[1] "The unprecedented drop in recorded crime, the best since 1970 when we started to collect data on recorded crime, clearly shows the excellent job being done in the community by the Police," the Minister of Police, George Hawkins, said today. "Total numbers of recorded crime are down 8.2 percent since last year – a drop of 36,000 crimes. That means nearly 700 less crimes are recorded every week, nearly 100 less every day. See... Police crime statistics show crime coming down [2] NZ Police full crime statistics reportsLess Crime In Safer Auckland City [3] Crime drops nearly 8% in Wellington District [4] Statistics NZ Recorded Crime Statistics‘P’ scourge casts ever-darkening shadow [5] Labour spin can't hide rise in violent crime [6] Serious "P" Problem Hits Tauranga Peters [7] Kevin List's A Week Of It Speeding Special [8]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00059.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00059.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0503/S00020.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0503/S00021.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00069.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00062.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00061.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0503/S00002.htm

UNICEF Report Finds Child Poverty On The Rise

[1] The proportion of children living in poverty, or on less than $1 per day, has risen in most of the world’s developed countries since the early 1990’s, according to UNICEF’s latest report from the Innocenti Research Centre in Florence. See... UNICEF Child Poverty On Rise In Wealthy Nations [2] NZ’s Child Poverty Levels Unacceptable [3] Child Poverty Figures Remain Needlessly High [4] Too many Kiwi kids caught in poverty trap [5] Child poverty is not going away [6] No baby left behind [7] Unicef report shows families must be top priority [8]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0503/S00031.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0503/S00031.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0503/S00016.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0503/S00015.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00055.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00039.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00060.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00038.htm

Scoop Is In The House

Questions for Oral Answer - 2 March 2005 [1] and Questions & Answers For Oral Answer - 1 March 05 [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00049.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00035.htm

MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:

Maru George Homicide weapon recovered [1] NZ and Pacific region reducing toxic chemicals [2] Short Term Immigration Numbers Up [3] NZ First: Anzac Cove Must Be Preserved [4] Relationships Bill Reported Back Select Comm [5]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0503/S00014.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00040.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0503/S00024.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00044.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00043.htm

United States Supreme Court Abolishes Juvenile Death Penalty

[1] WASHINGTON - The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday abolished the death penalty for juveniles, an important victory for opponents of capital punishment in the only country that gave official sanction to such executions. In a 5-4 ruling that cited the "overwhelming weight of international opinion," the high court declared unconstitutional the death penalty for those under the age of 18 when they committed their crimes. See... Scoop Link: US Court Abolishes Child Death Penalty [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0503/S00038.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0503/S00038.htm

Scoop Report: Green Tea Makes Lab Mice Healthier

[1] Marietta Gross reports that next time you contemplate being tempted to indulge in a cup of green tea, perhaps you should go for it… for your heart's sake. Green tea contains a substance that protects against coagulation. Green tea contains a substance that protects against coagulation. Animal experiments have shown polyphenol (found in green tea) reduces the gain of adipose in mice, reports the German Institute for Nutritional Research (DIfE) in Potsdam. See…Green Tea Protects Against Coagulation [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0503/S00006.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0503/S00006.htm

Scoop Report: Shift Workers And Insomniacs Risk Ill-Health

[1] Marietta Gross reports a Berlin sleep researcher has compared quality of life of people affected by sleeplessness with tumour patients. Sleep disorders are not a harmless disease but can damage one's health dramatically. See... The Dramatic Consequences Of Disturbed Sleep [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0503/S00007.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0503/S00007.htm

Scoop Report: Police And Forensic Scientists Will Benefit From Another DNA Breakthrough

[1] Marietta Gross writes, German legal scientists have discovered a DNA technique that will enable a reliable genetic fingerprint from "omitted hair" or hair that has fallen out of been removed from a body. Previously, police and forensic scientists were often unable to get a reliable match from omitted hair samples. See... German Scientists Perfect DNA From 'Omitted Hair' [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0503/S00002.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0503/S00002.htm

PACIFIC REPORT:

RNZAF Conducts Rescue and Recon Operations In Cook Islands

[1] Tuesday afternoon the Orion carried out a reconnaissance flight over Puka Puka in the northern Cook Islands. The crew assessed that at least eighty percent of the roofs on the Island had been blown over and the area had been severely hit by the storm. Earlier this morning the Orion located a fishing vessel, floundering northeast of Samoa. See… RNZAF: Reconnaissance Images From PukaPuka [2] Missing vessel found, seven people safe and well [3] Search for missing vessel northwest of Samoa [4]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0503/S00011.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0503/S00011.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0503/S00007.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0503/S00002.htm

Brash Says Sitting MPs In Top 30 Party List

- National Party Leader Don Brash is welcoming the announcement today that current standing MPs will be ranked within the top 30 places of the Party List at this year's election. See... National Leader Welcomes List Decision [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00053.htm

National Claims DIA Stalling Child Porn Investigations

- The Department of Internal Affairs is dragging its feet in investigating potential paedophilia, says National's spokeswoman for Families, Judith Collins. See... Get into action Internal Affairs, says Collins [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00052.htm

United Seeks Answers On Cannabis From Greens

- United Future deputy leader Judy Turner today brought before Parliament a Canterbury University study released this week that shows daily cannabis use almost doubles the risk of psychotic illness, saying she had waited two days for the pro-drug Greens ... See... Greens’ silence on cannabis-related psychosis [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00070.htm

English And Benson Pope Cross Swords Again

- Teachers, parents and students can have no faith in the overseas ‘expert’ hired to review the NCEA because he is one of the architects of the system, says National’s Education spokesman Bill English. See... NCEA ‘expert’ a political poodle [1] Labour bungles NCEA backdown [2] Mr English gets it wrong no.6, no.7 & no.8 [3]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00067.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00065.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00068.htm

ACT Releases More Claims Against Wananga

- ACT MP Ken Shirley today said the Minister for Social Development and Employment did well to duck and dive answering his question in parliament today on the number of beneficiaries enrolled in Te Wananga o Aotearoa's Mahi Ora course. See... Wananga hides thousands of unemployed [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00064.htm

National Concerned Over Elective Surgery Waiting List?

- Patients with simple conditions such as piles face a choice: wait until your condition is so severe that surgery is finally warranted, or go private, says National's Health spokesman, Paul Hutchison. See... Got piles? Go private [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00063.htm

Research Shows Positive Trend In NZ Schools

- New research shows reading is being taught well in New Zealand schools, especially in the early years. See... New research shows reading being taught well [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00058.htm

NZ To Gift Contemporary Art To France

- Prime Minister and Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage Helen Clark announced today that New Zealand will make a gift of contemporary art to the Musee du Quai Branly, a major new museum currently under construction in Paris. See... New Zealand art to feature in new French museum [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00057.htm

NZ To Help Reconstruct Tsunami-Struck Maldives

- New Zealand is to contribute $1.5 million to relief and reconstruction efforts in the Maldives, Foreign Minister Goff announced today during his visit to the Indian Ocean nation. See... NZ to support tsunami recovery in the Maldives [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00054.htm

Labour Progressive Govt Re-Affirms Anti-Nuclear Policy

[1] Disarmament Minister Marian Hobbs will be advocating for a strengthened nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty when she represents New Zealand at the five-yearly NPT review conference in New York in May. It is 20 years today since former Prime Minister David Lange won the 1985 Oxford Union debate arguing that nuclear weapons were morally indefensible. Today Marian Hobbs reiterated that nuclear disarmament remains New Zealand's ultimate goal. See... NZ leads on nuclear-free stance [2]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00034.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0503/S00034.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

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