CYPFA Takes Foster Child From Middleton’s Care - CYPFA is defending its decision to remove a foster child from the care of Mark Middleton following his public threat against the killer of his step-daughter Carla Cardnow. Mr Middleton went public on the Holmes TV programme with a death threat against the man convicted of his step-daughter’s murder. The man is due for a parole hearing next month. CYPFA has now moved the 15 year old in his care to another foster home. CYPFA spokesperson says the action was taken only after careful consideration of the circumstances. Mr Middleton’s comments, CYPFA says, show he is not an appropriate person at this time to be caring for a foster child. CYPFA does not consider a person who threatens another with violence to be a good role model for a child needing care.

Sir Howard Sacked From Tourism Board - Sacked Tourism Board member, Sir Howard Morrison, claims he is the victim of a conspiracy. The veteran New Zealand entertainer received a phone call yesterday from Tourism Minister Lockwood Smith telling him he was no longer required. Sir Howard says he cannot understand why he was sacked, he now feels undervalued and underestimated. He says he heard several weeks ago that a move was afoot to have him dumped. And he is angry that he has only now been told: “I heard through the Maori grapevine that Tau Henare was lobbying to have me replaced by Mike Tamaki,” Sir Howard says. Tamaki runs Tamaki Maori Village in Rotorua and is one of the two new appointees to the Tourism Board. Lockwood Smith says Sir Howard is not being singled out. He says his term on the board has come to an end and his replacement is a natural progression.

Plea For Armed Peace Keepers - A last ditch plea from a jailed East Timoree rebel leader for armed peace keepers to be sent to his homeland to curb the violence ahead to next week’s vote on independence. The leader says it is now time for the international community to react and say something to the Indonesian Government. He says only armed forces can enforce peace in East Timor as the Indonesian Government doesn’t want to stop the violence. Today Indonesian militiamen have rampaged through East Timor’s capital Dili leaving at least three people dead.

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>