Two a penny

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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.

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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

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A man, who boasted about being “the youngest don in Christchurch”, was today committed for trial for kidnapping and beating another man.

Tasi Faitala Selini, 29, who police said represented himself as a leading figure in the criminal underworld, was remanded him in custody to a pre-trial conference in the High Court on October 2.

Selini faces 10 charges of kidnap, threatening to kill and assault using an assortment of weapons including a knife, a bar stool, a fire extinguisher, and num-chukkas.

They hung out together, getting up in the afternoons and smoking cannabis.

The alleged victim told the court today of meeting Selini through a friend and moving into his house.

The witness said he was initially impressed by Selini’s stories including him being “the youngest Don in Christchurch”.

They got on well for about a week but then the relationship deteriotated.

He thought this was a reference to “some type of high ranking gang member”.

When the deal went slower than expected the money was used on other expenses and Selini blamed his flatmate and threatened to kill him if his mother was affected. .

The witness said that on February 13 Selini accompanied him as he set off to Brighton to pick up cannabis.

She had also borrowed to provide the money.

The attack continued as they drove across Christchurch to Rolleston and flared when a person Selini was to visit proved to be out.

He said Selini had become “psycho” by then, and threatened him with nunchukkas and repeatedly punched him in the head.

Selini sat in the car making growling noises at him.

Selini sat in the car making growling noises at him.

He and Selini drove to Selini’s mother’s home in Bromley early next day.

Two people visited the house, but did not remark on his state and he said nothing to them about the continuing attack because they were Selini’s friends.

The witness said Selini then cried about it being a jail sentence and got his mother to take him to hospital. The attack continued on the way and at the house Selini stabbed him in the right leg with a knife.”

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Defence counsel Rupert Glover questioned the witness’s evidence about the timings of the travelling and the beating but he replied: “You don’t take notice of times when you have someone yelling and screaming and hitting you

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Former MP Taito Phillip Field will have to wait until next week to find out if he is guilty of criminal charges.

The jury considering Field’s guilt on 35 charges retired for the night at 4.

Justice Rodney Hansen reminded the six women and four men of the jury it was critically important not to speak to anybody else about the case over the weekend. .35pm yesterday and have been considering the case for about 11 hours.

Jurors began deliberations about 12.

He also faces 23 charges of wilfully attempting to obstruct or pervert the course of justice, alleging he tried to derail investigations into his dealings with the Thai tradesmen.

Field faces 12 charges of bribery and corruption as an MP, alleging he accepted work on his homes from Thai tradesmen in return for giving them immigration help.

Earlier in the day a group of Maori protestors occupied a foyer in the Auckland High Court where people were waiting for the verdict in the trial.

The trial before Justice Rodney Hansen is into its 15th week.

As well as protesting, they had been filming their own activities earlier today.

The 30-strong group, calling themselves the Mauri Nation State Hapu, had returned to the court earlier today after six members yesterday halted the trial briefly to protest at the ‘syntax’ of the charges laid against Field.

Police had earlier told the group they must leave the building after they ignored demands not to film and racially abused a court official. Use of cameras in the High Court is banned without permission.

The protestors are led by Tass Davis – an uncle of Maori Party MP Hone Harawira – who in June announced a planned campaign of civil disobedience targeting the homes of high-profile judges and occupying courtrooms to draw attention to the group’s bid for a Maori sovereign nation.

However it seems the group has now been allowed to stay.

By , , with

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The 75-year-old former Auckland police constable said at the time that he expected between 300 and 400 Maori would be involved in the non-violent campaign

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REUTERS – France should aim to introduce a carbon tax by 2010 although the complexity of the scheme means a later date might be more realistic, the head of a panel advising the government on the issue said on Tuesday.

The panel’s recommendations will be officially handed to the government on Tuesday but details have already been leaked in the French press.

This would add between 7 and 8 cents or around 15 percent to the cost of a litre of fuel and has triggered complaints among those, such as farmers and fishermen, who say they will be penalised by the plan.

Under the plan, France would charge 32 euros ($46) for every tonne of carbon dioxide emitted in 2010 and lift the levy to 100 euros per tonne in 2030, according to press reports.

The best would be for it to be ready in 2010 but it’s true that all these details .

We haven’t received any objections in principle to the tax but there will be lots of fighting over the details of course, the panel’s head Michel Rocard said on France Info radio… I don’t know if we will be ready in 2010. are complicated, Rocard, a former Socialist prime minister, said in a later appearance on Europe 1 radio.3 billion euros would come from households, according to press reports.

The extra cost per household could be 300 euros a year and it would bring just over 8 billion euros into the state budget of which 4. .

The debate over the tax focuses on how to compensate low income households, those who use lots of fuel in their work or those who work at night before public transport is running.

Rocard also wants to make sure that businesses do not lose their competitive edge.

This tax has to change behaviour but it must not bleed people to death.

For it to be accepted by households and companies .

The carbon tax should not be an umpteenth tax used for filling up the state coffers, the small business union, the CGPME, said in a statement…

Sweden, which holds the rotating European Union presidency, will soon present an EU-wide carbon tax plan. it must be compensated by an equivalent fall in taxes.

climate change – France – law
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Sweden, Denmark and Norway already have carbon taxes in place and China has been studying the idea

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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.

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The investigation continues

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AFP – French police arrested Saturday three suspected members of the outlawed Basque separatist group ETA close to the southern city of Pau, close to the Spanish border.

The two men and one women, all carrying a firearm, were picked up for driving a stolen vehicle in the Pau suburb of Idron, police said.

A judicial source described the arrests as fortuitous, explaining that the suspects had been in a fast-food restaurant when their suspicious behaviour.

They were identified as Asier Borrero, Itziar Plaza and Iurgi Garitagoitia — all three of whom were among the most wanted ETA figures still at large, according to Spanish media…

Police carried out checks on their vehicle and found it to be stolen, the source added. caught the attention of a police officer. .

ETA, considered a terrorist organisation by the European Union and the United States, is blamed for the deaths of 825 people in its 40-year campaign to carve a Basque homeland out of northern Spain and southwestern France

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One of the men accused of bashing a New Zealander to death during a brawl in a Bali nightclub is a champion boxer.

The family of 22-year-old Sean Headifen were shocked at the news last night. .
He suffered head and internal injuries and died in his hotel room about 6.
Mr Headifen, a former soldier, was allegedly attacked by 29-year-old Indonesian top- ranked middleweight boxer Andreas Seran at the Bounty Disco in Kuta early on Sunday.
Family friend Colette Drew said officials had told the family they needed to pay about $8000 to bring Mr Headifen back to Palmerston North.30am that day. “What’s going to happen to him if we can’t afford to get him home?”
Seran, along with Doni Suastika, 30, and Nengah Suastika, 34, a bartender and security staff member, are in custody. CCTV footage from the bar showed the men beating Mr Headifen and throwing bottles and glasses at him.
Police said Seran was drunk and became involved in the fight.
Miss Whitburn, 19, was due to leave Indonesia yesterday for her home town of Palmerston North.
Witnesses, including Mr Headifen’s girlfriend Sarah Whitburn, who tried to stop the brawl by jumping on the shoulders of one of the attackers, have also identified the men.
Mrs Drew said the family was feeling desperate knowing that his body was in a hospital morgue in Bali, and they wanted him brought home.
It was still unknown yesterday when the body of Mr Headifen, who served as a peacekeeper in East Timor, would return home.
“Why can’t the Government bring him home and bill us later?” she said.
“Why can’t the Government bring him home and bill us later?” she said.

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The Foreign Affairs Ministry pointed to advice on its website, which says that all costs associated with the death of a New Zealander overseas, including the repatriation of remains and the return of personal effects, were the responsibility of next-of-kin

.European leaders at a summit in Brussels have agreed to provide further measures to fight the global financial crisis.
They will pump $145 million into the International Monetary Fund, provided that the US and China also contribute, and they will provide another $50 billion to double the EU emergency fund for struggling member states in eastern Europe.
“We need both a coordinated global stimulus and reform of financial markets to restore confidence, because without the stimulus we will not have a recovery, but without reform of the financial market recovery will not be sustainable,” he said.
The president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, says they are agreed that stimulus measures have to be accompanied by financial reform.
It sets the scene for a difference of opinion at the London summit between the United States and most of the European Union, with the French and Germans getting a lot of support for their demand for tough new financial rules.
The leaders were united in rejecting US demands for a big injection of money into their own ailing economies, expressing fears that budget deficits would spiral out of control. .
The suspicion is that Britain and America would rather a lighter touch than many continental countries who see the crisis as caused by an Ango-Saxon addiction to risk-taking and greed.
– BBC