Checkpoint

On average DOC staff on Rakiura Stewart island have been threatened every week while working to make the island predator free - including harassment, threats and verbal abuse. DOC is one of several partners working to make Stewart Island fully pest free. But as Katie Todd reports, the project's run into fierce opposition.

It might be a popular getaway spot but this weekend a very unwelcome guest is scheduled to arrive on the Coromandel Peninsula. A red strong wind warning has been issued as Cyclone Vaianu bears down on the country. The entire North island is under some form of weather warning or watch, with no part expected to be unscathed. But the Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier Island are at the highest level with a red strong wind warning from 5am til 6pm on Sunday. Thames Coromandel District Mayor Peter Revell spoke to Lisa Owen.

A Wellington Phoenix football programme to get kids into the game has seen youngsters take the pitch alongside their heroes. The Football for All programme to support lower-income and immigrant families access the sport began with a few dozen kids in Wellington and grew to thousands nationwide. The programme helps children from five to eighteen join local clubs. As Anya Fielding reports, some aspiring young players were able to kick around with some of the best in the game.

It's a civil union of a different kind, Auckland Council and the government have signed a ten year co-operation deal. The agreement sets out how the two will work together over the next ten years, to boost economic growth in Aotearoa's largest city. Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown spoke to Lisa Owen.

A driver turned up at a Hastings Vet last week, with a hawk jammed tight in the grille of her car after the pair accidently collided. The bird was stuck, spread eagle in the grille, wedged tight including around the radiator. But remarkably still alive. The rescue mission was so complicated, reinforcements were required. Vet nurse Nadine Hook spoke to Lisa Owen.

The ANZ Premiership starts this weekend but some of the teams about to compete in netballs top-flight competition are almost unrecognisable. Sports reporter Bridget Tunnicliffe spoke to Lisa Owen.

Weather warnings or watches have been issued for the entire North Island, as Aotearoa braces for the arrival of Cyclone Vaianu. There's an orange heavy rain warning for parts of Northland that kicks in from 9pm Saturday. Some kumara growers are rushing to harvest before the weather hits. Further down the island, Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier Island currently have the highest level warning, a red strong wind warning from 5am til 6pm on Sunday. Damaging Wind gusts of up to 140km/h are expected Sunday afternoon. MetService Meteorologist John Law spoke to Lisa Owen.

Americas correspondent Katie Silver spoke to Lisa Owen about how he First Lady, Melania Trump, issued a surprise statement denying any links with the dead paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and how Cuba's leader has hit out at the US government in a recent interview. She also spoke about a Mexican miner being rescued after being trapped in a flooded tunnel for two weeks.

Whanganui residents have been sharing memories of a soon to be demolished local landmark - Liffiton Castle. The former villa-turned-mock-castle - is a familiar site to travellers on the State Highway 3 link to Wellington - and has for decades been home to a series of restaurants. Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin went to have a look.

Australian correspondent Nick Grimm.