Checkpoint for Wednesday 16 December 2015

6:50 PM.Local Government New Zealand is suggesting limiting appeals over district plans under the Resource Management Act. Audio

6:39 PM.Surgeons are poised to do the first penis transplant ever attempted in the US, to help an injured former military serviceman. Audio

6:34 PM.Four Maori sisters who went missing seven weeks ago in Australia have been returned safely to their mother early today. Audio

6:26 PM.One of the most attractive towns on State Highway One is enjoying a quieter evening, following the opening of a by-pass around Cambridge in Waikato. Audio

6:23 PM.A lawyer for Southern Response says customers hoping to take a class action against it have been misled into believing they have nothing to lose. Audio

6:20 PM.Rural towns are facing a severe downturn as a year of record low dairy prices take a toll on farmers' finances. Audio

6:17 PM.Top coach Richard Tonks has fallen out with Rowing New Zealand and tonight says he's finished with it, even as the crews head into Olympic year. Audio

6:12 PM.The Government is moving to shut down the troubled Northland charter school, Te Pumanawa o te Wairua after it failed yet another audit. Audio

6:07 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

5:57 PM.A Dunedin City Council manager took his own life, six days after he was questioned about a missing fleet of cars trucks and scooters belonging to the council. Audio

5:52 PM.Driving home from Wanaka, Adrienne Gaston had a feeling the two vans up ahead weren't going to stop for an oncoming truck - she pulled over, closed her eyes and heard a massive bang. Audio

5:49 PM.The search for oil and gas in New Zealand is moving down a gear. Audio

5:47 PM.The jury in the trial of a Taranaki farmer has been told a father simply doesn't murder his son over 66 thousand dollars. Audio

5:42 PM.Schools in Los Angeles have been cleared to re-open tomorrow after a terror threat forced more than half a million students to stay at home. Audio

5:40 PM.The man who stabbed his wife to death planned to escape to South Africa after carrying out the killing. Audio

5:37 PM.Sydney has been hit by a rare tornado which brought with it extreme winds and cricket ball-sized hail. Audio

5:35 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:28 PM.A low-speed crash into a power pole turned to tragedy when five young people from two cars got electric shocks with one of them dying. Audio

5:24 PM.An accident on high ropes has cost an adventure course near Rotorua nearly 90 thousand dollars after a woman was seriously injured when she fell three metres just over a year ago. Audio

5:22 PM.The Wizard has officially become a citizen, 41 years after moving to Christchurch. Audio

5:16 PM.The death of a woman who committed suicide after escaping from Waikato Hospital's mental health centre could have been prevented if she had better care. Audio

5:11 PM.An educational experiment in the Far North is about to become the first charter school to fail. Audio

5:08 PM.Murderer Michael Preston purposely left the knife in neck of his estranged wife Mei Fan, as a final insult to her and to mark his victory. Audio

5:00 PM.Murderer Michael Preston purposely left the knife in neck of his estranged wife Mei Fan, as a final insult to her and to mark his victory and an educational experiment in the Far North is about to… Read more Audio