IT'S MIDDAY. THE BARCELONA ATTACKER IS SHOT DEAD ` A-FOUR DAY MANHUNT FOR THE PERPETRATOR OF THURSDAY'S DEADLY ATTACK. THE UN IS BEING URGED TO BAN KILLER ROBOTS BEFORE THEY BECOME WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. AND A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE CAPTURES EYES AND HEARTS OF MILLIONS ACROSS AMERICA. AHIAHI MARIE, GOOD AFTERNOON. FIRST ON 'MIDDAY' ` SPANISH POLICE SAY THEY'VE SHUT DOWN THE TERROR GROUP RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VAN ATTACK THAT KILLED AT LEAST 13 PEOPLE IN BARCELONA. IT COMES AFTER THE SUSPECTED DRIVER WAS SHOT DEAD BY POLICE AFTER A FOUR-DAY MAN HUNT, BUT INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE ATTACK ARE ONGOING. THE BBC'S TOM BURRIDGE HAS MORE. THE HUNT FOR A YOUNG MAN WHO MURDERED SO MANY ENDED HERE. CATALONIAN COUNTRYSIDE WAS THIS AFTERNOON SWARMED WITH ARMED POLICE. IN THE SKY, OFFICERS WERE CHECKING FOR ACCOMPLICES, BUT HUNTED FOR DAYS, YOUNES ABOUYAAQOUB DIED OUT HERE ON HIS OWN. JUST BEFORE 5 O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON, THE CATALAN POLICE HAS SHOOT DEAD YOUNES ABOUYAAQOUB, DRIVER OF THE VAN AND DIRECT PERPETRATOR OF THE ATTACK IN BARCELONA ON TUESDAY, CAUSING THE DEATH OF 13 PEOPLE. LOCALS SAY ABOUYAAQOUB WAS SPOTTED BY A WOMAN THIS MORNING, WHO TIPPED OFF POLICE. HE APPARENTLY THEN RAN OFF INTO A FIELD. IN THE SPACE OF NEARLY FOUR DAYS, YOUNES ABOUYAAQOUB HAD TRAVELLED RIGHT OUT INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE HERE ` TENS OF KILOMETRES AWAY FROM BARCELONA. WHEN CONFRONTED BY POLICE, HE REVEALED HE WAS WEARING WHAT APPEARED TO BE A SUICIDE BELT. ONE REPORT SAYS HE SHOUTED, 'ALLAH AKBAR' ` 'GOD IS GREAT' IN ARABIC ` BEFORE OFFICERS SHOT HIM DEAD. EARLIER TODAY THE MANHUNT MOVED UP A GEAR. CCTV RELEASED OF ABOUYAAQOUB'S MOVEMENTS AFTER HE DROVE A VAN INDISCRIMINATELY DOWN LAS RAMBLAS ` NEW IMAGES OF MAN MOTIVATED TO KILL AS MANY AS HE COULD. (CHATTER) WE THINK THIS VIDEO FILMED BY A LOCAL WOMAN SHOWS THE CAR HE STOLE AFTER LAS RAMBLAS ATTACK. THE OWNER WAS STABBED TO DEATH. THEY GOT OUT OF THEIR CARS WITH ALL THE GUNS ` ALL THE SECRETAS, LOTS OF POLICE SUDDENLY RIGHT IN SECONDS. THE POLICE BELIEVE THAT YOUNES ABOUYAAQOUB WAS PART OF A LARGER NETWORK, WHICH THEY HAVE NOW DISMANTLED. HIS MURDEROUS MISSION ENDED HERE. BORN IN MOROCCO, AT 22, HE BECAME A KILLED IN SPAIN. THERE'S BEEN A RENEWED CALL FOR A BAN ON SO-CALLED KILLER ROBOTS. OVER 100 TECHNOLOGY LEADERS ARE URGING THE UNITED NATIONS TO STOP THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARTIFICIALLY INTELLIGENT WEAPONS, WHICH THEY FEAR COULD POSE A GREATER DANGER TO HUMANITY THAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS. THE ABC'S ISKHANDAR RAZAK HAS MORE. WE'RE GONNA MISS THE GOOD OLD DAYS. WHAT GOOD OLD DAYS? WHEN PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY OTHER PEOPLE. IT'S THE STUFF OF HOLLYWOOD BLOCKBUSTERS, BUT AUTONOMOUS KILLER ROBOTS AREN'T JUST SCIENCE FICTION ANY MORE. (CRACK!) MAN: THESE WILL BE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. THEY WILL BE WEAPONS THAT HAVE REACTION TIMES THAT NO HUMAN CAN COMPETE AGAINST. THEY WON'T NEED TO REST; THEY'LL FIGHT 24-7. THEY WON'T BE WEAPONS THAT WE CAN DEFEND OURSELVES AGAINST. NEW TYPES OF MILITARY DRONES, PLANES AND SHIPS THAT DON'T REQUIRE HUMANS COMBINED WITH WHAT PRIVATE DEVELOPERS ARE DOING HAVE SCIENTISTS WORRIED ABOUT AN ARMS RACE AND ITS RAMIFICATIONS. THESE WILL BE WEAPONS OF TERROR, WEAPONS THAT WILL BE USED AND ABUSED WHEN THEY FALL INTO THE HANDS OF DESPOTS AND FALL INTO THE HANDS OF TERRORIST ORGANISATIONS LIKE ISIS. THE LETTER TO THE UN SIGNED BY ELON MUSK AND 115 OTHER A.I. COMPANY LEADERS WARNS THAT... AND THOSE INVOLVED WANT A GLOBAL BAN. I SEE THIS AS SIMILAR TO THE RISKS THAT WE HAVE WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS EXCEPT WORSE. (BIRDS CHITTER) (CRASH!) BUT THIS PROVES HUMANS ARE STILL IN CHARGE AND HAVE TIME. FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS, THOSE IN CHARGE OF THE A.I. CONFERENCE HAVE HAD HUMANS PLAY AGAINST ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SYSTEMS ON THIS GAME, OF QUICK THINKING AND LOGIC. SO FAR THE HUMANS REIGN SUPREME, IN WORLD-TRANSFORMING WAYS. WE JUST HAVE TO ENSURE IT'S HERE TO HELP. YOU JUST CAN'T GO AROUND KILLING PEOPLE. WHY? FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY A CENTURY, A TOTAL ECLIPSE HAS SWEPT ACROSS AMERICA, WITH MORE THAN 12 MILLION PEOPLE WATCHING AS THE MOON PASSED IN FRONT OF THE SUN. IT BEGAN ON THE WEST COAST ABOVE OREGON AND CROSSED 13 STATES, ENDING ON THE EAST COAST IN SOUTH CAROLINA. THE BBC'S PALLAB GHOSH REPORTS. THEY CAME IN THEIR TENS OF THOUSANDS, LIKE PILGRIMS, TO THE TINY TOWN OF MADRAS. THEY CAME TO WITNESS ONE OF NATURE'S GREATEST SPECTACLES. IT'S QUARTER PAST 10 IN THE MORNING, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE NIGHT-TIME. WE'RE JUST A FEW SECONDS AWAY FROM THE TOTAL ECLIPSE, AND THE MOON HAS ALMOST COMPLETELY COVERED THE SUN. IT LOOKS LIKE A SMILEY FACE IN THE SKY. THE SUN DIMS TO AN EERIE PALE LIGHT. (CHEERING) UP ABOVE, A THIN SMILE IN THE SKY. (PEOPLE EXCLAIM, CHATTER) CHILD: AWESOME! AND THEN A FLASH ` A DIAMOND RING, AND THEN... THE MOON BLOCKS THE SUN'S BRIGHT DISK. ITS ATMOSPHERE, NORMALLY WASHED AWAY BY THE SOLAR LIGHT, NOW APPEARS AS A HALO AROUND THE MOON. IT SEEMS LIKE A SHIMMERING BLACK PEARL HANGING IN THE SKY. (CHEERING, CLAPPING) (PERCUSSIVE MUSIC PLAYS) IT WAS LIKE A RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE TO ME. I PHOTOGRAPHED IT; I VIDEOTAPED IT. I GOT SOME SUCCESSFUL PICTURES. I CRIED. THIS WAS DEFINITELY SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO SEE IN PERSON. IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T DESCRIBE UNLESS YOU'VE BEEN HERE AND ACTUALLY SEEN IT. THE ECLIPSE CROSSED THE ENTIRE US, 10 STATES ` A DISTANCE OF 2500 MILES ` IN JUST 90 MINUTES. FROM COAST TO COAST, IT SEEMED EVERYONE WAS INTERESTED. (CHEERING) PEOPLE WERE DAZZLED BY THE SPECTACLE. THE LAST TIME AN ECLIPSE CROSSED THE COUNTRY WAS NEARLY A HUNDRED YEARS AGO. WE'D LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THESE ECLIPSES AFFECT THE PLANET AND HOW THEY AFFECT THE ATMOSPHERE ` IF THERE'S ANY ATMOSPHERIC DISTURBANCE, IF IT'S CAUSING WIND CHANGES OR TEMPORARY CLIMATE CHANGES IN THE AREA. FOR TWO INCREDIBLE MINUTES, THE TINY TOWN BECAME THE CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSE AS THOSE HERE BECAME THE FIRST IN AMERICA TO WITNESS ONE OF THE GREAT WONDERS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM. BACK HERE, AND WITH ALMOST A MONTH UNTIL THE ELECTION, LABOUR HAS LAUNCHED ITS NEW CAMPAIGN VIDEO. NOW'S THE TIME TO BUILD A BETTER, FAIRER FUTURE FOR NEW ZEALAND. THE OLD VIDEO HAD TO BE SCRAPPED AFTER JACINDA ARDERN TOOK OVER FROM ANDREW LITTLE AS LEADER THREE WEEKS AGO. LABOUR HAS SINCE CLIMBED TO ITS HIGHEST RESULT IN NINE YEARS IN THE LATEST 1 NEWS-COLMAR BRUNTON POLL, AND MS ARDERN IS NOW EQUAL WITH BILL ENGLISH AS PREFERRED PRIME MINISTER. A DAY AFTER PETER DUNNE'S SHOCK ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HE'S QUTTING AFTER MORE THAN 30 YEARS IN OFFICE, HE'S WADED INTO THE DEBATE AROUND TODAY'S CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE. THE VETERAN POLITICIAN GAVE HIS OPINION ON THE SO-CALLED 'JACINDA EFFECT' AND SAYS VOTERS WILL BEGIN TO TURN TO POLICY, NOT PERSONALITIES IN THE LEAD-UP TO THE ELECTION. LABOUR'S A BIT OF A VACANT SPACE WHEN IT COMES TO POLICY AT THE MOMENT. THE POLICY SEEMS TO BE TO REVIEW EVERYTHING OR APOLOGISE FOR THE PREVIOUS POLICIES. THERE'S NO SUBSTANCE THERE. THAT MAY YET COME. ON THE OTHER HAND, I THINK THAT ENGLISH HAS GOT A HUGE OPPORTUNITY NOW TO LAY OUT A VERY CLEAR PLAN, SHOWING HOW, AS I SAY, EVERYTHING INTER-RELATES, WHY YOU NEED A STRONG ECONOMY TO DEAL WITH DEPENDENCY, HOW YOU NEED TO BRING COMPASSION INTO SOCIAL POLICY. THESE ARE HIS HALLMARKS, AND I THINK IF HE'S ABLE TO SELL THAT MESSAGE OVER THE NEXT FOUR AND A HALF WEEKS, HE'LL FORM THE NEXT GOVERNMENT. FARMERS SAY THEY'RE BEING UNFAIRLY TARGETED WITH A NEW POLICY THAT COULD SEE THEM PAY ROYALTIES FOR THEIR FRESH WATER USAGE. IN THE LATEST 1 NEWS COLMAR-BRUNTON POLL, ALMOST 60 PERCENT OF NEW ZEALANDERS SUPPORTED A TAX FOR THOSE USING IRRIGATION SCHEMES. ONE FARMER SAYS THE POLICY LABELS FARMS AS THE PROBLEM WHEN EVERYONE CONTRIBUTES TO WATER QUALITY. WATER QUALITY IS AN ISSUE FOR EVERY NEW ZEALANDER, AND I'M SPENDING A LOT OF MY OWN MONEY HERE ON MY FARM REDUCING MY ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT. IT'S TIME FOR THE REST OF NEW ZEALAND TO CATCH UP WITH US. FUNDS WOULD GO TOWARDS CLEANING UP LAKES, RIVERS AND STREAMS. AVOCADO THIEVES HAVE BEEN STEALING THE POPULAR FRUIT FROM EAST COAST ORCHARDS AND SELLING THEM ON FACEBOOK AND TO LOCAL BUSINESSES. POLICE ARE URGING BUSINESS OWNERS FROM EAST CAPE DOWN TO SOUTHERN HAWKES BAY TO BE WARY AND REPORT ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY. IF SHOP OWNERS OR CONSUMERS KNOWINGLY PURCHASE STOLEN AVOCADOS, THEY COULD BE CHARGED. THE UNITED STATES NAVY HAS ORDERED A WORLDWIDE OPERATIONAL PAUSE OF ITS FLEET AFTER A DESTROYER COLLIDED WITH AN OIL TANKER NEAR SINGAPORE, LEAVING 10 SAILORS MISSING. IT'S THE SECOND INCIDENT INVOLVING ONE OF THEIR WARSHIPS IN RECENT MONTHS. THE ABC'S MARTHA RADDATZ HAS MORE. TONIGHT THE CRIPPLED USS MCCAIN IS IN PORT AT A NAVEL BASE IN SINGAPORE WHILE SEARCHERS WORK TO FIND THOSE 10 MISSING SAILORS AND THE NAVY SCRAMBLES TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THIS LATEST ACCIDENT, THE GAPING HOLE IN THE SHIP'S HULL GIVING ONLY A HINT OF THE HORROR THAT TOOK PLACE INSIDE. IT'S AN INTOLERABLE AND INEXCUSABLE TRAGEDY. IT WAS BEFORE DAWN WHEN THE DESTROYER, ONE OF THE MOST SOPHISTICATED SHIPS IN THE NAVY, COLLIDED WITH THE OIL TANKER IN A BUSY SHIPPING LANE IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. THE BULBOUS NOSE OF THE TANKER PIERCING THE DESTROYER'S LEFT SIDE, WHICH WOULD BE NEAR BERTHING AREAS FOR THE CREW. IN ADDITION TO THOSE MISSING, FIVE SAILORS WERE INJURED, FOUR MEDEVAC'D TO A HOSPITAL IN SINGAPORE. IT IS THE FOURTH NAVY MISHAP THIS YEAR, THE SECOND MAJOR COLLISION FOR THE SEVENTH FLEET IN TWO MONTHS. SEVEN SAILORS DIED IN JUNE WHEN THE USS FITZGERALD COLLIDED WITH A CONTAINER SHIP OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN. WHAT HAVE WE MISSED? HAS SOMETHING CHANGED IN THE ENVIRONMENT? ARE RADARS SO GOOD? OR ARE WE ONLY RELYING ON RADARS AND NOT BASIC SEAMANSHIP. THE SENIOR OFFICERS ON THE FITZGERALD HAVE BEEN RELIEVED OF DUTY, AND TODAY THE NAVY ANNOUNCED ALL OPERATIONS WOULD BE HALTED FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS FOR THE ENTIRE FLEET. THIS TREND DEMANDS MORE FORCEFUL ACTION. AS SUCH, I DIRECT AN OPERATIONAL PAUSE BE TAKEN IN ALL OF OUR FLEETS AROUND THE WORLD. US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS EXPECTED TO ANNOUNCE A 'MODEST' INCREASE IN TROOP NUMBERS FOR THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN. HE'S DUE TO GIVE A SPEECH SHORTLY ON A LONG-AWAITED NEW STRATEGY ON AMERICA'S LONGEST WAR. IT'S BEEN MORE THAN 15 YEARS SINCE THE OPERATION TO LIBERATE AFGHANS FROM THE GRIPS OF THE TALIBAN BEGAN, BUT MILITANTS ARE CURRENTLY MAKING MAJOR GAINS IN THE COUNTRY, BUT MILITANTS ARE CURRENTLY MAKING MAJOR GAINS IN THE COUNTRY, WITH THE GOVERNMENT CONTROLLING ONLY 63% OF TERRITORY. DOZENS OF ISIS MILITANTS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN KILLED IN A RUSSIAN AIR STRIKE IN THE SYRIAN CITY OF DEIR EZ-ZOR. RUSSIA'S DEFENCE MINISTRY SAYS AROUND 200 MILITANTS WERE KILLED WHEN FIGHTER JETS FIRED ON A CONVOY OF ARMOURED VEHICLES AND TANKS. MONITORING GROUPS PUT THE DEATH TOLL AT 70 AND SAY THE STRIKE HAPPENED ON FRIDAY. RUSSIA HAS ACCUSED THE U.S. OF TRYING TO STIR UP DISCONTENT AMONG ITS CITIZENS BY SHARPLY SCALING BACK ITS VISA SERVICES IN RUSSIA. BUSINESS TRAVELLERS, TOURISTS AND STUDENTS WILL NOW FIND IT MORE DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN VISAS TO THE U.S. IT COMES JUST WEEKS AFTER PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN ORDERED THE WHITE HOUSE TO CUT THE NUMBERS OF CONSULAR AND EMBASSY STAFF IN RUSSIA BY 50%. THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HAS ORDERED THE REMOVAL OF CONFEDERATE STATUES FROM CAMPUS, SAYING SUCH MONUMENTS HAVE BECOME SYMBOLS OF WHITE SUPREMACY. THERE WAS A HEAVY POLICE PRESENCE AS A CROWD GATHERED TO WATCH THE REMOVAL OF THE STATUES. LATE LAST WEEK, RESIDENT TRUMP TWEETED HIS OPPOSITION TO THE REMOVAL OF CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS. THERE HAS BEEN A SERIES OF RACIALLY-CHARGED DEMONSTRATIONS ACROSS AMERICA OVER THE PAST WEEK FOLLOWING VIOLENCE AT AN ANTI-FAR RIGHT RALLY IN VIRGINIA. THE BELL OF LONDON'S BIG BEN HAS RUNG FOR THE LAST TIME. IT'LL BE SILENT FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS WHILE RENOVATIONS ARE CARRIED OUT. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE STOOD ALONG WESTMINSTER BRIDGE AND PARLIAMENT SQUARE TO HEAR THE FINAL 'BONGS'. THE BELL HAS BEEN RINGING EVERY HOUR FOR THE LAST 157 YEARS BUT IS BEING STOPPED FOR THE SAFETY OF THOSE WORKING ON THE RESTORATION. NOW, HOW'S THIS FOR A DREAM JOB? THE HUNT IS ON TO FIND THE NEW ZEALAND'S BEST WINE TASTERS. WINE BUFFS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY HAVE GATHERED IN CHRISTCHURCH TO TAKE A SHOT AT REPRESENTING NEW ZEALAND AT THE WORLD BLIND TASTING CHALLENGE. SAM CLARKE WENT TO SEE IF HE HAS WHAT IT TAKES. A BIT OF SOME DIRT; EARTHY, FOREST-FLOOR NOTES. IN EVERY GLASS, THERE'S A STORY. UH, YOU GET BLUEBERRIES. I THINK OF DARK CHERRIES, PLUMS. THE TRICK IS FINDING SOMEONE WHO CAN TELL IT. LEADS ME TO THINK IT'S A PEGASUS BAY MERLOT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013. SO IT'S HOPED THIS COMPETITION WILL SNIFF OUT THE COUNTRY'S BEST WINE CONNOISSEURS. THIS IS SO NEW FOR NEW ZEALAND AND JUST OPENING UP THE WHOLE INDUSTRY. HOPEFULLY PEOPLE WILL JUST TAKE IT A BIT MORE SERIOUSLY AND REALISE HOW MUCH WORK GOES INTO IT AND HOW MUCH STUDY AND PREPARATION YOU'VE GOT TO DO. CONTESTANTS MUST IDENTIFY 10 BOTTLES OF WINE BY GRAPE, VINTAGE AND VINEYARD USING ONLY SIGHT, SMELL, AND, OF COURSE... THE PRODUCT ` WE NEED TO TASTE THE WINE; WE NEED TO DRINK THE WINE. I THINK THAT'S MY FAVOURITE BIT, YEAH. (LAUGHS) THE BEST TASTERS WILL GO ON TO REPRESENT NEW ZEALAND AT THE WORLD WINE TASTING CHALLENGE ` THE FIRST TIME WE'VE SENT A TEAM. THIS IS LIKE THE OLYMPICS OF WINE. NEW ZEALAND HAVE GOT FANTASTIC WINES. WE ARE PROBABLY NOT BRAGGING ENOUGH. OUR TEAM WILL TAKE NEW ZEALAND WINES WITH THEM, SO THAT'LL PUT NEW ZEALAND WINES INTO THE TASTING COMPETITION, WHICH, AGAIN, JUST HELPS TO, YOU KNOW, GROW OUR NEW ZEALAND WINE INDUSTRY. ALTHOUGH THE DOORS ARE OPEN TO ALL, NOT EVERYONE HAS THE SKILL. THERE'S HINTS OF, UH, LEMON. (LAUGHS) (CHUCKLES) I'M JUST GETTING WINE! IT'S TERRIBLE! (LAUGHTER) THE WORLD CHALLENGE WILL BE HELD IN FRANCE IN OCTOBER. UNTIL THEN, THERE'S A LOT OF PRACTISE TO BE DONE. LOTTA WINE TO DRINK IN THE NEXT MONTH. OH, IT'S TOUGH (!) YEAH. (LAUGHS) SAM CLARKE, 1 NEWS. IN THE NEWS AHEAD ` WHY AUSTRALIA'S FAMOUS LANDMARK WILL BECOME A HOME FOR SOME OF THE HARBOURS UNDER WATER RESIDENCE. AND AN ALL WHITES STRIKER SIGNS A RECORD MILLION-DOLLAR DEAL TO MOVE TO EUROPE'S PREMIER LEAGUE. THE SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE MAY BE ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S BIGGEST TOURIST ATTRACTIONS, BUT THE WATER AROUND IT IS ALSO A HAVEN FOR FISH. THE HARBOUR'S HEALTH HAS LED OFFICIALS TO CREATE AN ARTIFICIAL REEF, BUT DON'T GET YOUR DIVE GEAR OUT YET. IT'S PURELY FOR SEA CREATURES. CHANNEL NINE'S JAYNE AZZOPARDI EXPLAINS. SYDNEY HARBOUR ` IMPRESSIVE FROM EVERY ANGLE AND HEALTHIER THAN IT'S BEEN IN YEARS. WE'VE DISCOVERED NEARLY 600 SPECIES OF FISH IN THE HARBOUR. THAT'S MORE THAN THE ENTIRE COAST OF NEW ZEALAND. BUT THERE ARE THREATS. THERE'S STORM WATER. THERE'S DREDGING. THERE'S ALL SORTS OF POTENTIAL THREATS. MANMADE SEAWALLS AND DOCKS HAVE ERODED SOME OF THE NATURAL HABITAT. SO RESEARCHERS FROM U.T.S AND THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY HAVE COME UP WITH A UNIQUE WAY TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK. THEY'LL BEGIN BY MONITORING FISH NUMBERS AROUND THE HARBOUR, THEN INSTALL A MINI ARTIFICIAL REEF ALONGSIDE THE OPERA HOUSE ` A MORE SCIENTIFIC VERSION OF THESE MILK CRATES ` TO PROVIDE A NEW REFUGE FOR SMALLER FISH. WITH THE LOSS OF NATURAL HABITAT AROUND THE EDGES OF THE HARBOUR, WE'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. WITH ITS IDEAL POSITION IN THE MIDDLE OF SYDNEY HARBOUR, THE OPERA HOUSE IS A NATURAL PARTNER. WE CONSIDER OURSELVES CUSTODIANS OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE. THE HARBOUR IS UNDOUBTEDLY SYDNEY'S PREMIER TOURIST DESTINATION, AND THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO CREATE ANOTHER ONE HERE. THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE SOME KIND OF GREAT BARRIER REEF FOR RECREATIONAL DIVERS. IT'S PURELY FOR THE FISH. THE TRIAL REEF WILL BE MONITORED BY SCIENTISTS, AND IF IT SUCCEEDS IN BOOSTING MARINE BIODIVERSITY, IT COULD BE EXTENDED TO OTHER LOCATIONS. THE ARTIFICIAL REEF WILL BE INSTALLED EARLY NEXT YEAR. THERE'S NO DOUBT THE BLACK FERNS ARE CONFIDENT HEADING INTO THEIR WORLD CUP SEMI FINAL AGAINST THE U.S. TOMORROW MORNING. TRAINING IN BELFAST TODAY AHEAD OF THEIR MUST-WIN MATCH, THERE'S BEEN A CERTAIN FOCUS IN THE FORWARDS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS ON THEIR 29-21 LOSS TO ENGLAND IN JUNE. DEFINITELY IMPROVED ON WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, ESPECIALLY IN THE POOL GAMES ` WE WANTED TO KNOCK EVERY POOL GAME OUT OF THE WAY AND MAKE SURE WE WERE ON TOP OF EVERY GAME. THAT WE'RE AHEAD OF THINGS, SO IT GIVES US A BIT OF TIME TO BREATHE. COACH GLENN MOORE'S NAMED AN UNCHANGED STARTING 15 FOR THE MATCH WHICH KICKS OFF AT 4AM NZT. ALL WHITES STRIKER CHRIS WOOD HAS SIGNED HIMSELF A $26M DEAL WITH PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM BURNLEY. IT'S A FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT FOR A CLUB-RECORD FEE. WOOD MAKES THE MOVE FROM SECOND-TIER CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM LEEDS UNITED, WHERE HE SCORED 27 GOALS LAST SEASON WHILE IT'S A SHOT IN THE TOP LEAGUE THAT WAS TOO GOOD TO TURN DOWN FOR THE KIWI STRIKER. MY AMBITION'S BEEN TO PLAY IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE FOR... FOR YEARS, AND I'VE HAD TASTES AND SNIFFS OF BEING IN THERE, BUT I'VE NEVER HAD THE CHANCE TO GIVE IT A PROPER CRACK. AND COMING HERE, I FEEL LIKE I'VE GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST, IF NOT THE BIGGEST, DRIVES FOR ME TO BE HERE. THE 25-YEAR-OLD, WHO PLAYED FOR THE ALL WHITES AS A TEENAGER, HAS ALSO NOTCHED UP 20 GOALS IN 52 APPEARANCES FOR THE NATIONAL SIDE. 300 NRL PLAYERS HAVE MET AND REJECTED A PROPOSAL IN THE LATEST ROUND OF PAY NEGOTIATIONS BUT HAVE NOT RULED OUT INDUSTRIAL ACTION. THE PLAYERS GATHERED IN SYDNEY LAST NIGHT AND VIA VIDEO LINK, AGREEING TO BOYCOTT THE PROMOTION OF THE FINALS SERIES AND THE DALLY M AWARDS IF THEIR DEMAND FOR A 30% SHARE OF THE GAME'S ACTUAL REVENUE IS NOT MET. WHILE IT'S HOPED THE NRL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION REACHES A DEAL WITH THE NRL, THE MEETING FORMALLY REJECTED THE NRL'S OFFER OF A $9.4M SALARY CAP FOR NEXT YEAR, RISING TO $10.2M BY 2022. THEY ALSO UNANIMOUSLY REJECTED PROPOSALS TO HAVE FULL ACCESS TO THEIR MOBILE PHONE AND BANK RECORDS AS PART OF MEASURES TO INVESTIGATE INTEGRITY ISSUES. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` I'LL BE BACK WITH THE AFTERNOON WEATHER. PLUS ` WHY YOU CAN ALWAYS RELY ON MUM TO GET YOU OUT OF A STICKY SITUATION. YOUR WEATHER'S NEXT, BUT FIRST LET'S LOOK AT OUR TOP STORIES. POLICE HAVE SHOT DEAD THE MAIN SUSPECT IN THE BARCELONA ATTACK. IT'S BELIEVED HE WAS THE DRIVER OF THE VAN THAT KILLED 13 PEOPLE AND INJURED MORE THAN 100 IN LAS RAMBLAS. TECHNOLOGY LEADERS HAVE WARNED THE UNITED NATIONS TO ACT FAST AGAINST THE THREAT OF LETHAL AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS. MORE THAN 100 ROBOT SPECIALISTS SIGNED A LETTER CALLING FOR SOLUTIONS TO PREVENT AN ARMS RACE HAPPENING. AND A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE HAS WOWED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO GATHERED IN THE UNITED STATES TO WATCH THE MOON PASS IN FRONT OF THE SUN. IT'S THE FIRST TO TRACK FROM COAST TO COAST IN THE NATION SINCE 1918. NOW TO THE WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ AND FINALLY, IT WAS MUM TO THE RESCUE WHEN A BABY KOALA GOT ITS PAW STUCK ON A BARBED WIRE FENCE ON THE SUNSHINE COAST. THE JOEY HAD BEEN WALKING UNDERNEATH THE FENCE WHEN IT WAS TRAPPED AND BEGAN TURNING IN CIRCLES, FIRMLY TANGLING ITS FUR IN THE WIRE. FOOTAGE SHOWS THE BABY REACHING OUT TO HIS MOTHER, WHO EVENTUALLY HELPS HIM FREE. THANKS FOR WATCHING. FROM THE TEAM BEHIND 1 NEWS MIDDAY, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY JAKE EBDALE AND SHRUTIKA GUNANAYAGAM. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2017