FEBRUARY 7 (GMT) – FEBRUARY 8 (AEST), 2020

YOUR DAILY TOP 12 STORIES FROM FRANK NEWS

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NORTH AMERICA UK AUSTRALIA

Biden to undo Trump’s UN move Cyber foes ‘tear society apart’ Reporter ‘spread state secrets’

The Biden administration is set to Britain’s enemies are attempting to use has formally arrested a Chinese- announce this week that it will reengage social media to tear the “fabric of society born Australian journalist for CGTN, with the much-maligned UN Human apart”, one of the country’s top military the English-language channel of China Rights Council that former President generals has warned. General Sir Patrick Central Television, on suspicion of withdrew from almost Sanders said the threat was not like that illegally supplying state secrets overseas, three years ago, US officials said. The seen in films, but was rather a more Australia’s foreign minister says. The decision reverses another Trump- subtle influence of sowing discord and arrest of Cheng Lei starts an official era move away from multilateral propagating conspiracy theories. The criminal investigation and came six organizations and agreements. Officials Commander Strategic Command said: months after she was detained. “The say Washington will return to the Geneva- “The most important, the most relevant Australian government has raised its based body as an observer with an eye to use of cyberspace is that the real power serious concerns about Ms Cheng’s seeking election as a full member. is in influence and not in sabotage. detention,” Marise Payne said.

NORTH AMERICA UK NEW ZEALAND

Relief plan ‘could restore jobs’ Variants could mean third jab NZ near top of democracy index

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says the Britons face needing a third jab this New Zealand has been ranked fourth country was still in a “deep hole” with year amid concerns about the Oxford/ on a global democracy index, behind millions of lost jobs but that President AstraZeneca vaccine’s effectiveness three Nordic countries. The Economist Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief plan could against the South African coronavirus Intelligence Unit’s 2020 Democracy Index generate enough growth to restore full variant. Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has just been released. It weighed data employment by next year. Republican was forced to defend the vaccine after from 167 countries to provide a snapshot senators argued that Biden’s proposal a new study in South Africa found it was of democracy worldwide, with a focus on was too expensive and they cited not effective at preventing mild illness the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. criticism from Larry Summers, a treasury caused by the more infectious mutation. Factors taken into consideration were secretary under President Bill Clinton, South Africa has suspended the rollout electoral process, the functioning of that passage of the measure could run of the British-designed vaccine to government, political participation and the risk of triggering runaway inflation. healthcare staff following the results. culture, and civil liberties.

1 FEBRUARY 7 (GMT) – FEBRUARY 8 (AEST), 2020

YOUR DAILY TOP 12 STORIES FROM FRANK NEWS

FULL STORIES START ON PAGE 6

NORTH AMERICA EUROPE AUSTRALIA

Senate Republicans back Trump Migrant boat heads to Sicily RAAF fighter program takes off

Donald Trump’s defenders in the Senate A rescue ship with 422 migrants Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited are rallying around the former president aboard, a small number of whom tested the RAAF Base Williamtown to announce before his impeachment trial, dismissing positive for COVID-19, is heading to a the Hunter Valley site would become it as a waste of time and arguing that the port in Sicily. SOS Mediterranee, the a regional hub for maintenance and former president’s fiery speech before humanitarian group which operates the upgrade of Australia’s $65 billion Joint the US Capitol insurrection does not rescue ship Ocean Viking, said that Italy Strike Fighter program. “Everyone who is make him responsible for the violence had granted the vessel permission to involved in this project is a top gun in my of January 6. “If being held accountable enter the port of Augusta. The migrants view,” he said. As well as servicing RAAF means being impeached by the House were rescued in separate operations in aircraft, the maintenance depot will host and being convicted by the Senate, the the central Mediterranean Sea, including aircraft from Japan, Korea and . answer to that is no,” said Republican 121 who were crowded into a rubber Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi. dinghy.

CANADA UK AUSTRALIA

Quebec passes grim milestone ‘No plan’ to bring mother home Quarantine scare lifts test rules

Canada has hit more unwanted firsts in The Government “doesn’t have a plan” Victorian authorities are looking to make its battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, to bring home a British mother due to COVID-19 testing compulsory for hotel as Quebec became the first province finish a five-year sentence in Iran next quarantine workers on their days off, to surpass 10,000 deaths and Toronto month, her local MP fears. British-Iranian after a second worker contracted the reported Ontario’s first case of a variant dual national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe virus in less than a week. The woman, first identified in Brazil. The news came has been detained in Iran since 2016, aged in her early 50s, tested positive on on the eve of several provinces easing when she was sentenced to five years in Sunday after she completed a shift at the restrictions. Quebec became the first prison over allegations, which she denies, Holiday Inn at Airport. She Canadian province to hit a five-figure of plotting to overthrow the Iranian had previously tested negative after shifts death toll as it reported 32 new fatalities government. Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s MP Tulip on Wednesday and Thursday, then had for a total of 10,031. Siddiq has said “my main worry is that the two days off. Government just doesn’t have a plan”.

2 FEBRUARY 7 (GMT) – FEBRUARY 8 (AEST), 2020

President Joe Biden. - AP Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. - AP

NORTH AMERICA NORTH AMERICA Biden out to undo Yellen: Relief plan Trump’s UN move could restore jobs

The Biden administration is set to announce this week Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says the country was that it will reengage with the much-maligned UN Human still in a “deep hole” with millions of lost jobs but that Rights Council that former President Donald Trump President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief plan could withdrew from almost three years ago, US officials said. generate enough growth to restore full employment by The decision reverses another Trump-era move away next year. from multilateral organizations and agreements. Republican senators argued that Biden’s proposal was too US officials say Secretary of State Antony Blinken and a senior expensive and they cited criticism from Larry Summers, a US diplomat in Geneva will announce that Washington will treasury secretary under President Bill Clinton, that passage of return to the Geneva-based body as an observer with an eye the measure could run the risk of triggering runaway inflation. toward seeking election as a full member. The decision is likely Summers also contended that Biden’s plan would make less to draw criticism from conservative lawmakers and many in the money available for other initiatives such as improving the pro-Israel community. nation’s infrastructure. Trump pulled out of the world body’s main human rights Yellen, a former Federal Reserve chair who is the first woman agency in 2018 due to its disproportionate focus on Israel, to lead the Treasury Department, said the central bank had which has received by far the largest number of critical council the tools to handle any potential inflationary threat. She said resolutions against any country, as well as the number of the urgent need now is to deal with the problems raised authoritarian countries among its members and because it by the pandemic-induced recession: joblessness, lost small failed to meet an extensive list of reforms demanded by then- businesses and reopening schools. US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. “We face a huge economic challenge here and tremendous In addition to the council’s focus on Israel, the Trump suffering in the country. We have got to address that,” Yellen administration took issue with the body’s membership, which said. “That’s the biggest risk.” currently includes China, Cuba, Eritrea, Russia and Venezuela, The House and Senate this past week approved the all of which have been accused of human rights abuses. legislation necessary to pass Biden’s package through a One senior US official said the Biden administration believed process known as reconciliation, which only requires 51 votes the council must still reform but that the best way to promote in the Senate. The Senate is split 50-50, with Vice President change is to “engage with it in a principled fashion.” The official Kamala Harris the tiebreaking vote. said it can be “an important forum for those fighting tyranny House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she hopes to and injustice around the world” and the US presence intends approve the budget details of the Biden proposal over the to “ensure it can live up to that potential.” next two weeks, aiming to get the measure through Congress That official and three others familiar with the decision were before current unemployment benefits run out in mid-March. not authorized to discuss the matter publicly ahead of the House Democrats plan to propose boosting the child tax announcement, and spoke on condition of anonymity. credit, now at a maximum of $2000, to as much as $3600 Although the US will have only nonvoting observer status per child annually, according to information obtained by The on the council through the end of 2021, the officials said the . The proposal will be part of the COVID-19 administration intends to seek one of three full member seats relief bill they are writing that is expected to largely follow that come up for election later this year. ■ Biden’s plan. ■

3 FEBRUARY 7 (GMT) – FEBRUARY 8 (AEST), 2020

- PA - PA

UK UK Cyber foes out to ‘tear Variants could mean society apart’ third vaccine jab

Britain’s enemies are attempting to use social media to Britons face needing a third jab this year amid concerns tear the “fabric of society apart”, one of the country’s top about the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine’s effectiveness military generals has warned. against the South African coronavirus variant.

In a candid interview about cyber warfare, General Sir Patrick Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi was forced to defend Sanders said the threat was not like that seen in films where the vaccine after a new study in South Africa found it was power plants are targeted, but was rather a more subtle not effective at preventing mild illness caused by the more influence of sowing discord and propagating conspiracy infectious mutation. theories. South Africa has suspended the rollout of the British- The Commander Strategic Command said: “In some designed vaccine to healthcare staff following the results, respects, the most important, the most relevant use of which have yet to be peer reviewed. cyberspace is that the real power is in influence and not in Zahawi urged the public to keep faith with the Oxford jab as sabotage. scientists working on the vaccine raised the prospect of having “And so what you’re seeing are our adversaries, our rivals, a booster dose available by the autumn. exploiting the tools that are meant to make for a more utopian Writing in the Daily Telegraph, the minister said: “While it society – so things like social media – against us, fuelling is right and necessary to prepare for the deployment of an conspiracy theories and really sowing division and tearing the updated vaccine, we can take confidence from the current fabric of society apart. roll out and the protection it will provide all of us against this “You could go so far and describe it as almost fuelling a civil terrible disease. war inside some of these societies.” “We need to be aware that even where a vaccine has Sir Patrick said that offensive cyber – striking against enemies reduced efficacy in preventing infection there may still be good before they inflict damage on Britain – was “unquestionably” efficacy against severe disease, hospitalisation, and death. This one of the ways in which the military was “protecting our is vitally important for protecting the healthcare system.” democratic processes”. It comes as: He said, with countries such as Russia and China switching • The number of people in the UK who have received a to “non-military means of activities” to secure their aims, the first dose of a vaccine passed the 12 million mark, with “most important weapons don’t necessarily fire bullets”. jabs administered at a rate of almost 1000 per minute His comments come after a report published last year by during a one hour period over the weekend. MPs on the Intelligence and Security Committee found there • A new Scottish record for vaccines was set, with the had been “credible open source commentary” suggesting number of initial jabs given in one day passing 50,000 Russia tried to influence the 2014 Scottish independence for the first time. referendum. • Migrants living in the UK unlawfully will be given an Ministers are also looking to counter misinformation amnesty in order to get vaccinated, the Daily Mail about coronavirus and its vaccines, as the inoculation rollout reported. continues at pace in the UK. ■ • People living in Northern Ireland who cross the Irish border without a reasonable excuse face a 100 euro fine from Monday. ■

4 FEBRUARY 7 (GMT) – FEBRUARY 8 (AEST), 2020

Cheng Lei, a Chinese-born Australian journalist has been formally arrested in China on - RNZ suspicion of illegally supplying state secrets overseas. - AP

AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND Reporter allegedly New Zealand near top spread state secrets of democracy index

China has formally arrested a Chinese-born Australian New Zealand has been ranked fourth on a global journalist for CGTN, the English-language channel democracy index, behind three Nordic countries. of China Central Television, on suspicion of illegally supplying state secrets overseas, Australia’s foreign The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2020 Democracy Index has minister says. just been released. It weighed data from 167 countries to provide a snapshot The arrest of Cheng Lei last Friday starts an official criminal of democracy worldwide, with a focus on the impacts of the investigation and came six months after she was detained. COVID-19 pandemic. “The Australian government has raised its serious concerns Factors taken into consideration were electoral process, the about Ms Cheng’s detention regularly at senior levels, including functioning of government, political participation and culture, about her welfare and conditions of detention,” Foreign and civil liberties. Minister Marise Payne said. New Zealand scored 9.25 out of 10 in the latest index – a “We expect basic standards of justice, procedural fairness fraction less than in 2019. and humane treatment to be met, in accordance with Norway topped the list, followed by Iceland and Sweden, international norms,” she added. while North Korea came last with a score of 1.08 out of 10. Worsening bilateral relations since Australia called for an The US was defined as a “flawed democracy” and ranked independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus 25th, with a score of 7.92. pandemic are suspected to be the cause of Cheng’s arrest. “The negatives [for USA] include extremely low levels of trust Cheng’s two young children were with family members in in institutions and political parties, deep dysfunction in the Melbourne, Australia. functioning of government, increasing threats to freedom of A month before Cheng was detained on August 13, Australia expression, and a degree of societal polarisation that makes warned its citizens of a risk of arbitrary detention in China. consensus almost impossible to achieve. China dismissed the warning as disinformation. “Social cohesion has collapsed … the new president, Joe Before the last two journalists working for Australian media Biden, faces a huge challenge in bringing together a country in China left the country in September, they were questioned that is deeply divided over core values,” the report stated. by Chinese authorities about Cheng. Australia was ranked ninth with a score of 8.96 and kept its Australian Broadcasting Corporation reporter Bill Birtles and status as a “full democracy”. The Australian Financial Review’s Michael Smith were told they The report found almost 14 per cent of countries were “persons of interest” in an investigation into Cheng. worldwide were “full democracies”, 31 per cent were “flawed “I believe the episode was more one of harassment of the democracies”, and 21 per cent were “hybrid regimes”. remaining Australian journalists rather than a genuine effort to Just over 34 per cent of the countries included were ruled by try and get anything useful for that case,” Birtles said. “authoritarian regimes”. Cheng was an anchor for CGTN’s BizAsia program. She Asia’s average regional score fell to its lowest since 2013, was born in China and worked in finance in Australia before as official measures to combat the pandemic led to some of returning to China and starting a career in journalism with the most severe constraints on individual freedoms and civil CCTV in in 2003. ■ liberties in the world, the report’s writers said. ■

5 FEBRUARY 7 (GMT) – FEBRUARY 8 (AEST), 2020

Rioters loyal to President Donald Trump storm the U.S. Capitol in Washington. - AP - CP

NORTH AMERICA CANADA Senate Republicans Quebec passes grim back Trump Covid milestone

Donald Trump’s defenders in the Senate are rallying Canada has hit more unwanted firsts in its battle against around the former president before his impeachment the COVID-19 pandemic, as Quebec became the first trial, dismissing it as a waste of time and arguing that province to surpass 10,000 deaths and Toronto reported the former president’s fiery speech before the US Capitol Ontario’s first case of a variant first identified in Brazil. insurrection does not make him responsible for the violence of January 6. The news came on the eve of several provinces easing restrictions, putting a damper on the cautious optimism “If being held accountable means being impeached by the brought on by a recent decline in new cases and House and being convicted by the Senate, the answer to that hospitalizations. is no,” said Republican Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Quebec became the first Canadian province to hit a five- making clear his belief that Trump should and will be acquitted. figure death toll as it reported 32 new fatalities for a total of Asked if Congress could consider other punishment, such 10,031. as censure, Wicker said the Democratic-led House had that The number comes exactly one week after Canada reported option earlier but rejected it in favor of impeaching him. its 20,000th death linked to the pandemic, and a day after the “That ship has sailed,” he said. national COVID-19 case count surpassed 800,000. The Senate is set to launch the impeachment trial to While the number of deaths has continued to climb, consider the charge that Trump’s fighting words to protesters Canada’s chief public health officer has said daily cases and at a Capitol rally as well as weeks of falsehoods about a stolen severe outcomes are continuing to decline – leading some presidential election provoked a mob to storm the Capitol. Five provinces to ease public health restrictions. people died as a result of the melee, including a police officer. That positive news was tempered somewhat as Toronto Many senators including Senate Republican leader Mitch Public Health reported it had discovered two more cases McConnell immediately denounced the violence and pointed involving COVID-19 variants – including Ontario’s first case of a a finger of blame at Trump. Following the riot, Wicker said strain first identified in Brazil. Americans “will not stand for this kind of attack on the rule The agency said the variant was discovered in a person in of law” and without naming names, said “we must prosecute” hospital who had recently returned from that country. those who undermine democracy. Authorities also discovered a case involving the variant But with Trump now gone from the presidency, Republicans originating in South Africa in a person who had not travelled to have shown little political appetite to take further action, such the country, or had contact with anyone who had. as an impeachment conviction that could lead to barring him “Scientists and medical professionals are concerned that from running for future office. Those partisan divisions appear these variants are more transmissible than the original to be hardening ahead of Trump’s trial, a sign of his continuing coronavirus,” Toronto Public Health said. grip on the GOP. “The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky dismissed Trump’s has indicated that research is ongoing to determine more trial as a farce with “zero chance of conviction,” describing about these variants to better understand how easily they Trump’s words to protesters to “fight like hell” as Congress was might be transmitted and the effectiveness of currently voting to ratify Joe Biden’s presidential victory as “figurative” authorized vaccines against them.” ■ speech. ■

6 FEBRUARY 7 (GMT) – FEBRUARY 8 (AEST), 2020

Migrants on the deck of the Ocean Viking rescue ship, in the Mediterranean Sea. - AP File photo of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. - PA

EUROPE UK Boat with migrants MP fears there is no plan heads to Sicily to bring mother home

A rescue ship with 422 migrants aboard, a small number The Government “doesn’t have a plan” to bring home a of whom tested positive for COVID-19, is heading to a British mother due to finish a five-year sentence in Iran port in Sicily. next month, her local MP fears.

SOS Mediterranee, the humanitarian group which operates the British-Iranian dual national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been rescue ship Ocean Viking, said that Italy had granted the vessel detained in Iran since 2016, when she was sentenced to five permission to enter the port of Augusta, where it was expected years in prison over allegations, which she denies, of plotting to to arrive this evening, just as as rain and strong winds were overthrow the Iranian government. forecast. The sentence is due to end on March 7 but Zaghari- The migrants were rescued in separate operations in the Ratcliffe’s MP Tulip Siddiq has said “my main worry is that the central Mediterranean Sea, including 121 who were crowded Government just doesn’t have a plan”. into a rubber dinghy. Some of the passengers fell into the sea The Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn in north London during that rescue operation but were brought to safety, SOS said: “We need a plan at this point, there’s no point just hoping Mediterranee said in a statement by Luisa Albera, search and and thinking, ‘Right, it’s coming to an end in March and she’s rescue coordinator aboard the Ocean Viking. coming home’ – we need a plan to make sure that she gets her In all, four distinct rescue operations were carried out over ankle tag removed, that’s the first thing. two days. Many of those rescued are women and children. “She has to have her British passport returned, and then Originally, a total of 424 were rescued, but a pregnant have a flight booked for her to come back to West Hampstead woman and her companion were evacuated urgently by where her home is. helicopter to Malta, the statement said. “The Government still has a lot they can do in order to Eight of the rescued migrants have COVID-19, according to ensure that it is a reality that she does come home in March”, tests administered by the crew, and were being isolated on Siddiq said, adding that she believes the payment of a debt the board despite the difficulties of crowded conditions on deck. UK owes Iran will help. “But although strict COVID-19 mitigation protocols apply on She explained: “Our Government still hasn’t resolved the board the Ocean Viking, this is a vessel of 69 meters (228 feet) £400m debt that we owe Iran. in length,” Albera said. “This situation is a further reason for “We know this debt is linked to her case, she’s been told the remaining 422 survivors, who are in confined space on the by officials in Evin Prison when she was there that her aft deck, to be promptly disembarked in a place of safety,” she imprisonment was linked to the debt and yet Government said. ministers will acknowledge that we owe this debt but they don’t Among the passengers are other pregnant women, babies seem to think expediting this and freeing Nazanin is in direct and unaccompanied minors among the children. correlation with each other.” During the pandemic, Italy has taken to transferring migrants She added: “My constituent’s life is basically a bargaining chip from rescue ships anchored in port to other vessels where the because she’s not being set free because we haven’t fulfilled passengers can protectively quarantine, although children are our responsibility of paying the debt.” usually taken ashore to shelter. “That’s one of the things I’d really like to see in the next few Most of those who arrive in Italy thanks to sea rescues in weeks,” Siddiq said. ■ recent years aren’t eligible for asylum. ■

7 FEBRUARY 7 (GMT) – FEBRUARY 8 (AEST), 2020

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. - AAP A second hotel quarantine worker has tested positive to COVID-19 in Victoria. - AAP

AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA RAAF fighter program Hotel quarantine scare ready for take off lifts test rules

Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited the RAAF Base Victorian authorities are looking to make COVID-19 Williamtown to announce the Hunter Valley site would testing compulsory for hotel quarantine workers on their become a regional hub for maintenance and upgrade of days off, after a second worker contracted the virus in Australia’s $65 billion Joint Strike Fighter program. less than a week.

“Everyone who is involved in this project is a top gun in my The woman, aged in her early 50s, tested positive on Sunday view,” he said. after she completed a shift at the Holiday Inn at Melbourne As well as servicing RAAF aircraft, the maintenance depot will Airport. host aircraft from Japan, Korea and Singapore. She had previously tested negative after shifts on “This is about protecting and securing Australia’s interests Wednesday and Thursday, then had two days off. but it’s also creating jobs and driving investment right here in Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville, responsible for the the Hunter and across the country too,” Morrison said. state’s quarantine program, said the woman did not appear to “This induction demonstrates the world-leading capability of have breached any infection control protocols. our local defence industry here in Australia.” She said the woman worked as an authorised officer, issuing More than 50 companies will share in $2.7 billion worth of detention notices for returned international travellers in hotel contracts as part of the F-35 program. quarantine. The program is on budget and on schedule, with work “It appears that there’s no breach,” Neville said, based on under way on routine structural modifications to improve the security footage. airframe. Genomic testing is underway to determine which strain of Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said there were 41 fully the virus the woman has contracted. trained RAAF pilots, nine of whom trained on home soil at RAAF Victorian COVID-19 Testing Commander Jeroen Weimar Base Williamtown. said authorities were assuming the “worst-case scenario”, that “We also have more than 225 trained technicians as the the woman contracted a complex strain while working in the RAAF’s F-35A maintenance capability continues to develop.” program. Lockheed Martin Australia is providing training support for “I’m pleased that we caught this case so quickly and we can more than 70 personnel to be employed at Williamtown and put in our response to make sure we run it to ground,” he said. RAAF Base Tindal. Neville says a family of three at the hotel tested positive for BAE Systems Australia recently hired 25 former Jetstar COVID-19 around the time the woman is suspected to have employees who had been made redundant as a result of the contracted the virus. pandemic. “At this stage, it’s not clear that she’s had a dealing with these The first F-35A aircraft arrived in Australia in December three,” she said, noting the family had been moved to a health 2018, with the first F-35A squadron, No. 3 Squadron, to be hotel upon testing positive. operational this year. About 80 hotel quarantine staff, 12 Australian Defence Force All 72 aircraft are expected to be fully operational by 2023. members and nine police officers who worked with the woman They replace the ageing F/A-18A/B Hornets which have been have been tested and will be required to self-isolate for 14 in RAAF service since 1985. ■ days. ■

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