Five O'clock Report for Friday 8 January 2016

5:07 PM.A 24-year-old man has appeared at the Auckland District Court today, charged with the murder of a mother of two in the suburb of Remuera. Audio

5:11 PM.It's been another day of turbulence on global sharemarkets, with Chinese-inspired volatility stoking panic selling. Audio

5:15 PM.There have been car crashes, flight cancellations, and Waikato drivers have been warned to stay off the roads all together as wild weather hits large parts of the country. Audio

5:20 PM.The Government is considering a ban on cosmetic products containing plastic microbeads which are polluting waterways, two decades after scientists first sounded the alarm. Audio

5:25 PM.A small town in Western Australia has been devastated by fire, with many public buildings and homes destroyed. Audio

5:28 PM.Wet weather has delayed the start of the fifth day of tennis at the women's ASB Classic in Auckland this afternoon. Audio

5:33 PM.Northland iwi and hapu will commemorate the battle of Ruapekapeka Pa just south of Kawakawa this Sunday. Audio

5:36 PM.The Governor of California has declared a state of emergency in a Los Angeles suburb where methane gas has been leaking from an underground storage field. Audio

5:39 PM.New figures show cyclists and drivers may finally be learning how to get along. Audio

5:40 PM.An Australian man has found himself at odds with authorities over his choice of signature. Audio

5:41 PM.A group of armed militia occupying a wildlife refuge in the American state of Oregon has rejected a sheriff's offer to end the stand-off. Audio

5:50 PM.Several small Pacific nations are facing a major hit to their income because of a dispute with the United States over the tuna fishery. Audio

5:55 PM.The Waikato town of Raglan is renowned for its surfing scene but there are expectations the return of the Soundsplash Festival will bring a different type of visitor this weekend. Audio