Checkpoint

New Zealand has had a history-making golden day at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Another gold medal for Lewis Clareburt in the pool and the first for sprinter Zoe Hobbs on the track brings the overall medal tally to 13 at the end of day five. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

An idea that sprang from the tulip fields of the Netherlands is about to expand nationwide here in New Zealand. It's being led by 24 year old Yasmin Wessels. In the last three years she has saved a million plastic flower sleeves from landfill. Her initiative is called The Flower Loop - they collect plastic sleeves from florists that would otherwise be destined for the bin and transform them back into new ones. Yasmin Wessels spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Middle East correspondent Madeline Croad spoke to Melissa Chan-Green about eased tensions between the US and Iran being tested once again. The US military has levelled fresh accusations against Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard - blaming it for a "surprise attack" against American forces in the region. It follows a days-long pause in strikes between the two nations.

David Tamihere has appeared in court today on the same murder charges he first faced 37 years ago. He was found guilty in 1990 for the murder of Swedish tourists Urban Hoglin and Heidi Paakkonen in the Coromandel bush. But those convictions were quashed in March and prosecutors are still deciding whether to go again. Rowan Quinn was at the High Court in Auckland.

Desperate rescue efforts are underway in Japan following a deadly earthquake. The 6.8 magnitude quake rocked the city of Kumamoto in Japan's south yesterday. Dozens are missing following an explosion at a shopping mall - the origin of which is still under investigation. Correspondent in Tokyo, Chris Gilbert spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

Australia correspondent Nick Grimm spoke to Melissa Chan-Green about an investigation revealing the ingredients of many supermarket items aren't what they are supposed to be.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

Your face could soon be your ticket to get through the turnstiles for a sports game. Facial recognition technology is being rolled out across the Tasman as an alternative to digital or physical tickets for selected live events. The new ticketing method has been met with mixed reactions from footy fans and academics. Sports reporter Felicity Reid spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

The Hoiho yellow-eyed penguin is set to face protection from fishers around the Otago Peninsula. From September 16th, emergency set-net restrictions to protect the birds around the Otago peninsula will become permanent. But is it enough to help the penguins, with number at critical levels and falling fast. General Manager of the Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust, Norcombe Barker spoke to Melissa Chan-Green.

A man accused of threatening to attack two Auckland schools allegedly said that he wanted to kill more people than the Christchurch mosque terrorist. Tiedan Huo is on trial in the Manukau District Court facing a raft of charges relating to a manifesto threatening to kill people at Waiuku and Rutherford colleges. Huo denies all charges. Matthew Theunissen reports.