DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF MIDDAY WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. PROMINENT NZ CRICKETER JESSE RYDER IS IN CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL WITH SEVERE HEAD INJURIES AFTER BEING ATTACKED OUTSIDE A BAR. THE FAMILY OF SLAIN ROADWORKER GEORGE TAIAROA SPEAK OUT AS POLICE CONTINUE TO HUNT FOR HIS KILLER. AND THE DOUBLE-SIZE BABY KEEPING HIS PARENTS' HANDS FULL. PROMINENT NZ CRICKETER JESSE RYDER IS IN CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL WITH CRITICAL HEAD INJURIES AFTER BEING ATTACKED BY SEVERAL MEN AT A BAR LATE LAST NIGHT. ONE NEWS REPORTER LACEY WILSON JOINS US NOW LIVE FROM CHRISTCHURCH WITH DETAILS. LACEY, WHAT HAPPENED? WE'RE OUTSIDE CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL, WHERE JESSE RYDER IS CURRENTLY IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT AND UNDERSTOOD TO BE FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE. WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR IS JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT LAST NIGHT, RYDER WAS ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTED OUTSIDE AIKMAN'S BAR IN MERIVALE. UNCONFIRMED REPORTS THAT A GROUP OF FOUR MEN PUNCHED AND KICKED RYDER. THE MANAGER OF AIKMAN'S BAR TOLD ONE NEWS THAT THERE WAS NO SECURITY ON DOOR OUT WITH HIS WELLINGTON TEAMMATES, HAVING LOST TO CANTERBURY YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. IT HASN'T ACTUALLY STARTED INSIDE THE PREMISES; IT'S STARTED OUTSIDE THE STREET. SO SOME FORM OF ALTERCATION. I WASN'T HERE, SO I DON'T KNOW THE WHOLE DETAILS. SO, LOOK, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE AUTHORITIES TO MAKE SURE WE CAN FIND OUT EXACTLY WHAT DID HAPPEN AND THE BUSINESS WOULD WISH JESSE ALL THE BEST. HOW ARE POLICE GETTING ON WITH THEIR INQUIRY TO THE ATTACK ON JESSE RYDER? POLICE ARE APPEALING FOR WITNESSES TO COME FORWARD. POLICE ARE CURRENTLY REVIEWING CCTV FOOTAGE FROM MCDONALD'S AND THE BAR. NZ CRICKET ARE HOLDING A MEDIA CONFERENCE THIS AFTERNOON ONCE THEY HAVE ASCERTAINED HIS INJURIES AND CURRENT CONDITION. THANKS, LACEY WILSON, LIVE FROM CHRISTCHURCH. JESSE RYDER'S HAD A CHEQUERED CAREER WITH NZ CRICKET AND HAS FEATURED IN A NUMBER OF ALCOHOL-INVOLVED INCIDENTS IN THE PAST. KRISTIN HALL HAS MORE DETAILS. DESPITE BEING ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S BEST CRICKETERS,... OH, THERE'S NO ONE BACK THERE! AND THAT'S SIX. ...JESSE RYDER'S NO STRANGER TO CONTROVERSY OR VIOLENCE. IN FEBRUARY 2008, THE 28-YEAR-OLD CUT HIS HAND WHEN HE PUNCHED A TOILET WINDOW IN A CHRISTCHURCH BAR THE DAY AFTER NZ WON A ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL SERIES AGAINST ENGLAND. LATER THAT YEAR, RYDER TOOK HIS ANGER OUT ON A CHAIR WITH HIS BAT AFTER GETTING OUT, AND WHEN REPRIMANDED, HURLED ABUSE. 2010 ` ANOTHER EVENTFUL YEAR. RYDER WAS CHARGED WITH SERIOUS MISCONDUCT OVER BEING DRUNK AND DISORDERLY DURING AN INDOOR CRICKET COMPETITION IN CHRISTCHURCH. HE WAS AXED FROM THE THIRD ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL IN AUCKLAND LAST YEAR AFTER YET ANOTHER VERBAL ALTERCATION, THIS TIME WITH PUNTERS IN A NAPIER BAR. ALL OF THAT SAW THE LEFT HANDER PUT HIMSELF ON A BREAK FROM THE NZ SIDE AND EVEN TAKE UP BOXING IN AN ATTEMPT TO HELP GET HIS LIFE IN ORDER. RIGHT AWAY HE SHOWS A PRETTY GOOD RIGHT HAND RIGHT THERE BY RYDER. HE HASN'T PLAYED FOR THE BLACKCAPS SINCE EARLY LAST YEAR, THOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN CALLS FOR HIM TO BE RETURNED TO THE SIDE AS HE WORKED TO SORT OUT HIS PERSONAL ISSUES. DESPITE THE BIG HITTER'S CHEQUERED PAST, RYDER IS A WELL-LOVED CHARACTER IN THE SPORTING SCENE AND IN THE MEDIA, WITH TRIBUTES FLOWING IN ON TWITTER FOR A SPEEDY RECOVERY. HE WAS IN CHRISTCHURCH PLAYING FOR WELLINGTON AGAINST CANTERBURY YESTERDAY AND WAS DUE TO FLY OUT SHORTLY TO TAKE UP A HIGHLY PAID CONTRACT IN THE INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE. KRISTIN HALL, ONE NEWS. AND WE WILL HAVE THE LATEST ON JESSE RYDER'S CONDITION IN CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL ON ONE NEWS AT 6, PLUS MORE DETAILS ON OUR WEBSITE AT ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND AS MENTIONED, LOTS OF MESSAGES OF SUPPORT COMING IN FOR JESSE RYDER. MORE ON THOSE IN SPORTS NEWS LATER IN THE BULLETIN. AFTER WEEKS OF SPECULATION ABOUT JOB LOSSES AT TELECOM, THE COMPANY HAS UNVEILED THE DETAILS OF ITS JOB CUTS TODAY. THE COUNTRY'S BIGGEST PHONE COMPANY IS SCRAPPING BETWEEN 930 AND 1230 FULL TIME POSITIONS. THE JOBS ARE ACROSS MIDDLE MANAGEMENT AND CORPORATE ROLES AND ARE BEING AXED AS PART OF LARGE SCALE REDUNDANCIES AT THE COMPANY. TELECOM SAYS THE CUTS WILL REDUCE ITS PAYROLL BY $90M, AND WILL BE DONE THROUGH A COMBINATION OF A SINKING-LID HIRING POLICY, OUTSOURCING AND REDUNDANCIES. THE FAMILY OF SLAIN ROAD WORKER GEORGE TAIAROA HAVE MADE AN EMOTIONAL PLEA FOR HELP TO FIND HIS KILLER. IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES, FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE APPEARED AT A MEDIA CONFERENCE IN HAMILTON. ONE NEWS REPORTER HELEN CASTLES JOINS US NOW LIVE FROM HAMILTON. THIS MORNING GEORGE TAIAROA'S WIFE, THEIR ADULT CHILDREN ALL ADDRESSED THE MEDIA. THEY CRIED AS THEY DESCRIBED GEORGE AS A FAMILY MAN. HERE'S WHAT THEY SAID. THIS WAS SHOCKING FOR US. WE WERE SHOCKED. WE ARE STILL SHOCKED. AND... YOU START THINKING ABOUT THOSE LAST CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU HAD WITH YOUR FATHER. AND I'M JUST SO GLAD HE USED TO FINISH EACH CONVERSATION WITH ME THAT HE LOVED ME. THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHY THE SHOOTING OCCURRED. HIS WIFE BELIEVES HE WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME. HE HAD NO ENEMIES AND AVOIDED CONFLICT. HE PLAYED PEACEMAKER AT ALL TIMES. HE HAS NO SKELETONS IN HIS CLOSET SHE WANTS THE PUBLIC TO COME FORWARD WITH INFORMATION. SHE THINKS SOMEONE KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT THE KILLER. THANKS, HELEN CASTLES, LIVE FROM HAMILTON. THE TRANSPORT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION COMMISSION HAS FOUND BASIC SAFETY RULES WERE IGNORED WHEN TWO PLANES WERE INVOLVED IN A MID-AIR COLLISION NEAR FEILDING IN 2010. THIS WAS THE CRUMPLED REMAINS OF A CESSNA 152 AFTER IT COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER CESSNA AT TAONUI AERODROME. JESSICA NEESON AND HER TRAINEE PILOT PATRICIA SMALLMAN WERE KILLED. THE PILOT OF THE OTHER AIRCRAFT SURVIVED. THE COMMISSION FOUND WHILE PILOTS IN BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE MAKING THE REQUIRED RADIO CALLS, NEITHER REALISED THE AIRCRAFT WERE ON CONVERGING PATHS. SO THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO HAVE EITHER NOT HEARD OR TO HAVE HEARD AND NOT COMPREHENDED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RADIO CALLS OF THE OTHER AIRCRAFT. THE TRANSPORT ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION COMMISSION HAS MADE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY. THESE INCLUDE ENSURING PILOTS MAKE CONCISE, ACCURATE AND TIMELY RADIO TRANSMISSIONS AND TO LISTEN ACTIVELY TO THE TRANSMISSIONS. POLICE ARE URGING MOTORISTS TO TAKE CARE IN BUSY HOLIDAY TRAFFIC TODAY AS THEY AIM FOR A SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR WITH NO ROAD DEATHS OVER EASTER WEEKEND. THE OFFICIAL HOLIDAY PERIOD RUNS FROM 4PM TODAY UNTIL 6AM NEXT TUESDAY, WITH POLICE ENFORCING A 4KM/H SPEED LIMIT TOLERANCE. NOT A SINGLE PERSON DIED OVER THE PERIOD LAST YEAR, THE FIRST TIME THERE'D BEEN A FATALITY-FREE EASTER WEEKEND SINCE 1956. POLICE SAY THEY'LL BE CRACKING DOWN ON SPEEDING AND DRINK DRIVING, WITH SPEED CAMERAS AND CHECKPOINTS IN PLACE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. FORMER ALL BLACK JERRY COLLINS IS GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE SUPPORT HE'S RECEIVED FROM HOME, ACCORDING TO HIS LAWYER. THE 32-YEAR-OLD HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM JAIL IN HAMAMATSU AFTER HE WAS ARRESTED FOR CARRYING TWO KNIVES. LAWYER TIM CASTLE SAYS JERRY COLLINS HAS RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY. THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE MADE AN ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTION TO THIS, INCLUDING A RAFT OF PEOPLE WHO SUBMITTED LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR JERRY, RECOGNISING HIS QUALITIES, ENDORSING HIS SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND OBVIOUSLY, AS AN ELITE ATHLETE, REPRESENTING THIS COUNTRY OVER A LONG PERIOD. THE LAWYER IN JAPAN HAS BEEN OUTSTANDING. THE NZ EMBASSY CONSUL HAS MADE A HUGE CONTRIBUTION. THE NZ GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE. WE REALLY ARE A COUNTRY AND A NATION WHICH GETS BEHIND PEOPLE DESERVING OF SUPPORT, AND THEREFORE, THERE'S NOT ONE PERSON OR ONE EVENT OR ONE CIRCUMSTANCE WHICH HAS ACHIEVED THIS. JERRY COLLINS' LAWYER, TIM CASTLE. THE MAN WHO RECEIVED LEAKED DETAILS OF EQC CLAIMANTS VIA EMAIL SAYS HE WILL CONTINUE TO CHALLENGE THE EQC TO RELEASE THEM PUBLICALLY. THE EQC SAYS BRYAN STAPLES IS NOW TRYING TO RETRIEVE THE EMAIL, CLAIMING THE ORGANISATION OWES HIM AROUND $700,000. MR STAPLES SAYS HE'S NOT TRYING TO MANIPULATE THE EQC SO HE CAN GET THE MONEY, AND ADDS THE CHRISTCHURCH COMMUNITY IS BEHIND HIM. NO, NO, NO, SORRY, THAT'S A MISUNDERSTANDING AND A MISCONCEPTION BY THE MEDIA. WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO, AND IF THE WHOLE OF THE EMAIL WAS DISCLOSED, IT'S THE MATTER OF THE $700,000 WILL GO AWAY. THERE IS NO WAY I'M GONNA SHUT UP ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON HERE IN CHRISTCHURCH. WE'VE GOT SO MUCH SUPPORT. ALL THAT EMAIL WAS REFERRING TO WAS THE 700,000. I DIDN'T WANNA EXPOSE EQC TO BE THE SORT OF PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE ABOUT NOT PAYING BILLS. THAT'S ALL THAT WAS ABOUT. BRYAN STAPLES. TO INTERNATIONAL NEWS, BRITISH SCIENTISTS SAY THEY'RE ON THE VERGE OF DEVELOPING A TEST TO ESTABLISH WHO'S MOST LIKELY TO GET SOME CANCERS. RESEARCH HAS IDENTIFIED DOZENS OF INHERITED GENETIC MARKERS WHICH REVEAL THOSE MOST AT RISK OF BREAST, OVARIAN AND PROSTATE CANCER. FERGUS WALSH EXPLAINS. FOR PROSTATE CANCER, THE LIFETIME RISK FOR MEN IS ONE IN EIGHT, BUT IF YOU'RE AMONG THE 1% OF THE POPULATION WHO INHERIT THE WORST DNA FAULTS, IT CAN RISE TO ONE IN TWO. THAT COULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO MEN LIKE JONATHON, A RETIRED DOCTOR. A GENE TEST COULD'VE REVEALED HE WAS AT HIGH RISK DECADES AGO. HIS PROSTATE CANCER WAS EVENTUALLY PICKED UP BY A BIOPSY. I MUST SAY I WAS EXTREMELY SURPRISED AND SHOCKED, BECAUSE I WAS SURE THAT I HADN'T GOT THE DISEASE. AND LUCKILY IT WASN'T VERY MALIGNANT. THESE ARE THE COMPUTER CHIPS IN CAMBRIDGE WHICH ANALYSE THE DNA FROM BLOOD SAMPLES. WITHIN A FEW YEARS, THE SAME TEST SHOULD BE AVAILABLE USING SALIVA, AND SCIENTISTS BELIEVE IT WILL BE CHEAP ENOUGH TO BE OFFERED BY THE NHS. WE'RE REALLY GOING TO REALISTICALLY ENTER THE ERA OF PERSONALISED MEDICINE. WE WON'T TREAT PEOPLE BASED ON WHETHER THEY FIT INTO A BOX OF A CERTAIN POPULATION; WE'LL BASE TREATMENTS AND SCREENING TYPES OF PROGRAMMES ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL LEVELS OF RISK. SCIENTISTS ARE USING THE SAME APPROACH TO LOOK FOR THE INHERITED RISK FACTORS FOR BOWEL AND LUNG CANCER, AND THAT INFORMATION WILL ALSO YIELD NEW TARGETS FOR CANCER TREATMENTS. OF COURSE, OUR DNA ONLY GIVES US PART OF THE PICTURE. NEARLY HALF OF ALL CANCERS ARE LINKED TO OUR LIFESTYLE. SO THE WAY WE LIVE IS OFTEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE GENETIC HAND OF CARDS OUR PARENTS GAVE US. TRUCKS HAULING LARGE CONTAINERS FULL OF MONEY HAVE BEGUN TRANSFERRING MONEY TO BANKS ACROSS CYPRUS. CYPRIOT BANKS WILL OPEN LATER TODAY, 10 DAYS AFTER THEY WERE CLOSED TO PREVENT MASS WITHDRAWALS. CYPRIOTS FEARING FOR THEIR SAVINGS ARE EXPECTED TO BESIEGE LENDERS. THERE'LL BE RESTRICTIONS ON THE AMOUNT OF CASH THEY CAN REMOVE AS WELL AS A BAN ON CASHING CHEQUES. IT'S PART OF CONTROLS ON THE BANKING SECTOR TO HELP CYPRUS QUALIFY FOR A MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR BAILOUT. A RADICAL MUSLIM CLERIC HAS THWARTED ANOTHER EFFORT BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO HAVE HIM DEPORTED TO JORDAN. JUDGES SAY ABU QATADA COULD FACE AN UNFAIR TRIAL INVOLVING EVIDENCE OBTAINED FROM TORTURING OTHER PEOPLE IF HE WAS TO BE SENT TO JORDAN. THEY CONCEDED THAT HE IS A 'VERY DANGEROUS' PERSON, BUT THAT ISN'T A RELEVANT CONSIDERATION UNDER HUMAN RIGHTS LAWS. ABU QATADA HAS BEEN CONVICTED FOR TERROR PLOTS IN 1999 AND 2000 AND HAS TIES WITH THE LATE OSAMA BIN LADEN. TWO FORMER TOP BOSNIAN SERB OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN CONVICTED BY THE WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE. BOTH MICO STANISIC AND STOJAN ZUPLJANIN WERE SENTENCED TO 22 YEARS IN JAIL. THE COURT SAID THE PAIR TOOK PART IN A CAMPAIGN TO REMOVE MUSLIMS, CROATS AND OTHER NON-SERBS FROM THE REGION. THEY'VE BEEN CONVICTED OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY INCLUDING MURDER AND TORTURE. ABOUT 100,000 PEOPLE WERE KILLED DURING THE BOSNIAN CONFLICT IN THE 1990S. THE INTERNET AROUND THE WORLD HAS BEEN SLOWED DOWN IN WHAT SECURITY EXPERTS ARE DESCRIBING AS THE BIGGEST CYBER ATTACK OF ITS KIND IN HISTORY. A ROW BETWEEN A GROUP THAT FIGHTS SPAM AND A HOSTING FIRM HAS SPARKED RETALIATION ATTACKS THAT HAVE NOW AFFECTED THE WIDER INTERNET. POPULAR SERVICES LIKE NETFLIX HAVE ALREADY BEEN AFFECTED. EXPERTS ARE CONCERNED IT COULD ESCALATE TO AFFECT BANKING AND EMAIL SYSTEMS, AND IS STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE DOWN GOVERNMENT INTERNET INFRASTRUCTURE. CONSTRUCTION CREWS IN BERLIN HAVE BEGUN REMOVING ONE OF THE LAST SECTIONS OF THE FAMOUS BERLIN WALL. THE WORK IS DESPITE ONGOING PROTESTS AGAINST THE REMOVAL OF THE WALL TO MAKE WAY FOR AN UPSCALE APARTMENT BLOCK. HUNDREDS OF POLICE ARE ON STANDBY AT THE SCENE TO PREVENT ANY TROUBLE. VERY LITTLE STILL REMAINS OF THE WALL THAT WAS CONSTRUCTED BY EAST GERMANY IN THE 1960S, CUTTING THE EAST AND WEST IN TWO. BERLIN RESIDENTS HAVE ARGUED DEVELOPERS ARE SACRIFICING HISTORY TO MAKE A PROFIT. TWO NEW PARENTS IN BRITAIN HAVE HAD THEIR HANDS FULL, QUITE LITERALLY, TRYING TO COPE WITH A KING-SIZED BABY. WHEN GEORGE KING WAS BORN SIX WEEKS AGO, HE WEIGHED NEARLY 7KG, OR 15 POUNDS 7 OUNCES. GEORGE WAS BORN TWICE THE SIZE OF AN AVERAGE BABY. HE'S ONLY PUT ON A POUND SINCE. HE'S GONE STRAIGHT INTO 3- TO 6-MONTH CLOTHES. THIS IS WHAT MUM WAS EXPECTING HIM TO WEAR, BUT HE NEEDS CLOTHES TWICE THE SIZE. BECAUSE NO ONE KNEW HE WOULD BE SO BIG, DOCTORS STRUGGLED TO DELIVER HIM. GEORGE WENT WITHOUT OXYGEN FOR FIVE MINUTES. HE WAS GIVEN A 10% CHANCE OF SURVIVAL. DOCTORS ARE STILL TRYING TO FIND OUT WHY GEORGE WAS SO BIG. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO RUN IN THE FAMILY. HIS MUM WEIGHED JUST OVER 6 POUNDS WHEN SHE WAS BORN, AND HIS DAD WAS A LITTLE OVER 9. MY MUM WAS THERE AT THE BIRTH AS WELL, AND SHE WAS QUITE SCARED AND SHOCKED AS WELL, OBVIOUSLY, SEEING EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED. BUT AGAIN, EVERYONE'S JUST SO SHOCKED THAT HE WAS SO BIG. DOZENS OF TINY, UNUSED BABYGROS HAVE NOW BEEN PACKED AWAY, ALTHOUGH MUM SAYS SHE'S BEEN PUT OFF HAVING ANY MORE BABIES FOR A WHILE. SHE'S JUST HAPPY TO HAVE HER HANDS FULL WITH THIS ONE. THE BRITISH ACTOR, WILLIAM ROACHE, WHO PLAYS KEN BARLOW IN CORONATION STREET, HAS HIT THE HEADLINES IN THE UK AGAIN. THE STAR HAS LONG BEEN RAISING EYEBROWS IN BRITAIN OVER HIS WOMANISING, AND NOW THESE COMMENTS ON TVNZ'S 'GOOD MORNING' THIS WEEK HAVE PUT HIM UNDER FRESH SCRUTINY. YOU NAUGHTY GIRL. (CHUCKLES) I'M SO SORRY. I WOULD SAY I'M GONNA SMACK YOUR BOTTOM, BUT` I WOULD LOVE TO DO THAT BUT WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO ON TELEVISION. I'VE HEARD THAT ABOUT YOU ` A THOUSAND WOMEN` OHH! > I KNOW. THERE YOU GO, YOU SEE. WILLIAM ROACHE! > THERE'S LIFE IN THE OLD DOG YET. WILLIAM ROACHE WAS WIDELY CRITICISED IN BRITAIN AFTER HIS COMMENTS ON ONE NEWS THAT IMPLIED VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE ARE PAYING FOR PAST SINS. THE 80-YEAR-OLD HAS SINCE APOLOGISED. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` IN BUSINESS NEWS ` MARKET REACTION TO TELECOM'S JOB CUT ANNOUNCEMENT. AND IN SPORT ` TROUBLE IN RIO. WHY THE STADIUM FOR THE FOOTBALL WORLD CUP AND OLYMPICS HAS BEEN CLOSED. # There's a bloody big carrot in Ohakune and a tin gumboot in Taihape. # Masterton's got Golden Shears. # Palmerston North, it's all right here. # Wherever you're driving this weekend, do your bit to keep everyone safe on the road. 1 WITH ME NOW IS ROGER COULTER FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. THIS ITEM WILL BE CAPTIONED LIVE. FOR MORE, GO TO ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND CLICK ON 'BUSINESS'. TELECOM JOB CUTS. WHAT'S THE MARKET REACTION? WILL IT MAKE THE COMPANY MORE COMPETITIVE? THE FOCUS FOR TELECOM IN RECENT YEARS HAS BEEN THE SEPARATION OF CHORUS. THE NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE HAS A MANDATE TO TAKE TELECOM FURTHER AHEAD. HE'S FOCUSED ON BEING COMPETITIVE AT THE COST LEVEL. WE GOT GREATER CLARITY WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. MERIDIAN ENERGY AND RIO TINTO ` NO PROGRESS ON RENEGOTIATING. ARE THERE SERIOUS CONCERNS FOR FLOAT? MERIDIAN REPORTED THAT IT HASN'T MADE PROGRESS IN TERMS OF RENEGOTIATING NEW TERMS WITH THE ALUMINIUM SMELTER AT TIWAI. THERE'S BEEN UNCERTAINTY FOR THE SECTOR AS A WHOLE. THAT UNCERTAINTY CONTINUES. CONTACT ENERGY AND TRUSTPOWER WERE DOWN A TOUCH THIS MORNING. KIWI INCOME PROPERTY TRUST ` EARTHQUAKE STRENGTHENING COST? KIWI INCOME PROPERTY TRUST REPORTED AN UPDATE THIS MORNING. THEY HAVE A COST BLOWOUT IN EARTHQUAKE STRENGTHENING OF A CENTRE IN WELLINGTON. THANK YOU, ROGER COULTER, FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. TO MIDDAY SPORT. AS REPORTED EARLIER, NZ CRICKETER JESSE RYDER IS IN CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL AFTER SUFFERING CRITICAL HEAD INJURIES. THE INCIDENT HAS SEEN MUCH OF THE SPORTING COMMUNITY TAKE TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO OFFER THEIR SUPPORT. FORMER BLACKCAPS SKIPPER ROSS TAYLOR TWEETED 'THINKING OF YOU'. FORMER ENGLAND CAPTAIN MICHAEL VAUGHAN ALSO TWEETED. THE NEWS HAS AFFECTED MEMBERS OUTSIDE THE CRICKETING COMMUNITY TOO ` RUGBY PLAYER ZAC GUILDFORD, WHO'S RECENTLY RETURNED TO THE CRUSADERS AFTER ALCOHOL ISSUES, SAYING 'THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS WITH JESSE. MUCH LOVE.' RYDER HIMSELF SENT THIS TWEET ONLY A WEEK AGO, TALKING ABOUT HOW EXCITED HE WAS FOR THE UPCOMING INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE, WHICH HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEPARTING FOR THIS WEEK. BASKETBALL. IT'S CRUNCH TIME FOR THE BREAKERS TONIGHT AS THEY HEAD INTO THE NBL PLAY-OFFS AGAINST THE SYDNEY KINGS AT AUCKLAND'S VECTOR ARENA. THE NZ SIDE WILL START AS FAVOURITE IN THE FIRST OF ITS THREE SEMI-FINAL MATCHES. COACH ANDREJ LEMANIS IS DETERMINED NOT TO UNDERESTIMATE THEIR OPPONENTS BUT EQUALLY SURE HE KNOWS WHAT'S COMING. THEY'LL HAVE SOME THINGS THAT THEY'LL TRY TO DO TO US TO TRY TO DISRUPT US, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, TEAMS ARE WHO THEY ARE. THEY'LL HAVE THEIR PERSONALITY, AND YOU'LL PLAY WHO YOU'RE PLAYING. TEAMS DON'T MAKE BIG CHANGES BEFORE THE FINALS. SYDNEY'S ONE OF ONLY TWO TEAMS TO HAVE BEATEN THE BREAKERS THIS SEASON. TIP-OFF'S AT 7.30. RIO DE JANEIRO'S HAVELANGE STADIUM, WHICH WILL HOST NEXT YEAR'S FOOTBALL WORLD CUP AND THE 2016 OLYMPICS, HAS BEEN CLOSED DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS ABOUT ITS ROOF. BUILT FOR THE 2007 PAN-AMERICAN GAMES AT A COST OF ALMOST $200M, THE STADIUM HAS VISIBLE SIGNS OF CORROSION AND HAS BEEN SHUT INDEFINITELY TO UNDERGO REPAIRS. THE OLYMPIC TRACK AND FIELD EVENTS WILL BE HELD AT HAVELANGE, BUT NOT THE OPENING AND CLOSING CEREMONIES. IT'S CURRENTLY LEASED BY LOCAL FOOTBALL CLUB BOTAFOGO, BUT IS FREQUENTLY USED BY OTHER TEAMS. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. NOW TO THE WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ THANKS FOR JOINING US. THE ONE NEWS HOUR WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY TRACEY DAWSON AND DESNEY SHAW. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2013