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
9.03am: That's today's Morning Rush done and dusted. Thanks for joining me this morning, I hope your morning has gotten off to a good start. The blog will be back up and running tomorrow at 6am. See you then.
8.51am: The New Zealand dollar dipped below 65 US cents for the first time in six years.
8.50am: Train delays and cancellations are expected on Auckland's Southern line after an obstruction on the tracks between Penrose and Westfield.
8.45am: Before we wrap things up for today's blog, here's what we will be keeping you up to date with throguhout the day. We will have the sentence delivered for Blessie Gotingco's killer and all reaction from the court. The latest news in the Connor Morris trial as it continues today. We will also be following the developments around the wreckage found on Reunion Island and announcements from authorities in France.
8.43am: A breakdown on the Harbour Bridge city-bound is blocking the left lane. NZTA warns motorists on the Northern Motorway to expect delays. Be patient and take care everyone.
8.40am: Bye Shannon! The Block NZ host Shannon Ryan won't be returning to the programme when it is back on our screens next month. Read her announcement here.
8.36am: Would you want to be able to track your pizza delivery driver right to your door? A new app inspired by Uber will do just that. Check it out here.
8.32am: Bay of Plenty Police has just confirmed that there is still no news on LA Tukerangi. Police have been concerned for her welfare since she told her family she was being held against her will be a 26-year-old man Dean Wayne Whakatu in the Rotorua region.
8.28am: The sister of a New Zealander lost on flight MH370 says the latest news on the plane wreckage comes nowhere near to bringing closure to families, and she's upset by contradictory information coming from foreign authorities. Read what the families are going through here.
I don't think it does anything for us at all. We've known it's been missing for 17 months. We know Paul's not with us. All of these people know their family members aren't there. Where are they? We actually want to know what happened.
8.23am:
Here's the moment the Malaysian prime Minister confirmed the debris at reunion Island is from
It is no wonder the world's calculations of war and power changed from that morning. The greater wonder is the immediate postwar superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, managed to avoid mutually assured destruction.
8.13am: Experts say there are probably more smaller parts of MH370 floating in the ocean. But how will they find them?
8.09am: Traffic on the North-Western Motorway is really heavy this morning. The earlier breakdown by Great North Road has been cleared, but it's taking 50 minutes to get to the city from Hobsonville.
8.05am: After the rain cleared the sun appeared. Great picture that data editor Harkanwal Singh took on his morning commute into the city on the Devonport ferry.
At 11am the latest Face to Face with Anika Moa will be online. Today she speaks with SJD, who she thinks is one of New Zealand's finest writers. Check out her laugh-filled interview with Colin Mathura-Jeffree.
7.34am: It's a slow journey into the city on the North-Western Motorway this morning. A breakdown after Great North Rd is blocking the left lane.
A breakdown is blocking the left lane citybound on Nth Wstn Mwy, after Great North Rd on-ramp. Expect delays ^LC pic.twitter.com/79MlrvG8YQ
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) August 5, 2015
7.28am: One person "raves" about a taxi driver who returned her handbag she'd mistakenly left in the back seat to her hotel, while another person has a "rant" about inconsiderate parking in Ponsonby. Read today's Rants & Raves here.
7.25am: If you're keeping track of Wynne Gray's top 50 rugby moments today's is number 43, when a vice-captain of the All Blacks failed a medical exam. Here's the link.
7.20am: In case you missed Chris Rattue's divisive column on why the Wallabies will beat the All Blacks on Saturday, here's the link. The comments were going crazy yesterday.
Where are the fanatics, their conspiracy theories, with their constant fears mixed with blinding optimism? The World Cup is just over a month away, and you would hardly know it. Smug. That's the general atmosphere, but without enough cause.
7.16am: The heavy rain in Bay of Plenty and Rotorua is continuing today.
7.04am: It's still raining in the Bay of Plenty this morning. MetService had warned very heavy rain was expected to fall east of Whakatane this morning. Rainfall rates could reach 20mm to 30mm per hour for a time this morning.
6.46am: After a seriously wet night, Aucklanders should remain mainly dry today after showers clear this morning. Northland had a wet day yesterday, so will be thankful for a reprieve from the rain.
6.28am: Valerie Adams has tweeted that she will make an announcement this morning. Not sure what it is about, but it all seems very mysterious.
6.24am: Malaysia Airlines has conveyed "its deepest sorrow" to the families of people on board MH370.
6.20am: Yesterday was a tragic day with four people killed in fires. Waimate Mayor has set up a fund for the three sisters orphaned in a house fire. Their parents and brother died in the blaze. Read more here.
6.14am: If you didn't have a chance to read it last night, the Big Read on the alleged fake psychiatrist in Hamilton is fascinating. Have a read here.
6.10am: 239 people were on board MH370 when it went missing on March 31 last year.
6.08am: Here's what Prime Minister Najib had to say.
We now have physical evidence that... flight MH370 tragically ended in the southern Indian Ocean
6.07am: Malaysia's Prime Minister has confirmed the identity of the debris, and a press conference is due to be held this morning. We will have all the latest news from that conference.
6.05am: The plane debris found on Reunion Island has been confirmed as doomed flight MH370.
6.04am: Good morning everyone, I'm Sophie Ryan and I'll be updating you on all the latest news from here and overseas this morning. Auckland had a wet and wild last night, but there has been little damage. The rain has eased this morning, but traffic is still expected to be slow this morning on the motorways.
