Checkpoint for Monday 7 December 2009

6:59 PM.In Tokyo, hotel managers are taking to heart the advice that it pays to diversify particularly in times of economic turmoil. Audio

6:57 PM.The Russian government says its bearing the brunt of the Afghan drugs trade. Audio

6:55 PM.The British government's understood to be considering plans to levy a windfall tax on bankers' bonuses. Audio

6:52 PM.In Australia Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been locked in health reform talks with state premiers and chief ministers in Brisbane today. Audio

6:50 PM.Russians are mourning the victims of Friday's nightclub fire in the city of Perm which killed one hundred and twelve people and injured even more. Audio

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

6:45 PM.Police in Italy have arrested a twenty eight year old man who they say is the second in command of the Sicilian Mafia. Audio

6:41 PM.Invercargill's mayor Tim Shadbolt has lost his bid to remove his deputy mayor Neil Boniface. Audio

6:36 PM.The man known as Bolivia's peasant President has claimed a landslide re-election victory with voters backing his left-wing reforms of more state control over the economy and more social spending on… Read more Audio

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

6:27 PM.Ground was broken in Wellington today to signify the start of construction of a controversial indoor sports stadium. Audio

6:22 PM.As the climate change conference in Copenhagen begins, a new study shows that much of the Nelson region will be flooded within a hundred years if sea levels rise as forecast. Audio

6:20 PM.News from the business sector. Audio

6:17 PM.An Auckland woman has pleaded guilty to careless driving causing injury after she drove into a pack of cyclists in the suburb of St Heliers. Audio

6:13 PM.Telecom's been fined half a million dollars for breaches of the Fair Trading Act over claims it made in 2006 while promoting Xtra's Go Large broadband plan. Audio

6:10 PM.Americans are being told to expect a big US military presence in Afghanistan for up to four more years. Audio

6:07 PM.One of the world's most talked about conferences is about to get underway in Denmark's capital Copenhagen. Audio

5:57 PM.The New Zealand golfer Cathryn Bristow is just one round away from qualifying for the lucrative LPGA Tour in the United States. Audio

5:52 PM.After more than a decade of talking, Auckland's regional transport authority ARTA together with the Government's transport agency NZTA have signed a deal that will allow commuters to use one single… Read more Audio

5:49 PM.Researchers in Britain have found that it could be missing DNA that is part of problem that causes some children to get fat. Audio

5:46 PM.A veteran health campaigner is calling for fatty foods and sugary drinks to be taxed in the same way that tobacco products are, to reduce obesity, as happened with smoking. Audio

5:44 PM.News from the Waatea team. Audio

5:41 PM.In Australia, the former Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull has branded his successor's stance on climate change, bullshit and says the Coalition policy has descended into a farce. Audio

5:37 PM.Plans for intensive dairy farming in the South Island's Mackenzie Basin will be a disaster for the areas native plants and animals according to a Landcare Research ecologist. Audio

5:34 PM.An update from the RNZ sports team. Audio

5:28 PM.The Labour Party leader Phil Goff has been confronted with negative feedback from within the party about his speech accusing the Government of re-opening racial wounds. Audio

5:25 PM.A police officer charged with manslaughter has denied beating up a man in the back seat of police car. Audio

5:23 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:20 PM.As the climate change conference in Copenhagen begins, a new study shows that much of the Nelson region will be flooded within a hundred years if sea levels rise as forecast. Audio

5:15 PM.A young Auckland woman who ploughed into a pack of about 20 cyclists on Tamaki Drive in September, almost killing one man, has pleaded guilty to careless driving causing injury. Audio

5:07 PM.A major review of changes to the controversial child discipline laws has found that parents are not being criminalised or unduely investigated for lightly smacking their children. Audio