Top Scoop Stories - 28 November 2008 News Summary
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LEAD STORY------------
An Airbus A320 operated by XL Airways of Germany has been lost in the Mediterranean.That aircraft is one that is owned
by Air New Zealand and on lease to XL Airways for the past two years. The aircraft was being flown by XL Airways to
Frankfurt where it was due to be handed back to Air New Zealand for a ferry flight back to New Zealand. More »[1]
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NZ POLITICS------------
The Classification Act requires that the Office of Film and Literature Classification minimise the risk to New Zealand
society caused by the unrestricted availability of publications depicting matters such as sex, horror, crime, cruelty
and violence. More »[1]
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Lindsay Shelton writes regarding plans for a new Manners Mall. “As part of our commitment to improving the city, the Council has completed the upgrade of Manners Mall and the
surrounding area.” This was the announcement in February 2004... Less than five years later, the Wellington City Council
doesn’t like its upgrade any more. More »[1]
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It has taken just one week into the job for new Minister of the Community and Voluntary Sector, Tariana Turia, to
identify direct repercussions happening at home in response to the global capital crisis. More »[1]
Giving the local government portfolio to Rodney Hide creates some management challenges for John Key. Can Key really
afford to let Hide loose down the privatising track in local government? More »[1]
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Five out of 10 New Zealanders are extremely or very concerned about the security of their financial transactions, up
sharply... New Zealanders strongly support the introduction of new technologies to provide greater security for
consumers’ data and finances. More »[1]
People can be confident a generic version of a widely-used gastrointestinal drug will work just as well as the medicine
it is replacing, says PHARMAC... More »[1]
"Our starting point is New Zealand needs a more responsive health system: one that responds to the priorities of New
Zealanders. It is the public’s priorities that inform the new Government’s priorities. New Zealanders want better,
sooner, more convenient healthcare, and they want accountability for results. And that is our goal too." More »[1]
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BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH------------
New Zealand’s most well-known consumer rights advocate David Russell is joining the council of New Zealand’s first
independent telecommunication dispute resolution service, Telecommunication Dispute Resolution (TDR). More »[1]
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The Minister of Energy and Resources, and Economic Development, Gerry Brownlee, today opened the new Pike River coal
mine in the Paparoa Ranges, 50 kilometres north-east of Greymouth. More »[1]
New Zealand’s best little business has earned the honour of being crowned Supreme Award winner in the inaugural year of
The David Awards: heroes in small business. More »[1]
The 2008 New Zealand Sharemilkers of the Year say the intangible benefits from entering the competition are ten-fold
compared to any monetary reward. More »[1]
Shell has again led a price decrease with a 5 cent drop in petrol prices, effective 11.00am today, Monday 24 November. More »[1]
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COMMENT------------
One of Barack Obama's most compelling and popular campaign promises was his pledge to end the war in Iraq “responsibly.”
But what does “responsibly” mean in this context? Does it mean the United States will be assuming full responsibility
for... More »[1]
When Gaza's electricity is in working order, most Palestinians in the impoverished and overcrowded Strip huddle around
their television screens. It's neither "American Idol" nor "Dancing with the Stars" that brings them together... More »[1]
Revealing comments about a government are often conveyed in the spaces between the surface narratives of the news. Two
examples today--one from the White House mouthpiece, the other from a mainstream media mouthpiece--make the point. More »[1]
Binoy Kampmark writes: When a figure of conservative propriety as Mervyn King, governor of the Bank of England, desires
government control over banks, one that exceeds mere partial or public ownership, the political fault lines must be
changing. More »[1]
Former University of Cambridge Commonwealth Scholar, Binoy Kampmark, writes that the US National Intelligence Council
report, ‘Global Trends 2025: A World Transformed’ makes noted observations - including the rise of China as a military
superpower. More »[1]
In a country where the electoral rules strictly honour and serve the rights of the people rather than the other way
around, polling booths didn't close until almost midnight, so that everyone waiting in a queue could exercise their
Constitutional ... More »[1]
Let's face it. Countries, like individuals, get lost sometimes -- really lost, ignoring the maps of morality and civil
behavior, bringing shame and disrepute on themselves. More »[1]
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LIFESTYLE------------
Natural history paintings by a somewhat forgotten yet iconic New Zealand artist are being officially offered from today
on a new online gallery. Fish Art Gallery, www.fishart.co.nz , launches on the 28th of November and has as its inaugural
exhibition ‘Heath Remastered’, the New Zealand marine life paintings of Eric Heath, former editorial cartoonist at
Wellingtons Dominion (Dompost) newspaper. More »[1]
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Te Papa is pleased to announce that its bid for Colin McCahon's painting, Mondrian's Last Chrysanthemum, 1976, was
successful. The painting was purchased for AUD$312,000 (including a 20% buyer's premium). The painting has been in a
private collection in Australia for the past 12 years and was auctioned by Melbourne-based fine arts dealer Deutscher
and Hackett yesterday. More »[1]
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A political studies graduate from The University of Auckland keenly interested in global justice and migration from
developing countries has gained a coveted Rhodes Scholarship for 2009. More »[1]
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[2] - http://nzif.wit.org.nz/" target="_blank [2]
The only female recipient of consecutive Song of the Year Grammy Awards, Roberta received her first triple Grammies in
1973 for Song and Record of the Year with The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and Best Pop Vocal by a Duo for Where Is The Love (duet with Donny Hathaway). Roberta earned another three Grammies in 1974 for Record and Song of the Year and Best Pop
Vocal by a Female for Killing Me Softly With His Song. More »[1]
Photo-Essay: Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design recently held its annual fashion show on the catwalk at the Viaduct
Harbour, Auckland. Here is a photo essay including entries from Whitecliffe's Bachelor of Fine Arts students. More »[1]
National Jandal Day on December 5 is a call to ‘feet’ in support of Surf Lifesaving New Zealand and Waitakere Mayor Bob
Harvey – a lifeguard at Karekare Beach for more than 50 year... More »[1]
The Sir Bob Charles Hall of Fame Golf Tournament will tee off at Clearwater on Friday, in recognition of Sir Bob’s
induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame. More »[1]
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WORLD------------
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned tonight's coordinated series of shootings and blasts by terrorists in
Mumbai, which have killed or wounded scores of people in India's commercial capital and largest city. "Such violence is
totally unacceptable." More »[1]
ALSO:
Richard S. Ehrlich Writes: Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat clamped a ''state of emergency'' on Bangkok's two main airports on Thursday, and
ordered the navy, air force and police to remove protesters who barricaded thousands of passengers from arriving or
departing. More »[1]
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The opium industry is largely funding the Taliban's war budget and is a major source of revenue for criminal groups and
terrorists in Afghanistan despite becoming less important to the country's overall economy. More »[1]
The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency today said ''it is baffling'' that satellite pictures necessary
for his investigation into an alleged nuclear reactor site in Syria were not available. More »[1]
While adding his voice to the growing chorus of senior United Nations officials condemning last week's murder of a
Congolese journalist, the head of the UN agency tasked with defending press freedom today welcomed the call from
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. More »[1]
Geneva, November 24, 2008 — By a vote of 85 to 50, with 42 abstaining, the UN General Assembly today adopted a draft
resolution calling on all countries to alter their legal and constitutional systems to prevent ''defamation of
religions,'' asserting ... More »[1]
A senior United Nations relief official has urged donors to generously support the $550 million appeal launched earlier
this week to respond to the humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe, which she warned will get much worse without “massive”
international ... More »[1]
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