Two a penny

.

A bank customer is being praised by Hamilton police after he responded to a call for help and chased a robber today.

Police said the robber, believed to be unarmed, demanded money from a teller in the Hamilton East branch of the BNZ about 10.

As the robber fled with his money, the teller called for help and a man in a queue behind the robber chased him. .

Detective Dion Bennett said it was a gutsy call by the customer.

He pursued the robber down Grey St but lost him when he turned down an alleyway to the rear of Sacred Heart school, said police.”

Mr Bennett said the customer’s first reaction was impressive.

“He realised something was wrong and turns and gives chase, it was really pleasing.”

However, he said police were also wary about urging people to chase offenders because someone could get hurt.

“We take our hat off to him.

The robber was a medium built Maori or Polynesian, between 180-185cm tall.

Details of how much money the man got were not available.

Mr Bennett said anyone with information on the robber could call him direct on (07) 834 9476. He wore a dark top and dark track pants.

.

LATEST:
Hundreds of people are expected to turn out on Friday for the funeral service for drowned toddler Aisling Symes.

It was announced today that the service would be held at the family regular’s place of worship, Ranui Baptist Church, in west Auckland at 11am. Aisling was the subject of a week-long search after she disappeared from outside her deceased grandparents’ home in Henderson on October 5. How she got into the drain is still being investigated and today Acting Chief Coroner Garry Evans opened an inquiry into her death. The plight of her family captured the hearts of people throughout the country and a massive search by police and volunteers failed to find any trace of her until Monday, when her body was found in a stormwater drain next door to where she vanished. Police spokeswoman Kaye Calder, speaking on behalf of Aisling’s parents, Angela and Alan Symes, said that the service would be led by Pastor Russell Watts and include family tributes and music in memory of a cherished little girl. Mr Evans said an inquest into the cause and circumstances of her death would be held later. Mr Watts gave constant support to the family during the search. “While the funeral service is primarily a time for Aisling’s family and friends, it will be open to the public. “The Symes family acknowledges and appreciates the many gestures of sympathy and support they continue to receive from people, many who are unknown to them,” Ms Calder said.” She said Aisling’s parents knew that many people were sharing their loss and that was why they were happy for members of the public to attend. The family ask, however, that mourners respect their privacy and grief. Meanwhile, a group of “immature” teenagers is believed responsible for the shutting down of a part of a Facebook page dedicated to Aisling. The funeral will be followed by a private cremation service. In the “basic info” field of the Find Aisling Symes Facebook page, one of the five administrators wrote they had closed the page’s wall, due to “silly” comments from “thoughtless” people. In the “basic info” field of the Find Aisling Symes Facebook page, one of the five administrators wrote they had closed the page’s wall, due to “silly” comments from “thoughtless” people. . The moderator wrote on the webpage that there had been “close to 3000 messages on that wall, 99 percent of them very encouraging and supportive, but as a result of that silly 1 percent it has now been closed, sorry”.

.UEFA president Michel Platini’s plan to make clubs live within their means has been approved by European soccer’s governing body.
The new rules, dubbed “financial fair play” and due to be introduced in 2012, will in principle ban clubs from spending more than their revenue.
“We don’t want to kill or hurt the clubs, on the contrary we want to help them in the market,” said Platini after a UEFA executive committee meeting had rubber-stamped the rules.
They are aimed at ending the trend of rich owners buying into the game and transforming the fortunes of a club.”
Platini said club owners themselves had asked for the reforms, while UEFA’s deputy general secretary Gianni Infantino said more than 50 per cent of clubs were losing money.
“That (living within your means) is the basis of accounting but it hasn’t been the basis of football for years now. .
Former Belgium prime minister Jean-Luc Dehaene was named chairman of the Club Financial Control Panel, which will oversee the introduction of the new rules.
“Our goal is not for clubs to disappear. We don’t want to prevent clubs from participating in our tournaments,” Platini said.
“The owners are asking for rules because they can’t implement them themselves,
“Many of them have had it with shovelling money into clubs and the more money you put into clubs, the harder it is to sell at a profit. On the contrary, we’re only here to help them.”
Platini said the new rules would be implemented from the 2012/13 season and clubs who failed to abide by them could ultimately be thrown out of European competition.
“I think a lot of owners would like to sell at the moment but can’t as a result of the line of business they are in.
Platini said clubs would be given incentives to invest in youth development and facilities, including stadiums.
Domestic championships will not be affected.
“It is not easy because we have different financial systems in England, France, Germany and Georgia.
“The only people who want fewer rules are the ones who line their pockets,” said Platini, admitting it would be a huge task to bring clubs into line and ensure the new rules were applied fairly across UEFA’s 53 member associations.”
–

.
“In England you can have debts, in France you’re not allowed to have debts and in Germany you get relegated to the second division (if you have debts)

.European champion Spain has qualified for the 2010 World Cup with two games to spare with goals from Cesc Fabregas, Santi Cazorla and Juan Mata sealing a 3-0 qualifying win over Estonia in Merida.
Bosnia Herzegovina’s 1-1 earlier draw with Turkey meant Spain could book its ticket to South Africa with victory over Estonia and its did not disappoint reeling off an eighth successive win to reach the World Cup.
Spain qualifies as the winner of Group Five and will go to the World Cup as one of the favourites to land the trophy for the first time after following up its Euro 2008 triumph with a flawless qualifying campaign.
Arsenal captain Fabregas scored only his third international goal on 33 minutes to give Spain the lead and Cazorla scored late on to ensure Estonia didn’t gatecrash the World Cup party.
Italy leads Ireland by four points with two games remaining and needs only a draw in Dublin or a win at home to Cyprus next month to ensure it tops the group.
– Italians on brink –
Meanwhile defending champion Italy took a huge step towards qualifying for next year’s World Cup with a competent 2-0 Group Eight victory over Bulgaria. .
Juventus pair Fabio Grosso and Vincenzo Iaquinta, among seven team-mates who started for Italy, scored the goals that ended a run of four games without a single Italian player notching a goal.
“They showed they can play spectacular football.
“It was a great first half, two goals, many chances, we could have scored a third or fourth, I was very happy with that,” he said. We changed a few things and a few players but we couldn’t do any more. In the second half we controlled the game.
France is four points clear in second of Austria, which drew 1-1 away in Romania, whose desperate home form has cost it dearly with just two points from a possible 12 this campaign.
– France closer to safety –
Elsewhere, 2006 finalist France and Portugal looked to be on safer ground for qualifying as the French drew 1-1 away at Group Seven leader Serbia, despite playing most of the match down with 10 players – goalkeeper Hugo Lloris getting his marching orders.
Portugal may still be outside the top two but Denmark being held 1-1 in Albania and Sweden beating Malta, only thanks to an 81st minute own-goal, sees it just two points off second and five off the Danes with two games to go.
Portugal gained a much needed 1-0 victory over Hungary in Budapest with Pepe getting a goal in the ninth minute – and putting his side in even with a chance of winning Group One with two matches remaining.
Germany took care of Azerbaijan as expected with a 4-0 win – Miroslav Klose scoring a brace – while Russia was briefly drawing 1-1 with Wales before running out 3-1 winners in Cardiff to remain a point behind the Germans.
The Group Four dogfight between 2006 semi-finalists Germany and Euro 2008 semi-finalists Russia is all set for a mouth-watering, potential table-topping, decider in Moscow on October 10 after both were comfortable winners.
The Czechs won 7-0 at home to minnows San Marino but it was more memorable for the return of playmaker Tomas Rosicky after 20 months out with injury.
Slovakia looks the likeliest winners of Group Three as it won 2-0 in impressive style in Northern Ireland meaning its neighbour the Czech Republic can only hope at best for the runners-up spot.
–

.
Armenia grabbed its first win of the campaign beating former European finalist and 1986 World Cup semi-finalist Belgium 2-1 in Yerevan in Group Five leading to the resignation of coach Frankie Vercauteren

.

The daughter of anti-1080 campaigner Chris Short last night waited anxiously at the foot of Mt Tongariro for her dying father to end his protest.

Short, 50, who has a tumour on his kidney and may have just weeks to live, decided to come down off the mountain after pleas by Ngati Tuwharetoa tribe members.

Daughter Teryl, 20, was there to take her exhausted father home after his week out in the open.

She said she wanted to “get him home and give him a good feed and a night’s sleep.

His wife Leanne told that he was “really tired”. . I can’t wait to see him.”

Determined Short, from Taupo, said he had been prepared to die on the mountain in the central North Island unless Clyde and Steve Graf’s documentary on 1080, Poisoning Paradise, was broadcast on TV.

He said he had “achieved my objective and now it’s just important to not turn this magical place into a circus”.

But after a visit from high-ranking Ngati Tuwharetoa members on Friday, Short said he had decided to end his stand out of respect for local Maori. But I will vow to fight 1080 to the end, I just don’t have to do it from up here.

He added: “It means a lot to the original people of this area.

Leanne said she wasn’t angry that her desperately sick husband had spent so long in the cold and exposed conditions.” Iwi did not want Short to end his life on the mountain which is sacred to them and which was blessed on Friday morning. She said it would probably be his last chance to be in the great outdoors. She said it would probably be his last chance to be in the great outdoors. “He needed to go there. He loves those conditions and being in that atmosphere,” she said.

“I don’t want to upset anyone, which is what I have been told was occuring,” he said.”

He apologised to the local iwi for any offence he may have caused.

“I walked in and I will walk out,” he said defiantly.

Short turned down the offer of a helicopter ride back by Taupo Mayor Rick Cooper.

“It wasn’t comfortable but it’s a very special place to be,” he said.

It took Short three days to get to his protest site as a result of atrocious weather including gale-force winds and torrential rain. He said the protest against 1080 had only begun.

Short agreed to give up his protest on Friday but spent the night on the mountain because he needed a full day to make the descent.

.

Air New Zealand today announced a normalised profit after tax of $118 million down 19 per cent on last year.

The airline said it had been hit by a rugged first half of the financial year but the second half had seen dramatic improvement.6 billion, down $58 million or 1.

Operating revenue for the year was $4.6 per cent decrease in demand.2 per cent on the same period last year, with passenger revenue down $74 million on a 7.

“Air New Zealand’s profitability against the backdrop of a global economic meltdown was underpinned by management’s decision to move rapidly ahead of competitors to reduce capacity at the first signs of waning demand and an ability to continue to invest and innovate with confidence.

“This result positions Air New Zealand as one of the top airline performers globally but it falls short of delivering shareholders an appropriate commercial return,” chairman John Palmer said.5 cents per share.”

The Board has declared a fully imputed dividend of 3.

“We will continue to invest in new products, technology and customer service, while keeping a strong focus on reducing costs and becoming even more efficient.

Chief Executive Officer Rob Fyfe said that while some certainty is provided by hedge positions relating to foreign exchange and fuel price, demand remains difficult to predict.”

“Although there are some early indicators that the slump in travel demand may be showing signs of having bottomed out, it would be naive to think that there won’t be bumps on the road to economic recovery. .

Normalised profit after tax of $118 million
Operating revenue down 1.”

Demand for air travel was stabilising, yields remain under significant pressure, fuel prices have resumed an upward trend and we are unlikely to achieve the same level of net hedging gains, Mr Fyfe said.6 billion
Passenger demand down 7.2pc to $4.6 billion, up 22pc
Final dividend of 3.6pc Net cash position $1.5 cents

.

MPs are being bombarded with emails from angry voters as Prime Minister John Key resists a law change in the wake of an overwhelming vote in the smacking referendum.

He will today outline measures aimed at reassuring parents that they will not fall foul of authorities for giving their children a light smack.

A tired-looking John Key told Breakfast earlier today that a number of options would be discussed by Cabinet today.

But pro-smacking campaigners are demanding the Government change the law or risk a massive public backlash.

Though that would not involve a law change, it would give parents “a higher degree of comfort that the law as it’s passed .

Mr Key yesterday signalled changes to the way police and Child, Youth and Family staff dealt with smacking cases…. that good parents shouldn’t be criminalised for lightly smacking a child . is being adhered to”..

He said that telling every New Zealand parent that lightly smacked their child that they were guilty of abuse “would be the wrong message”.

Despite the overwhelming public support, any potential repeal of the law would still have to go through a select committee process.

“I’ve always said if the law doesn’t work I would change it, so its important we make sure that we can understand clearly and without bias whether the law is working or not,” Mr Key told NewstalkZB.

Mr Key said while there was a lot of emotion around the subject, police figures showed the law was working. They didn’t necessarily say they wanted the law changed.

“You can’t ignore when such a large number of New Zealanders express their view.

“There were 33 cases where there were complaints about smacking, one that almost led to a prosecution but was withdrawn – in the same time period 83,000 complaints about domestic or family violence.”

Statistics for the past year showed parents were not being prosecuted for light smacking, he said.”

Mr Key did not want Parliament’s time consumed relitigating the “explosive” smacking debate.

“I think we need to put it in perspective.”

Mr Key preferred putting in “additional safeguards”.

“You’d have to go through an enormous process that would completely derail Parliament. .

While changing the police operating guidelines might help, “there is still the fear that CYF will be knocking on your door for punishing your errant or misbehaving child.”

Kiwi Party leader Larry Baldock said Mr Key could not afford to ignore the results of the referendum, after between 1.4 million and 1.6 million voters ticked “no” to the question: “Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?” That was 367,000 more votes than National won at the last election.

.

An Auckland man led police on an 89km chase stretching from Taupo to just shy of Waiouru yesterday.

Wayne Manutai Hira, 37, was finally stopped by road spikes as he slowed for a series of bends.

Taupo Police Constable Gareth Edwards said Hira was first spotted on Lake Terrace, Taupo’s main street, after a Mobil station reported the vehicle leaving without paying for fuel.

Police were already examining for the vehicle after it was believed to have been involved in two previous drive-offs, including one on Tuesday at a Taupo BP.

Hira was alone in the car, having dropped his partner off in Rotorua. .

“Once we initiated the pursuit he didn’t want to pull over,” Mr Edwards said.

“There were a few moments when the speed was greater than 100kmh obviously, but generally the driving was okay,” Mr Edwards said.

He was due to appear in Taupo District Court today charged with reckless driving, failing to stop, driving while forbidden, three counts of theft and breach of bail.

After 45 minutes they decided it was time to deploy road spikes, stopping Hira close to Waiouru.

-

.

A South Island man dying of cancer plans to end his life in the coming months using the controversial euthanasia drug Nembutal.

He is one of hundreds who have gathered over the past two weeks for Australian euthanasia advocate Dr Philip Nitschke’s workshops in Auckland, Christchurch, Nelson and Dunedin.

“Dying slowly is a terrible situation, where you are trapped in a body and there’s no hope. .

Nembutal is illegal in New Zealand except when used by vets to euthanase animals. It’s just agony,” the retired businessman says. Nitschke says many New Zealanders have also bought Nembutal over the internet. Nitschke, head of euthanasia pressure group Exit International, promotes it as the euthanasia panacea, and more than 15 New Zealanders have travelled to Mexico to buy it legally and smuggle the drug home.

John says that a while back a bottle of Nembutal was left in his letterbox he believes it was “an act of kindness” from someone in the pro-euthanasia movement.

The drug has been implicated in at least one death here that of a Wellington woman who was not terminally ill but killed herself in 2006 after buying it in Mexico a year earlier. It’s not a choice he’s pleased to make.

John, a long-time Exit International member in his mid-60s, plans to use his bottle to end his life in the close to future.

“I’ve experienced a lot of suffering and a lot of struggling to survive.

As a youngster, he suffered life-threatening injuries in an accident and has had two previous bouts of cancer, but he has always fought hard for life as a result of hopes for recovery. I’ve been there before to the edge. I well understand the trauma of pain. People have said to me, `When you were so sick, why didn’t you opt to die?”‘

This time is different. It’s a very, very lonely place but I’ve always opted for life.

“I don’t hold any false hope of recovery. Doctors told him recently his cancer has spread to his lungs and he has about six months to live. I’m overrun with the cancer. It’s pretty much over now. “My wife and I are so close.”

Now, John’s focus is on mitigating the suffering of himself and his wife. That alone makes this hard. That alone makes this hard. But neither one of us wants for the other to go through protracted suffering.” He hates the thought of taking his own life without his wife present, but fears she will face charges for assisting his suicide if discovered.

“Why should she be prosecuted? It’s preposterous.”

So he plans to protect his wife by penning a suicide note to ensure people know he, and he alone, ended his life. Possible public vilification has also meant the couple haven’t told family or friends of John’s intentions.

.

The Auckland actor shot by police in suburban Auckland lured officers to the scene with false claims of domestic violence before advancing on attending officers with a meat cleaver and two knives.

Rob Mokaraka, 36, was shot by a police officer in Smale Street, Pt Chevalier on Monday afternoon.

Detective Superintendent Rod Drew said police telephone records had revealed the man enticed police to his home after making false reports of a violent domestic incident involving a man armed with a concealed gun.

“After some verbal interaction with police he advanced into the street and threatened police who had responded to the 111 calls, with what appeared to be a firearm wrapped in a towel.

“It is now apparent that, having given a distinctive description of the ‘angry man’ he said was armed with a concealed firearm, the man dressed himself to fit the description and waited for police to arrive,” Mr Drew said. . When he refused to stop, an officer fired one shot and the man was disarmed. He is in a stable condition and is expected to remain in hospital for a week or more.

The officer who fired the shot is expected to complete a formal interview today, as are the other officers involved with the incident. A decision regarding charges will be made in the next day or so. He has not been stood down from duty. The officer is off work while he completes the full medical and psychological de-briefing required by the Police Trauma Policy.

.

The investigation continues