september 18 (GMT) – september 19 (AEST), 2018

Your daily Top 12 stories from Frank News

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NORTH AMERICA EUROPE AUSTRALIA +

Sky-high price for Space Force MPs urge Brexit fallback plan PM rejects disability probe plea

Creating a Space Force as a separate Theresa May must consider alternatives military service, as proposed by President to her Chequers blueprint that keep Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ruled Donald Trump, would cost an estimated Britain aligned to Brussels to avoid a out investigating disability providers as $US12.9 billion in its first five years, “chaotic and damaging” no-deal Brexit part of the royal commission into aged according to a detailed Air Force plan if it is rejected, MPs have warned. The care. The commission will be dealing for how to go about it. This is the first Government should look at either a with in-home care and young people publicly available cost estimate. When customs union or European Economic with disabilities in residential aged care, the White House announced plans to Area (EEA) membership as a fallback but won’t look at disability organisations establish a Space Force in August, Deputy to avoid leaving the European Union more broadly. “It’s important we keep the Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan without a withdrawal agreement, the focus of the inquiry,” Morrison said. declined to give an exact figure. Exiting the EU Committee suggested.

Crews to rescue as toll rises Barnier to update EU ministers Ardern: No cracks in coalition

Throwing a lifeline to a city surrounded Brussels’ chief Brexit negotiator will Prime Minister is by floodwaters, emergency crews have brief ministers from European Union adamant there are no cracks in the delivered food and water to Wilmington governments on the state of talks coalition government. Adern said she as rescuers picked up more people with the UK ahead of a major summit was firmly in charge of the Labour-led stranded by Hurricane Florence and the this week. Michel Barnier will update government and it was incorrect to storm’s remnants took aim at the densely representatives of the EU27 on the characterise Deputy Prime Minister populated north-east. The death toll from remaining issues that need to be Winston Peters as hostile. The prime Florence rose to at least 32, and crews resolved in the divorce talks – including minister also dismissed suggestions of elsewhere used helicopters and boats how to resolve the Irish border question public humiliation of the Labour coalition to rescue people trapped by still-rising – and the framework for the UK’s future because of Peters’ comments by rivers. relationship with the EU. over-planned policies.

1 september 18 (GMT) – september 19 (AEST), 2018

Your daily Top 12 stories from Frank News

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asia rest of the world AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND

Moon, Kim start third summit Russian jet downed near Syria Needle found in Sydney apple

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un greeted A Russian reconnaissance aircraft was A mother has reportedly found a needle Moon Jae-in with hugs and smiles as brought down by a Syrian missile over inside an apple she bought from a the South Korean president arrived in the Mediterranean, killing all 15 people Woolworths supermarket in Sydney’s Pyongyang for a third summit between on board, the Russian defense ministry northwest. It was reported the needle the two, aimed at advancing faltering says. It blamed Israel for the crash, saying was found in a six-pack of Pink Lady nuclear talks and officially ending the the plane was caught in the crossfire as apples purchased from a supermarket Korean War. Hundreds of North Koreans four Israeli fighters attacked targets in at The Ponds. The Kellyville Ridge mother wearing suits and traditional dresses northwestern Syria. The Russian military reportedly found the needle when also greeted Moon, carrying flowers and said that the Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft peeling an apple for her daughters. waving Korean peninsula and North was hit 35km off the coast as it was Korean flags. returning to its home base nearby.

Teacher, students electrocuted First private moon passenger Release emails, government told

Police in Pakistan say a teacher and three SpaceX says Japanese billionaire Yusaku The Speaker of the House has told the students were electrocuted and died at Maezawa will be first private passenger government to front up with personal a private school in the country’s north- on a solo rocket trip around the moon. emails between former minister Clare west.Police officer Abdur Rasheed said The 42-year-old entrepreneur, who Curran and technology entrepreneur the four were hoisting the national flag appeared at an event at the space launch Derek Handley. Curran was stripped of during morning assembly in the village company’s headquarters, said it had the Government Digital Services role of Kiwai in the picturesque Kaghan Valley been his lifelong dream to go into space. after it was revealed she used personal when tragedy struck. The officer said the He said just thinking about the journey emails and did not properly record a teacher raised the banner and the steel got his heart racing. meeting with Handley, who was applying pipe with the flag came in contact with for the Chief Technology Officer role. high voltage electricity cables.

2 september 18 (GMT) – september 19 (AEST), 2018

- AP Floodwater from Hurricane Florence threatens homes in South Carolina. - AP

NORTH AMERICA NORTH AMERICA -high price for Crews come to the rescue Trump’s Space Force as Florence toll rises

Creating a Space Force as a separate military service, Throwing a lifeline to a city surrounded by floodwaters, as proposed by President Donald Trump, would cost an emergency crews have delivered food and water to estimated $US12.9 billion in its first five years, according Wilmington as rescuers picked up more people stranded to a detailed Air Force plan for how to go about it. by Hurricane Florence and the storm’s remnants took aim at the densely populated Northeast. This is the first publicly available cost estimate. When the White House announced plans to establish a Space Force in August, The death toll from Florence rose to at least 32, and crews Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan declined to give a elsewhere used helicopters and boats to rescue people figure but said it would be in “the billions.” trapped by still-rising rivers. The Air Force’s estimate is contained in a September 14 A day earlier, Wilmington’s entire population of 120,000 memo from Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, who proposed people was cut off by flooding. that the Pentagon ask Congress for the authority and money to Authorities then reopened a single unidentified road into establish a Space Force headquarters in 2020. the town, which stands on a peninsula. But it wasn’t clear if the “The President has clearly communicated his desire for a route would remain open as the Cape Fear River kept swelling. military department for space,” she wrote. And officials did not say when other roads might be clear. “Strategic competition with Russia and China is the focus In some places, the rain finally stopped, and the sun of our approach.” peeked through, but North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper warned Creation of Space Force as a separate military service will dangerously high water would persist for days. require congressional action. The administration is expected He urged residents who were evacuated from the to submit proposed legislation early next year authorizing the hardest-hit areas to stay away because of closed roads and establishment of a Space Force. catastrophic flooding that submerged entire communities. The first-year cost of a SpaceF orce would be $3.3 billion, and “There’s too much going on,” he said. the cost over five years would be an estimated $12.9 billion. About two dozen truckloads of military MREs and bottled In an indication of the complexities of creating a new military water were delivered to Wilmington, the state’s eighth-largest service, the Air Force says the proposed US Space Force would city, officials said. be a separate department organized under a civilian secretary The chairman of New Hanover County’s commissioners, appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, Woody White, said three centers were set to open to begin along with an undersecretary, four assistant secretaries, a chief distributing essentials to residents. lawyer, an inspector general and a legislative liaison. A four-star Mayor Bill Saffo said he was working with the governor’s general would serve as chief of staff. office to get more fuel into Wilmington. The proposal said the missions of Space Force would include “At this time, things are moving as well as can be in missile defense. More broadly, it would be “responsible for the the city,” he said. preparation of forces necessary for the effective prosecution Crews had conducted about 700 rescues in New Hanover of war.” County, where more than 60 per cent of homes and In June, Trump directed the Pentagon to create a “separate businesses were without power, authorities said. ■ but equal” space force. ■

3 september 18 (GMT) – september 19 (AEST), 2018

- EPA The European Union’s Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier. - AP

EUROPE EUROPE MPs urge Brexit fallback Barnier to update EU plan in case of no-deal ministers on Brexit

Theresa May must consider alternatives to her Chequers Brussels’ chief Brexit negotiator will brief ministers from blueprint that keep Britain aligned to Brussels to avoid European Union governments on the state of talks with a “chaotic and damaging” no-deal Brexit if it is rejected, the UK ahead of a major summit this week. MPs have warned. Michel Barnier will update representatives of the EU27 on the The Government should look at either a customs union or remaining issues that need to be resolved in the divorce talks European Economic Area (EEA) membership as a fallback – including how to resolve the Irish border question – and the to avoid leaving the European Union without a withdrawal framework for the UK’s future relationship with the EU. agreement, the Exiting the EU Committee suggested. The ministerial-level meeting in Brussels comes as a major The recommendations came in a report that three arch- review of EU migration to the UK is published. Brexiteers who sit on the committee – Jacob Rees-Mogg, The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) report is expected Andrea Jenkyns and Sammy Wilson – refused to endorse. to pave the way for the Government to finally unveil proposals It said that a no-deal scenario “would leave many businesses for post-Brexit immigration rules. facing huge uncertainty”. The EU’s leaders are convening in Salzburg where Theresa Committee chairman Hilary Benn said that with time running May will urge her counterparts to get behind the Chequers out to secure a withdrawal agreement there were “significant plan for a Brexit deal. problems yet to be resolved”, with the Irish border backstop Ahead of that summit the Prime Minister hosted her Maltese the main sticking point. counterpart Joseph Muscat for talks which included her plan. He added: “We’re urging the Government to concentrate on Downing Street said the two prime ministers “discussed the getting a deal to ensure the continuation of tariff and friction Chequers proposal and the importance of achieving a mutually free trade which is so important to the future of our economy. beneficial economic and security partnership”. “If the Chequers Plan is not acceptable as a basis for Barnier has also been meeting European leaders in the run- that, then the Government will need to find a different up to the Salzburg summit. approach urgently. In Madrid for talks with prime minister Pedro Sanchez, he “Alternatives are either an EU-UK Customs Union and offered “full support” for Spain’s position on negotiations alignment on relevant EU rules, or EEA membership and a relating to Gibraltar “which need to conclude ASAP”. ■ customs union, but neither are Government policy.” Number 10 has consistently ruled out similar plans. Earlier in September former skills minister Nick Bole suggested the UK should take up temporary membership of the EEA and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) following EU withdrawal in 2019 to allow time for a free trade agreement to be negotiated. But Theresa May’s official spokesman said that this proposal would not deliver on the wishes of British voters expressed in the 2016 referendum. ■

4 september 18 (GMT) – september 19 (AEST), 2018

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. - AAP Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. - RNZ / Richard Tindiller

AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND Morrison rejects calls No cracks in coalition, for disability probe prime minister says

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has ruled out investigating Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is adamant there are no disability providers as part of the royal commission into cracks in the coalition government. aged care. Adern said she was firmly in charge of the Labour-led The commission will be dealing with in-home care and young government and it was incorrect to characterise Deputy Prime people with disabilities in residential aged care, but won’t look Minister Winston Peters as hostile. at disability organisations more broadly. The prime minister also dismissed suggestions of public “It’s important we keep the focus of the inquiry. If they humiliation of the Labour coalition because of Peters’ become an inquiry into everything, they become too broad,” comments by over planned policies such as refugee quotas Morrison said. and employment relations reforms. “I want to ensure this inquiry remains very focused so it can She said the coalition had demonstrated it was the give us clear direction.” “purest form of MMP government New Zealand has had” Greens senator Jordon Steele-John made an emotional plea and that shared principles between the Greens, NZ First and for the commission to be given a greater focus on Australians Labour had allowed ‘’extensive” collective decision-making with disabilities. across its policy areas. Scott Morrison announced an inquiry into the aged care “I am the prime minister, I am the leader also of the most sector after what he described as an “alarming and disturbing” significant-sized part in this coalition,” she said. spike in poor standards. “We have a coalition partner and a confidence-and-supply There are more than 6200 Australians aged under 65 with partner. By default, in order to pass anything, we have to seek disabilities living in residential aged care facilities, according to agreement with all three. Youngcare, which provides age-appropriate accommodation “That is the nature of this government. There is no question for young people with high-care needs. that I lead it.” The group has welcomed the attention the royal commission The National Party had been suggesting Peters was in effect will give to complex challenges that group faces. leading the government, vetoing Labour initiatives on issues The government also sought to bat away claims by Labor it such as employment law changes. has cut aged-care funding, with Morrison telling parliament it Ardern said there would be areas where the coalition had spent more than $1 billion extra on the sector annually. ■ partners would disagree but characterising Peters’ remarks on planned policies as public rebukes was misleading. “What I refute is any suggestion that there is any disunity,” she said. “Every single day this government makes decisions collectively. “The list of achievements we’ve managed to roll out since forming government, I would say, is extensive, and we’ve done it as three separate distinct parties and I’m proud of what we have achieved.” ■

5 september 18 (GMT) – september 19 (AEST), 2018

South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left,and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. - AP - PA

NORTH AMERICA NORTH AMERICA Moon, Kim start third Teacher and students inter-Korean summit electrocuted, killed

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has greeted Moon Jae- Police in Pakistan say a teacher and three students in with hugs and smiles as the South Korean president were electrocuted and died at a private school in the arrived in Pyongyang for a third summit between the country’s northwest. two, aimed at advancing faltering nuclear talks and officially ending the Korean War. Police officer Abdur Rasheed said the four were hoisting the national flag during morning assembly in the village of Kiwai in Hundreds of North Koreans wearing suits and traditional the picturesque Kaghan Valley when tragedy struck. dresses also greeted Moon, carrying flowers and waving The officer said the teacher, Safeer Ahmed, apparently didn’t Korean peninsula and North Korean flags. realize as he was raising the banner that the steel pipe with the The inter-Korean summit will be a litmus test for another flag would come in contact with high voltage electricity cables meeting Kim has recently proposed to US President suspended above ground. The tree schoolchildren, aged 10, 12 Donald Trump, giving clues to whether Kim is serious about and 13, tried to rescue him and were also electrocuted. denuclearisation, a commitment he made at their first Police immediately shut the school down for being unsafe encounter in June. for students and were checking whether other schools in Trump has asked Moon to be “chief negotiator” between the mountainous region and the valley were meeting safety himself and Kim, according to Moon’s aides, after Trump standards. ■ cancelled a trip to Pyongyang by his secretary of state last month. Washington wants to see concrete action toward denuclearisation by North Korea before agreeing to a key goal of Pyongyang – declaring an end to the 1950-53 Korean War. Underscoring the challenges ahead, North Korea’s official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said “the responsibility falls squarely on the United States” for the stalled nuclear discussions. Moon, himself the offspring of a family displaced by the war, arrived at the North’s capital of Pyongyang, greeted by Kim, his wife Ri Sol-ju and other top North Korean officials, before inspecting a large honour guard and a military band. Moon and Kim were all smiles as they hugged and chatted with each other. The two leaders will sit down for formal talks after lunch, which will be followed by a musical performance and welcome dinner, a South Korean official said. Moon and Kim are expected to unveil a joint statement, and a separate military pact designed to defuse tensions and prevent armed clashes, before Moon returns home. ■

6 september 18 (GMT) – september 19 (AEST), 2018

- EPA Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa. - AP

Rest of the world rest of the world Russia: Syrian missile First private moon flight brought down plane passenger revealed

A Russian reconnaissance aircraft was brought down by SpaceX says Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa will be a Syrian missile over the Mediterranean, killing all 15 first private passenger on a solo rocket trip around the people on board, the Russian defense ministry says. It moon. blamed Israel for the crash, saying the plane was caught in the crossfire as four Israeli fighters attacked targets in The 42-year-old entrepreneur, who appeared at an event at northwestern Syria. the space launch company’s headquarters, said it had been his lifelong dream to go into space. He said just thinking about the The Russian military said that the Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft journey got his heart racing. was hit 35 kilometers (22 miles) off the coast as it was returning SpaceX founder Elon Musk said Maezawa would fly to the to its home base nearby. moon aboard a new rocket called the BFR, which was still in “The Israeli pilots were using the Russian aircraft as a shield development. and pushed it into the line of fire of the Syrian defense,” The reusable 118m (387-foot) rocket will have its own Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said. dedicated passenger ship. Russian state television quoted a Defense Ministry statement The average distance from Earth to the moon is about as saying that Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told his Israeli 237,685 miles (382,500km). counterpart, Avigdor Lieberman, that Israel is “fully to blame” No one has been there since an Apollo mission in 1972. ■ for the deaths. The military said Israel did not warn it of its operation over Latakia province until one minute before the strike, which did not give the Russian plane enough time to escape. A recovery operation in the Mediterranean Sea is underway, Konashenkov said. Russian news agencies later quoted the ministry as saying that a rescue team has located the wreckage in the sea and has retrieved some bodies and some fragments of the wreckage. Both the Israeli military and Israel’s Foreign Ministry declined comment on the Russian claim. For several years, Israel and Russia have maintained a special hotline to prevent their air forces from clashing in the skies over Syria. Israeli military officials have previously praised its effectiveness. Russia has been a key backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad and it has two military bases in the country, including one close to the Mediterranean coast. ■

7 september 18 (GMT) – september 19 (AEST), 2018

- AAP . - RNZ

AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND Report: Needle found Government told to in Sydney apple release Curran emails

A mother has reportedly found a needle inside an The Speaker of the House has told the government apple she bought from a Woolworths supermarket to front up with personal emails between former in Sydney’s north-west. minister Clare Curran and technology entrepreneur Derek Handley. It was reported the needle was found in a six-pack of Pink Lady apples purchased from a supermarket at The Ponds. Curran was stripped of the Government Digital Services role The Kellyville Ridge mother reportedly found the needle after it was revealed she used personal emails and did not when peeling an apple for her daughters. properly record a meeting with Handley, who was applying for “I just thought ‘wow this can’t possibly be happening’,” the Chief Technology Officer role. she said. National MP Nick Smith has repeatedly asked State Services “Not in apples. I’d seen the news about the strawberries and Minister Chris Hipkins how many emails there were between I’d been vigilant about cutting those up for the girls but to see Curran and Handley and the contents of them. this in an apple.” Trevor Mallard said it would be good for transparency for A Woolworths spokesman said “we’re aware of the customer Hipkins to bring the emails to the House. report and understand police are investigating”. “Then it should not be beyond the wit of the various people “The details have been referred to the authorities leading the within the State Services Commission to sort out the relevant response to this matter and we’ll consult with them on next emails and to have them available for a fuller and more steps,” he said. transparent explanation in the House tomorrow,” he said. NSW Police said they were investigating and have called a Handley was offered the role of the country’s first Chief press conference to discuss the matter. Technology Officer, but will now be paid out $100,000 after the Needles have been found in strawberries across Australia offer was retracted by the government. ■ with New Zealand announcing this week it would pull the Australian-grown fruit from its supermarket shelves. A health warning to throw out or cut up strawberries remains in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia. ■

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