Checkpoint for Monday 21 July 2014

6:54 PM.The police are being told they're going a step too far with a push to clamp down on the number of bars and bottle stores in key Auckland hotspots. Audio

6:51 PM.A Human Rights Review Tribunal has heard that two Fairfax newspaper cartoons are racist representations of Maori and Pacific people and are insulting and ignorant; The former director of the Glenn… Read more Audio

6:45 PM.The chair of Northland's Transport committee says last week's storm has revealed that most of the region's roads are unfit for purpose. Audio

6:42 PM.Families struggling to pay for early childhood education are the target of a Green party plan to extend the 20 hours subsidy to two year olds. Audio

6:39 PM.An accountant has told a fraud trial the head of South Canterbury Finance didn't understand about transactions that might break the rules. Audio

6:36 PM.An investment advisor at Foryth Barr, Jenny Smith, says the New Zealand exchange has followed overseas stock markets. Audio

6:29 PM.A Waitemata police constable has pepper sprayed a pit bull that was savaging the teenage boy out walking it. Audio

6:22 PM.Social welfare groups have told a housing forum that Christchurch is a gold mine for landlords, and the rental market has gone from supply and demand to supply and greed. Audio

6:12 PM.Search teams have found 251 bodies and 86 fragments of bodies where the Malaysian airliner was shot down over rebel-held eastern Ukraine. Audio

6:07 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

5:56 PM.The American actor James Garner has died at the age of 86. Audio

5:52 PM.The Human Rights Review Tribunal has been told two Fairfax newspaper cartoons about the breakfast in schools programme were insulting, discriminating, and brought Maori and Pasifika into contempt. Audio

5:49 PM.The Hutt Valley District Health Board has been criticised today for inaction over an 11 month old baby in its care. Audio

5:44 PM.The All Blacks' hardman and heavyweight boxing champion Kevin Skinner, who made rugby folklore quelling the Springboks' rampant scrum in the 1956 test series, has died in Auckland. Audio

5:37 PM.A short while ago at his post-Cabinet news conference, the Prime Minister John Key said this country is continuing to voice its objections to Russia through diplomatic channels. Audio

5:34 PM.New Zealand shares rose today, the benchmark Top 50 Index gaining 18 points to 5127. Audio

5:27 PM.The man accused of killing two men in a south Auckland pawn shop has been granted a last-minute ruling to keep his name secret for now. Audio

5:25 PM.Lydia Ko has become the youngest woman golfer to pocket more than a million US dollars on the LPGA Tour. Audio

5:18 PM.Israel is denying that Hamas has captured one of its soldiers after the bloodiest day for both sides in the conflict in Gaza. Audio

5:15 PM.The ABC's parliamentary bureau chief in Canberra is Gillian Bradford. Audio

5:10 PM.Australian and Dutch investigation teams are expected at the rebel-held crash site today. Audio

5:07 PM.Australia is looking at declaring the missile attack on Flight MH17 over Ukraine a terrorist act, opening the way to compensation payments for families of the 37 Australians killed. Audio

5:00 PM.Australia wants the missile attack on Flight MH17 labelled a terrorist act. Its the bloodiest day in Gaza for both sides and Lydia Ko pockets more than a million dollars. Audio