New Zealand

New South Wales call up pace tyro Josh Hazlewood

Melbourne, Nov. 10 : New South Wales Blues have called up a teenager from the bush for their match against New Zealand this week.

Dubbed the "new Glenn McGrath" Josh Hazlewood will be given the job of embarrassing the tourists at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the absence of lethal quicks Nathan Bracken and Doug Bollinger.

The 17-year-old Hazlewood had just completed his final HSC exam in geography when told he would be lining up against the cross-Tasman rivals.

New Zealand's new leader keeps distance from right-wing allies

New Zealand's new leader keeps distance from right-wing allies Wellington  - New Zealand prime minister-elect John Key, the self-confessed centrist leader of a conservative party that won Saturday's general election, chose Monday to keep right-wing allies in his new government at a distance.

Key, whose National Party's 59 seats fell short of an overall majority in the 122-member Parliament, received confirmation of support from the free market ACT party, which holds five seats.

Newly elected leader eyes Asia-Pacific summit

Newly elected leader eyes Asia-Pacific summitWellington - New Zealand prime minister-elect John Key said Sunday that he wanted a fast-track swearing-in process so that he could attend an important Asia-Pacific regional summit in Peru this month.

Key, whose conservative National Party swept to victory over the incumbent Labour-led coalition in Saturday's general election, told a news conference it would be in the country's best interests if he could attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit in Lima on November 22-23.

Record number of Asians elected to New Zealand parliament

Record number of Asians elected to New Zealand parliamentWellington  - The New Zealand parliament will have a record six Asian members - including the first ethnic Korean and Sikh - following Saturday's election.

Korean-born television presenter Melissa Lee, 42, and former New Delhi businessman Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi will join Pansy Wong, who was New Zealand's first Asian Member of Parliament when she was elected in 1996, in the newly-elected National Party government ranks.

New Zealand swings to the right - but how far?

New Zealand swings to the right - but how far?Wellington - After nine years of liberal centre-left government, New Zealand has taken a decided swing to the right in Saturday's general election, but how far remains to be seen.

The conservative National Party's leader and prime minister-elect John Key says the organisation is "arguably more centrist and probably a little more pragmatic" since he became its leader two years ago.

New Zealand awakes to new centre-right government

New Zealand awakes to new centre-right governmentWellington - New Zealand awoke Sunday to the prospect of a new centre-right government to steer the country out of its worst recession for years after a general election dumped the Labour-led coalition that had ruled since 1999.

Saturday's election produced a sharp jump to the right, leaving prime minister-elect John Key, 47, leader of the conservative National Party, and his free market allies in the ACT party, to govern for the next three years.

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