Checkpoint for Friday 13 March 2015

6:55 PM.The organisers of a Wellington church fair have come across a copy of an historic 78 recording of Maori singers while sorting through items for a jumble sale. Audio

6:52 PM.The national body that represents Maori language immersion schools has launched its new curriculum in the Far North today; The organisers of the World of Music and Dance festival in New Plymouth are… Read more Audio

6:34 PM.The Government is still negotiating with Iraq to secure legal protections for New Zealand soldiers going to Taji Camp north of Baghdad. Audio

6:19 PM.The United Nations is ready to send supplies and aid workers to the Solomons and Vanuatu once Cyclone Pam passes. Audio

6:14 PM.In Vanuatu the wind and rain from Cyclone Pam is picking up. With us is a New Zealander who's been living there for eight years, Jeff Brown. Audio

6:10 PM.The super Tropical Cyclone Pam is sweeping through the South Pacific, leaving devastation in its wake, reporter Ruth Hill has been following its progress. Audio

6:06 PM.An update from the team at RNZ Sport. Audio

5:57 PM.Two Pacific Island community leaders are calling for a boycott of this weekend's Pasifika Festival after the Auckland Council agency that has been running it contracted the job to a private company. Audio

5:53 PM.The national body that represents Maori language immersion schools has launched its new curriculum in the Far North today; The organisers of the World of Music and Dance festival in New Plymouth are… Read more Audio

5:51 PM.Author Sir Terry Pratchett has died in the UK at the age of 66. Audio

5:42 PM.Missouri police are hunting for the shooter who hit two police officers in Ferguson. Audio

5:38 PM.Today at the High Court in Auckland Justice Moore sentenced Ishrat Malik to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 18 and a half years for the crimes that he'd tried to blame on a mental… Read more Audio

5:35 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:28 PM.Retired Riccarton manager Bernie Shutt reckons he lost $700 000 in the Christchurch quakes, and even now that the Supreme Court's come out on his side, he's still not sure he'll see much of it back. Audio

5:22 PM.The police say every effort was made to save a man who died during an altercation with officers. Audio

5:18 PM.An American driver has pleaded guilty over a crash which killed his wife and two friends in Waikato this week. Audio

5:16 PM.Metservice here says the severe weather watch in place for parts of northern New Zealand will probably be upgraded to a warning as Cyclone Pam moves closer. Audio

5:11 PM.In Vanuatu a resort manager is predicting people will be killed if the cyclone hits with full fury. Audio

5:10 PM.Alice Clements is with Unicef in Port Vila where the wind and rain is picking up . Audio

5:08 PM.Trees and crops have been flattened and some houses destroyed in the eastern Solomon Islands as Cyclone Pam sweeps through the South Pacific. Audio

5:00 PM.Cyclone Pam begins to strike, Alice Clements, Unicef, preparing for long night, Resort manager: cyclone will kill people if it hits full force, Cyclone Pam could bring extreme weather to NZ, American… Read more Audio