Top Scoop Stories - 22 February 2008 News Summary

Friday, 22 February 2008, 2:00 pm
Article: The Scoop Editor

Today's Top Scoops - 22 February 2008

LEAD STORY:

Diplomacy: Oz & NZ Not Eye To Eye On Child Maiming Cluster Munitions

NZ POLITICS:

Crime: Dunne Wants TV3 To Grass Up Medal 'Tea Leaf'
Politics: English Demands Yet More Answers
Politics: Who Is Pulling The Strings On Meaty Policy?
Income: Key Attacks Aussie Workers

BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH:

Employment: Employers Get Older Employee Gift
Advertising: Telly People 2% Wealthier In 2007
Environment: Recuperated Pukaha Kiwi Returns To Forest

WORLD:

RAMSI: Solomon Islands, RAMSI and Forum Hold Successful Consultations
Motoring: Two Ferrari 612 Scagliettis To Explore India
World News: Thousands Of Languages Face Extinction, Un Warns At Start Of International Year
"Me, George": Widespread Praise of Bush's Africa Visit Ignores President's Flawed Legacy

COMMENT:

Lawrence R. Velvel: The NYT, Cable TV, And McCain
Jason Leopold: Fired US Attorney Calls on White House to "Produce" Bolten, Miers to Congress
Stephen Soldz: Update On Wikileaks Censorship
Lawrence R. Velvel: Clarence Thomas, His Autobiography, And Related Matters Pertaining To America And The Supreme Court

LIFESTYLE:

TV3 Video: NZ International Arts Fest Opens In Wellington Today
Pop: Pig Out On Some Tunes At The Kings Arms
Weirdness: Shoe Fetishism Explored In Play
Fun: Scouts Plan MudSliding Fun

Diplomacy: Oz & NZ Not Eye To Eye On Child Maiming Cluster Munitions - A week long Cluster Munitions multilateral diplomatic conference is coming to a close in at the Wellington Town Hall today with what NGO activists describe as a "strong text" remaining entirely intact. [Image: Australian ambassador Caroline Millar speaks from the floor during the Wellington cluster munitions conference. Australia remains among a small group of mainly Western Nations seeking exceptions and a softening in the proposed Cluster Munitions Ban treaty text. - image John Rodsted] More >> [1]

ALSO:

• Images/Audio: Cluster Bomb Victims Stage Protest [2]
• Cluster Munitions Coalition - Images: Cluster Bomb Victims - Real-life stories [3]
• Cluster Munitions Coalition - Kiwis Show Support for Treaty to Ban Cluster Bombs [4]
• Cluster Munitions Coalition - Cluster Bomb Survivor Speaks [5]
• Cluster Munitions Coalition - Global Push To Ban Cluster Bombs At Crossroads [6]
• Video Doco - Why Cluster Bombs Should Be Banned [7]
• YouTube Video - Reports From Cluster Bomb Conference Day 1-3 [8]
• Amnesty International - Ban on Cluster Munitions Only Sane, Humane Option [9]
• Development Resource Centre - Centre supports cluster munition ban [10]
• NZ Govt - Opening address of Conference on Cluster Munitions [11]
• Greens - Minister gets it wrong on cluster bomb investments [12]
• The Scoop Team - Intl. Cluster Munitions Conf. Opens In Wellington [13]
• US State Department - Putting the Impact of Cluster Munitions In Context [14]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0802/S00235.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0802/S00216.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0802/S00280.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0802/S00260.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0802/S00214.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0802/S00213.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0802/S00239.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0802/S00234.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0802/S00207.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0802/S00275.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0802/S00274.htm
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0802/S00283.htm
[13] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0802/S00205.htm
[14] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0802/S00233.htm

Crime: Dunne Wants TV3 To Grass Up Medal 'Tea Leaf' - UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne today called on TV3 management to do its civic duty and immediately dob in the alleged Waiouru medal thief interviewed on Campbell Live last night. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0802/S00365.htm

Politics: English Demands Yet More Answers - National Party Deputy Leader Bill English is calling on the Prime Minister to reveal what was discussed in the private meeting with Labour's largest donor. "Was it the Monaco diplomatic post? Was it the Cabinet post? Or was it fundraising?" More >> [1]

ALSO:

• National - Why didn't Clark correct Mike? [2]
• National - Did Mike Williams seek favours for Labour donor? [3]
• National - PM shouldn't use Maori culture as an excuse [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0802/S00375.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0802/S00340.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0802/S00347.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0802/S00364.htm

Politics: Who Is Pulling The Strings On Meaty Policy? - Agriculture minister Jim Anderton is calling on the National Party to clarify whether it still intends to make a $200 million suspensory loan to meat companies to form an export meat company. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0802/S00369.htm

Income: Key Attacks Aussie Workers - John Key's claim that when he said he wanted wages to drop in New Zealand he meant to say he wanted wages to drop in Australia defies belief, Finance Minister Michael Cullen said. Despite regulary telling national media that he would raise wages in office, John Key told a Northland business audience that he "would love to see wages drop." More >> [1]

ALSO:

• NZ Govt - Key "would love to see wages drop" [2]
• NZ Govt - Key's denial on wages lacks credibility [3]
• Labour - Fenton: Key caught telling the truth about dropping wages [4]
• NZCTU - National needs to come clean on wages [5]
• Engineering Printing and Manufacturing Union - Key caught lying on wages [6]
• AUSA - Students worried at possible future wage cuts [7]
• VUWSA - Key's ambition: where do we fit? [8]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0802/S00334.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0802/S00304.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0802/S00334.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0802/S00331.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0802/S00249.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0802/S00243.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0802/S00259.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0802/S00262.htm

Employment: Employers Get Older Employee Gift - The employee group aged 65 years and older showed the greatest growth in filled jobs and average mean quarterly earnings in the five-year period to December 2006, Statistics New Zealand said today. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0802/S00367.htm

Advertising: Telly People 2% Wealthier In 2007 - Television advertising revenue totalled $654.374 million for the 12 months ended 31 December 2007, compared with $640.664 million in 2006. This represents an increase of $13.710 million or 2.14 per cent More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0802/S00357.htm

Environment: Recuperated Pukaha Kiwi Returns To Forest - Kopakopa, the nine year old female kiwi who injured her beak a year ago in the Pukaha Mount Bruce forest, was re-released back there today. Adopted by Pahiatua School when she was freed into the wild in 2004, Kopakopa was recaptured early last year when noticed that her beak had developed an indentation and she was losing weight. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0802/S00046.htm

RAMSI: Solomon Islands, RAMSI and Forum Hold Successful Consultations - The Solomon Islands Government, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) and the Pacific Islands Forum yesterday held their third round of consultations on RAMSI. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• RAMSI Public Affairs - Report: Enhanced Consulatative Mechanism (ECM) [2]
• Solomon Islands Govt - Solomon Is. Government Welcomes Talks On RAMSI [3]

RELATED:

• RAMSI - Solomon Islands Women Taking The Lead [4]
• RAMSI - Funds To Provide Women With Cancer Prevention [5]
• RAMSI - Capacity Development Network, Capacity To Talk [6]

OTHER SOLOMON ISLANDS NEWS:

• Solomon Islands Govt - Rural Development Program Begins In Four Provinces [7]
• Solomon Islands Govt - CNURA Gov't Wants More Mining In The Country [8]
• Solomon Islands Govt - PM Dr Sikua Pleased With Taiwanese Assistance [9]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0802/S00281.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0802/S00280.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0802/S00285.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0802/S00290.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0802/S00289.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0802/S00288.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0802/S00283.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0802/S00286.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0802/S00284.htm

Motoring: Two Ferrari 612 Scagliettis To Explore India - Ferrari has announced that in 2008 it will explore India with two Ferrari 612 Scagliettis and a team of international media. The Magic India Discovery Tour gets underway from Mumbai on 25 February and returns to the same city on 8 May 2008. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0802/S00292.htm

World News: Thousands Of Languages Face Extinction, Un Warns At Start Of International Year - 'The International Year of Languages kicked off today with a warning from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that more than half the world's 6,700 spoken languages are threatened with extinction and every two weeks on average one language disappears somewhere around the world. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• Survival International - An Indigenous Language Dies Every Two Weeks [2]
• NZ National Commission for UNESCO - Launch of the UN International Year of Languages [3]
• NZ National Commission for UNESCO - Speech By Dame Silvia Cartwright - UN Year of Languages [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0802/S00293.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0802/S00256.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0802/S00272.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0802/S00273.htm

"Me, George": Widespread Praise of Bush's Africa Visit Ignores President's Flawed Legacy - As President Bush returns to the US from his whirlwind tour of Africa, Africa Action notes with concern that coverage of Bush's trip has concentrated on particular successes in individual countries while ignoring the systemic, continent-wide development challenges. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0802/S00282.htm

Lawrence R. Velvel: The NYT, Cable TV, And McCain - The disgrace called cable news is trying to pretend that this story is really about a possible illicit romantic relationship. That is news media spin. It is cable television bovine defecation. What the story is all about, in reality, is hypocrisy. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0802/S00238.htm

Jason Leopold: Fired US Attorney Calls on White House to "Produce" Bolten, Miers to Congress - David Iglesias, the former U.S. attorney for New Mexico who was one of nine US attorneys fired two years ago for reasons that appear to be politically motivated, said last week's vote in the House to hold former White House counsel Harriet Miers and President Bush's chief of staff, Josh Bolten, in contempt for refusing to testify and turn over documents to a congressional committee related to the US attorney dismissals was encouraging, but questions related to his dismissal remain unanswered. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0802/S00231.htm

Stephen Soldz: Update On Wikileaks Censorship - This censorship has become a major topic in the news and on the web. after all, the shutting down of an entire web site threatens all citizens who use or rely upon the web for disseminating and obtaining a diversity of otherwise unobtainable information. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0802/S00230.htm

Lawrence R. Velvel: Clarence Thomas, His Autobiography, And Related Matters Pertaining To America And The Supreme Court - Thomas is an avatar of hard work, discipline in one's work and heavy reliance on one's self and one's own efforts, as the road to success. Amen, brother. That may be the 1950s talking, particularly now when we know any bum can be successful if his Daddy was rich or president (or both). More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0802/S00225.htm

TV3 Video: NZ International Arts Fest Opens In Wellington Today - This Friday the International Arts Fest Opens in Wellington, with major theatre, music, dance and circus events beginning over the weekend and more to come. Scoop's coverage will include extensive reviewing of festival productions. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• TV3 Video - Iraq war play 'Black Watch' opens in Wellington [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/entertainment/5272.html
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/entertainment/5273.html

Pop: Pig Out On Some Tunes At The Kings Arms - Pig Out return to their original stomping ground The Kings Arms on March 1st, fundraising for their SXSW trip this March! Details are.... PIG OUT with extra special guests, Silver Scroll (aka Golden Axe). More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0802/S00241.htm

Weirdness: Shoe Fetishism Explored In Play - Felicity loves her shoes. In fact she has 115 pairs, 115 pairs her husband secretly likes to wear when he's home alone and feeling... domestic! More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0802/S00245.htm

Fun: Scouts Plan MudSliding Fun - Scouts are once again preparing for a day of MudSliding fun as part of their annual Founder's Day celebrations on 23 February. Scout groups throughout the country make their own mudslide arrangements. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0802/S00226.htm

ENDS

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