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There is no sign of a six-year-old boy who is believed to have climbed into a balloon resembling a flying saucer and floated helplessly thousands of metres above Colorado, as officials scrambled to try and rescue him.

The bizarre scene played out live on television and prompted fears that the flying saucer-shaped balloon would crash with the young child inside. The balloon rotated slowly in the wind, tipping precariously at times.

The local sheriff’s department has confirmed the child is not in the balloon and efforts to find him are continuing.

Television pictures from the scene showed the balloon had landed in farmland, but there is no sign of the six-year-old, who has been named as Falcon Heene.

Reports that observers saw something fall from the balloon are being investigated by local law authorities, butthe area has been searched and nothing found.

Click here to watch the video .

Officers have also searched the child’s home and surrounding area for signs of him.

“The bottom of (the balloon) is contained and hasn’t been breached,” Eloise Campanella of Larimer County Sheriff’s Department told CNN shortly after the balloon landed.

The balloon travelled for more than two hours. He has to be somewhere on the ground close to his home.

“So at this point we are thinking he did not fall out of it. .”

National Guard helicopters were scrambled and were monitoring the balloon when it landed.

Cathy Davis of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Department told reporters the experimental balloon was owned by the boy’s parents and tethered behind the family’s home.

Cathy Davis of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Department told reporters the experimental balloon was owned by the boy’s parents and tethered behind the family’s home.

He hosts a documentary series and radio showinvestigating the mysteries of science, The Science Detectives.

Falcon’s father, Richard Heene, is a ‘science detective’ and storm chaser according to his My Space site.

Click here to watch Falcon rapping with his brothers .

Last year, his site entry says, he flew into Hurricane Wilma to take magnetic field measurements and this yearrode a motorcycle into a mesocyclone.

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An Otago woman was left unconscious in an upturned car for nine hours after her friend crashed it, left to go drinking at a pub and allegedly returned to steal her handbag.

Police told the Otago Daily Times that the pair, who were friends, were driving in East Taieri about 9.

Police said the man left the scene, leaving the injured and unconscious woman in the passenger seat before returning to the scene later in a taxi, stealing the woman’s bag and the $500 it contained and going back to the pub.30pm on Friday when the man lost control on a gravel corner and crashed, with the car coming to rest in a ditch.

The woman, who had cuts to her head and moderate neck injuries regained consciousness around 6.

He did not offer any assistance to the still-unconscious woman, the ODT reported.

Police said the man, who was on bail, was found at a bar on Saturday morning heavily intoxicated.30am on Saturday and alerted police. .

He will face numerous charges, police said

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A small plane made an emergency landing in the car-park of a US shopping mall, stunning shoppers as the pilot and a passenger emerged with only minor injuries.

A flight instructor and student got out of the plane, and no one on the ground was injured, police said.

The plane circled the mall several times before coming down hard and blowing out its tyres, witnesses said.

The single-engine plane, a Cessna 172, had recently taken off from close toby Essex County Airport in Caldwell when the pilot reported a rough-running engine, Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Arlene Salac said.

The aircraft landed on a free patch of pavement, although it was surrounded by parking areas full of cars.

It came to a stop, nose-down, in a lot between a JC Penney department store and a Toys-R-Us store at the Rockaway Townsquare mall in Rockaway Township, a northern New Jersey suburb about 40 miles west of New York City.

Police Lt Marie Romo said the plane, registered to Genesis One Inc in Paramus, landed around noon, when the mall was crowded with customers drawn to back-to-school sales. Emergency crews sprayed foam on the ground around the plane to prevent any spilled fuel from igniting.

Area resident Annmarie Hebbelinck was shopping with her young children when they noticed the plane circling low overhead.

“It is a great tribute to the pilot and the instructor’s skill that they were able to land with minimal ground damage and very minimal injuries to themselves,” she said. “We watched it circle; then it crashed into the ground, and we were in shock.

“We thought it was too low,” she said.

“The airplane was coming down, and we thought it was going to be, like, something fun, but it just came down so low and then it crashed and the wheels broke,” he said.”

Hebbelinck’s seven-year-old son, Luke, was still wide-eyed an hour later. .

It’s the second time a plane has used the car-park as a runway.

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A 30-year-old woman who died in Dunedin on Sunday has been confirmed by the Health Ministry as being New Zealand’s 15th swine flu victim.

While some fatalities involving influenza (H1N1) have been attributed to other health complications, the ministry said there were no underlying medical conditions involved with the latest death.The ministry’s death toll only included people where swine flu was considered the primary cause.Most district health boards were continuing to manage demand, with fewer influenza admissions, and less need for intensive care beds than in July.Despite the death, the ministry said today the number of people presenting to GPs with influenza-like illnesses continued to fall, indicating the pandemic may be abating.”All indications are that this pandemic is on a downward trend, but it’s common for influenza numbers to rise and fall over several months,” the ministry said.Hospitals had reported that the number of staff away sick was on a par with this time last year.”At this stage, it isn’t known whether swine flu will re-emerge in coming weeks or months, particularly during the northern hemisphere winter. .”People were still urged to “not let their guard down” and should continue with good hygiene habits.” –

.”This is because for most people, it’s a mild illness and they will recover readily at home without needing medical treatment

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Amateur spies and armchair sleuths using Google Earth have discovered a suspicious development in the Burmese jungle thought to be linked to the pariah state’s clandestine nuclear programme.

The main facility, which measures 82 by 84 metres, can been seen on satellite images published on both Google Earth and Google Maps.

The large industrial complex is located in a rural area of central Burma, east of Mandalay near the town of Pin Oo Lwin. .

The defectors’ testimony was collected over two years by Professor Desmond Ball, a strategic studies expert at the Australian National University (ANU) and Phil Thornton, a freelance journalist based in Thailand.

That’s the same zone in which defectors recently told two Australian researchers that the Burmese army had been building a nuclear research and engineering centre with support from North Korea and Russia.

“The most likely explanation for the [unidentified] facility, apart from the previously mentioned decoy site, is a support function for the significant amount of tunnelling which must be undertaken in order to construct the [underground facilities] required by the [nuclear] project,” he wrote in the Arms Control Wonk blog .

Sean O’Connor, a blogger specialising in open source military analysis and Google Earth imagery interpretation, said that, while it might not be related to the nuclear program, the facility “does represent an interesting enigma”.

One prominent NGO, which monitors international nuclear activity, said that the building and related infrastructure is “a machine shop with no connection to a nuclear program”.

He speculates that the main structure, which appears to be dug into the ground in the foothills of the Setkhaya Mountains, could also be a “security and site support base for the facility”.

The NGO, which did not want to be named for “tactical reasons”, said that it first became aware of the structure in early July and subsequently obtained 2009 imagery, which it is still assessing.

The Google Earth images, which are provided by Digital Globe, a leading supplier of satellite imagery to commercial and governmental organisations, are dated from October 2005.

The NGO’s conclusion is similar to the one reached by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), a Washington-based non-profit organisation specialising in international security issues.

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The weekend road toll stands at three following fatal crashes in the top of the North Island.

Lives were lost in crashes in Waikato, south Auckland and close to Thames. . None of their names have been released.

The vehicle smashed through a bridge before travelling over the bank and dropping 10m into the Piako River.

The man’s Toyota Hilux was travelling along Hutchinson Rd when the driver lost control while going around a bend about 6pm on Friday.40pm yesterday.

A motorcycle crash on State Highway 25A near Kopu, southeast of Thames, was responsible for the second death about 3.

In the third incident, one person died and another suffered moderate injuries following a crash in Reagan Road, Manukau, south Auckland.

A Thames police spokesperson said the motorcyclist, a man in his mid 20s, died following a collision with a car.

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LATEST

Three cases of swine flu in New Zealand have now been confirmed with 31 cases suspected nationwide and 179 people in isolation nationwide.

Do you know someone affected by swine flu? Click here to send us your feedback

At a press conference currently underway, health officials confirmed a total of 13 people from the Rangitoto College group that returned from Mexico at the weekend had now tested positive for Influenza A – an increase of two – and all probably had swine flu.There were 31 suspected cases around the country but many more people in isolation as a precaution. Three had been confirmed as having swine flu so far and further results were awaited.

Dozens of other passengers who shared Air New Zealand flight NZ1 from Los Angeles with the infected pupils remain in quarantine and are yet to be tested. So far the isolation cases include 37 in Christchurch and 36 in Wellington.

Meanwhile, two women with suspected flu symptoms have been detained by health officials after arriving at Auckland Airport this morning.

“On the basis of these results we are assuming that all of the people in the group, who had tested positive for Influenza A, have Swine Flu,” a Ministry statement said.

Two women with suspected flu symptoms were detained by health officials after arriving at Auckland Airport this morning.

An Auckland Regional Public Health Service official said the two arrived on a Qantas flight from Los Angeles early this morning.

More details are expected later this morning.

They have been taken to Middlemore Hospital and will be tested for swine flu. .

Thousands of New Zealanders may have been exposed to the deadly swine flu virus as a result of a three-day delay in alerting health boards to potentially infected people.

Health officials are investigating a further 43 cases of possible swine flu – this figure has been revised down from 56 following further investigations yesteterday. Spain’s health minister has confirmed a second case of swine flu, while Israel also confirmed one case.

Officials have admitted they did not send swabs taken from the 11 pupils for testing till Monday night, missing a flight to Melbourne as a result of delays in packaging the samples.

As confirmation of the outbreak emerged, the Government faced criticism for its response to the crisis.

Another member of the school group tested positive for influenza A yesterday.

The Government has now moved from trying to contain the outbreak to attempting to minimise it.

He said he was shocked at the test results, “even though it was a possibility”.

Rangitoto College principal David Hodge said most of the school party, which visited Mexico on a three week trip, had recovered with only one student, who already suffered from asthma, still unwell.

Officials did not plan to update New Zealand’s health alert code from “yellow” to “red” following the positive results.

But Auckland Regional Public Health officials said the families of the swine flu-infected had taken the news well.

Dr Jacobs said the general public did not need to worry as officials were working to contain the spread and those with confirmed swine flu had so far experienced mild symptoms.

Dr Jacobs said the general public did not need to worry as officials were working to contain the spread and those with confirmed swine flu had so far experienced mild symptoms.

“There is no indication it is any more or less contagious than any other form of influenza,” he said.

It was most contagious a day before symptoms appeared and up to seven days after. The greatest risk was in the early days.

All but 18 of the 356 people on board flight NZ1 have now been contacted, offered Tamiflu and been asked to stay in voluntary home isolation.

Auckland doctor Jim McVeagh, who works at a private accident and medical clinic, said everyone should have been contacted immediately it became apparent passengers had symptoms of the deadly swine flu.

Dr McVeagh treated a patient on Monday from the same flight as the infected pupils. She had rung Health Line and been told to visit her doctor “one of the most spectacularly bad pieces of advice” he had heard.

“I am hoping this isn’t a big deal, because we’ve probably already missed the boat with containment. I think the Health Ministry has been a bit tardy, a bit relaxed.”

Reports of the outbreak began emerging from Mexico on Thursday. But there were no plans to screen passengers arriving from North America till the Rangitoto pupils showed symptoms.

Auckland Regional Public Health clinical leader Julia Peters defended the response time, saying health authorities could not act till they knew what they were dealing with.

“As soon as we got a provisional diagnosis we swung into action and began contacting people …”

She said test samples were not sent to a specialist lab in Melbourne before Monday because they required special preparation and packaging.

The Health Ministry’s emergency planning co-ordinator, Steve Brazier, said initially Auckland authorities were doing all the contact tracing. “However, when the size of the task was appreciated on Monday a decision was made to refer potential cases from Flight NZ1 to regional public health units around the country to follow up in their area.”

The Government has upgraded it travel advisory warning to Mexico, warning of a high risk to health and advising against all non-essential travel.

Health Minister Tony Ryall dismissed criticism yesterday, saying the initial response had been rapid, thorough and appropriate for the level of risk at the time.

“This is a threat New Zealand has planned for. Many of the best people in the health service are working night and day to protect the health of New Zealanders.”

The World Health Organisation has raised its pandemic alert level to phase 4, indicating significant increased risk of a pandemic a global outbreak of a serious disease.

-By , , KERRY WILLIAMSON, and RUTH HILL

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Swine flu: worst case scenario

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Century-old Christchurch clothing-maker Lane Walker Rudkin (LWR) Industries is in receivership, leaving 470 staff facing an uncertain future.

Workers in Australia and New Zealand including about 300 in Christchurch are still being paid.

A BDO Spicers staff member visited the Christchurch plant in Sydenham yesterday.

Banker Westpac has appointed BDO Spicers as the receiver-manager of the textile manufacturer.

Tubbs said receivers now had full control over the businesses.

The LWR operations were unprofitable and the company had incurred a substantial increase in bank debt, said receivers Brian Mayo-Smith and Stephen Tubbs, partners in BDO Spicers. .

Christchurch businessman Ken Anderson bought LWR in 2001, and subsidiary Pod in 2007.

Pod comprised fabric-maker Designer Textiles International, clothing designer and manufacturer Michele Ann, and Mollers Homewares, all in Auckland.

LWR has hosiery and garment factories in Christchurch; garment manufacturers in Greytown and Pahiatua; a sock factory in Timaru and a sports apparel factory in Brisbane.

“These operations will be ring-fenced under a dedicated board and management structure reporting to the receivers.

“Information available up to this point would appear to indicate that the Pod operations are profitable and cash positive,” Tubbs said.

More information was needed about the LWR businesses before receivers could take action or make decisions about the company’s operations.”

Chief executive Malcolm Walkinshaw and chief financial officer George Gin would remain and receivers understood the bank would provide extra finance to ensure Pod’s short-term liquidity and flexibility.

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In November, LWR Industries made 60 staff redundant, citing lack of export demand, but said the business was profitable.

“What we can be sure of is that the decision to appoint receivers has not been taken lightly it has become unavoidable through a significant deterioration in the overall financial position of the LWR businesses,” Tubbs said.

Staff had been told the business would continue to operate, but were not told what would happen in the long-term, she said.

A staff member, who did not want to be named, said she was still in shock and the announcement had not yet sunk in.

Anderson also owns Champions of the World, and, with son Mark, Stirling Sports.

National Distribution Union secretary of the clothing and textiles sector Maxine Gay asked that receivers work with it and workers to salvage the operation.

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The Government would consider a request to increase New Zealand’s military commitment to Afghanistan if it is made when Foreign Minister Murray McCully meets US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, Prime Minister John Key said today.

Mr McCully is in Washington and is due to meet Secretary Clinton early Wednesday morning (NZT).

He said the talks would be wide-ranging and he expected there would be a discussion about Afghanistan because the Obama administration had made it clear it wanted Nato and other countries to increase their commitments.

Mr Key said it would be the first high-level discussion between President Barack Obama’s new administration and the New Zealand Government.

“They won’t get an answer then and there,” he said. .”

Mr Key announced in February that New Zealand’s military commitment was being rolled over by a year to September 2010 at a cost of $41.

“We will consider their request and that’s about the best I can say.

He said at the time that the situation in Afghanistan required an ongoing international programme of security and development assistance.5 million.

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New Zealand’s elite Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers operated in Afghanistan until 2006.

New Zealand’s commitment includes:

* Deployment of the provincial reconstruction team of up to 140 Defence Force personnel in Bamyan Province;

* Deployment of up to five NZDF personnel to various operation headquarters in Afghanistan;

* One military officer with the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan;

* Up to two medical specialists serving in the south of Afghanistan; and

* Up to two NZDF NCOs working with the UK to provide training for the Afghan Army.

One of them, Corporal Willie Apiata, was awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery in action and the unit was presented with a US Presidential Citation.

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A man who sexually attacked two English tourists in their campervan north of Gisborne last year grabbed both women by their hair and asked them if they wanted to live or die.

He threatened to take them “for a drive” and they both believed they were going to be killed, police told Gisborne District Court.

He was convicted and remanded in custody for sentencing on June 3.

The 29-year-old Tokomaru Bay man, who has name suppression, yesterday pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection on August 29.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Dave Walker said the two women parked their campervan on a beach lay-by at Tokomaru Bay, 90km north of Gisborne, about 7.

His victims were two 19-year-old English university students who were touring New Zealand.

During a walk, they found a function was being held at the United Sports Club clubrooms and, believing it was a tavern, they went in.30pm on the night of August 28.

The man who later attacked them was present, but did not speak to the women, the court was told.

Local residents freely conversed with them and bought them drinks, Mr Walker said.50pm.

The women returned to their campervan about 11.

When it was made clear that they wanted to go to bed, he entered their van.

Shortly afterwards, their attacker pulled up next to them in his car, turned off the lights and engine, and conversed with one of the women through the back sliding door of the campervan.

He grabbed both women by their hair, asked them if they wanted to live or die, and threatened to take them “for a drive”.

A very large man, he pinned down the two slightly-built tourists with his body and kissed them and sexually attacked them.

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Later that morning the man was told by a friend that two tourists had been attacked.

One woman pleaded for their lives, Mr Walker said.

When initially questioned by police, he admitted being at the clubrooms but denied attacking the women.

He became concerned about washing his clothes and later shaved off his goatee beard and cropped his hair, the court was told.

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