DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF MIDDAY WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. POLICE SUSPECT THE FATAL ATTACK ON A ROADWORKER WAS A TARGETED ACT. CHILDREN CREATED BY THREE PARENTS TO PREVENT SOME DISEASES COULD BE A REALITY WITHIN A FEW YEARS. AND BABY ON BOARD ` KATE GETS A SPECIAL GIFT AS SHE TRAVELS UNDERGROUND WITH THE QUEEN. POLICE HAVE SET A WIDE NET AS THEY TRY TO CATCH THE GUNMAN WHO KILLED A ROADWORKER IN SOUTH WAIKATO. GEORGE TAIAROA (67) WAS SHOT DEAD ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON AS HE WORKED ON A ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AT ATIAMURI NEAR TOKOROA. WE'RE JOINED NOW LIVE FROM THE HOMICIDE SCENE BY ONE NEWS REPORTER HELEN CASTLES. THE BODY HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL TO THE FAMILY. GEORGE TAIAROA WAS FROM WAITAKI. WHAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN CATCHING THE KILLER? POLICE SAY THERE HAS BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT DEVEMLOPEMENT OVERNIGHT. THEY ARE APPEALING FOR SIGHTINGS OF A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. THEY ARE WORKING WITH THE FAMILY OF GEORGE TAIAROA. POLICE HAVE FINISED WITH FORENSIC EXAMINIATION. THANKS. HELEN CASTLES, LIVE FROM ATIAMURI. NEW FIGURES OUT TODAY SHOW THE ECONOMY FIRED INTO LIFE IN THE FINAL THREE MONTHS OF 2012. STATISTICS NZ SAYS ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR THE DECEMBER QUARTER WAS 1.5% THAT'S THE STRONGEST QUARTERLY GROWTH IN THREE YEARS, AND SHOWS THE ECONOMY GREW AT A PACE OF 2.5% FOR THE YEAR TO DECEMBER 2012. GROWTH WAS RECORDED ACROSS 15 OF THE 16 SECTORS SURVEYED. AGRICULTURE, FISHING AND FORESTRY SHOWED THE STRONGEST GROWTH. MEANWHILE, A NEW SURVEY'S SHOWN THE AVERAGE AMOUNT A HOUSEHOLD PAYS FOR POWER ANNUALLY HAS RISEN BY $120 IN THE PAST YEAR. CARL HANSEN FROM THE ELECTRICITY AUTHORITY SAYS IT'S BECAUSE THE AMOUNT COMPANIES ARE PAYING FOR WHOLESALE POWER IS RISING, AND THE COST IS BEING PASSED ON TO CONSUMERS. THE $120 IS AROUND ABOUT 5.6% OF THE ELECTRICITY, THE AVERAGE BILL FOR A HOUSEHOLD, AND 3% IS DUE TO TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION. SO THAT LEAVES AROUND ABOUT 2.6%, REALLY, FOR THE RETAILER. AND THE RETAILER NEEDS TO BUY ENERGY FROM THE WHOLESALE MARKET. AND ONE OF THE THINGS MANY PEOPLE DON'T APPRECIATE IS THAT THE WHOLESALE PRICE OF ELECTRICITY LAST YEAR WAS IN THE ORDER OF ABOUT 37% HIGHER THAN IN 2011. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE COST INCREASES AND DECREASES. THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT UPGRADES TO THE NATIONAL GRID GOING ON, WHICH MEANS THAT THOSE PARTIES ARE ALLOWED TO PASS THEIR COSTS ON THROUGH TO CONSUMERS. CARL HANSEN, ELECTRICITY AUTHORITY CEO. ANOTHER ARREST HAS BEEN MADE IN THE RAE PORTMAN MURDER CASE. THE 33-YEAR-OLD WENT MISSING IN AUCKLAND LAST YEAR AND HER BODY WAS LATER FOUND DUMPED IN A RURAL PROPERTY. ONE MAN HAS ALREADY ADMITTED KIDNAPPING HER, AND TODAY ANOTHER WAS ARRESTED ON A SIMILAR CHARGE. A THIRD MAN WAS EARLIER CHARGED WITH HER MURDER. AN ACCIDENT INQUIRY'S FOUND THAT A HELICOPTER PILOT WHO CRASHED INTO THE OCEAN IN NORTHLAND DIDN'T TAKE PROPER SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR FLYING OVER WATER. THE MAN SPENT TWO HOURS IN THE WATER AT BREAM BAY WITHOUT A LIFE JACKET AFTER HIS ENGINE FAILED. WITNESSES ON THE SHORE RAISED THE ALARM AND THE PILOT WAS RESCUED WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES. THE TRANSPORT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION COMMISSION SAYS THE PILOT SHOULD HAVE BEEN WEARING A LIFE JACKET FOR THE MARINE FLIGHT. OUR BIGGEST DAIRY COMPANY'S CLAIMING A NEW STYLE OF MILK BOTTLE IS THEIR BIGGEST INNOVATION YET. FONTERRA SAYS MILK BOTTLES LIKE THESE WILL PROLONG THE LIFE OF MILK AND KEEP IT TASTING FRESHER. THEY SAY THE BOTTLE IS LIGHT-PROOF, WHICH KEEPS THE MILK FROM SPOILING. LIGHT STARTS TO DAMAGE THE VITAMIN B2 IN THE MILK. AND IT BREAKS IT DOWN AND RELEASES FREE RADICALS. SORT OF THINK ALONG THE LINES OF SUNBURN AND THE LIKES. THAT BREAKDOWN FROM VITAMIN B, IT'S GOING ON AND REACT WITH SOME OF THE PROTEINS AND FATS, AND CAUSE THE TASTE OF THE MILK TO START TO DETERIORATE. THE NEW BOTTLES WILL REPLACE ALL OF ANCHOR'S PLASTIC BOTTLES, BUT WON'T COST ANY MORE. THEY'LL BE ON THE SHELVES EARLY NEXT MONTH. US PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAS TRIED TO ALLAY THE SECURITY FEARS OF ITS MAIN ALLY IN THE MIDDLE EAST, ISRAEL. DURING A VISIT TO JERUSALEM, PRESIDENT OBAMA PROMISED TO HOLD SYRIA TO ACCOUNT IF IT USES CHEMICAL WEAPONS. HE ALSO WARNED THAT ALL OPTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE TO PREVENT IRAN DEVELOPING NUCLEAR WEAPONS. HERE'S THE ABC'S TAHMAN BRADLEY. A WARM WELCOME FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA ON THE FIRST DAY OF HIS VISIT TO ISRAEL. AFTER AN ARRIVAL CEREMONY, THE PRESIDENT GOT DOWN TO BUSINESS, REASSURING ISRAELIS THAT THE US WILL STAND WITH ITS CLOSEST MIDDLE EAST ALLY AGAINST ALL THREATS. AMERICA'S COMMITMENT TO THE SECURITY OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL IS A SOLEMN OBLIGATION. AND THE SECURITY OF ISRAEL IS NON-NEGOTIABLE. DURING A MEETING WITH THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, PRESIDENT OBAMA DISCUSSED IRAN'S PURSUIT OF A NUCLEAR WEAPON AND THE THREAT POSED BY SYRIA. ALL OPTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE. WE WILL DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO PREVENT IRAN FROM GETTING THE WORLD'S WORST WEAPONS. THE US IS INVESTIGATING A CLAIM MADE BY THE SYRIAN REGIME THAT REBEL FORCES USED CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN AN ATTACK, BUT PRESIDENT OBAMA REMAINS SCEPTICAL. WE INTEND TO INVESTIGATE THOROUGHLY EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. THE PRESIDENT IS USING HIS TRIP TO MAKE A CONNECTION WITH THE ISRAELI PEOPLE. TODAY MR OBAMA PLANTED A MAGNOLIA TREE WITH THE ISRAELI PRESIDENT, SHIMON PERES. TOMORROW, HE'LL ADDRESS COLLEGE STUDENTS. IT SEEMS THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO HELP IMPROVE MR OBAMA'S STANDING IN ISRAEL. THE EMBASSY RELEASED THIS VIDEO. # THANK YOU FOR BEING A FRIEND. # AND LOOK AT THE BODY LANGUAGE BETWEEN PRESIDENT OBAMA AND PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU AS THEY JOKED DURING A JOINT NEWS CONFERENCE. THEY ARE VERY GOOD-LOOKING YOUNG MEN WHO CLEARLY GOT THEIR LOOKS FROM THEIR MOTHER. LAUGHTER WELL, I COULD SAY THE SAME OF YOUR DAUGHTERS. LAUGHTER THIS IS TRUE. PRESIDENT OBAMA WILL TRAVEL TO THE WEST BANK LATER TO MEET PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT MAHMOUD ABBAS. FERTILITY EXPERTS COULD BE ALLOWED TO CREATE BABIES WITH THREE PARENTS WITHIN JUST A FEW YEARS. THE BRITISH REGULATOR SAYS THERE'S WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FOR A NEW IVF PROCEDURE THAT USES THE DNA FROM TWO WOMEN AND ONE MAN. IT WOULD HELP PREVENT GENETIC DISEASES BEING PASSED FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT. THE BBC'S FERGUS WALSH REPORTS. THIS IS A NEW FRONTIER IN SCIENCE ` TO USE DNA FROM TWO WOMEN AND A MAN TO CREATE A HEALTHY CHILD. NICOLA IS ONE OF THOSE WHO COULD BE HELPED. SHE CARRIES A GENETIC FAULT IN HER CELLS IN WHAT'S KNOWN AS MITOCHONDRIA ` A FAULT PASSED DOWN FROM MOTHER TO CHILD WHICH CAN CAUSE A HOST OF ILLNESSES. HER MOTHER DIED OF MITOCHONDRIAL DISEASE. SHE WANTS A CHILD FREE OF THE CONDITION. I'VE WATCHED MY MUM AND WHAT HAPPENED TO MY MUM. I'M NOW EVERY DAY WATCHING MY OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE POORLY, OR ARE STARTING TO DEVELOP SYMPTOMS. IT'S GENERATION AFTER GENERATION OF FAMILIES OF FAMILIES OF PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED. AND TO THINK THAT WE COULD WIPE THIS OUT RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING, AT THE START OF IT ALL, I CAN'T SEE WHY YOU WOULDN'T. THE NEW TECHNIQUE BEGINS WITH STANDARD IVF. BUT THEN THE NUCLEI CONTAINING ALL THE CRUCIAL GENES FROM BOTH PARENTS WOULD BE REMOVED, LEAVING BEHIND THE MOTHER'S FAULTY MITOCHONDRIA. THE NUCLEI ARE TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER WOMAN'S EGG, CARRYING ITS OWN HEALTHY MITOCHONDRIA. THE RESULTING EMBRYO HAS THE PARENTS' GENES, PLUS A TINY BIT OF DNA FROM A SECOND WOMAN. CRUCIALLY, THAT EXTRA DNA WOULD BE PASSED DOWN THE GENERATIONS. A SCIENTIFIC REVIEW FOUND NO EVIDENCE THE TECHNIQUE IS UNSAFE. AND NOW A PUBLIC CONSULTATION CARRIED OUT BY FERTILITY REGULATORS HAS BACKED IT TOO. THE CYPRIOT GOVERNMENT WILL UNVEIL AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR FUNDING THE COUNTRY'S CONTROVERSIAL BAILOUT. POLITICIANS HAVE BEEN SCRAMBLING TO FIND A WAY FORWARD AFTER A BANK LEVY ON SAVINGS WAS REJECTED BY PARLIAMENT. EARLIER IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT BANKS WHICH HAVE BEEN CLOSED ALL WEEK TO PREVENT MASS WITHDRAWALS WILL STAY SHUT UNTIL NEXT WEEK. STATE TV IS SUGGESTING THE PLAN B MIGHT INCLUDE A LEVY ONLY ON DEPOSITS OVER 100,000 EUROS. FRENCH POLICE HAVE SEARCHED THE PARIS FLAT OF IMF CHIEF, CHRISTINE LAGARDE. IT'S PART OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO HER HANDLING OF A COMPENSATION PAYMENT TO A BUSINESSMAN SUPPORTER OF EX-PRESIDENT NICOLAS SARKOZY IN 2008. THEY'RE LOOKING INTO CLAIMS THAT LAGARDE, WHO WAS FINANCE MINISTER UNDER SARKOZY, ACTED ILLEGALLY IN APPROVING A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR PAYOUT. SHE HAS REPEATEDLY DENIED ANY WRONGDOING. FRENCH PRESIDENT FRANCOIS HOLLANDE HAS VOWED TO CRACK DOWN ON THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN POLITICIANS AND BUSINESSMEN. NORTH KOREA HAS POSTED A PROPAGANDA VIDEO ON THE INTERNET THAT IMAGINES THE US COMING UNDER ATTACK. IT SHOWS A SIMULATED ATTACK ON SEVERAL GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS IN WASHINGTON. RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES REMAIN TENSE AFTER A NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR TEST LAST MONTH. HERE'S THE BBC'S LUCY WILLIAMSON. YOU HAVE THE WHITE HOUSE APPEARING IN THE CROSS HAIRS OF A WEAPON, AND YOU HAVE THE CAPITOL HILL BUILDING APPARENTLY EXPLODING UNDER FIRE. IT'S DIFFICULT TO TELL WHO THE TARGET AUDIENCE IS ` IT'S POSSIBLE THAT NORTH KOREA IS TRYING TO TARGET SEVERAL AUDIENCES AT ONCE. ONE THEORY IS THAT IT NEEDS THIS KIND OF PROPAGANDA TO KEEP ITS OWN PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND PERHAPS THE REGIME ITSELF, PARTICULARLY, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE MOMENT WHEN MANY PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING FROM SHORTAGES OF FOOD BEFORE THE EARLY HARVEST COMES IN. THE SECOND THEORY IS THAT NORTH KOREA IS ACTUALLY TRYING TO PROMPT WASHINGTON TO SIT DOWN AND TALK, TO RE-ENTER NEGOTIATIONS, AND THAT THIS IS A TRIED AND TEST WAY NORTH KOREA HAS USED IN THE PAST, THIS KIND OF INFLAMMATORY LANGUAGE, TO FORCE ITS ADVERSARIES TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT FOOD AID, TO TALK ABOUT FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS. IT APPEARS A SMALL RODENT MAY HAVE BEEN BEHIND A MAJOR PROBLEM AT JAPAN'S FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR PLANT THIS WEEK. A POWER CUT AT THE TSUNAMI-STRICKEN PLANT THIS WEEK SHUT DOWN THE COOLING SYSTEMS. IT TOOK ENGINEERS 30 HOURS TO FIX. NOW THE COMPANY SAYS IT SUSPECTS A RAT MAY HAVE CAUSED A SHORT-CIRCUIT IN THE SWITCHBOARD. CORRESPONDENTS SAY THE INCIDENT HAS HIGHLIGHTED JUST HOW FRAGILE THE SITUATION AT THE NUCLEAR PLANT STILL IS TWO YEARS AFTER THE MELTDOWNS CAUSED A MAJOR RELEASE OF RADIATION. A MANHUNT'S UNDERWAY IN COLORADO AFTER THE HEAD OF THE STATE'S CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT WAS SHOT DEAD AT HIS HOME. TOM CLEMENTS WAS SHOT AS HE ANSWERED HIS FRONT DOOR NEAR THE CITY OF COLORADO SPRINGS. POLICE SAY IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A TARGETED KILLING COR: HAVEN'T GIVEN A REASON FOR THE KILLING. THE QUEEN HAS HEADED UNDERGROUND TO CELEBRATE THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF LONDON'S TUBE. SHE WAS JOINED BY THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE. CATHERINE WAS GIVEN A BADGE READING 'BABY ON BOARD'. NICHOLAS WITCHELL REPORTS. FULLY RECOVERED AND BACK ON PUBLIC DUTY ` THE QUEEN, WITH THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AND THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE, MARKED THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LONDON UNDERGROUND WITH A VISIT TO BAKER ST TUBE STATION. A RESIDENT OF LONDON SHE MAY BE, BUT IN FACT, THE QUEEN HAS ONLY SEEN THE CAPITAL'S UNDERGROUND SYSTEM ON FIVE PREVIOUS OCCASIONS. THIS WAS A VISIT IN 1969. HER MAJESTY INSPECTED THE AUTOMATIC CONTROLS OF ONE OF THE LINE'S 34 SILVER TRAINS, THEN PRESSED THE BUTTONS WHICH SET THE LOCO IN MOTION. THERE WAS NO RIDE ON THE TUBE THIS TIME. INSTEAD, THE QUEEN WAS SHOWN A RECENTLY RESTORED CARRIAGE, USED ON THE UNDERGROUND MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO. VERY SMART. WASN'T IT? YEAH. THE DUCHESS WAS HAVING THE INTRICACIES OF THE UNDERGROUND SYSTEM EXPLAINED TO HER, WHILE THE QUEEN WALKED THROUGH ONE OF THE NETWORK'S NEWEST TRAINS. FROM A DESERTED PASSENGER CARRIAGE ` SO DIFFERENT, IT MUST BE SAID, FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF MOST LONDON COMMUTERS FOR WHOM THEY'RE GENERALLY CROWDED ` TO THE CAB, AND A QUICK WORD ABOUT TUBE DRIVERS: ARE THERE TWO OF YOU OR ONE OF YOU? USUALLY ONE. FROM A GRATEFUL LONDON TRANSPORT SYSTEM THERE WAS A TRAVEL PASS FOR THE QUEEN, AND SOMETHING TOO FOR THE DUCHESS. A NEW BABY ON BOARD. LAUGHTER 'I'LL WEAR IT AT HOME,' SAID KATE. AND WITH THAT THE VISITORS DEPARTED, AFTER A PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION THAT THE QUEEN'S BRUSH WITH ILL HEALTH IS OVER. RUSSIA'S FAMED BOLSHOI BALLET HAS BEEN HIT BY ANOTHER CONTROVERSY. THIS TIME A FORMER TOP DANCER CLAIMS THE BALLET WAS A GIANT BROTHEL. ANATASIA VOLOCHKOVA SAYS FEMALE DANCERS WERE FORCED TO SLEEP WITH WEALTHY PATRONS. VOLOCHKOVA WAS FIRED FROM THE BOLSHOI IN 2003 FOR BEING 'TOO HEAVY.' SHE CLAIMS GIRLS WERE FORCED TO GO TO GRAND DINNERS AND GIVEN ADVANCE WARNING THEY WOULD BE EXPECTED TO SHARE THE BEDS OF BUSINESSMEN; IF THEY DIDN'T THEY WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO GO ON TOUR. THE BALLET HAS DISMISSED THE CLAIMS. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE BUSINESS NEWS ` THE RISE AND THE RISE OF XERO'S SHARE PRICE. AND IN SPORT, AN INJURY SCARE FOR THE ALL WHITES AHEAD OF A CRUCIAL WORLD CUP QUALIFIER. 1 WITH ME NOW IS MARTIN ALLISON FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MARTIN. THIS ITEM WILL BE CAPTIONED LIVE. FOR MORE, GO TO ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND CLICK ON 'BUSINESS'. XERO. THE COMPANY'S SHARE PRICES CONTINUE TO SOAR. WHY? HOW FAR CAN IT CONTINUE? IT'S A PURE GROWTH STORY. THE FEEDBACK FROM ACCOUNTANTS IS EXTREMEMLY GOOD. IT WAS 3.35 DOLLARS. TODAY IT'S 11.80 DOLLARS. EVERYTHING THEY DO IS POURED BACK INTO THE COMPANY. IT'S A COMPANY VERY MUCH IN GROWTH MODE. THE DOWNSIDE WILL BE WHAT WILL THE COMPETITORS DO? A TRADING UPDATE FROM MAINFREIGHT. HOW ARE THEY FARING? SLIGHTLY DISAPPOINTING. TIMES REASONABLY TOUGH. NZ IS GOING ALONG WELL; AUSTRALIA NOT TOO BAD. THE US ` WE KNOW ABOUT THE US. REASONABLY TOUGH GOING. MAINFREIGHT IS A WELL-RUN COMPANY. GDP FIGURES. THE DATA THAT WE GET IS QUITE OLD. NZ IS GOING ALONG NICELY. THE DROUGHT WILL HAVE SOME IMPACT. TIME WILL TELL IN SIX MONTHS. HOPEFULLY THE WORST IMPACT OF THE DROUGHT WON'T BE TOO SIGNIFICANT. US FED IS CONTINUING ITS EXTREME SUPPORT OF US ECONOMY. THANK YOU. MARTIN ALLISON FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. STAR ENGLISH BATSMAN KEVIN PIETERSEN HAS BEEN RULED OUT OF THE FINAL CRICKET TEST AT EDEN PARK BECAUSE OF A KNEE INJURY. MEANWHILE, THE BLACKCAPS HAVE WELCOMED DOUG BRACEWELL BACK TO THE TEAM AFTER HIS CUT FOOT STOOD UP TO A PROVINCIAL GAME IN CHRISTCHURCH YESTERDAY. THE FAST BOWLER MAY NOT BE NAMED IN THE PLAYING 11, THOUGH, WITH THE BLACKCAPS LIKELY TO GO WITH THREE SEAMERS AND IN-FORM SPIN BOWLER BRUCE MARTIN. FINE WEATHER IS FORECAST FOR DAY ONE OF THE THIRD TEST IN AUCKLAND TOMORROW. THE ALL WHITES HAVE HAD AN INJURY SCARE AHEAD OF TOMORROW NIGHT'S VITAL WORLD CUP QUALIFIER AGAINST NEW CALEDONIA IN DUNEDIN. TEAM MANAGEMENT ARE MONITORING GOALKEEPER GLEN MOSS AFTER HE TWISTED HIS KNEE AT TRAINING YESTERDAY. IF MOSS IS RULED OUT, MARK PASTON WILL DON THE GLOVES. STILL IN THE SOUTH, AND ZAC GUILDFORD WILL MAKE HIS RETURN TO SUPER RUGBY THIS WEEKEND, AFTER BEING INCLUDED IN THE CRUSADERS SQUAD TO PLAY THE SOUTHERN KINGS ON SATURDAY. THE 24-YEAR-OLD WINGER HAS ONLY BEEN BACK IN THE RUGBY FOLD FOR A WEEK, AFTER GETTING TREATMENT FOR ALCOHOLISM. GUILDFORD HAS BEEN NAMED ON THE BENCH IN ONE OF FOUR CHANGES TO THE SIDE THAT WON LAST WEEKEND. MEANWHILE, IRELAND CENTRE BRIAN O'DRISCOLL HAS BEEN SUSPENDED FOR THREE WEEKS FOR STAMPING ON ITALY'S SIMONE FAVARO DURING A SIX NATIONS GAME ON SATURDAY. THE 34-YEAR-OLD COULD HAVE FACED A NINE-WEEK SUSPENSION. BUT THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE REDUCED THE PUNISHMENT BECAUSE OF O'DRISCOLL'S EXEMPLARY RECORD. O'DRISCOLL WAS PLAYING HIS 125TH INTERNATIONAL. RUGBY LEAGUE. TROUBLED BULLDOGS STAR BEN BARBA DIDN'T TRAVEL WITH TEAMMATES AS THEY HEADED TO MELBOURNE TO TAKE ON THE STORM IN THE GRAND FINAL REMATCH TONIGHT. BULLDOGS CAPTAIN MICHAEL ENNIS ADMITS THEY AREN'T AS STRONG AS THEY WERE LAST SEASON. WE'RE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT TEAM ` WE'RE A SIDE THAT IS BUILDING. OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE THE PREMIERS AND THEY'VE COME OUT OF THE BLOCKS. THE MELBOURNE STORM ARE HEAVY FAVOURITES TO WIN TONIGHT'S GAME. DAVID BECKHAM'S ARRIVED IN CHINA TO BEGIN A NEW ROLE AS A SPECIAL FOOTBALL AMBASSADOR. THE BRITISH SPORTING STAR DITCHED HIS JACKET TO SHOW OFF SOME FOOTIE SKILLS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY REMINDING THE WORLD ABOUT HIS OTHER SPECIAL SKILL ` LOOKING GOOD IN TIGHT TROUSERS. HIS NEW JOB WILL INVOLVE ATTENDING FOOTBALL MATCHES IN CHINA AND VISITING CLUBS TO HELP PROMOTE THE GAME TO CHILDREN. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. INQUISITIVE MUSIC INQUISITIVE MUSIC CONTINUES 1 INQUISITIVE MUSIC QUICKENS WOMAN: On the same stretch of road, on the same day, at the same time, we share our drive with the same people. UPLIFTING MUSIC People we know and people we don't. If we stopped thinking cars and started thinking people, would it change the way we drive? UPLIFTING MUSIC STOPS INQUISITIVE MUSIC NOW TO THE WEATHER. THE RAIN CLOUD CLEARS TO THE EAST, LEAVING HARMLESS LOW CLOUD OVER NZ AS IT FLATTENS OUT UNDER THE HIGH. THAT HIGH SITS DIRECTLY OVERHEAD TODAY AND IT'S ANOTHER BIG ONE BRINGING PLENTY OF FINE WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ TE PAPA'S TOURING WHALES EXHIBITION HAS BEEN INSTALLED AT THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY IN NEW YORK. THE EXHIBITION IS MADE UP OF SPERM WHALE SKELETONS FROM THE NORTH ISLAND'S EAST COAST ALONG WITH MAORI CULTURAL PIECES AND THE STORY OF THE MYTHOLOGICAL WHALE RIDERS. IT'S THE FIRST TOURING EXHIBITION TO BE SHOWN AT THE AMERICAN MUSEUM FOR ALMOST A DECADE. HALF A MILLION VISITORS ARE EXPECTED TO SEE THE WHALES BY THE END OF THE YEAR. TO THE TOP STORIES ON OUR WEBSITE ` THE NZ ECONOMY GREW AT THE FASTEST QUARTERLY PACE IN THREE YEARS IN THE TAIL END OF LAST YEAR. A THIRD MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH KIDNAPPING RAE PORTMAN IN JUNE 2012. AND A NEW SURVEY SHOWS THE AVERAGE AMOUNT A HOUSEHOLD PAYS FOR POWER ANNUALLY HAS RISEN BY OVER $120 IN THE LAST YEAR. AND FINALLY, SOME PICTURES JUST TOO CUTE NOT TO SHARE WITH YOU. THIS LITTLE FELLA WAS LEFT ORPHANED IN THE ALASKAN WOODS WHEN HIS MOTHER WAS KILLED BY HUNTERS. THE WILDLIFE SERVICE RESCUED HIM, AND HE'S NOW BEING LOOKED AFTER AT THE ALASKA ZOO. THE POLAR BEAR CUB, WHO'S ABOUT 3 OR 4 MONTHS OLD, WEIGHS 8KG. HE'S BEING SHIELDED FROM VISITORS FOR THE TIME BEING, BUT WILL EVENTUALLY BE SHOWN OFF TO THE PUBLIC. NO NAME FOR THE BABY BEAR HAS YET BEEN SETTLED ON, BUT IT'S LIKELY TO BE NAMED AFTER THE POINT LEVY AREA WHERE HE WAS FOUND. THANKS FOR JOINING US. THE ONE NEWS HOUR WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY VIRGINIA PHILP AND AMY PARK. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2013