Checkpoint

It's been a stretch, but the new giraffe barn at Hamilton Zoo is finally taking shape, with the move in date expected before Christmas. The project that has taken a few years to get off the ground will house the zoo's two tallest residents, Jabali and Kevin. Hamilton Zoo's Team Leader of the Ungulates, Eddie Cheadle spoke to Lisa Owen.

US Correspondent Todd Zwillich spoke to Lisa Owen about Donald Trump has announcing another naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. The US President wants to put a 20 percent fee on all cargo passing through the strait as "reimbursement" for protection, a move with Iranian authorities have mocked.

A planning botch-up means areas earmarked for high rise housing around Auckland's new Maungawhau CRL station are likely to be slashed. Council rules allow the most intensive housing, up to 15 stories, within an 800 metre radius of the station. But the high density housing zones around Maungawhau were based on the station having three pedestrian entrances, in reality there is only one. It means doz...

There are calls for more transparency around an insurance hazard that is tripping homeowners up. A section 72 notice is when the council red flags a property because it has been exposed to a natural hazard like a slip, erosion or flooding. The notice can be placed on a title when the owner applies for council consent to repair damage, renovate or rebuild. That means the property may no longer be c...

United Kingdom correspondent Grace Thomas spoke to Lisa Owen about the murder of former Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe, which police say there is nothing to suggest was politically motivated, as well as two British tourists who have been rescued after getting caught up in deadly Spanish wildfires while hiking.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

It's the final fortress of the All Black empire that's still standing - the streak. While the All Black's aura has eroded in recent years, the 32 year, 52 test unbeaten run at Eden Park remains intact, and new coach Dave Rennie defends the streak for the first time this Saturday. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.

A new deal is set to make it easier for international visitors to jet into New Zealand on private planes. 1500 flights in and out of our airports each year are on private jets. Global executive aviation company PrivatPort has chosen Auckland as its VIP gate-way to Australasia and the Pacific. SO Capital CEO Shah Aslam spoke to Lisa Owen.

The state of emergency in Kaikōura has been lifted, almost a week after torrential rain caused the Kowhai River to burst its banks and triggered widespread flooding across the district. Residents are now in clean-up mode and are being warned to keep an eye out slips and landslides as prolonged rain has left the ground soaked. Samantha Gee reports.

St John Ambulance has confirmed it is experiencing delays getting patients into hospital care, because of increased winter demand at ED's. Meanwhile Health New Zealand has confirmed Waikato Hospital ED was more than 20% short on staff the night a man died while waiting to be seen by a specialist. Sarah Dalton from the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists spoke to Lisa Owen.

Unnecessary, a breach of the bill of rights, and morally indefensible - that's how the government's move on orders have been described at parliament today. But another submitter says the system currently has no teeth to deal with aggressive and non-compliant behaviour. Oral submissions are being made on the Summary Offences Amendment Bill. Political reporter Lillian Hanly has more.

Hundreds of drivers whose licences might not be legit are being allowed to stay on the road until the re-sit their practical exam, including heavy vehicle drivers. NZTA has suspended or stood down almost two dozen driver testing officers as part of an ongoing investigation. 650 drivers will need to resit their practical test - but that number could increase. CEO of Ia Ara Aotearoa, Transporting NZ...

The radicalisation of a man who stabbed six people at an Auckland mall will be a key question considered by a coroner over the coming weeks. The next two phases of an inquiry into the death of LynnMall attacker Ahamed Samsudeen began in Auckland today. Samsudeen's attack on shoppers inside a supermarket within the mall ended when he was shot dead by police. Finn Blackwell reports from the inquest.

Could the FIFA World Cup be about to get even bigger? As we enter the semifinal stage of the first ever 48-team World Cup, FIFA President Gianna Infantino has hinted the tournament could expand again. A proposal for a 64-team competition will be assessed after this year's event. Sports editor Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.

Immersive virtual reality headsets are giving mechanical engineering students a glimpse of what life is like for people living with tetraplegia, so they can be better, more empathetic designers. University of Canterbury Mechanical Engineering lecturer, Dr George Stilwell spoke to Lisa Owen.

Support services behind mental health helplines are breathing sighs of relief about a boost in government funding confirmed today. Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey has announced around $10 million in new money for telehealth mental health services over four years. The services are experiencing ever-increasing demand in the number of calls they receive, and their complexity, yet some are struggli...

A primary school that was an early adopter of iPads in class has ditched the tech, returning to pen and paper for its youngest students. Omata School in New Plymouth packed away iPads for years one to four at the start of the year. It started as one term trial but the school is now sticking with it until the end of the year. Omata School Principal Karen Brisco spoke to Lisa Owen.

Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about many Australians finding themselves unable to communicate electronically yesterday after a major outage of services provided by the country's biggest telco.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

The Warriors are back in action tomorrow night after a much needed week off. On the back of three losses from their last four games - the side head to Sydney to meet the West Tigers - a club with a close connection to coach Andrew Webster. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.

A group of very young North Canterbury students are driving change when it comes to protecting some of Aotearoa's most precious birds. The students - between six and eight years old - have convinced the Waimakariri District Council to investigate a bylaw to ban vehicles and dogs on the Ashley/Rakahuri River bed during nesting. Teacher Anita Ward spoke to Lisa Owen.

It's been a tense day at Tauranga Hospital as medical registrar's faced the prospect of more than a quarter of their staff away over the long weekend. A doctor issued a plea on social media calling for anyone familiar with the hospital to come in and help as a medical registrar over Saturday and Sunday. Finn Blackwell has more.

As wild weather and flood waters smash the country yet again, the damage and repair bills are dangerously high. A new report from Earth Sciences New Zealand lays out the enormous infrastructure bills faced by regions following extreme weather events last year. Local Government New Zealand president and Gisborne Mayor, Rehette Soltz spoke to Lisa Owen.

Floodwater is slowly starting to recede in Kaikoura after rivers burst their banks in torrential rain earlier this week. While the district remains in a state of emergency, people have left evacuation centres and are returning to homes and businesses coated in mud, slit and debris. Samantha Gee reports.

Auckland's rail network is closed once again as gencies run a final dress rehearsal for the long anticipated City Rail Link. Auckland Transport and KiwiRail remain tight lipped on when the underground loop will open to commuters, but promise the four day Matariki weekend closure will be its last push to the finish line. Felix Walton reports.