News of Zealand: Stray Cats Kill So Conservationists Want Them Dead

Everything you need to know about the world this morning, curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.

Conservationists Call on Councils to Cull Stray Cats
Conservationists are calling on councils to cull stray cats instead of relying on the SPCA to rehome abandoned animals. Homeless animals, like cats, often pose a threat to endangered native wildlife. Councils currently take responsibility for stray dogs, but cats are picked up by the SPCA because there is no legislation for their management. At its peak, the SPCA and its foster volunteers could be caring for 600 cats at a time, something Forest and Bird says is problematic. Chief conservation advisor Kevin Hackwell says that policy is bad news for native wildlife, as cats are the biggest killers in urban areas. New Zealand has some of the highest rates of cat ownership in the world, with around 1.4 million domestic cats.

Mental Health Patients Turned Away Because of Staff Shortages
Five beds have been forced to close at the only acute mental health unit on Auckland's North Shore, because it can't find staff. A Public Service Association spokesperson says the shortage of nurses has forced He Puna Waiora to reduce its bed numbers for seven weeks. Staff have also reportedly been working 16-hour shifts, or longer, for the past few months. The closures will mean the acutely unwell will be turned away or forced to attend the hospital's emergency department. The PSA says the closures show the strain on mental health services have reached breaking point.

Internship Scheme to Increase Māori and Pasifika Grads in Corporate Jobs
An internship scheme is hoping to increase the number of Māori and Pasifika students heading into corporate careers. The Auckland-based organisation Tupu Toa gives Māori and Pasifika tertiary students the chance to intern at different corporate organisations, including Air New Zealand and some government agencies. It's being offered in an attempt to combat low numbers of graduates taking up internship opportunities, which can bar people from entering the corporate workforce. Tupu Toa co-chairperson Rangimarie Hunia says these organisations are after graduates in a number of areas including engineering and accountancy. She says, in 2017, there is a desire to increase diversity and hire Maori and Pasifika talent.

New Waterview Tunnel Scores $1 million of Speeding Fines in Month
Almost $1 million in speeding fines have been issued at Auckland's new Waterview Tunnel in little over one month, according to figures released to RNZ. Four cameras are operated by police in the tunnel, which collectively snapped 9,756 speeding drivers between July 21 and the end of August. According to the Police National Manager of Road Policing, Superintendent Steve Greally, the number of fines shows the message of sticking to the speed limit isn't getting through. "The cameras are up there for a very good reason, they are in the areas of the speed related crash risk, and they do their job," he says. The police won't see a cent of the money generated through the fines, which instead ends up in the general government tax pool.

Panama Papers Journalist Killed in Malta
Daphne Galizia, a journalist who led the Panama Papers investigation into corruption in Malta, has been killed on Monday from a car bomb near her home. On Monday afternoon a powerful explosive device tore Galizia's car apart while she was inside. The blogger, whose posts often attracted more readership than the combined circulation of the country's newspapers, has been described as a one-woman WikiLeaks, with her most recent revelations pointed the finger at Malta's prime minister. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack. But according to local media reports, Galizia went to the police two weeks ago to report she was receiving death threats. There have been several car bomb killings in Malta during recent years. Much of the violence is thought to be linked to disputes between criminal gangs. So far, none are thought to have been politically motivated. Galizia was 53 and leaves a husband and three children.

Iraqi Troops Take Back Kirkuk

The Iraqi army says it has taken

full control of the oil rich Kirkuk after the Kurds voted for independence last mont

h. Kirkuk sits in the north of Iraq on the disputed area between the Kurdish Autonomous region and the south which is controlled by Baghdad. The city is home to a mix of both Kurdish and Arab populations, which was controversially added to the Kurdish region during the referendum. The advance by Iraqi forces was part of a major operation to retake the oil-rich province, amid an escalating dispute in the wake last month's vote on secession that Baghdad declared illegal. According to Iraqi security forces, troops moved into the city with no opposition from Kurdish fighters. This has surprised many, as Kurdish forces had previously vowed to defend Kirkuk, and have been locked in an armed standoff with Iraqi government troops on the outskirts of the city. Kurdish forces retook Kirkuk after the Iraqi army fled from the Islamic State in 2014. There has been no comment from Kurdish authorities since the retreat.

Israeli Jets Retaliate in Syria
Israeli jets launch attacks on a Syrian government anti-aircraft launcher after they were shot at during a reconnaissance mission Monday morning. According to an Israeli spokesman, the planes were flying inside Lebanon but close to the Syrian border when the missiles were fired at them. The rockets failed to hit the planes and the jets responded immediately attacking the launcher. The exchange of fire came as the defence minister of Russia, a key ally of the Syrian regime was due to arrive in Israel for talks with the Israeli prime minister.

Embattled Weinstein Company in Talks to Be Sold
The film company co-founded by disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein is in talks to be sold. The Weinstein Company says it has entered a preliminary deal with US private equity firm Colony Capital, already major players in the film industry. Colony has reportedly agreed to inject funds immediately into the embattled production company, in order to stabilise its current operations. Weinstein was fired by the board of his company earlier this month following the allegations of sexual harassment and abuse, and was later expelled by the organisation behind the Oscars. Meanwhile, more women continue to come forward with their stories of abuse by Weinstein. He maintains any relations were consensual.

Three People Dead as Hurricane Ophelia Hits Ireland
Three people have been killed by Hurricane Ophelia as the storm hits Ireland. The storm is the worst to hit Ireland in half a century, making landfall with winds as strong as 190kmh hitting the most southerly tip of the country. A man and a woman were killed in isolated incidents caused by trees falling on cars, and another man died in a chainsaw accident while attempting to remove a felled tree. Thousands of homes and businesses are without power, and all schools have been closed. The storm is expected to move towards western Scotland.

France Set to Tackle Street Harassment with New Law
France's gender equality minister is proposing a law cracking down on sexual violence and harassment. This would include on-the-spot fines for catcalling and lecherous behaviour in public. It follows the mounting sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein, which have revived debate about male predation in France. Weinstein had his prestigious Legion D'Honneur award stripped this week in France, President Emmanuel Macron confirmed. If the law takes effect, a taskforce of politicians will work with police and magistrates to establish what sort of behaviour constitutes sexual harassment. Street harassment, such as catcalling, is already illegal in some countries—including Portugal and Argentina.

Reporting by Ollie Powell, Jack Marshall, Stewart Sowman-Lund, Leah Garcia-Purves and Lisa Boudet