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.
9.02am: Tragic news to finish the blog with this morning - three people have been killed in the Waimate fire. We will have updates throughout the day on the situation there. Have a good day and keep an eye on weather updates to miss the worst of it. Morning Rush will be back up and running from 6am tomorrow.
8.56am: Apple is slumping as the usually high-flying tech stock struggles with the burden of raised expectations. The stock price of the world's most valuable public company fell for a fifth straight day on Tuesday. Read more here.
8.52am: You will also find all updates on the severe weather situation around the country online as the day progresses.
8.48am: Here's what you will find on nzherald.co.nz later in the morning. We Will be following the fire in Waimate, any updates on missing teenager LA Tukerangi, the latest developments in the trial of the man accused of murdering Connor Morris, and the news from Amy Adams' announcement on domestic violence laws.
8.40am: The New Zealand dollar dropped, hit by a double whammy as dairy prices declined further at the latest GlobalDairyTrade auction and after a report stoked speculation the Federal Reserve would hike interest rates next month. The kiwi touched a low of 65.20 US cents this morning.
8.34am: TV3 has reported the fire in Waimate was at the Savoy Tea Rooms.
8.30am: The scene examination of Myers Park in Central Auckland, where Slovakian man David Cerven was fatally shot by police, has completed this morning.
8.28am: A number of people have been seriously injured in a house fire in Waimate. We will have more information online as soon as possible.
8.24am: Check out this clip of the rain radar over Auckland from MetService.
8.18am: NZTA say traffic is heavy on all motorways around Auckland this morning.
8.15am: Today's editorial is about new guidelines for domestic violence delivered by Justice Minister Amy Adams this morning. We will have the latest news on those guidelines when they come through. In the meantime, check out the editorial here.
People in new relationships can be blind to troubling signs and deaf to others' misgivings, but a quiet word from a police officer - perhaps especially a police woman - just may be more effective than anything anybody else can do to prevent domestic violence.
8.10am: Current travel times from Oteha Valley Road on the Northern Motorway to the city is 60 minutes by car. Alternatively, it's 21 minutes from ALbany to the city on the Northern Express bus.
Oteha Valley Rd to Auckland City is taking 60 mins by car on the motorway or just 21 mins on the NEX bus at the moment.
8.03am: Firefighters have contained a bedroom fire at St Joseph's Lodge in Grey Lynn this morning. A Specialist Fire Investigator is attending the scene.
8.00am: Traffic signals are out at an intersection in Whangarei. The lights at Otaika Rd, State Highway 1, and Rewa Rewa Rd are not working.
Traffic signals are out at intersection of Otaika Rd (#SH1) & Rewa Rewa Rd in #Whangarei. Take extra care & apply give way rules. ^WS
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) August 4, 2015
7.56am: Gable Tostee has penned a missive on Facebook maintaining his innocence and suggesting he'd been the victim of a witch-hunt the death of Warreina Wright. He is charged with her murder after she fell from his Gold Coast apartment window. He says he is "nothing like the villain fabricated by the media."
7.54am: Traffic signals at the intersection of Wellesley St and Queen St in Auckland CBD have been down. Auckland Transport says contractors have now restored the signals and they should be back on now.
Malik left boy-band One Direction in March and had been engaged to Edwards for two years.
Zayn Malik and Perrie Edwards have called off their engagement. Photo/AP
7.49am: Rain is expected to drench the top of the North Island through today and tomorrow. Northland, Auckland, and Bay of Plenty will all get a dumping of rain today.
7.45am: The Fire Service has confirmed the fire in the Sandringham laundromat was not suspicious.
7.40am: Uncertainty for the families of passengers on board MH370 is growing as the wait to test wreckage found on Reunion Island drags on. Read how the families are coping here.
Everybody is really anxious. No one is sleeping... Before this, a lot of us thought it would be good to find something and have closure. But we would rather they're still alive somewhere.
7.23am: NZTA are recommending commuters on the North-Western Motorway allow extra time to get in to the city this morning after a number of minor nose-to-tails and breakdowns. Travel time from Hobsonville to town is currently 40 minutes.
7.19am:
You've got to see this to believe it. Cristiano Ronaldo has dressed as a homeless man and shown off some football skills for a skit. Check it out:
7.15am: Rebel Wilson is planning a quickie Vegas wedding to her comedian beau, according to Australia's New Idea magazine. The Pitch Perfect star has been dating Mickey Gooch for three months.
7.12am: Everyone has their own idea of what kind of person votes for each political party and a new post to the Herald data blog aims to clear up those stereotypes. Check out who votes for whom in NZ here.
7.08am: A teacher from Auckland Grammar School said he's going to get fired after appearing in court charged with using colleagues' personal details in a bid to make money. Read what he had to say here.
Here's some video footage of the fire in a Sandringham laundromat overnight.
7.03am: More traffic news for commuters on the North-Western Motorway. A nose-to-tail crash between Patiki Rd and Rosebank Rd has been cleared quickly, but delays are expected.
Lauren Boyle, left, with her silver medal that made her New Zealand's most successful swimmer overnight. Photo / AP
6.57am: Police have detailed a car linked to the search for LA Tukerangi. The car is a 1993 Toyota Corolla hatchback, colour champagne brown and registration number SGI810. It has also been described as possibly having a dent in a door and one or more grey primer patches on the paintwork. Police want to hear from anyone who sees this vehicle or has any information regarding its current whereabouts.
Joeli Vidiri, who was a favourite with fans when playing for the All Blacks and NZ Sevens side, says is feeling stronger every day since his kidney transplant. Photo / Greg Bowker
6.50am: The New York Fire Department has shared some crazy photos on Facebook of a massive sinkhole that has swallowed an intersection in Brooklyn. No injuries were reported.
6.37am: The rain has started coming down in Auckland and it doesn't look like it will let up all day. The falls will become heavier this evening and northeasterlies will strengthen. The city is chasing a high of 15C, and will get down to 11C overnight.
6.35am: Traffic on Auckland's North-Western Motorway is a little delayed after a break-down at St Lukes. Send in your traffic reports to morningrush@nzherald.co.nz.
A #breakdown citybound on Nth Wstn Mwy at St Lukes has just been cleared frm the lanes, minor #AklTraffic delays through the area. ^WS
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) August 4, 2015
6.30am: When Aldrin and the Apollo 11 crew arrived back they had to declare moon rocks and moon dust at Customs!
Yes the #Apollo11 crew also signed customs forms. We brought back moon rocks & moon dust samples. Moon disease TBD. pic.twitter.com/r9Sn57DeoW
6.23am: I know a lot of people will be shocked by this story. People who take the time to look for the perfect new home in Auckland face average price increases of $3575 a week - or $511 a day. Is that crazy? I think so. Read more here.
6.20am: LA Tukerangi is still missing, thought to be held against her will by an older man in the Rotorua region. This is the message she sent to a family member that raised the alarm on Monday: "Keysha iv been kidnapped call the cops im in Taupo please help me." Her parents are beside themselves with worry.
6.17am: Two former workmates of David Cerven, the Slovakian man shot by police on Sunday night, said though the 21-year-old was a "really good guy", he was "distraught" after the end of a two-year relationship. Read more about what we know about Cerven here.
The owner of a New Zealand trophy hunting business says he is "more than comfortable" about hosting an American hunter who is being criticised for showcasing photos of herself posing with a giraffe, wildebeest and other animals she has shot.
Sabrina Corgatelli with a giraffe that she shot with her bow last month. Photo / Supplied
6.10am: The Black Caps crushed Zimbabwe overnight. After their disappointing first match, the Kiwis showed a lot of class in their performance, meeting the target of 236 with almost nine overs to spare. Read the full match report here.
6.05am: A Sandringham laundromat building fire was quickly brought under control early this morning after a lean-to at the rear of the commercial premises was engulfed in flames. The laundromat had smoke damage throughout the two-storey building. We will have more details on the fire later this morning.
6.02am: Good morning everyone, I'm Sophie Ryan and I'll be bringing you all the latest news from around New Zealand and the world. Thanks for joining me on this Wednesday morning. I hope your journey to work isn't too wet and windy.
