Watch: Enchanter report, NZ First up in polls and tourists fly to space

Don’t have time to read the headlines? Watch the Focus Morning Bulletin presented by Chereè Kinnear above.

ENCHANTER REPORT

The findings of a report into the sinking of the Enchanter are due to be released today.

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission has been looking into the fatal sinking of the fishing charter vessel off North Cape in March last year.

The boat was chartered by a group of Waikato friends for a five day fishing trip to the Three Kings Islands.

Five of the 10 people onboard died, while the survivors spent around four hours in the water before being plucked to safety.

DICKASON TRIAL

Closing addresses in the triple murder trial of Lauren Dickason are set to begin today.

She admits killing her daughters in Timaru in 2021, but is mounting a defence of insanity and infanticide.

Today the jury will hear a full day of final closing addresses from the Crown and defence lawyers.

On Monday, the jury will be sent to begin deliberations after Justice Cameron Mander sums up the trial.

WINNIE P BACK?

New Zealand First may be heading back to Parliament… but there’s doubt the party’s heading back to government.

The latest Taxpayers’ Union Curia poll puts Winston Peters’ party on 5.8 per cent – up 2.5 points.

National and ACT have the seats to govern at 61 — while Labour, the Greens and Te Pāti Māori are out in the cold.

Massey University politics professor Richard Shaw says the centre-right bloc doesn’t need Winston Peters.

HAWAII FIRES

In world news, US President Joe Biden has officially declared a major disaster as wildfires scorch Hawaii.

At least 36 people have died, at least 270 buildings have been destroyed, with around 11,000 properties without power.

Officials say it could take months to know the full extent of the damage, particularly in the town of Lahaina.

TOURISTS GO TO SPACE

And Virgin Galactic has successfully launched its first space tourism flight, sending three passengers to the edge of space.

The mothership VMS Eve took off from New Mexico.

After reaching an altitude of about 44,500 feet, VSS Unity was released and, a short time later, the passengers were given the all-clear to unbuckle.

They enjoyed zero gravity for a few minutes while observing the curvature of the Earth and the black of space.