NOVEMBER 10 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 11 (AEST), 2020

YOUR DAILY TOP 12 STORIES FROM FRANK NEWS

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NORTH AMERICA UK AUSTRALIA

Trump blocks co-operation Optimism over vaccine rollout MP quits Labor frontbench

The Trump administration threw the A coronavirus vaccine could start being Labor right faction warrior presidential transition into tumult, distributed by Christmas after a jab has urged his party to make a major with President Donald Trump blocking developed by pharmaceutical giant shift on the environment and blue-collar government officials from co-operating Pfizer cleared a “significant hurdle”. voters after quitting shadow cabinet. with President-elect Joe Biden’s team Prime Minister Boris Johnson said initial Western MP Ed Husic replaced and Attorney General William Barr results suggested the vaccine was 90 per Fitzgibbon as the opposition’s resources authorizing the Justice Department to cent effective at protecting people from and agriculture spokesman after the probe unsubstantiated allegations of COVID-19 but warned these were “very, stunning resignation. Fitzgibbon has voter fraud. Some Republicans, including very early days”. been increasingly outspoken in a bruising Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, battle over energy policy with senior rallied behind Trump’s efforts to fight the figures from Labor’s left flank. election results.

NORTH AMERICA UK NEW ZEALAND

Election probes given OK Redundancies hit record high Napier braces for heavy rain

Attorney General William Barr has More people were made redundant Flood-hit Napier residents remain on authorized federal prosecutors across between July and September than at any alert as more heavy rain is falling on the US to pursue “substantial allegations” point on record, according to new official the city, with another day of rain still to of voting irregularities, if they exist, before statistics, as the pandemic laid waste come. Residents are on the edge of their the 2020 presidential election is certified, to large parts of the economy. Around seats waiting for the downfalls to clear, despite no evidence of widespread fraud. 314,000 redundancies were registered but MetService has forecast heavy rain Barr’s action comes days after Democrat during the three months, up by 181,000 for the area until 8pm Wednesday, with Joe Biden defeated President Donald from the quarter before, according to rainfall as intense as 75mm/h possible if Trump and raises the prospect that the Office for National Statistics. The data there are thunderstorms. About 250mm Trump will use the Justice Department to suggests that unemployment in the UK of rain hit the Hawke’s Bay city, causing try to challenge the outcome. reached 4.8 per cent in the three months slips, flooding low lying suburbs, and to September. rushing through properties.

1 NOVEMBER 10 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 11 (AEST), 2020

YOUR DAILY TOP 12 STORIES FROM FRANK NEWS

FULL STORIES START ON PAGE 6

NORTH AMERICA UK AUSTRALIA

Trump sacks Pentagon chief Europe faces virus shortages Morrison warns of virus risks

President Donald Trump has fired In Italy lines of ambulances park outside Prime Minister has Defense Secretary Mark Esper, a move hospitals awaiting beds, and in France warned against local complacency and on the heels of Trump’s failed reelection the government coronavirus tracking app international risks as Australia notched bid. Presidents who win reelection often prominently displays the intensive care a third straight day without coronavirus replace Cabinet members, including capacity taken up by COVID-19 patients: transmission. Victoria’s streak without the secretary of defense, but losing 92.5 per cent and rising. In the ICU in new infections extended to 11 days presidents have kept their Pentagon Barcelona, there is no end in sight for the as NSW posted a third day without chiefs in place until Inauguration Day to doctors and nurses who endured this community spread. Morrison said the preserve stability in the name of national once already. Intensive care is the last nation faced twofold threats, with the security. line of defence for severely ill coronavirus immediate risk being people taking things patients and Europe is running out of for granted as more restrictions lift. beds and the doctors to staff them.

NORTH AMERICA UK NEW ZEALAND

Biden to look for experience Peacekeepers to bolster truce National confirms new roles

President-elect Joe Biden is looking A dozen planes filed with Russian has been elected deputy to build out his nascent White House peacekeepers is headed for Nagorno- leader of the National Party in a caucus staff with more traditional Washington Karabakh, hours after Armenia and meeting. He and have been insiders, a notable departure from Azerbaijan agreed to halt fighting over confirmed by the party as leader and four years in which President Donald the separatist region and amid signs deputy, respectively. They were selected Trump filled his team with outsiders and this cease-fire would hold where others unopposed. The caucus was meeting government antagonists. Ron Klain is an hadn’t. The truce came after significant at Parliament to decide who would slot early favorite to become Biden’s chief advances by Azerbaijani forces that the into the number two spot after Gerry of staff, according to multiple people Nagorno-Karabakh leader said made it Brownlee announced he would step familiar with planning who spoke on impossible for their side to carry on. aside late last week. condition of anonymity to speak freely about private discussions.

2 NOVEMBER 10 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 11 (AEST), 2020

President Donald Trump. - AP Attorney General William Barr. - AP

NORTH AMERICA NORTH AMERICA Trump blocks moves to Barr gives election co-operate on transition integrity probes OK

The Trump administration threw the presidential Attorney General William Barr has authorized federal transition into tumult, with President Donald Trump prosecutors across the US to pursue “substantial blocking government officials from co-operating with allegations” of voting irregularities, if they exist, before President-elect Joe Biden’s team and Attorney General the 2020 presidential election is certified, despite no William Barr authorizing the Justice Department to probe evidence of widespread fraud. unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud. Barr’s action comes days after Democrat Joe Biden defeated Some Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch President Donald Trump and raises the prospect that McConnell, rallied behind Trump’s efforts to fight the election Trump will use the Justice Department to try to challenge results. Few in the GOP acknowledged Biden’s victory or the outcome. It gives prosecutors the ability to go around condemned Trump’s other concerning move: his firing of longstanding Justice Department policy that normally would Defense Secretary Mark Esper. prohibit such overt actions before the election is certified. The developments cast doubt on whether the nation would Trump has not conceded the election and is instead claiming witness the same kind of smooth transition of power that has without evidence that there has been a widespread, multi-state long anchored its democracy. The Electoral College is slated conspiracy by Democrats to skew the vote tally in Biden’s favor. to formally confirm Biden’s victory on December 14 and the Biden holds a sizable lead in multiple battleground states Democrat will be sworn into office in late January. and there has been no indication of enough improperly On Monday, Barr authorized US attorneys to probe counted or illegally cast votes that would shift the outcome. In “substantial” allegations of voter irregularities and election fact, election officials from both political parties have publicly fraud, though no widespread instances of that type of trouble stated the election went well, though there have been minor in the 2020 election exist. In fact, election officials from both issues that are typical in elections, including voting machines political parties have publicly stated that voting went well and breaking and ballots that were miscast and lost. international observers also confirmed that there were no In a memo to US attorneys, obtained by The Associated serious irregularities. Press, Barr wrote that investigations “may be conducted Biden pressed forward with plans to build out his if there are clear and apparently-credible allegations of administration, assembling a team of experts to face the irregularities that, if true, could potentially impact the outcome surging pandemic. But the federal agency that needs to of a federal election in an individual State.” greenlight the beginnings of the transition of power held off on He said any allegations that would “clearly not impact the taking that step. And the White House moved to crack down outcome of a federal election” should be delayed until after on those not deemed sufficiently loyal as Trump continued to those elections are certified and prosecutors should likely refuse to concede the race. open so-called preliminary inquiries, which would allow Trump remained out of sight at the White House, with investigators and prosecutors to see if there is evidence that conversations ongoing about how the defeated president would allow them to take further investigative measures. would spend the coming days and weeks as he challenged the Barr does not identify any specific instances of purported people’s verdict. Trump is not expected to formally concede fraud in the memo. ■ but is likely to grudgingly vacate the White House at the end of his term, according to several people around him. ■

3 NOVEMBER 10 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 11 (AEST), 2020

- PA - PA

UK UK Optimism over virus Redundancies hit record vaccine distribution high amid job losses

A coronavirus vaccine could start being distributed by More people were made redundant between July and Christmas after a jab developed by pharmaceutical giant September than at any point on record, according to new Pfizer cleared a “significant hurdle”. official statistics, as the pandemic laid waste to large parts of the economy. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said initial results suggested the vaccine was 90 per cent effective at protecting people from Around 314,000 redundancies were registered during the COVID-19 but warned these were “very, very early days”. three months, up by 181,000 from the quarter before, The announcement from Pfizer and its vaccine partner according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). BioNTech was hailed by scientists as a significant breakthrough The data suggests that unemployment in the UK reached in the fight against coronavirus, while stock markets rallied on 4.8 per cent in the three months to September. the news with the FTSE 100 jumping more than 5.5 per cent. It is an increase of 0.7 percentage points on the quarter It came with England less than a week into Lockdown 2.0, before, and 0.9 percentage points from a year ago. while Wales eased up from a firebreak lockdown. Meanwhile, around 33,000 people were dropped from Dr Richard Vautrey, chairman of the British Medical payrolls last month, adding to the 782,000 reduction in payrolls Association’s GP committee in England said practices would since March this year, when the pandemic struck. “stand ready” to deliver the vaccine, with clinics potentially ONS deputy national statistician for economic statistics running from 8am-8pm, seven days a week. Jonathan Athow said: “The latest monthly tax numbers show Deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam over three quarters of a million fewer employees on the payroll told a Downing Street press conference he was “hopeful” there in October than in March. would be “some vaccine by Christmas”. “Unemployment grew sharply in the three months to He said: “Frankly, we’re in the middle of the second wave, September, with many of those who lost their jobs earlier in and I don’t see the vaccine making any difference for the wave the pandemic beginning to look for work again. The number of we are now in. redundancies has also reached a record high. “I’m hopeful that it may prevent future waves, but this one “Vacancies continued to recover from the very low numbers we have to battle through to the end without a vaccine. seen earlier in the year. However, these figures predate the “This is a very important scientific breakthrough. I am certain reintroduction of restrictions in many parts of the UK.” of that. Since the figures were taken, several parts of the country “I am hopeful because of all that, but not yet certain that we have re-entered various stages of lockdown, including severe could begin to see some vaccine by Christmas.” restrictions in England, which were put in place last week. The UK Government has ordered 40 million doses of the As a result, the Government decided to extend its furlough Pfizer vaccine – enough for about a third of the UK population. scheme until March next year, ensuring that employees who But Johnson said it would be a mistake to “slacken our cannot work will get up to 80 per cent of their salaries. ■ resolve at such a critical moment”. Government figures show 49,238 people have died in the UK within 28 days of testing positive for COVID-19 and the number of cases has reached 1,213,363. ■

4 NOVEMBER 10 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 11 (AEST), 2020

Shadow Minister for Agriculture Joel Fitzgibbon. - AAP Flooding in Marewa, Napier. - RNZ / Dom Thomas

AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND Joel Fitzgibbon quits Napier braces for more Labor front bench heavy rain, flooding

Labor right faction warrior Joel Fitzgibbon has urged his Flood-hit Napier residents remain on alert as more party to make a major shift on the environment and heavy rain is falling on the city, with another day of blue-collar voters after quitting shadow cabinet. rain still to come.

Western Sydney MP Ed Husic replaced Fitzgibbon as the Residents are on the edge of their seats waiting for the opposition’s resources and agriculture spokesman after the downfalls to clear, but MetService has forecast heavy rain stunning resignation. for the area until 8pm Wednesday, with rainfall as intense as Fitzgibbon has been increasingly outspoken in a bruising 75mm/h possible if there are thunderstorms. battle over energy policy with senior figures from Labor’s About 250mm of rain hit the Hawke’s Bay city on Monday left flank. afternoon and evening, causing slips, flooding low lying The party’s most senior regional MP called for more support suburbs, and rushing through properties. for resources sector jobs and warned against being too Napier is still under a local state of emergency, and Civil ambitious on emission reduction targets. Defence has called on people to avoid any non-essential travel. He said he would only run for the leadership if drafted, but The city’s mayor Kirsten Wise said the Kennedy Park then claimed he was being flippant as no caucus member evacuation centre remains open, and around 30 people are wanted him to run. expected to shelter there tonight. Fitzgibbon backed Opposition Leader to After a day assessing damage to properties, Fire and lead Labor to the next election. Emergency NZ said at least 16 properties were uninhabitable, “I think Albo can win if he listens to Joel Fitzgibbon more,” and those families have been evacuated. But it was continuing he said. to assess more properties. Fitzgibbon said he had no regrets over public division his Napier Hill and the suburbs of Maraenui, Marewa, Pirimai views had caused, arguing he always intended to leave his and Onekawa are the worst hit, and FENZ said damage to senior role after 18 months. some properties is severe. Albanese said Labor’s policy platform under his leadership Anyone concerned about their safety has been asked to would speak to all voters. try to organise safe places to stay with friends or family, but Husic stood aside from the front bench after last year’s the Kennedy Park evacuation centre remains open to those election to make way for former NSW premier . who need it. Albanese has left open the door for more wide-ranging Three marae are also on standby to provide emergency frontbench changes after Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s shelter, in case more places are needed. reshuffle, expected later in the year. There is no boil water notice for the city at this stage, but Fitzgibbon lamented not running for the leadership, extra water testing is being carried out by the council, and which Albanese took unopposed, after Labor’s election extra chlorine has been added to the water supply as a loss in May 2019. precaution. “I don’t believe I would have won that contest, but I think a The flood waters have likely been significantly contaminated contest would have been good for the rank-and-file and the with sewage, and people should wash their hands thoroughly industrial wing of the party,” the NSW right faction leader said. after touching it, and discard any food that has been in contact He said he would contest the next election. ■ with it, including garden vegetables. ■

5 NOVEMBER 10 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 11 (AEST), 2020

Mark Esper. - AP President-elect Joe Biden. - AP

NORTH AMERICA NORTH AMERICA Trump sacks defence Biden looking to favour secretary Esper experience for key posts

President Donald Trump has fired Defense Secretary President-elect Joe Biden is looking to build out his Mark Esper, a move on the heels of Trump’s failed nascent White House staff with more traditional reelection bid. Washington insiders, a notable departure from four years in which President Donald Trump filled his team Presidents who win reelection often replace Cabinet members, with outsiders and government antagonists. including the secretary of defense, but losing presidents have kept their Pentagon chiefs in place until Inauguration Day to Ron Klain is an early favorite to become Biden’s chief of staff, preserve stability in the name of national security. according to multiple people familiar with planning who Trump announced the news in a tweet, saying that “effective spoke on condition of anonymity to speak freely about private immediately” Christopher Miller, the director of the National discussions. He has decades of Washington experience that Counterterrorism Center, will serve as acting secretary, includes being Biden’s chief of staff when he was vice president sidestepping the department’s No.2-ranking official, Deputy in addition to serving as the Ebola response coordinator in Defense Secretary David Norquist. 2014 and having a central role in the Obama administration’s “Chris will do a GREAT job!” Trump tweeted. “Mark Esper has financial crisis response. been terminated. I would like to thank him for his service.” ■ Delaware Sen. Chris Coons, a longtime Biden ally and friend, is seen as a potential choice for secretary of state. Rep. Karen Bass of California, whom Biden considered for vice president, is seen as a potential housing and urban development secretary. Both served in Congress for the past decade. Biden is expected to move quickly to name a chief of staff, but other top Cabinet positions will likely take longer. The names under consideration represent Biden’s effort to move Washington past the tumult of President Donald Trump’s administration and fill out his government with more seasoned professionals. The task is taking on even greater urgency than in past transitions because Biden will take office in January amid a raging pandemic that will likely consume the early days of his presidency and require a full government response. Biden made clear that he would focus on the pandemic by forming a coronavirus advisory board. Former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who was named a co-chair of that panel, is seen as a contender for the top job at the Department of Health and Human Services. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who ran her state’s health department, is also being eyed for the position. ■

6 NOVEMBER 10 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 11 (AEST), 2020

A medical team member is disinfected before leaving the COVID-19 ward at the Severo Russian military vehicles carry peacekeepers on their way to an airport in unknown place Ochoa hospital in Leganes, outskirts of Madrid, Spain. - AP in Russia before heading to Nagorno-Karabakh. - AP

EUROPE EUROPE Europe facing crucial Russian peacekeepers shortages as virus spikes to bolster fragile truce

In Italy lines of ambulances park outside hospitals A dozen planes filed with Russian peacekeepers is awaiting beds, and in France the government headed for Nagorno-Karabakh, hours after Armenia and coronavirus tracking app prominently displays the Azerbaijan agreed to halt fighting over the separatist intensive care capacity taken up by COVID-19 patients: region and amid signs this cease-fire would hold where 92.5 per cent and rising. In the ICU in Barcelona, there is others hadn’t. no end in sight for the doctors and nurses who endured this once already. The truce came after significant advances by Azerbaijani forces that the Nagorno-Karabakh leader said made it impossible Intensive care is the last line of defence for severely ill for their side to carry on – but angered many Armenians, who coronavirus patients and Europe is running out – of beds and stormed government buildings overnight, demanding the the doctors and nurses to staff them. Parliament invalidate the agreement. Dozens of protesters In country after country, the intensive care burden of gathered again in front of the parliament building in the COVID-19 patients is nearing and sometimes surpassing levels Armenian capital of Yerevan. seen at last spring’s peak. Health officials, many advocating a Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a conflict return to stricter lockdowns, warn that adding beds will do no over Nagorno-Karabakh for decades. The region lies within good because there aren’t enough doctors and nurses trained Azerbaijan but has been under control of ethnic Armenian to staff them. forces backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended In France, more than 7000 health care workers have in 1994. Heavy fighting erupted in late September – the biggest undergone training since last spring in intensive care escalation of the conflict in a quarter-century – and has left techniques. Nursing students, interns, paramedics, all have hundreds, possibly thousands, dead. been drafted, according to Health Minister Olivier Veran. Several cease-fires announced over the past six weeks “If the mobilisation is well and truly there, it is not infinite,” crumbled almost immediately, but the current agreement he said last week, when the ICU units were filled to 85 per cent appeared to be holding, with neither side reporting any more capacity. “It is not enough.” fighting since it came into force. Within days, it had jumped another seven percentage points It came days after Azerbaijan pressed its offensive deeper and he warned it would continue to tick upward. And, unlike into the region and took control of the city of Shushi, which in the first wave last spring, the virus is now everywhere in is strategically positioned on heights overlooking the regional France, making transfers from one region to another by high- capital of Stepanakert. speed train less practical. One hospital in the southern city of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said that calling an Marseille recently wheeled in refrigerated rental trucks ahead end to the fight was “extremely painful for me personally and of a feared rise in ICU deaths there. for our people.” In Italy, Filippo Anelli, the head of the national doctors’ But he explained that he was left with no choice, saying the association, said at the current infection rate, there soon army had told him it was necessary. won’t be enough physicians to go around. Recently in Naples, “We found ourselves in a situation when there was no nurses started checking on people as they sat in cars outside alternative to signing the agreement,” Pashinian was quoted by emergency rooms, waiting for space to free up. Italy has a total Russia’s Interfax news agency as saying. ■ of 11,000 ICU beds. ■

7 NOVEMBER 10 (GMT) – NOVEMBER 11 (AEST), 2020

Prime Minister Scott Morrison. - AAP Dr Shane Reti. - RNZ / Samuel Rillstone

AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND Morrison warns of virus National Party confirms risks as cases subside new leadership roles

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned against Shane Reti has been elected deputy leader of the local complacency and international risks as Australia National Party in a caucus meeting. notched a third straight day without coronavirus transmission. He and Judith Collins have been confirmed by the party as leader and deputy, respectively. They were selected Victoria’s streak without new infections extended to 11 days as unopposed. NSW posted a third day without community spread. The caucus was meeting at Parliament to decide who would Morrison said the nation faced twofold threats, with the slot into the number two spot after announced immediate risk being people taking things for granted as more he would step aside late last week. restrictions lift. Heading into the meeting, Brownlee endorsed Dr Reti – who He said enshrining coronavirus-safe practices across is National’s health spokesperson – to take over the role. Australian life would be key to continuing to control outbreaks. “The issues the country is going to face over the next couple “If we lose our commitment to them, we put ourselves at of years are going to be much more determined by the risk,” Morrison said. COVID-19 response,” he said. Social distancing, QR code registration and wearing masks “Shane Reti will provide good support for Judith given that on public transport are among the measures set to continue particular focus.” through the pandemic. RNZ understands Reti is also Collins’ favoured option The prime minister will chair a national cabinet meeting of though ahead of the meeting she refused to publicly reveal state and territory leaders this week, with the path to allowing her preference. more international travel on the agenda. In a statement after choice was revealed, she said she was Australia is in talks with Japan and has previously discussed delighted by Reti’s appointment. borders with South Korea. “Dr Reti’s knowledge and history working in the health “We proceed cautiously,” Morrison said. sector will be an asset as Parliament deals with the impact of “The situation in Europe and the United States is awful and Covid-19. His experience will be invaluable to me as deputy obviously that presents great risks for people coming in from leader and I’m looking forward to working closer with him.” those parts of the world to Australia.” “My preferred option will be whoever caucus delivers,” Morrison noted Singapore and some parts of China could be Collins said. low-risk candidates in the future. Per the party’s rules, Collins also faced a confidence vote, but There is also renewed hope a vaccine could be on the way to told reporters she expected to retain the leadership. end the pandemic nightmare that has killed 1.2 million people MP Todd McClay and list MP and infected 50 million. had been touted as potential contenders for the deputy Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has announced its experimental position, but both ruled out making a tilt. vaccine was more than 90 per cent effective in late-stage “I won’t be offering myself in that role,” Woodhouse said. clinical trials. “I wish the person who does get that role every success.” Australia has a deal for 10 million doses of the drug, one of McClay told reporters Reti was the “best person” for the job. four the country has struck agreements on. ■ Former leadership aspirant Mark Mitchell also ruled out a run for the deputy position. ■

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