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Everything you need to know about the world today, curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.Homeless People in Need of Shelter for the Colder Months
Emergency housing providers are scrambling to look for shelter for homeless people for the upcoming winter. The 2013 census showed more than 41,000 people were without homes or living in unsuitable accommodation. De Paul House on the North Shore has been housing people for 32 years. Manager Jan Rutledge said demand always peaks in winter, with people having to be waitlisted to get space. More than 700 large families are waiting for state housing in Auckland, however, Housing New Zealand has only 46 houses to offer them. Māori and Pacific New Zealanders have some of the lowest homeownership rates in the country—less than 40 percent of Pasifika and 50 percent of Māori own their home, compared to 70 percent of Pākehā. Housing Minister Phil Twyford says the government will be announcing this package in the next few weeks, which will include emergency and transitional housing.Building Costs Continue to Increase
Fire engineers are accusing councils of making illegal demands on them which are inflating building costs. A group of five small engineering companies has joined together to put pressure on councils. In 2013 a fire design on a small warehouse would have cost between $1200-$1500, but have costs has increased from at least $4000 up to $20,000. Kenneth Crawford of Pacific Consultants said it is taking months to obtain building consents and only pushing up costs. Before the design process has even begun fire engineers are made to consult with Fire and Emergency NZ, the owner, the architect and an engineering reviewer. The process can take anywhere from six months to two years.A Gallipoli Tour Bus Caught Fire
A bus heading to Gallipoli for Anzac Day went up in flames. The bus was carrying a group of Australians and 15 New Zealanders. All of the passengers survived and were able to get off the bus in time before it burst into flames. A New Zealand woman who escaped said a lot of people didn't have time to grab their belongings or passports. The New Zealand embassy in Turkey is currently working with the passengers to get them emergency passports.Windrush Victims 'Not British Enough'
A former British High Commissioner said he was left powerless after the British home office refused his then-infant son, a British passport saying he was not British enough. Arthur Snell served as a high commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago for four years. His newborn son was then refused British citizenship in 2011 and was not eligible for Trinidadian citizenship. His testimony comes after a wave of controversies from the Windrush generation, a group of undocumented immigrants who entered the UK from the Caribbean after the World War II. Many of the immigrants, who had been living in the UK since they were months old, were later evicted from their homes and forced out of long-term jobs, due to supposed illegal immigrant status under the current British government.US Federal Judge Orders Trump Administration to Resume DACA
A third US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore a programme to allow young undocumented immigrants to remain in the country. US District Court of Columbia judge John Bates said the move to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was unexplained. Judge Bates has given the administration 90 days to justify their action, before his ruling is used. US President Trump reversed Obama's DACA programme when he came into power. DACA protects 800,000 people in America from deportation. At the moment the scheme is closed to new entrants but existing members continue to get the benefits of the scheme while it remains in power.Kuwait Expels Philippines for Helping Maids Escape
Kuwait has expelled its Filipino ambassador after authorities discovered a video of Philippine embassy staff helping Filipino maids flee. The Filipino maids were fleeing from abusive employers in Kuwait. The Kuwait foreign ministry said the action against Ambassador Renato Villa is in retaliation for undiplomatic acts by Philippine Embassy staff. Kuwait has ordered the ambassador of the Philippines to leave the country within a week. Philippine foreign secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said the embassy had to assist Filipino workers as some had sought help for situations in a matter of life and death. Cayetano said the Philippines respects the sovereignty and laws of Kuwait and apologised for their actions, but the welfare of Filipino workers was more important.Qatari Man Tortured Over Links to Al-Qaida
A Qatari man has spoken out about his incarceration and alleges he was tortured on US soil after being accused of being linked to al-Qaida. Ali Al-Marri arrived in Chicago in September 2001 with his wife and 5 children. He says he moved to the US to study, but the FBI alleged that he had used an encyclopaedia to study US waterways and had printouts of hundreds of American credit card numbers. He was arrested in December and would not see his family until 2015. Al-Marri alleges he was then subject to torture and solitary confinement at a naval brig in South Carolina. Al-Marri maintains his innocence and wants his captors held accountable. The FBI said in a statement that they do not engage in torture and maintain their interrogation techniques remain effective.Additional reporting: Darashpreet Johal, Luci Ma’asi, Leah Garcia-Purves
LOCAL NEWS
Emergency housing providers are scrambling to look for shelter for homeless people for the upcoming winter. The 2013 census showed more than 41,000 people were without homes or living in unsuitable accommodation. De Paul House on the North Shore has been housing people for 32 years. Manager Jan Rutledge said demand always peaks in winter, with people having to be waitlisted to get space. More than 700 large families are waiting for state housing in Auckland, however, Housing New Zealand has only 46 houses to offer them. Māori and Pacific New Zealanders have some of the lowest homeownership rates in the country—less than 40 percent of Pasifika and 50 percent of Māori own their home, compared to 70 percent of Pākehā. Housing Minister Phil Twyford says the government will be announcing this package in the next few weeks, which will include emergency and transitional housing.Building Costs Continue to Increase
Fire engineers are accusing councils of making illegal demands on them which are inflating building costs. A group of five small engineering companies has joined together to put pressure on councils. In 2013 a fire design on a small warehouse would have cost between $1200-$1500, but have costs has increased from at least $4000 up to $20,000. Kenneth Crawford of Pacific Consultants said it is taking months to obtain building consents and only pushing up costs. Before the design process has even begun fire engineers are made to consult with Fire and Emergency NZ, the owner, the architect and an engineering reviewer. The process can take anywhere from six months to two years.
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A bus heading to Gallipoli for Anzac Day went up in flames. The bus was carrying a group of Australians and 15 New Zealanders. All of the passengers survived and were able to get off the bus in time before it burst into flames. A New Zealand woman who escaped said a lot of people didn't have time to grab their belongings or passports. The New Zealand embassy in Turkey is currently working with the passengers to get them emergency passports.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
A former British High Commissioner said he was left powerless after the British home office refused his then-infant son, a British passport saying he was not British enough. Arthur Snell served as a high commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago for four years. His newborn son was then refused British citizenship in 2011 and was not eligible for Trinidadian citizenship. His testimony comes after a wave of controversies from the Windrush generation, a group of undocumented immigrants who entered the UK from the Caribbean after the World War II. Many of the immigrants, who had been living in the UK since they were months old, were later evicted from their homes and forced out of long-term jobs, due to supposed illegal immigrant status under the current British government.US Federal Judge Orders Trump Administration to Resume DACA
A third US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore a programme to allow young undocumented immigrants to remain in the country. US District Court of Columbia judge John Bates said the move to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was unexplained. Judge Bates has given the administration 90 days to justify their action, before his ruling is used. US President Trump reversed Obama's DACA programme when he came into power. DACA protects 800,000 people in America from deportation. At the moment the scheme is closed to new entrants but existing members continue to get the benefits of the scheme while it remains in power.Kuwait Expels Philippines for Helping Maids Escape
Kuwait has expelled its Filipino ambassador after authorities discovered a video of Philippine embassy staff helping Filipino maids flee. The Filipino maids were fleeing from abusive employers in Kuwait. The Kuwait foreign ministry said the action against Ambassador Renato Villa is in retaliation for undiplomatic acts by Philippine Embassy staff. Kuwait has ordered the ambassador of the Philippines to leave the country within a week. Philippine foreign secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said the embassy had to assist Filipino workers as some had sought help for situations in a matter of life and death. Cayetano said the Philippines respects the sovereignty and laws of Kuwait and apologised for their actions, but the welfare of Filipino workers was more important.Qatari Man Tortured Over Links to Al-Qaida
A Qatari man has spoken out about his incarceration and alleges he was tortured on US soil after being accused of being linked to al-Qaida. Ali Al-Marri arrived in Chicago in September 2001 with his wife and 5 children. He says he moved to the US to study, but the FBI alleged that he had used an encyclopaedia to study US waterways and had printouts of hundreds of American credit card numbers. He was arrested in December and would not see his family until 2015. Al-Marri alleges he was then subject to torture and solitary confinement at a naval brig in South Carolina. Al-Marri maintains his innocence and wants his captors held accountable. The FBI said in a statement that they do not engage in torture and maintain their interrogation techniques remain effective.Additional reporting: Darashpreet Johal, Luci Ma’asi, Leah Garcia-Purves