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Everything you need to know about the world today, curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.Dancers Fined by Employers
Dancers working at Showgirls in Auckland are being fined for missing shifts or turning up late. The mother of a young woman working as a stripper has told the Herald she loses large chunks of her wages to fines. Fines outlined to the Herald included a $200 "rent penalty" when dancers missed one of their five shifts a week, and fines for being late for a shift. The news follows allegations in Christchurch that workers at Calendar Girls were being fined for breaking strict rules.MP and Mayor “Disappointed” in Whakatane Vote
A Whakatane referendum voted against having Māori representation in the District Council on Sunday. Preliminary results showed that 55 percent voted against the move. Whakatane District Mayor Tony Bonne says he is “gutted” with the result and he will look at other ways of ensuring Māori are involved in decision making. Waiariki MP Tamati Coffey says he is surprised and disappointed with the result, given that Māori make up 43 percent of the local population. He says the result means Pākeha councillors will remain the voice of Māori on the Whakatane District Council.Child Cancer Treatments Trialled
A ground-breaking trial exploring new treatments for child cancer is launching in New Zealand today. The Precision Paediatric Cancer Project is aimed at reducing the number of cancer-related deaths to those 15 and under. Currently, three children in this age bracket are diagnosed with cancer weekly, and 20 percent die within three years of diagnosis. Genetic samples will be taken from the participants to identify genetic mutations causing cancer. The research team will then work with surgeons to come up with potential treatments. Dr Andy Wood, the man in charge of the study, hopes to follow participants after the trial has concluded.Zimbabwe Applies to Re-join Commonwealth
Zimbabwe has applied to rejoin the Commonwealth. The African country quit in 2003 after the Commonwealth suspended its membership for violent repression of the opposition. The application comes less than two months before Zimbabwe held its first election without former President Robert Mugabe, who was deposed in an army coup last year. President Emmerson Mnangagwa says Zimbabwe's return to the Commonwealth will be a momentous occasion. Commonwealth secretary-general Patricia Scotland says that it will send monitors to observe the coming election and their reports will form part of whether the organisation would accept Zimbabwe's application.Opposition: Maduro Wins “Rigged” Election
Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro has been re-elected in what some are saying was a rigged election. Henri Falcon, the opposition candidate, says that the election was not a fair process. Venezuela is in the middle of an economic crisis. Food shortages are rife, with malnutrition at 70 percent among children in parts of the country. 46 percent of Venezuelans voted, with many in the opposition boycotting the election. The EU and the US have announced they may impose sanctions if the election was not democratic.Google Sued for Collecting User Data
Google has been taken to court by campaign group Google You Owe Us for tracking and collecting the data of 4.4 million Safari users in the UK to sell to advertisers. Director of the group, Richard Lloyd is claiming that Google broke Apple Safari's privacy settings on iPhones between August 2011 and February 2012. Google You Owe Us says the information collected included race, political leanings, shopping habits, sex, class and location. Hugh Tomlinson, who represents Lloyd, says that the information was collected using the "Safari walkaround" method, which was exposed in 2012. Google has been fined for the practice twice before in the US.Paraguay Relocates Israel Embassy to Jerusalem
Paraguay has relocated its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem following the US move last week. The US recognised Jerusalem as Israel's embassy last week, in protests from Palestinians and internationally. Paraguay is the second country to follow the US as Guatemala moved their embassy last Wednesday.Additional reporting by Leonard Powell, Grace Watson, Justin Wong.
LOCAL NEWS
Dancers working at Showgirls in Auckland are being fined for missing shifts or turning up late. The mother of a young woman working as a stripper has told the Herald she loses large chunks of her wages to fines. Fines outlined to the Herald included a $200 "rent penalty" when dancers missed one of their five shifts a week, and fines for being late for a shift. The news follows allegations in Christchurch that workers at Calendar Girls were being fined for breaking strict rules.MP and Mayor “Disappointed” in Whakatane Vote
A Whakatane referendum voted against having Māori representation in the District Council on Sunday. Preliminary results showed that 55 percent voted against the move. Whakatane District Mayor Tony Bonne says he is “gutted” with the result and he will look at other ways of ensuring Māori are involved in decision making. Waiariki MP Tamati Coffey says he is surprised and disappointed with the result, given that Māori make up 43 percent of the local population. He says the result means Pākeha councillors will remain the voice of Māori on the Whakatane District Council.
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A ground-breaking trial exploring new treatments for child cancer is launching in New Zealand today. The Precision Paediatric Cancer Project is aimed at reducing the number of cancer-related deaths to those 15 and under. Currently, three children in this age bracket are diagnosed with cancer weekly, and 20 percent die within three years of diagnosis. Genetic samples will be taken from the participants to identify genetic mutations causing cancer. The research team will then work with surgeons to come up with potential treatments. Dr Andy Wood, the man in charge of the study, hopes to follow participants after the trial has concluded.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Zimbabwe has applied to rejoin the Commonwealth. The African country quit in 2003 after the Commonwealth suspended its membership for violent repression of the opposition. The application comes less than two months before Zimbabwe held its first election without former President Robert Mugabe, who was deposed in an army coup last year. President Emmerson Mnangagwa says Zimbabwe's return to the Commonwealth will be a momentous occasion. Commonwealth secretary-general Patricia Scotland says that it will send monitors to observe the coming election and their reports will form part of whether the organisation would accept Zimbabwe's application.Opposition: Maduro Wins “Rigged” Election
Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro has been re-elected in what some are saying was a rigged election. Henri Falcon, the opposition candidate, says that the election was not a fair process. Venezuela is in the middle of an economic crisis. Food shortages are rife, with malnutrition at 70 percent among children in parts of the country. 46 percent of Venezuelans voted, with many in the opposition boycotting the election. The EU and the US have announced they may impose sanctions if the election was not democratic.Google Sued for Collecting User Data
Google has been taken to court by campaign group Google You Owe Us for tracking and collecting the data of 4.4 million Safari users in the UK to sell to advertisers. Director of the group, Richard Lloyd is claiming that Google broke Apple Safari's privacy settings on iPhones between August 2011 and February 2012. Google You Owe Us says the information collected included race, political leanings, shopping habits, sex, class and location. Hugh Tomlinson, who represents Lloyd, says that the information was collected using the "Safari walkaround" method, which was exposed in 2012. Google has been fined for the practice twice before in the US.Paraguay Relocates Israel Embassy to Jerusalem
Paraguay has relocated its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem following the US move last week. The US recognised Jerusalem as Israel's embassy last week, in protests from Palestinians and internationally. Paraguay is the second country to follow the US as Guatemala moved their embassy last Wednesday.Additional reporting by Leonard Powell, Grace Watson, Justin Wong.