TONIGHT ON 1 NEWS ` AGREEMENT ON A TEMPORARY PAUSE TO RUSSIA'S THREE-YEAR-OLD WAR IN UKRAINE, BUT VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS CONDITIONS. WHAT THEY ARE AND WHAT HE AND DONALD TRUMP TALKED ABOUT IN A LENGTHY PHONE CALL ABOUT THE CONFLICT. THE BRAKES ARE NOW BEING APPLIED TO PLANS TO INCREASE SPEED LIMITS ON SOME HIGHWAYS. WHAT'S PROMPTED THE U-TURN? AND SPLASHDOWN. CREW NINE BACK ON EARTH. AND AFTER NINE MONTHS STRANDED IN SPACE, HOME AGAIN. SO HOW WERE THOSE LEGS ADJUSTING BACK TO EARTH'S GRAVITY? CAPTIONS BY JOHN GIBBS, SAM BAKER AND BRIGIT KELLY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2025 NAU MAI KI NGA PITOPITO KORERO O TE WA. WELCOME TO 1 NEWS THIS EVENING. IN WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE HAS DESCRIBED AS A 'FRANK' PHONE CALL BETWEEN VLADIMIR PUTIN AND DONALD TRUMP, THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT HAS AGREED TO A LIMITED TEMPORARY HALT ON ATTACKS ON ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE TARGETS BUT REJECTING THE MUCH-SOUGHT-AFTER IMMEDIATE AND FULL 30-DAY CEASEFIRE. RUSSIA INSISTING A KEY ELEMENT OF ANY PEACE AGREEMENT NEEDS TO INCLUDE A PAUSE IN FOREIGN MILITARY ASSISTANCE FOR UKRAINE. FOLLOWING THE U.S.-LED NEGOTIATIONS, UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY WARNED HE HAS SERIOUS RESERVATIONS ABOUT RUSSIA STICKING TO ANY TRUCE, SAYING 'THEY ARE NOT READY EVEN FOR THE FIRST STEP OF THE CEASEFIRE.' OUR EUROPE AND U.S. CORRESPONDENTS ARE STANDING BY WITH REACTION ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC. WE BEGIN OUR EXTENSIVE COVERAGE WITH LOGAN CHURCH'S REPORT. THE FOREIGN MINISTER'S BIG MEETING WITH THE TOP U.S. DIPLOMAT, MARCO RUBIO, IN WASHINGTON DC QUICKLY OVERSHADOWED BY A PHONE CALL JUST DOWN THE ROAD. REPORTER: WHAT CONCESSIONS DID YOU OFFER TO THE RUSSIANS? THIS MORNING, DONALD TRUMP SPOKE AT LENGTH TO VLADIMIR PUTIN IN HIS QUEST TO ACHIEVE A CEASEFIRE IN UKRAINE. AND ON THE SURFACE, SOME PROGRESS WAS MADE. TRUMP SAYING PUTIN HAD AGREED TO A 30-DAY HALT TRUMP SAYING PUTIN HAD AGREED TO A 30-DAY HALT TRUMP SAYING PUTIN HAD AGREED TO A 30-DAY HALT ON STRIKES AGAINST UKRAINIAN ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND A 175-PERSON PRISONER SWAP. RUSSIA WOULD ALSO RETURN 23 SERIOUSLY INJURED UKRAINIAN FIGHTERS. THE PAIR EVEN DISCUSSING A RUSSIA-U.S. ICE HOCKEY MATCH. DURING THE 90-MINUTE PHONE CALL, BOTH DONALD TRUMP AND VLADIMIR PUTIN AGREED TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS IMMEDIATELY ON A MORE COMPLETE CEASEFIRE. BUT IT'S STILL A FAR CRY FROM WHAT DONALD TRUMP HAS PROMISED TO DO ALL ALONG, WHICH IS END THE CONFLICT NOW. WE'VE SEEN THAT IN 2014, WHEN RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE GERMAN CHANCELLOR, ANGELA MERKEL, HAS ALSO ENGAGED VERY EARLY ON WITH THE RUSSIAN PRESIDENT IN NEGOTIATIONS. THE DIFFERENCE, THOUGH, WAS THAT SHE KNEW ALL THE MAPS OF UKRAINE, ALL THE DETAILS OF THE BATTLEFIELD. SHE SPOKE RUSSIAN, AND SHE SPENT HOURS, ALMOST TWO HOURS IN A ROW, WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN. EVERY POINT AGREED ON TODAY IS SUBJECT TO UKRAINE'S APPROVAL, WHICH IS VERY WORRIED ABOUT BEING FROZEN OUT OF THE CONVERSATION. TRANSLATOR: WE SUPPORT ALL STEPS TOWARDS ENDING THE WAR. WE WILL GIVE SUPPORT, BUT IN ORDER TO SUPPORT SOMETHING, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT SPECIFICALLY IT IS. IF PRESIDENT TRUMP CAN FIND TIME ` HE IS A BUSY MAN ` IF HE HAS TIME, HE CAN PHONE AT ANY TIME. WE ARE READY TO PICK UP. FOLLOWING THE CALL, THE KREMLIN PRAISED TRUMP FOR HIS DESIRE TO END HOSTILITIES BUT WAS STANDING FIRM ON ITS DEMANDS FOR MILITARY AID FOR UKRAINE TO STOP BEFORE IT WOULD AGREE TO A FULL CEASEFIRE. THE CEASEFIRE IS NEVER FAST ENOUGH. THAT'S THE SAD THING, BUT WE WANT A LASTING CEASEFIRE. BY PURE COINCIDENCE, DUE TO HIS PRE-ARRANGED MEETING, WINSTON PETERS WAS LIKELY ONE OF THE FIRST OVERSEAS DIPLOMATS TO BE BRIEFED BY THE WHITE HOUSE IN PERSON ON THE TRUMP-PUTIN PHONE CALL. IT COMES AT THE END OF HIS TRIP HERE TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S PRIORITIES OVERSEAS. WE'VE ADVOCATED FROM DAY ONE ` LET THE DUST SETTLE. LET'S FIND OUT WHAT IT ALL MEANS. CAUTION IS THE NAME OF THE GAME HERE, AND I'M PLEASED WE'VE TAKEN THAT COS BECAUSE WE WALK INTO A ROOM HAVING SAID NOTHING STUPID. AN INCREASINGLY HARD TASK IN THIS ERA OF TRUMP-BRANDED POLITICS AND NEGOTIATION. LET'S BRING IN LOGAN IN WASHINGTON DC NOW. SOME PRAISING DONALD TRUMP'S NEGOTIATING, OTHERS NOT ` WHAT'S BEEN THE REACTION THERE? REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN PRAISING DONALD TRUMP'S DIPLOMATIC PROWESS, IN THEIR WORDS TODAY, WHEREAS OTHERS HAVE BEEN WONDERING IF VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS BEEN PLAYING HIM LIKE A FIDDLE, AND THE REASON WHY THEY'RE SAYING THAT IS THEY ARE WONDERING WHAT RUSSIA HAS BEEN GIVING UP, TAKES THE OFFER TO STOP ATTACKING ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE, MUCH OF UKRAINIANS ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE HAS ALREADY BEEN DESTROYED, AND COMING OUT OF WINTER THERE IS LESS OF RELIANCE ON HEATING AND ELECTRICITY THERE ALSO WAS AROUND PUTIN'S DEMANDS THAT UKRAINE EFFECTIVELY NOT REALLY ARM ITSELF DURING A CEASEFIRE, SO THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT RUSSIA WILL JUST USE OUR CEASEFIRE TO PREPARE RE-ARM AND GO AT IT AGAIN, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IN AMERICA, LISTENING TO DONALD TRUMP ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AND IN THE WHITE HOUSE SAYING THAT HE'S GOING TO GET THIS OVER WITH QUICKLY WILL FIND THAT NOTHING IS EVER EASY THE DISCUSSION BETWEEN DONALD TRUMP AND VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS BEEN MET WITH A MUTED RESPONSE IN EUROPE. LEADERS THERE PREPARE TO INCREASE MILITARY SPENDING AS RUSSIAN STRIKES CONTINUE IN UKRAINE, EUROPE CORRESPONDENT MEI HERON REPORTS. AIR RAID SIRENS DROWNING OUT ANY THOUGHT OF PEACE HERE IN UKRAINE'S CAPITAL. AFTER THREE YEARS, RUSSIA'S STILL ATTACKING AND MAKING GAINS ON THE BATTLEFIELD, UKRAINIANS WEARY OF ANY RUSSIAN PROMISES. (SPEAKS UKRAINIAN) TRANSLATOR: I'VE SEEN MYSELF WHAT THEY WERE DOING TO THE CIVILIANS AND OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. THERE WAS NO RESPECT TO US THERE. THERE WAS NO PEACE, THERE IS NO PEACE, AND THERE WILL BE NO PEACE. (SPEAKS UKRAINIAN) TRANSLATOR: I THINK THESE TALKS WILL LEAD TO NOTHING. THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION KEEPS DESTROYING, LAUNCHING NEW MODIFICATION OF DRONES. I THINK THESE TALKS ARE IN VAIN. FEARFUL, TOO, OF WHAT A CEASEFIRE AND A VLADIMIR PUTIN MIGHT LOOK LIKE, INCLUDING REPERCUSSIONS FROM ANY HALT TO WEAPONS SUPPLIES. RUSSIA WILL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE ITS MILITARY SUPPLIES, BOTH FROM ITS DOMESTIC SOURCES, AND LIKELY FROM THE IRANIANS AND THE NORTH KOREANS. SO IT WOULD GREATLY HANDICAP UKRAINE. AND OF COURSE, THE LONGER IT WENT ON, THE MORE HANDICAPPED UKRAINE WOULD BECOME. EUROPEAN ALLIES WHO HAVE POURED A LOT OF MONEY AND WEAPONS INTO DEFENDING UKRAINE ARE UNLIKELY TO BE PLEASED WITH THAT CLAUSE EITHER. (SPEAKS FRENCH) TRANSLATOR: TO LAUNCH FULL AND DETAILED PEACE TALKS, WHICH WILL ENABLE A SOLID AND LONG-LASTING PEACE, THAT REMAINS OUR OBJECTIVE, AND THIS IS NOT CONCEIVABLE WITHOUT THE UKRAINIANS AT THE TABLE. THE FRENCH PRESIDENT MEETING WITH THE GERMAN CHANCELLOR, WHO TODAY APPROVED AN HISTORIC INCREASE IN DEFENCE SPENDING, AS COUNTRIES ACROSS EUROPE CONTINUE TO BEEF UP MILITARY CAPABILITIES. THE CHOICE IS NONE. EUROPE IS READY TO STEP UP. WE ARE READY TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE CHANGE. THAT IS INEVITABLE, BECAUSE WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE PUSHED AROUND BY HISTORY. UKRAINE TODAY FINALLY CONCEDING RUSSIAN TERRITORY ITS HELD SINCE AUGUST LAST YEAR, RUSSIA BOASTING SUCCESS NOT JUST ON THE FRONT LINES, BUT NOW ON THE GLOBAL STAGE TO. SO, MEI, DID TODAY'S PHONE CALL BRING US ANY CLOSER TO A FINAL PEACE DEAL? IT FEELS LIKE THERE'S STILL A LOT TO WORK OUT. WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS INCREMENTAL SHIFTS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT AS LOGAN SAID BEFORE PRESIDENT TRUMP WANTED THIS WATER BE DONE YESTERDAY WAR TO BE DONE YESTERDAY, HISTORY SHOWS THAT IT OFTEN TAKES LONGER THE KOREAN WAR FOR EXAMPLE TOOK A YEAR AND �, WE ARE SEEING RUSSIA TALKING TO THE US THE US TALKING TO EUROPE EUROPE TALKING TO UKRAINE, SEVERAL COUNTRIES NOT INCLUDING THE US BUT INCLUDING NEW ZEALAND WILL MEET HERE AS A COALITION OF THE WILLING, THAT IS A CORRELATION OF COUNTRIES WILLING TO COME INTO UKRAINE IN THE EVENT OF OUR CEASEFIRE, BUT RUSSIA HAS SAID THAT ANY FOREIGN TROOPS IN UKRAINE WOULD ONLY PUSH THE WAR FURTHER, UKRAINE WANTED SOVEREIGNTY AND WANTS ITS INDEPENDENT, SO UNTIL WE SEE SOME SORT OF COMPROMISE FROM EITHER SIDE ANY PIECE JUST SEEMS LIKE A LOFTY ELECTION PROMISE. THANKS. TO THE MIDDLE EAST NOW, WHERE THE DEATH TOLL FROM ISRAEL'S STRIKES IN GAZA ENDING THE FRAGILE CEASEFIRE THERE HAS RISEN TO MORE THAN 400, ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL HEALTH MINISTRY. TODAY, ISRAEL VOWED TO CONTINUE ITS ATTACK UNTIL HAMAS IS DESTROYED, WITH CIVILIANS TOLD TO EVACUATE AS IT READIES ITS GROUND FORCES. BUT A KEY HAMAS ALLY HAS PROMISED TO DO EVERYTHING IN ITS POWER AGAINST ISRAEL. SIMON MERCEP HAS THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS. THESE FLARES SIGNALLED A SECOND NIGHT OF ISRAELI ATTACKS IN GAZA. EARLIER, WE SAW THE RESULT OF THE FIRST WAVE OF STRIKES. WHILE THIS MAN WAS FOUND ALIVE IN THE RUBBLE... HUNDREDS WERE KILLED, ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL HEALTH MINISTRY, INCLUDING MORE THAN 130 CHILDREN. ONE LITTLE BOY HAD A HEART... TWO INJURIES TO HIS HEART, A CRACKED RIGHT LIVER, AN INJURY TO HIS SMALL BOWEL, HIS STOMACH AND HIS COLON AND AN INJURY TO HIS LEFT LUNG. UM, I'M SURE HE WILL DIE. THIS VIEW FROM THE ISRAELI BORDER TOWN OF SDEROT SHOWS THE SCALE OF GAZA'S DESTRUCTION AS THE OFFENSIVE CONTINUED. WE COULD STILL HEAR THE DISTANT SOUND OF EXPLOSIONS IN GAZA, AND ALSO SOME PRETTY HEAVY MACHINE GUN FIRE FIGHTER JETS IN THE AIR. ISRAEL SAYS ITS AIRSTRIKES WERE AIMED AT HAMAS, AND REPORTS SAY AT LEAST FOUR OF ITS OFFICIALS DIED IN THE FIRST NIGHT'S ATTACK, SEEN AS ONE OF THE DEADLIEST DAYS OF THE CONFLICT SO FAR. ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER CALLED FOR CIVILIANS TO EVACUATE, BLAMING HAMAS FOR THEIR PLIGHT. AND WHEN THESE TERRORISTS EMBED THEMSELVES IN CIVILIAN AREAS, WHEN THEY USE CIVILIANS AS HUMAN SHIELDS, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL UNINTENDED CASUALTIES. ISRAEL AND HAMAS HAVE ACCUSED EACH OTHER OF BREACHING THE JANUARY CEASEFIRE. TODAY, YEMEN'S HOUTHI REBELS, THEMSELVES FACING RECENT ATTACKS FROM U.S. FORCES, PROMISED TO JOIN THE FIGHT. THEIR LEADER SAID THEY'D DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR POWER AGAINST ISRAEL IN SUPPORT OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. ISRAEL'S GOVERNMENT FACES PRESSURE ON THE HOME FRONT TOO. THOUSANDS GATHERED IN TEL AVIV, SAYING THE GOVERNMENT'S AIRSTRIKES JEOPARDISED THE RETURN OF HOSTAGES. DO THE GOVERNMENT WORKS FOR US? DO THEY CARE ABOUT US, THE PEOPLE? SCENES LIKE THIS SEEM LIKELY TO BE REPEATED, AS ISRAEL WARNS ITS ATTACKS ON HAMAS ARE ONLY THE BEGINNING. SIMON MERCEP, 1 NEWS. BACK HERE ` THE MOVE TO REVERSE LOWER SPEED LIMITS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS NOW FACING A U-TURN OF SORTS WHEN IT COMES TO SOME STATE HIGHWAYS. LOWER SPEEDS WERE INTRODUCED BY THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT. IN JANUARY, THOUGH, THE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED IT WANTS TO RETURN 87 SECTIONS OF STATE HIGHWAY TO HIGHER SPEED LIMITS. IT WOULD SEEK PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON 49 OF THOSE ROADS, BUT SPEED LIMITS FOR 38 WILL GO UP AUTOMATICALLY WITHOUT PUBLIC INPUT. THAT SPARKED ANGER IN SOME COMMUNITIES, AND, TODAY, A TURNAROUND ` THE NEW ZEALAND TRANSPORT AGENCY CONFIRMING THE PUBLIC WILL GET A SAY IN 16 OF THOSE STATE HIGHWAY SECTIONS. OUR NELSON-BASED REPORTER JESS RODEN LOOKS AT HOW IT'LL AFFECT A ROAD ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CITY. GETTING STUDENTS SAFELY TO SCHOOL IS A GROUP EFFORT IN NGATAWHAI. CONCENTRATION. PARENTS HERE HAVE BEEN CAMPAIGNING TO MAKE THE ROAD SAFER, BUT IN JANUARY WERE TOLD THE SPEED LIMIT WAS GOING UP WITH NO CONSULTATION. WE WERE JUST SHOCKED. WE THOUGHT, SURELY NOT, THIS IS A MISTAKE. THEY WOULDN'T DO THAT.WILL THAT. IT WAS PART OF THE GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO REVERSE SPEED LIMIT REDUCTIONS. IF YOU ASSUME THERE'S ABOUT 30,000 VEHICLES DOING THE FREIGHT TASK, LOSING FIVE MINUTES A DAY, THAT'S A LOSS OF 2500 HOURS OF PRODUCTIVITY EVERY DAY. THIS SECTION OF THE ROAD DUE TO GO FROM 60KM/HOUR TO 80KM/HR. IT WOULD SAVE TRAVELLERS 27 SECONDS, AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT SAVING 27 SECONDS IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS. THIS COMMUNITY HAD FOUGHT REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A 60KM/H ZONE THROUGH HERE` (HORN HONKS) AND TO TAKE IT UP TO 80, WITH NO CONSULTATION, JUST SEEMED NONSENSICAL. (HORN HONKS RAPIDLY) THE TRANSPORT AGENCY SAYS IT'S RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM COMMUNITIES STRONGLY SUPPORTIVE OF KEEPING THE LOWER SPEED LIMITS, AND WILL NOWCONSULT ON THE CHANGES, REVIEW TECHNICAL DATA, AND LOOK AT THE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS BEFORE MAKING A DECISION. IN ADDITION TO THE AREAS SET FOR AUTOMATIC INCREASES, THERE'S ALMOST 50 OTHER SECTIONS OF STATE HIGHWAY WHERE CONSULTATION HAS JUST FINISHED. IN 2020, THE SPEED LIMIT FOR MOST OF SH6, BETWEEN NELSON AND BLENHEIM, WAS REDUCED TO BETWEEN 80 AND 90KM/HOUR. THE PLAN NOW, THOUGH, IS TO RAISE IT AGAIN TO 100KM/HOUR. IF IT WAS TO GO UP TO 80KM/HR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR FEARS? UM, A DEATH. YEP ` PLAIN AND SIMPLE, JUST THE DEATH OF A CHILD. YEAH, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IS JUST AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN ` EVEN AT 60KM/HR IT'S TOO FAST. THEY'LL HAVE SIX WEEKS TO MAKE THEIR CASE, WITH ALL THE CHANGES DUE TO BE IN PLACE BY JULY. JESSICA RODEN, 1 NEWS. 'RESILIENT' ` THAT'S HOW NASA COLLEAGUES ARE DESCRIBING ASTRONAUTS BUTCH WILMORE AND SUNI WILLIAMS WHO HAVE FINALLY RETURNED TO EARTH AFTER BEING STRANDED IN SPACE FOR MORE THAN NINE MONTHS. THE PAIR LEFT IN JUNE LAST YEAR FOR WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN EIGHT-DAY MISSION, BUT TECHNICAL ISSUES ON BOARD THEIR SPACECRAFT MEANT A CHANGE OF PLANS. JACOB JOHNSON REPORTS. AND SPLASHDOWN. CREW NINE BACK ON EARTH. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) THE END OF AN UNEXPECTEDLY LONG VOYAGE. WELCOME HOME. THE SPACEX DRAGON POD GREETED BY A POD OF A DIFFERENT KIND. ...WE CAN SEE DOLPHINS, ACTUALLY. PARACHUTES SLOWING A FAST AND FIERY ENTRY AFTER 17 HOURS HURTLING THROUGH EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE. LANDING OFF THE COAST OF FLORIDA, THE CAPSULE WAS HOISTED ON TO A RECOVERY SHIP. THE CREW'S DOING GREAT. YOU KNOW, THEY'LL SPEND A LITTLE TIME ON THE RECOVERY SHIP GETTING CHECKED OUT, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE HEALTHY AND READY TO GO. ITS OCCUPANTS CARRIED OUT. BUTCH WILMORE AND SUNI WILLIAMS ALL SMILES AND WAVES, BACK ON EARTH A STAGGERING NINE MONTHS LATER THAN PLANNED. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AN EIGHT-DAY MISSION, TESTING THE DOCKING AND OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES OF THIS BOEING STARLINER DURING ITS FIRST CREWED FLIGHT. BUT A SERIES OF PROBLEMS, INCLUDING HELIUM LEAKS AND THRUSTER ISSUES, MEANT NASA AND BOEING SENT THE CAPSULE BACK TO EARTH EMPTY, LEAVING THE PAIR ON BOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION UNTIL THEY COULD GET A RETURN RIDE HOME. BUT THEIR TIME WAS PUT TO GOOD USE, CARRYING OUT 150 EXPERIMENTS AND 900 HOURS OF RESEARCH. BECAUSE WE KNEW THEY WERE FLYING ON A TEST MISSION, WE PROVIDED ALL THE TRAINING FOR THE STAY ON ISS THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO BE A LONG-DURATION CREW MEMBER. WE ALWAYS HAD A WAY TO GET THE CREW HOME SAFELY SHOULD WE NEED TO, AND THEN IT REALLY BECAME, WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME? THEIR TICKET BACK TO EARTH CAME OVER THE WEEKEND WHEN A REPLACEMENT CREW ARRIVED. IT WAS A WONDERFUL DAY. GREAT TO SEE OUR FRIENDS ARRIVE, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE PAIR LEAVING WITH TWO OTHER ASTRONAUTS WHO'D BEEN AT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION SINCE SEPTEMBER. YOU KNOW, THE THING I WILL THINK BACK OF THIS WHOLE TIMEFRAME IS HOW REALLY RESILIENT BUTCH AND SUNI WERE THE WHOLE TIME. ENGINEERS ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THE THRUSTER BREAKDOWNS ON THE BOEING STARLINER. IT'S EXPECTED THE ASTRONAUTS WILL REUNITE WITH THEIR FAMILIES TOMORROW AS THEY READJUST TO LIFE ON EARTH. JACOB JOHNSON, 1 NEWS. E WHAI AKE NEI ` BATTLING SYMPTOMS FIVE YEARS AFTER BEING HIT BY A VEHICLE. THIS SCHOOLGIRL'S FAMILY WAS LEFT IN SHOCK AFTER HER SUPPORT FUNDING WAS CUT. WHAT HAPPENED HOURS AFTER 1 NEWS ASKED ACC ABOUT HER CASE. THEN HE'S BEEN HITTING IT BIG WHAT HAPPENED HOURS AFTER 1 NEWS ASKED ACC ABOUT HER CASE. THEN HE'S BEEN HITTING IT BIG WITH PROGRESS ON FREE TRADE TALKS WITH INDIA. SO WHY IS CHRISTOPHER LUXON NOW WALKING BACK AN AMBITIOUS TIMELINE? THEN ON SEVEN SHARP, THE RETURN OF THE LANDLINE TELEPHONE. WHY TEENS ARE TURNING TO THE OLD TECH. AND I'M AN APPLE-A-DAY MAN, WHICH IS WHY THE NEWS THAT THIS IS THE BEST APPLE SEASON FOR 20 YEARS HAS SHAKEN ME TO MY CORE. ALL THE APPLE INFO YOU COULD EVER WANT SEVEN SHARP TONIGHT AT 7. NAU MAI, HOKI MAI. FIVE YEARS AFTER BEING HIT BY A UTE, A CHRISTCHURCH 12-YEAR-OLD IS STILL STRUGGLING. HER MOTHER'S HAD TO FIGHT FOR HER REHABILITATION FUNDING TO BE CONTINUED, CLAIMING ACC SEEMS TO COUNT ON PEOPLE GIVING UP. AS LISA DAVIES REPORTS, A LEGAL EXPERT SAYS THE FAMILY'S PREDICAMENT IS ALL TOO COMMON. LOOKING BACK AT HER INJURIES FOR THE FIRST TIME. I LOOK LIKE I'VE GOT BEATEN. SOPHIE PRIESTLEY WAS JUST 7. I HAVE NO TEETH. SHE LOST THEM WHEN SHE RAN INTO THE PATH OF A UTE ON COLOMBO ST. SHE'S HIT THE BONNET, AND THEN SHE'S HIT THE ROAD. THAT'S WHEN THEY SAY THEIR STRUGGLE WITH ACC BEGAN. HER MOTHER SAYS SOPHIE'S SYMPTOMS WERE BLAMED ON HER RECENT AUTISM AND ADHD DIAGNOSIS. FOR ACC TO SAY THAT THERE'S NO HEAD INJURY, YET SHE'S LOST TEETH ` THE IMPACT TO HER HEAD WOULD'VE BEEN SO SIGNIFICANT. SOPHIE'S 12 NOW AND STILL SUFFERS HEADACHES, DIZZINESS AND FATIGUE. IT AFFECTS MY LEARNING, MAYBE; AFFECTS MY SCHOOLWORK; AFFECTS HOW I FEEL. FINALLY, FOUR YEARS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, SHE WAS APPROVED FOR LEARNING SUPPORT THROUGH ACC, BUT THE GOVERNMENT ORGANISATION HAD BAD NEWS FOR THE FAMILY LAST WEEK. IN A STATEMENT, ACC SAYS... IT WAS FUNDING SCHOOL SUPPORT, BUT... AT THAT POINT, SOPHIE'S MUM CONTACTED 1 NEWS IN DESPERATION. WE SENT AN EMAIL TO ACC ASKING WHY THEY WERE STOPPING THE FUNDING. JUST FIVE HOURS LATER, THEY TOLD THE FAMILY THEY'D DECIDED TO CONTINUE WITH THE FUNDING AFTER ALL. ACC TOLD US ITS BACKTRACK CAME AFTER AN INTERNAL REVIEW PROCESS. GREAT NEWS FOR SOPHIE, BUT THIS LAWYER SAYS QUICK DECISIONS ABOUT DISPUTES SHOULD BE THE NORM. THE AVERAGE TIME FOR A REVIEW APPLICATION REACHING THE END IS ABOUT 200 DAYS. IF TVNZ CAN RESOLVE IT IN TWO DAYS, THEN THEY SHOULD SET THEMSELVES UP AS ADVOCATES. HE SAYS ACC'S OWN FIGURES SHOW LAST YEAR THEY DECLINED AROUND 140,000 ENTITLEMENT APPLICATIONS LIKE SOPHIE'S; THE MAJORITY JUST ACCEPT IT. IT'S A FANTASTIC ORGANISATION ON THE WHOLE. I ONLY DEAL WITH THINGS THAT GO WRONG. LIKE THIS CASE. I FEEL LIKE THE SYSTEM'S DESIGNED TO FAIL SO PEOPLE DON'T END UP WITH THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED. THEY HOPE THEY NEVER HAVE TO BATTLE ACC FOR MORE SUPPORT AGAIN. LISA DAVIES, 1 NEWS. THE PRIME MINISTER IS TEMPERING EXPECTATIONS OVER A RAPID FREE TRADE DEAL WITH INDIA. IT COMES HOURS AFTER KEY PLAYERS, INCLUDING CHRISTOPHER LUXON HIMSELF, SUGGESTED THEY COULD SIGN OFF AN AGREEMENT WITHIN 60 DAYS. POLITICAL EDITOR MAIKI SHERMAN REPORTS. CHRISTOPHER LUXON SOAKING UP EVERY OUNCE OF INDIA. THIS TRADITIONAL CEREMONY MARKING A BRIGHT NEW DAWN. WE LOOK AT THIS AS A VERY POWERFUL ENGAGEMENT, A VERY POWERFUL OPPORTUNITY. WITH FREE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK, EVERYONE GOT A LITTLE EXCITED. THEY HAVE SET A GOAL THAT THIS SHALL BE THE FASTEST TRADE NEGOTIATION THAT THEY HAVE EVER DONE. THERE WAS A SUGGESTION IN THE ROOM THAT 90 DAYS WOULD BE A GOOD TIMEFRAME, AND WHAT I WOULD SAY ABOUT THAT IS IF 90 DAYS WAS ACHIEVED, I PROMISE TO COME BACK HERE IN 90 DAYS ` IN FACT, WE ALL DO. INDIA'S COMMERCE MINISTER UPPING THE STAKES. YOU MENTIONED THAT IF IT COMPLETED IN 90 DAYS, YOU PROMISED TO COME BACK, BUT YOU HAVE NOT TOLD US ` WHAT IF WE WERE TO COMPLETE IT IN 60 DAYS? (LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE) AND THEN THERE WAS OUR PRIME MINISTER. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO PRIME MINISTER MODI SIGNING THAT AGREEMENT IN 60 DAYS' TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BUT DON'T GET YOUR HOPES UP. I'D JUST SAY I WOULDN'T TAKE THE 60 TO 90 DAYS LITERALLY. IT'LL TAKE AS LONG AS IT TAKES. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE NEGOTIATE AS HARD AS WE CAN. CHRISTOPHER LUXON SUGGESTING THERE'S PLENTY MORE RUNS TO GO YET. INDIA'S FASTEST NEGOTIATION WAS 88 DAYS WITH THE UAE. YOU HAVE A RECORD OF GOING PRETTY FAST. DO YOU THINK YOU CAN GET IT UNDER THAT TIME? WELL, WE'RE GONNA GET THE BEST THAT WE CAN, BUT I'D BE SURPRISED IF WE COULD DO IT IN 88 DAYS. AS FOR THE ROADBLOCKS, INCLUDING DAIRY... THOSE FEW AREAS OF SENSITIVITY ARE AREAS WE CAN VERY EASILY NAVIGATE OR RESPECT EACH OTHER. I TOLD YOU THAT WE WILL DELIVER A FREE TRADE AGREEMENT IN THE FIRST TERM. TALKING UP A STRONG INNINGS, LUXON WENT TOE-TO-TOE WITH INDIA'S FUTURE PROS... AND A FEW CRICKET LEGENDS. YEAH, A LOT BETTER THAN I EXPECTED, TO BE FAIR. UM, HE HIT ME A FEW TIMES, AND THEN, UNFORTUNATELY, HE GOT ME OUT AS WELL. THE PRIME MINISTER ` WAS HE GOOD? YES. VERY, VERY GOOD. HOPING THE WINNING STREAK LASTS FOR SOME TIME YET. MAIKI SHERMAN, 1 NEWS. TWO MEN HAVE BEEN FOUND GUILTY AFTER STEALING A GOLD TOILET WORTH $10M FROM THE BIRTHPLACE OF SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL. THE NIGHT-TIME RAID AT BLENHEIM PALACE BACK IN 2019 WAS OVER IN AS LITTLE AS FIVE MINUTES; THE BURGLARS SNATCHING THE 18-CARAT GOLD TOILET THAT WAS PLUMBED IN AND ON DISPLAY AS PART OF AN ART EXHIBITION. ONLY TWO OF THE MEN WHO CARRIED OUT THE HEIST WERE CAUGHT, AND NONE OF THE GOLD HAS BEEN RECOVERED. JUST AHEAD ` THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME OF OUR WORST WEATHER EVENTS IN RECENT YEARS. ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS LADEN WITH TROPICAL WATER VAPOUR MAKING LANDFALL HERE WITH DEVASTATING RESULTS. WHY SCIENTISTS BELIEVE THEY COULD GET WORSE IN DECADES TO COME. PLUS, IT'S PITCH PERFECT. THE NEW TECHNOLOGY OUR COUNTRY'S GROUNDSKEEPERS ARE ADOPTING TO KEEP THE GRASS LOOKING BETTER THAN EVER. THEN ON SEVEN SHARP, HOW NEW ZEALAND TOURISM IS MINING NEW REVENUE OUT OF A HOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTER. AND HISTORY-MADE MINIATURES ` THE MAN BRINGING BACK THE BUILDINGS LOST IN THE CHRISTCHURCH QUAKE. PLUS, GOING OLD-SCHOOL AND DITCHING THE DOOM-SCROLLING ` NAU MAI ANO. WELCOME BACK. THEY'RE THE 'RIVERS IN THE SKY' THAT BRING INTENSE RAINFALL, AND BY THE END OF THE CENTURY, NEW ZEALAND COULD BE EXPERIENCING TWICE AS MANY EXTREME ATMOSPHERIC RIVER EVENTS. AS CUSHLA NORMAN REPORTS, ONE REGION IS PARTICULARLY AT RISK. (WATER ROARS) THE WEST COAST GETTING HAMMERED IN 2019... AND AGAIN IN 2021, THEN AUCKLAND ON THE RECEIVING END TWO SUMMERS AGO; ALL THREE BIG DOWNPOURS WERE CAUSED BY WHAT'S KNOWN AS AN 'ATMOSPHERIC RIVER.' SO AN ATMOSPHERIC RIVER IS BASICALLY A LONG CORRIDOR OF WATER VAPOUR TRANSPORT. THEY TYPICALLY DRAW WATER VAPOUR OUT OF THE TROPICS AND SUBTROPICS, SO, TO THE NORTH OF NEW ZEALAND, WHERE THE ATMOSPHERE, YOU KNOW, CONTAINS A LOT MORE WATER VAPOUR. TO PREDICT THEIR FREQUENCY IN A WARMER WORLD, NIWA'S SUPERCOMPUTER HAS BEEN RUNNING SIMULATIONS OF HOW THINGS WILL LOOK BY THE CENTURY'S END. ONE OF OUR MAIN FINDINGS FROM THE STUDIES IS, PARTICULARLY, THE MOST INTENSE, EXTREME ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS COULD INCREASE IN FREQUENCY, POTENTIALLY DOUBLING IN FREQUENCY IN CERTAIN REGIONS, AND THEIR MAXIMUM INTENSITY COULD ALSO INCREASE. NEW ZEALAND ALREADY GETS SOME OF THE BIGGEST ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS ON THE PLANET. THIS IS HOW THE WEST COAST ONE LOOKED IN 2019. THE REGION IS PARTICULARLY EXPOSED. I RECALL IN 2021, AND THEN AGAIN IN 2022, THAT ABSOLUTE, YOU KNOW, RIVER ON THE MAP BARRELLING INTO BULLER, AND IT IS QUITE FRIGHTENING WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT I THINK IT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN AWARE OF FOR A WHILE. THE AREA'S BEEN BUILDING STOPBANKS AND UPGRADING INFRASTRUCTURE TO COPE WITH FUTURE FLOODING. FOR EXAMPLE, IN WESTPORT, YOU KNOW, THE NEW STORM WATER IS GOING IN THAT'S, YOU KNOW, UP TO 40% GREATER CAPACITY THAN WHAT WAS PUT IN IN THE EXISTING SYSTEM, SO THAT'S THE KIND OF SIZE AND SCALE OF UPLIFT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TO MANAGE THE GREATER INTENSITY. WITH PARTS OF THE COUNTRY CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING DROUGHT-LIKE CONDITIONS, THERE IS AN UPSIDE TO ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS. THEY RANGE IN INTENSITY, AND THE SMALLER INTENSITY EVENTS, WHICH ARE MORE FREQUENT, CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT OF BENEFITS FOR FILLING OUR HYDRO LAKES, WHICH RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN NEED OF. THE STUDY FOUND THE PHENOMENA COULD EVENTUALLY INCREASE RAINFALL BY AS MUCH AS 20% A YEAR IN SOME PLACES. CUSHLA NORMAN, 1 NEWS. ACCORDING TO THOSE IN THE KNOW ` THE TURF IN OUR STADIUMS AND ON OUR GOLF COURSES IS AMONG THE BEST OF THE BEST. NOW THE TECH USED BY KIWIS TO KEEP THE GRASS LOOKING SO GOOD IS ON DISPLAY AT A TWO-DAY EVENT IN LINCOLN, SOUTH OF CHRISTCHURCH. ALI PUGH CHECKED IT OUT. AS YOU'D EXPECT, THE GRASS REALLY IS GREENER HERE AT TURF DAYS. OH! THE TRADE-SHOW A SMORGASBORD OF TOYS, TECH AND EXPERTS WHO CALL THEMSELVES 'TURFIES'. SO, YOU WOULD BE CONSIDERED A TURFIE? OH, YOU CAN CALL ME A TURFIE. YEAH, YEAH. I GET CALLED A TURFIE A FAIR BIT. ROBOTS ARE QUICKLY REVOLUTIONISING THE TURF SECTOR ` THIS THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST AUTOMATED MOWER. WE GO AWAY FROM HOW WE TRADITIONALLY MOW. WEEK TO WEEK, YOU GO FROM LONG TO SHORT GRASS THIS IS OUT THERE MOWING ALL THE TIME. SO YOUR LAWN LOOKS LIKE IT'S MOWED ALL THE TIME. AND THIS LASER-PRECISION LINE MARKER. SO IT ACTUALLY TALKS TO ITSELF ABOUT 30,000 TIMES A SECOND. THERE'S NOTHING MORE ACCURATE IN THE WORLD THAN THIS LINE MARKER. ROBOTIC LINE-MARKERS LIKE THIS ONE ALSO BEING PUT TO WORK. A ROBOT LIKE THIS CAN MARK AN ATHLETICS TRACK IN ABOUT AN HOUR AND HALF, TWO HOURS. YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE DOING THAT BY HAND, IT MIGHT BE, A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, ONE DAY, TWO DAYS. THE CHALLENGING THING WITH THE LIKES OF ROBOTICS IS THE MENTALITY AROUND PEOPLE SCARED THAT THEY'RE GONNA LOSE THEIR JOBS AND WHATNOT, BUT ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT. IT'S ABOUT BEING ABLE TO PUT PEOPLE IN OTHER AREAS WE WOULDN'T NORMALLY HAVE TIME TO DO. DUNEDIN'S FORSYTH BARR STADIUM HAS HELPED DRIVE INNOVATION. IT WAS THE WORLD'S FIRST PERMANENTLY ROOFED STADIUM WITH A NATURAL GRASS PITCH, HELPED ALONG BY SOME ARTIFICIAL FIBRES. NOW ALL THE MAJOR STADIUMS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD ARE ALL HYBRID TURF, SO THEY HAVE A PERCENTAGE OF ARTIFICIAL TURF LIVING WITH REAL GRASS. YOU WILL NEVER SEE A DIVOT ON A HYBRID FIELD. YOU DON'T SEE PUDDLES ON FIELDS ANY MORE LIKE THE 1970S ` STU WILSON SCORING IN THE CORNER AT ATHLETIC PARK IN A PUDDLE. ALTHOUGH SOME TURFIES HERE WOULDN'T BE PAYING MUCH ATTENTION TO THE GAME ANYWAY. YOU SPEND MOST OF YOUR TIME LOOKING AT THE GRASS RATHER THAN THE PLAYERS RUNNING AROUND. AND IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE THIS. ALI PUGH, 1 NEWS. THAT STORY DEFINITELY HAD ANDREW'S ATTENTION. ANDREW'S HERE WITH SPORT, AND ONE OF OUR STAR CRICKETERS IS BACK. SO WHERE'S DEVINE AT? SHE'S WITH US NEXT. ALSO TONIGHT, SOME HARSH REALITIES FOR THE ALL WHITES IN WELLINGTON AS THEY EYE UP THEIR NEXT WORLD CUP QUALIFIER. PLUS, THE SEVENS SISTERS AIMING FOR FIFTEENS WORLD CUP GLORY. AND 'ELLO, GUVNOR ` THE EAST ENDER NOW LEADING MOANA PASIFIKA HOSTING THE CHIEFS ON THE CHIEFS' BACK DOORSTEP. AND THE LARGE WIND- AND RAINMAKER HAS MOSTLY MOVED OFF, BUT A FEW AREAS ARE STILL IN FOR SOME SIGNIFICANT RAIN WITH WATCHES ISSUED, AND TEMPERATURES STILL MOSTLY DOWN, WHILE SOME BEGIN TO BOUNCE BACK. I'LL HAVE DETAILS AFTER SPORT. NAU MAI KI NGA KORERO HAKINAKINA O TE WA ` WELCOME TO SPORT. AND TONIGHT, ONE OF OUR TOP CRICKETERS ADMITS SHE WAS CLOSE TO WALKING AWAY FROM THE INTERNATIONAL GAME FOR GOOD. HAVING TAKEN TIME OUT TO LOOK AFTER HERSELF, SOPHIE DEVINE'S BACK FOR THE UPCOMING SERIES AGAINST AUSTRALIA AND TARGETING THE ODI WORLD CUP LATER THIS YEAR. ZION DAYAL REPORTS. REUNITING WITH HER TEAMMATES, SOPHIE DEVINE'S BACK IN BLACK. FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME BACK. HOW ARE YOU ` ARE YOU OK? I'M GOOD, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. YEAH, LOOK, OBVIOUSLY, HAD SOME TIME AWAY, BUT REALLY EXCITED TO BE BACK WITH THE GROUP. THE 35-YEAR-OLD STEPPING AWAY FROM THE GAME MIDWAY THROUGH THE SUPER SMASH SEASON TO PRIORITISE HER MENTAL HEALTH. I PROBABLY JUST GOT TO A POINT WHERE I NEEDED TO STEP AWAY FOR A LITTLE BIT. THE AMOUNT OF CRICKET THAT WE'VE PLAYED ` OBVIOUSLY, WINNING THE WORLD CUP AND THINGS LIKE THAT ` IT PROBABLY HIT ME A BIT HARDER THAN I REALISED. WAS THERE A THOUGHT THAT RAN THROUGH YOUR MIND THAT YOU MAY NOT BE BACK IN A WHITE FERNS TOP? TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST, YEP. CERTAINLY. TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TO PROCESS THROUGH A FEW OF THOSE THINGS... OBVIOUSLY, I'M UNFORTUNATELY NOT GETTING ANY YOUNGER, SO THAT NATURALLY CAME INTO MIND. FOUR YEARS AGO, SHE ALSO STEPPED AWAY... I PRETTY MUCH HID IN MY OWN LITTLE WEE BUBBLE FOR PROBABLY TWO MONTHS. ...PRIORITISING HER WELL-BEING, USING THE SAME APPROACH THIS TIME AROUND TOO. I CERTAINLY SWITCHED OFF FROM EVERYTHING. I THINK, PROBABLY, REFER IT MORE TO HIBERNATION ` SORT OF WENT INTO HIDING A LITTLE BIT. EVERYONE GOES THROUGH THEIR STRUGGLES, AND IT MAY LOOK DIFFERENT, IT MIGHT FEEL DIFFERENT TO EACH INDIVIDUAL. AN INDICATION LAST WEEK, THOUGH, SHE WASN'T COMPLETELY DONE. SHE CAN BE DEVASTATING WITH THE BAT, DEVINE. AGAIN, OFF TO PLAY IN ENGLAND'S THE HUNDRED COMPETITION, BOUGHT FOR $81,000. I THINK THOSE SORT OF OPPORTUNITIES ARE STILL SOMETHING THAT REALLY EXCITES ME ` BEING ABLE TO GO OVERSEAS AND PLAY IN FRANCHISE CRICKET. SHE REJOINS THE NEW ZEALAND TEAM AHEAD OF THREE T20s AGAINST AUSTRALIA, BUT THE BIGGEST MOTIVATING FACTOR FOR HER RETURN... I THINK, CERTAINLY, THE WORLD CUP WAS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST ONE, I THINK ` STILL FELT LIKE I'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE TO GIVE IN THE BLACK SHIRT. AS IF SHE HASN'T ALREADY GIVEN ENOUGH. A PLAYER LIKE DEVINE A HUGE BOOST IN A WORLD CUP YEAR. ZION DAYAL, 1 NEWS. THE PATH TO NEXT YEAR'S FOOTBALL WORLD CUP MIGHT BE EASIER... JUST DON'T TELL THE ALL WHITES THAT. QUALIFICATION HAS CHANGED FOR NEXT YEAR'S GLOBAL EVENT ` 16 MORE TEAMS, WITH THE OCEANIA CONFEDERATION GAINING AUTOMATIC ENTRY. BUT AS LUKE ROBINSON REPORTS, WORLD CUP PRESSURE HASN'T ABATED. DESPITE THE GLOOMY WELLINGTON WEATHER, THE ALL WHITES ARE BRIGHT AND CHEERY. HEY, GUYS. HOW'S IT GOING? ALL GOOD, ALL GOOD. TWO DAYS OUT FROM THEIR WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION SEMI-FINAL AGAINST FIJI, THERE'S NO DENYING THE EXPECTATIONS FOR THE TEAM RANKED 59 SPOTS HIGHER. WE KNOW THAT WE'RE THE FAVOURITES WITH THE SQUAD THAT WE HAVE, BUT WE ALSO KNOW IT'S A GAME OF FOOTBALL, AND WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE GONNA COME WITH SOME STRENGTHS AND SOME CHALLENGES. WITH 48 TEAMS IN NEXT YEAR'S WORLD CUP, OCEANIA HAS BEEN GIVEN A GUARANTEED SPOT ` SOMETHING THEY'VE NEVER HAD BEFORE. WE KNOW THIS IS DIFFERENT. THIS IS AN EASIER ROUTE FOR US IN OCEANIA, BUT IT'S STILL A CHALLENGE THAT WE NEED TO DO, BECAUSE THE REWARDS ARE THE SAME. THERE'S A FEELING AUTOMATIC ENTRY FOR THIS PART OF THE WORLD IS OVERDUE. I DO BELIEVE THAT OCEANIA SHOULD HAVE HAD AN AUTOMATIC ENTRY SINCE A LONG TIME AGO. THEY SHOULD'VE HAD TO MAKE IT A FULL WORLD CUP OF EVERY CONTINENT AROUND THE WORLD. NOW WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION THE MINIMUM. I ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO GET THIS JOB DONE. I WAS PUT IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT WE GO TO THE WORLD CUP. GIVEN, YOU KNOW, IT'S YOUR JOB, WOULD YOU SEE IT AS A FAILURE IF YOU DIDN'T QUALIFY? YEAH, FOR SURE. THE ALL WHITES COME UP ONE STEP SHORT. LOSSES TO COSTA RICA, PERU AND MEXICO IN THEIR LAST THREE ATTEMPTS HAVE LEFT SCARS IN THE ALL WHITES CAMP. WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS A LOT OF PLAYERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE HURT OF NOT QUALIFYING, AND IT HURTS ` THE PLAYERS ARE HURTING. FIJI HOPING TO ADD TO THAT HURT ON FRIDAY. I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED YOU CAN WIN, OTHERWISE THERE'S NO POINT GETTING ON THE PITCH. AND SO I STILL BELIEVE THAT. THE TALKING NEARLY OVER... ALL THE BEST. ...AS THE BIG GAME APPROACHES. LUKE ROBINSON, 1 NEWS. AND FRIDAY'S GAMES ARE LIVE AND FREE ON TVNZ 2 AND TVNZ. PLUS ` THE ALL WHITES MATCH FROM SEVEN ON FRIDAY NIGHT. THE WARRIORS WILL APPLY THEIR 'NEXT MAN UP' PHILOSOPHY TO STAFF AS WELL, WITH ASSISTANT COACH RICHARD AGAR IN LINE TO MISS THREE GAMES FOLLOWING A BREACH NOTICE FROM THE NRL. OFFICIALS ON MONDAY PROPOSING AGAR BE FINED $10,000 ALONG WITH A SUSPENSION FOR AN ALTERCATION WITH A JOURNALIST DURING THE TEAM'S OPENING ROUND LOSS TO THE RAIDERS IN LAS VEGAS. THE CLUB YET TO OFFICIALLY COMMENT ON THE BREACH, BUT COACH ANDREW WEBSTER IS UNFAZED. I'D RATHER HAVE HIM SITTING NEXT TO ME EVERY WEEK. SO HE'S NOT, BUT I JUST LOOKED AT IT ` WE'VE GOT TO MOVE ON. WE'VE GOT COACHES IN THERE. WE'VE GOT SLADE GRIFFIN, STACEY JONES... IT'S JUST LIKE WHEN YOU LOSE A GOOD PLAYER. WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO WHEN YOU'RE DOWN A PLAYER? WE'VE GOT A GOOD PLAN, AND WE'LL BE FINE. AGAR HAS UNTIL FRIDAY TO RESPOND TO THE BREACH, WITH HIS SIDE PLAYING THE ROOSTERS THAT NIGHT AT MT SMART. JORJA MILLER HAS SET THE SEVENS WORLD ALIGHT, NOW SHE'S TURNING HER ATTENTION TO THE FIFTEENS GAME AS THE WORLD CUP APPROACHES. SHE'S ONE OF SEVEN RUGBY SEVENS PLAYERS MAKING THEMSELVES AVAILABLE FOR SELECTION. KATE WELLS HAS MORE. (REGGAETON MUSIC PLAYS) STACEY WAAKA IS USED TO JUGGLING A FAIR FEW THINGS, SO WHY NOT ADD A THIRD RUGBY WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN? WASN'T INTERESTED AT FIRST, UNTIL I HAD LOT'S OF CONVERSATIONS WITH LOT'S OF PEOPLE. MAYBE MY SISTER HERE WAS PART OF THE REASON, BUT I'M GLAD I MADE THE CHOICE BECAUSE IT'S AN HONOUR TO REPRESENT OUR COUNTRY, AND HOPEFULLY WIN. BEAT ENGLAND THERE AT TWICKENHAM WOULD BE AMAZING. WAAKA AND THERESA SETEFANO, WHO HAVE WON TWO WORLD CUPS TOGETHER, ARE TWO OF SEVEN RUGBY SEVENS PLAYERS SWITCHING TO FIFTEENS IN THE HOPE OF MAKING ALAN BUNTINGS TEAM FOR AUGUST'S WORLD CUP IN ENGLAND. ANOTHER PLAYER WHO WILL GET FANS EXCITED... SHE MAKES IT LOOK EFFORTLESS. JORJA MILLER, WHO'S NEVER BEEN IN THE NATIONAL SIDE, KEEN TO MAKE A NAME FOR HERSELF AT OPEN SIDE FLANKER. I LOVE BEING IN THE FORWARDS, CLOSE TO THE BALL, IN THE RUCK, DOING ALL THE DIRTY WORK, BUT ALSO I'D LOVE TO GET MY HANDS ON THE BALL OUT WIDE WITH SOME SPACE. BUT THEIR SPOTS AREN'T GUARANTEED. THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF DEPTH. SO MUCH TALENT COMING THROUGH, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN AUPIKI. IT'S GONNA BE TOUGH. YOU KNOW, THERE'S COMPETITION EVERYWHERE, BUT I THINK IT'S ALL HEALTHY COMPETITION. RISI POURI-LANE, ALENA SAILI, DHYS FALEAFAGA AND KELSEY TENETI MAKING THEMSELVES AVAILABLE. BUNTING KNOWS WHAT THEY CAN DO ON THE FIELD AS THEIR FORMER SEVENS COACH. THERE'S NO CERTAINTY FOR ANYONE NOW, AND WHEN WE ALL GET INTO OUR FIRST CAMP, THERE'S GONNA BE THAT REAL DEPTH AND INTERNAL COMPETITION THAT WE WANT IN A BLACK FERNS TEAM. THEY NEED TO FEEL THAT PRESSURE AND EDGE. BECAUSE THEIR RIVALS ARE ALSO RECRUITING ` CHARLOTTE CASLICK AND SISTERS MADISON AND TEAGAN LEVI COMMITTING TO THE WALLAROOS. AND IF WE LEARNED ANYTHING FROM THE 2021 WORLD CUP... AND STACEY, THE SMILING ASSASSIN! ...IT'S THAT SEVENS PLAYERS CAN HAVE A WINNING IMPACT. KATE WELLS, 1 NEWS. ALL BLACKS STAR ARDIE SAVEA WILL SIT OUT MOANA PASIFIKA'S SUPER RUGBY MATCH AGAINST THE CHIEFS ON FRIDAY NIGHT IN PUKEHOE. CORRECTION: MATCH AGAINST THE CHIEFS ON FRIDAY NIGHT IN PUKEKOHE. IT'S A BLOW FOR A TEAM TRYING TO BUILD MOMENTUM AS THEY COME UP AGAINST THE COMPETITION LEADERS IN SOUTH AUCKLAND. ALL: LET'S GO! THE RUGBY HOTBED OF WESLEY COLLEGE, NEAR PUKEKOHE, WELCOMING SOME SPECIAL VISITORS TODAY. MOANA MUSTERING LOCAL SUPPORT, HOSTING THE CHIEFS IN OFFICIAL CHIEFS TERRITORY. WE WANT TO THE GAME TO THE PEOPLE. IT'S THE FIRST REGULAR-SEASON SUPER-GAME IN THE TOWN FOR 12 YEARS, BUT WITH NO ARDIE SAVEA. HAMSTRING TWEAK ` NO, NOT MAJORLY SERIOUS, BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY IS JUST A BIT OF A WAIT AND SEE AT THIS STAGE. A COUPLE MORE WEEKS OR...? YEAH. ONE MAN WHO'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, THEN, IS MOANA'S NEW CAPTAIN, TOM SAVAGE. IS IT TOMASI OR TOM? (CHUCKLES) I SUPPOSE IT DEPENDS WHO YOU'RE TALKING TO. JUST LIKE ANY ENVIRONMENT, BUYING IN IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO. THERE WAS GOING TO BE THINGS I KNEW COMING INTO THIS GROUP ` RUGBY-WISE, CULTURALLY ` THAT WERE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT, BUT JUST... ATTACK IT. THE 35-YEAR-OLD ENGLISHMAN ALWAYS WANTED A CRACK AT SUPER. AFTER PLAYING 10 YEARS FOR GLOUCESTER IN ENGLAND, HE ENDED UP AT SUNTORY IN TOKYO, ALONGSIDE NAMES LIKE BARRETT AND MCKENZIE. NOW ENSCONCED WITH HIS FAMILY ON THE NORTH SHORE. HOW IMPORTANT IS THE MENTORING SIDE OF THINGS FOR YOU IN THIS TEAM? YEAH, SOME OF THE GUYS ARE PRETTY RAW, BUT THE TALENT IN THE ROOM IS PHENOMENAL. THE AMENABLE LOCK THINKS OF THE FANS TOO MIC'D UP AGAINST THE HURRICANES. IF YOU GET ASKED TO DO THESE THINGS, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE GAME TO DO THAT. I CAN'T APOLOGISE FOR HIM ` HIS BAD LANGUAGE. THERE WAS HUFFING AND PUFFING FROM MY END. AWESOME SHIFT TONIGHT, BROTHERS; AWESOME SHIFT. SAVAGE WILL NEED TO REGATHER ALL HIS EXPERIENCE AND GUILE TO LEAD MOANA ON FRIDAY, TRYING TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE COMPETITION AGAIN. THE ROUND THE WORLD OCEAN RACE WILL BRING BACK AN AUCKLAND STOPOVER FOR THE 2027 EDITION, THE GOVERNMENT INVESTING UP TO $4M FROM THE MAJOR EVENTS FUND. THE RACE LAST STOPPED IN NEW ZEALAND IN 2018, WHEN THE LIKES OF BLAIR TUKE AND PETER BURLING WERE COMPETING IN THE EVENT. IT GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW ZEALANDERS TO COME BACK INTO OCEAN RACING, BECAUSE NEW ZEALAND USED TO DOMINATE THIS RACE WITH SIR PETER BLAKE, WITH GRANT DALTON AND OTHERS, BUT NOW THE KIWIS ARE NOWHERE TO BE SEEN OUT ON THE AROUND-THE-WORLD RACING SCENE. THE CITY OF SAILS HAS HOSTED 10 STOPOVERS ` THE FIRST NEARLY 50 YEARS AGO. GREAT MEMORIES OF FLYING DOWN THE EAST COAST BAYS. HOPEFULLY WITH THE NEW ZEALAND BOAT. ERIN'S HERE WITH YOUR WEATHER, AND A MORE SETTLED DAY FOR MOST, BUT NOT ALL, TOMORROW. COMING UP AT 7 ` COULD AN OLD SCHOOL LANDLINE BE THE KEY TO KEEPING KIDS CONNECTED, WITHOUT ALL THE DIGITAL DRAMA? AND NEW ZEALAND LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT ` WE'RE THE FIRST REAL-WORLD DESTINATION IN MINECRAFT. YEP, THIS IS BIG. (PHONE CHIMES) SONG: # You # You've got what I need... # Thank you, Sam! You're welcome, Wendy. # You're like medicine to me... # VOICEOVER: Wonderful stories enter our stores every day. Find your wonderful. New World. NAU MAI ANO. WELCOME BACK. IT'S LOOKING AND FEELING PRETTY AUTUMNAL IN CENTRAL OTAGO AND MUCH OF THE LOWER SOUTH AT THE MOMENT, COMPLETE WITH SOME FRESH SNOW OVERNIGHT, BUT THEN TURNING ON THOSE STUNNING AUTUMN DAYS. FURTHER UP THE COUNTRY, THOUGH, TODAY WE SAW HEAVY RAIN TRACK UP THE EAST OF THE SOUTH ISLAND AND ON TO THE LOWER NORTH, AND THE HEAVY SHOWER-BEARING CLOUD BUILDING OVER THE NORTH ISLAND. SOME HEAVIER FALLS TO WAIKATO AND AUCKLAND THIS AFTERNOON. THAT IS SOME WELCOME RAIN TO THOSE AREAS IN DROUGHT, AND PEOPLE ON TANK WATER THANKFUL FOR THE TOP UP. AUCKLAND HAS ONLY SEEN ABOUT HALF THE RAINFALL WE'D EXPECT BY THIS TIME OF YEAR, AND IN WAIKATO, ONLY AROUND A THIRD. THE AIR MASS THAT'S BROUGHT US THIS COOL SNAP IS MOVING OFF, AND TEMPERATURES BEGIN TO RECOVER FROM TOMORROW FOR A FEW DAYS. THE END OF THE WEEK AND WEEKEND, WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME WARMER TEMPERATURES ` MID-20S IN THE UPPER NORTH AND EAST OF THE COUNTRY. THE LOWER SOUTH, THOUGH, THE WEEKEND COOLS OFF AGAIN. RAIN-WISE, SOME SHOWER POCKETS OVERNIGHT. THEN TOMORROW, THE RAIN WRAPS BACK AROUND TO THE NORTH ISLAND'S EAST, AND STALLING THERE. SO WE HAVE A WATCH TO GISBORNE AND THE WAIROA DISTRICT, IN PLACE ALL DAY. AND SOME SHOWERS DOWN THE EAST COAST, WELLINGTON AND KAIKOURA TOO. LOOKING MAINLY FINE FOR NORTHLAND, JUST THE CHANCE OF AN AFTERNOON SHOWER, WHILE WHITIANGA HAS A BIT MORE CLOUD ABOUT, MAYBE A MORNING SPRINKLE. 23 OR 24 DEGREES SOME MORNING CLOUD BURNS OFF TO A FINE AFTERNOON, TAMAKI MAKAURAU, AUCKLAND. AND TEMPERATURES RECOVERING A BIT ` 24 IS YOUR HIGH. IF YOU'RE UP EARLY YOU MAY SEE SOME CLOUD IN KIRIKIRIROA, HAMILTON, BUT IT'S NOTHING BUT SUN FROM THERE AND A TOP OF 25. CLOUD FROM TIME TO TIME, MOSTLY IN THE MORNING, ACROSS THE CENTRAL NORTH. YOU MAY EVEN SEE A FEW SPOTS OF RAIN IN WHAKATANE; 24 FOR YOU, ALONG WITH TAUMARUNUI. VERY EARLY CLOUD, AND THEN EVENING CLOUD AGAIN, TAURANGA. FINE AND SUNNY IN BETWEEN. 24 IS YOUR HIGH. YOU'LL SEE THE RAIN OCCASIONALLY IN GISBORNE AND HAWKE'S BAY, BUT IT COULD BE HEAVY IN GISBORNE, WITH THAT WATCH IN PLACE ALL DAY. A FEW SHOWERS FOR DANNEVIRKE AND MASTERTON. STILL COOL WITH A FRESH SOUTHERLY. THE CLOUD, EVEN A FEW SHOWERS, FOR LEVIN SHOULD CLEAR TO A FINE AFTERNOON IN THE WEST. THAT SOUTHERLY YOU'LL NOTICE HERE STILL, TOO. AND 21 TO 23 DEGREES. A BIT OF A GREY DAY, WITH A FEW SHOWERS IN THE MIX, TOO, TE WHANGANUI A TARA, WELLINGTON. IT ALL CLEARS IN THE EVENING. AND A TOP OF JUST 17. A PRETTY DECENT DAY AT THE TOP OF THE SOUTH. JUST KAIKOURA HAS A FEW REMAINING SHOWERS, AND A TOP OF 18. A GREY, DRIZZLY MORNING, OTAUTAHI, CHRISTCHURCH, BUT THE SUN SHOULD POKE THROUGH IN THE AFTERNOON. 19 IS YOUR HIGH. ANOTHER FINE DAY IN THE WEST, JUST SOME SEA BREEZES THROUGH THE AFTERNOON, AND SOME PASSING CLOUD FOR THE EAST. 19 TO 21 DEGREES. ANOTHER CLASSIC AUTUMN DAY IN TAHUNA, QUEENSTOWN. COOL NIGHTS, STUNNING DAYS. A LOW OF 7 AND A TOP OF 24 DEGREES. A NEAR CLEAR RUN OF SUN IN THE LOWER SOUTH. MORNING CLOUD BURNS OFF, OAMARU. MILFORD SOUND, YOU CAN EXPECT CLOUD TO ROLL IN FROM EVENING, AND 21 FOR MANY HERE. EARLY MORNING AND EVENING CLOUD IN OTEPOTI, DUNEDIN, BUT PLENTY OF SUN IN BETWEEN. YOUR HIGH IS 19. FRIDAY'S THE PICK OF THE DAYS, JUST SOME SHOWERS STICKING AROUND IN THE NORTH ISLAND'S EAST. BUT INCOMING FROM THE SOUTH. WHICH MEANS, SATURDAY, THE RAIN COULD BE HEAVY OVER FIRODALND, AND SHOWERY FOR OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND. AND JUST A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS NORTH OF WAIKATO, OTHERWISE LOOKING GOOD. SO WE'RE INTO A BIT MORE OF A SETTLED PATCH COMPARED TO THE LAST FEW DAYS.