Today's Morning Rush is brought to you by Sophie Ryan.
Good morning and welcome to today's edition of Morning Rush. Everything you need to know, including the latest, breaking news, sport, entertainment, traffic, travel and weather information. Share your news tips and photos at #MorningRushNZ or morningrush@nzme.co.nz
9.00am: That's all for today's edition of Morning Rush. Thank you for joining me this morning. The blog will be back up and running from 6am tomorrow morning. Have a great day, see you then.
8.55am: In more traffic news, in Canterbury, Tai Tapu Rd is down to one lane after a crash.
Tai Tapu Road (SH75) is down to one lane of traffic near intersection of School Rd - expect delays due to fire in area. ^TF
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Canterbury & West Coast (@WakaKotahiCWC) September 8, 2015
8.47am: A crash is blocking Onewa Rd at the motorway interchange. Take care in the area.
A crash is blocking Onewa Rd at the Motorway Interchange at Sylvan Ave. The On-ramp & access to Sylvan Ave is completely blocked. ^LC
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) September 8, 2015
8.42am:
Photo / Thinkstock
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is costing New Zealand up to $1 billion a year in lost productivity, new research suggests. However, health economist Dr Brian Easton says with certain rehabilitative and preventive methods, that figure could reduce over time as more young women learn about the harmful effects of drinking while pregnant.
8.37am: Here's the news from the markets overnight. Shares on both sides of the Atlantic moved higher, triggered in part by a late surge in Chinese equities, amid optimism China's government will act to support its flagging economy. Have a read here.
8.28am: Kiwi fans bound for the Rugby World Cup but without any tickets, beware! Almost 80,000 tickets are being sold illegitimately online and will leave buyers facing "bitter and costly disappointment" at the turnstiles. Read more here.
8.24am: Ngati Kahu has occupied Kaitaia airport, causing flights to be cancelled. Far North Mayor John Carter has met with protesters occupying the Kaitaia Airport and says it remains unclear when flights may be permitted to resume. Read more here.
8.20am: World Cup winning coach Sir Graham Henry banned boozing and "women in the team hotel" in order create a new All Black culture. In an interview with The Guardian, Henry also says he had to change his own ways, which he described as "arrogant". The culture that now drives the All Black side can be traced back to when Henry took over from John Mitchell. Read more here.
8.16am:
Angelina Jolie has called for a strong international response against Islamic State. Photo / Getty Images
Angelina Jolie has appeared before Britain's Parliament to call for a "strong response" against Islamic State over the use of mass rape as "a centrepoint of their terror".
This terrorist group we are dealing with in Syria and Iraq is absolutely using rape. They are dictating it as policy. This is beyond something we have seen before... they are saying, 'You should do this, this is the way to build a society, we ask you to rape.' We really have to have a very strong response at this time to this particular group.
8.12am: It's a slow run into the city on the Southern Motorway this morning, and there's a crash blocking the right lane. It's currently taking 50 minutes from Takanini to the city.
A #crash is blocking the right lane citybound on Sthn Mwy after Princes St. Expect #delays currently taking 50mins from Takanini to City ^LC
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) September 8, 2015
8.09am:
Scientists have discovered a new species of funnel-web spider. Photo / Australian National University
This literally made me quiver with fear. Scientists in Australia have discovered a new species of the deadly funnel-web spider at Booderee National Park in New South Wales. The 50-milimetre spider is tree-dwelling and Dr Thomas Wallenius, from The Australian National University, said it's "remarkable" they've found another species there. There's an even scarier photo in
8.05am: Australians are being encouraged by Queenstown's tourism body to pull a sickie and fly to the resort for a long weekend. Destination Queenstown yesterday announced its latest targeted marketing campaign - "sick day, stow away" - encouraging Australians to call in sick from work and visit the resort for a sneaky spring break. Check out the campaign here.
The list includes corgis, swans, popes and politicians - how fun!
7.55am:
Dolphy Kohu in court. Photo / Stuart Munro
A man who allegedly sparked a police manhunt in the central North Island last month is due to appear in court today. Dolphy Kohu, 22, and associates are expected to make an appearance in Whanganui District Court this morning.
7.50am: This video of a small fluffy pup trying to keep up with the famr dogs is pretty funny! A Pekingese helps to herd a sheep on an Australian farm.
7.46am:
The proposed Park Hyatt hotel in the Wynyard Quarter will open in 2017.
A Hungarian videojournalist has been filmed kicking and pushing refugees as they cross a barricade in the southern Hungarian border town of Röszke. One clip shows her tripping a man holding a young child in his arms. She is believed to have worked for N1TV, and the company released a statement saying they had fired a videojournalist since the footage emerged.
Prince Harry and Chelsy Davy are believed to be considering rekindling their romance. Photo / Getty Images
Kiwi women with dreams of becoming a princess, your chances may be closing out. Apparently Prince Harry is giving things another go with his former girlfriend Chelsy Davy. The pair have met up in Africa,
7.36am: Fears lawyers are increasingly turning to drugs has prompted top New Zealand law firms to drug test incoming employees. With a number of high-profile cases of lawyers being on the wrong side of the dock for drug offences, the number of lawyers being tested for P, cocaine, and cannabis has jumped in the past 18 months. Have a read here.
7.28am: The NRL is eyeing up America again, on the back of Jarryd Hayne's remarkable success in making the San Francisco 49ers squad for the upcoming NFL season. NRL bosses have told the Daily Telegraph they are contemplating an exhibition, NRL or State of Origin game in California. Read more here.
7.25am:
He had denied the rumors, but Sam Smith has come clean, tweeting that taking part in the Bond film was "one of the highlights of my career". Photo / Getty Images
Sam Smith is joining a legacy of British singers and will perform the new James Bond theme song. He tweeted and said it was "one of the highlights of my career".
7.22am: Apple is set to launch a giant iPad called the iPad Plus alongside new iPhones and an upgraded Apple TV according to reports. All the information can be found here.
7.16am: A young girl who went missing from her home in Wanganui has been located by police. Connie Flanagan, 16, was reported missing on Monday night after she wandered away from her home, police said. Several witnesses reported seeing her in the Kai Iwi Beach area and police located her there safe and well about 11.30pm yesterday.
7.12am: Yesterday's shooting in Upper Hutt shook a lot of people. One of those caught up in the event was an 84-year-old man who said his "natural instinct was to have a go". Here's the full coverage of yesterday's events.
7.06am:
Frequent Facebook use could be making us less happy with our bodies, according to a new study drawn from the views of thousands of Kiwis. The findings, the first of their kind in New Zealand, shed new light on how Facebooking Kiwis really feel about themselves.
Power outage in Hornby area - Springs Rd/Main Sth Rd & Springs Rd/Corsair Dve intersections out - drive with care. #chchtraffic ^TF
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Canterbury & West Coast (@WakaKotahiCWC) September 8, 2015
6.59am:
Gareth and Belcy Hayter say they now have no clothes or supplies for their baby, which could come at any time.
This West Auckland couple are hopeful bags full of gear for the impending arrival of their first baby stolen from their car will be returned. Sentimental gifts from family were among the gear stolen.
6.54am: This is a story we will be following today: A Counties Manukau police officer allegedly punched and kicked the head of a man he was trying to arrest, fracturing his eyesocket. The constable has resigned and is scheduled to appear in the Manukau District Court today charged with causing grievous bodily harm with reckless disregard, a serious offence which carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison. Read more here.
6.50am: There's been another crash on the Auckland network this morning. A crash is blocking Albany Highway.
A crash is blocking Albany Highway at the intersection of Schnapper Rock Rd & Bush Rd. Expect delays in the area & take extra care ^LC
Thank you Anand Thakkar for sending in this very spring-like picture. What beautiful colours. Mr Thakkar took this photo after he had dropped his wife to work this morning.
6.39am: It's not going to be a good morning to be commuting on the Northwestern Motorway. The crash near Lincoln Rd has been cleared, but traffic is backed up to Hobsonville. Take it easy, everyone.
Update: The #crash citybound on the Nth Wstn Mwy near Lincoln has been pushed clear of lanes. Traffic is now back to Hobsonville ^LC
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) September 8, 2015
6.33am: A British developer has come up with an ingenious way of getting rid of annoying spam emails and getting revenge on the people sending them in one fell swoop. He suggests that by changing your email address to one owned by the company sending the spam, it will end up receiving its own spam messages, and you will be left spam-free. Have a read here, it sounds simple, but effective!
6.30am: This is a great, clever book shop window. Well done Time Out Bookstore! Meanwhile, Attorney-General Chris Finlayson says the Government should review the law on the classification of books after the interim ban on Ted Dawe's teenage novel Into The River. Read more here.
6.26am: A crash is blocking the right lane citybound on the Northwestern Motorway near Lincoln Rd.
A #crash is blocking the right lane citybound on the Nth Wstn Mwy, near Lincoln Rd. Expect #delays and take extra care ^LC
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) September 8, 2015
6.23am: An escapologist is lucky to be alive after losing consciousness during a "buried alive" stunt. He kind of get what he was asking for, though. He was trying to outdo Harry Houdini by escaping unaided after being handcuffed and buried in a standard-sized grave under six feet of soil. Read more here.
6.19am: This is cute. A little family of ducklings get a police escort to cross a busy road in Christchurch.
6.15am: An Islamic community leader says NZ First leader Winston Peters' suggestion New Zealand should send male Syrian refugees home to fight was ridiculous and would send the wrong message about New Zealand. Hazim Arafeh, president of the Federation of Islamic Associations, said Mr Peters' suggestion made no sense.
You can't just go and fight with a stick. Is that what we're trying to promote in New Zealand? New Zealand is meant to be the best place to bring up families. What does he want to do? Bring more families and then dismantle them.
6.10am: The warmest place to be this morning is Paraparaumu, where it's currently 10.7C. The town narrowly edged out Auckland where people are waking up to a balmy 10.5C. Masterton is the coldest centre this morning, it's currently -1.1C.
6.06am:
The proposed Park Hyatt hotel in the Wynyard Quarter will open in 2017.
Within 24 hours, the Queen will become the longest-serving monarch in world history. She will overtake Queen Victoria with her 63 years of service.
6.00am: Good morning everyone, thanks for joining me today. It's another mostly fine day around the country today, except for some showers from Hokitika to Nelson.
