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‘Oh my god, the Gaza Strip has come to Invercargill’
By EVAN HARDING – Thursday, 15 January 2009
JOHN HAWKINS/
SHOCKED AND HURT: Israeli nationals Natalie Bennie, left, and Tamara Shefa, with Mrs Bennie’s two children Noah, 2, and Ella, 4, were told to leave Mevlana Cafe in Invercargill because they were from Israel. .
Sisters Natalie Bennie and Tamara Shefa were upset after being booted out of the Mevlana Cafe in Esk St by owner Mustafa Tekinkaya.
Two women were shocked after being kicked out of an Invercargill cafe yesterday because they come from Israel.
"He heard us speaking Hebrew and he asked us where we were from.
They chose to eat at Mevlana Cafe because it had a play area for Mrs Bennie's two children, but they were told to leave before they had ordered any food, Mrs Bennie said. It was shocking. I said Israel and he said `get out, I am not serving you'.
"I have decided as a protest not to serve Israelis until the war stops."
Mr Tekinkaya, who is Muslim and from Turkey, said he was making his own protest against Israel because it was killing innocent babies and women in the Gaza Strip.
His stance was supported by neighbouring Turkish Kebabs shop owner Ali Uzun, who said he was also refusing to serve Israelis."
He said he had nothing against Israeli people but if any more came into his shop they would also be told to leave, and he was not concerned if he lost business.
"I just don't think I should be declined service because I am from Israel.
Mrs Bennie said she did not disagree that Israel was committing crimes against children.
"I wouldn't mind having a chat to him."
She had rung the Human Rights Commission and was told the cafe owner's actions were against the law because he was discriminating on the basis of ethnicity.
Ms Shefa is visiting Mrs Bennie at her Makarewa home, on the outskirts of Invercargill, where she lives with her New Zealand husband and two children. Someone has to put him in his place," Mrs Bennie said.
Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt was shocked when told of the incident.
Both women said they had travelled widely, and to places much more hostile than New Zealand, but had never been treated in such a way. Hell's bells.
"Oh my god, the Gaza Strip has come to Invercargill.
"Generally speaking I am against all wars and I suppose people have got a right to protest."
He said he was bewildered. It would have been upsetting for the women and I feel sympathy for them. It would have been upsetting for the women and I feel sympathy for them."
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Neighbour rescues duo from Wellington fire
By MICHAEL FOX – Wednesday, 24 December 2008
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SMOKING: The house which went on fire in Camperdown Road in Miramar, Wellington.
Two people are lucky to be alive after they were dragged from their blazing home in the Wellington suburb of Miramar earlier today.
Wellington Fire Service spokesman Mike Wanoa said the pair were pulled to safety by a neighbour who entered the house before fire engines arrived.
Neighbours reported the fire to the Fire Service around 11am today after seeing smoke coming out of the door, Mr Wanoa said.
One person was admitted to hospital suffering from burns and smoke inhalation while the condition of the second person is unknown.
Five fire engines were needed to combat the blaze, though it is unclear at this stage how it started.
One neighbour had earlier unsuccessfully tried to alert the occupants by banging on the door.
Mr Wanoa said the house was “well damaged”.
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Hero pup saves the day
By MICHELLE LOTTER – Tuesday, 02 December 2008
TO THE RESCUE: Hearing dog Milu has made owner Gia Hoblyn proud with his rescue of an elderly woman trapped in a lift.
Cries for help coming from an elevator isn’t the usual sound hearing dog Milu responds to.
But luckily for an elderly woman stuck inside, Milu the miniature poodle came to the rescue.
On hearing the woman’s cries for help, Milu pawed Ms Hoblyn, which is the signal trained hearing dogs give when they hear a sound that they want their owner to respond to.
His profoundly deaf owner Gia Hoblyn who volunteers at the Hearing Dog office in Takapuna, was alerted to the situation by her dog.
But giving into Milu’s persistence, she opened the lift to find a woman who was upset after not being able to get out.
Thinking Milu wanted to go toilet, Ms Hoblyn was frustrated when Milu stopped at the lifts rather than follow their usual route downstairs, she says.
Ms Hoblyn cannot get over her admiration for 11-year-old Milu who has not been trained to respond to others’ cries for help."
Ms Hoblyn and her "super doggie" have been a team for almost seven years.
"Because of his smart, quick thinking and brilliant training he was a star and rescued the lady.
Hearing Dogs are trained to respond to sounds like smoke alarms, door knocks or door bells, fax and telephone rings, alarm clocks, baby monitors and oven timers.
Milu’s help allows the Takapuna resident to "feel safe and more independent".hearingdogs.
Visit the website www.org.org.
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Duck causes flap and crash
By MICHELLE DUFF – Manawatu Standard Wednesday, 26 November 2008
MURRAY WILSON/Manawatu Standard
DUCK SWERVER: A two-vehicle smash on Palmerston North’s Centennial Drive was thought to have been caused when a car swerved to avoid squashing a duck and her ducklings. .
A mallard duck that led her ducklings into the path of an oncoming car is thought to have been the cause of a two-car smash on Centennial Drive in Palmerston North yesterday. Inset: file picture of ducks.15am, causing a car to swerve into an oncoming Honda Odyssey van.
The duck crossed the road about 9.
Both drivers were unhurt.
The impact rolled the van and sent it spinning sideways down the road, with the male driver escaping out of the driver's side window.
Constable Brendon Ross said the woman car driver had lost control after trying to avoid the duck. The duck is also believed to have been unscathed.
"As you can see it's a people mover but no kids, thankfully.
The van took the full brunt of the crash, so it was lucky there were no kids in the back seat, he said."
Speed was not a factor, and it was too early to say if charges would be laid. He popped straight out the window with just a grazed arm, which is pretty amazing, but I guess that's what happens when you have your seatbelt on.
"I got out of the way, then jumped out and ran over to him – I thought it was going to be pretty bad.
A student on his way to Massey University got a shock when the van flipped and began careening down the road towards him. I was like 'are you all right, are you all right,' and he was like 'yeah, yeah'. He just popped his head up through the door.
"Don't swerve, slow down if you can, but if it's too dangerous run over them."
Detective Sergeant Tim Moffatt said care should be taken to avoid animals on the road, but if you couldn't stop safely, hitting them was better than hitting another person. Don't swerve to hit them, either. I'm not advocating killing them, I'm saying don't swerve to avoid them."
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Call to rein in rodeo protesters
– Saturday, 15 November 2008
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STATEMENT: a helicopter flies past a banner protesting against tonight’s rodeo in Christchurch.
A rodeo promoter has hit out at animal rights campaigners lobbying Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker to ban rodeos.
Rodeo promoter Craig Douglas yesterday rubbished Safe's claims that rodeos were cruel.
The International Rodeo will be held in Christchurch today, but Save Animals From Exploitation (Safe) is urging Parker to follow the Auckland City Council's lead and ban rodeos on its land.
"I have been battling this for a couple of years," Douglas said.
He said only the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (Nawac) or the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had any authority in the matter."
The rodeo had to meet Nawac guidelines and was inspected by SPCA officers to ensure the welfare of the animals involved.
"Why we are not listening to (Nawac or the SPCA) I don't know.
"This is no pony ride, we are not here with a couple of sheep mucking around.
"We spend $400,000 a year putting this together.
The Auckland City Council banned rodeos on its land this year after a submission from Safe, which says rodeo animals are tormented into behaviour such as bucking." Nearly all of the 8000 seats in the Westpac Arena had been sold ahead of tonight's event.
Safe launched a campaign yesterday in which a light plane flew a banner over Christchurch calling for a council ban on rodeos.
Although the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals had voiced its disapproval of rodeos in the past, it said they were legal if they complied with animal welfare guidelines. .
Safe campaign director Hans Kriek said he had asked for a meeting with Parker to try to persuade him to take action.
Douglas has sent tickets to tonight's event to Parker, who said he was interested in attending.
Tight flank straps and spurs goaded rodeo animals into bucking and caused them distress, he said.
It was for bodies such as the SPCA to make judgments on animal welfare.
"I am interested in seeing for myself," he said.
. "If those bodies say there's no problem with the way the animals are treated then it seems to me that it would be a ridiculous situation if the council turned around and said: `There's a group of people against this and we shouldn't do it'," Parker said
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‘She was ugly and didn’t listen’ – Nia’s mum
The Saturday, 01 November 2008
Lisa Kuka, Nia Glassie's mother, was overheard at Starship children's hospital in Auckland telling a phone caller from Australia that she had seen Nia being picked up and thrown against a wall, a court has been told.
Crown witness Robyn Armstrong, an intensive care unit ward clerk, gave evidence during the murder trial in the High Court at Rotorua yesterday. She said that she took a call from Australia for Kuka at the hospital, two days after Nia was admitted in a coma.
"Lisa said [to the caller] `hang on a minute, it wasn't me'.
Under examination by prosecutor Amanda Gordon, Mrs Armstrong said she heard "someone yelling on the other end of the phone".. She then said: `I saw it happen … I saw it . I was there… He put her head between his legs and hit her head on the floor three times and then threw her . ..
Panama Le'au'anae, Kuka's lawyer, asked Mrs Armstrong if she was not mistaken."
Neither the caller, nor the person who allegedly harmed Nia, were identified by name in court. "Lisa spoke clearly, calmly and quite loud. Mrs Armstrong said she was not.. I was profoundly affected by what I heard . there's no way I was mistaken..
Earlier witness Nicole Kuka, Lisa Kuka's adult niece, said she discussed Nia's injuries with accused Oriwa Kemp at Starship on July 23, the next day Nia was admitted."
Mrs Armstrong said she later made notes on what she had heard and gave them to police.
The trial continues next week with evidence from medical specialists and forensic experts.
The trial continues next week with evidence from medical specialists and forensic experts.
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Schools add business skills to the three Rs
Thursday, 30 October 2008
Schools are being urged to teach business skills and the value of enterprise to equip pupils for the business world.
Along with literacy and numeracy, the Education Ministry wants schools to include a business focus in lessons to make school leavers more business savvy.
Programmes are already under way in which secondary school pupils form their own registered companies, come up with products, implement a marketing plan to sell them and make a profit.
A Retirement Commission pilot project, introduced this year, aims to have finance skills taught in all schools by 2010 to help address New Zealand's poor savings record and mounting credit card debt.
Some hope to sell what they have come up with to businesses.
"The curriculum these days has got to be less about faithfully reproducing things that are given to [pupils], and more about applying their knowledge using problem solving creatively.
Ministry curriculum group manager Mary Chamberlain said the new focus on enterprise and entrepreneurship would better prepare young people for the world of business."
Reading, writing and mathematics was important, she said."
The ministry, Trade and Enterprise and the Enterprise New Zealand Trust will stage the first Enterprising Students Week in Wellington from Monday. .
"From primary through to secondary schools, there are now superb opportunities for young people to get involved in business programmes and activities," Ms Chamberlain said.
The five-day forum will showcase programmes already combining business skills in schools and include hundreds of business leaders, educators, government officials and pupils."
Business New Zealand chief executive Phil O'Reilly said the new focus would produce more business-capable school leavers and a better understanding of the business world.
"These programmes highlight just how resourceful and business-savvy young Kiwis are.
"This is not about trying to make mini entrepreneurs out of students.
"This is not about trying to make mini entrepreneurs out of students."
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"To have that better understanding is likely to make them better citizens