November 29 (GMT) – November 30 (AEST), 2018

Your daily Top 12 stories from Frank News

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Kids among six killed in blaze Johnson urges Tories to vote no More communities told to leave

Authorities have recovered six bodies, Former minister Jo Johnson wants fellow One community has been cut off by including those of four children, from the Tories to vote down Prime Minister bushfire and told to seek shelter and six rubble of a burned-out northern Indiana Theresa May’s “worst of all worlds” Brexit. other towns are packing up valuables home, according to police. The victims Johnson, whose surprise resignation and evacuating their homes as fires of the fire outside Logansport included caught Westminster off guard earlier continue to rage in central Queensland. a 25-year-old woman and her three this month, will use a speech in London Firefighters can’t stop the fire advancing children – two daughters aged three and to try and rally opposition to May’s EU towards the seaside hamlet of Tinnanbar, one, and a three-month-old son, Indiana withdrawal agreement. The ex-transport which is between Maryborough and State Police Sgt. Tony Slocum said. The minister will say the Conservatives risk an Gympie, and say the blaze has reached other victims were a 42-year-old man and election disaster on the scale of 1997 if the road. his 10-year-old daughter. they back May’s plans.

Trump open to Manafort pardon Scottish independence warning One dead in Mt Cook avalanche

President Donald Trump has said a Prime Minister Theresa May has hit One person has died after an avalanche pardon for Paul Manafort was “not off back at claims she is too “feart” to go up on Aoraki Mount Cook this afternoon. the table”, in a comment that drew swift against Nicola Sturgeon in a TV debate Police say there were three people out rebuke from critics who fear the president on Brexit, as she insisted her withdrawal tramping when the avalanche occurred will use his executive power to protect deal would be “good for the UK as a at 1.30pm. While one of the trampers friends and supporters caught up in the whole”. With the country’s departure escaped uninjured, a second tramper Russia probe. The president’s discussion from the European Union looming in suffered minor injuries on the mountain of a possible pardon in an interview came just four months, May also restated her and was taken to Twizel for treatment. days after special counsel Robert Mueller opposition to any prospect of a second said Manafort had breached his plea deal Scottish independence referendum. by repeatedly lying to investigators.

1 November 29 (GMT) – November 30 (AEST), 2018

Your daily Top 12 stories from Frank News

Full stories start on page 6

NORTH AMERICA EUROPE AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND

Senate defies Trump over Saudis Reports paint grim picture Andrews unveils cabinet shake-up

Defying President Donald Trump, Separate assessments from Whitehall A first-time MP has been handed the senators have sent a strong signal they and the Bank of England have painted a big portfolio of public transport, while want to punish Saudi Arabia for its role in grim picture of the impact of a no-deal Victorian Labor has named its first female the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Brexit on the UK economy. The Bank attorney-general in its new-look ministry. By a bipartisan 63-37, the Senate voted warned Britain could be tipped into Premier revealed his to move forward with legislation calling a recession worse than the financial major ministerial shake-up, two days for an end to US involvement in the crash, with an 8 per cent cut in GDP, after announcing a gender-equal cabinet Saudi-led war in Yemen. The vote was a unemployment surging by as much as for the first time in the state’s history. rebuke not only to Saudi Arabia but also 7.5 per cent and house prices falling by to Trump’s administration. almost one-third.

Trump’s jet has its wing clipped GPs workload too heavy West Coast to get $140m boost

President Donald Trump’s private jet GPs’ workload is reaching “saturation Tourism, technology and dairy are set to has been involved in a collision at New point” as they order more than three benefit from a $140 million investment York’s LaGuardia Airport. A corporate jet times the amount of tests compared in the West Coast. Regional Economic manoeuvring into a parking spot struck to 15 years ago, scientists have said. Development Minister Shane Jones has the wing of Trump’s parked Boeing 757. Even using “conservative estimates”, the revealed details of a Provincial Growth The Federal Aviation Administration diagnostics for patients are costing the Fund package designed to strengthen referred reporters to the White House NHS more than £2.8 billion a year – while the region’s economy and create new press office. reviewing results is increasing pressure jobs. Top of the list is an $87.46 million on doctors, the researchers said. investment in tourism, including $40 million to upgrade KiwiRail’s TranzAlpine service.

2 November 29 (GMT) – November 30 (AEST), 2018

Firefighters battle an early morning house fire in Logansport, Indiana. – AP Paul Manafort. – AP

NORTH AMERICA NORTH AMERICA Kids among six Trump open to killed in blaze Manafort pardon

Authorities have recovered six bodies, including those of President Donald Trump has said a pardon for Paul four children, from the rubble of a burned-out northern Manafort was “not off the table”, in a comment that Indiana home, according to police. drew swift rebuke from critics who fear the president will use his executive power to protect friends and The victims of the fire outside Logansport included a 25-year- supporters caught up in the Russia probe. old woman and her three children – two daughters aged three and one, and a three-month-old son, Indiana State Police Sgt. The president’s discussion of a possible pardon in an interview Tony Slocum said. The other victims were a 42-year-old man came days after special counsel Robert Mueller said Manafort and his 10-year-old daughter. had breached his plea deal by repeatedly lying to investigators. The man’s wife and his adult son survived the fire and were The former Trump campaign chairman denied he lied. taken to a local hospital, Slocum said. Trump’s remarks were the latest sign of his disdain for the Neighbors reported the fire at the rural home about 70 Russia investigation, which has dogged him for two years miles (115km) north of Indianapolis. Two Cass County sheriff’s and ensnared members of his inner circle. In recent weeks, deputies arrived minutes later and tried to enter the home but the president, armed with inside information provided to his were turned away by flames and heat, Sheriff Randy Pryor said. lawyers by Manafort’s legal team, has sharpened his attacks, Pryor said the two survivors had spoken to investigators. seizing on what he claims are dirty tactics employed by the The house was largely engulfed in flames when firefighters special counsel and accusing investigators of pressuring arrived, preventing any rescue attempts, New Waverly Fire witnesses to lie. Department Lt. Steve Crispen said, adding the building’s roof When asked about a pardon for Manafort, Trump said: “It collapsed after fire gutted most of the interior of the two- was never discussed, but I wouldn’t take it off the table. Why storey, wood-frame house. would I take it off the table?” Firefighting efforts were hindered by a lack of fire hydrants Trump only has the power to pardon for federal charges. A near the house. Fire crews ran out of water and had to wait for pardon would not shield Manafort from prosecution for state about five minutes for more tankers to arrive, Crispen said. charges, though he is not currently facing any. “It’s pretty numbing when the initial dispatch is telling us The top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee people are entrapped in the structure and they’re saying said if Trump pardoned Manafort it would be a “blatant and multiple people,” he said. “It’s one of the toughest days I’ve unacceptable abuse of power”. probably had in my life.” ■ Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia tweeted that the president’s pardon power was not a “personal tool” Trump could use to protect “himself and his friends”. Meanwhile, Manafort’s lawyers have been briefing Trump’s attorneys in recent months on what their client has told investigators, an unusual arrangement for a government co- operator and one that raises the prospect that Manafort could be angling for a pardon. Manafort spokesman Jason Maloni declined comment. ■

3 November 29 (GMT) – November 30 (AEST), 2018

Former minister Jo Johnson. – PA Prime Minister Theresa May. – PA

EUROPE EUROPE Jo Johnson urges Warning against Tories to reject deal Scottish independence

Former minister Jo Johnson wants fellow Tories to vote Prime Minister Theresa May has hit back at claims she down Prime Minister Theresa May’s “worst of all worlds” is too “feart” to go up against Nicola Sturgeon in a TV Brexit. debate on Brexit, as she insisted her withdrawal deal would be “good for the UK as a whole”. Johnson, whose surprise resignation caught Westminster off guard earlier this month, will use a speech in London to try and With the country’s departure from the European Union rally opposition to May’s EU withdrawal agreement. looming in just four months, May also restated her opposition The ex-transport minister will say the Conservatives risk an to any prospect of a second Scottish independence election disaster on the scale of 1997 if they back May’s plans. referendum. Johnson, who backs a new Brexit referendum, will say: “This “One thing we do know is what would be bad for the Scottish is the worst of all worlds. economy would be taking Scotland out of the UK,” the prime “There is a natural opportunity, now that the deal is minister said. agreed, for us to check that the country wants us to With speculation MPs could reject her Brexit agreement in a proceed on this basis. key Commons vote next month, May is touring the country in a “Now is the time to ensure we have public support for this bid to sell the package directly to voters. major decision in our nation’s history.” But she stressed that as a planned TV debate with Labour’s Johnson, the brother of arch-Breexiter Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn was “about a vote that’s going to take place in the will say: “The Conservative Party’s reputation for economic House of Commons” the SNP leader had no part to play in it. competence would be undermined by implementing a botched Downing Street earlier said as Sturgeon was not an MP Brexit, especially one that the Government’s own analysis she would not be involved in the “meaningful vote” on the suggests will cause economic harm. Withdrawal Agreement on December 11. “Brexit is seen as a project driven by the Conservative Party The First Minister responded by tweeting: “Neither are all the and this half-baked, worst of all worlds Brexit could trigger an members of the public that the PM is currently appealing to electoral defeat on the scale of 1997, or worse, with this ‘Tory here on her ‘tour’ of the country.” Brexit’ label an albatross around our necks for years to come.” She added “#feart” – a Scottish word used when someone Johnson will also reject a so-called “Norway Forever” is afraid. option in which the UK emulates the Scandinavian country’s Sturgeon attacked May the day after a Scottish government relationship with the EU. paper warned the draft arrangements for the UK’s departure He will say: “It is hard to see a majority in Parliament for a from the European Union could result in a “loss equivalent to policy which combines the continuation of free movement of £1610 per person in Scotland compared to EU membership people and no say in EU decision making. by 2030”. “Norway Forever is tantamount to full EU membership with Separate documents published by the UK government no voting rights. showed its draft deal could cut the country’s GDP by up to 3.9 “Anyone who objects to the PM’s deal because it leaves us per cent over the next 15 years. in a subordinate relationship to the EU should dislike Norway Leaving the EU without a deal in place could cause the Forever even more. ■ economy to shrink by 9.3 per cent over the same period, the analysis claimed. ■

4 November 29 (GMT) – November 30 (AEST), 2018

Firefighters attend a bushfire at Damper Creek, Central Queensland. – AAP

AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND Five more communities One dead in Aoraki told to leave Mt Cook avalanche

One community has been cut off by bushfire and told One person has died after an avalanche on Aoraki Mount to seek shelter and six other towns are packing up Cook this afternoon. valuables and evacuating their homes as fires continue to rage in central Queensland. Police say there were three people out tramping when the avalanche occurred at 1.30pm. Firefighters can’t stop the fire advancing towards the seaside While one of the trampers escaped uninjured, a second hamlet of Tinnanbar, which is between Maryborough and tramper suffered minor injuries on the mountain and was Gympie, and say the blaze has reached the road. taken to Twizel for treatment. “Tinnanbar Road is being impacted by fire and is unsafe. The An avalanche advisory issued this afternoon said there were safest option is to shelter in place,” authorities warn. dangerous avalanche conditions on alpine and high alpine Six other communities are evacuating, two not far from areas of the mountain. Baffle Creek, the epicentre of the state’s bushfire crisis. Police are still at the scene. People have been told to leave Winfield and Captain Creek, This follows the death of two mountain guides late last not far from Baffle Creek where fires have been burning for month in an avalanche in the area. almost a week. Martin Hess and Wolfgang Maier, 58, died in the October 31 Residents have also been told to get out of Stanwell and avalanche. ■ Kabra, near Rockhampton. Both neighbour Gracemere, outside Rockhampton, where a bushfire forced the mass evacuation of 8500 people. A fifth community facing evacuation is The Caves, about 25km north of Rockhampton. Evacuations were under way for the 22 people at Broken River, east of Rockhampton, who have been ringed by fire for days. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has flown to the fire zone, and ironically had not long left Kabra when an alert was issued for residents to leave. At least one home was destroyed at Kabra. Palaszczuk has spent the day warning Queenslanders that the fire crisis is not over, despite a slight easing of conditions. “We’re not out of this yet,” she said, as more than 100 fires continued to burn across the state. The premier, police and fire authorities have expressed mounting frustration over some people’s refusal to heed evacuation orders. Palaszczuk’s annoyance was clear when she said “some people are not getting the message”, a message that has included very clear warnings that people could burn to death. ■

5 November 29 (GMT) – November 30 (AEST), 2018

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. – AP Donald Trump’s private jet. – AP

NORTH AMERICA NORTH AMERICA Senate defies Trump Trump’s jet has over Saudis its wing clipped

Defying President Donald Trump, senators have sent a President Donald Trump’s private jet has been involved strong signal they want to punish Saudi Arabia for its in a collision at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. role in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. A corporate jet manoeuvring into a parking spot struck the By a bipartisan 63-37, the Senate voted to move forward with wing of Trump’s parked Boeing 757. legislation calling for an end to US involvement in the Saudi-led The Federal Aviation Administration referred reporters to the war in Yemen. White House press office. The vote was a rebuke not only to Saudi Arabia but also to The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said the Trump’s administration, which has made clear it does not want incident happened as ground workers were guiding the to torpedo the longstanding US relationship with Riyadh over Bombardier Global Express corporate jet. the killing. The authority declined to confirm that Trump’s plane was Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense involved. James Mattis both came to Capitol Hill to urgently lobby It said nobody was injured and airport operations continued against the resolution, which would call for an end to US normally. military assistance for the conflict that human rights advocates Since becoming president, Trump usually travels in Air Force say is wreaking havoc on Yemen and subjecting civilians to One, run by the US Air Force. ■ indiscriminate bombing. The vote showed a significant number of Republicans were willing to break with Trump to express their deep dissatisfaction with Saudi Arabia and with the US response to Khashoggi’s killing in Turkey last month. US intelligence officials have concluded the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, must have at least known of the plot, but Trump has equivocated over who was to blame. Khashoggi, who lived in the US, was publicly critical of the Saudi crown prince. He was killed in what US officials have described as an elaborate plot at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, which he had visited for marriage paperwork. Echoing Trump’s public comments on the killing, Pompeo said after a briefing with senators there was “no direct reporting” connecting the crown prince to the murder, and Mattis said there was “no smoking gun” making the connection. Pompeo argued the war in Yemen would be “a lot worse” if the United States were not involved. ■

6 November 29 (GMT) – November 30 (AEST), 2018

The Bank of England Governor Mark Carney . – PA - PA

EUROPE EUROPE Reports paint grim GPs workload nears no-deal picture ‘saturation point’

Separate assessments from Whitehall and the Bank of GPs’ workload is reaching “saturation point” as they England have painted a grim picture of the impact of a order more than three times the amount of tests no-deal Brexit on the UK economy. compared to 15 years ago, scientists have said.

The Bank warned Britain could be tipped into a recession Even using “conservative estimates”, the diagnostics for worse than the financial crash, with an 8 per cent cut in GDP, patients are costing the NHS more than £2.8 billion a year – unemployment surging by as much as 7.5 per cent and house while reviewing results is increasing pressure on doctors, the prices falling by almost one-third. researchers said. Meanwhile, a cross-government analysis found the UK The study said practitioners in 2000-2001 ordered 14,869 economy would be 9.3 per cent smaller after 15 years if tests per 10,000 “person years”, which takes into account the Britain leaves without a deal and falls back on World Trade number of patients and how long they lived. Organisation rules, compared with remaining in the EU. But in 2015-16 this had risen to 49,267, the researchers While the UK economy would continue to grow after from institutions including Oxford and Stanford universities withdrawal, Britain would be worse off under any Brexit said. scenario than if it stayed in the EU, the government paper “Our results support other evidence that suggests general found. practice workload in the UK is reaching saturation point,” lead Withdrawal under the plans set out in the government’s author Dr Jack O’Sullivan, of Oxford University, wrote. White Paper would leave GDP up to 3.9 per cent lower by “Similarly, our results indicate the burden of tests ordered by 2035, according to the figures produced by officials from the general practitioners on NHS expenditure.” Treasury and other Whitehall departments. Increasing GP visits, a greater expectation by patients that Public-sector net borrowing could be forced up by as much they should receive tests, and changes to NHS services, are as £119 billion by a no-deal withdrawal and up to £26.6 billion among the reasons the researchers suggested could be under a scenario similar to Prime Minister Theresa May’s plans. behind the rise. The document did not put a cash figure on the hit to the British Medical Association GP committee chairman Dr economy, but independent experts say 3.9 per cent of GDP Richard Vautrey said the study showed the wide range of will equate to about £100 billion a year by the 2030s, far services now delivered by GPs and their practice teams. outweighing the UK’s current contribution to EU budgets. He said: “This rapid change, with practices now doing a lot The stark findings will be seized upon by May in her bid to of clinical activity that was traditionally done in hospitals, has persuade MPs to back her Brexit plan, in order to avoid the had a major impact on workload as it has not been matched uncertainty of a disorderly no-deal withdrawal. by the necessary increase in resources, and therefore the But supporters of a second EU referendum said that they Government should recognise this by addressing this in their added weight to their call for a “People’s Vote” with Remain on forthcoming long-term plan for the NHS.” ■ the ballot paper. Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign, said: “I do not believe that people who voted Leave or Remain voted to give their families less money at the end of the month.” ■

7 November 29 (GMT) – November 30 (AEST), 2018

Jill Hennessy will be Victorian Labor’s first female attorney-general. – AAP Jacinda Ardern at Westland Milk. – RNZ

AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND Andrews unveils West Coast to get cabinet shake-up $140m boost

A first-time MP has been handed the big portfolio of Tourism, technology and dairy are set to benefit from a public transport, while Victorian Labor has named its $140 million investment in the West Coast. first female attorney-general in its new-look ministry. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has Premier Daniel Andrews revealed his major ministerial shake- revealed details of a Provincial Growth Fund package designed up, two days after announcing a gender-equal cabinet for the to strengthen the region’s economy and create new jobs. first time in the state’s history. Top of the list is an $87.46 million investment in tourism, Rookie politician Melissa Horne, voted into parliament including $40 million to upgrade KiwiRail’s TranzAlpine service for Williamstown, has been rocketed straight into the public with an additional premium service and extra carriage capacity. transport and ports and freight ministries. Jones said tourism was the second highest contributor to the After being sworn in at Government House, Horne, who West Coast economy, with one million people visiting the area was most recently a director of the Level Crossing Removal every year. Authority, admitted she was on a steep learning curve. “To see greater value from that sector, we want visitors to “I look forward to hitting the ground running and working the region to stay longer and do more,” he said. with someone as experienced as ,” Horne said. Jones revealed $25.6 million will be spent upgrading tourism Allan will lead an all-woman transport team, taking on the infrastructure at Punakaiki and another $3.3 million on building new portfolio of transport infrastructure to oversee projects hot pools and spa facilities above Punakaiki Resort. including level crossing removals, the North East Link and Upgrades will be carried out on Croesus Road, at the Metro Tunnel. Blackball end of the new Paparoa Great Walk and Pike29 Alongside her will be who moves on from Memorial Trail, and on visitor facilities and environmental agriculture to roads, road safety, fishing and boating. protection at the Oparara Arches in Karamea. A family-friendly “I’m really excited to be the minister responsible for the big rail trail will also be established between Westport and building program that the Andrews Labor government has to Charleston. deliver over the next four years,” Allan said. Residents on the West Coast will receive better access to Former health minister and lawyer Jill Hennessy will be digital connectivity, with $45 million set aside to extend and Victorian Labor’s first female attorney-general and only the improve internet access and mobile coverage across the entire second woman to hold the role in a line of 54. area, including developing broadband infrastructure in and “I hope my daughters grow up not thinking that 50 per around Haast and Milford Sound. cent cabinet female membership is a novelty or that a female Another $9.9 million will be spent developing hi-tech milk attorney-general is a novelty,” she said. segregation facilities at Westland Milk Products in Hokitika, “I hope it becomes the norm and whilst I’m celebrating that which currently employs 430 people in Hokitika. achievement today, I look forward to the day when it’s not a thing.” The facilities will allow the company to collect and process Her legal affairs predecessor is keeping racing, different types of milk products and milk, such as A2 milk and but will take on jobs, innovation, trade, tourism, sport and colostrum. major events. Deputy Premier has held on to The PGF package also incorporates a $10 million loan to education, but emergency services has been moved to police kickstart a new garnet mining venture. ■ and water minister .. ■

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