Gesamtlänge aller Episoden: 6 days 14 hours 41 minutes
The ashes of five New Zealanders —and 42 others— are about to be blasted off into space.
New Zealand start-up Stardust Me has sold spaces on one of Elon Musk's Space-X rockets for families who want to send their loved one's ashes into the stratosphere.
The rocket was due to take-off this morning, but it's now been delayed until tonight.
Co-founder Stu Potter says that the ashes are being put into space-engineered tokens that orbit Earth for the life-cycle of a satellite...
Time now for Chris Hipkins to show us what he's made of.
He's done what was required of him and showed up in Auckland over the weekend, now his role is to butt out and leave the rest of the job to the people who know what they're doing.
What the Prime Minister has to get stuck into now is the more serious business of getting the country back on track.
Or as he'll see it, getting Labour back on track to give it a fighting chance at the election in October...
Auckland's Mayor was on a hiding to nothing with Friday's freak weather event.
He's copped criticism from a lot of quarters over the timing of the emergency declaration, but Wayne Brown insists it wouldn't have been appropriate for him to do anything sooner than he did.
“This is a formal process," he said. "It's not to be taken lightly, I've listened to the professionals in the field."
And then he went on to say that as soon as he was given the go-ahead, he did so...
The weather danger certainly isn't over yet in Auckland.
Our largest city remains in a state of emergency this morning after another night of heavy rain and more on the way.
Four homes in the west Auckland suburb of Titirangi have been evacuated due to further slips, and fire crews have been been busy with about 30 rescues and call-outs overnight.
About 45 arterial routes and local roads are closed, and at least 30 homes have been red-stickered...
Metereologists say the severe weather is being caused by an "atmospheric river".
NIWA Principal Scientist Chris Brandolino told Tim Dower that that "river" is actually a high mass of moisture in the air, stretching all the way to New Caledonia.
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The evacuations are continuing in Auckland after another night of heavy rain,
Auckland remains in a state of emergency, with an Orange Heavy Rain Warning and Heavy Thunderstorm Warning still in effect.
Fire crews have been been busy with about 30 rescues and call-outs overnight, and four homes in the west Auckland suburb of Titirangi have been evacuated due to further slips...
The Waihou River has burst its banks north of Te Aroha, blocking State Highway 26.
And in the Coromandel Peninsula, people are being urged to stay off the roads until further notice, with extensive road closures in effect.
State Highway 25 is closed between Coromandel Town and Whitianga...
Rising crime may be prompting more people to pack up and leave Auckland.
Latest Trade Me rental stats suggest the exodus from Auckland is continuing, with rents in other regions rising at a much faster rate.
Keeley Anderson from Queenstown's Tall Poppy Real Estate says she's dealing with people who want to small communities, where crime is less common and is dealt with faster.
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Sir Elton John wowed a sell-out crowd in Christchurch this week and tonight and tomorrow will be his last ever Auckland shows.
Mt Smart Stadium is the venue for the two Farewell Yellow Brick Road shows.
Auckland Transport is urging people drive to the concerts tonight and tomorrow, due to the shortage of public transport services.
Wet and windy weather is also forecast for both nights...
Controversial plans to build a new airport in Central Otago is coming under further scrutiny.
Eleven academics have penned an open latter against Christchurch Airport's plans to build an international airport on 750 hectares in Tarras.
They've joined the growing opposition from local residents.
Otago University tourism expert James Higham who brought the academics together told Tim Dower the airport would also completely change the face of Central Otago...