Politicized scientists are worth their weight in gold, traditional scientists are two-a-penny , which is why science-for-hire is now big business. Rain making is back in business, falling standards of scientific integrity are just an …
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Australian Survey of Scientists: Quick speak up while you can …
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An ailing Filipina mother of two New Zealand-born children has been told she must leave the country as a result of her illness, a move her Kiwi husband says will “sign her death warrant”.
Immigration New Zealand has turned down the residency application of Evangeline Acero Stanners and ordered her to leave when her work permit expires in January – despite her husband being a New Zealander, The New Zealand Herald reported.
“If I have to leave my children, I know it might be the last time that I will see them, ever,” she said.
Mrs Stanners, who lives in Christchurch with her husband and children, aged two and six months, was diagnosed with advanced kidney disease during her second pregnancy last year.
“Immigration is tearing our family apart. .”
Immigration has been told Mrs Stanners has only 15 per cent kidney function and will need either a transplant or dialysis. If I have to go back to the Philippines, I am surely going to die – I’d rather die with my family beside me.
Mrs Stanners was “likely to impose significant costs or demands on New Zealand’s health services”, Immigration said.
A New Zealand citizen or resident can sponsor a spouse or partner for residency, subject to meeting health requirements.
Wigram MP Jim Anderton has written to Associate Immigration Minister Kate Wilkinson requesting a medical waiver.
Husband Richard Stanners said dialysis treatment would cost about $65,000 a year and sending his wife to the Philippines would “be as good as signing her death warrant”.
Ms Wilkinson said she would look into the matter but “could not guarantee a favourable outcome”.
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The wreck of sunken Tongan ferry Princess Ashika has been found but is in water too deep to dive, Tongan Police Commander Chris Kelley says.
He told a press conference that a combined Tonga, Australia and New Zealand dive team found the boat at 11am using sonar.
He said it “fits the general size and shape of the missing ship.
“It appears to be intact, in an upright position at a depth of 110 metres,” Kelley said.”
It is 11 nautical miles south southwest of Nomuka in Ha’apai.
“It is important to realise that nobody on board could still be alive.
That is too deep for Australian or New Zealand divers to reach, meaning the 93 bodies – many believed to be trapped inside – may never be reached.”
Kelley said the team had not visually confirmed the identity of the vessel but “we have a high level of confidence it is the Princess Ashika.
Dive tender HMNZS Manawanui will arrive in Nuku’alofa on Saturday with a deep diving remote operated vehicle.”
Due to bad weather the operation has now been suspended and the forecast is not good for the next couple of days.
The Tongan ferry sank a week ago with atleast 149 peopleaboard.
“This underwater vehicle will provide images that will give 100 percent certainty to the identity of the vessel,” Kelley said. They include 33 women and 10 children who were sleeping on the lower indoor decks.Two bodies and 54 survivors have been found, while the 93 missing are presumed drowned.Yesterday a combined Tongan Navy, New Zealand Navy and Australian Navy operation located a rope floating which led to the wreck.Yesterday a combined Tongan Navy, New Zealand Navy and Australian Navy operation located a rope floating which led to the wreck.
Meanwhile, the Tongan Legislative Assembly has formed a select committee to begin examining legislation around a royal commission to examine the ferry disaster.
This will provide an increased search and diving capability to the operation.
NOT SEAWORTHY
A surveyor in charge of carrying out checks on the Tongan ferry Princess Ashika has saidthe craft was not seaworthy.
Its members include King George Tupou V’s younger brother, who was a former prime minister and who is known as “His Serene Highness” Prince Tu’ipelehake.
.Mosese Fakatoa, who teaches at the Tongan Maritime School, told 3News the boat was not seaworthy and that he never had a chance to finish his report on it
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Miley Cyrus rode a wave of success at the Teen Choice Awards.
The teen queen sailed away with six surfboard-shaped trophies at Sunday’s ceremony. Cyrus won for comedy TV actress and comedy TV show for “Hannah Montana,” music/dance movie actress and hissy fit for the “Hannah Montana” movie, music single for “The Climb” and summer song for “Before the Storm.
“I’m a huge fans of hers,” Cyrus said before a subdued Spears accepted her own surfboard.”
She also presented Britney Spears with the ultimate choice award.
Show hosts the Jonas Brothers kicked off the ceremony by performing “Much Better” on a tiny stage that moved through the audience. .
They won five awards, including choice male red carpet icons and breakout TV show for “Jonas.”
“We’ll see you guys in theaters Nov.”
The biggest winner of the night was vampire drama “Twilight,” which sucked up nine movie awards: choice drama, romance, liplock, rumble, drama actress for Kristen Stewart, drama actor for Robert Pattinson, villain for Cam Gigandet, fresh face female for Ashley Greene and fresh face male for Taylor Lautner, who will also appear in the upcoming sequel, “New Moon.
Other big winners included “Gossip Girl” and Zac Efron. 20,” Lautner teased the squealing crowd.”
Spears – who performed at the annual event on Sunday night – was presented with the Ultimate Choice Award for her “extraordinary contributions to the entertainment industry”. Chace Crawford, Leighton Meester and Ed Westwick picked up drama actor, actress, villain and TV series awards for the sudsy CW series while Efron won for music/dance movie actor in “High School Musical 3″ and comedy movie actor and rockstar moment in “17 Again.
Britney’s performance will mark 10 years since the first Teen Choice Awards in 1999, where Britney – who is currently on a break from her world tour – was one of the performers.
Britney’s performance will mark 10 years since the first Teen Choice Awards in 1999, where Britney – who is currently on a break from her world tour – was one of the performers.
Retired boxer Mike Tyson – currently starring in the movie The Hangover – also attended.
The ceremony at Universal City’s Gibson Amphitheatre in California – will also feature appearances from Black Eyed Peas, Miley Cyrus and Cobra Starship with Leighton Meester.
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Homes across Melbourne have been raided and arrests made in a joint counter-terrorism operation reportedly targeting Islamic suicide bombers.
Victoria Police and the Australian Federal Police swooped on homes in Glenroy, Carlton, Meadow Heights, Roxburgh Park, Broadmeadows, Westmeadows, Preston, Epping and Colac at about 4.
More than 400 officers from the Australian Federal Police (AFP), Victoria Police, NSW Police, the NSW Crime Commission and Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) were involved in the operation.30am earlier today, executing19 search warrants.
Police have set up a crime scene at the corner of View and Glen streets, Glenroy, in Melbourne’s north.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said there had been a number of arrests, butwould not say how many.
It said the raids involved a suspected terrorist cell of Australian nationals of Somali and Lebanese backgrounds.
The Australian newspaper earlier today reported that national security agencies had uncovered a plot by Islamic extremists to launch a suicide attack on an Australian army base, which was understood to be Holsworthy Barracks on Sydney’s western outskirts.
It also said the cell had been inspired by the Somalia-based terrorist movement al-Shabaab, which had connections with al-Qaeda.
The report said members of the group had been observed carrying out surveillance at the army base and other suspicious activity around defence bases in Victoria.
“It is understood the men plan to kill as many soldiers as possible before they are themselves killed.
“Authorities believe the group is at an advanced stage of preparing to storm an Australian army base, using automatic weapons, as punishment for Australia’s military involvment in Muslim countries, ” the Australian said in its unsourced report.
An AFP spokeswoman earlier today confirmed its officers had joined the raids.”
The investigation, dubbed Operation Health, involving 150 members of the AFP, Victoria Police and ASIO, was launched in January, the report said.
The spokeswoman said more information would be available later earlier today.
”The AFP and Victoria Police can confirm the execution of a number of search warrants earlier today as part of a joint counter-terrorism operation,” she said. .
She was unable to confirm the News Ltd report
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The Government will not be pressured by the United States to send the Special Air Service (SAS) back to Afghanistan, Prime Minister John Key says.
The US has put more pressure on its allies to boost their contribution in Afghanistan and has warned New Zealand through its Nato ambassador that it should fight as a “partner and ally” in case it ever needs US military support.
Ambassador Ivo Daalder told a New Zealand journalist visiting Afghanistan that New Zealand should be fighting the Taleban and should consider its relations not just with the US, but with other allies such as Australia. Wouldn’t it be good for a country like Holland or Canada or Slovakia or the US to be there?” Daalder said.
“God forbid there be a threat directly to New Zealand.
Daalder had merely been stressing that members of the international community needed to support one another, she said.
A spokeswoman for the US embassy in Wellington said the US had been at pains not to pressure any of its allies over Afghanistan.
“We understand that this is a decision for the New Zealand Government and for New Zealanders,” she said.
“I think you’ve got to take those comments with a grain of salt,” Key said.
Key said yesterday that Daalder’s comments were “a little gung-ho”, and New Zealand would make its own decisions.
“I’m reasonably relaxed about the comments that are being made. “It’s quite clear the Americans have asked all of their Nato and ISAF [International Security Assistance Force] partners to contribute greater effort to Afghanistan to stabilise the position there.”
Asked what he meant, Key said: “Well, only in the sense that read the wrong way they could be implied as putting pressure on New Zealand. They are a little gung-ho, but I’m reasonably relaxed about it. .”
He said the Cabinet would decide on whether to send the SAS back to Afghanistan by mid-August, “but that decision will be made in what we deem to be the best interests of New Zealand”. Whatever decision we make has to be made here in New Zealand,” he said. “We are able to say `no’. They are the people entitled to that answer, not anybody else.
“I answer to the New Zealand public.
“Whether we agree or not is something Cabinet has to consider, but my view is I am somewhat sympathetic to the position on the basis that we send New Zealanders all around the world and they are in harm’s way,” he said.”
Key said he was sympathetic to the US request. I can’t see how that is in New Zealand’s best interests. “What is the counter-factual? If the world doesn’t get on top of the position in Afganistan, the counter-factual is it becomes an even bigger hotbed for global terrorism.”
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Wild weekend weather continued to cause havoc today with part of State Highway 10 in the Far North collapsing under the weight of a major landslide.
Police were alerted to the slip when a truck close toly rolled off the road about 6am, Senior Sergeant Shane Mulcahy of northern police communications said.
Drivers in Otago and South Canterbury were being warned to take care this morning as black ice made travelling treacherous.
The highway was now closed and roading authorities were making their way to the scene.
The MetService has also issued a snow warning for the Rimutaka Hill Rd north of Wellington.
Snow and ice also closed SH1 at the Desert Road, and a snow warning remained in place. However there was still expected to be icy patches on the Desert Rd.
It said light snow was possible this morning on both roads but said little if any snow was expected to accumulate.
The deep low that brought the severe weather was expected to move slowly away from the country this morning, the MetService said. .
A strong wind warning has also been lifted for eastern parts of the Bay of Plenty, with gales easing though gusty southerlies expected to ease during the day.
It has since lifted a heavy rain warning Gisborne, with only around 25mm of rain expected by midnight.
Gusty southerlies which have buffeted Taupo are to settle gradually while heavy rain is no longer predicted in Napier.
The weather is also expected to ease around Taupo and Hawke’s Bay.
GIRL KILLED
The severe weather claimed the life of 15-year-old Danielle Anne Finlayson, who was killed early yesterday morning when a tree fell on a caravan she was sleeping in, at her home in Whangapara, 23km northwest of Whangarei.
However, rain is still forecast to fall in the ranges north of Napier.
Danielle was with two friends when the incident happened at 12.
Authorities who rushed to the scene said the incident could have resulted in a triple fatality.
Veteran volunteer fire brigade chief Snow Buckton told The New Zealand Herald it appeared a branch from a large puriri tree crashed into the caravan where Danielle was sleeping after the tree and a tree hut were blown over.50am.
“I was thinking how lucky, I suppose, if you want to call it that, that we didn’t go to a triple fatality,” he said. Danielle was crushed under the branch and died almost immediately but the two friends escaped. There was nothing we could do to help save her,” he said.
“Obviously the family, (on our) arrival, were quite devastated.
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Lawyers for John Campbell and four other TV3 staff today argued in court they should not be summonsed as witnesses in a possible trial of two men charged with stealing bravery medals from the Waiouru Army Museum.
Police want the High Court to compel Campbell and fellow journalists Ingrid Leary, Carol Hirschfeld, Hannah Story and Zoe Duffy to reveal the identity of an informant they interviewed in February 2008, around the time that 96 medals stolen from the museum in December 2007 were returned.
Today’s hearing before chief high court judge Tony Randerson debated the application of a law which means journalists do not have to reveal their sources, unless there was a clear public interest.
The interview, in which an informant confessed to being involved in the burglary, was subsequently re-shot and broadcast with an actor delivering the lines.
Journalists had an important public watchdog role and that included talking to people who had important information to reveal but who would feel compromised if their identity was revealed, he said. .
As a fallback position, Mr Miles said the testimony was not necessary as prosecutors already had enough information to put the accused before a court.
Forcing the TV3 staff to testify would have a chilling effect, stopping people in such cases in future coming forward with important information, Mr Miles said.”
Mr Miles rejected suggestions the law was more to protect whistleblowers who went to media rather than people who may be admitting to a crime, saying the right to protect sources should only be overturned in extremely serious cases.
“If the Crown already has a case it thinks is good enough to put before a jury, it doesn’t need this top-up.
“This is not a case where the media is carrying out the function of being public watchdog, which is reason we have this protection in the first place,” he said.
But police lawyer Lance Rowe disagreed, saying the law was put in place to protect whistleblowers more than any other groups.
He said that under the law journalists could never promise absolute confidentiality to a source “unless they’re also promising to go to prison for contempt of court”.
“What is it exactly that’s being protected here?”
Mr Rowe said that the revealing of the identity of the person TV3 interviewed could play a major part in the prosecution and was therefore in the public interest.
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Mr Miles said TV3 was prepared to hand over transcripts of both the original interview with the informant and of the “interview” with the actor that was eventually broadcast
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ACT MP David Garrett’s explanation of the lewd remark he made to a woman staff member has landed him in trouble with the Tongan Law Society.
The first term MP has been reprimanded by ACT leader Rodney Hide for the remark he made to the staff member in the party’s parliamentary office and has apologised for it.”
Mr Garrett has worked in Tonga as a lawyer, and has a practice there.
But when he was explaining his plight on TV One’s Q&A programme on Sunday, he said this: “I now understand very clearly that the kind of thing that might have been okay in a law firm in Tonga is not okay in Parliament.
It said the Tongan Law Society’s executive committee would meet tomorrow to decide what action to take over it.
TV One reported tonight the Tongan legal community was upset about his remark and one prominent lawyer had made an official complaint to New Zealand’s High Commissioner.
Labour MP Carmel Sepuloni called on Mr Garrett to apologise to the Tongan community.
Mr Hide’s office said tonight the ACT leader was aware concerns had been expressed by the Tongan legal community. .
“The comment has angered members of the Tongan community in New Zealand as well, and rightly so given he appears to be suggesting that what may be considered sexual harassment here is an acceptable practice in Tonga,” Ms Sepuloni said.”
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A sex shop advertisement featuring a group of churchgoers has caused more agony than ecstasy for the Catholic Church. . Three have their eyes closed, hands clasped, praying but the fourth, a woman, is smiling and below her is a tagline describing a sexual aid and its price.Vice designer sex gear, four parishioners are pictured in a church.
“It is an insult to anyone who recognises a church as a sacred gathering place for believers in God and a place of prayer.
Wellington Catholic Archbishop John Dew said it was “unnecessary and distasteful” to associate a church with a sex shop device.Vice director Wendy Lee said the campaign and billboard in Cable St, Wellington, was meant to make people laugh and was not intended to offend.”
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The Advertising Standards Authority said there had been no complaints about the billboard. The firm’s marketing spokesperson, Rene Bros, said the campaign showed people thinking about sex while doing everyday tasks such as ironing, going to the bank or attending church.
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