TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
LEAD STORY:
NZ Grants $5 Million To Niue Reconstruction
Waitakere City And Infratil Push For 2nd Auckland Airport
NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:
A Bi-National Solution As A Weapon Is Counterproductive

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Hard News & More Is There!
Meditations: Know Your Enemy
Scoop Columnists Expound Upon The Iowa Caucuses
Satire: Sleeping Off The World's Worries
The Real US Defence Budget Revealed - US$600 Billion
The Pentagon's Unreality Factory Uncovered
David Jenkins: Cracks In Bush's Dam Get Wider
UQ Wire: 911 Commission Interviews It's Own Director
Daily Katya Rivas Meditations

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics)
PM Clark Likened To Emperor Nero
No Vision On Legal System Development
Get The Backpackers To Work
Koha Costs Concern ACT/Nats
Winston Has An Eye On Power Price Sharks
National Not Seen Performing Well
Govt. Welfare Thinking Unrealistic Says Newman
ADHB's Clever New Plan For Waiting Lists Gets Thumbs Down
Six More English Language Schools Close
English NCEA Remarks Elicit Swift Mallard Rebuke

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...TODAY'S PHOTO STORY...

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0401/S00126.htm
Greenpeace's Endangered Freedoms In The USA

LEAD STORY:
NZ Grants $5 Million To Niue Reconstruction

- New Zealand will provide $5 million for reconstruction work on Niue, Foreign Minister Phil Goff and Aid Minister Marian Hobbs said today. See... NZ gives $5 million to help rebuild Niue [1] MORE: - Greens - Aid for Niue - but none for Ngahere, Ngawi... [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00132.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00128.htm

Waitakere City And Infratil Push For 2nd Auckland Airport

- Waitakere City Council has told the NZ Defence Force that testing the viability of a commercial airport at Whenuapai is the only sensible use of the existing airport when the Air Force relocates to Ohakea. See... Give Commercial Airport At Whenuapai A Go [1] and Infratil Backs Prospect Of Successful Airport [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/AK0401/S00052.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/AK0401/S00053.htm

NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/AK0401/S00051.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/AK0401/S00050.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0401/S00046.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0401/S00043.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0401/S00070.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0401/S00069.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0401/S00065.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/SC0401/S00021.htm

A Bi-National Solution As A Weapon Is Counterproductive

- A Reuters’ commentator recently presented a bleak analysis, charging that the Palestinian leadership lacks a cohesive strategy “to foil Sharon’s designs”. Almost simultaneously, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei warned that Ariel Sharon’s unilateral policies might oblige Palestinians “to come back to the option of a single, bi-national democratic state.” See... The Bi-National Solution As A Weapon [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0401/S00063.htm

MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

World Social Forum Calls For Corporate Responsibility - (Mumbai, India) Amnesty International's Secretary General has called for greater corporate accountability in the struggle to make ''another world possible''. See... WSF: Corporate Actors Must Be Held Accountable [1] and Govts & Business Must Control Global Arms Trade [2] MORE:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0401/S00129.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0401/S00124.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0401/S00137.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0401/S00136.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0401/S00135.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0401/S00134.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0401/S00133.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0401/S00132.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0401/S00131.htm

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Hard News & More Is There!

- When Muldoon was still Prime Minister, I became a suit in an advertising agency. I would call it an accident, and I'd rate it as one of my more regrettable ones. I had a part-time job in a pub in Wellington and I was getting towards the end of ... See... Public Address 20/01/03 - Interpretations [1] and Public Address 19/01/04 - News From The Front [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0401/S00070.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0401/S00058.htm

Meditations: Know Your Enemy

- In '' Terrorism Knows no Religion or Region ,'' Kuwait's former Minister of Information, Dr. Saad Al Ajmi, has provided a framework for understanding the extremism that shapes terrorists of all stripes, not just ''Islamic terrorists.'' See... Meditations (Politics): Thinking Together [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0401/S00069.htm

Scoop Columnists Expound Upon The Iowa Caucuses

– UPDATE: John Kerry is the leader in the Iowa caucus race so far. With 50% of votes counted, Kerry leads Edwards 37% to 33% with Dean in third place on 18%. COMMENT: - Rosalea Barker - Stateside: It's All Caucussian To Me [1] - Philip J. Rappa - Philip J. Rappa: High Noon in America [2] - Daniel Patrick Welch - Still Talking [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0401/S00059.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0401/S00067.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0401/S00064.htm

Satire: Sleeping Off The World's Worries

- Washington, D.C.-- Despite the endless stream of evidence that Bush lied his ass off to get us into a war with Iraq, the president has not had any trouble sleeping at noon. See... Bush Counters Parade Of Bad News With Naps [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0401/S00061.htm

The Real US Defence Budget Revealed - US$600 Billion

- When President Bush signed the defense authorization bill for fiscal year 2004 on November 24, 2003, the event received considerable attention in the news media. See... The US Defense Budget Is Bigger Than You Think [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0401/S00066.htm

The Pentagon's Unreality Factory Uncovered

- Secret Pentagon Unit Churned Out Dubious 'Intelligence' to Justify Iraq War - Interview with journalist Robert Dreyfuss, conducted by Scott Harris See... Pentagon Unit Churned Out Dubious Intelligence [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0401/S00068.htm

David Jenkins: Cracks In Bush's Dam Get Wider

- So then, when we last checked in with our fearless leaders they were still wiping the slime from their paws after successfully putting the Valerie Plame ''situation'' back in the Pandora Box --- for now. See... My, How Those Dam Cracks Have Grown! [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0401/S00065.htm

UQ Wire: 911 Commission Interviews It's Own Director

- This is yet more support for the argument we need some kind of 9/11 Victim Family led ''Truth Commission.'' See... UQ Wire: 9/11 Investigation Interviews Itself [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0401/S00060.htm

Daily Katya Rivas Meditations

- Little daughter, I want to teach you something: the way to find Me in each moment of your life. See... Katya Rivas: Want to Teach You Something [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0401/S00062.htm

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/CU0401/S00032.htm
IMAGE: Crusty Demons Crazy Antics

PM Clark Likened To Emperor Nero

- ACT New Zealand Finance Spokesman Rodney Hide today said that Helen Clark's stated government goals for the year - as reported in today's Herald - were misguided and pathetic. See... Empress Clark Fiddles While Business Burns [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00113.htm

No Vision On Legal System Development

- The Government's announcement that it is considering creating yet another tribunal for disputes over badly built houses is testament to its lack of a vision for the development of New Zealand's legal system, United Future's Murray Smith said today. See... Piecemeal approach to justice sells NZ short [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00131.htm

Get The Backpackers To Work

- ACT New Zealand Social Welfare Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman today slammed the Government's irresponsible attitude toward New Zealand fruit-growers, and said that any waste of crops and profits could be laid firmly at Labour's door. See... The Fruits Of Labour [1] and National says get foreign fruit pickers picking [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00130.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00124.htm

Koha Costs Concern ACT/Nats

- Reports of Government departments spending more than a million dollars on koha have revealed a disturbing attitude toward taxpayers' money, ACT New Zealand Social Welfare Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman today. See... Govt Departments, Not Koha Cash Cows [1] and Ryall Demands Answers On Corrections Koha [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00129.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00119.htm

Winston Has An Eye On Power Price Sharks

- New Zealand First is warning the electricity industry that its “shark like” pricing policies will force the next government to seriously consider restructuring the industry to give consumers a better deal. See... NZ First Questions Power Companies Price Policies [1] , National.. Power Prices Set To Rise - Again [2] and Electricity Price and Hydro Summary [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00126.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00115.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0401/S00071.htm

National Not Seen Performing Well

National's chances of ever leading a coalition government under MMP again look bleak if their press statements so far in the New Year are a sign of their likely performance this year, Progressive MP Matt Robson says. See... National starts year with a whimper [1] and Libertarianz… This is 'The Opposition'? [2] . See also the Roger Sowry statement that started the fuss…More time needed to comment on employment law [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00125.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0401/S00044.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00114.htm

Govt. Welfare Thinking Unrealistic Says Newman

- The Labour Government's long-awaited Jobs Jolt initiative will not work so long as welfare to work programmes remain ineffective, ACT New Zealand Social Welfare Spokesman Dr Muriel Newman warned today. See... Time For A Realistic Welfare Idea, Minister [1] MORE: - National - Labour Must Look At Work For The Dole [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00123.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00122.htm

ADHB's Clever New Plan For Waiting Lists Gets Thumbs Down

- National Party Health spokeswoman Lynda Scott is concerned that serious illness may go undiagnosed because of the latest bid to hide the Government's failing health policies. See... New bid to hide health policy failures [1] MORE: - NZ First - Patients Need Treatment Not The Run Around [2] - ACT - PM Lacks Understanding Of Health Issues [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00121.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00127.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00120.htm

Six More English Language Schools Close

- The announcement that a further six English language schools are to close gives fresh urgency to the call for an inquiry into New Zealand's $1.7 billion export education industry, according to two National Party MPs. See... More fuel for probe into language schools [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00117.htm

English NCEA Remarks Elicit Swift Mallard Rebuke

- National Party Education spokesman Bill English says all parents will share his anger about the lower standards that will flow from the misleading way that NCEA results are being compiled and marketed. See... Substance lost in NCEA spin [1] and the Government response… National criticises its own design of NCEA results [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00108.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0401/S00107.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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