A magnitude 6.8 earthquake has rocked the Solomon Islands this morning
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake has rocked the Solomon Islands this morning
Today's Morning Rush is brought to you by Patrice Dougan
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
8.59am: Alrighty guys, we're wrapping up the live news blog for today. Stay tuned to nzherald.co.nz for the latest breaking news and analysis. We'll be bringing you all the latest from the Connor Morris murder trial; more on the mum who gave birth on a Wellington roadside; and the Solid Energy announcement at midday. Thanks for joining us, have a great Thursday!
8.47am: Photos of an enormous tiger shark's corpse are ciruculating on Australian social media, with some claiming it was pulled out of the water in northern New South Wales over the weekend.
Geoff Brooks posted two images of the six metre apex predator to Facebook on Tuesday, claiming that the tiger shark was 'caught off 7 Mile Beach' at some stage over the weekend. Photo / Facebook
8.40am: Breaking: Former US President Jimmy Carter has announced he has cancer. Recent liver surgery had revealed he has cancer and it has spread to other parts of his body, he said in a statement. He will undergo treatment.
8.37am: But Wellington looks quite nice this morning:
8.27am: A man will appear in Christchurch District Court today after a teenager was raped at a home in the suburb of Linwood overnight on Tuesday. He's charged with burglary and rape.
8.12am:Today's Sideswipe takes you to miss-spelled street names, and proves why so-called 'nagging' partners are always right.
8.08am: The country's senior business leaders are becoming increasingly concerned about the slowing economy, the Government's strategy and our reliance on China and dairy exports. Watch a livestream of the 2015 Mood of the Boardroom meeting here.
8.03am: A truck is blocking a lane near the Lindis Pass, NZTA says, warning caution.
Truck blocking a lane at Clunden Hill SH8 from overnight #crash near the Lindis Pass - will be removed this morning - caution advised. ^TF
— Waka Kotahi Otago & Southland (@WakaKotahiOS) August 12, 2015
8am: BREAKING: A woman has given birth to a baby in a car on the roadside in central Wellington this morning, with the help of a police officer, the father and a friend. I'll have a link to the story soon.
7.58am: The earthquake which shook the Solomon Islands this morning has been downgraded to magnitude 6.4, from an initial 6.8. It follows a 6.6 tremor which struck on Monday afternoon.
7.54am: New Zealander David Hyde, 22, has quit his unpaid internship with the UN after it was revealed he had been living it rough in a tent. He says he knew what he was getting into when he accepted the internship, but still believes it is not a fair system.
7.34am: This is a funy piece, definitely worth a read: Aussies don't know how to pour beer. And under no circumstances can they be allowed to make off with the Bledisloe Cup, because they would almost certainly abuse it by pouring beer into it badly, says Steve Deane.
7.33am: A crash on SH3 has closed a road between Wanganui and Bulls, NZTA says.
7.19am: The earlier breakdown on the Northwestern Motorway has now been cleared, NZTA says. But drivers can expect delays - about 40mins to get to the city from Hobsonville.
7.17am: A magnitude 6.8 earthquake has rocked the Solomon Islands this morning, 226km west of the capital Honiara. A destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected, the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre says.
7.04am: A blaze which began behind a fireplace at a home on Victoria St in Masterton last night was quickly brought under control, and no-one was injured, the Fire Service says.
7.01am: A breakdown on the Northwestern Motorway means traffic is moving slow at the Causeway, NZTA says.
#Breakdown blocking left lane of the Causeway, citybound on the Nth Wstn Mwy (#SH16). #AklTraffic moving slowly nearby. ^WS
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) August 12, 2015
6.59am: Solid Energy staff will learn the future direction of the state-owned company today. It comes after the Government said it would not pumpt more money into the enterprise, which is struggling to service $320 million of debt.
6.56am: Smoke alarms are being credited with saving the lives of a family after a fire broke out in the ceiling of their Canterbury home early this morning. Everyone in the house managed to get out safely, the Fire Service says.
6.45am: In Part 2 of the Herald's World-Class Auckland series, science reporter Jamie Morton looks at Auckland's environmental issues, and says urban sprawl is our biggest challenge.
6.35am: In a riches to rags tale, a friend of the Wolf of Wall St who lived the high life with Jordan Belfort, is now sleeping on the streets of New York.
6.34am: Travel times to Wellington: ETAs: Melling - CBD 18min; Tawa - CBD 17min; Cobham Drive - CBD 9min
6.20am: The Silver Ferns remain unbeaten at the Netball World Cup in Sydney - go girls! But for 55 minutes of the second round clash against Malawi that record looked seriously under threat. Check out the highlights here:
6.12am: Weather around the country this morning is slightly warmer than it has been this week *collective sigh of relief by everybody*. But it's still only -3.8C in Taupo, the coldest place this morning. Westpost is the warmest at 9C, it's also the windiest with gusts of 19km/h; Stewart Island is the wettest with 0.4mm of rainfall.
6.04am: First up, some of Auckland's leafy suburbs could be rezoned for multiple townhouses, apartments and studios. It's got residents groups up in arms.
6.01am: Morning! It's Thursday, almost the weekend - I'll get started bringing you all the news and info you need to know to get you through the day.
