEALAND. THAT DOESN'T SEEM FAIR TO ME. THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER BIG ROADS. WHY AREN'T OTHER REGIONS ALSO PAYING FOR THEIR NEW ROADS? THAT INCLUDES OTHER REGIONS LIKE THESE. ALL RELATIVELY NEW, YET UNTOLLED. IT'S NOT FAIR. THIS PERSON AGREES. HIS WESTERN BAY COUNTERPART, NOT SO CONCERNED. WE DO NEED MORE ROADS, AND THE WAY TO FUND THAT IS THROUGH TIME. WE HAD AN UNFAIR LEGACY BUT THAT IS THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW. A SPOKESPERSON SAYS ` ALL THREE ROADS INTO THE CITY WILL BE TOLLED. IT'S NOT FAIR. THERE ARE OTHER TOLLS COMING ROUND THE COUNTRY NOT JUST THE TAURANGA. THERE IS AN EXPECTATION THAT ALL OF THE NEW ROADS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL BUILD OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, PART OF OUR AMBITIOUS PLAN, WILL BE TOLLED. DESPITE THIS CONSTRUCTION AND DISRUPTION AND THE LOWER SPEED LIMIT AND THE BAD ROAD SERVICE, THE TOLL IS STILL FULL PRICE. IF YOU ARE GETTING HALF THE SERVICE, MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE PAYING HALF THE TOLL. THIS IDEA IS NOT BEING ENTERTAINED. THERE IS ANOTHER THING THIS DRIVE HAS BEEN A TOLL ROAD FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS. SURELY, IT HAS PAID ITSELF OFF BY NOW? I THINK IT'S CLOSE.. NZTA SAYS IT WILL TAKE SIX YEARS UNTIL IT HAS PAID OFF. JUST ONE OF ITS TOLLS. LAURA'S HERE WITH THE WEATHER, AND SOME RAIN IS HEADING TO EASTERN AREAS TOMORROW. YES ` THE TOP HALF OF THE SOUTH ISLAND'S EAST COAST AND MOST OF THE NORTH ISLAND'S EAST HAS ENJOYED RELATIVELY DRY WEATHER OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS, BUT THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE, WITH A SERIES OF FRONTS COMING FROM THE SOUTHWEST UP THE COUNTRY. IT WILL PUSH THAT WET WEATHER NORTH, EVEN REACHING PARTS OF HAWKE'S BAY AND GISBORNE. THE TEMPERATURE WILL ALSO START TO DROP A BIT. NAU MAI ANO. FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR WETTER WEATHER, THERE WILL BE SOME TOMORROW, BUT IT WON'T LAST. A SERIES OF FRONTS WILL MOVE SOUTHWEST ACROSS THE SOUTH ISLAND TONIGHT, AND THEN WILL WEAKEN AS THEY MOVE UP THE NORTH ISLAND. FOLLOWING RIGHT BEHIND IS A WEAK RIDGE AND THEN ANOTHER FRONT, THAT WILL MOVE ONTO THE FAR SOUTH LATER IN THE DAY. THE HEAVY RAIN IS CONFINED MOSTLY TO THE WEST OF THE SOUTH ISLAND AT FIRST, BUT THEN, COME AFTERNOON, THERE WILL BE PERIODS OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE THUNDERSTORMS IN CANTERBURY, NORTH OF ASHBURTON UP TO WAIRARAPA. IN THE NORTH ISLAND, THAT BAND OF SHOWERS WILL REACH THE LOWER NORTH ISLAND IN THE MORNING, THEN IT WILL TRAVEL NORTH THROUGH THE DAY, WITH THOSE SOUTHWESTERLIES BRINGING SOME MUCH NEEDED RESPITE AFTER ALL THAT HUMIDITY. A CLOUDY FRIDAY, WITH A CHANCE OF A SHOWER. IT SHOULD CLEAR EARLY FOR AUCKLAND, COROMANDEL PENINSULA AND HAMILTON. STRONG MORNING SOUTHWESTERLIES FOR WHITIANGA AND WHANGAREI. WESTLERLIES DEVELOPING IN THE MORNING, AND A PARTLY CLOUDY MORNING, MAYBE A SHOWER OR TWO, BUT A FINE AFTERNOON FOR EVERYONE. YOUR DRY SPELL IS OVER HERE. A CLOUDY START WITH SHOWERS, AND THEY COULD GET HEAVY AFTER LUNCH, AND PERHAPS THUNDERY FOR DANNEVIRKE AND MASTERTON. AND YOU WON'T NEED TO WATER YOUR GARDEN HERE EITHER. A FEW MORNING SHOWERS, SOME POSSIBLY HEAVY, BUT THE AFTERNOON WILL BRING FINE CLEAR SKIES FOR MOST. A FINE DAY FOR NELSON, WITH SOUTHWESTERLIES, BUT RAIN FOR MOST OTHER PLACES. IT SHOULD EASE TO SHOWERS BEFORE DAWN, BUT THEN COULD GET HEAVY FROM THE AFTERNOON. HOKITIKA, YOU COULD JUST GET A LATE EVENING SHOWER, AND IT'S A LOT COOLER HERE, AND AGAIN ` THOSE DRY DAYS HAVE ENDED FOR NOW. YOUR FRIDAY WILL START FINE THOUGH, THEN HEAVY, AND PERHAPS THUNDERY SHOWERS FROM LATE MORNING AS WESTLERLIES TURN SOUTHERLY. SOME FINE SPELLS HERE, WITH A CHANCE OF A MORNING SHOWER. IN OBAN THOSE SHOWERS WILL RAMP UP AROUND MIDDAY. IN INVERCARGILL, THEY SHOULD PETER OUT AFTER LUNCH. A MORE SETTLED DAY FOR YOU, DUNEDIN. FINE SPELLS, WITH THE CHANCE OF A SHOWER OR TWO, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. SOUTHWESTERLIES. A WET FRIDAY FOR YOU CHRISTCHURCH. HEAVY FALLS IN THE MORNING, THAT COULD BE THUNDERY BEFORE LUNCH. THAT WILL CLEAR TO FINE IN THE EVENING, WHEN THE WINDS TURN NORTHERLY. AND A MUCH COOLER DAY ` ONLY REACHING 18. A FEW SHOWERS ABOUT TOMORROW IN THE CAPITAL, AND PARTLY CLOUDY. NORTHWESTERLIES TURNING SOUTHERLY FOR A TIME IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. STILL WARM IN THE BAY, BUT A PARTLY CLOUDY FRIDAY, WITH A SHOWERS DEVELOPING IN THE AFTERNOON ` SOME POSSIBLY HEAVY ` CLEARING IN THE EVENING. WESTERLIES EASING AT NIGHT. TAURANGA ` MOSTLY CLOUDY BEFORE DAWN, WITH WESTERLIES DEVELOPING. A CHANCE OF A SHOWER, THEN THOSE FINE SPELLS WILL INCREASE. HAMILTON ` SOME CLOUD ABOUT FOR YOUR FRIDAY TOO, AND A CHANCE OF A SHOWER, BUT THAT SHOULD JUST BE IN THE MORNING. A HIGH OF 26 FOR EVERYONE. AUCKLAND ` A MOSTLY CLOUDY DAY, AGAIN WITH SOME SHOWERS, BUT JUST IN THE MORNING. SOUTHWESTERLIES WILL STRENGTHEN IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. 27 DEGREES FOR THOSE OVER THE BRIDGE. TO AUSTRALIA ` SOME SHOWERS IN THE NORTH AND EAST AGAIN. MELBOURNE ` 10 DEGREES WARMER TOMORROW, REACHING 31. THUNDERSTORM IN NADI, AND SHOWERY FOR MOST OTHER PLACES. BACK HOME NOW, AND A HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM SITS OUT TO THE WEST ON SATURDAY, SO CLEAR SKIES, BUT SOME FRESH SOUTHWESTERLIES. GREAT WEATHER IF YOU'RE HEADING ALONG TO THE AUCKLAND FC V PHOENIX GAME. MORE SUNNY SKIES EXPECTED HERE FOR THE WEEKEND; TICK OFF THOSE OUTDOOR JOBS ON YOUR TO DO LIST OR JUST RELAX AND ENJOY IT. AND LOOK AT THIS ` A LITTLE BIT OF CLOUD FOR WELLINGTON ON SUNDAY, BUT NOT MANY COMPLAINTS HERE ` IF FINE WEATHER IS WHAT YOU'RE AFTER, OF COURSE. ANOTHER FRONT MOVES UP THE SOUTH ISLAND ON SATURDAY, SO A BIT OF WET WEATHER IN THE WEST. A BIT DRIER FOR THOSE IN THE EAST, BUT DUNEDIN AND INVERCARGILL, ESPECIALLY, GETTING DOWN TO SOME COOLER TEMPERATURES, BUT THEY WON'T LAST. AND HERE'S SOME INSPIRATION IF YOU DON'T HAVE WEEKEND PLANS FOR THOSE SUNNY DAYS AHEAD ` A ROADIE OR SETTING THE ALARM TO SEE THE SUNRISE... OR BOTH. THAT IS THREENEWS 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. POMARIE. I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN TOMORROW. CAPTIONS BY KATE MCCULLOUGH AND BRIGIT KELLY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025