Today's Top Scoop Stories - News Summary

Monday, 19 March 2007, 9:11 am
Article: The Scoop Team

NEW ZEALAND LEAD:
Volcanic Phenomena: Ruapehu lahar goes according to plan
Video: Auckland Protest Kicks Of Int. Opposition To Iraq Occupation
Scoop Satire: Mr Field Goes To Wellington
Recommended Audio:
KiwiFM's Wammo discusses with Paul Buchanan the NZ/USA Bilateral
Justice: McCully Accuses Parole Board Of Neglect And Incompetence
News Headlines:
Charity: Actors Give Up The Script For 40 Hour Famine
Art/Medical: Art For Art's Sake Gets Money For Patients Sake -
Foreign Affairs: What Is To Gain From A Cosy NZ/US Relationship?
Human Rights: Unique Film Festival On The Way -
Scoop Reports:

SCOOP INTERNATIONAL LEAD STORY:
Iraq: Emergency Landing With Howard On Board
More International Headlines

SCOOP LEAD STORY
Foreign Affairs: Is NZ Poised For A Major Foreign Policy Shift?

A Free Trade Agreement between New Zealand and the United States may well be a longstanding goal of New Zealand governments going back to 1990. But in 2007, is an FTA with the United States a clever disguise, a red herring masking a more significant shift in New Zealand foreign policy? Does the goal of an FTA provide cover for more meaningful business shaping between New Zealand and the White House? Scoop's Selwyn Manning analyses an emerging union of common foreign interests. See... State Visit Signals Shift In NZ/US Foreign Policy [1] ALSO:Scoop Video: International Day Of Action Begins In New Zealand. [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0703/S00277.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0703/S00291.htm

Check Out Scoop's Audio and Video Podcast Feed

NEW ZEALAND LEAD:

Volcanic Phenomena: Ruapehu lahar goes according to plan [1] - Minister of Conservation Chris Carter is praising all the agencies involved in managing the Mt Ruapehu lahar today. “I am delighted with the way things have gone today on Mt Ruapehu”, said Mr Carter. See... Ruapehu lahar goes according to plan [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0703/S00346.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0703/S00346.htm

Video: Auckland Protest Kicks Of Int. Opposition To Iraq Occupation

- AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Global Peace and Justice Auckland organised a protest on Saturday as part of an International Day of Action calling for all foreign troops to be withdrawn from Iraq and Afghanistan. The international day of action marked the 4th anniversary of the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Scoop Video: International Day Of Action Begins In NZ [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0703/S00291.htm

Scoop Satire: Mr Field Goes To Wellington

Plot Outline: An idealistic man joins the New Zealand Parliament filled with a selfless desire to make the world a better place for his constituents, and for many people from places quite removed from his constituency. However, he rapidly discovers that the administration has been corrupted by the powerful and ruthless children's lobby. See... Lyndon Hood: Mr Field Goes To Wellington [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0703/S00278.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0703/S00231.htm

RECOMMENDED AUDIO:

KiwiFM Audio: [1] KiwiFM's Wammo discusses with Paul Buchanan the upcoming state visit to the White House by Prime Minister Helen Clark confirms the view that US-New Zealand relations are warming up. But should Helen Clark front-foot a NZ want-list?

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0703/S00264.htm

Justice: McCully Accuses Parole Board Of Neglect And Incompetence

National MP Murray Mcully writes - 'The review of the actions of the Parole Board, conducted by Chief District Court Judge RJ Johnson and Professor JRP Ogloff, is a thinly veiled white-wash. But if readers ignore the shameful attempt to minimise the incompetent and outrageous actions of the Board, the facts exposed in the report are truly chilling.' See... www.mccully.co.nz - 16 March 2007 [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0703/S00326.htm

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0703/S00285.htm
[2] - http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/0703/EPGFijiLeakedReport.pdf

NEWS HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0703/S00321.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0703/S00208.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0703/S00215.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0703/S00300.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0703/S00200.htm

Charity: Actors Give Up The Script For 40 Hour Famine

- This weekend: A 24 hour non-stop spectacle of Improvised Comedy in aid of the 2007 World Vision 40 Hour Famine. For the first time in New Zealand, the finest improvisors in the country gather on one stage. This time the comedy has a cause. Every single dollar raised will help support World Vision projects in more than 12 countries around the world including Vanuatu, Honduras and Niger. See... 24 Hr Improv-a-thon. Comedy With a Cause [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0703/S00120.htm
[2] - http://www.myspace.com/24hrimprovathon
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0703/S00179.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0703/S00132.htm

Art/Medical: Art For Art's Sake Gets Money For Patients Sake -

Around $40,000 was raised last night (Thursday) to buy art for Bay of Plenty District Health Board hospitals in Tauranga and Whakatane. The money was raised during an auction of artwork donated by 18 Bay of Plenty artists. Guest of honour was prime minister Helen Clark. See... Art auction raises money for hospital art [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0703/S00054.htm

Foreign Affairs: What Is To Gain From A Cosy NZ/US Relationship?

Paul G. Buchanan writes that the upcoming state visit to the White House by Prime Minister Helen Clark confirms the view that US-New Zealand relations are warming up. After a cooling of relations during the first term of George W. Bush, notable for the intemperate remarks by US envoys about the obstacles New Zealand’s anti-nuclear policy and refusal to send combat troops (at least publicly) to Iraq pose for the achievement of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries, recent statements by US diplomatic and congressional officials point towards a softening of the US stance. Scoop Image of Paul Buchanan by Jason Dorday. See... Paul G. Buchanan: When Beggars can be Choosy [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0703/S00248.htm

Human Rights: Unique Film Festival On The Way -

The Human Rights Network of Aotearoa is proud to present the third annual New Zealand Human Rights Film Festival. This years Festival showcases stories of activists and survivors through the eyes of courageous filmmakers, putting a human face on threats to individual freedom and giving voice to those who might otherwise be silenced. See... Human Rights Film Festival Opens in May [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0703/S00176.htm

RECOMMENDED AUDIO:

Scoop Audio: [1] Scoop's Selwyn Manning & Radio Adelaide's Peter Godfrey discuss: How a rest home owner kept patients alive on paper so as to claim subsidies. Also, a bill before Parliament will see armed air marshals on Air New Zealand flights.KiwiFM Audio - Iraq! [2] Scoop's Selwyn Manning and KiwiFM's Wallace Chapman discuss a top-level summit meeting that has taken place in Iraq between the Iraqi Prime Minister, Iran, Syria and the five permanent members of the UN security council, including the USA. What does this mean for the war-torn-region?

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0703/S00230.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0703/S00193.htm

SCOOP REPORTS:

Scoop Satire: The Week InJustice [1] Lyndon Hood writes: A report into the parole of Graeme Burton, written for Graeme Burton by Graeme Burton and published in the Dominion Post, has found that Graeme Burton was not at fault in the tragic failure of Graeme Burton's parole. Last week reports on the Parole Board's and Corrections Department's actions found all procedures that would have made any difference were followed... See... Lyndon Hood: Law and Order Briefs [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0703/S00163.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0703/S00163.htm

INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
Iraq: Emergency Landing With Howard On Board -

A Royal Australian Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft carrying the Prime Minister (PM) and Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) was required to make an emergency landing at Tallil airfield in Southern Iraq last night AEST. The Prime Minister, The Honourable John Howard and the Chief of the Defence Force Air Chief Marshall... See... Emergency Landing With Howard On Board [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0703/S00349.htm

MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0703/S00350.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0703/S00345.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0703/S00344.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0703/S00343.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0703/S00339.htm

Pentagon : US Claims Al Qaeda Captive Confesses To Terror Attacks -

The United States claims suspected al Qaeda operative Khalid Sheikh Muhammad has admitted masterminding the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks as well as the World Trade Center bombing in 1993. The Pentagon has released a transcript of proceedings where it states Khalid admitted to a litany of terror attacks. “I was responsible for the 9/11 operation, from A to Z,” an interpreter read from Muhammad’s statement to the Combatant Status Review Tribunal on March 10 in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. See... Al Qaeda Operative Admits to Masterminding 9/11 [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0703/S00303.htm
[2] - http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/0703/KhalidSheikhMuhammadtranscript_ISN10024.pdf

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