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LOCAL NEWS
National Finance Minister Steven Joyce is standing by his claim that there is an $11 billion dollar hole in Labour's fiscal plan. A number of economists, including ANZ's Cameron Bagrie, have refuted the accusation. Speaking on Radio New Zealand's Checkpoint last night and on Newshub's The AM Show this morning, Joyce would not stand down from his claims. The National MP believes Labour's operating allowances will be higher than projected. Labour's finance spokesperson Grant Robertson has called Joyce's claim a "patently false and cynical attack". Joyce also admitted this week that he flunked his economics papers while studying at Massey University.Mutilated Whale Found on West Coast
Yesterday a whale carcass was found on a Greymouth beach with its beak removed by a chainsaw. The Department of Conservation is calling for information relating to the dead whale, as it is an offence under the Marine Mammals Protection Act to take any part of a whale without a permit. DOC Ranger Glen Newton told Stuff that dead whales could carry diseases and that people should stay away. "It is important not to touch dead whales and it is recommended to stay at least 5m away, and avoid walking in any sand or water that might be contaminated," he said.
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Victims of abuse while in state care claim their privacy has been breached after the Ministry of Social Development sent their sensitive information to police. Three victims now plan to lodge a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner. Their lawyer, Amanda Hill, says the issue is the mass disclosure of information without consent of the plaintiffs. The three, who remain unnamed, said they were concerned that a major government department didn't have the basic respect to ask them first. The Ministry said the information was passed on to police under the obligation to protect people from crime.State House Wait Times Increasing
The waiting period for a state house has increased from months to years over the past decade. Mike Ross, owner of Favona Lodge in Mangere, says all his residents are now permanent tenants. He said that 10 years ago the waiting period for a state house was two months, but that now people are waiting for years. Raymond Teinaki and his family were residents with Ross, and said he had given up on waiting for a state house. In a statement, the Ministry of Social Development said the waiting time is two months.
INTERNATIONAL
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has revealed it arranged hotel accommodation for 53,630 people displaced by Hurricane Harvey. FEMA officials are also reportedly considering using mobile homes to house evacuees in Texas. Others affected by the historic storm are staying with family or friends; thousands remain in shelters.Cambodian Opposition Politician Accused of Treason
Cambodian authorities have charged the head of the country's opposition party with "colluding with foreigners." The treason indictment is based on a video showing Kem Sokha, leader of Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), saying he enjoyed US backing. The European Union, US State Department, and UN High Commissioner all expressed concern over Sokha's arrest.One Million Children in Gaza Face 'Dire' Conditions, NGO Finds
About a million children in the Palestinian territory of Gaza live in "dire conditions," according to Save the Children. The NGO said 90 percent of the water supply in Gaza is "too contaminated for human consumption," with electricity only running for two to four hours a day.Indonesia Blocks Protest Against Myanmar's Treatment of Rohingya
Police in Indonesia banned a protest planned outside a Buddhist temple in Java by Islamist groups angry at the treatment of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar. Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has urged Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi to help prevent violence against the Rohingya, and UN special rapporteur Yanghee Lee said Suu Kyi "needs to step in" to protect the minority group.Reporting by Harry Willis, Mary-Margaret Slack, Josh Storey.