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Everything you need to know about the world today, curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.Last Day for Auckland's Legendary Music Venue
The Kings Arms is closing down today. Long time King's Arms entertainment booker Lisa Gordon said the closure comes after mounting difficulties for the legendary venue. “It’s hard to keep going just relying on the bands. We’ve got huge overheads here… with rates and power bills and advertising,” she said. The Kings Arms' closure has raised concerns over the future of live music venues in Auckland. The closure of other venues like Lucha Lounge as well has spelt bad news for the live music community. Gordon says the closure of the Kings Arms will leave a hole in the market for venues of that capacity. “There’s going to be a gap for bands, definitely, that pull between 200-500. At the Kings Arms here we can have a gig of around 450 people in this room and it looks great, but we can still take up to five or six hundred.” The bar’s hosting an all-day party today, to celebrate the end.Teacher Shortage Worsens
New figures show interest in the teaching industry has declined by 40 percent. The number of people enrolled in teacher training has dropped from 14,000 to 5,000 since 2010. The number of people completing teaching qualifications has also declined to just 3,000. Minister for Education Chris Hipkins told 95bFM, “We need more teachers to be training, not fewer.” “What we’ve got to do is keep teachers who are currently in the classroom, bring back those people who might've taken a break from the teaching profession and then, over time of course, our real goal is training teachers”.National Admits to Housing Crisis
New National Party leader, Simon Bridges, admitted this morning that there is a housing crisis in New Zealand: “for those it concerns.” Speaking to RNZ Morning Report, Bridges said he believed his previous government may not have done enough on housing and the environment. Bridges’ acknowledgement that there is a housing crisis is significant because during National’s nine years in power the party never admitted to a crisis.West Coast Polytech Bailout
Tai Poutini Polytechnic on the West Coast has been struggling for several years, and is now failing to pay its debts. The institute has been given a $33 million bailout after a drop in enrolment. Minister of Education Chris Hipkins said the polytechnic is in a receivership situation, but the Crown is continuing to provide support because it is critical for tertiary education provision on the West Coast. He said teachers in polytechnics need to modernise their teaching methods to meet the needs of their students.Myrtle Rust Keeps Spreading
The Ministry for Primary Industries is lifting the restriction around Waitara, Taranaki after failing to contain the myrtle rust epidemic. The ban, introduced between June 2017 and February 2018, attempted to contain the fungal disease which attacks pohutukawa, manuka, rata, feijoas and others of the myrtle family. Myrtle rust incident controller Dr Catherine Duthie said the warm wet and windy weather has been optimal for myrtle rust sporulation and six regions are now known to be infected. MPI said they are continuing to research the fungal disease to better understand how the fungus behaves in New Zealand conditions and identify risk factors.Toxic Foam Contamination
A briefing released under the Official Information Act has shown toxic foam contamination in the Devonport Naval Base and Whenuapai air bases, and the shoreline of Ngataringa Bay. The toxic foam, otherwise known as PFOS, is a manmade chemical contained in fire fighting foams and has been legalised in NZ. The Defence Force is currently investigating how long the well has been contaminated.Campaign Against Alleged Genocide in Syria
A letter signed by more than 200 musicians, writers and artists is calling for world governments to stop the alleged genocide in Syria. The Syrian military is currently pursuing an offensive on the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta. Eastern Ghouta is now the last rebel stronghold near Damascus and has been under siege by President Assad’s forces since 2013. The United Nations and US diplomats are calling for the immediate end to the military campaign.Syrian-Kurdish Leader released
A prominent Syrian-Kurdish leader who was detained in the Czech Republic has been released by the state court, which has angered Turkey. Many in Turkey consider Saleh Muslim a terrorist, implicated in a 2016 bombing in Ankara which killed 37 people. The former co-chair of the Syrian-Kurdish movement was arrested by Czech authorities on Sunday, however he was released despite requests from Turkey for his extradition. Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag called the decision a "very clear support for terror". A Czech court representative said Muslim was released under the condition he would not leave the territory and would report to the court as requested. A military campaign against Syrian-Kurdish fighters is currently being carried out by Turkey in northern Syria.Germany Bans Some Old Polluters
A landmark ruling in Germany means several cities can now ban older diesel vehicles from certain areas. The Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig made the decision, meaning the cities of Dusseldorf and Stuttgart can now ban older polluting diesel cars from zones that have the worst pollution. Analysts say the ruling sets a precedent across Europe, and they expect similar action to take place elsewhere.Cholera Risk Increases in Yemen
The World Health Organisation is warning that the upcoming rainy season in Yemen may lead to a surge in cholera cases. Cholera Infections increased to over one million cases during December last year and caused the death of more than 2,000 people. Cholera is spread through food and water that is consumed by a contaminated person, that is then passed on and shared with other people. The United Nations is also concerned that food shortages in the region will lead to further famines if the conflict isn’t ceased.German Foodbank Refuses Food to Non-Citizens
A food bank in Germany is receiving criticism from many politicians for creating a so-called "Germans only" restriction for their service. The Charity known as Essener Tafel delivers food parcels to homes across the city of Essen and currently requires people to provide a German passport to receive free food. German Chancellor, Angela Merkel said "One shouldn't run services on the basis of such categorisations." She adds however, that it does show the amount of pressure there is on the service and how many needy people there are. The charity said it helps around 16,000 people in the city with foreigners making up 75 percent of that. They deny the restriction as having xenophobic motivation.Additional reporting: Reuben McLaren, Sae Strang, Jennifer Rose Tamati
LOCAL NEWS
The Kings Arms is closing down today. Long time King's Arms entertainment booker Lisa Gordon said the closure comes after mounting difficulties for the legendary venue. “It’s hard to keep going just relying on the bands. We’ve got huge overheads here… with rates and power bills and advertising,” she said. The Kings Arms' closure has raised concerns over the future of live music venues in Auckland. The closure of other venues like Lucha Lounge as well has spelt bad news for the live music community. Gordon says the closure of the Kings Arms will leave a hole in the market for venues of that capacity. “There’s going to be a gap for bands, definitely, that pull between 200-500. At the Kings Arms here we can have a gig of around 450 people in this room and it looks great, but we can still take up to five or six hundred.” The bar’s hosting an all-day party today, to celebrate the end.Teacher Shortage Worsens
New figures show interest in the teaching industry has declined by 40 percent. The number of people enrolled in teacher training has dropped from 14,000 to 5,000 since 2010. The number of people completing teaching qualifications has also declined to just 3,000. Minister for Education Chris Hipkins told 95bFM, “We need more teachers to be training, not fewer.” “What we’ve got to do is keep teachers who are currently in the classroom, bring back those people who might've taken a break from the teaching profession and then, over time of course, our real goal is training teachers”.
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New National Party leader, Simon Bridges, admitted this morning that there is a housing crisis in New Zealand: “for those it concerns.” Speaking to RNZ Morning Report, Bridges said he believed his previous government may not have done enough on housing and the environment. Bridges’ acknowledgement that there is a housing crisis is significant because during National’s nine years in power the party never admitted to a crisis.West Coast Polytech Bailout
Tai Poutini Polytechnic on the West Coast has been struggling for several years, and is now failing to pay its debts. The institute has been given a $33 million bailout after a drop in enrolment. Minister of Education Chris Hipkins said the polytechnic is in a receivership situation, but the Crown is continuing to provide support because it is critical for tertiary education provision on the West Coast. He said teachers in polytechnics need to modernise their teaching methods to meet the needs of their students.Myrtle Rust Keeps Spreading
The Ministry for Primary Industries is lifting the restriction around Waitara, Taranaki after failing to contain the myrtle rust epidemic. The ban, introduced between June 2017 and February 2018, attempted to contain the fungal disease which attacks pohutukawa, manuka, rata, feijoas and others of the myrtle family. Myrtle rust incident controller Dr Catherine Duthie said the warm wet and windy weather has been optimal for myrtle rust sporulation and six regions are now known to be infected. MPI said they are continuing to research the fungal disease to better understand how the fungus behaves in New Zealand conditions and identify risk factors.
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A briefing released under the Official Information Act has shown toxic foam contamination in the Devonport Naval Base and Whenuapai air bases, and the shoreline of Ngataringa Bay. The toxic foam, otherwise known as PFOS, is a manmade chemical contained in fire fighting foams and has been legalised in NZ. The Defence Force is currently investigating how long the well has been contaminated.
INTERNATIONAL
A letter signed by more than 200 musicians, writers and artists is calling for world governments to stop the alleged genocide in Syria. The Syrian military is currently pursuing an offensive on the Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta. Eastern Ghouta is now the last rebel stronghold near Damascus and has been under siege by President Assad’s forces since 2013. The United Nations and US diplomats are calling for the immediate end to the military campaign.Syrian-Kurdish Leader released
A prominent Syrian-Kurdish leader who was detained in the Czech Republic has been released by the state court, which has angered Turkey. Many in Turkey consider Saleh Muslim a terrorist, implicated in a 2016 bombing in Ankara which killed 37 people. The former co-chair of the Syrian-Kurdish movement was arrested by Czech authorities on Sunday, however he was released despite requests from Turkey for his extradition. Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag called the decision a "very clear support for terror". A Czech court representative said Muslim was released under the condition he would not leave the territory and would report to the court as requested. A military campaign against Syrian-Kurdish fighters is currently being carried out by Turkey in northern Syria.Germany Bans Some Old Polluters
A landmark ruling in Germany means several cities can now ban older diesel vehicles from certain areas. The Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig made the decision, meaning the cities of Dusseldorf and Stuttgart can now ban older polluting diesel cars from zones that have the worst pollution. Analysts say the ruling sets a precedent across Europe, and they expect similar action to take place elsewhere.Cholera Risk Increases in Yemen
The World Health Organisation is warning that the upcoming rainy season in Yemen may lead to a surge in cholera cases. Cholera Infections increased to over one million cases during December last year and caused the death of more than 2,000 people. Cholera is spread through food and water that is consumed by a contaminated person, that is then passed on and shared with other people. The United Nations is also concerned that food shortages in the region will lead to further famines if the conflict isn’t ceased.German Foodbank Refuses Food to Non-Citizens
A food bank in Germany is receiving criticism from many politicians for creating a so-called "Germans only" restriction for their service. The Charity known as Essener Tafel delivers food parcels to homes across the city of Essen and currently requires people to provide a German passport to receive free food. German Chancellor, Angela Merkel said "One shouldn't run services on the basis of such categorisations." She adds however, that it does show the amount of pressure there is on the service and how many needy people there are. The charity said it helps around 16,000 people in the city with foreigners making up 75 percent of that. They deny the restriction as having xenophobic motivation.Additional reporting: Reuben McLaren, Sae Strang, Jennifer Rose Tamati