IT'S MIDDAY. THE U.S IS READY TO RESPOND TO NORTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR THREATS WITH FIRE AND FURY LIKE THE WORLD HAS NEVER SEEN AS THE TIT-FOR-TAT SPAT REACHES BOILING POINT. A WORLD FAMOUS NEUROPATHOLOGIST QUESTIONS WHY KIWI PARENTS STILL ALLOW THEIR CHILDREN TO PLAY CONTACT SPORT. LABOUR UNVEILS ITS FRESHWATER POLICY. AND IT'S NOT JUST BOTTLING COMPANIES EXPECTED TO PAY ROYALTIES. AHI AHI MARIE. GOOD AFTERNOON. FIRST ON MIDDAY, OVER THE LAST FEW HOURS, THE FEUD BETWEEN THE US AND NORTH KOREA HAS REACHED BOILING POINT. PYONGYANG SAYS IT'S CAREFULLY EXAMINING A PLAN TO STRIKE THE US PACIFIC TERRITORY OF GUAM. THIS HAPPENED AFTER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WARNED THE NORTH THAT ANY MORE THREATS TO AMERICA WOULD BE MET WITH FIRE AND FURY LIKE THE WORLD HAS NEVER SEEN. TRUMP'S ULTIMATUM WAS IN RESPONSE TO US INTELLIGENCE THAT CONFIRMED NORTH KOREA HAS PRODUCED A NUCLEAR WARHEAD THAT COULD FIT INSIDE ONE OF ITS MISSILE. THE ABC'S MARTHA RADDATZ REPORTS. IT IS THE MOST FIERY, OVERTLY MILITARY THREAT PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS EVER LAUNCHED AT NORTH KOREA ` A CHILLING WARNING IN RESPONSE TO KIM JONG-UN'S THREATS TO THE U-S. NORTH KOREA BEST NOT MAKE ANY MORE THREATS TO THE UNITED STATES. THEY WILL BE MET WITH FIRE AND FURY LIKE THE WORLD HAS NEVER SEEN. THIS DRAMATIC ESCALATION OF RHETORIC ALL THE MORE ALARMING GIVEN THE LATEST EXTRAORDINARY INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENTS OF NORTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES. FIRST REPORTED IN THE WASHINGTON POST AND CONFIRMED BY ABC NEWS, US INTELLIGENCE ANALYSTS BELIEVE THE NORTH CAN NOW PRODUCE A MINIATURISED NUCLEAR WARHEAD THAT CAN FIT INSIDE ITS MISSILES, INCLUDING ITS INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILES. KIM JONG-UN'S CLAIM THAT HE WAS STANDING NEXT TO SUCH A NUCLEAR DEVICE LAST MARCH WAS MET WITH SOME SCEPTICISM, BUT THIS LATEST INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENT SAYS HE HAS INDEED PRODUCED THIS DEVICE. THIS IS THE MOST MOMENTOUS DAY IN HIS NUCLEAR PROGRAMME. JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, KIM TESTED AN ICBM INTO SPACE, GOING HIGHER AND FARTHER THAN EVER BEFORE, BUT ANALYSTS SAY IF THE MISSILE TRAJECTORY WAS LOWERED, THE MISSILE COULD POTENTIALLY REACH THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON DC. THERE IS STILL TWO PIECES OF THE PUZZLE LEFT. ONE IS HE HAS TO SHOW HE'S IS ABLE TO HAVE THAT NUCLEAR WARHEAD SURVIVE THE HEAT OF RE-ENTRY AND THE SECOND IS THAT HE HAS TO ACCURATELY TARGET IT. IT IS WITHOUT QUESTION THE GREATEST CHALLENGE PRESIDENT TRUMP NOW FACES. A TOP NEW YORK NEUROPATHOLOGIST HAS QUESTIONED WHY NEW ZEALAND PARENTS ARE LETTING THEIR CHILDREN PLAY CONTACT SPORTS WHEN THERE'S SOLID EVIDENCE LINKING HEAD KNOCKS AND SERIOUS BRAIN DISEASE. HE'S REPEATING HIS CALLS FOR A GLOBAL BAN OF CONTACT SPORT AT AN UNDERAGE LEVEL. JORDAN OPPERT HAS THE LATEST. EACH AND EVERY PARENT MUST ASK THEMSELVES, 'DO I LOVE RUGBY MORE THAN I LOVE MY CHILD?' BENNETT OMALU'S CALLING FOR KIWI KIDS AGED 18 AND UNDER TO STOP PLAYING RUGBY. BUT PARENTS HERE AREN'T CONVINCED. IT'S THEIR CHOICE. IF THEY WANT TO GET INTO A SPORT, THEN I'M HAPPY FOR THEM TO DO IT. YOU CAN DRAW CONCLUSIONS FROM ANYTHING YOU WANT, I GUESS, BUT YOU CANT WRAP YOUR KIDS IN COTTON WOOL. IN FACT, DR OMALU WANTS A GLOBAL BAN ON YOUNG PEOPLE PLAYING ALL CONTACT SPORT. BAYLEY PAHL (17) SUFFERED TWO CONCUSSIONS LAST YEAR PLAYING CLUB RUGBY. NOW HE SAYS HE'S OUT OF THE GAME. JUST, I DON'T WANT TO KEEP GETTING KNOCKED OUT FOR NO REASON ` LIKE GOING INTO A TACKLE AND JUST GETTING KNOCKED OUT. THE NEW ZEALAND RUGBY UNION SAYS ITS WORKING ON... BUT IT'S NOT JUST RUGBY. SOFTBALL, BOXING, MIXED MARTIAL ARTS AND ICE HOCKEY ARE ALSO A BIG CONCERN. IF YOUR CHILD PLAYS ANY OF THESE GAMES EVEN FOR ONE SEASON, THERE IS A 100% RISK EXPOSURE TO PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE. THE WORLD-RENOWNED NEUROLOGIST WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE MOVIE 'CONCUSSION' THAT DOCUMENTED HIS STRUGGLE TO GET PROFESSIONAL SPORT TO RECOGNISE THE LONG-LASTING DANGERS OF KNOCKS TO THE HEAD, AND HE'S COMMITTED TO KEEPING THE ISSUE IN THE SPOTLIGHT. WE WOULDN'T LET THEM SMOKE A STICK OF CIGARETTES, BUT WE WOULD RATHER SEND THEM TO THE FIELD OF RUGBY OR FOOTBALL TO SUFFER A SUBCONCUSSION OR CONCUSSION OF THE BRAIN. TELL ME WHICH IS MORE DANGEROUS. JORDAN OPPERT, 1 NEWS COMMERCIAL WATER BOTTLERS WILL HAVE TO PAY ROYALTIES UNDER A LABOUR GOVERNMENT, AND FARMERS WOULD ALSO HAVE TO DO THEIR BIT. THE PARTY'S ANNOUNCED ITS FRESHWATER POLICY THIS MORNING, WHICH IT SAYS ADDRESSES PUBLIC CONCERNS ABOUT WATER QUALITY. BOTTLERS WOULD PAY BY THE LITRE FOR THE WATER THEY TAKE. ROYALTIES WOULD ALSO APPLY TO IRRIGATION SCHEMES, BUT THERE WOULD BE FLEXIBILITY IN WET AREAS OR THOSE STRUCK BY DROUGHT. FARMERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO REDUCE STOCK AND FENCE OFF WATERWAYS. HOUSEHOLDS AND COUNCILS WILL BE EXEMPT UNDER THE POLICY, AND HYDROPOWER SCHEMES WON'T BE AFFECTED. MONEY RAISED WOULD LARGELY BE RETURNED TO REGIONAL COUNCILS TO HELP CLEAN UP POLLUTED WATERWAYS. THERE'S QUESTION MARKS OVER WHETHER THE GREEN PARTY WILL PUT FORWARD SOMEONE NEW FOR A HOTLY CONTESTED SEAT AFTER THEIR CANDIDATE RESIGNED, THE THIRD GREEN PARTY MEMBER TO DO SO SINCE MONDAY. HUTT SOUTH CANDIDATE SUSANNE RUTHVEN WITHDREW FROM THE RACE AT A PRE-ELECTION DEBATE LAST NIGHT BECAUSE OF A NEW JOB. HER RESIGNATION FOLLOWS TWO MPS STEPPING DOWN IN PROTEST OVER METIRIA TUREI'S LEADERSHIP. NATIONAL'S HUTT-SOUTH CANDIDATE, CHRIS BISHOP, SAYS HE EXPECTS THE GREENS WILL STAND ANOTHER CANDIDATE FOR THE AREA. AND THEY STAND CANDIDATES IN ALMOST EVERY ELECTORATE AROUND THE COUNTRY. THE GREENS DO REALLY WELL IN PARTS OF HUTT SOUTH, BELMONT, KOROKORO, PETONE, EASTBOURNE. THEY GET 20% OF THE PARTY VOTE. SO THERE IS A BIG GREEN CONSTITUENCY IN THE HUTT, AND SO I WILL ASSUME THEY WILL JUST PUT A NEW CANDIDATE IN. THE TERTIARY EDUCATION MINISTER'S BEEN ACCUSED OF MAKING A DISGUSTING RACIAL REMARK WHEN SPEAKING TO A YOUNG VOTER. FOLLOWING A POLITICAL DEBATE, 25-YEAR-OLD THOMAS MAHARAJ ASKED PAUL GOLDSMITH WHETHER A CAPITAL GAINS TAX WOULD EASE THE HOUSING CRISIS. HE ALLEGES IN RESPONSE, THE MINISTER WAS DISCRIMINATORY TO INDIANS, SUGGESTING THEY BUY LOTS OF HOUSES. IN DEFENCE MR GOLDSMITH CLAIMS THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING, AND HE DIDN'T MEAN TO OFFEND MR MAHARAJ. THE POPULATION OF NATIVE BEES WILL TAKE A HIT AS FARMING CONTINUES TO INTENSIFY, ACCORDING TO A NEW STUDY BY AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY. SCIENTISTS FOUND THAT IN AREAS OF HIGH-INTENSITY AGRICULTURE, THE POPULATION OF NON-NATIVE BEES THRIVED, BUT THE NUMBER OF NATIVES DECLINED BY 90%. THEY SAY IT'S A RESULT OF NATIVE BEES ONLY NESTING IN NATURAL SOIL AND FORAGING FOR FOOD CLOSE TO THEIR NEST. RESEARCHERS SAY IT PUTS US AT RISK OF BECOMING TOO RELIANT ON ONE SPECIES FOR POLLINATION. AND SOME SOUTH AFRICANS SAY PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA IS ON HIS NINTH LIFE AFTER SURVIVING YET ANOTHER VOTE OF NO-CONFIDENCE IN HIS LEADERSHIP. IT'S THE EIGHTH ATTEMPT TO OUST ZUMA, WHO HAS BEEN DOGGED BY CLAIMS OF CORRUPTION AND MISMANAGEMENT DURING HIS TIME IN OFFICE. THE BBC'S MILTON NKOSI REPORTS FROM CAPE TOWN. CROWD CHANT: ZUMA! ZUMA! ZUMA! PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA LIVES TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY. HE HAS MANAGED TO HANG ON AFTER AN EIGHTH MOTION OF NO-CONFIDENCE IN HIS LEADERSHIP. FOR THE FIRST TIME, IT WAS A SECRET BALLOT, SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED BY THE OPPOSITION, WITH THE AIM OF PROTECTING ANC MP'S WHO WANTED TO VOTE AGAINST THEIR OWN PARTY'S WISHES. A NARROW VICTORY FOR PRESIDENT ZUMA. THE PARTY LEADERS WERE RELIEVED. WE HAVE DEFEATED THIS MOTION. AND TO US THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT. THIS WAS THE MOST RECENT ATTEMPT TO OUST THE 75-YEAR-OLD. HE'S BEEN ACCUSED OF SPENDING PUBLIC FUNDS IN CONTROVERSIAL SECURITY UPGRADES TO HIS PRIVATE RESIDENCE. THIS VOTE WAS PERHAPS THE BIGGEST SIGN OF MR ZUMA'S FADING SUPPORT WITHIN HIS OWN PARTY. IT'S BELIEVED AROUND 40 ANC MP'S AGAINST HIM, LEAVING OPPOSITION LEADERS ENCOURAGED. IT WAS A CLOSE VOTE, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE UNITY OF THE OPPOSITION SHOWED TODAY THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE AND SHOW THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY THAT WE ARE WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER. THIS IS NOT THE LAST BATTLE. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS FIGHT. PRESIDENT ZUMA HAS BEEN IN POWER FOR CLOSE TO A DECADE NOW, BUT THE COUNTRY REMAINS DIVIDED AND THE COUNTRY IS AT ANOTHER CROSSROADS. HE PLANS TO STEP DOWN AS LEADER OF THE ANC IN DECEMBER. BUT WITH POLITICAL TENSIONS RUNNING HIGH, IT'S UNCLEAR WHETHER HE CAN REMAIN PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTRY UNTIL THE 2019 ELECTIONS KENYA'S INCUMBENT PRESIDENT, UHURU KENYATTA, HAS TAKEN AN EARLY LEAD AS VOTES ARE BEING COUNTED FOR THE COUNTRY'S GENERAL ELECTIONS. PEOPLE TURNED OUT IN LARGE NUMBERS TO VOTE IN THE HOTLY CONTESTED ELECTION, WITH MR KENYATTA FACING OFF AGAINST HIS LONG-TIME RIVAL RAILA ODINGA. MANY FEAR THE RESULTS COULD TRIGGER A REPEAT OF THE VIOLENCE SEEN AFTER THE DISPUTED 2007 ELECTIONS, WHERE MORE THAN A THOUSAND PEOPLE DIED AND 600,000 WERE DISPLACED. A 6.5 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE HAS HIT SOUTHWEST CHINA. IT STRUCK AT A DEPTH OF 9KM IN THE SPARSELY POPULATED PROVINCE OF SICHUAN. SEVERAL DEATHS HAVE BEEN REPORTED, BUT NO OFFICIAL DEATH TOLL HAS BEEN RELEASED. DOZENS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INJURED AND LOCAL MEDIA IS REPORTING DAMAGE TO MORE THAN 130,000 HOMES. HACKERS WHO INFILTRATED THE SYSTEM OF AMERICAN ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HBO HAVE DEMANDED A LARGE RANSOM PAYMENT. IN A NEW DUMP OF INFORMATION, THEY'VE LEAKED THE SCRIPT FOR THE YET-TO-AIR FIFTH EPISODE OF GAME OF THRONES AS WELL AS EMAILS FROM TOP EXECUTIVES. THE ABC'S LINZIE JANIS HAS MORE. OVERNIGHT ANOTHER MASSIVE DATA DUMP FROM THE HBO HACKERS. WHO TAUGHT YOU HOW TO DO THAT? AMONG THE SECOND ROUND OF FILES, EMAILS FROM AN EXECUTIVE AT THE COMPANY AS WELL AS MORE DOCUMENTS RELATED TO GAME OF THRONES. DRACARYS. INCLUDING AN UPCOMING SCRIPT FROM AN UNAIRED EPISODE AND FINANCIAL BALANCE SHEETS FOR THE COMPANY. WE CAN HOLD THEM OFF. THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM THE HACKER DEMANDING A RANSOM FROM HBO. THE HACKER CLAIMS THE NETWORK IS THEIR 17TH TARGET AND THAT IT TOOK SIX MONTHS TO ACCESS THE COMPANY'S DATABASE. A REP FOR HBO SAYS WHILE THE INVESTIGATION IS STILL ON-GOING,... THE MASSIVE CYBER HACK BEGAN LAST WEEK. IT'S HARD FOR ME TO FATHOM. IT REALLY IS. HACKERS STEALING 1.5TB OF DATA. THAT'S SEVEN TIMES BIGGER THAN THE 2014 ATTACK ON SONY PICTURES. AND EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT 500 HOURS WORTH OF MOVIES. I SEE QUITE A LOT NOW. FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON HAS ABANDONED HIS BID TO OFFICIALLY RECOGNISE HIS WIFE BRIGITTE AS THE FIRST LADY OF FRANCE. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS HAVE SIGNED A PETITION AGAINST THE IDEA. IN FRANCE, THE PRESIDENT'S SPOUSE DOES NOT HOLD AN OFFICIAL POSITION, BUT IS GIVEN AN OFFICE IN THE ELYSEE PALACE, AN ASSISTANT AND SECURITY GUARDS. SAME SEX MARRIAGE COULD BE LEGAL IN AUSTRALIA BY CHRISTMAS WITH THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT PUTTING A TIMELINE ON THE DEBATE. THE RULING PARTY WILL MAKE A SECOND ATTEMPT THIS WEEK TO GET THE SUPPORT OF THE SENATE FOR A REFERENDUM ON THE ISSUE. BUT IF IT FAILS, THE GOVERNMENT WILL HOLD A VOLUNTARY POSTAL VOTE IN NOVEMBER. AROUND 61% OF AUSTRALIANS SUPPORT SAME SEX MARRIAGE. THE RHINESTONE COWBOY HAS RIDDEN OFF INTO THE SUNSET FOLLOWING A LONG BATTLE WITH ALZHEIMER'S. COUNTRY STAR GLENN CAMPBELL HAS DIED AT THE AGE OF 81. THE BBC'S DAVID SILLITO LOOKS BACK ON HIS CAREER. # I AM A LINEMAN FOR THE COUNTY, # AND I DRIVE THE MAIN ROAD. WICHITA LINEMAN ` IT'S WIDE OPEN SPACES, YEARNING, LONELINESS ` AMERICA TURNED INTO SONG. BUT WHAT TRULY MADE IT A MASTERPIECE WAS THE VOICE OF GLEN CAMPBELL. # I HEAR YOU SINGING IN THE WIRE. HE HAD BEEN BORN IN BILLSTOWN, ARKANSAS IN A LARGE, POOR FAMILY OF COTTON PICKERS. HIS ESCAPE WAS HIS UNCLE BOO, WHO TAUGHT HIM HOW TO PLAY GUITAR. # YOU JUST SAID, 'BABY, HOW I LOVE YOU.' # HE COULD PLAY ANYTHING. HE ENDED UP SINGING ON TV SHOWS. AND ON HUNDREDS OF SINGLES, WITH THE SESSION MUSICIANS 'THE WRECKING CREW' ` PHIL SPECTOR'S SONGS, THE BEACH BOYS, THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS, FRANK SINATRA ` IT WAS GLENN CAMPBELL ON GUITAR. BUT IT WAS THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SONGWRITER JIMMY WEBB THAT GAVE HIM HIS CAREER-DEFINING SONGS ` 'BY THE TIME I GET TO PHOENIX',... # SHE'LL BE RISING. # # GALVESTON, OH, GALVESTON. # ...GALVESTON, WICHITA LINEMAN. A CLEAN-CUT CONSERVATIVE, HE WAS SUDDENLY COUNTRY MUSIC'S BIGGEST STAR, WITH HIS OWN TV SHOW. # I HAVE SOMEONE WHO NEEDS ME, # SOMEONE I NEEDED SO LONG. # # BUT I'M GOING TO BE WHERE THE LIGHTS ARE SHINING ON ME. # 'RHINESTONE COWBOY' WAS A GLORIOUS RETURN TO FORM AFTER A DIP IN HIS FORTUNES THAT HAD TAKEN PLACE IN THE '70S. BUT HIS PERSONAL LIFE WAS FAR FROM GLORIOUS. # A COUNTRY BOY. # YOU GOT YOUR FEET IN LA. BUT TAKE A LOOK AT EVERYTHING YOU OWN. # I THINK I PROBABLY JUST QUIT LETTING GOD RUN MY LIFE, AND I ACTUALLY JUST GOT INTO THE DRUGS AND THE BOOZE PRETTY HEAVY. # I AM A LINEMAN FOR THE COUNTY, AND I... # WHAT? DRIVE. DRIVE THE MAIN ROADS. THAT SLIGHT STUMBLE OVER THE WORDS, IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF ALZHEIMER'S. # AND THE WICHITA LINEMAN... HE HAD LONG PUT HIS WILD DAYS BEHIND HIM BUT MEMORIES WERE FADING. # ...IS STILL ON THE LINE. WHAT STAYED WITH HIM WHEN SO MUCH ELSE HAD GONE WAS THE MUSIC ` THE SONGS OF GLEN CAMPBELL. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` AN AUSTRALIAN FIRST CLINICAL TRIAL, AND THE POTENTIALLY LIFE-SAVING TREATMENT IS PAVING THE WAY FOR PATIENTS WITH LEUKAEMIA AND LYMPHOMA. AND A SUSPECTED OUTBREAK OF VOMITTING BUG STRIKES DOWN ATHLETES AT THE WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS. TRIALS FOR A NEW LANDMARK THERAPY TO TREAT LEUKAEMIA AND LYMPHOMA IS SET TO BEGIN IN AUSTRALIA. PREVIOUSLY MANY PATIENTS HAD TO TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES FOR THE TREATMENT. CHANNEL NINE'S VICKY JARDIM REPORTS. NICHOLA IS THRIVING AFTER RECEIVING PIONEERING T-CELL THERAPY TO TREAT A VIRUS THE 6-YEAR-OLD AND HIS BROTHER BOTH SUFFERING FROM A FATAL IMMUNE-DEFICIENCY DISEASE THAT MADE EVERYDAY LIFE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. IT'S REALLY, REALLY SCARY TO WATCH THEM HAVE A BATH AND BE SCARED THEY'RE GONNA GET, YOU KNOW, A PARASITE FROM THE WATER, THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY ELSE WOULD BE FINE WITH. NOW THIS GROUND-BREAKING THERAPY HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR PHASE-ONE CLINICAL TRIALS ON THOSE WITH CANCER. SCIENTISTS AND DOCTORS AT THE WESTMEAD INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH AND WESTMEAD HOSPITAL WILL RECRUIT 20 LEUKAEMIA AND LYMPHOMA PATIENTS, ALL WHO'VE SUFFERED A RECURRENCE OF THE DISEASE DESPITE HAVING A BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANT. THIS KIND OF TREATMENT OFFERS A REAL HOPE OF ACTUALLY CURING THOSE PATIENTS. T CELLS ARE SPECIALISED IMMUNE CELLS THAT NORMALLY FIGHT INFECTIONS. THE PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE GENETICALLY MODIFIED T CELLS FITTED WITH A SPECIAL RECEPTOR CALLED A CHIMERIC ANTIGEN RECEPTOR, OR CAR, THAT IDENTIFIES AND KILLS THE CANCER CELLS. PARTICULARLY THE ONES THAT OCCUR IN CHILDREN. THIS IS GOING TO OFFER THOSE SUFFERS AN OPTION WHERE ONE PREVIOUSLY DIDN'T EXIST. UP UNTIL NOW, THIS THERAPY HAS ONLY BEEN AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES. AUSTRALIAN PATIENTS REQUIRED TO PAY UP TO A MILLION DOLLARS TO BE PART OF THE INITIAL TRIALS. IMMUNOTHERAPY NOW GIVEN NICHOLA A SECOND CHANCE. BOTSWANA'S ISAAC MAKWALA IS ONE OF THE FAVOURITES TO WIN THE MEN'S 400M AT THE WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIP IN LONDON. BUT HE'S BEEN BARRED, AGAINST HIS WILL, FROM COMPETING AFTER A SUSPECTED NOROVIRUS OUTBREAK. BBC'S DAN ROAN HAS MORE. AND FROM BOTSWANA, ISAAC MAKWALA. HE'S ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING SPRINTERS AND THE HIGHEST-PROFILE VICTIM YET OF A VOMITING BUG THAT'S HIT ATHLETICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. DESPITE INSISTING THAT HE WAS FIT ENOUGH TO RACE IN TONIGHT'S 400M FINALS, BOTSWANA'S ISAAC MAKWALA WAS REFUSED ACCESS FROM THE LONDON STADIUM AND FORCED TO WITHDRAW. I FELT HEARTBROKEN YESTERDAY. I WAS READY FOR THIS. I WORKED HARD FOR THIS. VERY VERY SAD FOR ME, BECAUSE I WAS READY. I WAS AT THE TOP OF MY GAME. TONIGHT, THE ATHLETE AT THE CENTRE OF THE STORM MADE AN IMPASSIONED PLEA TO PARTICIPATE. MAKWALA TWEETED ` GOVERNING BODY IAAF INSISTS MAKWALA HAS AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND THAT REGULATIONS MAIN HE HAS TO BE QUARANTINED FOR 48 HOURS. BUT THE BOTSWANA TEAM SAY THEIR ATHLETE HASN'T BEEN TESTED AND IS FIT. WE RESPECT THE DECISION IF IT IS BASED ON PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES. HOWEVER, IT WAS THE MANNER IN WHICH THIS DECISION WAS ARRIVED AT THAT IS QUITE DISTURBING. AND AS WE'VE INDICATED, THIS MATTER HAS BEEN APPROACHED IN DRIPS AND DRABS. MAKWALA IS ONE OF 30 ATHLETES AND SUPPORT STAFF REPORTING ILLNESS AFTER A SUSPECTED OUTBREAK OF THE HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS VOMITING BUG NOROVIRUS AT THIS CENTRAL LONDON TEAM HOTEL. IN ANY EVENT, WHEN YOU'VE GOT 20,000 PEOPLE, MINIMUM, THAT WE'VE ACCREDITED COMING IN FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE WORLD, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT SOMEONE MIGHT COME IN WITH A BUG, AND WE THINK THAT THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE. THIS EVENING MAJORITY THE ATHLETES HERE CONTINUE THEIR PREPARATIONS UNAFFECTED. BUT FOR OTHERS, THE OUTBREAK HAS COST THEM DEAR. THE TALL BLACKS ARE OFF TO A WINNING START AT THE ASIA CUP, WITH AN IMPRESSIVE WIN OVER KAZAKHSTAN IN THEIR FIRST POOL PLAY MATCH. IT WAS A SLOW START FOR BOTH SIDES, BUT THE KIWIS WERE ABLE TO INCREASE THEIR LEAD IN THE SECOND HALF. TALL BLACKS POINT GUARD DERONE RAUKAWA CAME UP WITH THE CLUTCH PLAYS, WITH A GAME HIGH OF 17 POINTS. NICE STROKE FROM RAUKAWA ONCE AGAIN. THE TALL BLACKS STORMED TO 70-49 THUMPING. THEY NOW PLAY LEBANON TOMORROW MORNING. WARRIORS VETERAN ISAAC LUKE HAS BEEN DROPPED TO THE BENCH FOR THEIR MATCH AGAINST THE CANBERRA RAIDERS THIS WEEKEND. COACH STEPHEN KEARNEY HAS CHOSEN TO DROP THE HOOKER AFTER HIS BELOW-PAR PERFORMANCE CONTRIBUTED TO THEIR WOEFUL LOSS AGAINST BOTTOM-OF-THE-TABLE NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS LAST WEEKEND. NATHANIEL ROACHE STEPS UP TO TAKE HIS STARTING POSITION, WHILE RYAN HOFFMAN RETURNS TO THE GAME FROM A FOOT INJURY. THE WARRIORS PLAY 10TH PLACED CANBERRA AT MT SMART ON SUNDAY. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` SOMEONE'S LEFT THE TAP RUNNING. IT'S A WET WEATHER FORECAST. I'LL TELL WHERE NEXT. YOUR WEATHER'S NEXT, BUT FIRST LET'S LOOK AT OUR TOP STORY ON MIDDAY. NORTH KOREA SAY IT'S CAREFULLY EXAMINING A PLAN TO STRIKE THE US PACIFIC TERRITORY OF GUAM WITH MISSILES JUST HOURS AFTER DONALD TRUMP WARNED ANY MORE THREATS WOULD BE MET WITH FIRE AND FURY. NOW TO THE WEATHER. A LOW INCREASES THIS AFTERNOON IN THE DEEP SOUTH. OTHERWISE A MAINLY FINE DAY FOR THESE PLACES. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ THE FAMOUS ORANGUTAN WHO WAS AMONG THE FIRST APES TO LEARN SIGN LANGUAGE HAS DIED AT AGE 39 IN A ZOO IN ATLANTA. CHANTEK WAS BEING TREATED FOR HEART DISEASE BEFORE HE DIED. HE LEARNED TO CLEAN HIS ROOM, MAKE AND USE TOOLS AND WOULD OFTEN COMMUNICATE WITH ZOO STAFF USING SIGN LANGUAGE. THANKS FOR WATCHING. FROM THE TEAM BEHIND MIDDAY NEWS, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY ANTONY VLUG AND GLENNA CASALME CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2017