Image: Shutterstock.com
Everything you need to know about the world today, curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.LOCAL NEWSOtago Cancels Law Camp
The Society of Otago University Law Students (SOULS) has announced that they will not be holding a law camp this year. The student-run camp, which has traditionally seen second-year law students partake in various team-building exercises, was called off after Otago University received multiple complaints of excessive nudity and drinking in past events. Complaints were also made about the culture the camp encouraged: many women claimed that they felt singled out and pressured into performing acts they were uncomfortable with. The cancellation comes during a period of increased awareness of sexual abuse in the legal industry, after it was revealed that law firm Russell McVeagh may have turned a blind eye to internal sexual assault allegations.Nurses Vote On Strike
Thousands of public hospital nurses are considering striking to protest low wages and short-staffing. About 27,000 nurses will vote today on whether or not to hold the strike, which would see staff temporarily walk out on their shifts. This comes after months of negotiations with District Health Boards, which ended with offers of a two percent pay-rise backdated to November last year. Nurses have until March 23 to vote on whether to accept the offer or begin a strike.Substance Addiction Act Doing More Harm Than Good
A Wellingtonian addiction counsellor claims an act designed to rehabilitate extreme drug users with other cognitive issues may be doing more harm than good. The Substance Addiction Act came into effect 12 days ago, and set higher standards of care for those undergoing compulsory treatment. But since its passing, only one care facility has managed to meet the new requirements, meaning that there are only nine beds available for patients across the country. Wellington counsellor Roger Brooking argues that the law represents a step backwards, as it has made it harder for drug addicts to find help. But director of Mental Health John Crawshaw says that the Ministry of Health is open to working with providers should demand for beds rise.Beneficiary Incomes Must Rise - Poverty Action Group
Child Poverty Action Group says beneficiaries need incomes that reflect the cost of living. Rising costs of housing has been blamed for the increase in need for food grants, which hit 500,000 in 2017. Child Poverty Action Group Communications Officer Jeni Cartwright says food costs are just the tip of the iceberg, and beneficiaries need policy changes that match real–life costs of living. “We need lots more social houses built, we need the Residential Tenancies Act overhauled so that tenants have better rights, limits to their rent increases and they are aware of what those increases will be at the outset. Things like that need to accompany better incomes as well,” she said. More than 40,000 children are hospitalised each year with preventable illnesses that can be attributed to poverty and poor living conditions.Fuel Prices Plummet for One Night Only
Questions are being raised over whether New Zealanders are paying too much money for fuel have been followed by a bizarre instance last night, where a gas station was selling petrol and diesel for 49 cents per litre. Gull on Rosscommon Road in Auckland went viral on social media, with photos of the fuel prices creating massive queues for the pumps. The low price was in order to empty the stations tanks, which are being replaced over the next four weeks. Earlier in the day, Energy Minister Minister Megan Woods publicly stated that she is not prepared to watch hundreds of millions transfer from the pockets of New Zealanders to the fuel companies that do nothing.11 Arrested for Theft of BitCoin
Police in Iceland have arrested 11 people, connected to the theft of more than 600 computers being used to mine cryptocurrencies. The computers were taken during four raids on data centres around Iceland. Two of the suspects are in custody, and nine have been released on bail. The stolen servers have not been recovered. Icelandic Police are now contacting internet service providers, electricians and storage units, asking for reports of any sudden spikes in power usage or other signs that the stolen servers had been reconnected.North Korea Hosts South Korean Delegates
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has hosted a dinner for senior South Korean delegates, which marks the first time officials from Seoul have met the Jong-un since he took power in 2011. The 10-member team is in Pyongyang for talks partly aimed at restarting dialogue between the North and the US. During the two-day meeting, the South Korean group will also focus on talks aimed at getting rid of the North's nuclear weapons. Relationships between North and South Korea have improved following last month's Winter Olympics.Convoy In Ghouta Is Halted
Hopes for a humanitarian convoy to enter Eastern Ghouta, a suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus have been dashed as forces loyal to the Syrian government have seized six villages and towns. Civilians in Eastern Ghouta are currently surrounded by the government regime's forces, leaving most unable or unwilling to flee. This comes a week after the UN security council called for a 30 day ceasefire in which to deliver urgent humanitarian aid. The UN’s regional humanitarian coordinator, says that instead of much-needed reprieve, the 400,000 civilians in Eastern Ghouta continue to be punished. A humanitarian corridor, promised last week by Russia to allow evacuation of civilians for five hours a day has not materialised.Italian Parties Enter Talks to Form Government
The leaders of two alternative political parties in Italy are claiming the right to govern. The former Prime Minister has resigned as leader of the Democratic Party, which won only 20 percent of the vote in the election yesterday. Matteo Salvini's Anti-immigration League Party won 37 percent of the vote compared to Luigi Di Maio's anti-euro Five Star Party, which won 32.6 percent. Neither party has enough seats to govern alone and negotiations are expected to take weeks.Sausage Leaves 180 Dead
Processed meat from South Africa has been banned in some southern African States, after it was linked to the ongoing food poisoning outbreak. South African Government found that a processed sausage known as Polony has killed 180 people over the last 12 months. 948 people have been affected by the listeria food poisoning, which has been a mystery since last January. Recall of the product in South Africa prompted shops to clear their shelves of all processed meats, with Namibia, Mozambique, Malawi, Botswana and Zambia following suit.Chinese President Could Lead Indefinitely
China has announced plans to scrap its two term presidential limit, in a move which will make President Xi Jinping their most powerful leader since Chairman Mao. Without the two term limit, Xi Jinping can lead indefinitely. China currently has the world's second largest economy. Rapid economic growth in recent years means that poverty in China is continuing to decrease while the middle class continues to grow. The bill will go to vote on the eleventh of March in China's parliament, and is expected to pass unanimously.Additional reporting by Leonard Powell, Grace Watson, Daniel Meech
The Society of Otago University Law Students (SOULS) has announced that they will not be holding a law camp this year. The student-run camp, which has traditionally seen second-year law students partake in various team-building exercises, was called off after Otago University received multiple complaints of excessive nudity and drinking in past events. Complaints were also made about the culture the camp encouraged: many women claimed that they felt singled out and pressured into performing acts they were uncomfortable with. The cancellation comes during a period of increased awareness of sexual abuse in the legal industry, after it was revealed that law firm Russell McVeagh may have turned a blind eye to internal sexual assault allegations.
Advertisement
Thousands of public hospital nurses are considering striking to protest low wages and short-staffing. About 27,000 nurses will vote today on whether or not to hold the strike, which would see staff temporarily walk out on their shifts. This comes after months of negotiations with District Health Boards, which ended with offers of a two percent pay-rise backdated to November last year. Nurses have until March 23 to vote on whether to accept the offer or begin a strike.Substance Addiction Act Doing More Harm Than Good
A Wellingtonian addiction counsellor claims an act designed to rehabilitate extreme drug users with other cognitive issues may be doing more harm than good. The Substance Addiction Act came into effect 12 days ago, and set higher standards of care for those undergoing compulsory treatment. But since its passing, only one care facility has managed to meet the new requirements, meaning that there are only nine beds available for patients across the country. Wellington counsellor Roger Brooking argues that the law represents a step backwards, as it has made it harder for drug addicts to find help. But director of Mental Health John Crawshaw says that the Ministry of Health is open to working with providers should demand for beds rise.Beneficiary Incomes Must Rise - Poverty Action Group
Child Poverty Action Group says beneficiaries need incomes that reflect the cost of living. Rising costs of housing has been blamed for the increase in need for food grants, which hit 500,000 in 2017. Child Poverty Action Group Communications Officer Jeni Cartwright says food costs are just the tip of the iceberg, and beneficiaries need policy changes that match real–life costs of living. “We need lots more social houses built, we need the Residential Tenancies Act overhauled so that tenants have better rights, limits to their rent increases and they are aware of what those increases will be at the outset. Things like that need to accompany better incomes as well,” she said. More than 40,000 children are hospitalised each year with preventable illnesses that can be attributed to poverty and poor living conditions.
Advertisement
Questions are being raised over whether New Zealanders are paying too much money for fuel have been followed by a bizarre instance last night, where a gas station was selling petrol and diesel for 49 cents per litre. Gull on Rosscommon Road in Auckland went viral on social media, with photos of the fuel prices creating massive queues for the pumps. The low price was in order to empty the stations tanks, which are being replaced over the next four weeks. Earlier in the day, Energy Minister Minister Megan Woods publicly stated that she is not prepared to watch hundreds of millions transfer from the pockets of New Zealanders to the fuel companies that do nothing.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Police in Iceland have arrested 11 people, connected to the theft of more than 600 computers being used to mine cryptocurrencies. The computers were taken during four raids on data centres around Iceland. Two of the suspects are in custody, and nine have been released on bail. The stolen servers have not been recovered. Icelandic Police are now contacting internet service providers, electricians and storage units, asking for reports of any sudden spikes in power usage or other signs that the stolen servers had been reconnected.North Korea Hosts South Korean Delegates
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has hosted a dinner for senior South Korean delegates, which marks the first time officials from Seoul have met the Jong-un since he took power in 2011. The 10-member team is in Pyongyang for talks partly aimed at restarting dialogue between the North and the US. During the two-day meeting, the South Korean group will also focus on talks aimed at getting rid of the North's nuclear weapons. Relationships between North and South Korea have improved following last month's Winter Olympics.
Advertisement
Hopes for a humanitarian convoy to enter Eastern Ghouta, a suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus have been dashed as forces loyal to the Syrian government have seized six villages and towns. Civilians in Eastern Ghouta are currently surrounded by the government regime's forces, leaving most unable or unwilling to flee. This comes a week after the UN security council called for a 30 day ceasefire in which to deliver urgent humanitarian aid. The UN’s regional humanitarian coordinator, says that instead of much-needed reprieve, the 400,000 civilians in Eastern Ghouta continue to be punished. A humanitarian corridor, promised last week by Russia to allow evacuation of civilians for five hours a day has not materialised.Italian Parties Enter Talks to Form Government
The leaders of two alternative political parties in Italy are claiming the right to govern. The former Prime Minister has resigned as leader of the Democratic Party, which won only 20 percent of the vote in the election yesterday. Matteo Salvini's Anti-immigration League Party won 37 percent of the vote compared to Luigi Di Maio's anti-euro Five Star Party, which won 32.6 percent. Neither party has enough seats to govern alone and negotiations are expected to take weeks.Sausage Leaves 180 Dead
Processed meat from South Africa has been banned in some southern African States, after it was linked to the ongoing food poisoning outbreak. South African Government found that a processed sausage known as Polony has killed 180 people over the last 12 months. 948 people have been affected by the listeria food poisoning, which has been a mystery since last January. Recall of the product in South Africa prompted shops to clear their shelves of all processed meats, with Namibia, Mozambique, Malawi, Botswana and Zambia following suit.Chinese President Could Lead Indefinitely
China has announced plans to scrap its two term presidential limit, in a move which will make President Xi Jinping their most powerful leader since Chairman Mao. Without the two term limit, Xi Jinping can lead indefinitely. China currently has the world's second largest economy. Rapid economic growth in recent years means that poverty in China is continuing to decrease while the middle class continues to grow. The bill will go to vote on the eleventh of March in China's parliament, and is expected to pass unanimously.Additional reporting by Leonard Powell, Grace Watson, Daniel Meech