The week that was: October 20-24

Stuff.co.nz takes a look at some of the stories that made the news this week.

Click to jump to National News, World News, Sport, Business News, Entertainment News, Stuff's Picks of the Week, Blogs.

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NATIONAL NEWS

Drunken youths pelt town's lone police officer
A lone police officer was forced to abandon an arrest and take shelter in his car after being pelted with bottles by drunken teenagers.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4732662a11.html

Survey comes with a threat
Thousands of Kiwis are being forced to divulge personal details for a compulsory eight-year government survey, or face a criminal conviction and fine.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4732712a11.html

Teacher played 'slavery' game with boys, court told
An Invercargill primary school teacher accused of performing indecent acts on two boys played "slavery" games with them while on his farm, a jury was told.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4734518a11.html

Stolen war medals blessed at ceremony
Ninety-six stolen war medals were welcomed on to the NZ Army's marae in Waiouru in emotional ceremony, which included police and family members of the war heroes honoured.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4734500a11.html

Raid on zoo's rare reptiles
Four unusual lizards stolen in a smash-and-grab at Hamilton Zoo could be destined for the black market.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4734741a11.html

Former care workers in masturbation claim
A group of former Nelson support workers has sparked official complaints and investigations after alleging they were ordered to help intellectually impaired people in their care to masturbate.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4734844a11.html

Pig cell transplants approved
Health Minister David Cunliffe has approved a clinical trial involving the transplantation of pig cells into humans.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4734603a20475.html

Police took Nia on day of fatal kick
Police removed Nia Glassie from her home earlier on the day the three-year-old was kicked in the head in the final act of abuse that caused her death, a jury has been told.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4735150a11.html

Woman found 'hanging from powerlines'
A woman who was found seriously injured after receiving an electric shock in Nelson had broken into a locked power substation.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4735706a11.html

MP criticised for 'foolish' racial comments
National MP Lockwood Smith regrets causing any offence after saying Asians have small hands that make them more productive and Pacific workers need to be taught to use toilets and showers.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/vote08/4735799a28435.html

Drug debt claim in hostage standoff
A woman shot and killed by police after an armed hostage standoff had burst into a Whangarei Vodafone store and told staff one of them "owes me money for drugs", a witness said. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4737541a11.html

Missing man was facing drug charges
A Saudi Arabian man believed to have drowned in the Waikato River faced deportation if found guilty of drug charges he was facing.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4738406a11.html

Reid gave alibi to police
Murder-accused Liam Reid told police he was buying drugs on the morning Emma Agnew disappeared, a court heard.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4738299a11.html

 * Click here to take this week's national news quiz.

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WORLD NEWS

McCain accuses Obama of helping poor
US presidential candidate John McCain has compared Barack Obama to socialist leaders in Europe, saying his rival wants to raise taxes on the wealthy to give money to the poor. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4732566a12.html

Thieves target French president's bank account
Hackers got into French President Nicolas Sarkozy's bank account after managing to get hold of his bank details.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4733487a4560.html

'I was ordered to shoot down UFO'
An American jet fighter pilot has spoken of the day he was scrambled to try to shoot down a UFO in British airspace more than 50 years ago.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4733748a4560.html

Israeli website brands Pope with Nazi swastika
A photograph of Pope Benedict emblazoned with a superimposed Nazi swastika has appeared on an Israeli website run by self-proclaimed supporters of the governing Kadima party. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4734748a12.html

Osama bin Laden 'liked a hug'
It wasn't until explosions and bullets erupted, heralding the arrival of Osama bin Laden into the mountain camp, that something clicked.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4735048a12.html

Sex shop body spreads tainted with melamine
Chocolate-flavored body spreads sold in British sex shops have been found to be tainted with melamine, the chemical that made thousands of babies ill in China.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4734737a4560.html

Black vote key for Obama victory
Black Americans could vote in record numbers for US presidential candidate Barack Obama, potentially giving him an edge in some states that are tightly contested with rival John McCain. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4737377a12.html

McCain asks Russian envoy for money
John McCain's election campaign has solicited a financial contribution from Russia's UN envoy - but a McCain spokesman said it was a mistake.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4736000a4560.html

North Korea says reports on Kim's health are false
North Korea's state media says that recent news reports about its leader Kim Jong-il's health were false, in their first direct comment on the reclusive ruler's suspected illness. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4738180a12.html

Australian snake spoils fashion contest fun
A woman voted best-dressed at an Australian fashion contest couldn't collect her prize after she was bitten by a deadly snake.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4733686a4560.html

* Click here to take this week's world news quiz.

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SPORT

Airport joke lands top Kiwi golfer in rough
Golfing sensation Danny Lee could face police charges after an incident at Auckland airport as he left with the New Zealand team for the Eisenhower Trophy.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4736348a1823.html

England produce rival to Dan Carter
England has countered All Blacks star Dan Carter by, well, producing its own Dan Carter. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4735136a1823.html

New All Black 'to back up McCaw'
Richie McCaw's All Blacks backup No 7 will be an uncapped player with Taranaki's Scott Waldrom and Bay of Plenty's Tanerau Latimer the prime contenders.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4732674a1823.html

ABs to contest new 'Hillary Shield'
New Zealand and English rugby are honouring the late Sir Edmund Hillary by contesting a new trophy in his name on the All Blacks tour of the United Kingdom in November. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4737148a1823.html

Black Caps facing huge battle to beat Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan covered Daniel Vettori's every move to guide Bangladesh into a potentially match-winning position after day three of the first cricket test against New Zealand in Chittagong last night. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4732488a1823.html

Team NZ becalmed over latest Alinghi plan
Team New Zealand will have internal discussions before responding to America's Cup yachting defenders Alinghi's proposal to hold the next multi-challenger regatta in 2010. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4737283a1823.html

Ex-All Blacks set to become Harbour bosses
The news for North Harbour rugby fans is all gold with the Air New Zealand Cup team's new preferred coaching set-up likely to include All Blacks legend Jeff "Goldie" Wilson. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4732394a1823.html

Kangaroos fear Benji ambush
Kangaroos playmakers Johnathan Thurston and Scott Prince will be putting pressure on one another throughout the World Cup, hoping to unseat the other.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4733313a1823.html

It's players' hearts that count
There are just two words for sports fans sniggering behind their hands at the proliferation of strident Australian accents in the Rugby League World Cup teams: Sivivatu and Rokocoko. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4735896a1823.html

* Click here to take the weekly sport quiz.

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BUSINESS NEWS

Contact shareholders let rip at 'snouts in trough'
Contact Energy directors have buckled under pressure from shareholders, canning at the last minute a plan to double their combined fees to $1.5 million.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4737516a13.html

Banks quick to lower rates
Mortgage and deposit rates are coming down sharply, after the cut in the official cash rate by 1 percent. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4737537a13.html

Greenspan 'shocked' at credit carnage
Former US Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has told Congress he was "shocked" at the breakdown in US credit markets, saying he was "partially" wrong to resist regulation of some securities. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4738037a28898.html

Interest rate cut welcomed
The move by the Reserve Bank to slash interest rates by an unprecedented 1 percentage point is being widely welcomed amid continuing global financial turmoil.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4736939a13.html

ANZ holds steady in turmoil
ANZ National Bank has reported a profit of $1.16 billion after tax for the year to September, down only slightly from last year, underlining the strength of the New Zealand banking sector. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4737543a13.html

Oil explorer talks up potential
Tiny Canadian exploration company Trans-Orient Petroleum says there could be a massive 12.6 billion barrels of oil in shale rocks on the East Coast, but an oil industry group says that a commercial discovery is "no sure thing".
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4736337a13.html

Inflation hits 18-year high
The Consumers Price Index surged 1.5 percent in the September quarter, bringing the rate of annual inflation to 5.1 percent. That is the highest since June 1990 when the figures were affected by an increase in goods and services tax.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4734703a13.html

Interbank lending, stimulus provide hope
Interbank lending has emerged from the deep freeze and Fed chairman Ben Bernanke has given his blessing to a second US government stimulus package, providing hope the world's financial crisis may be easing.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4734589a28898.html

BNZ profit rises 9pc
BNZ has reported an underlying profit of $657 million after tax for the year to September 2008 - a 9 percent increase on the previous year.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4734788a13.html

Scheme 'has to benefit economy'
Banks must be made to give an assurance that they will not shut off lending to New Zealand business if they are given a government guarantee over wholesale funding, KPMG banking expert Godfrey Boyce says.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4733920a13.html

* Click here to take the weekly business quiz.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Katy Perry takes the cake (+pics, video)
Katy Perry suffered an embarrassing series of incidents at the MTV Latin American Music Awards in Mexico after face planting into a cake.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4733502a1860.html

Ange 'admits' she stole Brad from Jen
Angelina Jolie accidentally admits she and partner Brad Pitt fell in love while the Hollywood hunk was still with his ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4733479a5620.html

Jen knocked up by John Mayer - report
Jennifer Aniston is reportedly pregnant with John Mayer's child. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4735818a1860.html

'No sex for 18 months' - Madonna and Guy
Pop star Madonna and her estranged husband Guy Ritchie didn't have sex for 18 months as their marriage crumbled, it has been reported.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4734952a1860.html

Gig review: Slipknot in Auckland (+pics)
Masked metallers Slipknot bring the noise during a packed show in Auckland http://www.stuff.co.nz/4736315a1860.html

David Duchovny sues over cheating story
The X-Files star sues a British tabloid over claims linking him with his tennis coach. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4737311a1860.html

Stop laughing - Chinese Democracy is coming
The long-awaited Guns N' Roses album finally gets a New Zealand release date. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4737015a1860.html

Beyonce's bizarre name change
Beyonce Knowles would like to be known by a bold new name: Sacha Fierce. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4737315a4500.html

Victim defends 'elephant dung' idea
The second person to be evicted from Survivor: Gabon says elephant dung has plenty of uses. http://www.stuff.co.nz/4715098a1869.html

* Click here to take the weekly entertainment quiz.

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STUFF'S PICKS OF THE WEEK 

Mac strikes back in ad war
The multimillion-dollar ad war between Microsoft and Apple has turned nasty, with Apple firing the latest salvo in an attempt to continue to define Vista as a broken, bug-ridden operating system.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4735028a28.html

Lick or spoon? Ice cream controversy solved
It is the question on some people's lips - does ice cream taste better licked or eaten with a spoon?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4735199a19716.html

Kiwi men's sperm losing it
The quality of New Zealand men's sperm has halved in two decades - the most dramatic drop of any Western country.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4733750a19716.html

Koran reference delays game
One of the biggest game releases of the year has been delayed because music lyrics in a background song could have caused offense to Muslim players.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4733733a28.html

One for the eggs files
It was a normal Sunday afternoon at Pat Cowie's place. Until a pigeon laid an egg on the stovetop.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4733606a11.html

Britain's Scouts prepared - for sex
The Scouts' famous motto of "be prepared" is being expanded to ensure young members in Britain know all about sex.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4733817a4560.html

Loose morals costs NZ $1b a year
Family breakdown and decreasing marriage rates is costing New Zealand taxpayers at least $1 billion a year, according to new research.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4732492a19716.html

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 BLOGS

Say my name
Following the example of the former Beyonce Knowles (now "Sasha Fierce"), Moata Tamaira speculates on some new, appropriate names for herself. Eugenia Scathe? Riesling Vocality? Bloggetina O'Nasty? http://www.stuff.co.nz//blogs/blogidle/2008/10/24/say-my-name-say-my-name/

Crazy money
Bridget Saunders bets that few of the society plonkers she meets could tell one kind of bubbly from another. But everyone’s sucked in by labels and marketing. http://www.stuff.co.nz//blogs/abouttown/2008/10/20/crazy-money/

Too old to game
Gerard Campbell still loves computer gaming as much as ever. But will the day come when he says “I’m over it”?
http://www.stuff.co.nz//blogs/gamejunkie/2008/10/24/can-you-ever-be-too-old-to-game/

 

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