Maybe the First Test won't be quite so much of a walk-over as expected....and truth appears to be the first casualty of war, as usual, in Russia...

Green Power - Brooklyn's Wind Turbine

TOP SCOOPS

Kiwis Claw It Back - Take Nine Wickets for 73 Runs

- The Black Caps have struck back to have the West Indies all out for 365 at 3.50pm. The Windies were looking at a target around 600 when starting this morning at 282 for one, but in four hours the Black Caps took nine wickets for just 73 runs. Vettori took four wickets, Cairns three, Astle one and Nash two. The Kiwi bowling was very ordinary and under-powered on day one but the Kiwis clawed it back in an incredible spirited performance today. Gary Stead and Matt Horne have opened for NZ against Courtenay Walsh.

Smith Confirmed as New All Black Coach

- The new All Black coach is Wayne Smith – ex-coach of the champion NPC side the Canterbury Crusaders. His assistant will be the Highlanders coach, Tony Gilbert. This leaves jobs vacant at the head of the Crusaders and Highlanders. The appointment was made by the NZRFU this afternoon.

HARD NEWS: The Election That Wouldn't Die

- GOOD DAY MEDIAPHILES ... so there we were, Friday night in Sydney, a cluster of enterprising knowledge workers with a high tolerance for fun. And could we get a taxi? We could not. Not at the same time, to the same place, anyway. See... HARD NEWS: The Election That Wouldn't Die [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9912/S00087.htm

Organisers Warn Of Fake Gathering Tickets In Circulation

- Organisers of New Zealand’s largest dance party, The Gathering, are warning people who have purchased tickets in the last month that they may have purchased forgeries. See... Fake Gathering Tickets In Circulation [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9912/S00086.htm

Competitive Tertiary Model ‘Dead’ – Maharey

- New Tertiary Education Minister Steve Maharey has said the commercial, competitive tertiary education model is “dead” and that a new think-tank will be considering changes for the sector. See... Commercial Education Model Dead - Maharey [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9912/S00085.htm

Greens Flex Muscle Over Party Hopping Bill - Formalise Relationship With labour

- It appears Green concern over the coalition’s anti-party hopping legislation will see the bill delayed until 2000. See... Greens Flex Muscle Over Party Hopping Bill [1] in the Headlines wire. The Green Party and the Labour Party will also formalise their political relationship as the Greens are now essential to Labour’s ability to lead a successful government. The parties will negotiate an agreement on how they will work together and is likely to include issues such as access to information and ministers. The Greens will not come inside the Labour-Alliancecoalition however. See... Greens to initiate written protocol with Govt [2] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9912/S00077.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9912/S00069.htm

PM Putin Calls Massacre Report 'Complete Nonsense'

- Russian officials are denying that any attack took place on Groyny with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin calling reports of the assault and heavy casualties 'complete nonsense'. But people in Grozny tell a different story. John Howard reports. See... PM Putin Calls Massacre Report 'Complete Nonsense' [1] in the Headlines wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL9912/S00088.htm

MORE SCOOPS

New Government Warned Not To Rush Tax Bill

- ACT Finance spokesman Rodney Hide has warned the new government not to rush through legislation to increase taxes under urgency in the week before Christmas. See... New Government warned not to rush tax bill [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9912/S00074.htm

Time For Minister To Remember Promise To Students Over EUB – Vernon

- “For the second time this week the Minister of Social Services and Employment has proved that his word means nothing,” says National’s Work & Income spokesperson Belinda Vernon. See... Time For Minister To Remember Promise To Students [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9912/S00073.htm

HortResearch Surprised At GE Tamarillo Protest

-HortResearch is surprised that protesters feel a need to target the Kerikeri Research Centre with a weekend long protest against a small trial of transgenic tamarillos. See... Tamarillo protesters ignoring the benefits [1] in the Science wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC9912/S00007.htm

KPMG International Reports Record Revenues Of $12.2 Billion

- KPMG International, the global professional services organization, today reported record revenues of US$12.2 billion for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 1999. KPMG Chairman Stephen G. Butler announced that KPMG's worldwide revenues grew 17 percent this year, versus last year's total of US$10.4 billion. See... KPMG Reports Record Revenues Of $12.2 Billion [1] in the Business wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU9912/S00078.htm

New Monetary Policy Targets Agreement Signed

- The Treasurer and the Governor of the Reserve Bank signed a new Policy Targets Agreement (PTA) on Thursday, this being the statutory contract between the Treasurer and the Governor which sets out specific targets for achieving and maintaining price stability. See... New Policy Targets Agreement [1] in the Parliament wire. See the full text of the agreement... POLICY TARGETS AGREEMENT - FULL TEXT [2] and Deutsche Bank: RBNZ - New Policy Targets Agreement [3] . Both in the Business wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9912/S00071.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU9912/S00076.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU9912/S00075.htm

Greens call for community wage payments over X-Mas

- A request from the Green Party for people on the Community Wage scheme to retain their weekly $21 on top of their benefit over Christmas is being considered by Employment Minister Steve Maharey, the Greens say. See... Greens call for community wage payments over XMas [1] in the Parliament wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA9912/S00072.htm

Christian Heritage Asked Where Smacking Stops

- Rape Crisis have challenged the Christian Heritage Party, asking them where they thought smacking ended and assault began. See... Christian Heritage asked where smacking stops [1] in the Politics wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE9912/S00079.htm

TVNZ Boss Steps Down

- Chairman Retires TVNZ Chairman, Rosanne Meo, has confirmed that she would be retiring from her position as Chairman of TVNZ on completion of her current term at the end of December. See... TVNZ Media Release: Tvnz Chairman Retires [1] in the wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU9912/S00074.htm

Increased Rape Sentence Won't Apply To Most Rapes

- Rape Crisis said today that the Court of Appeal decision to increase sentences for rapes committed in the home from eight years to eleven years will not impact on the vast majority of rapes and sexual assaults. See... Increased rape sentence won't apply to most rapes [1] in the Politics wire.

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO9912/S00032.htm

© 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

• Mobile - 021707044
• Twitter - @althecat
• Google+

• Linkedin
• Facebook
• Email - alastair@scoop.co.nz