Two a penny

.Russian former world number one Marat Safin has bid farewell to the game of tennis after falling to Juan Martin Del Potro in the second round of the Paris Masters.
The talented but temperamental 29-year-old star had already announced his retirement from the sport and bowed out before an adoring French public that had previously seen him triumph in the tournament on three occasions.
“I’ll go with the flow,” Safin said when asked about his future after his 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 defeat. I belong to myself.
“Now I have no schedule, no practices, no nothing. But at the same time it’s a tough sport.
“What will I miss? Being out on the court and competing. It’s very cruel. The pressure that you are going through continuously throughout all these years.
“I definitely won’t miss the injuries and the pressure. This is what I hated. .
“In tennis you can go from top 10 to 150.
“In soccer or hockey or basketball, you sign a contract and no matter how you play, you make your money. It’s a very tough living. It’s a very tough living.
Safin played his first slam at the 1998 French Open and won his first ATP title at Boston in 1999.
His often-volatile 12-year career peaked with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 over Pete Sampras in the 2000 US Open final, taking his first grand slam crown two months before ascending to the top of the rankings throne.
But whether it was smashing more than 700 racquets or the dreams of rivals, Safin was always entertaining - mercurial at times, witty, grumpy and typically a formidable big server who quit the game as he played it, on his own terms.
He added the Australian Open, the last of 15 career crowns, to his haul at the third attempt in 2005, having lost the 2002 and 2004 finals.
His mother Rausa coached him until he was 13 and also helped guide his sister Dinara, who is now the women’s world number two.
He began playing tennis at the age of six with his father Misha, who directed a Moscow racquet club.
Others have labelled him an under-achiever in comparison with Andre Agassi, Roger Federer or Sampras - prodding the lionheart to roar in response.
“Sometimes it’s not easy to understand my brother,” Safina admits.
“Agassi should have been winning 15 grand slams.
“In the history of tennis, every single player is an under-achiever,” Safin said. Federer should be winning 25 already. Federer should be winning 25 already.
“Everybody could do better. I should probably have won a couple of more, but I’m pretty satisfied with what I did.”
Injuries hampered Safin’s hopes at times. Torn left wrist ligaments and a sore right shoulder ruined his 2003 season.
A left knee injury in late 2005 kept him from defending his Australian Open title.
“I was a little bit unlucky with my injuries. That’s the only thing that I regret,” he said.
“I made a couple of great comebacks, but eventually the knee injury was really tough to come back from. It took quite a long time to play without any pain.”
Safin’s year-long good-bye tour has been bittersweet.
He reached the third round at the Australian Open and the second round at the French Open, but lost his openers at the US Open and Wimbledon.
Grass, he often said, would be better used as cattle feed.
“I’d like to be remembered as a decent player,” he said.
“Nobody ever complained about me and I never complained about anybody.
“I’m not writing a book though, no chance.
“My secrets and memories will stay with me.”
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New South Wales police say they hold “grave concerns” for a New Zealander who disappeared since last month.

Oliver Sims, 26, was last seen on September 18 at a university in Wollongong, where he worked in a function centre, NSW police said in a statement. .

Mr Sims, who lived in Wollongong, 82km south of Sydney, failed to return home after his shift and did not show up for work the next week.

“I was at home and he sent me a text message about 11pm, saying `Don’t wait up, I will be home late.

In the six weeks since he was last seen, his girlfriend of seven years, Pauline Cook, has retraced his steps, kept a constant vigil and made a public appeal for information to help find him. And that was the last I heard from him,” Ms Cook told the Illawarra Mercury newspaper. I love you’.

“I have been in contact with his family in New Zealand pretty much every day and they’re very distraught and extremely worried,” Ms Cook said.

Mr Sims, who did not have a driver’s licence, usually used public transport or got a lift home with a workmate. I’ve gone to places locally where he might be or go, and I’ve gone up to Sydney to places where we used to hang out.

“We’re all scared for his welfare and there’s not much we can do.”

Ms Cook and Mr Sims had talked of a future together that included marriage, and she said he was a “quiet and gentle kind of guy”.

“We’ve tried everything we can think of to find him.

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Family members have set up a “find Oliver Sims” Facebook group

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Mangere residents are raising doubts about whether police have the right man in custody following a string of sex attacks in the South Auckland suburb in the last two months.

A teenage boy is due to appear in court today after being arrested in connection with a sex attack on a woman in South Auckland yesterday.

The 14-year-old is due to appear in Manukau Youth Court earlier today facing one count of indecent assault against a 29-year-old woman.The woman was knocked to the ground and sexually assaulted before her screams attracted the attention of residents.

In the incident yesterday, the woman was attacked in an alleyway running behind Nga Iwi Primary School as she on her way to pick up a child from school. .

Police have been investigating a string of four sex attacks on females since early last month, the youngest victim being an eight-year-old girl who was raped in an alleyway last week.

However, the description of the arrested man did not match that given by victims of a string of recent sex attacks, Mangere Maori Wardens chairman Thomas Henry told Radio New Zealand.Police have not yet said whether the man taken into custody was arrested in connection with four sex attacks in the alleyway since September 8, or whether charges have been laid.The assault yesterday may have been a copycat attack, Mr Henry said, although he did not understand why anyone would commit such an act.The daylight assaults have been described as “brazen” by police.Police were following up a strong lead from a resident who said they knew who the attacker was and further details would be released earlier today. She punched him and he fled.In an attack last Thursday, a man grabbed a 28-year-old woman pushing her son in a pram in the alleyway.The man was described as Polynesian, aged between 18 and 20, and 165cm tall.The man was described as Polynesian, aged between 18 and 20, and 165cm tall.The man was described as Polynesian and wore a black baseball cap, a white hooded sweatshirt with a black or dark collar.On Monday last week, an eight-year-old girl was raped by a Maori or Polynesian man while walking home from school with her six-year-old sister, who screamed for help. He grabbed her from behind and she was indecently assaulted.On September 8, a 12-year-old girl was attacked by a man in the alleyway.

.Police had received recent reports of an unidentified male approaching young females and asking to touch them in a sexual way

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South Auckland police are hunting a suspected serial paedophile sex offender who has already attacked two young girls. . The attacks started early last month.

Detective Senior Sergeant, Daryl Harper said he had concerns “for the escalating nature and frequency of offending.

The Mangere CIB and Child Abuse Team Detectives are leading the hunt and say the attacks all happened around a walkway between Cape Road and Mascot Avenue in Mangere.

In the first attack on Tuesday September 8, about 2.”

Police are urging parents to walk with their children to and from school in the area.45pm, the man dragged a 12-year-old girl to the ground and indecently assaulted her, said Mr Harper.

The eight-year-old was attacked while her younger sister screamed for help.

Then on Monday October 19 he attacked an 8-year-old girl and her 6-year old sister as they went home from School on the same walkway.

He saw a man and chased him into a close toby park where he lost him. The girls’ father heard the cries and ran into the walkway.

The attacker grabbed her top.

In the last attack, on Thursday October 22 a 28-year-old mother was pushing her son in a pram in the walkway. She punched him and he ran off. She punched him and he ran off.5ft high.

The offender is described as Polynesian man aged 18-20 years, 5.

. On one occasion he wore a dark green hoodie sweat shirt and dark jeans on another he wore a black baseball cap, white hooded sweat shirt with a black or dark collar

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An associate of the father who allegedly carried out the now-infamous balloon boy hoax to promote a proposed reality show is wanted for questioning after e-mails surfaced showing the two had discussed a similar stunt months ago as part of a public relations campaign for the program.

Investigators said they want to interview Robert Thomas, a Denver man who claimed Richard Heene had told him he was planning a media stunt to promote a proposed reality show. Thomas, a self-described researcher, sold his story to Gawker. Thomas said the show would feature Heene as a mad scientist who carries out various scientific experiments.com and provided the Web site with e-mail exchanges between him and Heene.Gawker.”This will be the most significant UFO-related news event to take place since the Roswell Crash of 1947, and the result will be a dramatic increase in local and national awareness about The Heene Family, our Reality Series, as well as the UFO Phenomenon in general,” according to a copy of the show’s proposal provided to the site by Thomas.com editor-in-chief Gabriel Snyder confirmed the New York-based Web site paid Thomas, but declined to say how much for the story billed with the headline: “Exclusive: I Helped Richard Heene Plan a Balloon Hoax.Messages left for Thomas by The Associated Press were not returned.”Snyder said Thomas was planning to meet with investigators Sunday night, though sheriff’s officials did not return messages seeking confirmation.com story that the plan he knew about did not involve Heene’s children.Thomas, 25, said in his Gawker.The drama played out on live television to millions of viewers worldwide.The alleged stunt temporarily shut down Denver International Airport, and the National Guard provided two helicopters in an attempt to rescue 6-year-old Falcon Heene, who was believed to be inside the flying-saucer shaped homemade balloon that hurtled more than 50 miles across two counties. When the balloon landed without the boy, officials thought he had fallen out and began the grim search for his body. When the balloon landed without the boy, officials thought he had fallen out and began the grim search for his body.”"We certainly know that there’s a conspiracy between the husband and wife, you’ve probably seen some of the e-mails and some of the things on the Internet suggesting that there may be other conspirators,” Alderden said. Alderden said the stunt two weeks in the planning was a marketing ploy by the Heenes, who met in acting school in Hollywood and have appeared on ABC’s reality show “Wife Swap. Alderden didn’t name the media outlet but said it was a show that blurs “the line between entertainment and news.Alderden said documents show that a media outlet has agreed to pay money to the Heenes with regard to the balloon incident.”Let’s call it (my statement) short of speculation that a media outlet was in on the hoax, but let’s not discount the possibility,” he said.”It wasn’t clear whether the deal was signed before or after the alleged hoax, or whether the media outlet was a possible conspirator.com had not contacted the Heene family or offered them money for their story, referring to Alderden’s reference to a deal being struck by a media outlet.In an e-mail Sunday to the AP, Snyder said editors at Gawker.The parents weren’t under arrest, the sheriff said.”No, that wasn’t us,” Snyder said. Federal charges were also possible. Federal charges were also possible.The most serious charges are felonies and carry a maximum sentence of six years in prison and a $500,000 fine. Alderden said they would be seeking restitution for the costs, though he didn’t have an estimate.The cost for just the two military helicopters was about $14,500 ($NZ19,785).As Alderden told reporters Sunday that the whole thing was a hoax, the Heenes were shopping for snacks at Wal-Mart, where Richard Heene told thehe was “seeking counsel.”"This thing has become so convoluted,” Heene said, tears welling in his eyes. He said his wife was holding together better than he was.The couple’s attorney, David Lane, issued a statement later Sunday saying the Heenes were willing to voluntarily turn themselves in to face charges. Lane said he advised the family against making public statements.Once investigators got a good look at the “flying saucer” they determined that the thin mylar balloon covered with foil and held together with duct tape would not have been able to launch with the 37-pound-boy inside, according to Colorado State University physics professor Brian Jones.Other parts of the story, including whether the 6-year-old had been hiding in the rafters of the family’s garage during an intense five-hour search also weren’t true, Alderden said.”For all we know he may have been two blocks down the road playing on the swing in the city park,” the sheriff said.The sheriff said all three of the Heenes’ sons knew of the hoax, but likely won’t face charges as a result of their ages. The oldest son is 10. One of the boys told investigators he saw his brother get in the balloon’s box before it launched.Alderden said Heene, a 48-year-old storm chaser, inventor and self-described amateur scientist, has a high school education and most recently earned a living by laying tile.Alderden said investigators had an “aha” moment that the story was a hoax when Falcon turned to his father during a CNN interview Thursday and said what sounded like “you had said we did this for a show” when asked why he didn’t come out of his hiding place.On Friday, Falcon got sick during two separate TV interviews when asked again why he hid.Alderden said they didn’t question the family Friday because they wanted to keep the family’s cooperation by maintaining the appearance that they believed their story. . No charges were filed.Alderden said officials tried Saturday to persuade Mayumi Heene, 45, to go to a safe house, but she declined.Alderden said the children were still with the parents Sunday and that child protective services had been contacted to investigate their well-being. On “Wife Swap,” Heene was portrayed as erratic, at one point throwing a glass of milk on a participant on the program.”Clearly, from all indications, Mr. Heene has somewhat of a temper,” Alderden said.The producer of “Wife Swap” said it had a show in development with the Heenes but the deal is now off. TLC also said Heene had pitched a reality show to the network months ago, but it passed on the offer.

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Trampers who were missing in Rimutaka Forest Park have made it out safely.

Police had been considering a search for the group after they failed to return from an overnight tramp to the Ongaonga River yesterday.

A police patrol met them about 3. No one was injured, according to a police statement.30 pm. “They made the right decision to wait for the river level to go down before crossing it. .”

Earlier, a police spokeswoman said one of the trampers had been in contact with their family.

They had managed to cross the river and were making their way out. The family member had said the party was safe and well.

The group, all aged in their 20s, started on the three-hour tramp on Saturday. A police patrol had been dispatched to meet them and the group were expected home before nightfall.

The group had planned to stay at the Shamrock hut.

Acting Senior Sergeant Steve Braybrook said the conditions were bad last night with heavy rain, which would have prevented the group leaving the valley.

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No pressure young fella. Zac Guildford had no sooner become an All Black for the first time in his young rugby career, than there was the coach comparing him to one of the greats to have pulled on the black jersey.

Guildford was named alongside Otago fullback/wing Ben Smith, Bay of Plenty five-eighth Mike Delany and Wellington utility Tamati Ellison as one of four uncapped players for the upcoming northern tour.

What on earth was Graham Henry thinking? Clearly he’s not worried about the 20-year-old rookie’s ability to handle a big rap, the Gaffer today suggesting he sees elements of one of the finest All Black wingers of all time in the youngster’s game. Guildford has scored a competition-leading 13 tries in the Air NZ Cup and was a unanimous choice among pundits to make the breakthrough at this level.

But Henry may have inadvertently tipped the spotlight on to the impressive Hawke’s Bay flyer when he made close to the ultimate compliment when discussing the Magpies star’s game. “He reminds me of John Kirwan in many ways.

“What’s impressed me about Zac, apart from his ability to score, is he’s got a great nose for try-scoring,” said Henry. He sniffs out tries very well, and impressed me against Canterbury [on Thursday night] with his all-round game. He gets on shoulders of players and gets that final pass to score.”

Ability under the high ball and a strong kicking game were the constant themes that were brought up time and again when assessing both the newcomers and those such as Joe Rokocoko and Hosea Gear who had missed out.

“He’s good under the high ball, kicks the ball well, defends well, and on balance has got those other skills as well. They’ve been despatched with a message to work on that aspect of their football.

Smith, Guildford and even Delany were all lauded for their strong kick-catching and kick-returning games, while it was made more than clear that Rokocoko and Gear were not up to the mark in that area.

“He’s gone from strength to strength,” said Smith.

Assistant coach Wayne Smith, who has taken over the defensive responsibilities as part of a revamp of the coaching setup in the All Blacks, noted Henry’s Kirwan comparison but felt confident Guildford would deliver on the expectation. . “We’ve seen a lot of him as an age-grade player, he’s come through the Super 14 as a young player and he had a great [world] under-20 tournament. We see that in him.

“He’s a finisher obviously, and Graham put a big rap on him in terms of being similar to John Kirwan with his anticipation. He’s pretty much the complete player. He’s got very good fullback skills, is good in the air, is a good chaser of the ball, and has got good kicking skills.”

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A principal is pleading for extra support in primary schools after an out-of-control 10-year-old bit a chunk of flesh from her shin and attacked two other staff.

Shirley Maihi, from Finlayson Park School in Manurewa, needed stitches and a tetanus shot after the “horrific” incident.

The decile 1 primary school was ordered to take the troubled pupil after he was kicked out of another school, she said. “His attack has left me with stitches in my leg from a bite which ripped the flesh from my shin, and several large bruises from kicks and punches.

But she maintains that her school was not given enough support from the Education Ministry to handle the child’s “short fuse”. He just snapped.

“There was no indication the attack would happen.”

The pupil was excluded from the school and then roamed the streets, threatening to beat up pupils.

But Education Minister Anne Tolley said it would cost more than $60 million a year and the cash was not available.

Ms Maihi is calling on the Government to fund a counsellor and social worker at all low-decile schools, saying staff are in serious danger every day.

Schools that were “directed” to take troubled pupils were not given enough support.

A letter from Ms Maihi to Mrs Tolley, provided to The under the Official Information Act, details her concerns about the June attack and the lack of available resources.

“My plea to you is to urgently sort out the problems,” she wrote. Primary schools needed to be funded “as of right” for support staff and support agencies such as Child, Youth and Family and the Health Ministry needed to be easily accessible.

The pupil’s mother said last night that she had been asking for help for her son since he was three, when she first suspected he had learning difficulties, including dyslexia.

The pupil’s mother said last night that she had been asking for help for her son since he was three, when she first suspected he had learning difficulties, including dyslexia. .

“Early on he really wanted to [learn] but he got frustrated . and frustration turned to anger and in the end he hated school and just gave up.. “Everyone says they’re going to do it but nobody ever puts their hand up to actually help us.”

The family had been shunted from agency to agency.”

Her son was taken into CYF care about a month ago and she was not sure if he was attending alternative education yet. It doesn’t matter how much we’ve tried – it just doesn’t happen.

Mrs Tolley said the incident was “not good for anyone involved”. He would remain in care untila psychological report was completed after Christmas, she said. “The behavioural incident was unacceptable and unpredictable. “The behavioural incident was unacceptable and unpredictable. This does not excuse the behaviour of the student. There will always be incidents that are the actions of a small minority. These incidents dominate the headlines because they are so rare in this country.”

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An inquiry has been opened by Acting Chief Coroner Garry Evans into the death of Aisling Symes.

Two-year-old Aisling’s body was recovered from a storm drain early yesterday, a week after she went missing from a house in the Auckland suburb of Henderson.

Mr Evans said an inquest into the cause and circumstances of her death would be held later.

Inspector Gary Davey said police found the woman yesterday and had spoken with her overnight.

Meanwhile, police have spoken to the mysterious Asian woman they sought during the investigation.

Mr Davey refused to reveal what the woman told police, only saying “she is no longer part of our inquiries relating to Aisling’s disappearance”.

He was “satisfied” she was unable to help police with the case and had officially ruled her out of the investigation.

He conceded the police search had caused some concern amongst the community but had been “a necessary part” of trying to find Aisling.

“We sincerely thank all the many members of the public who have delivered messages, beautiful cards prepared by children, flowers and other tributes,” he said. .

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Many of the messages had been brought to the Henderson police station and police and the Symes family appreciated the gestures, Mr Davey said

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The Government has pulled out of funding a counter-offer by TVNZ and TV3 to scupper Maori Television’s bid for the free-to-air broadcasting rights for the Rugby World Cup.

In the latest twist to the saga, Prime Minister John Key confirmed this afternoon that the Government would no longer be backing a separate bid by the two rival broadcasters for the rights to 16 live free-to-air games.

“Our preferred option would be to have one bid on the table, led by MTS, with TV1 and TV3 playing a role,” Key said.”

The compromise, which is being thrashed out at a meeting in Auckland this afternoon between MTS, TVNZ, and TV3, appears to involve MTS as the lead bidder, with the other channels picking up some delayed TV rights to some of the games.

“I think there is every chance of that being achieved. .

The result is a win for the Maori Party and represents an embarrassing back-down by the Government just a day after revelations it was backing a counter-bid.

“It’s certainly not in New Zealand’s interests to have a bidding war, it might be in the IRB’s (International Rugby Board’s) interest.”

Dr Sharples said the meeting was being held to find a way to put together a joint bid led by MTS but guaranteeing TVNZ and TV3 the same entitlements they sought in their separate bid.

“We are very hopeful a successful outcome can be achieved and progress can be made.”

Dr Sharples said today’s development was a win for his party and Mr Key admitted that his ministers’ handling was not the best.

“Our expectation is that there will be only one bid on the table and it will be a Maori (Television) led-bid and it will be subbed (sub-contracted) out to other groups as well.

“I think the Maori Party has played a really important leadership role here.

There was a lack of coherence and ministers should have got together to thrash out a single approach, he said. Pita’s been very keen to see a good outcome both for the Rugby World Cup tournament, for all New Zealanders and actually for the Maori culture as we use this Rugby World Cup and Maoridom to deliver a world class event. Pita’s been very keen to see a good outcome both for the Rugby World Cup tournament, for all New Zealanders and actually for the Maori culture as we use this Rugby World Cup and Maoridom to deliver a world class event