Top Scoop Stories - 19 August 2008 News Summary

Tuesday, 19 August 2008, 2:05 pm
Article: The Scoop Editor

Today's Top Scoops - 19 August 2008

LEAD STORY:

Gordon Campbell: A Privileged Look At Peters' Proceedings

NZ POLITICS:

Politics: Maori Party Pleased By Taito's New Political Vehicle
Audio: PM Talks Lot On Pacific Forum Not Much On Peters

BUSINESS SCIENCE & TECH:

Tourism: Foreigners Give NZ The Once Over Twice
Weather: Southern Passes Covered By Snows, Trains

WORLD:

Pacific Freedom Forum: Threats To Democracy In Fiji
HCD Research: Obama 'Celebrity' Ad Fails to Sway Voter Support
Solomon Islands Government: Rini Clarifies Media Report on RCDF Payment

COMMENT:

Rosalea Barker: Obama and McCain Quizzed by Church Leader
Uri Avnery: The Anger, the Longing, the Hope

LIFESTYLE:

Kiwi Pride: NZ Fake Stonehenge better Than Original
Astronomical Theatre: Play Looks At Vast Waste of Space
Sport: Sponsor Chuffed At Gold
A Dog's Life: Sled Pulling Dogs Compete For Prizes

Gordon Campbell: A Privileged Look At Peters' Proceedings - On the night, it seemed like game, set and match to Winston Peters in his initial skirmish with Parliament's privileges committee. If this was heat being applied in the political kitchen, Peters barely raised a sweat. Ostensibly, this committee of eleven senior MPs from right across the political spectrum had been called together to consider a complaint from ACT leader Rodney Hide that Peters was in contempt of Parliament. Specifically, for not disclosing on Parliament's Pecuniary Interests Register a $100,000 payment from the expatriate billionaire Owen Glenn. More >> [1]

[1] - http://election08.scoop.co.nz/gordon-campbell-a-privileged-look-at-peters-proceedings/

Politics: Maori Party Pleased By Taito's New Political Vehicle - The Maori Party welcomes the New Zealand Pacific Party into the political arena as a new voice for Pacific peoples, following its successful launch on Saturday night. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0808/S00232.htm

Audio: PM Talks Lot On Pacific Forum Not Much On Peters - This afternoon the Prime Minister held a truncated post-cabinet press conference due to a Labour Caucus being scheduled later in the afternoon. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0808/S00218.htm

Tourism: Foreigners Give NZ The Once Over Twice - Bay of Islands is a bit over-hyped, Christchurch is one of New Zealand's most liveable cities, Dunedin is surprisingly artsy and Hamilton's stretch of bars and eateries leave Auckland's Viaduct for dead. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0808/S00186.htm

Weather: Southern Passes Covered By Snows, Trains - Despite snow falls which were reportedly the heaviest in many years, the TranzAlpine train ran every day between Christchurch and Greymouth over the last few days. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• Christchurch City Council - Severe weather affects roads (19/8) [2]
• Christchurch City Council - Update on road conditions - 11am [3]
• Police - Lyttelton Tunnel fully open [4]
• Environment Waikato - Forecast good news for Waikato region, but worries [5]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0808/S00284.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0808/S00182.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0808/S00186.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0808/S00187.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0808/S00175.htm

Pacific Freedom Forum: Threats To Democracy In Fiji - We, the newly-formed Pacific Freedom Forum, are an online network of Pacific media colleagues with the specific intent of raising awareness and advocacy of the right of Pacific communities to enjoy freedom of expression. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0808/S00260.htm

HCD Research: Obama 'Celebrity' Ad Fails to Sway Voter Support - Results from a new national focus group conducted among 300 self-reported Republicans, Democrats and independents revealed that Barack Obama's new ad failed to sway voter support. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0808/S00259.htm

Solomon Islands Government: Rini Clarifies Media Report on RCDF Payment - The Minister of Finance and Treasury, Snyder Rini, has clarified a recent payment of $100,000 to each Member of Parliament that had been reported in the media. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0808/S00261.htm

Rosalea Barker: Obama and McCain Quizzed by Church Leader - Following the Saddleback Church's Civil Forum on Saturday, I called into a teleconference featuring "some of the nation's top evangelical leaders" according to the press release. It was arranged to provide "an expanded perspective on how evangelicals... More >> [1]

EARLIER

• An Occasional Note on the Campaigns No. 14 [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0808/S00212.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0808/S00201.htm

Uri Avnery: The Anger, the Longing, the Hope - ONE OF the wisest pronouncements I have heard in my life was that of an Egyptian general, a few days after Anwar Sadat's historic visit to Jerusalem. We were the first Israelis to come to Cairo, and one of the things we were very curious about was...More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0808/S00210.htm

Kiwi Pride: NZ Fake Stonehenge better Than Original - Fans of Stonehenge Aotearoa, New Zealand's outdoor observatory and astronomy attraction, think the Lonely Planet 2008 guide is way off the astral beam. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0808/S00191.htm

Astronomical Theatre: Play Looks At Vast Waste of Space - Imagine what it might be like to be 200,000 miles away from Earth, trapped in the vast emptiness of space in a capsule no larger than a Morris Minor. Then imagine it's up to you to bring it home. More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0808/S00178.htm

Sport: Sponsor Chuffed At Gold - Congratulations to Team Visa athlete Valerie Vili on her exceptional performance... this achievement exemplifies the Faster, Higher, Stronger spirit of the Olympic Games, and the entire Visa team is proud of this accomplishment. More >> [1]

ALSO:

• Manukau City Council - Manukau proud of Valerie Vili [2]
• TV3 Video - Weekend sport wrap: Olympic glory [3]
• TV3 Video - Vili finally gets her hands on gold medal [4]
• TV3 Video - Former long-jumper gold medallist delighted with Valerie Vili's win [5]
• TV3 Video - Olympic day seven proves to be a golden day for NZ [6]
• TV3 Video - Veteran gold medallists proud of Kiwi twins' efforts [7]
• TV3 Video - New Zealand Rowing celebrates Olympic win [8]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0808/S00176.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0808/S00173.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/sports/11842.html
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/sports/11861.html
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/sports/11836.html
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/sports/11834.html
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/sports/11833.html
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/multimedia/tv/sports/11831.html

A Dog's Life: Sled Pulling Dogs Compete For Prizes - It will be paws not flags flying as nearly 40 dogs compete in the 2008 PRO PLAN Wanaka Sled Dog Festival next month.More >> [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0808/S00177.htm

ENDS

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