Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Friday, 21 January 2005, 5:00 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
LEAD STORY: Scoop Election Year Commentary: Labour And National - A Battle Between Third Way and Old Right
Another Big Quake Shakes Wellington At 8am
MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:
Inauguration Full Coverage: Thom Hartmann - The Robber Barons Are Back
Palestine Moves To Display Peace Strategy
INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
SCOOP SPECIAL REPORT - American Coup II: Republicans Move To Quiet Ohio Counters

SCOOP COLUMNS:
MOTORNET: Volvo vs Peugeot In The Estates Race
Paul Buchanan On The Role Of Special Forces
Bill Berkowitz: Claude Allen In The House
A US Pharmaceutical Exec. Talks Price Gouging
Angie Pratt Advocates A Controversial Platform For Democrats
UQ Wire: Terror Flight School Owner In Cuba?
Dahr Jamail: Is Evidence Destruction Underway In Fallujah?
Sam Smith On Getting Through The Bad Times
Kamala Sarup: Corruption Around The World

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics)
The Statistics Wars: English Vs Benson-Pope
Doctors To Be Queried Over Sickness Welfare Diagnoses
Hobbs To Deliver NPT Conference Keynote Address
Richard Worth: NZ's Boom Is Not As Good As It Looks
Progressives Support Staff Standing For DHBs
Inflation Monitoring Begins In Early Childhood Ed. Sector
Celebrating Our Cities And Towns
A Cultural Renaissance On The Chathams
PC Madness Spotted In Probation Officer's Discipline
Foot & Mouth Exercise Scheduled For April
Dairy Reforms Remain On Track - Sutton

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...TODAY'S PHOTO STORY...

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00171.htm
Guy Capper And The Putaruru Crash

LEAD STORY:
Scoop Election Year Commentary: Labour And National - A Battle Between Third Way and Old Right

- Scoop broke major news surrounding the Ahmed Zaoui case, exposed shadowy goings on surrounding claims the SIS was spying on Maori, considered what impact Don Brash would make as a PM - now we publish a guide to General Election 05. Why Labour will not cut taxes, and what are the differences between the two major parties hogging the centre-right of New Zealand politics. See... Strategies And Cunning And The General Election 05 [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00184.htm

Another Big Quake Shakes Wellington At 8am

[1] - A magnitude 5.5 earthquake was felt widely in the Wellington region just before 8am today, Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GNS) said. The quake occurred at 7.56am and was centred 30km deep within 5km of Upper Hutt. There have been no immediate reports of damage. A swarm of non-damaging small quakes, centered in the same location, occurred last year. See... Another Quake Jolts Wellington [2] and NZ researcher to study tsunami's effect on land [3] . SCOOP LINK: Geonet: This Morning's Upper Hutt Earthquake [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/SC0501/S00031.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/SC0501/S00031.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/SC0501/S00033.htm
[4] - http://www.geonet.org.nz/x2354133g_l.html

MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00160.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00159.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00158.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00156.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00155.htm

INTERNATIONAL NEWS:

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00217.htm
George W Bush Sworn In At Inauguration 05.

Thom Hartmann: The Robber Barons Are Back

- They're staging a celebration of their power in Washington, DC, where they help write the majority of legislation and hold captive all but a very few of our nation's legislators. See... Thom Hartmann: The Robber Baron's Party [1] COMPLETE INAUGURATION COVERAGE: - Indymedia: Breaking Coverage Of Inaugural Protests [2] - Amnesty Int: Human Rights Not Hollow Words [3] - Greg Palast: Oaf Of Office [4] - Stateside with Rosalea: Big Chill [5] - Undernews: Inauguration Day 2005 [6] - Manuel Valenzuela: Coronation of Corruption [7] - Whitney's Inaugural Address on Democracy Future [8]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00187.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00174.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00232.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00183.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00180.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00178.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00177.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00175.htm

Palestine Moves To Display Peace Strategy

- The latest developments in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the deployment of Palestinian security forces in northern Gaza are "very encouraging," a United Nations spokesman said today, after days of concern that a fresh upsurge of ... See... UN ENCOURAGED BY PALESTINIAN MOVE TO END VIOLENCE [1] ALSO: Israel And Lebanon : Renewal Of Un Force Mandate [2] Heavy Rains Hamper UN Tsunami Relief In Temporary [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00223.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00225.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00224.htm

INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00226.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00220.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00219.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00218.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00203.htm

SCOOP SPECIAL REPORT - American Coup II: Republicans Move To Quiet Ohio Counters

- COLUMBUS -- In a stunning legal attack, Ohio's Republican Attorney-General has moved for censure against the four attorneys who sued George W. Bush et. al. in an attempt to investigate the Buckeye State's bitterly contested November 2 election. See... Revenge Attack On Ohio Election Protection Team [1] . See also... Rep. John Conyers Open Letter To Ohio AG Jim Petro [2] MORE - Myth Breakers: Facts about Electronic Voting [3] - Rep. Conyers Open Letter to Mitofsky & Rosin [4] For Full Coverage See… Scoop Special Report – American Coup II [5]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00166.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00231.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0501/S00229.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00182.htm
[5] - http://scoop.co.nz/mason/features/?s=usacoup

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00185.htm
MOTORNET: Peugeot's 407 vs Volvo F50

SCOOP COLUMNS:
MOTORNET: Volvo vs Peugeot In The Estates Race

- It's a bold statement, but our fascination with oversize Sports Utility Vehicles could well be coming to an end. It had to happen sometime. After all, crossover vehicles, smaller and better built 4WDs and the rising cost of fuel are all likely to be contributing ... See... MOTORNET: Estating The Obvious [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00185.htm

Paul Buchanan On The Role Of Special Forces

- Recent news reports claim that the US Special Operations community has not been entirely idle since the invasion of Iraq gave way to its occupation. Special Forces units were at the pointy edge of the military spear that gutted Saddam’s army, but then gave way to conventional troops as the mission shifted from conquest to pacification. See... Of Commandos, Death Squads and Hit Men [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00173.htm

Bill Berkowitz: Claude Allen In The House

- Careerwise, Claude Allen has come a long way from honing his political chops as the first African American aide to Jesse Helms, North Carolina's long-time rabid right wing Senator. See... Bill Berkowitz: Claude Allen In The House [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00186.htm

A US Pharmaceutical Exec. Talks Price Gouging

- Some recent headlines: ''HHS reports drug imports likely won't save money.'' ''Net saving on drug import not worth action.'' ''Legalizing drug imports not worth it.'' ''Bush panel sees scant savings in drug imports.'' See... Drug Import Report Has Good Data, Bad Conclusions [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00179.htm

Angie Pratt Advocates A Controversial Platform For Democrats

- A flat tax structure in the United States is a way for Democrats to force the Republicans to put their money where their mouths are. A flat tax says nothing about how revenues are distributed. See... Democrats Need To Unite In Favor Of A Flat Tax [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00176.htm

UQ Wire: Terror Flight School Owner In Cuba?

- While both of the terrorist pilots who crashed into the World Trade Center were students at Venice Florida’s Huffman Aviation, the flight school's owner Wallace J. Hilliard, 72, of Naples, FL., was simultaneously pursuing his own diplomatic opening to Fidel Castro. See... Daniel Hopsicker: The Covert Op That Ate The World [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00161.htm

Dahr Jamail: Is Evidence Destruction Underway In Fallujah?

-''The soldiers are doing strange things in Fallujah,'' said one of my contacts in Fallujah who just returned. He was in his city checking on his home and just returned to Baghdad this evening. See... Dhar Jamail: Odd Happenings in Fallujah [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00160.htm

Sam Smith On Getting Through The Bad Times

- Logic has failed us, theories have failed us, technology has failed us, policy has failed us, diplomacy has failed us, our military, our leaders in government, media, and the intelligentsia. . . even our faith seems to have failed us. See... Sam Smith: Getting Through The Bad Times [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00158.htm

Kamala Sarup: Corruption Around The World

- Chairman of Transparency International, the Berlin-based watchdog on corruption, said corruption was crippling the global battle against poverty. He said, ''Corruption is 'rampant' worldwide, draining public funds and hitting economic policy.'' See... Kamala Sarup: Corruption Is 'Rampant' Worldwide [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0501/S00181.htm

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PO0501/S00131.htm
Endangered Stitchbird To Join Karori Wildlife Sanctuary.
Photograph courtesy of and by Peter Reese.

The Statistics Wars: English Vs Benson-Pope

- National Education spokesman Bill English says new Education Minister David Benson-Pope will need to study up on his facts better than he has so far. See... Benson-Pope struggling already [1] and Lies, damn lies, and statistics Bill English uses [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00166.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00172.htm

Doctors To Be Queried Over Sickness Welfare Diagnoses

- News that Steve Maharey has asked his officials to talk to doctors about the number of patients diagnosed as too sick to work has been welcomed by United Future deputy leader Judy Turner, even if it comes long after she warned him of GPs being pressured by patients. See... Turner: Doctors pressured over sickness benefits [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00171.htm

Hobbs To Deliver NPT Conference Keynote Address

- Disarmament and Arms Control Minister Marian Hobbs will give a keynote address to the opening session of an international consultation on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in the United States next week. See... Disarmament Minister to address NPT conference [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00178.htm

Richard Worth: NZ's Boom Is Not As Good As It Looks

- Despite favourable economic conditions, New Zealand’s economic position is not improving relative to other countries. See... Newsworthy: Things are not what they seem [1] MORE COLUMNS: - Labour Party - Beehive Bulletin - Friday, 21 January 2005 [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00168.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00175.htm

Progressives Support Staff Standing For DHBs

- District Health Boards would be assisted by further input from health professionals and clinical staff according to Progressive MP, Matt Robson. See... Stronger representation of medical staff on boards [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00177.htm

Inflation Monitoring Begins In Early Childhood Ed. Sector

- The Consumers Price Index (CPI) will be used to monitor the fees charged by early childhood education providers in preparation for the move to free early childhood education, Education Minister Trevor Mallard said today. See... Early childhood education fees monitoring [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00176.htm

Celebrating Our Cities And Towns

- This year 2005 has been designated as the Year of the Built Environment, Environment Minister and Minister Responsible for Urban Affairs, Marian Hobbs announced today. See... 2005 Year of the Built Environment [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00174.htm

A Cultural Renaissance On The Chathams

- This is an event of national significance for the people of Rekohu and of New Zealand, as this is the first marae ever to be built in recognition of the Moriori people of Rekohu. See... PM: Opening of Kopinga Marae, Chatham Islands [1] MORE: - PM opens new Heartland Services Centre on Chathams [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00173.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00169.htm

PC Madness Spotted In Probation Officer's Discipline

- Media reports of a probation officer facing disciplinary action after breaching cultural protocols, shows that political correctness is out of control in New Zealand, ACT Deputy Leader Dr Muriel Newman said today. See... PC spirals out of control at Corrections Dept [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00170.htm

Foot & Mouth Exercise Scheduled For April

- The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry will lead a major exercise in April simulating an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, Biosecurity Minister Jim Sutton said today. See... Foot And Mouth Disease Simulation Exercise [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00167.htm

Dairy Reforms Remain On Track - Sutton

- The Government's reform of the dairy industry appears to have achieved its goals, according to a MAF report, Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton said today. See... Dairy Reform Working [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0501/S00179.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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