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Everything you need to know about the world today, curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ .Irate Bank of New Zealand Customers Could Be Compensated
Many Kiwis were unable to access their bank accounts when Bank of New Zealand went down due to a power outage yesterday. The power outage occurred at Bank of New Zealand's parent bank in Australia and left BNZ customers unable to use ATMs, Eftpos and online banking services for most of Sunday. BNZ chief customs officer Chris Paul said they were working on the best way to support people affected. Australian customers of BNZ's parent company NAB will be receiving compensation if they experienced financial loss.Teachers Need Higher Income
The New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association is calling on the Government to raise their income in order to recruit more. The union will hold talks with the Government in the upcoming weeks about their conditions. They say the main issue is the shortage of teachers around the country. Auckland regional chair Michael Cabral-Tarry, a teacher at Auckland Girls’ Grammar school said their conditions don’t attract university students. Cabral-Tarry told 95bFM “Teaching simply isn’t seen by many university graduates as a first choice profession, and that’s mostly due to the pay and conditions teachers have”.Hard call over Mycoplasma Bovis announced today
The government will decide today if they will attempt to eradicate the cattle disease mycoplasma bovis or opt for containment. Since the discovery of the disease last year, 39 farms have been affected and 11,000 cattle have been slaughtered. Eradication would mean thousands of healthy cattle would also be slaughtered, whilst containment has the potential to be unsuccessful. Agriculture minister Damien O'Connor said there were “still some hard calls to be made, whatever direction we head in". The prime minister and agriculture minister will make the announcement at 4 pm today.Nurses May Strike Nationwide
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation has voted to strike nationwide overpay and staffing issues. The last time nurses held a nationwide strike was over 30 years ago, says NZNO spokesperson Cee Payne. Health boards will provide a new proposal to the union today for nurses to vote on next month, and a ‘No’ vote will lead to strike action. An independent panel held last week recommended that nurses’ pay be increased 9 percent by August next year. If the strikes goes ahead, it will last 24 hours, with life support services maintained.New Zealand Yet to be “Put to the Test” on Abortion Reform
Justice Minister Andrew Little says the result of the Irish abortion referendum indicates changing attitudes. In the Republic of Ireland, 66.4 percent of people voted to change the country's strict abortion laws. Earlier this year Little asked the Law Commission to look into changing policy so that abortion came under healthcare legislation rather than the Crimes Act. The Minister recognises that Ireland's circumstances are different, but he says he would be surprised if New Zealand wasn't the same when their opinion was "put to the test".Iwi Locked Into Forestry
Nelson-based iwi Ngāti Koata says an unfair land deal has kept them growing pine forests despite wanting to use land for other purposes. Ngāti Koata says they have had to keep planting and harvesting trees or pay millions of dollars in lost carbon credits. Ngāti Koata inherited 9000ha of crown forest land and leases across Nelson and Tasman. The iwi believes the recent decision by the Nelson District Council to cut back on some forestry operations has highlighted concerns over land issues.Colombian Election Threat to Peace Agreement
Voting has begun in Columbia for an election that poses a threat to the 2016 FARC peace agreement, which ended decades of conflict. The two main contenders, Ivan Dosque and Gustavo Pedro, have opposing views on the deal. Mr Dosque has promised to reverse some elements of the deal whilst Gustavo Pedro would be Columbia's first left-wing president if elected. The 2016 agreement ended five decades of conflict between the Colombian government and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia.US and North Korea Leaders' Summit On
The US and North Korea have continued talks about a leaders summit. US President Donald Trump had called off the meeting due next month saying the North was hostile. However now both countries appear to be back on track for the meeting. South Korean President Moon Jae-in says that the North's leader had again made his commitment to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula clear.Prime Minister-Designate Fails to Form Italian Government
The Italian prime minister-designate has given up his bid to form a populist government. The designated Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was unable to form a coalition government with President Sergio Mattarella after issues with proposed cabinet choices. Italy has been without a government since the March 4, since no party could hold a majority. Italian president Sergio Mattarella said he will wait before deciding if he will call fresh elections.Thousands Protest Far-Right Rally in Germany
Thousands gathered in Germany's capital to protest against a far-right rally. Germany's main opposition party "Alternative for Germany" organised a protest against migration policy in Berlin which was met by thousands of counter-protesters. 2000 police officers were deployed to deal with the estimated 25,000 in attendance, but there was no physical confrontation. Alternative for Germany is the first far-right party in German parliament since World War Two to win 12.6 percent in the 2017 general election.Additional reporting by: Jemima Huston and Damian Rowe.
LOCAL
Many Kiwis were unable to access their bank accounts when Bank of New Zealand went down due to a power outage yesterday. The power outage occurred at Bank of New Zealand's parent bank in Australia and left BNZ customers unable to use ATMs, Eftpos and online banking services for most of Sunday. BNZ chief customs officer Chris Paul said they were working on the best way to support people affected. Australian customers of BNZ's parent company NAB will be receiving compensation if they experienced financial loss.Teachers Need Higher Income
The New Zealand Post Primary Teachers' Association is calling on the Government to raise their income in order to recruit more. The union will hold talks with the Government in the upcoming weeks about their conditions. They say the main issue is the shortage of teachers around the country. Auckland regional chair Michael Cabral-Tarry, a teacher at Auckland Girls’ Grammar school said their conditions don’t attract university students. Cabral-Tarry told 95bFM “Teaching simply isn’t seen by many university graduates as a first choice profession, and that’s mostly due to the pay and conditions teachers have”.
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The government will decide today if they will attempt to eradicate the cattle disease mycoplasma bovis or opt for containment. Since the discovery of the disease last year, 39 farms have been affected and 11,000 cattle have been slaughtered. Eradication would mean thousands of healthy cattle would also be slaughtered, whilst containment has the potential to be unsuccessful. Agriculture minister Damien O'Connor said there were “still some hard calls to be made, whatever direction we head in". The prime minister and agriculture minister will make the announcement at 4 pm today.Nurses May Strike Nationwide
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation has voted to strike nationwide overpay and staffing issues. The last time nurses held a nationwide strike was over 30 years ago, says NZNO spokesperson Cee Payne. Health boards will provide a new proposal to the union today for nurses to vote on next month, and a ‘No’ vote will lead to strike action. An independent panel held last week recommended that nurses’ pay be increased 9 percent by August next year. If the strikes goes ahead, it will last 24 hours, with life support services maintained.New Zealand Yet to be “Put to the Test” on Abortion Reform
Justice Minister Andrew Little says the result of the Irish abortion referendum indicates changing attitudes. In the Republic of Ireland, 66.4 percent of people voted to change the country's strict abortion laws. Earlier this year Little asked the Law Commission to look into changing policy so that abortion came under healthcare legislation rather than the Crimes Act. The Minister recognises that Ireland's circumstances are different, but he says he would be surprised if New Zealand wasn't the same when their opinion was "put to the test".
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Nelson-based iwi Ngāti Koata says an unfair land deal has kept them growing pine forests despite wanting to use land for other purposes. Ngāti Koata says they have had to keep planting and harvesting trees or pay millions of dollars in lost carbon credits. Ngāti Koata inherited 9000ha of crown forest land and leases across Nelson and Tasman. The iwi believes the recent decision by the Nelson District Council to cut back on some forestry operations has highlighted concerns over land issues.
INTERNATIONAL
Voting has begun in Columbia for an election that poses a threat to the 2016 FARC peace agreement, which ended decades of conflict. The two main contenders, Ivan Dosque and Gustavo Pedro, have opposing views on the deal. Mr Dosque has promised to reverse some elements of the deal whilst Gustavo Pedro would be Columbia's first left-wing president if elected. The 2016 agreement ended five decades of conflict between the Colombian government and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia.US and North Korea Leaders' Summit On
The US and North Korea have continued talks about a leaders summit. US President Donald Trump had called off the meeting due next month saying the North was hostile. However now both countries appear to be back on track for the meeting. South Korean President Moon Jae-in says that the North's leader had again made his commitment to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula clear.Prime Minister-Designate Fails to Form Italian Government
The Italian prime minister-designate has given up his bid to form a populist government. The designated Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was unable to form a coalition government with President Sergio Mattarella after issues with proposed cabinet choices. Italy has been without a government since the March 4, since no party could hold a majority. Italian president Sergio Mattarella said he will wait before deciding if he will call fresh elections.Thousands Protest Far-Right Rally in Germany
Thousands gathered in Germany's capital to protest against a far-right rally. Germany's main opposition party "Alternative for Germany" organised a protest against migration policy in Berlin which was met by thousands of counter-protesters. 2000 police officers were deployed to deal with the estimated 25,000 in attendance, but there was no physical confrontation. Alternative for Germany is the first far-right party in German parliament since World War Two to win 12.6 percent in the 2017 general election.Additional reporting by: Jemima Huston and Damian Rowe.