Checkpoint

Northlanders are urged to take the red heavy rain warning seriously and be ready to go if they have to. The warning is in place for the eastern area from Doubtless Bay down to Whangarei until 4am Friday. An orange heavy rain warning and strong wind watch remain in place for the rest of the region, with the worst expected to hit from Thursday afternoon. Northland Civil Defence spokesperson Zach Woo...

Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about Australia clinching a new free trade deal with the European Union after decades of negotiations.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

The All Whites have returned home from their clubs all over the world for two games in Auckland ahead of the Football World Cup. The FIFA Series is part send-off for the fans and part trial run for the global tournament. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Reserve Bank governor has issued a warning to not underestimate the complexity of disruptions caused by war in the Middle East. Anna Breman said it could take nine months for price increases caused by the war to filter through to supermarket shelves, and to expect higher inflation in the near term and weaker economic growth in 2026. Small business owners still recovering from tough economic ti...

The government says its fuel relief package targets those doing it the toughest; the genuinely squeezed. But some believe it's squeezed out the most in need, including beneficiaries and the childless. The boost goes only to working families with children. There's also nothing specific for rural communities covering long distances. While the Greens are crying out for more, Labour has continued to k...

McCain Foods is closing its vegetable processing plant in Hastings. In a letter to growers, the company says it's reviewed operations at the site but couldn't find a sustainable pathway forward. It plans to close the plant by early next year. It is not clear how many workers and growers will be affected. Meanwhile Watties plans to ditch its frozen vegetable lines in New Zealand, which affects abou...

Act's deputy leader Brooke van Velden is retiring from politics at the November election, saying she has no desire to be the party's leader. She's likely to be remembered for dropping the C-bomb in Parliament and ending pay equity claims, under her ministerial portfolio of Workforce Relations. Reporter Amy Williams was in her electorate of Tamaki and filed this report.

Christchurch locals say the city is prospering and heading in the right direction, on the back of an ASB report finding Canterbury is the best place to be in the country economically. But there's concern the good times won't last, with rising fuel prices and they worry about how the economy will be affected by the war in the Middle East. Anna Sargent reports.

Dave Rennie has assembled his All Blacks coaching squad. Neil Barnes, Tana Umaga and Mike Blair have joined incumbent Jason Ryan as the men to assist Rennie in his quest to rebuild the All Blacks empire. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.