Checkpoint for Wednesday 24 December 2008

6:56 PM.Flight of the Conchords soared into the US charts at number three. We speak to Bret McKenzie's proud mother Deidre Tarrant. Audio

6:52 PM.They originated in Japan but the Matriashka dolls have become the symbol of Russian culture. Audio

6:50 PM.Most of the world's natural gas is found in just five countries: Russia, Iran, Qatar, Venezuela and Algeria. Audio

6:49 PM.Most of the world's natural gas is found in just five countries: Russia, Iran, Qatar, Venezuela and Algeria. Audio

6:47 PM.News from the Waatea team. Audio

6:41 PM.Tony Coard was 14 at the time of the sinking and lived in Seatoun. He went out in a tiny boat to help rescue survivors. Audio

6:38 PM.Staff at Waikato Hospital's intensive care unit for premature and sick babies are furious at the theft of two breast pumps. Audio

6:35 PM.The brother of the journalist who threw his shoes at US President Bush is raising fresh allegations about his treatment. Audio

6:33 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:28 PM.Emperor Akihito of Japan has defied concerns about his health and appeared in public to greet well-wishers in Tokyo. Audio

6:25 PM.With Christmas upon us there's still a lot of cooking and eating to be done. But how about fighting back against the mafia? Audio

6:22 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

6:14 PM.Earlier this year American historian Scott Reynolds Nelson reminded us about the global crash of 1873. Audio

6:09 PM.An academic specialising in the Pacific says New Zealand and Australia must not pressure Fiji to elections next March. Audio

6:07 PM.The small far North town of Kerikeri is in shock tonight following the death of a 16 month old baby. Audio

5:58 PM.In a little town in Germany there's a place you can park men while the Christmas shopping is being done. Audio

5:55 PM.News from the Waatea team. Audio

5:35 PM.2008 has seen an election and a change of government but it wasn't always our election that captured people's attention. Audio

5:33 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

5:28 PM.In the United States shoppers have been so spooked about a deepening recession that they're cutting back on their spending. Audio

5:25 PM.The predicted Christmas Eve shopping madness has come to pass with sales ahead of last year. Audio

5:25 PM.New Zealand has retaliated against the decision to expel New Zealand's acting High Commissioner Caroline McDonald. Audio

5:22 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:14 PM.The Serious Fraud Office has announced it's investigating the failed finance company Nathans Finance. Audio

5:10 PM.An overview of how the weather is affecting travel in the Wellington and Auckland regions. Audio

5:06 PM.Police investigating the violent death of a Kerikeri boy say they now have a much clearer picture of what happened. Audio