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All you need to know about the world this morning, curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.PM Skirts Responsibility for Synthetic Cannabis Dangers
The death of seven people in Auckland from what police are calling synthetic cannabis use is a police matter and does not warrant Government intervention, says Prime Minister Bill English. Yesterday afternoon, English rejected suggestions that an urgent Government-level response was required, instead saying that people needed to avoid illegal substances and show more personal responsibility. New Zealand Police and Chief Coroner Deborah Marshall issued a public warning on Friday after the death of seven people in a month was linked to the illegal substance. When asked whether anti-drug education campaigns could be increased, English replied that the "pictures in the media were pretty educational". The National Government banned all synthetic drugs in 2014 until they could be proven "low-risk" by a new testing regime.Government Backs Down on Proposed Visa Changes
The New Zealand Government is backing off proposed changes to skilled migrant visas.
The Government announced in April there would be tighter rules around skills requirements for work visas starting on August 14. The initial proposal included a minimum median annual income of $48,000 for jobs currently considered skilled and forcing migrants to leave for at least 12 months after three years of working in the country. After criticism that the changes were overly punitive and that they locked out a large number of skilled workers, Prime Minister Bill English said they would take another look. He said the Government would not be scrapping its plans entirely but would instead try to find the right balance of skills in the economy.WINZ Skimping on Support for Grandparents
Grandparents raising grandchildren are having major problems accessing the Unsupported Child Benefits they're often entitled to. A recent study carried out by Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences showed 85 percent of grandparents are wrongly informed that they are not entitled to benefits. Kate Bundle, chief executive of the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust, said WINZ needed to follow the correct processes to make sure families were getting the support they need. "Too many Work and Income staff will be dismissive of your ability to get it, or they'll make a judgement call on the spot, or they'll say, 'Look, you don't meet the criteria,' so they'll turn people away," Bundle told 95bFM.Boris Building Better Bond
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has stopped in Wellington during an official two-day visit to New Zealand, as he looks to strengthen ties between between the two countries in the lead up to Brexit. Johnson said that New Zealand is "at or near the very front of the queue" for a free trade deal with the United Kingdom once Brexit is complete. That's not expected until at least March 2019. The UK was once New Zealand's largest trading partner.RIP MS Paint
Microsoft announced that its next update will bring with it the end of Microsoft Paint after 32 years. The basic editing tool became a much-loved feature after first being introduced in Microsoft 1.0 in 1985. Despite improvements in the Windows 7 update, Microsoft has been planning for some time to remove the programme, seen as "feature poor" when compared with similar tools.Poland's President Bows to Public Pressure
Poland's president Andrzej Duda has announced he will veto controversial judicial reforms that would have severely impacted the independence of the country's courts. The proposed reforms included one to remove all judges, except those chosen by the justice minister, from the supreme court. Duda declared his intention to veto after consulting lawyers and academics, stating the proposals "would not strengthen the sense of justice in society." The announcement follows days of protests against the legislation by hundreds of thousands in Warsaw and other cities.Macron's Cuts to Hurt the Poor
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced cuts to housing benefits affecting millions. Critics of the plans accuse Macron of unfairly hitting the poorest in society, with many of those affected by the €5 per month reduction already living below the poverty line. The Government claimed the plans were justified in reducing France's spending and bringing down the deficit. The moves follow a recent drop in Macron's popularity by 10 points, to 54 percent, after recent reforms to labour laws and the pension system.Car Bomb Kills 24 in Kabul
A suicide car bomb attack in the Afghan capital of Kabul has left 24 people dead and 42 wounded, according to a police spokesperson. The attacker drove a car filled with explosives into a bus carrying government employees to work during rush hour Monday morning. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack.Two Dead, One Wounded in Israeli Embassy Shooting in Jordan
A shooting incident at the Israeli embassy compound in Jordan has left two Jordanians dead and one Israeli wounded. A security guard reportedly shot and killed a Jordanian carpenter who stabbed him, and a Jordanian landlord also died of wounds sustained in the gunfire. Israel decided to pull embassy staff out of the country, but Jordan is not permitting the wounded Israeli to be evacuated.Newspaper Employees Stand Trial in Turkey
Seventeen journalists and managers at the independent Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet are on trial. The core of one of the country's last opposition outlets face charges relating to alleged support for the Kurdistan Workers' Party and the movement of exiled cleric Fethullah Gülen, whom the government suspects was behind last year's failed coup.Moroccan Peacekeeper Killed in the CAR
A Moroccan solider was killed and three others injured when a United Nations peacekeeping convoy was attacked by suspected Christian militants in the Central African Republic. The UN detachment was attempting to fetch water for a village. The "anti-Balaka" Christian militants have been engaged in violence with Muslim groups since the outbreak of civil war in 2013.Additional reporting by Jack Marshall, Harry Willis and Lachlan Balfour.
LOCAL NEWS
The death of seven people in Auckland from what police are calling synthetic cannabis use is a police matter and does not warrant Government intervention, says Prime Minister Bill English. Yesterday afternoon, English rejected suggestions that an urgent Government-level response was required, instead saying that people needed to avoid illegal substances and show more personal responsibility. New Zealand Police and Chief Coroner Deborah Marshall issued a public warning on Friday after the death of seven people in a month was linked to the illegal substance. When asked whether anti-drug education campaigns could be increased, English replied that the "pictures in the media were pretty educational". The National Government banned all synthetic drugs in 2014 until they could be proven "low-risk" by a new testing regime.Government Backs Down on Proposed Visa Changes
The New Zealand Government is backing off proposed changes to skilled migrant visas.
The Government announced in April there would be tighter rules around skills requirements for work visas starting on August 14. The initial proposal included a minimum median annual income of $48,000 for jobs currently considered skilled and forcing migrants to leave for at least 12 months after three years of working in the country. After criticism that the changes were overly punitive and that they locked out a large number of skilled workers, Prime Minister Bill English said they would take another look. He said the Government would not be scrapping its plans entirely but would instead try to find the right balance of skills in the economy.
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Grandparents raising grandchildren are having major problems accessing the Unsupported Child Benefits they're often entitled to. A recent study carried out by Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences showed 85 percent of grandparents are wrongly informed that they are not entitled to benefits. Kate Bundle, chief executive of the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust, said WINZ needed to follow the correct processes to make sure families were getting the support they need. "Too many Work and Income staff will be dismissive of your ability to get it, or they'll make a judgement call on the spot, or they'll say, 'Look, you don't meet the criteria,' so they'll turn people away," Bundle told 95bFM.Boris Building Better Bond
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has stopped in Wellington during an official two-day visit to New Zealand, as he looks to strengthen ties between between the two countries in the lead up to Brexit. Johnson said that New Zealand is "at or near the very front of the queue" for a free trade deal with the United Kingdom once Brexit is complete. That's not expected until at least March 2019. The UK was once New Zealand's largest trading partner.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Microsoft announced that its next update will bring with it the end of Microsoft Paint after 32 years. The basic editing tool became a much-loved feature after first being introduced in Microsoft 1.0 in 1985. Despite improvements in the Windows 7 update, Microsoft has been planning for some time to remove the programme, seen as "feature poor" when compared with similar tools.Poland's President Bows to Public Pressure
Poland's president Andrzej Duda has announced he will veto controversial judicial reforms that would have severely impacted the independence of the country's courts. The proposed reforms included one to remove all judges, except those chosen by the justice minister, from the supreme court. Duda declared his intention to veto after consulting lawyers and academics, stating the proposals "would not strengthen the sense of justice in society." The announcement follows days of protests against the legislation by hundreds of thousands in Warsaw and other cities.
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French President Emmanuel Macron has announced cuts to housing benefits affecting millions. Critics of the plans accuse Macron of unfairly hitting the poorest in society, with many of those affected by the €5 per month reduction already living below the poverty line. The Government claimed the plans were justified in reducing France's spending and bringing down the deficit. The moves follow a recent drop in Macron's popularity by 10 points, to 54 percent, after recent reforms to labour laws and the pension system.Car Bomb Kills 24 in Kabul
A suicide car bomb attack in the Afghan capital of Kabul has left 24 people dead and 42 wounded, according to a police spokesperson. The attacker drove a car filled with explosives into a bus carrying government employees to work during rush hour Monday morning. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack.Two Dead, One Wounded in Israeli Embassy Shooting in Jordan
A shooting incident at the Israeli embassy compound in Jordan has left two Jordanians dead and one Israeli wounded. A security guard reportedly shot and killed a Jordanian carpenter who stabbed him, and a Jordanian landlord also died of wounds sustained in the gunfire. Israel decided to pull embassy staff out of the country, but Jordan is not permitting the wounded Israeli to be evacuated.Newspaper Employees Stand Trial in Turkey
Seventeen journalists and managers at the independent Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet are on trial. The core of one of the country's last opposition outlets face charges relating to alleged support for the Kurdistan Workers' Party and the movement of exiled cleric Fethullah Gülen, whom the government suspects was behind last year's failed coup.Moroccan Peacekeeper Killed in the CAR
A Moroccan solider was killed and three others injured when a United Nations peacekeeping convoy was attacked by suspected Christian militants in the Central African Republic. The UN detachment was attempting to fetch water for a village. The "anti-Balaka" Christian militants have been engaged in violence with Muslim groups since the outbreak of civil war in 2013.Additional reporting by Jack Marshall, Harry Willis and Lachlan Balfour.