DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF MIDDAY WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. ISRAEL BOMBS DOZENS MORE TARGETS IN THE GAZA STRIP, BUT INSISTS IT'D LIKE A DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION. LABOUR MPS GATHER FOR A SHOWDOWN OVER THE PARTY'S LEADERSHIP. AND WALKING AGAIN AFTER BEING PARALYSED FOR YEARS. HOW THIS DOG IS OFFERING NEW HOPE FOR PEOPLE WITH SPINAL INJURIES. AS THE DEATH TOLL IN ISRAEL AND GAZA CONTINUES TO MOUNT, ISRAELI POLITICIANS ARE DISCUSSING PROPOSALS THAT COULD END THE VIOLENCE. CABINET HAS BEEN MEETING TO CONSIDER AN EGYPTIAN CEASEFIRE PLAN. FIGHTING BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES HAS NOW CLAIMED MORE THAN A HUNDRED LIVES IN THE PAST WEEK, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEM PALESTINIANS. THE BBC'S JEREMY BOWEN REPORTS FROM INSIDE GAZA. GOOD MORNING, GAZA. EXPLOSION ECHOES THIS WAS THE WAKE-UP CALL SENT IN BY ISRAEL. PEOPLE CLAMOUR GROWING UP IN GAZA ISN'T EASY. (SPEAKS ARABIC) 'WE'RE GETTING TOUGHER,' HE SAID, 'MORE SOLID. 'AND WHEN THEY KILL THE PARENTS OF A BOY, HE WILL LOOK FOR REVENGE.' ROCKETS WHOOSH HAMAS RELEASED VIDEOS OF ROCKET LAUNCHES. THE EVENTS OF THE LAST FEW WEEKS WILL, THEY HOPE, SILENCE RADICALS HERE WHO'D SAID THEY'D FORGOTTEN HOW TO FIGHT ISRAEL. IN CAIRO, KHALED MESHAL, THE LEADER OF HAMAS, SAID A LAND INVASION WOULD BE A POLITICAL DISASTER FOR ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER. (SPEAKS ARABIC) TRANSLATOR: IF THEY WANT A TRUCE, THE ONE THAT STARTED THE WAR SHOULD STOP IT. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR DEMANDS AND OUR CONDITIONS. ISRAEL'S BORDER TOWNS WERE MUCH QUIETER THAN GAZA. IT'S STILL AN ORDEAL FOR THE PEOPLE THERE. ISRAEL SAYS IT WANTS AN END TO ROCKET FIRE ` THROUGH A CEASEFIRE OR BY MILITARY ACTION. THE ENDGAME IS CLEAR. WE WANT TO SEE A SITUATION WHERE THE CIVILIAN POPULATION OF SOUTHERN ISRAEL KNOWS THAT IT NO LONGER HAS TO LIVE IN FEAR OF AN INCOMING ROCKET FIRED FROM HAMAS-CONTROLLED GAZA. MAN: HERE COMES ANOTHER ONE. BOOM! BACK IN GAZA, ISRAEL ATTACKED A BUILDING USED BY JOURNALISTS. ANOTHER STRIKE CAME IN JUST DOWN THE ROAD. CIVILIANS ON BOTH SIDES NEED A CEASEFIRE, BUT THEIR POLITICAL LEADERS IN GAZA AND ISRAEL WANT TO SHOW THAT ALL THIS WAS WORTH IT. THE COUNTDOWN IS ON FOR THE EMERGENCY LABOUR PARTY CAUCUS MEETING AT PARLIAMENT IN JUST A FEW HOURS' TIME. LABOUR MPS ARE BEGINNING TO FILE INTO PARLIAMENT TO VOTE ON WHO SHOULD BE THE LABOUR LEADER. DAVID SHEARER IS SET TO EASILY WIN AFTER WHAT'S EFFECTIVELY BEEN A FAILED LEADERSHIP BID FROM DAVID CUNLIFFE. ONE NEWS DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR JESSICA MUTCH IS AT PARLIAMENT AND JOINS US NOW. JESSICA. THAT MEETING IS SET TO TAKE PLACE AT 4PM. 34 LABOUR MPS WILL VOTE ON WHO SHOULD BE THEIR LEADER. THERE'S BEEN A FAILED LEADERSHIP BID BY DAVID CUNLIFFE. THIS IS WHAT PHIL GOFF HAD TO SAY JUST A SHORT TIME AGO. I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT ON EVERY MEMBER OF THE CAUCUS TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE PART OF A TEAM, TO BACK THE TEAM, TO FOCUS ON WHAT'S GOOD FOR NZ AND WHAT'S GOOD FOR MAKING SURE THAT LABOUR BECOMES GOVERNMENT TO PUT THOSE POLICIES INTO PLACE. SO, JESSICA, IS DAVID CUNLIFFE SET TO BE DISCIPLINED? HE'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPOKESPERSON. HE'S SET TO BE DEMOTED. HE'S BEEN IN PARLIAMENT SINCE 1999. HE'S BEEN HEALTH MINISTER AND IMMIGRATION MINISTER. IT'LL BE AN INTERESTING AFTERNOON. PRIME MINISTER JOHN KEY SAYS HE HAS HIGH HOPES FOR THE ANNUAL EAST ASIA SUMMIT HE'S ATTENDING IN CAMBODIA. MR KEY HAS JOINED LEADERS FROM 10 ASEAN COUNTRIES IN PHNOM PENH. ONE NEWS POLITICAL REPORTER MICHAEL PARKIN SAYS HE'S THERE TO OFFICIALLY LAUNCH NEGOTIATIONS FOR A REGIONAL ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP KNOWN AS RCEP. IT'S A FREE-TRADE DEAL THAT COVERS THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION AND THE POPULATION OF AROUND THREE BILLION PEOPLE. IF SUCCESSFUL BY 2015 AS PLANNED, THAT WOULD MAKE IT THE LARGEST FREE-TRADE AGREEMENT IN THE WORLD BY POPULATION. TPP COULD BE WORTH AROUND ABOUT $2B/YEAR TO THE NZ ECONOMY, ABOUT 1% OF GDP. RCEP, ARGUABLY, IS EVEN BIGGER THAN THAT. BUT NZ WILL HAVE TO TREAD CAREFULLY IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS. RCEP WILL BE DOMINATED BY THE CHINESE AND, OF COURSE, THE US IS NOT INVOLVED IN THIS AGREEMENT. THE US IS LEADING THE TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, OF WHICH NZ IS A FOUNDING MEMBER. AND THIS IS ALL PART OF THE ATTENTION THAT'S NOW BEING FOCUSED ON THE ASIA-PACIFIC BY BOTH SUPER POWERS. YET JOHN KEY WON'T BE DRAWN ON WHAT DEAL WOULD BE MOST BENEFICIAL FOR NZ. WELL, I MEAN, THERE'S ALWAYS GONNA BE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA CONTRAST THIS AS SOMEWHAT A BIT OF A POWERPLAY BETWEEN CHINA AND THE US. I WOULDN'T REALLY PUT IT IN THOSE TERMS. I THINK THERE ARE INTERESTS IN BOTH DIFFERENT CAMPS FOR FUNDEMENTALLY THE SAME REASON. AT A GALA DINNER FOR WORLD LEADERS LAST NIGHT, JOHN KEY HAD HIS FIRST MEETING WITH RE-ELECTED AMERICAN PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA. HE CONGRATULATED MR OBAMA ON THE WIN AND ALSO ASKED HIM WHAT HE PLANS TO DO ABOUT THE LOOMING FINANCIAL CLIFF IN THE US, WHICH COULD TAKE 4% OFF THE WORLD ECONOMY - AND JOHN KEY SAYS THAT'S SOMETHING NZ, LIKE ANY NATION, CANNOT AFFORD TO SEE HAPPEN. MEANWHILE, BARACK OBAMA HAS HAILED THE PROGRESS TOWARDS DEMOCRACY IN BURMA AFTER HIS VISIT THERE, BUT HE'S WARNED THAT THE PROGRESS MUST CONTINUE. THE BBC'S FERGAL KEANE REPORTS. THE FIRST AMERICAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT BURMA TOUCHED DOWN IN A COUNTRY THAT, FOR 50 YEARS, SHUT ITSELF AWAY FROM THE WEST. HE CAME TO PRAISE REFORM AND MAKE A BIGGER POINT TO NEIGHBOURING CHINA. AMERICA IS EXPANDING ITS INFLUENCE ACROSS ASIA, AND REFORMIST BURMA IS NOW BEING COURTED AS A FRIEND. MR OBAMA MADE HIS WAY THROUGH WHAT'S BECOME THE OBLIGATORY ITINERARY FOR THE SUCCESSION OF VISITING DIGNITARIES WHO'VE COME HERE SINCE CHANGE BEGAN. HE MET THE REFORMIST PRESIDENT THEIN SEIN AND PUSHED HIM TO RELEASE MORE POLITICAL PRISONERS. THEN IT WAS ON TO THE HOUSE THAT WAS ONCE A PRISON FOR THE PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI. AND HERE, WHAT'S BECOME A CUSTOMARY WORD OF CAUTION ABOUT THE POLITICAL PROCESS. THE MOST DIFFICULT TIME IN ANY TRANSITION IS WHEN WE THINK THAT SUCCESS IS IN SIGHT. THEN WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL THAT WE ARE NOT LURED BY A MIRAGE OF SUCCESS. OBAMA: THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSPIRING MESSAGE. THE BODY LANGUAGE WAS WARM. APPLAUSE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. THE THEME OF THIS SPEECH ` THIS ENTIRE VISIT ` WAS TOLERANCE. YOUR COUNTRY WILL BE STRONGER BECAUSE OF MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES. BUT YOU HAVE TO SEIZE THAT OPPORTUNITY. YOU HAVE TO RECOGNISE THAT STRENGTH. BRITISH SCIENTISTS SAY THEY MAY BE ABLE TO RESTORE SOME MOVEMENT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE PARALYSED FOLLOWING A REMARKABLE MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGH WITH DOGS. THE BBC'S FERGUS WALSH EXPLAINS. JASPER BEFORE HIS TREATMENT. A SPINAL INJURY MEANT HIS BACK LEGS WERE PARALYSED. AND THIS IS JASPER TODAY. THE TRANSFORMATION IS REMARKABLE. HIS OWNERS ARE DELIGHTED. BEFORE THE EVENT, HE WAS EFFECTIVELY A CRIPPLED DOG. HE HAD NO REAR LEG FUNCTION. BUT NOW HE CAN STAND, HE CAN GET TO HIS FEET, HE CAN WALK. AND HE CAN MAKE A STAB AT RUNNING. HE DOES BUNNY-HOPPING. SO HOW WAS IT DONE? RESEARCHERS REMOVED SPECIALIST CELLS FROM THE LINING OF JASPER'S NOSE WHICH PROMOTE THE GROWTH OF NERVE TISSUE. THESE WERE GROWN IN A DISH FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND THEN INJECTED INTO JASPER'S DAMAGED SPINE. THE NERVE CONNECTIONS REGREW ENOUGH TO ALLOW HIS FRONT AND REAR LEGS TO RECONNECT. BUT THE REPAIR WAS NOT COMPLETE. THE SIGNALS TO THE BRAIN WERE NOT RESTORED. THAT EXPLAINS WHY HE STILL WOBBLES FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHEN HE WALKS. MORE THAN 20 DOGS WERE TREATED, AND MOST SAW SOME IMPROVEMENT. THIS RESEARCH IS OBVIOUSLY GREAT NEWS FOR JASPER AND DOG BREEDS LIKE DACHSHUNDS WHICH ARE PRONE TO SPINAL INJURIES. BUT THE BIG QUESTION IS COULD THIS TECHNIQUE ONE DAY PLAY A ROLE IN HELPING TO REVERSE PARALYSIS IN HUMANS? SCIENTISTS, FUNDED BY THE MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL, SAY THIS 'PROOF OF CONCEPT' STUDY IN ANIMALS SHOULD GIVE THE GREEN LIGHT TO A TRIAL WITH HUMANS. BUT THEY WARN IT MAY NOT WORK AS WELL. THE SAVE THE CHILDREN CHARITY IS WARNING THAT 200,000 SYRIAN REFUGEE CHILDREN ARE AT RISK OF FREEZING TO DEATH. MANY FAMILIES HAVE FLED ACROSS THE BORDERS, AND MORE THAN 2M PEOPLE ARE DISPLACED INSIDE SYRIA AS FIGHTING CONTINUES BETWEEN GOVERNMENT FORCES AND REBELS. THE INTERNATIONAL CHARITY SAYS MANY ARE LIVING WITHOUT PROPER SHELTER AND CLOTHING AND MAY NOT SURVIVE HARSH WINTER CONDITIONS. HUNDREDS MORE REFUGEES HAVE JUST CROSSED INTO TURKEY TO ESCAPE FIGHTING BETWEEN KURDS AND SYRIAN REBELS BATTLING FOR CONTROL OF A STRATEGIC NORTHEAST SYRIAN TOWN. COLOMBIA'S LEFT-WING FARC REBELS HAVE DECLARED A TWO-MONTH CEASEFIRE. THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE IN CUBA, WHERE LANDMARK PEACE TALKS HAVE BEGUN. THE MEETING IS AIMED AT ENDING FIVE DECADES OF CONFLICT WHICH HAS KILLED AROUND 600,000 PEOPLE. THE REBELS WILL HALT ALL ATTACKS UNTIL JANUARY THE 20TH. THE GOVERNMENT HAS RESPONDED TO THE LATEST ANNOUNCEMENT, BUT EARLIER SAID THE ARMY WOULD CONTINUE FIGHTING THE FARC UNTIL IT SIGNED A PEACE DEAL. BACK HOME, POLICE ARE CONTINUING THEIR INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE ABDUCTION OF A BOY IN TIMARU (9), WHO WAS FOUND INJURED AND IN A DISTRESSED STATE LAST THURSDAY. THE BOY, NOW RECOVERING IN TIMARU HOSPITAL, LEFT OCEANVIEW HEIGHTS SCHOOL AT THREE O'CLOCK AND WAS PICKED UP BY A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC AN HOUR LATER, 15KM AWAY. POLICE SAY THE INCIDENT'S SHOCKED THE TOWN. PARENTS SHOULD JUST TAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE CARE THAN WHAT THEY NORMALLY HAVE. THIS IS A SAFE COMMUNITY. THIS SORT OF CRIME, IF IT IS THE WORST CASE SCENARIO, NEVER HAPPENS IN TIMARU ` NEVER HAS IN MY MEMORY. POLICE ARE STILL WANTING TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO WAS NEAR THE HOLME STATION BRIDGE LAST THURSDAY AFTERNOON. RURAL FIREFIGHTERS SAY THEY'RE HOPING TO PUT OUT A BIG SCRUB FIRE IN THE AWARUA PLAINS IN SOUTHLAND BY THE END OF THE DAY. THE FIRE NEAR BLUFF HAS NOW BEEN BURNING FOR 18 HOURS AND HAS GONE THROUGH MORE THAN 400 HECTARES OF SCRUB MANUKA AND DRY VEGETATION. THE AREA CONTAINS THREATNED PLANTS AND INSECTS AND IS HOME TO SEVERAL SPECIES OF NATIVE BIRDS. THREE HELICOPTERS ARE DROPPING WATER FROM MONSOON BUCKETS TO HELP SOME 25 FIREFIGHTERS BATTLING THE BLAZE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO INJURIES AND THE FIRE IS NOT THREATENING ANY PROPERTIES AT THIS STAGE. A FIRE INVESTIGATOR IS ON SCENE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE BLAZE. TEENAGE POP SENSATION JUSTIN BIEBER HAS DOMINATED THE AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS, WINNING ARTIST OF THE YEAR FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE 18-YEAR-OLD ALSO WON THE AWARDS FOR FAVOURITE MALE ARTIST AND FAVOURITE POP ROCK ALBUM. # WE GOT ISSUES, BABY, TRUE, TRUE, TRUE. # BUT I'D RATHER WORK ON THIS WITH YOU # THAN TO GO OUT AND START WITH SOMEONE NEW. # OTHER BIG WINNERS ON THE NIGHT WERE NICKI MINAJ AND COUNTRY SINGER TAYLOR SWIFT. AN AUSTRALIAN TRADESMAN HAS GONE TO EXTREME LENGTHS TO CATCH A THIEF WHO STOLE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS' WORTH OF HIS TOOLS. HE RIGGED HIS DRIVEWAY AND HIS TRUCK WITH A BOOBY TRAP TO CATCH THE THIEF RED-HANDED. THIS IS THE UNSUSPECTING THIEF WALKING INTO A BOOBY TRAP. EVERY TRADIE'S ON MY SIDE. THE MOMENT WAS CAUGHT ON CAMERA BY NEWCASTLE TRADIE MARK CLULOW. SO FED UP WITH BEING TARGETED BY VANDALS, HE SET UP A SEVEN-CAMERA SECURITY SYSTEM AROUND HIS HOME. IT WOULD CAPTURE THE ROBBER'S FIRST STRIKE, CAREFULLY BREAKING INTO MARK'S UTE AND GRABBING A $2000 HAUL OF EQUIPMENT, LEAVING FEW CLUES FOR POLICE. I KNEW HE WAS GONNA BE BACK LOOKING FOR THE EQUIPMENT THAT WENT WITH THE BATTERIES AND CHARGERS. AND WHEN HE DID, MARK WAS READY, DELIVERING HIS OWN FORM OF JUSTICE. THE THIEF HITS A TRIPWIRE PLACED IN MARK'S FRONT YARD, BRINGING A METAL POLE CRASHING DOWN ON HIS HEAD. AND THE BURGLAR WHO GOT MORE THAN HE BARGAINED FOR IS SENT RUNNING. TO MY AMAZEMENT, ASTONISHMENT, IN THE MORNING THE PIPE WAS ON THE GROUND AND NONE OF MY TOOLS WERE GONE. MARK'S PLAN WAS NOT JUST EFFECTIVE BUT POPULAR. THE IMAGES HAVE BECOME A HIT ONLINE. POLICE HAVE THE FOOTAGE, BUT HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE THIEF, SO MARK'S WORKING TO INCREASE THE QUALITY OF THE VISION TO GET A CLEARER IMAGE OF THE MAN'S FACE AND NUMBER PLATE. THE CCTV IS GREAT. IT DOES ACT AS A DETERRENT. OUR ADVICE IS NOT TO SET TRAPS. ANOTHER UNSUPERVISED CHILD HAS BEEN RESCUED FROM A TIGHT SPOT IN CHINA. THE GIRL (5) GOT HERSELF STUCK IN THE GAP BETWEEN TWO GLASS DOORS. THE GIRL WAS PLAYING ON HER OWN IN FRONT OF A CHILD CARE CENTRE. SHE WAS EVENTUALLY FREED BY FIRE-FIGHTERS USING SPECIALISED HYDRAULIC TOOLS. HER PARENTS HAVE ADMITTED LEAVING HER OUTSIDE WHILE THEY TOOK THEIR YOUNGER CHILD TO A DOCTORS APPOINTMENT. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY` WE'LL CHECK IN ON THE SHAREMARKET AND BUSINESS NEWS. AND IN SPORT, THE BLACK CAPS SLUMP TO THEIR FIFTH TEST LOSS IN A ROW AGAINST SRI LANKA. 1 WITH ME NOW IS JEREMY TWISS FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS ITEM WILL BE CAPTIONED LIVE. FOR MORE, GO TO ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND CLICK ON 'BUSINESS'. HOW WERE MARKETS OVERNIGHT AND THIS MORNING? MARKETS WERE STRONG. THERE'S PROGESS ON THE 'FISCAL CLIFF'. THIS WILL BE A FEATURE OF MARKETS TILL THE END OF THE YEAR. LAST NIGHT REPORTS EMERGED� THAT THEY WERE MAKING PROGRESS. LED BY APPLE, WHICH HAD A STRONG NIGHT. MATERIAL SECTOR WAS STRONG. WORLD'S LARGEST COPPER PRODUCER WAS UP. THIS HAS FED THROUGH TO THE NZ MARKET TODAY. WHAT WILL INVESTORS BE FOCUSED ON FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK? IN NZ IT'S AGM SEASON. TODAY WAS THE AGM OF FLETCHER BUILDING. NZ'S LARGEST LISTED COMPANY. THIS WAS GREETED POSITIVELY BY THE NZ MARKET. PUMPKIN PATCH HAS AN AGM TODAY. A2 CORPORATION ALSO HAS THEIR AGM TODAY. IT'S THEIR FIRST ONE POST THEIR STRATEGIC REVIEW EARLIER IN THE YEAR. NOW SPORT, AND NZ HAS CRASHED TO AN EMBARRASSING 10-WICKET DEFEAT TO SRI LANKA ON JUST THE THIRD DAY OF THE FIRST CRICKET TEST. THE BLACKCAPS WERE DISMISSED FOR JUST 118 IN THEIR SECOND INNINGS. RANGANA HERTAH WAS THE CHIEF DESTROYER WITH SIX WICKETS. CHEERING GONE! HE HAS TO BE. STRAIGHT AWAY. DANIEL FLYNN TOP-SCORED WITH 20. SRI LANKA THEN EASILY SCORED THE 93 RUNS NEEDED FOR VICTORY. BUT BLACKCAPS CAPTAIN ROSS TAYLOR REMAINS POSITIVE. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO PICK OURSELVES UP AND NOT BE TOO DOWN, BUT, UH, I'N THE TWO-MATCH SERIES, WE'RE STILL IN IT, AND WE JUST NEED TO FIGHT A LOT HARDER THAN WE DID IN THIS LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. IT'S THE BLACKCAPS' FIFTH-STRAIGHT TEST DEFEAT. THE SECOND TEST STARTS IN COLOMBO ON SUNDAY. WINSTON REID'S WEST HAM HAS FOUGHT BACK FROM BEING A GOAL DOWN AGAINST STOKE TO DRAW 1-1 AT UPTON PARK IN THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE. NZ FOOTBALL'S FAVOURITE MANAGER WAS EVEN MORE GRUMPY THAN USUAL, AFTER THE HAMMERS CONCEDED AN EARLY GOAL. TAKES IT. OH, BRILLIANT. THAT'S BRILLIANT BY WALTERS. BUT SAM ALLARDYCE'S TEAM EQUALISED JUST AFTER HALF TIME, ENSURING HONOURS EVEN. ALL BLACKS HOOKER ANDREW HORE SAYS HE'S EXPECTING THE HOME ADVANTAGE TO BOOST THE WELSH SIDE FOR THEIR TEST MATCH IN CARDIFF THIS WEEKEND. THE WELSH ARE UNDERDOGS AFTER BEING DEFEATED BY BOTH ARGENTINA AND SAMOA OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, AND THE ALL BLACKS ARE COMING OFF THE BACK OF VICTORIES AGAINST SCOTLAND AND ITALY. BUT HORE SAYS THAT DOESN'T MAKE THE WELSH EASY BEATS. I SUPPOSE THEY'RE LIKE THE SOUTH AFRICANS. THEY LIKE THE SET PIECE AND THEY'RE NORMALLY PRETTY HARD UP FRONT. AND THE TIMES I'VE HAD A GO AT THEM... YEAH, WHEN THE CROWD'S SINGING RIGHT BEHIND THEM IT'S A PRETTY GOOD BUZZ TO BE OUT THERE, AND IT DEFINITELY LIFTS THEM, SO THERE ARE PLANS TO GET OUT THERE AND START WELL AND KEEP GOING AND HAVE A BIT OF FUN AS WELL. TAMATI ELLISON IS THE ONLY PLAYER NOT CONSIDERED FOR THE TEAM, BECAUSE OF INJURY. THE ALL BLACK TEAM IS DUE TO BE NAMED ON THURSDAY. CONTROVERSIAL NZ-BORN QUADE COOPER APPEARS TO BE QUITTING AUSTRALIAN RUGBY. REPORTS FROM AUSTRALIA SAY THE FIRST FIVE-EIGHTH (24) HAS REJECTED A CONTRACT OFFER BY THE ARU AND MAY HEAD OVERSEAS OR SWITCH TO RUGBY LEAGUE. COOPER HASN'T PLAYED FOR AUSTRALIA SINCE DESCRIBING THE WALLABIES TEAM ENVIRONMENT AS 'TOXIC'. NZ BOXER SHANE CAMERON IS CONFIDENT HE CAN SHED MORE WEIGHT TO REACH THE REQUIRED 89KG MARK FOR TOMORROW NIGHT'S WORLD CRUISER-WEIGHT TITLE FIGHT AGAINST AUSTRALIAN DANNY GREEN. CAMERON'S ALREADY LOST 7KG, BUT HE STILL HAS TO DROP ANOTHER 1.7 KILOS TO REACH THE WEIGHT STIPULATED BY THE LIGHTER GREEN IN THE FIGHT CONTRACT. I FEEL PRETTY GOOD AT THIS WEIGHT TOO. 89, WELL, I HAVEN'T BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE, BUT IT'S ONLY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN I'LL BANG IT BACK, SO WE'LL BE ALL RIGHT. THE OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN WILL BE HELD IN MELBOURNE THIS AFTERNOON. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY, I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. A GET-TOGETHER ON A QUIET ISLAND OFF THE COAST OF TASMANIA COULD PROVIDE THE BEST PICTURE YET OF LIFE BENEATH THE SEA. A NZ SCIENTIST IS AMONG A GROUP FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WHO'RE SHARING THEIR RESEARCH ON MARINE BIODIVERSITY. THEY WANTED ISOLATION, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY GOT; 20 SCIENTISTS ARE SPENDING THE NEXT FORTNIGHT IN AN OLD CONVICT PENITENTIARY WITH MASSES OF MARINE DATA FOR COMPANY. WE'VE COME OVER HERE TO LOCK UP A BUNCH OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENTISTS TO HELP US ANALYSE THE REEF LIFE SURVEY DATA SET. THAT DATA HAS BEEN COLLECTED ALL OVER THE WORLD BY TEAMS OF TRAINED RECREATIONAL DIVERS. IT'S ON A SCALE NEVER SEEN BEFORE. IT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE BEST RESOURCES IN THE WORLD FOR THIS SORT OF INFORMATION. NOBODY'S BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS AT THIS WORKSHOP. THE SURVEY COVERED 1800 SITES IN 36 COUNTRIES AND LOOKED AT MORE THAN 4000 SPECIES. THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE DOING GLOBALLY, SO IT'S KIND OF TAKING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE SHALLOW WATER ENVIRONMENTS ACROSS THE WORLD. THE SCIENTISTS WILL LOOK AT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MARINE RESERVES AND THE IMPACTS OF OVER-FISHING, CLIMATE CHANGE AND POLLUTION. IT'S HOPED THEY'LL COME BACK TO CIVILISATION WITH ABOUT 20 PAPERS FOR PUBLICATION. NOW TO THE WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ OUR NEXT NEWS IS AT 4.30PM, AND THE ONE NEWS HOUR WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY TRACEY DAWSON AND LAUREN STRAIN. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT TVNZ ACCESS SERVICES 2012