The TPP agreement remains controversial. Pictured: protests across Auckland in 2016. via Shutterstock.com
Everything you need to know about the world today, curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.CPTPP Deal Done and Dusted
A revised version of the TPP was signed today at 7:25AM NZT in Chile. The deal, which survived the withdrawal of the United States, has been signed by 11 nations including New Zealand. The deal eliminates 95 percent of all tariffs within the group—worth $10 trillion dollars. Critics of the CPTPP have argued that New Zealand will lose the right to make decisions in its own interest, while supporters argue it will boost income and jobs. New Zealand is expecting to gain $1.2 to $4.2 billion, roughly one percent to the New Zealand economy. The CPTPP doesn't come into effect until at least half the 11 nations have ratified the deal.Spotify’s New Gender Balancing Tool
Spotify has launched a tool to help the gender balance of people's listening habits, reports 95bFM’s Reilly Hobson .The Equaliser tool, sponsored by Smirnoff, gives users a percentage breakdown of their listening habits by gender. The tool then gives users a playlist of music made by women suggested for them to listen to. The idea for the tool came after the top artists, albums and songs from last year were extremely male dominated, with only two female artists featuring in the top 10 songs.International Women’s Day Highlights Need for Pay Equality
Yesterday marked International Women’s Day for 2018. National Council of Women New Zealand's President, Vinesa Dhiru, says we need more progress on pay equality. “We haven’t seen the progress of pay equity that we have been wanting to see… It’s time to make sure that we can see progress for gender equality in New Zealand,” Dhiru told 95bFM. “The global gender pay gap report shows that gender equality could be over 200 years away,” Dhiru said. “It’s really unacceptable and it also affects some groups of women more than others because of a whole range of issues: racism, transphobia and other forms of oppression as well as gender.” One of the government's priorities is to close the gender pay gap which remains at around 10 percent across New Zealand and 22-26 percent for Maori and Pasifika women. New Zealand has dropped from being one of the top 10 countries in the world for women on boards or in senior positions, to number 33 out of 35.EQC Seeking Legal Action Against Fletcher Buildings
The Earthquake Commission could potentially sue Fletcher Construction for its oversight in Christchurch earthquake repair work. Head of EQC Sid Miller said Fletcher has no liability for design or construction, but its project management office has liability because it oversaw the work. Fletcher believes there is an indemnity clause in the Canterbury Home Repair Programme which makes Fletcher Buildings not liable.The Crown agency is currently defending 316 court cases related to the Canterbury Earthquake and managing 2,600 outstanding claims with half of the claims being for re-repairs. National party EQC spokesperson Stuart Smith said the EQC should sue Fletcher building if there is enough compelling evidence the contractor is responsible for a large number of sub-standard post-earthquake repairs.Hawkes Bay Hit by Flooding
Flooding in Napier has caused 200 residents to evacuate from a campground, a school and their homes. The Esk River burst its banks due to heavy rain, causing property damage and debris, and Residents from Eskdale Holiday Park were evacuated. Hukarere Girls College also chose to evacuate along with 60 students at Havelock North Intermediate on summer camp. A weather station in Glengarry has reported 322mm of rain in the last 24 hours.Mt Ruapehu is Slipping
Slips on Mt Ruapehu have left travellers trapped at Blue Duck Station in the Ruapehu district. Around 120 people were stranded yesterday afternoon after slips from heavy rain blocked them in. 14 were airlifted out yesterday, leaving over 100 tourists to spend the night. Ruapehu Emergency Management Officer Nick Watson says supplies were being dropped in on a helicopter. The remaining travellers will hopefully be rescued later today when it is safe.Cyclone Hola Expected to Rev Up After Hitting Vanuatu
Cyclone Hola is expected to intensify to a category five storm this morning, after hitting Vanuatu on Wednesday. Winds at the centre of the cyclone are reaching 165km/hr and are expected to increase to 205km/hr this morning while heading to New Caledonia. Unicef's Andrew Parker says the National Disaster Management Office in Vanuatu is coordinating a response to the disaster, meeting with Unicef and the government to formulate a plan. There are no reports of casualties yet, and Parker says residents are more aware of how to stay safe after Cyclone Pam three years ago.France to Intervene if Syrian Chemical Attack Claims True
The French government warns it will intervene in Syria if claims of a governmental chemical attack in Eastern Ghouta prove to be true. Video footage released by activists in Eastern Ghouta on Wednesday show what appears to be phosphorus bombs being dropped and victims struggling to breathe. French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drain says if the claims are true, France will take "intervention measures to prevent the proliferation of chemical weapons." The Syrian government denies the claims and says the videos are made by "desperate rebels" attempting to distort the facts.Trump’s Tariffs Push On
The US government has announced some countries may be exempt from planned tariffs on steel and aluminium imports. Spokesperson Sarah Sanders says the countries who might be exempt include Australia, Canada and Mexico. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the plan on Thursday, which outlines a 25 percent tariff on steel products with 10 percent on aluminium goods. China and Europe are threatening retaliation if the plan goes ahead.Large Protests in Spain in support of Women's Rights
Women in Spain have halted work as part of a 24-hour strike targeting gender inequality and sexual discrimination. The strike was organised by the 8 March Commission and is backed by 10 unions and some of Spain's top female politicians.Women taking part in the strike have stopped working and have been asked to avoid house chores and spending money for a 24-hour period to show the importance of female absence. Transport in Spain is still available with reduced services, many flights are affected and roads have been blocked in Barcelona. Many prominent female media personalities were absent from their programmes. Agriculture minister Isabel García Tejerina and president of the Madrid region Cristina said they would not work longer hours to show the capacity of women.Ireland Making Moves to Change Abortion Law
The Irish government is making moves to change abortion law in the country, with a draft national referendum complete. On Thursday, Cabinet approved the wording of a national referendum that will ask voters if they want to repeal a 1983 law known as the 8th amendment. This law gives unborn foetuses and pregnant women an equal right to life. If the referendum shows national support for repeal of the law, the government will introduce legislation allowing unrestricted abortions during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. The referendum is due to be held by May.Additional reporting by Tessa Barnett, Damiam Rowe and Jean Bell.
LOCAL NEWS
A revised version of the TPP was signed today at 7:25AM NZT in Chile. The deal, which survived the withdrawal of the United States, has been signed by 11 nations including New Zealand. The deal eliminates 95 percent of all tariffs within the group—worth $10 trillion dollars. Critics of the CPTPP have argued that New Zealand will lose the right to make decisions in its own interest, while supporters argue it will boost income and jobs. New Zealand is expecting to gain $1.2 to $4.2 billion, roughly one percent to the New Zealand economy. The CPTPP doesn't come into effect until at least half the 11 nations have ratified the deal.Spotify’s New Gender Balancing Tool
Spotify has launched a tool to help the gender balance of people's listening habits, reports 95bFM’s Reilly Hobson .The Equaliser tool, sponsored by Smirnoff, gives users a percentage breakdown of their listening habits by gender. The tool then gives users a playlist of music made by women suggested for them to listen to. The idea for the tool came after the top artists, albums and songs from last year were extremely male dominated, with only two female artists featuring in the top 10 songs.
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Yesterday marked International Women’s Day for 2018. National Council of Women New Zealand's President, Vinesa Dhiru, says we need more progress on pay equality. “We haven’t seen the progress of pay equity that we have been wanting to see… It’s time to make sure that we can see progress for gender equality in New Zealand,” Dhiru told 95bFM. “The global gender pay gap report shows that gender equality could be over 200 years away,” Dhiru said. “It’s really unacceptable and it also affects some groups of women more than others because of a whole range of issues: racism, transphobia and other forms of oppression as well as gender.” One of the government's priorities is to close the gender pay gap which remains at around 10 percent across New Zealand and 22-26 percent for Maori and Pasifika women. New Zealand has dropped from being one of the top 10 countries in the world for women on boards or in senior positions, to number 33 out of 35.EQC Seeking Legal Action Against Fletcher Buildings
The Earthquake Commission could potentially sue Fletcher Construction for its oversight in Christchurch earthquake repair work. Head of EQC Sid Miller said Fletcher has no liability for design or construction, but its project management office has liability because it oversaw the work. Fletcher believes there is an indemnity clause in the Canterbury Home Repair Programme which makes Fletcher Buildings not liable.The Crown agency is currently defending 316 court cases related to the Canterbury Earthquake and managing 2,600 outstanding claims with half of the claims being for re-repairs. National party EQC spokesperson Stuart Smith said the EQC should sue Fletcher building if there is enough compelling evidence the contractor is responsible for a large number of sub-standard post-earthquake repairs.
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Flooding in Napier has caused 200 residents to evacuate from a campground, a school and their homes. The Esk River burst its banks due to heavy rain, causing property damage and debris, and Residents from Eskdale Holiday Park were evacuated. Hukarere Girls College also chose to evacuate along with 60 students at Havelock North Intermediate on summer camp. A weather station in Glengarry has reported 322mm of rain in the last 24 hours.Mt Ruapehu is Slipping
Slips on Mt Ruapehu have left travellers trapped at Blue Duck Station in the Ruapehu district. Around 120 people were stranded yesterday afternoon after slips from heavy rain blocked them in. 14 were airlifted out yesterday, leaving over 100 tourists to spend the night. Ruapehu Emergency Management Officer Nick Watson says supplies were being dropped in on a helicopter. The remaining travellers will hopefully be rescued later today when it is safe.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Cyclone Hola is expected to intensify to a category five storm this morning, after hitting Vanuatu on Wednesday. Winds at the centre of the cyclone are reaching 165km/hr and are expected to increase to 205km/hr this morning while heading to New Caledonia. Unicef's Andrew Parker says the National Disaster Management Office in Vanuatu is coordinating a response to the disaster, meeting with Unicef and the government to formulate a plan. There are no reports of casualties yet, and Parker says residents are more aware of how to stay safe after Cyclone Pam three years ago.France to Intervene if Syrian Chemical Attack Claims True
The French government warns it will intervene in Syria if claims of a governmental chemical attack in Eastern Ghouta prove to be true. Video footage released by activists in Eastern Ghouta on Wednesday show what appears to be phosphorus bombs being dropped and victims struggling to breathe. French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drain says if the claims are true, France will take "intervention measures to prevent the proliferation of chemical weapons." The Syrian government denies the claims and says the videos are made by "desperate rebels" attempting to distort the facts.Trump’s Tariffs Push On
The US government has announced some countries may be exempt from planned tariffs on steel and aluminium imports. Spokesperson Sarah Sanders says the countries who might be exempt include Australia, Canada and Mexico. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the plan on Thursday, which outlines a 25 percent tariff on steel products with 10 percent on aluminium goods. China and Europe are threatening retaliation if the plan goes ahead.Large Protests in Spain in support of Women's Rights
Women in Spain have halted work as part of a 24-hour strike targeting gender inequality and sexual discrimination. The strike was organised by the 8 March Commission and is backed by 10 unions and some of Spain's top female politicians.Women taking part in the strike have stopped working and have been asked to avoid house chores and spending money for a 24-hour period to show the importance of female absence. Transport in Spain is still available with reduced services, many flights are affected and roads have been blocked in Barcelona. Many prominent female media personalities were absent from their programmes. Agriculture minister Isabel García Tejerina and president of the Madrid region Cristina said they would not work longer hours to show the capacity of women.Ireland Making Moves to Change Abortion Law
The Irish government is making moves to change abortion law in the country, with a draft national referendum complete. On Thursday, Cabinet approved the wording of a national referendum that will ask voters if they want to repeal a 1983 law known as the 8th amendment. This law gives unborn foetuses and pregnant women an equal right to life. If the referendum shows national support for repeal of the law, the government will introduce legislation allowing unrestricted abortions during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. The referendum is due to be held by May.Additional reporting by Tessa Barnett, Damiam Rowe and Jean Bell.