Traffic building in Auckland.
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: That's us for this morning's edition of Morning Rush. Thanks for joining me. Hope the traffic is easing for your morning commute - and you're managing to stay dry! See you tomorrow from 6am.
8.59am: And international sports media are still being wowed by New Zealand's golden golfer. Go Ko!
8.56am: Here's the latest on the woman injured by a horse. She is now in a stable condition. Earlier this month, Canterbury mother Nicola Pellett, 47, died after a horse riding accident at Mandeville sports grounds and in July, Waikato girl Maddison Smith broke her jaw and needed more than 100 stitches after a spooked horse kicked her in the face near Pukekawa.
8.53am: Before we wrap things up today, here's what we will be following at nzherald.co.nz - whether window washers will be banned, after a violent attack in Auckland. The trial of a 17-year-old accused of murdering up and coming rugby league player Luke Tipene continues. And there's a lot of intrigue around an "announcement" which All Black hooker Keven Mealamu will make this morning.
8.50am: The official meteorological start to spring is exactly a week away - party time! PLUS it's Daffodil Day this Friday.
Don't forget to show your support today for Daffodil Day pic.twitter.com/aoo8vxBMz0
— Sport&RugbyInstitute (@SRI_NZ) August 29, 2014
8.48am: A woman has no recollection of what she was doing and how she was hurt after receiving a serious head injury in a horse-related incident yesterday. She was airlifted to hospital from Te Puke in the Western Bay of Plenty at 3pm.
8.46am: Here's more from the crash near Palmerston North on SH3. Police were called to the scene about 7.10am. One car had crashed but the scene is now clear.
8.44am: Check out this rain radar! Looks like it's pelting down around the Tararua ranges.
Accumulated rain last 12h estimated from Wgtn radar. Especially heavy on Tararuas, where warning is still active. ^SG pic.twitter.com/ed7XA64b1Z
— MetService (@MetService) August 24, 2015
8.40am: An artist was refused entry into a bar and mocked by bouncers because of his facial tattoos. He's considering lodging a complaint with the Human Rights Commission.
8.38am: It's a little bit nippier in Wellington this morning, but still not bad with the temp sitting at 11C. Less rain than Auckland and it's expected to clear tonight.
8.35am: A hail storm, with hailstones the size of coins, has pelted Sydney.
Sydney #hailstorm right now #hail #hailstones @cityofsydney @sydney_sider pic.twitter.com/6JIvjP02SZ
— Liana Allan (@lianaallan) August 24, 2015
8.32am: Another tale from Auckland's burning hot property market. The price of a Whangaparaoa home has rocketed by more than $200,000 in six months, and a Mt Albert unit by almost $100,000 since April. Here's the latest.
8.29am: Serge Blanco is the subject of today's 50 Greatest Rugby Moment by Wynne Gray.
8.26am: More woes with rats in Glen Innes - a Selwyn College student was bitten when she picked up a dying rat, prompting the school to warn students about rodents.
8.23am: Tuesday cuteness alert! Check out this pic of David Beckham spending quality time with his 4-year-old daughter Harper.
8.20am The staff of Joan Rivers - who tragically died after surgery complications last year - are still being paid. Why? Read more here.
8.17am: Auckland is relatively calm before the rain hits today - we're currently sitting at 13C, with an expected high of 15C and period of heavier rain due between 12pm and 8pm.
8.14am: What are your thoughts about this? Is pinching lemons off a neighbour's bulging tree stealing?
8.12am: There's reports of a crash on State Highway 3, west of Palmerston North, with one car on its side. Emergency services have arrived. We'll have more for you soon.
In the end we agreed to go our separate ways. Now I just want to get on with life.
8.07am: The roads in Wellington are much less packed than their Auckland counterparts.
8.00am ETAs: Melling - CBD 31min; Tawa – CBD 39min; Cobham Drive – CBD 13min #WgtnTraffic ^DB pic.twitter.com/KSXAs1KZC1
— Waka Kotahi Wellington (@WakaKotahiWgtn) August 24, 2015
8.04am: An Auckland mother who says her youngest son's medical woes were caused by mould in the state house she and her family lives in has been offered a new home - but it's also mouldy. Here's the latest.
8.01am: Kaipara ratepayers are heading back to court today to appeal a decision about the district council's botched sewage scheme. The High Court has ruled ratepayers have to stump up the $57 million bill for the scheme.
7.58am: There's a few laughs in today's Sideswipe - including this loaf of bread for almost $20!
7.52am: The trial for the 17-year-old accused of murdering an up-and-coming rugby league player continues today. Catch up here.
7.48am: Auckland Transport is taking legal action to force owners of Eden Terrace properties to sell up for the $2.5 billion City Rail Link. Read the latest here.
7.45am: We're getting reports of very heavy traffic on Esmonde Rd, towards the motorway on-ramp. Take the bus if you can!
7.39am: Here's the current Wellington drive times. ETAs: Melling - CBD 30min; Tawa - CBD 32min; Cobham Drive - CBD 10min
7.36am: A grateful passenger on the Paris-bound train when three Americans and a Briton foiled a suspected terror attack has posted his thanks on Facebook. Marc Milowski posted this pic of the three Americans Alek Skarlatos, Spencer Stone, and Anthony Sadler - an inactive National Guard member, a member of the Air Force, and a civilian - who subdued the gunman.
7.33am: Here's a picture of the crushed van which was involved in a Hamilton crash this morning. Two people suffered moderate injuries. Read the full story here.
7.30am: Rain easing for most by tomorrow - hurrah!
Rain for many today. Live radar here http://t.co/prKU7O2R01. Becoming fine for most places tomorrow. ^SG pic.twitter.com/NG3V00prtR
— MetService (@MetService) August 24, 2015
7.27am: Australian star Jarryd Hayne was trending on Twitter in the US after two brilliant punt returns in an NFL pre-season match yesterday - but NZ got the credit when the San Fransisco 49ers accidentally posted our flag in the shout-out.
7.24am: Two people have suffered moderate injuries after a car crash in Hamilton. A van and a people-mover collided on Boundary Rd, with the van ending up on the footpath. The road was blocked for nearly an hour this morning but it should reopen soon.
7.21am: The property market and TPP is the subject of our cartoon this morning.
7.18am: Here's the latest from the light plane crash yesterday - Anne Warner is still in hospital in a stable condition and her husband Alan has been discharged.
7.16am: It's National Waffle Day in the US! I wonder what it would take to introduce that here...
7.13am: Auckland traffic is building already this morning. Current times: 55 mins from Papakura, 30 mins from Oteha and 40 mins from Hobsonville to the city this morning.
7.11am: Dreaming of summer already? Check out five of the world's coolest pools to give you food for thought.
7.08am: Kiwi investors in a Colombian goldmining venture have been left empty-handed. Here's our big read.
7.05am: Take care on roads in the South Island this morning.
SH8 Omarama to Cromwell (including Lindis Pass) Chains are essential - Closed to heavy and towing vehicles ^LT pic.twitter.com/T5K7z9bksA
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Canterbury & West Coast (@WakaKotahiCWC) August 24, 2015
7.02am: New Zealand Football's appeal to avoid disqualification for having an ineligible player at an Olympic qualifying tournament has been delayed today. Radio NZ reported that the closed-door appeal hearing, scheduled to begin in Auckland today, was adjourned. No date was set for the rescheduled hearing.
6.59am: Stunning pics of a mini tornado ripping through New South Wales have surfaced.
INSANE capture from Paige of the #tornado in #Dubbo today! WOW Via @HigginsStormCh @reedtimmerTVN pic.twitter.com/FL9lT5LJD0
— Underneath The Anvil (@NSWStormChasers) August 24, 2015
6.57am: A man who walked away from a light plane crash yesterday has been discharged from hospital.
Alan Warner, 58, suffered moderate back injuries when his Zenith Zodiac CH 601-XL aircraft crashed near Whangamomona on Sunday.
He and his wife Anne Warner, who remains in hospital in a stable condition, were reported missing and were found in dense bush by the wreckage of the upturned plane late yesterday morning.
6.54am: Firefighters are trying to contain a fire in a Matamata shed, which is full of palm kernel, this morning. They were called to the Waharoa Transport shed just before five.
6.52am: Something that's caused a few laughs this week - worm farming is classed as a dangerous industry, according to the Government's health and safety reform bill. Read out editorial on the subject.
6.50am: Lydia Ko and Lisa Carrington - two of New Zealand's brightest sporting stars - have won titles this week. Ko, 18, took out the Canadian Open in Vancouver yesterday while Carrington added a fifth kayaking world championship title to her cache.
6.48am: A Southland home has been ravaged by fire after a blaze tore through the property this morning. Firefighters were called to the Milton St, Ohai, property shortly before 2am. The occupants of the property were not home at the time.
6.45am: There was a "sea of red ink" in the New Zealand sharemarket yesterday. Is there more weakness to come? Read the latest on the markets here.
6.42am: Smooth drive times for the capital so far this morning.
Good morning! 6.30am ETAs: Melling - CBD 18min; Tawa – CBD 17min; Cobham Drive – CBD 9min #DriveSafe ^DB pic.twitter.com/9jSwFoiGEG
— Waka Kotahi Wellington (@WakaKotahiWgtn) August 24, 2015
6.39am: A bit warmer this morning out there, folks. The warmest spot so far this morning is Kaitaia at 13.8C and the coldest is Alexandra which is at 2.7C. Wellington, surprise surprise, is the windiest with winds up to 39kmh.
6.36am: Chilling footage of a suspected rapist carrying a semi-conscious woman in his arms just minutes before she was attacked in Birmingham, England has been caught on CCTV. The story and the footage is here.
6.33am: A Waikato pig farmer who's been fined more than $100,000 has an almost decade-long history of environmental offending. Kenneth McIntyre and Kaimai Pork Limited have been fined $128,000 and banned from certain farming roles for unlawfully discharging effluent and having excessive stock numbers at a commercial pig farm near Te Aroha.
6.30am: Whack! This 4-year-old has becoming an internet sensation after a vid of him swinging like a baseball pro went viral this week. Nate Haskiell shared this video of Eston from West Virginia on Facebook.
6.27am: Western areas will be hit with heavy rain today - with a MetService severe weather warning in place for Mt Taranaki and the Tararua Ranges.
6.24am: At least two members on the Ashley Madison adultery website may have committed suicide, Canadian police say. Here's the latest.
(1of2 tweets) Slides presented to media at Toronto Police press conference Aug24 on #AshleyMadisonHack #AMcaseTPS ^sm pic.twitter.com/vb3hQFbMtX
— Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) August 24, 2015
6.21am: Did you read about the young Kiwi struggling for a job in London this week? She's now been overwhelmed with job offers.
6.17am: Thousands of firefighters are battling blazes throughout the US. Reported.ly has detailed their experience here.
6.14am: Dozens have been injured as protesters clash with police over uncollected rubbish for a second day. Here's the latest.
6.11am: A bunch of Auckland's motorways overnight have reopened this morning after road closures overnight. Let us know how your morning commute goes when you set off.
6.07am: Rain on the way today. Blast! Hopefully it won't last long.
Expect wet weather about the N Island tomorrow, thanks to a cold front. http://t.co/oKYtro2Yts ^CL pic.twitter.com/YOoozc7IS5
— MetService (@MetService) August 24, 2015
6.04am: A violent window washer attack has sparked calls for the controversial practice to be banned. What do you reckon? Read the full story here.
6.01am: Morning all! It's Lauren here, I'm going to bring you the latest news this morning as well as catch you up on what you missed overnight. Send in your tips!
Police closed Lewis St at 10.45am for investigation.