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Lucy Lawless sings for charity.

New Zealand actress Lucy Lawless is down to the final three in the hit American show Celebrity Duets. In the show, which is executive produced by American Idol judge Simon Cowell, professional singers team up with non-singing celebrities to perform duets in front of a live studio audience, a panel of judges and viewers who get to vote them off. On Friday afternoon she sang for her life, and the chance to donate $100,000 to the charity of her choice, in the show's final.
source:Closeup

Te Awara Treaty Settlement Sign-Off.

A significant Treaty of Waitangi settlement with a group of Te Awara iwi and hapu is to be officially signed in Rotorua today. The settlement, which represents the largest number of claims and claimants since the 1998 deal with Ngai Tahu, includes an apology from the Crown and financial redress of $36 million. That sum will be in the form of licenses to a Crown forest, which will accumulate in rent. A deed of settlement was signed at Parliament last month, but the final confirmation of the agreement will take place at the Te Pakira Marae on Saturday afternoon.
© NewsRoom 2006

New River Park Opens In Christchurch.

The first stage of Canterbury's newest park opens today. The Waimakariri River Regional Park will eventually cover about 11,000 hectares, from Gorge Bridge near Sheffield to the Waimakariri River mouth. Environment Canterbury’s property and reserves manager, Neville Bishell, says the first 1800 hectares are aimed at the recreational user.
It includes a 10 kilometre state of the art mountain biking track as well as a two and a half hour walking trail through the forest and along the river stopbanks.
© NewsRoom 2006

Election law reform close.

By Paula Oliver
The Government is preparing to move swiftly on election law reform, with a range of options for change already before ministers and likely to be discussed in the Cabinet shortly. The Ministry of Justice - which has been reviewing the electoral finance regime since April - has completed its work and provided ministers with options for consideration. It is understood the matter is likely to be talked about at the Cabinet level quite quickly, because any law changes would need to be passed by the end of next year before the 2008 election. The wide-ranging review covers controversial issues such as donations, state funding of political parties, expenditure caps and third-party campaign advertising.

Go-ahead for art gallery.

By Bernard Orsman
The Auckland Art Gallery has the go-ahead for a $90 million restoration and expansion of its 1887 French-style colonial building on the proviso it improves links for the public between a modern addition and Albert Park. Independent commissioners have granted resource consent to demolish the 1971 Edmiston Wing and build a modern wing to the north along Kitchener St.

Cold war spy breaks silence for book.

By DAN EATON
A Cold War spy has come in from the cold, branding a top New Zealand civil servant accused of working for the KGB a liar and a traitor. More than three decades after William Sutch was arrested after meeting a known Soviet KGB officer outside a Wellington public toilet, Kit Bennetts, the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) sleuth who broke the case, has broken his silence and written a book. His plan to make fresh revelations, against the wishes of his former spymasters, has upset Sutch's surviving family. They still live in Wellington, not far from where Sutch was arrested on a rainy September night in 1974. Sutch – a former representative to the United Nations – was seen handing a package to a Russian agent. He was arrested, but the package was never recovered. The contents have remained a mystery. Sutch was charged under the Official Secrets Act for allegedly passing information to a foreign agent that was prejudicial to the interests of New Zealand. He was eventually controversially acquitted.
Source:The Press

Just like old times - the Overlander's late.

By MIKE WATSON AND ADAM RAY
As the two Overlander trains rolled into National Park station to a hero's reception it was almost as if time had been rolled back too. Hundreds of passengers poured on to the station platform yesterday for cups of tea scones and barbecued sausages with the strains of Taumarunui on the Main Trunk Line lifting the rafters. True to form, the two passenger services, from Wellington and Auckland, both ran late. Rail operator Toll has given a reprieve for the Wellington to Auckland daily service, less than two days before it was due to cease. A reduced timetable will see it continue to run on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from next week, and return to a daily service for the busy Christmas period.
Source: Dominion Post

Growing passion for 'megachurches' in NZ.

By YVONNE MARTIN
Church on Sunday is not a dying tradition. A new wave of "megachurches", with congregations as big as 1500, is sweeping New Zealand, and they are big business. A survey by Christian newspaper Challenge Weekly discovered at least 80 churches with congregations of 500 or more, 17 of them in Christchurch. Of those, five are Pentecostal – churches that believe God still bestows the power of "speaking in tongues" and other special gifts to people. Celebration Centre in suburban Wainoni, with a congregation of up to 2000 people, and City Elim in Cashel Street (about 1500 members) are examples of Pentecostal superchurches.
Source:The Press

Drivers' eye test shambles.

By PATRICK CREWDSON
Thousands of motorists are wrongly flunking driver licence vision tests, incurring hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in needless visits to optometrists. Land Transport NZ figures reveal that 70 per cent of customers failed for bad eyesight are then sent to an optometrist – only to be told their vision is fine. Figures for the year to July show that, of the 17,800 drivers who failed eye tests at driver licensing centres, 12,500 people later passed at their optometrist. Eye tests are mandatory for anyone obtaining a driver's licence or renewing it.
Source: Dominion Post

Police powerless to stop defamer.

Police are powerless to stop a Wellington man who is parading the streets making false allegations against Winston Peters. Brian Russell is using his car and trailer to drive around the capital spreading highly offensive and untrue claims about the foreign minister. Russell has failed to get a personal matter heard in the courts, so he is seeking attention on the streets and on the internet, by blatantly defaming a high profile politician with no connection to his case. But because the criminal libel law was repealed 14 years ago, there is nothing police can do to stop Russell.
Source:One News

Air NZ job losses.

About 70 clerical jobs at Air New Zealand are to be outsourced to Fiji. The Service and Food Workers Union says the company has decided to go ahead with its controversial proposal to take its Financial Shared Services off shore from January next year. Regional Secretary Jill Ovens says Air New Zealand's focus is to secure a low-paid workforce who are passive and compliant.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Call For Whitebaiting Regulations Overhaul.

A Department of Conservation ranger says it is high time whitebaiting regulations were revisited in an attempt to preserve the fishery for future generations. Two of the five native fish species which start life as whitebait are endangered. There are rules about how and when people can catch whitebait, but no quota and no restrictions on its sale. A DOC ranger based in Waikato, Chris Annandale, says some people are blatantly flouting the laws for commercial gain and if they continue, they will destroy the whitebait population.
© NewsRoom 2006

Subsidy agreed for heart drug.

Pharmac will subsidise a drug that helps to prevent blood clots developing in arteries. The Government's drug-buying agency said the subsidy for clopidogrel would take effect from Sunday. The drug would be available as a three-month treatment following acute heart problems. It would also be available to people who cannot take aspirin, which also helps to prevent clotting. Pharmac medical director Peter Moodie said it was estimated up to 6000 people would benefit from the decision in the first year, with more benefiting in subsequent years. Clopidogrel is prescribed to those awaiting coronary surgery and to people who have suffered heart attacks or have unstable angina.

Baby boom stretches health resources.

By Errol Kiong
A baby boom like no other in the country is stretching hospital facilities in South Auckland. While the overall birthrate continues to decline, births in the Counties-Manukau District Health Board catchment have jumped 20 per cent over five years. In the year to June, 7685 babies were born in Counties-Manukau - far outstripping the capacity of Middlemore Hospital's birthing unit, which was designed for 3500 a year. The South Auckland Health Foundation is helping to raise funds for a new assessment and birthing unit at Middlemore. Construction for the new unit is expected to begin soon.

Mailbox raiders lift $46,500 in cheques.

By Elizabeth Binning

Cheques worth more than $46,500 have been stolen from letterboxes in Auckland's eastern suburbs in the past week. The $310 tax-free dividend cheques from the Auckland Energy Consumer Trust have been mailed to nearly 300,000 electricity customers in Auckland, Manukau and parts of Papakura. However, some residents living in the eastern suburbs have rushed to the mailbox only to find their payout missing. On Monday, members of the Auckland City burglary squad found out why - it seems they were being stolen from the letterboxes. Police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said two men were arrested after they were found with more than 100 of the cheques in their possession.

15-year-olds not ready to drive says expert.

New Zealand is letting its teenagers loose in cars before their brains are completely ready to drive, says an expert. Waikato University psychology lecturer Robert Isler told the New Zealand Herald the country's driving age of 15 was out of line with the norm in other countries, where teenagers usually had to wait until they were 17 or 18 to drive solo. For the first six months of driving on their own, 15-year-olds are nearly 20 times more likely to have an accident or near-miss than when they were driving with supervision, he said.
Source:NZPA

Rugby World Cup job?

The search has begun for someone to run our 2011 rugby world cup campaign. The company set up by the rugby union and the government to organise the tournament is looking for a chief executive. dvertisements for the position begin today, both here and overseas. NZRU chairman Jock Hobbs says they are looking for a senior executive with a proven track record of successful and visionary leadership, and sound commercial judgement.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Cricketing legend dies.

One of New Zealand's most legendary cricketers has played out his final innings. Walter Hadlee has died at the age of 91 after ongoing health problems. Hadlee made his debut for Canterbury at the age of 18 and went on to captain New Zealand to six draws and two defeats and lead the 1945 England tour. His provincial career ran from 1933 to 1952 and upon his retirement he held the record for the most runs scored in New Zealand, knocking up a total of 4,653.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Australians squeeze juice market.

Australian money has bought into another local company which is eyeing a potential share market listing. Sydney-based private equity firm Crescent Capital has bought a 60 percent stake in Napier juice company, Simply Squeezed. Business correspondent Ian Witters says Simply Squeezed has captured 65 percent of the chilled juice market and has a turnover of around $20 million. Mr Witters says the capital injection will be used to develop orchards in Gisborne and Wairoa to triple local production and reduce future need to import Australian oranges.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Space race heats up.

New Zealand stargazers are hoping to be at the forefront of a billion dollar probe of distant worlds. A New Zealand Australian consortium has beaten bids from China, Argentina and Brazil to host the project to scan radiation sources so distant they originated about 13 billion years ago, near the beginning of the universe. The only remaining rival is South Africa. Professor Sergei Gulyaev says the Australians are investing millions of dollars into the project and he is urging the New Zealand Government to stump up with $3 million for a suitable telescope so that scientists can join the Australian effort.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Migration policy 'favours Europe over Asia'

New Zealand is accepting more permanent migrants from Europe and far fewer from Asia, which could lead to perceptions the country prefers some immigrants over others, says a new report. The Asia:NZ Foundation report released yesterday found that migrant approvals for Asian people have more than halved since 2002. In the same period, permanent immigration from the United Kingdom has increased by 37 per cent. The report said a number of policy shifts are behind the 58 per cent drop in migrants from Asia. In November 2002, tougher English language requirements were introduced, as well as a revised points system for entering the country as a skilled migrant.
Source:NZPA

Overlander to continue running.

The Overlander (train) will stay in service on a reduced timetable, Toll NZ has announced. The service between Auckland and Wellington had been due to run for the last time on Saturday after Toll said it was losing too much money. It said annual patronage had dropped in the past two years from 90,000 to 50,000 passengers. But today the rail operator said it was taking on board public support for the train service and would keep it running - initially for three days a week. The Government on Monday declined to save the service with a subsidy. Toll had wanted $1.75 million a year from the Government to keep the train on the rails.
Source:NZPA

Croc Hunter's final resting place secret.

Steve Irwin's widow Terri will never reveal the final resting place of the Crocodile Hunter. Mrs Irwin has told Channel Nine that the her husband had strong wishes about how things should be handled after he died. She says he lived life so big that he wanted some personal privacy upon his death. "I gave him just that." She says there are just a handful of people who will ever know where the 44-year-old is buried. Mrs Irwin says she has not seen the footage of her husband being killed by a stingray and it will never be shown. She says she still cannot accept that her soul mate is dead.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Ball rolling on women's sport research.

A New Zealand researcher is hoping to undertake the first academic research about female soccer players. Massey University sport and exercise scientist, Dr Ajmol Ali, is seeking top players from the North Harbour region to take part in the study. He is not looking to compare performance between genders, but wants to acknowledge their physiological differences. Dr Ali says women sweat less than their male counterparts and so fluid recommendations may be different. He says overall the aim is to get the ball rolling with research into women's sport.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Chch mayor steps down.

It has been an emotional day for Garry Moore. The mayor of Christchurch has tearfully announced he will not run at next-year's election. Mr Moore has held the mayoral seat for three terms. After angrily lashing out at the media this morning and refusing to comment on his political future he broke down as he announced he will not seek a fourth term at a gathering at Rapaki Marae. Garry Moore was then given a standing ovation.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Business boosts Dunedin revival.

After 20 years in the economic doldrums Dunedin is enjoying a renaissance.The rugged "Edinburgh of the South" was once New Zealand's economic powerhouse following the gold rush, but hard times in the 1980s saw many companies head north. However in the last decade Dunedin's city council has adopted a strategy to reinvent itself by helping reinvigorate business. Over the past five years the council has helped more than 1,000 new businesses get started. Dunedin's GDP grew by more than 3.5% last year compared with an average of only 1.4% over the past decade.
Source:One News

Watchdog weighs into slimming advertisement.

By Maggie McNaughton
A television advertisement offering a weight-loss programme for $7 a week was pulled off the air after would-be slimmers found they had to splash out more than $100 a week. The Jenny Craig ad, which screened daily on TV One, was ruled misleading by the Advertising Standards Complaints Board.

"Honest" hacker let off.

A Wellington man who got into the Reserve Bank's phone system and then called to tell them so, has escaped conviction. Gerry Macridis outlined problems with the bank's phone system in a letter to Telecom and the Reserve Bank and offered to fix them. After police raided his computer, he admitted to having no authorisation but said he was not aware it was illegal. However, Telecom took him to court.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Greenpeace saboteurs’ film to be telecast in NZ.

A New Zealand television network yesterday won a battle to broadcast film of French government saboteurs pleading guilty for their role in the sinking of Greenpeace flagship the Rainbow Warrior. The New Zealand Supreme Court dismissed the bid by French secret agents Alain Mafart and Dominique Prieur to prevent the screening of the 1985 footage. They have no further legal avenues to appeal the decision. “We have not been satisfied that this is a proper case to be heard by this court,” said the Supreme Court judgement. The film shows the pair pleading guilty to the manslaughter of Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira during the bombing. Mafart and Prieur and several other French military secret service agents, who were never caught, planted explosives on the hull of the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland Harbour on July 11, 1985. It was later revealed the operation was approved by then president Francois Mitterrand.
Gulf Times Newspaper, 2006

42 Below founder to be multi-millionaire.

Seven years after selling his first bottle of New Zealand-made vodka from his Wellington garage, Geoff Ross is about to become a multi-millionaire. His vodka company, 42 Below, has been sold to Bacardi Ltd for 77c a share, rocketing his personal fortune from next to nothing to more than $35 million.
The cash offer -- a 35 per cent premium on the closing price yesterday of 57c -- represented a $138 million investment by Bacardi, which said it planned to turn the vodka into a global brand sold in more than 130 countries.
Source:NZPA

Country facing a shortage of technology teachers.

New Zealand schools are facing a crisis as a lack of new recruits threaten to collapse the technology curriculum, the Post Primary Teachers Association says. PPTA executive member Penney Dunckley told the union's annual conference today technology teaching jobs represented nearly 20 per cent of all secondary school vacancies. Sixty two per cent of schools who responded to the PPTA's 2006 survey said they couldn't recruit new technology teachers, and therefore teachers with inappropriate qualifications were being asked to teach the subject.
Source:NZPA

Petrol prices fall for seventh time.

The pain in the hip pocket was dulled further today for motorists with petrol prices falling three cents a litre and diesel four cents. The drop – the seventh in as many weeks for petrol – means a litre of 91-octane today costing $1.43.9 is now 19 per cent below where it was less than two months ago. A litre of 95 octane now costs $1.48.9 and diesel $1.03.9.
Source:NZPA

Ihug takes on Telecom.

Ihug is taking on Telecom. The Internet service provider has announced plans to move into the fixed line market. Ihug plans to offer a home phone service from Monday, charging customers $45 a month, including connection, unlimited local calling and a whitepages listing. Ihug's toll call plans will start at $15 dollars a month for unlimited calls to land lines on weekends and at night, and a broadband package. CEO Mark Rushworth says ihug is making the change to take full advantage of the local loop unbundling. He hopes the offering will mean customers will leave Telecom for good. Telecom, meanwhile, says it is welcoming competition in the marketplace.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Petition to save sealions.

Forest and Bird has presented a petition to parliament to stop the killing of endangered sealions. The petition has nearly 17,000 signatures on it. It asks Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton to set the sealion kill quota for the 2006-2007 squid fishing season at close to zero. Jim Anderton refused to accept the petition, so Local Government and Environment Select Committee chairwoman Steve Chadwick accepted it on his behalf.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Homeowners warned to save.

Many New Zealanders regard their homes as wealth "in the bag" and are leaving themselves vulnerable by saving less as a result, the Reserve Bank has warned. It said an ageing population could prompt a fall in house prices and recommended the introduction of policies that would encourage wider savings for households. In a paper Household Savings and Wealth in New Zealand, the bank expressed concern that the household savings rate, as measured by Statistics New Zealand, had declined markedly over the past 20 years. It said the net worth of the household sector had almost doubled since 2001 and many homeowners appeared to be relying on capital appreciation in order to accumulate wealth.
NZHERALD STAFF

New town hides old treasures.

Construction workers have started uncovering hidden treasures on the new Pegasus Bay township site, north of Christchurch. Work started on Monday on an access road into the site. Archaeologists are carbon dating a pair of middens found on the site which are thought to be about 200 years old. Pegasus project director Shane Fairmaid says the information they could get from the site is of huge historical value. He says it is a rich site in terms of archeology and he expects to uncover more as they move forward.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Whare restored a long way from home.

A Maori meeting house a long way from home is in need of urgent repair. The British have sought some Kiwi expertise to help restore the whare hidden away in the English countryside. The meeting house, Hinemihi, was one of only a few that survived the Mount Tarawera eruption. In the 1970s it was restored by using a photograph taken shortly after the explosion. The whare was purchased for fifty pounds back in the late 1800's by a former Governor of New Zealand and brought to his estate in Surrey. It is one of only a handful of historic meeting houses outside of New Zealand.
Source:One News

No appeal for ex-cop who threatened to kill PM.

A former undercover policeman convicted of threatening to kill Prime Minister Helen Clark today had his final avenue of appeal shut down. Frank Louis Miessen was found guilty in Christchurch District Court in 2005 of threatening to kill Miss Clark. He was convicted and released on a 12-month good behaviour bond. The Court of Appeal in July dismissed his appeal and the Supreme Court today dismissed his application to appeal to it. The conviction came after Miessen told a police psychiatrist in July 2004 that he had firearms and had considered "doing something" to Miss Clark.
Source:NZPA

Rainbow Warrior bombers lose legal battle.

Rainbow Warrior bombers Alain Mafart and Dominique Prieur have lost the battle to stop TVNZ broadcasting their guilty pleas. The Supreme Court has dismissed their request to appeal an earlier High Court decision that went against them. It has also ordered they pay two and a half thousand dollars costs to TVNZ. The television channel is now free to broadcast the videotape of the pair pleading guilty to manslaughter in 1985 after the bombing of the Greenpeace ship in Auckland.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Call to ban smoking in cars.

Smokers could soon find themselves the target of another ban. A world-first study of smoking in cars shows it is likely to be a significant source of second-hand smoke exposure. The Wellington School of Medicine observed more than 16,000 cars and found more the four percent were being smoked in and around a quarter of those cars had at least one other occupant. Author of the study Dr Nick Wilson says we should look at following other countries in banning smoking in cars, particularly when children are present. He says smoking in cars is a genuine health hazard and people should be concerned.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Hopes tuatara eggs will hatch. (Lizard)

Staff at the Southland Museum are making regular checks to see if a rare species of tuatara has laid eggs.
Lyndsay Hazley, the curator of the Tuatarium says one of the rare Guntheri tuatara is carrying eggs and could lay them any day. The eggs will be artificially incubated and if they hatch, it will be a world first as the species has never bred in captivity.The Guntheri tuatara are only found in the wild on the North Brothers Island in Cook Strait.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

World first for NZ scientists.

New Zealand has come up with a world first in the fight against the spread of animal diseases such as foot and mouth and mad cow disease. Massey University's Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Science has developed software that tracks an animal from birth to death, to pinpoint the source of disease outbreaks. Professor Hugh Blair says the software includes movements between farms and to meat processing plants He says the Swiss government is using the software and it will be marketed to other countries.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Rugby - Parade details announced.

Details on the North Harbour Ranfurly Shield victory parade have been finalised. Thursday's celebration kicks off with a civic reception at the North Shore City Council offices in Takapuna. The parade will begin at 12:30pm, heading down Hurstmere Road, before moving on to Milford, Mairangi Bay and Browns Bay on its way to North Harbour Stadium, where the shield will be put on public display.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Teachers can touch children, says union.

By Claire Trevett
The primary teachers' union will tell its members it is all right to touch children to comfort or praise them, in a major shift in its advice about physical contact. The New Zealand Educational Institute, which represents staff at primary schools, early childcare centres and special education centres, will launch its new guidelines on physical contact at its annual conference in Wellington today. The guidelines encourage "positive and affirming" contact to provide emotional support or to praise a child. The guidelines are more liberal than the 1998 code, which warned touching could be misconstrued and placed staff at the risk of assault or indecency allegations. It said staff and teachers should explain to children why a teacher withdrew from them.
In contrast, the new document notes contact is important to build a caring community and says staff who withdraw or are guarded in interacting with students "may not be acting as positive role models".

Shake Up Of Coastal Rescues Proposed.

The Police look likely to be stripped of responsibilities for co-ordinating coastal sea rescues in a proposed shake up of the system. Currently the Police handle most incidents close to shore, while the Rescue Co-Ordination Center covers larger scale searches. Radio New Zealand reports the government is understood to be considering restructuring, in part because of problems highlighted by the Iron Maiden fishing boat tragedy in 2004 in which two men died. Maritime New Zealand is proposing that all sea search and rescue operations be run by the Rescue Co-ordination Centre.
© NewsRoom 2006

Online Kiwis tricked into laundering dirty money.

An online scam fooled Kiwi Internet users into allowing their bank accounts to be used in an international money-laundering scheme. A Napier man alerted police after he transferred two payments of $10,000 and felt uneasy. People were conned into believing they were applying to be an "online data processor" "It looks very legitimate and all very professional, with applicants asked to sign a four-page document sent by e-mail to apply for the position." The job applicant was usually then asked to allow money to be put into their bank account. They were then asked to forward it using Western Union money transfers.
Source: Dominion Post

Britons brand NZ the coolest.

By LANE NICHOLS
New Zealand is the world's coolest travel destination, according to some of Britain's most esteemed fashion police. A poll by British style project CoolBrands has ranked the land of the long white cloud as the hippest place on the planet. New Zealand edged out Morocco and Fiji for the top spot, leaving Australia wallowing in fifth place. Established in 2001 by British brand consultancy firm Superbrands, CoolBrands is considered the "barometer of a brand's cool factor". The poll was judged by a panel of 23 style experts from the arts, fashion and entertainment sectors, and included the results of an online survey. Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hickton said the poll was aimed at Britain's coolest trendsetters and had already been reported in the London News and Sunday Times newspapers. It was New Zealand's second British award this month. It had been named best destination in Conde Nast Traveller magazine.
Source: Dominion Post

Dunedin moves forward on stadium plan.

The Dunedin City Council will push forward with investigations into the funding of a new rugby stadium. The city is considering a proposal to build a new Carisbrook stadium to put Dunedin in contention to host the Rugby World Cup quarter final in 2011. It would cost up to $180 million and would be partly funded by Otago University.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

First cab off the rank for hybrids.

In a milestone for New Zealand motoring a Wanganui taxi company has changed its entire car fleet to environmentally friendly hybrids. The hybrids are designed not only to cut costs but also reduce pollution. The River City Taxi Company believes that buying into petrol electric hybrid cars will be good for business and owner Rhondda Anderson says they couldn't see any disadvantages. The hybrid is said to produce 90% less exhaust than a similar car with a conventional petrol engine. And it will travel 20 kilometres on a litre of petrol, or about sixty miles to the gallon.
Source:One News

Blaze guts marae, carvings rescued.

A blaze early on Monday morning has gutted Te Whetu O Te Rangi Marae in the Tauranga suburb of Welcome Bay. The fire service was called to the more than 90-year-old marae just before 3am. Five appliances were needed to bring the fire under control although fire crews managed to save carvings on the front of the wharenui.
Source:One News

Survey investigates the nation's health.

Thousands of New Zealanders will soon be taking part in biggest national population survey run by the Ministry of Health. The 2006/2007 New Zealand Health Survey will question more than 12,000 New Zealanders on everything from how much fruit they eat through to how often they see their GP. It will be the first time the poll is used to gather data on child health, with 5,000 questionnaires to be completed on their behalf by parents and caregivers. Health Minister Pete Hodgson says the answers are an important part of developing health policies and strategies. He says the Government wants to make sure health services are being directed to the right areas.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Contact hikes prices.

Contact Energy is bumping up its electricity tariff prices for customers in Wellington, North Canterbury, West Auckland and the North Shore by eight percent. Gas prices are also going up by the same amount nationwide from the start of October. There is no nationwide electricity price increase.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Another rail line heads to the buffers?

The future of the Napier to Gisborne rail line is now under scrutiny. Toll spokeswoman, Sue Foley, says the freight line has not been commercially viable for some time. She says a meeting has been held today between staff and customers to discuss future options. Ms Foley says while Toll's preference is to keep the line running, the company understands customers will be finding it hard to meet increasing costs from ONTRACK, which manages the line, which the business is unable to keep absorbing. Toll says at the moment it is business as usual and its preference is to keep the line going.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Clark to play God.

Prime Minister Helen Clark has been elevated to the position of God in an Auckland school-holiday theatre production. And in a true sign of omniscience she will play the part without even being present in the theatre. A spokeswoman for Helen Clark confirmed the Prime Minister would again play the voice of God in a production of Spike Milligan's Badjelly the Witch, starting at Auckland's Civic Theatre next week. As the voice of God, she is not required on stage. Her lines will be played from a pre-recorded tape.
NZPA

Alleged affair doesn't harm Brash in poll.

Allegations of an extramarital affair have not hurt Don Brash in the latest opinion poll. The National leader and his party, appear to have gone up in the estimation of voters. The latest One News Colmar Brunton poll sees Dr Brash rise three points in the preferred prime minister stakes, to 18 percent. That is still half the figure commanded by Prime Minister Helen Clark, who saw her personal standing fall by just one percent. Of more concern to the prime minister will be the party rankings. National has risen four points to 49 percent, while Labour's support has fallen five to 38 percent. The Green Party has doubled its support to six percent and the Maori Party is steady on three. No other party made it past one percent.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Appeal for hospital chaplains.

The first ever annual appeal for hospital chaplains is being held this week. Health Minister Pete Hodgson says it is important that the work done for the spiritual side of those who are hospitalised is not forgotten. Efforts will be made this week to show what a vital contribution chaplains bring to hospitals. Mr Hodgson says it is difficult for those who work behind the scenes to sometimes get the recognition they deserve.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Children being "quarantined" from men.

Preschool groups want more encouragement for men to work in childcare centres. The latest figures show that men now make up less than one percent of the workforce in early childhood care, compared with two percent in 1992. Sue Thorn, chief executive of the Early Childhood Council says with few men working in primary schools and fewer in childcare centres, a society is being created in where children are quarantined from men.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Walter Hadlee gravely ill.

A leading figure of New Zealand cricket is gravely ill in Christchurch. Walter Hadlee is in Princess Margaret Hospital after suffering a stroke. The 91-year-old captained the New Zealand cricket team in the late 1940s and went on to become a prominent administrator. Three of his sons, Sir Richard, Dayle and Barry, all played for New Zealand.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Rugby-Harbour new Ranfurly Shield holders.

North Harbour have taken the Ranfurly Shield off Canterbury with a nerve-wracking win. Canterbury led 17-14 at halftime at Jade Stadium and the score stayed unchanged until about 15 minutes from the end when North Harbour crossed for a decisive try.They then had to defend ferociously through a thrilling final 10 minutes, just holding Canterbury out to claim the prized Shield.
North Harbour 21 (Vili Waqaseduadua 2, Rua Tipoki tries; Luke McAlister 3 con)
Canterbury 17 (Scott Hamilton, Cameron McIntyre tries; McIntyre pen, 2 con)
Halftime: 14-17

NZ Wearable Arts...Winners and Awards (click the link)

Click HERE for awards and winners.

TB Exposed To Begin Antibiotics.

More than 200 students exposed to tuberculosis at Palmerston North Boys High School will start a four-month course of antibiotics on Tuesday. Skin testing of 1800 students, as well as staff and other close contacts, found 206 people who had been exposed to TB. A spokesperson for MidCentral Health, Claire McMahon, says subsequent chest x-rays and examinations identified 18 probable cases of active TB. MS McMahon says everyone is expected to recover fully and are not considered contagious.
© NewsRoom 2006

Police Seek Access To Cars' Black Boxes.

The Motor Industry Association says it has been approached by police keen to access information from black box-type recorders in cars. The association says more cars are getting the equipment, as safety features become more sophisticated. The black box-type computer chips in newer car models can access information about the sequence of events up to and during a crash, including speed, air bags and how the brakes were applied. The Acting Road Policing Manager, John McClelland, says that information could be another useful tool in their investigations into road crashes. He says police have used such recorders in some truck crashes, but not for general vehicles. Police say the information could be another useful tool in their investigations into road crashes.
© NewsRoom 2006

Brash at odds with judges on Maori.

By David Fisher
Maori are a diluted race who have intermarried until "few, if any" remain full-blooded, says National leader Don Brash. He says Maori are different from other indigenous people around the world and also labelled judges as "out of touch" with the rest of New Zealand over their left-wing views on the Treaty of Waitangi. Brash's comments came in a week when Prime Minister Helen Clark labelled him "cancerous", partly over the race-relations debate he sparked in 2004 over his first Orewa address as party leader. Brash was asked by the Herald on Sunday to comment on a speech by High Court judge David Baragwanath to the Law Commission last month which raised the possibility that Maori might need separate legal treatment and highlighted the lack of Maori in the legal profession. Brash said the judge's approach put him "totally at odds with my view of the way New Zealand should proceed".

Doctor censured over failed vasectomies.

An Auckland doctor who botched three vasectomies on two different men, leading to three unwanted pregnancies, has been banned from performing the procedure for three years. Dr Johannes Wilson pleaded guilty to two charges of professional misconduct before the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal in July. The first charge related to a couple who approached Dr Wilson for a vasectomy in March 2002. The wife became pregnant with her third child following the botched vasectomy, and then again in June 2004 after Dr Wilson performed a failed procedure for the second time. The couple lodged a claim with the High Court but reportedly settled for more than $150,000 in July.
Source:NZPA

Rugby-Jonah wants $500,000 to sign up.

By DAVID LONG
Jonah Lomu's dream to play for the All Blacks again is still alive. But Sunday News understands he is demanding $500,000 to re-sign with the NZRU for 2007. Lomu has played four games for North Harbour this season and says he is still confident of playing for the All Blacks. During his battle with a crippling kidney disease, daily blood transfusions that left him barely able to walk and a string of injuries, it was the possibility of playing in the black No 11 jersey again that kept him going. In an exclusive interview with Sunday News Lomu says he's still striving towards a return to the All Blacks.
source:Sunday News

Long-Term And Permanent Migrant Numbers Dip.

The number of long-term and permanent migrants to New Zealand dropped in August. Statistics New Zealand says there was a seasonally adjusted gain of 1,090 long-term and permanent migrants in the month. That is a drop of 340 migrants from the previous month. Net annual migration gains, previously a key driver of the strong domestic economy, have started to increase again after falling from a peak of 42,500 in the year to May 2003. That was because of tighter immigration rules, a reduction in the number of foreign students studying in New Zealand, fewer New Zealanders returning home and more moving overseas.
© NewsRoom 2006

DOC Opposes Sinking Frigate.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is opposing a plan to sink the former navy frigate Canterbury in the Bay of Islands. DOC says it has not been consulted and the project could cause problems for dolphins. Bay of Islands Canterbury Charitable Trust is applying for resource consent to sink the frigate in Deep Water Cove. However, in its submission to the Northland Regional Council, DOC says the cove has high natural values and special zoning. It says Deep Water Cove is closed to dolphin tour operators because of its importance as a rest area for marine mammals, especially bottlenose dolphins.
© NewsRoom 2006

Greens urge cut in ozone-destroying fumigant.

As a 3000km ozone hole passes over New Zealand today the Green Party has called for a reduction in the use of the ozone-destroying chemical methyl bromide. Methyl bromide is used to fumigate a range of imports at ports throughout New Zealand. Green Party Co-Leader Russel Norman said use of the chemical in New Zealand had increased by 50 per cent between 1996 and 2004. "In 1996 we used 160 tonnes of methyl bromide but this had increased to 243 tonnes in 2004, mostly for quarantine purposes and pre-shipment treatment of timber," he said. "On a day when we are suffering from high UV levels as a result of the ozone hole overhead, it seems crazy that we are not cutting our use of methyl bromide." Dr Norman said the increased UVB radiation from a thinner ozone layer was linked to the development of skin cancer.
NZHERALD STAFF

Billionaire's company axes trees support.

By DEIDRE MUSSEN
The company owned by New Zealand's richest man has pulled the plug on its 16-year sponsorship of "Project Crimson", a conservation scheme designed to save the country's pohutukawa and rata. Forestry giant Carter Holt Harvey dumped the sponsorship - worth hundreds of thousands of dollars a year - soon after being taken over by billionaire Graeme Hart in March. Hart did not return calls from the Sunday Star-Times. The move has forced the project's charitable trust to scramble for a new principal sponsor.
source:Sunday Star Times

Fashion trouble for TV stars in Tonga.

TV golden girls Wendy Petrie and Hilary Barry are normally dressed for success. But the newsreaders' fashion senses were reportedly too hot for local officials to handle during the build-up to the King of Tonga's funeral earlier this month. A source told Sunday News former cheerleader Wendy - TV One News anchor - was told her black knickerbocker pants were "inappropriate' for a nation in mourning when she was reporting from the island nation. "MFAT (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade) made it quite clear what dress sense was appropriate for the time," a source said. "She was showing too much `white flesh' and she was told that. "Because they are a very religious country, it was quite clear what you should and should not wear." And another source said TV3 news anchor Hilary was also told to put a jacket over her dress to hide her shoulders.

Higher cyclone risk in Sth Pacific.

NIWA has warned weak El Nino conditions are likely to increase the risk of tropical cyclones in the South Pacific this summer.The countries most at risk are close to and east of the International Date Line, particularly Fiji, Wallis and Fortuna, Tonga, Niue and the southern Cook Islands. Principal Climate Scientist Jim Salinger says the public should not read too much into the warning. He says while there is always a chance of heavy weather, New Zealanders do not need to batten down the hatches just yet. Dr Salinger says the risk of a tropical cyclone visiting this country is about normal.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Stay away from kid's homework.

Parents are being warned to stay away from their children's homework. Psychologists say parents who rewrite their children's homework could be robbing their offspring of self-esteem, and may even cause long-term psychological problems. They say unless the children are geniuses, their work is hardly ever going to be as good as an educated parent's, so they grow up feeling whatever they produce is never going to hit the mark. Psychologists are already seeing the fallout, with large numbers of troubled middle-class youth expressing the fear they'll never be good enough.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

NZ Superyachts on show.

New Zealand's superyacht industry is on show this weekend to the world's most discerning audience. The Monaco Boat Show is the most prestigious event in a very high luxurious world and more than a dozen New Zealand boat builders and designers are exhibiting. Gary Dickson, editor of the New Zealand yachtie magazine SeaSpray, is visiting Monaco this weekend and says the kiwis are more than holding their own. He says 10 to 12% of the world's superyacht industry is based in New Zealand. Dickson says one designer, Alan Warwick, has been to Monaco every year for 16 years
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Feltex Receivership Decision Criticised.

The company which was trying to put together a rescue bid for beleaguered carpet maker Feltex says the ANZ Bank has made the wrong decision to call in receivers. The Bank appointed a receiver last night because it wants to recoup the $147 million it has loaned to the company. Craig Turner, of the company Sleepyhead, says he was in a position to meet the bank's terms on a rescue package. He says the ANZ's decision is seen by shareholders and the Feltex workers and board as rash, precipitous, and a turn-around in undertakings it had given to the company. Feltex Chairman Tim Saunders has also attacked the receivership move, labelling it drastic and unnecessary. Meanwhile, some shareholders who stand to lose almost all of their investment are planning legal action.
© NewsRoom 2006

Hundreds Pay Their Respects To Sir Hugh Kawharu.

The Governor General was among hundreds of people who have travelled to Orakei Marae in Auckland today to pay their respects to the late Ngati Whatua leader and academic, Sir Hugh Kawharu. Sir Hugh died on Tuesday after suffering a stroke. He will be buried at Reweti marae, northwest of Auckland, on Saturday. The Governor-General, Anand Satyanand, says Sir Hugh was a man of great diplomacy who bridged a gap between iwi and Government. Judge Satyanand says Sir Hugh will be remembered very warmly by many New Zealanders.
© NewsRoom 2006

World of Wearable Arts winners.

Auckland pattern maker Rodney Leong has won the 2006 Supreme Award at the Montana World of Wearable Arts show in Wellington. His winning creation, called The Love of Icarus, was made from more than 20,000 plastic collar stays and lycra. It also took out the Planet Award. Last year he won the Avant Garde section with Pectun Shedding Her Skin. The Wellington International Award went to South Korean Shin Ji Eun, with The Life and Foam of an Indigo Blue Sea.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

More Chinese and Oz visitors boost arrivals.

The number of short-term visitors from overseas to New Zealand increased by 3 per cent in August, with more visitors arriving from Australia and China. Statistics New Zealand acting government statistician Geoff Bascand said there were 155,700 short-term overseas visitor arrivals to New Zealand in August 2006, up 5000 - 3 per cent - on August 2005.
While more visitors came from Australia and China, fewer came from Japan and the United Kingdom, compared to last year. The increase of short-term visitors follows a decrease of 4 per cent in July this year. In the year to August, there were 2.381 million visitor arrivals, down 16,200 - 1 per cent - from the corresponding period last year.
Source:NZPA

Teachers fear becoming the food police.

Teachers fear they will become the food police with the Government's $67 million anti-obesity campaign.
The four-year initiative plans to stop junk food being sold in school tuck shops and encourage children and parents to have healthier food in lunch boxes. PPTA President Debbie Te Whaiti says the ideas are laudable but come with potential problems. She says eating is a very personal activity and it could generate some difficulty having teachers monitor it. She says if families keep supplying unhealthy lunch boxes it could become a source of conflict between the teacher, the family and the students.
Ms Te Whaiti says telling students what they can eat in their own time treads near boundaries that should not be crossed.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Secrecy surrounds Wearable Arts show.

Even the designers involved in this year's World of Wearable Arts show in Wellington do not know what is in store as they prepare for opening night. From more than 300 entries, 170 have made it through to the show, which starts tonight and runs for 10 days. Wellington-based artist and tutor Andrea Clinton has entered 12 times and has won eight major awards. She is hoping for success in the Pacifica Category tonight but has been sworn to secrecy over the details of her entry.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Alexandra celebrates 50th Blossom Festival.

The Central Otago town of Alexandra is celebrating its 50th annual Blossom Festival this weekend. The Grand Parade will set off down the main street at midday tomorrow. A party will be held in the park in the afternoon and six bands will play during the evening. Chairman Mike Bain says the town's population more than quadruples as 20,000 visitors flood in for the event. He says the festival is the inter-generational "glue" which helps to keep the Alexandra community together, with children, parents and grandparents combining their efforts.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Afghan refugees questioned.

Department of Labour officials are off to India today to interview 300 Afghan refugees. Each person is being individually assessed to establish their identities and see whether they are suitable to be accepted into New Zealand. Those allowed in, will be part of the annual quota of 750 UN-mandated refugees.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

New British bobbies on the beat.

Nineteen British police officers have finished the 10 week conversion course at the Police College in Porirua. The new recruits will now take up general duties and traffic operations in the upper North Island. Police College Training Commander Superintendent Alistair Beckett says the officers are seasoned frontline staff and will be a great asset to the police. Another small intake of 20 UK police officers is expected to arrive in early October.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

UV warning for the weekend.

New Zealanders are being warned to keep the sunscreen handy this weekend. NIWA has put out an UV warning, after the European Space Agency forecast low ozone levels for Sunday. The ozone layer is vitally important to life because it absorbs biologically harmful UV radiation emitted from the Sun. NIWA researcher Dr Greg Bodeker says Sunday's event could see levels of ozone in the atmosphere reduced by around 20 percent and the noon UV index could measure as high as eight in some parts of the country. That means it would take just 20 minutes to suffer sunburn. Dr Bodeker says it is not unusual at this time of year for a disturbance in the stratosphere to bring air across the country from over the Antarctic, where ozone levels are particularly low.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Men are being neglected.

United Future's deputy leader is concerned the Government's ideology and policies are neglecting the nation's men. Judy Turner says not as much effort is being put into men's needs as it is for women's. Her comments come as the Minister of Women's Affairs meets with her Australian counterpart to canvass women's issues. "I think it is great that we continue to encourage better outcomes for women, both here and abroad but why do we not do the same for the blokes?" she says. Mrs Turner says its timely to remind the Government of the thousands of men affected by issues that receive neither the concern nor the attention they deserve from the Government. She says men often feel they do not see enough of their families and are forced to work longer and longer hours. She points out that while women dominate many lower paid carer professions, men dominate dangerous professions and subsequently have far more accidents and deaths in the workplace.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Letterman welcomes "Helen Clark".

The Prime Minister has little comment on the reference made to her on top American talkshow, the Late Show with David Letterman. Letterman welcomed onto the show someone he said was "the Prime Minister of New Zealand", whom he claimed was in New York for the UN General Assembly. - however, instead of Helen Clark turning up, it was a leggy blonde woman.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

NZ shows poorly on infant mortality.

New Zealand has the second worst infant mortality rate after the United States, a study of 23 countries has found. A report released on Wednesday found the US has the highest infant mortality of the countries measured, with 7 deaths per 1000 births. New Zealand was the second worst of the group, with 5.6 per 1000. Iceland scored the best with 2.2 per 1000. The report from the Commonwealth Fund found the United States spends far more on health care than any other country but gets only mediocre care in return for its investment.
REUTERS

Helicopter Rescue For Blue Duck Eggs .

Five blue duck eggs have been rescued from a nest below the flood line of a West Coast river by the Department of Conservation. The eggs were retrieved this morning by Doc staff who were taken by helicopter to the Styx River Valley, near Hokitika. Doc's Dave Eastwood says the rescue mission was highly unusual but important because the blue duck, or whio, is endangered, with only 2,500 ducks left in New Zealand. The eggs will be incubated in Christchurch and once the ducklings have grown they will be returned to the Styx River.
© NewsRoom 2006

Man Guilty Of Theft Of Hotere.

A man faces a bill of more than $20,000 after he was found guilty of stealing a Ralph Hotere drawing.
The man, who has interim name suppression, had defended the theft charge but was fined 2,500 dollars in the Dunedin District Court today and ordered to pay $18,000 reparation - the value of the stolen drawing. The court was told he had seen the drawing, Black Window, at a woman's house and offered to take it and fix its broken frame. But he never returned it and the prosecution said he sold it.
© NewsRoom 2006

Gales to hit Wellington and East Coast.

A widespread bout of strong north-westerly winds will hit the East Coast and Wellington on Saturday and Monday, bringing heavy rain to the Southern Alps. MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt described the winds as "equinoctial gales", caused by the contrast between extreme cold in Antarctica and emerging tropical weather heading southward.
Source:NZPA

Strong support for aerial walkway.

Supporters of a proposed multi-million dollar tree-top walkway have delivered a petition to the Department of Conservation's Hokitika office this afternoon. In May, DOC declined an application from Air Walks to build the canopy walkway and a visitor centre at the Hokitika Gorge Scenic Reserve. Rally organiser, Mike Keenan, says the three-and-a-half-thousand signature petition confirms there is strong support for the project, and he is hoping DOC will reconsider.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Kiwis in Thailand choose to stay put.

By DAN EATON
Thousands of New Zealanders living and holidaying in Thailand are choosing to remain, after the army staged a bloodless coup, seizing power without firing a shot. Many were out enjoying Bangkok's nightlife when news of the coup broke. Television broadcasts were cut and soldiers began surrounding strategic buildings and closing bars and restaurants. Prime Minister Helen Clark yesterday condemned the military takeover, which has seen a top general revoke the constitution, but promise a swift return to democracy after political reforms in the South-east Asian country. Clark said there was no immediate threat to the security of Kiwis
Source:The Press

Yellow fireball seen in Waikato sky.

By AARON LEAMAN
A bright yellow ball was seen streaking across the Hamilton sky about 6.15pm yesterday, leaving a whispy black line in its wake. Times reporter Aaron Leaman saw the object and thought it was a meteor. He saw the object from the Waikato University tennis courts and said it was heading west toward Raglan. It was visible for about 30 seconds before dropping out of sight. Hamilton Astronomical Society member, and past president, Carol Thompson said the streaking object could have been a meteor. Mrs Thompson said anyone who saw yesterday's streaking object should contact the Hamilton Astronomical Society and fill out a fireball-meteor report form.
source:Waikato Times

NZ considers letting in 300 Afghan refugees.

New Zealand is considering opening the doors to 300 Afghan refugees who fled their homeland to India.
Labour Department refugee division director Kevin Third said two officials were heading to India on Friday to spend three weeks interviewing refugees who fled the Taleban regime. The United Nations Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) referred the people after assessing them individually as genuine refugees. Mr Third said there was no guarantee they would all be accepted. The UNHCR would need to provide comment about why they had been determined as refugees and why they needed the protection of another country. "The refugees will also be individually assessed by the department to establish their identities and ensure their background and character is suitable for acceptance by New Zealand."
Source:NZPA

Young Nats meet dark side of the Force.

It appears the Young Nats may have stepped over the line with their treatment of Prime Minister Helen Clark. Their website had featured a less then complimentary picture of her as Star Wars arch-villain Darth Vader. A spokesman from Don Brash's office says the party leader was unaware of the image until told of it this morning and has ordered it removed. As a result the entire Young National website is currently offline.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

$67 million for anti-obesity campaign.

The Government has announced a four-year $67 million campaign aimed at lifting physical activity and slashing New Zealand's growing obesity rates. In this year's Budget the Government promised $76 million over four years to combat obesity and today Prime Minister Helen Clark announced a raft of measures to get young New Zealanders healthy. "We have always been known as a country of fit, active people and the Labour-led Government believes this is a legacy worth protecting," she said. "An epidemic of obesity threatens to undo the significant progress made in improving our health and quality of life. "Unless something changes, the current generation of young New Zealanders may very well be the first to die at a younger age than their parents.

Xu Caihou starts visit to New Zealand.

At the invitation of the Ministry of Defense of New Zealand, General Xu Caihou, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, arrived in Christchurch on September 16 to begin his official friendly visit to New Zealand. In his written speech distributed at the airport, Xu Caihou said that although China and New Zealand are far apart from each other geographically, the Chinese people have always cherished friendly sentiments towards the people of New Zealand. The Chinese government and army are ready to make common efforts with their New Zealand counterparts to develop an all-round cooperative ties of mutual benefit
Copyright ©2003 PLA Daily.

Clark calls Brash cancerous.

The Prime Minister, Helen Clark, has launched an extraordinary attack on National leader Don Brash, calling him "cancerous and corrosive". Clark appears to have dashed hopes of a truce on politicians' personal attacks, which were sparked by allegations Labour over-spent on its election ads. Clark was looking upbeat but she had some brutal words for the opposition. "Labour regards Dr Brash as a corrosive and cancerous person within the New Zealand political system. From the time he became National Party leader he started his polarising, extreme attacks and behaviour." That attack coming despite a previous call for an end to the mudslinging.
Source:One News

Marineland petitioners wrong, says activist.

By Rachel Pinder
Animal activist group World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) has lambasted the 13,588 people who signed a petition to replace the iconic dolphins at Napier's Marineland. WSPA spokeswoman Bridget Vercoe says people should instead be taking a stand against Japan's annual slaughter of dolphins and small whales. "Unscrupulous dolphinariums financially support the hunts by buying live dolphins - usually young females - from the fishermen to be used for captive display.
HAWKE'S BAY TODAY

Peters in line for second meeting with Rice.

Foreign Minister Winston Peters is likely to have his second meeting in two months with United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday. Mr Peters is to attend a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, before heading to Finland for the latest round of six-monthly consultations with the European Union presidency. A spokesman for the minister confirmed he was likely to get a "pull-aside" with Dr Rice unless she was unable to attend the assembly.
Source:NZPA

Power problems for West Coast.

The West Coast of the South Island is the latest area to experience power problems. The entire region was left without power at around 11 this morning. Greymouth reporter Chris Lynch says the outage lasted about 20-minutes. One of the two lines serving the West Coast is currently out of commission for maintenance. The other tripped or failed due to an as-yet-unknown cause. The West Coast and Westland areas were affected, although the Buller region was spared.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Christchurch bells ring out for godwits and spring.

The church bells rang out in Christchurch yesterday to celebrate the arrival of bar-tailed godwits from the Arctic Circle, 11,000km away. The birds' arrival traditionally signals the start of spring in the Garden City. To mark their arrival, the bells at the Christchurch Cathedral rang out for half an hour, while a plane circled the city with a banner announcing the arrivals. Source:APN

ANZ customers warned of scam.

ANZ Bank customers are being warned not to give out their banking details. Spokesman Craig Howie says they are aware of an internet scam requesting customers to click on a link in a hoax email, which brings up a false banking log on page. Howie is advising people to ignore and delete the emails.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

NZers in Thailand urged to be cautious.

New Zealanders in Thailand are being warned to avoid government buildings and large groups as a coup unfolds.Troops and tanks are on the streets of the capital, Bangkok, as the Thai army takes control, declaring martial law and revoking the constitution. More than a dozen tanks have surrounded Government House and the rebels have taken charge of the state broadcasters.New Zealand’s Ambassador in Bangkok, Brook Barrington, confirms that the streets are calm, although there are armoured vehicles and patrols.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB

News Powered by Post2Blog Express

Still disparity between the sexes.

There still appears to be a battle of the sexes when it comes to men and women's pay. A survey has been released today which shows for every dollar men make in the workplace, women only earn 86 cents. The Equal Employment Opportunities Commission has released concerns about the pay disparity as part of the Suffrage Day celebrations. Commissioner Dr Judy McGregor says 113 years after women first got the vote, she is still deeply concerned about the pay issue.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

NZ phone directory service judged world's best.

New Zealand's 018 directory assistance service has been judged the world's best at a leading industry competition in England.The 018 service, operated by SITEL New Zealand for Yellow Pages Group, won the award for Best International Directory Assistance Service Provider at the 2006 International Directory Enquiries Awards in Manchester, England.
Source:NZPA

Sir Hugh Kawharu dies in Auckland.

Emeritus Professor Sir Hugh Kawharu, distinguished academic, and paramount chief of Auckland's Ngati Whatua, died in Auckland today at the age of 78. A Ngati Whatua spokesman said Sir Hugh's body would be brought to Orakei Marae later today. Arrangements for his tangi had not yet been confirmed. His glittering career straddled the Maori and Pakeha worlds and brought him a string of honours. A knighthood in 1989 was capped in 2002 by his appointment to the Order of New Zealand (ONZ), the nation's highest honour, one held by only about 20 citizens.
Source:NZPA

GM rice row.

An investigation has been launched into how genetically modified rice may have made it into New Zealand.
Liberty Link rice is at the centre of a New Zealand Food Safety Authority inquiry after GE Free New Zealand claimed illegal genetically modified rice had been imported into the country. Food Safety Minister Annette King is playing down any danger, saying the rice has been through safety evaluations in the USA and has been found to be safe for use in food.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

New Zealand PM forced to deny husband is gay.

THE Prime Minister is forced to insist that her husband is not gay while the Opposition leader suddenly takes leave after his affair with a glamorous, blonde multimillionairess becomes public. A fictitious political thriller? No, New Zealand.
In a small and conservative country not known for real-life political thrillers — let alone those involving sex scandals — the sudden elevation to the front pages of the private lives of Helen Clark, the Prime Minister, and Don Brash, the Opposition leader, has New Zealanders riveted. And many appalled. Ms Clark, a steely former academic whose seven years at the top of the Labour Government have prompted critics to suggest Wellington be renamed Helengrad, and Dr Brash, the strait-laced former governor of the country’s Reserve Bank, both in their late fifties, have - until now - appeared the most unlikely characters to be involved in scandal.
© The Australian
click HERE for full story

Vineyards brace for the big chill.

By TANYA KATTERNS
Wairarapa vineyards are on red alert as the first full spring frosts threaten to cause crippling financial damage. Hard frosts late last week – and the forecast for worse to come – have left wine areas such as Martinborough resembling a "war zone". Fifteen helicopters have been used to circulate air around the delicately budding vines – but despite the costly and noisy efforts some vineyards have reported damage. A heavy frost warning, which was expected to bring icy conditions overnight, has added to concerns.
Source: Dominion Post

NZ's Bird of the Year voting opens.

Voting has opened to find the New Zealand Bird of the Year. Forest and Bird advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell said he expected a tight race. "New Zealand has so many wonderful native birds that are all unique and special in their own way. We are lucky that we have so many worthy contenders to choose from." Last year's winner was the tui. This year it was looking to be a difficult choice with VIP voters selecting a wide range of birds, he said. People can vote for their favourite bird at the Forest and Bird website until October 14.
Link to website - click HERE (nice site,worth a look)
Source:NZPA

NZ women gamblers top survey of helplines.

By ANNA CHALMERS
Women using gambling helpline services in New Zealand outnumber men and top worldwide figures, according to a survey.
New Zealand showed the largest female skew of gamblers – 58 percent of Kiwi users – in the survey of 22 international gambling helplines.New Zealand Gambling Helpline chief executive Krista Ferguson said the agency's high rate of women clients was likely because of poker machines. Women appeared more attracted to pokies, which were not as prevalent in other countries, and less masculine than traditional forms of gambling such as sports betting, she said.
Source: Dominion Post

Giving police the finger earns man a 'stern talking to'.

An Auckland diner who gave the finger as a police helicopter was taking off outside a restaurant window received a tongue lashing for his actions. The man made the gesture while dining with a woman at Mikano restaurant, which overlooks the police helicopter base at Mechanics Bay last Friday, The New Zealand Herald reported today. A few minutes later, a policeman entered the restaurant and took the man outside for a "stern talking to", a witness to the incident said.
Source:NZPA

Police called to picket line.

Police have been called out to Lower Hutt's Countdown supermarket twice this morning, to sort out stand-offs between truck drivers and picketers supporting distribution centre workers locked out by their employer, Progressive Enterprises. Union spokeswoman Sheryl Cadman says the Lower Hutt store is being targeted because its underground carpark is being used as a mini distribution centre.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Tonga-King being laid to rest soon.

The body of Tonga's King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV will be taken from the royal palace at Nuku'alofa to the royal tombs shortly. An official New Zealand delegation which includes Prime Minister Helen Clark has arrived in the kingdom for the funeral. The 88-year-old king's lead-lined, mahogany casket weighs about 800 kilograms and will be placed on a decorated platform. Up to a thousand pallbearers will take turns carrying the platform to the burial grounds. King Taufa'ahau Tupou died in Auckland nine days ago, after a long battle with illness.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

New home for penguins.

The Conservation Minister will officially open the new home of 18 little blue penguins at the International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch this week. The penguins, which were injured in the wild, were flown from Napier's Marineland earlier this month. The birds have taken up residence in the New Zealand Penguin Encounter, a purpose-built facility that cost $2.6 million.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Kedgley and Maharey chop fruit for school nutrition fund.

Green Party Health Spokesperson Sue Kedgley and Education Minister Steve Maharey will launch a $3 million a year "Nutrition Fund" by preparing fruit for students at an Auckland school tomorrow. The four-year fund for schools and early childhood centre initiatives to encourage healthy was part of the Greens' post election agreement with the government. Ms Kedgley said St Anne's School in Newtown had been chose for the fund's launch because of its healthy environment. "Schools like St Anne's which only provide healthy food and drink for pupils, have found marked improvements in the behaviour of children: children are calmer and more ready to learn.
NZHERALD STAFF

Victoria fees go up.

Victoria University has voted to increase its undergraduate fees by the full five percent allowed under the Government's fees maxima regime. Postgraduate fees are also going up by the maximum allowed - a total of $500.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Rugby-Black Ferns win World Cup.

New Zealand have triumphed in a third successive women's rugby World Cup final, holding out a brave England 25-17 at Edmonton, Canada today. The favoured Black Ferns scored two tries either side of halftime and another two in the closing stages to secure a hard-fought win.
Source:NZPA

Poll support grows for Brash.

The standing of National Party leader Don Brash amongst the public seems to have survived this week's allegations of an extra-marital affair. The media spotlight has been on Brash following allegations of an affair with business roundtable chairman Diane Foreman. Brash took two days off from parliament during the week to spend time with family following the accusations. According to the Herald On Sunday's Digipoll support for Brash to become Prime Minister has actually grown slightly. Just over two-thirds of New Zealanders (67.2%) - including more than 80% of National voters - believe he should stay on as party leader. And 24% now name Brash as their preferred prime minister - up from 22% in August.
Source: Newstalk ZB News/One News/TVNZ

NZ Will Consider Joining Darfur Mission.

New Zealand will consider joining a United Nations mission to Darfur in Western Sudan if it is approved. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and around two million displaced during fighting between separatists, the Government and militia. A 20,000 strong UN mission has been endorsed by the Security Council but the Sudanese Government is refusing to let it in. Diplomatic efforts are continuing to get Sudan to change its mind, and Foreign Affairs Minister, Winston Peters, says New Zealand will provide the UN with any help it can.
© NewsRoom 2006

Migrants to Australia face English test, quiz.

By STEPHANIE PEATLING, BARNEY ZWARTZ and ADELE HORIN
People wanting to become Australian citizens will have to pass an English test and another 45-minute quiz of up to 30 questions testing knowledge on everything from the judiciary to indigenous people. Potential citizens could also be asked to sign a pledge of commitment as part of the Howard Government's toughening of citizenship requirements. The pledge could include expressions of loyalty to the nation, its laws and system of government.
Sydney Morning Herald

Explore Godzone? Just do it ...

By ANNA CLARIDGE
A $2 million campaign launched by the AA yesterday is calling on Kiwis to have their say and vote for their favourite New Zealand tourism activity in a bid to revive flagging domestic tourism numbers. Dubbed "101 Must-Dos For Kiwis", it is the largest domestic tourism initiative launched in New Zealand and will culminate in a television series in 2007 that will show viewers how the country voted. Five must-do Canterbury experiences have made the list. They are cycling, kayaking and punting through the garden city; Akaroa and Banks Peninsula; hot-air ballooning on the Canterbury Plains, coastal Kaikoura and Arthurs Pass National Park's alpine railway. Readers can place a vote online at www.aatravel.co.nz.
Source:The Press

New measures to catch fines defaulters at border.

Fine dodgers will find it harder to skip the country under new measures about to take effect. From September 28, anyone with an outstanding arrest warrant for unpaid reparation, or for unpaid fines worth more than $5000, will be stopped at the airport if they try to leave the country. The measures were contained in the Courts and Criminal Matters Bill, which the Government passed in March.
Source:NZPA

Stopping foreigners buying coastline difficult.

The Green Party wants tighter controls over foreign ownership of coastal land to preserve camping grounds, as more areas are sold off to developers. A Department of Conservation study shows a dramatic decline in camping sites, especially in the upper North Island. On the Coromandel Peninsula alone, there has been a 33 percent decline. The Government is considering opening up Department of Conservation land to be used as campsites. Conservation Minister Chris Carter says sports grounds where there are toilet facilities could also be used as temporary campsites during holiday periods.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Aussie unions show solidarity.

Six Australian union officials have arrived in New Zealand for talks over the lockout of Progressive Enterprises' distribution centre workers. Dave Cushion, spokesman for the Maritime Union of Australia, says blocking Progressives' supplies of goods from Australia will be among issues discussed, but they will be taking their lead from the 500 workers. The Australians will also join the picket line today. Mr Cushion says it is not the first time Australian unions have shown solidarity with their New Zealand counterparts and he wants to see Australian companies acting ethically. Progressive Enterprises is an Australian-owned company which operates Woolworths, Foodtown and Countdown. The dispute is entering its fourth week. Progressive's offer of a four percent pay rise per year, fixed for three years, has been rejected.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Book Month launched today.

The first-ever Book Month is being launched in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch today. Project director Phil Twyford says people are being asked to bring their favourite New Zealand book to three huge bookcases at each venue. The books will be donated to the Books in Homes programme, which will distribute them to needy children. Mr Twyford says the aim of Book Month is to showcase the diversity of New Zealand books and to turn more people onto the delights of writing.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Keeping NZ clean and green.

A week aimed at cleaning up the country's beaches, roadsides and parks is hoping to encourage people to dispose of their rubbish thoughtfully. This is Keep New Zealand Beautiful week, which has the aim of raising awareness of the amount of rubbish dumped around the country each year.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Asian guests at Fashion Week.

Asian fashion buyers and media representatives are the special guests at this year's Fashion Week. The country's designers are preparing to take centre stage at tonight's official opening. Fashion Week Managing Director Pieter Stewart says she has been trying to open up the Asian market for some time and this year it is being deliberately targeted. She says Asia is huge and close, as well as being a discerning new market that is beginning to get very excited about fashion.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Forest ablaze in Hurunui.

Seven fire appliances are at the scene of a blaze that is threatening a forestry block in North Canterbury. The Fire Service is getting reports of multiple fires within a two hectare area of the Balmoral Forest in the Hurunui area.
© 2006 NZCity, NewsTalkZB

Gardens awarded.

Seventeen gardens from Fiji to Gore have won recognition at this year's New Zealand Landscape Awards. The biennial event has been held in Tauranga over the weekend. Ralf Kruger's native garden set on the shores of Lake Wakatipu won this year's supreme award. Another perennial favourite was Mark Read's secluded subtropical courtyard in Auckland's Parnell. The company charged with the care of Wellington's Government House gardens was awarded for its efforts. Southland's Arne Cleland won for his distinctively New Zealand garden surrounding a veterinary clinic in Gore.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Thousands Remember Battle of Somme.

An RSA spokesperson says he is encouraged by how many people have commemorated the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Somme today. The 1916 battle in France was one of the bloodiest of the First World War. It involved 15,000 New Zealanders, and left more than 2,000 of them dead. A contingent of New Zealand soldiers have travelled to France to attend memorial services in France and a commemoration has also been held in Wellington today.
© NewsRoom 2006

AA Calls For Cellphone And Driving Ban.

The Automobile Association is calling on the Government to follow several American states by implementing a ban on holding cellphones while driving. California has made it illegal for motorists to talk on cell phones unless they use a headset or speakerphone. Several other states, including New York, New Jersey and Conneticut, have similar bans. The AA's motoring affairs manager, Mike Noon, says motorists should not be allowed to use a hand held phone.
© NewsRoom 2006

NZ Theologian Defends Pope.

A New Zealand theologian has defended a speech by Pope Benedict XVI which has sparked outrage among Muslims. In the speech at his old university in Regensburg, the Pope referred to a 600-year-old critique of Islam as evil and inhuman. Father Merv Duffy, a theologian at the Good Shepherd College in Auckland, says the Pope also makes a case that while Christianity is a religion of reason, Islam is not. He says the Pope is speaking the truth as he sees it, and he is known for seeking dialogue among religions. Father Duffy says subsequent events suggest the speech was unwise although the violence of reaction to it indicates the Pope was correct.
© NewsRoom 2006

Fish Numbers Dropping Dramatically.

Studies have revealed the number and size of fish in our waters is dropping dramatically, putting the future of fish and chips in doubt. Plant and animal ecologist Doctor Roger Bray has spent 34 years counting, measuring and weighing fish in the Marlborough Sounds, up to eight times a month. He says several fish species popular with fish and chip shops, including rig or lemon fish, snapper, blue mackerel, warihou and barracuda, are dropping in numbers. Dr Bray says some commercial fisheries should stop fishing those species, to ensure the population is preserved.
© NewsRoom 2006

Memorial service prep continues.

Preparations are well underway on Australia's Sunshine Coast for this Wednesday's public memorial service for the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin. The service is being held at the crocoseum in his Australia Zoo and thousands of people are planning to attend. Prime Minister John Howard will be among the dignitaries at the event. The memorial service will be broadcast live across Australia and on TV channels in the US and Asia. Large screens will be set up around the state of Queensland.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Fast-food firms target primary schools.

By Catherine Woulfe
Fast-food giants are targeting primary school children, offering schools cheap deals to on-sell their meals - some of which have more fat than KFC chicken or McDonald's fries. Domino's pizza has signed up more than 100 schools to its "Lunch Programme" scheme and is regularly selling its mini pizzas to school canteens across the country. The company also sponsors pizza-making and eating competitions, and gives classes of children free pizzas for special lunches. Dietitians said the pizzas were low in nutrients and too high in fat, salt and energy - meaning they could affect children's learning. Green Party spokeswoman Sue Kedgley called for the pizzas - along with all other big-brand products - to be banned from schools. She said it was "almost unethical to be targeting children with branding"

Cheerleader gets job back after 'inappropriate' hug.

A New Zealand Breakers basketball cheerleader has got her job back after being fired for wrapping her legs around a television presenter. Stacey Evans was fired after hugging Andrew Mulligan, host of The Crowd Goes Wild and a friend of hers, using her arms and legs at the basketball team's media launch, the Herald on Sunday reported today. "One of our cheerleaders was wrapping her legs around a member of the media," Breakers commercial manager Richard Clarke said.
"Their role was to welcome everyone that came in. The way she did it wasn't appropriate. There are other ways to welcome a friend at a work function."
Source:NZPA

CYF suspends help with adoptions from Russia.

New Zealand families wishing to adopt Russian children are being forced to wait after moves from the Russian Ministry of Education to prevent independent inter-country adoption. Child, Youth and Family (CYF) announced yesterday it was temporarily suspending assessments of new prospective families wanting to adopt children from Russia.
However, it reassured families already advanced in the adoption process it would continue to assist them. CYF assists in the inter-country adoption process by completing home studies for prospective parents - a formalised assessment of the prospective home environment which forms a vital part of the application. New Zealanders have been adopting Russian children since 1992.
Source:NZPA

Frantic countdown for nation's top designers.

By Janetta MacKay
All over Auckland this weekend a fashion frenzy is taking place. Not just the usual Saturday stampede to the shops, but the frantic countdown to the industry's big event, Fashion Week, opening on Monday evening. Fittings, walk-throughs, last-minute sewing and styling, the juggling of seating plans, it's all occupying the minds of our top designers and a crop of hopefuls who put their careers on the line in four days of trade shows starting on Tuesday in the Air New Zealand-sponsored event.

Respected Maori elder ill.

One of New Zealand's most respected Maori elders is gravely ill. Ngati Whatua leader Sir Hugh Kawharu is at his Auckland home, surrounded by whanau. The 79-year-old is a distinguished academic and served on the Waitangi Tribunal. He is also a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Sir Hugh has been ill for some time, but family and friends are still hoping he will recover.
Source:One News

Saving the Kiwi camping holiday.

A plan to save the great Kiwi camping holiday has been announced. Seventy camp grounds have closed in the last 10 years and now Department of Conservation land could be used to fill the gap. the government is planning to open up DOC land for camping, hoping to open up 30 new sites to cater to the demand - more than a third of New Zealanders go camping. I've asked the department to look at land that the public of New Zealand owns and that my department administers to see where we can create new camping opportunities where they are disappearing or don't exist any more, says Conservation Minister Chris Carter.
Source:One News

Muslims want clarification.

New Zealand Muslims are calling on the Pope to set the record straight over his remarks during a lecture in Germany. There is widespread anger in the Muslim world at Benedict's use of quotes from the 14th century, which portrayed the Muslim prophet Mohammed as evil and willing to use violence to promote the Muslim faith. President of the New Zealand Islamic Association Javed Khan says the comments have not gone down well with Muslims here.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Maori artefacts go on show in Sydney.

Weapons, dog-skin cloaks and flutes made of human bone are among a rare collection of Maori artefacts on show across the Tasman. The Ko Tawa collection has just gone on temporary loan to Sydney's Australian Museum. There is a fascination in Australia with New Zealand history's darker chapters and the museum already holds around 900 artefacts. The show opened with a note from Prime Minister Helen Clark thanking the museum for its interest in the treasures but asking that they come back to New Zealand safe, and soon.
Source:One News

NZ invention spots anthrax.

By JANINE BENNETTS
Hand-held technology for detecting anthrax and potential bioterrorism will hit international markets through Canterbury University's commercial arm, Canterprise. About the size of a coffee mug, the Veritide bacterial spore detector was designed by physics and astronomy associate professor Lou Reinisch and launched at the university yesterday. Reinisch had been working on technology to identify glue-ear bacteria since the early 1990s. When anthrax struck the United States in 2001, people started asking for help to identify it and he modified his work. Veritide project manager Andrew Rudge said key areas for marketing would be homeland security, ports and airports.
Source:The Press

Magnitude 5.0 quake shakes centre of NZ.

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake shook the lower of the North Island and the top of the South Island on Friday night at 11.43pm. The quake, which was centred 40km north-west of Wellington, had a focal depth of 50km.
Source:NZPA

Wind farm will power thousands.

Eighteen-thousand homes are on the verge of being powered by wind from the Tararua Ranges. The first wind farm to use New Zealand-made turbines, designed for the country's strong winds, has opened near Palmerston North. Te Rere Hau, the $80 million, 97 turbine wind farm, is situated on the western slopes of the northern area of the Tararua Rangers.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Male Teacher Numbers Continue To Decline .

Latest figures on teaching show the number of men in the profession is continuing to shrink. About two out of ten primary school teachers are men. United Future’s deputy leader, Judy Turner, says the latest figures should be ringing alarm bells. She says they mean that about a third of children may go through their primary schooling without ever having a male teacher. Ms Turner says male teachers are desperately needed in primary schools to provide positive male role models for children, especially boys.
© NewsRoom 2006

Pacific nations sign whaling accord.

Up to 11 Pacific Island nations will sign a memorandum of understanding of Friday that will see strengthened efforts to save whales and dolphins in the South Pacific. It was developed to update the way conservation efforts are handled. Conservation Minister Chris Carter says the International Whaling Commission is outdated and expensive to sign up to and be part of. He says this understanding will allow poorer Pacific countries a better chance to preserve whales and dolphins.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Biohazard detector invented in NZ.

A New Zealand invention which can almost immediately identify bacterial spores such as anthrax could be used by emergency services all over the world. The product is being developed by the University of Canterbury, Ngai Tahu Equities, and a venture capital firm. The hand-held lightweight detector is about the size of a large coffee mug. Project manager Andrew Rudge says it will be useful in situations where potentially hazardous materials and bio-threats need to be identified. He says that makes it ideal for airports, postal services, and emergency services.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Creators deny Kiwi blog girl a film stunt.

The creators behind the internet video blogger Lonelygirl15 want their fans to know they are not a front for a big Hollywood studio marketing an upcoming film. Instead, the three friends began the adventures of the doe-eyed, 16-year-old home-schooled Bree, played by 19-year-old New Zealand actress Jessica Rose, as an experiment in storytelling that they intend to continue on their own website, launched this week. Bree's inventors went public after fans of the two-to-three-minute videos began questioning her existence and expressing disappointment that the seemingly genuine video diaries were a hoax. The short videos began appearing on the websites YouTube and MySpace in June.

Children, well spaced, give women longer life.

By JOANNA DAVIS
Women have a new prescription for good health and a long life – give birth to between two and four children spaced more than 18 months apart. Research shows childless women are at higher risk of dying early and having poor health in later life. Childless women aged 50 and over are 20 per cent more likely to die in any year than those of the same age who have given birth twice, researchers from London's School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found. But the benefits were reversed in women who had five or more children and for women with a gap of less than 18 months between babies. Women with a shorter gap were more likely to die early and also to suffer from conditions such as diabetes and arthritis.
Source:The Press

Winter's last gasp.

The first spring spoiler is on the way for much of the country. MetService has issued a severe weather outlook for the far south, with a moderate chance of gales tomorrow and a risk of heavy snow. Radio Network weather forecaster Philip Duncan, says it will be bitterly cold for some. Gale force westerlies will pound the far south tomorrow as the cold front advances. By noon the front will have hit Southland, and will then bring freezing wind chills. As the front moves up the country, winter-like conditions will return for a couple of days. The coldest weather will make it as far north as the Central Plateau by Sunday with gales possible for southern Hawkes Bay. Hail and thunderstorms are expected for the southern half of the South Island with snow to low levels in the very far south on Saturday night and Sunday. For the North Island, the cold snap should arrive during Sunday , with showers followed by a sudden drop in temperatures.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

No red tape for trans-Tasman airlines.

Eligible New Zealand and Australian airlines will be allowed to operate in both countries without red tape in future. Previously an Air Operator Certificate was needed from both civil aviation authorities in Australia and New Zealand.
It follows a bill being passed by the Australian House of Representatives yesterday; corresponding legislation was passed in New Zealand back in 2004. Transport minister Annette King says it will mean the removal of significant costs associated with airlines being certified in both countries. She also believes it will allow airlines to take advantage of the open skies agreement between Australia and New Zealand. This is understood to be the first time two countries have entered into such an agreement anywhere in the world.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Hundreds queue for Irwin memorial tickets.

Hundreds of sleep-deprived Steve Irwin fans have snapped up tickets to next Wednesday's memorial service, after camping out at booking outlets overnight. The 3,000 tickets on offer were given away within about 15 minutes this morning. The service will be held at Irwin's Australia Zoo, in the "Crocoseum", where the daily animal events are held under normal circumstances.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Rugby World Cup worth 1.1 billion.

Wherever the 2011 Rugby World Cup final ends up being held, it could be worth more than a billion dollars to the economy. A report commissioned by the organisers says the tournament will add about $500 million dollars to New Zealand's gross domestic product that year. When the total amount of economic activity generated as a result of the cup is added in, the final total should top 1.1 billion. The exact venue for the final is up in the air, after the government announced this week that it is looking at whether Auckland should build another stadium for the final, rather than upgrading Eden Park.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

NZ scientists isolate anti-cancer compound.

New Zealand scientists could be a step closer to uncovering a secret which could help to rid the body of cancer. A team of researchers at Christchurch School of Medicine have discovered compounds in the cruciferous family of vegetables which help kill cancer cells that are resistant to other treatments. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, watercress, bok choy, radishes, turnips, and kale. Team leader Dr Mark Hampton says a protein call Bcl-2 makes human cells resistant to the normal cell-suicide process which removes damaged cells from the body.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Infection hits endangered kiwi.

By KAY BLUNDELL
A little spotted kiwi struck down by a mystery infection on Kapiti Island is fighting for its life in a Massey University "intensive care" unit. The endangered bird is believed to have pneumonia and an undiagnosed infection. It was part of a small population on the island being carefully managed to create reserves for reintroduction to the mainland. The adult kiwi was found almost unconscious at the edge of the bush on Wednesday. The island ranger and his wife took the kiwi to the mainland and Conservation Department staff took it to a vet. It was taken to Massey University's wildlife centre near Palmerston North yesterday.
Source: Dominion Post

Rugby-Black Ferns urged to thrash England.

By TIM DUNBAR
New Zealand's Black Ferns look like they can count on extra support when they take on England in the women's rugby World Cup final on Monday. Likely starting tighthead prop Casey Robertson said from Edmonton yesterday that other teams had already indicated their backing for the title-holders from New Zealand. "The Canadians actually rang up and wished us luck today and said they hope we thrash them," Robertson said. "So I think they're definitely behind us. We could have a lot of (other) teams supporting us as well." The Canterbury 25-year-old freely admitted there was certainly no love lost between these two old rivals – who also met in the 2002 World Cup final at Barcelona. "A lot of people don't have a lot of love for them. They're quite an arrogant team," she said.
Source:The Press

Mobil moving service centres to Thailand.

Mobil is defending its decision to close its two Wellington-based customer service centres and move them to Bangkok.The move could see the loss of up to 140 jobs. The company says the changes are designed to make its core fuels and lubricants marketing more competitive. The changes will take effect early next year.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Tougher to become an Aussie.

The Australian government is making it tougher for migrants to become citizens. New arrivals will have to wait four years to become an Australian and pass an English language test. The current waiting time is three years. Prime Minister John Howard says he is determined migrants should learn English as soon as possible.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Radiographers back at work.

Radiographers head back to work today after holding a three-day strike. All hands will be back on deck across the seven affected DHBs from 10am, but two further strike days are planned for next Tuesday and Thursday.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Saving Lake Rotoiti.

A major engineering project to improve the health of one of Rotorua's lakes has been given the go ahead by the Environment Court. A multi-million dollar wall is to be built from below the Ohau Channel outlet to Te Akau Point to divert nutrient-laden water away from Lake Rotoiti. Instead, it will travel from Lake Rotorua directly into the Kaituna River and on to the ocean.
© 2006 Newstalk ZB News

Hyde Park memorial plans revealed.

Plans for a new memorial to commemorate the relationship between New Zealand and the United Kingdom have been unveiled in London. At Hyde Park corner beneath the shadow of the Duke of Wellington is where New Zealand will officially mark its place in London. The southern stand of the memorial will be made up of 16 bronze sculptures, marking New Zealand and Britain's war and peace time relations. The memorial will be officially dedicated on Armistice Day.
Source:One News

New Zealand debunks European food miles claim.

Wellington- An academic study has debunked European claims that buying food from the other side of the world is bad for the environment because of the energy consumed in shipping it, the New Zealand government said on Thursday. The so-called food miles concept which argued that European consumers should buy local dairy products and meat rather than goods imported from New Zealand was just protectionism in another guise, Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton said. In fact, the study by Lincoln University, of Christchurch, found that the production of key New Zealand agricultural exports like dairy products, lamb and fruit was more energy efficient and therefore kinder to the global environment than similar food produced in Europe, Trade Minister Phil Goff told parliament. The growing popularity of the food miles argument has worried exporters and authorities in New Zealand, one of the world's biggest exporters which sends about a third of its food and beverage production to Europe.
© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agente