Checkpoint for Thursday 21 February 2008

6:58 PM.Liquor companies are fighting against a ban on drinking at lunchtime. Audio

6:56 PM.Official says Palestinians could follow the example set by Kosovo, by unilaterally declaring an independent state. Audio

6:54 PM.Scientists say a painless treatment of type one diabetes may only be a few years away. Audio

6:51 PM.Kenya's opposition warns of more street protests if talks are unsuccessful. Audio

6:48 PM.News from the Waatea team. Audio

6:44 PM.Australia delays return of the notorious Indian trained surgeon Jayant Patel. Audio

6:40 PM.Wayne Evans, who's the head of Sacramento development's body corporate comments. Audio

6:37 PM.The agreement will develop proposals for the allocation of Crown-owned forest lands between iwi with unsettled historic claims. Audio

6:34 PM.An update from the RNZ sports team. Audio

6:28 PM.Government departments have been told to beef up security when transferring data, following a review by the Privacy Commission. Audio

6:24 PM.A missile fired from a US Navy warship hit a defunct spy satellite in space. Audio

6:18 PM.A jury is considering its verdicts on an Auckland teacher accused of indecently assaulting seven schoolgirls. Audio

6:15 PM.Workers from the Australian-owned Bunnings Warehouse came to Parliament today to draw attention to the NZ wage gap. Audio

6:07 PM.The Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists is Ian Powell comments. Audio

5:56 PM.A corruption and sex scandal involving property developers and the Woollongong City Council is threatening to engulf the Govt. Audio

5:52 PM.News from the Waatea team. Audio

5:50 PM.Senior doctors have put off their threatened strike action for a month. Audio

5:46 PM.New research shows just one cigarette is enough to hook teenagers. Audio

5:43 PM.The wife of US presidential hopeful Barack Obama has managed to overshadow her husband, with a comment slated as non-patriotic. Audio

5:40 PM.This statement comes from an OECD education report. Audio

5:36 PM.More on the tense battle between the embattled DHB and the Health Minister. Audio

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

5:23 PM.Labour claims handling of loan was above board. Audio

5:19 PM.The lawyer for a group of Auckland homeowners says their settlement is proof leaky home woes can be put right. Audio

5:15 PM.Hawke's Bay's most senior hospital doctor says that the region's district health board is in crisis and must be sacked. Audio

5:08 PM.An independent review has found a string of serious failures at the Auckland District Health Board's acute mental health unit. Audio