IT'S MIDDAY, AND UNFORTUNATELY THE WILD WEATHER ISN'T FINISHED YET. WE HAVE THE LATEST WARNINGS AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR WHANAU SAFE. THE DOORS REMAIN CLOSED AT AUCKLAND SCHOOLS TODAY AS THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION APOLOGISES FOR THE WAY IT'S HANDLED COMMUNICATION. COUNTING THE HUMAN COST IN PAKISTAN AFTER A MOSQUE BOMBING KILLS 59 WORSHIPPERS, AND LEAVES MANY MORE GRAVELY INJURED. CAPTIONS BY SEAN LYDIARD, LENA ERAKOVICH AND PHOEBE UPTON. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2023 AUCKLAND RESIDENTS ARE BEING URGED TO STAY VIGILANT AS THE REGION REMAINS IN A STATE OF EMERGENCY, WITH MORE RAIN ON THE WAY. FOR MORE ON WHAT'S TO COME AND THE MESSAGE FROM OFFICIALS, WE'RE JOINED BY REPORTER TESSA PARKER. HOW'S THE WEATHER NOW, TESSA? THE WEATHER ISN'T TOO BAD AT THE MOMENT, BUT IT IS SAID TO PACK AND LATER ON. THE AUCKLAND REGION IS ALREADY UNDER A RED BRAIN ALERT ` THAT IS THEIR HIGHEST ALERT. HERE AND TAMAKI MAKAURAU, WE ARE UNDER AN ORANGE ALERT, THE SAME WITH GREAT BARRIER ISLAND. THIS IS THE SAME FOR BAY OF PLENTY, THE RAIN WILL PACK IN THERE TOO. AUCKLAND IS ALSO UNDER A STRONG WIND OR WHAT. FOR RESIDENTS, THIS MEANS TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE DELUGE, FLOODS, SLIPS, AND COMMUNITIES COULD BE ISOLATED. AND TESSA, WHAT'S THE MESSAGE TO THOSE WANTING TO TRAVEL IN THOSE REGIONS? THE OVERWHELMING MESSAGE IS TO AVOID TRAVEL, AT ALL COSTS. THE WEATHER WE SAW LAST FRIDAY CAUSED HEAVY DAMAGE TO ROADS ALL ACROSS THE REGION, WAKA KOTAHI HAS BEEN WORKING HARD TO REPAIR THESE, BUT IT IS DIFFICULT AS IT REMAINS WET AND STORMY. THE WEATHER MAKES IT HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE, WHICH WAS TOUCHED ON ANY PRESS CONFERENCE EARLIER TODAY. FROM 2PM TODAY THROUGH TO 8AM TOMORROW, A STRONG WIND WATCH IS ALSO IN PLACE. THIS COULD LEAD TO IMPACTS ON THE AUCKLAND HARBOUR BRIDGE, SO PEOPLE NEED TO FACTOR THAT IN TO THEIR TRAVEL PLANNING, AND IT COULD ALSO LEAD TO TREES TOPPLING. ON TOP OF A CLOSE EYE BEEN KEPT ON AUCKLAND HARBOUR BRIDGE, AUCKLAND TRANSPORT HAS ALSO REDUCED BEER TIMETABLE ` PEOPLE NEED TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ALTERNATIVE ROUTES AND PLANS. THE OVERWHELMING ADVICE IS TO STAY OFF THE ROADS ARE POSSIBLE. IF YOU DO NEED TO TRAVEL, CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE ROUTES. THE THE OVERWHELMING MESSAGE IS TO BE PREPARED, PEOPLE MAY NEED TO EVACUATE, SO HAVE A GRAB BAG ON THE GO. IF YOU HAVE OUTDOOR FURNITURE, TIE IT DOWN. IF YOU HAVE AREAS YOU EXPECT TO FLOOD, MOVE FURNITURE AWAY FROM THERE. MANY ARE STILL CLEANING UP, WHICH WE HAVE MORE ON IN THE BULLETIN. PEOPLE CAN BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE DEFENCE FORCE WHO ARE AVAILABLE TO HELP. THANKS, TESSA. DAMAGE ACROSS AUCKLAND CONTINUES TO BE EVALUATED, BUT PROPERTY AND PEOPLE'S BELONGINGS ARE STARTING TO PILE UP ACROSS THE CITY. LOGAN CHURCH HAS BEEN AMONGST THE COMMUNITY CLEANING UP AND JOINS US NOW LIVE. WHAT'S THE LATEST, LOGAN? THIS THERE ARE TWO JOBS FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY FRIDAY'S FLOODING, ONE IS TO CONTINUE CLEANING UP, BUT ALSO TO PREPARE FOR THE HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED OVER THE COMING DAYS, WE ARE HERE AT A GYM, AND THEY HAVE HAD A HORRIBLE COUPLE OF DAYS. THE FLOODWATER CAME IN ON FRIDAY, SWEEPING THROUGH ` MEMBERS WERE HERE AT THE TIME ` AND THERE HAS BEEN A MAMMOTH CLEANUP IN THE PAST DAYS. THESE MACHINES ARE WORTH $15,000 ` THEY HAVE BEEN EXPORTED FROM THE UNITED STATES, AND THEY ARE DESTROYED. THEY WERE BOUGHT AFTER A FLOOD YEARS AGO, THESE GUYS HAVE DONE IT BEFORE. THE REAL CONCERN WILL BE THE RUBBISH, THE DEBRIS, WHICH HAS BEEN CONTAMINATED BY WASTEWATER, AND IS NOW IN PEOPLE'S GARDENS AND STREETS ACROSS TAMAKI MAKAURAU. THE AUCKLAND COUNCIL HAS SET UP SEVEN TRANSFER STATIONS, PEOPLE CAN DROP OFF RUBBISH FOR FREE, AND THERE ARE SKIP BINS FOR PEOPLE WHO CANNOT GET TO THE STATIONS. THE RACE IS REALLY ON, THE LAST THING ANYONE WANTS IS CONTAMINATED TO BRIEF LOADING DOWN THE STREET AS THE WEATHER PACKS AND TODAY. THANKS, LOGAN. AND NORTHLAND IS BRACING FOR WILD WEATHER WITH A RED RAIN WARNING IN PLACE UNTIL 4AM TOMORROW. OUR NORTHLAND REPORTER HELEN CASTLES IS WITH US. I AM OUTSIDE FIRE STATION, WHERE CIVIL DEFENCE IT MEET EARLIER TODAY TO DEVELOP A PLAN. WE HAVE BEEN ISSUED WITH A HEAVY RAIN MORNING, BUT ALSO A THUNDERSTORM AND WIND WATCH. NORTHLAND AS ARE BEING URGED TO TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY. THE AREAS MOST LIKELY TO BE HIT ARE IN THE NORTH AND THE EAST OF THE REGION. WE EXPECT 120MM, UP TO 220MM IN OTHERS. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE, SHOULD THEY NEED TO EVACUATE, AND AVOID ANY NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL AT THE MOMENT. SCHOOLS IN THE REGION HAVE REMAINED CLOSED, CIVIL DEFENCE HAVE STARTED TO OPEN A CENTRE NEAR THE FAR NORTH DISTRICT COUNCIL, AS A PRECAUTION, BUT THE REAL MESSAGE HERE IS TOO STAY-AT-HOME, TO STAY DRY ` TO TAKE THE PRESSURE OF EMERGENCY CREWS WHO COULD BE FACING AN INCREDIBLY BUSY 24-HOUR. 'WE'RE SORRY' ` THAT'S THE MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OVER A BREAKDOWN IN COMMUNICATION THAT'S LEFT AUCKLAND PARENTS AND SCHOOLS SCRAMBLING THIS MORNING. ONE PRINCIPAL SAYS IT'S LIKE COVID-19 CONTROLS ALL OVER AGAIN, WITH CENTRAL GOVERNMENT CALLING THE SHOTS. JESSICA SWAN HAS MORE. THESE HALLS SHOULD BE FULL OF AUCKLAND STUDENTS TODAY, BUT AS MANY OTHERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY RETURN TO THEIR CLASSROOMS, AUCKLAND SCHOOLS REMAIN SHUT. WE SUCKED WATER OUT OF THE SPORTS CENTRE AND A NUMBER OF OTHER FACILITIES SO WE COULD PREPARE TO OPEN BUSINESS AS USUAL TODAY. OUR LAST COMMUNICATION FROM THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION WAS ON SUNDAY, WHICH MADE IT CLEAR IT WAS SCHOOLS' DECISIONS AS SELF-GOVERNING BODIES TO MAKE, AND OUR DECISION WAS THAT THE CAMPUS WAS SAFE AND WE WERE READY TO OPEN. THAT ALL CHANGED WHEN THE OFFICIAL MESSAGE WENT OUT AROUND 6PM. AUCKLAND GRAMMAR ONLY GOT WORD MUCH LATER. WE DIDN'T RECEIVE THE DIRECTIVE TO CLOSE UNTIL 10 TO 9 LAST NIGHT. WE HAD 120 BOYS IN OUR BOARDING HOUSE, WELL, WE HAD 60 ACTUALLY PRESENT, AND 60 ON THE WAY. SO TO ACTUALLY RECEIVE THIS SORT OF INFORMATION BLINDSIDED US. THIS MORNING, AN APOLOGY. I CERTAINLY APOLOGISE FOR THE LATENESS AND THE LACK OF CLARITY AROUND THE MESSAGE. I'M REALLY SORRY TO HAVE DONE THAT. AND I REALLY WANT TO THANK THE PRINCIPALS WHO PREPARED TO OPEN SCHOOLS SO WELL. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO KEEP PEOPLE OFF THE ROADS... AROUND ABOUT 140,000 KIDS DRIVE TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. NOW THEY MIGHT NOT BE BACK UNTIL AFTER WAITANGI DAY. WE WILL BE REVIEWING THAT IN LIGHT OF NEMA'S ADVICE ON A DAILY BASIS. SO IF THE WEATHER IMPROVES DRAMATICALLY, IF THE CLEAN-UP AROUND INFRASTRUCTURE HAPPENS MORE QUICKLY, THEN THAT DIRECTIVE CAN BE LIFTED. AUCKLAND SCHOOLS WILL RECEIVE ADVICE ON WHEN THEIR GATES CAN OPEN AT AROUND MIDDAY EVERY DAY TO KEEP COMMUNICATION CLEARER. JESSICA SWAN, 1 NEWS. FOG IS CAUSING 'MAJOR DISRUPTION' AT WELLINGTON AIRPORT. APPROXIMATELY 37 FLIGHTS IN AND OUT OF THE CAPITAL HAVE BEEN CANCELLED OR DELAYED THIS MORNING. ONLY FIVE HAVE ARRIVED OR DEPARTED IN THE LAST FOUR HOURS. PASSENGERS ARE BEING ASKED TO CHECK WITH THEIR AIRLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION. CABINET IS SET FOR A SHAKE-UP, WITH THE PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCING HIS NEW LINEUP THIS AFTERNOON. IT WILL LIKELY INCLUDE RE-ASSIGNING HIS POLICE, EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SERVICE PORTFOLIOS. IT FOLLOWS A PROMISING START TO THE YEAR FOR LABOUR, WITH THE LATEST 1 NEWS KANTAR PUBLIC POLL PUTTING THEM ONE POINT AHEAD. WITH THE CURRENT NUMBERS, A HUNG PARLIAMENT IS POSSIBLE COME ELECTION TIME. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` MASS CASUALTIES IN PAKISTAN AFTER A MOSQUE BOMBING KILLS 59 WORSHIPPERS AND WOUNDS MANY MORE. ALLEGATIONS THAT FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON WAS PERSONALLY THREATENED BY VLADIMIR PUTIN ARE DENIED BY THE RUSSIAN LEADER. PLUS ` THE REACTION TO THE MOMENTOUS REVELATION OF AOTEAROA'S FIRST OPENLY GAY ALL-BLACK. AT LEAST 59 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED AND 157 INJURED BY A BOMBING AT A PAKISTAN MOSQUE. THE ATTACK APPEARED TO HAVE TARGETED POLICE; MANY OF THE 200 WORSHIPPERS AT THE TIME WERE OFFICERS. THE BBC'S CAROLINE DAVIES HAS THE LATEST. CALLING FROM THE RUBBLE. THIS WAS A VIOLENT ACT DURING A TIME OF PRAYER. THE EXPLOSION RIPPED THROUGH THE MOSQUE IN A POLICE COMPOUND IN PESHAWAR WHEN IT WAS FILLING UP FOR LUNCHTIME PRAYERS. HUNDREDS WERE INSIDE. RESCUE WORKERS USED THEIR BARE HANDS TO TRY TO SHIFT THE RUBBLE. TRANSLATOR: THE MOSQUE IS NEXT TO THE POLICE STATION. WE WERE PREPARING OURSELVES FOR PRAYER AND HEADING FOR THE MOSQUE. TRANSLATOR: WE TOOK 56 WOUNDED TO THE HOSPITAL. THEIR CONDITION WAS CRITICAL. AMBULANCES WERE STILL ARRIVING AT PESHAWAR'S LADY READING HOSPITAL WELL INTO THE EVENING. (PRAYS, SOBS) THE FAMILIES WHO HAD WAITED, HOPING FOR BETTER NEWS, NOW DISTRAUGHT, AS INSTEAD, THEIR LOVED ONES ARRIVED LIFELESS. INSIDE THE HOSPITAL, WAITING IN A CORRIDOR, WE FOUND SAHAB NAWAZ ` HIS ARM IN A PLASTER CAST AND HIS BACK INJURED. HE TOLD US THAT HE REMEMBERS A WHITE FLASH AND WAS BLOWN FIVE OR SIX FEET BACK BY THE FORCE OF THE BLAST. THEN THE RUBBLE FELL ON HIM. HE SPENT MORE THAN AN HOUR TRAPPED BENEATH IT. STILL IN HIS POLICE UNIFORM, SITTING WITH HIS WIFE, JAVID KHAN TELLS US THAT HE HAD JUST WALKED INTO THE MOSQUE WHEN THE BLAST HAPPENED. HE FELL DOWN WITH THE FORCE AND HAS A SEVERE HEAD INJURY. THE PEOPLE HERE ` SOME OF THEM HAVE SEVERE BURNS. OTHERS HAVE GOT BROKEN BONES FROM FALLING RUBBLE. WHILE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING IN STILL KEEPS RISING, THE DEATH TOLL, TOO, HAS BEEN GOING UP. SINCE THE TALIBAN TOOK POWER IN AFGHANISTAN IN 2021, PAKISTAN HAS SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF VIOLENT ATTACKS. PAKISTAN'S ARMY HAD CLAIMED THAT THEY'D BROKEN THESE GROUPS CAPABILITIES, BUT TODAY'S ATTACK AND THE DAMAGE IT HAS CAUSED WILL MAKE MANY FEARFUL THAT THERE ARE MORE ATTACKS TO COME. FORMER BRITISH PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON SAYS VLADIMIR PUTIN PERSONALLY THREATENED HIM IN THE LEAD UP TO RUSSIA'S INVASION OF UKRAINE. JOHNSON MADE THE COMMENTS IN A BBC DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S LEADERSHIP. THE BBC'S JAMES LANDALE HAS THE DEVELOPMENTS. (HORNS BEEP) KYIV, LAST FEBRUARY ` A CITY LIVING IN FEAR OF INVASION. BORIS JOHNSON ARRIVED TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR A CLEAN-SHAVEN PRESIDENT YET TO DON THE GREEN GARB OF WAR. SHOULDER-TO-SHOULDER WITH HIS ALLY, THE FORMER PRIME MINISTER'S MESSAGE WAS CLEAR. I HOPE VERY MUCH THAT PRESIDENT PUTIN STEPS BACK FROM THE PATH OF CONFLICT. A HOPE WHICH PROMPTED AN ASTONISHING RESPONSE FROM VLADIMIR PUTIN. THE FOLLOWING DAY... I GOT PUTIN ON THE BLOWER AGAIN. AND` THIS IS A` THIS IS A VERY LONG CALL, A MOST EXTRAORDINARY CALL. HE WAS BEING VERY, VERY FAMILIAR. MR JOHNSON TOLD HIM INVADING UKRAINE WOULD MEAN MORE NATO FORCES ON HIS BORDER. HE SAID, 'BORIS ` YOU SAY THAT UKRAINE IS NOT GOING TO JOIN NATO HE SAID, 'BORIS ` YOU SAY THAT UKRAINE IS NOT GOING TO JOIN NATO 'ANY TIME SOON.' HE SAID IT IN ENGLISH ` ANY TIME SOON. 'WHAT IS ANY TIME SOON?' AND I SAID, 'WELL, IT'S NOT GONNA JOIN NATO FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE AND THEN THIS ` YOU KNOW, HE` HE SORT OF, HE THREATENED ME AT ONE POINT, AND SAID, 'BORIS, I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU, BUT WITH A MISSILE 'IT WOULD ONLY TAKE A MINUTE.' OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW. AH... JOLLY. BUT I THINK FROM THE VERY RELAXED TONE THAT HE WAS TAKING, THE SORT OF AIR OF DETACHMENT THAT HE SEEMED TO HAVE (SPEAKS RUSSIAN) HE WAS JUST PLAYING ALONG WITH MY ATTEMPTS TO GET HIM TO NEGOTIATE. A SPOKESMAN FROM THE KREMLIN DENIED MR JOHNSON'S ACCOUNT, SAYING THERE'D BEEN NO THREATS TO USE MISSILES. A WEEK AFTER THE PHONE CALL, THE DEFENSE SECRETARY FLEW TO MOSCOW TO MEET RUSSIAN MILITARY CHIEFS, WHERE HE SAID THEY LIED TO HIM ABOUT THEIR PLANS FOR UKRAINE. I REMEMBER SAYING TO MINISTER SHOIGU THAT THEY WILL FIGHT, AND HE SAID, 'MY MOTHER IS UKRAINIAN, THEY WON'T.' HE ALSO SAID HE HAD NO INTENTION OF INVADING. WITHIN DAYS, THE INVASION BEGAN, AS RUSSIA UNLEASHED A BARRAGE OF MISSILES ON TARGETS ACROSS UKRAINE, AND ITS TANKS AND TROOPS STORMED ACROSS THE BORDER. CHINA'S SICHUAN PROVINCE HAS ALLOWED COUPLES TO HAVE AS MANY CHILDREN AS THEY WANT IN AN EFFORT TO BOLSTER THE COUNTRY'S DECLINING POPULATION. THE POLICY CHANGE MEANS UNMARRIED INDIVIDUALS ARE NOW ALLOWED TO RAISE A FAMILY TOO. LAST YEAR, CHINA'S POPULATION FELL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY. THE COUNTRY HAD A 'ONE CHILD' POLICY FOR MANY YEARS, WHICH WAS INCREASED TO THREE CHILDREN FOR MARRIED COUPLES IN 2021. 'I DIDN'T FIT THE MOULD' ` THAT'S HOW FORMER ALL BLACK CAMPBELL JOHNSTONE DESCRIBED HIS EXPERIENCE AS A GAY RUGBY PLAYER. THE FORMER PROP PLAYED THREE TESTS FOR THE ALL BLACKS ` 38 MATCHES FOR THE CRUSADERS AND 72 GAMES FOR CANTERBURY. IN A SEVEN SHARP EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW, THE 43-YEAR-OLD IS HAPPY TO TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT TO HELP COMBAT THE STIGMA. JOHNSTONE SAYS WEARING THE BLACK JERSEY GAVE HIM AN ESCAPE FROM HIS THOUGHTS. THOSE TIMES ARE ACTUALLY QUITE EASY FOR ME, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO OUTSIDE FOCUS, YOU KNOW, AND I WOULD JUST BE COMPLETELY FOCUSED ON THE TASK AT HAND. THE HARDER TIMES WERE WHEN I DIDN'T HAVE THAT FOCUS. IT WAS AWAY FROM TRAININGS, AWAY FROM THE GAMES. THAT WAS THE HARDER TIMES, WHERE YOU FOUND THOSE` YOUR MIND WANDERS, AND YOU FIND THE OTHER THOUGHTS COMING THROUGH. IT'S HARD LIVING A DOUBLE LIFE, OR LIVING A LIE. AND THAT` AND, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK INTO THE` WE HAD A PHRASE IN RUGBY, SAYING... 'AFTER A GAME, IF YOU CAN LOOK YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR 'AND BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF, THEN YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH.' AND HERE I WAS LOOKING IN THE MIRROR, THINKING, 'WELL, I'VE PLAYED WELL, BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN HONEST, 'I HAVEN'T BEEN HONEST WITH MY TEAMMATES.' SPORTS MINISTER GRANT ROBERTSON SAYS ITS A PROUD DAY FOR MEN'S RUGBY. CAMPBELL'S DONE THAT THING THAT OPENS THE DOOR. WE KNOW FROM OVERSEAS THAT WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED, CURRENT PLAYERS HAVE FELT EMPOWERED TO COME OUT ` AND FUTURE STARS ` YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ONE UP-AND-COMING ALL BLACK, YOUNG PERSON SITTING SOMEWHERE IN NEW ZEALAND TODAY WHO HAS SEEN CAMPBELL'S STORY AND THINKS, 'I CAN BE AN ALL BLACK, AND I CAN BE WHO I AM,' THEN IT'S A MASSIVE VICTORY. FOR HILARY BARRY'S FULL INTERVIEW, HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` TIME NOW TO TAKE A LOOK AT TODAY'S WEATHER. (ELTON JOHN'S 'BENNIE AND THE JETS') # HEY, KIDS, SHAKE IT LOOSE TOGETHER, # THE SPOTLIGHT'S HITTING SOMETHING # THAT'S BEEN KNOWN TO CHANGE THE WEATHER. # WE'LL KILL THE FATTED CALF TONIGHT, SO STICK AROUND. # YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ELECTRIC MUSIC ` SOLID WALLS OF SOUND. # SAY, CANDY AND RONNIE. HAVE YOU SEEN THEM YET? # OOH, BUT THEY'RE SO SPACED OUT. # B-B-B-BENNIE AND THE JETS! # OH, BUT THEY'RE WEIRD AND THEY'RE WONDERFUL, # OH, BENNIE, SHE'S REALLY KEEN. # SHE'S GOT ELECTRIC BOOTS, A MOHAIR SUIT, # YOU KNOW I READ IT IN A MAGAZINE, OH! THANKS FOR JOINING US. OUR NEXT NEWS IS TE KARERE AT 4, AND THE 1 NEWS TEAM WILL BE HERE AT 6. GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY SEAN LYDIARD, LENA ERAKOVICH AND PHOEBE UPTON. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR.