Checkpoint for Friday 17 October 2014

6:52 PM.The Maori Business Programme at Victoria University will be closed. Some Far North Maori say they are sickened by a decision which allows a multimillion dollar extension of the Opua marina to go… Read more Audio

6:35 PM.After a ten-year campaign New Zealand has won a non-permanent position on the the United Nations Security Council for 2015-16. Audio

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

6:27 PM.The Danish tennis star, Caroline Wozniacki, is the latest high profile name to be added to the field for January's ASB Classic in Auckland. Audio

6:18 PM.The Professor at the centre of a racist email storm in Australia has been suspended by the University of Sydney. Audio

6:15 PM.A man riding a bike in the dark lay for hours badly hurt in a sinkhole he fell into at a park in Waihi. Audio

6:12 PM.Opposition parties say New Zealand must retain its independence when voting on the United Nations Security Council. Audio

5:58 PM.A teenager has pleaded guilty to attacking a woman during an attempted bag snatch on Auckland's North Shore last month. Audio

5:55 PM.Twenty year old Reuben Te Rangi asked for a discharge without conviction when he appeared for sentencing in the New Plymouth District Court today for a violent attack on bouncers at a bar in the city… Read more Audio

5:48 PM.The Maori Business Programme at Victoria University will be closed. Some Far North Maori say they are sickened by a decision which allows a multimillion dollar extension of the Opua marina to go… Read more Audio

5:45 PM.Across the Tasman, a powerful parliamentary committee is asking for a raft of changes to terrorism laws designed to clamp down on foreign fighters. Audio

5:37 PM.A man who converted back to the faith of his childhood has won 40 thousand dollars from the employer who sacked him for refusing to work Saturdays. Audio

5:35 PM.New Zealand shares rose today, with the benchmark Top 50 Index gaining 15 points, or nearly a third of a percent, to 5147. Audio

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

5:28 PM.School principals are still not fans of Novopay, despite today's transfer of the troubled pay system to a Crown-owned company. Audio

5:24 PM.Diane Pakau will juggle being a mother to her five children and doing 140 hours community work while her husband serves a lengthy jail term for crimes committed while he was a police officer. Audio

5:21 PM.The Chief Coroner has backed a call from one of his collegues that Child Youth and Family shouldn't cut troubled teenagers adrift when they turn 17. Audio

5:17 PM.New Zealand Breakers basketball player Reuben Te Rangi's dreams of playing in the NBA has been seriously affected after he was convicted of assault. Audio

5:14 PM.As New Zealand prepares to start its term on the Security Council Australia is ending its two year stint. Audio

5:10 PM.Within hours of New Zealand winning a coveted seat on the United Nations Security Council today, some former diplomats were warning cutbacks here will make it harder to make a difference there. Audio

5:00 PM.Ex diplomats say cutbacks will make it harder for NZ, Former Australian Foreign Minister - on Security Council, Top basketballer convicted of assault, Coroner criticises lack of support for over-17s… Read more Audio