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: That's me wrapping up the blog for this morning. Stay tuned to nzherald.co.nz for all the day's breaking news. Coming up today we'll be looking at the Health and Disability Commissioner's report into William Burton, who was brain damaged when doctors failed to pick up his meningitis; The parents of LA Tukerangi, the 15-year-old who was reported missing after Facebooking her family saying she was kidnapped, will today hold a press conference. On a lighter note, Life & Style will tell why you should wear red underpants. Have a great day folks, and take care on those slippery roads.
8.54am: Kathmandu's chief operating officer Mark Todd has resigned, the company says, claiming he had decided to resign regardless of the outcome of the current takeover offer from Briscoe Group.
8.52am: An update on the fatal crash: One person has died and another has been taken to Timaru Hospital in a moderate condition following the crash on SH1 between Orari and Rangitata around 6.15am.
8.46am: SH1 north of Orari remains closed, and is likely to be closed until the early afternoon, NZTA says, following this morning's fatal crash.
8.44am: SH1 Dunedin to Waitati is now open, after this morning's snow and icy conditions. Driver's are still being warned to take care though as it's still winter conditions.
8.42am: A 21-year-old man has been arrested after an aggravated robbery which left a service station attendant in Levin with stab wounds to the head, face and arm on Sunday.
8.40am: Volcanic ash spewing out of Mount Ruang is still causing disruption for Bali-bound holidaymakers. Air New Zealand cancelled two flights at the weekend due to the ash making conditions "challenging", the airline says.
8.37am: Crash north of Paekakariki is causing delays:
8.30am: Anyone who's tasted Vegemite might agree with Australia's Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion calling it a "precursor to misery", but for different reasons. He's hit out at the salty spread, claiming it's being used in some communities to make moonshine.
8.28am: Today's cartoon has an international theme:
Cartoon: Trump campaign like a business
8.24am: There are reports the Maldives has joined a regional search for wreckage from missing flight MH370 following reports that islanders in the Indian Ocean atoll nation have spotted unidentified debris.
8.22am: Reports of a crash on SH1 just north of Paekakariki, the NZTA says. Expect delays and drive safely.
8.18am: Pretty scary stuff - plane wheels lift off the ground on the runway in Taipei, as Typhoon Soudelor brought winds of up to 120m/h in Taiwan on Saturday.
8.15am: Several sets of traffic signals are not working in the Remuera area due to a power outage, Auckland Transport says. "Take extra care and apply give way rules," it says.
8.11am: Two Kiwi teenagers have traded life in Taupo for two weeks' modelling work in China.
8.02am: This might make crims think twice before attacking the elderly - a British woman in her 80s fought off a man who hit her in the face by grabbing his testicles, and squeezing hard - "before calmly walking away in the opposite direction and not looking back".
I apologize when I'm wrong, but I haven't been wrong. I said nothing wrong.
7.48am: A person has died in a serious crash on State Highway 1 north of Timaru. The crash happened around 6.15am between Orari and Rangitata. SH1 is closed and diversions are in place at Edgar Rd and Old Main South Rd.
Due to a serious #crash SH1 north of Orari is CLOSED at Looker Road - detour in place. Expect DELAYS. ^TF
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Canterbury & West Coast (@WakaKotahiCWC) August 9, 2015
7.45am: It's going to be another chilly day for most of the country. Check out today's forecast for the main centres:
Whangarei: Fine spells, few showers. High 12C, low 4C Auckland: Mainly fine, chance of shower. High 11C, low 4C Hamilton: Fine spells, morning frosts. High 11C, low -2C Wellington: Occasional showers, strong winds. High 8C, low 5C Christchurch: Cloudy periods with a few showers and possible sleet. High 7C, low 1C Dunedin: Morning showers, becoming fine. High 7C, low 0C Queenstown: Morning frosts, fine. High 7C, low -4C
7.39am: An update on the Royal Oak crash from earlier - A 60-year-old man was taken to hospital in a moderate condition following the collision between a motorcycle and a ute on Mt Albert Rd. Two westbound lanes remains closed, and motorists should expect delays.
7.35am: Watch the Herald's chief sports reporter Dana Johannsen and Radio Sport's Rikki Swannell discuss the Silver Ferns' stunning World Cup win over Australia in Sydney.
7.31am: A new documentary on the secretive Christian community of Gloriavale has revealed how the group's leaders write up a 'shortlist' of suitable girls for the boys to marry. Read about it here.
7.27am: Today's Sideswipe brings you Titanic lifejackets, danger signs and wine speeding tickets.
7.22am: If you're into taking the Lord's name in vain, be warned - New Zealand has imposed some of the world's strictest blasphemy laws by stealth, a Humanist group says.
7.20am: One of Cecil the lion's cubs has reportedly been killed by a rival male who was trying to mate with his mother.
Cecil, a 13-year-old lion who was beloved by visitors and park rangers at his home in Zimbabwe, was killed last month by an American dentist on a hunting trip. Photo / AP
7.17am: A motorcyclist has been rushed to hospital following a crash with a ute at Royal Oak this morning. Two westbound lanes of the Mt Albert Rd at the crash scene are blocked, police say. Drivers are being warned to expect delays.
7.11am: A man is believed to have been thrown from a car during a crash in Ardmore this morning. He has been taken to Middlemore hospital in a critical condition. Emergency services are at the scene of the smash on Alfriston-Ardmore Rd. The Clevedon-Takanini Rd will also be closed, police say.
7.09am: The Black Caps will head to the second leg of their African tour in a positive frame of mind after ending their Zimbabwe trip with an easy victory in Harare today.
7am: Ths sun is just starting to peek over the horizon in Auckland. Here's a photo from a 973 bus coming from the North Shore into the city.
Sunrise from a 973 bus from the North Shore. / Edward Rooney
6.57am: Reports of widespread black ice in Dunedin this morning. State Highway 1 between Dunedin and Waitati is closed until further notice. Motorists are being warned to take care.
6.55am: The crash has now been cleared, the NZTA says. Quick work this morning.
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) August 9, 2015
6.53am: Kiwi scientists are investigating how tiny organisms found all around us could be turned against the next superbug to hit the country. Read about the ground-breaking work here.
6.49am: If you're still smarting from the All Blacks' loss at the weekend check out Chris Rattue's opinion. This Saturday's match could be the end for some of the game's legends, he says.
Dan Carter and Conrad Smith look like they are playing on memory, and struggling to rise to the occasion - particularly Carter.
6.46am: A fire at a Christchurch rubble dump could take another few days to extinguish, NewstalkZB reports. The stock pile, made up of wood processed from red-zoned homes, has been engulfed in flames since the fire started on Thursday at the Burwood Resource Recovery Park.
6.42am: If you missed it last night, AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd gave an at times mumbling and expletive-laden television interview talking about his recent court problems and assuring his fans he's "going to be back".
6.34am: Relatives of an American-New Zealand father and son who died on K2 are horrified another climber shared a video of human remains on the mountain which they believe could be those of their loved ones.
Marty Schmidt (left) and son Denali were killed in 2013 after an avalanche swept through their camp on Pakistan's K2 mountain.
6.27am: Jetstar passengers travelling from Christchurch to Melbourne spent an extra night in the Garden City last night due to "air crew sickness".
6.23am: Two crashes near Waiouru overnight might have been due to icy conditions, police say. There were no injuries in either incident.
6.20am: Sad news out of Asia this morning as Typhoon Soudelor struck China overnight, after devestating parts of Taiwan over the weekend. A totak of 22 people are dead or missing in China, after the storm destroyed homes and cut power to millions. It has now been downgraded to a tropical storm.
6.16am: The coldest place in the country this morning is Blenheim, sitting at -4C. Paraparaumu is the current high, at 5.2C. The wettest is Gisborne, which saw 4.2mm of rain, and the windest is New Plymouth with gusts of 28km/h.
6.10am: It was another cold night across the country. Black ice was expected in the South Island. Be careful on the roads this morning, and don't forget to send in any winter wonderland pics to morningrush@nzme.co.nz
6.05am: Everyone's talking about this heartbreaking story this morning. A 2-year old boy has been left a quadriplegic, severely brain damaged and unable to hear or see after a hospital twice failed to diagnose he had E. coli meningitis. Read the full story, and watch a video, here.
6.02am: Good morning folks! Brrr it is cold out there this morning. Grab yourself a hot drink and we'll get started with bringing you all you need to know today.
