A Manawatū school has been forced to close after vandals trashed classrooms at the weekend and stole valuable electronic equipment. Principal of Ruahine School in Dannevirke, Sarah McCord, says she and teachers were feeling…

Prime minister Scott Morrison and opposition leader Anthony Albanese have gone head-to-head on how to best address the rising cost of living, foreign policy and their perceived shortcomings.

In the second leaders' debate, Albanese was asked about his failure to clearly define his own party's NDIS policy while Morrison was put on the spot when Nine's political editor Chris Uhlmann listed people on the prime minister's own side of politics who didn't "like" him.

Uhlmann, 60 Minutes reporter Sarah Abo, 2GB afternoon host Deborah Knight and chief political correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age David Crowe weighed in on the debate.

READ MORE: The Great Debate: Key moments from heated Morrison-Albanese showdown

Uhlmann said the fact the leaders were so fiery in their clashes showed they were engaged.

"I have been engaged in these things before when the leaders would look straight ahead and give short speeches and not at any stage take any chance," he said.

"I thought Anthony Albanese, who is clearly leading at this stage, might go risk-free, and in fact he initiated the banter between the two of them, and at some stages he really did it quite willingly."

After the first ad break the panel also discussed Abo's tough job as moderator trying to wrangle the two leaders shouting over each other.

"You needed a whistle there!" Knight joked.

"Or a gavel, because they were not listening. That speaks to the night, they were really engaged," Abo responded.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about early voting

WHAT DID VIEWERS THINK?

We asked viewers to head to Nine.com.au or scan a QR code on their screens and answer questions during the debate.

In the end, those who voted decided it was a tie and neither leader had won the debate but there were a range of other questions where there was a clear winner.

"Who do you think would make the better prime minister?" was one question.

Our poll of more than 50,000 people showed Anthony Albanese in the lead at 49 per cent, with Scott Morrison at 46 per cent and the rest undecided.

Halfway through the debate we asked: "Which party do you think will win the election?"

Labor came out on top with 46 per cent of the vote while 15 per cent of people said there would be a hung parliament.

In the end, Labor was the preferred party for those voting on the website tonight.

Decided or not, which are you more likely to vote for?

• Coalition – 44%
• Labor – 50%
• Other – 6%

Choosing only between the two major parties, which are you more likely to vote for?

• Coalition – 47%
• Labor – 53%

Please note: Reader polls are not scientific and only reflect the votes of readers who came to the site and chose to participate.

By Katie Scotcher, RNZ The anti-mandate protest in the capital earlier this year has cost the Wellington City Council more than $300,000.The council has just released information and documents related to the 23-day occupation…

The family of a man who died after being struck by a vehicle near Masterton early on Saturday is asking the driver in the hit-and-run to come forward.Lawziah Karaitiana, a Castlepoint resident, was found unresponsive after being…

Nichole Schmidt, the mother of Gabby Petito, has taken legal action against the estate of Brian Laundrie, by filing a complaint in Sarasota County in which she asks for monetary compensation for the "wrongful death" of her daughter.

According to the lawsuit, Petito and Laundrie, who had been her fiancé, left New York in July to take a cross-country trip, during which Petito hoped to become a travel influencer by documenting the details of their journey on social media.

Petito was in constant contact with her parents and sibling during the trip, the suit said, and their last communication with them was on August 27.

READ MORE: New claims made in Gabby Petito case

Petito's remains were found in Teton County, Wyoming, in September, a little more than a week after her family reported her missing.

The 22-year-old woman died by strangulation, the coroner ruled.

Laundrie returned to the couple's home on September 1 by himself, left again roughly two weeks later and disappeared.

Laundrie's remains were later found in a Florida nature preserve and a medical examiner ruled he died by suicide.

Nearby, authorities found a notebook in which they said Laundrie claimed responsibility for Petito's death.

READ MORE: Gabby Petito's parents sue Laundrie's parents over killing

"As a direct and proximate consequence of Brian Laundrie's tortious conduct, Nichole Schmidt and Joseph Petito incurred funeral and burial expenses, and they have suffered a loss of care and comfort, and have suffered a loss of probable future companionship, society and comfort," the suit said.

Ms Schmidt is asking for a trial by jury, and although the lawsuit does not list a specific monetary amount, it does ask for "damages which exceed US$30,000 ($42,384)"

The Laundrie family's attorney downplayed the suit in an email to CNN on Saturday (US time).

"The filing of the wrongful death lawsuit by the Petito family was fully expected," Steven P. Bertolino, an attorney who represents the Laundrie family, told CNN.

READ MORE: Gabby Petito's fiance's cause of death revealed in US

"This lawsuit will most likely not be defended and the Petitos will have gained nothing more than a piece of paper that tells them what everyone already knows, which is that Brian was responsible for Gabby's death as indicated by the FBI."

CNN has reached out to Schmidt's attorney but did not hear back Saturday.

Petito's family also has filed a lawsuit against Christopher and Roberta Laundrie, alleging they knew their son Brian murdered Gabby Petito and were working to help him flee the country, CNN previously reported.

In an email in response to the earlier lawsuit, Mr Bertolino said he was confident the case would be dismissed.

If you need help in a crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

For further information about depression, contact beyondblue on 1300 224 636 or talk to your GP, local health professional or someone you trust.

Alina Kabaeva, a woman who has been romantically linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin, is included in the sixth proposed package of European Union sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, according to two European diplomatic sources.

At this stage, names can be taken off or added at member states' discretion and is expected to be a point of negotiation when any new sanctions package is proposed, an EU Commission source told CNN.

The EU has not officially signed off on the draft proposal.

READ MORE: Why May 9 is a big day for Russia

"Discussions are going on. It's not a piece of cake, but we have to wait and see," one of the diplomatic sources told CNN on Friday morning.

CNN has reached out to Russia's National Media Group, of which Ms Kabaeva is head, for comment on the proposed sanctions.

Kabaeva, who was born in 1983, was first linked to Putin more than a decade ago, while she was a medal-winning gymnast.

Putin, who is divorced, has denied a relationship with her.

In April, the Wall Street Journal reported that US officials had been debating whether or not to place sanctions on Kabaeva, with concerns that such a move might increase tensions further because it could be an extreme personal blow to Putin.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, is also among the individuals who are included in the proposed sixth round of EU sanctions, according to two sources who have seen the full documents.

The proposed sanctions are out of touch with "common sense," Russian Orthodox Church spokesperson Vladimir Legoida said Wednesday, according to Russian state news agency TASS.

READ MORE: 'Seemed like goodbye': Mariupol defenders make their stand

"The more indiscriminate (these) sanctions become, the more they lose touch with common sense and the harder it becomes to reach peace, which is what the Russian Orthodox Church prays for at every service with the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch," Legoida said in a Telegram post.

"Only those completely ignorant of the history of our Church can seek to intimidate its clergy and believers by compiling some lists," Legoida said.

The EU has been ratcheting up its economic action against Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Most recently, the bloc has proposed a ban on Russian oil imports, something that would have a major impact on Russia's economy, though Hungary, an EU member state with close links to Putin, is likely to scupper any such plans.

Who is Alina Kabaeva?

Kabaeva and Putin reportedly met when she was a young gymnast, who won multiple medals domestically, at European competitions and at the Olympic Games.

She was awarded the gold medal for rhythmic gymnastics at the Athens Games in 2004.

Widely known in her home country, she was chosen as one of the torchbearers when Russia hosted the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia in 2014, an event that took place shortly before Russia illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.

Kabaeva has made public statements in support of the Russian military since the start of the war in Ukraine, most recently calling on Russian citizens to rally behind the war effort.

At a recent gymnastics event, she said: "Every family has a history of war, and we shouldn't forget about it. We should hand it over from generation to generation."

According to the Wall Street Journal, US officials say she and her family have become wealthy due to her proximity to Putin, though the Kremlin continues to deny any relationship between the two.

The US Treasury department has refused to comment on the case.

Regardless of her actual relationship with the Russian President, if her name does appear on the final list of EU sanctions, Kabaeva — still relatively unknown outside Russia — and her finances will come under huge international scrutiny.

A 27-year-old man has been found dead on a roadway in Queensland.

Police were called to the scene at about 5.50am after they were told the man was on Sarina Beach Road in Sarina.

Officers said initial investigations indicate the man was walking in a westbound lane when he was allegedly struck by a vehicle travelling in the same direction sometime after 5.30am.

READ MORE: Two dead in horror Mother's Day crash near Brisbane

"The vehicle has then left the scene," police said.

The 27-year-old Sarina man suffered critical injuries and died at the scene.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who has dashcam footage in the area at the time to come forward.

Investigations into the circumstances continue.

"Eat when you can and sleep when you can."

That was the advice a colleague passed on the day I joined the campaign bus dubbed the "Scomobile". 

For the next three weeks, I was part of the travelling media contingent, following the Prime Minister around the country and throwing questions at him every day.

READ MORE: LNP candidate referred to AFP over electoral forms

Life on the trail is very far removed from normality. The days start early with bus rides and flights to mystery locations.

The leaders' teams keep event and travel details close to their chests for security reasons, but also not wanting to give the other side any advantage. 

On Scott Morrison's side of the campaign, the pace is relentless. Usually he does three jobs a day and crosses at least one state border.

You rarely ever sleep two nights in the same hotel.

READ MORE: Can the political polls really be trusted?

https://twitter.com/ElizaEdNews/status/1521972033495908353

For one Channel Nine camera operator who has covered three election campaigns, this one has been the most stage-managed to date. 

Events where Scott Morrison mixes with the public are few and far between. Usually the people he talks to have been invited by local candidates. 

At one lolly shop in the Melbourne seat of Chisholm, a cameraman overheard the selected shoppers being told to "pretend to browse", rather than look like they were waiting for the PM to arrive. 

An advancing team is sent before events to scope out the venues and make sure the Prime Minister avoids walking past signs that read "danger", because the cameras are on him at all times and those pictures are like gold for TV news. 

One sign had to be hastily covered up with a high-vis vest at a business in Townsville, before the PM strolled by.

It read "If you mess up, fess up".

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about early voting

https://twitter.com/ElizaEdNews/status/1521298595705933824

Scott Morrison has made a habit of getting involved in whatever activity presents itself at events.

Whether it be kicking a footy around with kids, sipping a whiskey during an 8am distillery tour, or pressing a big green button to fire up a machine at a manufacturing plant. 

These are the moments camera operators and photographers wait for, and trigger a flurry of shutters and flashes as they try to nail the shot.

The camaraderie between competing news crews is something special. A bond forged in cramped spaces, on long-haul flights and in attempts to get answers out of the two men who want the country's top job.

Only two more weeks of chasing the leaders before the verdict of Australians is known.

The idea of a hole in the middle of your earbuds doesn't sound practical, but Sony has created a truly unique product with its new LinkBuds.

Sony's LinkBuds are the most distinctive headphones on the market, there's not many that compare.

Great sound, promising battery, comfortable and stylish. They can be controlled by a tap of your cheek, offer 360 audio and have water resistance. All of this tech is crammed into just 4 grams a bud – quite impressive!

They look great out of the box, but they're a bit fiddly to pair and setup. You need to download the Sony Headphones app then there's a string of other setup steps to fully optimise them to your device.

All else fails, there's a manual pairing button on the back of the case. Android users shouldn't have any issues, the LinkBuds are Google Fast Pair enabled.

Design

They're the most unique headphones in recent times, a significant leap in design from any other brand. 

The ring-shaped design is unlike any other, almost like mini donuts for your ears – just slightly less delicious. 

The hole in the centre of the earpiece allows you to still be present while listening to music, a podcast, or making calls.

Changing songs, pausing or launching Spotify is as simple as a tap on your cheek, vibrations triggering the earbuds.

The Linkbuds are IPX4 water resistant, which basically means, should you forget an umbrella, you won't need to worry about a few raindrops splashing on your tech – but they may not fair too well in the washing machine.

READ MORE: New 'rollable' TV launches in Australia but it's not cheap

The case the LinkBuds are stored in is lightweight and compact. Both LinkBuds sit snug inside, and can be charged via a USB-C port on the back of the case.

The case itself (tech aside) is made from recycled plastic.

Comfort

The biggest claim by Sony is the LinkBud's "Never Off" design. And I attest – they can be worn all day without issue. I put them in at 9AM, and by 5PM I was still wearing them comfortably. 

Answer my desk phone was still possible with the LinkBuds in my ears, while it didn't feel natural in any way, the "never off" experience was evident. 

There's nothing blocking your ears from taking in any sounds, after 30 minutes you almost forget they're there. 

A silicon loop acts as a support hook, holding onto your outer ear and keeping the LinkBuds from slipping out. In the box you'll find a few different sizes for any shaped ear. I have never had an issue with them slipping out.  

Sound

The LinkBuds are seemingly the opposite of noise cancelling. That said, they still produce huge sound from such a tiny package. Blasting high quality music through Tidal,

But phone calls are on the nose in some circumstances. While in low-noise environments I experienced no issues, calls were clear as day, but making a phone call in a busy supermarket was a struggle for the person on the receiving end. 

The "Speak-to Chat" feature on the LinkBuds enables you to pause music from your voice by simply speaking. Meaning you can start a conversation at any point without have to turn down your tunes – just start talking and it'll pause it for you.

READ MORE: Fortnite comes to Apple devices thanks to Xbox Cloud gaming update

The LinkBuds do support Sony's 360 Reality Audio, but only through select apps and at a cost.

Music service TIDAL charges the user $16.99 a month to experience high Sound Quality through the LinkBuds and other devices. They offer a 30-day trial, and if you're a music buff it's worth it.

High fidelity music tracks are limited to streaming services, you won't get this quality with Spotify.

Despite the donut design, you'll be able to hear everything on offer.

Well, almost…

The LinkBuds, while offering a great audio range, slightly lack in the bass department.

What's in the box, price and availability 

Having only just launched in Australia, the LinkBuds are sure to impress.

What's in the box? In addition to the warranty information and quick setup guide, there's also 5 sizes of ear supporters for different shaped ears and a USB-C charging cable.

Recycled plastic may sound cheap, but they look and feel excellent. The plastics used in the LinkBuds is surprisingly made from car parts.

A pair of LinkBuds can now be picked up for $249 – similarly price range Apple's 2nd Gen EarPods. They come in grey or white and are available now from most retailers or online.

Pros:

• Smart controls

• 360 Reality Audio support

• Made from recycled materials

• Good battery life

Cons:

• No wireless charging

• A bit fiddly to pair and setup

9News.com.au was supplied a pair of Sony LinkBuds by Sony for the purpose of this review.

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