Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Wednesday, 19 April 2006, 11:00 am
Article: Alastair Thompson

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS:
PM's Post Cabinet: International Aid And The Price of Oil
Welfare: Collins Wants Beneficiaries Off Our Roads
Folk Art: Heated Question of Greatest Mailbox Finally Settled -
Rock'n'Roll: Mick, Keith And Ronnie Captured By Karim Sahai
MORE HEADLINES:
Defence'n'Trade: Goff Gets To Shake Rumsfeld's Hand In Near Future -
Sport: The Beautiful Game Inspires Welly Film Festival -
Corrections: Power Flouts Labour Laws And Works All Easter On Giving O'Connor Grief -
Middle East: Tel Aviv Bombing Condemned
Falun Gong: US State Dept Finds No China Death Camp
Fisheries: Foodies Loose Out on Endangered Wild Caviar
Australia: PM Howard Appears Before Cole Commission; Comments on David Hicks and Changes to Asylum-Seeking Process
Congo: Life Sentences on Soldiers For Massive Rape
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Rosalea Barker On Easter In America
US Defence Sec. Donald Rumsfeld Faces Friendly Fire
Is This Nepal's Orange Revolution?
The Leaker-In-Chief & The Wilson-Plame Hit Squad
MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION:

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics):
Health: Baby Lovin' Minister Riles Up Medical Professionals -
PlunketLine: Fraud Accusation Against McKesson -
Politics/Entertainment: Greens Attempt To Reclaim Family Values -
MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES:

PM's Post Cabinet: International Aid And The Price of Oil

[1] On a day when allegedly the world's greatest rock'n'roll band was in town it seemed darn near impossible to work up much enthusiasm for intricate world affairs type debates. Fortunately for NZ the Prime Minister wasn't too excited by the Rolling Stones and so unencumbered by a desire to walk a 'moonlight mile' the PM was capable of taking questions on NZ giving aid to the Palestinian people, health matters in NZ and the world price of oil. See... PM Talks Palestinian Aid, Health 'N' (Peak) Oil [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00206.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00206.htm

Welfare: Collins Wants Beneficiaries Off Our Roads

- National Party Welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins has released figures showing the number of beneficiaries receiving taxpayer-funded assistance for car repayments and running costs have rocketed under Labour. “These are massive increases over the past six years. It suggests a loosening of the purse strings in a dramatic way.” See... Big increase in beneficiaries claiming help for cars [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00287.htm

Folk Art: Heated Question of Greatest Mailbox Finally Settled -

A Mangawhai letterbox has taken the title of New Zealand’s top box in the inaugural Great New Zealand Letterbox Competition. Water Wings, by Joy Agar of Mangawhai, was voted number one by visitors to the Royal Easter Show, and announced as overall winner on Easter Monday. John Deere Tractor, by Tony and Billy Reynolds of Pukekohe, was also awarded reserve champion thanks to the large number of public votes it received. See... Winners of Great New Zealand Letterbox Competition [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0604/S00116.htm

Rock'n'Roll: Mick, Keith And Ronnie Captured By Karim Sahai

- Wellington digital photographer and Scoop contributor Karim Sahai was at last night's Rolling Stones concert where he captured these images of Mick, Keith and Ronnie. Sadly for the Stones many fans this is not a Scoop Audio item. Scoop hopes to have more images of the lads larking about in Wellington and a review after their concert on Tuesday evening. See... Karim Sahai: Stones Make A Big Bang In Auckland [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00175.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00205.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0604/S00147.htm

MORE HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0604/S00140.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0604/S00120.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0604/S00119.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0604/S00295.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00290.htm

Defence'n'Trade: Goff Gets To Shake Rumsfeld's Hand In Near Future -

Trade and Defence Minister Phil Goff leaves for the United States on Tuesday to attend the Partnership Forum in Washington, and call on senior trade and defence figures in the Bush Administration. While in Washington, Mr Goff is scheduled to meet US Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld, US Trade Representative Robert Portman, Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill. See... Goff to US for Forum and trade, defence talks [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00282.htm

Sport: The Beautiful Game Inspires Welly Film Festival -

The Goethe-Institute and Paramount are proud to present Wellington’s first Film Festival dedicated to football (or soccer if you prefer). With Germany about to host the 2006 World Cup, what better way to get into the mood than to spend the ten days from May 18th –28th watching the very best films about football from around the world? See... Wgtn’s first Film Festival dedicated to football [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0604/S00110.htm

Corrections: Power Flouts Labour Laws And Works All Easter On Giving O'Connor Grief -

Corrections Minister Damien O’Connor should explain to the public why prison work programmes have been allowed to deteriorate so badly, says National’s Law & Order spokesman, Simon Power. He released figures today that show that: The number of prisoner employment hours has dropped 11% since 2001. Prisoners now work an average of 12.9 hours a week compared with 18.1 in 2002. See... Prisoners working less under Labour [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00284.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00280.htm

Middle East: Tel Aviv Bombing Condemned

- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan strongly condemned today's suicide bombing in Tel Aviv and called on the Palestinian Authority to "take a clear public stand against such unjustifiable acts of terrorism". "The Secretary-General is deeply concerned that civilians continue to be killed by violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory," Mr. Annan’s spokesman said in a formal statement. See... Condemning Attack, Annan Calls on Palestinian Government to Reject Terrorism [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00279.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00276.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00280.htm

Falun Gong: US State Dept Finds No China Death Camp

- We are aware of the allegations and have taken these charges seriously. The Department and our Embassy in Beijing, as well as our Consulate General in Shenyang, have actively sought to determine the facts of the matter. Officers and staff from our embassy in Beijing and Consulate in Shenyang have visited the area and the specific site mentioned in these reports on two separate occasions. In these visits the officers were allowed to tour the entire facility and grounds and found no evidence that the site is being used for any function other than as a normal public hospital. See... China: Reports of Concentration Camp in NE China [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00281.htm

Fisheries: Foodies Loose Out on Endangered Wild Caviar

- Only Iran will be allowed to export caviar from wild Caspian Sea sturgeon this year after the five nations sharing the basin failed to provide information needed to ensure the fish’s survival to the United Nations-backed body that oversees a global treaty governing trade in endangered species. See... Hold the Caviar: UN-Backed Body Bans Export of Most Endangered Sturgeon [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00278.htm

Australia: PM Howard Appears Before Cole Commission; Comments on David Hicks and Changes to Asylum-Seeking Process

- I want to repeat what I said this morning, that this Government, alone amongst governments around the world, has established a public inquiry with the powers of a royal commission. The significance of that is that a royal commission can compel the production of documents and the only way that in my submission, or my view that I can, that one can get to the bottom of something like this is to have a capacity to compel the production of documents. I might observe that there have been two, in a sense, seminal moments in investigating allegations about corruption. See... PM Howard on Cole Com; asylum seekers; David Hicks [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00264.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00260.htm

Congo: Life Sentences on Soldiers For Massive Rape

- Welcoming the first sentencing of army soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for crimes against humanity stemming from massive rape, United Nations officials have called for further investigations to help prosecute other military personnel who may be implicated. “The court has validated the statute of Rome that created the International Criminal Court (ICC) in July 2002 and stated that massive rape is considered a crime against humanity and liable to life in prison,”… See... Congo: Life sentences on soldiers for massive rape [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00255.htm

MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00269.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00268.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00267.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00266.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00263.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00262.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00261.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00258.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0604/S00244.htm

Rosalea Barker On Easter In America

- "If I was in Boston I wouldn't have forgotten it was Easter," a workmate said on Friday. He was relating how he'd parked his usual three blocks from the BART commuter train station thinking that he was too late to get a parking space, but in fact the carpark was more than half deserted. See... Stateside: Yul-Brynner-in-a-Tin-Skirt Weekend [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00204.htm

US Defence Sec. Donald Rumsfeld Faces Friendly Fire

- One day, when he was in the third grade, Donald Rumsfeld brought a bomb to school. He put it on the teacher’s desk. “Is it real?” she asked. “Maybe,” he replied. See... Mark W. Bradley: Donald in Miscalculand [1] RELATED:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00203.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00174.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00202.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00177.htm

Is This Nepal's Orange Revolution?

- Kathmandu, Nepal: In January, only a hand-full of diehard party activists and students pressed for an end to the February-1, 2005 seizure of power by Nepal King Gyanendra. The 7-Party Alliance (SPA) had met in New Delhi, India in November with the Maoist insurgents and hammered out a draft of a 12-Point Agreement that would, if implemented, have the Maoists end the 10 year People’s War that had claimed over 13,000 and return to electoral politics. See... D.M. Van De Veer: The End Of Nepalese Monarchy? [1] MORE:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00200.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00199.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00198.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00197.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00187.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00185.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00178.htm

The Leaker-In-Chief & The Wilson-Plame Hit Squad

- Now that we've spent millions of tax dollars on the CIA leak investigation, here’s a new bit of information that adds a whole new twist to the saga. According to a recent article by ace investigative reporter, Jason Leopold, Dick Cheney met with Bush in early June 2003, and told him that CIA agent Valerie Plame was the wife of Iraq war critic Joe Wilson and that she was responsible for sending Joe on a fact-finding mission to check out reports about Iraq's attempt to purchase uranium from Africa. See... Bush and Cheney Directed Wilson-Plame Hit Squad [1] MORE:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00189.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00188.htm

MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00196.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00195.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00194.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00193.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00192.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00176.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00191.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00190.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00186.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00182.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00184.htm
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00183.htm
[13] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0604/S00173.htm

Health: Baby Lovin' Minister Riles Up Medical Professionals -

“Health Minister Pete Hodgson was unfair in what amounted to an accusation that Hawkes Bay senior doctors (and managers) were being unethical in their handling of patients referred by general practitioners for their first specialist assessment,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today. See... Health minister makes unfair attacks [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0604/S00062.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0604/S00061.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00297.htm

PlunketLine: Fraud Accusation Against McKesson -

The Government needs to explain why a subsidiary of a huge multi-national corporation which appears on the Top 100 list of US Defense Contractors and which paid US$3 million to settle serious fraud allegations as recently as February has been chosen over the trusted New Zealand institution of Plunket to provide telephone advice to parents, Green Party Health Spokesperson Sue Kedgley says. See... Plunket or a multi-nat accused of fraud - who would you call? [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00237.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00262.htm

Politics/Entertainment: Greens Attempt To Reclaim Family Values -

The Green Party and Loop Recordings have joined forces to showcase some of the best in contemporary music and culture on the Green Room 05: Whanau CD. "The word 'family' has been co-opted by right-wing politicians in recent years as an excuse for intolerance, exclusivity and bigotry. By juxtaposing the concepts of family and whanau, I hope we can start to reclaim that most basic human reality: the importance of kin," Nandor says. See... Greens CD reclaims family from Conservative Right [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00246.htm

MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES:

National - Police taking longer to investigate burglaries [13]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00264.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00261.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00258.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00255.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00253.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00252.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00251.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00248.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00242.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00241.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00240.htm
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00253.htm
[13] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0604/S00241.htm

ENDS

© Scoop Media

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.

Contact Alastair Thompson

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