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Everything you need to know about the world today, curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.Rise in Teacher Education Enrolment
New Zealand universities are seeing an increase in enrolments for teaching education courses. It’s possible press reports on the country's teacher shortage and high job availability have contributed to the increase. Four out of seven universities offering initial teacher education told RNZ that the increase could help reverse a decline that cut enrolments by 40 percent between 2010 and 2016. AUT's Deputy Dean of Education Ross Bernay said that the best way to continue to the trend was to make teaching a more attractive career. President of the Principal's Federation, Whetu Cormick said that while the small increase is positive there is more to be done to improve pay and working conditions to ensure that the increase continues.Climate Report Targets Financial Sector
The Climate Finance landscape report is targeting the carbon emissions of New Zealand's financial sector. The report pushes for further work by public and private organisations to prioritise the environment in financial decisions. Executive Director of Greenpeace Russel Norman told 95bFM that the initiatives in the report build on the green initiatives already at work in the financial sector. Norman said, “There are already many billions of dollars of clean investment in New Zealand already, it’s just a matter of this report giving some direction as to how we can facilitate further investment flows to grow the clean part of the economy”. This comes as pressure to adhere to the 2016 Paris Climate Agreement builds internationally.Aucklanders Still Without Power After Storm
Up to 2,500 properties in the Auckland area are still without power after last week's storm. Communities have banded together providing services such as welfare teams, waste disposal, and drinking water deliveries. Fire stations and community centres in affected areas have also opened their doors to provide support, including showers, tea and coffee. Vector said that some may not be reconnected until mid this week due to the amount of tree damage to lines throughout Auckland.Northcote By-Election Candidates Announced
Candidates for the Northcote by-election have been announced. Labour's Shanan Halbert will go up against National’s Dan Bidios in the election held on June 6. The Auckland seat became available after National MP Jonathan Coleman took up a job in the private health sector.Victoria University Library Without Disabled Access
Students with disabilities will have to wait more than a year for permanent lift services at Victoria University's library. The Rankine Brown's lift shafts were damaged last year after the Kaikoura earthquake and are still to be repaired. Because the library needs to be open while repairing Chief operating officer Mark Loveard said it will take some time to repair. Two temporary lifts are expected to be working by the end of August with the restoration of the permanent lifts taking until the end of 2019.St John Increases Employment After Funding Boost
St John Ambulance has employed 63 new staff and 19 stations have been double-crewed after receiving a funding boost. The Government increased funding last year in May by setting aside $63 million for all stations to have two staff by 2020. The funding arrived after the ambulance warned it would not send out lone paramedics to emergencies. Another 19 stations will ensure they have two staff members at all times by the end of the year.Health Boards Struggle With Rising Demand for Bowel Cancer Tests
District Health Boards are struggling to keep up with the rising demand for bowel cancer tests. Although DHBs are starting to roll out national screening programs, patients are still waiting longer than they should be. The number of patients waiting longer than a fortnight for an urgent diagnosis doubled to 44 over the last two years. Susan Perry, Head of the National Bowel Screening Program said New Zealand's aging population and growing awareness is driving demand.Ardern Begins Europe Trip
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has landed in Paris to begin a week-long trip in Europe. Ardern will be meeting with leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Discussions will be largely centered around negotiating free-trade agreements with the European Union and Post-Brexit Britain. Ardern said she is looking for leadership from European leaders in negotiating a multilateral trade agreement. The Prime Minister is also expected to discuss climate change and sustainability, which may be potential barriers to making a trade deal with the EU.Bushfire in Sydney Stops People from Evacuating
A large bushfire has started to affect homes in the southern suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Hundreds of firefighters have been tackling the fire that has seen strong winds push the flames into suburban areas. Residents have been instructed to seek shelter as evacuation is now too dangerous. The bushfire has already burned down over 6,000 acres of mostly rural land. More than 70 fire appliances have been stationed between rural and suburban areas with helicopters dropping water above.Israeli Military Disables Tunnel
The Israeli military has disabled a large tunnel that reaches into Israel from the Gaza strip. According to defence minister Avigdor Lieberman, the tunnel built by militants was largest and deepest discovered in Israel. This the fifth tunnel to be destroyed in recent months by the Israeli military.Google Loses Legal Battle Over Data
Google has lost a legal battle in the UK dubbed "The Right to Be Forgotten". The landmark legal case ruled that irrelevant data could be taken down from Google Search results if requested. The tech giant was taken to high court after it refused to remove search results related to historic charges. The plaintiff argued that the search results were no longer relevant and affected rehabilitation, while Google argued they did not want to rewrite history. The ruling sets a legal precedent that could have wide-ranging repercussions for future court battles.Syrian Airstrikes
President Trump has led air strikes on Syria with the backing of Britain and France. The strike was in response to allegations that chemical weapons were used in an attack in an area called Douma that resulted in dozens of reported deaths. The strikes targeted what the United States military claims is a chemical weapon storage facility, in hopes of deterring future chemical weapons use. Some United Nations members have criticised the strike as the use of chemical weapons has yet to be proven. The Syrian Government has denied ever using chemical weapons.France Set to Toughen Immigration
Parliament in France is set to debate a controversial bill that will toughen immigration. The bill aims to accelerate asylum applications and expedited deportations. The bill will extend the legal detention period time of rejected migrants and shorten the period migrants can apply for asylum. French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said it sets to resolve badly welcoming those who France owes reception and welcoming those who have no right to stay in France. The bill has faced fierce criticism by non-government organisations and government agencies who believe the bill restricts human rights.Additional reporting by Jemima Huston, Damian Rowe and Bailley Verry
LOCAL
New Zealand universities are seeing an increase in enrolments for teaching education courses. It’s possible press reports on the country's teacher shortage and high job availability have contributed to the increase. Four out of seven universities offering initial teacher education told RNZ that the increase could help reverse a decline that cut enrolments by 40 percent between 2010 and 2016. AUT's Deputy Dean of Education Ross Bernay said that the best way to continue to the trend was to make teaching a more attractive career. President of the Principal's Federation, Whetu Cormick said that while the small increase is positive there is more to be done to improve pay and working conditions to ensure that the increase continues.Climate Report Targets Financial Sector
The Climate Finance landscape report is targeting the carbon emissions of New Zealand's financial sector. The report pushes for further work by public and private organisations to prioritise the environment in financial decisions. Executive Director of Greenpeace Russel Norman told 95bFM that the initiatives in the report build on the green initiatives already at work in the financial sector. Norman said, “There are already many billions of dollars of clean investment in New Zealand already, it’s just a matter of this report giving some direction as to how we can facilitate further investment flows to grow the clean part of the economy”. This comes as pressure to adhere to the 2016 Paris Climate Agreement builds internationally.
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Up to 2,500 properties in the Auckland area are still without power after last week's storm. Communities have banded together providing services such as welfare teams, waste disposal, and drinking water deliveries. Fire stations and community centres in affected areas have also opened their doors to provide support, including showers, tea and coffee. Vector said that some may not be reconnected until mid this week due to the amount of tree damage to lines throughout Auckland.Northcote By-Election Candidates Announced
Candidates for the Northcote by-election have been announced. Labour's Shanan Halbert will go up against National’s Dan Bidios in the election held on June 6. The Auckland seat became available after National MP Jonathan Coleman took up a job in the private health sector.Victoria University Library Without Disabled Access
Students with disabilities will have to wait more than a year for permanent lift services at Victoria University's library. The Rankine Brown's lift shafts were damaged last year after the Kaikoura earthquake and are still to be repaired. Because the library needs to be open while repairing Chief operating officer Mark Loveard said it will take some time to repair. Two temporary lifts are expected to be working by the end of August with the restoration of the permanent lifts taking until the end of 2019.
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St John Ambulance has employed 63 new staff and 19 stations have been double-crewed after receiving a funding boost. The Government increased funding last year in May by setting aside $63 million for all stations to have two staff by 2020. The funding arrived after the ambulance warned it would not send out lone paramedics to emergencies. Another 19 stations will ensure they have two staff members at all times by the end of the year.Health Boards Struggle With Rising Demand for Bowel Cancer Tests
District Health Boards are struggling to keep up with the rising demand for bowel cancer tests. Although DHBs are starting to roll out national screening programs, patients are still waiting longer than they should be. The number of patients waiting longer than a fortnight for an urgent diagnosis doubled to 44 over the last two years. Susan Perry, Head of the National Bowel Screening Program said New Zealand's aging population and growing awareness is driving demand.Ardern Begins Europe Trip
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has landed in Paris to begin a week-long trip in Europe. Ardern will be meeting with leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Discussions will be largely centered around negotiating free-trade agreements with the European Union and Post-Brexit Britain. Ardern said she is looking for leadership from European leaders in negotiating a multilateral trade agreement. The Prime Minister is also expected to discuss climate change and sustainability, which may be potential barriers to making a trade deal with the EU.
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INTERNATIONAL
A large bushfire has started to affect homes in the southern suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Hundreds of firefighters have been tackling the fire that has seen strong winds push the flames into suburban areas. Residents have been instructed to seek shelter as evacuation is now too dangerous. The bushfire has already burned down over 6,000 acres of mostly rural land. More than 70 fire appliances have been stationed between rural and suburban areas with helicopters dropping water above.Israeli Military Disables Tunnel
The Israeli military has disabled a large tunnel that reaches into Israel from the Gaza strip. According to defence minister Avigdor Lieberman, the tunnel built by militants was largest and deepest discovered in Israel. This the fifth tunnel to be destroyed in recent months by the Israeli military.Google Loses Legal Battle Over Data
Google has lost a legal battle in the UK dubbed "The Right to Be Forgotten". The landmark legal case ruled that irrelevant data could be taken down from Google Search results if requested. The tech giant was taken to high court after it refused to remove search results related to historic charges. The plaintiff argued that the search results were no longer relevant and affected rehabilitation, while Google argued they did not want to rewrite history. The ruling sets a legal precedent that could have wide-ranging repercussions for future court battles.Syrian Airstrikes
President Trump has led air strikes on Syria with the backing of Britain and France. The strike was in response to allegations that chemical weapons were used in an attack in an area called Douma that resulted in dozens of reported deaths. The strikes targeted what the United States military claims is a chemical weapon storage facility, in hopes of deterring future chemical weapons use. Some United Nations members have criticised the strike as the use of chemical weapons has yet to be proven. The Syrian Government has denied ever using chemical weapons.France Set to Toughen Immigration
Parliament in France is set to debate a controversial bill that will toughen immigration. The bill aims to accelerate asylum applications and expedited deportations. The bill will extend the legal detention period time of rejected migrants and shorten the period migrants can apply for asylum. French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said it sets to resolve badly welcoming those who France owes reception and welcoming those who have no right to stay in France. The bill has faced fierce criticism by non-government organisations and government agencies who believe the bill restricts human rights.Additional reporting by Jemima Huston, Damian Rowe and Bailley Verry