Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Thursday, 8 December 2005, 2:09 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS:

LEAD:
FLASH: Hostage Deadline Extended Till Sat.
Scoop Editorial: Deadline Looms For Peacemakers

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY:
Scoop Report: Media Freedoms and Democracy Occupy Fraser and Hide
RECOMMENDED AUDIO:
Bollard Hikes Up OCR To 7.25
Parliament: Scoop On Politics – Benson-Pope Faces Political Storm
Animal Exploitation Fought By Glamorous Non-Exploited Kiwi Women -
MORE HEADLINES:
Video: Palestinian Groups' Vigil Asks Captors To Free Harmeet Sooden
ACLU Files Landmark Lawsuit Challenging CIA’s “Extraordinary Rendition” of Innocent Man:
Scoop Report: Pharmaceutical Companies Not Delivering For HIV/AIDS Children
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Suzan Mazur Researches The Background Of An Accused Antiquities Thief
NYC's Village Voice Has Unanswered Questions Over 911
SandersResearch.com's Inside Track: View from Rwanda
Hopsicker Gets Inside The Latest GOP Bribery Scandal And Finds Drugs
MORE SCOOP COMMENTARY:

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics):
POLITICAL NEWSLETTERS:
National Urges Govt To Secure Flu Medicines
ARENA Gears Up For WTO Round
Hongi Ban Would Be Discussed With Maori – Govt
Politics: Nats Election Campaign Short-Changes Media Of $112,500.00
Te Wânanga: Nepotism And Poor Accounting Cited In A-G's Report
POLITICAL HEADLINES:
POLITICAL COLUMNS:

It is annual Netguide.co.nz New Zealand Internet Awards time again & this time the awards are to be judged by public vote. Scoop would respectfully ask its readers to go to the following URL…
http://www.netguide.co.nz/webawards/index2.htm
…and seriously consider voting for Scoop.co.nz in one or all of the following categories.

- BEST MEDIA SITE - - BEST NEW SITE OR RELAUNCH - - SITE OF THE YEAR - - BEST HIGH-SPEED INTERNET SITE - - BEST HOME PAGE -

…. The Scoop Team

FLASH: Hostage Deadline Extended Till Sat.

- Al Jazeera has reported the Iraqi Insurgent group the Brigade of the Swords of Righteousness, who threatened last week to kill four Christian Peacemaker Team members later today, have now extended their deadline till Saturday (Sunday NZT). See… FLASH: Hostage Deadline Extended Till Sat. [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00089.htm

Scoop Editorial: Deadline Looms For Peacemakers

Selwyn Manning writes that leaders throughout the Middle East, including the Palestine National Authority, have urged those who hold four men hostage in Iraq to set them free. One of the men, New Zealand resident Harmeet Sooden, is well known for speaking out for the oppressed in Palestine and for those who suffer in Iraq. Palestinians in the Middle East are united, as are their New Zealand based counterparts, in calling for Harmeet Sooden and the other three men to be released. Also, the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades has stated of these hostages: "Those are the same friends of the martyr Rachel Corrie who was crushed under an Israeli bulldozer as she stood in the defence of our people and her friends against the Israeli Zionist occupation. (Includes links to video and audio) See... Hostage Deadline Looms - Palestinians Urge Release [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00085.htm

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00105.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00092.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00071.htm

Scoop Report: Media Freedoms and Democracy Occupy Fraser and Hide

- Kevin List reports that TVNZ's Bill Ralston's non-appearance at Parliament's glimpse into the state owned television station was perhaps the most troublesome issue for TVNZ. Scoop understands that Mr Ralston was available to discuss recent issues with opposition politicians at a social occasion the night before. See... MPs Keen For Bill Ralston's Presence At Parliament [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00086.htm

RECOMMENDED AUDIO:

Scoop Audio: [1] Selwyn Manning on Adelaide Radio: Discusses Auckland University student Harmeet Sooden held hostage in Iraq; Benson-Pope Police investigation files released; TVNZ Parliamentary inquiry, NZ Cricket, and King Kong… Scoop Audio: [2] Kevin List on Radio Active – discusses Harmeet Sooden and the hostage issue; Parliamentary inquiry into TVNZ

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00090.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00088.htm

Bollard Hikes Up OCR To 7.25

- The Official Cash Rate (OCR) will increase by 25 basis points to 7.25 per cent. "As emphasised in our September MPS, and again at the October OCR Review, we remain concerned about the tightness of resources and the persistence of inflation pressures. Exporters and other businesses exposed to the very high exchange rate are under considerable pressure and general business sector confidence is falling in the face of declining profit margins. However, overall demand continues to outstrip available capacity." See... Reserve Bank increases OCR to 7.25 per cent [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0512/S00098.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0512/S00099.htm

Parliament: Scoop On Politics – Benson-Pope Faces Political Storm

- Scoop's Alastair Thompson reports that in response to pointed questioning in the house this afternoon Minister of Social Development and Employment David Benson-Pope has defended his apparently inconsistent statements on whether he can remember jamming a tennis ball in the mouth of a pupil at Bayfield High School in 1982. Yesterday Mr Benson-Pope responded three times to questions about the incident saying: "I am one of the 19 people who either do not recall the events or do not believe they happened." This was apparently inconsistent with a statement in his police interview, namely: David Benson-Pope: … what I am saying is I have no recollection of any such incident, and I have never treated a child maliciously… or assaulted a student." See... D B-P Explains Neither Recall Nor Believe Position [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00084.htm

Animal Exploitation Fought By Glamorous Non-Exploited Kiwi Women -

An eye-catching glamorous billboard featuring four well-known scantily-clad Kiwi 'chicks' is being auctioned to help New Zealand's 2.8 million battery hens. For the billboard, Charlotte Dawson, Aja Rock, Nicky Watson and Eva the Bulgarian posed together in fake-feathered bras for celebrity photographer Monty Adams. See... Cheeky chicks billboard up for grabs [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0512/S00065.htm

MORE HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0512/S00059.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0512/S00081.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0512/S00080.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0512/S00079.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0512/S00037.htm

Video: Palestinian Groups' Vigil Asks Captors To Free Harmeet Sooden

- Palestine groups held a vigil in Aotea Square in central Auckland, New Zealand, on Monday to show the world that Harmeet Sooden (pictured left) and his fellow captors are peaceful men. Harmeet Sooden was a member of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and a friend to many in the group. SJP are calling on his captors to be merciful and release him and the other peace workers without harm. Harmeet is in Iraq solely for peaceful purposes and is passionate about taking an active role in giving humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people. Scoop Video: Peace Vigil Asks Captors To Release Harmeet [1] Scoop Video:Captors Release Second Hostage Video [2] Scoop Video: First Release Of Video Showing Hostages [3] Scoop Audio: Rockin' the Boat: CPT Peace Activists Held Hostage. Interview w/ Cliff Kendi, a CPT member who's spent many mos. in Iraq. Then, Huwaida Arraf of ISM on solidarity demos in Palestine. [4] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00038.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00072.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00071.htm
[4] - http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/audio/0512/Activist_hostages.m3u
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0512/S00059.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00122.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00121.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00037.htm
[9] - http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/EBF6D174-1C7F-470F-930B-BF53B6CFF0FB.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00088.htm
[11] - #9

ACLU Files Landmark Lawsuit Challenging CIA’s “Extraordinary Rendition” of Innocent Man:

Companies that Owned and Operated Airplanes Used in CIA Kidnapping Also Named in Lawsuit - The American Civil Liberties Union today announced the first ever lawsuit against former CIA director George Tenet challenging the CIA’s abduction of a foreign national for detention and interrogation in a secret overseas prison. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Khaled El-Masri (pictured with his children), an innocent German citizen victimized by the CIA’s policy of “extraordinary rendition.” “Kidnapping a foreign national for the purpose of detaining and interrogating him outside the law is contrary to American values,” said Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the ACLU. “Our government has acted as if it is above the law. We go to court today to reaffirm that the rule of law is central to our identity as a nation.” See... Lawsuit Challenges CIA’s “Extraordinary Rendition" [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00147.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00131.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00145.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00141.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00134.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00123.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00129.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00126.htm

Scoop Report: Pharmaceutical Companies Not Delivering For HIV/AIDS Children

- Marietta Gross reports from Austria - Every minute a child under the age of 15 is infected with HIV. AIDS kills 1400 children every day and takes more than half a million young lives every year. This is the sad reality facing the world on World-AIDS-Day 2005. See... World AIDS: Bureaucracy & Greed Prevent Solution [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00070.htm

MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00139.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00135.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00148.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00146.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0512/S00144.htm

Suzan Mazur Researches The Background Of An Accused Antiquities Thief

- Bob Hecht, the dean of antiquities dealers now on trial for trafficking stolen art, has apparently since his youth at Haverford College been single-minded in his passion for recapturing the glories of the ancient world. Much like late paleoanthropologist Mary Leakey, who once told me over one of her macaroni and cheese casseroles at Olduvai Gorge, "I live totally in the past." See... Suzan Mazur: Bob Hecht, The Younger [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00068.htm

NYC's Village Voice Has Unanswered Questions Over 911

- On Monday, December 5, the 9-11 Public Discourse Project—a private group formed by 9-11 Commission members after their official mandate lapsed in 2004—held a wrap-up press briefing in Washington, signaling the last gasp of official inquiries into the attacks four years ago. The National Institute of Standards and Technology also recently completed its final report on the twin towers. Already gathering dust are a Federal Emergency Management Agency study, the joint inquiry by Congress, the McKinsey reports on New York City's emergency response, probes by federal inspectors general, and other efforts to resolve the myriad doubts about the hijackings. See... UQ Wire: Village Voice - 10 Unanswered Questions [1] & UQ Wire: Village Voice – Running From 9/11 Truth [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00082.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00083.htm

SandersResearch.com's Inside Track: View from Rwanda

- Chris Black, since 2000, has been a lead counsel at the International Criminal Tribunal For Rwanda. From that perspective he has seen that Rwanda was not a situation in which the United States and its allies failed to act. On the contrary, it was an example of direct interference by the United States and its allies. Why? Three reasons: the US wished to replace the Hutu regime which did not want to cooperate with US aggression towards Mobutu in Zaire. Secondly, the US wants to reduce French influence in central Africa. The final US objective was and is control of the vast resources of the Congo. See... Chris Black: The Dallaire Genocide Fax [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00081.htm

Hopsicker Gets Inside The Latest GOP Bribery Scandal And Finds Drugs

- San Diego businessman Brent Wilkes, a key figure in the Randy “Duke” Cunningham bribery scandal—as well as the Justice Department investigation of Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff—worked in Honduras during the 1980’s for a company accused by federal prosecutors of deep involvement in cocaine trafficking. Over the weekend the San Diego Union-Tribune, Cunningham’s hometown paper, reported that Brent Wilkes has a two decade long history of close links with the CIA. See... GOP Scandal Tied To Iran-Contra Drug Trafficking [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00080.htm

MORE SCOOP COMMENTARY:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00079.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00078.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00077.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00076.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00075.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00074.htm

POLITICAL NEWSLETTERS: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00042.htm
Molesworth & Featherston (Weekend) – 2nd Dec. 2005 http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0512/S00041.htm
Transtasman Political Letter – 1 Dec. Digest

National Urges Govt To Secure Flu Medicines

- National is repeating its call for the Government to start securing additional antibiotic and personal medicines needed during a possible influenza pandemic. “Stocks of two sorts of drugs are needed –beyond Tamiflu,” says National’s Health spokesman, Tony Ryall. “The first group are antibiotics, which will be needed to fight secondary infection. In the 1918 pandemic, most people died of secondary infection – often pneumonia. The second are the life-preserving drugs that people take every day – insulin, warfarin, and many more. See... Ryall: Govt must secure pandemic drugs now [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00082.htm

ARENA Gears Up For WTO Round

- From 13 to 18 December the World Trade Organisation will be holding its sixth ministerial conference in Hong Kong. The scene is set for a repeat of the failures of Seattle in 1999 and Cancun in 2003, although there are last-ditch attempts to avoid the spectacle of another collapse by ‘recalibrating expectations’. In Cancun, it was agriculture, cotton and the ‘new issues’ that were the breaking point. One week out from the Hong Kong meeting, it appears that pressure over services could become the breaking point for the ministerial. See... Heads Up For Media On Hong Kong WTO Ministerial [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0512/S00060.htm

Hongi Ban Would Be Discussed With Maori – Govt

- Cultural practices that could be affected by a potential influenza pandemic will be discussed with Maori communities, Associate Minister of Health Mita Ririnui said today. "With respect to Maori cultural practices such as tangi, we would expect direction to come from Maori communities on how safe influenza pandemic infection control measures would best work for them,'' he said. See... Cool heads required in pandemic prep [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00085.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00084.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00082.htm

Politics: Nats Election Campaign Short-Changes Media Of $112,500.00

- The National Party today confirmed it made an error in the booking of its broadcast radio and television advertising for the 2005 election campaign. Due to a misunderstanding between the Party and its advertising booking agency, the agency booked advertising for National on radio and television for the campaign totalling $900,000 excluding GST, instead of $900,000 including GST, as had been allocated by the Electoral Commission. See... National confirms GST error in broadcast spend [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00066.htm

Te Wânanga: Nepotism And Poor Accounting Cited In A-G's Report

- Political parties from all sides of The House are moving to proportion blame after an Auditor-General's report into Te Wânanga o Aotearoa cited examples of nepotism and poor accounting practice. Tertiary Education Minister Michael Cullen said in a release today: “The issues raised by the Auditor-General are serious and highlight concerns that the government has been pursuing with Te Wânanga o Aotearoa for some while.” See... Cullen on Auditor-General’s wânanga report [1] + A-G's Full Report Into Aspects of Te Wânanga o Aotearoa [2] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00063.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0512/S00055.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED0512/S00028.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED0512/S00012.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED0512/S00018.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00067.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED0512/S00030.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED0512/S00033.htm

POLITICAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00078.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00077.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00075.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00073.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00081.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00074.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00086.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00080.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00076.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00072.htm

POLITICAL COLUMNS:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0512/S00079.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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