Morning Report

The Australian Grand Prix will reportedly be called off after McLaren withdrew from the Formula One season opener when a team member tested positive for coronavirus.

World markets plunge after the US bans flights from Europe. A sombre mood in Christchurch as Sunday's anniversary of the mosque shootings approaches. I'll be talking to survivors of the tragedy and to police and city leaders.

More than a million native plants are unfurling along the new Waikato Expressway.

The newly opened Huntly section of the expressway is 15 kilometres of four-lane highway, but landscapers are using locally sourced native plants and wetland restoration to soften the edges.

Graham Cleary is founder of landscapers Natural Habitats.

He speaks to Corin Dann.

A major power outage is affecting the Hutt Valley and south Wairarapa.

RNZ reporter Ruth Hill has the latest.

The fourth edition of New Zealand's elite netball competition - the ANZ Premiership - could be too close to call according to Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua.

The competition starts on Sunday with two games.

The defending champion Wellington Pulse play the Canterbury Tactix and an all-Auckland battle between the Northern Stars and Northern Mystics closes out opening day.

Dame Noeline told RNZ sports reporter Felicity Reid she's always watching and the Silver Ferns, and those hoping to pull on the black dress will need to be on their best behaviour during the domestic competition.

We've checked this morning to find out what the pandemic announcement means for those travelling overseas.

Most travel insurance companies don't provide cover for known epidemics or pandemics - and they have had restrictions around Covid-19 since the end of January.

That means you can't insure yourself against Covid-19 now, but the Insurance Council says people who had purchased their insurance before the end of January, you could still be eligible for cover.

It says if people want to change their travel plans, they should speak to their insurer first because the policies don't cover a change of heart.

If you do travel - it recommends keeping up to date with the news, and following and SafeTravel advisories, and advice from the World Health Organisation and/or the Ministry of Health.

The Insurance Counsel says it's expecting companies will review their policies today.

Some GP clinics are upping the ante on Covid-19 controls and saying they won't see walk-ins with any flu-like symptoms.

Many had already been telling people who suspected they had the corona virus to call ahead, with some swabbed in the car park. But others are now extending that to general flu symptoms.

The College of GPs president, Samantha Murton, says its about protecting others in the waiting room - particularly vulnerable patients like the elderly.

She told our health correspondent Rowan Quinn many surgeries have those protocols for the busy winter season but have brought them forward.

Rental accommodation is more expensive than it has ever been before, with the national average rent reaching $480 a week last month.

The Property Investors' Federation says average is from government figures and is $20 a week more than the same time last year and $40 higher than the year before that.

It's blaming the rise on a lack of available housing and on landlords passing the cost of the Healthy Homes Standards onto renters.

Harry Lock reports.

Former American vice-president Joe Biden now looks a certainty to win the race to challenge Donald Trump in November's presidential election.

Last month Biden was struggling to attract support but a huge win in South Carolina sparked a resurgence and a string of wins in Super Tuesday voting last week, and more wins yesterday.

His last remaining rival, Bernie Sanders, was counting on a big win in Michigan but blue collar working class voters threw their support behind Mr Biden.

The Vermont senator says he's staying in the race but he's under mounting pressure to step aside and give Biden a clear run.

Brent Budowsky from The Hill in Washington DC speaks to Susie Ferguson.

A brief update on the movements in the financial sector.