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TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS:
News Flash: Peters Hospitalised In Brisbane
Blogwatch: Simon Power Comes Out Against Literate Prisoners
Employment: Will Mapp Vote To Stop Further Field Type Shenanigans?
Environment: Wildlife Protections Under Review
Sport: Kiwi Triathletes Beat World
Satire: Slighted McCain Vows to Destroy New Zealand
MORE NZ NEWS HEADLINES:
Veterans Affairs: Vietnam Vets Show Genetic Damage From Agent Orange
MORE INTERNATIONAL NEWS HEADLINES:
LEBANON WAR:
How Much Support Is There Really In Israel For This War?
BREAKING NEWS LINKS:
Civilian Casualties + Depleted Uranium + Massive Oil Spills + White Phosporous Weapons = ???
MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION ON THE LEBANON WAR:
SCOOP COLUMNS:
Scoop Link: Meanwhile The Ultimate Goal...
Suzan Mazur Assesses The Gender Gap In The Land Of The Free
Jackie Little Meets A Charming Visitor From The Old Country
Welcome To Post Constitutional America
MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION:
OTHER NEWS (Just Politics):
POLITICAL NEWSLETTERS:
Lebanon: NZ Response To Bombing of UN Post
Employment: Bennett Informs Committee Of Negligible PG Problem -
Economy: Cullen Talks Up Corporate Tax Cuts Vs Personal Tax Cuts -
Politics: Brash Fires Notice Of Motion Bouncer At Parliament's Umpire -
Trade: Doha Debacle No Cause For Tears According To Professor -
MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES:
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TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
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[1] New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said today that Israel's suspension of air raids over southern Lebanon is a first step towards peace but both sides must immediately move to a complete cessation of hostilities. "The Qana bombing and the deaths of around sixty civilians, many of them children, is a horrific tragedy of war," Helen Clark said. See... NZ calls for complete cessation of hostitlities [2] EARLIER: JERUSALEM, Monday, July 31 - Israel agreed to suspend air attacks in southern Lebanon for 48 hours after one of its raids on the southern town of Qana left dozens of civilians, many of them children, dead on Sunday, the bloodiest day of the conflict so far. See... Scoop Link: Israel Suspends Bombing For 48 Hours [3] MORE: Scoop Audio - PM Talks Middle East, Peter's Illness 'n' Blogging [4] Israel Government - PM Olmert: Israel is Not Rushing Into a Ceasefire [5] IDF - IDF Response to Event in Qana Village [6] United Nations - SC Expresses 'Shock and Distress' at Qana Shelling [7] & UNSG Annan - UNSC Must Condemn Israeli Attack [8] Zenit - Pope Pleads for Mideast Cease-fire [9] State Dept. - Rice Briefing: Efforts To Stop Violence in Lebanon [10] & Rice En Route to Jerusalem, Israel, July 29, 2006 [11] War Resisters' International - Negotiations Nothing to be Ashamed Of - Says WRI [12]
News Flash: Peters Hospitalised In Brisbane
- Foreign Minister Winston Peters is in hospital after contracting a tropical illness during his recent trip to
Malaysia for the ASEAN Regional Forum. Mr Peters became unwell at the weekend after stopping in Brisbane en route from
Kuala Lumpur and was admitted to hospital to undergo medical tests. Doctors have not made a diagnosis at this point and
in the meantime do not want the Minister to fly home. See... Winston Peters hospitalised [1]
Blogwatch: Simon Power Comes Out Against Literate Prisoners
- 'Bomber' Bradbury responds to criticism of prison blog... "Fast forward through to the digital age and Dear Simon
seems to be at a loss to cope with the realities of a world where people can use their voice freely. A view of the
future that might shake the sensible haircut for Nationals poster boy of hip. What Simon seems to have missed is that
any prisoner has the right to write letters, it is just in this case Tim has access to a blog via me, this is not
illegal and no crime has been committed, yet Simon wants this site shut down." See... Tumeke - Simon Power Vs. the Net [1] ALSO:National - Corrections must stop inmate's travelogue [2] Tumeke - Prison Blogs [3] Greens - Don't imprison the truth, Mr Power [4]
Scoop Audio: Simon Power on Prisons and the Net [5]
Scoop Audio: Simon Power on Prisons and the Net [5]
Employment: Will Mapp Vote To Stop Further Field Type Shenanigans?
A new member's bill which seeks to provide protection for contractors has been launched by Labour MP Darien Fenton. The
drawing of this member's bill is timely after Minister of Labour Ruth Dyson on Wednesday noted the National Party had
brought the gap in legislation to the attention of the House and invited them to support any moves to enact protection
for contractors. See... Minimum Wage and Remuneration Amendment Bill [1] ALSO: Question 7 - Questions And Answers Wednesday 27 July 2006 [2]
Environment: Wildlife Protections Under Review
- The Department of Conservation has formulated a discussion paper for consultation on possible changes to the
schedules of the Wildlife Act 1953, which determine the legal protection given to non-domesticated introduced animals in
New Zealand, and some native species, such as native game birds. See... Minister orders review of some wildlife protection [1] ALSO:DOC - Wildlife Review Document (PDF) [2] Federated Farmers - Farmers Welcome Wildlife Schedule Review [3] Forest And Bird - Wildlife protection review long overdue [4] Fish and Game NZ - Wildlife Protection Review [5]
Sport: Kiwi Triathletes Beat World
- Two New Zealand triathletes have achieved success at an international triathlon this weekend. Yesterday [30 July]
triathlete Samantha Warriner came in first in the women's elite division of an International Triathlon Union World Cup
race in Salford, United Kingdom, while Andrea Hewitt came in third in the same event. See... Kiwi Triathlete takes out International Triathlon [1]
Satire: Slighted McCain Vows to Destroy New Zealand
- Having been interrupted by Winston Peters, US Senator John McCain - a likely presidential candidate - has abandoned
his previously favourable stance towards New Zealand and now plans to "wipe it off the face of the earth" at the first
opportunity. The unconscionable rudeness of New Zealand's Foreign Minister has sent the normally affable senator into a
state variously described as "pique" or "apocalyptic wrath". See... Satire: Foreign Affairs Briefs [1] (Including... Nations Not Exactly Cueing Up to Join Lebanon Peacekeeping Force for Some Reason [2] and Tsunami Sequel Disappoints Critics [3] )
MORE NZ NEWS HEADLINES:
Special Hearing Scheduled For Shot Man [1] Appeal to freeze Rakon exports for Israeli bombs [2] Another Record Result For Freightways [3] Woosh makes spectrum deal with SKY [4] Minister orders review of some wildlife protection [5]
Medicine: Pharmac Fails To Find Data To Justify Herceptin Price Tag - [6] Funding for the alleged cancer wonder drug Herceptin, the drug that was earlier this year the subject of intense media hoopla, today ran into a brick wall. At a media briefing in Wellington Pharmac spokeswoman Dr Dilky Rasiah explained that there was insufficient clinical data to justify a positive funding decision. The door remains open to funding Herceptin, but this would require better data, she says. See... NZ Says No To Funding Hugely Expensive Cancer Drug [7] ALSO:PHARMAC - Herceptin not funded, under continuing review [8] PHARMAC - Herceptin: Questions and answers [9] NZ Govt - Hodgson comment on Herceptin announcement [10] National - Women let down by Herceptin decision [11] Roche - Roche committed to securing Herceptin funding [12] Women's Health Action - PHARMAC decision on Herceptin supported by WHA [13]
Medicine: Pharmac Fails To Find Data To Justify Herceptin Price Tag - [6] Funding for the alleged cancer wonder drug Herceptin, the drug that was earlier this year the subject of intense media hoopla, today ran into a brick wall. At a media briefing in Wellington Pharmac spokeswoman Dr Dilky Rasiah explained that there was insufficient clinical data to justify a positive funding decision. The door remains open to funding Herceptin, but this would require better data, she says. See... NZ Says No To Funding Hugely Expensive Cancer Drug [7] ALSO:PHARMAC - Herceptin not funded, under continuing review [8] PHARMAC - Herceptin: Questions and answers [9] NZ Govt - Hodgson comment on Herceptin announcement [10] National - Women let down by Herceptin decision [11] Roche - Roche committed to securing Herceptin funding [12] Women's Health Action - PHARMAC decision on Herceptin supported by WHA [13]
Veterans Affairs: Vietnam Vets Show Genetic Damage From Agent Orange
- Study shows genetic damage to Vietnam War vets A significant level of genetic damage to the DNA of Vietnam War
veterans exposed to Agent Orange poison has been found in a study by Massey molecular scientists. See... Study shows genetic damage to Vietnam War vets [1] ALSO:Greens - Evidence shows compensation is warranted for vets [2] National - Collins' Comments: Agent Orange effects [3]
MORE INTERNATIONAL NEWS HEADLINES:
Aust. set to "deport" sick 9-year-old Afghan boy [1] Taiwan to host Pacific summit in Palau [2] Two more Papuans jailed over Freeport mine protest [3] MSG discussions on setting up own joint force [4] Jordan: Systematic torture of political suspects [5] Russia Condemned for 'Disappearance' of Chechen [6]
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LEBANON WAR
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How Much Support Is There Really In Israel For This War?
- The consensus of support for the Second Lebanon War inside Israel is beginning to crumble. Already this News Service reported on Saturday that "According to a survey of the Israeli public, 82 percent believe the army's offensive in Lebanon is justified, and 71 percent think Israel should use even greater force." The original support figure of 92 per cent is astounding. But it should have raised the alarm. How can it be 92 per cent with Palestinian Israelis constituting about 20 per cent of the population? It is not the Israeli public but the Jewish-Israeli public - the only one surveyed. Many thank to Einyan Merkazi for highlighting this. See... Middle East News Service: Protest? Not Just Yet [1] EARLIER SOL SALBE: 10 Beirut Buildings Bombed For Each Haifa Missile [2] & 150 Terrorists Liquidated Since Soldier Kidnapping [3]
BREAKING NEWS LINKS:
United Nations - France has drawn up a draft U.N. Security Council resolution that would call for an immediate cessation of
hostilities in Israel and Lebanon and prepare for the deployment of an international force. See... France Offers New UN Resolution on Mideast Crisis [1] Beirut - After more than two weeks of fierce fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah guerrillas, leaders from the Middle
East to Washington and the United Nations signaled a sense of urgency Friday to end the conflict. See... Scoop Link: Israel Rejects Peace Offer [2] Avivim, Israel - Israel suffered its worst casualties in southern Lebanon today since the current conflict with Hezbollah started, as
thousands of Israeli troops there fought house to house, and village to village, in an attempt to create a buffer ...
See... Fighting Rages On: Israel Suffers Heavy Losses [3] Baalbek, Lebanon, July 24, 2006 (AFP) - The tourist fortunes of Baalbek, a historic city with Roman ruins dating back more than 2,000 years, had slowly been
reviving. But now it is yet another casualty of Israel's offensive on Lebanon. See... Israel Attacks Empty 2,000-Year-Old Lebanese City [4] Rome - As the fighting and bombing intensified in Lebanon and Israel, an urgently convened, high-level international
conference in Rome concluded in open disagreement, failing to reach accord on a plan to bring a halt to the strife.
See... Scoop Link: US Thwarts Middle East Cease-Fire [5] See also... Full Coverage: Israel Attacks Lebanon (Part III) [6] , (Part II) [7] & (Part I) [8]
Civilian Casualties + Depleted Uranium + Massive Oil Spills + White Phosporous Weapons = ???
- The delivery of at least 100 GBU 28 bunker busters bombs containing depleted uranium warheads by the United States to
Israel for use against targets in Lebanon will result in additional radioactive and chemical toxic contamination with
consequent adverse health and environmental effects throughout the middle east. See... Depleted Uranium Situation Worsens Requires Action [1]
MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION ON THE LEBANON WAR:
Jason Miller - Jason Miller: Lamentations for Sacrificial Pawns [1] John Chuckman - John Chuckman: Delusional Expectations [2] & Israel Harvests Death In The Fields Of Lebanon [3] John Feffer - The Axis of Intervention [4] Cindy Sheehan - Cindy Sheehan: The Struggle Continues [5] Sam Smith - Undernews: The Silence Of The Liberal Lambs [6] Bill Berkowitz - Bringing on 'World War III' [7] Michael Carmichael - Hizbullah Strikes Back [8] Genevieve Cora Fraser - Israel On State Dept. HR Watch List [9] Steven A. Hass - An American War In Israeli Uniform [10] Dr. Abbas Bakhtiar - Saudi Arabia and Jordan - With friends like these… [11] Am Johal - What Are the Root Causes, Mr. Bush and Ms. Rice? [12] Greg Palast - Blood In Beirut: $75.05 A Barrel [13] Tel Aviv Notes - Breaking The Link Between Hizbullah And Hamas [14]
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SCOOP COLUMNS
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Scoop Link: Meanwhile The Ultimate Goal...
- Even before the bombs fell on Baghdad, a group of senior Pentagon officials were plotting to invade another country.
Their covert campaign once again relied on false intelligence and shady allies. But this time, the target was Iran.
See... Scoop Link: Rolling Stone - Iran, The Next War [1]
Suzan Mazur Assesses The Gender Gap In The Land Of The Free
- With the dramatic lowering of the competency bar in the Bush II Presidency, no one can say any longer that American
women are unqualified to govern. Still the issue of how to get a critical mass of women in public office -- so crucial
to America becoming a truly egalitarian society -- remains elusive. But progress has been made. See... Women, Sexual Politics & the American Dream [1]
Jackie Little Meets A Charming Visitor From The Old Country
- I was in the midst of an article concerning the joys of joining a school outing (Bet you're kicking yourselves that
you're missing out on that) when an e-mail from a beloved friend back in the mother country brought back a flood of
possibly repressed memories about my experience last Summer of the Visitor From Hell. See... Jackie Little: The Charmer [1]
Welcome To Post Constitutional America
- The Independent UK - The controversy over the US-run detention centre at Guantanamo Bay is to erupt anew with confirmation by the Pentagon
that a new, permanent prison will open in the Cuban enclave in the next few weeks. See... Bush to Open New Maximum-Security Jail at Gitmo [1] and; Washington -U.S. citizens suspected of terror ties might be detained indefinitely and barred from access to
civilian courts under legislation proposed by the Bush administration, say legal experts reviewing an early version of
the bill. See... Link: Bush Bids for Sweeping Detention Power [2]
MORE SCOOP COMMENT & OPINION:
Rosalea Barker - Stateside: Of Pollies And Weather And Wine [1] & Stateside Movie Review: The Lake House [2] Russell Brown & Ors. - Public Address 28/07/06 - Darwin Awards Shoo-In [3] & Public Address 01/07/06 - Ngaio In Winter [4] Narconews - Mexico: Paramilitary Attack- Fears of a Dirty War [5] Tlaxcala Translation - Paraguay : Militarism and Social Movements [6] John Gideon - Daily Voting News For July 30, 2006 [7] , July 29, 2006 [8] , July 28, 2006 [9] & July 26, 2006 [10] Kamala Sarup - Child Poverty & Domestic Abuse Worldwide [11] & Maoism Or Capitalism From Economic Perspectives? [12] Guest Opinion - Royalist Realism In A Republican Nepal [13] William Rivers Pitt The Chalabi Factor [14] & All Fall Down [15] M.R. Josse - UN Debut: Brand New Ball Game Set To Begin? [16] Andrew Jones - When Moralism-Lite Meets Religious Persecution [17]
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OTHER NEWS (JUST POLITICS)
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POLITICAL NEWSLETTERS:
Molesworth & Featherston (Weekend) - July 30 2006 [1] Transtasman Political Letter - 27 July Digest [2] AGENDA: Cameron Bennett IVs George Fergusson [3]
Lebanon: NZ Response To Bombing of UN Post
- Prime Minister Helen Clark said today that New Zealand's two military personnel attached to the United Nations in
southern Lebanon would remain in their postings for the time being, but the situation is being closely monitored.
"Overnight, New Zealand's representative at the United Nations in New York, Rosemary Banks, raised our concern about the
safety of New Zealand and other UN personnel in Lebanon," Helen Clark said. See... NZ raises safety of UN personnel with UN HQ [1] ALSO:TEAR Fund - Lebanese Refugee Crisis Could Become Catastrophe [2] Australian Defence Force - Defence Support to Lebanon Evacuations [3]
Employment: Bennett Informs Committee Of Negligible PG Problem -
After advising CTU President Ross Wilson of her concern regarding workers forced out of employment over health and
safety issues national MP Paula Bennett then agreed with the CTU's submission that there were in fact very few cases of
personal grievances being taken in the first three months. "I would back that up from my own experience," Ms Bennett
informed the Select Committee. See... Nat MP Points Out Bill Fixes Non Existent Problem [1] MORE: NZCTU - Throw out the Mapp Bill CTU tells Select Committee [2] NZCTU - Maori workers oppose the Mapp Bill [3] NZEI - 45,000 NZEI Members Oppose Mapp Bill [4] EPMU - New job risk - is the boss up to it? [5] Community Law Canterbury - What's the buzz on probationary employment? [6]
Economy: Cullen Talks Up Corporate Tax Cuts Vs Personal Tax Cuts -
We are proposing to match Australia's corporate rate without burdening business with all the other onerous taxes
Australians suffer - namely, a capital gains tax, stamp duties, payroll taxes, and compulsory superannuation. So, if
adopted, that move alone must make us more competitive with Australia. What we are trying to do is grow the cake. Now,
the National Party would rather cut it up and distribute it through multi-billion dollar personal tax cuts. See... Cullen - The trans-Tasman economic relationship [1]
Politics: Brash Fires Notice Of Motion Bouncer At Parliament's Umpire -
National leader Don Brash lodged a notice of motion of no confidence in Speaker Margaret Wilson which reads "That this
House has no confidence in the Speaker given her ruling in the matter of privilege made out against Taito Phillip Field.
See...National's Notice of Motion Re Speaker [1] CORRESPONDENCE AND SPEAKER'S RULING:Dr Brash - 19 July Letter Regarding Taito Philip Field [2] Dr Brash - 20 July Letter Regarding Taito Philip Field [3] Speaker Ruling - Matter of Privilege Regarding Taito Philip Field [4] McCully - www.mccully.co.nz - 28 July 2006 [5]
Trade: Doha Debacle No Cause For Tears According To Professor -
The collapse of the Doha round negotiations at the World Trade Organisation is cause for celebration by poor people and
powerless governments around the world. Such a statement is tantamount to heresy in New Zealand. For years we have been
fed a diet of simplistic free trade rhetoric - the WTO is about freeing up world agriculture markets, New Zealand's
exports depend on agriculture. See... Kelsey: Time To Rethink Failed World Trade Agenda [1]
MORE POLITICAL HEADLINES:
NZ Govt - NZ aid for Darfur refugees [1] NZ Govt - Peters names Climate Change Ambassador [2] >NZ Govt Fund boosts counter-terrorism assistance to Asia [3] >NZ Govt - Otara teens show tech summit Kiwi kids are cool [4] >NZ Govt Territorial Employer Support Committee Appointed [5] NZ govt - Burton: Public engagement key to crime prevention [6] NZ Govt - Cunliffe: Immigration Tomorrow! [7] NZ Govt - Lockwood Smith PhD gets it wrong [8] National - New Zealand citizenship for Sale [9] National - Concern over delivery of protection order promises [10] National - Mental health needs action, not more strategies [11] National - Insurance plan will force tenants onto streets [12] Progressive Party - Improving mental health [13]
ENDS