Checkpoint for Monday 26 November 2012

6:52 PM.A temporary ban on a substance found in the synthetic cannabis product, K2, will be in force from next Thursday. Audio

6:47 PM.An aide to the Maori King says the demotion of a senior Waikato-Tainui leader has kick-started the King's aims to change the way the tribe's governed; A Maori health service at the top of the South… Read more Audio

6:42 PM.The Defence Force has revealed details of the killing of a Taliban leader held responsible for the death of four New Zealand soldiers. Audio

6:40 PM.A judge has told off a mining company for criticising the consent issuing process on the opening day of a hearing challenging plans to mine on the West Coast's Denniston Plateau. Audio

6:37 PM.The mayor of Christchurch wants to look at combining the city's universities and polytechnics into a central city campus, to be called the University of Oceania. Audio

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

6:28 PM.A week-long crackdown on drivers using cellphones started this morning. Audio

6:24 PM.The number of women on boards of firms has increased by more than a half in the last two years, but it's been criticised as too slow. Audio

6:21 PM.Sydney scientists expecting to find a small island in the South Pacific came up empty handed and now an Auckland man thinks he can explain why. Audio

6:12 PM.A former Catholic brother convicted of abusing schoolboys in New Zealand left for Sri Lanka earlier this year at about the same time Australian police issued a warrant for his arrest on hundreds of… Read more Audio

6:08 PM.Two children and three adults are in a stable condition in North Shore Hospital after a petrol generator filled the house with the poisonous fumes last night. Audio

5:57 PM.The Invercargill shopkeeper who sold a winning 20-million dollar lottery ticket has no idea who won it. Audio

5:54 PM.A High Court judge has grilled point by point the lawyer for the Maori claimants challenging the partial privatisation of three state owned power companies. Audio

5:51 PM.The Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union says Carter Holt Harvey has told its staff it plans to cut about 70 jobs in Rotorua and Tokoroa before Christmas. Audio

5:48 PM.An aide to the Maori King says the demotion of a senior Waikato-Tainui leader has kick-started the King's aims to change the way the tribe's governed; A Maori health service at the top of the South… Read more Audio

5:40 PM.The Air Force Orion is returning to New Zealand after failing to find three fishermen missing off the coast of Kiribati. Audio

5:37 PM.The police are keeping tight lipped about the part they played in a convicted sex offender leaving New Zealand even as the Australians were moving to extradite him. Audio

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

5:27 PM.Part of the Tongariro Alpine crossing could reopen as early as Thursday following last week's eruption on the mountain. Audio

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

5:18 PM.An employment advocate says the law needs to change to stop migrant workers being ripped off by their employers and left thousands of dollars out of pocket. Audio

5:15 PM.Jetstar has bowed to public pressure and reversed its decision to cancel a flight just before Christmas from Melbourne to Auckland. Audio

5:12 PM.The Defence Force says a Taliban commander who targeted New Zealanders was killed to prevent another attack he was planning that was imminent. Audio

5:09 PM.Detective Sergeant Peter Litherland is heading the investigation into what happened. Audio

5:06 PM.An Auckland family is in hospital tonight as police investigate how they poisoned themselves using a portable generator in their unfinished west Auckland house. Audio

5:00 PM.The police investigate how an Auckland family poisoned themselves. Details emerge of the killing of a Taliban leader blamed for targeting New Zealanders and Jetstar bows to pressure but only… Read more Audio