Top Scoop Stories - 28 December 2007 News Summary

Friday, 28 December 2007, 2:00 pm
Article: The Scoop Editor

Today's Top Scoops - December 28, 2007

LEAD STORY:

MARTYR FOR MADNESS: Pakistan's Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto Assassinated

NZ POLITICS:

Crime Pays: $1.5m Per Month - Merry Christmas, Corrections Consultants
Environment: Stronger Measures Essential To Stop Didymo

BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH:

Telecommunications: Next Quake May Result In Communications Blackout
Agriculture: Federated Farmers Adjusts Industry Group Names
Tourism & Travel: Top Destinations Booked For New Years Eve 2007

WORLD:

Scoop Military and Defence Issues: UN Urges Calm In Wake Of Pakistan Terrorist Attack
Spillage: Rehabilitation Prospects After Worst Korean Oil Spill Are Good, UN Experts Say
Nigeria:Laptops-In-Schools Debate Turns Messy

COMMENT:

Transport: Counting The Toll - On And Off The Road
Big Druggie: Disgraced Former FDA Official Marketing Lilly Drug

LIFESTYLE:

Women's Pro Surfing: Battle Of The Boards Bigger Than Ever For Top Female Surfers

MARTYR FOR MADNESS: Pakistan's Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto Assassinated - Pakistan's former PM Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday at a campaign rally just two weeks before parliamentary elections. Police and aides say a suicide bomber fired gunshots at Ms. Bhutto just moments before blowing himself up, killing at least 20 others. The Pakistani army was put on red alert as grieving supporters set fires in several cities. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• National - Bhutto Assassination Condemned -- John Key MP [2]
• Helen Clark, PM - Assassination Of Benzair Bhutto [3]
• US Info - Bhutto Assassination Condemned By World Leaders [4]
• UK Govt - British Foreign Sec On The Death Of Benazir Bhutto [5]
• The White House - Pres. Bush To Talk With President Musharraf Today [6]
• United Nations - UN Urges Calm In Wake Of Pakistan Terrorist Attack [7]
• US State Department - Assassination Of Benazir Bhutto -- Secretary Rice [8]
• Dennis Kucinich - Dennis Kucinich: On The Death Of Benazir Bhutto [9]
• Sam Brownback - Brownback: Condolences And Prayers For Bhutto [10]


• The White House - Bush Condems Assassination Of Benazir Bhutto [11]


• UK Govt - British PM Pays Tribute To "Courageous" Bhutto [12]
• United Nations - UN: Ban Ki-moon Outraged At Bhutto Assassination [13]
• Wikinews - Former Pakistan PM Bhutto Killed In Suicide Attack [14]
• VOA News - Life Of Tragedy: Former Pakistan PM Benazir Bhutto [15]
• Radio Free Europe - Benazir Bhutto's Death Felt Keenly In Kabul [16]
• Govt of Sweden - Carl Bildt On The Assassination Of Benazir Bhutto [17]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01216.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0712/S00532.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0712/S00531.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01232.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01231.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01230.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01229.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01226.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01224.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01225.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01223.htm
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01219.htm
[13] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01217.htm
[14] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01221.htm
[15] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01222.htm
[16] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01220.htm
[17] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01218.htm

Crime Pays: $1.5m Per Month - Merry Christmas, Corrections Consultants - Corrections Department consultants will be having an extremely relaxed Christmas after latest figures show they are heading for an even more lucrative year than the one just gone, says National's Justice & Corrections spokesman, Simon Power. "For consultants working for Corrections, life just gets better and better. "The latest figures show the department shelled out $19.4 million of taxpayers' money to consultants in 2006/07. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0712/S00530.htm

Environment: Stronger Measures Essential To Stop Didymo - The 'NZ Federation of Freshwater Anglers (Inc)' are very concerned at what they consider very 'inadequate Biosecurity' measures both at international ports of entry and at domestic airports and ferry terminals (Cook Strait). Controls are needed. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0712/S00333.htm

Telecommunications: Next Quake May Result In Communications Blackout - BayCity Communications says that the recent earthquake in Gisborne demonstrates that satellite communications will be a vital component in re-establishing communication links in areas isolated by natural disaster such as earthquake, flooding or tsunami. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0712/S00067.htm

Agriculture: Federated Farmers Adjusts Industry Group Names - ''There has been a little bit of confusion around the industry group names because their previous titles did not include the words 'Federated Farmers'. This name change will clear up that confusion,'' said Charlie Pedersen, President of Federated Farmers. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0712/S00432.htm

Tourism & Travel: Top Destinations Booked For New Years Eve 2007 - Wotif.com has announced that Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch are the most popular destinations in NZ for New Year's Eve. The Total bookings for New Zealand's cities rival domestic leisure destination bookings for the same period. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0712/S00327.htm

Scoop Military and Defence Issues: UN Urges Calm In Wake Of Pakistan Terrorist Attack - Condemning the deadly terrorist attack that killed former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and at least a dozen others in the northern city of Rawalpindi, the United Nations Security Council today called on all Pakistanis to show restraint. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01229.htm

Spillage: Rehabilitation Prospects After Worst Korean Oil Spill Are Good, UN Experts Say - The prospects for rehabilitation after the worst oil spill in the history of the Republic of Korea (ROK) are good, thanks to quick and effective action by the Korean authorities, according to a joint UN-European Commission Assessment Team. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01236.htm

Nigeria:Laptops-In-Schools Debate Turns Messy - A scheme to give one million low-cost laptops to Nigerian schoolchildren has stalled because some policymakers say the money would be better spent on other educational projects. "The programme has had to face a series of difficulties," said Tomi Davies, manager of One Laptop per Child, which has designed a cheap laptop, known as the XO.More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0712/S01228.htm

Transport: Counting The Toll - On And Off The Road - Tragically at this time of year, every year, the deaths on our roads are all but an expected fact. Even with all the annual campaigns, the high impact advertising, the spending on better roading and policing, we have a long way to go. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0712/S00320.htm

Big Druggie: Disgraced Former FDA Official Marketing Lilly Drug - As a 33-year-old Wall Street insider known for recommending hot medical stocks, many were surprised when physician Scott Gottlieb was named FDA deputy commissioner for medical and scientific affairs in 2005. Now that he's left the FDA, Gottlieb is helping sell Lilly's osteoporosis drug Evista which the company was convicted in 2005 of marketing, off label, for anti cancer and heart disease purposes. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0712/S00316.htm

Women's Pro Surfing: Battle Of The Boards Bigger Than Ever For Top Female Surfers - Rip Curl and leading youth brand Clean & Clear have joined forces to bring New Zealand the only Women's Pro event on the national surfing calendar for 2008 - donating some of the proceeds to the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0712/S00328.htm

ENDS

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