Checkpoint for Tuesday 24 February 2015

6:52 PM.John Key confirms New Zealand military personnel will be sent to Iraq, causing a stir on the Opposition benches. Audio

6:46 PM.A Porirua-based tribe says New Zealanders need to understand why wāhi tapu, or sacred sites are claimed by iwi in their Treaty settlements. A new partnership between AgResearch and a big Maori land… Read more Audio

6:42 PM.To Australia where an inquiry's heard about a paedophile ring at a top boys' school that went unchecked for decades. Audio

6:37 PM.Lawyers had argued that president Joko Widodo should reconsider clemency for Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan, the only two of the Bali Nine facing execution. But today a judge ruled the… Read more Audio

6:23 PM.The Foreign Minister Murray McCully has told the UN Security Council it's failing to do its job of preventing conflict. Audio

6:20 PM.Spark is waiting to hear if its customers' private data has been caught up in a mass-hacking by British and American spy agencies. Audio

6:11 PM.The chief of the defence force says the soldiers being sent to Iraq will be armed and be allowed to defend themselves. Audio

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

5:55 PM.A Porirua-based tribe has hosted a post-Treaty settlement tour of its tribal area - and the buses were booked out by elderly Pākehā. Audio

5:50 PM.An Iraqi New Zealander Hussam Razzaq says the Government's made a bad call sending troops to his homeland. Audio

5:47 PM.The Labour Party is accusing the Prime Minister of double standards as more detail emerges about John Key's relationship with businessman Donghua Liu. Audio

5:43 PM.A German tourist has been ordered to pay 20 thousand dollars in emotional reparation to the mother of a Chinese student killed in a car crash he caused. Audio

5:38 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:26 PM.The Government's announced New Zealand soldiers will be sent to Iraq, with the first of them heading to Baghdad next month. Audio

5:24 PM.The Education Ministry has told the government a troubled Northland charter school could avoid closure by replacing its leadership team. Audio

5:20 PM.A flight ban that grounded all Robinson R44 helicopters with dash 7 rotor blades has now been lifted. Audio

5:18 PM.A fifth fruit fly has been found in Auckland. Audio

5:12 PM.The Prime Minister, the Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee and the Defence Force chief Lieutenant Tim Keating held a new conference a short time ago. Our Political Editor Brent Edwards was there Audio

5:08 PM.The Prime Minister has announced up to 143 soldiers are being sent to Iraq for a maximum of two years. Audio

5:00 PM.NZ to send up to 143 soldiers to Iraq, Fifth fruit fly found in Auckland, John Key on sending troops to Iraq, Flight ban lifted on Robinson R44 helicopters, Charter school could sack leadership team… Read more Audio