Checkpoint

New All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has put the final touches on his management group, which sees the return of old faces. One of the returnees is mental skills coach Dr Gilbert Enoka - the man behind the team's 'no dickheads' policy of nearly two decades ago. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen.

The family's back together again, with Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown describing China as "a very good friend" while New Zealand is "family". The reunion between Cook Islands and Aotearoa was sealed with a defence agreement, signed this month. It follwed a major falling out between the two governments after the Cooks signed a strategic agreement with China last year. Cook Islands did not consult New Zealand on the deal despite repeated requests from the bigger nation. Eventually New Zealand paused nearly $30 million dollars in funding. Cook Islands prime minister Mark Brown spoke to Lisa Owen.

The Prime Minister emerged from closed door meeting, that lasted more than two and half hours and said he has the support of his MPs, as their leader. In the face of speculation, bad poll results and dissent in the ranks Christopher Luxon confirmed he moved a motion of confidence in his leadership. Former National party chief press secretary and political commentator Janet Wilson.

The Prime Minister emerged from closed door meeting, that lasted more than two and half hours, saying he has the support of his MPs, as their leader. In the face of speculation, bad poll results and dissent in the ranks, Christopher Luxon confirmed he moved a motion of confidence in his leadership. Deputy political editor Craig McCulloch has more.

An advertisement calling for an intellectually curious librarian or curator at a multi-million-dollar remote coastal estate in Golden Bay has sparked widespread interest. The job? To build and furnish an End of the World Library for Eva and Toni Piëch on their sprawling property overlooking the Whanganui Inlet. More specifically, the entrepreneurial couple, who will split their time between Europe and their South Island bolt hole, want a library that will help them survive if the world ends. Samantha Gee has more.

Curiosity is killing the kea: The native parrot's inqiuisitive nature means it is nibbling at things that are toxic and potentially fatal, including lead-based materials found in old roofs, paint and nail heads. Eight have been treated for lead poisoning in the last month at the South Island Wildlife Hospital; but two unfortunately died. The Kea Conservation Trust is working to clear lead in kea hotspots like Arthur's Pass and Golden Bay. Trust chair Tamsin Orr-Walker spoke to Lisa Owen.

An RNZ investigation into the tobacco blackmarket has found packs of cigarettes and loose tobacco being sold brazenly over the counter at heavily discounted prices. By law, cigarettes have to include pictures and health warnings covering at least 75-percent of the front of the packs. But the cigarettes being sold on the blackmarket are a throw back to the 1990s of glossy, embossed packaging and no ugly health warnings. Finn Blackwell has more.

Devastating storms that smashed Wellington on Monday moved to Wairarapa, bringing down trees, flooding farmland and closing roads. Both regions are under heavy rain warnings, until 6pm in Wellington and 9pm in Wairarapa and a state of emergency. The main route connecting the two regions, the Remutaka Hill Road, is closed until further notice because of damage to a bridge. John Gerritsen reports.

The NRL is making a significant shift to player safety, introducing limits on contact during training sessions. The new guidelines aim to reduce injuries, including concussions, by capping weekly contact minutes across both the NRL and NRLW. Sports editor Dana Johannsen spoke to Lisa Owen.

Don't leave it too late and be prepared, that's the message to older drivers who need to prove they can safely stay on the roads once they hit 75. Age Concern runs 225 coaching courses a year for drivers approaching that key birthday; 75 is the age drivers have to renew their licence. The course offers safety advice, allows people to brush up on their skills and evaluates their ability. For some, a lot has changed since first got their licence. Hariata Hema, the national coordinator of Staying Safe spoke to Lisa Owen.