Checkpoint for Wednesday 25 February 2015

6:52 PM.First General Debate of the year kicked off by Andrew Little. Mr Little and Metiria Turei put questions to the Prime Minister. Audio

6:48 PM.The government says Te Kohanga Reo National Trust Board will start talking to whanau next month about changes to the way the body controls the network of language nests; An Anglican Maori Bishop, who… Read more Audio

6:44 PM.President Obama has used his veto power to block, for the time being, the controversial Keystone XL project for a massive oil pipeline from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Audio

6:40 PM.Samoa's Prime Minister expects alarmist portrayals of China's intentions in the Pacific will be challenged at a conference in Apia this week. Audio

6:35 PM.The Prime Minister's been defending the upcoming mission to Iraq in Parliament this afternoon, stressing it won't expand to include combat. Audio

6:29 PM.The Labour Party has stood down its social development spokesperson Carmel Sepuloni - following charges of benefit fraud being laid against her mother. Audio

6:27 PM.A Haast woman seized the rental car keys off a tourist after getting such a fright she recorded the wayward driving on her cellphone. Audio

6:23 PM.The Prime Minister has neatly side-stepped answering questions in Parliament this afternoon about his relationship with businessman Donghua Liu. Audio

6:17 PM.A former US marine who worked at Iraq's Taji Base near Bagdad says he doubts local soldiers can ever form an effective united army against Islamic State. Audio

6:08 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

5:55 PM.The head of the property company building a half billion dollar skyscraper in downtown Auckland is defending the public land deal with Auckland Council. Audio

5:52 PM.Kaumatua dying and their knowledge being lost is prompting a confederation of tribes to develop new leaders. Audio

5:48 PM.A Dunedin start-up company says getting the fastest internet in the Southern Hemisphere changes everything. Audio

5:47 PM.The 17 year old, Lydia Ko, is back in New Zealand for the first time since becoming the world number one earlier this month. Audio

5:39 PM.Australia is poised to send additional troops to Iraq for a joint training mission with New Zealand soldiers. Audio

5:37 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:30 PM.As well as keys being taken off tourist drivers, there's been a swathe of cases before the courts in which foreigners face charges, including from two fatal road smashes since the weekend. Audio

5:26 PM.Another tourist in the South Island has had their rental car keys snatched off them by a motorist so scared by their driving they recorded video of it on their phone. Audio

5:22 PM.80 passengers are stranded on a Wellington commuter train because of a scrub fire nearby. Audio

5:19 PM.The Government says it's now willing to consider extra paid leave for parents in special circumstances, with a long running Labour Party bill about to be voted down in Parliament. Audio

5:16 PM.Hiding jars of pate, packets of ham, bananas and two limes has earned a French yachtie a three thousand dollar fine for breaching bio-security rules. Audio

5:11 PM.Critics say Aucklanders have lost important public space after a land deal between Auckland Council and a property company. Audio

5:08 PM.The Prime Minister is adamant that New Zealand troops will only be in Iraq for two years and he rejects suggestions their role will expand to include combat duties. Audio

5:00 PM.PM adamant NZ troops will only be in Iraq for two years; Critics say Aucklanders lose key open space in council land sale; French sailor convicted for hiding jars of pate; Minister leaves open option… Read more Audio