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Everything you need to know about the world today, curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.Govt Will Stop Sanctions Against Women Who Don’t Name the Father of Their Children
The Labour-led government will move to repeal part of the Social Security Act which punishes solo parents who do not identify the other parent. Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni says there is no evidence the sanctions helped achieve their original purpose. The sanctions were supposed to ensure the absent parent was meeting their obligations of child support. Sepuloni agrees with Women’s Refuge chief executive, Ang Jury, who says there are often very good reasons for women particularly not to name the father. Jury says the sanctions were punishing the children, and that this was not ok. There is no time frame yet for the law change, as there are other sanctions that could be removed as part of a broader overhaul of the welfare system.United Future Will Disband, Leaked Letter Says
A leaked email reveals United Future is planning to disband as a political party after its poor election performance won it only 0.1 percent of the vote. The email was sent by party leader Damian Light to the constituents of United Future, who later confirmed its contents to RNZ and Fairfax Media. Previous United Future leader Peter Dunne said in a press release most New Zealanders would not have known during the election that United Future existed because most media attention was given to the major political parties. Damian Light had said while party leader that his goal was for United Future to become better aligned with Labour, due to the party’s stronger “social conscience”.Sea Ice Keeps Disappearing
Scientists are saying Antarctica may have reached a tipping point in terms of melting sea ice. There has been a 30 percent decrease in the total amount of sea ice, and this summer it’s going at a rate not seen in more than 30 years. Scientists conducting research at Scott Base call the changes unprecedented and daunting. Last year there was 200km of sea ice to study, and now there is 25-30km says Antarctic oceanographer Dr. Natalie Robinson. The ice growth in winter, and melt in summer is the biggest annual change on the planet and it drives global weather, determining where and when storms might hit NZ.Happy World Diabetes Day
Women are the focus of today's World Diabetes Day. 120,000 women in New Zealand currently suffer from diabetes, and 40 percent of women with diabetes worldwide are of reproductive age. The condition makes it harder for women to conceive, and exposes them to poorer pregnancy outcomes. Karen Reid from Diabetes NZ told 95bFM News women with diabetes who become pregnant are "at risk of putting their health and the health of the baby they’re carrying in jeopardy”. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes can result in a significantly higher risk of maternal and child mortality and illness.National Wants Credit For TPP
Bill English says Labour is claiming all the credit for all of the Trans-Pacific-Partnership deal National negotiated. This morning he told the AM show "I think there's been a bit of exaggeration about what's been achieved in the last week or so," adding that most of the work on the deal had been done “in the last 12 months”. Labour had previously stated that it would not support the deal unless certain clauses were removed. With the Greens continuing to not support the deal, Labour has to seek out support from opposition party National. Bill English says National will support the bill as it is good for New Zealand and has taken 10 years to get to this point. Bill English saying Jacinda Ardern’s interest in Manus Island is an attempt to “balance up with her own constituency” after her support for TPP. English says that despite her previous disapproval of the bill, Ardern can now see the need to get the deal completed. Negotiators are aiming to have the TPP deal completed in the next few months.Protesters in Manila Call for 'Ban' on Trump
Nearly 2,000 people in Manila have attended an anti-Trump rally in protest of his attendance of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit. Trump has had friendly relations with Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines, who has repeatedly boasted about the people he has killed. People marching carried placards saying “Trump go home” and “Trump #1 terrorist”. Police at the riots were armed and used water cannons and high pitch sound alarms to disperse the crowds. Six police officers were reportedly injured, the number of protestors injured is unknown. The talks for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit include New Zealand.France to Reassess Child Sex Laws after Controversial Cases
France is considering a change to their controversial sexual consent laws. In France, the current age of consent is 15, but prosecutors need to prove there wasn’t consent in order for it to be deemed rape. Marlene Schiappa says the government plans to set an age where any sexual acts committed with people below this age are automatically considered an offence. Schiappa says there is an ongoing debate around defining an age for irrefutable non-consent, as a part of a new anti-sexism & sexual violence bill expecting to be introduced to parliament by 2018.More than 400 Killed by Earthquake in Iran and Iraq
A magnitude 7.3 quake rocked the border between the Iran and Iraq on Sunday, killing hundreds and wounding 6,000 more, according to state TV. Though a majority of victims were in Iran's Sarpol-e Zahab region, at least six people were found dead in Iraq. As rescue teams continued to look for survivors, many towns and cities in the region were struggling with power cuts.British Parliament to Have Final Vote on Brexit
British parliament is to due to decide whether the Brexit deal is approved and incorporated into British law. Brexit Secretary David Davis updated MPs last Friday on the status of the Brexit talks, and said they would be involved at every stage, including the final vote on whether to accept the final deal negotiated by Theresa May’s government. Whether British Parliament approves the final Brexit deal or not, Britain will leave the EU, and the leave is scheduled for March 2019. Davis added that the deal would have to be incorporated into British Law by Parliament. The terms of the deal, including currency and the rights of British citizens will be included in this Act.Additional reporting: Ollie Powell,Grace Watson, Lillian Hanly
LOCAL NEWS
The Labour-led government will move to repeal part of the Social Security Act which punishes solo parents who do not identify the other parent. Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni says there is no evidence the sanctions helped achieve their original purpose. The sanctions were supposed to ensure the absent parent was meeting their obligations of child support. Sepuloni agrees with Women’s Refuge chief executive, Ang Jury, who says there are often very good reasons for women particularly not to name the father. Jury says the sanctions were punishing the children, and that this was not ok. There is no time frame yet for the law change, as there are other sanctions that could be removed as part of a broader overhaul of the welfare system.United Future Will Disband, Leaked Letter Says
A leaked email reveals United Future is planning to disband as a political party after its poor election performance won it only 0.1 percent of the vote. The email was sent by party leader Damian Light to the constituents of United Future, who later confirmed its contents to RNZ and Fairfax Media. Previous United Future leader Peter Dunne said in a press release most New Zealanders would not have known during the election that United Future existed because most media attention was given to the major political parties. Damian Light had said while party leader that his goal was for United Future to become better aligned with Labour, due to the party’s stronger “social conscience”.
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Scientists are saying Antarctica may have reached a tipping point in terms of melting sea ice. There has been a 30 percent decrease in the total amount of sea ice, and this summer it’s going at a rate not seen in more than 30 years. Scientists conducting research at Scott Base call the changes unprecedented and daunting. Last year there was 200km of sea ice to study, and now there is 25-30km says Antarctic oceanographer Dr. Natalie Robinson. The ice growth in winter, and melt in summer is the biggest annual change on the planet and it drives global weather, determining where and when storms might hit NZ.Happy World Diabetes Day
Women are the focus of today's World Diabetes Day. 120,000 women in New Zealand currently suffer from diabetes, and 40 percent of women with diabetes worldwide are of reproductive age. The condition makes it harder for women to conceive, and exposes them to poorer pregnancy outcomes. Karen Reid from Diabetes NZ told 95bFM News women with diabetes who become pregnant are "at risk of putting their health and the health of the baby they’re carrying in jeopardy”. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes can result in a significantly higher risk of maternal and child mortality and illness.National Wants Credit For TPP
Bill English says Labour is claiming all the credit for all of the Trans-Pacific-Partnership deal National negotiated. This morning he told the AM show "I think there's been a bit of exaggeration about what's been achieved in the last week or so," adding that most of the work on the deal had been done “in the last 12 months”. Labour had previously stated that it would not support the deal unless certain clauses were removed. With the Greens continuing to not support the deal, Labour has to seek out support from opposition party National. Bill English says National will support the bill as it is good for New Zealand and has taken 10 years to get to this point. Bill English saying Jacinda Ardern’s interest in Manus Island is an attempt to “balance up with her own constituency” after her support for TPP. English says that despite her previous disapproval of the bill, Ardern can now see the need to get the deal completed. Negotiators are aiming to have the TPP deal completed in the next few months.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Nearly 2,000 people in Manila have attended an anti-Trump rally in protest of his attendance of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit. Trump has had friendly relations with Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines, who has repeatedly boasted about the people he has killed. People marching carried placards saying “Trump go home” and “Trump #1 terrorist”. Police at the riots were armed and used water cannons and high pitch sound alarms to disperse the crowds. Six police officers were reportedly injured, the number of protestors injured is unknown. The talks for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit include New Zealand.France to Reassess Child Sex Laws after Controversial Cases
France is considering a change to their controversial sexual consent laws. In France, the current age of consent is 15, but prosecutors need to prove there wasn’t consent in order for it to be deemed rape. Marlene Schiappa says the government plans to set an age where any sexual acts committed with people below this age are automatically considered an offence. Schiappa says there is an ongoing debate around defining an age for irrefutable non-consent, as a part of a new anti-sexism & sexual violence bill expecting to be introduced to parliament by 2018.More than 400 Killed by Earthquake in Iran and Iraq
A magnitude 7.3 quake rocked the border between the Iran and Iraq on Sunday, killing hundreds and wounding 6,000 more, according to state TV. Though a majority of victims were in Iran's Sarpol-e Zahab region, at least six people were found dead in Iraq. As rescue teams continued to look for survivors, many towns and cities in the region were struggling with power cuts.British Parliament to Have Final Vote on Brexit
British parliament is to due to decide whether the Brexit deal is approved and incorporated into British law. Brexit Secretary David Davis updated MPs last Friday on the status of the Brexit talks, and said they would be involved at every stage, including the final vote on whether to accept the final deal negotiated by Theresa May’s government. Whether British Parliament approves the final Brexit deal or not, Britain will leave the EU, and the leave is scheduled for March 2019. Davis added that the deal would have to be incorporated into British Law by Parliament. The terms of the deal, including currency and the rights of British citizens will be included in this Act.Additional reporting: Ollie Powell,Grace Watson, Lillian Hanly