Checkpoint

Asia correspondent Katie Silver spoke to Lisa Owen about a suspected suicide bomber killing at least a dozen people in Pakistan's capital, as well as Japan's bear troubles continuing with a surge in vehicle collisions.

US based mega store Costco is branching out with a second store in the Auckland region. A 6.5-hectare site in Drury south of Auckland city has been ear marked for the big box store that sells everything from cut price groceries to designer denim. Retired Costco vice president country manager for Australia and New Zealand, Patrick Noone spoke to Lisa Owen.

It was a sunny Canterbury Spring day for this year's New Zealand Trotting Cup, as thousands streamed through the gates at Addington Raceway. It's one of the biggest days on the country's racing calendar, attracting more than 15 thousand people for a flutter, fashion and fun. Keiller MacDuff reports.

Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Lisa Owen about Australians observing the 50th anniversary of the country's most serious political crisis when an elected Prime Minister was sacked by the the nation's Governor General.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

New Zealand's most successful female doubles tennis player's winning combination has come to an end. Erin Routliffe and her Canadian partner Gaby Dabrowski are breaking up after two and half years together and a couple of grand slam titles. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Lisa Owen.

A scathing report by the police watchdog has found serious misconduct at the highest levels of police including former Commissioner Andrew Coster over how police responded to accusations of sexual assault by former Deputy Commissioner Jevon McSkimming. The allegations arose from an affair between McSkimming and a woman who was a non-sworn police employee at the time. National Crime Correspondent Sam Sherwood spoke to Lisa Owen.

Coalition differences were aired at volume today - with Christopher Luxon and Winston Peters at loggerheads over the prospect of asset sales. The Prime Minister says it's a conversation worth having. The New Zealand First leader says it's a failed economic strategy. Acting political editor Craig McCulloch reports.

The minister responsible for gun law reform is kicking police out of Firearms Safety Authority, in a move she says will help rebuild the trust of law abiding firearms owners. The authority is in charge of licencing gun owners and overseeing the firearms registry. Nicole McKee announced the change as part of re-write of the Arms Act. No sworn officers will be employed within the authority and that includes the CEO. ACT's Nicole McKee spoke to Lisa Owen.

New Zealand's effective ban on military-style semi-automatic firearms has survived the coalition's overhaul of the Arms Act. The government has been rewriting the country's gun laws, as part of National's coalition agreement with the ACT Party. Fears the reforms might liberalise access to semi-automatic guns - used in the March 15 terror attacks - have not materialised. Political reporter Anneke Smith has more.