Checkpoint Podcast Options

5:08 PM.A warning to beware illegal vapes after some laced with an anaesthetic drug have caused hospitalisations. Etomidate has been detected in illicit vapes sold under names like space oil, K pods and space… Read more Audio

4:47 PM.Te Pāti Māori's co-leaders have returned to Parliament and finally fronted for media, as the party works out what to do about rogue MPs Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris. Rawiri Waititi is… Read more Audio

4:44 PM.McDonald's is back for a second bite in Wānaka, after its original plans for a restaurant were scuppered by super-sized opposition. The fast-food giant has picked a new site and while some locals see… Read more Audio

4:32 PM.The main course of our international home summer of men's cricket is upon us.The West Indies are playing a packed schedule of matches against the Black Caps right up until Christmas - starting with… Read more Audio

4:23 PM.There's heated debate over whether a private home owner who's heavily landscaped parts of a public reserve backing onto Lake Taupō should be forced to return it to its natural state - and make it… Read more Audio

4:14 PM.US correspondent Todd Zwillich spoke to Lisa Owen about polls closing in less than 24 hours as New York City chooses its next mayor. Audio

4:06 PM.There are increasing calls for the Melbourne Cup and horse racing generally to be stopped across the ditch and here in Aotearoa. The latest "Deathwatch" report from Australia's Coalition for the… Read more Audio

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

5:26 PM.A Wellington school is going against official advice telling some students to stay at home while their measles vacination status is confirmed after an infected person was at a prize giving. Meanwhile… Read more Audio

5:23 PM.Tonga forward Eli Katoa was hospitalised following seizure activity on the sidelines during a Pacific Championships rugby league match against New Zealand at Eden Park yesterday. In worrying scenes… Read more Audio

5:14 PM.The parents of an Auckland toddler say they're living in hope their wee boy will soon have access to a "miracle" life-extending treatment for his cystic fibrosis. Pharmac currently funds the drug… Read more Audio

5:08 PM.It can be revealed concerns about the head of a government advisory group on crime are being kept secret. A Checkpoint investigation has found three staff members contracted to the Ministerial… Read more Audio

4:47 PM.The war of words between Te Pāti Māori's leadership and two of its MPs has taken a dramatic step today, with president John Tamihere suggesting Mariameno Kapa-Kingi and Tākuta Ferris 'do the… Read more Audio

4:43 PM.At least one school is clashing with officials over how to handle the current measles outbreak, as three of the country's largest secondary schools confirm cases of the highly-contagious disease… Read more Audio

4:31 PM.The Wellington Phoenix will kick start their A-league women's campaign at home this week against Canberra United after sitting out the first week. With a new coach, new import players and the additon… Read more Audio

4:23 PM.A conservationist and former bee keeper is describing biosecurity's response to the yellow legged hornet as "hopelessly inadequate". Three queens have been discovered on Auckland's North Shore, one in… Read more Audio

4:14 PM.Middle East correspondent Jacob Brown spoke to Lisa Owen about major developments from Sudan's civil war, as well as more progress in the Gaza Ceasefire agreement. Audio

4:06 PM.There are calls for greater transparency about how Pharmac prioritises medicines on what is effectively a wait list for funding as it considers culling that list. If the proposal goes ahead the… Read more Audio

5:56 PM.In light of Halloween Checkpoint producer Johnny Sutherland spoke to Lisa Owen about the various Kiwi treats that you can't find on New Zealand shelves anymore. Audio

5:44 PM.United Kingdom correspondent Lucy Thomson spoke to Lisa Owen about the former Prince Andrew being stripped of all royal titles and privileges, as well as the Prince and Princess of Wales winning a… Read more Audio

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

5:32 PM.A major power outage is affecting much of the Far North. Lines company Top Energy says more than 23 thousand homes and businesses are currently without power. CEO of Top Energy Russell Shaw spoke to… Read more Audio

5:31 PM.The Kiwis are chasing redemption, and the Kiwi Ferns want to get one over the best in the world, when rugby league's Pacific Championships return to Auckland. After a week off, the Kiwis face a Tongan… Read more Audio

5:27 PM.Who ever said "be sure to the smell the flowers along the way" probably never sniffed the complex blend of rotting meat, wet dog and sewage; apparently the signature fragrance of Voodoo lillies. It… Read more Audio

5:16 PM.The Waitangi Tribunal is recommending the government expand citizenship rights to second generation Maori born overseas after complaints the current system is racist and ignores tangta whenua's… Read more Audio