POPE FRANCIS IS IN A CRITICAL CONDITION IN HOSPITAL. HIS HEALTH WORSENED OVERNIGHT AFTER HE EXPERIENCED A LONG ASTHMATIC CRISIS. AMID CHINA'S RISING AGGRESSION IN THE PACIFIC AND AMERICA'S UNRELIABILITY, THERE ARE CALLS FOR NEW ZEALAND TO INCREASE DEFENCE SPENDING. AN ISRAELI HOSTAGE CELEBRATES HIS FREEDOM BY KISSING HIS CAPTORS, BUT BENJAMIN NETANYAHU CALLS THE CEREMONY HUMILIATING AND DELAYS FREEING HUNDREDS OF PALESTINIAN PRISONERS. AND JOSEPH PARKER WINS BY KNOCKOUT ` EVEN THOUGH AT FIRST IT LOOKED LIKE HE MISSED. CAPTIONS BY ALEX WALKER AND BRIGIT KELLY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025 KIA ORA, THIS IS THREE NEWS. THE VATICAN HAS TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME DESCRIBED THE POPE'S CONDITION IN HOSPITAL AS CRITICAL, ADDING HE IS NOT OUT OF DANGER. IN A STATEMENT, IT SAID POPE FRANCIS'S HEALTH HAD WORSENED AFTER HE EXPERIENCED A LONG ASTHMATIC CRISIS LAST NIGHT. ITV'S ELLIE PITT IS IN ROME. WHEN POPE FRANCIS COULDN'T FINISH THE SPEECH 10 DAYS AGO... IT WAS A VISIBLE SIGN IN FRONT OF A CROWD OF THOUSANDS THAT HE WAS STRUGGLING WITH HIS HEALTH. TWO DAYS LATER, HE WAS HOSPITALISED, AND TONIGHT DOCTORS SAY HE IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION. A VATICAN STATEMENT SAID... (SPEAKS ITALIAN) JUST YESTERDAY, THE DOCTORS TREATING THE POPE GAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE. THEY EXPLAINED THAT HE IS NOT OUT OF DANGER AND THAT PNEUMONIA IN BOTH LUNGS IS A SERIOUS ILLNESS FOR SOMEONE IN THEIR EIGHTIES. (ALL CHANT) OUTSIDE HOSPITAL TODAY, PILGRIMS PRAYED FOR THE RECOVERY OF THEIR HOLY FATHER. BUT INSIDE, HE WAS, AS THE VATICAN PUT IT, SUFFERING MORE THAN HE HAD DONE YESTERDAY. THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO OVERHAUL THE OVERSEAS INVESTMENT ACT BY THE END OF THE YEAR TO MAKE IT EASIER AND QUICKER FOR FOREIGNERS TO INVEST IN NEW ZEALAND, UNLESS IT INVOLVES RESIDENTIAL LAND, FARMLAND OR FISHING QUOTA. THEN THE AIM IS TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER TO APPROVE THE INVESTMENT WITHIN 15 DAYS. IT'S HOPED THE CHANGES COULD ATTRACT MUCH-NEEDED COMPETITORS IN THE SUPERMARKET SECTOR. OVERSEAS INVESTMENT WILL NOT BE A BARRIER TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COME AND COMPETE WITH THE SUPERMARKET CHAINS AND DRIVE PRICES DOWN. THERE ARE GROWING CALLS FOR NEW ZEALAND TO INCREASE DEFENCE SPENDING. IT COMES AMID CONCERNS OVER CHINA'S RISING AGGRESSION IN THE PACIFIC, AND AN UNRELIABLE AMERICA. SENIOR REPORTER JULIET SPEEDY HAS THE STORY. BUT CHINA'S AMBASSADOR TO NEW ZEALAND WAS LESS HAPPY ANSWERING QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR WARSHIPS IN THE TASMAN. WHAT ARE THE CHINESE WAR SHIPS DOING SO CLOSE TO AUSTRALIA? TODAY IS A DAY FOR CELEBRATION. WHAT ARE THE WAR SHIPS DOING THERE? WHY ARE THEY CONDUCTING LIVE FIRING EXERCISES? MANY QUESTIONS, THOUGH, REMAIN UNANSWERED BY CHINA, AND EXPERTS SAY THEIR UNANNOUNCED DRILLS, JUST 277KM FROM AUSTRALIA, ARE A DELIBERATE SHOW OF FORCE. IT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT. IT'S A SHOT ACROSS THE BOW. IT'S MEANT TO INTIMIDATE. CHINA HAS NO REASON TO BE ENGAGING IN LIVE FIRE EXERCISES IN THE TASMAN SEA. THE AMBASSADOR HIT BACK AT NEW ZEALAND. WHY ARE THEY CONDUCTING LIVE FIRING EXERCISES? THAT'S A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION. THAT'S A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION. SO, THAT WAS LAST YEAR. AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND DID A TRANSIT OF THE TAIWAN STRAIT, WHICH IS AN INTERNATIONAL STRAIT. EXPERTS SAY THIS IS YET ANOTHER WAKE-UP CALL FOR NEW ZEALAND TO BOOST DEFENCE SPENDING. WE'VE GOT A VERY SMALL NAVY. WE'VE ONLY GOT ABOUT NINE VESSELS. SO WE HAVE TO SERIOUSLY LOOK TO PROTECT WHAT WE CAN PROTECT, WHICH IS OUR SEA SPACE. WE DO NEED TO REALISTICALLY THINK ABOUT EXPENDING NOT 1% OF GDP, WHICH WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR ABOUT TWO DECADES, BUT THINKING ABOUT 1.7%, PERHAPS 2%. WE NEED TO UP THE DEFENCE BUDGET. WE NEED TO INCREASE SALARIES FOR OUR DEFENCE PERSONNEL TO MAKE IT AN ATTRACTIVE JOB. AND THEN WE ALSO NEED TO PUT MONEY INTO THINGS LIKE DRONES. WE NEED THE STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY TO ENABLE US TO PATROL AND PROTECT OUR SEAS. THE GOVERNMENT AGREES. IT'S AN INCREASINGLY GEOPOLITICALLY COMPETITIVE PART OF THE WORLD, IT'S AN INCREASINGLY GEOPOLITICALLY COMPETITIVE PART OF THE WORLD, THE PACIFIC. THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE, AND OUR PROSPERITY IS VERY CLOSELY LINKED TO OUR SECURITY. THAT IS WHY WE WILL ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO INCREASE OUR DEFENCE SPEND. FORMER AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER MALCOLM TURNBULL SAYS THEY ALSO NEED TO SPEND MORE ON THEIR DEFENCE, BUT HE BELIEVES JOINING AUKUS WAS A CATASTROPHIC MISTAKE. WE COULD BE ALONE. WE CANNOT ASSUME THAT THE AMERICA THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH TODAY ` PARTICULARLY AS IT EVOLVES OVER THE YEARS TO COME ` IS GOING TO BE PREPARED TO DO MUCH, IF ANYTHING, TO DEFEND US. WITH CHINA STRENGTHENING OTHER TIES IN THE PACIFIC, MOST RECENTLY WITH THE COOK ISLANDS, EXPERTS WARN THAT NEW ZEALAND MUST BOLSTER ITS ALLIANCES THERE AND EXPAND ITS REGIONAL PRESENCE TO NAVIGATE AN INCREASINGLY COMPLEX GEOPOLITICAL LANDSCAPE. DONALD TRUMP IS SAID TO BE CONFIDENT A PEACE DEAL FOR UKRAINE WILL BE DONE BY THE END OF THE WEEK. THE UPDATE FOLLOWED THE U.S. PRESIDENT'S TYPICALLY COLOURFUL ADDRESS AT THE CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE. SENIOR CORRESPONDENT LISETTE REYMER REPORTS. DONALD TRUMP WAS PREACHING TO THE MAGA CHOIR AT THE CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE, LAUNCHING A TIRADE ABOUT PRESIDENT BIDEN... EVERY SINGLE THING HE TOUCHED TURNED TO SHIT, OK? EVERYTHING. ...AND BOASTING ABOUT THE BIG WINS OF HIS FIRST MONTH. I'M DEALING WITH PUTIN. I'M TRYING TO GET THE MONEY BACK. THE U.S. PRESIDENT TAKING TO THE SAME STAGE THAT HAS PROVIDED A PLATFORM FOR TWO QUESTIONABLE SALUTES THIS WEEKEND. FIRST, IT WAS TRUMP'S FORMER AIDE STEVE BANON, AND OVERNIGHT IT WAS A RIGHT WING MEXICAN ACTOR. THAT'S WHY I'M JOINING THE ELON MUSK AND TRUMP MOVEMENT. THAT'S WHY I'M JOINING THE ELON MUSK AND TRUMP MOVEMENT. MY HEART GOES OUT TO ALL OF YOU. JOINING THE ELON MUSK CLUB OF THOSE ACCUSED OF GIVING NAZI SALUTES. TRUMP'S EFFICIENCY TSAR, MOVING FROM CONTROVERSIAL HAND GESTURES TO HEAVY-HANDED EMAILS, TODAY ISSUING THIS SHOCK MESSAGE TO ALL FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, THE SUBJECT LINE DEMANDING, 'WHAT DID YOU DO LAST WEEK?' RECIPIENTS WERE ASKED TO REPLY WITH FIVE BULLET POINTS, MUSK RULING THAT A FAILURE TO RESPOND WOULD BE TAKEN AS RESIGNATION. THIS AFTER HIS BOSS DONALD TRUMP INSTRUCTED HIM TO BE 'MORE AGGRESSIVE'. THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER IS ALSO DIALLING UP THE TEMPERATURE, BRACING FOR HIS FIRST MEETING WITH TRUMP, HAVING ALREADY PLEDGED THE UK'S IRONCLAD SUPPORT TO UKRAINE. ALL CHANT: RUSSIA IS A TERRORIST STATE. SIR KEIR STARMER ECHOING THE SENTIMENT OF LONDON PROTESTORS WHO MARCHED ON THE RUSSIAN EMBASSY OVERNIGHT, OUTRAGED AT THE UNITED STATES' BETRAYAL. AMERICA'S SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE HAS SWITCHED THIS PAST WEEK, FROM UNCONDITIONAL TO TRANSACTIONAL, AND TRUMP CONTINUES TO PUT PRESSURE ON ZELENSKYY TO SIGN A DEAL THAT ALLOWS THE U.S. ACCESS TO HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS' WORTH OF MINERALS, IN PAYBACK FOR AID. WE'RE ASKING FOR RARE EARTH AND OIL, ANYTHING WE CAN GET, WE'RE ASKING FOR RARE EARTH AND OIL, ANYTHING WE CAN GET, BUT WE FEEL SO STUPID. UKRAINE'S FORMER ECONOMY MINISTER SAYS PROMISING AMERICA ACCESS TO THE MINERALS FOUND IN UKRAINIAN LAND, COULD ACTUALLY BENEFIT THEIR ARGUMENT FOR MORE AID. IF YOU GET OUT OF THIS PANIC MODE, MAYBE IT'S GOOD FOR US. IT MAY BE GOOD FOR US TO HAVE AMERICA COME IN AND HAVE A REASONABLE STAKE, GIVEN THE WORLD WE'RE IN IN KYIV. IN KYIV, DEATH CONTINUES TO DROP FROM ABOVE AS THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR DRAWS NEARER. AND WHILE IN WASHINGTON, THE PRESIDENT'S PRESS SECRETARY HAS PROMISED A PEACE DEAL IS COMING SOON... THE PRESIDENT IS VERY CONFIDENT ` CONFIDENT WE CAN GET IT DONE THIS WEEK. ...UKRAINIANS ARE NOT SO CONFIDENT IN THE DEAL OR THE DON. SIX ISRAELI HOSTAGES WERE HANDED OVER BY HAMAS TODAY, BUT ISRAEL DELAYED FREEING 620 PALESTINIAN PRISONERS. HAMAS CLAIMED THE DELAY WAS BECAUSE SOME OF THEM HAD BEEN ASSAULTED, BUT ISRAEL DENIED THIS, AND PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAID IN A STATEMENT THE PRISONERS WOULD NOT BE FREED UNTIL HAMAS ENSURED IT WOULD CEASE WHAT HE CALLED THE 'HUMILIATING CEREMONIES' THAT ACCOMPANY HOSTAGE RELEASES. CHANNEL 4'S JONATHAN RUGMAN REPORTS. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) FOR OMER SHEM TOV'S FAMILY AND FRIENDS, TODAY WAS LIBERATION DAY. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) 16 MONTHS OF PAIN ENDURED BY OMER'S SISTER TURNING INTO JOY. EVERY HOSTAGE RELEASE, EVERY SCENE LIKE THIS ONE PROVING THIS CEASEFIRE'S WORTH. THOUGH WHETHER IT CONTINUES BEYOND NEXT WEEK IS ANYONE'S GUESS. OMER WAS AMONG SIX RELEASED BY HAMAS IN GAZA THIS MORNING. THE SIX ARE THE LAST LIVING HOSTAGES TO BE RETURNED IN THIS CEASEFIRE'S FIRST PHASE. THE 22-YEAR-OLD WAS PARADED ONSTAGE. HE'D BEEN KIDNAPPED FROM A MUSIC FESTIVAL, AND YET, REMARKABLY, HE KISSED TWO OF THE MEN WHO HAD BEEN HOLDING HIM. (RAUCOUS CHEERING, APPLAUSE) HIS HOMECOMING WAS BROADCAST ON ISRAELI TELEVISION, AND IT WILL BE ONE OF THE LAST UNLESS THE CEASEFIRE BECOMES PERMANENT ` THOUGH THE ORIGINAL PLAN REQUIRES A COMPLETE ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL. BUT ISRAEL IS STILL GRIEVING, IN NO MOOD TO FORGIVE OR FORGET, FOR ALL TODAY'S CELEBRATIONS, ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER HAS NOT COMMITTED TO THAT SECOND PHASE OF WITHDRAWING TROOPS. DOING SO MIGHT WELL LEAD TO THE COLLAPSE OF HIS COALITION GOVERNMENT. SO IMAGINE HOW SCENES LIKE THESE LOOK TO THE FAMILIES OF THE 30 OR SO HOSTAGES WHO ARE ALIVE AND STILL MISSING, WONDERING IF THE WAR IS ABOUT TO RESUME, DENYING THEM THIS MOMENT. WE KNOW OUR SON IS ALIVE AND IS WAITING TO BE RELEASED. I'M JUST HOPING THAT HE'S STAYING STRONG AND SURVIVING, AND HIS DAY WILL COME. THESE MEN ARE THINKING EVEN FURTHER AHEAD. THE SAUDI CROWN PRINCE AND HIS FELLOW ARAB LEADERS MET YESTERDAY. THEY KNOW THAT OIL MONEY IS LIKELY TO FOOT THE BILL FOR GAZA'S RECONSTRUCTION, AND THAT'S THE PRICE TO BE PAID FOR STOPPING DONALD TRUMP FROM TURNING IT INTO REAL ESTATE. THE PRESIDENT WAS HIMSELF TALKING TO THE SAUDIS IN FLORIDA ON WEDNESDAY, ALONG WITH HIS SON-IN-LAW JARED KUSHNER AND STEVE WITKOFF, THE PROPERTY DEVELOPER NOW TASKED WITH SECURING FURTHER HOSTAGE RELEASES. THE ISSUE WITH PHASE TWO IS THAT... THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE AN END TO THE WAR AS PART OF PHASE TWO, AND I THINK THE ISRAELIS HAVE A RED LINE, WHICH IS YOU CAN'T HAVE HAMAS IN THE GOVERNMENT. AND SO IT'S HARD TO SORT OF SQUARE THAT CIRCLE. BUT WE ARE MAKING A LOT OF PROGRESS IN THE CONVERSATIONS, AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL LEAD TO SOME GOOD THINGS, GOOD RESULTS. AND IMAGES OF THESE HAMAS FIGHTERS TODAY WILL ENRAGE MANY ISRAELIS. AS FOR WHETHER HAMAS WILL REALLY STEP DOWN FROM POWER... MAYBE THEN, ONLY THEN, WILL THIS CURRENT ROUND OF CONFLICT AND. OLLIE'S HERE WITH SPORT NEXT, AND A BIG WIN FOR JOSEPH PARKER. HE NEEDED TO GET THAT WIN AS WELL. DANIEL DUBOIS PULLING OUT WITH ILLNESS. WAS AN IMPORTANT WIN FOR JOE, KNOCKOUT IN THE SECOND ROUND. WE'LL HAVE ALL THE ACTION FROM PARKER'S BIG WIN NEXT, INCLUDING THE CAMERA ANGLE THAT CLEARLY SHOWS HE MADE CONTACT. NOW HE'S CALLING OUT HIS NEXT OPPONENT, SO IS OLEKSANDR USYK UP FOR IT? AND THE HIGHLANDERS STUN THE BLUES IN DUNEDIN TO LEAVE THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS STILL WITHOUT A WIN. (ROCK MUSIC) TAKE TO THE WATER WITH SUZUKI ULTIMATE OUTBOARDS AND THREE NEWS SPORT. JOSEPH PARKER HAS CALLED OUT HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMPION OLEKSANDR USYK AFTER MAKING LIGHT WORK OF MARTIN BAKOLE. PARKER WAS SCHEDULED TO TAKE ON DANIEL DUBOIS FOR THE IBF HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE BEFORE THE BRITISH FIGHTER PULLED OUT, DUE TO ILLNESS, SEEING BAKOLE STEP IN AT THE LAST MINUTE. USYK HAS BEEN QUICK TO POUR COLD WATER ON PARKER'S IDEA, THOUGH, THE UKRAINIAN INSTEAD EYEING A BOUT WITH DUBOIS. GORDON FINDLATER HAS MORE. IT WAS MEANT TO BE ANOTHER WORLD TITLE SHOT FOR JOSEPH PARKER... IT WAS MEANT TO BE ANOTHER WORLD TITLE SHOT FOR JOSEPH PARKER. BAKOLE'S ALL OVER THE PLACE. WHAT A SHOT FROM JOE PARKER! AND HE WAS BEFUDDLED. INSTEAD, IT WAS A VICTORY WITH MUCH LESS MEANING ` PARKER MAKING EASY WORK OF DANIEL DUBOIS' LAST MINUTE REPLACEMENT MARTIN BAKOLE. ALL OVER INSIDE TWO. JOE PARKER DOES GET THE JOB DONE. AND AFTER HIS SECOND ROUND TKO WIN, PARKER WAS QUICK TO TRY AND GET WHAT TODAY WAS MEANT TO BE ` A SHOT AT A WORLD TITLE, BUT WITH OLEKSANDR USYK. WELL, LISTEN ` IF USYK WANTS A DANCE PARTNER, I'LL GET UNCLE FRANK TO COME IN HERE AND LOCK IN A FIGHT WITH YOU. IF USYK WANTS A DANCE PARTNER, BUT I WANNA FIGHT FOR A WORLD TITLE. PARKER MAY NOT GET HIS WISH, THOUGH. USYK HAS OTHER PLANS ` IRONICALLY, WITH THE MAN THAT LEFT PARKER HIGH AND DRY. I THINK IT'S DUBOIS. THOSE THAT FELT SKEPTICAL ABOUT DUBOIS' LAST MINUTE WITHDRAWAL, LIKELY TO FEEL EVEN MORE SO AFTER USKY'S STATEMENT. LIKELY TO FEEL EVEN MORE SO AFTER USYK'S STATEMENT. WHILE THE BRIT NOW LIKELY EYES A CRACK AT THE UKRAINIAN, PARKER WAS LEFT TO BATTLE WITH HIS UNDERCOOKED REPLACEMENT. OH, GOOD SHOT THERE FROM PARKER! THE STRONG RIGHT HAND FROM PARKER IN THE SECOND ROUND SETTING UP THE KNOCKOUT WHICH SEEMED INEVITABLE SOON AFTER. WOW! PARKER DOES IT IN STYLE! WOW! PARKER DOES IT IN STYLE! I WANNA SAY, 'WHO'S NEXT'? HOW CAN I FIGHT FOR THE WORLD TITLE NEXT? 'HOW CAN I FIGHT FOR THE WORLD TITLE?' PARKER'S WIN EMPHATIC AND IMPRESSIVE, BUT NOT SO MUCH IN THE EYES OF THE MAN HE WANTS TO FIGHT NEXT. LISTEN, PARKER ` PREPARE FOR THIS FIGHT, YEAH? BAKOLE? I THINK NO. WHO IS NEXT ON PARKER'S HIT LIST YET TO BE KNOWN, BUT IT SEEMS UNLIKELY TO BE FOR A WORLD TITLE. THE BLUES INSIST IT'S NOT THE TIME TO PANIC AND WILL WALK TOWARD THE CHALLENGE AFTER LOSING THEIR SECOND GAME IN A ROW TO START THEIR SUPER RUGBY DEFENCE. THE HIGHLANDERS ROSE TO THE OCCASION IN DUNEDIN LAST NIGHT, STUNNING THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS 29-21, ALTHOUGH JAMIE JOSEPH WASN'T COMPLETELY CONVINCED BY HIS SIDE'S PERFORMANCE. FEW GAVE THE HIGHLANDERS MUCH OF A CHANCE AGAINST THE BLUES, AND IT WASN'T HARD TO SEE WHAT THIS VICTORY MEANT. WE GOT THE JOB DONE, EH? SO THAT'S MASSIVE GROWTH FOR US. FOR THE OPENING 20 MINUTES, THOUGH, IT WAS THE BLUES WHO WERE IN CONTROL. HE DOES, HE SCORES. FINLAY CHRISTIE OPENED THE SCORING BEFORE BEAUDEN BARRETT FINISHED OFF SOME BROKEN PLAY BRILLIANCE TO EXTEND THE LEAD. LOOK AT AND POPPING AWAY. GONNA SCORE! BUT JUST AS THE BLUES LOOKED TO BE CRUISING, THINGS BEGAN TO UNRAVEL. AT THE HANDS OF THEIR NEWEST STAR FIN HURLEY, THE HIGHLANDERS BEGAN TO CLAW THEIR WAY BACK. HE'S GOT IT EARLY. OUTSTANDING! FINN HURLEY, THAT IS MAGIC. BUT FOR ALL OF THE GOOD PARTS OF THE HIGHLANDERS' VICTORY, JAMIE JOSEPH KNOWS THERE'S STILL SOME WAY TO GO. I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT OUR MENTALITY, BUT WE'VE GOTTA STOP MAKING SOFT ERRORS WHERE WE ALLOW TEAMS TO GET A SNIFF. AND AFTER A SECOND-STRAIGHT DEFEAT TO START THE SEASON, VERN COTTER ADMITS HIS SIDE ISN'T THERE YET. WE'RE NOT GETTING THAT TRANSITION FROM TRAINING AND INTENTION ON TO THE FIELD, AND I FELT WE GOT A LITTLE BIT RATTLED TODAY AS WELL. BUT COTTER IS FAR FROM HITTING THE PANIC BUTTON JUST YET. YOU WIN TOGETHER; YOU LOSE TOGETHER. SO THIS IS A GREAT LITTLE CHALLENGE FOR US. ONE THE BLUES WILL HOPE DOESN'T TAKE MUCH LONGER TO OVERCOME. THE BLACK FERNS SEVENS HAVE CRUISED INTO THE SEMI-FINALS IN VANCOUVER WITH A DOMINANT 34-12 WIN OVER CANADA. THE BLACK FERNS TOOK JUST 20 SECONDS TO GET ON THE BOARD, WITH JORJA MILLER POUNCING ON A CANADA MISTAKE. AND FROM THERE, IT WAS ALL ONE-WAY TRAFFIC. GETTING THE BALL AWAY FROM BRAKE, AND THAT IS DANGER SIDE, THE ABILITY TO GO 360, PIROUETTE AT PACE, THERE IS THE COMBO. IT WILL BE MILLER TO FINISH IT. EARLIER, THE ALL BLACKS SEVENS WERE BUNDLED OUT IN THE QUARTER-FINALS BY SPAIN, GOING DOWN 12-7 IN EXTRA TIME. SCOTLAND HAVE FALLEN AGONISINGLY SHORT AGAINST ENGLAND IN THE SIX NATIONS, MISSING THE OPPORTUNITY TO STEAL VICTORY ON FULL TIME. THE BOOT OF MARCUS SMITH WAS THE MAIN DIFFERENCE AS ENGLAND CLUNG TO A NARROW LEAD. BUT WHEN SCOTLAND CROSSED IN THE LAST MINUTE OF THE GAME, FINN RUSSELL HAD THE CHANCE TO WIN IT. THIS TO WIN THE MATCH FOR FINN RUSSELL. SLID BY. THREE CONVERSIONS MISSED. ELSEWHERE, THE POST-WARREN GATLAND ERA AT WALES HAS CONTINUED WHERE IT LEFT OFF, LOSING 27-18 TO IRELAND. ALICE ROBINSON'S SECURED ANOTHER PODIUM FINISH OVERNIGHT, THIS TIME FINISHING IN THIRD PLACE IN THE GIANT SLALOM WORLD CUP EVENT IN ITALY JUST 24 HOURS AFTER NABBING SILVER IN THE PREVIOUS ROUND. THE 23-YEAR-OLD WAS IN THE LEAD AFTER HER FIRST RUN BUT WAS UNABLE TO HOLD ON TO THAT SPOT. SHE'LL BE BACK ON THE SLOPES IN NORWAY NEXT WEEK FOR THE DOWNHILL AND SUPER G WORLD CUP. GREAT TO SEE HER AGAIN. I KNOW YOU'RE A BIG FAN. SHE'S PRETTY FAST. LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WINTER OLYMPICS NEXT YEAR. ITALIA! YES! THERE ARE SOME HOT TEMPERATURES ON THE CARDS TOMORROW. I'LL HAVE YOUR MONDAY WEATHER NEXT. WILL WE ONCE AGAIN BE UNABLE TO BEAT WELLINGTON ON A GOOD DAY? WELCOME BACK; YOU'RE WATCHING THREE NEWS. HERE ARE OUR TOP STORIES FOR YOUR SATURDAY EVENING ` POPE FRANCIS IS IN A CRITICAL CONDITION IN HOSPITAL. HIS HEALTH WORSENED OVERNIGHT AFTER HE EXPERIENCED A LONG ASTHMATIC CRISIS. THERE'S GROWING CALLS FOR NEW ZEALAND TO INCREASE DEFENCE SPENDING, AMID CHINA'S RISING AGGRESSION IN THE PACIFIC AND AMERICA'S CHANGING PRIORITIES. AND CLAIMS COMING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE THAT A PEACE DEAL FOR UKRAINE WILL BE DONE THIS WEEK. TIME NOW FOR A LOOK AT THE WEATHER. HARD/GODSPEED/THOUGHTS AND THAT LARGE HIGH OVER THE COUNTRY IS GOING TO MOVE EAST FROM TOMORROW. THAT FRONT WILL HAVE THE BOTTOM OF THE SOUTH ISLAND BY MONDAY EVENING. IT WILL BE A FINE START TO THE WORKING WEEK FOR THE SOUTH WITH A BIT OF RAIN IN THE WEST. A FINE MONDAY FOR THE NORTH ISLAND TWO, WITH THREE SPOTS SET TO HIT 28 DEGREES.. COLLATERAL INCREASE AS THE DAY GOES ON FOR THESE AREAS, WITH NORTHERLIES TO MATCH. FINE FOR THESE TWO PLACES. MORNING CLOUD FOR HERE. HAWKE'S BAY WILL HAVE EASTERLY WINDS IN THE AFTERNOON. MARSTON AT 28 DEGREES. YOU ARE ALSO IN THE 28 DEGREES. IT WILL BE A FINE DAY ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT IT WILL BE WORSE IN THE EVENING FOR SOMEBODY. MORNING CLOUD AT THE TOP OF THE SOUTH ISLAND FOLSOM. MORNING CLOUD FOR ALL. NORTH-EASTERLY IS WILL DEVELOP EVERYWHERE IN THE MORNING. NO WESTERLIES FOR BLENHEIM.. THERE WILL BE SOME EVENING SHOWERS FOR STUART ISLAND. IT WILL BE A MONDAY MIX OF CLOUDY AND FINE DAYS FOR AUSTRALIA. MORE RAIN IN STORE FOR THE PACIFIC. HERE IS HOW THE REST OF THE WEEK IS LOOKING BACK HOME. THAT IS THREE NEWS FOR TONIGHT. YOU CAN STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS AND INFORMATION ON stuff.co.nz. I'M IMOGEN WELLS. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH SOME OF YOUR WEEKEND WEATHER PICTURES. CAPTIONS BY ALEX WALKER AND BRIGIT KELLY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025