IT'S MIDDAY. WHY THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER WINSTON PETERS CLAIMS THE PRIME MINISTER'S BEEN MISINFORMED BY THE MEDIA OVER REFERENCES TO NAZI GERMANY. HOW POLICE HOPE A $100,000 REWARD WILL HELP SOLVE A MISSING WOMAN COLD CASE FOUR YEARS ON. AND IT WAS THE INTERVIEW THAT ROCKED THE ROYAL FAMILY. NOW THAT INFAMOUS PRINCE ANDREW INTERROGATION IS BEING RECREATED IN MOVIE FORM. CAPTIONS BY SAM BAKER AND KITTY WASASALA. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 KIA ORA. GOOD AFTERNOON. THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER HAS SAID THE PRIME MINISTER IS BEING MISINFORMED BY MEDIA COVERAGE OF HIS COMMENTS ABOUT NAZI GERMANY. OVER THE WEEKEND, WINSTON PETERS USED HIS STATE OF THE NATION SPEECH TO CRITICISE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT POLICY, AT ONE POINT DIRECTLY COMPARING IT TO THE ACTIVITIES OF THE NAZIS. PRIME MINISTER CHRISTOPHER LUXON SPOKE TO HIS DEPUTY ON MONDAY, SOMETHING MR PETERS WAS QUIZZED ABOUT BY BREAKFAST HOST ANNA BURNS FRANCIS THIS MORNING. HONESTY AND TRANSPARENCY ` WOULD YOU MIND TELLING US WHAT CHRISTOPHER LUXON SAID TO YOU AT YOUR MEETING ON MONDAY? YES, HE SAID` (MUMBLES) HE SAID, 'I WAS TOLD THIS, THIS AND THIS', AND I SAID TO HIM, 'BY WHO? DID YOU HEAR MY SPEECH?' 'NO.' AND THEN ABOUT THEN I REALISED, LIKE SO MANY NEW ZEALANDERS, ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP, HE'S BEEN MISINFORMED BY YOU MEDIA PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT YOUR SHILL LEFTIE BIASED MESSAGE IS GOING TO TRIUMPH. MR PETERS, YOU CANNOT BE ACCUSING THE PRIME MINISTER OF THIS COUNTRY OF BEING INFLUENCED SO WHOLLY BY THE MEDIA AND BEING UNABLE TO FIND OUT YOUR COMMENTS IN YOUR SPEECH HIMSELF, ARE YOU? I JUST SAID THAT, AND THAT'S THE TRUTH. SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER BENEDICT COLLINS IS WITH ME NOW. BENEDICT, THIS MUST BE MAKING FOR A VERY TENSE ATMOSPHERE BETWEEN THE COALITION PARTNERS. GOOD AFTERNOON. IT IS RATHER EXTRAORDINARY FOR THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER TO BE EFFECTIVELY SAYING THE PRIME MINISTER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IS ON ABOUT. WE HAVE SEEN MR PETERS TRIED TO MOVE THE GOALPOSTS ON HIS COMMENTS. ON SUNDAY, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT RACIST CO-GOVERNANCE UNDER THE FORMER GOVERNMENT. SINCE THEN, HE SAID HE WAS TALKING ABOUT RAWIRI WAITITI. I DON'T THINK THE PRIME MINISTER CARES TOO MUCH ABOUT THE CONTEXT ABOUT WHAT BROUGHT UP THE NAZI COMMENTS. HE WANTS THEM TO TURN DOWN THE RHETORIC AND BE MORE CAREFUL ABOUT THEIR LANGUAGE. MY KEY TAKEAWAY FROM WINSTON PETERS INTERVIEW THIS MORNING WAS THAT HE WAS INVITED REPEATEDLY TO MAKE THOSE COMMENTS AGAIN. MR PETERS REFUSED TO DO SO. PERHAPS HE HAS GOT THE MEMO. THIS IS MESSY FOR THE GOVERNMENT. WE SPOKE TO CHRIS HIPKINS THIS MORNING. I DON'T THINK HE'S EVER HAD CONTROL OF WINSTON PETERS, TO BE FAIR. AND I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS I SAID I WOULDN'T WORK WITH WINSTON PETERS ` I THINK HE'S UNCONTROLLABLE. AND BENEDICT, IN THE MIDST OF THIS, MR PETERS IS STILL ENGAGED IN A STOUSH WITH A BRITISH BAND OVER THE USE OF THEIR SONG? WINSTON PETERS VERSUS CHUMBAWAMBA. HE WAS PLAYING THIS BAND'S SONG. TUBTHUMPING. THE BAND WAS ASKED ABOUT THE USE OF THE SONG, AND THEY HAVE ASKED SONY TO ISSUE A CEASE AND DESIST LETTER. THEY DO NOT WANT RICH POLITICIANS LIKE MR PETERS USING THEIR SONG, WHICH IS ABOUT NORMAL PEOPLE AND RESILIENCE, TO GET THEIR VOTES, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY FEEL MR PETERS IS USING RACIST AND DIVISIVE LANGUAGE AND CONSPIRACY THEORIES. THEY ARE REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH HIM USING THEIR SONG. MR PETERS SAID THIS MORNING ON BREAKFAST THAT ONCE AGAIN, THE MEDIA HAD MISINFORMED THE SONG. HE SAID HE WAS NOT DIVISIVE OR RACIST OR A CONSPIRACY THEORIST. THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE TO MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS ON THIS ONE. THANKS, BENEDICT ` SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER BENEDICT COLLINS LIVE FROM PARLIAMENT. THE TOUGH ECONOMY'S HIT PROFITS AT OUR LARGEST RETAILER. THE WAREHOUSE GROUP'S JUST REPORTED AN ALMOST $24 MILLION PLUNGE. SALES ARE DOWN AT WAREHOUSE STORES, WAREHOUSE STATIONERY AND NOEL LEEMING. NOT THE RESULT THE COMPANY BARGAINED ON. THEY HAD SIGNALLED THIS AND THAT WAS BECAUSE THEY HAD TO SELL TORPEDO 7. THAT HELPED CONTRIBUTE TO THIS LOSS OVERALL. THINGS AREN'T LOOKING GOOD AND IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT WHERE THE ECONOMY IS AT. PEOPLE AREN'T OUT OF THEIR SPENDING MONEY. DEMAND IS DOWN. PEOPLE ARE PAYING OFF THEIR CREDIT CARDS RATHER THAN SPENDING. IF PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO SHOP AT THE WAREHOUSE, THAT SHOWS THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY. THEY HOPE THINGS WILL GET BETTER. 'THE MARKET' IS GOING TO BE SOLD. WITH GOT A FEW THINGS COMING OUT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS ` THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND IS RELEASING A REPORT THIS AFTERNOON. IT HAS BEEN INTERVIEWING PEOPLE, AND TOMORROW WE WILL SEE THE LATEST GDP FIGURES TO SEE WHETHER WE ARE IN A RECESSION OR NOT. THANK YOU, BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT KATIE BRADFORD. A $100,000 REWARD IS ON OFFER FOR ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MARLBOROUGH WOMAN JESSICA BOYCE. THE 27-YEAR-OLD WAS LAST SEEN NEAR RENWICK DRIVING A RED UTE IN MARCH OF 2019. THE VEHICLE WAS RECOVERED DAYS LATER, BUT JESSICA BOYCE WASN'T FOUND. THE REWARD HAS BEEN OFFERED AS NEW DETAILS OF HER DISAPPEARANCE SURFACE, AND POLICE SAY THEY'RE CLOSING IN ON A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE THEY BELIEVE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. WE BELIEVE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO JESSICA LEADING UP TO HER DISAPPEARANCE, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WERE INVOLVED WHEN SHE WAS TAKEN, AND THERE ARE OTHERS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE AFTERMATH. WE DON'T BELIEVE ONE PERSON IS INVOLVED IN ALL THREE SORT OF SCENARIOS, BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED THROUGH THE WHOLE SCENARIO. IT'S HOPED THE HEFTY SUM WILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD WITH THE FINAL TIPS NEEDED TO SOLVE WHAT'S NOW A HOMICIDE CASE. RETAILERS CAN NOW EXPECT TO RECEIVE A $100,000 FINE IF THEY'RE CAUGHT SELLING VAPES TO UNDERAGE CHILDREN. IT COMES AS A RAFT OF REGULATIONS WERE APPROVED BY CABINET TODAY CRACKING DOWN ON YOUTH VAPING. THEY INCLUDE A COMPLETE BAN ON DISPOSABLE VAPES, SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN FINES FOR SALES TO UNDER 18s AND FURTHER RESTRICTIONS FOR BUSINESSES UNDER A NEW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM. SOME CHANGES WILL TAKE EFFECT AS EARLY AS TOMORROW. THE DENTAL ASSOCIATION IS CALLING FOR ALL SUGARY DRINKS IN SCHOOLS TO BE BANNED. IT'S ASKING THE GOVERNMENT TO BAN SUGARY DRINKS FROM ALL INTERMEDIATE AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND INTRODUCE A WATER-ONLY POLICY. THE ASSOCIATION SAYS EXCESS SUGAR CONSUMPTION CAN CAUSE A RANGE OF HEALTH ISSUES FOR CHILDREN. JUST LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF SUGAR THAT CHILDREN HAVE. IT'S JUST SUCH A HUGE CAUSE OF DENTAL DECAY WHICH LEADS TO PAIN AND INFECTION IN TEETH. IT ALSO CONTRIBUTES, OBVIOUSLY, TO WEIGHT GAIN AND OBESITY IN CHILDREN. AND IT'S GOT OTHER HEALTH DISADVANTAGES, LIKE INABILITY TO CONCENTRATE IF YOU'VE GOT TOO MUCH SUGAR IN YOUR DIET. JUST ONE 600ml COKE BOTTLE CONTAINS 16 TEASPOONS OF SUGAR ` MORE THAN DOUBLE THE RECOMMENDED DAILY INTAKE. TWO NEW ZEALAND BROTHERS WHO'VE BEEN DETAINED IN PHUKET COULD FACE YEARS IN PRISON AMID A WIDER CRACKDOWN ON FOREIGNERS IN THE COUNTRY. HAMISH AND OSCAR DAY WERE ALLEGEDLY SPEEDING AND FLEEING FROM POLICE BEFORE TACKLING AN OFFICER AND TAKING HIS GUN. THEY'VE BEEN CHARGED WITH A NUMBER OF OFFENCES, INCLUDING ROBBERY AND ASSAULTING A POLICE OFFICER. THE BROTHERS APPEARED IN A PHUKET COURT ON MONDAY, AND A BBC CORRESPONDENT SAYS THERE'S NO QUESTION CHARGES WILL BE PUSHED. THEY FACE POTENTIALLY FIVE TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON ON THE CHARGE OF ROBBERY AND ASSAULTING A POLICE OFFICER. THERE ARE THREE OTHER CHARGES AS WELL. HOW FAR THAT GOES ` THERE WILL BE A LOT OF FACTORS INVOLVED. YOU KNOW, HOW THE TWO MEN BEHAVE, HOW CONTRITE THEY ARE, HOW THE PUBLIC MOOD IS, WHAT THE FEELING OF THE GOVERNMENT IS ABOUT HOW FAR THEY SHOULD PUSH IT, AND THE COURTS ARE TECHNICALLY INDEPENDENT IN THAILAND, BUT THEY DO TEND TO BE INFLUENCED, TO SOME DEGREE, BY THE PUBLIC MOOD. IT'S BELIEVED THE PAIR'S PARENTS, MILLIONAIRES LAURENCE AND KATRINA DAY, WILL TRAVEL TO THAILAND SOON. PEACE TALKS ARE UNDERWAY IN QATAR IN A RENEWED ATTEMPT TO SECURE A CEASEFIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS. AN ISRAELI DELEGATION HAS BEEN MEETING WITH QATARI AND EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS, AND THE U.S. IS SET TO JOIN TALKS NEXT WEEK. BOTH ISRAEL AND HAMAS ARE UNDER PRESSURE TO REACH A DEAL. THE BBC'S ANNA FOSTER REPORTS. AT GAZA'S SOUTHERN TIP, THE AFTERMATH OF ANOTHER ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE. 1.4 MILLION DISPLACED PEOPLE ARE NOW SHELTERING IN RAFAH AND ISRAEL HAS MADE IT CLEAR IT WANTS TO GO FURTHER. A GROUND OFFENSIVE, IT SAYS, WOULD REMOVE HAMAS FROM GAZA ENTIRELY. BUT THERE'S INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE TO AVOID EVEN MORE DEATHS. THE MESSAGE FROM ISRAEL'S ALLIES TO ITS LEADERS IS GETTING STRONGER. OUR POSITION IS THAT HAMAS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED A SAFE HAVEN IN RAFAH OR ANYWHERE ELSE, BUT A MAJOR GROUND OPERATION THERE WOULD BE A MISTAKE. MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND WATER IS SCARCE. MY DAUGHTER SAID SHE WANTED TO EAT BOILED EGGS. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT AFTER THE WAR? IN THE NORTH OF GAZA, FAMINE IS WEEKS AWAY. FEW AID CONVOYS ARE REACHING THAT PART OF THE STRIP. AND IN A SECOND U.S. INTERVENTION OVERNIGHT, ITS TOP DIPLOMAT, ANTONY BLINKEN, SAID MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO SAVE LIVES. IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE ASSESSMENTS THAT WE ARE SEEING NOW, THEY ONLY UNDERSCORE THE URGENCY OF MAKING SURE THAT THE ASSISTANCE IS A PRIORITY AND THAT IT IS SUSTAINED. ACCORDING TO THE MOST RESPECTED MEASURE OF THESE THINGS, 100% OF THE POPULATION IN GAZA IS AT SEVERE LEVELS OF ACUTE FOOD INSECURITY. THAT'S THE FIRST TIME AN ENTIRE POPULATION HAS BEEN SO CLASSIFIED. TALKS TOWARDS A CEASEFIRE HAVE RESTARTED IN QATAR. CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS HAVE CONTINUED. NEGOTIATORS CAUTIONED THAT A DEAL WILL STILL TAKE TIME. (WOMAN SCREAMS, MISSILE STRIKES) AND IN GAZA'S RUBBLE, THE PROSPECT OF A PAUSE IN FIGHTING FEELS AS FAR AWAY AS EVER. RUSSIA WILL BEGIN TO EVACUATE THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN FROM A CITY BORDERING UKRAINE THIS WEEKEND DUE TO A RECENT SPATE OF SHELLING. 16 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN BELGOROD THIS WEEK IN ATTACKS RUSSIA BLAMES ON UKRAINE. THE LATEST STRIKES HAVE TAKEN OUT POWER AND FORCED CLOSURES OF SCHOOLS AND SHOPS ACROSS THE CITY. MORE THAN 9000 CHILDREN WILL BE EVACUATED ` THE FIRST GROUP WILL LEAVE THIS WEEKEND. STAFF AT THE LONDON CLINIC WHICH TREATED THE PRINCESS OF WALES REPORTEDLY TRIED TO ACCESS HER MEDICAL RECORDS IN WHAT'S BEING DESCRIBED AS A MAJOR SECURITY BREACH. THE PRINCESS WAS ADMITTED TO 'THE LONDON CLINIC' IN JANUARY FOR PLANNED ABDOMINAL SURGERY. NO FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT HER CONDITION, OR TREATMENT, HAVE BEEN RELEASED. HER FATHER-IN-LAW, THE KING, WAS BRIEFLY IN THE SAME HOSPITAL AT THE SAME TIME. DURING THE PRINCESS' ABSENCE FROM PUBLIC LIFE, CONSPIRACY THEORIES HAVE SWIRLED AROUND HER HEALTH AND EVEN WHETHER SHE IS ALIVE. SHE WAS FILMED WITH HER HUSBAND IN WINDSOR AT THE WEEKEND, BUT SOCIAL MEDIA REMAINS SCEPTICAL OF THE VIDEO'S AUTHENTICITY AFTER A RECENT PHOTOSHOPPING SCANDAL INVOLVING THE PRINCESS. A BILLION DOLLAR PRIZE IS UP FOR GRABS IN ONE OF AMERICA'S LARGEST LOTTERY JACKPOTS EVER. THE MEGA MILLIONS DRAW IS TODAY, WITH A PRIZE OF US$875 MILLION. THAT'S NZ$1.4 BILLION. THE ABC'S MELISSA ADAN HAS THE LATEST ON THE LOTTERY FRENZY. THE MEGA MILLIONS AND POWERBALL JACKPOTS, RACKING UP SOME CASH AFTER WEEKS OF NO WINNER ` THE MEGA MILLIONS JACKPOT GROWING FROM $875 MILLION THIS MORNING TO NEARLY $900 MILLION FOR TONIGHT'S DRAWING AFTER NO TICKETS HAVE MATCHED ALL SIX NUMBERS SINCE EARLY DECEMBER. IF YOU DON'T PLAY, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A CHANCE. SO YOU GOT TO PLAY. THIS IS THE SIXTH TIME THE MEGA MILLIONS JACKPOT HAS SURGED THIS HIGH ` THE ODDS OF WINNING ONE IN NEARLY 303 MILLION. AND IT'S NOT JUST THE MEGA MILLIONS TOPPING CHARTS; THE POWERBALL JACKPOT ALSO RISING; WEDNESDAY'S JACKPOT, NOW VALUED AT NEARLY $690 MILLION. AND TICKET BUYERS SAY THEY ARE HOPEFUL. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS OUT ON HALF A JILLION DOLLARS OR WHATEVER IT IS. KEEP IN MIND THE PENNSYLVANIA LOTTERY IS UPGRADING ITS SYSTEMS TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 16 YEARS, AND SAYS LOTTERY TERMINALS WILL BE TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE. THE LUCKY MEGA MILLIONS WINNER WILL HAVE THE OPTION TO TAKE A ONE-TIME LUMP SUM OF THEIR WINNINGS, OR TAKE DISTRIBUTIONS OF THE CASH IN 29 ANNUAL PAYMENTS. WE'LL SOON FIND OUT IF SOMEONE TAKES HOME THE BIG PRIZES. THE MEGA MILLIONS DRAWING IS TONIGHT AT 11pm EASTERN, AND THEN THE POWERBALL DRAWING IS TOMORROW NIGHT. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` HOW DO YOU DRAMATIZE A REAL LIFE DRAMA? THE STORY BEHIND THAT PRINCE ANDREW INTERVIEW MAKES IT TO TELLY. CAN THE WHITE FERNS FIND THEIR FOOTING AHEAD OF THEIR NEXT CLASH WITH ENGLAND IN A COUPLE OF DAYS? AND WORLD RUGBY'S PLANS TO MAKE THE SPORT MORE WATCHABLE AS IT TRIES TO BOOST INTEREST. HOKI MAI ANO, WELCOME BACK. THE BEHIND THE SCENES STORY OF THE INFAMOUS BBC INTERVIEW WITH PRINCE ANDREW IS COMING TO THE SMALL SCREEN. 'SCOOP' TELLS THE STORY OF JOURNALIST EMILY MAITLIS AND HER HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH THE DISGRACED PRINCE, WHICH LED TO THE END OF HIS ROYAL ROLE. THE BBC'S COLIN PATERSON HAS MORE. TOMORROW NIGHT, WE HAVE AN UNPRECEDENTED INTERVIEW. WE WILL HEAR FROM THE DUKE HIMSELF. IT IS A NETFLIX DRAMATISATION ON HOW THEY SECURED THE EMILY MAITLIS INTERVIEW WITH ANDREW. GILLIAN ANDERSON IS EMILY MAITLIS. WHY DO YOU NEED TO MAKE A DRAMATIC VERSION OF IT WHEN THE ORIGINAL IS STILL THERE? IT IS ABOUT THE STORY BEHIND THE ACQUISITION OF THE INTERVIEW. WHY NOT DRAMATISE UP UNTIL ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND DRAMATIC INTERVIEWS IN HISTORY. I THINK IT IS IN HISTORY. MY JOB IS BOOKING THE PEOPLE WHO WE CAN'T JUST CALL UP. IT IS IMPORTANT TO SAY IT IS FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF SAM MCALLISTER. HE IS SO HIGH-ENERGY AND UNLIKE ANYONE I HAVE EVER MET. I DON'T SAY THAT LIKELY. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SMUGGLED INTO A PALACE BEFORE. AT FIRST, GILLIAN ANDERSON TURNED DOWN THE ROLE. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT THE QUESTIONS WILL BE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW MYSELF YET. BUT WHEN I DO KNOW, I STILL WON'T TELL YOU. IT IS JUST TOO SCARY TO PLAY EMILY MAITLIS. WHY? BECAUSE SHE IS STILL LIVING AND SO FORMIDABLE. PEOPLE KNOW HER SO WELL. PEOPLE SAID YOU HAVE TO DO IT. DO YOU REMEMBER DANCING? NO. TO MAKE THINGS MORE COMPLICATED, EMILY MAITLIS AS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ON ARRIVAL THREE-PART EMBERS ON DRAMA WHICH MADE IT SLIGHTLY AWKWARD WHEN GILLIAN ANDERSON BUMPED INTO HER. I CAME TO THE CHARITY EVENT UNPREPARED, SHE LOOKS LIKE A MOVIE STAR AND WAS TANNED. I LOOKED LIKE HER GREAT AUNT. I THOUGHT THAT WENT VERY WELL. GILLIAN ANDERSON THINKS HE WON'T WATCH THIS VERSION. BUT HIKING NEW ZEALAND DOESN'T THINK PRICE HIKES ON SOME GREAT WALKS WILL AFFECT WALKING NUMBERS. FROM JULY, THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION SAYS THE PRICE OF ALMOST ALL STAYS AT HUTS AND CAMPSITES WILL INCREASE BY 18%. IT'S ALSO RE-ESTABLISHING YOUNG PERSON AND CHILD FEES, WHILE INTRODUCING DISCOUNTS FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE CARD-HOLDERS. IT'S NO SURPRISE, REALLY. UM, AND I THINK IT'S` MOST PEOPLE REALISE IT'S STILL EXTREMELY GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE GETTING. YOU'RE GETTING, UM, GREAT ACCOMMODATION IN THESE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE... SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST SPECTACULAR SETTINGS. INTERNATIONAL HIKERS CONTINUE TO PAY 50% MORE THAN NEW ZEALANDERS. RUSSIAN AND BELARUSIAN ATHLETES HAVE BEEN BARRED FROM THE OPENING CEREMONY PARADE AT JULY'S PARIS OLYMPICS. THOUSANDS OF ATHLETES WILL TRAVEL DOWN THE RIVER SEINE TO MARK THE START OF THE GAMES, BUT RUSSIANS AND BELARUSIANS WILL REMAIN ON THE SIDELINES. THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE DECIDED THIS MORNING AGAINST LETTING ATHLETES FROM THE TWO COUNTRIES TAKE PART BECAUSE OF THE WAR IN UKRAINE. THEY'RE ALSO BARRED FROM TEAM SPORTS. 58 ATHLETES HAVE BEEN GRANTED TO COMPETE TO NEUTRAL STATUS, WITH THE REQUIREMENT THEY HAVEN'T PUBLICLY SUPPORTED THE WAR OR HAVE ANY MILITARY AFFILIATIONS. THE CANBERRA RAIDERS HAVE TOUCHED DOWN IN CHRISTCHURCH AHEAD OF THEIR ROUND THREE CLASH AGAINST THE WARRIORS THIS WEEKEND. THE GARDEN CITY WILL HOST IT'S FIRST REGULAR SEASON GAME AFTER SIGNING THE GARDEN CITY WILL HOST ITS FIRST REGULAR SEASON GAME AFTER SIGNING A THREE-YEAR DEAL TO GET THE WARRIORS PLAYING IN THE SOUTH ISLAND. WE ALL KNOW AND EXPECT THEM TO COME OUT HARD ON FRIDAY NIGHT, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE READY FOR IT, AND IF WE KEEP PLAYING THE WAY WE HAVE BEEN PLAYING, THEN I RECKON WE CAN COME AWAY WITH THE WIN, HOPEFULLY. THE LAST TIME THE FRANCHISES MET, THE WARRIORS WON 21-20. THE WHITE FERNS ARE ON THE BACK FOOT AFTER LOSING THEIR FIRST T-20 BY 27 RUNS AGAINST ENGLAND. THE VISITORS POSTED 160 RUNS IN THE FIRST INNINGS; WHITE FERNS CAPTAIN SUZIE BATES' TOP SCORED WITH 65 RUNS. BUT THAT WASN'T ENOUGH TO SPARK THE REST OF HER TEAM INTO ACTION. LOOK, I THINK WE'VE PROBABLY LEARNED FROM HOW THE ENGLAND BOWLERS BOWL ` THEIR SEAMERS TAKING PACE OFF THE BALL, BOWLING SORT OF WIDE, AND WE DIDN'T MAYBE ADJUST OUR LENGTHS, AND WE DIDN'T KEEP THE STUMPS IN PLAY THROUGHOUT THAT MIDDLE PHASE. THE SERIES NOW HEADS TO NELSON FOR THE SECOND MATCH ON FRIDAY. CRICKET AUSTRALIA HAS CANCELLED ANOTHER SERIES AGAINST AFGHANISTAN DUE TO CONCERNS OVER WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN THE COUNTRY. IT'S THE THIRD TIME AUSTRALIA HAVE PULLED OUT OF PLAYING AFGHANISTAN SINCE THE TALIBAN REGAINED CONTROL IN 2021 AND IMPOSED RESTRICTIONS ON FEMALE PARTICIPATION IN SPORT. THERE WERE PLANS TO PLAY THE THREE MATCH T-20 SERIES ON NEUTRAL GROUNDS IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES BUT CRICKET AUSTRALIA BELIEVES CONDITIONS ARE GETTING WORSE. WORLD RUGBY HAS REVEALED NEW PLANS TO SPEED UP THE GAME, IN THE HOPES OF 'RE-IMAGINING RUGBY'S ENTERTAINMENT FACTOR.' THE PLANS INCLUDE A 20-MINUTE SANCTION FOR RED CARDS, SPEEDING UP THE BALL FROM RUCKS AND MAULS AS WELL AS A SET TIME TO COMPLETE SCRUMS AND LINE-OUTS. WORLD RUGBY IS CONCERNED SLOW PLAY AND NEGATIVE TACTICS MAY TURN VIEWERS AWAY, WITH THEIR MISSION TO GROW THE AUDIENCE OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. PLUS, IS THIS THE MAN TO TAKE OVER AS JAMES BOND? WE'LL TELL YOU WHY SPECULATION'S SWIRLING. SPECULATION IS MOUNTING THAT THE NEXT PERSON TO PLAY JAMES BOND HAS BEEN PICKED. BRITISH TABLOIDS REPORT THAT AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON HAS BEEN OFFERED A CONTRACT BY THE FILM FRANCHISE TO REPLACE THE OUTGOING DANIEL CRAIG. TAYLOR-JOHNSON IS THE BOOKIES FAVOURITE TO TAKE OVER, AHEAD OF HENRY CAVILL AND IDRIS ELBA. NEITHER THE ACTOR NOR THE PRODUCTION COMPANY HAVE COMMENTED. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. # DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER # THEY ARE ALL I NEED TO PLEASE ME. # THEY CAN STIMULATE AND TEASE ME. # THEY WON'T LEAVE IN THE NIGHT, # I'VE NO FEAR THAT THEY MIGHT DESERT ME. # DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, # HOLD ONE UP AND THEN CARESS IT. # TOUCH IT, STROKE IT AND UNDRESS IT # I CAN SEE EV'RY PART, NOTHING HIDES IN THE HEART TO HURT ME. # I DON'T NEED LOVE, # FOR WHAT GOOD WILL LOVE DO ME? # THANKS FOR JOINING US. TE KARERE IS HERE AT 4.00, FOLLOWED BY THE ONE NEWS TEAM AT 6.00. PLUS YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH ALL OF TODAY'S NEWS ONLINE AT 1news.co.nz. BUT FROM THE WHOLE MIDDAY TEAM, KIA PAI TE RA, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY ABLE. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024