Image via Shutterstock.com
Everything you need to know about the world today, curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.Twyford Will Consider Compensation For Meth Evictions
Phil Twyford has announced a review into the meth contamination saga and now says he is not ruling out the possibility of compensation. Tyford previously ruled out a blanket apology or compensation for victims for who were kicked from their homes after flawed meth testing. A report released last week debunks the meth-use contamination dangers, meaning that hundreds of tenants of state houses were unnecessarily evicted. Auckland Action Against Poverty spokesperson Alastair Russell says it's hypocritical that the government will compensate farmers harmed by cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis, but not people harmed by Housing New Zealand. Justice Minister, Andrew Little, says those affected are owed an apology at the very least. "If this government wanted to compensate for every mistake the former government made, we'd go broke tomorrow," Twyford told RNZ. "I'll look at the facts, then we can have that conversation. I'm not ruling it out, I'm not ruling it in."Cold Snap Brings Pressure to Help Homeless
The arrival of winter has brought about extra pressure on the homeless population. Last month, the government revealed its $100m plan to fight homelessness, aiming to get everyone into emergency or transitional homes. However, organisations say demand for homes is skyrocketing, with De Paul House reaching full capacity and a constant waitlist of ten families. Jan Rutledge, manager of De Paul House says landlords are highly selective of their tenants, pushing low-income workers to seek help. Ministry of Social Development Housing Manager, Scott Gallacher, says they are hoping to get 1,500 new houses by the end of winter.New Settlement Found
A group of University of Otago archaeologists has uncovered a Māori Village dating back to the 14th Century. The peripheries of the settlement were discovered near Gisborne on an Eastland Port site. The area is significant as it was the first landing place of waka in the district, and also the location of James Cook's first contact with Māori. University of Otago Professor of Archaeology Richard Walter says the finding is significant scientifically and culturally. Walter told 95bFM, “As we excavate more and more of these sites we are building up a much clearer picture of this early postcolonial phase”.PredatorFree2050
$11.7m will be invested into PredatorFree2050 to eradicate pests from Taranaki. The announcement came yesterday from Minister for Conservation, Eugenie Sage, who says New Zealand is facing a predator crisis. The funding will be spent in a collaborative project between Taranaki Regional Council, rural landowners and locals, and will roll out across 4500 hectares of Taranaki farmland. Sage hopes other regions in New Zealand can catch on, she told 95bFM. This funding is in addition to the $81.3m in Budget 2018 that went to the Department of Conservation for predator control.Newly Found Minerals
A new study has found Taupo and the West Coast have 'green minerals' potential. The study, undertaken by the Ministry of Business and Innovation, discovered possible areas of rare green earth minerals, lithium, and nickel-cobalt. Lithium potential was found in the West Coast and Taupo area, and nickel-cobalt in Tasman-Marlborough and Southland. Energy and Resource Minister, Megan Woods, says this is an economic opportunity for New Zealand. With a global push towards a low-carbon economy, these sorts of minerals have a growing demand. Lead author of the study, Dr. Rose Turnball, says the next step to take samples as confirmation for the future of New Zealand mining.Denmark Bans Face Veils
Denmark has passed a law banning Islamic face veils in public, such as the burqa and niqab. The ban includes face coverings like balaclavas, ski masks, fake beards and face masks, with exceptions for winter clothing and celebrations. First-time offenders will receive a 1000 kroner fine, about $200 NZD, with repeat offenders increasing to ten times the amount or six months in jail. Amnesty International says the ban violates rights to freedom of expression and religion and is neither necessary nor proportionate. The ban will be effective from the August 1.Kim Jong-un’s Letter to President Trump
A top North Korean official is about to deliver a letter from Kim Jong-un to President Trump. Kim Yong-Chol, the right-hand man of the Korean leader, held talks in New York with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over the past two days. This was the first visit of a high-ranking North Korean official in the United States in nearly 20 years. President Trump said he was expecting Kim Yong-chol in Washington on Friday to deliver a letter by Chairman Kim. The summit between the two leaders, planned on June 12, was cancelled last week by the American President.Trade War Retaliations
The European Union is about to announce retaliation measures against new US tariffs on steel and aluminium. Yesterday, the Trump administration announced that from today, a 25 percent tax will be applied to steel and 10 percent to aluminium coming from Canada, Mexico and the EU. The measure has been pending since the March announcement by President Trump to impose new tariffs justified. The president of the European Commission Jean Claude Juncker says this decision is illegitimate and announced the EU will complain at the World Trade Organisation. “It is totally unacceptable that a country is imposing unilateral measures when it comes to world trade… We will immediately introduce a settlement dispute with the WTO”. He also announced coming retaliation tariffs of the same amount, as did Mexico and Canada.Ireland’s Illegal Adoptions Revealed
An Irish charity reveals the country's adoption agencies have been involved in illegal child registrations. 126 people have been illegally adopted, up to decades ago in Ireland. A woman illegally adopted in 1954 said those figures were the tip of the iceberg. The adoptions were conducted by Saint Patrick’s Guild, a Catholic Church Institution. Prime Minister Leo Varadkar apologised in Parliament to those who might discover that they are not the natural child of those who brought them up. Varadkar says it is a historic wrong the government must face, and another chapter from the dark history of their country.Italy Gets a Government
Italy’s two anti-establishment parties are to give the country a government, months after the general elections. President Sergio Mattarella gave Giuseppe Conte a new mandate to appoint cabinet ministers days after a first failure to form a government. On Sunday, the president refused the first government proposed by Conte because of an economy minister opposed to the Euro. The anti-establishment Five Star Movement and far-right League party have now agreed on another deal to form a second government. Their criticism of the European Union and the Euro currency has sparked concern among many liberal European leaders.Additional reporting by Tess Barnett, Ulysse Bellier, and Angus Coker Grant.
LOCAL NEWS
Phil Twyford has announced a review into the meth contamination saga and now says he is not ruling out the possibility of compensation. Tyford previously ruled out a blanket apology or compensation for victims for who were kicked from their homes after flawed meth testing. A report released last week debunks the meth-use contamination dangers, meaning that hundreds of tenants of state houses were unnecessarily evicted. Auckland Action Against Poverty spokesperson Alastair Russell says it's hypocritical that the government will compensate farmers harmed by cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis, but not people harmed by Housing New Zealand. Justice Minister, Andrew Little, says those affected are owed an apology at the very least. "If this government wanted to compensate for every mistake the former government made, we'd go broke tomorrow," Twyford told RNZ. "I'll look at the facts, then we can have that conversation. I'm not ruling it out, I'm not ruling it in."Cold Snap Brings Pressure to Help Homeless
The arrival of winter has brought about extra pressure on the homeless population. Last month, the government revealed its $100m plan to fight homelessness, aiming to get everyone into emergency or transitional homes. However, organisations say demand for homes is skyrocketing, with De Paul House reaching full capacity and a constant waitlist of ten families. Jan Rutledge, manager of De Paul House says landlords are highly selective of their tenants, pushing low-income workers to seek help. Ministry of Social Development Housing Manager, Scott Gallacher, says they are hoping to get 1,500 new houses by the end of winter.
Advertisement
A group of University of Otago archaeologists has uncovered a Māori Village dating back to the 14th Century. The peripheries of the settlement were discovered near Gisborne on an Eastland Port site. The area is significant as it was the first landing place of waka in the district, and also the location of James Cook's first contact with Māori. University of Otago Professor of Archaeology Richard Walter says the finding is significant scientifically and culturally. Walter told 95bFM, “As we excavate more and more of these sites we are building up a much clearer picture of this early postcolonial phase”.PredatorFree2050
$11.7m will be invested into PredatorFree2050 to eradicate pests from Taranaki. The announcement came yesterday from Minister for Conservation, Eugenie Sage, who says New Zealand is facing a predator crisis. The funding will be spent in a collaborative project between Taranaki Regional Council, rural landowners and locals, and will roll out across 4500 hectares of Taranaki farmland. Sage hopes other regions in New Zealand can catch on, she told 95bFM. This funding is in addition to the $81.3m in Budget 2018 that went to the Department of Conservation for predator control.Newly Found Minerals
A new study has found Taupo and the West Coast have 'green minerals' potential. The study, undertaken by the Ministry of Business and Innovation, discovered possible areas of rare green earth minerals, lithium, and nickel-cobalt. Lithium potential was found in the West Coast and Taupo area, and nickel-cobalt in Tasman-Marlborough and Southland. Energy and Resource Minister, Megan Woods, says this is an economic opportunity for New Zealand. With a global push towards a low-carbon economy, these sorts of minerals have a growing demand. Lead author of the study, Dr. Rose Turnball, says the next step to take samples as confirmation for the future of New Zealand mining.
Advertisement
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Denmark has passed a law banning Islamic face veils in public, such as the burqa and niqab. The ban includes face coverings like balaclavas, ski masks, fake beards and face masks, with exceptions for winter clothing and celebrations. First-time offenders will receive a 1000 kroner fine, about $200 NZD, with repeat offenders increasing to ten times the amount or six months in jail. Amnesty International says the ban violates rights to freedom of expression and religion and is neither necessary nor proportionate. The ban will be effective from the August 1.Kim Jong-un’s Letter to President Trump
A top North Korean official is about to deliver a letter from Kim Jong-un to President Trump. Kim Yong-Chol, the right-hand man of the Korean leader, held talks in New York with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over the past two days. This was the first visit of a high-ranking North Korean official in the United States in nearly 20 years. President Trump said he was expecting Kim Yong-chol in Washington on Friday to deliver a letter by Chairman Kim. The summit between the two leaders, planned on June 12, was cancelled last week by the American President.Trade War Retaliations
The European Union is about to announce retaliation measures against new US tariffs on steel and aluminium. Yesterday, the Trump administration announced that from today, a 25 percent tax will be applied to steel and 10 percent to aluminium coming from Canada, Mexico and the EU. The measure has been pending since the March announcement by President Trump to impose new tariffs justified. The president of the European Commission Jean Claude Juncker says this decision is illegitimate and announced the EU will complain at the World Trade Organisation. “It is totally unacceptable that a country is imposing unilateral measures when it comes to world trade… We will immediately introduce a settlement dispute with the WTO”. He also announced coming retaliation tariffs of the same amount, as did Mexico and Canada.Ireland’s Illegal Adoptions Revealed
An Irish charity reveals the country's adoption agencies have been involved in illegal child registrations. 126 people have been illegally adopted, up to decades ago in Ireland. A woman illegally adopted in 1954 said those figures were the tip of the iceberg. The adoptions were conducted by Saint Patrick’s Guild, a Catholic Church Institution. Prime Minister Leo Varadkar apologised in Parliament to those who might discover that they are not the natural child of those who brought them up. Varadkar says it is a historic wrong the government must face, and another chapter from the dark history of their country.Italy Gets a Government
Italy’s two anti-establishment parties are to give the country a government, months after the general elections. President Sergio Mattarella gave Giuseppe Conte a new mandate to appoint cabinet ministers days after a first failure to form a government. On Sunday, the president refused the first government proposed by Conte because of an economy minister opposed to the Euro. The anti-establishment Five Star Movement and far-right League party have now agreed on another deal to form a second government. Their criticism of the European Union and the Euro currency has sparked concern among many liberal European leaders.Additional reporting by Tess Barnett, Ulysse Bellier, and Angus Coker Grant.