News brief

New Zealand expands rights for survivors of domestic violence. Those who have suffered from domestic violence will be allowed to cut ties to abusive spouses more quickly after lawmakers unanimously voted on Oct. 16 to exempt them from a mandatory two-year “cooling off” separation period. A survivor of abuse can now seek dissolution of their marriage or civil partnership as soon as a protection order is granted against their spouse. All 123 members of parliament voted in favor in a rare show of political unity. New Zealand’s domestic violence figures are considered one of the country’s most entrenched social problems.