NORTH AMERICA UK AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND · 2018-11-27 · farmers after Brexit Foreign food imports must meet British standards after Brexit or the domestic farming industry could

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November 27 (GmT) – November 28 (AeST), 2018

AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALANDUKNORTH AMERICA

Trump defends border tear gas

President Donald Trump is strongly defending the US use of tear gas at the Mexican border to repel a crowd of migrants that included angry rock-throwers but also barefoot, crying children. Critics denounced the border agents’ action as overkill, but Trump kept to a hard line. “They were being rushed by some very tough people and they used tear gas,” Trump said

Parallel park turns deadly

A 70-year-old driver trying to parallel park on a New York City street lost control of his minivan and struck several pedestrians standing next to a fruit stand, killing one person and injuring six others, police said. “The car just suddenly appeared and banged into the wall backward. I was just so shocked,” said witness Jin Lin, 32, who saw several pedestrians trapped between the vehicle and the wall.

Libs MP heads to crossbench

Scott Morrison already lost his majority in parliament and just a day later he’s dropped even further back, with one of his MPs quitting the government. Julia Banks had already announced she was quitting parliament at the election, but dropped a bombshell on the prime minister, revealing she was moving to the cross bench.

May challenges Corbyn to debate

Prime Minister Theresa May has challenged Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to a Brexit TV debate, as US President Donald Trump strongly criticised her EU withdrawal plans. May went on the offensive as she launched an intensive two-week campaign to try to get her EU exit agreement through the Commons.

MPs warn of threat to farmers

Foreign food imports must meet British standards after Brexit or the domestic farming industry could be devastated, MPs have warned. The Agriculture Bill must be altered to ensure future trade deals only allow goods that meet or exceed current rules on production, animal welfare and the environment into the UK, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee said.

Review of parliament behaviour

Speaker Trevor Mallard has launched an external review of bullying and harassment of staff at Parliament dating to October 2014. The National Party is doing its own internal review of its culture, following allegations against former National MP Jami-Lee Ross. Mallard said the review would be carried out by an independent external reviewer who has done similar work with organisations such as the Defence Force.

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November 27 (GmT) – November 28 (AeST), 2018

AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALANDREST OF THE WORLDNORTH AMERICA

GM to lay off 14,000 workers

General Motors will lay off up to 14,000 factory and white-collar workers in North America and put five plants up for possible closure as it restructures to cut costs and focus more on autonomous and electric vehicles. The reduction includes 8100 white-collar workers, some of whom will take buyouts and others who will be laid off. Some US factory workers could transfer to truck or SUV factories that are increasing production.

NASA hails ‘flawless’ landing

A NASA spacecraft designed to drill down into Mars’ interior has landed on the planet after a perilous, supersonic plunge through its red skies, setting off jubilation among scientists who had waited in white-knuckle suspense for confirmation to arrive across 100 million miles of space. Flight controllers leaped out of their chairs, screaming, dancing and hugging, upon learning InSight had arrived on Mars.

Federal budget brought forward

The federal government will lay out its tax and spending plans unusually early in 2019, after the budget was brought forward by a month to allow for an election in May. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the April 2 budget papers will finally show a surplus. The size of the surplus will be clearer when the government’s mid-year budget review is published on December 17.

Dozens killed in two attacks

Somalia has been hit by two violent attacks, one killing an Islamic cleric and 17 of his followers for playing music and a second killing at least six people in a car bomb blast in the capital Mogadishu, police said. The car bomb was detonated at a busy junction in Mogadishu’s Wadajir district, said Capt. Mohamed Hussein, who added 15 people were injured and the blast appeared to have been aimed at nearby soldiers.

Kremlin warns of flare-up

The Kremlin has warned that the martial law that will go into effect in parts of Ukraine might trigger renewed hostilities in the separatist-held east. The Ukrainian parliament adopted a motion by the president to impose martial law for 30 days, something that Ukraine avoided doing even when Russia annexed its Crimean peninsula or sent in clandestine troops and weapons to the war-torn east.

PM talks down China snub claims

New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern is denying her country’s relationship with China has cooled after she failed to make a trip to Beijing during her first year in office. Ardern’s office said her much-anticipated first trip to China won’t be happening until next year due to scheduling issues, prompting claims New Zealand is being snubbed.

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November 27 (GmT) – November 28 (AeST), 2018

NORTH AMERICA

The scene of a crash in New York. - AP

Parallel park chaos leaves one deadA 70-year-old driver trying to parallel park on a New York City street lost control of his minivan and struck several pedestrians standing next to a fruit stand, killing one person and injuring six others, police said.

“The car just suddenly appeared and banged into the wall backward. I was just so shocked,” said witness Jin Lin, 32, who saw several pedestrians trapped between the vehicle and the wall.

It happened in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Police said four people were hospitalized. Two were in critical condition and the other two were in serious condition.

According to police, as the driver approached a parking spot the vehicle accelerated, striking several people on the sidewalk. Video shows a dark-colored minivan speeding down a street in reverse.

A man who runs a parking lot across the street said “it sounded like a big boom”. He said he saw people under the vehicle.

The unidentified driver, who remained at the scene, was arrested. ■

A Central American migrant is stopped by US agents at the San Diego-Tijuana border. - AP

NORTH AMERICA

Trump defends use of tear gas at borderPresident Donald Trump is strongly defending the US use of tear gas at the Mexican border to repel a crowd of migrants that included angry rock-throwers but also barefoot, crying children.

Critics denounced the border agents’ action as overkill, but Trump kept to a hard line.

“They were being rushed by some very tough people and they used tear gas,” Trump said of the encounter. “Here’s the bottom line: Nobody is coming into our country unless they come in legally.”

The showdown at the San Diego-Tijuana border crossing has thrown into sharp relief two competing narratives about the caravan of migrants hoping to apply for asylum but stuck on the Mexican sider. Trump portrays them as a threat to US national security, intent on exploiting America’s asylum law, but others insist he is exaggerating to stoke fears and achieve his political goals.

The sheer size of the caravan makes it unusual.“I think it’s so unprecedented that everyone is hanging their

own fears and political agendas on the caravan,” said Andrew Selee, president of the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank that studies immigration. “You can call it scary, you can call it hopeful, you can call it a sign of human misery. You can hang whatever angle you want to on it.”

Trump rails against migrant caravans as dangerous groups of mostly single men. That view featured heavily in his speeches during the midterm election campaign when several were hundreds of miles away, traveling on foot. Officials have said about 500 members are criminals, but haven’t backed that up with details on why they think so.

Trump tweeted the caravan at the border included “stone cold criminals”. ■

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November 27 (GmT) – November 28 (AeST), 2018

UK

- AP

MPs warn of threat to farmers after BrexitForeign food imports must meet British standards after Brexit or the domestic farming industry could be devastated, MPs have warned.

The Agriculture Bill must be altered to ensure future trade deals only allow goods that meet or exceed current rules on production, animal welfare and the environment into the UK, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee said.

Amid concerns post-Brexit deals could see importation of products such as US-produced chlorine-washed chicken, it urged the government to “put its money where its mouth is” and enshrine high standards into law.

It also criticised the government for not allowing MPs enough time to scrutinise the bill effectively.

Committee chairman Neil Parish, who was a farmer before entering politics, said: “The United Kingdom currently has exceptionally high environmental and food standards and an internationally recognised approach to animal welfare.

“This legacy cannot be ripped apart by the introduction of cheap, low-quality goods following our exit from the European Union.

“Imports produced to lower standards than ours pose a very real threat to UK agriculture.

“Without sufficient safeguards we could see British farmers significantly undermined while turning a blind eye to environmental degradation and poor animal welfare standards abroad.”

Last month, the US formally confirmed plans to seek a trade deal with the UK “as soon as it is ready” after Brexit.

But President Donald Trump’s commerce secretary Wilbur Ross has warned that continued UK adherence to EU environmental, workplace and animal welfare standards after Brexit could present “landmines” in the way of a deal.

Currently, produce including the chlorine-washed chicken, gM crops and hormone-enhanced beef are banned in the EU. ■

Prime Minister Theresa May. - PA

UK

May challenges Corbyn to Brexit debatePrime Minister Theresa May has challenged Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to a Brexit TV debate, as US President Donald Trump strongly criticised her EU withdrawal plans.

May went on the offensive as she launched an intensive two-week campaign to try to get her EU exit agreement through the Commons.

Preparing for a trip to Wales and Northern Ireland to try to sell the deal as “good for the union”, she said: “I am going to be explaining why I think this deal is the right deal for the UK – and yes, I am ready to debate it with Jeremy Corbyn.

“Because I have got a plan. He hasn’t got a plan.“Exactly how it might be done, if he takes it up, would be a

matter for the broadcasters to determine.“What I think is important is that people are able to see the

issues around this plan.“I am willing to stand up and explain why I think it is the best

possible deal available for the UK.”A Labour spokesman said: “Jeremy would relish a head-to-

head debate with Theresa May about her botched Brexit deal and the future of our country.”

The comments came after Trump appeared to undermine May’s Brexit deal.

“Sounds like a great deal for the EU,” the US president said.“I think we have to take a look at, seriously, whether or not

the UK is allowed to trade.“Because, you know, right now, if you look at the deal,

they may not be able to trade with us. And that wouldn’t be a good thing.

“I don’t think they meant that. I don’t think that the Prime Minister meant that. And, hopefully, she’ll be able to do something about that.

“But, right now, as the deal stands, she may not, they may not, be able to trade with the US. And, I don’t think they want that at all. ■

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November 27 (GmT) – November 28 (AeST), 2018

AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND

Reviewer Debbie Francis and Speaker Trevor Mallard launch a review into behaviour at

Parliament. - RNZ / Jo Moir

Parliament behaviour to go under reviewSpeaker Trevor Mallard has launched an external review of bullying and harassment of staff at Parliament dating to October 2014.

The National Party is doing its own internal review of its culture, following allegations against former National MP Jami-Lee Ross.

Mallard said the review would be carried out by an independent external reviewer, Debbie Francis, who has done similar work with organisations such as the Defence Force.

He said bullying and harassment were unacceptable in any workplace and the review was designed to work out what could be done to improve the parliamentary workplace.

As part of the review, there will be a mix of interviews with party chairpersons, political party leaders, chiefs of staff, chief whips, MPs (both targeted and randomly selected) and focus groups with a mix of people from the same political parties.

Staff will be able to take part through a secure online survey, one-on-one interviews with Francis by phone or face-to-face, focus groups and in writing.

All information will be kept confidential and no one will be identified, or identifiable, in the final report resulting from the review, she said.

“It is vital that staff feel they can contribute their experiences to this review safely. That is why we are ensuring that all data is securely held, and will be destroyed at the review’s conclusion,” Francis said.

The review will examine any trends or patterns that emerge and make recommendations on how these could be addressed for the future. The findings will be published at its conclusion.

There will be additional supports put in place for those participating in the review during the process, including a phone line to connect with trained counsellors.

Mallard said the review wouldn’t be a blame exercise and wouldn’t reopen past cases so as to avoid revictimisation.

The review will support people wanting to make police complaints but complaints won’t come from the review itself, Mallard said. ■

JFormer Liberal MP Julia Banks. - AAP

AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND

Liberal MP ditches party for crossbenchScott Morrison already lost his majority in parliament and just a day later he’s dropped even further back, with one of his MPs quitting the government.

Julia Banks had already announced she was quitting parliament at the election, but dropped a bombshell on the prime minister, revealing she was moving to the cross bench.

“Effective immediately, I will serve as a member of this House of Representatives as an independent representative,” she said.

Her announcement came as Morrison was effectively announcing the timetable for the lead-up to the next election, expected in May.

He said the federal budget will be brought forward to April 2, which will allow for the election to be held within the legal window for a half-Senate and House of Representatives election which closes on May 18.

The prime minister also said the budget would be in surplus, which would be reflected in the mid-year review to be published on December 17.

“It is absolutely our intention to have the budget before the election and to deliver a surplus budget, a surplus budget that we promised to deliver,” he said.

He dodged questions about Banks’ move to the crossbench.She has promised not to vote for no confidence motions in

the government.The loss of Malcolm Turnbull’s seat of Wentworth to

independent Kerryn Phelps saw Morrison lose his majority in parliament when she was sworn in.

But he has signed an agreement with Queensland independent Bob Katter to ensure he won’t lose no |confidence motions.

Banks said the Liberal Party needed an “urgent” culture change to get more women into its ranks.

“There’s the blinkered rejection of quotas and support of the merit myth,” she said.

“But this is more than a numbers game.” ■

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November 27 (GmT) – November 28 (AeST), 2018

NORTH AMERICA

An artist’s impression of NASA’s InSight lander about to land on the surface of Mars. - PA

NASA hails spacecraft’s ‘flawless’ landing A NASA spacecraft designed to drill down into Mars’ interior has landed on the planet after a perilous, supersonic plunge through its red skies, setting off jubilation among scientists who had waited in white-knuckle suspense for confirmation to arrive across 100 million miles of space.

Flight controllers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, leaped out of their chairs, screaming, dancing and hugging, upon learning InSight had arrived on Mars, the graveyard for a multitude of previous missions.

“Touchdown confirmed,” a flight controller called out, instantly dispelling the anxiety that had gripped the control room as the spacecraft made its six-minute descent.

Because of the distance between Earth and Mars, it took eight minutes for confirmation to arrive, relayed by a pair of tiny satellites that had been trailing InSight throughout the six-month, 300-million-mile (482-million-km) journey.

The two satellites not only transmitted the good news in almost real time, they also sent back InSight’s first snapshot of Mars just four-and-a-half minutes after landing.

The picture was speckled with dirt because the dust cover was still on the lander’s camera, but the terrain around the spacecraft looked smooth and sandy with just one sizable rock visible – pretty much what scientists had hoped for. Better photos were expected in the days ahead, after the dust covers come off.

It was NASA’s – indeed, humanity’s – eighth successful landing at Mars since the 1976 Viking probes, and the first in six years. NASA’s Curiosity rover, which arrived in 2012, is still on the move on Mars.

“Flawless,” declared JPL’s chief engineer Rob Manning. “This is what we really hoped and imagined in our mind’s eye. Sometimes things work out in your favor.”

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, presiding over his first Mars landing as the space agency’s boss, said: “What an amazing day for our country.” ■

- AP

NORTH AMERICA

General Motors to lay off 14,000 workersGeneral Motors will lay off up to 14,000 factory and white-collar workers in North America and put five plants up for possible closure as it restructures to cut costs and focus more on autonomous and electric vehicles.

The reduction includes 8100 white-collar workers, some of whom will take buyouts and others who will be laid off. Some US factory workers could transfer to truck or SUV factories that are increasing production.

Most of the affected factories build cars that won’t be sold in the US after next year, including the Chevrolet Volt rechargeable gas-electric hybrid. They could close or they could get different vehicles to build. Their futures will be part of contract talks with the United Auto Workers union next year.

The salaried reductions amount to 15 percent of gM’s North American white-collar workforce of 54,000. At the factories, 3000 workers could lose jobs in Canada and another 3600 in the US.

gM, the largest automaker in the US, which sells the Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac and gMC brands, said the moves will save $US6 billion in cash by the end of next year, including $4.5 billion in recurring annual cost reductions and a $1.5 billion reduction in capital spending.

Those cuts are in addition to $6.5 billion that the company has announced by the end of this year.

gM doesn’t foresee an economic downturn and is making the cuts “to get in front of it while the company is strong and while the economy is strong,” CEO Mary Barra said.

Barra said gM is still hiring people with expertise in software and electric and autonomous vehicles. Many of those who will lose jobs are now working on conventional cars with internal combustion engines.

Barra said the industry is changing rapidly and moving toward electric propulsion, autonomous vehicles and ride-sharing, and gM must adjust with it. ■

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November 27 (GmT) – November 28 (AeST), 2018

REST Of THE WORLD

Russian President Vladimir Putin. - AP

Kremlin warns of fresh flare-up with UkraineThe Kremlin has warned that the martial law that will go into effect in parts of Ukraine might trigger renewed hostilities in the separatist-held east.

The Ukrainian parliament adopted a motion by the president to impose martial law for 30 days, something that Ukraine avoided doing even when Russia annexed its Crimean peninsula or sent in clandestine troops and weapons to the war-torn east.

The vote followed Sunday’s standoff near Crimea in which Russian border guards rammed into and opened fire on three Ukrainian navy vessels as they were trying to make their way from the Black Sea toward a Ukrainian port. The Russians seized the ships and their crews, who are expected to face a court.

Russia and Ukraine traded blame for the confrontation that raised the issue of a full-blown conflict between the neighbours. Ukraine said its vessels were heading to the Sea of Azov in line with international maritime rules, while Russia charged that they had failed to obtain permission to pass through the narrow Kerch Strait that is spanned by a bridge that Russia completed this year.

Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin, warned that the martial law introduced in 10 Ukrainian regions “has the potential” of triggering a flare-up in hostilities in the country’s east.

Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine’s industrial heartland that borders Russia have been fighting Ukrainian troops since 2014, but the hostilities have largely subsided since a truce was signed in 2015.

Putin and german Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke on the phone in the early hours, and the Russian president expressed a “serious concern” about what the martial law in Ukraine might entail. ■

A Somali policeman stands guard after a car bomb exploded in the Wadajir district of

Mogadishu. - AP

REST Of THE WORLD

Dozens killed in two Somalia attacksSomalia has been hit by two violent attacks, one killing an Islamic cleric and 17 of his followers for playing music and a second killing at least six people in a car bomb blast in the capital Mogadishu, police said.

The car bomb was detonated at a busy junction in Mogadishu’s Wadajir district, said Capt. Mohamed Hussein, who added 15 people were injured and the blast appeared to have been aimed at soldiers who were gathered at the junction.

In the northern city of galkayo, a prominent Islamic leader and at least 17 of his followers were killed for having music in their religious ceremonies, police said.

Two suicide bombers exploded in front of the preacher’s residence, which is also a Sufi shrine, before four gunmen stormed the building and opened fire, said Ahmed Awale, a police officer in Galkayo. At least 20 others were injured, he said.

Somali security forces responded and there was a battle with heavy gunfire in the building. Three attackers were killed in the shootout and one was captured alive, Awale said.

Somalia’s extremist rebels, al-Shabab, have claimed responsibility for the attack in galkayo. ■

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November 27 (GmT) – November 28 (AeST), 2018

Ardern talks down claims of China snubNew Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern is denying her country’s relationship with China has cooled after she failed to make a trip to Beijing during her first year in office.

Ardern’s office said her much-anticipated first trip to China won’t be happening until next year due to scheduling issues, prompting claims New Zealand is being snubbed.

“(Ardern and her trade minister) wanted to go, they wanted to meet with their counterparts, the counterparts have said ‘too busy’,” opposition leader Simon Bridges said.

“That may be subtle but I think it’s a very clear message that the Chinese government has other priorities and are wanting to send something of a message.”

But Ardern denies there’s a problem, and says it’s solely a matter of scheduling.

“I had a meeting with Premier Li (Keqiang) only weeks ago, that wouldn’t be happening if we had an issue with our relationship,” she said.

“These kinds of back-and-forth over scheduling happen frequently, I did have aspirations that we’d get this done before the end of the year. It’s just hasn’t been possible.”

While top-ranking Kiwi politicians have avoided singling out the world’s second-largest-economy this year, a major government defence paper drew a rebuke from Beijing after raising concerns about security threats posed by “an increasingly confident China”.

Like Australia, New Zealand has also increased its aid to and engagement with Pacific Nations in the face of other countries’ growing regional interest, although lawmakers have avoided naming China specifically.

New Zealand in 2008 became the first developed nation to sign a free-trade deal with China and the countries share an extensive trade relationship, particularly for New Zealand’s key dairy industry. ■

AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. - AAP

Next year’s federal budget brought forwardThe federal government will lay out its tax and spending plans unusually early in 2019, after the budget was brought forward by a month to allow for an election in May.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the April 2 budget papers will finally show a surplus.

The size of the surplus will be clearer when the government’s mid-year budget review is published on December 17.

Asked about the prospect of a May election, Morrison said: “You do the maths … to have a half-Senate and House of Representatives election, that would have to be conducted by the 18th of May.”

“It is absolutely our intention to have the budget before the election and to deliver a surplus budget, a surplus budget that we promised to deliver.”

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the budget statements will distinguish between the coalition and Labor as Australians head to the polls.

“The next election will be a stark contrast,” he said.“A contrast between a coalition government that is growing

the economy and has an economic plan that is working and is for the future, and the Labor Party, who wrongly believe you can tax yourself to prosperity.”

But the treasurer also stressed a strong economy was a means to an end, rather than an end in itself.

“The benefit of a strong economy is that you can provide the essential services – the defence, the border security, the infrastructure, the disability support,” Frydenberg said. “The things that Australians need and deserve.”

Neither Morrison or Frydenberg was worried shifting commodity prices could cause hiccups in their budget planning, because Treasury’s commodity forecasts were “very conservative”. ■

Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, left, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison. - AAP

AUSTRALIA + NEW ZEALAND