October 25 (GMT) – OCTOBER 26 (AEST), 2019

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NORTH AMERICA UK AUSTRALIA

‘Closed’ inquiry condemned PM will keep pushing for election Last Uluru climbers come down

A leading Senate ally of President Donald Chancellor Sajid Javid says the The last climbers allowed to scale Uluru Trump has introduced a resolution government will push “again and again” have come down from the ancient and condemning the Democratic-run for a general election if the opposition sacred monolith, which is now officially House for pursuing an “illegitimate denies Boris Johnson a pre-Christmas closed for climbing. A group of eight held impeachment inquiry” and demanding poll. The Prime Minister said he would hands and stepped off the rock together that Republicans be given more chances give MPs more time to consider his Brexit about 7pm, local time, escorted by two to question witnesses. The nonbinding deal if they agreed to an election on rangers. Among them was Jayson Dudas resolution announced by GOP Sen. December 12. But Labour – whose votes from Las Vegas, who flew to Australia Lindsey Graham of South Carolina gives will be needed if he is to get the two- specifically to climb the rock. “I know Senate Republicans a chance to show thirds majority in the Commons which he there’s a big controversy. I respect the support for Trump. requires to go the country – has yet to first nations but since it’s an optional say what it will do. thing to do I decided to do it,” he said.

NORTH AMERICA EUROPE NEW ZEALAND

Shot deer kills Arkansas hunter EU agrees extension is needed Ardern government turns two

Officials in Arkansas say a hunter died EU ambassadors have agreed on the This weekend, New Zealand Prime after he was attacked by a deer that principle of granting Britain’s request Minister Jacinda Ardern can blow out the he’d shot and believed to be dead. for another extension to the Brexit candles on two years in power. The jury Arkansas Game and Fish Commission deadline but have yet to decide on is firmly out on whether she’ll celebrate spokesman Keith Stephens said 66-year- the length of the new delay. Speaking a third. A pair of polls this month show old Thomas Alexander shot a buck after EU ambassadors met with the EU her coalition government is neck and with a muzzleloader while hunting near Brexit chief negotiator Michel Barnier, neck with the opposition National party, Yellville, an area in the Ozark Mountains. European Commission spokeswoman less than a year before the next election. Stephens said the buck attacked Mina Andreeva said ambassadors “have This is surprising, both to outsiders who Alexander when the hunter approached agreed to the principle of an extension” see Ardern confidently flying the Kiwi flag, the animal to see if it was dead. He said and their work will “continue in the and to locals with an eye to their electoral Alexander later died in hospital. coming days”. history.

1 October 25 (GMT) – OCTOBER 26 (AEST), 2019

Your daily Top 12 stories from Frank News

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rest of the world UK AUSTRALIA

Lion Air crash report points finger Hull: exciting waterfront city? Playful puppy sets home ablaze

An Indonesian investigation has found Plans for an ambitious £1.5 billion project If you play with fire, you get burnt. a Lion Air flight that crashed and killed to safeguard Hull from flooding and turn It was a hard lesson to learn for Archie 189 people a year ago was doomed by the area into “one of the most exciting the 10-month-old puppy, after he set a combination of aircraft design flaws, waterfront cities in Europe” have been his owner’s Melbourne home ablaze last inadequate training and maintenance revealed. It is hoped that, if realised, the week. The French Bulldog Boston Terrier problems. A final accident report said plan would generate as many as 14,000 cross can be seen on home security Lion Air flight 610, from Indonesia’s new jobs through the building of a new camera jumping on a couch and chewing capital Jakarta to the island of Sumatra, outer harbour and port facilities in the on a lighter before it erupts in flames. crashed because the pilots were East city. The project involves His owner Dee said she left Archie alone never told how to quickly respond to the building of an 11km relief road on in her unit about 9am and four minutes malfunctions of the Boeing 737 Max 8 the Estuary, which would in turn later, when she checked in on her playful jet’s automated flight-control system. create a lagoon. pup via CCTV, saw the incident unfold. rest of the world EUROPE NEW ZEALAND

Typhoon-hit Japan cops deluge Brit dead in France storms No preparing for major quake

Torrential has caused flooding in towns A British woman was among three people No amount of planning could prepare east of Tokyo, prompting fresh concerns killed as torrential rain lashed southern the country for the reality of a large- in areas still recovering from recent France. The 68-year-old died after being scale earthquake, disaster officials typhoons. Footage showed muddy swept away by a flood outside her home have warned. The South Island Alpine waters spilling from a river in Chiba, in Cazouls-d’Herault, according to local Fault Earthquake Response Forum southeast of Tokyo, where pedestrians media. She was reportedly taken to was in Nelson this week as part of its waded through waist-deep floods. hospital by helicopter after being found awareness-raising road-show. The Alpine A highway toll gate near the Narita by emergency workers nearby. More Fault, which runs almost the length of the International Airport was temporarily than 2000 emergency services workers South Island, has ruptured about every closed for safety. No casualties or have been mobilised to deal with the 300 years. The last time was in 1717. damage were reported. aftermath of the storms, which hit eight French counties.

2 October 25 (GMT) – OCTOBER 26 (AEST), 2019

Republican senator Lindsey Graham. – AP – AP

NORTH AMERICA NORTH AMERICA Resolution condemns Hunter dies after deer ‘closed’ inquiry he’d shot attacks him

A leading Senate ally of President Donald Trump has Officials in Arkansas say a hunter died after he was introduced a resolution condemning the Democratic- attacked by a deer that he’d shot and believed to be run House for pursuing an “illegitimate impeachment dead. inquiry” and demanding that Republicans be given more chances to question witnesses. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission spokesman Keith Stephens said 66-year-old Thomas Alexander shot a buck The nonbinding resolution announced by GOP Sen. Lindsey with a muzzleloader while hunting near Yellville, an area in the Graham of South Carolina gives Senate Republicans a chance Ozark Mountains about 105 miles (170km) north of Little Rock. to show support for Trump at a moment when the president Stephens said the buck attacked Alexander when the hunter is urging his GOP allies to fight harder for him as the House approached the animal to see if it was dead. He said Alexander impeachment probe gathers momentum. later died in hospital. IMPEACHMENT PROBE: Republicans disrupt deposition Stephens said it was not clear how long Alexander waited Graham said the House process so far has been “a star- before checking on the deer, but that the agency recommends chamber-type inquiry” and accused Democrats of using it to waiting at least 30 minutes before approaching.. ■ damage Trump. “If you can drive down a president’s poll numbers by having proceedings where you selectively leak information, where the president who’s the subject of all this is pretty much shut out, God help future presidents,” Graham said. With lawmakers from both parties present, House investigators have been questioning diplomats and administration officials behind closed doors for several weeks. Democrats are expected to soon hold public hearings. Should the House vote to impeach Trump, both sides would be able to question witnesses during the trial the GOP-run Senate would then commence. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is a leading co-sponsor of the measure. Asked about a vote, McConnell said earlier that Republicans are “discussing the way forward on that.” Graham said 41 of the Senate’s 53 Republicans had so far co-sponsored. ■

3 October 25 (GMT) – OCTOBER 26 (AEST), 2019

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, with Chancellor Sajid Javid in the background. – AP EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier at the EU headquarters in Brussels. – AP

UK EUROPE PM will keep demanding EU agrees Brexit election ‘again and again’ extension is needed

Chancellor Sajid Javid says the government will push EU ambassadors have agreed on the principle of granting “again and again” for a general election if the opposition Britain’s request for another extension to the Brexit denies Boris Johnson a pre-Christmas poll. deadline but have not yet figured out how long that delay should be. The Prime Minister said he would give MPs more time to consider his Brexit deal if they agreed to an election on Speaking after EU ambassadors met with the EU Brexit December 12. chief negotiator Michel Barnier, European Commission But Labour – whose votes will be needed if he is to get the spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said ambassadors from the EU’s two-thirds majority in the Commons which he requires to go 27 other nations accepted the terms of an extension and their the country – has yet to say what it will do. “work will continue in the coming days”. Jeremy Corbyn has said he wants to see the terms of any Two European diplomats said the ambassadors would meet Brexit extension offered by the EU before deciding which way again early next week. Andreeva hinted that the EU would not to vote on Monday. hold a special summit on Brexit to approve the extension, Javid said the stalemate over Brexit had reduced saying the decision would be made in a statement. Westminster to a “zombie parliament”, and that it was now up Britain is scheduled to leave the 28-nation bloc on October to Labour to end the deadlock by agreeing to go back to the 31 but has asked for a three-month extension to that deadline country. as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson struggles to get With the Budget scheduled for November 6 having already lawmakers to pass his Brexit divorce deal. Economists say a no- been cancelled, the Chancellor suggested ministers would deal departure would hurt both the UK and the EU economies. put other government business on hold until the issue was France, among other EU nations, has been reluctant to resolved. approve a long Brexit extension, saying Britain must present “The Opposition have said, week after week, that if there is a “a clear scenario” for progress before another Brexit delay is delay of three months, which is what they requested through granted. Parliament, then they will vote for a general election, so let’s “Our position is that simply giving more time, without political see if they keep their word,” he said. change, without ratification, without an election, would be “And if they don’t then we will keep bringing back to useless,” Amelie de Montchalin, France’s European Affairs Parliament a motion to have an election – and we will keep minister, said. ■ doing that again and again. “As for other parliamentary business, we’ll have to wait and see what that is, and we will react to it at that time.” While some around Corbyn back a snap election, many Labour MPs are bitterly opposed to a poll, fearing confusion over the party’s position on Brexit will cost them at the ballot box. Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said they needed an “explicit commitment” that a no-deal Brexit was off the table before they would be prepared to back an election. ■

4 October 25 (GMT) – OCTOBER 26 (AEST), 2019

This group of eight tourists was the last to come down Uluru. – AAP Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. - AP

AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND Last Uluru climbers Kiwis unsure as Ardern come down government turns two

The last climbers allowed to scale Uluru have come down This weekend, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda from the ancient and sacred monolith, which is now Ardern can blow out the candles on two years in power. officially closed for climbing. The jury is firmly out on whether she’ll celebrate a third. A group of eight held hands and stepped off the rock together A pair of polls this month show her coalition government is about 7pm, local time, escorted by two rangers. neck and neck with the opposition National party, less than a Among them was American Jayson Dudas from Las Vegas, year before the next election. who flew to Australia specifically to climb the rock. This is surprising, both to outsiders who see Ardern “This is a big thing for me, and being last is also part of it,” he confidently flying the Kiwi flag, and to locals with an eye to their said. electoral history. “I know there’s a big controversy. I respect the first nations Not since first-term prime minister “Big Norm” Norman Kirk, but since it’s an optional thing to do I decided to do it.” who died in office 45 years ago, have Kiwis thrown out a first- Climbers had lined up since 4am at the base of the iconic term government. 348-metre high sandstone rock but it appeared they would Are they really about to turf Ardern, who has shined as prime miss out when rangers put up a sign at 7am declaring it was minister since being given the top job by queen-making NZ closed due to strong winds. First leader Winston Peters in October 2017? They opened the rock at 10am, with a lone young man “Well, it’s exceptionally close,” National polling guru and running ahead of the pack to be the first on to Uluru on the former staffer David Farrar said. last day climbs were allowed. Indeed, one of the polls out this month has Labour and its Hundreds more followed him up as traditional owner coalition allies – NZ First and the Green party – losing office in a Vincent Forrester, who also works as a guide, booed at the wafer-thin defeat. crowd and accused tourism operators of not employing young The 1News Colmar Brunton poll shows National leading people from the Mutitjulu community. Labour 47-40 per cent, with the Greens on seven and NZ “You’ve got to take the mickey a bit, there’s a sign over there First failing to break the five per cent threshold and therefore but not one of them can read,” he said, referring to the sign tumbling out of parliament – producing the National win. at Uluru’s base asking people not to climb on behalf of the Farrar, referring to the previous tenures of Labour’s Helen Pitjantjatjara Anangu people from Mutitjulu. Clark and National’s John Key, said the numbers don’t bode “It’s going to close today but we want the visitors to come well for Labour. and we want them to enjoy the Aboriginal presentation of our “My expectation after Winston made his decision is that own country.” National would have dropped down into the 30s,” he said. Uluru is a sacred site and of great spiritual significance to the “The public mood being ‘You’ve had your nine years, now you Anangu. have to go away, learn your lesson, nobody wants to hear from The National Park board decided in 2017 to ban the climb, you.’ in what park operations manager Steven Baldwin said was a “And the government would enjoy a honeymoon and chart in “triumph” of joint management and the Anangu people bravely the low 50s. Because we saw that in the first term of the Clark showing they were not beholden to government or tourists. ■ government and the first term of the Key government. “But they haven’t.” ■

5 October 25 (GMT) – OCTOBER 26 (AEST), 2019

Indonesian Coast Guard members with debris recovered from the Lion Air crash. – AP A street is flooded by heavy rain in Narita, east of Tokyo. – AP

rest of the world rest of the world Lion Air crash report Typhoon-hit Japan cops largely blames Boeing even more rain

An Indonesian investigation has found a Lion Air flight Torrential has caused flooding in towns east of Tokyo, that crashed and killed 189 people a year ago was prompting fresh concerns in areas still recovering from doomed by a combination of aircraft design flaws, recent typhoons. inadequate training and maintenance problems. Footage showed muddy waters spilling from a river in Chiba, A final accident report said Lion Air flight 610, from Indonesia’s southeast of Tokyo, where pedestrians waded through waist- capital Jakarta to the island of Sumatra, crashed because floods. A highway toll gate near the Narita International pilots were never told how to quickly respond to malfunctions Airport was temporarily closed for safety. A supermarket in of the Boeing 737 Max 8 jet’s automated flight-control system. Narita City was flooded, and store staff were sweeping out and The jet plunged into the Java Sea just 13 minutes after its wiping water with mops. takeoff on October 29, 2018. No casualties or damage were reported. Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee said Heavy rain also washed out the second round of the PGA the automated system, known as MCAS, relied on a single Tour’s first tournament held in Japan, the Zozo Championship “angle of attack” sensor that provided erroneous information, in Inzai City, where Tiger Woods was tied with Gary Woodland automatically shoving the nose of the Max jet down. at 64 after the opening round. The report also identified various missteps prior to the crash. The Meteorological Agency predicted up to 180mm (7 The aircraft, only in use for two months, had problems on its inches) of rain over 24 hours. Japan’s NHK public television said last four flights, including one the day before its fatal accident. that an average rainfall for the entire month had fallen just in Just five months after the Indonesian crash, the same kind of half a day. The downpours were coming from a low-pressure malfunction caused a Max jet to crash in Ethiopia, killing all 157 system hovering above Japan’s main island. people on board. More than 9000 homes, including 6000 of them in the Chiba That led to the grounding of all 737 Max jets and put Boeing prefecture and 2500 others in nearby Ibaraki prefecture, were under intense pressure to explain problems associated with without electricity, according to the Tokyo Electric Power Co. the MCAS system. The aircraft still has not resumed flying. that supplies power in the region. Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee Chiba city issued an evacuation advisory to residents in said the MCAS on the Lion Air flight relied on a single “angle several districts due to a growing risk of flooding or mudslides. of attack” sensor that provided erroneous information, Local media reported two dams upstream were expected automatically shoving the nose of the Max jet down. to release buildup water, urging residents downstream to So far, Indonesia has not released the full report. evacuate as a precaution. The summary presented identified various missteps prior Many areas in Chiba were still recovering from September to the crash. The aircraft, only in use for two months, began typhoon damage when Typhoon Hagibis this month caused having problems on October. 26. A new angle of attack sensor widespread flooding farther north, leaving more than 80 was installed the day before the crash on the Indonesian resort people dead or presumed dead across Japan. island of Bali, but it was mis-calibrated, resulting in it being 21 Residents in central and northern Japan, including Nagano degrees out of alignment. The problem was not detected when and Fukushima, which were among the worst hit by Hagibis, it was installed. ■ were also urged to take precautions. ■

6 October 25 (GMT) – OCTOBER 26 (AEST), 2019

It is hoped the lagoon plan will revitalise Hull’s waterfront. – PA Flood waters from the storms in the south of France. – AP

UK EUROPE Could Hull be an exciting Brit among dead in waterfront city? France storms

Plans for an ambitious £1.5 billion project to safeguard A British woman was among three people killed as Hull from flooding and turn the area into “one of the torrential rain lashed southern France. most exciting waterfront cities in Europe” have been revealed. The 68-year-old died after being swept away by a flood outside It is hoped that, if realised, the plan would generate as her home in Cazouls-d’Herault, according to local media. many as 14,000 new jobs through the building of a new outer She was reportedly taken to hospital by helicopter after harbour and port facilities in the East Yorkshire city. being found by emergency workers nearby. The project involves the building of an 11km relief road A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the on the Humber Estuary, which would in turn create a lagoon family of a British woman who has died in Cazouls-d’Herault providing a new destination for “waterfront living” and and our staff are in contact with the French authorities.” delivering flood protection to the city, the team behind the plan More than 2000 emergency services workers have been has said. mobilised to deal with the aftermath of the storms, which hit A study by the has suggested that had eight French counties, the country’s Interior Ministry said. such a lagoon been in place during the 2013 tidal surge, where The town of Beziers was among the hardest hit, with dozens hundreds of homes in the Humber region were hit by flood of people evacuated as more rain fell in 24 hours than in the water, the city of Hull would have had 100 per cent protection. whole of the previous year. ■ The team running the project, Lagoon Hull, are hoping to “attract existing Government spending commitments which would be repurposed for the project” in order to make it possible. They said the cost of the project was estimated to be around £1.5 billion, which would be met through public and private investment. Karl Turner, the Labour MP for Kingston-upon-Hull East, backed the proposals. “Lagoon Hull is the biggest, most ambitious project to have ever been devised in Hull and East Yorkshire. If realised, it is truly a game-changer for our region,” he said. “Crucially, Lagoon Hull will protect people living and working in East Hull and across the region from coastal flooding. “Therefore, this bold project must be supported.” Lord Haskins, the chairman of the Humber Local Enterprise Group, added: “The Humber region could be a shining example of how cities adapt themselves for a changing natural, economic and cultural world. “It would make Hull one of the most exciting waterfront cities in Europe, possibly even the world.” ■

7 October 25 (GMT) – OCTOBER 26 (AEST), 2019

Puppy Archie set a Melbourne house on fire while playing with a lighter. – AAP A damaged road after the Kaikōura quake. - RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King

AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND Playful puppy sets NZ ‘cannot prepare’ for home on fire major quake

If you play with fire, you get burnt. No amount of planning could prepare the country for the reality of a large-scale earthquake, disaster officials have It was a hard lesson to learn for Archie the 10-month-old warned. puppy, after he set his owner’s Melbourne home ablaze last week. The South Island Alpine Fault Earthquake Response Forum The French Bulldog Boston Terrier cross can be seen on was in Nelson this week as part of its awareness-raising road- home security camera jumping on a couch and chewing on a show. The region was vulnerable to large quakes in both the lighter before it erupts in flames on October 16. South Island and the North Island, which was at risk from the His owner Dee said she left Archie alone in her Ringwood Hikurangi subduction zone. unit about 9am and four minutes later, when she checked in The Alpine Fault, which runs almost the length of the South on her playful pup via CCTV, saw the incident unfold. Island, has ruptured about every 300 years. “I think he grabbed it off the TV unit or something and it The last time was in 1717. must’ve sparked and the couch caught fire,” she said. Scientist Caroline Orchiston, who was leading the response She called fire crews, who were already alerted to the blaze. planning for a possible Magnitude 8 quake on the Alpine Fault, Neighbours were evacuated and firefighters brought the fire said Nelson and Tasman might experience the equivalent under control in four minutes. of a magnitude 6 or 7 quake, with shaking lasting up to two The damage bill is expected to tally thousands of dollars. minutes. “The insurance company told me all my contents are gone But the effects will be felt far and wide. and the whole thing probably needs to be replastered and new “There will be widespread damage to our lifelines floors and new cupboards, new aircon,” Dee said. infrastructure, in other words our roads, our electricity and Luckily for Archie, he is not in the doghouse. water supplies, so it’s not just about what’s happening in your Dee still thinks he is “cute” and even changed his name to region,” Orchiston said. “Archie the arsonist” on his Instagram page. “In an Alpine Fault case it’s across the whole South Island, “I’m just glad he’s okay. He could’ve been so much worse,” and in fact the lower North Island might feel the indirect she said. impacts as well.” “He was really sooty, but I’m so glad he’s okay.” The head of Marlborough’s Emergency Management group, Investigators confirmed the fire was ignited by the dog Brian Paton – who left his badly damaged Blenheim home playing with an unattended lighter. to help steer the emergency response to the 2016 Kaikōura MFB Commander Graeme O’Sullivan warned any item that earthquake – said as bad as that was it was only a rehearsal for can start a fire should be kept out of reach of not only children, what could happen when the Alpine Fault ruptured. but pets too. He said despite efforts to bolster response efforts, the “Having these items in a place where they can find their way region was still not ready for the “Big One”. into little hands or paws is dangerous – they should be kept in “No, we’re not really. An event like this would be so a safe place like a high cupboard,” he said. ■ enormous that you could be as prepared as possible … but when you have 30,000 people that need somewhere to stay, and one solution is to buy enough accommodation to put those people in, but that’s not the reality.” ■

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