Checkpoint

The Wellington Rugby Union is throwing its support behind referees who are boycotting club games due to ongoing abuse. All college to club level games are cancelled this weekend after the union decided not to draft in replacement referees. Wellington Rugby Union boss, Tony Giles spoke to Lisa Owen.

United States correspondent Todd Zwillich spoke to Lisa Owen about President Trump calling FIFA's boss over a US player's suspension, which has some critics and fans seeing red.

A Wairoa Mayor is campaigning for councils to have more legal powers to deal with the proliferation of vape stores. Craig Little is concerned vaping is being normalised and it is hard to protect vulnerable communities, and is appealing for other council's to join forces. Wairoa Mayor Craig Little spoke to Lisa Owen.

Kaikoura is under a State of Emergency, and a red heavy rain warning remains in place for Marlborough, parts of Canterbury and the Kaikoura Ranges until 6am tomorrow morning. Earlier, the Kowhai River breached its banks, forcing people to move to higher ground. Reporter Keiller MacDuff was in Kaikoura and spoke to Lisa Owen.

United Kingdom correspondent Grace Thomas spoke to Lisa Owen about how wildfires are tearing through Europe while another heatwave looms for the UK. She also spoke about how Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage is at the centre of another political donations controversy and how England have beaten Mexico in the knockout World Cup match.

A former High Court judge said it was for a jury, not the police, to decide whether a witness who saw a man running from a murder scene was relevant to the case. Alan Hall spent 17 years in prison after being convicted of murdering Arthur Easton, who was killed during a home invasion in 1985 by a man wielding a bayonet. The decision was quashed by the Supreme Court in 2022 after it found a substantial miscarriage of justice had occurred. Two former police officers, whose names are supressed, are now on trial in the High Court at Auckland charged with wilfully attempting to obstruct, prevent, pervert or defeat the course of justice. Matthew Theunissen reports.

News from the business sector, including a market report.

It's the word All Black fans dread; Rotation. After surviving the French in Christchurch, the side has hinted at rotating the team for the Italians in Wellington. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen.

A small southland community that doesn't have a permanent doctor is fundraising to keep a nurse at the local medical centre. The Nightcaps Medical centre has two visiting GP who work two and half days a week, in between times a nurse sees patients. The nurse was funded by Well South, the primary health organisation for Otago and Southland. But that funding ended in March last year. Nightcaps Community Medical Trust chair James Dixon spoke to Lisa Owen.

New Zealand has been warned that China plans to fire a missile into the South Pacific Ocean within the next 24 hours. Political reporter Lillian Hanly spoke to Lisa Owen.