Checkpoint for Tuesday 31 July 2012

6:53 PM.Six people have been arrested in Kenya after Venezuela's acting ambassador was found strangled to death in her official residence on Friday. Audio

6:51 PM.It's based on a single book, but The Hobbit movie is being turned into a trilogy by Sir Peter Jackson. Audio

6:47 PM.The Maori Party says its job is to extend support to tribes - no matter what the government decides following the Waitangi Tribunal's water rights decision; Ngai Tahu says the newly released blueprint… Read more Audio

6:42 PM.A coroner's report into the death of a young Wellington man while undertaking an instructors course on Mount Ruapehu has highlighted the dangers of mountaineering for inexperienced climbers. Audio

6:35 PM.Wellington city councillors have been told to hold off forming a supercity because the capital has more urgent things on its plate. Audio

6:32 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:26 PM.A Wellington coroner says it should be compulsory for people to get a licence showing they can operate bolt or stud guns before they're allowed to hire them. Audio

6:23 PM.It took the Central Christchurch Development Unit just 100-days to come up with a blueprint for how the city centre will be rebuilt. Audio

6:20 PM.An economist says business confidence is starting to stabilise following a downward trend in the last few months. Audio

6:13 PM.One of the Fiji regime's harshest critics says New Zealand and Australia have jumped the gun in moving to restore full diplomatic ties with Fiji. Audio

6:10 PM.The Government says any move by KiwiRail to sell its passenger division is not an attempt to partially privatise the state owned enterprise. Audio

6:06 PM.The Pike River Coal company and its former boss, Peter Whittall, have failed to enter pleas on health and safety charges, angering the families of men killed in the mine explosion. Audio

5:54 PM.The man accused of opening fire at a midnight screening of the new "Batman" film in Denver, has been charged with 24 counts of first-degree murder - meaning he could get the death penalty if… Read more Audio

5:52 PM.The Suva High Court has found Fiji's ousted prime minister Laisenia Qarase guilty of all nine charges against him. Audio

5:49 PM.The Maori Party says its job is to extend support to tribes - no matter what the government decides following the Waitangi Tribunal's water rights decision; Ngai Tahu says the newly released blueprint… Read more Audio

5:45 PM.A long awaited asthma drug is to get funding, cutting the price of it for thousands of preschool children with severe and recurrent wheezing. Audio

5:39 PM.Animal control officers are marvelling at how a woman survived a vicious dog attack that lasted for at least two hours. Audio

5:36 PM.Auckland's poorest communities are facing hefty increases for basic water services as a result of the creation of the new Auckland Council. Audio

5:32 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

5:26 PM.You've heard of Eddie the eagle, Eric the eel and now the new Olympic favourite is the sculling sloth. Audio

5:22 PM.The Maori Party believes iwi claims to water will end up in the High Court after the Waitangi Tribunal released its interim report calling on the Government to delay selling shares in Mighty River… Read more Audio

5:17 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:15 PM.A structural engineer who worked on the CTV building in Christchurch has conceded that there were significant design weaknesses. Audio

5:11 PM.The ACT Party leader, John Banks, was back at Parliament today, where he fronted up to MPs about the police investigation into his mayoral campaign funds in 2010. Audio

5:07 PM.The Pike River boss charged over safety failings at the doomed mine has been given a stern warning after he failed to appear or enter a plea in the Greymouth District Court today. Audio

5:00 PM.A warning in court today for the Pike River boss Peter Whittall. John Banks fronts up in Parliament over the anonymous donations and "Sculling sloth" wins hearts at Olympics. Audio