Checkpoint

Anti-mining group Coromandel Watchdog is preparing for a weekend protest in Auckland - its first in nearly 15 years. Audio

Front line welfare workers in Australia say there's been a rise in the number of homeless young people needing emergency accommodation. Audio

At least 300 people have gathered outside the Canterbury Regional Council offices to protest against the Government's sacking of the councillors. Audio

News from the business sector including a market report. Audio

Around four thousand Auckland homes and garages have been built with low grade timber that was falsely labelled as premium load bearing wood. Audio

The flood alert in Queenstown will remain in place for at least a week, with Lake Wakatipu likely to overflow with any more rain. Audio

Tonga's Attorney General has resigned in protest over government interference in the judiciary saying the country is heading down the same path as Fiji. Audio

The Government is expecting to cut 470 jobs in the public service by the end of next year. Audio

The US defence department says only a quarter of what it regards as key regions in Afghanistan supports President Hamid Karzai. Audio

People feel more pain when they get empathy from others and women are are more sensitive to pain then men but complain less. Audio

The Whangarei District Council is defending its policy of shooting farm stock wandering onto roads, saying it has dramatically decreased the risk to motorists. Audio

Three education professors are warning families to keep a critical eye on government plans for pre-school education. Audio