Everything you need to know about the world today, curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.
LOCAL NEWS
Kauri Officially a Threatened Species
Kauri have been declared a threatened species by the Department of Conservation. The National Kauri Dieback Management Programme has been managed by the Ministry of Primary Industries for 10 years, but with little success. Secretary of Tree Council, Dr. Mels Barton, says a dedicated, collaborative agency needs to be established. Dr. Barton told 95bfm reporter Angus Coker Grant “We believe it [the programme] should be handed over to a community trust model that can include all of those different stakeholders on the decision-making body and deciding how this work should be done” Dr. Barton adds “they could hand over the management of the operational stuff – the surveillance, the education, the sanitary stuff now” Kauri dieback disease is transmitted by spores in the soil which attach themselves to peoples boots and tramping gear. The Waitakere and Hunua Ranges were closed earlier this year to prevent further spread. The closing of parks is the right course of action, Forest & Bird says. Auckland Regional Manager of Forest & Bird, Nick Beveridge, told 95bfm “we want them [the parks] closed to control the spread until we can find a cure.” Beveridge continues with saying the closure allows for the tracks to be “upgraded to a state where they will not be transmitting the disease.” Beveridge adds the disinfectant initially deployed for walkers has remained unchanged and that the Ministry of Primary Industries has not been doing enough.
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Refugee Stories Told At Christchurch Exhibition
An art exhibition in Christchurch is giving migrants and refugees a platform to share their stories. The exhibition, A Collected Voice, is hoping to bridge the gap between visitors and the refugees. Creator Tiffany Singh says the project aims to remove biases and talk about refugees as people, rather than statistics. A collaboration with the Auckland Resettled Community Coalition, the project is a combination of film, art and storytelling. The exhibition will be held at the Centre for Contemporary Art until the August 5, and then will continue to gather stories from around the country for five years.
NZ Aircraft Firm Fined for Selling to North Korea
A New Zealand firm has been fined over its involvement with supplying North Korea an aircraft and replacement parts. Hamilton-based company, Pacific Aerospace, sold the 10-seater plane in 2015, which was later spotted at a North Korean event in military colours. The export of the three replacement parts in 2016, violate a UN ban on supplying luxury goods to North Korea. Judge John Bergseng, fined the firm $74,000 and says the breach leads countries to question New Zealand’s implementation of UN sanctions. Pacific Aerospace says they accept the penalty and will mitigate the risk of this happening again.
Government Sets up a Common Ministry for Housing
A new super ministry will be established to confront the housing crisis. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development will take on responsibilities currently split between the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, the Ministry of Social Development and the Treasury. Housing Minister Phil Twyford says having a more focused and capable public service will help fix the housing crisis. National spokesperson, Judith Collins, says shifting officials from one ministry to another would not make any difference. Mr Twyford is confident the government will meet its Kiwibuild targets of an average of 12,000 annually after 2021. The ministry will be established on August 1, with officially operations starting in October.
No More Speedway in Western Springs
Western Springs speedway is set to be no more after Auckland Mayor, Phil Goff meets with Speedway Promotions director Bill Buckley today. Goff and Buckley are expected to sign an agreement today that will end 90 years of the speedway’s life. Western Springs is looking to become the new home for cricket, with a new playing field and new stands and will remain a venue for concerts and the Ponsonby Rugby Club. The change will create space for more cricket fixtures as Eden Park is too small. The new speedway will be moved to South Auckland near the airport.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Argentina Pulls Out of the Match with Israel in the World Cup
The Argentinian Football team has cancelled their match with Israel ahead of the World Cup. The move comes as more ethical sporting decisions coincide with the growing pressure being placed on Israel by Palestinian Solidarity groups. Spokesperson for Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa Janfrie Wakim told 95bFM’s Harry Willis that major sport boycotting for events such as the World Cup were successful in ending apartheid in South Africa and could be used with the Israel conflict. “This is a good model on which Palestinians can base their argument that Israel should be expelled from FIFA,” she said. “They feel as if they should be going much further to pull in this rogue state.” Wakim also said there are a lot of states that are supportive of Palestine and this could be very worrying for Israel.
Trump Isolated as G7 Summit Opens in Canada
Macron and Trudeau are calling to resist President Trump in the G7 summit opening today in Canada. The Canadian Prime Minister and the French president spoke together in a joint press conference, warning their willingness not to change their agenda because of the US President. A week after the American decision to impose new tariffs on its partners, the EU and Canada planned retaliation measures. But President Macron called to avoid a trade war between allies and criticised the US move toward what he calls a “crude hegemony.” The summit will also focus on the Iran deal, from which the US pulled out, and the climate.
Spain’s New Cabinet Is Majority Female
Spain’s newly formed government cabinet is made up of more women than men, higher than any European country. Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez appointed 11 of the 17 posts to women. Sanchez said the government is a collective of those with the same vision of a progressive society that is modern and pro-European. The new government is 61.1 per cent women while only a handful of governments have even more than 50 per cent. New Zealand’s parliament currently has 46 women, a proportion of 38.4 percent, the highest in our history.
Explosions Destroy a Mosque in Baghdad
A mosque in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, was destroyed by explosions yesterday taking lives and injuring others. At least 17 people were killed by the bombs and 80 were left wounded. The mosque was said to be used by supporters of Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr, who leads a nationalist alliance. The government says the explosions are being investigated, but it appears to be a detonation of an ammunition cache during transfer from the mosque to a vehicle.
Afghanistan Announces Cease-Fire with Taliban
The Afghan leader has announced a unilateral ceasefire with Taliban rebels in a bid to push for peace talks. Ashraf Ghani, the President of Afghanistan, said offensive military operation against the armed group will stop for the end of the holy month of Ramadan, in the coming weeks. The United States, which still has about 14,000 military personnel on the ground, welcomed the ceasefire and the Afghan government commitment to peace. While fighting is still going on in many part of the country, President Ghani is willing to recognise them as a political force to deliver peace in the country. He also said that the ceasefire will exclude ISIS, Al Qaeda and other terrorist group.
Additional reporting by Tess Barnett, Ulysse Bellier, and Angus Coker Grant.
