Scoop: Top Scoops + Just Politics

Thursday, 26 May 2005, 5:59 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

TODAY’S TOP SCOOPS
LEAD STORY: Global Report: Amnesty International Condemns Governments For Human Rights Failures
Has Prime Moved Holmes To 6pm Due To Low Ratings?
China's Number 2 Avoids Greens' In Ya Face Message
Greenpeace Flagship Rainbow Warrior Back In NZ Waters
MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:
SCOOP REPORTS:
Southern Africa Faces A Three Edged Crisis
MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Toni Solo Recalls U.S. Intelligence Tsar's Finest Hour
William Fisher On The U.S PR Push In The Arab World
Ray McGovern: Bolton's Nomination Will Depress CIA Workers
William Rivers Pitt: Helping The GOP Pull Itself Apart
MORE SCOOP COMMENTARY:

OTHER NEWS (Just Politics)
Govt Announces More Police Graduates
Greens Release Solar Energy Policy
MORE PARLIAMENTARY HEADLINES:

LEAD STORY:
Global Report: Amnesty International Condemns Governments For Human Rights Failures

Governments are betraying their promise of a world order based on human rights said Amnesty International today as it launched its annual report documenting human rights issues of concern to AI during 2004 and AI’s activities during the year. Governments had failed to show principled leadership and must be held to account, said Ced Simpson, Executive Director of Amnesty International New Zealand. "A new agenda is in the making with the language of freedom and justice being used to pursue policies creating fear and insecurity, including cynical attempts to redefine and sanitize torture," Mr Simpson said. See... Amnesty Int Report Warns Of A Dangerous New Agenda [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0505/S00398.htm
[2] - http://news.amnesty.org/mavp/mediaclip.nsf/0/D84FB11BA2451836802570070056CBD9
[3] - http://news.amnesty.org/mavp/mediaclip.nsf/0/BBD0B77F5CB76CEB8025700C003E546D

Has Prime Moved Holmes To 6pm Due To Low Ratings?

- From 6th June the Holmes current affairs programme will be live on Prime Television at 6pm one hour earlier than the current time slot. Prime Television Chief Executive Chris Taylor said the move would give viewers an unbroken hour of news and current affairs from 5.30pm. “Over 120,000 viewers watch our news at 5.30pm each week night getting the information they want a full half hour before the other networks. Now they’ll get their current affairs first too.” See... One Hour Of News And Current Affairs From 5:30pm [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0505/S00395.htm

China's Number 2 Avoids Greens' In Ya Face Message

- Green Co-Leader Rod Donald says it's a disgrace that the Chinese Government tried to prevent him from protesting on the steps of Parliament this morning. Mr Donald was conducting a silent vigil holding the Tibetan flag this morning as Mr Wu Bangguo, the chair of China's Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, arrived at Parliament. The head of Chinese security tried to force New Zealand police to move him. See... Chinese Govt tries to suppress free speech [1] EARLIER:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00669.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00668.htm

Greenpeace Flagship Rainbow Warrior Back In NZ Waters

- Auckland, Thursday 26 May 2005 In the lead up to the 20th anniversary of the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior, Greenpeace's flagship vessel leaves today for international waters around New Zealand to highlight the destructive impacts of bottom trawling. "Bottom trawling is the most destructive fishing practice in the world," said Carmen Gravatt, Greenpeace Oceans campaigner, at a press conference on board the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland harbour. See... Rainbow Warrior to campaign on deep sea life [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0505/S00274.htm

MORE NEW ZEALAND HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0505/S00276.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0505/S00271.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0505/S00275.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE0505/S00200.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU0505/S00239.htm

SCOOP REPORTS:

Scoop Report: Lyndon Hood Considers Whether Peters Needs A Lesson In Speech Writing - I am something of novice reader of parliamentary press releases, but from time to time I see something that I am sure would interest even the most grizzled veteran. For example, I was intrigued to note that Winston Peters had written audience responses… What I feel it lacked was a proper sense of theatre. For one thing, even unprepared audiences are capable of a far larger repertoire of responses than the "Nothing!" and "Yes!" that Peters credits them with. See... Lyndon Hood: On The NZ First Chorus Line [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00314.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00654.htm

Southern Africa Faces A Three Edged Crisis

- With an unprecedented crisis "triple threat" stalking southern Africa – HIV/AIDS, food insecurity and a massively depleted skilled labour force – senior United Nations relief officials today called for the world to refocus its attention ...See... Southern African Crisis Enters 'Acute Phase' [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0505/S00404.htm

MORE INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0505/S00415.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0505/S00413.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0505/S00412.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0505/S00405.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0505/S00399.htm

SCOOP COLUMNS:
Toni Solo Recalls U.S. Intelligence Tsar's Finest Hour

- They recalled a 1983 encounter in the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa with "a dreadful woman" who enthused about her visits to Nicaraguan Contra bases in Honduras and the great job those US funded terrorists were doing. The dreadful woman turned out to be death squad godfather John Negroponte's wife, Diana. See... Toni Solo: Taking Sides And Solidarity [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00331.htm

William Fisher On The U.S PR Push In The Arab World

- As the Muslim world continued to demonstrate its hostility to the U.S. on the heels of a Newsweek magazine article charging that a copy of the Koran was flushed down a toilet, America's premiere foreign policy organization issued a new report claiming that better communications could still win Muslim hearts and minds. See... Improving US Communications With Muslim World [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00328.htm

Ray McGovern: Bolton's Nomination Will Depress CIA Workers

- Few have more at stake in the expected Senate approval of John Bolton to be US representative at the U.N. than the remnant group of demoralized intelligence analysts trained and still willing to speak truth to power. See... Confirmation of Bolton Would Shatter Intel Morale [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00324.htm

William Rivers Pitt: Helping The GOP Pull Itself Apart

- Members of the Republican Party's political action corps pride themselves on discipline and adherence to the line. Most of the time they are very good at this, which explains to a degree their ascendancy of late. See... William Rivers Pitt: Exploit the Rift [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00322.htm

MORE SCOOP COMMENTARY:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00330.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00323.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00321.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00329.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00320.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00319.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00327.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00326.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0505/S00325.htm

Govt Announces More Police Graduates

- The addition of 63 police officers to frontline duty across the country is a further indication of the Government's commitment to making New Zealand a safer place, Police Minister George Hawkins said today. Mr Hawkins congratulated the members of Wing 223 who graduate today from the Royal New Zealand Police College in Porirua. See... New graduates boost Police numbers [1]

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00681.htm

Greens Release Solar Energy Policy

- "Everything we do depends on energy, and if our energy supply is not sustainable, then neither is our economy or our way of life" Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons is delivering that message with the launch of the Greens' 2005 Energy Policy, 'Growing a Brighter Future'. "The Greens are the only party with a plan to keep the lights on without compromising our environment or heating up the atmosphere. See... Greens offer brighter thinking on energy [1] ALSO:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00651.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0505/S00273.htm

MORE PARLIAMENTARY HEADLINES:

[1] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00680.htm
[2] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00679.htm
[3] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00676.htm
[4] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00670.htm
[5] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00667.htm
[6] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00666.htm
[7] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00664.htm
[8] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00673.htm
[9] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00672.htm
[10] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00663.htm
[11] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00671.htm
[12] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00675.htm
[13] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00682.htm
[14] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00678.htm
[15] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00677.htm
[16] - http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0505/S00674.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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