Top Scoop Stories - 22 May 2008 News Summary

Thursday, 22 May 2008, 2:01 pm
Article: The Scoop Editor

Today's Top Scoops - 22 May 2008

LEAD STORY:

BUDGET 2008: Scoop Lines Up Top Political & Business Analysts For Budget08

NZ POLITICS:

Cultural Offense: Harawira Apologises For Abusing Judge
Legislation: Youth Crime Bill Sent Down The River

BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH:

Economy: Strong earnings growth in public & private sectors
World Turtle Day: Turtles come out of their shell
Vector-borne infectious diseases: Exciting New Potential Treatment for Malaria
Disaster Prevention: New gauge part of tsunami monitoring network
Computing and Internet: NZers Embrace Internet Video Revolution
Tourism: Wotif To Feature PREVU Rich Media
Computing and Internet: Top Sites For High Income Earners
Rural Connectivity: Rural People Using The Internet To Save On Fuel

WORLD:

Middle East: Lebanese Political Accord Should Be Prelude To Reconciliation
Middle East: Syria And Israel Have Started Indirect Peace Talks
South Africa Gone Mad: Xenophobic Attacks Deplored By UN
Danger Zone: Securing Pakistan's Dangerous Tribal Areas
Burma Crisis: Ban Ki-Moon Will Meet Than Shwe Over Boosting Aid

COMMENT:

Gordon Campbell: The risks of Exxon-Mobil in New Zealand waters
Pacific News: PNG Minister Wants More Investigative Journalism
The Doha Scorecard: Lebanon gets a President
Dumpster-Diving for GOP Quotes: (And Their Hidden Meanings)

LIFESTYLE:

DOC: Kaimanawa Horses Passed Muster
Alcohol: Binge Drinking Ads To Play Only In Adult Viewing

BUDGET 2008: Scoop Lines Up Top Political & Business Analysts For Budget08 - Scoop Media has lined up some of New Zealand's top political, business, and economy analysts/writers to offer the most comprehensive Budget Day 2008 coverage available. They include: Gordon Campbell, Pattrick Smellie, and Jonathan Underhill. From mid-morning until 2pm on Budget day, Scoop's top line-up will be inside the Budget 2008 lock-up questioning the Finance Minister and Treasury officials about the intent and purpose of Dr Michael Cullen's announcements. More >> [1]

*** Scoop will be compiling complete coverage of the budget as it comes to hand at Scoop Feature: Budget 2008 [2]

ALSO:

• TV3 Video - What the business sector wants from the budget [3]
• TV3 Video - Impact of budget on NZ [4]
• TV3 Video - A measure up of how far Dr Cullen's tax cuts are likely to go [5]
• JP Morgan - JP Morgan's NZ Budget08 Tips [6]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00293.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00306.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/business/8361.html
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/business/8360.html
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/business/8364.html
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00422.htm

Cultural Offense: Harawira Apologises For Abusing Judge - "When you're wrong son, you're wrong. Say sorry and move on. That's what my mum always told me," said Maori Party rebel MP Hone Harawira, "so I'm apologising to Judge Adeane, because I was wrong to say what I said about him over his decision to send that tagger to jail... I apologise for my comments, and I do so unconditionally," said Harawira. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00401.htm

Legislation: Youth Crime Bill Sent Down The River - Despite the defeat at the second reading yesterday of his Young Offenders (Serious Crimes) Bill, Ron Mark says that the case for action on youth crime is even stronger. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• Maori Party - Hone Harawira: Young Offenders Bill [2]

CONTRACTORS BILL:

• Labour Party - Minimum Wage for Contractors passes 2nd reading [3]
• Maori Party - Pita Sharples: Minimum Wage Amendment Bill [4]
• CTU - Low Paid Contractors Need Minimum Protections Too [5]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00399.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00396.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00392.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0805/S00395.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0805/S00326.htm

Economy: Strong earnings growth in public & private sectors - Average mean quarterly earnings and the number of filled jobs continued to grow in the five years to March 2007, Statistics New Zealand said today. The average mean quarterly earnings for full-quarter jobs increased by 4.3 percent... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00427.htm

World Turtle Day: Turtles come out of their shell - Most New Zealanders are more familiar with pet turtles in living room aquariums than the large turtles that swim off our coast, but Forest & Bird is asking Kiwis to help protect these fascinating sea creatures on World Turtle Day this Friday (May ... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0805/S00334.htm

Vector-borne infectious diseases: Exciting New Potential Treatment for Malaria - Super Critical Extraction New Zealand & Australia Pty Limited ("SCENZA") today announced the development of two new and distinct nutraceutical treatment delivery systems in the fight against Malaria. Each formulation contains active ingredient ... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0805/S00056.htm

Disaster Prevention: New gauge part of tsunami monitoring network - A sea-level gauge installed at the Port of Tauranga this week will form part of a national network of gauges for monitoring tsunamis, Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) and GNS Science announced today. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0805/S00047.htm

Computing and Internet: NZers Embrace Internet Video Revolution - Australian and New Zealand broadband users are spending considerably more time using the Internet than watching television or movies and are downloading video in significant numbers, a leading study by Cisco has found. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00398.htm

Tourism: Wotif To Feature PREVU Rich Media - PREVU are pleased to announce that they will shortly be delivering streaming video content to the Wotif group of websites (starting with wotif.com, to be followed by lastminute.com.au, travel.com.au, SmartStays.com and LateStays.com and all portals ... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00405.htm

Computing and Internet: Top Sites For High Income Earners - The top ten channels in Nielsen//NetRatings' Market Intelligence NZ domestic traffic showing the sites that attract the highest percentage of people, with a household income greater than $100,000 per annum, for the month of April 2008. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00399.htm

Rural Connectivity: Rural People Using The Internet To Save On Fuel - Rural people are increasingly turning to the internet in response to rising fuel costs, according to rural broadband provider Farmside. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0805/S00417.htm

Middle East: Lebanese Political Accord Should Be Prelude To Reconciliation - Today's accord follows recent violence in the capital, Beirut, and elsewhere between pro- and anti-Government militias. Since November last year, when the office became vacant, there have been 18 failed attempts to conduct a parliamentary vote for president. More >> [1]

ALSO

• State Dept - Briefing on Lebanon [2]
• UK Govt - Comments On Doha Accord [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00296.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00297.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00295.htm

Middle East: Syria And Israel Have Started Indirect Peace Talks - Syria and Israel have started indirect peace talks, under the auspices of Turkey. The two sides stated their intention to conduct these talks in good faith and with an open mind, and to pursue dialogue in a serious and continuous way. More >> [1]

ALSO

• US State Dept Briefing: May 21, 2008 [2]
• UN Welcomes Syria/Israel Peace Talks [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00285.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00302.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00300.htm

South Africa Gone Mad: Xenophobic Attacks Deplored By UN - UN agencies operating in South Africa have expressed deep concern at the outbreak of violent xenophobic attacks in the province of Gauteng in the past week that has led to the deaths of several people and many others being left injured or homeless. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00301.htm

Danger Zone: Securing Pakistan's Dangerous Tribal Areas - The United States Government's principal contribution to establishing security in the FATA and the western border region is the Security Development Plan, a six-year multi-faceted program to enhance Pakistan's ability to secure its border with Afghanistan. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00294.htm

Burma Crisis: Ban Ki-Moon Will Meet Than Shwe Over Boosting Aid - Mr. Ban said, ''I will meet with senior Government officials in the Myanmar Government, including Senior General Than Shwe.'' He added it was essential to ''expedite all arrangements for facilitating the free movement of international relief aid and workers.'' More >> [1]

ALSO

• Laura Bush On Burma: VOA Interview [2]

EARLIER

• Ban Ki-Moon Pledges To Do 'Utmost' For Burmese [3]
• Top Relief Official Meets Burma Govt [4]
• Special ASEAN Burma Meeting Statement [5]
• Ban Ki-Moon To Travel To Burma [6]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00299.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00303.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00281.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00280.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00258.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0805/S00257.htm

Gordon Campbell: The risks of Exxon-Mobil in New Zealand waters - Exxon-Mobil are the elephant in the room that the Government refuses to confront, as it throws open the ecologically vulnerable Great South Basin region to oil exploration and exploitation. Currently, New Zealand does not have an oceans policy... More >> [1]

[1] - http://election08.scoop.co.nz/the-risks-of-exxon-mobil-in-new-zealand-waters/

Pacific News: PNG Minister Wants More Investigative Journalism - PMC's associate professor David Robie writes: Papua New Guinea's acting Education Minister Tony Aimo has a made a plea for more investigative journalism and a stronger commitment to ''accessible and affordable'' community media in the Pacific. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00305.htm

The Doha Scorecard: Lebanon gets a President - "The agreement was not ideal for either party and I hope that it will serve as a launch pad for decent relations between the majority and the opposition. We will tackle the other issues in Beirut and there is no need to fear anything". More >> [1]

ALSO

• Alberto Cruz - Four days that shook the Middle East [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00302.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00303.htm

Dumpster-Diving for GOP Quotes: (And Their Hidden Meanings) - As a playwright, I pay special attention to the difference between words as they are spoken and the unsaid words hidden beneath the surface -- what we in the dramaturgy biz call "subtext." More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0805/S00288.htm

DOC: Kaimanawa Horses Passed Muster - A recent appeal for people to re-home Kaimanawa horses from the annual muster has left many potential owners having to wait patiently until next year. While not all horses mustered are suitable for re-homing due to their age or condition, for the ... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0805/S00227.htm

Alcohol: Binge Drinking Ads To Play Only In Adult Viewing - The Alcohol Advisory Council is to limit the screening of all three of its controversial binge drinking television ads to adult viewing times. The move follows a ruling from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upholding complaints against one of the ads that features an intoxicated man in the pub accidently elbowing a barmaid. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0805/S00114.htm

ENDS

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