Checkpoint for Thursday 20 March 2014

6:56 PM.More now on the search for the Malaysia Airlines plane, and the objects spotted by satellite in the southern Indian ocean. Audio

6:48 PM.The Iwi Education Authority is commending the Education Minister Hekia Parata for the ways she's dealt with the Kohanga Reo National Trust; Meanwhile.....the spokesman for the Kohanga Reo National… Read more Audio

6:44 PM.The allowable catch for scallops has been almost halved at the top of the South Island under new commercial catch limits brought in by the Government. Audio

6:40 PM.In New York, the heat was turned up another notch at the latest UN Security Council meeting to discuss the future of Crimea. Audio

6:37 PM.A research firm has given the nine largest Kiwisaver providers a big tick. Audio

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

6:28 PM.An Auckland high school is appealing a court order to take back a boy with Asperger's and dyslexia who it excluded after he tussled with a teacher over a skateboard. Audio

6:25 PM.The Police have begun trialling a new gel-based pepper spray six times more potent than regular spray in East Cape and Hawkes Bay. Audio

6:21 PM.The Auditor-General has criticised a Dunedin city council-owned company for losing six million dollars on risky property investments near Queenstown. Audio

6:18 PM.The Government is under attack over belt-tightening in health following revelations of a budget blowout at one of the largest health boards Audio

6:12 PM.The Rugby Union has admitted two All Blacks took a cocktail of sleeping pills and alcohol shortly before a quarter final game at the last World Cup. Audio

6:08 PM.Planes are being sent to the southern Indian Ocean after satellites spotted objects during the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet. Audio

5:55 PM.In Crimea, the head of the Ukrainian navy has spent the night locked up in an secret location - after he was handcuffed and seized by pro-Russian forces in their latest raid on a military base. Audio

5:53 PM.Christchurch police have been criticised for not properly investigating an assault by an off-duty officer who attacked a teenager with his baton. Audio

5:51 PM.More on the breaking news about the search for the missing Malaysian aircraft. Audio

5:48 PM.The Iwi Education Authority is commending the Education Minister Hekia Parata for the ways she's dealt with the Kohanga Reo National Trust; Meanwhile, the spokesman for the Kohanga Reo National Trust… Read more Audio

5:42 PM.The Commerce Commission has refused to say whether it has received complaints about bullying and intimidation as it investigates Countdown. Audio

5:38 PM.The Auditor-General has found that a Dunedin council company has lost six million dollars on srisky property investments and says its been an expensive lesson. Audio

5:35 PM.The pace of economic growth sped up in the second half of last year. Audio

5:32 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport Audio

5:25 PM.A New Zealand drug company says its research shows hundreds of over-the-counter cold and flu medicines are twice as strong as they should be. Audio

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

5:19 PM.More than 120-jobs have been axed in South Auckland as the food and coffee maker, Cerebos Gregg's, closes its East Tamaki plant. Audio

5:16 PM.The Education Minister is warning the Kohanga Reo Trust Board that, if it wants to continue receiving government funding, it needs to step up, and deal with allegations about mis-spending by its… Read more Audio

5:14 PM.The Australian Prime Minister has just announced satellite images have shown up two objects in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet. Audio

5:10 PM.Our rugby correspondent Barry Guy made the original revelations this morning. Audio

5:08 PM.The Rugby Union has admitted two All Blacks took a cocktail of sleeping pills and alcohol shortly before a quarter final game at the last World Cup. Audio

5:00 PM.The Rugby Union admits two All Blacks took a cocktail of sleeping pills and alcohol shortly before a World Cup quarter final. Satellites spot objects in search for Malaysian jet and hundreds of… Read more Audio