Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Monday, 18 March 2002, 3:57 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
Readers Share Why They Hate Banks
Eyewitness Account Of A Day Out Protesting
Surprise Ceasefire Talks In Middle East
Flight School Owner Changes Story Again
Howard’s End: A Conspiracy So Monstrous
Stateside: The Mastodon's New Hose
Nuclear Free Policy Stays
NZ Diplomat Murdered In Honiara
Uri Avnery: An Apology
Paulo Politico: The Final Act?
Katya Rivas’ Passion

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics)
We’ll Have 20 MPs, Prebble Tells ACT Conference
Japanese Public Supports Return To Whaling - Poll
Rules Of Origin Not Negotiable For Trade Deal
Worse Still To Come, At Any Rate
English Brings Only Glad Tidings
Plain English
Dr Scott Claims Credit For Home Care Back-down
George W. Tells Us What Helen Won’t – Where The SAS Are
Gerry Brownlee MP Ordered To Pay $8500 For Assault

Readers Share Why They Hate Banks

- Not too many years ago I trudged into the local BNZ laden down with coins which I had saved. Being a kindly type, and really feeling for the plight of workers, especially bank tellers who have the monotonous task of counting all those coins, I had bagged up said coins, to aid with the counting process. See… Bank Stories (4): Where Customers Are Seldom Right [1] MORE: - Bank Stories (1): Private Banks Built On Plastic [2] - Bank Stories (2): Why I Hate Banks [3] - Bank Stories (3): Robotic Bank Phone Encounters [4] - Bank Stories (5): Pot Calls The Kettle Black [5]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0203/S00121.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0203/S00108.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0203/S00113.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0203/S00116.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0203/S00122.htm

Eyewitness Account Of A Day Out Protesting

- First port of call is Sagada familia for the "Lobby Busters" action. For the the first half hour there are few activists, many police and even more press. See... Indymedia Images Of 500,000 Barcelona Protesters [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0203/S00120.htm

Surprise Ceasefire Talks In Middle East

- Weekend Round-up - Israeli and Palestinian field commanders in the West Bank and Gaza Strip held surprise talks last night [Sunday March 17 2002], encouraged by a cease-fire mission by US envoy Anthony Zinni. See... Israel-Palestinian Talks Frustrated By Violence [1] .

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0203/S00119.htm

Flight School Owner Changes Story Again

- While the media spotlight was on the mis-cues at the perennially "troubled" INS, the real news this week was that Rudi Dekkers was telling reporters a significantly different version of his relationship with terrorist ringleader Mohamed Atta than he gave in the wake of the September 11 disaster. See... Flight School Owner Changes Story Again [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0203/S00118.htm

Howard’s End: A Conspiracy So Monstrous

- At last count, there were a dozen U.S. Congressional Committee's investigating the tragedies surrounding the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon. It is difficult to grasp the magnitude of the chaos, but as former FBI chief, J. Edgar Hoover, once said, " The individual is handicapped by coming face to face with a conspiracy so monstrous he cannot believe it exists." Maree Howard writes. See... Howard's End: The Truth Is Out There - Somewhere! [1] See also… Part 2 Of MalcontentX’s 911 Investigation [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0203/S00106.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0203/S00098.htm

Stateside: The Mastodon's New Hose

- There's a popular US saying that refers to something being so obvious and so discomforting that nobody even mentions it – “the elephant in the living room”. See... Stateside with Rosalea: The Mastodon's New Hose [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0203/S00112.htm

Nuclear Free Policy Stays

- Prime Minister Helen Clark confirmed today that there was no change whatsoever being contemplated to New Zealand’s nuclear-free policy. See... PM: No Change To NZ Nuclear-Free Policy [1] MORE: - Nats - Clark Stumbling [2] - Listen To Reith's Message [3] - ACT - Clark Misrepresents Nuclear Situation [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00293.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00298.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00299.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00302.htm

NZ Diplomat Murdered In Honiara

- A New Zealand diplomat has died of stab wounds after she apparently disturbed burglers at her residence in the Solomon Islands, Radio Australia reports. See... NZ Diplomat Stabbed To Death In Solomon Islands [1] REACTION: - Bill English - English Offers Condolences At Diplomat's Death [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0203/S00089.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00301.htm

Uri Avnery: An Apology

- Uri Avnery finds logic in the madness, without losing sight of the simple truth: its awful what is happening.. See... Uri Avnery: An Apology [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0203/S00114.htm

Paulo Politico: The Final Act?

- Act-less: Is Act sprinting into the valley of political death? It’s nine years since Act’s parent organisation – the Association of Consumers and Taxpayers – was formed. Now with nine months to go before an election the Act Party is in serious trouble. See... Act - sprinting into the valley of political death [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0203/S00111.htm

Katya Rivas’ Passion

- Scoop has restarted a daily serialisation of Bolivian mystic Katya Rivas’ The Passion. In her book Jesus Christ relates in his own words his experiences during the first Holy Week. The serial will continue through to the end of Lent 2002. See... Katya Rivas: Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0203/S00110.htm

We’ll Have 20 MPs, Prebble Tells ACT Conference

- We are gathered here today for an election year conference. We are contesting an election that the commentators have declared a foregone conclusion. See... Leader's Address to ACT 2002 Conference -- Prebble [1] . See also... Richard Prebble's Letter from Wellington 18 March [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00304.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00310.htm

Japanese Public Supports Return To Whaling - Poll

- “This is no basis for changing the current international moratorium on commercial whaling,” said Conservation Minister Sandra Lee today. See... Latest Japanese Pro-Whaling Poll [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00300.htm

Rules Of Origin Not Negotiable For Trade Deal

- New Zealand has told Hong Kong that it cannot accept a trade agreement with unenforceable rules of origin, Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton said today. See... Ball In Hong Kong Government's Court [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00309.htm

Worse Still To Come, At Any Rate

- The extravagant 15 percent planned rates increase over the next three years in Christchurch will be nothing compared with the sorts of increases that will be seen around the country if the Government presses ahead with moves to grant local councils powers of general competence, ACT Local Government Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff said today. See... Councils Show Scant Regard for Ratepayers [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00308.htm

English Brings Only Glad Tidings

- The Prime Minister needs to tell her message boy, Steve Maharey to think straight before making comments, says National Party Leader Bill English. See... Maharey's Comments Complete Rubbish [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00305.htm

Plain English

- Thank you for your responses to Plain English. It's welcome and I see all of it. Some readers don't like the negative comment on the Government. I am working to more positive material, particularly as our policy making hits high gear. See... Plain English - Friday 15 March 2002 [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00303.htm

Dr Scott Claims Credit For Home Care Back-down

- National Disability Spokesperson Dr Lynda Scott said she was delighted with today's decision by the Government to halt the contracting out of home care services in the lower North Island. See... Dyson listens to National on home care services [1] . See also Government release... Home care contracts halted [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00307.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00312.htm

George W. Tells Us What Helen Won’t – Where The SAS Are

- The United States has finally told New Zealand the news that Helen Clark had a duty to disclose months ago: that our SAS troops are in Afghanistan and have been involved in military action, Green Foreign Affairs spokesperson Keith Locke said today. See... US Finally Confirms Kiwi SAS Troops In Afghanistan [1] . Friday afternoon the PM acknowledged publicly what everybody has known for months. PM acknowledges SAS presence in Afghanistan [2] MORE: - ACT - Helen Clark Must Confirm Troop Involvement [3] - National - PM embarrasses herself over SAS secrecy [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00284.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00290.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00286.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0203/S00291.htm

Gerry Brownlee MP Ordered To Pay $8500 For Assault

- In the District Court at Auckland Native Forest Action campaigner Neil Able has been awarded $8500 in damages against National MP Gerry Brownlee for being manhandled out of a National Party meeting. See... Gerry Brownlee MP Ordered To Pay $8500 For Assault [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0203/S00109.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.

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