Scoop Video: Corporal Willy Apiata VC Lost For Words

Scoop Video Report: Corporal Bill (Willy) Apiata, the first New Zealander to be awarded a Victoria Cross since WWII, was lost for words as he fronted a press conference held at NZ Defence HQ in Wellington. The Prime Minister, Helen Clark had earlier exited the weekly Cabinet meeting to announce the awarding of the VC to Corp. Apiata and Gallantry citations to three other members of the New Zealand SAS. More >>

UN Report: Africa And Asia Population to Double by 2030 - The population of African and Asian cities will double by 2030, adding 1.7 billion people, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says in a new report which calls for addressing rising urbanization by helping the poor. More >>

UN Report: Global Drug Abuse Rates Holding Steady - The production, trafficking and consumption of most illegal drugs remained steady last year, and law enforcement agencies are becoming more successful in their fight against the scourge, according to a United Nations report released today. More >>

Scoop News: Ban Ki-Moon Urges Ratification - Marking the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other United Nations officials today roundly denounced the practice and called on all countries to ratify the international treaty that bans it. More >>

Paris: Talks on Darfur Generate Momentum A high-level meeting in Paris bringing together over a dozen countries concerned about the situation in the war-ravaged Darfur region of Sudan has helped generate additional momentum towards ending the suffering of the people there, Secretary-General ... See... More >>
ALSO:

• State Dept. Secretary Rice Travels to Paris for Sudan Conference

Southern Afghanistan: Opium Production Strong Afghanistan continues to monopolize the global industry in illegal opium and is increasingly capable on its own territory of processing the poppy into heroin and morphine, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) warned today... More >>

Dr Congo: UN Bolsters Security Measures
The United Nations peacekeeping operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is taking measures to help the authorities bolster security in the country’s troubled eastern provinces of North and South Kivu, a spokesperson for the world ... See... More >>

Southern Lebanon: Ban Ki-Moon Condemns Attack The Security Council, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have strongly condemned yesterday’s bomb attack in southern Lebanon that killed six UN peacekeepers and seriously wounded two others. See... More >>

Scoop Exclusive: Palestinians Suffer As Lebanon Unites Behind Its Army Text & Video: "The Order Is Yours" By Sophie McNeill In Lebanon - As Lebanon unites behind its army, ordinary Palestinian civilians are left paying the price. Unable to flee as gun battles and shelling razed their neighbour's homes, Mohammad's family had been stuck inside Nahr El Bared camp since fighting first broke out between the Islamic militant group Fatah Al Islam and the Lebanese army. The army checkpoint was supposed to provide a safe haven for these desperate Palestinian civilians. Instead, Mohammad claims, this is where his journey of torture began. More >> Image by Tanya Traboulsi - Beddawi Refugee Camp where refugees have sought safety.

Background Report:
• Rami Zurayk & Tanya Traboulsi - Lebanon: Siege Tightens Grip On Nahr el Bared

AHRC: Welfare restrictions imposed on Aboriginal communities I have been calling for governments to turn commitments into action so I welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to tackle violence and child and alcohol abuse in Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. More >>

Fiji Govt: Fiji Values its Bilateral Relations With NZ
Fiji/New Zealand bilateral relations is much broader and deeper than the “hype” which has been generated particularly in New Zealand concerning declaration of persona non-grata status to Michael Green... More >>
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• Fiji Govt: Interim Government Seeks Australia, NZ, EU Money For 2009 Elections
• Lyndon Hood - Scoop Satire: Cautionary Tales For Pacific Leaders
• 95bFM Audio - Jose Barbosa IVs Mike Field On Fiji Expulsion
• 95bFM Audio - 95bFM: Mikey Havoc & PM on Fiji n Dalai Lama
• Scoop News - Fiji Dominates PM's post-cabinet press conference
• 95bFM Audio - Wallace & Manning: Fiji, Pacific Polcing To Suffer
• 95bFM Audio - Wallace IVs PM Helen Clark; Fiji A Rogue State
• National Party - The Mapp Report: The Fijian Banana Republic
• EPMU - Union condemns treatment of Michael Field
• NZ Govt - Fiji's acceptance of election report acknowledged

Netherlands: Pirate Ship in Chains Eemshaven, Netherlands — The notorious Russian pirate fish cargo ship, the Mumrinskiy, has been chained to the docks in the Dutch port of Eemshaven by activists to stop it from engaging in illegal activities with pirate fisheries and facilitating the... More >>

PIC: Hamas asks Fatah to open dialogue - GAZA, The Hamas Movement on Tuesday renewed invitation to Fatah faction to initiate joint dialogue to solve pending problems before it is too late... More>>

Scoop Exclusive: Siege Tightens Grip On Nahr el Bared Refugee Camp Lebanon: Prof. Rami Zurayk Reports - Heavy fighting continues unabated for the fourth week between the Lebanese army and the radical Islamist group Fateh al Islam in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr el Bared in North Lebanon. (Includes Photo-Essay of Beddawi refugee camp by Tanya Traboulsi) More >>

Sudan: Security In South Darfur Town Shows No Improvement The security situation in the southern Darfur town of Gereida has not improved and militia attacks against civilians, especially women, are continuing, the United Nations Mission in Sudan UNMIS said today after wrapping up a four-day visit to the town... More>>

Gaza: Abbas Suspends PA Law - GAZA, (PIC)-- PA chief Mahmoud Abbas has issued another decree suspending a number of articles in the PA basic law that disallow him of pursuing his wrong steps in forming an emergency government without approval from the PLC... More >>
ALSO:

• UN - Ban Discusses Palestinian Crisis
• UN - Ban Ki-Moon Calls for Aid Access
• Gush Shalom - Gaza crisis - Israel not without blame
• PIC - PA unity government: Fayyad's cabinet illegitimate
• PIC Resheq: Abbas' refusal of Arab initiative
• PIC - Haneyya: Abbas's decision hasty
• Gaza - Hamas: Abbas's decrees are unconstitutional
• Gaza - Hamas: Foreign Forces Will Be Seen As Occupation Forces
• Gaza - Hamas: ready to cease fire
• UN - Violence Worsening In Gaza

United Nations: British Counter-Terror Laws a Concern Although the United Kingdom possesses deep knowledge and a “great wealth of experience” in handling religious tensions and terrorist acts carried out for religious purposes, a United Nations independent expert today voiced concern over laws which have been... More >>

Activism: Exxon Proposes Burning Humanity for Fuel - Imposters posing as ExxonMobil and National Petroleum Council (NPC) representatives delivered an outrageous keynote speech to 300 oilmen at GO-EXPO, Canada's largest oil conference, held at Stampede Park in Calgary, Alberta, today. More >>

ALSO:
• dmg world media - Keynote speakers verified as impersonators
• Out-Link - calgary.ctv.ca - Oil executives duped by impostors

UN: Ki-Moon Saddened by Deadly Bangladeshi Floods - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today expressed his deep sadness at the loss of more than 100 lives, the injuries sustained by over 100 people and the destruction caused by the landslide and flooding impacting Chittagong, Bangladesh’ssecond largest city. Mr. Ban “extends his deepest condolences to the families of those who have been killed or injured in the disaster,” his spokesperson said in a statement... More >>

Council on Hemispheric Affairs: How Corn-Based Ethanol Can Lead To Disaster - Ethanol Fuels Are Not Necessarily The Universal Cure As the Bush administration continues to push its alternative fuels agenda, it has become increasingly evident that corn-based ethanol could be as much the global villain as a boon to society. Instead of improving ... More >>

Scoop News: Need for Dialogue Between Fiji and New Zealand - Pacific News: AUT's Bharat Jamnadas reports that a seminar to discuss the situation in Fiji since the December 2005 coup, held at the Victoria University in Wellington last Friday has called on the New Zealand Government to initiate more dialogue with the Interim Government of Fiji. More >>

Southern Africa: More Than 400,000 Facing Food Shortages In Lesotho Due To Drought A new report by two United Nations agencies says that more than 400,000 people in Lesotho face food shortages due to the country’s most severe drought in 30 years. See... More >>
ALSO:

• Lesotho Faces Acute Food Crisis

Timor-Leste: Urge for Democratic Election Process - With campaigning for Timor-Leste's parliamentary elections in full swing, the senior United Nations envoy to the country today called on all concerned to ensure a democratic processIt is important that campaign messages be delivered freely, fairly ... More>>

UN: Human Rights Situation In Somalia Deteriorating The human right situation in Somalia is deteriorating as hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee their homes while others are being subject to threats, rape and violence in the war-torn East African nation, a United Nations expert said today... More>>
ALSO:

• UN Fragile Chance For Somalia Peace
• UN Somalia: Security Council Stresses Contingency

Scoop/AUT News: G8 Take Note: Tuvalu Climate Change's Global Face AUT's Vincent Murwira reports that as the leaders of the G8 summit in Heiligendamm in Germany hammered the final communiqué on climate change, half a world away, in the small Pacific island country of Tuvalu, Sialafaga Talua, a born and bred islander pondered her shaky future on the islands, as she has always done again and again. More >>

G8 Summit: G8 to act on climate change, later... maybe Heiligendamm, Germany — In the lead up to this year's summit, leaked documents made it clear there was a distinct split among the G8 on the issue of climate change. After all, seven of the member countries have committed to the Kyoto Protocol's binding ... See... More>>

UN: Criticises Iranian President's Remarks On Israel United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today spoke out against a recent verbal attack on Israel by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who repeatedly said that the world could soon witness the destruction of the Zionist regimeThe Secretary-General was "shocked and dismayed" by the 3 June comments, his spokesperson said in a statement, pointing out that "the State of Israel is a full and long-standing member of the United Nations with the same rights and obligations as every other member... More>>

Sri Lanka: Two Tamil workers from the Red Cross murdered - On 1st June 2007 two Tamil workers from the Sri Lankan Red Cross were abducted in the capital Colombo and their bullet-ridden bodies found days later 100km southeast of the capital. Head of Sri Lanka Red Cross in Batticaloa, Mr Vasantharajah, told ... More >>
ALSO:

• UN - Condemns Evictions Of Tamils From Capital
• UN - Condemns Killings Of Two Sri Lankan Aid Workers

Scoop/AUT News: China’s Influence Growing In South Pacific - AUT's Vincent Murwira reports as China scrambles worldwide for raw materials to fuel its rapidly growing economy, it is increasingly finding itself in the same hunting grounds with Taiwan, its breakaway province, with both economies offering countries resorting to offering generous grants as inducements for allegiance, with success some of the time, but not all the time. More >>

Somalia: Call to Cease Holstilities The United Nations and other members of a group supporting peace and reconciliation efforts in Somalia today called on all parties to agree to an immediate cessation of hostilities and protect civilians in the war-ravaged country. See... More >>
ALSO:

• Donation Facilitates Aid Flights In Somalia
• Africa To Dominate talk at Security Council
• Dispatching UN Political Chief To Horn Of Africa

Scoop Exclusive: Let Us Introduce The People From Nahr al Bared Camp Text + Images: Over the last 9 days, the Lebanese security forces have been fighting a well-armed Sunni Islamist group, Fatah al Islam, which had taken up residence in the Nahr al Bared camp after last summer's war with Israel. Scoop publishes this intimate account of what is happening to the people inside this camp. More >>
ALSO:

• (KiwiFM Audio): Live From Lebanon: KiwiFM Audio: Rami Zurayk on the latest from Lebanon.
• Rami Zurayk - Innocents Suffer As Fateh al Islam Shelter in Camp

US: Reporter Arrested on Orders of Giuliani Press Sec Freelance reporter Matt Lepacek, reporting for Infowars.com, was arrested for asking a question to one of Giuliani's staff members in a press conference. The press secretary identified the New York based reporter as having previously asked Giuliani about ... More>>

Timor-Leste: Situation Tense - Although the overall security situation in Timor-Leste is stable, the district of Viequeque remains tense in the wake of two deadly shootings over the weekend, according to the United Nations peacekeeping operation in the country which the world body ushered to independence in 2002.UN Police (UNPOL) conducted 43 patrols and responded to five incidents in the capital Dili today... More>>

Somalia: Aid for Hundreds of Thousands in Somalia - Aid has been distributed to more than 90 per cent of the nearly 400,000 people displaced by recent fighting in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, though considerable humanitarian difficulties persist, the United Nations said today.The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said... More >>

Greenpeace: Commercial whaling ban strengthened at Anchorage - Following last year's "St. Kitts Declaration", which mumbled that the moratorium on commercial whaling might not be necessary anymore, the anti-whaling countries have bounced back with a 37-4 vote for a resolution strengthening the commercial whaling ban. This was a major victory for the voices of whale conservation worldwide. At last year's meeting, 33 countries - led by pro-whaling Japan - voted in favour of the "St. Kitts Declaration," essentially an attempt to restart commercial whaling, which has been banned since 1986. More >>

ALSO:
• Japanese Delegation Response to IWC Decision

Middle East: Diplomatic Quartet Calls On Both Sides - The Middle East diplomatic Quartet issued a wide-ranging statement today calling on Israel and the Palestinians to work constructively to create an environment where there can be progress towards Palestinian statehood that is consistent with previous international agreements and resolutions. After holding a high-level meeting in Berlin, the Quartet principals – including United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon – also called for more direct talks between the leaders of the two sides.
More >>

Greenpeace: Exxon still funding Climate Change Deniers - Culture jamming the Esso logo at the entrance to a large station near the Germany-Luxembourg border in Wasserbillig. So. The day of reckoning has come – when we get to find out just how much of the climate change denial industry ExxonMobil (aka Esso) is... More >>

Japanese Delegation to IWC: Response to IWC Decision It is extremely disappointing that the International Whaling Commission chose not to support our proposal for quota for our traditional hunters. Countries who spoke in favour of our proposal agreed it was fully sustainable and would have alleviated ... More >>

Scoop Exclusive: Innocents Suffer As Fateh al Islam Shelter in Camp - Prof. Rami Zurayk writes from Lebanon: Palestinian civilians from the Nahr el Bared camp in North Lebanon are paying the price of years of sectarian buildup between the Lebanese Government and the Opposition. More >>

UK: Prime Minister defends use of control orders -
The Prime Minister has defended the use of control orders as the best available means for protecting the public. Speaking at a news conference in Downing Street, Mr Blair said that control orders were very much a second best option but that they were the... More >>

Prague: Thousands protest in Prague against US base - Several thousand protesters gathered in Prague today during demonstration against planned US radar base in the Czech Republic. Protesters traveled from across the country and included people of all ages, backgrounds and political affiliations... More >>

Greenpeace: Canning the Pacific - Fish is to the Pacific what oil is to the Middle East. This week, May 14-18, Pacific Trade Ministers and officials meet in Nadi to discuss their trade options with the EU. Whilst agreements over trade in agriculture, tourism and finance are on the table... More >>

UN: Ki-Moon Hails Inauguration Of José Ramos-Horta - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today congratulated José Ramos-Horta on his inauguration as President of Timor-Leste. "Dr. Ramos-Horta's relationship with the United Nations is already solid and long-standing, and I look forward to ... More>>

ALSO:
• Timor - UN Says It Will Not Tolerate Violence In Timor

Somalia: Pirates Attack UN Aid Ship - Following a deadly attack on an aid ship in the waters off Somalia, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today appealed for international action against piracy, warning that it is seriously threatening relief deliveries to the country. More>>

ALSO
• Somalia - UN Increases Food Deliveries

Security: Call On Fiji To Regulate Private Security - Concerned that many Fijians have been recruited as mercenaries, experts on the issue today urged the authorities of the Pacific country to ensure that private security companies operate in full accordance with international human rights standards, as... More>>