Checkpoint for Friday 6 December 2013

6:57 PM.New Zealand politicians are paying tribute to the former South African president, Nelson Mandela, who died today. John Key will lead a small New Zealand delegation to Mr Mandela's funeral - the… Read more Audio

6:55 PM.The Maori King, Tuheitia, has added his condolences to Nelson Mandela's whanau and the people of South Africa; The spokesperson for the office of the Maori King, Tuku Morgan says Nelson Mandela's… Read more Audio

6:35 PM.The country's top spies appeared before the Intelligence and Security Committee this week to answer questions about the Security Intelligence Service and the Government Communications Security Bureau.

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

6:22 PM.Confidence amongst the country's manufacturers and exporters has risen dramatically, but the lobby group representing them says the overall sector is still weak, and may even get worse. Audio

6:19 PM.A permit's been granted to mine for phosphate on the seabed off the Chatham Islands for 20 years. Audio

6:16 PM.The company that runs the Cook Strait ferries says it doesn't matter that a replacement ship for the crippled Aratere can't take foot passengers. Audio

6:11 PM.New Zealand's South African community is celebrating the life of Nelson Mandela. Audio

6:08 PM.South Africa's first black president, and legendary anti apartheid campaigner, had been suffering from a lung infection. Audio

5:53 PM.Te Ao Maori is reflecting on the man they called Madiba, and how he affected the lives of tangata whenua; The Maori King, Tuheitia, has added his condolences to Nelson Mandela's whanau and the people… Read more Audio

5:49 PM.The sister of a Christchurch man who died in his bed says she began to suspect her brother's widow shortly after his funeral in 2009, so set out to investigate. Audio

5:43 PM.South African journalist Martin Plaut is the BBC's former Africa Editor - he's written a number of books about his country most recently "The Mandela Legacy." Audio

5:40 PM.Radio New Zealand's former chief executive, Sharon Crosbie, has defended her management style and handling of the company's former head of news Lynne Snowdon. Audio

5:38 PM.An overseas fund manager has called New Zealand 'as politically risky as Pakistan', and puts his fund's recent slide largely down to losses in this country. Audio

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

5:27 PM.The father who blew the whistle on a Christchurch care home blighted by assaults on patients and staff wants its top management cleaned out. Audio

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

5:16 PM.Our reporter Penny Mackay compiled this obituary of Nelson Mandela. Audio

5:10 PM.Mary speaks to Al Jazeera's correspondent in Johannesburg, Tania Page. Audio

5:07 PM.The 95 year old, known as the father of modern South Africa, died at his home in Johannesburg after a prolonged battle with a lung infection. Audio

5:00 PM.Nelson Mandela dies; The latest from Johannesburg; Nelson Mandela, apartheid fighter and peacemaker; Government report reveals serious dysfunction at care home; NZ 'as politically risky as Pakistan'… Read more Audio