Today's Top Scoops - 26 February 2008
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LEAD STORY
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Elections & Analysis: Labour Jitters N Poster-Boy Politics - State Of It: Selwyn Manning writes that the latest in a series of polls has shown a trend where Labour is in serious trouble. Can Helen Clark beat off National leader John Key in what is shaping up as a land-slide loss for Labour? And what of leadership coups? More >> [1]
ALSO:Alastair Thompson - Multimedia: PM's Post Cabinet Presser 25 February [2] (KiwiFM Audio): Wallace Chapman & Selwyn Manning on Labour's Slide [3]
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NZ POLITICS
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Defence: Extension of commitment to Timor Leste - Defence Minister Phil Goff today welcomed the decision by the United Nations Security Council to extend the mandate
of the UN mission in Timor Leste (UNMIT) for a further year. More >> [1]
UN & Defence: NZ Cautious On Military Contributions Abroad - Andreas von Warburg reports from the UN: As NZ's troop commitment to Afghanistan is discussed in the Beehive this
week, the country is cautious about increasing its military presence abroad - while Australia moves to bolster its
military visibility ... More >> [1]
Justice: Domestic Violence Review Welcome - A review of our domestic violence law is welcome, but it must ensure perpetrators of violence seek help to be truly
effective, says Youthline in response to the Ministry of Justice review of the Domestic Violence Act 1995. More >> [1]
Report: Major Failings At Wanganui Hospital - Health and Disability Commissioner Ron Paterson says that when provincial hospitals face workforce shortages,
appointment, supervision and quality control processes must be rigorous. This follows Mr Paterson's inquiry into the
failed sterilisation of eight women treated at Wanganui Hospital in 2005 and 2006 by Dr Roman Hasil, a doctor from
Slovakia. More >> [1]
ALSO:NZ Govt - Dr Hasil Errors must not be repeated - Cunliffe [2] National - Ryall warns of repeat Whanganui DHB scandal [3]
Aging: Protecting Older People From Abuse - A Families Commission study suggests that older people are less likely to be abused or neglected if they understand
their rights, have a strong sense of their self worth and positive relationships with their families. More >> [1]
ALSO: Age Concern - Action on elder abuse and neglect needed - study [2] United Future - Turner: Advocacy for vulnerable elderly needed [3] Age Concern - Action on elder abuse and neglect needed - study [4]
Justice System: Lack Of Communication Contributed To Tragedy - It's clear that Police did a good job in eventually stopping Graeme Burton, but the Independent Police Conduct
Authority makes it clear that serious communication problems between Police and Corrections contributed greatly to the
tragedy, say National Party ... More >> [1]
ALSO:NZ Govt - Police Minister welcomes IPCA report [2] NZ First - Burton Should Have Been Back Behind Bars Sooner [3] Sensible Sentencing Trust - Karl Kuchenbecker Should Still Be Alive [4]
Transport: No Major Airline Security Changes - The Government will require immediate strengthening of security training requirements for airline and airport staff
at regional airports, and the Civil Aviation Authority will expedite a feasibility study on whether flight-deck barriers
can be fitted to smaller aircraft in New Zealand, Transport Minister Annette King announced today. More >> [1]
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BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH
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Tax: AIL Shares Drop On Govt Tax Changes - Cabinet today agreed to amend the law on certain types of stapled securities to bring the tax rules up-to-date with
developments in financial products and to prevent a serious loss to the revenue base from the use of those
instruments... More >> [1]
Water Quality: Clean Stream Accord Halfway Assessment - Current management of nutrient inputs and outputs at farm level is simply not enough to reverse decline in water
quality, Environment Minister Trevor Mallard and Agriculture Minister Jim Anderton said today. More >> [1]
ALSO:NZ Govt - Measuring water takes required for improved mgmt [2] NZ Govt - Protecting water everyone's responsibility [3] NZ Govt - Progress made, more progress needed [4] Fonterra - Clean Streams Accord halfway - positive change [5] Greens - Show you care Fonterra - don't pick up the milk [6] Greater Wellington Regional Council - Garden sprinkler and irrigation systems banned [7] Hawkes Bay Regional Council - Irrigation Ban on Ngaruroro River [8] NZ Govt - Government supports Waiwhetu Stream clean-up [9]
Confidence: More Businesses Doing the Business - The number of businesses increased 2 percent in February 2007 compared with February 2006, Statistics New Zealand
said today. In February 2007, there were about 463,000 businesses in New Zealand. More >> [1]
Advertising: Spending On 'The Bits In-between' Increases - The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) today reported that advertising revenue across all main media was 2.335
billion dollars for the 12 months ended 31 December 2007. This is an increase of 111 million dollars. More >> [1]
Buying Stuff: Consumer Generated Media Becoming Monstrous - A first of its kind study released today by Nielsen Online has revealed that consumer generated media (CGM) is
affecting a major shift in overall consumer behaviour. More >> [1]
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WORLD
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Macedonia: Reaching Out To Win Latin American Hearts - On the eve of the explosive consequences of Kosovo's independence, an artificial "dispute," created by Greece
seventeen years ago over the name and identity of the Republic of Macedonia, threatens to further destabilize the
Balkans, with possibly uncontrolled consequences for regional peace. More >> [1]
Press Freedom: Junta Cracks Down On Burma's Independent Media - The junta's crackdown on Burma's independent media intensified last week with the arrest of two Rangoon-based
journalists. Thet Zin and Sein Win Maung of the Myanmar Weekly were arrested during a raid by police and Military
Intelligence. More >> [1]
ALSO:UN - Envoy Discusses Myanmar With Singaporean Leaders [2] UN - ASEAN Plays Key Role In Helping Myanmar - UN Envoy [3]
Ban Ki-moon: We 'Cannot Wait' To End Violence Against Women - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today kicked off a multi-year global campaign bringing together the United Nations,
governments and civil society to try to end violence against women, calling it an issue that ''cannot wait.'' More >> [1]
One Way Ticket: Iranian Gay Refugee Risks Deportation From The UK - Medhi is an Iranian homosexual who in November 2005 left Teheran to go and study in London. He was forced to apply
for asylum to the British Home Office after the discovery, by the Iranian authorities of his homosexual relationship
with another boy, who had already been sentenced to death and executed in April 2006. More >> [1]
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COMMENT
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Scott Galindez: Ohio Back In The Spotlight - In 2004, Kenneth Blackwell, long lines and accusations of problems with voting machines dominated the headlines. Ohio
and Florida were the battleground states everyone pointed to as the bellwethers in the race between Kerry and Bush. More >> [1]
Jason Leopold: Five Years On, Questions Remain About Rove's CIA Leak Email to Hadley - It's been nearly five years since former White House political adviser Karl Rove sent an incriminating email to then
Deputy National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley indicating that Rove had a candid conversation with a Time magazine
reporter. More >> [1]
Sherwood Ross: McCain Can't Tell Self-Defense Apart From War of Aggression - By supporting President Bush's aggression in Iraq, McCain is already accomplice to a needless slaughter that made
Iraq the most dangerous hell on the planet. Now McCain says he is ready to continue this occupation for a century. More >> [1]
Siddhi B. Ranjitkar: Celebrating Democracy Day In Nepal - The government has announced that it is going to celebrate the democracy day starting on February 18 and ending on
February 20, and decided to request the Nepalis in general to illuminate their homes with light on the evenings of these
three days. More >> [1]
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LIFESTYLE
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Book Reviews: Chasing The Flame - Unexplored Side Of UN - Andreas von Warburg writes: that the UN is often criticized for being a complex and inefficient, inadequate and
unfocused. Here however is a book by Pulitzer Price winner Samantha Power that explores an often unexplored side of the
UN. More >> [1]
Circus: Performers Aim To Disprove Newton's Theories - Gravity and Other Myths, an outdoor circus show inspired by the stars, begins on Wednesday 5 March for a 10-night
season as part of the Meridian Energy Summer City festival. More >> [1]
ALSO:Scoop Images - Scoop Images: Gravity and Other Myths (2007) [2]
Charity: Celebrities Want Money To Go To The Dogs - Dozens of famous Kiwi faces are lending their support to the SPCA in a Charity Auction to raise funds for a new puppy
shelter in Otago. The Otago SPCA needs $74,000 to build the new shelter. More >> [1]
Arts Fest: Alienesque Sculptures Cause Security Worries At Parliament - "A photo documentation of the sculptures in iconic nz landscape and places during our road-trip became a playful
extension of our work. Finally arriving in Wellington we chose the Beehive for a suitable background to present the
essence of the city... and then this is what happened..." More >> [1]
ALSO:TV3 Video - Shapeshifter: Showcase of NZ sculpture [2] Out-Link - Arts Fest: Shapeshifter 2008 [3] Scoop Coverage - Arts Festival 2008 [4]
And those were the Top Scoops on this day, 26 February 2008
:)
ENDS