Top Scoop Stories - 30 April 2008 News Summary

Wednesday, 30 April 2008, 2:03 pm
Article: The Scoop Editor

Today's Top Scoops - 30 April 2008

LEAD STORY:

Activist Politics: Ploughshares Penetrate Waihopai Base Deflate Dome + Review of Book on the Ploughshares + Congratulations on Deflation of Waihopai Dome + TV3: Three arrested as activists attack Waihopai

NZ POLITICS:

PM's Post Cabinet Presser - Monday, 28 April 2008
Conspiracy Corner: Lies, Lies And Statistics Are Lies, Says Family First
Dioxin: Govt To Set Up Support Service
Child Poverty: Give Breaks To Those Who Need It - NZCCSS
Gordon Campbell: The Listener, past and present
Section 59: Child Hitting Petition Knocked Back

BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH:

Media: Mr Wishart's Magazine Investigated By Press Council
Wonkery: Fine-tuning of Emissions Trading Recommended
Balances: Second March Trade Deficit in Decade

WORLD:

Zimbabwe: UN Experts Condemn 'Intimidation, Violence And Torture'
World Food Crisis: Surging Food Prices Not Just Threat, But Also Opportunity
Burma News: European Union Extends Sanctions On Burma Junta
East Timor: UN Welcomes Surrender Of Fugitives

COMMENT:

Michael Collins: Clinton's Threat to "Obliterate" Iran
Rick Harriss: Stop looking for an FTA discount
Paul G. Buchanan: How Primary Losers become General Election Winners

LIFESTYLE:

Tertiary Education: Blueprints Explode Onto The Stage
Kiwi Pride: NZ Tonsorial Wizards Battle It Out

Activist Politics: Ploughshares Penetrate Waihopai Base Deflate Dome - Ploughshares Statement: This morning, 30 April 2008, we entered the Waihopai Spy Base near Blenheim. Our group, including a Dominican Priest, temporarily closed the base by padlocking the gates and proceeded to deflate one of the large domes covering two satellite dishes. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• Scoop Review of Books - Review of Book on the Ploughshares
• Global Peace And Justice Auckland - Congratulations on Deflation of Waihopai Dome [2]
• TV3 Video - Three arrested as activists attack Waihopai spy base domes, deflating one [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00443.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00444.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/national/7534.html

Scoop Multimedia: PM's Post Cabinet Presser - Monday, 28 April 2008

Conspiracy Corner: Lies, Lies And Statistics Are Lies, Says Family First - Family First NZ is labeling the counting of the signatures on the anti-smacking petition as 'incredibly dodgy'. ..."This would suggest that there is an agenda to try and 'kill' the petition," said a spokesperson. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• Family Party continues support towards petition [2]
• 11th of every month 911 truth group [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00448.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00445.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00441.htm

Dioxin: Govt To Set Up Support Service - A new health support service is being established for people who lived or worked near or at the former Ivon Watkins Dow agri-chemical plant in the New Plymouth suburb of Paritutu, Associate Minister of Health Damien O'Connor announced. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• Green Party - Assistance to Paritutu victims too little too late [2]
• Allen and Clarke - Final report on Paritutu health support service [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0804/S00638.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0804/S00633.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0804/S00144.htm

Child Poverty: Give Breaks To Those Who Need It - NZCCSS - Left Behind: How social and income inequalities damage New Zealand children, a major report on child poverty released today by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG). More >> [1]

ALSO:

• Child Poverty Action Group - Download CPAG Report Executive Summary [2]
• NZ Govt - Child poverty report welcomed [3]
• Maori Party - Tax cuts for poorest families, says Maori Party [4]
• Maori Party - Whose interests in One Size Fits All Approach? [5]
• NZ First - End Of Child Poverty Worthy Goal [6]
• NZ Council of Trade Unions - CPAG Commended For Highlighting Child Poverty: CTU [7]
• Public Health Association - More Money Needed To Eradicate Child Poverty - PHA [8]
• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren - Child Poverty Action Group report [9]
• Lindsay Mitchell - CPAG At Loggerheads With OECD [10]
• Problem Gambling Foundation - Suffer the Little Children [11]
• QPEC - "Tail" of underachievement is tale of poverty [12]
• Playcentre Federation - Playcentre supports the call to end child poverty [13]
• Paediatric Society - 'Left behind' report a sobering reminder [14]
• National Distribution Union - Kids biggest victims of current food price crisis [15]
• Barnardos - "Left Behind" report welcomed [16]
• TV3 Video - Thousands starving due to 'silent tsunami' of rising food prices [17]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00414.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00416.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0804/S00601.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0804/S00602.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0804/S00629.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0804/S00607.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00413.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00412.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00422.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00421.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00420.htm
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00419.htm
[13] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED0804/S00079.htm
[14] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0804/S00134.htm
[15] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00427.htm
[16] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00432.htm
[17] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/international/7477.html

Gordon Campbell: The Listener, past and present - Former Listener journalist Gordon Campbell disagrees with the assertion that the Listener was ever 'the house journal of the Alliance' ...'If she has been accurately reported, [current editor Pamela] Stirling's assessment of the Listener that she inherited is a slur on previous editors such as Finlay Macdonald, Paul Little, Jenny Wheeler, Terry Snow, Geoff Baylis and David Beatson among others - not to mention on the editor who initiated many of the Listener's best conventions, Monte Holcroft. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• Scoop Review of Books - Booker Winner Ditches Listener Sub [2]

[1] - http://election08.scoop.co.nz/gordon-campbell-on-the-listener-past-and-present/
[2] - http://books.scoop.co.nz/srb-picks-booker-prize-winner-ditches-listener-sub/

Section 59: Child Hitting Petition Knocked Back - Green Party MP Sue Bradford says she is not surprised the petition aiming to force a referendum on physical punishment of children has failed to collect enough signatures. "There has been massive public debate on the issue of whether it should be legal to hit children in the name of discipline." More >> [1]

ALSO:

• The Kiwi Party - Time to overhaul the CIR Act [2]
• Family First - Respond Now To Smacking Referendum [3]
• Kiwi Party - Duckworth-Lewis type equations for referendum? [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0804/S00614.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00438.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00423.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00374.htm

Media: Mr Wishart's Magazine Investigated By Press Council - Air New Zealand has welcomed a New Zealand Press Council decision upholding complaints about Investigate magazine's cover story on charter flights published in September 2007. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0804/S00510.htm

Wonkery: Fine-tuning of Emissions Trading Recommended - The Government is being advised to strengthen measures to enhance energy efficiency and provide clear national guidelines to protect natural resources from potential degradation as it moves to address the country's greenhouse gas emissions. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0804/S00429.htm

Balances: Second March Trade Deficit in Decade - New Zealand's trade balance fell into deficit unexpectedly in March, recording a deficit of NZ$50 million, following a surplus of NZ$258 million in February. The unfavourable trade position emerged from a sharp moderation in export growth. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• Statistics New Zealand - Quarterly exports and imports remain high [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0804/S00484.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0804/S00480.htm

Zimbabwe: UN Experts Condemn 'Intimidation, Violence And Torture' - Intimidation, violence and torture are being used to take retribution against supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) after last month's presidential elections in Zimbabwe, according to a group of UN human rights rapporteurs. More >> [1]

ALSO

• UN Offers Help Resolving Zimbabwe Political Crisis [2]
• Africa Action Condemns Rising Abuses In Zimbabwe [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0804/S00304.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0804/S00296.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0804/S00309.htm

World Food Crisis: Surging Food Prices Not Just Threat, But Also Opportunity - The world must not only take immediate action to address the current food crisis, but also take advantage of the higher food prices by assisting farmers in developing countries to thwart similar situations in the future. More >> [1]

ALSO TODAY

• United Nations - High-Powered Task Force Tackles Global Food Crisis [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0804/S00295.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0804/S00293.htm

Burma News: European Union Extends Sanctions On Burma Junta - The European Union has extended its sanctions on the Burmese junta for 12 months and threatened to expand them amidst ongoing concerns over the political situation. The EU's 27 member states agreed to extend the current range of sanctions. More >> [1]

ALSO

• Junta Steps Up Cyber War On Bloggers [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0804/S00308.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0804/S00307.htm

East Timor: UN Welcomes Surrender Of Fugitives - The attacks of 11 February had threatened the country, and UNMIT head Atul Khare shares ''the feelings of the entire community in welcoming the peaceful submission of Gastão Salsinha and his men. They must now face justice.'' More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0804/S00305.htm

Michael Collins: Clinton's Threat to "Obliterate" Iran - Last week, Hillary Clinton proved that reason is on holiday. When asked how she would react to an Iranian nuclear attack on Israel, Clinton said that she would "obliterate" Iran. She didn't say it in a rage. She didn't say it in a state of nervous exhaustion... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0804/S00415.htm

Rick Harriss: Stop looking for an FTA discount - The above photo well illustrates the real problem of New Zealand and its ongoing failure internationally. New Zealand butter next to Australian butter in a major wholesale supermarket in China. Photo is taken this week. The same and equal product ... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0804/S00428.htm

Paul G. Buchanan: How Primary Losers become General Election Winners - Given the nature of the 2008 US presidential primary campaigns, the role of losing sides in the primary voting will play a pivotal role in the November general election. "Losing side" in this case means the voters, not the candidate. In order to understand ... More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0804/S00422.htm

Tertiary Education: Blueprints Explode Onto The Stage - Expect to see blueprints come alive with movement in this year's New Zealand School of Dance Choreographic Season, Steel Skeletons. Opening in May, Steel Skeletons features the choreography of seven contemporary dance students from the New Zealand School of Dance, and is performed to entirely kiwi music. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0804/S00302.htm

Kiwi Pride: NZ Tonsorial Wizards Battle It Out - The finalists for the Hair Expo Hairdressing Awards 2008 have been announced with stylists from Wellington and Auckland dominating the shortlist for the highly coveted title. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0804/S00299.htm

ENDS

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