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TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS:
Immigration: Calling Skilled Migrants, New Zealand Wants You
Weather: Think June in NZ Was Particularly Cold? You Were Correct -
Timor: More Kiwi Troops Fly Out This Weekend to Troubled Country
Food: Public Health Inquiry Into Rugby Toffs' Ills Progressing
Transport: Muscle Cars In The Govt's Sights
MORE HEADLINES:
Broadcasting Standards: South Park Protected by Bill of Rights
Energy: Go-ahead For Kupe Gas Field
RECOMMENDED AUDIO and VIDEO:
Scoop Satire: Parliamentarians Go To The Movies
Scoop News: Global News Round-Up For Week June 26-30
Israel: Gush Shalom Reports On Israel/Palestine Deepening Crisis
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
SCOOP COLUMNS:
Guantanamo Bay: Bush's Gulag Gets Marching Orders From SCOTUS
Election: Mexico Prepares To Vote
Russia Rising: Regarding The Games That Empires Play
Timor L'este: Maryann Keady & John Pilger On The Timor Crisis
Occupied Palestine: Gaza Under Attack Again
MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION:
OTHER NEWS (Just Politics):
QUESTIONS OF THE DAY:
Flag Shooting: Tumeke Steps In Where Trademe Fears To Tread
Guantanamo Bay: Keith Locke On Gitmo – We Told You So!
Oil: NZ's Gas Guzzling Sees Trade Deficit Blow Up Big Time -
Transport: Long Term Transport Plans Released
MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES:
POLITICAL COLUMNS
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TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
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Recently Scoop's Lyndon Hood was puzzling over some recent press releases from National's Simon Power. [1] Perhaps, Mr Hood pondered, when Mr Power was complaining that prisons had underfloor heating when "96% of houses don't" he was saying that prisons should use some other kind of heating - something less suited to an institutional environment and a less energy-efficient use of taxpayer money. Or perhaps something easier to dismantle and turn into a weapon. See... Lyndon Hood: Heat Prisons With Power's Rhetoric [2] MORE: National - Prison floor heating excuse beggars belief [3] United Future - Priorities muddled when schools colder than prison [4]
Immigration: Calling Skilled Migrants, New Zealand Wants You
- More new migrants will be welcomed under the New Zealand Residence Programme during the next 12 months in response to continued skill shortages,
Immigration Minister David Cunliffe announced today. "Up to 52,000 places offered to migrants means more vacancies will
be filled," Mr Cunliffe said. "This will help employers who continue to say skill shortages are a constraint to the
growth of their businesses, and will contribute to economic growth." See... Migrant level raised to meet skill shortages [1]
Weather: Think June in NZ Was Particularly Cold? You Were Correct -
MetService meteorologists say that the low-pressure system on Monday 12th June was a major system, bringing severe wind,
rain and snow. It was followed by a sustained blast of polar-chilled southwesterly winds that kept some snow on the
ground for longer than a week. "Such sustained cold is extremely rare", commented MetService Weather Ambassador, Bob
McDavitt. "This is the first occasion we have seen it happen this decade, but there were two notable examples during the
nineties." See... Sustained June Cold Was Rare [1]
Timor: More Kiwi Troops Fly Out This Weekend to Troubled Country
- More than 50 New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel will depart for Timor-Leste on Saturday 1st July. Soldiers
from the 2/1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, at Burnham, and logistics personnel from Linton Camp will
fly out on Saturday morning onboard a RNZAF Boeing 757. Burnham based soldiers will depart from Christchurch Airport,
RNZAF Air Movements Terminal at 9.00am. The soldiers from Linton Camp will depart from RNZAF Base Ohakea at 11.25am
See... More New Zealand Troops For Timor [1] ALSO:
Scoop Audio: Selwyn Manning and Simon Pound [2] discuss on 95bFM: A deepening crisis in Timor Leste has resulted in the NZ PM Helen Clark calling on The UN to help end the violence. The United States has responded saying it will support a UN backed military operation in Timor. What does this mean for the fledgling country? ALSO: US State Department - East Timor: Instability and Future Prospects [3]
Scoop Audio: Selwyn Manning and Simon Pound [2] discuss on 95bFM: A deepening crisis in Timor Leste has resulted in the NZ PM Helen Clark calling on The UN to help end the violence. The United States has responded saying it will support a UN backed military operation in Timor. What does this mean for the fledgling country? ALSO: US State Department - East Timor: Instability and Future Prospects [3]
Food: Public Health Inquiry Into Rugby Toffs' Ills Progressing
- The investigation by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) into the cause of the Eden Park
gastroenteritis outbreak is progressing. Interviews have been conducted on 407 patrons. Of those, 81 (20%) have reported
illness. Of the four affected hospitality areas investigated the rate of illness was highest for the Hall of Legends
where 36% of the 178 interviewed patrons were ill. See... Gastroenteritis investigation progressing [1]
Transport: Muscle Cars In The Govt's Sights
- Transport Safety Minister Harry Duynhoven today said the first step in the government's drive to target noisy
vehicles will come into force in three weeks. The Director of Land Transport New Zealand issued a Gazette Notice
yesterday which allows an objective test for measuring vehicle exhaust noise levels to be introduced. "Once the
equipment arrives in the country and the training for testers takes place in July, the objective noise test will proceed
full-steam ahead," Mr Duynhoven said. See... Government targets noisy vehicles [1]
MORE HEADLINES:
Cullen To Attend Forum to Advance Pacific Economic Issues [1] Dwayne Crombie Resigns DHB Position to Go Private [2] GE Caution Welcomes Auckland City GMO Policy [3] Ontrack Rail Staff Begin Dispute Action [4] Sunday News Gets A New Suit [5]
Broadcasting Standards: South Park Protected by Bill of Rights
- The Broadcasting Standards Authority today released its decision on 35 complaints received about a South Park episode
which screened on C4 in February. The BSA did not uphold the complaints, the largest number about a single programme
since the BSA was created in 1989. See... BSA Releases South Park Decision [1] ALSO:Family First Lobby. - BSA unable to judge good taste [2] Family Life International - BSA decision regarding Bloody Mary is ludicrous [3]
Energy: Go-ahead For Kupe Gas Field
- The decision of the Kupe gas field partners to proceed with the near billion dollar development of the offshore field
is a vital step in securing our energy future, Finance Minister Michael Cullen said today. The partners announced today
the decision to proceed with the $950 million development of the field. Gas will flow from 2009 and meet 15 per cent of
New Zealand's annual demand. See... Kupe gas – billion dollar vote of confidence [1] ALSO:Origin Energy - Kupe Gas Project gets green light to proceed [2] NZ Govt - Cullen: Kupe gas - a vote of confidence [3]
RECOMMENDED AUDIO and VIDEO:
95bFM Audio: [1] Wallace Chapman interviews Terry Hicks the father of Australian David Hicks, who has been held for 4 and half years in Camp Delta, Guantanamo Bay. Terry talks frankly to Wallace of the long running struggle to obtain a fair trial for David, and an eventual release from this legal 'black hole'.
Scoop Audio: Kevin List [2] on Radio Active discusses: how Mr List is unsure whether he saw a vision at the Green Party bash; also mentions the deficit word enough to cause concern among econ-watchers!
Scoop Video: The Week's Movie Trailers [3] – Sci-Fi Superman Returns; Sci-Fi Ultraviolet; Mel Gibson's Apocalyto; and a late run on the Da Vinci Code.
Scoop Satire: Parliamentarians Go To The Movies
- The wild speculation of history's great creative minds has, I've often thought, rarely been able to match the droll
and improbable events that occur in the politics of this nation. But recently a rash of occurrences in the life of
Parliament had a particularly strong resemblance to the works of moving-picture artists. See... Lyndon Hood: Parliament Imitates Art [1]
Scoop News: Global News Round-Up For Week June 26-30
- Israel: Hamas Members Will Be Tried Israel intends to try the Hamas activists, government ministers and parliament
members captured during an early-morning incursion into the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Defense Forces said June 29. ALSO: U.K.: Iran Could Threaten U.K. Interests - Russia: Joining Turkey's 'Black Sea Harmony' - Kuwait: Polls Close - NORTH
KOREA/CHINA: - G-8 and Iran: - SPAIN: and ETA. See... Global News In Brief: Israel To Try Captured Hamas [1]
Israel: Gush Shalom Reports On Israel/Palestine Deepening Crisis
Gush Shalom - Wednesday June 28, late afternoon: Israel - The taxi driver on the way to the demonstration was very outspoken: "God damn these dirty murdering terrorists. Why
do we have to keep them in our prisons, and feed them like in a luxury hotel? I would gladly send the whole lot of them
over to Gaza in order to get our boy out of there alive and well." Unfortunately, he is not the Prime Minister... See... Gush Shalom Reports On Gaza Crisis [1]
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
UN Fails to Take Decisive Action On Darfur [1] Mexico's Fox Chooses U.S. Over Latin America [2] Somalia: UN role with Islamic Courts discussed [3] Annan confers with Iranian minister on nuclear issues [4] African Union Summit: Hissène Habré must be tried [5]
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SCOOP COLUMNS
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Guantanamo Bay: Bush's Gulag Gets Marching Orders From SCOTUS
- A rolling sense of awe has enveloped the mainstream news media since yesterday's Supreme Court decision on
Guantanamo. The specifics of the decision are part of the discussion, to be sure, but the sense of amazement has a more
basic root. After all this time, after a seemingly endless series of over-reaching power grabs by the Bush
administration, someone with a big enough stick finally got in the way and said, "No." See... William Rivers Pitt: A Moment of Pause [1] RELATED: Scoop Link - SCOTUS Rules Bush Overstepped Authority at Gitmo [2] William Fisher - Signing Away The Constitution? [3] William Fisher - The Issue That Just Won't Go Away [4]
Election: Mexico Prepares To Vote
- Anything can happen on Sunday, including an attempted electoral fraud, as occurred here in 1988. But this time the
Mexican people will not swallow it. If Mexico's dubious Federal Electoral Institute (IFE, in its Spanish initials) tries
to repeat that dark history, the revolution will begin on Monday. Those in power can't be that stupid. Or can they?
See... And the Winner in Mexico Is... [1] MORE: Julie Webb-Pullman - Mexico vs Human Rights Council – Nil All? [2] Greg Palast - Stealing Mexico [3] COHA – Mexican Presidental Battle Goes Down to the Wire [4]
Russia Rising: Regarding The Games That Empires Play
- Along with all Americans, save the generation now in high-school and younger, I grew up and lived under the shadow of
the Cold War, and behind it the ever-present threat of nuclear annihilation. We all remember it well. See... What About the Russians? Personal Encounters [1] RELATED: Dr. Abbas Bakhtiar - Cold War II [2] William Blum - The Anti-Empire Report- June 21, 2006 [3]
Timor L'este: Maryann Keady & John Pilger On The Timor Crisis
- Three years ago, I wrote a piece talking about attempts to oust Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri in East Timor, then a
new struggling independent nation. I wrote that I believed the US and Australia were determined to oust the Timorese
leader, due to his hardline stance on oil and gas, his determination not to take out international loans, and their
desire to see Australia friendly President Xanana Gusmao take power. See... 2 Alternate (Aussie) Views Of East Timor Crisis [1]
Occupied Palestine: Gaza Under Attack Again
- I am writing while the jet fighters are in the sky with their horrible sounds, bringing death and horror. It is 10:30
pm and I am still waiting, like everyone. I hope they will not go ahead with their operation into Gaza; the outcome
could be horrible. The resistance movements are going ahead with their preparations too, but it is obvious which side
holds the balance of power. Anyway, Israel - resistance or no resistance - is attacking us all the time, but this time
will be different, and in the process many civilian lives will be lost. I am listening to the local radio. It seems that
the operation started in Khan Yunis. The artillery started shelling under the cover of Apache helicopters and jet
fighters. See... Mona Elfarra: Gaza Under Large-Scale Attack [1] MORE: John Pilger - Israel's War On Palestinian Children [2] Mary Ethridge-Majayda - In His Mother's Tears [3] Genevieve Cora Fraser - Israel has the Power to Wipe Out Palestine [4]
MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION:
Richard S. Ehrlich - "Love, Drugs, And Politics" In Burma [1] & Thai AG Declares Shinawatra Election Illegal [2] Che Tibby - Public Address 29/06/06 - Blogger Not Suicidal [3] Dahr Jamail - Dahr Jamail: An Iraqi Withdrawal From Iraq [4] Martin LeFevre - Africa Is the Homeland of Humanity [5] Ramzy Baroud - Re-Interpreting Iraq: Propaganda Campaign Underway [6] Translation by Sol Salbe - The Harshest Images Were Edited For TV [7] John Chuckman - Why American Liberalism Is Impossible [8] David Swanson - On the 4th, Read the Declaration of Impeachment [9] Bill Quigley - Ten Months After Katrina - Gutting New Orleans [10] Greg Palast - IV With Hugo Chavez - The Progressive [11] COHA - . The Undeclared War Against Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez [12] Greg Palast - Treason: “Firing Squad” For The New York Times? [13] Toni Solo - Sandino - Empire To The Rescue.... [14] & IV with Venezuelan Army General Raúl Isais Baduel [15] John Gideon - Daily Voting News For June 30, 2006 [16] , June 29, 2006 [17] & June 28, 2006 [18] Evelyn Pringle - Risk Of Harm From Motrin Aleve Advil [19] & Add Triaminic Vapor Patch To Deadly Patches List [20] Atlanta Progressive News - Rep. John Lewis on the Voting Rights Act Renewal [21] Mark W. Bradley - The Carnage of the Animals [22] Bruce E. Levine - STAR*D Wars [23] Hari Bansha Dulal - Arresting the Lawlessness Syndrome in Nepal [24]
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OTHER NEWS (JUST POLITICS)
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QUESTIONS OF THE DAY:
Questions And Answers - Thursday, 29 June 2006 [1] Questions And Answers - Wednesday, 28 June 2006 [2] Questions And Answers - Tuesday, 27 June 2006 [3]
Tumeke Steps In Where Trademe Fears To Tread
- "Seeing as Trade Me has shut the auction down, we will do one on his behalf and present him with the highest bidder's
contact details" - Mr Bradbury & Mr Selwyn. See... Tumeke.Blogspot.Com Puts Iti Flag On Own Auction [1]
Guantanamo Bay: Keith Locke On Gitmo – We Told You So!
- From the outset , it was a travesty of justice for the Bush administration to try and create a totally different
legal system for the Guantanamo Bay inmates - a system that deliberately denied them the legal protections usually
available under civilian or military justice. See... Gitmo Injustice Dealt Blow - Clark Govt Silent [1]
Oil: NZ's Gas Guzzling Sees Trade Deficit Blow Up Big Time -
The Government must take action now to reduce New Zealand’s dependence on imported fossil fuels to reduce the spiralling
trade deficit, the Green Party says. “The explosion in the cost of petroleum imports has pushed the monthly merchandise
trade deficit to $104 million, the worst ever recorded for a May month,” says Russel Norman, Green Party Co-Leader. The
annual merchandise trade deficit for the year ended May 2006 is now nearly an incredible $7 billion. See... Trade deficit explodes, Government crosses fingers [1] ALSO: Statistics NZ - Trade Balance Returns to Deficit [2] Canterbury Manufacturers Association - Lower Kiwi dollar is not the total solution [3]
Transport: Long Term Transport Plans Released
- Transport spending over the next ten years is set to top $24 billion – up from $21 billion last year - following Land
Transport New Zealand's publication of the latest National Land Transport Programme (NLTP). See... Transport spend set to top $24 billion [1] ALSO:Land Transport New Zealand - $2.3 billion National Land Transport Programme [2] Transit New Zealand - Transit’s 10-year Forecast good news for Auckland [3] Transit NZ - Major Auckland Projects Map (PDF) [4] Roading New Zealand - Emphasis on maintenance of roading applauded [5] Auckland Business Forum - Opportunity for Highways to move to fast lane [6] Wellington Chamber Of Commerce - Chamber Welcomes State Highway Forecasts [7] Christchurch City Council - Mayor welcomes more land transport funds [8] Auckland Regional Council - ARC Welcomes Land Transport NZ Funding [9] NZ Govt - Cullen: Council of the Automobile Association [10] NZ Govt - Turning first sod for Manukau SH Extension [11] Auckland Regional Transport Authority - Land Transport Programme significant step forward [12] Manukau City Council - Motorway Connection, Rail Link Will Transform City [13]
MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES:
NZ Govt. - $559m for Auckland land transport this year [1] NZ Govt. - Affordable health care for 3 million NZers [2] NZ Govt. - Beehive Bulletin - June 30 2006 [3] NZ Govt. - Nats would cut Labour's huge boost to ratepayers [4] NZ First - Immigration: Make Sure The ‘Open Door’ Is Closed [5] National - Varroa spread was avoidable [6] National - National endorses Eden Park upgrade plan [7] NZ Govt. - Minister launches Southern Regional Plan [8] ACT - Scalpel Needed For Health Red Tape [9] NZ Govt. - Primary school dates for 2007 [10] National Labour partly responsible for big rates hikes [11] NZ First - Common Sense Prevails In Police Testing [12] National - More reports and more committees [13] NZ Govt. - Hodgson: Cost-effectiveness in NZ Health System [14] NZ Govt. - Minister signals major work to improve electives [15] NZ Govt. - Sustainable water panel named [16] NZ Govt. - Turning first sod for Manukau SH Extension [17] National - Prison communication fails again [18] NZ Govt. - Forum to advance Pacific economic issues [19] National - DHB insider bails out from red tape [20] NZ Govt. - Migrant level raised to meet skill shortages [21] NZ Govt. - Government targets noisy vehicles [22] Maori Party - Flavell: Housing (Information Matching) Bill [23] National - Calling Sir Humphrey [24]
POLITICAL COLUMNS
Wayne Mapp - The Mapp Report: The Great Rates Debate [1] Marc Alexander - Marc My Words: War not words to fight crime [2] Don Brash - Don Brash Writes: 30 June 2006 [3] Murray McCully - www.mccully.co.nz 30 June 2006 [4] Richard Worth - News Worthy - 30 June 2006 [5] Pansy Wong - Pansy Speak: Calling Sir Humphrey [6] Matt Robson - Robson-on-Politics 28 June 2006 [7] Bill English - National Education - 23 June 2006 [8]
ENDS