New Zealand

Golriz Ghahraman - Australia News

A New Zealand lawmaker was given a security escort on Tuesday after threats against her by white supremacists opposed to her views on hate speech, a rare precaution in a country where politicians mingle freely with the public. A debate on hate speech has been raging in New Zealand since the mass shooting in Christchurch on March 15 by a suspected white supremacist that killed 51 people and wounded dozens. Green party lawmaker Golriz Ghahraman, a human rights lawyer who was born in Iran and came to New Zealand as a child refugee, has seen an escalation of threats against her in recent weeks. Ghahraman would now be accompanied by a security escort when she leaves parliament, she told reporters on Tuesday, as the police deemed the threats were serious enough to warrant the extra security. “It’s distressing to have secret white supremacist groups talking about you,” said Ghahraman, who is among a handful of parliamentarians from ethnic minority communities. “After Christchurch, New Zealand has asked us to be different. New Zealanders want us to debate issues robustly, but to keep personal attacks out of it. We have all learnt that words, including online posts, have consequences,” she told reporters in parliament. Ghahraman has called for hate speech to be monitored, infuriating opponents, some of whom have accused her of trying to curb freedom. Online threats have been more alarming. The media group Newshub gave details in a report on white supremacy of threats in private online groups against GhahramanHere's the full story.

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Christchurch Attacks - New Zealand

An inquiry into Christchurch’s mosques shooting massacre began hearing evidence on Monday, as New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern prepared to co-host a meeting in France that seeks global support to tackle online violence. A lone gunman killed 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch on March 15 while livestreaming the massacre on Facebook. It was New Zealand’s worst peace time shooting. New Zealand’s Royal Commission inquiry will look into the suspected gunman’s activities, use of social media and international connections, as well as whether there was inappropriate priority settings in counter terrorism resources. “The commission’s findings will help to ensure such an attack never happens here again,” Jacinda Ardern said in a statement announcing a second commissioner to the inquiry. The Royal Commission’s website said it would gather information until August. It will report its findings to the government on December 10. Some in the Muslim community called for better communication about the inquiry. “Many of us in the Muslim community have not received any information about the process for hearings…..so many of us in the community very much feel out of the loop,” said Wellington-based community advocate Guled Mire. “Ultimately, we want our voices to be heard and to no longer be ignored, so hopefully steps are taken to ensure information is directly communicated to members of the Muslim community.” The Royal Commission did not immediately respond to request for comment. Ardern is in Paris this week to co-chair a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron on WednesdayHere's the full story.

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Belt and Road - Silk Road - China News

New Zealand is willing to work with China on its Belt and Road initiative and can offer its expertise in areas such as regulation and the environment, officials from the Pacific nation’s government said on Monday.

The investment policy championed by Chinese President Xi Jinping has become mired in controversy, with some partner nations bemoaning the high cost of projects. But China’s recent efforts to put a greener face on its infrastructure initiative could smoothen ties with some countries.

“It seems more likely that we can find a win-win situation with China, whether it’s greening the Belt and Road, or helping address some of the issues...around transparency or whether it’s using our regulatory systems, which are amongst the best in the world,” New Zealand’s trade minister David Parker said at an annual China-focused business summit in Auckland.

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Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern - Jacinda Ardern - New Zealand Politics News Today

Jacinda Ardern (Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern) was born on 26 July 1980 in Hamilton, New Zealand, and grew up rurally. She attended a Morrinsville College before graduating from the University of Waikato with a Bachelor of Communication Studies in Politics and Public Relations.

Post-university, she worked as an advisor in the office of then-Prime Minister Helen Clark, in London for the Government Cabinet Office and as an Assistant Director in the Department for Business and Enterprise, and on a review of Policing in England and Wales.

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RELATIVE OF PALESTINIAN MAHMOUD ABU TAIMA

Justine Sachs and Nadia Abu-Shanab said last week they would not pay the fine of 45,000 shekels ($12,423.05) awarded to three Israeli teenagers, calling the court’s ruling a “stunt” intended to intimidate Israel’s critics.

“Given that we’ve actually had this kind of push upon us – we felt that it was expedient to actually recenter the issue back on Palestine,” Abu-Shanab told Radio New Zealand.Here's the full story.