IT'S MIDDAY. PROPERTY LISTINGS HIT A 16 YEAR LOW AS MARCH SEES A PLUMMET IN HOUSES ON THE MARKET. WHAT'S BEHIND THE DROP-OFF? WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS! HAWKES BAY'S PLEA TO TOURISTS AS IT TRIES TO BOUNCE BACK FROM CYCLONE GABRIELLE. AND IT'S NOW THE MOST POPULATED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD ` HOW INDIA'S HOPING A CONTROVERSIAL POLICY CAN SLOW ITS POPULATION BOOM. CAPTIONS BY EMMA BARTOSZEWICZ POOLE AND STACEY SPARY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 GOOD AFTERNOON. JURORS IN THE MURDER TRIAL OF CHRISTCHURCH PRISON GUARD DAVID BENBOW SAY THEY CAN'T REACH A UNANIMOUS VERDICT AFTER 20 HOURS OF DELIBERATIONS AND COUNTING. THE 54-YEAR-OLD WAS STRAIGHT-FACED AS HE ARRIVED AT COURT THIS MORNING. HE'S BEEN ON BAIL THROUGHOUT THE LENGTHY TRIAL, WHICH IS NOW INTO ITS EIGHT WEEK. IT'S ALLEGED BENBOW KILLED HIS FRIEND MICHAEL MCGRATH IN 2017, AFTER FINDING OUT HE WAS IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS EX-PARTNER, JO GREEN. MICHAEL MCGRATH'S BODY HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND. JUSTICE EATON HAS NOW ASKED THE JURY TO WORK TOWARDS A MAJORITY VERDICT, WITH 11 PEOPLE IN AGREEMENT. PROPERTY FIGURES ARE AT A 16 YEAR LOW WITH FEWER HOMES UP FOR SALE AND ASKING PRICES CONTINUING TO DROP ACROSS THE COUNTRY. NEARLY 10,000 PROPERTIES WERE LISTED IN THE MONTH OF MARCH, THE LOWEST SINCE 2007, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST REPORT FROM REAL ESTATE NZ. THE PROPERTY WEBSITE SAYS THIS COULD BE A REFLECTION OF ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY, WITH REGIONS HIT HARDEST BY CYCLONE GABRIELLE FACING PARTICULARLY LARGE DROPS. THE TOTAL STOCK LEVELS ARE STILL AT 30,000. SO, THERE'S ACTUALLY LOTS OF HOMES FOR SALE. AND I THINK` PUT THAT INTO CONTEXT OF 18 MONTHS AGO WHERE WE HAD 12,500 PROPERTIES FOR SALE, AND THE DAYS ON MARKET WERE 20, NOW THEY'RE 40 ` IT'S ACTUALLY ALLOWING PEOPLE TIME TO REALLY SPEND TIME LOOKING AND ACTUALLY` AND BEING REALLY CONSIDERED IN THAT PROCESS TOO. THE NATIONAL AVERAGE ASKING PRICE IS NOW AROUND $850,000. A 10% PAY INCREASE IS ON THE WAY FOR THOUSANDS OF WORKERS. THE LIVING WAGE WILL RISE 10% TO $26 AN HOUR FROM THE FIRST OF SEPTEMBER. THE JUMP IS A RESULT OF A FULL RE-CALCULATION WHICH TAKES PLACE EVERY FIVE YEARS. MORE THAN 370 LIVING WAGE ACCREDITED EMPLOYERS WILL EARN AT LEAST $3.30 MORE AN HOUR THAN THE MINIMUM WAGE. ALMOST 70% OF SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESS OWNERS SAY THEY'RE BRACING FOR NEW ZEALAND'S ECONOMY TO DECLINE AS INFLATION REMAINS HIGH. THAT'S THE LATEST FROM MYOB, WHICH FOUND 30% OF OPERATORS EXPECT THE FALL TO BE SIGNIFICANT. MYOB SAYS IT'S A CRITICAL MOMENT FOR THESE BUSINESS OWNERS AS THEY FACE RECESSION WITH FEWER RESOURCES. HAWKE'S BAY TOURISM OPERATORS ARE REMINDING PEOPLE THEY'RE OPEN AHEAD OF THE EASTER BREAK. WHILE THE REGION HASN'T BEEN CLOSED TO VISITORS IN THE WAKE OF CYCLONE GABRIELLE, IT'S KICKING OFF A TOURISM DRIVE TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO TRAVEL. HAWKE'S BAY TOURISM CHIEF EXECUTIVE HAMISH SAXTON SAYS THEY HAVE LOADS OF ROOM AVAILABLE. WHAT WE'VE FOUND IS WE'VE GOT QUITE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE DURING THE WEEK, WORKING ON THE REBUILD AND RECOVERY. AND HAWKE'S BAY IS NORMALLY, OR OFTEN, VERY OFTEN, A WONDERFUL WEEKEND DESTINATION. WE'RE FINDING THE WEEKENDS ARE A LITTLE BIT LIGHT AT THE MOMENT, SO WE'D LOVED TO SEE THOSE FILLED UP. VISITORS ARE THE THIRD LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR TO GDP IN THE HAWKE'S BAY REGION. AND FREIGHT WILL FINALLY BE ABLE TO TRAVEL TO AND FROM HASTINGS VIA RAIL AFTER THE CYCLONE DAMAGED THE NETWORK. THIS MORNING THE LINE BETWEEN WOODVILLE AND HASTINGS REOPENED. 130km OF LINE AND SEVERAL BRIDGES HAD TO BE REPAIRED. TODD DAWSON, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF NAPIER PORT, SAYS EVERYONE RELIES OF RAIL AND ROAD WORKING TOGETHER SEAMLESSLY. RIGHT ACROSS THE WHOLE NORTH ISLAND, KIWI RAIL'S HAD SOME MAJOR DISASTERS. NOT ONLY IN THE HAWKE'S BAY, BUT ALSO UP IN NORTHLAND AND OTHER PLACES AS WELL, SO... THE NEW ZEALAND SUPPLY CHAIN RELIES ON THESE BIG, CRITICAL ARTERIES AROUND THE COUNTRYSIDE AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE RESILIENT. THE 20km STRETCH FROM NAPIER TO HASTINGS IS STILL MONTHS AWAY FROM A FULL FIX. PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN CHRISTCHURCH ARE MORE SEVERELY IMPAIRED THAN AT ANY POINT PRIOR TO THE COVID PANDEMIC. THAT'S ACCORDING TO ONE SURGEON IN THE CITY. PROFESSOR FRANK FRIZELLE PRESENTED A DOCUMENT TO THE MAYOR THIS MORNING, OUTLINING CHANGES HE BELIEVES ARE NEEDED, AND THE ROLE THE CITY COUNCIL CAN PLAY IN SUPPORTING THEM. HE SAYS STAFF SHORTAGES AND LONG-TERM FAILURE TO INVEST IN HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CRISIS. THIS IS NOT JUST A CHRISTCHURCH ISSUE, IT IS A NATIONAL ISSUE. IT IS NOT JUST IN SURGERY AND THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE OPERATIONS. FRIZELLE SAYS INSTEAD OF TE WHATU ORA MAKING THE SITUATION BETTER, THEY ARE MAKING IT WORSE. IT'S HOPED CELL COVERAGE 'BLACK SPOTS' COULD BE A THING OF THE PAST, THANKS TO A NEW TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP. MOBILE NETWORK 'ONE NEW ZEALAND', FORMERLY VODAFONE, WILL USE SPACE X'S CONSTELLATION OF STAR LINK SATELLITES TO BRING COVERAGE TO 100% OF THE COUNTRY. THE ANNOUNCEMENT FOLLOWS STARLINK SATELLITE'S CRITICAL USE IN THE AFTERMATH OF CYCLONE GABRIELLE, WHEN REGIONS EXPERIENCED LENGTHY COVERAGE BLACKOUTS. 50% OF AOTEAROA'S LAND MASS DOESN'T HAVE MOBILE COVERAGE. WE ALSO DON'T HAVE MOBILE TOWERS 12K'S OUT TO SEA, OF COURSE. AND SO WHEN THERE IS NOT MOBILE COVERAGE, THIS WILL CONNECT DIRECTLY TO YOUR NORMAL SMARTPHONE. AND SO IN 2024, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO TEXT, AND SOON AFTER THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO USE VOICE AND SOME DATA. THE PARTNERSHIP WILL ALSO MEAN EMERGENCY CALLS TO 111 WILL BE ABLE TO BE MADE FROM APPROPRIATE PHONES ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY, REGARDLESS OF THEIR MOBILE PROVIDER. INDIA HAS REACHED A MAJOR MILESTONE, BECOMING THE WORLD'S MOST POPULOUS COUNTRY ` ITS 1.41 BILLION PEOPLE OVERTAKING CHINA. BUT INDIA'S GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO REIN IN POPULATION GROWTH WITH SOME CONTROVERSIAL METHODS. THE ABC'S AVANI DIAS REPORTS. (TRADITIONAL MUSIC) IT'S A COLD, FOGGY MORNING IN A VILLAGE NORTH OF DELHI. (WOMAN KNOCKS ON DOOR) THESE GOVERNMENT HEALTH WORKERS ARE GOING DOOR TO DOOR ON A MISSION TO HELP CONTROL THEIR COUNTRY'S POPULATION. TRANSLATOR: WE GO TO EVERY HOME. WE MEET WOMEN, THEIR HUSBANDS AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE MOTIVATE THEM TO OPT FOR PERMANENT STERILISATION. THE HEALTH WORKERS ARRIVE AT THE HOUSE OF A WOMAN NAMED ASHA. SHE HAS FOUR KIDS. TRANSLATOR: I'M GOING TO GET REPRODUCTIVE SURGERY SO I WON'T HAVE ANY MORE CHILDREN. ASHA TELLS US SHE'LL BE PAID THE EQUIVALENT OF AU$25 AS AN INCENTIVE FOR THE SURGICAL STERILISATION. THE HEALTH WORKER RECEIVES $18 FOR EVERY PERSON SHE CONVINCES TO GET IT DONE ON TOP OF HER BASE SALARY. NOWHERE IN THE WORLD DO YOU HAVE SUCH HIGH STERILISATION RATES. THERE IS A PUSH BY THE PROVIDERS, ALWAYS, FOR STERILIZATION. THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT IS PAYING PEOPLE TO GET STERILISATION SURGERY AS THE COUNTRY TAKES OVER FROM CHINA AS THE MOST POPULOUS IN THE WORLD. IN BOTH COUNTRIES, THE NUMBER OF BABIES BORN EACH YEAR IS FALLING; IT'S JUST HAPPENING AT A SLOWER RATE IN INDIA. LIKE CHINA, INDIA HAS ALSO TRIED A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO TRY AND REDUCE ITS POPULATION. AND IT STARTED IN 1975. INDIA WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO INTRODUCE A NATIONAL FAMILY PLANNING SCHEME, BUT THIS WAS A PARTICULARLY DARK PART IN INDIA'S HISTORY. MILLIONS OF MEN WERE FORCIBLY GIVEN VASECTOMIES. FEMALE SURGICAL STERILISATION IS STILL THE MOST COMMON FORM OF CONTRACEPTION IN INDIA. AND WHILE IT'S NOT FORCED NOW, GIVING PEOPLE INCENTIVES IS CONTROVERSIAL. FOREIGN MINISTER NANAIA MAHUTA SAYS HER TRIP TO A NATO SESSION GIVES NEW ZEALAND A CHANCE TO REINFORCE ITS CONDEMNATION OF RUSSIA'S INVASION OF UKRAINE, AS AOTEAROA RENEWS ITS FORMAL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ORGANISATION. MAHUTA IS ENTERING HER SECOND DAY IN BELGIUM TODAY AFTER ATTENDING THE MEETING IN BRUSSELS. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS A SHORT BILATERAL VISIT TO STOCKHOLM. SWEDEN IS CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF THE EU. DESPITE OUTRAGE FROM UKRAINE, RUSSIA HAS ASSUMED THE PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED NATIONS' SECURITY COUNCIL. AS ONE OF THE COUNCIL'S FIVE PERMANENT MEMBERS, RUSSIA TAKES UP THE ROTATING ROLE OF CHAIR FOR ONE MONTH. ALTHOUGH PROCEDURAL, RUSSIA'S REIGN MEANS THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS CURRENTLY LED BY A COUNTRY WHOSE PRESIDENT IS AN ALLEGED WAR CRIMINAL. RUSSIA WILL USE ITS POSITION AS CHAIR FOR A MONTH OF THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL TO SET THE AGENDA AT A CRITICAL TIME, NOT JUST IN WHAT IS HAPPENING IN UKRAINE, BUT ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD. AND MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT RUSSIA'S OWN BEHAVIOUR HAS FORFEITED THE RIGHT FOR IT TO HOLD SUCH A PRESTIGIOUS POSITION. THE LAST TIME RUSSIA HELD THE PRESIDENCY WAS IN FEBRUARY LAST YEAR, WHEN MOSCOW LAUNCHED ITS FULL SCALE INVASION. A PRO-WAR RUSSIAN MILITARY BLOGGER HAS DIED AFTER REPORTEDLY BEING HANDED AN EXPLOSIVE FIGURINE IN A SAINT PETERSBURG CAFE. RUSSIA HAS CONFIRMED THE PERSON KILLED WAS PROMINENT BLOGGER, VLADLEN TATARSKY, BUT IT IS UNKNOWN IF HE WAS DELIBERATELY TARGETED. 30 OTHERS WERE INJURED IN THE EXPLOSION. IT COMES AS THE U.S DEMANDS THE RELEASE OF AN AMERICAN JOURNALIST DETAINED IN RUSSIA ON ESPIONAGE CHARGES. TOWNS AND CITIES ACROSS THE SOUTH OF THE U.S ARE IN RUINS AFTER WEEKS OF STORMS LASHING THE REGION. THE DEATH TOLL FROM THE LATEST SERIES OF STORMS HAS RISEN TO 32. MORE THAN 80 TORNADOS TORE THROUGH SEVERAL SOUTHERN AND MID-WESTERN STATES OVER THE WEEKEND, DESTROYING HOMES AND LEAVING THOUSANDS WITHOUT POWER. ON A VISIT TO MISSISSIPPI FOLLOWING THE STORMS, PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN HAS PROMISED FEDERAL AID FOR THE AFFECTED STATES' EMERGENCY RESPONSE. THE POPE IS BACK IN ACTION, JUST A DAY AFTER BEING DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL. POPE FRANCIS HAS MARKED THE START OF THIS YEAR'S EASTER SERVICES, LEADING THE PALM SUNDAY MASS AT THE VATICAN IN FRONT OF 30 THOUSAND WORSHIPPERS. THE BBC'S JENNY HILL HAS MORE. THERE WAS A DETERMINATION ABOUT POPE FRANCIS THIS MORNING, A DESIRE, PERHAPS, TO GET BACK TO WORK. BUT JUST A DAY AFTER HE LEFT HOSPITAL, HE CUT A RATHER FRAIL FIGURE. HIS VOICE, AT TIMES, RATHER HOARSE AS HE LED THE PALM SUNDAY MASS. (SPEAKS ITALIAN) TRANSLATOR: I THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME, AND ALSO FOR YOUR PRAYERS, WHICH INTENSIFIED IN RECENT DAYS. I TRULY THANK YOU. (APPLAUSE) FOR WORSHIPPERS HERE, A PRAYER ANSWERED. IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME OF THE CHURCH YEAR. AND POPE FRANCIS IS NOW EXPECTED TO PRESIDE OVER A GRUELLING SCHEDULE OF EASTER SERVICES. BUT HIS HOSPITAL STAY HAS INTENSIFIED SPECULATION ABOUT HIS LONGER TERM FUTURE. POPE FRANCIS HAS INDICATED REPEATEDLY THAT HE WOULD STAND DOWN WERE HIS HEALTH TO FAIL HIM. HE'S 86 YEARS OLD, HE HAS A NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT HEALTH COMPLAINTS, AND MANY HERE WONDER WHETHER THAT TIME MIGHT COME SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. FOR NOW, CELEBRATION; THE POPE CLEARLY DELIGHTED TO BE BACK AMONGST HIS PEOPLE, REASSURING THE FAITHFUL OF HIS DEVOTION. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` ONE OF THE FIRST CITIES IN THE WORLD TO ADOPT ELECTRIC SCOOTERS VOTES TO BAN THEM. WHY PARIS IS SAYING 'NON' TO E-SCOOTERS. PLUS ` MORE RECORDS FALL AT THE SWIMMING NATIONALS. AND ALL ABOARD THE WARRIORS' BANDWAGON AS THE CLUB CLIMBS THE NRL LADDER WITH A THRILLER COMEBACK WIN. GIRL: Renewable means there's always more of it. Dad's hair is not renewable. VOICEOVER: Genesis are helping to create a low carbon future, powered by renewable energy. IN A RARE MOVE, FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS HAVE HAD A TASTE OF ART IN ATHENS. PET OWNERS WERE ALLOWED TO BRING THEIR LEASHED DOGS TO THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART TO COMMEMORATE WORLD STRAY ANIMALS DAY LATER THIS WEEK. THE MUSEUM HAS ALSO ADOPTED A GENERAL PET-FRIENDLY POLICY, MUCH TO OWNERS' DELIGHT. ART IS A LIVING THING, SO I THINK BEING ABLE TO BRING YOUR DOG, TO BRING, YOU KNOW, LIKE, TO BRING YOUR LIFE HERE IS FANTASTIC. WE WERE LONG WAITING FOR THIS DAY, NOT SPECIFIC FOR THIS MUSEUM BUT IN GENERAL THAT DOGS ARE ALLOWED IN THE MUSEUMS, BECAUSE IF THEY ARE WELL-BEHAVED, IT'S EASY AND IT'S VERY COMFORTABLE FOR OURSELVES. DOGS MUST BE VACCINATED, KEPT ON A LEASH, AND OWNERS NEED TO TAKE CARE IN CASE OF ACCIDENTS. PARIS HAS BANNED RENTAL ELECTRIC SCOOTERS IN A PUBLIC REFERENDUM. THREE PEOPLE HAVE DIED FROM E-SCOOTER CRASHES IN THE FRENCH CAPITAL IN 2022, AND MORE THAN 450 E-SCOOTER RELATED INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THERE WERE 15,000 ELECTRIC SCOOTERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AT THE TIME OF THE VOTE. 90% OF VOTES CAST WERE IN FAVOUR OF THE BAN. YOU MIGHT NEED E-SCOOTERS SOON THOUGH, WITH SAUDI ARABIA ANNOUNCING MAJOR OIL PRODUCTION CUTS TO RAISE MARKET PRICES. IT COMES WEEKS AFTER OIL PRICES DROPPED TO THEIR LOWEST PRICE IN OVER A YEAR DUE TO FEARS OF A LOOMING BANKING CRISIS. SAUDI ARABIA IS AMONG A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES SET TO REDUCE PRODUCTION FROM MAY BY A MILLION BARRELS A DAY. THE U.S. HAS WARNED AGAINST THE CUTS, AS HIGH FUEL PRICES CONTINUE TO BE A DRIVER FOR INFLATION. TO SPORT, AND THE WARRIORS HAVE PRODUCED A THRILLING COMEBACK TO BEAT THE CRONULLA SHARKS 32-30. THE EARLY SEASON FORM LIFTING THEM TO SECOND AFTER FIVE ROUNDS. LACHIE MCLEOD HAS ALL THE ACTION. ANOTHER THRILLING RIDE FOR FANS ON THE WARRIORS ROLLER COASTER. IT'S DRIFTING! IT'S DRIFTING AWAY, AND THE WARRIORS HAVE WON IT! THE SIDE HOLDING ON FOR A TWO-POINT WIN OVER THE SHARKS, EVEN SWEETER FOR SHAUN JOHNSON AGAINST HIS OLD CLUB. RIGHT, WE SPOKE ABOUT IT AT HALF TIME, LIKE, DO WE ACTUALLY BELIEVE WE CAN COME OUT HERE AND DO IT? WE SPOKE` (LAUGHS) WE SAID SOME (BLEEP) FUNNY AT HALFTIME, BRO. WE WERE LIKE, 'WHAT A STORY IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW?' 'WE'LL TELL OUR GRANDKIDS ABOUT THIS ONE DAY' LET'S JUST GO 'AND HAVE A CRACK.' AND I THOUGHT WE JUST (BLEEP), MAN. WE'RE SO RESILIENT, BRO. I LOVE BEING A PART OF IT. IT'S JUST SUCH A GOOD FEELING AND OBVIOUSLY SO MUCH TO LIKE, SO MUCH TO NOT LIKE. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN YOU COME HERE, YOU'RE A GOOD SIDE, BRO. THEY'RE A GOOD SIDE. AND I'M JUST STOKED, EH. WHAT A FEELING. A FEELING THAT DIDN'T LOOK LIKELY EARLY ON. THEY'RE MOVING AGAIN. KENNEDY, TALAKAI, MULITALO! THE SHARKS BUILT A BIG LEAD IN THE FIRST HALF... KENNEDY, RAMIEN, KATOA. TOO GOOD. CRONULLA, SO SLEEK, SO POTENT. ...BUT THERE WAS ANOTHER TWIST TO COME AS THE WARRIORS LAUNCHED THEIR COMEBACK. CHASER'S GETTING THROUGH, AND DROPPED BY MULITALO. JOHNSON COMES UP WITH THE BALL! JOHNSON AGAIN TO GO OVER FOR THE WARRIORS. THE SCORE'S LOCKED UP AT 30-ALL, SHAUN JOHNSON GIVING THE WARRIORS THEIR FIRST LEAD OF THE NIGHT WITH SECONDS LEFT ON THE CLOCK. RIGHT FOOT, JOHNSON'S KICK... SAILS OVER FOR THE WARRIORS. THE SHARKS HAD ONE LAST CHANCE TO FORCE GOLDEN POINT, NICO HYNES UNABLE TO CONVERT THE PENALTY. THE WARRIORS OF 2023 ARE A DIFFERENT BEAST. WARRIORS FANS ABSOLUTELY LOVING IT, GO AND SOAK IT UP. YOU'VE WELL AND TRULY EARNED IT. WELL DONE, SHAUN. UP THE WARRIORS, BABY. LET'S GO. THE COMEBACK VICTORY MAKING IT THREE IN A ROW FOR THE NEW ZEALAND CLUB, AND UP TO SECOND ON THE LADDER FOR NOW. LACHIE MCLEOD, 1 NEWS. SWIMMER ERIKA FAIRWEATHER IS AIMING TO CONTINUE HER RECORD-BREAKING FORM AT THE NEW ZEALAND NATIONALS THIS EVENING. COMPETING IN AUCKLAND, FAIRWEATHER SMASHED HER OWN NATIONAL RECORD IN THE 200M FREESTYLE; FIRST IN THE HEATS, THEN AGAIN IN THE FINAL. 1.55.63 SHE DID THIS MORNING, LOWERED IT FROM 15.6. FINAL 15M FOR ERIKA FAIRWEATHER. RIGHT OUT ON HER OWN. CAN SHE GET IT? DOWN TO 1.55. 1.54. SHE COMES IN. 1.55.44 ` NEW NEW ZEALAND RECORD ONCE AGAIN. THE 19-YEAR-OLD WILL TRY BE THE FIFTH SWIMMER EVER TO GO UNDER FOUR MINUTES IN THE 400M FREESTYLE FINAL TONIGHT. NEWCASTLE UNITED HAVE JUMPED FROM FIFTH TO THIRD ON THE PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AFTER BEATING MANCHESTER UNITED 2-0 THIS MORNING. JOE WILLOCK MADE THE BREAKTHROUGH FOR THE HOME SIDE BEFORE CALLUM WILSON SECURED THE THREE POINTS. THE FREEKICK IN. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) CALLUM WILSON DOUBLING THE LEAD. THE TEAMS ARE EQUAL ON POINTS WITH NEWCASTLE HOLDING THE EDGE ON GOAL DIFFERENCE. THEY'RE BOTH ONE POINT AHEAD OF TOTTENHAM IN THE RACE FOR AN ALL IMPORTANT TOP FOUR FINISH. NEW ZEALAND HAVE COME OUT ON TOP AT THE HONG KONG SEVENS, WITH BOTH THE MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SIDES CLAIMING THEIR TITLES. THE ALL BLACK SEVENS BEAT FIJI 24-17 TO CLAIM THEIR FIRST HONG KONG TITLE SINCE 2014. THE WOMEN'S 26-17 WIN OVER AUSTRALIA MADE IT FIVE WINS IN A ROW. BOTH TEAMS, AND NOW NEW ZEALAND ARE SPREAD. ...ON THE END OF THE CHAIN. EXTENDING NEW ZEALAND'S ADVANTAGE WITH 4� TO PLAY. THE MEN ARE BACK IN ACTION THIS WEEKEND IN SINGAPORE. IT'S BEEN ANOTHER EXCITING FINISH IN FORMULA 1, WITH RED BULL'S MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKING THE CHEQUERED FLAG AT THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX. A THIRD RED FLAG LATE IN THE RACE MADE FOR A TENSE FINAL TWO LAPS, WITH DRAMA AND DAMAGE ALL OVER THE TRACK. AROUND THE OUTSIDE. HAMILTON'S IN SECOND PLACE, AND THERE'S CONTACT! CARLOS' SIDE SPINS FERNANDO ALONSO SPINS AROUND. THE TWO SPANISH DRIVERS MAKING CONTACT. AND THERE IS ESTEBAN AND GASLY, OUT OF THIS RACE TOO! IT'S CHAOS, AND STRAIGHT ON GOES LANCE STROLL. MERCEDES LEWIS HAMILTON FINISHED IN SECOND, WITH ASTON MARTIN'S FERNANDO ALONSO ROUNDING OUT THE PODIUM. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE WEDDING CRASHER THAT SURPRISED GUESTS IN AUSTRALIA. I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. - Hey, uh,... (CLEARS THROAT) Jimmy, you're riding with Rodney. - Far out. Big Rod, eh? - Everyone gets Rodneyed on their first day. - Hop in, mate. Don't worry about these bumholes! - (CHUCKLES) - Nah, they're good guys. (INDICATOR TICKS) Yeah, the guys always joke that I like to be on site before they've even left the base. But, you know, I like to get there early, have a muffin, relax. You like muffins? (ENGINE REVS) Oh, I just got a new V8 ` not a bogey-green one, though. (BOTH CHUCKLE) Hey, let's take the scenic route, eh? It's longer, but I make it fun. That's why the guys, they do 'paper scissors rock' to see who comes with me. - Oh, cos no one wants to go with that other dude you guys work with, eh ` the one we were having a crack at this morning? - Who, Grubby Aaron? - Oh, nah, you know, the guy that's always gunning it. No one wants to ride with him. Yeah! Oh, man, he, um` he's got a V8 too. WELCOME BACK. A WEDDING PARTY IN AUSTRALIA'S BEEN CRASHED BY AN UNWANTED GUEST ` A BAT. IT TERRORISED THE GROUP, LEAVING ITS MARK ON A FEW GUESTS, INCLUDING A BRIDESMAID. 9'S HAYLEY FRANCIS REPORTS. (GROANS) (LAUGHS) IT'S THE WEDDING CRASHER NO ONE SAW COMING. DO THEY BITE? NO. THEY'RE LIKE` THEY'RE FILTHY, THOUGH. (LAUGHS) TURNING THINGS UPSIDE DOWN AT HARDY'S BISTRO ON THE CENTRAL COAST, THIS BAT ZEROED IN ON THE LEE FAMILY DURING PRE-WEDDING DRINKS ON THURSDAY NIGHT. SUDDENLY, OUT OF THE TREES OVER THE ROAD, THIS THING WENT NUTS. CLUTCHING ONTO BAGS, THEN BODIES, ITS TINY YET POWERFUL CLAWS DIGGING IN, LEAVING ITS POTENTIALLY VIRUS-RIDDEN MARK ON SIX WEDDING GUESTS, INCLUDING A BRIDESMAID. WE WERE ACTUALLY SPENDING MOST OF OUR TIME TRYING TO GET IT OFF PEOPLE WHO IT HAD ATTACHED ITSELF TO. 10 SECONDS LATER, THE ROTTEN THING CAME BACK. IF THEY FIND THEMSELVES ON THE GROUND AND THEY GO FOR THE NEAREST TALL THING TO TRY AND CLIMB, TO GET SOME HEIGHT TO TAKE OFF. BUT THE FACT THAT THIS ONE KEPT ON COMING BACK IS INCREDIBLY UNUSUAL. FINALLY, A BRANCH ENOUGH TO CONVINCE THE CREATURE TO RETREAT. ALL SIX WEDDING GUESTS NEEDED MULTIPLE INJECTIONS, INCLUDING A VACCINE WHICH WAS URGENTLY TRANSPORTED FROM SYDNEY TO GOSFORD HOSPITAL. THE FEAR OF CONTRACTING LYSSAVIRUS VERY REAL, GIVEN THE THREE TIMES IT HAS BEEN DETECTED IN AUSTRALIA PROVED TO BE FATAL. A TRULY AUTHENTIC AUSSIE EXPERIENCE FOR THE BRIDE'S FAMILY VISITING FROM THE UK. YOU COME OVER FROM ENGLAND AND YOU'RE EXPECTING THE SPIDERS AND SNAKES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT BATS HAD NEVER CROSSED MY MIND AS SOMETHING TO BE WARY OF. THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE A CASE FOR THE HAPPY COUPLE TO COME BACK TO AUSTRALIA. ONE, THE BRIDE BEING FROM THE UK. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, YEAH, THIS INCIDENT DIDN'T HELP THE` DIDN'T HELP THE CAUSE. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. (SOFT, ACOUSTIC MUSIC) (SOFT ROCK MUSIC PLAYS) (SOFT ROCK MUSIC CONTINUES) THANKS FOR JOINING US. OUR NEXT NEWS IS TE KARERE AT FOUR AND THE ONE NEWS TEAM WILL BE HERE AT SIX. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY EMMA BARTOSZEWICZ POOLE AND STACEY SPARY. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.