Checkpoint Podcast Options

5:51 PM.A bumper crowd, brimming with colour, has descended on Christchurch's Hagley Park for the first day of the Electric Avenue music festival. The iconic Kiwi band Split Enz, which includes celebrated… Read more Audio

5:45 PM.United Kingdom correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Melissa Chan-Green about handheld facial recognition technology being rolled out by Police in London, as well as new figures out of the UK showing… Read more Audio

5:35 PM.News from the business sector, including a market report. Audio

5:31 PM.Football fans at this year's world cup will face some strict rules about what can be brought into stadiums. But without a ball even being kicked at the global tournament Scotland's supporters have… Read more Audio

5:25 PM.With the technology now readily available and rapidly developing, a New Zealand researcher says that AI needs a category of its own when it comes to copyright law. In 2018 the Ministry of Business… Read more Audio

5:13 PM.Early trials of a breakthrough stem cell therapy to treat babies with spina bifida while still in the womb is showing remarkable results. The trial results published today in The Lancet medical… Read more Audio

5:08 PM.The High School and Primary School workforce look to be grappling with two different kinds of challenges. Figures from the Ministry of Education show last year they were expecting a shortfall of 880… Read more Audio

4:56 PM.Waipā District is now in recovery after extreme weather forced it into a state of emergency two weeks ago. But with some residents still cut off and Pirongia village still rationing water, things are… Read more Audio

4:48 PM.The SPCA is rolling out a new programme to teach children to recognise the signs of certain dog behaviour in the hope it prevents bites and attacks on young people. It comes after a fortnight of… Read more Audio

4:45 PM.The shortage of secondary teachers is getting worse. The education ministry today forecast high schools will be short 1220 teachers this year and next, a big jump from last year's estimate of 880 for… Read more Audio

4:35 PM.A Dunedin croquet club has been roughing it since 2018 after asbestos was found in their old clubrooms. The Tainui Croquet Club has no electricity, fresh water comes from a hose poked through a nearby… Read more Audio

4:30 PM.After two rounds of Super Rugby Pacific, the Aussies are leading the pack. The Brumbies and Waratahs are setting the pace with New Zealand-based sides occupying spots three to eight on the table and… Read more Audio

4:25 PM.A pedestrian advocacy group is pushing back against the Government's proposed changes to cycling on the footpath - saying only children aged 5 or younger should be allowed. Living Streets Aotearoa… Read more Audio

4:16 PM.Americas' correspondent Katie Silver spoke to Lisa Owen about officials confirming that an American citizen was killed in yesterday's clash between Cuba's coastguard and a US-registered speedboat. Audio

4:06 PM.At the supermarket what makes you decide between fresh or frozen veggies? If it's price or nutritional value, then you may be interested to know what really comes out on top. According to the latest… Read more Audio

5:50 PM.A Dunedin high school band that will open for the Foo Fighters early next year says it's unlikely they'll play another gig organised by the city council. The band SEEK HELP! from Queen's High School… Read more Audio

5:43 PM.Two men accused of abducting and killing an innocent Sydney grandfather have appeared in court on murder charges. It's a case that captured global attention after authorities said the 85-year-old's… Read more Audio

5:34 PM.News from the business sector, including a market report. Audio

5:32 PM.The greatest of all time is hanging up her black jersey. Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, who came out of retirement for last years World Cup, has again announced she is bowing out of the international… Read more Audio

5:22 PM.The Deputy Prime Minister has got his own safety message for Air New Zealand after the airline posted a $40 million loss for the six months ended December. David Seymour has described the national… Read more Audio

5:18 PM.A man present at a deadly Dunedin student party in 2019 says the night is burned in his memory. Samson Aruwa helped to free at least 30 people from a stairwell pile-up and carried 19-year-old… Read more Audio

5:15 PM.The wives of two firefighter killed in a landslide during Cyclone Gabrielle have recounted the moment they learned their partners had died. Volunteer firefighters Dave van Zwanenberg and Craig Stevens… Read more Audio

5:08 PM.Police are seeing more incidents involving drivers who've been huffing nitrous oxide or nangs, that can cause black outs and dizziness. They say the risks are "clear and grave". It is illegal to sell… Read more Audio

4:48 PM.Air New Zealand could be in for a hard landing, as the CEO carries out a strategic review in the face of rising costs and falling profits. The national carrier posted a $40 million loss for the six… Read more Audio

4:46 PM.Child poverty activists say families are having to make impossible decisions and go without life's essentials following the release of new Stats New Zealand data. The agency says one in seven kids are… Read more Audio