Checkpoint for Thursday 9 July 2015

6:57 PM.The Government is dumping an independent committee which advises the Health Ministry on cancer. Audio

6:53 PM.A Hawkes Bay iwi is one more step away from signing its full and final Treaty of Waitangi settlement with the Crown; Snow fall and freezing conditions are causing more misery for Whanganui residents… Read more Audio

6:50 PM.The battle between Islamic State and Egyptian forces in Sinai is expected to get worse over the next few weeks after the last bold attack by IS. Audio

6:47 PM.The final whistle has been blown on the first official All Blacks Test in the Pacific, with all sides pledging to try and make it a regular event . Audio

6:43 PM.Cyclones, transport woes and lack of competition at home are just some of the obstacles faced by athletes from tiny island countries in the Pacific who are competing at this year's Pacific Games. Audio

6:40 PM.Four children from a Hamilton school have won a world literacy prize, answering questions on books from Homer's Odyssey to Harry Potter. Audio

6:37 PM.Now to the fear and panic on the Chinese stockmarkets. Audio

6:26 PM.The French tennis player, Richard Gasquet, has upset the fourth seed, Stan Wawrinka, at Wimbledon this morning in a thrilling five-set quarter-final. Audio

6:21 PM.One of the best dinosaur hunters in the world has finally had one named after her. Audio

6:17 PM.The freezing conditions have brought the heaviest snow to the Hawkes Bay in 35 years, making driving hazardous on State Highway 5 - the Napier to Taupo Road and closing State Highway 2, north to… Read more Audio

6:12 PM.Thousands of people living in cold, damp private rentals may never get their homes insulated. Audio

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

5:57 PM.Exporters are hoping to weather China's stock-market storm in the short-term but long-term loss of confidence in China could harm sales. Audio

5:54 PM.A Hawkes Bay iwi is one step away from signing its full and final Treaty of Waitangi settlement with the Crown. Audio

5:51 PM.The closure of the Gisborne Hawkes Bay road has come at a critical time for market farmers and citrus orchardists. Audio

5:47 PM.A judge has told the former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd that his more than 40 year-long rockstar lifestyle has finally caught up with him. Audio

5:41 PM.Zarn Tarapata armed himself with a knife and left his kids in the car before walking into the Takanini Pawn shop where his partner worked. Audio

5:36 PM.The Labour Party has accused the Treasury of being nuts for suggesting the country's rail network should be closed because it costs too much. Audio

5:34 PM.News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

5:26 PM.More than six years after a woman vanished from her home the police are offering 30-thousand dollars to anyone who has information about what happened to her. Audio

5:21 PM.Chinese stocks have partially rebounded today, after shareholders with large stakes in listed firms were banned from selling. Audio

5:16 PM.A child rapist with an intellectual disability who has spent 45 years in mental hospitals and prisons has won a landmark ruling from the United Nations Human Rights Committee that his detention is… Read more Audio

5:08 PM.Thousands of people living in cold, damp private rentals will have to wait up to four years until their landlords are forced to insulate their homes. Audio

5:00 PM.Renters have to wait four years for insulation, UN calls for release of sex offender with an intellectual disability, Chinese stocks partially rebound, Police offer 30-thousand for info on missing… Read more Audio