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Everything you need to know about the world this morning, curated by bFM and VICE NZ.Malnutrition on the Rise
Figures released today show the number of children hospitalised for malnutrition has doubled in the past ten years. 120 children per year are hospitalised overnight with malnutrition compared with 60 a decade ago, with more hospitalised for conditions where malnutrition is a factor. Dr Nikki Turner from the Child Action Poverty group said a number of factors are to blame for the increase including poor housing and the increasing cost of food. The news follows figures showing families on the lowest incomes are spending 60 percent of their income on food, a 12 percent increase from 10 years ago.Jacinda Ardern Defends Water Tax
Jacinda Ardern has defended Labour's proposed water tax following a farmers' protest in her hometown of Morrinsville yesterday. About 500 people gathered in the Waikato town with organiser Lloyd Downing saying the aim was to highlight the positive aspect of farming. Farmers say they are tired of being blamed for New Zealand's environmental issues and being attacked by political parties. The Labour party is calling for a 1-2 cent tax per hundred thousand litres of water used by farmers, a lower rate than what water bottlers would pay. Ardern claims their 'user pays' policy is fair. The leader points out this is just one of Labour's 'user pays' policies, include the proposed Auckland petrol tax and tourist tax.Navy to Move Fuel
A naval tanker is set to help transport diesel from Marsden point around the country, following Auckland airport's only jet fuel supply being shut down. The pipeline was closed after a leak was discovered, causing a delay in transporting fuel that has seen dozens of flights delayed. Energy and Resource Minister Judith Collins said the HMNZS Endeavour will be used to free up resources to get fuel to Auckland Airport. The leak is expected to be fixed by Tuesday, with Refining NZ saying fuel will be restored to the Airport the day after.Election Advertising Rules Questioned
The rise in early voting has brought New Zealand's electoral advertising laws into question and party leaders across the spectrum have called for changes to be made. Currently, there is a blanket ban for advertising on election day, but little to no restrictions covering the advance voting period. University of Otago law professor, Andrew Geddis, has said the last two elections showed no discernible change between advanced, and on the day, voting preferences. Following the 2014 election a special committee reviewed the regulations, but decided to refrain from amending the process. The 2017 general election has already seen over 500,000 early ballots cast, with a week remaining until polling day.Turkey Stages Military Drills
Turkey has waded into the Kurdish referendum, staging military drills along the Iraqi-Turkish border. The pending Kurdish vote would separate the semi-autonomous northern region from the Iraqi state. The move has drawn condemnation from the United Nations, Turkey, Iran and Iraq alike, who fear a distraction from the fight against ISIS. Turkey's prime minister has threatened immediate retaliation to any threats, and dispatched over 100 military vehicles to the frontier. International tensions have risen, following Kurdish leaders dismissal of the Iraqi Federal Court's ruling to postpone the vote.Iceland's Government Collapses
Iceland's government has collapsed after the Prime Minister's connection to a convicted pedophile was revealed. The nation is now preparing for its' second election this year, after Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson penned a letter of recommendation for a convicted pedophile. Legislation dating back to 1940 allows convicted Icelandians to 'regain their honour' if three 'respected' citizens provide letters of recommendation. Coalition partners, the centre left 'Bright Futures Party', withdrew their support for the ruling independence party following the revelations. Benediktsson, will be the shortest serving PM since the 2008 financial crisis, holding office for just seven months.North Korea Feeling Sanctions
New international sanctions against North Korea have caused a spike in petrol prices with Washington insisting that the regime is starting to feel the pinch. On Monday, President Donald Trump claimed the country's citizens were queuing for petrol but there is little evidence to support this claim. Experts have challenged claims that the oil sanctions will exert sufficient pressure on the North Korean economy to convince the regime to change. The Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability said the sanctions will affect the civilian population before it affects the nation's nuclear programme.Hurricane Maria to Wreak Havoc
Hurricane Maria has strengthened to a category 3 storm as it begins to head towards the Caribbean. Maria is expected to follow the same path as the category 5 Hurricane Irma that hit the region earlier this month, leaving 37 dead and causing billions of dollars worth of damage. The US National Hurricane Centre said yesterday that Maria had maximum sustained winds of 195 km/hr and water levels are expected to rise by as much as 2.1m. Preparations to reduce damage to property and people have already begun on the islands.Uber Apologises for Sexism
Uber has issued an apology after it was accused of sexism over an advert for their ubereats service in Bangalore. The message urged husbands to "let your wife take a day off from the kitchen" as it was wife appreciation day. Uber's chief brand ambassador, Bozoma Saint John, tweeted that the message was "completely unacceptable" and the message was removed. This follows Uber's recent internal investigation into sexism within the company that resulted in 20 people being fired.Reporting by Alessandra Nixon, Jack Marshall, Lachlan Balfour.
LOCAL NEWS
Figures released today show the number of children hospitalised for malnutrition has doubled in the past ten years. 120 children per year are hospitalised overnight with malnutrition compared with 60 a decade ago, with more hospitalised for conditions where malnutrition is a factor. Dr Nikki Turner from the Child Action Poverty group said a number of factors are to blame for the increase including poor housing and the increasing cost of food. The news follows figures showing families on the lowest incomes are spending 60 percent of their income on food, a 12 percent increase from 10 years ago.Jacinda Ardern Defends Water Tax
Jacinda Ardern has defended Labour's proposed water tax following a farmers' protest in her hometown of Morrinsville yesterday. About 500 people gathered in the Waikato town with organiser Lloyd Downing saying the aim was to highlight the positive aspect of farming. Farmers say they are tired of being blamed for New Zealand's environmental issues and being attacked by political parties. The Labour party is calling for a 1-2 cent tax per hundred thousand litres of water used by farmers, a lower rate than what water bottlers would pay. Ardern claims their 'user pays' policy is fair. The leader points out this is just one of Labour's 'user pays' policies, include the proposed Auckland petrol tax and tourist tax.
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A naval tanker is set to help transport diesel from Marsden point around the country, following Auckland airport's only jet fuel supply being shut down. The pipeline was closed after a leak was discovered, causing a delay in transporting fuel that has seen dozens of flights delayed. Energy and Resource Minister Judith Collins said the HMNZS Endeavour will be used to free up resources to get fuel to Auckland Airport. The leak is expected to be fixed by Tuesday, with Refining NZ saying fuel will be restored to the Airport the day after.Election Advertising Rules Questioned
The rise in early voting has brought New Zealand's electoral advertising laws into question and party leaders across the spectrum have called for changes to be made. Currently, there is a blanket ban for advertising on election day, but little to no restrictions covering the advance voting period. University of Otago law professor, Andrew Geddis, has said the last two elections showed no discernible change between advanced, and on the day, voting preferences. Following the 2014 election a special committee reviewed the regulations, but decided to refrain from amending the process. The 2017 general election has already seen over 500,000 early ballots cast, with a week remaining until polling day.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Turkey has waded into the Kurdish referendum, staging military drills along the Iraqi-Turkish border. The pending Kurdish vote would separate the semi-autonomous northern region from the Iraqi state. The move has drawn condemnation from the United Nations, Turkey, Iran and Iraq alike, who fear a distraction from the fight against ISIS. Turkey's prime minister has threatened immediate retaliation to any threats, and dispatched over 100 military vehicles to the frontier. International tensions have risen, following Kurdish leaders dismissal of the Iraqi Federal Court's ruling to postpone the vote.Iceland's Government Collapses
Iceland's government has collapsed after the Prime Minister's connection to a convicted pedophile was revealed. The nation is now preparing for its' second election this year, after Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson penned a letter of recommendation for a convicted pedophile. Legislation dating back to 1940 allows convicted Icelandians to 'regain their honour' if three 'respected' citizens provide letters of recommendation. Coalition partners, the centre left 'Bright Futures Party', withdrew their support for the ruling independence party following the revelations. Benediktsson, will be the shortest serving PM since the 2008 financial crisis, holding office for just seven months.North Korea Feeling Sanctions
New international sanctions against North Korea have caused a spike in petrol prices with Washington insisting that the regime is starting to feel the pinch. On Monday, President Donald Trump claimed the country's citizens were queuing for petrol but there is little evidence to support this claim. Experts have challenged claims that the oil sanctions will exert sufficient pressure on the North Korean economy to convince the regime to change. The Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainability said the sanctions will affect the civilian population before it affects the nation's nuclear programme.Hurricane Maria to Wreak Havoc
Hurricane Maria has strengthened to a category 3 storm as it begins to head towards the Caribbean. Maria is expected to follow the same path as the category 5 Hurricane Irma that hit the region earlier this month, leaving 37 dead and causing billions of dollars worth of damage. The US National Hurricane Centre said yesterday that Maria had maximum sustained winds of 195 km/hr and water levels are expected to rise by as much as 2.1m. Preparations to reduce damage to property and people have already begun on the islands.Uber Apologises for Sexism
Uber has issued an apology after it was accused of sexism over an advert for their ubereats service in Bangalore. The message urged husbands to "let your wife take a day off from the kitchen" as it was wife appreciation day. Uber's chief brand ambassador, Bozoma Saint John, tweeted that the message was "completely unacceptable" and the message was removed. This follows Uber's recent internal investigation into sexism within the company that resulted in 20 people being fired.Reporting by Alessandra Nixon, Jack Marshall, Lachlan Balfour.