ARGUABLY OUR GREATEST EVER CRICKETER IS CALLING IT QUITS. WHY KANE WILLIAMSON DECIDED TO PULL STUMPS IN THE MIDDLE OF A TOUR. THEY'RE CALLING IT THE GREATEST WEALTH-GENERATING EVENT IN HISTORY. SPACEX LISTS ON THE STOCK EXCHANGE AND ELON MUSK BECOMES A TRILLIONAIRE. AND THE U.S AND IRAN BOTH SAY A PEACE DEAL IS CLOSE, BUT THEY HAVE CONTRASTING VERSIONS OF WHAT'S IN IT. CAPTIONS BY KATE MCCULLOUGH AND REBECCA SCHOLTZ. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2026 NAU MAI, HAERE MAI, WELCOME TO THREENEWS. SORRY, CRICKET FANS ` IT'S THE DAY WE'VE ALL BEEN HOPING WOULD NEVER COME. KANE WILLIAMSON'S TIME WITH THE BLACK CAPS IS OVER. LATE LAST NIGHT THE 35-YEAR-OLD MADE THE SHOCK ANNOUNCEMENT HE WAS RETIRING FROM INTERNATIONAL CRICKET EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. WHILE HIS RETIREMENT HAS BEEN EXPECTED, FEW WOULD HAVE PREDICTED IT WOULD COME IN THE MIDDLE OF A THREE-TEST SERIES, LEAVING SOME FANS DISAPPOINTED THEY WON'T GET THE CHANCE TO GIVE THEIR HERO A FITTING FAREWELL. GORDON FINDLATER REPORTS. WE DIDN'T KNOW IT AT THE TIME... THIS IS OUT, IS IT? YES, THE FINGER GOES UP. ...BUT THIS WAS THE LAST DELIVERY WE'D SEE KANE WILLIAMSON FACE IN INTERNATIONAL CRICKET ` OUR GREATEST RUN-SCORER IN TEST HISTORY IN THE END MAKING A FITTING EXIT AT LORDS, THE HOME OF CRICKET. I STAND HERE TO ANNOUNCE MY RETIREMENT FROM INTERNATIONAL CRICKET. WILLIAMSON'S 16-YEAR INTERNATIONAL CAREER WILLIAMSON'S 18-YEAR INTERNATIONAL CAREER SAW HIM PLAY 378 TIMES FOR THE BLACK CAPS. HE PRODUCED GREATNESS FROM THE OUTSET, A CENTURY ON TEST DEBUT IN 2010. FOUR MORE. THIS SHOULD BE HIS HUNDRED. HE WOULD GO ON TO SCORE 9,515 TEST RUNS AND ALMOST 20,000 THOUSAND ACROSS ALL FORMATS ` AND ALMOST 20,000 RUNS ACROSS ALL FORMATS ` MORE THAN ANY OTHER NEW ZEALANDER. PLENTY OF EMOTION, AND GOT AROUND A FEW OF THE SENIOR GUYS THAT I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH IN THE DRESSING ROOM, WHICH I KNEW WOULD BE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS, BECAUSE IMMEDIATELY YOU REFLECT, DON'T YOU, ON ALL THE TIMES YOU'VE HAD TOGETHER. AT THE TOP OF THOSE, CAPTAINING THE BLACKCAPS TO THE WORLD TEST CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE IN 2021. THERE'S ALSO NO SHORTAGE OF INDIVIDUAL BRILLIANCE ` A NEW ZEALAND-BEST TEST AVERAGE OF JUST OVER 54 AND A RECORD SIX DOUBLE-CENTURIES. I'VE GIVEN EVERYTHING TO THIS TEAM, AND IT'S GIVEN ME EVEN MORE IN RETURN. THE TIMING OF WILLIAMSON'S DECISION HAS MANY SCRATCHING THEIR HEAD, THOUGH. WHY NOW, ONE MATCH INTO A THREE-MATCH TEST SERIES? I DIDN'T REALLY SEE BEING ON A TEAM SHEET AND ADDING A COUPLE OF GAMES AS BEING THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. WILLIAMSON INSISTING THE TIME IS RIGHT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO TAKE HIS PLACE. WHEN I LOOK AT THE TALENT IN THE DRESSING ROOM NOW AND THE JOURNEY THAT I THINK THIS TEAM IS LOOKING TO GO ON, IT JUST FEELS LIKE THE RIGHT TIME TO STEP AWAY, AND I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT IT. KANE WILLIAMSON'S CAREER NOW OVER, BUT IT'S ONE THAT WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. THE WORLD'S RICHEST MAN IS NOW THE WORLD'S FIRST TRILLIONAIRE ` THAT'S A 1 WITH 12 ZEROES BEHIND IT. THE SPECTACULAR LAUNCH OF SPACEX ON THE U.S. STOCKMARKET NOT ONLY CEMENTED ELON MUSK'S PLACE IN HISTORY; IT MADE HIM WEALTHIER THAN ALL BUT A HANDFUL OF EARTH'S RICHEST NATIONS AND WORTH MORE THAN 3% OF AMERICA'S ENTIRE GDP. ITV'S ROBERT MOORE REPORTS. ...ITS RECORD-BREAKING IPO, A $75 BILLION OFFERING. SOME ARE CALLING THIS THE GREATEST WEALTH-GENERATING EVENT IN HISTORY ` (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) # ROCKET MAN. # MINTING THE WORLD'S FIRST TRILLIONAIRE AND MANY THOUSANDS OF MULTI-MILLIONAIRES. FOR ELON MUSK, THE SKY IS QUITE LITERALLY THE LIMIT... IGNITION. ...AS HE SPOKE OF A COMPANY WITH THE POTENTIAL TO REINVENT THE FUTURE OF HUMANITY. IF THERE'S NOT A NEW COMPANY THAT ENTERS SPACE, WE WILL NEVER BE A TRULY SPACEFARING CIVILISATION. AND THAT'S WHAT SPACEX IS ALL ABOUT ` IT'S TO TAKE THE FICTION OUT OF SCIENCE FICTION. AND HE CONCEDED THAT THIS MOMENT HAD SEEMED WILDLY IMPLAUSIBLE EVEN TO HIM. IF PEOPLE HAD TOLD ME THIS WAS GONNA HAPPEN... I WAS LIKE, MAN, YOU MUST BE SMOKING SOME REALLY GOOD CRACK. (LAUGHTER) BECAUSE I THINK THIS COMPANY IS GONNA FAIL. (LAUGHTER) MUSK HAS BEEN A DISRUPTOR IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS FOR YEARS. (GROANS) HIS 'X' PLATFORM STANDS ACCUSED OF AMPLIFYING ABUSE AND EXTREMISM ACROSS THE WORLD. HIS OWN POSTS HAVE BEEN WIDELY CONDEMNED. BUT HIS SUCCESS IN DEVELOPING CHEAP ACCESS TO SPACE AND HIS CONSTELLATION OF STARLINK SATELLITES... STARSHIP IS A CRITICAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE. ...MAKES HIM THE PIVOTAL FIGURE OF OUR AGE. THE SCALE OF MUSK'S WEALTH IS NOW DIFFICULT TO COMPREHEND. $1 TRILLION ` THAT'S A MILLION MILLION... I LOVE FASHION. ...MAKES HIM MUCH RICHER EVEN THAN THE GREATEST OF THE 20th-CENTURY TYCOONS ` JD ROCKEFELLER, WHO WAS THE WEALTHIEST-EVER AMERICAN THANKS TO OIL. AND LIFT-OFF OF FALCON NINE. MUSK'S WEALTH IS DERIVED NOT FROM THE EARTH, BUT FROM THE HEAVENS. THE QUESTION NOW IS WHETHER SPACEX AND THE STARSHIP ROCKET ON WHICH ITS HOPES DEPEND CHANGE THE WORLD OR CRASH AND BURN. BOTH DONALD TRUMP AND IRAN SAY AN AGREEMENT IS 'CLOSE', WITH THE IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TODAY CONFIRMING HE HOPES THE INITIAL DEAL COULD BE SIGNED 'IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS'. BUT MANY QUESTIONS REMAIN WITH TEHRAN AND WASHINGTON OFFERING DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF WHAT'S IN THE FRAMEWORK. AMERICA IS WINNING. THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR HAS A NEW TELEVISION AD... DONALD TRUMP: THROUGH OUR POWER AND MIGHT, WE WILL LEAD THE WORLD TO PEACE. OUR FRIENDS WILL RESPECT US. OUR ENEMIES WILL FEAR US. ...AND DONALD TRUMP WANTS THE WORLD TO SEE IT. IF YOU ATTACK THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WE WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND WE WILL FIND YOU. THE U.S PRESIDENT TOUTING THE GREAT FIGHTING MACHINE OF AMERICA LESS THAN 24 HOURS AFTER HE TOUTED THE END TO THE WAR IN IRAN. WE JUST MADE A GREAT SETTLEMENT OF THE WAR WITH IRAN. BUT WHEN IRANIAN MEDIA OUTLETS STARTED CLAIMING THAT SETTLEMENT INCLUDES A PAYMENT FROM AMERICA OF AROUND $300b IN WAR REPARATIONS, TRUMP UNLEASHED. ...HE WROTE ON TRUTH SOCIAL. TWO HOURS LATER, THE IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER CONFIRMED ON X THAT A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING HAS NEVER BEEN CLOSER. (SPEAKS FARSI) BEFORE GOING ON STATE TELEVISION TO DISCUSS IT IN MORE DETAIL. HE MADE NO MENTION OF WAR REPARATIONS, BUT CLAIMED THE DEAL WOULD SEE IRAN'S FROZEN ASSETS RELEASED AND THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ REOPENED, BUT SAID THE REGIME WOULD CHARGE SERVICE FEES FOR TRANSITING SHIPS. HE ALSO SUGGESTED THE DEAL WOULD SEE AN END TO THE CONFLICT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HEZBOLLAH IN LEBANON. ISRAEL HAS PROUDLY SPOKEN OF REPLICATING WHAT IT'S DONE IN GAZA IN SOUTHERN LEBANON. (SPEAKS HEBREW) BUT THE U.S HAS PREVIOUSLY SAID LEBANON WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE DEAL, THAT ANY TOLL OF THE STRAIT IS A VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW, AND THAT ANY UNFREEZING OF IRANIAN ASSETS WOULD HAPPEN INCREMENTALLY, NOT IMMEDIATELY. AS FOR IRAN'S NUCLEAR FUTURE ` THEY WILL NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. THE PROPOSED DEAL IS SAID TO TRIGGER ANOTHER 60 DAYS OF NEGOTIATIONS ON THAT LONG-STANDING STICKING POINT. BUT TEHRAN TODAY SAID THEIR POSITION HASN'T CHANGED, AND THE ONLY WAY OF MANAGING THEIR STOCKPILE OF ENRICHED URANIUM WOULD BE TO DILUTE IT WITHIN THE COUNTRY. (SPEAKS FARSI) U.S OFFICIALS HAVE INDICATED A DEAL-SIGNING CEREMONY COULD BE HELD IN SWITZERLAND IN THE COMING DAYS, BUT IRAN HAS SUGGESTED IT COULD BE DONE REMOTELY ` YET ANOTHER POINT THESE TWO NATIONS ARE NOT ALIGNED ON. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE MARCHED DOWN AUCKLAND'S QUEEN STREET TODAY, PROTESTING THE PROPOSED 'DEFINITIONS OF WOMAN AND MAN' BILL. THE MEMBER'S BILL, INTRODUCED BY NEW ZEALAND FIRST MP JENNY MARCROFT, WOULD LEGALLY DEFINE A WOMAN AS AN 'ADULT HUMAN BIOLOGICAL FEMALE'. PROTESTERS ARGUE THE BILL WOULD HAVE FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES FOR TRANSGENDER AND CIS WOMEN ALIKE. WE JUST THINK IT'S A CRUEL AND HEARTLESS PIECE OF LEGISLATION. THIS IS INSANE. WHAT THIS GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO DO IS SETTING US BACK OR THAN 100 YEARS. THIS IS NATIONWIDE ACTION THAT WE DO NOT TOLERATE HATE. THE BILL IS NOW BEFORE A SELECT COMMITTEE, WHILE A PETITION OPPOSING IT HAS ATTRACTED MORE THAN 22,000 SIGNATURES IN JUST OVER TWO WEEKS. IT'S BEEN REVEALED THAT A FIRE WHICH CAUSED MASS DISRUPTION AT WELLINGTON AIRPORT LAST NIGHT BEGAN IN WIRING INSIDE A WALL CAVITY. WELLINGTON AIRPORT PASSENGERS WERE LEFT STRANDED AND UNABLE TO GET THEIR LUGGAGE AFTER THE MAIN TERMINAL AND SOUTHWEST PIER WERE BOTH EVACUATED JUST AFTER 7pm. FOR FOUR HOURS, ALL AIR NEW ZEALAND FLIGHTS WERE PUT ON HOLD, THOUGH SOME INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS WERE ABLE TO LAND. ALL FLIGHTS AT THE AIRPORT HAVE NOW RESUMED. 30 YEARS AGO, THE DISTINCTIVE CALL OF THE KOKAKO WAS ALMOST SILENCED IN AUCKLAND'S HUNUA RANGES, AS THE NUMBER OF BREEDING PAIRS FELL TO JUST ONE. BUT THE CREATION OF A PROTECTED AREA FOR THE BIRDS HAS LED TO SOMETHING OF A BABY BOOM AND PROVIDED HOPE THE KOKAKO'S HAUNTING SONG WILL CONTINUE TO BE HEARD IN OTHER PARTS OF THE MOTU. HANNAH WARBURTON HAS MORE. IN THE HEART OF THE HUNUA RANGES, SOUTH OF AUCKLAND, A CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY IS TAKING FLIGHT ` (KOKAKO CHIRPS) THE KOKAKO. AUCKLAND COUNCIL HAS CLOSED THE AREA TO THE PUBLIC AND THEIR DOGS, WHICH ALLOWS AERIAL DROPS OF 1080 AND UNDISTURBED BAITING TO TAKE PLACE. JUST CREATING THIS REALLY PROTECTED REFUGE WHERE THE BIRDS CAN GO ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS, THEY CAN BREED HAPPILY, THEY CAN FEED, THEY CAN NEST. YOU KNOW, THEY'VE JUST GOT A REALLY SAFE PLACE NOW. IN 1994, THERE WAS JUST A SINGLE BREEDING PAIR OF KOKAKO IN THE RANGES. IN 2022, 259 PAIRS, AND IN 2026, 418, A 61% INCREASE IN JUST FOUR YEARS. SO WE KNOW WE'VE GOT AT LEAST 418 PAIRS, BUT THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT MORE ACTUALLY THERE WE DIDN'T COUNT. SO THAT'S` YEAH, REALLY EXCITING. DECADES OF PREDATOR CONTROL HAS SAVED THE BIRD FROM LOCAL EXTINCTION... (TRAP SNAPS) ...AND BROUGHT THE HAUNTING CALL OF THE KOKAKO BACK TO THE RANGES. THE KOKAKO MANAGEMENT AREA COVERS 21,500ha. THERE'S OVER 4500 BAIT STATIONS JUST LIKE THIS, AND OVER 500 TRAPS. AFTER WORKING 18 YEARS IN THE BUSH, THE SUCCESS IS PERSONAL FOR VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR WILLOW. IT MAKES ME VERY EMOTIONAL, COS THAT'S WHAT I WANTED. WHEN I STARTED, I SAID TO MY SUPERVISOR BACK THEN, 'WHEN I LEAVE, I WANTED IT TO BE IN A BETTER STATE 'AND A BETTER SHAPE THAN WHAT IT IS.' YOU KNOW, IT'S BECOMING A REAL FULL-CIRCLE MOMENT FOR US. SO WE'VE GONE FROM FEARING THAT SPECIES MIGHT ACTUALLY GO EXTINCT IN OUR REGION AND IN OUR FOREST, TO BEING ABLE TO BE A SUCCESS STORY. THEIR HOPE ` (KOKAKO CHIRPS) FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR THE CALL OF THE KOKAKO. SO WHAT WE WANT IS THE KOKAKO TO NATURALLY MIGRATE TO THE HUNUA HABITAT AREA, HUNUA FALLS AREA, COS THAT MEANS THAT MORE OF THE PUBLIC CAN SEE THEM. (LAUGHS) SO EXCITED. SO LUCKY. AND THEY'RE STILL GOING, UP THERE, ALL AROUND US. NOW THERE ARE MOVES TO HELP BOOST THE KOKAKO POPULATION IN PARTS OF NORTHLAND... (KOKAKO CHIRPS) ...BRINGING THE CALL OF THE KOKAKO BACK TO MORE OF AOTEAROA. STAY WITH US ` SPORT'S UP NEXT, AND THE CHIEFS SHOWED THE CRUSADERS WHO'S BOSS TO BOOK A PLACE IN THE SUPER RUGBY FINAL. WE'LL CROSS TO THE CAKETIN TO FIND OUT JAMES PARSON'S PICK TO JOIN THEM. AND CO-HOSTS USA KICK THEIR WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN OFF IN STYLE WITH A 4-1 WIN OVER PARAGUAY. (ENGINE REVS) Oh. OK, turn off the car. (PHONE RINGS) GIRL: Dad! Hey, man. Long time no talk. Yeah, just... I'm teaching Samara how to drive. (BRIGHT MUSIC) Hi! Could you do something for me? SONG: # Oh, baby, you... # Thanks. # You've got what I need # You got everything I need # You're like medicine to me... # VOICEOVER: Wonderful stories enter our stores every day. Find your wonderful. New World. Doesn't Sarah have um... HIV... So? Dude, it's the 80s, they want that thinking back. Hello? Oh, hugging, kissing and sharing foods all good! And with today's treatment, people with HIV can stay well and can't pass it on to partners. Huh! No need to freak out then. VOICEOVER: Out of date on HIV? Get the facts. ADVENTURE CHARGED FOR THE ROAD AHEAD. SUZUKI E VITARA AND THREE NEWS SPORT. IT WAS A DEMOLITION JOB IN HAMILTON LAST NIGHT, THE CHIEFS HANDING THE 15-TIME SUPER RUGBY CRUSADERS THEIR HEAVIEST PLAYOFF DEFEAT IN HISTORY, WINNING 49-12 TO BOOK THEIR SPOT IN NEXT WEEKEND'S GRAND-FINAL. THE WRITING WAS ON THE WALL WITHIN HALF AN HOUR ` THE HOME SIDE JUMPING OUT TO A 30-POINT LEAD, LEAVING THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS SHELL-SHOCKED. GORDON FINDLATER HAS THE ACTION. IT WAS AS CLINICAL A SEMI-FINAL PERFORMANCE YOU'RE LIKELY TO EVER SEE IN SUPER RUGBY. AND THE CHIEFS HAVE EXORCISED THE DEMONS OF THE LAST 10 YEARS. THE CHIEFS NOT ONLY DEFEATING BUT HUMILIATING THE TEAM THAT'S DEFEATED THEM IN THREE OF THE LAST FIVE SUPER RUGBY FINALS. CLASS RUGBY. YOU GOTTA COME OUT OF THE GATES HOT, AND I THOUGHT JUST THE WAY WE STARTED TONIGHT REALLY PUT SOME PRESSURE ON THE CRUSADERS TEAM. 'PRESSURE' AN UNDERSTATEMENT. TAUMOEFOLAU, OPENING TRY OF THE SEMI-FINAL! THE CHIEFS STARTING RED-HOT, KYREN TAUMOEFOLAU WASTING NO TIME GRABBING A DOUBLE WITHIN 15 MINUTES. GETS A BOOT TO IT. KYREN TAUMOEFOLAU HAS TWO! IT ONLY GOT WORSE FOR THE CRUSADERS, THEIR DEFENCE ALL AT SEA FOR THE CHIEFS' THIRD OF THE NIGHT. HE'S GOT HUTCHINSON WITH HIM. HUTCHINSON! CAN HE SLIDE UNDER? YES! BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE FLOODGATES WERE ONLY JUST STARTING TO OPEN. LOOKING TO CREATE SOMETHING OUT WIDE. CARTER! LEROY CARTER WALTZES THROUGH. THE CHIEFS SAVING THEIR BEST FOR LAST AS THEY PILED ON A RECORD 42 POINTS ON THE CRUSADERS IN THE FIRST HALF. COOMBES-FABLING, VAA'I WITH HIM. HE GOES WIDE TO FOKETI. PASS BACK ON THE INSIDE. OH, THAT IS SENSATIONAL! WHILE THE CRUSADERS SHOWED SOME SIGN OF LIFE IN THE SECOND HALF... HAVILI CHARGING. GREAT DETERMINATION FROM HIM. GOES ALL THE WAY FOR THE TRY. ...IT WAS TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE. THE CHIEFS FINISHING HOW THEY STARTED. HAS A GO HIMSELF. HE'S OVER. THE 37-POINT THRASHING LIKELY GIVING THE CHIEFS PLENTY OF CONFIDENCE AS THEY WAIT TO FIND OUT WHO THEY'LL BE PLAYING IN NEXT WEEKEND'S GRAND FINAL. SO WHO WILL JOIN THEM? WELL, IN UNDER AN HOUR'S TIME, COMPETITION FAVOURITES THE HURRICANES WILL TAKE ON THE 'LUCKY LOSER' BLUES. EARLIER, I ASKED SKY SPORTS COMMENTATOR JAMES PARSONS WHETHER THE WEIGHT OF EXPECTATION WILL HELP OR HINDER THE 'CANES. LOOK, I THINK THE WAY THEY'VE PERFORMED ALL SEASON, THEY'VE PROBABLY HAD THIS EXPECTATION ON THEM FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. AND I SUPPOSE APART FROM THE CHIEFS LOSS EARLY IN THE YEAR, THEY'VE ANSWERED THAT CALL. THEY'VE CALLED FOR THEIR FANS TO TURN UP, AND I SUPPOSE WHEN THEY MAKE THAT CALL, THEY DEFINITELY NEED TO, I SUPPOSE BACK IT UP WITH A BIG PERFORMANCE, AND I DON'T SEE THEM SHYING AWAY FROM THAT TONIGHT. THE HURRICANES HAVE MADE ONE CHANGE TO THEIR STARTING SIDE, AND IT'S A BIG ONE. THEIR TRY-SCORING MACHINE IS BACK ON THE WING. HOW MUCH HARDER DOES THAT MAKE THIS CHALLENGE FOR THE BLUES? WELL, THERE'S ALREADY A BIG MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB, BUT HE CERTAINLY MAKES IT A LITTLE BIT MORE CHALLENGING. BUT I THINK THE BEST THING ABOUT THE SQUAD THAT THEY'VE BUILT OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS, THEY'VE REALLY MATURED. AND THEIR NEXT MAN UP PHILOSOPHY HAS CERTAINLY WORKED REALLY WELL. SO FEHI WILL ADD SOME SPARK, BUT I SUPPOSE THE MEN INSIDE HIM NEED TO FREE UP AND GIVE HIM THE SPACE TO DO HIS THING. THERE HAS BEEN, AS YOU'VE SAID, A BIG PUSH THIS WEEK TO FILL THE TIN. HAVE THEY PULLED IT OFF? HOW'S THE VIBE DOWN THERE IN THE CAPITAL TONIGHT? OH, IT'S MASSIVE. YOU KNOW, GOING IN, I THINK JOEY WHEELER'S BEEN GOING AROUND EVERY BAR. THEY'RE PUMPING. I THINK THE LAST COUNT WAS AT 23,000, SO A BIT OF A WALK-UP CROWD. THEY'LL GO PRETTY CLOSE TO IT. DO YOU HAVE A PREDICTION FOR US, THEN? DO YOU WANT IT WITH MY HEAD OR MY HEART? (LAUGHS) I'LL TAKE` I'LL TAKE ONE OF EACH. (LAUGHS) WELL, DEFINITELY WITH MY HEART, BLUES, 1 TO 12. BUT HONESTLY, I'VE LOOKED AT THIS HURRICANE'S SIDE FROM EVERY ANGLE, STATISTICALLY, AND THE WAY THEY PLAY BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL, THEY ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A HARD SIDE TO BEAT. JAMES PARSONS THERE. ENJOY THE NIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHEERS, GUYS. AND YOU CAN CATCH TONIGHT'S MATCH BETWEEN THE HURRICANES AND THE BLUES ON SKY SPORT 1 FROM 7.05. AN UGLY RED CARD HAS OVERSHADOWED THE BLUES WOMEN'S 42-7 WIN OVER HURRICANES POUA IN THE OPENING MATCH OF SUPER RUGBY AUPIKI. BLUES LOCK MAAMA VAIPULU WAS RED-CARDED LATE IN THE FIRST HALF WHEN SHE FIRST DROPPED A KNEE AND THEN STRUCK THE HEAD OF AN OPPOSING PLAYER. BEING DOWN A PLAYER DIDN'T AFFECT THE DEFENDING CHAMPIONS, THOUGH, GOING ON TO WIN COMFORTABLY. SYLVIA BRUNT WITH THE FOOTWORK AND THE FINISH WILL COME BY WAY OF LIANA MIKAELE-TU'U. MEANWHILE, THE MATATU WERE TOO STRONG FOR CHIEFS MANAWA IN TODAY'S OTHER GAME IN CHRISTCHURCH, MATATU WINNING 52-26 IN FRONT OF A RECORD CROWD. HOSTS USA HAVE GOT THEIR FIFA WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN OFF TO THE PERFECT START, DISPATCHING PARAGUAY 4-1. PARAGUAY WERE THEIR OWN WORST ENEMY EARLY ON, AN OWN-GOAL PUTTING THE U.S. UP 1-0. THE HOSTS THEN ALL BUT ICED THE RESULT BY HALF-TIME, FOLARIN BALOGUN SCORING A DOUBLE. HUGE PRESSURE. SENSATIONAL. FOLARIN BALOGUN. EARLIER ON, FELLOW CO-HOSTS CANADA CAME FROM A GOAL DOWN TO SECURE A 1-1 DRAW WITH BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA. IT WAS SEEN AS A MASSIVE UPSET TWO YEARS AGO, BUT NOW THE WHITE FERNS ARE FEELING QUIETLY CONFIDENT AS THEY PREPARE TO DEFEND THE T20 CRICKET WORLD CUP. THEY TAKE ON THE WEST INDIES IN THEIR FIRST GROUP GAME TOMORROW MORNING. THE WHITE FERNS COME INTO THE GAME IN FORM, HAVING DEFEATED 2024 RUNNERS-UP SOUTH AFRICA IN A RECENT WARM-UP GAME. WE ARE NOT LOOKING TO DEFEND ANYTHING. WE WANT TO BE POSITIVE AND GO OUT AND PLAY A BRAND THAT WE KNOW WE CAN PLAY THAT IS GOOD ENOUGH TO WIN THE WORLD CUPS, SO IF ANYTHING, IT GIVES US BELIEF WE KNOW WE CAN WIN A WORLD CUP. THE WHITE FERNS FACE THE WINDIES, SRI LANKA, IRELAND, SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND IN GROUP B. COMING UP ` FOG CAUSED A NUMBER OF FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS AT AUCKLAND AIRPORT THIS MORNING. WILL IT BE ANOTHER PEA-SOUPER TOMORROW? SUNDAY'S WEATHER FORECAST IS UP NEXT. WELCOME BACK. YOU'RE WATCHING THREENEWS. HERE ARE THE TOP STORIES FOR YOUR SATURDAY EVENING ` KANE WILLIAMSON HAS ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT FROM INTERNATIONAL CRICKET. HE BOWS OUT AS OUR GREATEST-EVER BATSMAN, HAVING SCORED MORE THAN 19,000 RUNS FOR THE BLACKCAPS. AND THEY'RE CALLING IT THE GREATEST WEALTH-GENERATING EVENT IN HISTORY. ELON MUSK IS THE WORLD'S FIRST TRILLIONAIRE AFTER SPACEX LISTED ON THE STOCK EXCHANGE. A RIDGE LIES OVER THE NORTH ISLAND, MOVING NORTHWARDS, WHILE A MOIST NORTH-WESTERLY FLOW DEVELOPS OVER THE SOUTH. TOMORROW, A FRONT WILL BEGIN ITS MOVE UP THE COUNTRY. IT'S MAINLY FINE ACROSS THE SOUTH ISLAND ` JUST A FEW SHOWERS ON THE WEST COAST. AND IN THE NORTH, IT'S FOGGY BUT MAINLY FINE. TO THE TOP OF THE COUNTRY NOW, AND IT'S MAINLY FINE. MORNING FOG POSSIBLE AGAIN IN AUCKLAND, WHANGAREI AND HAMILTON. THE CHANCE OF A SHOWER IN HAMILTON AS WELL. A FOGGY START HERE ALSO, WITH THE CHANCE OF A SHOWER IN TOKOROA, TAUPO AND ROTORUA. IT'LL BE FINE BUT CLOUDY IN TAURANGA AND WHAKATANE. IT'S LOOKING FINE FOR MOST HERE. SOME LIGHT WINDS IN THE MIX AND MORNING FOG FOR MASTERTON. IT WILL BE CLOUDY WITH THE ODD SHOWER POSSIBLE IN DANNEVIRKE, THOUGH. MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A FEW SHOWERS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE NORTH. NORTH-WESTERLIES WILL BECOME STRONG IN THE EVENING FOR WELLINGTON. TO THE SOUTH ISLAND NOW ` AND IT'S FINE IN NELSON, BUT WET EVERYWHERE ELSE. RAIN WILL INCREASE FROM LATE MORNING, BECOMING MORE PERSISTENT IN THE AFTERNOON FOR GREYMOUTH AND HEAVY IN HOKITIKA. A MUCH PRETTIER PICTURE ON THE EAST COAST ` FINE FOR EVERYONE, BUT THERE WILL BE MORNING FROSTS IN CHRISTCHURCH, ASHBURTON AND TIMARU. AND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE COUNTRY, OCCASIONAL RAIN ACROSS THE BOARD WITH GUSTY NORTH-WESTERLIES IN THE AFTERNOON FOR DUNEDIN AND INVERCARGILL. OVER IN AUSTRALIA, AND IT'S A FAIRLY CLOUDY PICTURE, WHILE IT'S SHOWERS GALORE IN THE PACIFIC. LET'S HAVE A LOOK A FEW DAYS AHEAD NOW. THAT IS THREENEWS FOR TONIGHT. YOU CAN STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS AND INFORMATION ON stuff.co.nz. I'M LISETTE REYMER. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I'LL SEE YOU AGAIN TOMORROW. CAPTIONS BY KATE MCCULLOUGH AND REBECCA SCHOLTZ. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2026