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@nzherald.co.nz.
9.00am: Thanks for joining me this morning to keep up with all the latest news developments. The blog will be back up and running from 6am tomorrow, see you then.
8.55am: Before I wrap things up here at Morning Rush I'll run through the stories you will find online today. We will have the latest from the Connor Morris trial, we will follow closely the case of missing teenager LA Tukerangi, and the latest updates on the investigation into the police shooting of David Cerven.
8.53am: The New Zealand dollar declined against the Australian dollar ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision on interest rates today. The kiwi touched 90.82 Australian cents overnight, and was trading at 90.23 cents at 8am in Wellington, from 90.26 cents at 5pm yesterday.
8.50am: This is good news for animal welfare advocates. Delta Air Lines had a major change of heart about shipping hunting trophies, announcing that it would no longer accept lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros and buffalo trophies. Read more here.
They were covered in ash, from head to toe, their hair was standing on end and burned skin was hanging from various parts of their bodies like used rags. It was like seeing an army of ghosts.
8.43am:
A police spokeswoman has confirmed that La Tukerangi, the 15-year-old suspected kidnapping victim, is still missing.
8.30am: Could it be true that women feel office air-con more than men? Indoor climate control systems are partly based on the resting metabolic rate of an average 40-year-old man, say researchers, and could overestimate the metabolic rate for women by up to 35 per cent. So, is this the reason women shiver at work while men feel quite comfortable? Read more here.
8.25am: The Rocky Fire in northern California grew to 60,000 acres. More than 6,300 structures were threatened by the wildfire, which has destroyed 24 homes and damaged many others. Here's a video from Facebook.
8.18am:
Here's a video of comedian Amy Schumer calling for new gun control laws with her cousin Senator Charles Schumer.
Nurses are very much the face of the system taxes pay for... If they distrust medical science to the extent they would refuse an inoculation, the hospital employing them has grounds for concern.
7.36am: Comedian Amy Schumer is backing a push for new gun control legislation. The subject of gun violence and mass shootings became "extremely personal" last month for Schumer, when a gunman opened fire in a movie theater in Lafayette during a screening of her film "Trainwreck," killing two people and injuring nine others. Schumer's movie Trainwreck opens in New Zealand next week. Read ABC's report here.
7.32am: As the backlash against big game trophy hunting in Africa continues, one American woman says she won't stop hunting and posting images of her kills. Read more here.
7.28am: Overnight the Tall Blacks got a win in China to begin their Stankovic Cup campaign. The Kiwis beat Venezuela 72-65. Read the game report here.
7.20am: This will put a smile on your face this morning. Minions are known for making mischief in the film Despicable Me and now an inflatable version of the yellow Minions has caused traffic chaos in Dublin. The giant Minion toppled over in high winds and was left blocking a road. Here's the story from The Independent and a picture from Erin Van Londen on Facebook.
"40ft Minion Causes Traffic Chaos in Dublin". It's what the Internet was invented for. Photo: Facebook/ErinVanLonden pic.twitter.com/W1bIO5HLBm
7.12am: Not sure what to give a close friend as a wedding gift? Football star Cristiano Ronaldo has set the bar high, by reportedly giving his agent a Greek island as a wedding gift. The property was worth millions, according to reports.
7.04am: The winds in Wellington could reach gale force today. MetService warns gusts could reach 140 km/h today. Rain is expected in the capital, too, but will clear by evening.
It becomes obvious...the ones who don't want to be part of the conversation are the ones who have a lot of guilt surrounding themselves. It would become obvious if they did try to join in because they don't have the same passion (against doping) as the rest of us. It becomes pretty clear who is sitting at which tables.
6.55am: Today's Sideswipe features a fish that walks on land, a long-wait to book a week's camping holiday at Tawharanui and a $1.3 million "starter" home in Westmere. Check it out here.
Richie McCaw, Kieran Read, Dan Carter and Keven Mealamu during The Rugby Championship match between the New Zealand All Blacks and Argentina. Photo / Getty Images
Is eight games of netball in ten days too much to ask of players? Netball World Cup organisers have been accused of sacrificing player welfare for ticket sales. I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few injuries from that workload.
Gage the german shepherd went missing in Brookby, Auckland, on May 7.
Gage the german shepherd has been missing in Brookby since May. Photo / supplied
6.27am: It's going to be an overcast day today in Auckland, but the rain will stay away until this evening. The rain was expected to get heavy overnight. Strong northerlies around the city today.
6.23am: The jurors in the trial of the Colorado movie theatre mass shooting have reached a decision as to whether the death penalty is appropriate in the case. The decision is thought to be delivered within an hour.
6.21am: A 15-year-old girl is still missing after telling her family she was being kept against her will by a 36-year-old convict. LA Tukerangi and Dean Wayne Whakatau are thought to be in the Rotorua area. This must be terrifying for the girl's family. People are urged to call police if they see the pair or know any information.
6.18am: Two cranes carrying a bridge segment has collapsed on to houses and stores in The Netherlands. At least 20 people were injured in the accident, but that number was expected to rise. Here's a video of the disaster scene from Facebook user Jaap Houweling.
6.14am:
The Slovakian man killed by police in a shooting in central Auckland on Sunday night was a young kick-boxer.
Cilla Black smiles with her fiance Bobby Willis, in Mayfair, London in 1969. Photo / AP File
6.03am: One person died in a crash in Invercargill last night. Another person was seriously injured in the one-car crash.
6.01am: Good morning and welcome to today's edition of Morning Rush. I'm Sophie Ryan and I'll be keeping you up to date with all the news as it happens, as well as catching you up on things you might have missed last night.
