woRLd UK AUSTRALIA Turkey ‘to release IS …...2019/11/12 · Payday loans victimise millions Millions of vulnerable Australians are falling victim to payday lenders, with more

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november 12 (GmT) – november 13 (AeST), 2019

AUSTRALIAUKwoRLd

Turkey ‘to release IS prisoners’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has issued a veiled threat suggesting Turkey could release the Islamic State group prisoners it holds and send them to Europe, angered at a EU decision to impose sanctions on his country over its drilling for gas in Mediterranean waters off Cyprus.

delhi air quality sinks to ‘severe’

A thick grey haze has blanketed India’s capital, with authorities attempting to reduce the pollution by sprinkling water to settle dust and banning some construction. The air quality index exceeded 400, considered “severe” and about eight times the recommended maximum, according to the state-run Central Pollution Control Board.

Nervous wait as wind changes

Millions of NSW residents are nervously waiting to see whether a southerly wind change sweeping across the state will make bushfires burning under “catastrophic” conditions even more dangerous. Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says conditions should ease but firefighters face an “enormous” battle before then.

Clinton criticises UK government

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she’s “dumbfounded” the UK government has failed to release a report on Russian influence in British politics as the country prepares for national elections. Clinton said the public needs to know what is in the report by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee.

Labour’s free education pledge

Every adult would be entitled to six years of free study under Labour plans to bring vocational education in line with university degrees, and to stamp out a skills shortage. Jeremy Corbyn and shadow education secretary Angela Rayner will propose free A-level access for adults and grants for low-earners as part of the party’s commitment to forge a national education service providing “cradle-to-grave” learning for all.

South Auckland ‘neglected’

South Auckland has been neglected since the formation of the Auckland super city in 2010, re-elected mayor Phil Goff admits. And while a number of projects are underway in the region’s south, Goff has struggled to point to specific plans due for completion within the first year of his new term.

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AUSTRALIAUKNoRTH AMERICA

Highest count of kids in custody

A three-year-old girl traveled for weeks cradled in her father’s arms, as he set out to seek asylum in the United States. now she won’t even look at him. After being forcibly separated at the border by government officials, abused in US foster care and deported, the once bright and beaming girl arrived back in Honduras withdrawn, anxious and angry, convinced her father abandoned her.

Rare deer-like species spotted

A tiny deer-like species, not seen by scientists for nearly 30 years, has been photographed in a forest in southern Vietnam. Conservationists say images of the silver-backed chevrotain, commonly called the Vietnamese mouse deer, were captured in the wild by trap cameras.

Payday loans victimise millions

Millions of vulnerable Australians are falling victim to payday lenders, with more than 135,000 short-term, high-interest loans being written a month.New data compiled by the Stop The Debt Trap alliance, comprised of 20 consumer advocacy groups, showed in the last three-and-a-half years 4.7 million payday loans have been written, totalling about $3.1 billion.

Labour hit by cyber attack

Hackers have mounted a “sophisticated and large scale cyber attack” on labour’s digital platforms, the party has said. A spokeswoman said the incident had been reported to the national Cyber Security Centre but they were confident no data breach had occurred. Some campaigning activities were temporarily slowed, but the systems were back up to speed

Sharp decline in employment

UK employment suffered its sharpest decline in more than four years in the three months to September as the number of job vacancies also plunged, new figures reveal. The number of people in work declined by 58,000 to 32.75 million in the quarter, as the number of people becoming economically inactive jumped higher, the office for national Statistics (onS) said.

Principals welcome reforms

There are early signs principals and teachers will support the biggest overhaul of the school system in 30 years. The plan announced includes creating a new division of the Education Ministry to work more closely with schools, minimum standards for people who want to be principals, and a disputes tribunal where families can contest school decisions.

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world

A candy vendor walks amid smog as he looks for customers in new delhi. - AP

Delhi air quality sinks to ‘severe’A thick grey haze has blanketed India’s capital, with authorities attempting to reduce the pollution by sprinkling water to settle dust and banning some construction.

The air quality index exceeded 400, considered “severe” and about eight times the recommended maximum, according to the state-run Central Pollution Control Board.

Buildings and monuments in new delhi were largely obscured by the haze and residents complained of health effects.

“We can’t breathe properly. my eyes are burning,” said Urmila devi, who lives in Ghaziabad, one of the capital’s most polluted areas.

Favourable winds had briefly halved the level of pollutants, but winds blowing from the north-west carried air-borne particles from burning crops in Punjab and Haryana states to New Delhi, leading again to high levels of pollution, according to the government’s air quality monitoring system, SAFAR.

Air pollution in northern India peaks in the winter due to smoke from agricultural fires. Farmers say they are unfairly criticised and have no choice but to burn stubble to prepare their fields for the next crop.

The smoke from fields mixes with vehicle emissions and construction dust, making new delhi the world’s most-polluted capital.

Rising pollution levels have also irked foreign visitors, with some saying they plan to cut short their trips because of health concerns.

“We are in the capital of india. The government should put more effort into tackling this problem,” said Rijil odamvalappil of Abu dhabi, who was visiting new delhi with his wife.

Some residents say the pollution is so bad that it should be the most important issue for the government. ■

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. - AP

world

Turkey threatens to release IS prisonersTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has issued a veiled threat suggesting Turkey could release the Islamic State group prisoners it holds and send them to Europe, angered at a EU decision to impose sanctions on his country over its drilling for gas in Mediterranean waters off Cyprus.

Erdogan also said Turkey would continue repatriating foreign Islamic State militants to their home countries, even if those countries decline to take them back.

“You should revise your stance toward Turkey, which at the moment holds so many IS members in prison and at the same time controls those in Syria,” Erdogan warned European nations, a day after the EU unveiled a system to sanction Turkey.

He added: “These gates will open and these iS members who have started to be sent to you will continue to be sent. Then you can take care of your own problem.”

Erdogan’s comments came as Turkey launched a new push to send back captured foreign fighters to their home countries, telling Western nations that Turkey was not a “hotel” for iS fighters and criticising them for their reluctance to take back citizens who had joined the ranks of the extremist group as it sought to establish a “caliphate” in iraq and Syria.

Turkey deported citizens of the United States, Denmark and Germany and announced plans to soon expel seven other German nationals, two irish nationals and 11 French nationals.

Turkey said last week that about 1200 iS militants were in Turkish prisons and 287 iS members, including women and children, were captured during Turkey’s offensive in Syria, launched last month.

The latest spat with the EU is over exploration for gas around EU member Cyprus. Turkish drillships, escorted by warships, began exploratory drilling this summer in waters where Cyprus says it has exclusive economic rights. Turkey says it is protecting its rights and those of Turkish Cypriots on the divided island. ■

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uk

labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. - AP

Labour to announce free education pledgeEvery adult would be entitled to six years of free study under Labour plans to bring vocational education in line with university degrees, and to stamp out a skills shortage.

Jeremy Corbyn and shadow education secretary Angela Rayner will propose free A-level access for adults and grants for low-earners as part of the party’s commitment to forge a national education service providing “cradle-to-grave” learning for all.

labour also wants the proposals, costing more than £3 billion, to aid its “green industrial revolution” by giving adults the skills needed to tackle the climate crisis and to prevent people being shut out of work by automation.

Business owners and unions praised the plans but the Tories were critical, claiming Labour will not be able to follow through on its plans due to Brexit uncertainty, with the party backing a further EU referendum.

The labour leader and Rayner are to visit Blackpool to pledge the free entitlement to six years of study for undergraduate degrees and equivalents such as diplomas and foundation degrees.

The entitlement would also be extended to certificates and diplomas of higher education in areas such as engineering technicians, nursing associates and professional accounting technicians.

Any adult without an A-level or equivalent qualification would be able to attend college and study them for free.

Grants to support low-income adults through their courses would also be made available if Labour wins the December 12 General Election. ■

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. - AP

uk

Clinton ‘dumbfounded’ by UK governmentFormer US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she’s “dumbfounded” the UK government has failed to release a report on Russian influence in British politics as the country prepares for national elections.

Clinton said the public needs to know what is in the report by Parliament’s intelligence and Security Committee.

The former US presidential candidate says: “i’m dumbfounded that this government won’t release the report… because every person who votes in this country deserves to see that report before your election happens.”

An investigation into Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election found illegal interference occurred in a “sweeping and systemic fashion”.

Bill Browder, a former investment manager in Russia, said he gave the committee evidence on wealthy Russians working to influence British politics. ■

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mayor Phil Goff. - RnZ

S Auckland ‘neglected under super city’ South Auckland has been neglected since the formation of the Auckland super city in 2010, re-elected mayor Phil Goff admits.

And while a number of projects are underway in the region’s south, Goff has struggled to point to specific plans due for completion within the first year of his new term.

Goff, who stormed to victory in october’s election to secure three more years as new Zealand’s second most powerful political leader, suggested the south had not been properly looked after since Auckland Council’s formation nine years ago.

“i think that what you’ve had is a degree of neglect in the south and certainly you’ve got the greatest areas of disadvantage in the south,” he said.

“We are part of one city, and this city has to be inclusive.“it has to have networks that go right across the city because

there’ll be people that live in the south that work in the centre, there’ll be people that travel from the centre out into the south.”

The cost of housing and transport were the two biggest challenges faced by south Auckland ratepayers, Goff said.

“i think it’s getting more houses built to deal with shortage and unaffordability, [and] strengthening our transport network to stop ever-increasing congestion and gridlock,” he said.

But asked what he would be able to point to as progress a year from now, the mayor did not give specific examples of projects deliverable within the next 12 months.

“The two big things i think are more housing, including social housing, and that’s critical because you look what people spend as a percentage of their income on housing,” he said.

“That’s what is crippling and causes poverty.”Goff pointed to manukau’s Barrowcliffe Place development,

which, according to the council-owned development agency Panuku, would result in 300 new homes over the next five years.

Fifty per cent of the dwellings were to be sold under an affordable housing scheme. ■

Firefighters work to save a house on Bullocky Way, Possum Brush. - AAP

AuSTrAlIA

Nervous wait as wind change hits firesMillions of NSw residents are nervously waiting to see whether a southerly wind change sweeping across the state will make bushfires burning under “catastrophic” conditions even more dangerous.

Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons says conditions should ease but firefighters face an “enormous” battle before then.

There were 13 fires burning at emergency warning level from just north of Sydney all the way to the Queensland border.

At one point during the afternoon, there were 15 emergency fires, which was close to Friday’s record of 17.

“We’ve got a long way to go given the enormity of some of these fires,” Fitzsimmons said.

“The fire west of Coffs Harbour is now up to 150,000 hectares in size and it’s only going to grow over the coming hours.”

Firefighting efforts will be hampered as darkness falls because water-bombing aircraft can’t be used overnight, Fitzsimmons said.

“All these fires up in northern nSW particularly that are still burning very actively are going to have southerly changes hitting them when there’s no longer aircraft.

“We’re relying very much on firefighters and people on the ground to deal with what the southerly change will bring.”

A catastrophic fire danger rating – the highest possible – was current for the Greater Sydney, Greater Hunter and illawarra-Shoalhaven regions.

Some 80 fires were burning at 7pm from nowra all the way up to Woodenbong on the border. About 40 were uncontained.

The emergency blazes include fires in the Wollemi national Park near lithgow, at Taree on the mid-north coast and inland from Port macquarie. ■

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world

A silver-backed chevrotain. - AP

Rare deer-like species photographedA tiny deer-like species, not seen by scientists for nearly 30 years, has been photographed in a forest in southern Vietnam.

Conservationists say images of the silver-backed chevrotain, commonly called the Vietnamese mouse deer, were captured in the wild by trap cameras.

Global Wildlife Conservation said the rabbit-sized animal is not a deer or a mouse, despite its nickname, but is the world’s smallest hoofed mammal.

It says they are shy and solitary, have two tiny fangs, appear to walk on the tips of their hooves, and have a silver sheen. ■

A Honduran father is separated from his three-year-old daughter at the border after

traveling to seek asylum in the US. - AP

NorTH AMErICA

A record number of migrant kids in custodyA three-year-old girl traveled for weeks cradled in her father’s arms, as he set out to seek asylum in the United States. Now she won’t even look at him.

After being forcibly separated at the border by government officials, abused in US foster care and deported, the once bright and beaming girl arrived back in Honduras withdrawn, anxious and angry, convinced her father abandoned her.

He fears their bond is forever broken. “i think about this trauma staying with her too, because the trauma has remained with me and still hasn’t faded,” he said, days after their reunion.

This month, new government data shows the little girl is one of an unprecedented 69,550 migrant children held in US government custody over the past year, enough infants, toddlers, kids and teens to overflow the typical nFl stadium.

That’s more kids detained away from their parents than any other country, according to United nations researchers. And it’s happening even though the US government has acknowledged that being held in detention can be traumatic for children, putting them at risk of long-term physical and emotional damage.

Some of these migrant children who were in government custody this year have already been deported.

Some have reunited with family in the US, where they’re trying to go to school and piece back together their lives.

About 4000 are still in government custody, some in large, impersonal shelters. And more arrive every week. ■

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uk

Sharp decline in employmentUK employment suffered its sharpest decline in more than four years in the three months to September as the number of job vacancies also plunged, new figures reveal.

The number of people in work declined by 58,000 to 32.75 million in the quarter, as the number of people becoming economically inactive jumped higher, the office for national Statistics (onS) said.

However, the slump in employment was smaller than analysts predicted, having forecast a decline of 102,000.

The quarterly decline in employment was nevertheless the heaviest since may 2015, when the level fell by 65,000.

The ONS said the falling number of people working in retail, on the back of a number of a recent major collapses and store closure programmes on the high street, significantly contributed to the slump in employment.

Despite the falling number of people in work, the number of people who were unemployed for the period also fell, dipping by 23,000 to 1.31 million.

Analysts had predicted that the rate of employment would stay flat at 3.9 per cent, but the figures revealed a decrease to 3.8 per cent for the period.

The fall in both employment and unemployment was driven by an increase in the number of people deemed economically inactive, which covers people who have not been seeking work or are unable to work.

The slowdown in the labour market was also highlighted by another decline in the number of UK job vacancies, with the number of roles reporting the biggest annual drop in almost 10 years.

The ninth consecutive monthly slump in vacancies saw the number of positions advertised fall by 18,000 to 800,000 as the rate of decline accelerated from the previous period. ■

uk

Labour party hit by large-scale cyber attackHackers have mounted a “sophisticated and large scale cyber attack” on Labour’s digital platforms, the party has said.

A spokeswoman said the incident had been reported to the national Cyber Security Centre but they were confident no data breach had occurred.

Some campaigning activities were temporarily slowed, but the systems were back up to speed.

“We have experienced a sophisticated and large-scale cyber attack on labour digital platforms,” the spokeswoman said.

“We took swift action and these attempts failed due to our robust security systems. The integrity of all our platforms was maintained and we are confident that no data breach occurred.

“our security procedures have slowed down some of our campaign activities, but these were restored this morning and we are back up to full speed.

“We have reported the matter to the national Cyber Security Centre.” ■

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Principals welcome education reformsThere are early signs principals and teachers will support the biggest overhaul of the school system in 30 years.

The plan announced includes creating a new division of the Education Ministry to work more closely with schools, minimum standards for people who want to be principals, and a disputes tribunal where families can contest school decisions.

The reforms respond to long-standing complaints about weaknesses in the devolved and competitive system of school governance and management introduced by the Tomorrow’s Schools reforms of 1989.

Education minister Chris Hipkins said the proposals were less contentious than a first draft made by an independent review taskforce last year and he expected teachers and principals would agree with about 80 per cent of the plan.

A significant change in the final proposals was the omission of a system of 20 hubs that would have taken over many of the responsibilities of school boards and principals.

The taskforce instead recommended the creation of a new division within the Education Ministry to be called the Education Support Agency, which would have regional offices that would work directly with schools. ■

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Payday loans victimise millions of AussiesMillions of vulnerable Australians are falling victim to payday lenders, with more than 135,000 short-term, high-interest loans being written a month.

New data compiled by the Stop The Debt Trap alliance, comprised of 20 consumer advocacy groups, showed in the last three-and-a-half years 4.7 million payday loans have been written, totalling about $3.1 billion.

The number of loans written per month has skyrocketed from about 100,000 in 2016 to 135,000 between January and July this year.

Victoria recorded 275,624 new payday loans between January and July this year, the most of any state or territory, followed by nSW with 254,242 new loans.

The fastest growth has been in Tasmania and Western Australia, with rises of 15.5 per cent and 13.5 per cent respectively.

The number of women using payday loans has also risen from 177,000 in 2016 to 287,000 in 2019.

“Forty-one per cent of these women are single mothers,” Gerard Brody from the Consumer Action law Centre said.

“Women who are doing it tough are being inflicted harm by payday lenders.”

Payday loans, or small amount credit contracts, are short-term, high-interest loans for amounts up to $2000.

Lenders can charge annual interest rates between 112 and 407 per cent and are known to target people in financial stress, often trapping them in a cycle of debt.

it is estimated about 15 per cent of borrowers will fall into a debt spiral, which can cause bankruptcy.

Stop The Debt Trap wants the federal government to urgently introduce tougher regulations for payday lenders.

“While Prime minister Scott morrison and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg are acting all tough when it comes to big banks and financial institutions following the financial services royal commission, why are they letting payday lenders escape legislative reform?” Brody said. ■

AuSTrAlIA

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woRLd UK AUSTRALIA Turkey ‘to release IS …...2019/11/12 · Payday loans victimise millions Millions of vulnerable Australians are falling victim to payday lenders, with more