Top Scoop Stories - 06 May 2008 News Summary

Tuesday, 6 May 2008, 2:05 pm
Article: The Scoop Editor

Today's Top Scoops - 06 May 2008

LEAD STORY:

Foreign Affairs: NZ Wants UN To Monitor Zimbabwe Run-Off Vote

NZ POLITICS:

Election 08: Back on Track
Kyoto: Delaying Petrol 'Tax' Questioned As Liability Hits $1Bn

BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH:

Immigration: Attempt To Root Out Cowboys With New Rules
Theft: Snail Trailer Thieved By Varmints

WORLD:

White House: First Lady Mrs. Laura Bush's Statement On Burma + US should Offer Aid to Help Burma Cyclone Victims
Rising Toll: As Many As 10,000 Dead In Burma Cyclone + Worst Disaster Within Living Memory
National Referendum: Burma May 10 Referendum To Go Ahead As Planned + Commodity Prices In Burma Soar After Cyclone Nargis

COMMENT:

Bill Berkowitz: Veteran SwiftBoaters Target Obama
World Asthma Day: Asthma control is appalling in most countries
Paul G. Buchanan: Brief Comment On Spy Bases And Civil Disobedience
Muriel Mirak-Weissbach: Iran Opens War Avoidance Flank

LIFESTYLE:

Religion: Pilgrims make Pilgrimage To NZ
Matrimony: It's a Nice Day For A White Wedding - in Summer
Campaigning: West Coast Women Strip For Greenstone Lifting Chopper Pilots
Advertising: Posters Contain Two Novels, Names Of 120 000 Sea Species
Broadcasting: Wallace And Co Should be on Sky Says Media Expert

Foreign Affairs: NZ Wants UN To Monitor Zimbabwe Run-Off Vote - Prime Minister Helen Clark has added New Zealand's voice to calls for any second round of voting in the Zimbabwe presidential election to be free, fair and open to international observers and election monitors. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00075.htm

Election 08: Back on Track - Gordon Campbell writes 'Monday's $665 million buy-back of the rail network from the Australian firm Toll Holdings is a genuine cause for celebration. For years, it seemed the privatisation of key assets carried out at the height of the 1980s market mania was irreversible. You know how the mythology used to run : private ownership was intrinsically superior, state ownership inherently inefficient etc etc. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• TV3 Video - Government's buyback of rail assets discussed [2]
• NZ Govt - Rail buy back marks new sustainable transport era [3]
• NZ Govt - Questions and Answers - Government rail buy back [4]
• Progressive Party - Reversal of failed policies of the past welcomed [5]
• NZ First - Rail Buy Back Welcomed [6]
• National - Labour heads down wrong track for future [7]
• National - Labour hands $235 million windfall to Toll [8]
• NZ Govt - English rolled on rail as Key slips again [9]
• NZ Govt - Key fails to grasp importance of rail investment [10]
• Greens - Budget 2008 must invest in rail system [11]
• Auckland Regional Council - Buy back of railways welcomed [12]
• Rail And Maritime Transport Union - Government repurchase of rail great news [13]
• Waitakere City - Waitakere City backs Government buy-back [14]
• TV3 Video - National disapproves of Toll purchase but would not sell it [15]

[1] - http://election08.scoop.co.nz/gordon-campbell-back-on-track/
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/national/7752.html
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00053.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00056.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00055.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00054.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00061.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00080.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00068.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00082.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00058.htm
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0805/S00043.htm
[13] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0805/S00064.htm
[14] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0805/S00044.htm
[15] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/politics/7729.html

Kyoto: Delaying Petrol 'Tax' Questioned As Liability Hits $1Bn - The Greens are calling on Government to save taxpayers from a billion dollar greenhouse bill by moving quickly to reduce our emissions. "It's better to spend money investing in emission reductions in New Zealand than buying carbon credits from overseas," says Dr. Russel Norman, Green Co-leader. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• National - Kyoto liability tops $1 billion [2]
• Greens - Stay staunch, or give it back, Helen [3]
• Greens - Greens will not support a gutless ETS [4]
• Greenhouse Policy Coalition - Billion Dollar Wealth Transfer [5]
• NZ Govt - Kyoto liability will drop thanks to ETS [6]
• United Future - Dunne seeks household compo for ETS costs [7]
• Ministry Of Agriculture And Forestry - Consultation on forestry regulations under NZ ETS [8]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00067.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00063.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00060.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00077.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0805/S00066.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00073.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00071.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00087.htm

Immigration: Attempt To Root Out Cowboys With New Rules - The launch of a more disciplined approach to protecting migrants from fraudulent, corrupt and unethical behaviour of unscrupulous immigration advisers takes effect from today. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0805/S00069.htm

Theft: Snail Trailer Thieved By Varmints - Recently West Coast Brewery had its flash bar stolen in Auckland. It is contained in a distinctive very large trailer that promotes the Hokitika Wild Foods on one side with a snail perched on top of a beer bottle. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00067.htm

White House: First Lady Mrs. Laura Bush's Statement On Burma - "On Saturday, Cyclone Nargis swept through Burma. The storm affected more than 2 million people, and according to the Burmese media, killed thousands. The aftermath has left cities paralyzed, families separated and houses and businesses destroyed." More >> [1]

RELATED

• US should Offer Aid to Help Burma Cyclone Victims [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00078.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00065.htm

Rising Toll: As Many As 10,000 Dead In Burma Cyclone - Burmese state media say it is now believed that as many as 10,000 people are dead and thousands more missing after Tropical Cyclone Nargis ripped through parts of the country, destroying homes, bringing down power lines and knocking out communications. More >> [1]

ON THE GROUND

• Worst Disaster Within Living Memory [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00077.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00060.htm

National Referendum: Burma May 10 Referendum To Go Ahead As Planned - The national referendum on the Burmese military regime's draft constitution is to be held on 10 May as planned, despite the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis. The government said the natural disaster would not prevent the vote from going ahead. More >> [1]

MARKET REACTION

• Commodity Prices In Burma Soar After Cyclone Nargis [2]

MORE ON BURMA

• UK Foreign Office Minister On Burma Cyclone Nargis [3]
• US State Dept Daily Press Briefing: May 5, 2008 [4]
• UN Ready To Assist After Deadly Burma Cyclone [5]

• Burma Cyclone Death Toll Has Risen To Nearly 4,000 [6]
• Burma: Assessment Hard In Wake Of Cyclone Nargis [7]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00076.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00075.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00062.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00061.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00059.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00057.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00053.htm

Bill Berkowitz: Veteran SwiftBoaters Target Obama - Floyd Brown and David Bossie have spent a good part of their political careers making life miserable for Bill and Hillary Clinton. Unlike Richard Mellon Scaife , the billionaire financier who was unremitting in his efforts to take the Clintons down during the ... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00060.htm

World Asthma Day: Asthma control is appalling in most countries - More than 300 million people around the world have asthma, and the disease imposes a heavy burden on individuals, families, and societies. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00050.htm

Paul G. Buchanan: Brief Comment On Spy Bases And Civil Disobedience - Paul Buchanan writes: The Waihopai ANZAC Ploughshares direct action operation on the Echelon signals intelligence (SIGINT) collection station outside Blenheim is an excellent example of civil disobedience in a democracy. It also raises questions ... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00039.htm

Muriel Mirak-Weissbach: Iran Opens War Avoidance Flank - As threats of military action against Iran continue to issue from various spokesmen of the war party in the U.S., the Islamic Republic has launched an ambitious initiative aimed at preventing war, based on a comprehensive package of economic, political ... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00034.htm

Religion: Pilgrims make Pilgrimage To NZ - With less than three months till World Youth Day in Sydney, the Catholic Church in New Zealand is gearing up to host 4000 international young pilgrims. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0805/S00065.htm

Matrimony: It's a Nice Day For A White Wedding - in Summer - Summer months remained the preferred time to wed in the year ended December 2007, with 43 percent of marriages occurring in the first three months, Statistics New Zealand said today. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0805/S00048.htm

Campaigning: West Coast Women Strip For Greenstone Lifting Chopper Pilots - The concept of the charity calendar is a portrayal of jailed helicopter pilots, Dave & Morgan Saxton's lives on the West Coast, featuring women of all ages (20-56 years old), shapes and cup sizes (AA-EE) that have a strong association with the Saxton family. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0805/S00046.htm

Advertising: Posters Contain Two Novels, Names Of 120 000 Sea Species - A pioneering NZ-led project to produce an authoritative register of all the world's marine species is being showcased on a series of gigantic street posters measuring 75m long and featuring a million words about the sea and sea creatures. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00086.htm

Broadcasting: Wallace And Co Should be on Sky Says Media Expert - TVNZ has now launched two new digital channels. Unlike all the other free-to-air channels, they are not available to Sky subscribers, because TVNZ and Sky have not reached a deal on terms. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0805/S00043.htm

ENDS

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