Midday Report

Forestry company Juken is looking at options for the future of its Gisborne mill - due to ongoing financial difficulties and falling demand.

Sally Murphy has the rural news.

All Blacks loose forward Ardie Savea has been named the men's rugby world player of the year.

Stephen Hewson has sports.

Online grocer, Supie, went out of business Monday morning after it ran out of money, with debts of about $3 million.

Anan Zaki has the business news.

The weather system bringing all this rain and wind is expected to move down the east coast.

An orange heavy rain warning is in force for the Tairāwhiti until 9 o'clock Monday night, with as much as 170 millimetres expected.

MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane spoke to Ben Strang.

The remnants of ex-tropical cyclone Lola have battered northern parts of the country with strong winds, heavy rain and high seas.

In Northland and the Far North more than 6,000 homes lost power overnight but Northpower says it hopes to have all its customers back on the grid by the end of Monday.

Meanwhile the Coromandel Peninsula remains under an orange heavy rain and strong wind warning on Monday.

Some roads have closed due to surface flooding and several schools shut for the day.

Near Thames the Kauaeranga River was causing some concern after it burst its banks ahead of a king tide.

Thames Valley Civil Defence Controller Garry Towler spoke to Ben Strang.

It's fair to say the sausage roll has had its fair share of attention in the past few months - thanks to outgoing Prime Minister Chris Hipkins.

On Friday, the country's best sausage roll has been named out of over 400 entries.

Taking out top spot is the Rosedale Bakery and Café in Albany, north of Auckland.

The judges agreed the seasoning in their sausage roll was key to its success.

One of the five judges, Brent Kersel, spoke to Charlie Dreaver.

UN aid agencies say they have begun to significantly reduce their operations in the Gaza Strip because fuel supplies are almost dry.

Twelve more aid trucks have crossed into Gaza but no fuel is getting into the territory - Israel fears Hamas militants may seize it.

Small quantities of fuel retrieved from existing reserves are being used to maintain the water supply in the south, where hundreds of thousands of people are sheltering from Israeli strikes.

However, the UN said that this will run out Friday.

Save the Children New Zealand advocacy director Jacqui Southey spoke to Charlie Dreaver.

Parts of the south were left looking like a winter wonderland Friday morning - after a light dumping of snow overnight.

Bruce Eade who farms in Tapanui just north of Gore says he woke to a sprinkling of snow about quarter to five this morning, but a couple extra inches fell while he was milking his herd.

Sally Murphy has the rural news.

All Blacks coach Ian Foster says everything that has happened over the last few years is now irrelevant as they prepare to take on South Africa in Sunday morning's World Cup final.

Stephen Hewson has sports.

Consumers believe the economy is improving, but still expect a rise in house price inflation.

Anan Zaki has the business news.