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 it for the live blog this morning. Thank you for joining me this morning. The blog will be back up and running at 6am tomorrow. Have a great day.
8.58am: Here's a graphic that shows the wet weather around central New Zealand this morning.
It's been a rainy morning in Blehheim, #Wellington, Kapiti, & Palmerston North.
8.55am: The crash is clear on the Northern Motorway, NZTA says.
Update: The #crash citybound on the Nthn Mwy after Esmonde on-ramp is now clear of lanes. Traffic is still heavy. ^LC
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) September 2, 2015
8.53am: We will be getting more information from police and Fire Service about the fire in Palmerston North this morning.
8.50am: NZTA says the crash is city-bound after Esmonde Rd and is blocking the right lane. Expect delays if you're travelling from the North Shore to the city.
A #crash is blocking the right lane citybound on the Nthn Mwy after Esmonde on-ramp. Expect #delays and take extra care ^LC
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) September 2, 2015
8.46am: I've seen a report on Twitter of a crash on the Northern Motorway. I will update when I get more information.
8.43am: A body of a person has been recovered from the Waikato River, police say. Police will work to identify the person.
8.30am: Huffington Post has written an article about travelling to New Zealand, and how many people in the Northern hemisphere may have imagined our country was made up of one country. They have updated it with the greatest correction ever: Language has been amended to avoid the implication that New Zealand and Australia are not separate countries.Check it out here.
8.25am:
Dad's accidental text to stranger about painting a kid's bedroom
Photo / National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency/AGM2015
8.20am: Screen time before bed may be having a negative impact on children's sleep. Have a read here.
8.15am:
Want to rent a double room for $1,158 a month in east London? What if that "double room" is actually just the white shed behind the couch in the living room? That's how crazy the London rental market is at the moment.
8.05am: Wall Street rose overnight, recovering part of the previous day's selloff as investors found value in some shares including Apple and Microsoft. Find out more here.
8.00am: Here's an update on travel times in Wellington this morning.
7.50am: David Bowie has surprisingly become the latest artist to contribute songs to a musical about a sea sponge. Bowie and other pop names, including Cyndi Lauper, John Legend, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, have been named as contributing songs to The SpongeBob Musical, a stage show about children's cartoon character Spongebob Squarepants. Read the story from the Guardian here.
Photo / National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency/AGM2015
7.39am: New Zealand's most expensive accommodation is in Queenstown, with a night's stay costing an average of $226, a survey has found. It's also more expensive than a night in Paris. Have a read here.
7.34am: If you're driving to Auckland Airport this morning, allow extra time for delays, Auckland Transport says.
#Akltraffic is slower than usual on the Sth Wstn Mwy (SH20) this morning. If you're headed to @Akl_Airport give yourself extra time. ^LC
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) September 2, 2015
7.30am: Workers at Christchurch's New Zealand Post contact centre are devastated to learn their jobs soon won't exist. The call centre will close its doors on 69 staff next February, after scaling down begins in November. More details here.
7.25am: Two concert announcements will have music fans happy this morning. Simply Red and Father John Misty have both announced they will be performing in New Zealand this summer. Here are the details.
7.20am: You have to watch this cute and oddly relaxing video this morning. A baby hippo called Devi at the San Diego Zoo swimming with his mum. So cute!
7.17am:Shelley Bridgeman has written of the problems with public carparks. Have a read here.
7.14am: Radio New Zealand says the house engulfed in flames overnight, leaving a child dead and nine hospitalised, was a Housing New Zealand property.
7.10am: Auckland motorways are already becoming congested, earlier than usual.
Early start to #Akltraffic this morning, especially on Sthn Mwy.
Current time to city: Greville 30min Papakura 50min Hobsonville 30min ^LC
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) September 2, 2015
7.07am: Why don't parents immunise their children? A study has found that in New Zealand negative messages from well-meaning friends and families, the media and even medical professionals have caused some parents to delay or forgo immunisations. Read more here.
7.03am: The haka will be heard loud and clear at the Rugby World Cup as organisers promise to keep the volume turned up. Read more here.
7.01am: Another brilliant cartoon from Rod Emmerson in today's Herald.
6.59am: New Zealand's ambitions to have crews in all 14 Olympic rowing finals in Rio next year took a dent at the world championships in France overnight. Have a read here.
6.54am: A survey into how money-savvy students are, and what schools teach about financial capability, found the majority of students felt confident about managing cash, but wanted to learn more. Read more here.
6.50am: In case you missed last night's Big Read, it's a must for all Star Wars fans. JJ Abrams has given his most revealing interview yet about what Star Wars fans are in for come December - but the director says he had to stop being a fanboy to get the movie made.
6.44am: Northcote Point wharf is closed and ferries are not operating, Auckland Transport said.
Due to weather conditions, Northcote Point is closed until further notice. Buses will operate between Birkenhead and Northcote Point ^HC
The body of a Syrian toddler found washed up on a beach in Turkey is shocking the world. Pictures of Aylan Kurdi's limp body in the sand and of it being carried by a local gendarme has come to epitomise the crisis engulfing Europe as a tide of humanity flees the horrors in the Middle East.
6.34am: Two armed robberies occurred within an hour in the Wellington region last night. Police said in both incidents a man was armed with an imitation fireman and had hidden his face.
Photo / National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency/AGM2015
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6.24am: National MP Maurice Williamson has been accused of making sexist and misogynist comments at a conference dinner. The former minister was the MC at the Esri Users Conference dinner at SkyCity last Tuesday. A guest told One News that Mr Williamson was making jokes which "made many feel uncomfortable". Read more here.
6.20am: Land is close to being secured for a proposed charter school project between Ngai Tahu and a wealthy American businessman. Read more about the plan here.
6.17am: Police have said the nine people taken to hospital after the house fire in Palmerston North are family members.
6.14am: All Black captain Richie McCaw may be keen on using the silver fern in a new national flag - but New Zealand Rugby warned the design committee not to use its trademarked silver fern logo. This development in the flag debate is really interesting, read more here.
6.09am: Here's a look at what weather you can expect today. Showers for most of the North island, but South island looks good.
6.06am: A major fire in Palmerston North has left one person dead, and another unaccounted for. Another nine people have been taken to hospital, police said. We will be following this story throughout the morning.
6.02am: Good morning, thanks for joining me this morning. It's Thursday, and it's another wet day for much of the country.
