OTHER NEWS (Just Politics)
National's Patriotism Regarding Conservation Questioned By Carter
Minister wants To See How Police Can Get Speedier
Debt Shirkers Diatribe From Katherine Rich Derided
Labour Slams National's Labour Policies
Government Committed To Protecting Fisheries
Alexander Continues Castration Campaign
Brash Concerned By Kiwi Economy
Patients Forced To be Patient In Auckland

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...TODAY'S PHOTO STORY...

NZDF Photos Of The Medical Team In Banda Aceh.
http://img.scoop.co.nz/stories/images/0501/d9fcdd137b6e7fb726f0.jpeg

- World Vision New Zealand’s tsunami appeal reached $2.04m today after receiving a big boost from text message donations from mobile phones. See... Tsunami appeal boosted by text donations [1] Have Confidence In Aid Agencies [2] Amway Answers Call For Much-Needed Supplies [3] Bank of New Zealand donates $100,000 [4] Scoop's Tsunami Feature. [5]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00094.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00095.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0501/S00035.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0501/S00034.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/features/?s=world

NEW ZEALAND LEAD STORY
Homicide Inquiry: Police Seek Those In Wanganui On Friday 7 January

- A series of incidents reported by members of the public are being investigated and Police are keen to hear from anyone who may have been in the vicinity of Aramoho, Somme Parade and Pitt Street said officer in charge of Operation Somme… See... Tania McKenzie homicide: Police Seek Public Info [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00096.htm

INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
Amnesty Welcomes Central African Republic Impunity Referral To Int. Criminal Court

- Central African Republic: Referral to the International Criminal Court should be accompanied by judicial reforms to address impunity… See... Central African Republic: Must Address Impunity [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00110.htm

STORY OF THE WEEK
Palestinians Vote In Abbas As New President

- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today welcomed the election of new Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as "a significant step in what is a historic democratic transition" in the occupied territories, and said he was looking forward to working for the establishment .. See... Hailing New Palestinian President [1] Abbas Dedicates Fatah Electoral Victory to Arafat [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00085.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00088.htm

SCOOP COLUMNS:
DBM Look At Rodney Hide and Employment Relations

- Locally, it has been a long, slow news summer. Thank God, then, for Rodney Hide. As he does every year, the ACT leader has beavered away over the holidays, weaseling through the country, ferreting out injustices and iniquities. He has uncovered one. See... Rodney Hide's Employment Relations Scandal [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00066.htm

Richard Ehrlich's Tsunami Report: Free Flights For Brits

- PHUKET, Thailand -- The British government is offering free airfare and accommodation for British families who lost relatives in the tsunamis, so they can grieve amid the wreckage of hotels, inspect the devastated beaches and escort the remains back ... See... Free Airfares For British Tsunami Victims Families [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00064.htm

Fighting Talk Is Here…

- This week... Lyndon Hood: I thought that rather than compiling my own top 20 best-of-2004-lists list... And Hamish McKenzie: Here in Mexico we are in the depths of winter. The mercury, its core chilled by the frosty skies, struggles to the mid 20s, and the locals laugh ... See... FIGHTING TALK - re-start the internet [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00065.htm

Greg PalastSays The Bush Administration Purged Five CBS Journalists

- "Independent" my ass. CBS' cowardly purge of five journalists who exposed George Bush's dodging of the Vietnam War draft was done under cover of what the network laughably called an "Independent Review Panel." See... CBS' Cowardice And Conflicts Behind Purge [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00062.htm

Manuel Valenzuela Declares U.S. Army Fascist

- It is in times of fascism rising that armies of ignorance are once more resuscitated from the bowels of a society bordering on the edge of mass psychosis. The America at the dawn of the twenty-first century is no exception, for an army of fascism is ... See... Worker Bees & Soldier Ants: America’s Fascist Army [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00063.htm

Should Edwards Have Continued Run For Vice President?

- On November 3, just hours after Democratic vice-presidential hopeful John Edwards made a national announcement that he and John Kerry were not going to concede until all the votes were counted, Kerry grabbed the spotlight and conceded… See... The Last Man To Concede... [1] Interview from Camp Kerry [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00056.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00055.htm

The Good And Very Bad About U.S. Media

- On December 18, I attended Gary Webb’s memorial service in Sacramento, along with about 250 other people. In 1996, Webb wrote a series of articles (“Dark Alliance”) for the San Jose Mercury News reporting that, in the 1980s, “a San Francisco Bay ... See... We Have Met The Enemy, And It Is US (corp media) [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00053.htm

- Conservation Minister Chris Carter has expressed his disappointment at the National Party's opposition to further world heritage sites being established in New Zealand.. See…Power's view on World Heritage "disappointing" [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00091.htm

Minister wants To See How Police Can Get Speedier

- "Police figures showing that average response times to Priority One events in urban areas are two minutes slower than target times confirm the need for the Communications Centre review," Police Minister George Hawkins said today. See... Figures disclose need for further scrutiny [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00090.htm

Debt Shirkers Diatribe From Katherine Rich Derided

- Associate Revenue Minister David Cunliffe today attacked National's belated and ill informed comments on child support collection in Australia. See…Public deserve better from Katherine Rich [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00086.htm

Labour Slams National's Labour Policies

- National's latest ramblings on the Holidays Act show that they still do not have a clue about this important issue. National's "sort of" labour policy is a farce [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00085.htm

Government Committed To Protecting Fisheries

- A 40% increase in the number of Fisheries compliance staff since Labour became Government, with future growth already signalled, shows the Government's commitment to protecting our fisheries. See…Minister slams National's ignorance [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00084.htm

Alexander Continues Castration Campaign

- "A monthly dose of Triptorelin for Lloyd McIntosh could do more to keep his predatory instincts at bay than just surrounding him with expensive minders," said United Future Law & Order spokesman Marc Alexander. See... Alexander: An argument for chemical castration [1] Minister must release McIntosh advice [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00082.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00083.htm

Brash Concerned By Kiwi Economy

- Despite favourable economic conditions, New Zealand's economic position is not improving relative to other countries, says National Party Leader Don Brash. See... Report confirms poor economic position [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00081.htm

Patients Forced To be Patient In Auckland

- Patients are waiting too long for after-hours healthcare in Auckland this summer, says National Party Health spokeswoman, Judith Collins. See…Single economic market a step closer [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00078.htm

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Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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