The Front Page podcast: Fatal crash leaves kids stranded in NZ at Christmas, the sinister side of Wellington's wind

Kerry Sargent, left, died in the crash that left her wife Jules badly injured and their children Ben,6, and Olivia, 9, being cared for by a friend.

Each weekday The Front Page keeps you up to date with the biggest news in New Zealand. Today, two English kids are stuck in New Zealand after a fatal crash killed their mother, warnings of a deteriorating China-NZ relationship, the sinister side to Wellington's wind and the Kiwi Christmas tradition that's news to Kiwis. Hosted by Juliette Sivertsen.

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Two English children will spend their Christmas stranded in New Zealand after a crash that killed one of their mothers and left the other with critical injuries.

Six-year-old Ben Sargent and his nine-year-old sister Olivia were holidaying with their mothers Kerry and Jules Sargent in October, when the family were involved in a head-on collision.

Kerry Sargent, 42, from Gloucester in England, was killed in the crash near Whangārei.

Her partner Jules was rushed to hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries.

While the children were not seriously injured in the crash, Jules' injuries were deemed too serious for her to travel and she faces a lengthy rehabilitation period here in New Zealand.

The children will have to be schooled here in 2019, while their mother undergoes gruelling physiotherapy, before doctors can assess whether she's fit enough to take the children on their long journey home.

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New Zealand has joined an international chorus condemning China for cyber intellectual property theft.

The US has charged two Chinese nationals with conducting a massive state-sponsored cyber theft, targeting companies and government agencies in at least a dozen countries.

The GCSB says some of the thefts target New Zealand organisations.

GCSB director general Andrew Hampton says the Chinese Ministry of State Security targeted managed service providers.

Hampton refused to name the managed-service providers, when asked by the Herald.

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Long-time trade and foreign policy adviser Charles Finny claims New Zealand's relationship with China is rapidly deteriorating.

He describing it as a new Cold War, caused by the Western alliance pushback on Chinese cyber-espionage.

He's warning New Zealand companies operating in China to watch for signs of difficulties with customs procedures or government permissions, and for changes in tourism and international student arrivals.

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An Auckland lawyer who used client funds his pay his business debts has been struck off.

Frederick William Baker pleaded guilty to charges before the Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal and said he took full responsibility for his actions.

He was struck off by the tribunal, meaning he can no longer practise law.

The Law Society said that Baker, who ran his own small firm, misused client funds and failed to keep trust account records.

His offending took place over four years.

New Zealand Law Society president Kathryn Beck says a law firm's trust account must be a completely safe place for the money of its clients.

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Calls for builders to take asbestos seriously.

Blenheim District Court has fined Crafar Crouch Construction Limited almost $319,000 for failing to manage asbestos risks in demolishing two Blenheim buildings in 2016 and '17.

WorkSafe head of specialist interventions Simon Humphries says the company's utter negligence and disregard for worker's health is appalling.

Humphries said 170 people a year die from asbestos-related disease in New Zealand.

For more on this story, tune in to Newstalk ZB

A woman killed in a Nelson crash was the niece of Pike River dad Bernie Monk.

Kelsie Linda Monk, 25, died after the crash in Stoke on Thursday night, shortly after midnight.

Speaking to the Herald this morning, Bernie Monk confirmed his niece had been a passenger in the car.

Monk lost his son Michael in the Pike River Mine disaster in 2010.

He has been a tireless spokesman on behalf of the families who lost loved ones in the mine.

Inspector Paul Borrell says the crash is a tragedy for the friends and family of the woman killed and those injured, as well as the wider community.

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More than double the number of daily Kiwi flyers will take to the skies tomorrow as airlines and airports across the country brace for the busiest travel day of the year.

According to latest data from Webjet, New Zealand airports will experience a 109% uplift in departures tomorrow, following a 94% rise today.

Auckland will be the top destination for New Zealanders this festive season, followed by Brisbane, Christchurch, Melbourne and Wellington, according to Webjet experts.

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Auckland's police Eagle helicopter will move from its base in Mechanics Bay in mid 2019.

Police confirmed this morning the helicopter service will relocate to Auckland Heliport in Onehunga, after a lengthy tender process for a new contractor.

In May, the Herald revealed both the police and Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopters were likely to shift from their central Auckland site after the lease for the land they were based on at Mechanics Bay changed hands.

That caused huge concerns for those working on the front line, and whether it would mean longer travel time and delays in responding to critical incidents.

But police bosses promised any relocation would not affect the quality of service.

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Latest ACC figures have revealed Wellington's famous wind has a more sinister side.

As well as affecting ferries, planes and throwing people's recycling around, it also injures us.

ACC figures show there have been 1614 claims over the past three years in the Wellington region. The accident descriptions recorded gale, gust, storm and wind.

The most common injuries were soft tissue, lacerations and punctures and foreign bodies in the eye.

Niwa's principal science forecaster Chris Brandolino says the capital's wind is quite capable of blowing people over.

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Brewing company Moa is buying one of the country's largest bar and restaurant businesses, Savor.

The cash and share deal is worth $13million.

Moa says the move will almost triple its revenue.

Savor Group is an Auckland-based hospitality venture with a collection of bars and restaurants such as Ostro, Seafarers, Ebisu, Azabu, Fukuko and Las Vegas.

Moa said, in a statement, in recent months the business secured three significant pourage deals and this acquisition added to meeting the objectives of its strategy.

This week Savor Group extended its footprint, opening three new eateries and a central bar in Sanford's new Auckland Fish Market on North Wharf, next to what will become the new Americas Cup village.

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There are big plans for the New Zealand Whisky Company.

It has raised more than $780,000 from crowdfunder Pledge Me as it looks to expand operations in Otago.

The company initially bought 443 barrels of whisky, which originally came from Dunedin's former Wilsons distillery, and had 103 left, but with a production partner had 100 new barrels in storage.

Founder of the New Zealand Whisky Collection Greg Ramsay says the company is looking forward to 2019, when it will commission its own distillery with two copper stills recently arrived in Dunedin from China, and move to a new Oamaru building.

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Support from the opposition for Ikea's new New Zealand store.

The Warehouse company's founder predicts the Swedish giant will do very well when it opens up here.

Sir Stephen Tindall says Ikea is a world-class company, and predicts it will be a big success.

The retail pioneer heaped on more praise, complimenting Ikea's push to put sustainability at the front and centre.

He expects Ikea's arrival will have an effect on the overall New Zealand market, in furniture and housewares, and says any competition is good for the incumbents.

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In Auckland's Newmarket, buildings are rising fast at the $790m Westfield Newmarket redevelopment, and now a new restaurant and bar has been announced for the dining hub.

The centre is due to reopen next year, with more than 200 stores spread across five levels and spanning two blocks.

Scentre Group which owns and manages it says White + Wong's and Sardine Cocktail Bar has leased space.

Prominent international Australian-headquartered fashion brand Zimmermann is also said to be coming along with influential Bohemian-style Camilla, although nothing has been confirmed with those two brands yet.

Auckland's first David Jones department store is rising at the Gillies Ave end of the site and a new Farmers is up across Mortimer Pass, along with new buildings for Countdown and Event Cinemas.

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Boxing Day is set to reclaim its place ahead of Black Friday after record-breaking sales on the day after America's Thanksgiving.

Price and product comparison site PriceSpy predicts almost a fifth of products will be cheaper the day after Christmas, offering consumers an average saving of 13% per item.

New Zealand country manager for PriceSpy, Liisa Matinvesi-Bassett, says while their data shows Boxing Day as the most popular day among New Zealanders, the overall percentage of products discounted seems to be bigger on Black Friday.

Apparently, 23% of products are discounted compared with 18% on Boxing Day last year.

Matinvesi-Bassett says it may be surprising to customers that the best savings can be made on Christmas Day.

Based on historical price data, PriceSpy predicts the cheapest Boxing Day products will come from the shopping categories of televisions, headphones and mobile phones.

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And it looks like many of us will be bouncing into the festive season.

Trampolines appear to be on plenty of wish lists this Christmas.

Trade Me has six million new items on the website.

But spokeswoman Millie Silvester says trampolines are what people are coming for.

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The UK's Royal Mail has been called out for a royal fail.

According to the postal service, we Kiwis all share the tradition of putting our national icon on top of our Christmas trees in place of a star or angel.

Before tweeting a postcard showing a golden kiwi atop a tree, it seems no one at the Royal Mail bothered to ask a New Zealander to check whether this yuletide practice was actually correct.

The tweet was predictably met with savage ridicule by Kiwis.

One social media user responded: "The worst bit is hearing them scream when the pine branch goes up them, but what are you going to do, it's not a proper NZ Christmas without it."

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That's the Front Page for today, Friday December 21, making sure you're across the biggest news of the day. For more on these stories, check out The New Zealand Herald, or tune in to Newstalk ZB.

The Front Page podcast will take a break over the summer holidays, and will return in late January.

You can subscribe to this podcast on Apple podcasts here, iHeartRadio here, and Stitcher here.

If you like to stay up to date on social media, you can find host Juliette Sivertsen on Twitter.