Checkpoint Podcast Options

4:17 PM.Syria's war is back in the spotlight after a surprise lightning offensive by rebel groups saw them capture Aleppo over the weekend. Analysts and observers have been stunned by the opposition forces… Read more Audio

4:06 PM.At least 40,000 chickens are being culled from an Otago egg farm after some birds tested positive for a strain of bird flu. The farm is currently locked down with a 10 kilometre buffer zone around the… Read more Audio

5:38 PM.Asia correspondent Erin Hale spoke to Lisa Owen about South Korea having it's heaviest snowfall for the month of November in recorded history, a K Pop group splitting from it's label with accusations… Read more Audio

5:32 PM.It was hoped this year's Black Friday would bring some sweet relief for shops who have been struggling through the cost of living crisis. And the Auckland shopping precinct of Newmarket there was… Read more Audio

5:30 PM.News from the business sector, including a market report Audio

5:25 PM.Please explain is the message to Pharmac from its Minister, David Seymour. The drug funding agency has come under fire for switching suppliers for hormone replacement therapy for menopause, choosing… Read more Audio

5:24 PM.It's almost the end of day two of the first cricket test between the Kiwis and England in Christchurch. Now in the field, the Black Caps are looking to take a healthy lead with England losing early… Read more Audio

5:17 PM.New research from Alcohol Health Watch shows 73% of door to door booze deliveries happen with zero identification checks and almost half the alcohol is left unattended at the door. In some cases, the… Read more Audio

5:07 PM.Nobody shows up to work to have a bad day. But that's exactly what happened last month when the HMNZS Manawanui grounded and sunk off the South West Coast of Samoa last month as a result of human… Read more Audio

4:44 PM.SolarZero, which provides solar power systems, with no upfront costs but multi year leases, has been been put in liquidation. Employees have been advised due to unsustainable operating losses, and… Read more Audio

4:40 PM.A fluoridation fracas is developing in Whangarei where councillors are at odds with a public health order that aims to improve the region's dental health. Amy Williams reports. Audio

4:34 PM.He's been slipping into people's houses and pinching whatever he fancies and right now that's apparently pink shoes, if you live in Cromwell lock up your wardrobe. The four year old ginger cat named… Read more Audio

4:28 PM.After a turbulent time with the bat, the Black Caps are in the field at Hagley Oval and sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen. Audio

4:24 PM.Food prices have been a source of stress to lots of households, with prices rising at a double-digit pace through parts of last year. What is food shopping this Christmas likely to be like? Money… Read more Audio

4:16 PM.Canada correspondent Ashleigh Stewart spoke to Lisa Owen about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau having an emergency meeting with provincial premiers. It's in light of president-elect Donald Trump's call… Read more Audio

4:07 PM.A warning to beware Santa's nemesis, parcel pinchers are targeting mailboxes and courier drop offs during the festive season. A 29 year old has this week been arrested over large scale thefts from… Read more Audio

5:48 PM.Australia correspondent Peter Ryan spoke to Lisa Owen about how large areas on the east coast have been suffering from heatwave conditions. It has put the energy supply under pressure and consumers… Read more Audio

5:43 PM.A long awaited report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into New Zealand's COVID-19 response has outlined what went well, what didn't and how to prepare for the future. Political reporter Giles… Read more Audio

5:36 PM.News from the business sector, including a market report. Audio

5:33 PM.The Kiwis were 247-6 against England with about half an hour remaining, sports reporter Jonty Dine reports.  Audio

5:19 PM.14 peple were arrested at the tangi of a prominent Mongrel Mob figure today - the first major test of the government's new gang patch legislation. About 70 officers descended on the small town of… Read more Audio

5:16 PM.A cardiologist said the wait for life-saving cardiac equipment at Dunedin Hospital could have fatal consequences. Dunedin Hospital's cath lab is the only unit where vital heart procedures are carried… Read more Audio

5:07 PM.More than 6000 women have signed a petition calling for Pharmac to keep funding their preferred HRT patches after they were blind sided by the agency's decision to change to a brand many say does not… Read more Audio

4:55 PM.An Auckland family who've been hit by flash flooding say it feels inhumane that their family home is not eligible for a council buyout, when all of their neighbours are getting one. Brendon Deacon and… Read more Audio

4:48 PM.A doctor prescribing HRT said a Pharmac decision to stop funding a brand of estrogen patches that many women believe works best for them could put live at risk and the drug funding agency has a moral… Read more Audio