Your DailY ToP 12 sTories from FRAnK newS · that No 10 is planning a snap election.” Labour...

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September 22 (Gmt) – September 23 (AeSt), 2018

AUSTRALIAUKUSA

Iran blames US for parade attack

Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani says a US-allied country in the Persian Gulf was behind an attack on a military parade that killed 25 people and wounded around 70. Rouhani did not identify those behind the attack, which was claimed by an Arab separatist group. He could have been referring to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates or Bahrain — close US military allies that view Iran as a regional menace.

Farmers worry bailout not enough

Farmers across the US will soon begin receiving money as part of a billion-dollar bailout to buoy growers experiencing financial strain from President Donald Trump’s trade disputes with China. But even those poised for big payouts worry it won’t be enough. And while support for Trump is near unwavering in the heartland, some growers say such disappointing aid outcomes could potentially affect their vote.

Coalition gains ground on Labor

Scott Morrison has extended his healthy lead over Bill Shorten as preferred prime minister and the coalition’s primary vote has lifted despite losing its 41st Newspoll to Labor. The coalition’s vote rose two points to 36 per cent while Labor’s fell to 39, and they trailed 46 to 54 on a two-party preferred basis Morrison increased his lead as preferred PM to 13 points over Labor leader Shorten by 45 to 32 per cent.

Labour considers Brexit re-vote

Britain’s Labour Party is facing a huge choice at its annual national conference — whether to change policy and call for a new referendum that could halt the country’s departure from the European Union. The support of the main opposition party would be a major boost to campaigners for a second vote on Brexit.

MP warns against May challenge

Pro-EU former cabinet minister Nicky Morgan has warned that a leadership challenge to Theresa May would not be in the interests of the Conservative Party or the country. “Having a leadership election now would not be in the country’s interest. There are particularly a lot of the hard Brexiteers who want to bring the Prime Minister down,” she said. “This is not a move that would help the country.”

Libs need more women: Bishop

Julie Bishop has renewed calls for gender targets to address the lack of women in the Liberal Party. The former foreign minister, the first female to serve in the role, repeated her calls for a target to recruit more women into the party. The former deputy leader of the Liberal Party also said Cabinet discussions were different when more women were featured.

Your DailY ToP 12 sTories from FRAnK newS

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new ZeALAnDeUROPeCAnADA

Twin tornadoes confirmed

environment Canada has confirmed that the ottawa area was hit by two tornadoes on Friday. The weather agency said a powerful EF-3 category twister ripped through the ottawa neighbourhood of Dunrobin, before moving on to devastate a densely populated area of Gatineau, Quebec. At almost the same time a second, slightly less powerful twister touched down in the south ottawa neighbourhood of Arlington Woods.

Typhoon toll continues to rise

At least 155 people have been killed in landslides and other accidents caused by Typhoon Mangkhut and monsoon rains in the Philippines. More than 70 people were still missing in the accidents, according to police and local disaster relief officials. at least 45 of the dead were from the village of Tinaan in Naga City in Cebu province, 573km south of Manila, where a landslide buried nearly 60 houses on Thursday.

needles found in strawberries

Needles have been found in a punnet of strawberries bought in an Auckland supermarket. Countdown said it had taken all stock of the Choice brand of strawberries off its shelves while it investigates. About a week ago Woolworths NZ, which is the parent company of Countdown, said it was halting the distribution of Australian strawberries.

Raab stands firm on Brexit plan

The government will not allow Britain to be dictated to by Brussels in negotiations over its withdrawal from the EU, Brexit secretary Dominic raab has warned. Raab said the government would keep negotiating on the basis of Theresa May’s Chequers blueprint, despite the rebuff for the plan by EU leaders at last week’s Salzburg summit. He said he remained confident they could make progress if the eu showed greater flexibility.

Swiss rejects ‘fair food’ proposals

Swiss voters have roundly rejected two proposals aimed at protecting Swiss farmers and ensuring that food from both domestic and foreign producers is healthier, more environmentally sound and animal-friendly. About 61.3 per cent of voters rejected the Fair-Food Initiative, which would have required the government to promote environmentally sound, animal-friendly and fairly produced food.

Sanctuary bid for Stewart Island

stewart island is applying for official status as an international Dark sky sanctuary. if successful, it will be the fifth sanctuary in the world. The international Dark sky association defines a Dark sky sanctuary as “public or private land that has an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is protected for its scientific, natural, or educational value, its cultural heritage and/or public enjoyment”.

ASIA

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USA

Jack Maloney on his Little Ireland Farms in Brownsburg, Indiana. – AP

Farmers worry bailout won’t be enoughFarmers across the United States will soon begin receiving money as part of a billion-dollar bailout to buoy growers experiencing financial strain from President Donald Trump’s trade disputes with China.

But even those poised for big payouts worry it won’t be enough. And while support for Trump is near unwavering in the heartland, some growers say that with the November election nearing, such disappointing aid outcomes could potentially affect their vote.

“It’s pretty obvious that the rural agriculture communities helped elect this administration, but the way things are going I believe farmers are going to have to vote with their checkbook when it comes time,” said Kevin Skunes, a corn and soybean grower from arthur, North Dakota and president of the National Corn Growers Association.

Corn farmers get the smallest slice of the aid pie. Corn groups estimate a loss of 44 cents per bushel, but they’re poised to receive just a single penny per bushel.

“If these issues haven’t been resolved, there could be a change in the way farmers vote,” Skunes said. “A person has to consider all things.”

farmers are already feeling the impact of Trump’s trade tiffs with China and other countries.

The Trump administration is providing up to $12 billion in emergency relief funds for American farmers, with roughly $6 billion in an initial round. The three-pronged plan includes $4.7 billion in payments to corn, cotton, soybean, dairy, pork and sorghum farmers. The rest is for developing new foreign markets for American-grown commodities and purchasing more than two dozen select products, including certain fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, meat and dairy.

Jack Maloney, 62, began farming full time in 1978 and now has two employees. He said some fellow farmers are angry and upset.

“Agriculture has always been the butt of all the trade wars,” he said. ■

Iranian soldiers run for cover during the attack. – EPA

USA

Iran blames US for parade attackIran’s President Hassan Rouhani says a US-allied country in the Persian Gulf was behind an attack on a military parade that killed 25 people and wounded around 70.

Rouhani did not identify those behind the attack, which was claimed by an Arab separatist group. He could have been referring to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates or Bahrain — close US military allies that view Iran as a regional menace over its support for militant groups across the Middle East.

“All of those small mercenary countries that we see in this region are backed by America. It is Americans who instigate them and provide them with necessary means to commit these crimes,” Rouhani said.

The attack, in which militants disguised as soldiers opened fire on an annual iranian military parade in the oil-rich southwest, was the deadliest in the country in nearly a decade.

Women and children scattered along with once-marching revolutionary Guard soldiers as heavy gunfire rang out in Ahvaz, the chaos captured live on state television.

The region’s Arab separatists, once only known for nighttime attacks on unguarded oil pipelines, claimed responsibility for the assault, and iranian officials appeared to believe the claim.

iran summoned diplomats from Britain, Denmark and the Netherlands for allegedly harboring “members of the terrorist group” that launched the attack.

iran’s Deputy foreign minister abbas araghchi later said the UAE ambassador would be summoned over “partial statements” in support of the group behind the attack, without elaborating.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif had earlier blamed regional countries and their “US masters” for funding and arming the separatists, issuing a stark warning as regional tensions remain high in the wake of the US withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal.

“Iran will respond swiftly and decisively in defense of Iranian lives,” Zarif said. ■

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UK

Former cabinet minister Nicky Morgan. – PA

MP warns against May challengePro-eU former cabinet minister nicky Morgan has warned that a leadership challenge to Theresa May would not be in the interests of the Conservative Party or the country.

“Having a leadership election now would not be in the country’s interest. There are particularly a lot of the hard Brexiteers who want to bring the Prime Minister down,” she said.

“This is not a move that would help the country in order to get to the best position after Brexit which does least damage to the economy. That is what we as Conservatives should be focused on.

“Europe has always been a big faultline in our party.“But the majority of the parliamentary party and, I think,

the membership want us to focus on getting a good deal that supports the economy and then moving on.”

meanwhile, Downing street denied that it was planning for a snap general election in an attempt to save May’s premiership.

The Sunday Times reported two senior members of her political team had planned a possible autumn vote to win public support for her Chequers plan.

a Downing street spokesman said: “it is categorically untrue that No 10 is planning a snap election.” ■

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in Liverpool,during the party’s annual conference. – PA

UK

Labour considers stance on new Brexit voteBritain’s Labour Party is facing a huge choice at its annual national conference — whether to change policy and call for a new referendum that could halt the country’s departure from the european Union.

The support of the main opposition party would be a major boost to campaigners for a second vote on Brexit.

Ever since the UK voted in 2016 to leave the EU, Labour has said it will respect the result — but it wants a closer relationship with the bloc than the one that Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative government is seeking.

Now, with EU divorce negotiations stuck and Britain due to leave the bloc in March, many Labour members think the left-leaning party must change its course.

“Labour have to come to a decision. The time has gone for sitting on the fence,” said Mike Buckley of campaign group Labour for a People’s Vote.

More than 100 local Labour associations have submitted motions to the conference, which starts Sunday, urging a “People’s Vote” — a new referendum — with a choice between leaving on terms agreed by the government or staying in the EU.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has long opposed the idea of such a vote. “I’m not calling for a second referendum,” he said.

But, he said, if Labour’s annual conference “make a decision, I will not walk away from it and I will act accordingly.”

Deputy leader Tom Watson was even firmer. “We must back it if Labour members want it,” he said.

Still, Labour faces a major political dilemma. Most of the party’s half a million members voted in 2016 to remain in the EU, but many of its 257 lawmakers represent areas of the country that wanted to leave.

“For Labour to adopt a second referendum policy would spell political disaster in all those Labour seats that voted to leave,” said Brendan Chilton of the pro-Brexit group Labour Leave. ■

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AUSTRALIA

Former foreign minister Julie Bishop. – AAP

Libs need more women, says BishopJulie Bishop has renewed calls for gender targets to address the lack of women in the Liberal Party.

The former foreign minister, the first female to serve in the role, repeated her calls for a target to recruit more women into the party.

“I believe that targets are an appropriate mechanism. It’s not the only mechanism but I have seen it work elsewhere,” Bishop said.

The former deputy leader of the Liberal Party also said Cabinet discussions were different when more women were featured.

“I have been in a Cabinet where I was the only female and then five female colleagues joined me and they were vastly different discussions and debates,” she said.

in a wide-ranging interview she also said it was difficult to answer why there was a new prime minister.

“I’ve had many calls from my counterpart foreign ministers who are very politely asking why I am no longer the foreign minister and what happened to the prime minister,” Bishop said.

“There have been some rather unkind comments about australia being the italy of the south Pacific and the coup capital of the world.” ■

Scott Morrison (left) leads Bill Shorten as preferred prime minister. – AAP

AUSTRALIA

Coalition gains ground on LaborScott Morrison has extended his healthy lead over Bill Shorten as preferred prime minister and the coalition’s primary vote has lifted despite losing its 41st newspoll to Labor.

The coalition’s vote rose two points to 36 per cent while Labor’s fell to 39, and they trailed 46 to 54 on a two-party preferred basis, according to the latest Newspoll.

Morrison increased his lead as preferred PM to 13 points over Labor leader Shorten by 45 to 32 per cent.

shorten’s approval fell five points while morrison’s rose three points.

Morrison’s approval is the best result for a prime minister since February 2016.

The Greens’ primary vote remains at 10 per cent while one Nation stays at 6 per cent.

Support for other minor parties and independents rose one point to 9 per cent.

The poll of 1675 voters was conducted nationally. ■

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ASIA

Typhoon Mangkhut and monsoon rains in the Philippines have killed at least 155 people

and more than 70 are still missing. - AP

Typhoon toll continues to riseAt least 155 people have been killed in landslides and other accidents caused by Typhoon Mangkhut and monsoon rains in the Philippines.

More than 70 people were still missing in the accidents, according to police and local disaster relief officials.

At least 45 of the dead were from the village of Tinaan in Naga City in Cebu province, 573km south of Manila, where a landslide buried nearly 60 houses on Thursday.

Thirty-four were still believed to be missing and rescuers were digging through the thick mud for the fourth straight day, said Baltz Tribunalo, head of the provincial disaster risk reduction office.

“We’re hopeful that there are survivors this is why we’re not stopping. We have so many spotters now in the area and some residents are also here to guide and help,” he said.

Tribunalo said authorities were verifying reports that relatives of the victims were still receiving mobile phone text messages from some of those missing.

In the northern province of Benguet, search operations were also still continuing for at least 39 people missing in landslides, the biggest of which struck the village of Ucab in Itogon town.

Itogon town Mayor Victorio Palangdan said four backhoes were being used to recover the missing, adding that unidentified bodies were being buried in a mass graveyard site.

The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 cyclones every year, causing floods, landslides and other accidents.

one of the strongest in recent memory, Typhoon Haiyan, hit the country in November 2013, killing more than 6,300 people and displacing more than 4 million. ■

one of the houses in Dunrobin damaged by one of the tornadoes. – Pa

CAnAdA

Environment Canada confirms twin tornadoesEnvironment Canada has confirmed that the Ottawa area was hit by two tornadoes late on Friday afternoon.

The national weather agency said a powerful EF-3 category twister – with winds that reached 265km/h – ripped through the ottawa neighbourhood of Dunrobin, about 35km west of the downtown area, before moving on to devastate a densely populated area of Gatineau, Quebec.

The agency said that at almost the same time a second, slightly less powerful twister touched down in the south ottawa neighbourhood of Arlington Woods.

The twin tornadoes caused massive damage, obliterating dozens of homes, tossing vehicles around, snapping huge trees and injuring several people, at least two of whom were admitted to hospital in critical condition.

At one point more than 200,000 hydro customers were blacked out, but as of early Sunday morning, the Hydro ottawa and Hydro Quebec websites reported the number had been reduced to fewer than 80,000 – 70,000 in the ottawa area and 8300 in the outaouais region, which encompasses Gatineau.

The ontario government has activated the province’s Disaster recovery assistance program in affected areas, while the Quebec government announced it would give the Red Cross $1 million to help with relief efforts.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had spoken with the mayors of ottawa and Gatineau to offer federal assistance. ■

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EUROPE

Dairy cows graze on grass in the emmental region of switzerland. – aP

Swiss reject ‘fair food’ proposalSwiss voters have roundly rejected two proposals aimed at protecting Swiss farmers and ensuring that food from both domestic and foreign producers is healthier, more environmentally sound and animal-friendly.

About 61.3 per cent of voters rejected the Fair-Food Initiative, which would have required the government to promote environmentally sound, animal-friendly and fairly produced food, and could have involved requiring Swiss inspectors to travel abroad to conduct compliance checks.

A separate, though somewhat similar Food Sovereignty proposal was aimed at underpinning farmers’ salaries and ensure that imported food meets Swiss standards. That was rejected by 68.4 per cent of voters.

Proposals need a majority of both voters and cantons (states) to pass. only four out of 26 cantons, all in the country’s French-speaking west, backed the two initiatives. Turnout was 37 per cent.

Cost concerns, government opposition and other factors appear to have dented public support for the proposals. The government argued that the Fair-Food Initiative could limit choice, raise prices and jeopardize Swiss commercial agreements with trading partners.

Voters did, however, approve a third measure that will require the Swiss government to do more to improve bicycle lanes and other infrastructure across the Alpine country. That was supported by 73.6 per cent of voters and all 26 cantons.

Switzerland’s form of direct democracy gives voters a say several times a year on matters of public interest.

In a regional Swiss referendum, voters in the northeastern canton of St. Gallen voted by a two-to-one margin to ban people from covering their faces in public if that endangers “public security” or “religious or social peace.” offenders could be fined.

The measure, widely described as a “burqa ban,” followed a similar restriction already in Ticino, in Switzerland’s Italian-speaking south. ■

Brexit secretary Dominic raab. – Pa

EUROPE

Raab stands firm on Brexit planThe government will not allow Britain to be dictated to by Brussels in negotiations over its withdrawal from the eU, Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab has warned.

Raab said the government would keep negotiating on the basis of Theresa May’s Chequers blueprint for Brexit, despite the rebuff for the plan by eu leaders at last week’s salzburg summit.

He said he remained confident they could make progress, provided the eu side was prepared to show greater flexibility.

He dismissed claims May could call a snap general election in an attempt to save her premiership following the Salzburg debacle.

“It’s for the birds. It’s not going to happen,” he said.Raab insisted Salzburg had been no more than a “bump in

the road” in the negotiations.“We will hold our nerve, we will keep our cool and we will

keep negotiating in good faith. What we are not going to do is be dictated to,” he said.

“We have come up with a serious set of proposals. We are not just going to flit from plan to plan like some sort of diplomatic butterfly.

“We are going to be resolute about this and really press the EU to treat us with some respect.”

He said that Britain had shown flexibility in its negotiating position and called on the EU to do the same.

“If we just get this sort of ‘computer says no’ response from the EU we are not going to make progress,” he said.

Raab said the Government was continuing to prepare for a no-deal break, with the next tranche of technical papers due to be published on Monday.

Earlier May issued an appeal to warring Tories to come together to prevent the opposition parties derailing the whole Brexit process.

“I have said many times that these negotiations would be tough, and they were always bound to be toughest in the final straight,” the Prime Minister said. ■

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Sanctuary plan for Stewart IslandStewart Island will tomorrow apply for official status as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary.

if successful, it will be the fifth sanctuary in the world.The international Dark sky association defines a Dark sky

Sanctuary as “public or private land that has an exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights and a nocturnal environment that is protected for its scientific, natural, or educational value, its cultural heritage and/or public enjoyment”.

Venture Southland’s business and strategic projects general manager Stephen Canny thinks the island has made a strong case.

“Culturally on the island the dark sky has always been a feature, land of the glowing sky is a literal interpretation of Rakiura, it’s certainly something that has captured the hearts and minds of all of the stakeholders on the island,” he said.

Canny said there was a plan to manage the island lightscape and the responsibilities of key stakeholders.

He said that would be discussed at a Venture Southland committee meeting tomorrow.

Venture Southland hopes to get an answer from the international Dark sky association on the application before Christmas.

last year aotea/Great Barrier island became an official Dark sky sanctuary. The association said a sanctuary differs from an international Dark sky reserve because usually it is remote with “few (if any) nearby threats to the quality of its dark night skies”. ■

nEW ZEALAnd

The sun setting on one of Stewart Island’s picturesque bays. – RNZ / Maja Burry

Needles found in strawberriesneedles have been found in a punnet of strawberries bought in an Auckland supermarket.

Countdown said it had taken all stock of the Choice brand of strawberries off its shelves while it investigates.

About a week ago Woolworths NZ, which is the parent company of Countdown, said it was halting the distribution of Australian strawberries.

“Needles were found in a punnet of strawberries sourced from Western Australia, which was bought in a Countdown supermarket in Auckland. The Choice brand of strawberries was sold nation-wide last week,” the statement said.

The supermarket chain also operates the FreshChoice and SuperValue supermarkets.

The Choice brand of strawberry was imported from Western Australia.

Countdown is advising customers to cut up strawberries before consuming them, or to return them for a refund.

Countdown would continue to stock New Zealand strawberries.

“There have been no reports of any illness or injury in New Zealand. The strawberries affected by this withdrawal have not previously had any issues of this nature reported and had not been withdrawn from sale in Australia,” the statement said.

Last week, police across Australia were investigating more than 100 reports of contaminated fruit, many of which are believed to be hoaxes and copycat incidents.

Contaminated strawberries were found across five states with the West australian government offering a $100,000 reward for information.

australia’s Home affairs minister Peter Dutton last week said new laws were needed to dissuade any copycat offenders, including increasing the maximum jail time for contaminating food from 10 10 15 years.

The government is also going to introduce a new offence of recklessly contaminating fruit, which will carry a similar jail time. ■

– 123RF

nEW ZEALAnd

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