June 26 (GMT) – June 27 (AEST), 2020

Your daily Top 12 stories from Frank News

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USA UK AUSTRALIA

Trump, Biden campaign in earnest Beachgoers on notice over virus Toilet paper hoarding ‘ridiculous’

A presidential campaign that has largely Health Secretary Matt Hancock has Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been frozen for several months because warned the government will take action branded a resurgence in panic buying of the coronavirus took on a degree of if social distancing measures are ignored ridiculous, after major supermarkets normalcy when President Donald Trump as thousands flocked to the south coast were forced to reinstate limits on toilet and Democratic challenger Joe Biden on the hottest day of the year. Hancock paper purchases. Coles and Woolworths swung through critical battleground said the government had the power reinstated purchase limits on toilet paper states presenting starkly different visions to close public areas such as beaches and other essential items in Victoria this for a post-pandemic America. Touring a if people flouted safety restrictions. week after a sudden surge in coronavirus shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin, Trump Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole cases sparked hoarding. From Friday, insisted the economy is “coming back at a council declared a major incident after shoppers in other parts of the country level nobody ever imagined possible.” services were “completely overstretched” similarly will be allowed to buy only two by huge numbers of visitors. packs of toilet paper and paper towels

USA UK AUSTRALIA

City votes on abolishing police MP sacked over anti-Semitism MP probed on China links

The Minneapolis City Council is set to Rebecca Long-Bailey has been sacked A little-known NSW Labor MP has been vote on a proposal to change the city from the Labour shadow cabinet after suspended from the party after his charter to allow elimination of the city’s sharing an article containing an allegedly Sydney home was raided by federal police department, a radical move anti-Semitic conspiracy theory. Party police and ASIO amid allegations of supported by a majority of the council leader Sir Keir Starmer took action after foreign interference with links to China. after George Floyd’s death. The vote Long-Bailey tweeted a link to an interview Shaoquett Moselmane has recently is one step in a process that faces with the actress Maxine Peake in which spoken and written articles in support significant bureaucratic obstacles to she claimed police linked to the death of of China’s Communist leader Xi Jinping make the November ballot, where the George Floyd in the US had learned their but kept a low profile following the city’s voters would have the final say. tactics from the Israeli secret services. raid. Prime Minister Scott Morrison Jewish groups praised Sir Keir for his swift described the developments in Sydney as action. “extremely serious”.

1 June 26 (GMT) – June 27 (AEST), 2020

Your daily Top 12 stories from Frank News

Full stories start on page 6

rest of the world EUROPE NEW ZEALAND

Pentagon reassures NATO Portugal scrambles as cases spike ‘Big twister’ touches down

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper has At the Bairro do Zambujal housing Mangawhai residents have witnessed sought to reassure allies at NATO that project on the outskirts of Lisbon, the birds and roofs being pulled into the Washington will consult them on any behaviour of residents offers clues to vortex as a tornado touched down at future troop movements, after President why this part of Portugal has become the coastal town north of Auckland. The Donald Trump surprised partners at a hot spot for new Covid-19 cases and freak weather event was believed to have the military alliance by announcing the how government efforts to stamp out the occurred not long after 4pm, and lasted withdrawal of thousands of personnel new coronavirus are being frustrated. A only a few minutes. Resident Pamela from Germany. Esper paid an in- lot of people in the project that houses Gervai said it was “like a big twister” that person visit to NATO headquarters in about 6000 people disregard the touched down several times and then Brussels after several allied defence recommendation from authorities to dissipated. “Along with that, we had a lot ministers expressed concern about the wear masks. of wild wind, thunder, lightning flashes unpredictability of US troop plans. and just a dramatic downpour of rain.” rest of the world EUROPE NEW ZEALAND

Africa urges ‘people’s vaccine’ Tensions rise at virus hotspot National still says not to NZ First

Governments around the world should The governor of a southern Italian region National Party leader Todd Muller says “remove all obstacles” to swift and has insisted that Bulgarian farm workers his caucus’ position remains that it equitable distribution of any successful who live in an apartment complex with cannot work with New Zealand First. Covid-19 vaccine, including by making all dozens of Covid-19 cases must stay Last night’s latest 1 News Colmar Brunton intellectual property and technologies inside for 15 days, not even emerging for political poll had support for National up immediately available, African countries food. Wearing a mask to discourage virus nine percentage points to 38 per cent, have said. The call from the African spread, Campania Governor Vincenzo De while Labour fell to 50 per cent. Muller Union was Africa’s most assertive one yet Luca said that the national civil protection said: “My position has always been that for a “people’s vaccine” made available agency should deliver groceries to our caucus in February said that we can’t to everyone, even as rich countries the estimated 700 occupants of the see a way that we would work with them. like the United States make deals with apartments in Mondragone, a seaside But …my final pronunciation on all of this manufacturers for potential supplies. town about 50km northwest of Naples. will be before the campaign starts.”

2 June 26 (GMT) – June 27 (AEST), 2020

US President Donald Trump. – AP Terrence Floyd, second from right, is comforted as he sits at the spot where his brother George Floyd encountered police and died while in their custody. – AP

USA USA Trump, Biden campaign Minneapolis votes on in earnest abolishing police

A presidential campaign that has largely been frozen for The Minneapolis City Council is set to vote on a proposal several months because of the coronavirus took on a to change the city charter to allow elimination of the degree of normalcy when President Donald Trump and city’s police department, a radical move supported by a Democratic challenger Joe Biden swung through critical majority of the council after George Floyd’s death. battleground states presenting starkly different visions for a post-pandemic America. The vote is one step in a process that faces significant bureaucratic obstacles to make the November ballot, where Touring a shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin, Trump insisted the city’s voters would have the final say. And it comes amid a the economy is “coming back at a level nobody ever imagined spate of recent shootings in Minnesota’s largest city that have possible.” But in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Biden warned that heightened many citizens’ concerns about talk of dismantling “no miracles are coming” and slammed Trump’s handling of the the department. virus. The Minneapolis force has come under heavy pressure “Amazingly, he hasn’t grasped the most basic fact of this since Floyd, a black man in handcuffs, died May 25 after a crisis: To fix the economy we have to get control over the virus,” police officer pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly Biden said. eight minutes. Activists had long accused the department of With just over four months remaining until the election, being unable to change a racist and brutal culture, and earlier the contrasting styles of Trump and Biden are increasingly on this month, a majority of the council proclaimed support for display. The president is itching to move past an outbreak that dismantling the department. has dashed the economy and killed more than 120,000 people. Doing so would first require amending the city charter. Draft Biden, meanwhile, is seeking to present himself as a language of the amendment would replace the department competent and calming leader ready to level with the nation with a Department of Community Safety and Violence about the hardships that may be required to emerge from the Prevention, “which will have responsibility for public safety current turmoil. services prioritizing a holistic, public health-oriented approach.” Beyond knocking Trump’s leadership, Biden spent much of The amendment goes on to say the director of the new the day defending the Obama administration’s signature health agency would have “non-law-enforcement experience in care law and decrying what he said was a White House-led community safety services, including but not limited to public effort to dismantle it via a court challenge. health and/or restorative justice approaches.” It also provides It was part of a larger Democratic effort to refocus the 2020 for a division of licensed peace officers, who would answer to election on healthcare, an issue that helped the party retake the department’s director. the House last cycle and one it hopes will resonate with even Council members who support the change are looking more voters amid the pandemic. to seize on a groundswell of support for significant policing Narrow 2016 victories in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania were changes following Floyd’s death. If they don’t get the charter vital in sending Trump to the White House. That he would build change on the November ballot, their next chance won’t come his travel around trying to do that again – and that Biden would until November 2021, they say. respond with trips meant to flip the states back to Democratic “It is time to make structural change,” Council Member Steve – wouldn’t usually be a surprise. But the coronavirus has Fletcher said. “It is time to start from scratch and reinvent what upended normal campaign travel since March. ■ public safety looks like.” ■

3 June 26 (GMT) – June 27 (AEST), 2020

Crowds gather on the beach in Bournemouth on Thursday. – PA Rebecca Long_Bailey. – AP

UK UK Beachgoers on notice Starmer sacks MP in over virus anti-Semitism row

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned the Rebecca Long-Bailey has been sacked from the Labour government will take action if social distancing shadow cabinet after sharing an article containing an measures are ignored as thousands flocked to the south allegedly anti-Semitic conspiracy theory. coast on the hottest day of the year. Party leader Sir Keir Starmer took action after Long-Bailey Hancock said the government had the power to close public tweeted a link to an interview with the actress Maxine Peake in areas such as beaches if people flouted safety restrictions. which she claimed police linked to the death of George Floyd in It comes as Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council the US had learned their tactics from the Israeli secret services. declared a major incident after services were “completely Jewish groups praised Sir Keir for his swift action in removing overstretched” as huge numbers of visitors crowded onto the the shadow education secretary – a close ally of Jeremy beaches during the day. Corbyn. Chief medical officer for England Professor Chris Whitty However, left-wing supporters of the former leader – later urged people to follow social distancing rules in the hot including former shadow chancellor John McDonnell – rallied weather or risk causing a spike in coronavirus. behind Long-Bailey, insisting she had done nothing wrong. “Covid-19 has gone down due to the efforts of everyone but Sir Keir said his “primary objective” was to rebuild trust with is still in general circulation,” he said. “If we do not follow social the Jewish community after years in which Labour has been distancing guidance then cases will rise again. embroiled in allegations of anti-Semitism under Corbyn. “Naturally people will want to enjoy the sun but we need to “I do not consider sharing that article furthered the cause do so in a way that is safe for all.” of rebuilding trust with the Jewish community and that’s why I Hancock said he was “reluctant” to go down the route of stood Rebecca Long-Bailey down,” he said. shutting public spaces as “people have had a pretty tough “I didn’t do that because she is anti-Semitic, I did it because lockdown”. she shared the article which has got – in my view – anti-Semitic But he added that if there was a spike in the number of conspiracy theories in it.” coronavirus cases “then we will take action”. Sir Keir’s action will be seen as a further sign of his Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council said extra willingness to take on the Corbynista left, getting rid of its most police patrols had to be brought in following the “irresponsible” prominent member still on the Labour frontbench. behaviour of crowds who gridlocked roads, dumped rubbish, Long-Bailey originally tweeted a link to the interview with abused refuse collectors and parked illegally. Peake, describing her as “an absolute diamond”. Temperatures soared to 33.4C (92.12F) at Heathrow Airport She later tweeted a “clarification” in which she said she in west London, making it the hottest day of the year so far. had shared the article because of the actress’s “significant Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce the achievements” and her support for Labour. government’s plans for air bridges, which will allow Britons She added: “It wasn’t intended to be an endorsement of all to go on holiday to certain destinations without needing to aspects of the article.” quarantine for 14 days on their return. Senior Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge, who is Jewish and The first of these air bridges will allow holidaymakers to a fierce critic of Corbyn, said: “This is what a change in culture travel to “low-risk” European destinations, including France, looks like. This is what zero tolerance looks like. This is what Italy, Spain, Greece and Germany, from July 4. ■ rebuilding trust with the Jewish community looks like.” ■

4 June 26 (GMT) – June 27 (AEST), 2020

– AAP NSW Labor MP Shaoquett Moselmane. – AAP

AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIA Toilet paper hoarding AFP, ASIO probe MP ‘ridiculous’ on China links

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has branded a resurgence A little-known NSW Labor MP has been suspended from in panic buying ridiculous, after major supermarkets the party after his Sydney home was raided by federal were forced to reinstate limits on toilet paper purchases. police and ASIO amid allegations of foreign interference with links to China. Coles and Woolworths reinstated purchase limits on toilet paper and other essential items in Victoria this week after a Shaoquett Moselmane has recently spoken and written articles sudden surge in coronavirus cases sparked hoarding. in support of China’s Communist leader Xi Jinping but kept a From Friday, shoppers in other parts of the country similarly low profile following the raid. will be allowed to buy only two packs of toilet paper and paper NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay said she had been told police towels at Woolworths stores and one pack at Coles. and ASIO intelligence officers had entered Moselmane’s Morrison repeated his earlier blunt warning to selfish Rockdale home and also had a warrant for his parliamentary shoppers. office. “Stop it, it’s ridiculous,” he said. “I’m sure it will pass as it did Asked if the searches related to suspicions of Chinese last time. There’s no need for it.” government infiltration, McKay said: “No, this came as a He said it was important to reassure people the outbreak did surprise to me. not mean there would be a problem with supplies of essential “It’s dreadfully concerning, it’s terrible,” she added. “There’s items. an expectation on MPs that, whatever they do, it’s in the best Woolworths Supermarkets managing director Claire Peters interests of the people of the state. I’d hope every single MP in said the move is precautionary and designed to support the parliament … has that at the heart of their actions.” appropriate social distancing in stores during the weekend. She confirmed Moselmane’s membership of NSW Labor had “We’ve regrettably started to see elevated demand for toilet been suspended and the upper house MP would no longer sit roll move outside Victoria in the past 24 hours,” she said. in the parliamentary caucus. “While the demand is not at the same level as Victoria, we’re There were unconfirmed reports that one of Moselmane’s taking preventative action now to get ahead of any excessive staff, who had allegedly been trained by the Chinese buying this weekend and help maintain social distancing in our Communist Party, may also be involved. stores.” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was aware of an Ms Peters said more than 650,000 additional packs of toilet investigation that had been going on for some time which paper had been added and there was enough for everyone. “elevated to a new level today”. “If customers already have enough toilet roll at home, there He described the developments in Sydney as “extremely is no need to buy more,” she said. serious”. “The sooner we see buying patterns return to normal levels, “We won’t cop anyone coming and seeking to interfere in our as was the case throughout May and most of June, the quicker political system,” Morrison said. we’ll be able to wind back limits.” Moselmane, who has been in NSW parliament since 2009 In Victoria, purchase limits on eggs, flour, hand sanitiser, and held roles including assistant president of the upper long-life milk, mince, pasta, sugar and rice are also in place at house, is reported to have made repeated trips to China, both major supermarket chains. ■ where he has met with Chinese Communist Party members. ■

5 June 26 (GMT) – June 27 (AEST), 2020

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, right, and US Secretary of Defense Mark Senegalese students wear masks as they return to classes in Dakar, Senegal. – AP Esper. – AP rest of the world rest of the world Pentagon seeks to Africa urges ‘people’s reassure NATO vaccine’

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper has sought to reassure Governments around the world should “remove all allies at NATO that Washington will consult them on obstacles” to swift and equitable distribution of any any future troop movements, after President Donald successful Covid-19 vaccine, including by making all Trump surprised partners at the military alliance by intellectual property and technologies immediately announcing the withdrawal of thousands of personnel available, African countries have said. from Germany. The call from the African Union was Africa’s most assertive At a time when videoconferencing has become the norm due one yet for a “people’s vaccine” made available to everyone, to the coronavirus, Esper paid a short in-person visit to NATO even as rich countries like the United States make deals with headquarters in Brussels, a week after several allied defence manufacturers for potential supplies. ministers expressed concern about the unpredictability of US Using language that might put the pharmaceutical industry troop plans in Europe and amid a draw down in Afghanistan. on alert, the African Union’s new communique specifically “I welcome that the US is consulting with allies, while making mentions the Doha Declaration on public health by World clear that the US commitment to European security remains Trade Organization members in 2001, which refers to the right strong,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said before to grant compulsory licenses. holding talks with Esper. Both men arrived at their lecterns “Compulsory licensing enables a competent government wearing face masks. authority to license the use of a patented invention to a third Last week, Trump said he was ordering a major reduction party or government agency without the consent of the patent- in troop strength in Germany, from around 34,500 personnel holder,” according to the World Health Organization. down to 25,000. Members of his own party have criticised the The African communique, read out after a continental move as a gift to Russia and a threat to US national security. conference on the quest for Covid-19 vaccines, stated that Germany is a hub for US operations in the Middle East and there was an urgent need for countries to “make full use Africa. of legal measures … to ensure monopolies do not stand in Trump said this week that the troops could be moved to the way of access.” It pointed out the “barriers” intellectual Poland. property posed in the past to affordable vaccines in developing Germany wasn’t notified of the move, which came after countries. Trump branded its NATO ally “delinquent” for failing to pay The statement comes as the coronavirus spreads rapidly in enough for its own defence, by not meeting a goal set in 2014 Africa, with more than 337,000 confirmed cases. for members to halt budget cuts and move toward spending at Drug companies, however, have argued that they need least 2 per cent of gross national product on defence by 2024. to protect their intellectual property to fund their expensive Esper reaffirmed that message, saying that “I continue to research. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization supports urge all of our allies to meet their target goal of 2 per cent of a Covid-19 technology access pool where IP and data can be GDP. We’ve moved a good distance here in the last few years shared voluntarily. African officials stress the shared approach. but there’s much, much more we need to do to ensure our The CEO of vaccines alliance GAVI, Seth Berkley, told the collective security.” ■ conference that “vaccine nationalism” is real, with initiatives in high-income countries “essentially trying to corner the market in those countries.” ■

6 June 26 (GMT) – June 27 (AEST), 2020

– AP Police stand at a road block in front of a big apartment complex where dozens of Covid-19 cases have been registered among a community of Bulgarian farm workers. – AP

EUROPE EUROPE Portugal scrambles as Tensions rise at Italy virus cases spike virus hotspot

At the Bairro do Zambujal housing project on the The governor of a southern Italian region has insisted outskirts of Lisbon, the behaviour of residents offers that Bulgarian farm workers who live in an apartment clues to why this part of Portugal has become a hot spot complex with dozens of Covid-19 cases must stay inside for new Covid-19 cases and how government efforts to for 15 days, not even emerging for food. stamp out the new coronavirus are being frustrated. Wearing a mask to discourage virus spread, Campania A lot of people in the project that houses about 6000 people Governor Vincenzo De Luca said that the national civil disregard the recommendation from authorities to wear protection agency should deliver groceries to the estimated masks, says Maria Felicidade Nunes, president of the local 700 occupants of the apartments in Mondragone, a seaside residents’ association. town about 50km (32 miles) northwest of Naples. Some local stores don’t heed rules on how many customers The complex must be kept in “rigorous isolation,” De Luca can be inside at one time. Young people huddle in large groups said. That means that for 15 days, “nobody leaves and nobody at local cafes, she says. enters” the apartments, where some 50 cases have been “Some people are OK with the rules, but others just don’t confirmed. accept them,” Nunes said. The south has been spared the high numbers of coronavirus For Portugal, the spate of new infections is the elephant in cases that have ravaged northern Italy. the room as the government touts the country as a safe place Known for his particularly hard line on anti-contagion for lockdown-weary Europeans to visit. measures throughout the nationwide coronavirus outbreak By moving quickly during the pandemic’s early days, this year, De Luca has vowed to lock down all of Mondragone, Portugal avoided the exponential rates of infections and population 30,000, if the number of cases at the hotspot reach deaths reported by other European Union countries, including 100. neighbouring Spain. But since emerging on May 2 from a state “Have I been clear? I’m used to speaking clearly,’’ De Luca of emergency and 45-day lockdown, the country has recorded said. an average of 275 new cases a day. On Thursday, it reported The apartment complex was put under lockdown earlier in 311 – 222 of them in the Lisbon metropolitan area. the week, and all of its residents were ordered to be tested for The tally puts the country of 10.3 million people among the the virus, after a handful of cases surfaced. European countries with the most new infections. It has an The Campania region has requested police reinforcements overall incidence rate of 390 per 100,000 inhabitants. to impose the quarantine on the complex. De Luca said the “It’s not a cause for alarm, but it’s obviously something to Interior Ministry had authorised an army contingent. be concerned about,” said Dr Ricardo Mexia, president of The apartment residents have balked at staying indoors Portugal’s National Association of Public Health Doctors. during the hot, steamy summer days. Tensions flared on The government argues that the relatively high number of Thursday, with Italians in the streets jeering at the Bulgarian new cases being discovered was due to its testing effort, with residents of the apartment complex. an average of 98,000 tests performed a week, and says that During the pandemic, Campania has registered some its Covid-19 mortality rate is relatively low, in European Union 4660 Covid-19 cases and 431 deaths, a small fraction of the terms, at 149 per million inhabitants. Overall, Portugal has nationwide cases and deaths. ■ reported just over 40,400 confirmed cases and 1524 deaths. ■

7 June 26 (GMT) – June 27 (AEST), 2020

– RNZ National Party leader Todd Muller.–- RNZ / Dan Cook

NEW ZEALAND NEW ZEALAND ‘Big twister’ touches National still ruling out down in Mangawhai working with NZ First

Mangawhai residents have witnessed birds and roofs National Party leader Todd Muller says his caucus’ position being pulled into the vortex as a tornado touched down remains that it cannot work with New Zealand First. at the coastal town north of Auckland. The latest 1 News Colmar Brunton political poll had support The freak weather event was believed to have occurred not for National up nine percentage points to 38 per cent, while long after 4pm, and lasted only a few minutes. Labour fell to 50 per cent. Resident Pamela Gervai said it was “like a big twister” that Muller said: “My position has always been that our caucus in touched down several times and then dissipated. February said that we can’t see a way that we would work with “Along with that, we had a lot of wild wind, thunder, lightning them. flashes and just a dramatic downpour of rain.” “That remains our position. But I have said all along, my final She did not hear it coming before she spotted it outside her pronunciation on all of this will be before the campaign starts.” window. “It just stayed up on the hill.” At that time, he would also discuss National’s position on “It was dramatic weather.” working with the ACT Party. She said she would have been frightened if it got any bigger. In the meantime, the party has unveiled its slogan for the It was still windy, stormy and heavily overcast, Gervai said. upcoming elections on a billboard in Napier today. “It’s just a regular stormy day now.” It reads: “Strong Team More Jobs Better Economy”. Sam Garratt, who lives in nearby Wellsford, said he was University of Auckland politics professor Jennifer Curtin said packing up at work when he saw the twister. in the lead-up to the election, New Zealand First was playing its “My boss called us over and said ‘check this out’ and I just traditional strategy. pulled out my phone to video it and this big white cloud started “It’s not working. And I think this is partly because this has funnelling towards the ground … in a few seconds, there was a been a different kind of coalition for New Zealand First than tornado sitting in front of us,” he said. what they’ve experienced before,” Curtin said. “It got real dark and pretty scary to be honest. Then it started “What I think they’ve done wrong here is they haven’t made twisting and it was just unbelievable to witness. the most of the Provincial Growth Fund. “It took off beyond the hill, we saw some roofs get pulled “They haven’t spent all the money they have been allocated up … stuff was going flying, we thought we saw some birds get and Labour gave New Zealand First an opportunity to be the sucked into it as well. It was pretty frightening.” champion of the regions and to shore up their vote through He said he was about 2km away from the almost 100-metre- a positive campaign and they’ve gone back to this traditional high twister. “It was quite slow to begin with but when it started negative way of working. moving towards the hill it took off pretty quick. It covered a lot “And actually, it looks like it’s not going to work for them.” of ground fast and then dissipated in the area.” Public press relations consultant and and former National Garratt said he was concerned for people’s safety. government press secretary Ben Thomas said: “National’s long- “Some people’s farmland got destroyed and some signs got term future is best – looks best – if New Zealand First is out of ripped out of the ground … pretty intense stuff.” Parliament.” ■ Fire and Emergency New Zealand said they were in attendance at a property on Cove Rd, where a roof had lifted on a home. ■

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