Jacinda Ardern faces the media after the final leaders debate. Image TVNZ.
Everything you need to know about the world this morning, curated by bFM and VICE NZ.Jacinda Ardern's Age No Barrier to Leading the Country, Says Poll
A new poll shows almost half of New Zealanders think Jacinda Ardern's age isn't relevant to her ability to lead the country. The Herald ZB Kantar TNS poll shows one in five people think her age could be an advantage. Older people were more likely to have a negative view towards her age, with 43 percent of those over 60 saying it was a disadvantage. If Ardern becomes Prime Minister after the election, at 37 years old, she would be the youngest in 161 years.Asylum Seekers Left Without Adequate Support
An advocacy group says asylum seekers in New Zealand are not being given adequate support after being granted refugee status.The Asylum Seeker Equality Project says they often have nowhere to live, and are resorting to sleeping in churches or couchsurfing.
The project says there are around 100 people who seek refugee status each year, and convention refugees do not get the same support as those brought here under the United Nations quota. Immigration New Zealand says convention refugees are given information about relevant services, but the Asylum Seeker Equality project says this is not always followed through on.Hauraki Treaty Settlement Stalls Over Disputed Tauranga Harbour Claims
The Te Tiriti o Waitangi settlement for the Pare Hauraki Collective has stalled, following a dispute over rights to Tauranga harbour. A settlement process between Iwi from Tauranga and Hauraki began in 2012 after it was found some claims to the harbour overlapped.
Many of these settlements were reached in 2014, but Tauranga iwi Ngai te Rangi say they are unhappy Hauraki Iwi will have rights to the harbour. Chairman of Ngai te Rangi Charlie Tawhiao says the 2014 agreements misrepresented the situation and there is no point arguing the agreements should be honoured. But, Hauraki Collective chair Paul Majurey says opposition by Ngai Te Rangi lacks mana as it disregarded customary interests. Ngai Te Rangi are now seeking a hui at the Marae where they believe the integrity of the treaty process will be found.Moscow Monument For Kalashnikov Inventor
Russia is celebrating the inventor of the AK-47 rifle with a dedicated statue in Moscow. The monument of Mikhail Kalashnikov was commissioned by the Russian Military History Society and unveiled on the Day of The Amourer. Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky says the Kalashnikov is a cultural brand of Russia and Mikhail was the "embodiment" of the best Russian features. However, the statue has been met with criticism, with one protester holding up a sign reading "Designer of weapons equals designer of death" and others taking to social media to air their views.Kenya's Top Court Says Annulled Election Was Called Too Early
Kenya's Supreme Court has released details of why it annulled last month's election, saying the polls were not transparent nor verifiable. The Supreme Court blamed the electoral commission for the failings with the decision to annul the elections the first of its kind in Africa. The decision to annul the results, which saw Uhuru Kenyatta win by nine percent, surprised many observers who had not found issues with the election. The court upheld the opposition's claim that the result was announced before all votes had been received. Kenya will hold a new election in October but some are worried the country could face a long period of political instability.More Than 200 Killed After Earthquake Rocks Mexico
The death toll from Tuesday's magnitude 7.1 quake in central Mexico climbed to more than 200 by Wednesday, with at least 86 people killed in Mexico City alone. Volunteers joined rescue workers overnight to hunt for survivors trapped under fallen buildings. Mexico City's mayor said teams were still working at 44 separate sites in the capital. The quake struck 75 miles south of the city shortly after 1 PM local time.Global Leaders Criticise Trump's UN Speech
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for calm after the US president warned he was willing to "totally destroy North Korea." "Fiery talk can lead to fatal misunderstandings," Guterres said. French president Emmanuel Macron said his country "rejects escalation." An editorial in the China Daily state newspaper said Trump's rhetoric would "likely worsen the already volatile situation."Turkey Warns of Possible Sanctions Over Kurdish Referendum
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said his Cabinet would soon discuss "what kind of sanctions we can impose" on the Kurdish Regional Government over its intention to hold a vote on separation from Iraq. The semi-autonomous Kurdish authority relies on pipelines in Turkey to move its oil.Reporting by India Essuah, Katie Doyle & Leah Garcia-Purves
LOCAL NEWS
A new poll shows almost half of New Zealanders think Jacinda Ardern's age isn't relevant to her ability to lead the country. The Herald ZB Kantar TNS poll shows one in five people think her age could be an advantage. Older people were more likely to have a negative view towards her age, with 43 percent of those over 60 saying it was a disadvantage. If Ardern becomes Prime Minister after the election, at 37 years old, she would be the youngest in 161 years.Asylum Seekers Left Without Adequate Support
An advocacy group says asylum seekers in New Zealand are not being given adequate support after being granted refugee status.The Asylum Seeker Equality Project says they often have nowhere to live, and are resorting to sleeping in churches or couchsurfing.
The project says there are around 100 people who seek refugee status each year, and convention refugees do not get the same support as those brought here under the United Nations quota. Immigration New Zealand says convention refugees are given information about relevant services, but the Asylum Seeker Equality project says this is not always followed through on.
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The Te Tiriti o Waitangi settlement for the Pare Hauraki Collective has stalled, following a dispute over rights to Tauranga harbour. A settlement process between Iwi from Tauranga and Hauraki began in 2012 after it was found some claims to the harbour overlapped.
Many of these settlements were reached in 2014, but Tauranga iwi Ngai te Rangi say they are unhappy Hauraki Iwi will have rights to the harbour. Chairman of Ngai te Rangi Charlie Tawhiao says the 2014 agreements misrepresented the situation and there is no point arguing the agreements should be honoured. But, Hauraki Collective chair Paul Majurey says opposition by Ngai Te Rangi lacks mana as it disregarded customary interests. Ngai Te Rangi are now seeking a hui at the Marae where they believe the integrity of the treaty process will be found.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Russia is celebrating the inventor of the AK-47 rifle with a dedicated statue in Moscow. The monument of Mikhail Kalashnikov was commissioned by the Russian Military History Society and unveiled on the Day of The Amourer. Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky says the Kalashnikov is a cultural brand of Russia and Mikhail was the "embodiment" of the best Russian features. However, the statue has been met with criticism, with one protester holding up a sign reading "Designer of weapons equals designer of death" and others taking to social media to air their views.Kenya's Top Court Says Annulled Election Was Called Too Early
Kenya's Supreme Court has released details of why it annulled last month's election, saying the polls were not transparent nor verifiable. The Supreme Court blamed the electoral commission for the failings with the decision to annul the elections the first of its kind in Africa. The decision to annul the results, which saw Uhuru Kenyatta win by nine percent, surprised many observers who had not found issues with the election. The court upheld the opposition's claim that the result was announced before all votes had been received. Kenya will hold a new election in October but some are worried the country could face a long period of political instability.More Than 200 Killed After Earthquake Rocks Mexico
The death toll from Tuesday's magnitude 7.1 quake in central Mexico climbed to more than 200 by Wednesday, with at least 86 people killed in Mexico City alone. Volunteers joined rescue workers overnight to hunt for survivors trapped under fallen buildings. Mexico City's mayor said teams were still working at 44 separate sites in the capital. The quake struck 75 miles south of the city shortly after 1 PM local time.Global Leaders Criticise Trump's UN Speech
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for calm after the US president warned he was willing to "totally destroy North Korea." "Fiery talk can lead to fatal misunderstandings," Guterres said. French president Emmanuel Macron said his country "rejects escalation." An editorial in the China Daily state newspaper said Trump's rhetoric would "likely worsen the already volatile situation."Turkey Warns of Possible Sanctions Over Kurdish Referendum
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said his Cabinet would soon discuss "what kind of sanctions we can impose" on the Kurdish Regional Government over its intention to hold a vote on separation from Iraq. The semi-autonomous Kurdish authority relies on pipelines in Turkey to move its oil.Reporting by India Essuah, Katie Doyle & Leah Garcia-Purves