IT'S MIDDAY ` A BIG BUDGET BOOST FOR PHARMAC. WHAT THE ASSOCIATE HEALTH MINISTER'S REVEALED ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY'S ON THE WAY. WHY THERE'S FRESH HOPE FOR A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA AS NEGOTIATIONS CONTINUE IN CAIRO. PLUS TORNADOES WREAK HAVOC ACROSS THE U.S. STATE OF OKLAHOMA ` HOW OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WERE ALSO LEFT REELING. CAPTIONS BY BRIGIT KELLY AND LENA ERAKOVICH. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024 PHARMAC IS IN LINE FOR A $1.7B BUDGET BOOST, INCREASING FUNDING FOR THE COUNTRY'S DRUG BUYING AGENCY TO MORE THAN $6B OVER FOUR YEARS. CUSHLA NORMAN HAS BEEN ACROSS DEVELOPMENTS AND JOINS US NOW. WHAT DID THE ASSOCIATE HEALTH MINISTER DAVID SEYMOUR HAVE TO SAY? DAVID SEYMOUR SAYS TODAY'S BUDGET BOSST, IS ABOUT SAVING THE FURNITURE. LABOUR LEFT A FISCAL CLIFF FUNDING WAS DROPPING OFF, WAS WRONG NZ FUNDING OF MEDICINE IS LOWER THAN OECD SEYMOUR ACKNOWLEDGES THAT GAP WANTS TO SEE PHARMAC MAKE BETTER DECISIONS URGING A CHANGE OF DIRECTION BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THIS HYBRID SITUATION, WHERE TE WHATU ORA DOES MOST OF THE TECHNOLOGY BUT PHARMAC DOES SOME. THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF GENERAL DIRECTIONS THAT WE'LL BE OFFERING THEM. BREAST CANCER NZ WELCOMING TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT STILLK NEEDS TO BE A LOT MORE INVESTMENT DESPITE EFFORTS FROM FIRST RESPONDERS, THE PERSON RECEIVED CRITICAL INJURIES AND DIED AT THE SCENE. AN INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE WILL REMAIN AT THE SCENE AS INQUIRIES CONTINUE. AT THIS STAGE, WE DON'T KNOW HOW THIS PERSON HAS DIED, SO UNTIL WE GET THROUGH THAT WORK, WE CAN'T DETERMINE WHICH WAY OUR ENQUIRY WILL LEAD, BUT OUR CRIME SCENE EXAMINATION PROCESS IS TO GO THROUGH TODAY AND THAT WILL GIVE US AN INDICATION AS TO WHICH WAY THIS INQUIRY IS HEADING. THE DEATHS OF TWO CHILDREN IN SEPARATE DRIVEWAY INCIDENTS LAST WEEK HAS PROMPTED CALLS FOR REVERSING CAMERAS AND PARKING SENSORS TO BE MADE MANDATORY. AROUND 5 CHILDREN DIE EACH YEAR IN NEW ZEALAND AS A RESULT OF DRIVEWAY INCIDENTS, WHILE ANOTHER 12 ARE HOSPITALISED. ROAD SAFETY CAMPAIGNER CLIVE MATTHEW-WILSON BELIEVES INCLUDING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN VEHICLES WOULD BE AN EASY SOLUTION. IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT TELLS YOU THAT THEY'RE THERE, YOU HAVE A MUCH, MUCH BETTER CHANCE OF AVOIDING THEM, AND THE STATS ARE QUITE CLEAR ON VEHICLES WITH REVERSING CAMERAS AND BEEPING PARKING SENSORS ` YOU'RE 45% LESS LIKELY TO HAVE A REAR ACCIDENT. MATTHEW-WILSON WANTS TO SEE MORE ACTION FROM THE GOVERNMENT ON WHAT HE BELIEVES IS AN EASY FIX TO SAVING LIVES. TRAINING NEW CORRECTIONS OFFICERS IS BEING HINDERED BY HUNDREDS OF STAFF VACANCIES. VACANCY DATA RELEASED TO BREAKFAST SHOWS THERE ARE 412 VACANCIES FOR FULL-TIME CORRECTIONS OFFICERS AS OF LATE MARCH, INCLUDING 75 AT CHRISTCHURCH MEN'S PRISON. CORRECTIONS SAYS RECRUITMENT IS A KEY FOCUS, WITH 85 NEW STAFF STARTING TODAY, BUT RESOURCING REMAINS AN ISSUE. NO, WE'RE STRUGGLING. WE'RE HAVING TO RUN COURSES IN REGIONS, NOT AT THE NATIONAL LEARNING CENTRE. WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ROOM DOWN THERE. I THINK THERE'S 75 ON THE COURSE THAT WERE SHOWN ON THIS MORNING, THERE'S 85 STARTING ON MONDAY, TODAY, AND THE NEXT COURSE THAT'S STARTING IS 120, AND SOME OF THEM ARE DOING THEIR TRAINING IN THE REGIONS, NOT DOWN AT THE NATIONAL LEARNING CENTRE. CORRECTIONS SAYS NOT ALL VACANCIES NEED TO BE FILLED IN ORDER FOR A SPECIFIC PRISON TO OPERATE. AT LEAST FOUR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN OKLAHOMA AS TORNADOES CARVE A PATH OF DESTRUCTION ACROSS THE STATE. AS THE ABC'S MELISSA ADAN REPORTS, IT'S NOT THE ONLY STATE LEFT REELING. MORE THAN 13 MILLION PEOPLE ACROSS SEVEN STATES UNDER THE THREAT OF VIOLENT STORMS, FOR THE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE DAY. IN OKLAHOMA, SEVERAL REPORTED TORNADOES. HOLY COW. IT'S HUGE. IT'S HUGE. FROM ABOVE, YOU CAN SEE THE DEVASTATION IN SULPHUR, OKLAHOMA. HOMES AND BUSINESSES REDUCED TO PILES OF DEBRIS. THE DAMAGE IN THE COMMUNITY OF SULPHUR IS EXTENSIVE. WE CAN SEE CARS FLIPPED OVER ON TO ITS SIDE, THE WINDOWS OF THESE BUILDINGS BLOWN OUT. NOW CREWS HAVE ARRIVED HERE TO THE TOWN TO HELP CLEAN UP. YOU CAN SEE THE ROOFS HERE COLLAPSING ON TO A CAR. IT IS GOING TO BE A LONG RECOVERY. JULIE COX BOUTIQUE IS AMONG THE BUSINESSES THAT WERE DAMAGED. THIS WAS JUST BOUTIQUES, WINERIES, SHOPPING. IT WAS AMAZING. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL LITTLE TOWN. BUT IT'LL BE BACK THAT WAY. THAT'S GOOD. YOU GUYS WILL REBUILD. YEAH, YEAH. FIERCE LIGHTNING SEEN IN THE SKY, ILLUMINATING AN APPARENT TORNADO NEAR ARDMORE, OKLAHOMA. IN NEBRASKA, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SURVEYING THE DAMAGE AFTER MORE THAN TWO DOZEN REPORTED TWISTERS. SO FAR, EF-3 AND EF-2 STRENGTH DAMAGE HAS BEEN CONFIRMED IN DOUGLAS COUNTY, BUT THANKFULLY, EVERYONE SURVIVED. FOR THAT BIG OF A STORM TO HAVE THE PROPERTY DAMAGE THAT WAS SO EXTENSIVE. BUT THE LOSS OF LIFE, THAT'S A TREMENDOUS ATTRIBUTE OF THE CITY OF OMAHA. AND IN IOWA, OFFICIALS SAY MORE THAN 100 STRUCTURES WERE DAMAGED AFTER AT LEAST 10 REPORTED TORNADOES THERE. ONE PERSON WAS KILLED. THIS SEVERE WEATHER THREAT EXPECTED THROUGH THE EVENING ` DAMAGING WINDS, LARGE HAIL AND A FEW TORNADOES ALL IN THE FORECAST, WHILE THERE IS A DANGER OF FLOODING IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND OZARKS AMID DRENCHING RAINS. AND FIVE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED BY A TORNADO THAT HIT THE CHINESE CITY OF GUANGZHAU. 33 OTHERS WERE ALSO INJURED IN THE GUANGDONG PROVINCE IN THE SOUTH OF THE COUNTRY. A WEATHER STATION NEAR THE TORNADO'S PATH MEASURED WIND GUSTS OF MORE THAN 70 KM/H. AUTHORITIES SAID 141 FACTORY BUILDINGS WERE DAMAGED, BUT NO RESIDENTIAL HOUSES HAD COLLAPSED. THERE'S FRESH HOPE FOR A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA, WITH HAMAS SAYING IT HAS 'NO MAJOR ISSUES' WITH THE LATEST PROPOSAL FOR A TRUCE. OFFICIALS ARE DUE TO MEET IN CAIRO OVERNIGHT FOR MORE TALKS. U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN HAS ALSO SPOKEN WITH ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, WITH AN INCREASE IN AID AND OPENING MORE BORDER CROSSINGS IN THE NORTH ALSO DISCUSSED. THE U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN IS ALSO IN THE REGION TO ASSIST WITH PEACE TALKS. THE ISRAELI MILITARY'S ALSO RELEASED VIDEO OF WORK ALONG THE GAZA COAST TO INSTALL A TEMPORARY PIER FOR SHIPMENTS OF AID VIA SEA. THE UNITED NATIONS HAS WARNED OF 'CATASTROPHIC HUNGER' IN THE BESIEGED TERRITORY, WITH 70% OF THE POPULATION FACING FAMINE. THE BBC'S FERGAL KEANE SPOKE WITH AN AMERICAN DOCTOR WHO'S RECENTLY RETURNED FROM THE NORTH OF GAZA, WHERE THE CRISIS IS AT ITS WORST. A WARNING ` IMAGES IN HIS REPORT MAY BE DISTRESSING TO SOME VIEWERS. SAM ATTAR WENT TO HELP PEOPLE TRAPPED BY WAR. HE USUALLY WORKS IN A HIGH-TECH HOSPITAL IN CHICAGO. IN GAZA, HIS SKILLS AND MENTAL STRENGTH WILL BE TESTED TO THEIR LIMITS. IMMEDIATELY UPON CROSSING THE BORDER, WE WERE MET WITH THE FAMILIAR STENCH OF JUST MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, UH, PACKED ON TOP OF EACH OTHER, LIVING TOGETHER. IN SOME POCKETS, THE AIR YOU BREATHE, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE DECAYING JUST BREATHING IT, BECAUSE THERE ARE JUST SO MANY PEOPLE. THE CRISIS IS CONSTANT... LIVES IN THE BALANCE. (SOBS, SPEAKS ARABIC) THE MOTHER WHO WILL NOT LEAVE THE SIDE OF HER DEAD BOY. SOBS: AMIR, WALLAH, AMIR, AMIR. YOU HAVE NO CT SCANS? MAN: NO CT SCANS. SO YOU JUST WATCH THEM AND HOPE FOR THE BEST? YES. IT IS THE GREAT PARADOX OF ALL WAR THAT IN THE MIDST OF SLAUGHTER, SO MANY WILL RISK THEIR LIVES FOR HUMANITY. THIS ONE HERE. THE DOCTOR WHOSE DAUGHTER WAS KILLED COMFORTS THIS MOTHER. BUT SAM ATTAR MUST NOW TRAVEL NORTH, WHERE THE U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS CHIEF ALLEGES ISRAEL MAY BE USING STARVATION AS A WEAPON OF WAR. ISRAEL REJECTS THIS, SAYING UN FIGURES ARE WRONG AND BLAMES DELAYS AND DISTRIBUTION ON THE UN AND AID AGENCIES. THOSE WHO ALREADY HAD SERIOUS MEDICAL PROBLEMS ARE NOW ACUTELY VULNERABLE SAM: SO THIS IS JENNA. SHE PRESENTED, YOU SAID, AS A SKELETON? CHILD: MAMA. MAMA. MAMA. DUE TO MALNUTRITION, SHE'S JUST SKIN AND BONE. A CHILD SAM HAD TO LEAVE BEHIND, LIKE SO MANY OTHERS IN THIS WAR. JENNY'S MOM CAME TO ME AND JUST WAS SAYING, 'I THOUGHT WE WERE COMING WITH YOU. WHAT'S HAPPENING? 'WHY ARE YOU GOING AND WE'RE STAYING?' AND, UH, IT'S BECAUSE, UM, THE CONVOY WAS ONLY APPROVED FOR THE DELIVERY OF FOOD AND FUEL, AND NOT FOR TAKING ANY PATIENTS BACK. BUT MEMORIES OF WAR HAVE THEIR OWN WAY OF FOLLOWING, AS SAM KNOWS WELL. I LEFT A PIECE OF MY SOUL IN GAZA, AND I HOPE.... I DO HOPE TO GO BACK. I'D SAY IT'S THE BEST TIME IN MY LIFE, BUT THE WORST TIME OF MY LIFE. BEST TIME BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE, BUT THE WORST TIME BECAUSE OF ALL THE HORRORS YOU WITNESS. SAM MANAGED TO ORGANISE JENNA'S EVACUATION TO THE SOUTH. IN ALL OF THIS, IT IS HARD TO SPEAK OF HOPE, EXCEPT TO KNOW THAT GAZA'S MEDICS KEEP GOING ` THE STEADY LIGHT OF DECENCY. AND STUDENTS IN SYDNEY HAVE JOINED A WORLDWIDE PROTEST FOR A CEASEFIRE IN GAZA, CALLING FOR THE CITY'S UNIVERSITY TO CUT TIES WITH ISRAEL. THE PROTESTS BEGAN AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN NEW YORK CITY LAST WEEK, WITH GROUPS SETTING UP CAMP AT OTHER CAMPUSES. THEY'RE DEMANDING DIVESTMENT FROM COMPANIES THEY SAY ARE ENABLING ISRAEL'S ATTACKS ON GAZA. WE'RE HERE, WE SET UP AN ENCAMPMENT ` YES, IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PROTESTERS IN THE U.S., BUT MORE SO IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE PEOPLE OF GAZA, THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE, TO SAY THAT WE DEMAND THAT THE UNIVERSITY CUT ITS INSTITUTIONAL LINKS TO ISRAEL UNTIL IT COMPLIES WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW. THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY SAYS IT SUPPORTS THE RIGHT TO PROTEST AND WOULD ONLY CONSIDER PLACING RESTRICTIONS IF THE PROPOSED ACTIVITY WAS UNLAWFUL. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THOUSANDS MARCH ACROSS AUSTRALIA DEMANDING ACTION ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, AS THE PM LABELS IT A NATIONAL CRISIS. PLUS ` FROM ZERO TO HERO ` SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN BOUNCES BACK FROM A CHEATING SCANDAL TO TAKE THE CHEQUERED FLAG IN INDYCAR. AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER HAS CALLED STATE PREMIERS TO A NATIONAL CABINET MEETING THIS WEEK TO DISCUSS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN WHICH HE HAS LABELLED A NATIONAL CRISIS. THE PM JOINED THOUSANDS WHO MARCHED ACROSS THE COUNTRY YESTERDAY CALLING FOR URGENT ACTION. CHANNEL 9'S EDDIE MYER HAS MORE. AN EPIDEMIC OF UNTOLD TRAGEDY ` A TALLY OF WOMEN WHO HAVE DIED AT THE HANDS OF CURRENT OR FORMER MALE PARTNERS, THE PRIME MINISTER JOINING A LARGE RALLY IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL, FACING THE SIGNS OF SADNESS HEAD ON. WE NEED TO CHANGE THE CULTURE. WE NEED TO CHANGE ATTITUDES. WE NEED TO CHANGE THE LEGAL SYSTEM. WE NEED TO CHANGE THE APPROACH BY ALL GOVERNMENTS. IT WILL BE THE KEY TOPIC OF A NATIONAL CABINET MEETING ON WEDNESDAY. CROWD CHANTS: HEY, HEY, HO, HO, GENDERED VIOLENCE, TIME TO GO! IN MELBOURNE, MORE THAN 10,000 MARCHED, DECRYING A SYSTEM THAT IS FAILING WOMEN. GENDERED VIOLENCE HAS TO GO! EMOTION HERE RAW. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I'M 64, VOICE BREAKS: AND THIS SADDENS ME TO DEATH. MY DAUGHTER, KATIE HALEY, WAS MURDERED IN 2018 BY HER PARTNER. SO I'M HERE TO SUPPORT MY GRANDKIDS, MY KIDS, BUT ALL WOMEN. FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT! NO MORE VIOLENCE, NO MORE HATE! ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, WE WON'T TAKE IT ANY MORE! THROUGH BRISBANE CITY, THOUSANDS AGAIN DRAWN BY A CALL TO ACTION. TOO MANY PROGRAMMES ARE NOT MEETING THEIR OBLIGATIONS. WE'RE NOT SEEING CHANGE. YOU KNOW, EVERY FOUR DAYS A WOMAN IS DYING IN THIS COUNTRY NOW. IT TOUCHED A NERVE ` AT A RALLY IN ORANGE IN CENTRAL WESTERN NEW SOUTH WALES, JUST 100KM FROM FORBES, WHERE MOLLY TICEHURST (28) WAS KILLED THIS WEEK, ALLEGEDLY AT THE HANDS OF A FORMER PARTNER WHILE OUT ON BAIL FOR HER ALLEGED RAPE. THE INJUSTICE ` MOLLY ASKED FOR HELP AND THE HELP WASN'T GIVEN. AND JUST LIKE HUNDREDS OF OTHER WOMEN BEFORE MOLLY, THEY'VE ASKED FOR HELP, AND THE HELP HASN'T BEEN GIVEN. SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE. ON THE NEW SOUTH WALES NORTH COAST, FLOWERS IN THE WATER, EACH TO MARK A DEATH. A MINUTE'S SILENCE IN MEMORY OF TOO MANY WOMEN LOST. AFTER A SERIES OF RUSSIAN ATTACKS MAINLY IN THE EASTERN DONETSK REGION, UKRAINE'S COMMANDER IN CHIEF HAS ADMITTED CIRCUMSTANCES ON THE FRONT LINE HAVE WORSENED. IT'S HOPED THE ARRIVAL OF MILITARY AID FROM THE U.S. WILL HELP STABILISE THE SITUATION. THE BBC'S JAMES WATERHOUSE IS IN KYIV AND FILED THIS UPDATE. GENERAL OLEKSANDR SYRSKYI PAINTED A BLEAK PICTURE. HE TALKED ABOUT, AS YOU SAY, THE EASTERN DONETSK REGION BEING THE WORST AFFECTED FOR UKRAINE, WHERE DEFENDING TROOPS HAVE HAD TO PULL OUT FROM DEFENSIVE LINES, WHICH WERE ESTABLISHED WHEN THE TOWN OF AVDIIVKA FELL EARLIER THIS YEAR. WE'VE JUST TRAVELLED FROM THERE WHERE WE SAW NEW TRENCHES BEING DUG AS MANY AS 30km BACK FROM THE FRONT LINE, WHICH GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE ` RUSSIA IS USING ITS AIR SUPERIORITY, NOTABLY IN THE NORTHEAST AROUND THE TOWN OF KUPYANSK. UKRAINE DOES TRY AND COUNTERPUNCH WHERE IT CAN. TODAY ITS INTELLIGENCE SERVICE RELEASED FOOTAGE OF A DRONE STRIKE ON A RADAR SYSTEM IN NEIGHBOURING BELGOROD REGION INSIDE RUSSIA. SO UKRAINE TRIES TO HIT BACK WHERE IT CAN. BUT YOU MENTIONED THAT U.S. AID PACKAGE, THAT MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR OFFERING. IT'S MEANT TO ARRIVE IMMINENTLY, WE'RE TOLD. BUT IT'S CLEAR FROM TODAY'S FORECAST THAT ANY UKRAINIAN BENEFIT WON'T COME BEFORE SIGNIFICANT RUSSIAN GAINS ALONG THIS EASTERN FRONT LINE AND RIGHT ACROSS IT, IN THE WORDS OF GENERAL OLEKSANDR SYRSKYI TODAY. AND A DELEGATION FROM UKRAINE IS SET TO ARRIVE IN NEW ZEALAND THIS WEEK, FOCUSING ON LAW AND ORDER, FINANCE AND DEFENCE. THE GROUP WILL VISIT PARLIAMENT, MEET SEVERAL GOVERNMENT MINISTERS AS WELL AS CHRIS HIPKINS, AND THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE AND TRADE SELECT COMMITTEES. THE DELEGATION WILL ALSO VISIT LINTON MILITARY CAMP TO MEET WITH NZDF PERSONNEL WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH THE TRAINING OF UKRAINIAN PERSONNEL AND THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND POLICE COLLEGE. EMPLOYERS ASKING FOR UNNECESSARY CREDIT CHECKS ARE BEING WARNED THEIR BEHAVIOUR COULD BREACH THE LAW. EMPLOYMENT NEW ZEALAND SAYS AN EMPLOYER CAN'T ASK FOR A CREDIT CHECK OF A PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEE UNLESS THE JOB INVOLVES FINANCIAL RISK. THIS COMES AFTER SOME JOB-SEEKERS ARE RECEIVING RANDOM CREDIT CHECKS WHEN APPLYING FOR JOBS, WITH ONE PERSON BELIEVING THEY DIDN'T GET THE JOB BECAUSE OF IT. BUT ONE RECRUITER SAYS YOU CAN QUESTION WHY IT'S REQUIRED IF IT'S NOT RELEVANT TO THE JOB. IF YOU'RE BEING ASKED TO PROVIDE ONE FOR A ROLE THAT'S GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH MONEY HANDLING, IT'S ACTUALLY FAIR AND REASONABLE TO ASK WHY, DIPLOMATICALLY, AND JUST SORT OF TEST THE POLICY OF THE ORGANISATION TO SEE WHY THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT ` THAT I, AS A CUSTOMER SERVICES PERSON, NEED TO PROVIDE A CREDIT CHECK. COS IT'S ACTUALLY NOT RELEVANT. SHE SAYS IT'S A RED FLAG IF A COMPANY INSISTS ON A CHECK FOR A JOB THAT DOES NOT INVOLVE AN ELEMENT OF FINANCIAL RISK. THE POPE HAS ENCOURAGED YOUNG PEOPLE TO LEAVE THEIR CELLPHONES AT HOME AND GET OUT AND MEET PEOPLE. DURING A VISIT TO THE ITALIAN CITY OF VENICE, THE PONTIFF DITCHED THE POPEMOBILE FOR A MORE NAUTICAL MODE OF TRANSPORT. HE ALSO VISITED A WOMEN'S PRISON, HELD MASS, AND MET WITH HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE. HIS HOLINESS TOLD THEM CELLPHONES ARE USEFUL FOR COMMUNICATION, BUT IF YOU WANT A HUG, A KISS OR A HANDSHAKE, YOU MUST MEET PEOPLE. TO SPORT ` AND SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN HAS WON THE LATEST INDY GRAND PRIX IN DOMINANT FASHION THIS MORNING. THE KIWI DRIVER LED 58 OF THE 90 LAPS IN ALABAMA, AND NEEDED TO DEFEND AFTER A LATE YELLOW FLAG FIVE LAPS FROM THE FINISH. SCOTTY MAC! MCLAUGHLIN WINS AT BARBER FOR BACK-TO-BACK YEARS, AND TEAM PENSKE'S BACK ON TOP! IT'S A BIG TURNAROUND FOR MCLAUGHLIN, WHO WAS STRIPPED OF POINTS LAST WEEK AS PART OF A CHEATING SCANDAL. AND THE RACE WAS BRIEFLY INTERRUPTED BY A MANNEQUIN THAT DROPPED ON TO THE TRACK. BETTER KNOWN AS 'GEORGINA', IT'S ONE OF MANY PIECES OF ART AROUND THE BARBER MOTORSPORTS PARK. THE CENTRAL PULSE HAVE EXTENDED THE SOUTHERN STEEL'S LOSING STREAK IN THE CAPITAL. THE SOUTHERNERS LED BY TWO GOALS AT HALF-TIME, BUT TOO MANY ERRORS HANDED THE PULSE THE RESULT. THE 54-46 WIN PUTS THE PULSE ON TOP OF THE PREMIERSHIP TABLE. ARSENAL HAVE KEPT THEIR PLACE AT THE TOP OF THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE RACE, BEATING TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 3-2 THIS MORNING. BUT THEIR MAIN RIVAL REMAINS HOT ON THEIR HEELS, JUST A POINT BEHIND. THE BBC'S KATIE GORNALL REPORTS. ARSENAL'S PLAYERS KNEW ALL TOO WELL ` THE STAKES WERE HIGH AND THE MARGINS WERE TIGHT. WITH A FIRST TITLE IN 20 YEARS ON THE LINE, THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR ERROR. INSTEAD, IT WAS SPURS THAT SLIPPED UP ` AN OWN GOAL FROM PIERRE-EMILE HOJBJERG. ARSENAL WERE UP AND RUNNING, AND, AS EVER, BUKAYO SAKA WAS AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING. AND SAKA MAKES IT TWO! THEIR SECOND ` HIS 15TH LEAGUE GOAL OF THE SEASON. SPURS HAVE TOP FOUR AMBITIONS OF THEIR OWN, BUT THAT LOOKED A DISTANT DREAM WHEN KAI HAVERTZ WAS LEFT UNMARKED TO PUT ARSENAL 3-0 UP. AT HALF-TIME, THERE SEEMED NO WAY BACK FOR SPURS, BUT THEN DAVID RAYA DID THIS, AND CRISTIAN ROMERO CHANGED THE MOOD. OH, RAYA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? ARSENAL WERE RATTLED, AND FOR A MOMENT RECKLESS ` THIS MEANT PENALTY, AND SON KEPT HIS COOL TO SPARK CHAOS IN THE STANDS. AND NOW FEEL THE BELIEF! IT WAS AN ANXIOUS FINALE, BUT ARSENAL SURVIVED. THEIR TITLE CHALLENGE REMAINS ON TRACK. MANCHESTER CITY ` IT'S OVER TO YOU. AND MANCHESTER CITY KEPT THE PRESSURE ON THE GUNNERS WITH A 2-0 WIN OVER NOTTINGHAM FOREST. CITY OPENED THE SCORING, JOSKO GVARDIOL GETTING ON THE END OF THIS CORNER KICK, ALL WHITES SKIPPER CHRIS WOOD MISSING A MASSIVE CHANCE TO EQUALISE FOR FOREST. SWUNG IT TOWARDS THE POST ` AND WOOD HAS MISSED A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FROM THE CROSS. WHAT A CHANCE. HE KNOWS IT, ABSOLUTELY. ERLING HAALAND WRAPPING UP THE WIN AND SECURING THE THREE POINTS. DESPITE SITTING SECOND, CITY HAVE A GAME IN HAND OVER ARSENAL. RYAN FOX AND SOUTH AFRICAN TEAM-MATE GARRICK HIGGO HAVE FINISHED IN A THREE-WAY TIE FOR FOURTH AT THE ZURICH CLASSIC IN NEW ORLEANS ` THE PAIR CARDING A FINAL ROUND 7 UNDER 65 TO FINISH 22 UNDER PAR, JUST TWO SHOTS OFF THE LEAD. THE TOURNAMENT SENT TO A PLAYOFF HOLE, WITH RORY MCILROY AND SHANE LOWRY EVENTUALLY TAKING OUT THE TOP PRIZE. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. (THE EXPONENTS' 'I'LL SAY GOODBYE (EVEN THOUGH I'M BLUE)') THANKS FOR JOINING US ` TE KARERE IS HERE AT 4, FOLLOWED BY THE 1 NEWS TEAM AT 6. PLUS YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH ALL OF TODAY'S NEWS ONLINE AT 1NEWS.CO.NZ BUT FROM THE WHOLE MIDDAY TEAM, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY BRIGIT KELLY AND LENA ERAKOVICH. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2024