DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF MIDDAY, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. SPEAKING IN COURT FOR THE FIRST TIME. AN EMOTIONAL OSCAR PISTORIUS TESTIFIES. PEACHES GELDOF, SON OF SIR BOB, DEAD AT THE AGE OF 25. AND 20 YEARS ON, THE LEGACY OF RWANDA'S GENOCIDE. OSCAR PISTORIUS HAS TAKEN THE STAND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS OWN DEFENCE IN HIS MURDER TRIAL. HE APOLOGISED TO THE FAMILY OF HIS GIRLFRIEND, REEVA STEENKAMP, FOR HER DEATH. PISTORIUS BROKE DOWN WHEN HE WAS GIVING EVIDENCE, SAYING HE COULDN'T IMAGINE THE PAIN HE HAD CAUSED REEVA'S FAMILY. THE ATHLETE DENIES MURDERING HIS GIRLFRIEND LAST YEAR AND INSISTS HE MISTOOK HER FOR AN INTRUDER. THE BBC'S ANDREW HARDING REPORTS. OSCAR PISTORIUS MAKES HIS WAY FROM THE DOCK THIS MORNING, HEADING TO THE WITNESS BOX, PAST HIS OWN TOILET DOOR, THE ONE HE SHOT THROUGH, NOW AN EXHIBIT IN THIS COURTROOM. AND THEN WE LOSE SIGHT OF HIM. ONLY HIS VOICE IS ALLOWED TO BE BROADCAST. TEARFULLY: I'D LIKE TO APOLOGISE AND SAY THAT THERE'S NOT A MOMENT, < AND THERE HASN'T BEEN A MOMENT, UM, SINCE... < SINCE THIS TRAGEDY HAPPENED THAT I HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT YOUR FAMILY. I-I WAS SIMPLY TRYING TO PROTECT REEVA. > I CAN PROMISE THAT, WHEN SHE WENT TO BED THAT NIGHT, SHE FELT LOVED. REEVA'S MOTHER, JUNE STEENKAMP, SHOWS NO EMOTION. THE PISTORIUS FAMILY ARE QUITE THE OPPOSITE. HIS SISTER AND AN AUNT ARE HERE. AT ONE POINT, THE ATHLETE SOBS AND RETCHES. HE'S COMFORTED BY ANOTHER AUNT. THEN PISTORIUS DESCRIBES HIS OWN FRAIL STATE ON ANTIDEPRESSANTS, STRUGGLING TO SLEEP. THE STATE HAS SOUGHT TO SHOW PISTORIUS AS RECKLESS AND AGGRESSIVE, KILLING REEVA STEENKAMP IN A FLASH OF ANGER. TODAY HE STRESSED HIS OWN VULNERABILITY, DISABLED AND FEARFUL OF CRIME. PISTORIUS WAS ALLOWED TO FINISH EARLY AFTER HIS LAWYER PLEADED THAT HE HADN'T SLEPT LAST NIGHT. THE REAL CORE OF HIS EVIDENCE IS EXPECTED TOMORROW. NATIONAL LIST MP TAU HENARE IS CALLING IT QUITS ON HIS POLITICAL CAREER. QUESTIONED THIS MORNING ABOUT WHETHER HE WAS LEAVING UNDER PRESSURE, MR HENARE SAID... IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER. I'M HAPPY, AND THAT'S ALL THAT COUNTS. WERE YOU WORRIED ABOUT YOUR LIST RANKING? OH, LOOK, EVERYBODY'S WORRIED ABOUT IT. I MEAN, EVEN NUMBER TWO'S WORRIED ABOUT NUMBER ONE. WHERE DID YOU THINK YOU WOULD'VE ENDED UP? UM, COUNT BACKWARDS FROM 100. LONG-TIME POLITICAL RIVAL TREVOR MALLARD HAD NOTHING BUT KIND WORDS WHEN ASKED FOR HIS REACTION TO TAU HENARE'S RETIREMENT. I THINK HE ADDS SOMETHING SPECIAL TO THE NATIONAL PARTY. I THINK IT'S REGRETTABLE THAT THEY CHOSE PEOPLE OF LESSER TALENT TO BE MINISTERS. AND I THINK IF THEY'D TREATED HIM PROPERLY, HE COULD WELL HAVE STAYED ON, AND THEY'D HAVE BEEN RICHER FOR IT. TAU HENARE'S THE 15TH NATIONAL MP TO RETIRE AT THIS YEAR'S ELECTION. PEACHES GELDOF, THE DAUGHTER OF BRITISH ENTERTAINER BOB GELDOF HAS DIED AT THE AGE OF 25. HER BODY WAS FOUND AT HER HOME IN KENT. POLICE HAVE DESCRIBED THE MOTHER-OF-TWO'S DEATH AS SUDDEN AND UNEXPLAINED. THE BBC'S DAVID SILLITOE REPORTS. SHE WAS JUST 25, A MOTHER OF TWO YOUNG BOYS. PEACHES GELDOF ` A TV PRESENTER, A MODEL, A MUM ` HAS DIED. OUTSIDE HER HOME THIS EVENING, OUTSIDE HER HOME THIS EVENING, THE ONLY SIGN THAT ANYTHING WAS AMISS WAS THE PRESENCE OF A POLICE CAR. FUNKY MUSIC AT 16, PEACHES GELDOF HAD ALREADY HAD HER OWN MAGAZINE COLUMN FOR TWO YEARS. SHE'D BEEN BORN INTO FAME, THE DAUGHTER OF BOB GELDOF AND PAULA YATES. SASSY, QUICK-WITTED, SHE ENJOYED THE PARTY LIFESTYLE. TODAY HER FATHER ISSUED THIS STATEMENT. BUT THE TEENAGE WILD CHILD HAD IN RECENT YEARS TURNED INTO A DEVOTED MOTHER. HER CHILDHOOD WAS, SHE SAID, AT FIRST IDYLLIC. HER MOTHER WROTE BOOKS ON PARENTING. THEN CAME DIVORCE. SHE WAS JUST 11 WHEN HER MOTHER, PAULA YATES, DIED OF A HEROIN OVERDOSE. HER HUSBAND, TOM, SAID TONIGHT... THIS WAS THE BLEAK CONVOY LEAVING HER HOME TONIGHT. HER WIT, HER PASSION FOR MOTHERHOOD ` ALL OF IT ECHOES OF THE MOTHER SHE LOST 13 YEARS AGO. INDEED, HER LAST MESSAGE WAS A PHOTO OF HER AS A CHILD WITH HER MUM. THE SEVERE FLOODING THAT'S SWEPT THROUGH THE SOLOMON ISLANDS HAS LEFT BEHIND A GROWING THREAT OF INFECTION. NZ AID RELIEF IS ON THE GROUND ACROSS THE SOLOMON ISLANDS, WHERE 12,000 REMAIN IN EVACUATION CENTRES. THE CAPITAL HONIARA'S SEWERAGE SYSTEM HAS BEEN WIPED OUT, ALONG WITH DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES. AND WHILE THE EXTENT OF THE COASTAL DAMAGE IS STILL BEING ASSESSED, AID WORKERS IN THE CAPITAL SAY CLEAN WATER WILL BE CRITICAL. WE DO NEED CLEAN WATER HOPEFULLY RAINWATER WE HAVE TO TRY TRUCKING WATER THAT IS NOT EASY THE OFFICIAL DEATH TOLL STILL STANDS AT 21. IT'S A REST DAY FOR THE ROYAL FAMILY TODAY. PRINCE WILLIAM, CATHERINE AND PRINCE GEORGE ARE SPENDING THE DAY AT AN UNDISCLOSED PRIVATE RESIDENCE AWAY FROM THE CAPITAL. THE TRIO HAD A SLIGHTLY DELAYED ARRIVAL IN WELLINGTON AMID FEARS THAT FOG WOULD SEE THEIR PLANE DIVERTED. BUT THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE AND THE 9-MONTH-OLD PRINCE WERE ABLE TO MEET LOCAL SCHOOLCHILDREN DURING THE OFFICIAL WELCOME AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE. THE ROYAL FAMILY HAVE NO PUBLIC COMMITMENTS UNTIL TOMORROW, WHEN LITTLE PRINCE GEORGE WILL HAVE HIS FIRST ENGAGEMENT. MALAYSIAN AUTHORITIES SAY THEY'RE CAUTIOUSLY HOPEFUL THAT UNDERWATER SOUNDS DETECTED BY A SHIP SEARCHING FOR THE MISSING MALAYSIA AIRLINES JET WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE PINGS FROM THE PLANE'S BLACK BOXES. HERE'S THE ABC'S DAVID KERLEY. THIS US NAVY LISTENING DEVICE TOWED THOUSANDS OF FEET BELOW THE SURFACE HEARD THIS. CLICK! CLICK! TODAY THE MAN LEADING THE SEARCH SAID HE BELIEVES THAT IS THE DISTINCTIVE SOUND OF A BLACK-BOX PINGER. THEY HEARD IT TWICE. CLEARLY, THIS IS THE MOST PROMISING LEAD. AND, UH, PROBABLY IN THE SEARCH SO FAR, IT'S PROBABLY THE BEST INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE HAD. THE TOWED PINGER-LOCATER HEARD THE SIGNAL FOR MORE THAN TWO HOURS. THE SHIP, THE OCEAN SHIELD, THEN TURNED AROUND AND HEARD IT AGAIN FOR ANOTHER 13 MINUTES. TWO DISTINCT PINGER RETURNS WERE AUDIBLE. SIGNIFICANTLY, THIS WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH TRANSMISSIONS FROM BOTH THE FLIGHT-DATA RECORDER AND THE COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER. THE SHIP IS NOW CRISS-CROSSING A 3 SQUARE MILE SECTION OF THE SOUTH INDIAN OCEAN, LISTENING AGAIN. SEARCHERS HOPE FOR A THIRD HIT AND WILL THEN SEND THIS ROBOT DOWN TO THE BOTTOM. USING SONAR, IT WILL MAP THE OCEAN FLOOR, LOOKING FOR WRECKAGE. BUT THE DEPTHS IN THIS AREA ARE NEARLY 15,000FT DEEP, RIGHT AT THE LIMIT OF THE ROBOT'S CAPABILITIES. SO IF YOU'RE PICKING UP NOT ONLY ONE BUT TWO SOURCES, BUT THEN WE'VE MORE THAN LIKELY FOUND THEM. THOSE BLACK BOXES WILL TELL US SO MUCH. AND AT THE NTSB LAB, EVEN FROM 15,000FT UNDERWATER, THESE BOXES SURVIVED. MEANWHILE, A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL HAS BEEN HELD IN KUALA LUMPUR FOR THOSE ON THE MISSING MALAYSIAN AIRLINER. IT'S A MONTH TODAY SINCE FLIGHT 370 WENT MISSING. DOZENS GATHERED IN MERDEKA SQUARE TO LIGHT CANDLES AND PRAY. SOME OF THE CANDLES WERE LAID OUT TO SPELL MH 370, MORE LEGAL WOES FOR KIM DOTCOM THIS MORNING AS SIX HOLLYWOOD POWER PLAYERS LAUNCH A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR LAWSUIT AGAINST HIM. HOLLYWOOD'S BIGGEST FILM STUDIOS HAVE TEAMED UP TO SUE THE INTERNET TYCOON, CLAIMING HIS FORMER COMPANY, MEGAUPLOAD, FACILITATED, ENCOURAGED AND PROFITED FROM MASSIVE COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. DOTCOM HAS TAKEN TO TWITTER TO DISMISS THE CLAIMS, CALLING THEM BOGUS AND NONSENSE. FORMER ACT MP JOHN BANKS IS SET TO STAND TRIAL OVER ALLEGED ELECTORAL FRAUD AFTER HIS APPLICATION TO DISMISS THE CHARGE WAS REJECTED BY THE HIGH COURT LATE YESTERDAY. THE FORMER AUCKLAND MAYOR PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO ELECTORAL FRAUD IN DECEMBER, AND AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID TRIAL ON GROUNDS OF INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE WAS REJECTED. IT WAS ALLEGED MR BANKS ACCEPTED A $50,000 DONATION FROM INTERNET MILLIONAIRE KIM DOTCOM, RECORDING THE DONATION AS ANONYMOUS WHEN HE ALLEGEDLY KNEW WHO IT WAS FROM. MR BANKS' TRIAL BEGINS AT THE HIGH COURT IN AUCKLAND IN MAY. LABOUR LEADER DAVID CUNLIFFE HAS REITERATED THAT HIS PARTY WOULD BAN FOREIGN OWNERSHIP ON NZ HOMES. HE SAYS OVERSEAS BUYERS WOULD NEED TO LIVE IN HOUSES THEY BUY HERE, AND THAT THE POLICY WOULD EXTEND TO FARMLAND AS WELL. THE FACT IS THAT MOST COUNTRIES DO LIMIT NON-RESIDENT FOREIGNERS' ABILITY TO PURCHASE REAL ESTATE, FOR VERY VERY GOOD REASON. THAT IS, OTHERWISE YOU HAVE YOUR PROPERTIES SELLING AT AN INTERNATIONAL MARKET PRICE THAT YOUR OWN PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD. AND THIS IS ABOUT NZERS BEING ABLE TO ENJOY THE LIFESTYLE THAT THEY ASPIRE TO IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY. AND I SAY WE SHOULD BE A GOVERNMENT FOR ALL NZERS, NOT A GOVERNMENT FOR FOREIGN SPECULATORS. THAT'S LABOUR LEADER DAVID CUNLIFFE. VIETNAM VETERAN WALLY TE UA'S FIGHT FOR BETTER RIGHTS AND SERVICES FOR VIETNAM VETERANS RESUMES IN THE HIGH COURT IN WELLINGTON TODAY. A HIKOI OF VIETNAM VETERANS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS MARCHED TO THE HIGH COURT IN WELLINGTON YESTERDAY, BACKING WALLY TE UA, WHO'S TAKING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT AND VETERANS AFFAIRS. HE ACCUSES THEM OF SYSTEMATICALLY REDUCING SUPPORT AND RATIONING SERVICES. MR TE UA SERVED THREE TOURS OF DUTY IN VIETNAM FROM 196 AND HAS PROSTATE CANCER. THE HEARING'S EXPECTED TO FINISH TODAY. COMMEMORATIONS HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE ACROSS RWANDA TO MARK 20 YEARS SINCE THE 1994 GENOCIDE. IN JUST THREE MONTHS ALMOST A MILLION MINORITY TUTSIS WERE KILLED BY THE MAJORITY HUTU POPULATION. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FAILED TO INTERVENE IN THE GENOCIDE WHICH LEFT A NATION IN RUIN. THE BBC'S GEORGE ALAGIAH REPORTS. A DAY TO SAY 'NEVER AGAIN'. BUT FOR SOME IN THE CROWD, THE MEMORY ALONE WAS TOO MUCH. WOMAN SCREAMS RWANDANS WERE JOINED BY INTERNATIONAL DIGNITARIES, INCLUDING THE UN SECRETARY-GENERAL. TODAY HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE ORGANISATION'S FAILURE TO STOP THE GENOCIDE ` THE FASTEST BOUT OF MASS MURDER IN MODERN TIMES. ONE OF THE MOST INFAMOUS MASSACRES TOOK PLACE HERE IN THE SOUTH OF THE COUNTRY. FIRST THE GENOCIDAL MOB CUT OFF THE WATER AND PREVENTED ANY SUPPLIES GETTING IN. THEN THEY MOVED IN FOR THE KILL. THE VICTIMS' CLOTHING TELLS ITS OWN STORY. WOMEN AND CHILDREN, THE ELDERLY ` NO ONE WAS SPARED. THIS MAN LED A GROUP OF THE MURAMBI KILLERS TWO DECADES AGO. IN A REMARKABLE ACT OF GENEROSITY, HE'S BEEN ALLOWED INTO THE LIFE OF JULIETTE MUKAKABANDA, ONE OF THE FEW WHO SURVIVED. SHE LOST HER HUSBAND AND TWO SONS ON THE NIGHT OF APRIL 20TH, 1994. WHAT KIND OF MAN ATTACKS INNOCENT PEOPLE? (SPEAKS KINYARWANDA) TRANSLATOR: WHEN WE ATTACKED, THERE WAS NO HUMANITY IN US. WE WERE LIKE WILD ANIMALS. TODAY RWANDANS ARE REMEMBERING THEIR PAST. BUT IN DOING SO, THEY HIGHLIGHT THE EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT OF THE LAST TWO DECADES: A NATION NO LONGER DIVIDED BETWEEN VICTIMS AND PERPETRATORS, BUT UNITING AROUND A SHARED VISION OF THEIR FUTURE. A ROADSIDE BOMB HAS KILLED AT LEAST 15 PEOPLE IN AFGHANISTAN. THE BLAST CAME AFTER A RELATIVELY CALM WEEKEND AS AFGHANS VOTED FOR PROVINCIAL COUNCILS AND A NEW PRESIDENT. THE TALIBAN HAD THREATENED VIOLENCE TO DISRUPT THE ELECTION, BUT SECURITY FORCES HAVE TIGHTENED THEIR GRIP. IN EASTERN UKRAINE, GROUPS OF YOUNG MEN CLAIMING TO REPRESENT RUSSIAN-SPEAKING UKRAINIANS HAVE SEIZED PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN THE CITY OF DONETSK. THEY'VE DECLARED THE CREATION OF AN INDEPENDENT REPUBLIC, DEMANDING THAT A REFERENDUM BE HELD. THEY WANT RUSSIAN PRESIDENT PUTIN TO SEND PEACEKEEPING FORCES TO PROTECT THEM. IN INDIA, RESIDENTS HAVE BEGUN VOTING IN THE WORLD'S BIGGEST ELECTION. MORE THAN 800 MILLION INDIANS ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THE NINE-PHASE BALLOT, WHICH PITS THE RULING CONGRESS PARTY AGAINST THE HINDU NATIONALIST BJP OPPOSITION PARTY. POLLING STATIONS CLOSE ON FRIDAY, AND VOTES WILL BE COUNTED NEXT WEEK. A CHARITY HOCKEY MATCH BETWEEN NEW YORK CITY POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS HAS GONE VERY WRONG, WITH A MASSIVE BRAWL BREAKING OUT. THEY WERE HALFWAY THROUGH THE GAME WHEN PLAYERS BEGAN PUNCHING EACH OTHER AND THROWING STICKS, GLOVES AND HELMETS. REFEREES STRUGGLED TO BREAK UP THE FIGHT, BUT THE GAME EVENTUALLY RESUMED. THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT BOTH DECLINED TO COMMENT ON THE BRAWL. AND 44 PEOPLE WERE HURT AND 100 ARRESTED AFTER A SPRING-BREAK UNIVERSITY PARTY GOT OUT OF CONTROL IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. POLICE SAY THE CROWD OF 15,000 BEGAN THROWING ROCKS, BRICKS AND BOTTLES AND LIGHTING FIRES. TEAR GAS AND PEPPER SPRAY HAD TO BE USED TO DISPERSE THE CROWD. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE SHAREMARKET AND BUSINESS NEWS AS XERO TUMBLES AGAIN. THEN IN SPORT, SPURS GRAB A FISTFUL AGAINST RELEGATION-BOUND SUNDERLAND. CHORUS HAS LOST ITS BID TO OVERTURN THE COMMERCE COMMISSION'S PRICING DECISION ON ITS COPPER BROADBAND LINES. THE TELCO NETWORK OPERATOR APPEALED TO THE HIGH COURT TO THROW OUT THE REGULATOR'S DECISION THAT IT COULD CHARGE RETAILERS ONLY $10.92 A MONTH. CHORUS SAID THAT DECISION FAILED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT CONSTRUCTION OF THE ULTRA-FAST BROADBAND NETWORK. CHORUS HAS ARGUED THE PRICE CUT WILL LEAVE A $1B HOLE IN ITS FUNDS FOR BUILDING THE NETWORK. THE LOWER PRICES ARE SCHEDULED TO COME INTO FORCE ON THE 1ST OF DECEMBER. 1 WITH ME NOW GRETCHEN WILLIAMSON FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. AND THE TECH STOCKS GETTING ANOTHER HAMMERING TODAY. WHAT'S GOING ON? THIS ITEM WILL BE CAPTIONED LIVE. FOR MORE, GO TO ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND CLICK ON 'BUSINESS'. STARTED IN THE US NASDAQ STOCKS UP AGAIN A GAP BETWEEN PRICED EARNINGS INVESTORS WITHDRAWING BECAUSE OF FEARS OF RISK XERO DRIVEN DOWN BY NZ MARKET XERO HAS A BROAD IMPACT ON OUR IMPACT THESE STOCKS TRADE IN A LOT OF SPECULATION INVESTORS TAKING CAUTION A BIT OF A CHANGE IN THE STEEL INDUSTRY. THE STEEL AND TUBE COMPANY MAKING AN ACQUISITION? ACQUIRING A DIVISION OF TARTAR STEEL THEY ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST PRODUCERS IN THE WORLD IT IS A GOOD STRATEGIC FIT GET SOME SYNERGY THANK YOU, GRETCHEN WILLIAMSON, FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. SUNDERLAND HAS DROPPED FURTHER INTO THE RELEGATION MIRE AFTER BEING THRASHED BY A RESURGENT TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR IN ENGLISH FOOTBALL'S PREMIER LEAGUE THIS MORNING. SPURS INEXPLICABLY GIFTED SUNDERLAND THE OPENING GOAL, A BACK PASS GOING TERRIBLY WRONG, BEFORE CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN DISHED UP TWO GOALS ON A PLATTER. ERIKSEN. AND IT STAYED IN. HARRY KANE. THE PROVIDER QUICKLY BECAME THE FINISHER. ERIKSEN. THEY MIGHT DO IT HERE WITH ERIKSEN! THEY PROBABLY HAVE DONE. SPURS RAN AWAY WITH IT, FINAL SCORE 5-1, AND NOW FIVE POINTS OFF FOURTH PLACE WITH FIVE GAMES REMAINING. MIXED MARTIAL ARTS COMPETITION ULTIMATE FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP WILL HOLD LIVE FIGHTS IN AUCKLAND LATER THIS YEAR. DARFIELD FIGHTER JAMES TE HUNA WILL HEADLINE JUNE'S UFC SHOWDOWN. KIWI HEAVYWEIGHT MARK HUNT ISN'T EXPECTED TO BE IN ACTION AS HE'S STILL RECOVERING FROM A HAND INJURY SUSTAINED IN BRISBANE LAST YEAR. IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN ITS 20-YEAR HISTORY THAT THE EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE IN NZ. IRENE VAN DYK HAS MADE A TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO HER OLD STOMPING GROUND IN THE TRANS-TASMAN NETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP IN HAMILTON LAST NIGHT. THE SILVER FERNS LEGEND HAS LED THE CENTRAL PULSE TO A THRILLING EXTRA-TIME WIN OVER THE PREVIOUSLY UNBEATEN WAIKATO BAY OF PLENTY MAGIC ` ALTHOUGH SHE DIDN'T ALWAYS HAVE IT HER OWN WAY. THERE SHE GOES AGAIN. KOPUA. BEAUTIFUL TIMING. FELLOW VETERAN JOLINE HENRY CAME UP WITH THE BIG PLAYS IN EXTRA TIME TO CLOSE OUT THE CONTEST. THE PULSE WIN 56-53, WITH VAN DYK SHOOTING 32 GOALS AT 89%. THE NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS HAVE PUT A DOWNCAST NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS SIDE TO THE SWORD IN AN NRL CLASH IN TOWNSVILLE LAST NIGHT. WITH THE TRAGIC ALEX MCKINNON INJURY STILL HOVERING OVER THE EMBATTLED CLUB, THE COWBOYS SHOWED NO MERCY. FORMER WARRIOR BRENT TATE SCORED AS THE HOME SIDE RAN OUT TO A 16-2 HALFTIME LEAD. THEY CAN KICK THEM, THEY CAN CATCH THEM ` ANY WAY YOU LIKE! THE COWBOYS ADDED TWO FURTHER TRIES IN THE SECOND HALF TO COMPLETE THE ROUT. FINAL SCORE 28-2. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY, I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. AND HOW THIS INDIAN POLITICIAN'S TRYING TO CLIMB IN THE POLLS. LOOKING AT OUR TOP STORIES THIS MIDDAY. OSCAR PISTORIUS HAS DELIVERED A TEARFUL APOLOGY TO REEVA STEENKAMP'S FAMILY WHEN TAKING THE STAND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS OWN DEFENCE. THE ATHLETE DENIES MURDERING HIS GIRLFRIEND LAST YEAR. SOCIALITE AND MOTHER-OF-TWO PEACHES GELDOF, DAUGHTER OF SIR BOB GELDOF AND PAULA YATES, WAS FOUND DEAD IN HER HOME OVERNIGHT. POLICE HAVE DESCRIBED HER DEATH AS SUDDEN AND UNEXPLAINED. AND NZ AID'S ARRIVED IN THE SOLOMONS, WHERE THERE'S A GROWING THREAT OF INFECTION AFTER SEVERE FLOODING WIPED OUT THE CAPITAL'S SEWERAGE SYSTEM AND DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES. NOW TO THE WEATHER. THE LOW LINGERS NEAR EAST CAPE ALL DAY, WHILE A BROKEN STATIONARY FRONT HOVERS EITHER SIDE OF COOK STRAIT. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ AS YOU HEARD EARLIER, INDIANS HAVE BEGUN GOING TO THE THE POLLS IN GENERAL ELECTIONS, AND WITH THOUSANDS OF CANDIDATES, IT CAN BE HARD TO STAND OUT, UNLESS YOU'RE THIS GUY ` AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE WHO USED TO WORK FOR THE MUMBAI POLICE AS A MARTIAL ARTS TRAINER. HE'S NOW VYING FOR A SEAT IN PARLIAMENT AND HOPING HIS SUPERHERO STYLING MIGHT WIN HIM SOME VOTES. HELLO EVERYONE. I AM THE SPIDERMAN. VOTE FOR ME. LOVE YOU. THANK YOU. GAURAV SHARMA SAYS IT WOULD BE NICE IF VOTERS VIEWED HIM AS A SUPERHERO KIND OF POLITICIAN WHO CAN SOLVE ALL THEIR PROBLEMS. INDIA'S ELECTION RESULTS ARE EXPECTED FROM THE 16TH OF MAY. THANKS FOR JOINING US. THE ONE NEWS HOUR WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY JOHN LING AND TRACEY DAWSON. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR.