Morning rush.
Today's Morning Rush is brought to you by Lauren Priestley.
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
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9.01am: And that's us for this morning! We've just heard that the crash on SH30 as well as the one at the intersection of Anzac Drive and Pages Rd in Christchurch have been cleared. Thanks for joining me on Morning Rush - and make sure to tune in again from 6am tomorrow.
8.59am: Tributes have been flowing in on social media for TV journalists Alison Parker and Adam Ward who were shot dead in the US.
Viewers of WDBJ, a small CBS affiliate in Virginia watched in horror as Vester Lee Flanagan II shot bullets as the two were filming a light-hearted segment.
Below is a pic of the pair - who worked on the early shift together - from social media.
8.56am: Have you been keeping up with Wynne Gray's 50 Greatest Rugby Moments? Today's is a blast from the past.
8.53am: Before we wrap up for this morning, here's what we'll be following today:
The horrific news of two television journalists who were shot dead in the US - we'll have the latest updates.
In the courts, the trial for the 17-year-old charged with murdering of rugby league teen Luke Tipene continues.
We'll also have more in the lead-up to the All Blacks Rugby World Cup selection - plus the latest breaking news throughout the day.
8.49am: A bill which would increase financial support for organ donors passed its first reading last night with the unanimous support of all parties.
Here's the latest on the Financial Assistance to Live Organ Donors Bill.
8.42am: Stephen Fry is packing his bags for a quickfire NZ visit - so what can you expect from his show? Check out highlights from his career here.
8.39am: A crash at a main Christchurch intersection is causing delays. It is not know whether anyone was injured.
Due to a #crash at the intersection of Pages Rd/Anzac Dve (SH74) traffic is restricted at the intersection. Expect delays. ^TF
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Canterbury & West Coast (@WakaKotahiCWC) August 26, 2015
8.36am: Looks like it's a pretty day in the capital too, after this morning's stunning sunrise.
8.30am ETAs: Melling – CBD 31min; Tawa – CBD 29min; Cobham Drive – CBD 20min #DriveSafe ^DB pic.twitter.com/QoD3iEgYKb
— Waka Kotahi Wellington (@WakaKotahiWgtn) August 26, 2015
8.33am: Bit of a delay for Auckland commuters.
Traffic on the Northwestern is still heavy - but a previous breakdown has been cleared.
UPDATE: The #breakdown city-bnd on Nth Wstn Mwy after Te Atatu onramp is now cleared. The Mwy remains heavy in places. ^TP
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) August 26, 2015
8.30am: Good news from the markets - Wall Street rose overnight, rebounding from one of its worst slumps ever.
8.27am: Upset about the Black Caps loss? Here's the match report. I'm not sure if it will make you feel much better.
8.21am: Latest in the TV reporter and cameraman shooting - White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest has spoken out, saying gun violence is becoming all too common.
8.18am: More traffic to come - reports of a breakdown on the Northwestern city-bound after Te Atatu.
Reports of a #breakdown city-bnd on Nth Wstn Mwy after Te Atatu onramp blocking the right lane. Emergency services enroute. ^TP
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) August 26, 2015
8.15am: A giant, racy-red motorised stiletto is not what you expect to see cruising down the avenues of Iran's capital - but it certainly attracts attention for one intrepid shoe-shiner. Check out the video here.
8.11am: World darts champ Michael Van Gerwen is heading for New Zealand shores to compete in the Auckland Darts Masters. Is anyone going?
Disappointed to lose but @Raybar180 played very well. Good luck to the remaining four players. Next stop New Zealand. Thanx for support.
— Michael Van Gerwen (@MvG180) August 22, 2015
8.08am: The man who opened fire in a packed midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Colorado in 2012, leaving 12 dead, has been sentenced to life in prison plus 3,318 years - the maximum allowed by law.
The judge told deputies: "Get the defendant out of my courtroom, please."
Here's the story.
8.05am: One of the newborn panda twins born at Washington's National Zoo has died after three and a half days. Here's the full story.
8.02am: A slow drive for Aucklanders - don't get too frustrated on the roads!
#AKLTraffic is heavy into the city this morning. 35 from Greville, 65 from Papakura & 40 from Westgate. Take care & #DriveSafe. ^TP
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) August 26, 2015
7.59am: Did you miss Millie Elder Holmes' new back tattoo? It was revealed yesterday - and has been hugely popular with readers.
7.56am: Stunning sunrise out there in Auckland this morning team! Enjoy this pic sent in by Edward Rooney.
7.52am: The dirtiest, most germ-ridden place on a plane has been revealed - and it's not the bathroom. Check out where faecal matter has been found in this report AOL.
7.48am: Moons, meat and motor-babies in today's Sideswipe. There's a bit of fun for your Thursday.
7.45am: The gunman who shot dead a reporter and cameraman in the US was a former employee with a track record of claiming racism in the workplace. Here's the latest.
7.42am: An earlier truck and trailer crash near Rotoma has now cleared. The road is clear but take care.
UPDATE: #SH30 near Rotoma is now OPEN to 1 lane with a stop/go in place as the earlier crash is cleared. Take care in the area. ^TP
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Waikato/BoP (@WakaKotahiWaiBP) August 26, 2015
7.38am: A touching story this morning - Skyla Keating is not yet 5 but has a rare and inoperable tumour.
7.35am: Photobomb! George Clooney got in on this action - where model Cindy Crawford shares an intimate moment with her husband Rande Gerber - and he seems to be having a great time.
Here's the pic in the CNN's list of this week's top selfies.
7.32am: City-bound capital commuters have a little bit of traffic to deal with but nothing over-the-top.
7.30am ETAs: Melling - CBD 31min; Tawa – CBD 31min; Cobham Drive – CBD 11min #DriveSafe #Tawa ^DB pic.twitter.com/BX20DM1o7P
— Waka Kotahi Wellington (@WakaKotahiWgtn) August 26, 2015
7.29am: Wellingtonians rejoice! You're in for a fine day with a high of 12C and no rain on the radar until Saturday. It might go downhill from there though.
7.25am: The steady approach of Jacinda Ardern is the subject of today's cartoon...
In @AndrewLittleMP 's rear-view mirror - my cartoon in today's @nzherald ..ok..it's a stretch but worth noting :) pic.twitter.com/NTnYYZ7j7Y
— Rod Emmerson (@rodemmerson) August 26, 2015
7.22am: A teen brought up in state care says he was treated "like a dog". The comments come in light of a damning CYF report released today.
They treated you like a dog, I suppose. You're fed, you're given things to keep safe and clean, and that's about it, that's about all they'll give you.
7.19am: The Moroccan gunman accused of attacking passengers on a Paris-bound train was led into court barefoot, blindfolded and dressed only in blue hospital pyjamas. Read the full report here.
7.16am: Have you heard of a 'Stromo'? Lee Suckling writes about the 'Straight Homo' phenomenon - and Channing Tatum might be a prime example.
7.13am: The Wellington Phoenix are heading home after a heavy defeat at the hands of Melbourne City. The team have been knocked out of the FA Cup.
7.10am: Delays on State Highway 29, as well as State Highway 30, this morning. Stay safe out there drivers.
#SH29 west of Hinuera Rd is currently down to one lane as an earlier #crash is cleared. A stop/go is in place. Expect some #delays ^TP
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Waikato/BoP (@WakaKotahiWaiBP) August 26, 2015
7.07am: A strong night for athletics at the world champs overnight.
VOTE NOW: http://t.co/BC7e8m3JcT
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 26, 2015
It's been an evening of superlatives, but who stood out for you the most? pic.twitter.com/J4zBo6OrKu
7.04am: The latest in council parking fines - An Auckland firefighter has been fined for parking his fire engine at a bus stop while a hungry crew member dashed into a bakery. He has now hit out at what he calls over-zealous traffic wardens.
7.01am: Traffic is stacking up a bit in Wellington this morning. Here's the latest drive times: Melling - CBD 23min; Tawa - CBD 21min; Cobham Drive - CBD 9min.
6.57am: A distressed cat hanging from the second floor window in Wexford, Ireland, was rescued by a group of passers by. Check out the viral vid from Linda O'Brien on Facebook.
6.54am: Can Aaron Smith step up for this year's Rugby World Cup?
The Super Rugby championship winner and first-choice All Black halfback, now assured of his immediate future after re-signing with New Zealand Rugby, is on the brink of his first World Cup.
6.51am: Developers have snapped up almost $20 million worth of land for Auckland schools in the past two years. Here's the exclusive.
6.48am: Looking beautiful in the capital this morning!
Good morning! 6.30am ETAs: Melling - CBD 17min; Tawa – CBD 17min; Cobham Drive – CBD 9min #WhitfordBrown ^DB pic.twitter.com/Ui2YKiGCFI
— Waka Kotahi Wellington (@WakaKotahiWgtn) August 26, 2015
6.45am: What are your thoughts about establishing a register for sex offenders? Here's our editorial.
6.42am: It is understood the crash on State Highway 30 involved a truck and trailer unit which has rolled, near Kawerau. The driver was not injured.
6.38am: A damning report on Child, Youth and Family says some children in state care are being moved up to 60 times between foster carers. Check out the full report here.
6.35am: Rescuers who helped a stranded whale in Auckland yesterday are confident the mammal will find its way to safety.
The 8m whale stranded itself on a sand bank at Pt Chevalier yesterday morning and stayed there until the water was deep enough for it to swim away about 2.30pm.
6.33am: A crash overnight has closed State Highway 30 near Rotoma. Follow the detours in place if you're heading through the area this morning.
Good morning. There was a #Crash overnight on #SH30 near Rotoma. The road is still closed. Follow the detour in place.
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Waikato/BoP (@WakaKotahiWaiBP) August 26, 2015
6.30am: It's all over. The Black Caps have lost to South Africa by 62 runs, meaning South Africa wins the series 2-1.
Congratulations to @OfficialCSA, a 62-run win today and 2-1 Series win. We've enjoyed the tour, thank you for your hospitality #SAvNZ
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) August 26, 2015
6.28am: All Black legend Jonah Lomu has said he "wouldn't be able to pick" who will win this year's World Cup. Check out the interview with BBC Sport here.
6.25am: Good news for bar fans - the bill allowing bars to open at any time of the morning to televise 2015 Rugby World Cup games passed in Parliament last night by 99 votes to 21.
6.22am: Enjoy the calm weather for the next couple of days - warning amounts of rain is expected from late Friday to Saturday. The affected areas will be Nelson, Westland and Buller as well as the Marlborough Ranges.
6.19am: Both the cameraman and reporter who were shot to death were romantically involved with other employees at the station. Here's a tweet from reporter Alison Parker's partner Chris Hurst.
We didn't share this publicly, but @AParkerWDBJ7 and I were very much in love. We just moved in together. I am numb. pic.twitter.com/tUrHVwAXcN
— Delegate Chris Hurst (@ChrisHurstVA) August 26, 2015
6.16am: BREAKING: Reports have just come in the suspected shooter, who shot a US reporter and cameraman, has died at hospital. We will have more for you soon.
6.14am: A moderate earthquake shook awake a bunch of residents near Taumaranui and New Plymouth this morning. The magnitude-3.5 quake was 25 km south of Taumaranui and hit about 5.30am.
6.11am: It's looking OK weather-wise in Auckland before the weekend, folks. Enjoy!
#Auckland, morning cloud, mainly dry & fine otherwise tomorrow. Bundle up in the morning! http://t.co/oKYtro2Yts ^CL pic.twitter.com/jKTs6FXpmY
— MetService (@MetService) August 26, 2015
6.08am: More from the school brawl saga - here's the latest.
A mob of schoolboys from three different schools turned on a 19-year-old picking his little sister up from school outside One Tree Hill College in Onehunga last week.
6.05am: A mixed day out there this Thursday morning. Whitianga is seeing the current high of 10.1C and the coldest spot is Alexandra at -3.2C. Stay warm!
6.03am: Horrific news from the US this morning. A TV reporter and cameraman have been shot to death during a live television interview yesterday.
The story - and footage - is here.
6.01am: Morning all! Welcome to Morning Rush. Lauren here, join me for the latest news as well as traffic and weather updates and what you missed overnight
Police closed Lewis St at 10.45am for investigation.