Two a penny

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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”.

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The loss of three police officers and police involvement in the deaths of two civilians marked extreme lows in the past year, Police Commissioner Howard Broad said in the force’s annual report.

In his overview Mr Broad remarked on the loss of Sergeants Derek Wootton and Don Wilkinson followed by Senior Constable Len Snee in the line of duty.

Policing was risky and the deaths had highlighted that, he said.

“Losing three staff in violent circumstances has cast a tragic shadow over this year and brought our role in the community into sharp focus,” Mr Broad said. The driver pleased guilty to manslaughter.

Mr Wootton was run down and killed in July 2008 when laying spikes on a Titahi Bay road. Two men were charged with murder.

Mr Wilkinson was shot two months later while trying to install surveillance gear on a car of men suspected of drug manufacturing. .

In May this year Mr Snee was shot and killed by Napier gunman Jan Molenaar.

“The circumstances of Halatau Naitoko’s death are among the most tragic I have encountered,” Mr Broad said.

Police were involved in two other fatalities; in October 2008 Lee Jane Mettam was shot and killed as she held hostages at gunpoint in a Whangarei shop; and in January this year innocent bystander Halatau Naitoko was accidentally shot and killed by police on an Auckland motorway as they sought to capture an offender. There is no greater or sadder impact than when, as a result of an action designed to prevent harm to people, harm is caused.

“I say this from the perspective of all concerned – the family of the young man, the community and the police.”

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US President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for “his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said, citing his outreach to the Muslim world and attempts to curb nuclear proliferation. . Obama’s name had been mentioned in speculation before the award but many Nobel watchers believed it was too early to award the president. “His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population.

“Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future,” the committee said.

“Obama has as president created a new climate in international politics.”

The committee said it attached special importance to Obama’s vision of, and work for, a world without nuclear weapons. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play,” the committee said. Former President Jimmy Carter won the award in 2002, while former Vice President Al Gore shared the 2007 prize with the UN panel on climate change.

Theodore Roosevelt won the award in 1906 and Woodrow Wilson won in 1919.

In his 1895 will, Alfred Nobel stipulated that the peace prize should go “to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses.

The Nobel committee received a record 205 nominations for this year’s prize. Sweden and Norway were united under the same crown at the time of Nobel’s death.”

Unlike the other Nobel Prizes, which are awarded by Swedish institutions, he said the peace prize should be given out by a five-member committee elected by the Norwegian Parliament.

The committee has taken a wide interpretation of Nobel’s guidelines, expanding the prize beyond peace mediation to include efforts to combat poverty, disease and climate change.

The committee has taken a wide interpretation of Nobel’s guidelines, expanding the prize beyond peace mediation to include efforts to combat poverty, disease and climate change

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Police were today still hunting the attacker of a man who was held down and stabbed in the head and neck in Wellington with a pocket knife early yesterday.

Emergency services were called to Tory Street in the central city, where ambulance staff found a 23-year-old man bleeding heavily from multiple stab wounds about 5.45am, police said.Police said the victim and a friend were visiting the capital from Feilding and the hunt for his assailant continued today.The unconscious man was taken to Wellington Hospital, where he was in a serious but stable condition in the hospital’s emergency department this morning.The pair had been walking near the Courtenay Place and Tory Street when they were approached by a Maori or Polynesian man and an argument broke out.The central city was packed with youths after a concert by Swedish electronic musician Basshunter and someone must have witnessed the attack and should come forward.The offender slashed at the victim’s friend with a pocket knife but missed.One of the group then held the man on ground, while his knife-wielding associate repeatedly stabbed him deeply in head and back, Wellington Detective Sergeant Damian Murphy said.The friends ran in opposite directions, but one of a group of men, associated with the offender, tackled and held the victim on the ground. .Police described the knifeman as Maori, about 25-years-old, shorter than 1. He was wearing a black cap backwards and may have also been wearing a hoodie.He was clean shaven and may have had bucked teeth.

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New Zealand will play Australia in the Champions Trophy final in Centurion after the Black Caps beat Pakistan by five wickets in this morning’s semi-final.

New Zealand secured passage through to the decider thanks to a match-winning partnership between Grant Elliott and skipper Daniel Vettori at the Wanderers.The all-Antipodean decider is likely to add spice to the final given what is on stake for both sides at SuperSport Park.The Kiwis reached their victory target of 234 with 14 balls to spare after Elliott (75 not out) and Vettori (41) combined for a 104-run stand for the fifth wicket.New Zealand will also be out to make history by becoming the first side to win the tournament twice, having won the 2000 edition in Kenya.Australia are aiming to become the first country to successfully defend the Champions Trophy title following their win in India three years ago.The Black Caps also finished top of their group, and have now notched three successive wins, over Sri Lanka, England and Younus Khan’s side.Australia topped their pool group and beat England by nine wickets in Friday’s semi-final in Centurion.Australia will hold a light training session on Sunday (local time).Australia’s players had the day off on Saturday after their demolition of England, when captain Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson both scored unbeaten centuries.Akmal 55) v New Zealand 234-5 (G.

Scores: Pakistan 233-9 (U. 12th man: Gareth Hopkins.Elliott 75 not out)

Teams: New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (capt), Brendon McCullum, Aaron Redmond, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliot, Neil Broom, James Franklin, Kyle Mills, Ian Butler, Shane Bond. 12th man: Misbah ul-Haq.Pakistan: Younis Khan (capt), Kamran Akmal, Imran Nazir, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Yousuf, Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul, Naved ul-Hasan, Mohammad Aamer, Saeed Ajmal. Match Referee: Javagal Srinath (IND). Umpires: Simon Taufel (AUS), Ian Gould (ENG).

Scoreboard: Pakistan Innings Mins Balls 4s 6sI NAZIR c Taylor b Bond 28 43 40 6 0K AKMAL c Redmond b Butler 24 68 35 2 0S MALIK c Taylor b Butler 2 13 7 0 0Y KHAN c Taylor b Vettori 15 35 23 1 0M YOUSUF b Mills 45 100 78 3 0U AKMAL lbw Vettori 55 83 62 7 0S AFRIDI c McCullum b Butler 4 11 4 0 0N UL-HASAN c Guptill b Vettori 8 16 8 0 1U GUL c Broom b Butler 6 8 8 1 0M AAMER not out 19 30 20 4 0S AJMAL not out 14 25 17 2 0Sundries (6lb 5w 2nb) 13Nine wickets for 233Fall: 46 (Nazir), 61 (Malik), 69 (K Akmal), 86 (Khan), 166 (Yousuf), 181 (U Akmal), 183 (Afridi), 192 (Gul), 198 (ul-Hasan). Third Umpire: Daryl Harper (AUS).Batting time: 224 mins.Bowling: K Mills 10-0-46-1 (2w), S Bond 10-1-54-1 (1w 1nb), I Butler 10-0-44-4 (2w), J Franklin 8-0-33-0 (1nb), D Vettori 10-2-43-3, G Elliot 2-0-7-0. New Zealand Innings Mins Balls 4s 6sB McCULLUM c Afridi b Aamer 17 19 16 1 1A REDMOND c & b Ajmal 31 84 55 5 0M GUPTILL c ul-Hasan b Gul 11 21 10 1 1R TAYLOR b Afridi 38 88 61 1 2G ELLIOT not out 75 130 103 5 1D VETTORI st K Akmal b Ajmal 41 77 42 3 0N BROOM not out 3 3 4 0 0Sundries (2b 6lb 6w 4nb) 18Five wickets for 234Fall: 22 (McCullum), 43 (Guptill), 71 (Redmond), 126 (Taylor), 230 (Vettori). Overs: 50.5-0-48-1 (1w 1nb), S Ajmal 8-0-39-2 (1w), S Afridi 10-0-41-1 (1w), S Malik 3-0-9-0 (1w).5-0-48-1 (1w 1nb), S Ajmal 8-0-39-2 (1w), S Afridi 10-0-41-1 (1w), S Malik 3-0-9-0 (1w).Batting time: 215 mins. .5.Umpires: Simon Taufel (AUS), Ian Gould (ENG).Match Referee: Javagal Srinath (IND).Third Umpire: Daryl Harper (AUS).Result: New Zealand won by 5 wickets

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Kiwis have always shone on the global stage, now we’re making our mark in the outer reaches of space.

An astrophotographer has captured the outline of New Zealand’s national icon in the centre of the Milky Way galaxy. The image – 26,000 light years away – was snapped by experienced photographer Fraser Gunn.

“When examining at the area with the naked eye it’s difficult to locate the kiwi but my camera allows greater light and colour into the image giving it more definition,” Gunn said. . Its dark skies and high number of clear nights make it perfect for stargazing.

Run by the University of Canterbury, Mt John Observatory is the centre of New Zealand’s space research programme.

The Mackenzie region, where the Mt John Observatory is based, is considered New Zealand’s best stargazing spot and has been named the fourth best place in the world to go stargazing by United States travel website VirtualTourist. The region has a bid underway to establish its night skies as a UNESCO World Heritage Starlight Reserve.com.

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New Zealand can do nothing to force Fiji to restore democracy so there must now be a “period of patience”, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says.

Fiji was suspended from the Commonwealth overnight after failing to meet conditions – including resuming a dialogue with opposition groups and holding early elections – by midnight local time.

Fiji’s military leader Frank Bainimarama, who overthrew the elected government in a December 2006 coup, has said he intends to hold elections by September 2014.

He said Fiji had been given enough warnings.

Mr McCully was a member of the Commonwealth Action Group in London that set yesterday’s deadline.

New Zealand would not be imposing new sanctions, he said.

The rule of law, democracy and human rights were “the glue that holds the Commonwealth together”.

“We’ve simply taken the view that the rest of the international community have fallen broadly into line, we don’t see any reason for new initiatives to take place at this stage,” Mr McCully told Radio New Zealand.

“There’s really nothing we can do to force Fiji to move down a path towards democracy.

“I think that we need a period of patience.

The Government would be no better than the military regime if it banned New Zealanders from taking advantage of cheap holiday deals to Fiji, he said.”

Economic pressures would contribute eventually, he said.

There was some concern that China, or another country, would offer aid to Fiji but it was important to see “international solidarity”, Mr McCully said.

Many New Zealanders were already deciding not to go for reasons of security and principle.

“The message has gone out to other nations that any movement in that vacuum is not welcome and that’s a dialogue we’ll maintain.

“The message has gone out to other nations that any movement in that vacuum is not welcome and that’s a dialogue we’ll maintain.

The country had been previously suspended from the Commonwealth in 2000, and was expelled in 1987 for ten years.

Fiji has already been suspended from the Pacific Islands Forum, the Commonwealth ministerial meetings and the European Union has suspended aid to the military regime.

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Walt Disney Co agreed to buy Marvel Entertainment Inc for $US4 billion in a deal that would add characters such as Iron Man, Spider-Man and the Fantastic
Four to its entertainment empire.

Disney is striking the biggest media deal of the year — one that unites the Incredible Hulk and Mickey Mouse – at a time when the entertainment business is struggling to cope with big spending cutbacks by both consumers and advertisers.

It is also paying a substantial price, a 29 percent premium for Marvel shareholders, and is undertaking its largest acquisition since the $US7.

But none of those risks deterred Disney from seeking out a deal to address an area of concern among investors: How can it better reach more young males.6 billion purchase of Pixar in 2006. .

“This helps give Disney more important exposure to the young male demographic that they have sort of lost some ground with in recent years,” said David Joyce, an analyst with Miller Tabak & Co.

Movies such as “Iron Man 2,” due to hit the theaters next year, or 2011′s “Spider-Man 4″ and “Avengers” should help resolve that issue.

To acquire Marvel, Disney agreed to pay a total of $US30 per share in cash plus about 0.

Moreover, Disney will be able to use its marketing and entertainment might – stretching from ABC to cable television to theme parks – to promote and build characters such as “Thor” in ways Marvel never could. The deal was approved by the boards of both companies.745 Disney shares for each Marvel share they own.29 before falling a bit to $US48.

The shares of Marvel, which was founded in 1939 and rolled out its first blockbuster character, Captain America, in 1941, shot up to a high of $US49.38 in afternoon trading.38 in afternoon trading.

“We at Disney had admired them because of their position and asset base,” Staggs said. The overture began with a meeting between Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger and Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter and evolved into merger discussions over a series of meetings, Staggs said.”

The shares of Disney, which will acquire ownership more than 5,000 Marvel characters, were down about 3. “With conversations over time we came to believe in the value of a combination. The deal is expected to close close by year-end, but will not add to Disney earnings until fiscal 2012.5 percent in afternoon trading.

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The acquisition came as a surprise, even though Iger had mentioned recently the company would consider acquisitions that bolstered Disney brands across international markets and on new technology platforms

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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.

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Anti-smacking campaigner Sue Bradford has received chilling death threats and been warned she could be New Zealand’s “first political assassination”.

Police are looking at stepping up her personal security after the vile warnings on Twitter. Some of it is pretty nasty. The Green MP said: “There has been a whole lot of stuff.

“There is another email that was really ugly a few weeks ago that we referred to police.”

She told : “I was on Twitter and someone sent a tweet saying, ‘Sue Bradford should be the first candidate for a political assassination’.”

Voters have been bitterly divided over the issue.”

Bradford, the architect of the anti-smacking legislation, added: “I have become the iconic symbol for the opponents, for the people who want to change the law back.

Bradford, an MP for 10 years, received a backlash of threats and abuse after the bill was passed on May 16, 2007. Opponents argue that the law prevents parents from disciplining their kids and prosecutions can rip families apart. I copped it for many years earlier on for standing up for unemployed people and beneficiaries and being a street protestor.

She told this week: “I have been copping it for four years.”

She has moved house several times to protect her privacy. It is what happens when you stand up for what you believe.

The issue still rumbles on despite the $9 million referendum when 87. She also has special dispensation from Parliament to leave her name and address off the electoral roll. .6 per cent voted ‘No’ to “Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?”

Bradford said that as well as being abused and intimidated, her office had been flooded with letters and emails from parents telling her they would go on whacking their children.

One hateful opponent threatened to make a sawn-off shotgun to take out Bradford and any MPs who supported her. In 2007, she was targeted with menacing taunts on the CYFS Watch website.

There were also threats to publish her home address unless she backed down.

Another nutter, intent on teaching her the difference between a smack and a serious assault, threatened to punch her, “hopefully breaking her nose or jaw”.

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She said at the time: “I think it’s indicative of some of the people that are campaigning against me