Checkpoint for Friday 21 September 2012

6:56 PM.Civil Defence is using smartphone technology to warn Aucklanders of natural disasters and emergencies. Audio

6:52 PM.A new way of measuring pupils' performance shows more than 40 percent of Maori school children are underachieving in their writing skills; The Council of Te Wananga o Aotearoa, will advertise the… Read more Audio

6:35 PM.The Government is close to putting in place the final phase of welfare reforms that it says will reduce benefit dependency. A Social Security Amendment Bill was introduced to Parliament this week that… Read more Audio

6:32 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

6:27 PM.Samoa has launched its first overseas campaign to drum up private investment. Audio

6:22 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

6:19 PM.New Zealand ships will be able to visit United States ports for the first time since the suspension of the ANZUS treaty in 1985, following a top level defence meeting today. Audio

6:14 PM.Fisheries officers aren't holding their breath for the crew of a Korean vessel to pay more than $400,000 in fines in New Zealand's largest case of fish dumping. Audio

6:11 PM.Most primary and intermediate-age children are meeting the new national standards benchmarks for reading, writing and maths, but Maori and Pasifika children are not doing as well as others. Audio

6:08 PM.People will be told by Christmas if they are in unsafe buildings that have the same flaw as the CTV building, which collapsed killing 115 people in the Christchurch earthquake. Audio

5:54 PM.Sky-dive operators and hot air balloonists have until the middle of December to show they're doing random drug and alcohol testing on their staff, or taking other such measures to keep tourists safe. Audio

5:48 PM.A new way of measuring pupils' performance shows more than 40 percent of Maori school children are underachieving in their writing skills; The Council of Te Wananga o Aotearoa, will advertise the… Read more Audio

5:45 PM.Christchurch was jolted by a magnitude 4.3 earthquake this lunchtime. Audio

5:42 PM.The Air Line Pilots' Association wants the sale of lasers banned following the sentencing of an Auckland teenager who aimed a beam at several aircraft in the city earlier this year. Audio

5:36 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

5:27 PM.The Serious Fraud Office has launched it's first investigation into earthquake insurance fraud in Christchurch which could involve tens of millions of dollars. Audio

5:25 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:21 PM.Four officers of a Korean fishing boat found guilty of dumping about a million dollars worth of fish have been fined more than $420,000. Audio

5:16 PM.For the first time, a snapshot of student achievement under national standards has been made public today. Audio

5:14 PM.The United States has lifted a ban on New Zealand Defence Force vessels visiting American ports, further thawing relations after a 26-year stand-off on nuclear issues. Audio

5:07 PM.158 buildings around the country have the same potentially fatal flaw as the CTV building, including 59 in Wellington and 46 in Auckland. Audio

5:00 PM.158 other buildings may share CTV construction flaw; US defence chief lifts ban on NZ vessels in US ports; first snapshot of national standards data published today; Korean fishing boat officers fined… Read more Audio