TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
LEAD STORY: New Zealand To Pay Percentage Of Poor Nations' World Debt
Don Brash Highlights Brain Drain At Nat Conference
Ombudsman Intervenes To Ensure Meningococcal Disease Data Correct
Israel Apologises For Passport Fraudsters But Not For Mossad Role
MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:
Witnesses To Atrocities Tell World Tribunal Iraq Is Now Worse Off
Amnesty NZ Says Cricket Tour Must Not Prevent Protest Against Human Rights Abuses
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
SCOOP COLUMNS:
Toni Solo On Debt & Oppression In Latin America
Dave McArthur's Bonus Joules On The Dark Ages
Rosalea Barker: Summer In San Francisco
Dahr Jamail At The World Tribunal for Iraq
William Fisher: The Breast Of Justice Is Back
Not The Hillary We've Come To Know
MORE SCOOP COMMENTARY:
Mark Drolette Proposes A March On The Capitol
OTHER NEWS (Just Politics)
FULL COVERAGE: Don Brash Highlights Brain Drain At Nat Conference
Maori Party Announces List
Trade Union Head Warns Workers Against Voting National
MORE POLITICS HEADLINES:
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TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS------------
LEAD STORY:
New Zealand To Pay Percentage Of Poor Nations' World Debt
- New Zealand will support debt relief initiatives by paying off a share of developing country debt held by the World Bank, Aid Minister Marian Hobbs announced today. "Debt is a crippling issue for many poor nations. If the rich nations of the world fail to act, it is the poor who will suffer. New Zealand has agreed to support a G8 proposal to effectively cancel the debts to the World Bank's International Development Association for some of the world's poorest and indebted countries. This is an important step in the global effort to reduce poverty," Marian Hobbs said. See... NZ support for debt relief to poor countries [1] ALSO: AID Watch - Conditionalities Undermine G8 Debt Deal [2]
Don Brash Highlights Brain Drain At Nat Conference
- This week, over 600 of our fellow New Zealanders will pack up and move to Australia. There is nothing special about
this week. That is what has happened each and every week over the past year. New Zealanders voting with their feet on
the future prospects for themselves and their families under a Clark-led Labour Government. A city the size of Gisborne
has departed our shores for Australia in the past year alone. And the problem is not just that the numbers get bigger as
each week passes, though they do. But rather that those who are leaving are those we can least afford to lose - some of
our brightest and best. See... Don Brash's Full Speech To National's Conference [1] ALSO: For Speeches and Reaction scroll down to FULL COVERAGE: National Party Conference
Ombudsman Intervenes To Ensure Meningococcal Disease Data Correct
- The Ombudsman has intervened to ensure the Ministry of Health release the 2004 annual meningococcal disease report
prepared by the ESR. The graph contains 70 additional cases in the 2004 data, making it appear to well-meaning
healthcare professionals that meningococcal disease was on the rise again. See... False Meningococcal Data Distributed by Experts [1]
Israel Apologises For Passport Fraudsters But Not For Mossad Role
- Prime Minister Helen Clark announced today that Israel has formally apologised to New Zealand for the actions of two
of its citizens who attempted to obtain a New Zealand passport by fraudulent means. Helen Clark said she was pleased
that New Zealand and Israel would now be able to resume friendly diplomatic relations. “The New Zealand Government has
strong grounds for believing that the two men convicted were working on behalf of an Israeli intelligence agency,” Helen
Clark said. See... NZ Receives Formal Apology From Israel [1] ALSO: Govt - Israel's Letter of Apology and Phil Goff's Responding Letter… (pdf) [2] Nats - Clark's Credibility Hits Rock Bottom [3] ACT - Overseas Benefit Fraudsters Owe Taxpayers $53m [4]
MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:
Auckland City Mission Launches Winter Appeal [1] Lions Fans Ride Their Campervans Into Town [2] Director Says Wananga Delivers Benefits to NZ [3] A New Fund Has Entered NZ Venture Capital Market [4] Girls Get Groovy With Winter Fashion [5]
Witnesses To Atrocities Tell World Tribunal Iraq Is Now Worse Off
- Istanbul - Witnesses of the ongoing atrocities in Iraq testified before the Jury of Conscience at the World Tribunal
on Iraq on the second day of the Tribunal. Their exposure of the impact of this war on Iraqis revealed a country that is
facing worse conditions than under Saddam Hussein. In the words of Amal Sawadi, an Iraqi lawyer working for the
defenceless in Iraq, ' Atrocities existed under Saddam Hussein but, unfortunately, things are now much worse.' See... Iraq Is Now Worse Than It Was Under Saddam [1] ALSO: World Tribunal on Iraq Documenting War Crimes [2] World Tribunal On Iraq Press Update [3] Security Council Okays Plan to Release Iraqi Funds [4]
Amnesty NZ Says Cricket Tour Must Not Prevent Protest Against Human Rights Abuses
- A decision to play cricket must not prevent protest about human rights abuses in Zimbabwe, Amnesty International said
today. Taking some sort of action to protest the continuing intimidation, arbitrary arrest, torture and attacks on
supporters of the political opposition, human rights defenders and the independent media \u2013 not to mention the
latest moves to \u201cdrive out the rubbish\u201d by bulldozing people's homes and trading stalls \u2013 are a moral
imperative said Amnesty's New Zealand director, Ced Simpson. See... Zimbabwe: it\u2019s definitely not cricket [1]
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
ISM Update From Palestine [1] Trade union urges Fiji to withdraw law [2] Amnesty campaigns against 'war on terror' torture [3] Kyrgyz Pres. Should Stop Forced Return of Uzbeks [4] UN Celebrates 60th B'day in With Eye on Reform [5]
SCOOP COLUMNS:
Toni Solo On Debt & Oppression In Latin America
- Less developed countries' external "debt" impedes their economic development and attempts to reduce poverty. But it
generates huge revenues for rich countries. In the decade 1994 to 2004, Brazil paid rich country creditors US$400
billion just in interest, equivalent to the entire population of Brazil working a whole year. "Debt" serves various
seamlessly linked purposes, all to the advantage of rich country creditors. See... Toni Solo: "Debt" - Remaking Procrustes Bed [1]
Dave McArthur's Bonus Joules On The Dark Ages
- Do I hear right? I turn the shower onto cold blast to check my senses are working OK. Have I just heard Don Brash,
leader of the New Zealand National Party, the nation\u2019s top polling party, saying, \u201cGreens hate cars and
electricity\u201d? If so, roll on the Dark Ages if he resumes complete control of the Treasury Benches again. See... Bonus Joules: Is EECA a Black Hole? [1]
Rosalea Barker: Summer In San Francisco
- Well, possums I'm thinking of you on your Monday morning at work Down Under where the autumn solstice has just passed
and you're headed into the bowels of winter. For me it's a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon, and I have to confess to being
a bit summer-casual about writing something this week. See... Stateside: If You See Me Walking Down The Street [1]
Dahr Jamail At The World Tribunal for Iraq
- Thank you very much for inviting me to the Culminating Session of the World Tribunal on Iraq. I first went to Iraq in
November of 2003 as an American citizen both frustrated and horrified by what my unelected government was doing. See... Dahr Jamail: World Tribunal for Iraq Testimony [1]
William Fisher: The Breast Of Justice Is Back
- Well, I'm glad that's over! Victoria's Secret, Janet Jackson, and all the rest of us, can now breathe a huge sigh of
relief. Drapes are out. Breasts are back. That was the big news from the Department of Justice over the weekend (though
Justice seemed to want to keep it as quiet as possible). See... William Fisher: Our Titular Attorney General [1]
Not The Hillary We've Come To Know
- I've given the date of Orwell's words lest someone think they were written by a contemporary bearing the writer's
name. Recent events surely qualify the United States to claim some sort of title from the Guinness Book of Records such
as the world's largest moral and intellectual open sewer. See... John Chuckman: Drowning In Filth [1]
MORE SCOOP COMMENTARY:
David Slack & Ors. - Public Address 27/06/05 - Hatchings [1] Ramzy Baroud - EU States Also Need To Deal with Israel [2] Uri Avnery - The Day After [3] Daniel Patrick Welch - Is Gotham Worth Saving? [4] Sheila Samples - The Fantastical World Of Studley McMuffin [5] Harvey Wasserman - Wasserman: What Matters About Rove Is He's Evil [6] Rosenfeld & Fitrakis - DNC 2004 Election Report [7] Kamala Sarup - Nepal: Fight Poverty to Eliminate Terrorism [8] Narconews - Weaver - Terrorist Posada *Is* U.S. Policy [9] Evelyn Pringle - Thimerosal & Autsim - Kirby's Evidence of Harm [10] Yasser Abu Moailek - Will Disengagement Turn Gaza Into A 'Big Jail' [11] William Fisher - William Fisher: Capitol Kabuki [12] Narconews - Telzer: Investigate This... If They Let You [13]
Mark Drolette Proposes A March On The Capitol
- All right, I think the choir's been preached to long enough. Let's get out of the pews, start spreadin' the news, and
reclaim our country already. It's time to march on Washington.See... Mark Drolette: The March Of The Madder'n Hells [1] MORE: afterdowningstreet.org - Senators Letter on DSM to Intelligence Committee [2] For much much more see... Full Coverage: The Downing Street Memo - Part 4 [3] , 500,000+ Americans, 122 Reps. Seek DSM Answers [4] , Part 2 [5] & Part 1 [6]
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OTHER NEWS (JUST POLITICS)------------
Don Brash Highlights Brain Drain At Nat Conference
- This week, over 600 of our fellow New Zealanders will pack up and move to Australia. There is nothing special about
this week. That is what has happened each and every week over the past year. New Zealanders voting with their feet on
the future prospects for themselves and their families under a Clark-led Labour Government. A city the size of Gisborne
has departed our shores for Australia in the past year alone. And the problem is not just that the numbers get bigger as
each week passes, though they do. But rather that those who are leaving are those we can least afford to lose - some of
our brightest and best. See... Don Brash's Full Speech To National's Conference [1] ALSO: Don Brash Opening Speech To National's Annual Conference [2] John Key: Tax Relief For Middle New Zealand [3] Brownlee's Speech: A Govt for mainstream NZers [4] Maurice Williamson Speech: Time to act on roads [5] Tony Ryall Speech: Getting tough on crime [6] Judy Kirk Speech: Welfare That Works [7] Bill English's Speech: Children \u2013 the top priority [8] National President\u2019s Address To Annual Conference [9] Navy problems show procurement flawed [10] RESPONSE: Scoop Column - Key's $1billion Tax Cut Cost Admission\u2026 NZEI - Bulk Funding Would Cause Unnecessary Upheaval [11] Govt - From lions to Lions [12] Govt - National's welfare policy in crisis [13] Govt - Who's left in National's "mainstream New Zealand" [14] Govt - False claims, empty promises from National [15] Govt - Goff Speech: Security and Development: the Goals [16] ACT-What's Happened To Tax And Welfare Plans ? [17]
Maori Party Announces List
- The Maori Party has announced a list of sixty-two candidates, a list which it says represents the face of New
Zealand's future. \u201cWe must take bold action to build the nation of tomorrow\u201d said Party President, Professor
Whatarangi Winiata. \u201cIt is for that reason that we have taken seriously the need to give voice to those who will
make up our future \u2013 those who represent our diversity as a nation, a nation of many peoples\u201d. See... Maori Party Announces List [1] ALSO: Maori Party - Turia: Address to Matariki Launch 26 June 2005 [2]
Trade Union Head Warns Workers Against Voting National
- \u201cThe CTU will be sounding a serious warning to working people about what they could expect from a National
Government,\u201d Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said today. Union leaders representing more than 300,000
union members in the public and private sectors met in Wellington today to discuss General Election issues. \u201cThe
National Party\u2019s industrial relations policy makes crystal clear that it would take us back to the adversarial days
of the 1990s with the policies that left us with low wages, child poverty, and skill shortages that still hamper
economic and social development today,\u201d Ross Wilson said. See... CTU Warns Workers Against National [1]
MORE POLITICS HEADLINES:
Govt - Quake Monitoring Network Gets Funding Boost [1] Govt - Making rural communities safer - Phil Goff [2] Govt - Burton - Industry Benefits From New Naval Vessels [3] Govt - Mark Burton - Pac. Intl. Hotel Management School [4] GG - Governor General To Visit Singapore [5] Govt - O'Connor Speech: Rural Sector Workshop [6] Govt - O'Connor opens Rural Sector Workshop [7] Govt - Time's up for sham sales of laughing gas [8] Govt - Mallard Speech: Labour Govt leads way for under 5s [9] Govt - Goff Speech: Security and Development: the Goals [10] Greens - Papers reveal NZ unprepared for bird flu pandemic [11] Greens - Goff does too little on Zimbabwe [12] Greens - Why are 200,000+ animal experiments secret? [13] ACT - What's going on at HB Prison, Minister? [14] ACT - DHBs face $105m deficit next year [15] ACT - ACT's The Letter - Monday, 27 June 2005 [16] ACT - Overseas benefit fraudsters owe taxpayers $53m [17] ACT - Newman Online By Muriel Newman [18] ACT - Ministers must front over police rescue chaos [19] Labour - Solution proposed for traffic at SH1 at Waitati [20]
ENDS