Checkpoint

A Wellington charity supplying school stationery to families who can't afford it may be forced to turn people away because demand is so high. Te Awakairangi School Stationery Drive, supplies children in the Hutt Valley with essentials like exercise books, pens, and backpacks. It's just one of several cost families face at the start of the school year on top of things like school uniforms. Nicky Smith, the organiser of Te Awakairangi School Stationery Drive spoke to Lisa Owen.

US correspondent Todd Zwillich spoke to Lisa Owen about the removal of hundreds of federal agents from Minnesota.

DOC's worried seventy million litres of raw sewage being pumped into the sea around the capital could contaminate a nearby marine reserve... and put several species at risk. The beaches are off limits after Wellington's Moa Point waste water treatment plant failed..flooding the facility ..and sending massive amounts of untreated waste into the city's south coast near the shore and Taputeranga Marine Reserve. The Department of Conservation's principal science advisor Shane Geange spoke to Lisa Owen.

United Kingdom correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Lisa Owen about British Police launching a criminal investigation into the former UK ambassador to the US, as well as a new report that has found seven million cancer cases could be prevented each year.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

The Black Foils' anxious wait for parts to arrive in New Zealand for the busted back of the SailGP boat is over. Over the last couple of days the newly manufactured parts have made it from the United Kingdom to Auckland and the team has renewed confidence they'll be on the water for their home grand prix next week. While praising the SailGP repair crew, the team has also taken a swipe at the officials' response to the crash that caused the damage. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Warehouse has announced it is cutting more than 250 jobs in its head office in a bid to cut operating costs. The company is partnering with an IT firm to tap into technology efficiencies including artificial intelligence. It comes the same day as new unemployment figures hit a ten-year high. Workers First Union represents some of the workers affected, spokesperson Rudd Hughes spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Prime Minister insists the government and iwi are aligned on improving outcomes for Māori, as he makes his return to Waitangi. Christopher Luxon is back at the Treaty Grounds after skipping last year - and has met face-to-face with iwi leaders. Political reporter Giles Dexter is at Waitangi

Some Wellington beaches are off limits with massive amounts of raw sewage being pumped out to sea after a treatment plant was swamped in contaminated water, during heavy rain. It could take months to repair the damage at the Moa Point treatment plant. During heavy rain last night water backed up in the outfall pipe and flooded the site in metres deep raw sewage. Wellington Water chief executive Pat Dougherty spoke to Lisa Owen.

Canterbury police are searching for a precious Olympic medal that was stolen in a burglary. Rowing legend Les O'Connell's gold medal was stolen from his home in the Christchurch suburb of Strowan around the early hours of Monday morning. The medal holds huge sentimental value to him, and he has pleaded for whoever has it to do the right thing. Police are now appealing to people who may have CCTV footage that could help them in the hunt. Christchurch Detective Nigel Thomson spoke to Lisa Owen.

A Christchurch community leader has made an emotional plea to the city's councillors to stop ignoring locals' concerns about the foul stench pouring from Bromley's sewage plant. It comes after some residents walked out of a fiery public meeting last night, frustrated by the council's inaction five years after fire damaged the plant, and as complaints about the odour continue to pour in. Anna Sargent reports.

A man is in hospital and the police watchdog has been alerted after a shooting in the Hamilton suburb of Whitiora this morning. Police shot a man who was wanted over a violent incident, after he pulled a shotgun on officers.

A long-term fix for an historic suspension bridge, whose cabling is sagging into the river below, could be decided next month. The Opiki toll bridge in southern Manawatu is a well-known landmark for many motorists driving to and from Wellington along State Highway 56. But, for the second time in just over two years, the ageing structure requires repair. Jimmy Ellingham reports.

One of the headline acts of this month's Winter Olympics insists that her Games is not over despite suffering a serious knee injury last week. American downhill skier Lindsey Vonn, who came out of retirement to earn a spot in the US Olympic team at age 41, has confirmed she ruptured her ACL after crashing out of an event in Switzerland last week. However, Vonn says she still plans to compete in the women's downhill at the Milano Cortina Olympics, in what she hopes could yet be a comeback against all odds. Sports reporter Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.

At least half a dozen Christchurch bottle stores have banned the sale of Nitro Vodka in an effort to get or renew their liquor licences. The shops have agreed to... or even suggested the condition during their applications to the District Licensing Committee in the past three years. It prompted the owner of Nitro, to take legal action, claiming the alcohol and energy drink combined, is being unfairly targeted. Paul McMahon of Community Action on Youth and Drugs Otautahi has championed the case against Nitro and spoke to Lisa Owen.

Americas correspondent Katie Silver spoke to Lisa Owen about thousands of documents related to the dead sex offender Jeffrey Epstein being removed by the US Department of Justice just days after being made public. According to lawyers for the disgraced financier's victims, dozens of survivors had their identities compromised in the latest release.

Unemployment has hit a 10 year high, as it rose to 5.4 percent in the December quarter up from 5.3 in the previous quarter. That means another 5000 people have joined the unemployment queue, taking the total to 165,000. The numbers were revealed just hours after the Warehouse group confirmed it is cutting 270 jobs. Chief forecaster for economics consultants Infometrics, Gareth Keirnan spoke to Lisa Owen.

Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about political conservatives in Australia continuing to endure upheaval, with the opposition there undergoing leadership instability and polls showing the coalition parties haemorraging support to hard-right party One Nation.

A moggy with a taste for mince is on the prowl in Kerikeri. Keen hunter, Bella the cat burglar, has been bringing home a surprising midnight feast for her owners, sausage rolls in brown paper bags. In a bizarre series of gift giving that might sound unbelievable, Bella's sausage roll deliveries have happened not once, not twice, but three times, prompting a post on Facebook in search of answers. Bella's owner Siran Young spoke to Lisa Owen.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

An alleged culture of sexism, favouritism and bullying is what drove one of the top kiwi boxers to hang up her gloves. The Sport Integrity Commission has been investigating Boxing NZ and its head coach Billy Meehan who Commonwealth Games medalist Tasmyn Benny says killed her passion for the sport. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.

This story deals with suicide and mental health. The parents of a Tauranga teenager who took her own life are calling for improvements to the country's mental health system. 16-year-old Maddie Hall died in March 2023, almost three years after she was first taken to hospital. Timothy Brown reports.

Thousands of reports have flooded in about a vile, sickening smell coming from Christchurch's burnt out waste water treatment plant. The pong has plagued the suburb of Bromley and surrounding areas - since a fire there in 2021, but this latest bout of stench has confused the city council, who say the January rain should've improved the odour. Environment Canterbury said it has received more than 2000 reports through its Smelt-it Ap - some from as far away as Wigram, around 10 kilometres away. Christchurch reporter Anna Sargent spoke to Lisa Owen.

As the school year gets underway, recently released data shows while the number of students regularly turning up to school is improving it is still a long way from the government's goal of 80 percent of students present more than 90 percent of the time. Provisional data for term 4 of last year shows 57.3 percent of students were regularly in class, for Māori it was 43 percent, and just over 39 percent for Pasifika. President of the New Zealand Pasifika Principals Association Bert Iosia spoke to Lisa Owen.

A pediatric specialist is urging Aotearoa's drug agency to fund weight loss drugs for teenagers. A Pharmac advisory panel has provisionally recommended funding Wegovy for chronic weight management in people with high BMI's and associated conditions. Professor of paediatric endocrinology at the Liggins Institute, Wayne Cutfield spoke to Lisa Owen.

Social media giant Meta says banning young people from its platforms will never work but supporters of a law change are crying foul, saying the owner of Facebook and Instagram is using the same tactics as big tobacco. Finn Blackwell has more.

Over $170,000 of desperately needed money has been raised for whanau in the flood ravaged East Cape of the North Island. But the chair of Manaaki Matakaoa says locals are in for a long slog when the initial response dies down and the community is left to ready themselves for the next bout of heavy weather. Bill Hickman has more.

Squash will debut at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and with the qualifying procedure now revealed it is good news for New Zealand's top player. There will be a men's and a women's competition with 16 players in each draw at the Olympics, and world number two Paul Coll is in line to make history. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen.

The National Iwi Chairs Forum has unanimously backed a High Court challenge from Hauraki iwi Ngāti Manuhiri against the Governments Marine and Coastal Area Act passed last year. The Act makes it harder for Māori groups to win customary title; a move the government says restores the legislation to its "original intent". The forum is meeting at Waitangi this week and will tomorrow meet with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. Māori News journalist Pokere Paewai spoke to Lisa Owen from Waitangi.

US correspondent Todd Zwillich spoke to Lisa Owen about Bill and Hillary Clinton agreeing to give evidence about their relationship with dead sex offender Jeffrey Epstein before Congress, as well as federal immigration agents in Minneapolis who will soon have to wear body cameras following the fatal shootings of two US citizens last month.

A gear change in driver licensing has some instructors concerned. The government has unveiled the first major changes to the system in 15 years, meaning drivers won't have to sit a second practical test when they go for their full licence. Under 25s will spend 12 months on their learner licence instead of the current six. For under 25s the time spent on a restricted licence is reducing from up to 18 months down to a year. New Zealand Institute Driver Educators president and Paeroa driving instructor Mark Revill-Johnson spoke to Lisa Owen.

United Kingdom correspondent Diane To spoke to Lisa Owen about Prince Andrew facing more pressure over his ties to the lat convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as well as others who have been caught up in Epstein's web.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

Several new laws will take affect in the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season, including reducing the influence of the much-maligned TMO. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.

A Dunedin Wildlife Hospital suspects modern windows could be to blame for an increasing number of serious injuries in Aotearoa's native wood pigeon or Kereru. Window strike is the most common reason for Kereru ending up in hospital, hundreds of them over the past few years. Survival rates are also down to due to the severity of the injuries. General manager of Wildlife Hospital Dunedin, Suzanne Stephenson spoke to Lisa Owen.

Efforts are underway to salvage a damaged catamaran that ran aground in Canterbury's Banks Peninsula at the weekend. The Black Cat Cruises vessel got into trouble during a return journey on Akaroa Harbour, prompting the rescue of dozens of people on board. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission has begun an investigation while local authorities try to quell the impact of thousands of litres of spilt diesel on the harbour. Adam Burns reports.

The government has revealed its new school report for students aged five to 15 and has said it will give parents clearer more consistent information on how their children are progressing. The report card will describe a child's achievement in reading, writing and maths using a five-point achievement scale. They are emerging, developing, consolidating, proficient and exceeding. Principal at Berkley Normal Middle School in Hamilton, Nathan Leith spoke to Lisa Owen.

The appalling and reckless behaviour of dirt bike riders is putting children's lives at risk according to police. They are appealing for members of the public to help to with any dash cam or CCTV footage after up to 40 riders were driving into oncoming traffic and bumping onto footpaths in Otara yesterday afternoon. Auckland police Inspector Kerry Watson spoke to Lisa Owen.

A project at the cutting edge of cancer research hopes to build a collection of tiny lab-grown tumours at the University of Auckland. Smaller than a grain of sand, these tumour structures can be used to test experimental cancer treatments with quick results. Felix Walton has more.

While it's been a turbulent time for the All Blacks, it seems you can always count on the Black Ferns Sevens to bring a smile to the faces of New Zealand rugby fans. The team captured another World Series title in Singapore last night - demolishing rivals Australia in the process. Sports reporter Jamie Wall spoke to Lisa Owen.

A former Olympic rower is hoping there is some honour among thieves after his gold medal was stolen from his Christchurch home while he was away for the weekend. Les O'Connell, won the medal at the 1984 summer Olympics in LA, rowing in the men's coxless four and he's appealing to whoever pinched it to give it back undamaged. O'Connell spoke to Lisa Owen.

Middle East correspondent Jacob Brown spoke to Lisa Owen about new warnings about the prospect of an American attack on Iran, as well as a major milestone in Gaza with the reopening of its most important border crossing.

A Christchurch City Councillor is calling for a hotline for residents to dob in Air BnB operators that might be breaking the rules. New regulations came into effect in 2023 meaning anyone renting out a property for more than 60 nights a year needs resource consent. Since then, a council specialist Airbnb Compliance Officer has been employed and have found 41 operators to be non-compliant, while a further 54 remain under investigation. Councillor for Christchurch's Heathcote ward Nathaniel Herz Jardine spoke to Lisa Owen.

United Kingdom correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Lisa Owen about Prime Minister Keir Starmer's trip to China, the European Union formally adding Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to its terrorist list, and two volunteer firefighters from the Isle of Man have pulling off an impressive feat of athleticism.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

British boxer Anthony Joshua has broken weeks of public silence and spoken for the first time since a car crash which killed two of the former world heavyweight champion's close friends. Joshua was a passenger in an SUV that collided with a stationary truck on a highway in Nigeria on December 29, and sustained minor injuries in the accident that claimed their lives. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen.

Police say any protestors attemping to cross Auckland Harbour Bridge tomorrow will be stopped, but they are warning motorists of potential delays. NZTA has declined an application by the Freedom and Rights Coalition to walk the bridge - the group is an off shoot of Brian Tamaki's Destiny Church. But Brian Tamaki is still encouraging people to gather at Victoria Park, which is a short distance from the motorway on-ramp. Waitemata District Commander, Superintendent Naila Hassan spoke to Lisa Owen.

Some farms in Tai Rawhiti are facing huge clean up jobs and access problems following heavy rain and flooding last week. Mud and slips have cut off roads and communities higher up the coast near Hicks bay and Te Araroa. The Prime Minister has said reconnecting some of those communities could take up to six months with significant damage to State Highwway 35 and SH2. North west of Gisborne some farms near Te Karaka have had river crossing washed out. Federated Farmers Gisborne president Charlie Reynolds spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Parole Board has declined parole for convicted murderer Clayton Weatherston. The 50-year-old will remain behind bars until at least November 2027. Weatherston was an academic at Otago University and had been in a relationship with honours student Sophie Elliott. In 2008 Elliot was packing up her life to move to Wellington to take up a job at Treasury when Weatherston arrived at her home and stabbed her more than 200 times in a brutal attack. Weatherston appeared before the Parole Board this morning for the first time after serving an 18-year non-parole period. Reporter Timothy Brown attended the hearing and spoke to Lisa Owen.

One of the things former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham's son, Brooklyn, made headlines for this week was sharing "the world's most expensive" wine with his wife, Nicola Peltz. It was reportedly an 1831 vintage Château d'Yquem valued at around $33,000 a bottle. That got our money correspondent Susan Edmunds thinking about wine, including how you might go about investing in it. She spoke to Lisa Owen.