Today's Top Scoop Stories - News Summary

Friday, 8 December 2006, 3:09 pm
Article: The Scoop Team

NEW ZEALAND LEAD:
Foreign Affairs: NZ Korea Force Closer Relationship
New Arrivals: Baby Born In Helicopter During Emergency Flight
Crime News: Woman Farmer Convicted Of Ill-Treating Goat
Sludge Report: Will Bollard Get Mean On Pre-Christmas Spenders?
Xmas Cheer: Spark Up Frosty - Xmas Light Competition Is Back!
More Headlines:
The Hollow Men: Nicky Hager Responds to Don Brash
Fiji Coup: Clark Calls On Military Elements To Overthrow Bainimarama
Recommended Audio:
Scoop Satire: Commodore Bainimarama Please Come Back To NZ, There's Unfinished Business
Politics: Robson-on- Politics Leads To Robson At Privileges Committee –

SCOOP INTERNATIONAL LEAD STORY:
Middle East: How Hezbollah Is Moving For Broad Support In Lebanon
More International Headlines:

SCOOP LEAD STORY
Sutch Case: Profiteering Ex-Spy Kit Bennett Is Taken To Task

Dr William Ball Sutch, economic nationalist, writer, intellectual, public figure and top civil servant, died in 1975 just months after he became the only person ever to stand trial under the espionage provisions of the former Official Secrets Act. Sutch was acquitted but suddenly it's all being regurgitated again. Kit Bennetts, one of the SIS agents involved in the case has written a book, "Spy". Media coverage of the book matter of factly accepted its conclusions and branded Sutch a spy and a traitor. Bennetts called Sutch a "liar", "traitor" and "turd" (Press, 30/9/06; 'Sutch labelled liar", Dan Eaton). See…Sutch: Speaking Ill Of The Dead [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0612/S00078.htm

Check Out Scoop's Audio and Video Podcast Feed (updated)

NEW ZEALAND LEAD:

Foreign Affairs: NZ Korea Force Closer Relationship

- Prime Minister Helen Clark and Republic of Korea President Roh Moo-hyun today strengthened the relationship between the two nations with adoption of the Partnership for the 21st Century. A key component of the Partnership is an agreement to commission a study into the merits of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between New Zealand and Korea. See... NZ and Korea strengthen partnership [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0612/S00185.htm

New Arrivals: Baby Born In Helicopter During Emergency Flight

- It wasn’t quite a manger in Bethlehem – but a place just as unusual! A baby boy from Whitianga was born in the back of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter at 8.10am this morning, 8 December 2006. The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked to Whitianga Airfield to meet a St John Ambulance and the midwife who were looking after the mother. File image. See... Baby born in back of Westpac Rescue Helicopter [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0612/S00041.htm

Crime News: Woman Farmer Convicted Of Ill-Treating Goat

- The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) welcomes the sentencing handed down in the Huntly District Court this week to a Taupiri farmer for ill-treating an animal and failing to provide assistance. File image. See... Farmer sentenced for ill-treatment of family pet [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0612/S00116.htm

Sludge Report: Will Bollard Get Mean On Pre-Christmas Spenders?

- Scoop's CD Sludge reports on the Monetary Policy Statement: This morning's MPS is in fact fairly encouraging for kiwi battlers - householders and consumers - and even to its farmers and exporters. Interest rates are not up yet; the inflation outlook is mildly encouraging; and – most importantly for homeowners – the Reserve Bank is no longer picking a fall in house prices in the coming year. See... Sludge Report #173: Meanwhile Down At t'Bank [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00120.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0612/S00162.htm

Xmas Cheer: Spark Up Frosty - Xmas Light Competition Is Back!

Will anyone be able to beat last year’s The Warehouse Christmas lights competition winner – a house decorated so brightly that it could be seen on the flight path to Christchurch? The Warehouse has given more time for Christmas light enthusiasts to create their dazzling displays by extending the deadline for its annual ‘Light Up Your Home’ Christmas lights competition. See... $10,000 Christmas Challenge For Bright Sparks [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0612/S00028.htm

MORE HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0612/S00178.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0612/S00108.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0612/S00040.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0612/S00065.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0612/S00064.htm

The Hollow Men: Nicky Hager Responds to Don Brash

- Yesterday Don Brash circulated a long rebuttal of my book The Hollow Men. In the interests of accuracy I should respond to his substantial points. Out of a 350 page book, with nearly 1000 detailed references, Don Brash has found two minor inaccuracies. I am happy to take his word about both of them. But neither detracts from the book. See... Nicky Hager Reply to Don Brash [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00123.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0612/S00108.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0611/S00405.htm

Fiji Coup: Clark Calls On Military Elements To Overthrow Bainimarama

- Scoop's Lyndon Hood reports from Parliament - In response to Fiji's military orchestrating a coup d'etat, Helen Clark and Winston Peters announced a range of sanctions against Fiji, describing the actions of Fiji's Commodore Bainimarama and his soldiers as disgraceful and grossly illegal. She also front-footed support for any 'elements' in the Fijian military that might choose to overthrow the Commodore and return the elected government to power. See... Audio: PM, Foreign Minister on Fiji Sanctions [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00116.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0612/S00135.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0612/S00107.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00119.htm

RECOMMENDED AUDIO:

Scoop Audio: [1] Scoop's Selwyn Manning joins 95bFM's Simon Pound to discuss what lies behind the Fiji Military Coup, who are the shadow men? See… Scoop on 95bFM [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00121.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00121.htm

Scoop Audio:

Kevin List talks to Radio Active about the new proposed immigration laws, the Greens, and a line up of Arab ambassadors were ignored by the almost all media! See… Scoop On Radio Active [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00118.htm

Scoop Audio:

Selwyn Manning on Radio Adelaide - Helen Clark says Soldiers in Fiji's military should tell Bainimarama he has been replaced. Also, New Zealand looks set to conduct fingerprinting and eye scans at airports; and a man is in hospital after being bitten by a wild stallion that wanted his mare for its harem. See… Scoop On Radio Adelaide [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00092.htm

Scoop Satire: Commodore Bainimarama Please Come Back To NZ, There's Unfinished Business

- By Lyndon Hood - We, the undersigned, being gravely concerned that the New Zealand House of Representatives has retrospectively legalised previous illegal election spending and thus usurped the Constitution of New Zealand and its democratic processes, earnestly petition you, as someone who really understands how to eliminate unconstitutional laws and fight corruption, that you return to New Zealand and "clean up" aforesaid legislation and corruption. See... Scoop Satire: Internet Clippings [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00015.htm

Politics: Robson-on- Politics Leads To Robson At Privileges Committee -

Scoop's Kevin List reports the former Privileges Committee Chairperson Matt Robson turned up this morning to sample some of the medicine he would once have dished out. Mr Robson - the current deputy leader of the Progressive Party - was hauled before the Privileges Committee after writing some robust political commentary. See... Attack On Dunne Leads To Privileges Committee [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00098.htm

INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
Middle East: How Hezbollah Is Moving For Broad Support In Lebanon

- Sophie McNeill reports from Beirut, A truck laden with yellow Hezbollah flags drives past the Christian neighbourhood of Gemayzeh early Sunday morning in downtown Beirut. There's a picture of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on the windscreen, but it's not his name that the young men on board are chanting. "General, General!" yell these young Shiite boys. Their chant is for the leader of Hezbollah's largest Christian ally, the former General Michel Aoun. And this van captures an important dynamic that many of the international and Lebanese press have omitted from their coverage of the last few days. See... Why Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV Broadcasts Sunday Mass [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00097.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00052.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00030.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0611/S00427.htm

MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0612/S00161.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0612/S00160.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0612/S00159.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0612/S00157.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0612/S00156.htm

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