Checkpoint for Wednesday 4 February 2026

5:47 PM.United Kingdom correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Lisa Owen about British Police launching a criminal investigation into the former UK ambassador to the US, as well as a new report that has found… Read more Audio

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

5:32 PM.The Black Foils' anxious wait for parts to arrive in New Zealand for the busted back of the SailGP boat is over. Over the last couple of days the newly manufactured parts have made it from the United… Read more Audio

5:27 PM.The Warehouse has announced it is cutting more than 250 jobs in its head office in a bid to cut operating costs. The company is partnering with an IT firm to tap into technology efficiencies including… Read more Audio

5:18 PM.The Prime Minister insists the government and iwi are aligned on improving outcomes for Māori, as he makes his return to Waitangi. Christopher Luxon is back at the Treaty Grounds after skipping last… Read more Audio

5:08 PM.Some Wellington beaches are off limits with massive amounts of raw sewage being pumped out to sea after a treatment plant was swamped in contaminated water, during heavy rain. It could take months to… Read more Audio

4:50 PM.Canterbury police are searching for a precious Olympic medal that was stolen in a burglary. Rowing legend Les O'Connell's gold medal was stolen from his home in the Christchurch suburb of Strowan… Read more Audio

4:47 PM.A Christchurch community leader has made an emotional plea to the city's councillors to stop ignoring locals' concerns about the foul stench pouring from Bromley's sewage plant. It comes after some… Read more Audio

4:39 PM.A man is in hospital and the police watchdog has been alerted after a shooting in the Hamilton suburb of Whitiora this morning. Police shot a man who was wanted over a violent incident, after he… Read more Audio

4:35 PM.A long-term fix for an historic suspension bridge, whose cabling is sagging into the river below, could be decided next month. The Opiki toll bridge in southern Manawatu is a well-known landmark for… Read more Audio

4:31 PM.One of the headline acts of this month's Winter Olympics insists that her Games is not over despite suffering a serious knee injury last week. American downhill skier Lindsey Vonn, who came out of… Read more Audio

4:25 PM.At least half a dozen Christchurch bottle stores have banned the sale of Nitro Vodka in an effort to get or renew their liquor licences. The shops have agreed to... or even suggested the condition… Read more Audio

4:16 PM.Americas correspondent Katie Silver spoke to Lisa Owen about thousands of documents related to the dead sex offender Jeffrey Epstein being removed by the US Department of Justice just days after being… Read more Audio

4:06 PM.Unemployment has hit a 10 year high, as it rose to 5.4 percent in the December quarter up from 5.3 in the previous quarter. That means another 5000 people have joined the unemployment queue, taking… Read more Audio