Screengrab via Newsroom report "Taken By the State"
All you need to know about the world this morning, curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.Investigation Reveals "Barbaric" Family Court Practice
A Newsroom report released this morning has exposed the "barbaric" way in which children are being forced from their homes under a Family Court practice. In cases highlighted in the report, children have been taken by police after Family Court judges have issued warrants under the Care of Children Act. The so-called "uplifts" take place after parenting orders have been breached, in cases where there are custodial disputes between guardians. No prior warning is required. The videos obtained by Newsroom show children as young as five being taken by police officers in the middle of night.Green MPs on the Way Out After Protest
The Green Party is working to remove two MPs from the party after they withdrew from the party list to protest Metiria Turei's decision not to stand down as co-leader. Kennedy Graham and David Clendon said Turei's admission that she had lied to Work and Income during the 1990s while on a benefit meant she was no longer fit to co-lead the party. Green Party co-leader James Shaw said that while he respects Graham and Clendon, he'll be moving a motion to suspend them both from the party caucus and the party list today.Sex Education Petition Makes Progress
A petition calling for more comprehensive sex education in schools has garnered over 5000 signatures. The petition, which is being presented to Parliament today, began in the wake of comments made by male Wellington students about taking advantage of drunk girls. One of the campaign's co-leaders, Ruby Medlicott, told 95bFM the comments were shocking, but that they showed an attitude to consent that was all too common. The campaign is calling for a programme called Mates and Dates to be taught in schools, which covers many aspects that may not be covered by existing sex education curricula.Indian Students Exploited
Immigration New Zealand believes that businesses are deliberating targeting Indian foreign students for cheap labour, a report has revealed. The report says some businesses of charging the students up to $20,000 for jobs that lead to residence. Former students have accused Indian business owners of creating connections with private training establishments to help students breach their study visas. It was also revealed the students were being paid below the minimum wage, with some working as volunteers to gain residence.Māori Music Month
August marks Māori Music Month, which aims to celebrate and showcase Māori musical talent across Aotearoa. The month features workshops and mentoring in schools nationwide for budding musicians, as well as the Waiata Māori Music Awards, which includes Melodownz's AvonTales as a nomination for Best Māori Hip Hop Album. Awards organiser Ellison Huata told 95bFM the music month is all about promoting Māori culture. "It's about getting the rest of New Zealand on board. We are part of this country, this is who we are… it's about sharing it, whether you can speak te reo or not." The 10th Waiata Māori Music Awards will take place on September 15.Venezuelan Army Thwarts Rebel Attack
The Venezuelan army stopped an attack on a military base in Valencia by a group of 20 armed rebels, according to President Nicolás Maduro. Two of the "mercenaries" have been killed and one injured. The authorities are searching for about 10 gunmen who escaped (seven others were detained). Prior to the attack, the rebel group had posted a video online calling itself the "41st Brigade" and decrying "murderous tyranny", but Maduro's government suggested the group was led by just one rogue soldier.North Korea Promises Retaliation Over UN Sanctions
President Trump tweeted this weekend that he was "very happy and impressed" with the UN Security Council's unanimous vote Saturday in favour of further economic sanctions against North Korea. Pyongyang quickly made its displeasure clear, vowing to enact "thousands-fold" revenge on the US over this new wave of economic punishment.Dozens Killed in Attack on Afghan Village
Up to 50 people have been killed in an attack on a village in the Afghan province of Sar-e Pul, according to Zabihullah Amani, a spokesman for the governor of the province. Seven Afghan soldiers and several militants were killed, along with dozens of civilians at the mainly Shia village. Amani said both Taliban and ISIS militants were behind the attack, though the Taliban rejected that claim.Israel Looks to Ban Al Jazeera
The Israeli government is working on stopping the Qatari-funded news network Al Jazeera from reporting in either Israel or the Palestinian territories. Announcing plans to strip Al Jazeera journalists' credentials, Israeli communications minister Ayoub Kara said: "Lately, almost all countries in our region determined that Al Jazeera supports terrorism, supports religious radicalisation."South Korean Prosecutors Want 12 Years for Samsung Executive
Prosecutors in South Korea have proposed a prison sentence of 12 years for Lee Jae-yong, the vice chairman of Samsung accused of attempting to bribe the friend of the country's former president. Though Lee is one of five Samsung officials on trial, prosecutors allege he was the "ultimate beneficiary" of a bribery plot. The court is slated to hand down a verdict in August.Reporting by Lachlan Balfour, Amanda Robinson, Jack Marshall and Conor Mercer.
LOCAL NEWS
A Newsroom report released this morning has exposed the "barbaric" way in which children are being forced from their homes under a Family Court practice. In cases highlighted in the report, children have been taken by police after Family Court judges have issued warrants under the Care of Children Act. The so-called "uplifts" take place after parenting orders have been breached, in cases where there are custodial disputes between guardians. No prior warning is required. The videos obtained by Newsroom show children as young as five being taken by police officers in the middle of night.Green MPs on the Way Out After Protest
The Green Party is working to remove two MPs from the party after they withdrew from the party list to protest Metiria Turei's decision not to stand down as co-leader. Kennedy Graham and David Clendon said Turei's admission that she had lied to Work and Income during the 1990s while on a benefit meant she was no longer fit to co-lead the party. Green Party co-leader James Shaw said that while he respects Graham and Clendon, he'll be moving a motion to suspend them both from the party caucus and the party list today.
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A petition calling for more comprehensive sex education in schools has garnered over 5000 signatures. The petition, which is being presented to Parliament today, began in the wake of comments made by male Wellington students about taking advantage of drunk girls. One of the campaign's co-leaders, Ruby Medlicott, told 95bFM the comments were shocking, but that they showed an attitude to consent that was all too common. The campaign is calling for a programme called Mates and Dates to be taught in schools, which covers many aspects that may not be covered by existing sex education curricula.Indian Students Exploited
Immigration New Zealand believes that businesses are deliberating targeting Indian foreign students for cheap labour, a report has revealed. The report says some businesses of charging the students up to $20,000 for jobs that lead to residence. Former students have accused Indian business owners of creating connections with private training establishments to help students breach their study visas. It was also revealed the students were being paid below the minimum wage, with some working as volunteers to gain residence.Māori Music Month
August marks Māori Music Month, which aims to celebrate and showcase Māori musical talent across Aotearoa. The month features workshops and mentoring in schools nationwide for budding musicians, as well as the Waiata Māori Music Awards, which includes Melodownz's AvonTales as a nomination for Best Māori Hip Hop Album. Awards organiser Ellison Huata told 95bFM the music month is all about promoting Māori culture. "It's about getting the rest of New Zealand on board. We are part of this country, this is who we are… it's about sharing it, whether you can speak te reo or not." The 10th Waiata Māori Music Awards will take place on September 15.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
The Venezuelan army stopped an attack on a military base in Valencia by a group of 20 armed rebels, according to President Nicolás Maduro. Two of the "mercenaries" have been killed and one injured. The authorities are searching for about 10 gunmen who escaped (seven others were detained). Prior to the attack, the rebel group had posted a video online calling itself the "41st Brigade" and decrying "murderous tyranny", but Maduro's government suggested the group was led by just one rogue soldier.North Korea Promises Retaliation Over UN Sanctions
President Trump tweeted this weekend that he was "very happy and impressed" with the UN Security Council's unanimous vote Saturday in favour of further economic sanctions against North Korea. Pyongyang quickly made its displeasure clear, vowing to enact "thousands-fold" revenge on the US over this new wave of economic punishment.Dozens Killed in Attack on Afghan Village
Up to 50 people have been killed in an attack on a village in the Afghan province of Sar-e Pul, according to Zabihullah Amani, a spokesman for the governor of the province. Seven Afghan soldiers and several militants were killed, along with dozens of civilians at the mainly Shia village. Amani said both Taliban and ISIS militants were behind the attack, though the Taliban rejected that claim.Israel Looks to Ban Al Jazeera
The Israeli government is working on stopping the Qatari-funded news network Al Jazeera from reporting in either Israel or the Palestinian territories. Announcing plans to strip Al Jazeera journalists' credentials, Israeli communications minister Ayoub Kara said: "Lately, almost all countries in our region determined that Al Jazeera supports terrorism, supports religious radicalisation."South Korean Prosecutors Want 12 Years for Samsung Executive
Prosecutors in South Korea have proposed a prison sentence of 12 years for Lee Jae-yong, the vice chairman of Samsung accused of attempting to bribe the friend of the country's former president. Though Lee is one of five Samsung officials on trial, prosecutors allege he was the "ultimate beneficiary" of a bribery plot. The court is slated to hand down a verdict in August.Reporting by Lachlan Balfour, Amanda Robinson, Jack Marshall and Conor Mercer.