June 19 (GMT) – June 20 (AEST), 2020 YOUR DAILY TOP 12 STORIES FROM FRANK NEWS FULL STORIES START ON PAGE 3 USA UK AUSTRALIA Warning signs despite toll decline Virus alert level lowered Australia under ‘cyber attack’ The number of deaths per day from The UK’s chief medical officers have Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the coronavirus in the US has fallen in agreed to downgrade the coronavirus Australian private and public sector recent weeks to the lowest level since alert level from four to three after a organisations are being targeted in a late March, even as states increasingly “steady” and continuing decrease in cases sophisticated cyber attack by a foreign reopen for business. But scientists are in all four nations. Localised outbreaks entity. “We know it is a sophisticated, concerned the trend may be about to of Covid-19 were still “likely” to occur, the state-based cyber actor because of the reverse itself. “For now, it’s too soon advisers warned, and the virus remains in scale and nature of the targeting and to be reassured that deaths are going general circulation. But the downgrading the tradecraft used,” Morrison said. “The down and everything’s OK,” said Dr – recommended by the Joint Biosecurity Australian government is aware of and Cyrus Shahpar of Resolve to Save Lives, Centre – means transmission of alert to the threat of cyber attacks.” a nonprofit organization that works to coronavirus is no longer considered to be Morrison said these were not new risks prevent epidemics. “high or rising exponentially”. but they are specific, targeted activities. USA UK AUSTRALIA Klobuchar drops out of VP race £1bn plan to help pupils catch up Bid to stop brumby cull fails Amy Klobuchar says she is dropping out Boris Johnson has revealed a £1 billion Victoria’s brumby cull has again been of the running to be vice president and plan to help pupils catch up with their given the green light, but a cattleman urging Democrat Joe Biden to select education before September after has pledged to take his fight to save the a woman of color instead. The white spending months out of school during horses to the highest court in the land. Minnesota senator, who had seen her the coronavirus lockdown. The scheme Omeo man Philip Maguire lost his bid to prospects fall as racial tensions swept the will see the most disadvantaged children stop the state from killing the brumbies nation, said she called the presumptive in England given access to funds to pay in the Alpine National Park at the Court presidential nominee and made the for personal tutors, while the majority of of Appeal. “We’re going to the High suggestion. Biden had already committed the funding will allow schools to step in to Court even if we have to sell our two to choosing a woman as his running mate. cover lost teaching time. properties,” Mr Maguire said. He said “I think this is a moment to put a woman of he was “disgusted and angry” about the color on that ticket,” Klobuchar said. decision to reject the appeal. 1 June 19 (GMT) – June 20 (AEST), 2020 YOUR DAILY TOP 12 STORIES FROM FRANK NEWS FULL STORIES START ON PAGE 6 REST OF THE WORLD EUROPE NEW ZEALAND China charges Canadian ’spies’ Leaders mark historic broadcast Man charged over cop shooting Chinese prosecutors have charged two British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and A man has been charged with murder detained Canadians with spying in an French President Emmanuel Macron after the fatal shooting of a police apparent bid to step up pressure on spoke of the coronavirus economic officer in New Zealand. On Friday two Canada to drop a US extradition request recovery during the French president’s officers attending a routine traffic stop for a Huawei executive under house visit to London, which marked the in the west Auckland suburb of Massey arrest in Vancouver. Michael Kovrig 80th anniversary of a historic wartime were confronted by a man with a long- was charged by Beijing on suspicion of broadcast. The Prime Minister held barrelled firearm, who shot both of them, spying for state secrets and intelligence. bilateral talks with Macron at Downing according to police. One later died in Michael Spavor was charged in Dandong, Street, while they watched a flypast Auckland hospital. The other was still a city near the North Korean border, on to commemorate General Charles de recovering with serious injuries but in a suspicion of spying for a foreign entity Gaulle’s address. stable condition. and illegally providing state secrets. REST OF THE WORLD EUROPE NEW ZEALAND South’s unification minister quits EU to move on quickly on recovery Flight with virus case ‘crammed’ South Korean President Moon Jae-in has European Union leaders have found A woman who was on the same flight accepted the resignation of his point man that a quick deal on the bloc’s future as New Zealand’s latest confirmed case on North Korea, who had asked to quit long-term budget and a multibillion-euro of Covid-19 says there was no social after the North destroyed a liaison office post-pandemic recovery plan remained distancing on board and many people while ramping up pressure against Seoul. beyond their reach as the coronavirus weren’t wearing masks. The man, in his Kim Yeon-chul, whom Moon appointed ravages their economies. Following a 60s, arrived from Melbourne on 13 June as unification minister in April last year as four-hour video summit aimed at paving on Air NZ flight 124 and started showing talks between the Trump administration the way for a compromise this summer, signs of illness two days later while in and Pyongyang began falling apart, leaves there was common ground on the need quarantine. Yesterday, the Ministry of the job without having a single meeting for a quick response but divergences Health said he had tested positive. with the North Koreans. persisted among the leaders of EU member nations. 2 June 19 (GMT) – June 20 (AEST), 2020 Signs remind patrons to wear masks in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. – AP Amy Klobuchar at a rally for Joe Biden’s campaign in Dallas. – AP USA USA Warning signs despite Klobuchar drops out of US toll decline Biden VP race The number of deaths per day from the coronavirus in Amy Klobuchar says she is dropping out of the running the US has fallen in recent weeks to the lowest level to be vice president and urging Democrat Joe Biden to since late March, even as states increasingly reopen for select a woman of color instead. business. But scientists are concerned the trend may be about to reverse itself. The white Minnesota senator, who had seen her prospects fall as racial tensions swept the nation, said she called the “For now, it’s too soon to be reassured that deaths are going presumptive presidential nominee and made the suggestion. down and everything’s OK,” said Dr Cyrus Shahpar of Resolve Biden had already committed to choosing a woman as his to Save Lives, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent running mate. epidemics. “I think this is a moment to put a woman of color on that Deaths from Covid-19 across the country are down to about ticket,” Klobuchar said. “If you want to heal this nation right now 680 a day, compared with around 960 two weeks ago. – my party, yes, but our nation – this is a way to do it.” A multitude of reasons are believed to be at play, including the Biden praised Klobuchar, citing her “grit and determination” advent of effective treatments and improved efforts at hospitals and saying, “With your help, we’re going to beat Donald Trump.” and nursing homes to prevent infections and save lives. Klobuchar’s chances at getting the VP nod diminished But already there are warning signs. after the killing of George Floyd by a white police officer in For one thing, the number of newly confirmed cases a day Minneapolis. Klobuchar was a prosecutor years ago in the has risen from about 21,400 two weeks ago to 23,200. county that includes Minneapolis, and during that period, And in Florida, Georgia, Texas and Arizona – states that more than two dozen people – mostly minorities – died during loosened their stay-at-home restrictions early – daily deaths encounters with police. have been quietly rising since early June, said Ali Mokdad, Floyd’s death last month set off days of protests across professor of health metrics sciences at the University of the country and criticism that as the county’s top prosecutor, Washington in Seattle. Klobuchar didn’t charge any of the officers involved in citizen “These are not numbers. These are human beings,” Mokdad deaths. Officer Derek Chauvin, who was charged with Floyd’s said. “We’re going to see a rise in deaths in many places.” murder, had been involved in one of those cases, the fatal The outbreak has killed about 118,000 people in the US and 2006 shooting of a man accused of stabbing people and nearly a half-million worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins’ aiming a shotgun at police. count, though the real numbers are believed to be higher. Klobuchar, 60, was among a large field of Democrats who Potential vaccines are in early stages of testing, and it is unlikely had sought the 2020 presidential nomination, running as a any will be ready before early next year. pragmatic Midwesterner who has passed over 100 bills. She Experts note that a rise in deaths could take awhile to dropped out and threw her support behind Biden before the show up in the US statistics.