Today's Top Scoops - 08 May 2008
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LEAD STORY------------
US Election 08: Clinton's Last Chance To Go Gracefully - Hillary has been talking tough (and sounding hollow) ever since the Indiana/North Carolina primaries results came in yesterday, but that's only to convince prospective donors that she's still viable. Really, its all over at last. Barack Obama has an unassailable lead on the popular vote/pledged delegate count, and has been winning over superdelegates at a 5:1 ratio to Clinton of late, even during his last month of troubles. That flood should now become a tidal wave. More >> [1]
ALSO:TV3 Video - Clinton vows to press on as time, options running out [2]
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NZ POLITICS------------
Silver Linings: $46 million more for injured New Zealanders - The Government has allocated an additional $46.5 million over four years to support injured New Zealanders, ACC
Minister Maryan Street announced today. More >> [1]
Kiwisaver: Nations' Piggy Bank Coffers Swell - 78,000 New Zealanders joined KiwiSaver in April alone in a huge response to the government's enhancements to the
scheme, Finance Minister Michael Cullen and Revenue Minister Peter Dunne announced today. More >> [1]
Emergencies: 50 years of Dialling 111 - 2008 is the 50th anniversary of the 111 emergency response service in New Zealand. The service started as a trial in
Masterton and Carterton in September 1958. More >> [1]
Disasters: 100s Of 1000s May Need Aid In Cyclone-Hit Myanmar - The number of people requiring humanitarian assistance following the deadly cyclone which struck Myanmar a few days
ago could number in the hundreds of thousands, according to the United Nations which is mobilizing aid in the wake of
the disaster. More >> [1]
ALSO:NZ Govt - NZ NGOs to get $500,000 for Myanmar relief effort [2] NZ Govt - NZ likely to contribute to Myanmar relief [3] TEAR Fund - TEAR fund launches appeal for Myanmar victims [4] TEAR Fund - Kiwi response to Myanmar disaster praised [5] Salvation Army - Salvation Army launches Myanmar appeal [6] Oxfam - Oxfam launches $200,000 Myanmar Cyclone Appeal [7] World Vision NZ - World Vision one of few on ground in Myanmar [8] Caritas - Caritas accepting donations towards Cyclone Nargis [9] Council of Trade Unions - CTU, Union of Burma call for cyclone relief [10] TV3 Video - More than a million homeless as deathtoll in Myanmar keeps rising [11] TV3 Video - NZ Red Cross says its not easy getting aid to cyclone-hit Myanmar [12] TV3 Video - Kiwis caught in Myanmar cyclone fear running out of food [13] TV3 Video - US diplomat warns 100,000 may have died in Myanmar cyclone [14] Scoop World Coverage - Cyclone Nargis Reaction [15]
Prisons & Corrections: Obsolete Mt Eden Prison To Be Replaced - It's The Black-Hat For 'The Mount': Corrections Minister Phil Goff announced today plans for the replacement of the Victorian era Mt Eden Prison. More >> [1]
ALSO:Department Of Corrections - Minister gives Mt Eden replacement the green light [2] National - Don't use shonky system to rebuild Mt Eden [3] TV3 Video - Govt to replace Mt Eden Prison [4]
Policy: Cullen: "Key Re-Invents His Own History Yet Again" - In 2004, Mr Key railed against the purchase of the track system, saying it would lead to 'pork-barrel politics',
'political interference' in investment decisions, and inevitable investments in services of 'questionable economic
value'. Yet this morning on Breakfast, Mr Key said that "...owning the tracks, that's a pretty sound idea." More >> [1]
ALSO:Earlier rail buyback coverage in Scoop's NZ Politics section [2] KiwiFM - Wallace n John Key on Emissions + Railways [3]
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BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH------------
Syed Akbar Kamal: Expo Addresses Migrant Needs - An estimated 10,000 strong crowd is expected to flock to 11th Migrant Expo and the Migrant Job Fair, a series of
exhibitions and fairs for migrants, overseas students and job seekers More >> [1]
Employment: Less Kiwi's Enjoying Groovy Chilled Out Bosses - In seasonally adjusted terms, the number of people employed dropped by 29,000 (1.3 percent) in the March 2008
quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today. More >> [1]
ALSO:J P Morgan - New Zealand unemployment rate rises to 3.6% in 1Q [2] NZ Govt - Labour Force Survey reflects stability [3]
Science: Platypus Genome Mapped - In decoding the genome of the platypus, a team of researchers has revealed important information that will enhance
our understanding of other mammals and may lead to the development of new approaches to combat disease in livestock and
humans. More >> [1]
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WORLD------------
Burma Urged To Facilitate Aid Delivery To Victims - "Given the magnitude of this disaster, the Secretary-General urges the Government of Myanmar to respond to the
outpouring of international support and solidarity by facilitating the arrival of aid workers, and the clearance of
relief supplies." More >> [1]
MOREWFP Food Aid Flights Arrive Yangon Morning 8 May [2] Burmese Government Must Get Out Of Way Of Relief [3] Secretary Rice On Burma Regime Vs. Humanitarian Crisis [4] USAID Partners with American Red Cross to Help the Burmese People [5] US Provides Additional $3m in Assistance to Burma [6] US State Dept Briefing: May 7, 2008 [7]
Burma: Cyclone Nargis OCHA Situation Report No. 3 - The cyclone has caused unprecedented devastation. Buildings and infrastructure have been severely damaged, and
flooding is widespread. The low-lying delta region also suffered a sizable storm surge, which is feared to have wiped
out whole villages. More >> [1]
United Nations: Zimbabwe Electoral Process Must Be Peaceful, Transparent - Voicing concern over reports of politically-motivated violence and intimidation against the backdrop of Zimbabwe's
ongoing stalemate, United UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for the next phases of the nation's elections to
be free and fair. More >> [1]
Re-Education: Cannabis To Be Reclassified As Class B Drug in UK - The reclassification reflects the fact that skunk, a much stronger type of the drug, now dominates the UK cannabis
market, accounting for 81 percent of cannabis available compared to just 30 percent in 2002. The reclassification will
take effect from early 2009. More >> [1]
Water: Business Leaders Urge Action On Global Water Crisis - "It is increasingly clear that lack of access to clean water and sanitation in many parts of the world causes great
suffering in humanitarian, social, environmental and economic terms, and seriously undermines development goals," the
letter released today by the UN Global Compact Office states. More >> [1]
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COMMENT------------
Gordon Campbell: Should Norway be the new template for China FTA - The China FTA photo ops are over. Parliament now has to bed in over the next few months to consider the FTA deal -
and if we're crazily in luck, it may even try to weigh the likely costs against the possible benefits. More >> [1]
Ramzy Baroud: Beyond Media Revolutions: Is Arab Media Truly Free? - On February 12, 2008, Arab League information ministers issued a communique outlining 'tough' guidelines for Arab
satellite channels. The new guidelines specifically prohibited the broadcasting of negative reporting of heads of state,
religious or national figures. More >> [1]
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LIFESTYLE------------
Patriotism: What Transforms A Migrant Into A 'KeeWee' - Research examining how new migrants integrate into New Zealand society shows that becoming a Kiwi and retaining an
ethnic identity are not mutually exclusive. More >> [1]
Education: Students And Staff Save Film At Vic - Victoria University has failed in its attempts to radically gut and restructure the Film School at Victoria as
revealed in the updated change proposal. More >> [1]
Parents: Mother's Day Sunday 11 May - Some facts about mothers: • Most women living in New Zealand become mothers. The 2006 Census showed that 86 percent
of women aged in their forties had at least one child.• In 2007 there were 64,040 live births. The highest number of
births ever recorded in New Zealand was 65,390 in 1961. More >> [1]
ALSO:Save The Children - Report reveals best and worst places to be a mum [2] Aangel Processing - Kiwi Men Love Their Mums [3] Newmarket Business Association - NZ Post's advertising emotional blackmail [4] Breast Cancer Research Trust - Celebrate Mother's Day with Breast Cancer Research [5] Karori Wildlife Sanctuary - Mum gets into Karori Sanctuary for FREE on 11 May [6]
And those were the Top Scoops on this day, 08 May 2008
:)
ENDS