Today's Top Scoop Stories - News Summary

Thursday, 7 December 2006, 3:02 pm
Article: The Scoop Team

NEW ZEALAND LEAD:
Fiji Coup: Clark Calls On Military Elements To Overthrow Bainimarama
Veteran News: Govt Reaches Agreement With Returned Vietnam Vets
The Hollow Men: Brash Responds To Hager's Book Via Emailed Newsletter
Xmas Cheer: Spark Up Frosty - Xmas Light Competition Is Back!
More Headlines:
Politics: Robson-on- Politics Leads To Robson At Privileges Committee -
Foreign Affairs: Mid-East Ambassadors Group Discuss Lebanon, Iran, Iraq and Israel
Entertainment: Ecstasy For Dance Lovers Over Chrissy
Special Report:
Statistics: Census Results Out And Online
Internet: Kiwis Get iTunes Store, Apple Online Shop

SCOOP INTERNATIONAL LEAD STORY:
Middle East: How Hezbollah Is Moving For Broad Support In Lebanon
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
International Justice:

SCOOP LEAD STORY
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]

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

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0612/S00142.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0612/S00132.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0612/S00088.htm

RECOMMENDED AUDIO:

Scoop Audio:

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

[1] - 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's Kevin List on Radio Active [1]

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

Scoop Audio:

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's Selwyn Manning on Radio Adelaide. [1]

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

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

NEW ZEALAND LEAD:

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/HL0612/S00119.htm

Veteran News: Govt Reaches Agreement With Returned Vietnam Vets

- Defence Minister Phil Goff and Veterans Affairs Minister Rick Barker today announced details of the government's response to the recommendations of the Joint Working Group report on the concerns of Viet Nam veterans. See... Agreement Reached by Government and Vietnam Vets [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0612/S00139.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0612/S00099.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0612/S00098.htm

The Hollow Men: Brash Responds To Hager's Book Via Emailed Newsletter

- Hager contends that his book - a scurrilous attack on both the National Party as an institution and me as its Leader - was written with the help of emails provided to him by six "people in the National Party (who) were profoundly unhappy" with how some of the Party's electoral success in 2005 had been obtained. This edition of "Don Brash writes" is my response to Mr Hager's book. See... Don Brash Writes: Nicky Hager's book [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0612/S00108.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0611/S00405.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/S00137.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0612/S00094.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0612/S00013.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0612/S00012.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0612/S00053.htm

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

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

Foreign Affairs: Mid-East Ambassadors Group Discuss Lebanon, Iran, Iraq and Israel

A group of Australian based Arab Ambassadors has been on a joint visit to New Zealand over the past two days. Today they held a relatively poorly attended - but highly informative - press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Wellington. See... Scoop Audio & Images: Arab Ambassadors Talk Peace [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00094.htm

Entertainment: Ecstasy For Dance Lovers Over Chrissy

- From December 16th New Zealand’s hottest independent radio station, George FM teams up with Corona to hit the kiwi coastline once again bringing you the sound of summer. Now in its third year, the George FM Corona Beach party series has become a highly anticipated event with previous years attracting thousands of people to beaches See... George FM Corona Beach parties 06/07 [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0612/S00036.htm

SPECIAL REPORT:

Disturbing Report Exposes Tonga Military/Police Abuses

No Right Turn writes that last month, the New Zealand government sent soldiers and police to Tonga "to help maintain law and order". At the time I was deeply uneasy about this move, as it smacked of propping up a corrupt feudal regime against its own people. But I didn't know quite how bad it was. The National Centre for Women and Children has been interviewing those detained by the police in the wake of the riots, and produced a most disturbing report. See... No Right Turn: Tonga - What We Supported [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00114.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0611/S00331.htm

Statistics: Census Results Out And Online

- Results from the 2006 Census show that New Zealand's usually resident population grew faster between 2001 and 2006 than in any five-year period between censuses in the last 30 years, Statistics New Zealand said today. In the five years to 2006, the population increased by 7.8 percent (to reach 4,027,947), compared with 3.3 percent between 1996 and 2001. See... Census Shows Accelerating Growth Across Country [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0612/S00069.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0612/S00097.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0612/S00104.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0612/S00099.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0612/S00098.htm
[6] - http://www.stats.govt.nz/census/default.htm

Internet: Kiwis Get iTunes Store, Apple Online Shop

- LOOPdigital is pleased to announce it has expanded its worldwide distribution within iTunes Music Store territories to include New Zealand as the result of a meeting with the Manager of Music Programming and Label Relations for iTunes Australia. See... LOOPdigital Distributes in iTunes New Zealand [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0612/S00013.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0612/S00097.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0611/S00330.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00115.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/share/email_entry.html

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/S00143.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0612/S00142.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0612/S00141.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0612/S00140.htm

International Justice: UN General Assembly Actions Investigation Into UN Peacekeeper Crimes

- The United Nations General Assembly has agreed to set up to a committee to consider the criminal accountability of UN officials and experts serving on peacekeeping missions. See... Committee to Examine Criminal Accountability of UN [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0612/S00133.htm

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