JULY 23 (GMT) – JULY 24 (AEST), 2020

YOUR DAILY TOP 12 STORIES FROM FRANK NEWS

FULL STORIES START ON PAGE 3

USA WORLD AUSTRALIA

California infections surpass NY Olympics hit 1-year-to-go mark Net debt to hit record high

A record one-day total of newly The Tokyo Olympics have hit the one- Australia’s net debt will soar to a record confirmed coronavirus cases gave year-to-go mark — again. But few are in $677.1 billion this financial year as the California more than 415,000 since the a mood to celebrate. Tokyo observed the nation grapples with the coronavirus pandemic began, sending it past New original date a year ago. That was before recession. Net debt was estimated to be York for the most in the country, data the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the $488.2 billion or 24.6 per cent of GDP shows. Olympics and pushed back the opening at the end of 2019-20, rising to 35.7 per to July 23, 2021. Fireworks cascaded cent in 2020-21. over Tokyo Bay back then, and local celebrities unveiled the medals in a highly choreographed show.

UK CANADA NEW ZEALAND

Push to extend holiday season Funding plea to avert crisis Fisherman capture giant squid

The Government has been urged by MPs With an uptick in new cases of COVID-19 Marine experts hope a rarely seen squid to do more to promote an extension of in Canada sparking concerns about a fished up near Whakaari/ White Island the UK’s summer holiday season to boost second wave of the illness, advocates will provide new clues about the recently the struggling tourism industry. A report for seniors in long-term care say more recognised species. The 60kg squid was by the Commons’ Digital, Culture, Media federal support must start flowing caught at a depth of 1000m off the island and Sport Committee found that capacity immediately to ensure elders do not about five weeks ago by a fishing boat. constraints caused by social distancing again become the primary casualties. requirements have made “smoothing out demand more important than ever”.

1 JULY 23 (GMT) – JULY 24 (AEST), 2020

YOUR DAILY TOP 12 STORIES FROM FRANK NEWS

FULL STORIES START ON PAGE 6

WORLD EUROPE AUSTRALIA

China launch Mars mission Residents flee wildfire in Greece Aged care riddled with clusters

China has launched its most ambitious More than 250 firefighters are struggling More aged care centres in Victoria have Mars mission yet in a bold attempt to to contain a large wildfire fanned by become hives for coronavirus outbreaks join the United States in successfully strong winds that is raging through with three further deaths linked to the landing a spacecraft on the red planet. forests, forcing the evacuation of six sector. Three of the latest five deaths in The Tianwen-1 was launched on a Long settlements in southern Greece. the state are connected to aged care – a March-5 carrier rocket from a launch site woman in her 70s and two men in their on Hainan Island. 80s and 90s.

USA EUROPE NEW ZEALAND

Funding boost for nursing homes Boys saved from apartment fall Kiwis called to help track whales

Fearing another grim wave of nursing Two young brothers have been Scientists are asking for the public’s help home deaths as COVID-19 cases saved from an apartment fire in the in tracking Tohorā or southern right rebound, President Donald Trump southeastern French city of Grenoble whales as they return to New Zealand announced his administration will when they dropped about 10 meters (33 waters. After being hunted to the brink of provide $5 billion to help facilities feet) from a window and were caught by extinction by the early 20th Century, their counter the virus. people below. numbers are increasing.

2 JULY 23 (GMT) – JULY 24 (AEST), 2020

Two women and a child wait to take a Coronavirus test at a mobile testing site at the People enjoying the outdoor bars during sunny weather on Brighton Beach. - PA Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science. - AP

USA UK California infections Push to extend holiday surpass NY season

A record one-day total of newly confirmed coronavirus The Government has been urged by MPs to do more cases gave California more than 415,000 since the to promote an extension of the UK’s summer holiday pandemic began, sending it past New York for the most season to boost the struggling tourism industry. in the country, data shows. A report by the Commons’ Digital, Culture, Media and Sport California’s cases have climbed rapidly in the last month, Committee found that capacity constraints caused by social punctuated by the 12,807 recorded over a 24-hour period, distancing requirements have made “smoothing out demand while New York’s have fallen to less than 1000 per day. more important than ever”. California’s overall total is about 6000 more than New York’s, It stated that reducing the seasonality of the tourism sector according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. is vital both this year and in 2021. The surge of cases in California came after much of its This is because many businesses will need to earn as much economy was reopened in May and early June following nearly money as possible in the coming months to survive, and a three months under the nation’s first statewide stay-at-home number of bookings have been deferred until next year. order that forced most businesses to close and restricted The committee called on the Government to launch a where people could go. “national campaign” to restore consumer confidence in the Statewide, hospitalizations have nearly doubled in the past domestic holiday market. month to more than 7100 patients. Coronavirus patients in If this is done quickly, there is “still time to boost the end of intensive care have risen 71 per cent over the same time frame the summer plus the autumn and 2021 market”, according to to more than 2000 patients. the report. Gov. Gavin Newsom and health officials have blamed the “Such a campaign will be hugely beneficial in assisting the increase on people – many of them younger adults – gathering tourism industry in clawing back some of the business it has with friends and family and not wearing masks or maintaining lost during the lockdown period and will help to fill the hole left social distancing. by the sharp decrease in international visitors to the UK.” At the end of June, Newsom began reimposing shutdowns. The committee also found that more needs to be done to Bars and inside dining are again forbidden statewide and help seasonal workers who missed out on the Government’s tougher restrictions – including bans on indoor religious furlough scheme due to not being paid or reported to HM services and in-person instruction at schools and closures of Revenue and Customs by the cut-off date of March 19. indoor malls and gyms – have been imposed on virtually every Its report stated: “Seasonal workers in the tourism industry large county and some small ones where the outbreak is most are falling between the cracks in the Coronavirus Job Retention severe. Scheme. Officials say it’s still too soon to know if the new restrictions “We recommend that DCMS (the Department for Digital, will adequately slow the spread of the virus. Culture, Media and Sport) works with the tourism sector and Meantime, the lure of sunny skies has beckoned families and HM Treasury to review the measures in place to support friends to gather for barbecues and pool parties despite pleas tourism businesses and seasonal workers to ensure they fully from public health officials to stay home.■ meet the needs of the sector.” ■

3 JULY 23 (GMT) – JULY 24 (AEST), 2020

A countdown calendar shows 356 days to the start of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. - AP Flowers are shown outside Maison Herron, a long term care home in the Montreal suburb of Dorval. - CP

WORLD CANADA Olympics hit 1-year-to- Funding plea to avert go mark - again second-wave crisis

The Tokyo Olympics have hit the one-year-to-go mark — With an uptick in new cases of COVID-19 in Canada again. But few are in a mood to celebrate. sparking concerns about a second wave of the illness, advocates for seniors in long-term care say more federal Tokyo observed the original date a year ago. That was before support must start flowing immediately to ensure elders the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the Olympics and pushed do not again become the primary casualties. back the opening to July 23, 2021. Fireworks cascaded over Tokyo Bay back then, and local celebrities unveiled the medals The Canadian Association for Long Term Care says the sector in a highly choreographed show. has long fallen through the cracks and that this lack of support There’s none of that this time. helped create conditions that led to widespread COVID-19 Organizers produced a 15-minute, no-fans event inside the outbreaks and deaths in nursing homes across Canada. new national stadium; screening a video to promote next year’s Now that the pandemic has laid bare the fragility of the long- opening. They also teased the presence of the Olympic flame, term care system, association chair Jodi Hall says the Liberals which arrived in Japan in March and had been hidden away have to dedicate more infrastructure dollars to nursing homes. ever since. “Historically, the federal government has failed to support The low-key event on a rainy day captures the local mood. this sector … It is imperative they help the sector by providing A poll a few days ago from Japanese news agency Kyodo access to existing federal infrastructure dollars,” she said. repeated the results of recent surveys: Japanese are skeptical Long-term care homes were uniquely vulnerable to the games should go ahead, and doubtful they will. The poll COVID-19, combining an already-sick patient base with a new showed 23.9% favored holding the Olympics, 36.4% said the coronavirus, to which nobody has immunity. Nursing homes Olympics should be postponed again, and 33.7% said it should in Canada are often older and feature shared bedrooms, be canceled. bathrooms and dining rooms, which made containing Organizers and the International Olympic Committee have COVID-19 a challenge in the early days of the pandemic when ruled out another postponement. The Tokyo Games would be little was known of its ability to spread through asymptomatic canceled this time if they can’t be held. people, Hall noted. “I don’t think that people have a sense of anticipation in a Ottawa could alleviate these pressures in the future by happy way to celebrate a one-year-to-go event,” Yoshiro Mori, allowing nursing homes to access funds through the national the president of the organizing committee, said last week. housing strategy, she said. Homes could also be placed at the In an interview with Japanese broadcaster NHK, Mori was top of the list of “shovel-ready” projects likely to get federal and blunt. He was asked: “If this kind of situation (with COVID-19) provincial stimulus dollars as part of economic recovery efforts. continues, is it possible to hold the games?” “These are simple and readily available solutions that could “If current situation continues, we couldn’t,” he replied, have been and can still be implemented quickly to support though he said he was optimistic about a vaccine and provinces and operators in modernizing long-term care confident the pandemic would recede. homes.” Tokyo is staking its hopes on “simplification.” Organizers Earlier this month, the Royal Society of Canada released have come up with roughly “200 items” that may be simplified, a scathing report on the state of long-term care in Canada, downsized, or cut out. The rigor is driven by soaring costs and accusing the country of failing in its duty to protect vulnerable the risk of the Olympics becoming a petri dish. ■ elders. ■

4 JULY 23 (GMT) – JULY 24 (AEST), 2020

- AAP The taningia genus 60kg squid that was caught near Whakaari/ White Island was taken to Massey University for dissection. - RNZ / Dan Cook

AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND Virus drives net debt to Fisherman capture rare record high giant squid

Australia’s net debt will soar to a record $677.1 billion Marine experts hope a rarely seen squid fished up near this financial year as the nation grapples with the Whakaari/ White Island will provide new clues about the coronavirus recession. recently recognised species.

Net debt was estimated to be $488.2 billion or 24.6 per cent of The 60kg squid was caught at a depth of 1000m off the island GDP at the end of 2019-20, rising to 35.7 per cent in 2020-21. about five weeks ago by a fishing boat. “Despite our increased debt levels, they remain lower than AUT associate professor and squid lab leader Kat Bolstad what many comparable nations went into this crisis with,” said it was an exciting chance to learn more about the taningia Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said. genus, which was only recognised as a species about two years Asked about paying back debt, Finance Minister Mathias ago. Cormann said government spending was crucial to navigating “For hundreds of years, we thought that this group of the crisis. animals only had one species worldwide. Now it’s got three and “Are you suggesting we shouldn’t have provided the support this is one of the new ones,” she said. we did to boost the health system, to protect jobs, to protect “It’s got some pretty cool features. It’s got the largest light livelihoods?” he said. organs in the animal kingdoms. The arms have got cat-like “In the circumstances, what was the alternative?” claws, about 200 of them on the whole animal, and of course, The government has spent $164.1 billion on coronavirus it’s just very big and that’s always very exciting.” support measures including wage subsidies and increased A group of marine experts gathered for the dissection at unemployment payments for millions of Australians. Massey University in Albany, where the female specimen was Cormann said job creation would lead to stronger economic found to have eggs inside. growth through higher revenue and lower welfare payments “The squid was probably coming to the end of it’s lifecycle. “The way to get on top of this debt is by growing the Squids breed once at the end of their lifespan and then they economy more strongly and creating more opportunity for die,” Bolstad said. Australians to get ahead.” The scientists were also hopeful to find some stomach He said Australia’s debt level as a share to GDP was still contents. lower than many other countries before the crisis. “Only two sets of stomach contents have been reported for Frydenberg said paying back the debt would take years. this genus, so if she’s got food on board we would love to know “We’re not putting a date on it because we want to grow the what she’s been eating,” Bolstad said. economy,” the treasurer said. The University of Waikato has donated the squid to the “The pathway to growing the economy is through skills Auckland Museum, where some distinctive parts – such as the programs, infrastructure investment and tax reform.” ■ ‘beak’ – will be kept to help scientists identify and differentiate species in the future. Auckland Museum collection manager Rebecca Bray said it was a bit like unwrapping a present. “It’s a really rare species. It’s wonderful to have found it but also that it’s been donated to the museum for research, and that we can share it with researchers around the world.” ■

5 JULY 23 (GMT) – JULY 24 (AEST), 2020

A Long March-5 rocket is seen at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China’s Judie Shape, who has tested positive for the coronavirus, waves to her daughter, Lori Hainan Province. - AP Spencer, and her son-in-law Michael Spencer. - AP

WORLD USA China launch Mars Trump boosts funds for mission nursing homes

China has launched its most ambitious Mars mission yet Fearing another grim wave of nursing home deaths in a bold attempt to join the United States in successfully as COVID-19 cases rebound, President Donald Trump landing a spacecraft on the red planet. announced his administration will provide $5 billion to help facilities counter the virus. The Tianwen-1 was launched on a Long March-5 carrier rocket from a launch site on Hainan Island. The move follows Democratic presidential candidate Joe It marked the second flight to Mars this week, after a United Biden’s recent unveiling of a family caregiver plan that aims to Arab Emirates orbiter blasted off on a rocket from Japan on greatly expand and subsidize alternatives to institutional care Monday. And the US is aiming to launch Perseverance, its most for frail older adults. sophisticated Mars rover ever, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, “I want to send a message of support and hope to every next week. senior citizen,” Trump said at the White House. “The light is China’s tandem spacecraft – with both an orbiter and a starting to shine and we will get there very quickly.” rover – will take seven months to reach Mars, like the others. If The $5 billion is part of a package, including efforts to all goes well, Tianwen-1 will look for underground water, if it’s facilitate ongoing testing of nursing home staff, providing states present. a weekly list of facilities with increased COVID-19 cases, and This isn’t China’s first attempt at Mars. In 2011, a Chinese offering additional training and support for the homes. Nursing orbiter accompanying a Russian mission was lost when the homes in hotspots will get priority for the new funds. spacecraft failed to get out of Earth’s orbit after launching from Advocates and industry have been pressing the Kazakhstan, eventually burning up in the atmosphere. administration and Congress for weeks to provide more This time, China is going at it alone. It also is fast-tracking, financial assistance and support for nursing homes. An earlier launching an orbiter and rover on the same mission instead of White House recommendation to test all residents and staff stringing them out. has had mixed results. Nursing homes already have received China’s secretive space program has developed rapidly in $4.9 billion from pandemic relief funds approved by Congress. recent decades. Yang Liwei became the first Chinese astronaut The American Health Care Association, an industry group, in 2003, and last year, Chang’e-4 became the first spacecraft welcomed the White House announcement but said more aid from any country to land on the far side of the moon. is needed for nursing homes as well as other long-term care Conquering Mars would put China in an elite club. facilities. “There is a whole lot of prestige riding on this,” said Dean Experts have testified to Congress that once the coronavirus Cheng, an expert on Chinese aerospace programs at the is spreading within a community, it’s just a matter of time Heritage Foundation in Washington. before it enters nursing homes. Staffers can be the unwitting Landing on Mars is notoriously difficult. Only the US has carriers. successfully landed a spacecraft on Martian soil, doing it eight Once inside, the virus encounters ideal conditions to times since 1976. NASA’s InSight and Curiosity rovers still propagate among medically frail residents living in close operate today. Six other spacecraft are exploring Mars from quarters. States like Florida and Arizona now seeing an orbit: three American, two European and one from India. ■ increase in COVID-19 cases are trying to head off a repeat of high numbers of nursing home deaths earlier in states like New Jersey and Massachusetts. ■

6 JULY 23 (GMT) – JULY 24 (AEST), 2020

Fire burns near the village of Galataki as authorities evacuate the place near Corinth, In this grab taken from video, a boy hangs from a window as flames engulfed an Greece. - AP apartment as onlookers below prepare to catch him, in Grenoble, France. - AP

EUROPE EUROPE Residents flee wildfire in Boys saved from burning Greece apartment fall

More than 250 firefighters are struggling to contain Two young brothers have been saved from an apartment a large wildfire fanned by strong winds that is fire in the southeastern French city of Grenoble when raging through forests, forcing the evacuation of six they dropped about 10 meters (33 feet) from a window settlements in southern Greece. and were caught by people below.

State TV said more than 4000 people were evacuated. No The two, aged 10 and three, were unharmed by the fall but injuries were reported, and the extent of any property damage might have suffered from smoke inhalation, French media was not immediately clear. reported. The Fire Brigade said 10 water-dropping helicopters Video of the dramatic rescue showed the younger brother and seven planes were deployed to assist with the ground being dropped from at least three stories up as black smoke operation in an area inland from the seaside settlement of billowed from the window and flames engulfed an adjacent Kechries near the town of Corinth in the Peloponnese region, balcony. As onlookers screamed, the older brother then hung some 80 kilometers (50 miles) southwest of Athens. from the window and let himself fall into the arms of those But the aircraft were forced to cease flying after nightfall. below. Three villages, three smaller settlements and a summer The boys were hospitalized along with 17 residents of the camp were evacuated as a precaution. Firefighters were building, the media reports said. Four of the people who dispatched to the scene from other parts of Greece, and local caught the boys also were taken to the hospital to check if any volunteers as well as heavy machinery provided by the army bones were fractured when they caught the boys. and regional authorities were helping in the effort. Athoumani Walid, a 25-year-old student who suffered a Firefighters also battled smaller blazes near ancient broken wrist from helping catch the children, said he heard Olympia, the western Peloponnese birthplace of the sporting screams and went out to investigate after seeing the fire from competition that inspired the Olympic Games, near Petalidi his nearby apartment and rushed to help along with four or further south and on the southern island of Crete. The blazes five other people. at Ancient Olympia and on Crete were under partial control, “We didn’t know what to do,” Walid said. “We wanted to break the Fire Brigade said. the door but it wasn’t possible.” Wildfires are common during Greece’s hot, arid summers. They then went outside and shouted for the boys to jump Massive blazes in 2007 killed about 80 people in southern and into their arms. central Greece. Although he initially feared for the boys, “when they jumped, The Fire Brigade said evening that a total 57 forest fear disappeared,” Walid said. “What mattered was to catch” fires broke out in 24 hours, most of which were quickly them, he added. extinguished. ■ Walid said he hopes the rescue will change perceptions of the Villeneuve neighborhood, which has a large immigrant population. “We are told it’s a ‘sensitive’ neighborhood,” Walid said, “but yesterday we showed we are here for each other, and we save each other.” ■

7 JULY 23 (GMT) – JULY 24 (AEST), 2020

- AAP A mother and calf southern right whale photographed at the Auckland Islands breeding grounds. - RNZ

AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND Aged care riddled with Kiwis called on to help virus clusters track whales

More aged care centres in Victoria have become hives for Scientists are asking for the public’s help in tracking coronavirus outbreaks with three further deaths linked Tohorā or southern right whales as they return to New to the sector. Zealand waters.

Three of the latest five deaths in the state are connected to After being hunted to the brink of extinction by the early 20th aged care – a woman in her 70s and two men in their 80s and Century, their numbers are increasing. 90s. Southern right whales are some of the largest creatures in Victoria’s COVID-19 death toll hit 49 on Thursday with the New Zealand waters – but their lives and movements are still national total now at 133. largely a mystery. The latest deaths follow two men aged in their 90s, linked to Auckland University researcher Emma Carroll, who’s leading aged care settings, confirmed dead on Wednesday. this project to track Tohorā during their winter migration, said A day earlier, two female residents of aged care facilities hit the data will help future conservation efforts. by coronavirus outbreaks were confirmed dead. “Every pair of eyes and every photo counts. What you Among 45 outbreaks of across Victorian aged care facilities, are able to see on the ocean and send to DOC will really 383 staff and residents have tested positive. contribute. We really need the citizens and the citizens’ science The outbreak at St Basil’s Homes for the Aged in Fawkner here,” she said. has grown to 69 cases among staff and residents, while 54 The team from Auckland University has teamed up with people at Estia Health have contracted the disease. marine conservation charity Live Ocean. A new cluster has also emerged at Kirkbrae Presbyterian Chief executive Sally Paterson said they’re encouraging Homes in Kilsyth, with two staff and one resident testing people to send in their photographs of whales – but she positive. cautions against getting too close. Nine residents at Embracia Moonee Valley contracted the “People out on the water need to be whale wise, we share virus, three of whom have died, and at least six staff also tested the space with our whales, so there are some really common positive, general manager Damien Lippiatt said. sense or basic things like keeping 50 metres away, or 200 A staff member told the organisation they had the virus metres if a whale is with a calf and keeping a no wake speed of on July 9, four days after working their last shift while 300 metres.” asymptomatic. By 1920, Tohorā numbers had fallen to fewer than 40. The centre has been in lockdown since July 9, with hundreds The international ban on commercial hunting in 1986, and of staff and residents tested and a third round of results due establishment of a marine sanctuary in the Auckland Islands this week. in 1993 has allowed the southern right whale population to Health Minister Greg Hunt said where the virus was detected recover. in aged care centres, there was an immediate process to Paterson said the latest Department of Conservation (DOC) ensure all staff and residents were tested. estimate from 2009 put the total population at about 2000. ■ “This is a daily, hourly, watching and action process. Masks are being provided to every aged care facility that needs them,” he said. ■

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