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Everything you need to know about the world this morning, curated by bFM and VICE NZ.Winston Peters Admits He Was Overpaid Pension
Winston Peters admits he was overpaid the pension for the past seven years. Peters won't confirm how much extra money he received but insists he has now repaid the state in full. Reports estimate the amount at $60 a fortnight, taking the total to $18,000. Peters denied the amount was that high. Reports say the error occurred after Peters failed to declare he was living with a partner. It's not known why the error went unnoticed for so long, but some critics say Peters should have been the one to spot the error due to his knowledge of and commitment to superannuation. Peters told Morning Report this morning that the issue had been addressed and the money had been paid back.National Announces Education Policy at Campaign Launch
Bill English launched the National Party election campaign yesterday, promising changes to our schooling system if re-elected. The plan covers providing more work-experience opportunities for high-school students, expansion of National Standards, increased resources for teaching maths, and the option for all primary school students to learn a second language. "These measures," English said, "implemented by a re-elected National government, will further push ahead for our children."Labour-Greens Combination One Point Off National
A poll-of-polls has the Labour-Green Party combination just one point behind National. It shows the effect that Jacinda Ardern has had on Labour's popularity. National is still out in front, but the party has been trending down since the departure of John Key. UMR research recorded a 70 percent favourability rating for Jacinda Ardern.Police Caught Unlawfully Accessing Private Banking Information
Police have been caught unlawfully accessing private banking information in the search for the hacker behind Nicky Hager's Dirty Politics book. Activist and journalist Martyn Bradbury has been drawn into the investigation, with police exploiting the Privacy Act to get personal banking information without a court order. Bradbury complained to the Privacy Commissioner when he uncovered the probe after being rejected for credit by his bank. Bradbury said the credit requests were to keep his online publication, The Daily Blog, going and being refused triggered a huge depressive episode. The journalist is refusing to name the bank in question as he intends to take further action.Hurricane Harvey
Houston faces an historic crisis as the Hurricane Harvey death toll continues to rise. The storm has brought intense rainfall, turning freeways into rivers and water rushing into homes. A police chief has advised residents facing rising waters to take refuge on rooftops to protect themselves. Several deaths were reported by residents, but Texas Governor Greg Abbott said they were unable to confirm the number of fatalities at this time. Houston mayor Sylvester Turner said more than 2,000 emergency calls have been received and more shelters were being opened.Iraqi Forces Make Rapid Progress in Tal Afar
Iraqi forces have retaken almost all of Tal Afar, Islamic State's stronghold in the north-west of the country. On Saturday, counter-terrorism units said they had taken control of the centre of the city, including the historic Ottoman citadel. Officials said the capture of the city would make it more difficult for jihadists to transport fighters and weapons between Iraq and Syria. Isis has resisted the advance with sniper fire, booby-trapped cars, and mortars.Spanish Terror Attacks Continue to Claim Lives
The number of lives claimed by recent terror attacks in Spain rose to 16 over the weekend. The 51-year-old German woman died from her injuries after a vehicle ploughed into crowds on Barcelona's Las Ramblas. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, which left about 120 people wounded. On Saturday an estimated 50,000 people marched to condemn the attacks. They were joined by the Spanish Prime Minister who spoke out against the violence, saying Spain is "united against terror".Reporting by Adel Abied, Alessandra Nixon, and Jean Bell.
LOCAL NEWS
Winston Peters admits he was overpaid the pension for the past seven years. Peters won't confirm how much extra money he received but insists he has now repaid the state in full. Reports estimate the amount at $60 a fortnight, taking the total to $18,000. Peters denied the amount was that high. Reports say the error occurred after Peters failed to declare he was living with a partner. It's not known why the error went unnoticed for so long, but some critics say Peters should have been the one to spot the error due to his knowledge of and commitment to superannuation. Peters told Morning Report this morning that the issue had been addressed and the money had been paid back.National Announces Education Policy at Campaign Launch
Bill English launched the National Party election campaign yesterday, promising changes to our schooling system if re-elected. The plan covers providing more work-experience opportunities for high-school students, expansion of National Standards, increased resources for teaching maths, and the option for all primary school students to learn a second language. "These measures," English said, "implemented by a re-elected National government, will further push ahead for our children."
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A poll-of-polls has the Labour-Green Party combination just one point behind National. It shows the effect that Jacinda Ardern has had on Labour's popularity. National is still out in front, but the party has been trending down since the departure of John Key. UMR research recorded a 70 percent favourability rating for Jacinda Ardern.Police Caught Unlawfully Accessing Private Banking Information
Police have been caught unlawfully accessing private banking information in the search for the hacker behind Nicky Hager's Dirty Politics book. Activist and journalist Martyn Bradbury has been drawn into the investigation, with police exploiting the Privacy Act to get personal banking information without a court order. Bradbury complained to the Privacy Commissioner when he uncovered the probe after being rejected for credit by his bank. Bradbury said the credit requests were to keep his online publication, The Daily Blog, going and being refused triggered a huge depressive episode. The journalist is refusing to name the bank in question as he intends to take further action.
INTERNATIONAL
Houston faces an historic crisis as the Hurricane Harvey death toll continues to rise. The storm has brought intense rainfall, turning freeways into rivers and water rushing into homes. A police chief has advised residents facing rising waters to take refuge on rooftops to protect themselves. Several deaths were reported by residents, but Texas Governor Greg Abbott said they were unable to confirm the number of fatalities at this time. Houston mayor Sylvester Turner said more than 2,000 emergency calls have been received and more shelters were being opened.Iraqi Forces Make Rapid Progress in Tal Afar
Iraqi forces have retaken almost all of Tal Afar, Islamic State's stronghold in the north-west of the country. On Saturday, counter-terrorism units said they had taken control of the centre of the city, including the historic Ottoman citadel. Officials said the capture of the city would make it more difficult for jihadists to transport fighters and weapons between Iraq and Syria. Isis has resisted the advance with sniper fire, booby-trapped cars, and mortars.Spanish Terror Attacks Continue to Claim Lives
The number of lives claimed by recent terror attacks in Spain rose to 16 over the weekend. The 51-year-old German woman died from her injuries after a vehicle ploughed into crowds on Barcelona's Las Ramblas. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, which left about 120 people wounded. On Saturday an estimated 50,000 people marched to condemn the attacks. They were joined by the Spanish Prime Minister who spoke out against the violence, saying Spain is "united against terror".Reporting by Adel Abied, Alessandra Nixon, and Jean Bell.