Today's Top Scoop Stories - News Summary

Andreas von Warburg writes from New York that Ban Ki-moon has a tough job ahead. While keeping in close contact with Washington, the Secretary-General-designate of the United Nations is traveling to France and Britain to face pressures on the composition of the new UN “cabinet” of Under-Secretaries-General. He writes that New Zealand ought to move fast should it wish to take any top-positions at the United Nations. See... Dominant Nations Press For Top UN Positions [1] Feedback - Should NZ Move To Secure Top UN Jobs? Click here to send us your views [2]

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- Labour snaps ahead of National in the latest TV3 News TNZ Political Poll. The projected number of seats in the House on the basis of the latest poll results would enable Labour and the Green Party to form a government. See... Poll Watch: 3 News TNS Opinion Poll Results [1]

- At a special event hosted by AMP Financial Services, Qiujing Wong (Q) from Borderless Productions was awarded one of twelve scholarships to help launch a unique filmmaking endeavour in Africa. Further Sponsors are sought for this most excellent project, A Grandmother's Tribe. See... NZ Filmmaker Wins Scholarship For Africa Project [1]

- Agenda - Defence Minister Phil Goff says commercial flights could be used to evacuate New Zealanders from Fiji in a worst case scenario. Tensions are high in the Pacific nation, as the threat of a military coup looms. Speaking on TVOne’s Agenda programme, Mr Goff said. See... Commercial Flights May Be Used To Evacuate Fiji [1] SCOOP FEATURE: - Why Fiji's Army Believes It Ought To Threaten Its Govt [2] FijiLive Link - Army Suspects Australia Smuggled Weapons Into Fiji [3]

- Doctors at the University of Auckland’s Immunisation Advisory Centre have slammed a Norwegian documentary that portrays the MeNZB vaccine as unproven and unsafe and its director Dr Nikki Turner says the doco is "scaremongering" and is dishonest. So why is the health profession so concerned about a foreign documentary? Scoop's Selwyn Manning reports… See... Scoop Video: Health Professionals Slam MeNZB Doco [1] ALSO:Ministry of Health - Concerns raised over NorwegianTV documentary [2] Immunisation Advisory Centre - IMAC slams Norwegian documentary [3] Paediatric Society of NZ - Another Victory for Immunisation [4] Ron Law & Barbara Sumner Burstyn - Norway Shocked By New Documentary [5] Ron Law - Graphs: MeNZB Facts Speak for Themselves [6] ACT - Heather Roy's Diary: Meningitis Vaccine [7]

- In 2005 a decision was made by the NZ Govt, with the full support of the Royal New Zealand RSA to designate 2006 as the Year of the Veteran as a further step to show our nation's gratitude for what our veterans have done, and to enable a greater public understanding of the service they undertook on behalf of New Zealand. See... Year of the Veterans Wellington March Past [1]

- The first in a series of free outdoor concert brought the groove to Wellington's Midland Park this lunchtime. Tonight the tenth Wellington International Jazz Festival begins in earnest, the start of more than a week of jazz performances by local and international artists at Happy, the Frontroom and other venues around town. See... Images: Jazz Fest Kicks Off in the Park [1] ALSO:RIANZ - Vaughn Roberts Big Band wins Jazz Tui [2] Jazz Festival - Jazz explosion in Festival form [3] Scoop Link - Jazz Festival Calendar [4]

- Scoop's Selwyn Manning writes that last week, while covering the Forum in Nadi, Fiji, Scoop sought the views of Fijians as to why their military was threatening to over-throw the Fijian government. Should the demands of Fiji's military commander be taken seriously? All said most definitely. What's more, all said Bainimarama had their support. Why is this so? Also, Fiji PM Qarase says he will not quit. See... Scoop Feature: Fiji An Icon Of Pacific Instability [1]

- SUVA (RNZI Online/Pacific Media Watch): The former Fiji prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, will appear in the Suva High Court today on charges of inciting an army mutiny in 2000. Rabuka’s lawyers are expected to argue before Justice Gerard Winter that their client should not be put on trial. If Justice Winter rules against the application, the trial proper is expected to begin next Wednesday with 31prosecution witnesses ready to give evidence. See... Former Fiji PM In Court Of Mutiny Charges [1]

- While Bahrain has taken measures to address human trafficking, much remains to be done to implement its international obligations, an independent United Nations human rights expert said today at the end of a four-day fact-finding mission. See... Bahrain: Mixed Report After Fact-Finding Visit [1]

UN Audio:

[1] First Case of Child Soldier Recruitment Goes Before the International Criminal Court - Australia's Race Discrimination Commissioner, Tom Calma, calls for a more positive attitude towards Australia's 150 indigenous tribes - India's street children find shelter, health and and education in railway platform schools - a project originally launched in Orissa State by Inderjit Khurana.