Checkpoint for Friday 1 April 2011

6:52 PM.News from the Waatea team. Audio

6:38 PM.Darren Hughes has now formally resigned as an MP, effective from next Tuesday. And while the police investigation into the sexual assualt complaint against him is ongoing, the Labour Party will be… Read more Audio

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

6:27 PM.Secondary school students in Waikato are being given the chance to try out tertiary training while remaining at school in an effort to reduce a trade skills shortage. Audio

6:22 PM.House sales have remained subdued, despite prices returning close to all-time peaks. Audio

6:18 PM.People in Canterbury are being given the opportunity to turn broken china from the quakes into special pieces of jewellery. Audio

6:14 PM.The four men charged over the sinking of the Tonga inter-island ferry have been remanded in custody after being found guilty on all charges in relation to the disaster. Audio

6:11 PM.The families of the 12 unidentified Christchurch quake victims have been meeting this afternoon with the chief coroner about what to do with the human remains. Audio

6:08 PM.More than 40 heritage buildings are set for full demolition in the quake hit centre of Christchurch. Audio

5:54 PM.The Labour Party is promising to repeal employment law changes which came into effect today. Audio

5:51 PM.More now on the latest crime figures which show just over 426 thousand crimes were reported to the police in 2010, down by almost six percent on the previous year. Audio

5:46 PM.News from the Waatea team. Audio

5:42 PM.When the destructive February earthquake hit Christchurch, one of our reporters, Bridget Mills, was recording an interview at the very moment the earth started shaking. Audio

5:39 PM.Wellington's district health board is putting in place a range of extra austerity measures to cut its rising deficit. Audio

5:36 PM.In Syria, President Bashar al-Assad has failed to meet protestors demand for immediate reform instead setting up a committee to look into lifting the country's draconian 48 year old emergency laws. Audio

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

5:22 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:19 PM.Crime is down across the country and one of the big winners is South Auckland where police appear to have delivered on their promise to make a difference. Audio

5:15 PM.The four men found guilty over the Princess Ashika ferry disaster in Tonga have been denied bail and are being held in police custody until their sentencing on Monday. Audio

5:09 PM.More than a 170 inner city buildings in Christchurch are on a demolition list released by Civil Defence this evening - it includes nearly 70 heritage properties. Audio

5:00 PM.Demolition list released, Guilty verdicts in Princess Ashika case, Crime drops across the country, Syria's President no Gaddafi. Audio