DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF MIDDAY, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. A SUSPICIOUS FIRE AT AN HISTORIC SCHOOL ABOUT TO MARK ONE AND A QUARTER CENTURIES. US AIRSTRIKES CONTINUE IN THE NORTH OF IRAQ, AS BARACK OBAMA'S URGED TO DO MORE. AND THE STORIES CHANGE AGAIN, AS THE PARENTS OF A BABY BORN TO A SURROGATE MOTHER SPEAK OUT. FIRE INVESTIGATORS HAVE SPENT THE MORNING AT THE SCENE OF A LARGE FIRE AT THE KAPITI COAST'S OLDEST SCHOOL, PARAPARAUMU. FOUR JUNIOR CLASSROOMS AND A LIBRARY HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY GUTTED, ALONG WITH A PART OF THE SCHOOL'S HISTORY. BRIAR WELLS REPORTS. CLASSROOMS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE DEVASTATING FIRE DESTROYED HALF THE TEACHING SPACE AT PARAPARAUMU PRIMARY SCHOOL. THE WHOLE BLOCK IS GONE. YEAH, EVERYTHING. WE'VE LOST SOME VERY MEMORABLE THINGS. THE PRINCIPAL WAS WATCHING ON AS HIS SCHOOL BURNT DOWN. I COULD SEE IT FROM THE TOP STORY OF OUR HOUSE, SO I SHOT DOWN HERE, AND BY THE TIME IT WAS ABSOLUTELY GONE. IT WAS TOTALLY ABLAZE. THE FIRE IS BEING TREATED AS SUSPICIOUS AND HAS BEEN CORDONED OFF TO ALLOW AN INVESTIGATION TO BEGIN. THE SCHOOL GATES CLOSED TODAY ` STUDENTS, PARENTS AND TEACHERS GATHERING OUTSIDE TO COMFORT EACH OTHER. AND OUR LONGEST-STANDING TEACHER WAS IN ONE OF THOSE CLASSROOMS, AND SHE'S LOST HER EVERYTHING. THE KIDS AREN'T HAPPY EITHER. YEAH, IT'S HIT EVERYONE PRETTY HARD. WITH THE HISTORIC SCHOOL'S 125TH ANNIVERSARY JUST AROUND THE CORNER, IT'S THE ITEMS OF SENTIMENTAL VALUE THAT WILL BE MISSED THE MOST. IT'S DEVASTATING. WE'VE LOST ALL THE IRREPLACEABLE THINGS LIKE ARCHIVAL PHOTOS. THE SCHOOL HAS ALREADY MET WITH THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO GO FROM HERE. IN THE MEANTIME, PRINCIPALS FROM OTHER SCHOOLS HAVE OFFERED CLASSROOMS FOR THE STUDENTS TO LEARN IN. SO WE'LL WORK THROUGH WHAT THE BEST OPTIONS LOGISTICALLY ARE FOR US AND GET THE SCHOOL UP AND RUNNING AS FAST AS WE CAN. AND VOWING TO NOT LET IT GET IN THE WAY OF MARKING A BIG MILESTONE. BRIAR WELLS, ONE NEWS. INVESTIGATIONS ARE UNDERWAY TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF A BLAZE THAT LEFT ONE PERSON IN A CRITICAL CONDITION. THE HOUSE FIRE STARTED AROUND 1 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING AND HAS CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. NEIGHBOURS SAY FIREFIGHTERS FOUND THE INJURED MAN INSIDE THE HOUSE ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER THEY ARRIVED. HE'S NOT BREATHING THAT TIME. COS THERE'S TOO MUCH SMOKE INSIDE THE HOUSE. THE MAN'S BEING TREATED IN MIDDLEMORE HOSPITAL. GOLD COAST POLICE ARE PORING OVER CCTV FOOTAGE AS THEY INVESTIGATE THE DEATH OF A NZ WOMAN AT THE WEEKEND. WARRIENA WRIGHT (26), FROM LOWER HUTT, FELL 14 FLOORS TO HER DEATH FROM AN APARTMENT BALCONY. POLICE ARE TREATING THE DEATH AS SUSPICIOUS AND HAVE BEEN FOCUSING ON A DATE MS WRIGHT WAS ON JUST HOURS BEFORE HER FATAL FALL. THE MAN SHE MET HAS BEEN HELPING POLICE. 20,000 YAZIDI KURDS TRAPPED IN NORTHERN IRAQ ARE REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN RESCUED THIS MORNING, BUT AROUND 150,000 REMAIN. THE GROUP, CONSIDERED HERETICS BY ISLAMIC MILITANTS, WERE STRANDED ON A MOUNTAIN AS ISIS ADVANCED. MEANWHILE, US AIR FORCES HAVE CONTINUED WITH AIRSTRIKES AROUND THE KURDISH-HELD TOWN OF ERBIL IN THE NORTH-WEST OF THE COUNTRY. THE BBC'S CAROLINE WYATT REPORTS. TAKING AIM AT THE ISLAMIC STATE, KURDISH SOLDIERS SAY NOW THEY'RE DETERMINED TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE MILITANTS WHO'VE SEWN TERROR IN THEIR WAKE. KURDISH BULLDOZERS ARE CREATING A DEFENSIVE LINE TO STOP THE EXTREMISTS IN THEIR TRACKS, SOMETHING THESE SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DO OVER THE PAST WEEKS AND DAYS. KURDISH PESHMERGA FIGHTERS HAVE NOW BROUGHT US TO WHAT IS NOW THE FINAL FRONT LINE. THEY'RE DIGGING IN OVER THERE FOR WHAT LOOKS LIKE A FIGHT, BECAUSE BEHIND THAT RIDGE IS NOW CONTROLLED BY THE ISLAMIC STATE. THE MEN HERE WANT MORE AMMUNITION AND MORE AIR SUPPORT FROM THE US. BUT THE FAMILIES WHO'D SOUGHT REFUGE AT THE CAMP JUST ACROSS THE ROAD BUT THE FAMILIES WHO'D SOUGHT REFUGE AT THE CAMP JUST ACROSS THE ROAD ARE TAKING NO CHANCES. IT EMPTIED AS THEY FLED AGAIN, MANY TO THE TOWN OF ERBIL JUST 40KM AWAY. ALREADY THERE ARE THE IRAQI CHRISTIANS ` THE MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN DRIVEN OUT OF THEIR HOMES A WEEK AGO. THE SUNNI FIGHTERS TOLD THEM TO CONVERT TO ISLAM OR DIE. THIS 3-MONTH OLD BABY AND HIS SISTER ARE TOO YOUNG TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING, BUT THEIR PARENTS DO. WE NEED AN INTERVENTION NOW AND AN IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION TO HELP THESE PEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY ARE SLEEPING OUTSIDE. AND THEY'RE JUST A FRACTION OF THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF IRAQIS FORCED TO FLEE THEIR HOMES AND WHAT PEOPLE HERE ARE CALLING A HUMANITARIAN DISASTER THAT THE WEST IS FAILING TO STOP. AND AS THE SITUATION WORSENS IN NORTHERN IRAQ, PRIME MINISTER NOURI AL-MALIKI IS FACING STRONG CRITICISM THAT HE SHOULD STEP ASIDE IN FAVOUR OF SOMEONE WHO COULD UNITE IRAQIS AGAINST ISIS. FOREIGN POWERS, INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES AND FRANCE, ARE ALSO APPEALING FOR UNITY. THEY'VE SENT AID IN THE HOPES OF AVERTING A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS OF THE TYPE ALREADY THREATENING THE KURDISH-CONTROLLED AREA OF THE COUNTRY. TRANSLATOR: 'IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT AT THIS MOMENT 'THAT IRAQ HAS A BROAD-BASED UNITY GOVERNMENT. 'ALL IRAQIS MUST FEEL REPRESENTED. 'TOGETHER, THEY CAN LEAD THE BATTLE AGAINST TERRORISM.' IN THE US, PRESIDENT OBAMA'S REPUBLICAN OPPONENTS ARE PUSHING FOR THE US TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN IRAQ. THE LATEST CEASEFIRE IN GAZA IS NOW 3-HOURS OLD, AFTER ISRAEL AGREED TO RESUME TALKS WITHOUT PRE-CONDITIONS. BUT PALESTINIANS SAY THEY HAVE NOT GIVEN UP THEIR DEMANDS, WHICH INCLUDE AN END TO THE BLOCKADE OF GAZA. THE BBC'S ORLA GUERIN REPORTS. THE SAND BANKS MARK THE BORDER BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES. ONCE AGAIN, BOTH HAVE AGREED TO A SHORT-TERM CEASEFIRE. IF IT'S POSSIBLE, YEAH, OF COURSE... THIS NEUROSURGEON SAYS EVEN IF A LASTING TRUCE CAN BE PUT IN PLACE, GAZA WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. HE HAS TREATED MORE THAN 120 WAR-WOUNDED CHILDREN. THIS 5-YEAR-OLD CHILD IS HIS LATEST PATIENT. SHE HAS PIECE OF SHRAPNEL IN HER BRAIN. THE DOCTOR HASN'T LEFT GAZA IN A DECADE BECAUSE ISRAEL CONTROLS THE AIR, LAND AND SEA. HE SAYS 1.8 MILLION PALESTINIANS CAN NO LONGER ACCEPT LIVING IN JAIL. THIS IS OCCUPATION, AND THIS HAS TO BE FINISHED. BUT AT SUNSET, THE WARFARE WAS CONTINUING. ISRAEL SAYS IT HIT MORE THAN 40 TARGETS TODAY AND THAT PALESTINIANS FIRED TWO DOZEN ROCKETS. PANICKED SHOUTING THE TARGET HERE WAS A FACTORY, WHICH APPEARED TO BE EMPTY, BUT IT WAS BESIDE AN APARTMENT BLOCK AND IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. BOOM! THESE LATEST AIRSTRIKES ARE A REMINDER OF ISRAEL'S FIREPOWER. TURKEY'S FIRST DIRECT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, A WATERSHED EVENT IN THE COUNTRY'S 91-YEAR HISTORY, HAS A WINNER. CURRENT PRIME MINISTER RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN HAS TRIUMPHED AND WILL LEAD THE COUNTRY FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS. ERDOGAN HAS BEEN A POLARISING FIGURE DURING HIS 10 YEARS AS PRIME MINISTER. WHILE THE COUNTRY'S BEEN PROSPEROUS, CRITICS SAY HE'S IMPOSING RELIGIOUS AND CONSERVATIVE VIEWS ON A COUNTRY FOUNDED ON SECULAR TRADITIONS. A BUS HAS PLUNGED OFF A 10M-HIGH CLIFF IN TIBET, KILLING 44 PEOPLE AND INJURING 11. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED WEST OF THE TIBETAN CAPITAL OF LHASA. THE BUS PASSENGERS WERE MAINLY TOURISTS FROM EASTERN CHINA. FATAL ROAD ACCIDENTS ARE A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN CHINA AND TIBET, ESPECIALLY FOR THE COUNTRY'S OFTEN OVERCROWDED LONG-DISTANCE BUSES. 48 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN A PLANE CRASH IN THE IRANIAN CAPITAL TEHRAN. THE PLANE WENT DOWN IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA SHORTLY AFTER TAKING OFF FROM MEHRABAD AIRPORT. IRAN'S STATE TELEVISION SAYS AN ENGINE SHUT-DOWN CAUSED THE CRASH. IRANIAN POLITICIANS HAVE BLAMED ITS AGING AIRCRAFT FLEET ON INTERNATIONAL SANCTIONS. THERE ARE CONFLICTING AND CHANGING STORIES ABOUT THE 7-MONTH-OLD CHILD KNOWN AS 'BABY GAMMY'. THE LITTLE BOY'S AUSTRALIAN PARENTS HAVE SPOKEN FOR THE FIRST TIME ABOUT ALLEGATIONS THEY ABANDONED THEIR SON, WHO HAS DOWNS SYNDROME. IT'S ALSO BEEN REVEALED HIS FATHER HAS A CONVICTION FOR CHILD SEX ABUSE. THIS FROM THE BBC'S HELENA LEE. IT'S YET ANOTHER TWIST IN THIS ALREADY CONFUSED AND COMPLICATED CASE. AT THE CENTRE OF IT, 7-MONTH-OLD GAMMY, BORN WITH DOWNS SYNDROME TO A THAI SURROGATE MOTHER. THE AUSTRALIAN COUPLE ACCUSED OF ABANDONING HIM FIRST SAID THEY HADN'T KNOWN ABOUT THEIR SON, WITH THE SURROGATE CLAIMING THEY LEFT THE BABY BECAUSE OF HIS CONDITION. NOW, WENDY AND DAVID FARNELL CLAIM THEY DID WANT TO TAKE HIM, ALONG WITH HIS TWIN SISTER, BUT WEREN'T ALLOWED. WE WANTED TO BRING HIM WITH US, BUT THINGS WERE HAPPENING THAT WE COULDN'T. THE SURROGATE MOTHER WANTED TO TAKE OUR GIRL. (INHALES SHARPLY) TEARFULLY: AND WE WERE GETTING SCARED THAT WE WERE GOING TO LOSE HER. THE BABY'S SURROGATE HAS ALSO CHANGED HER STORY. SHE NOW CLAIMS SHE DIDN'T ALLOW THE COUPLE TO TAKE THE BOY. TRANSLATOR: I'VE NEVER SAID I WANTED TO KEEP BOTH BABIES. I DIDN'T ALLOW GAMMY TO GO BACK WITH THEM BECAUSE I FEARED THEY WOULD PUT HIM IN AN INSTITUTION. AND NOW THE AUSTRALIAN COUPLE HAVE BEEN LOOKED INTO AFTER REVELATIONS ABOUT DAVID FARNELL'S PAST CONVICTIONS. I'VE BEEN CONVICTED OF, YEAH, CHILD SEX OFFENCES. AND I HANG MY HEAD IN SHAME... FOR THAT. THIS HAS NOW BECOME A CASE OF WHO IS TELLING THE TRUTH. THE FARNELLS SAY THEY'LL FIGHT TO GET THEIR SON BACK. THE SURROGATE WANTS TO KEEP HIM. GAMMY'S FUTURE STILL APPEARS VERY MUCH UNCERTAIN. WINSTON PETERS IS DEFENDING HIMSELF AGAINST ACCUSATIONS A JOKE HE MADE ABOUT CHINESE NAMES WAS RACIST. THE NZ FIRST LEADER WAS SPEAKING AT HIS PARTY'S CAMPAIGN LAUNCH IN AUCKLAND YESTERDAY, ADDRESSING AMONG OTHER THINGS, WHAT HE PERCEIVES AS A NEED TO BAN FOREIGN LAND OWNERSHIP. AS THEY SAY IN BEIJING, 'TWO WONGS DON'T MAKE A WHITE.' HE LATER HIT BACK AT A REPORTER ACCUSING HIM OF RACISM, SAYING HE THOUGH THE JOKE WAS FUNNY AND SO DID PEOPLE IN BEIJING. IF YOU DON'T SEE THAT AS FUNNY, I DON'T THINK I CAN POSSIBLY GIVE YOU A SENSE OF HUMOUR IN A SHORT EDUCATION LIKE THAT. IT WASN'T HIS ONLY JOKE OF THE NIGHT. ANOTHER CALLED THE PRIME MINISTER 'MR SPRAY AND WALK AWAY' IN REFERENCE TO A TELEVISION AD FEATURING AN ASIAN PRESENTER. A WILD RIDE HAS BECOME A WILD RESCUE FOR ROLLERCOASTER RIDERS AT A THEME PARK IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND, USA. 24 PEOPLE WERE SUSPENDED 75 FEET IN THE AIR FOR HOURS WHEN SIX CARS ON THE RIDE THEY WERE ON, CALLED THE 'JOKER'S JINX', ABRUPTLY STOPPED. RIDERS WERE GIVEN FOOD, WATER AND UMBRELLAS TO SHADE THEM FROM THE SUN BUT HAD TO WAIT THREE HOURS TO BE TAKEN DOWN. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE SHAREMARKET AND BUSINESS NEWS. THEN IN SPORT, ARSENAL TAKE SOME EARLY SEASON SILVERWARE IN ENGLISH FOOTBALL. AND A WILY OLD VETERAN IS RIGHT IN THE MIX AT THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP. MY GOODNESS! A WITH ME, NOW IS JAMES PORTEOUS FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. THIS ITEM WILL BE CAPTIONED LIVE. FOR MORE, GO TO ONENEWS.CO.NZ AND CLICK ON 'BUSINESS'. HALF-YEAR RESULT FROM NZX. HOW DID IT DO? It is not bad. Last year's result was 6.4 million. It went up this year to 7 million. Generally the market is happy with how things have gone. DILIGENT CAME OUT WITH THEIR RESULT ON FRIDAY. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE? It wasn't too bad, but that had some accounting issues. But I think the market were looking for more leadership from them. I think it is just about a lack of guidance from them. THE VISTA GROUP FLOATED ON THE MARKET THIS MORNING. TELL US ABOUT THEM, AND HOW HAVE THEY STARTED? Vista is a cinema operations and facilities provider. That went up as high as $2.22. A good steady debut from them. THANK YOU, JAMES PORTEOUS, FROM CRAIGS INVESTMENT PARTNERS. THERE'S A THRILLING FINISH UNFOLDING IN GOLF'S FINAL MAJOR OF THE YEAR ` THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. AMERICAN RICKIE FOWLER (25) HEADED A CHARGE ON OVERNIGHT LEADER RORY MCILROY. HE AND COMPATRIOT PHIL MICKELSON TOOK THE LEAD TO SIT 15 UNDER PAR MIDWAY THROUGH THE FINAL ROUND. HOWEVER, MCILROY HAS STRUCK BACK WITH AN EAGLE ON THE PAR-5 10TH AND A BIRDIE ON THE 13TH. TO GET BACK INTO THE LEAD... YES! YES! AS IT STANDS AT THE MOMENT, MCILROY HOLDS A ONE-STROKE LEAD WITH JUST THREE HOLES LEFT TO PLAY. KIWI KAYAKER LISA CARRINGTON HAS NOT ONLY SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED HER TITLE AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN MOSCOW, SHE'S SET A NEW WORLD RECORD FOR HER FAVOURED EVENT AS WELL. THE 25-YEAR-OLD CLINCHED HER THIRD TITLE IN THREE YEARS IN THE K1 200M FINAL AFTER DOMINATING THE HEATS AND SEMIS TO FINISH NEARLY A SECOND AHEAD OF THE POLISH COMPETITOR. BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE` LISA'S DOMINATING. SHE'S REALLY TAKEN HALF THE LENGTH OFF THE FIELD SO FAR AND GOING INTO THE LAST 40M, IT'S LISA CARRINGTON'S SHOW. WITH SUCH CLASS, IT LOOKS LIKE SHE'S TAKEN IT NEARLY A WHOLE BOAT. CARRINGTON NOW BEATING A 20-YEAR WORLD RECORD TWICE THIS WEEKEND. SUPER RUGBY'S CHIEFS HAVE SIGNED ANOTHER HIGH-PROFILE PLAYER FOR NEXT YEAR ` FORMER ALL BLACK HOSEA GEAR. THE 30-YEAR-OLD WINGER IS CURRENTLY PLAYING IN JAPAN BUT HAS SIGNED A DEAL TO RETURN TO THE FORMER COMPETITION CHAMPIONS WHEN HIS CLUB SEASON FINISHES IN FEBRUARY. THE DECISION TO RETURN TO NZ WILL MAKE GEAR ELIGIBLE FOR SELECTION AT NEXT YEAR'S RUGBY WORLD CUP. THE WINGER HAS ALREADY PLAYED FOR THE HURRICANES AND THE HIGHLANDERS. HE HAD 14 TESTS FOR THE ALL BLACKS AND WAS PART OF THE NZ SEVENS TEAM WHICH WON GOLD IN 2010. GEAR IS THE SECOND EX-ALL BLACK TO SIGN WITH THE CHIEFS; SONNY BILL WILLIAMS HAVING ALREADY CONFIRMED HIS RETURN. ARSENAL HAVE COLLECTED THEIR FIRST SILVERWARE OF THE SEASON BY BEATING MANCHESTER CITY TO LIFT THE COMMUNITY SHIELD. THE GUNNERS SHOWED THEY ARE READY TO KICK OFF THEIR SEASON IN DECENT FORM AS SANTI CAZORLA AND AARON RAMSEY GAVE THEM A 2-0 LEAD BY HALF TIME, WHILE OLIVIER GIROUD SEALED THE 3-0 VICTORY WITH A LONG-RANGE GOAL. ARSENAL OPEN THEIR PREMIER LEAGUE CAMPAIGN AGAINST CRYSTAL PALACE THIS WEEKEND. THE PENRITH PANTHERS HAVE CONSOLIDATED THEIR TOP-FOUR SPOT ON THE NRL TABLE, WITH A WIN OVER THE DRAGONS LAST NIGHT. IT TOOK 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE PANTHERS SCORED, BUT THEN IT WAS ONE-WAY TRAFFIC, WITH JAMAL IDRIS ENSURING THE VICTORY, AS HE STEPPED PAST BENJI MARSHALL TO SECURE THE 16-4 WIN. OUT TO BENJI MAR` THEY WON'T STOP HIM! JAMAL IDRIS SCORES! WHISTLE TRILLS THE PANTHERS SIT BEHIND MANLY AND SOUTH SYDNEY, WITH THE WARRIORS IN SIXTH SPOT AFTER THEIR WIN OVER THE SHARKS YESTERDAY. AN AMERICAN NASCAR DRIVER IS BEING INVESTIGATED AFTER FATALLY HITTING A FELLOW DRIVER DURING A RACE IN NEW YORK. TONY STEWART IS BEING QUESTIONED AFTER HE APPEARS TO HAVE STRUCK KEVIN WARD JR DURING A RACE AFTER THE 20-YEAR-OLD GOT OUT OF HIS CAR TO CONFRONT STEWART ABOUT AN EARLIER CONTACT. WARD REPORTEDLY DIED ON ARRIVAL AT THE LOCAL HOSPITAL. NO CHARGES HAVE BEEN LAID YET ON STEWART, WHO IS A THREE-TIME NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES CHAMPION. THE NZ WAKEBOARDER SERIOUSLY INJURED WHILE TRAINING IN THE US HAS REGAINED HIS ABILITY TO TALK. BRAD SMEELE WAS TOLD THE ACCIDENT WOULD LEAVE HIM A QUADRIPLEGIC, BUT AFTER WEEKS AT AN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT IN ORLANDO, HE CAN TALK, EAT AND EVEN SIT UP. HE POSTED THIS VIDEO TO FACEBOOK TO THANK PEOPLE WHO'VE SENT DONATIONS AND MESSAGES OF SUPPORT. FORMER ARGENTINIAN SOCCER PLAYER DIEGO MARADONA HAS BEEN CAUGHT ON CAMERA HITTING A JOURNALIST. THE SOCCER STAR WAS TAKING HIS SON TO SEE A PLAY IN THE ARGENTINE CAPITAL. A GROUP OF WAITING JOURNALISTS QUESTIONED MARADONA AS HE LEFT THE THEATRE, AND WHEN ONE REPORTEDLY WINKED AT HIS WIFE, MARADONA GOT OUT OF HIS CAR AND SLAPPED THE MAN. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. AND THE ACADEMIC EQUIVALENT OF A WINE CELLAR ` HOW ONE UNIVERSITY'S USING ROBOTS TO STORE BOOKS DEEP UNDERGROUND. WEATHER NEXT, BUT FIRST ` SOME OF OUR TOP STORIES THIS MIDDAY. A MAJOR FIRE AT AN HISTORIC KAPITI SCHOOL'S BEING TREATED AS SUSPICIOUS. FIRE INVESTIGATORS ARE AT PARAPARAUMU SCHOOL, WHICH IS SET TO MARK ITS 125TH YEAR. US AIR FORCES ARE CONTINUING AIRSTRIKES AROUND THE KURDISH-HELD TOWN OF ERBIL IN THE NORTHWEST OF IRAQ. AND IN GOLF, THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL ROUND WITH MCILROY CURRENTLY HOLDING A TWO-SHOT LEAD. SKYWATCHERS THIS MORNING WERE TREATED TO THE DRAMATIC SIGHT OF A SO-CALLED 'SUPER MOON'. THE MOON'S IRREGULAR ORBIT MAKES IT CLOSE TO US LIKE THIS SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR, BUT THIS TIME IT WAS A FULL MOON AS WELL. AND IF YOU MISSED IT, YOU CAN GET AN ANOTHER LOOK AT AROUND 6.30 THIS EVENING. NOW TO THE WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE ONENEWS.CO.NZ ROBOTS ARE ABOUT TO MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S LARGEST LIBRARIES. SYDNEY'S UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY IS STORING MORE THAN 300,000 BOOKS FAR BENEATH THE CAMPUS. THE AUSTRALIAN ABC'S NICOLE CHETTLE REPORTS. THEY'RE OLD-FASHIONED BOOKS IN A FUTURISTIC HOME. THIS PURPOSE-BUILT BUNKER IS FREEING UP SHELF SPACE WITHOUT COMPROMISING STUDENTS' ACCESS TO IMPORTANT TEXTS. WHAT WE'VE DONE IS SELECT THE LEAST WELL-USED BOOKS, ALTHOUGH THEY CAN BE QUICKLY RETRIEVED, AND WE'VE PUT THEM IN HERE. THAT THEN OPENS THE LIBRARY UP FOR OTHER PURPOSES. THE BOOKS ARE FITTED WITH RADIO FREQUENCY TAGS AND STORED IN GALVANISED STEEL CONTAINERS. WHEN STUDENTS PLACE AN ORDER, A ROBOT READS THE LABELS AND COLLECTS THE TITLES. IT STRETCHES FIVE STORIES BENEATH STREET LEVEL AND COULD ULTIMATELY HOUSE UP TO A MILLION BOOKS. TECHNOLOGY DOESN'T COME CHEAP. BUT AT $28.5M, THE COST IS FAR LESS THAN A NEW INNER-CITY LIBRARY. IT'S CLIMATE CONTROLLED, AND EVEN HAS ITS OWN MOAT TO PREVENT AN UNDERGROUND DELUGE. THE UNIVERSITY IS CONFIDENT THE SWITCH TO INTERNET PUBLICATIONS WON'T RENDER THIS REDUNDANT, BECAUSE DEMAND FOR BOOKS SUGGESTS STUDENTS PREFER TO READ PAGES INSTEAD OF COMPUTER SCREENS. AND DESPITE ALL THE MOD-CONS, THE DELIVERY IS STILL DONE THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY. MEANWHILE, ITALY HAS OPENED BEACH LIBRARIES TO OFFER TOURISTS FREE READING ON THE BEACHES. THIS ONE AT A POPULAR TOURIST TOWN IN SOUTH-WEST ITALY HAS GROWN QUICKLY SINCE THE IDEA TOOK HOLD. LAUNCHED IN 2012, THE NUMBER OF ITALIAN BEACH LIBRARIES HAS SINCE INCREASED FROM SIX TO 150. IT SEEMS THE BOOK IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL. THANKS FOR JOINING US. THE ONE NEWS HOUR WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY AMY PARK AND JESSICA BOELL CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2014