NOVEMBER 6 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 7 (AEST), 2020

YOUR DAILY TOP 12 STORIES FROM FRANK NEWS

FULL STORIES START ON PAGE 3

NORTH AMERICA UK AUSTRALIA

Trump questions poll integrity Johnson’s optimistic message China relations ‘hopeless’

President Donald Trump is testing how Prime Minister Boris Johnson has insisted Exporters are being urged to “spread far he can go in using the trappings four weeks of national lockdown should their risk” in case China officially of presidential power to undermine be enough to drive down the spread of suspends imports of various Australian confidence in this week’s election against coronavirus so the severe restrictions products. Chinese authorities are Joe Biden, as the Democrat gained can be eased. As England was plunged reportedly planning to halt imports ground in tight contests in some key into a second shutdown, the Prime of Australian wine, lobsters, sugar, battleground states. With his pathway to Minister recognised many were “anxious, coal, copper, barley and timber. News re-election appearing to shrink, Trump weary and fed up” after a rebellion on the that China is blocking the products, advanced unsupported accusations of measures from Conservative MPs. collectively worth around $6 billion, came voter fraud to falsely argue that his rival from state-run newspaper The Global was trying to seize power. Times.

NORTH AMERICA UK NEW ZEALAND

Officials fear threats, protests Arrests at anti-lockdown protest National loses two MPs

Election officials in several states said Police have arrested 104 anti-lockdown The National Party has lost another two they are worried about the safety of protesters as hundreds of people MPs on the final election result, with their staffs amid a stream of threats and marched through the streets of central Labour and the Māori Party picking gatherings of angry protesters outside London on the day tougher coronavirus up an extra seat each. The Electoral their doors, drawn by President Donald rules came into force in England. Officers Commission declared the official results Trump’s baseless claims of widespread urged demonstrators to go home as today, which sees three electorate fraud in the race for the White House. “I they took to the streets near Trafalgar changes since election night. The special can tell you that my wife and my mother Square, warning those who had gathered votes, which are those that are not on are very concerned for me,” said Joe that they were breaching coronavirus the printed electoral roll, or are not taken Gloria, the registrar in Clark County, restrictions. at a voting place, can be returned and Nevada, which includes Las Vegas. counted up to 10 days after election day.

1 NOVEMBER 6 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 7 (AEST), 2020

YOUR DAILY TOP 12 STORIES FROM FRANK NEWS

FULL STORIES START ON PAGE 6

NORTH AMERICA WORLD TRANS-TASMAN

Judges reject legal challenges Lam praised for stabilising HK NZ-Melbourne flights to resume

Judges in Georgia and Michigan have Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam received Direct flights from New Zealand into quickly dismissed Trump campaign credit from a top Chinese official for Melbourne will resume on Monday, lawsuits, undercutting a campaign legal restoring order and reviving the economy Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says. strategy to attack the integrity of the in the semi-autonomous territory. Vice He made the announcement before the voting process in states where the result Premier Han Zheng, meeting Lam on the interim hotel quarantine report was to could mean President Donald Trump’s last day of her four-day visit to Beijing, be made public. “I have written to the defeat. The rulings came as Democrat Joe said that her government had “overcome prime minister and asked him to make Biden inched closer to the 270 Electoral all kinds of difficulties and dealt with the it happen and I don’t think it will be very College votes needed to win the White challenges.” Hong Kong was wracked difficult,” Andrews said. “Melbourne House. by protests last year demanding fully Airport will be very keen to have these democratic elections and opposing flights land.” China’s expanding influence in city affairs.

NORTH AMERICA WORLD NEW ZEALAND

Dems point finger over losses New dark matter breakthrough Ceremony as Ardern sworn in

Their majority shrunk, House Democrats Astronomers have found a new way has been formally cast blame on their election message, to see the elusive dark matter haloes appointed as New Zealand’s prime ground game and leadership under that surround galaxies, new research minister for her second term in office. Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s team after suggests. They say the new technique Ardern and her ministers were sworn expectations for big wins came crashing is 10 times more precise than the best in by Governor-General Dame Patsy down by a stark reversal in Trump previous method. Scientists estimate that Reddy in a ceremony in Wellington. country. They focused too narrowly up to 85% of the mass in the universe The incoming government were joined on health care, when voters were also is effectively invisible. This dark matter by their families and close staff in worried about the economy. They failed cannot be observed directly because it Government House’s ball room as they to fight back when Republicans labeled does not interact with light in the same each took the oath of allegiance. them “socialists” aligned with the party’s way as the ordinary matter that makes most liberal firebrands. up stars, planets and life on Earth.

2 NOVEMBER 6 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 7 (AEST), 2020

President Donald Trump. - AP Caption here…

NORTH AMERICA NORTH AMERICA Trump raises questions Officials fear for safety over election integrity amid threats, protests

President Donald Trump is testing how far he can go in Election officials in several states said they are worried using the trappings of presidential power to undermine about the safety of their staffs amid a stream of threats confidence in this week’s election against Joe Biden, as and gatherings of angry protesters outside their doors, the Democrat gained ground in tight contests in some drawn by President Donald Trump’s baseless claims of key battleground states. widespread fraud in the race for the White House.

With his pathway to re-election appearing to shrink, Trump “I can tell you that my wife and my mother are very concerned advanced unsupported accusations of voter fraud to falsely for me,” said Joe Gloria, the registrar in Clark County, Nevada, argue that his rival was trying to seize power. It amounted to which includes Las Vegas. He said his staff was bolstering an extraordinary effort by a sitting American president to sow security and tracking vehicles coming and going from the doubt about the democratic process. election offices. “This is a case when they are trying to steal an election, they But he added that he and others would not be stopped from are trying to rig an election,” Trump said from the podium of “doing what our duty is and counting ballots.” the White House briefing room. Groups of Trump supporters gathered at vote tabulation The president’s remarks deepened a sense of anxiety in the sites in Phoenix, Detroit and Philadelphia, decrying counts that US as Americans enter their third full day after the election showed Democrat Joe Biden leading or gaining ground. without knowing who would serve as president for the next While the protests have not been violent or very large, local four years. His statements also prompted a rebuke from some officials were distressed by the crowds and concerned about Republicans, particularly those looking to steer the party in a the relentless accusations. different direction in a post-Trump era. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel tweeted a plea to Neither candidate has reached the 270 Electoral College “stop making harassing & threatening calls” to her staff. votes needed to win the White House. But Biden eclipsed Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, speaking on CNN, Trump in Wisconsin and Michigan, two crucial Midwestern said her main concern was staff safety but that sheriff’s battleground states, and was inching closer to overtaking the deputies were providing protection. She said the protesters president in Pennsylvania and Georgia, where votes were still were “causing delay and disruption and preventing those being counted. employees from doing their job” It was unclear when a national winner would be determined About 100 Trump supporters gathered again in front of the after a long, bitter campaign dominated by the coronavirus and Maricopa County election center in Phoenix, some carrying its effects on Americans and the national economy. The US on military-style rifles and handguns. Arizona law allows people to Wednesday set another record for daily confirmed cases as openly carry guns. several states posted all-time highs. The pandemic has killed Authorities at the center used fences to create a “freedom of more than 233,000 people in the United States. speech zone” and keep the entrance to the building open. The Biden spent Thursday trying to ease tensions and project crowd took turns chanting – “Count the votes!” and “Four more a more traditional image of presidential leadership. After years!” – and complaining through a megaphone about the participating in a coronavirus briefing, he declared that “each voting process. ■ ballot must be counted.” “I ask everyone to stay calm,” Biden said. ■

3 NOVEMBER 6 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 7 (AEST), 2020

- PA People take part in the Million Mask March anti-establishment protest at Trafalgar Square in London, on the first day of a four-week national lockdown for England. - PA

UK UK Light at the end of the Dozens of arrests made tunnel, Johnson says at anti-lockdown protest

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has insisted four weeks Police have arrested 104 anti-lockdown protesters as of national lockdown should be enough to drive down hundreds of people marched through the streets of the spread of coronavirus so the severe restrictions central London on the day tougher coronavirus rules can be eased. came into force in England.

As England was plunged into a second shutdown, the Prime Officers urged demonstrators to go home as they took to the Minister recognised many were “anxious, weary and fed up” streets near Trafalgar Square, warning those who had gathered after a rebellion on the measures from Conservative MPs. that they were breaching coronavirus restrictions. Johnson said he has “every confidence” the measures will Protesters, very few of whom were wearing face coverings, work so the NHS will not be overwhelmed and the lockdown began to walk up the Strand soon after 6pm, chanting in England can be eased back into a tiered system on “freedom” and “no more lockdown”. December 2. Trailed by a large number of officers from both the City The Prime Minister faced questions over whether he would of London and Metropolitan Police forces, protesters were be able to extend the national restrictions if necessary after 32 repeatedly told to go home, with one officer shouting at a Tories defied the whip to vote against the measures. group: “You are breaking the law.” “The advice I have received suggests that four weeks is The Met said in a statement the majority of arrests were for enough for these measures to make a real impact,” he told a breaches of the new regulations and the number of arrests Downing Street press conference. was expected to increase as the operation continued through “These rules will expire and on December 2 we plan to the night. move back to a tiered approach. There is light at the end Commander Jane Connors, who is leading the operation, of the tunnel. said the force’s main priority had been to “keep Londoners “These are difficult times. While it pains me to have to ask safe”. once again for so many to give up so much, I know we can get “We are eight months into this national pandemic and frankly through this.” there can be no excuse for people to dangerously breach He said “the objective” is to return to regional restrictions regulations which are there to prevent further spread of next month so “people across this country will be able to have coronavirus,” she said. as normal a Christmas as possible”. “Tonight, a crowd of people chose to ignore the new Johnson was questioned whether he would be able to regulations, to behave irresponsibly and meet in a dangerous rely on his own MPs for subsequent measures or if he manner. More than 100 of these people have now been would have to rely on Labour votes after a further 18 Tories, arrested and will have to face the consequences of their including former prime minister Theresa May, did not vote in a actions.” Commons vote to pass the lockdown regulations. Four protesters, one of whom was wearing a Guy Fawkes “I’m very, very grateful to MPs for voting through the mask, were arrested by police officers near the gates of measures that we did yesterday … but obviously it was good Charing Cross Station. that this was a measure that was supported by people across The Metropolitan Police said that protesters were ignoring all political parties, and that’s the right way forward in this directions from officers and warned enforcement action would country,” Johnson said. ■ be taken against those who did not disperse. ■

4 NOVEMBER 6 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 7 (AEST), 2020

- AAP National Party leader , left, and . - RNZ / Dom Thomas

AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND Labor: China relations National Party loses two ‘completely hopeless’ MPs after special votes

Exporters are being urged to “spread their risk” in The National Party has lost another two MPs on the final case China officially suspends imports of various election result, with Labour and the Māori Party picking Australian products. up an extra seat each.

Chinese authorities are reportedly planning to halt imports The Electoral Commission declared the official results today, of Australian wine, lobsters, sugar, coal, copper, barley which sees three electorate changes since election night. and timber. The special votes, which are those that are not on the News that China is blocking the products, collectively printed electoral roll, or are not taken at a voting place, can be worth around $6 billion, came from state-run newspaper returned and counted up to 10 days after election day. The Global Times. Results on election night had Labour at 64 seats, National Another state media outlet, the China Daily, warned Australia at 35, ACT at 10, the Greens 10 and the Māori Party with a would “pay tremendously” if it continued antagonising China. sole electorate seat, but the counting of what was estimated “China is Australia’s largest trade partner and all of the to be nearly 500,000 special votes has delayed final results investigations so far only cover a small part of the imports from until today. Australia,” its editorial said. Labour’s has won Maungakiekie off “If Canberra continues to go out of its way to be inimical to National’s by 635 votes. China, its choosing sides will be a decision Australia will come Northland Labour candidate Willow-Jean Prime has beaten to regret as its economy will only suffer further pain.” National’s incumbent Matt King with a majority of 163 votes. Individual sectors have been informally advised of the trade King says he will be requesting a judicial recount in the strikes but there has been no formal announcement from the electorate of Northland. Chinese government. In a statement, he congratulated his opponent on a close Agriculture Minister David Littleproud is seeking clarification race but believed it was still too close to call. from Beijing. In Whangārei, Labour candidate Emily Henderson has In the meantime, he is encouraging exporters to consider beaten National’s by 431 votes, but Reti stays on in sending goods to other markets. Parliament making it in on the list. “We are saying to our exporters, you should spread your At a media conference, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it risk,” Littleproud said. was “fantastic” that Henderson had won her seat. The minister also had a warning for China. She also congratulated Prime and all those who are coming “If you want to play by the rules, everyone will play nicely,” into Parliament. he said. In a statement, opposition leader Judith Collins paid tribute “But if you don’t, then obviously there’s a greater risk, even to outgoing MP Denise Lee. for our exporters, and they need to take that into account if “Denise has worked incredibly hard since entering they’re going to send product there, and they may ask for a Parliament and it will be extremely sad to see her go. She higher price for that commodity.” is passionate about the people of Maungakiekie and has Labor accused the Morrison government of failing to worked tirelessly to make her community a better place,” deliver leadership, arguing hardworking Australians were Collins said. ■ paying the price. ■

5 NOVEMBER 6 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 7 (AEST), 2020

- AP Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. - AP

NORTH AMERICA NORTH AMERICA Judges shoot down House Democrats look legal challenges for answers after losses

Judges in Georgia and Michigan have quickly dismissed Their majority shrunk, House Democrats cast blame on Trump campaign lawsuits, undercutting a campaign legal their election message, ground game and leadership strategy to attack the integrity of the voting process in under Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s team after expectations states where the result could mean President Donald for big wins came crashing down by a stark reversal in Trump’s defeat. Trump country.

The rulings came as Democrat Joe Biden inched closer to the They focused too narrowly on health care, when voters were 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House. also worried about the economy. In Pennsylvania, meanwhile, the Trump campaign won an They failed to fight back when Republicans labeled them appellate ruling to get party and campaign observers closer “socialists” aligned with the party’s most liberal firebrands. to election workers who are processing mail-in ballots in They didn’t knock on doors to meet voters, focusing instead Philadelphia. on phone calls, digital outreach and TV ads, due to the health But the order did not affect the counting of ballots that is risks of campaigning during the pandemic. proceeding in Pennsylvania. They lost Latino voters in some places, and white, working Biden campaign attorney Bob Bauer called the Republican class men in others. legal challenges meritless. They did not pass more COVID aid through Congress when “I want to emphasize that for their purposes these lawsuits Americans needed help most. don’t have to have merit. That’s not the purpose. … It is to And perhaps most importantly, Democrats are coming create an opportunity for them to message falsely about what’s to grips with the fact that whether President Donald Trump taking place in the electoral process,” Bauer said, accusing the is e-elected or defeated by rival Joe Biden, they still have a Trump campaign of “continually alleging irregularities, failures problem understanding and winning over Trump voters. of the system and fraud without any basis.” Lawmakers unloaded during a caucus call – Democratic Biden said the count should continue in all states, adding, freshman Rep. Abigail Spanberger, in a so-tight race in Virginia, “No one’s going to take our democracy away from us – not spoke with “passion” about the party’s campaign failures, now, not ever.” according to a person familiar with the private call and granted But Trump campaign officials accused Democrats of trying to anonymity to discuss it. steal the election, despite no evidence anything of the sort was The marathon call ran three hours, with some 30 members taking place. adding their views. Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, in a call with No one spoke against Pelosi, who tried to remind them, reporters, said that “every night the president goes to bed they did, in fact, win: Biden is on the verge of replacing Trump, with a lead” and every night new votes “are mysteriously and House Democrats are on track to keep their majority, found in a sack.” according to another person familiar with the call and granted Trump campaign spokesman Jason Miller said additional anonymity to discuss it. legal action was expected and would be focused on giving “We did not win every battle but we did win the war,” campaign officials access to where ballots were being counted. Pelosi said. ■ “We will literally be going through every single ballot,” he said of the count in hotly contested Nevada. ■

6 NOVEMBER 6 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 7 (AEST), 2020

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam. - AP - PA

WORLD WORLD Lam receives praise for New way to see dark stabilising Hong Kong matter discovered

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam received credit from a Astronomers have found a new way to see the elusive top Chinese official for restoring order and reviving the dark matter haloes that surround galaxies, new economy in the semi-autonomous territory. research suggests.

Vice Premier Han Zheng, meeting Lam on the last day They say the new technique is 10 times more precise than the of her four-day visit to Beijing, said that her government best previous method. had “overcome all kinds of difficulties and dealt with the Scientists estimate that up to 85% of the mass in the challenges.” universe is effectively invisible. Hong Kong was wracked by protests last year demanding This dark matter cannot be observed directly because it does fully democratic elections and opposing China’s expanding not interact with light in the same way as the ordinary matter influence in city affairs. Lam, who was picked as leader by a that makes up stars, planets and life on Earth. committee dominated by pro-Beijing members, was accused of So in order to measure what cannot be seen, scientists being too close to the central government. analyse the dark matter’s effect on gravity. China responded by enacting a national security law for Pol Gurri, a PhD student at Swinburne University of Hong Kong earlier this year that has curtailed the protests, Technology, Australia, who led the research, said: “It’s like which were already dwindling because of COVID-19 restrictions looking at a flag to try to know how much wind there is. on public gatherings. “You cannot see the wind but the flag’s motion tells you how Han, one of seven members of the ruling Communist strongly the wind is blowing.” Party’s top leadership body, praised Lam’s government for its The new research, published in Monthly Notices of the handling of the pandemic, easing the economic burden on Royal Astronomical Society, looks at an effect called weak the population, implementing the national security law and gravitational lensing – a feature of Einstein’s general theory protecting the stability of Hong Kong. of relativity. Lam was accompanied by several top city officials, which she Associate professor Edward Taylor, also at Swinburne said demonstrates the breadth of Hong Kong’s integration into University of Technology, said: “The dark matter will very slightly China’s national development. distort the image of anything behind it. She was heading to Guangdong, the southern province that “The effect is a bit like reading a newspaper through the base borders Hong Kong, later Friday for economic talks on the of a wine glass.” Greater Bay Area, a region that also includes nearby Macao. ■ While weak gravitational lensing is already one of the most successful ways to map the dark matter content of the universe, the Swinburne team has now used the ANU 2.3m Telescope in Australia to map how gravitationally lensed galaxies are rotating. “Because we know how stars and gas are supposed to move inside galaxies, we know roughly what that galaxy should look like,” Gurri said. ■

7 NOVEMBER 6 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 7 (AEST), 2020

- AAP New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern accepts her formal appointment as Prime Minister from Governor General in Wellington. - AAP

TRANS-TASMAN NEW ZEALAND Direct NZ-Melbourne Ardern sworn in for flights set to resume second term as PM

Direct flights from New Zealand into Melbourne Jacinda Ardern has been formally appointed as New will resume on Monday, Victorian Premier Daniel Zealand’s prime minister for her second term in office. Andrews says. Ardern and her ministers were sworn in by Governor-General He made the announcement before the interim hotel Dame Patsy Reddy in a ceremony in Wellington. quarantine report was to be made public. The incoming government were joined by their families and “I have written to the prime minister and asked him to make close staff in Government House’s ball room as they each took it happen and I don’t think it will be very difficult,” Andrews said. the oath of allegiance. “Melbourne Airport will be very keen to have these flights In a vice-regal blunder, the finance minister and deputy land.” prime minister was called up as the “Right Honourable” Grant The news comes as Victoria goes a week without any Robertson, a title reserved for the prime minister, before he coronavirus deaths or new cases. was sworn in as simply “Honourable”. Friday’s Department of Health and Human Services update Ministers gave their oaths in a variety of languages: the showed the Melbourne 14-day average also dropped further, prime minister and most others spoke in English, others did so from 1.4 to 1.3. in te reo Maori, New Zealand’s indigenous language. There remain two mystery cases in Melbourne and none in , the newly-appointed police minister, also regional areas. spoke in Cook Islands Maori, while courts and Pacific peoples It is the first time since February that Victoria has had such a minister Aupito , gave his allegiance in Samoan. streak of no deaths or new cases. The otherwise decidedly vice-regal and traditional affair “These numbers are very impressive … but we can’t just featured other modernised elements. pretend that seven days of zeros is like a vaccine against this For the first time, the ceremony included a traditional Maori virus,” the premier said. welcome and prayer – a karanga and a karakia. “Therefore we have to keep our guard up.” Ministers also received their warrants of appointment Andrews said Victorians would have a better idea of which in te reo Maori, the country’s indigenous language, for the restrictions might be eased throughout this month when he first time. ■ announces roadmap changes on Sunday. The 25km Melbourne travel limit and the “ring of steel” separating the city from the rest of Victoria are set to end. Andrews said there would also be “some expansions” around bars, restaurants and cafes, plus he will announce changes the government hopes to make through the rest of November. Comparisons with NSW are continuing to dog the Victorian government before Sunday’s announcement. NSW has reported six locally acquired cases in the past week, with 68 COVID-positive people being treated, including a patient on a ventilator in intensive care. ■

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