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Everything you need to know about the world this morning, curated by bFM and VICE NZ.That Treat Wine With Your Blow-Dry Is Illegal Without a Liquor Licence
Several barbershops and hairdressers across New Zealand have been approached by police and been told to stop serving alcohol. Police prevention manager Inspector Paula Holt said police were providing "guidance" to ensure shops remained within the law, and that it was an offence to promote or advertise alcohol that was free of charge. Many businesses have now stopped providing that beer or glass of wine as that extra bit of service.Call for More NZ History in Schools
Former prime ministers Jim Bolger and Geoffrey Palmer, are calling for more New Zealand history to be taught in schools. Jim Bolger outlined the importance of teaching our colonial history, saying white racism could partly be attributed to lack of understanding of history. Pem Bird, a school principal and former Māori Party president, is leading a campaign to promote more Māori history being taught in schools. Bird said we had to leave our days of ignorance behind and embrace indigenous history as part of our national identity. President of the New Zealand History Teachers' Association, Graeme Bell, said children arrived at secondary school having studied the Treaty of Waitangi but knowing very little about it. Mr Bell said that learning about the Treaty, the New Zealand Wars, and laws that enabled confiscation of land helped students understand issues that Māori face today.Labour Falls in New Newshub Poll
The Labour Party's meteoric ascension in the polls appears to have reached a plateau, with last night's release of the Newshub/Reid Research poll showing the party falling 1.6 percent to 37.8. The poll also showed National climbing four percentage points to 47.3 percent, with the Green Party falling just under the crucial five percent threshold. The poll of 1000 voters (750 by telephone and 250 by internet panel) has a margin of error of +/- 3.1. If these numbers held on election day, National would have the numbers to govern alone—something the party has been unable to do over its last three terms in power. The polling suggests a highly volatile electorate, with the recently released 1 News Colmar Brunton poll, taken over roughly the same period, showing Labour on 43 percent and National on 39.Drug Rehabilitation in the Bay of Plenty
Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty require residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities, according to the District Health Board. Erin Scarlett O'Neill, who founded Brave Hearts, a support group for families of meth addicts in Tauranga, said the lack of beds made it very difficult for families. Labour candidate, Angie Warren-Clark, said people deserved to be rehabilitated in their own community. Todd Muller, National MP for Bay of Plenty, said this was not a case of Tauranga missing out and agreed that providing rehab beds should be considered as the city's population was growing. National has promised $40 million over four years for drug treatment and education.Councils Struggling to Provide Basic Services
Councils around the country face funding pressure and are struggling to maintain maintenance of water treatment facilities. A Radio New Zealand investigation found that 80,000 people are accessing publicly supplied water that has failed bacteria standards. Dave Cull, the president of Local Government New Zealand, said they were looking to the next government for reliable funding. Chief executive Malcolm Alexander said there was also an issue regarding infrastructure, as a lot were "nearing the end of their useful life" and would need to be replaced. Cull added that the government needed to partner with councils to work on environmental, housing, and economic development issues.Labour's to Increase Funding For Radio New Zealand
Labour Leader Jacinda Ardern has pledged $38 million to Radio New Zealand. Arden said New Zealand needed a public broadcaster akin to the BBC in the UK or the ABC in Australia. She also said the funding increase would give RNZ the ability to explore internet media and televisual journalism more often. Coalition For Better Broadcasting director Myles Thomas told bFM that he backed the plan. Ardern also said there were no plans to privatise TVNZ.Hurricane Irma Death Toll Rises
At least 11 people have been killed in the US as a result of the storms brought on by Hurricane Irma. The death toll in Florida rose to six after a man was electrocuted by a power cable Monday. Other storm-related fatal accidents occurred in Georgia and South Carolina. As many as 12 million people in Florida are estimated to have suffered from power outages.Bangladesh Wants Myanmar to Take Back Refugees
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged Myanmar to accept the return of around 370,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who have escaped what the UN has called "ethnic cleansing" by Myanmar security forces. Visiting a site for the refugees, Hasina said, "Hundreds of years they are staying there. How they can deny that they are not their citizens?"UN Adopts Weakened Sanctions Against North Korea
The UN Security Council has agreed to place new economic sanctions on North Korea, including a ban on textile imports and some restrictions on oil shipments. The resolution is a diluted version of the original drafted by the US, which included a total freeze on oil sales to North Korea. (It was reportedly weakened to attract the support of Security Council members Russia and China.) One US official said the approved resolution would cut the country's oil supply by 30 percent.Aggressive Drug Tests Ordered to Halt in Philippines
Police in the Philippine capital of Manila have dropped door-to-door drug tests following the filing of a legal plea in court. Lawyers and campaigners claim the tests, part of President Rodrigo Duterte's brutal crackdown on drugs, can have deadly consequences—users have been shot and killed extrajudicially. Voluntary drug tests of residents would be allowed to continue.Pope Lashes Out at 'Stupid' Climate Deniers
Pope Francis has spoken out against those who don't acknowledge climate change science. On a return flight from Colombia to Rome, the Pope said "scientists clearly say what path we should follow." The pontiff also quoted from the Old Testament: "Man is stupid, he is stubborn and he does not see."Reporting by Harry Willis, Mary-Margaret Slack and Josh Storey.
LOCAL NEWS
Several barbershops and hairdressers across New Zealand have been approached by police and been told to stop serving alcohol. Police prevention manager Inspector Paula Holt said police were providing "guidance" to ensure shops remained within the law, and that it was an offence to promote or advertise alcohol that was free of charge. Many businesses have now stopped providing that beer or glass of wine as that extra bit of service.Call for More NZ History in Schools
Former prime ministers Jim Bolger and Geoffrey Palmer, are calling for more New Zealand history to be taught in schools. Jim Bolger outlined the importance of teaching our colonial history, saying white racism could partly be attributed to lack of understanding of history. Pem Bird, a school principal and former Māori Party president, is leading a campaign to promote more Māori history being taught in schools. Bird said we had to leave our days of ignorance behind and embrace indigenous history as part of our national identity. President of the New Zealand History Teachers' Association, Graeme Bell, said children arrived at secondary school having studied the Treaty of Waitangi but knowing very little about it. Mr Bell said that learning about the Treaty, the New Zealand Wars, and laws that enabled confiscation of land helped students understand issues that Māori face today.
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The Labour Party's meteoric ascension in the polls appears to have reached a plateau, with last night's release of the Newshub/Reid Research poll showing the party falling 1.6 percent to 37.8. The poll also showed National climbing four percentage points to 47.3 percent, with the Green Party falling just under the crucial five percent threshold. The poll of 1000 voters (750 by telephone and 250 by internet panel) has a margin of error of +/- 3.1. If these numbers held on election day, National would have the numbers to govern alone—something the party has been unable to do over its last three terms in power. The polling suggests a highly volatile electorate, with the recently released 1 News Colmar Brunton poll, taken over roughly the same period, showing Labour on 43 percent and National on 39.Drug Rehabilitation in the Bay of Plenty
Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty require residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities, according to the District Health Board. Erin Scarlett O'Neill, who founded Brave Hearts, a support group for families of meth addicts in Tauranga, said the lack of beds made it very difficult for families. Labour candidate, Angie Warren-Clark, said people deserved to be rehabilitated in their own community. Todd Muller, National MP for Bay of Plenty, said this was not a case of Tauranga missing out and agreed that providing rehab beds should be considered as the city's population was growing. National has promised $40 million over four years for drug treatment and education.
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Councils around the country face funding pressure and are struggling to maintain maintenance of water treatment facilities. A Radio New Zealand investigation found that 80,000 people are accessing publicly supplied water that has failed bacteria standards. Dave Cull, the president of Local Government New Zealand, said they were looking to the next government for reliable funding. Chief executive Malcolm Alexander said there was also an issue regarding infrastructure, as a lot were "nearing the end of their useful life" and would need to be replaced. Cull added that the government needed to partner with councils to work on environmental, housing, and economic development issues.Labour's to Increase Funding For Radio New Zealand
Labour Leader Jacinda Ardern has pledged $38 million to Radio New Zealand. Arden said New Zealand needed a public broadcaster akin to the BBC in the UK or the ABC in Australia. She also said the funding increase would give RNZ the ability to explore internet media and televisual journalism more often. Coalition For Better Broadcasting director Myles Thomas told bFM that he backed the plan. Ardern also said there were no plans to privatise TVNZ.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
At least 11 people have been killed in the US as a result of the storms brought on by Hurricane Irma. The death toll in Florida rose to six after a man was electrocuted by a power cable Monday. Other storm-related fatal accidents occurred in Georgia and South Carolina. As many as 12 million people in Florida are estimated to have suffered from power outages.Bangladesh Wants Myanmar to Take Back Refugees
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged Myanmar to accept the return of around 370,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who have escaped what the UN has called "ethnic cleansing" by Myanmar security forces. Visiting a site for the refugees, Hasina said, "Hundreds of years they are staying there. How they can deny that they are not their citizens?"UN Adopts Weakened Sanctions Against North Korea
The UN Security Council has agreed to place new economic sanctions on North Korea, including a ban on textile imports and some restrictions on oil shipments. The resolution is a diluted version of the original drafted by the US, which included a total freeze on oil sales to North Korea. (It was reportedly weakened to attract the support of Security Council members Russia and China.) One US official said the approved resolution would cut the country's oil supply by 30 percent.Aggressive Drug Tests Ordered to Halt in Philippines
Police in the Philippine capital of Manila have dropped door-to-door drug tests following the filing of a legal plea in court. Lawyers and campaigners claim the tests, part of President Rodrigo Duterte's brutal crackdown on drugs, can have deadly consequences—users have been shot and killed extrajudicially. Voluntary drug tests of residents would be allowed to continue.Pope Lashes Out at 'Stupid' Climate Deniers
Pope Francis has spoken out against those who don't acknowledge climate change science. On a return flight from Colombia to Rome, the Pope said "scientists clearly say what path we should follow." The pontiff also quoted from the Old Testament: "Man is stupid, he is stubborn and he does not see."Reporting by Harry Willis, Mary-Margaret Slack and Josh Storey.