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Google plans to pay $US1 billion ($NZ1.5b) to publishers globally for their news over the next three years, its chief executive says. Photo: 123RF / Anthony Brown News publishers have long fought the world's most popular internet search engine for compensation for using their content, with European media groups leading the charge. Chief executive Sundar Pichai said the new product called Google News Showcase will launch first in Germany, where it has signed up German newspapers including Der Spiegel, Stern, Die Zeit, and in Brazil with Folha de S.Paulo, Band and Infobae. It will be rolled out in Belgium, India, the Netherlands and other countries. About 200 publishers in Argentina, Australia, Britain, Brazil, Canada and Germany have signed up to the product. "This financial commitment - our biggest to date - will pay publishers to create and curate high-quality content for a different kind of online news experience," Pichai said in a blog post. Google parent Alphabet reported a net profit of $US34.3b on revenue of almost $US162b last year. The product, which allows publishers to pick and present their stories, will launch on Google News on Android devices and eventually on Apple devices. "This approach is distinct from our other news products because it leans on the editorial choices individual publishers make about which stories to show readers and how to present them," Pichai said. German publisher the Spiegel Group welcomed the project. "With News Showcase and the new integration of editorial content like from Spiegel, Google shows that they are serious about supporting quality journalism in Germany. We are happy to be part of it from the start," said Stefan Ottlitz, managing director of the Spiegel Group. News Corp, which has urged EU antitrust regulators to act against Google, was equally enthusiastic. "We applaud Google's recognition of a premium for premium journalism and the understanding that the editorial eco-system has been dysfunctional, verging on dystopian. There are complex negotiations ahead but the principle and the precedent are now established," its chief executive, Robert Thomson, said in a statement. The European Publishers Council (EPC), whose members include News UK, the Guardian, Pearson, the New York Times and Schibsted, however, was critical. "By launching a product, they [Google] can dictate terms and conditions, undermine legislation designed to create conditions for a fair negotiation, while claiming they are helping to fund news production," said EPC executive director Angela Mills Wade. Google is negotiating with French publishers, among its most vocal critics, while Australia wants to force it and Facebook to share advertising revenue with local media groups. Google's funding for news organisations has frustrated other internet publishers, such as weather websites and recipe tools, which say Google has hurt their revenue. - Reuters

The UK's refusal to ditch plans to override sections of its Brexit divorce deal has prompted the EU to start legal action. The UK has a month to respond to the latest EU move, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says. Photo: AFP An EU deadline for the government to remove sections of the Internal Market Bill expired on Wednesday. The "letter of formal notice" could eventually lead to a court case against the UK at the European Court of Justice, the EU's top court. But the EU has not walked away from talks over a post-Brexit trade deal. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the UK would have until the end of November to respond to the EU's concerns over the draft legislation. UK-EU trade talks are continuing in Brussels this week. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said both sides should "move on" if a deal was not reached by mid-October. In a brief statement, von der Leyen said the bill was a "full contradiction" of previous UK commitments over how a hard border on the island of Ireland should be avoided. She added that the bill was by its "very nature a breach of the obligation of good faith" contained in the withdrawal agreement that took the UK out of the EU in January. A spokesperson for the UK government said the bill was a necessary "safety net" to protect trade between different parts of the UK. They added the government would respond the EU's letter "in due course". Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte appeared to play down the importance of the Commission's letter, calling the move "more administrative than political". Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for both the UK and EU to work together over trade differences, adding: "A deal can be done here". "It's absurd that with weeks to go, the focus and the energy is not on their negotiations, it's on threatened court proceedings," he added. The EU legal action is a distraction from the need to get a trade deal between the EU and the UK, Sir Keir Starmer says. Photo: AFP / WIktor Szymanowicz / NurPhoto MPs gave their final backing to the Internal Market Bill earlier this week. However, it will have to be approved by the House of Lords before it becomes law. In a bid to head off a potential rebellion from Tory backbenchers, ministers have granted the Commons a say before powers to override the Brexit divorce deal could be used. The letter sent to the UK is the first stage in the process the Commission uses against countries it believes have broken EU law. It can end with the Commission taking governments to court at the European Court of Justice. The ECJ continues to have powers over the UK during the transition period, including over the interpretation and implementation of the withdrawal agreement. The court has powers to force countries to comply with its rulings, including imposing financial penalties. However, most cases are settled before then - and it can take many years for a case to move through the court. The bill sets out rules for the operation of the UK internal market - trade between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - after the end of the Brexit transition period in January. It proposes: No new checks on goods moving from Northern Ireland to the rest of Great Britain Giving UK ministers powers to modify or "disapply" rules relating to the movement of goods that will come into force from 1 January if the UK and EU are unable to reach an alternative agreement through a trade deal Powers to override previously agreed obligations on state aid - government support for businesses. The bill explicitly states that these powers should apply even if they are incompatible with international law. Ministers say the legislation is needed to prevent "damaging" tariffs on goods travelling from the rest of the UK to Northern Ireland if negotiations with the EU on a free trade agreement fail. - BBC

The commission that oversees US presidential debates says it will change the format to ensure the remaining two encounters between Donald Trump and Joe Biden are more orderly. Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden face off in the first general election presidential debate of 2020 on 30 September, 2020. Photo: EyePress News / EyePress via AFP One new measure could be to cut the microphones if the candidates try to interrupt each other, US media report. The announcement follows Tuesday's ill-tempered debate that descended into squabbling, bickering and insults. Trump's team has already criticised the commission's plans. The tone and tactics of the first presidential debate were criticised across the US and around the world. The fallout, however, has also been dominated by Trump's refusal in the debate to explicitly condemn a far-right group called the Proud Boys. What are the plans for the next debates? In Tuesday's debate, the candidates were given two minutes to answer moderator questions, before being allowed to address each other's response. However, Trump constantly interrupted Democratic candidate Joe Biden leading to a series of chaotic exchanges in which both men talked over each other. The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) - a nonpartisan body that has organised presidential debates since 1988 - said it would soon announce new measures to help moderators "maintain order" in the remaining two debates. It said the first debate had "made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues". CBS News, citing an informed source, said the commission would spend the next 48 hours drawing up new guidelines and rules for the second debate on 15 October in Miami, Florida. Controlling the candidates' microphones is at the top of the list, CBS said, in order to prevent them interrupting the moderator or each other. Both campaign teams will be informed of the rules but they will not be subject to negotiation, the source added. What's the reaction? Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh, who had described Tuesday's night's chaotic scenes as a "free exchange of ideas", criticised the plans. "They are only doing this because their guy got pummelled last night," he said. "President Trump was the dominant force and now Joe Biden is trying to work the refs. They shouldn't be moving the goalposts and changing the rules in the middle of the game." Kate Bedingfield, deputy manager for Biden's campaign, said the former vice-president would participate "under whatever set of rules the commission develops to try to contain Donald Trump's behaviour". While one snap poll on the debate gave Biden a slight edge, other opinion polls suggest 90 percent of Americans have already made up their mind how to vote for and the debate may well have made little difference. In his first interview since the debate, moderator Chris Wallace told the New York Times it was "a terrible missed opportunity" and that he "never dreamed it would go off the tracks the way it did". The Fox news anchor has come under criticism for struggling to control the debate. However, the CPD on Wednesday praised his "professionalism and skill". What's the row about Proud Boys? During the debate, Wallace asked whether the president would condemn white supremacists and tell them to stand down during protests. When Trump asked who it was he was being told to condemn, Biden twice said "Proud Boys", referring to a far-right, anti-immigrant, all-male group with a history of violence against left-wing opponents. Yellow smoke fills the air as an American flag is raised at the start of a Proud Boys rally in Portland, Oregon on 26 September, 2020. Photo: AFP / Maranie R Staab The president said: "Proud Boys - stand back and stand by. But I'll tell you what... somebody's got to do something about antifa [anti-fascist activists] and the left because this is not a right-wing problem." Proud Boys members called his "stand by" remark "historic" and an endorsement. Biden said Trump had "refused to disavow white supremacists". On Wednesday, Trump appeared to try to walk back on his comments. At a news conference on the White House lawn a reporter asked him about Proud Boys and he said: "I don't know who they are. I can only say they have to stand down and let law enforcement do their work." He did not clarify his use of "stand by" in the debate. When asked whether he welcomed white supremacist support he said only that he wanted "law and order to be a very important part of our campaign". Biden returned to the issue in a tweet on Wednesday, saying: "There's no other way to put it: the President of the United States refused to disavow white supremacists on the debate stage last night." In his tweet he quoted a comment, addressed to the president, from a Proud Boys online forum that read: "This makes me so happy. We're ready! Standing by sir." - BBC

Chrissy Teigen and husband John Legend have said they are in "deep pain" after losing their baby during pregnancy. Chrissy Teigen and husband John Legend had been planning on their baby Jack. Photo: AFP "We are shocked and in the kind of deep pain you only hear about, the kind of pain we've never felt before," she wrote in a moving Instagram statement. Her post was accompanied by several black and white photos, including one of her crying in her hospital bed. Model Teigen and singer Legend have two children, and in mid-August revealed they were expecting a third. In her latest post, Teigen revealed the Los Angeles-based couple had been planning to call the baby Jack. "We never decide on our babies' names until the last possible moment after they're born, just before we leave the hospital," she wrote. "But we, for some reason, had started to call this little guy in my belly Jack. Jack worked so hard to be a part of our little family, and he will be, forever. "I'm so sorry that the first few moments of your life were met with so many complications, that we couldn't give you the home you needed to survive. We will always love you." Retweeting her, Legend added "We love you, Jack" alongside five black love hearts. Teigen later added: "Driving home from the hospital with no baby. How can this be real." Listen to a five-part podcast by RNZ's Susie Ferguson, which looks at the impact of miscarriages suffered by New Zealand couples Teigen, who is also a TV presenter, had been documenting her pregnancy on social media. She was taken to hospital on Sunday due to excessive bleeding but had reassured fans she and the baby were healthy. In her latest post, however, she revealed that "we were never able to stop the bleeding and give our baby the fluids he needed". Teigen thanked her followers for their "positive energy, thoughts and prayers" and expressed gratitude for the "amazing" life she enjoyed with her family. "But everyday can't be full of sunshine," she continued. "On this darkest of days, we will grieve, we will cry our eyes out. But we will hug and love each other harder and get through it." Legend, 41, is a multiple Grammy-winning artist whose 2013 track All of Me - a song he dedicated to his wife - spent 92 weeks in the UK singles chart. His parallel careers in film, music and TV work have seen him become an EGOT - one of only 16 people who've won a competitive Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award. 'Big virtual hug of love' The couple were flooded with messages of condolence and support on social media, with many praising their strength for sharing their grief and some recounting their own experiences of loss. "I know many other women like me who also have experienced miscarriage appreciate your sharing your story to help demystify this all too common occurrence," wrote one Twitter user. Another wrote: "We lost twins at 20 weeks and your bravery for sharing this can hopefully show people to know they are not alone. Thank you." Kim Kardashian West was among the celebrities who sent messages, writing: "We're always here for you and love you guys so much." Actress Viola Davis sent a "big virtual hug of love, love, love", while socialite Paris Hilton said she was "so sorry for your loss". Actress Gabrielle Union added: "We love you guys so much and we will be here for whatever yall need. Always." - BBC

The head of Fiji's Port Denarau Marina said early weather predictions showed up to four cyclones could hit the vicinity this season. Port Denarau Marina in Fiji. Photo: Supplied/Port Denarau Marina Cynthia Rasch said the marina was now full with more than 40 foreign yachts, all seeking shelter ahead of the Pacific cyclone season this summer. The yachts would normally head south out of the seasonal storm zone, but it was now wiser to remain where they were because borders were closed in Australia and New Zealand. It was difficult for yachts to sail against prevailing weather in the northern hemisphere, meaning it was not possible for many to backtrack to home ports. Rasch said the warning from weather experts was causing a few challenges for the marina, but they had a good plan. "I've just been sitting with the meteorologists going through the plan for the season. "We'd normally start working on it at this time but we've brought it forward because we're looking at more and more vessels remaining in our waters and in our marina for the cyclone period, given what's happened in New Zealand." Rasch said the weather experts had indicated an "active season". "It's going to get fairly wet and at this moment there's a prediction of about four cyclones within our vicinity, but we'll see how that pans out." She said the marina had a robust cyclone procedures plan, and was now forming contingencies for yachts unable to shelter in the harbour. In the past many had either hauled out their boats to a yard, or found shelter in various mangrove havens. "We've assisted hundreds of yachts over the years. The challenge of course is what type of vessels are remaining because many would need deep-water shelter because of their draft (the depth to which the hull and keel extended into the water)." She said many were anxious. "There is a lot of chatter on social media and at this moment they are anxious and worried about what might happen, but if they're equipped with the right information and where they might shelter, they just have to work this into their decision-making processes." Fijian maritime safety authorities and weather analysts were now working to identify other areas around Fiji where the yachts might seek shelter. Rasch said while the yachts were insured, it was made void once yachts were in cyclone belts. "Many cannot get insurance for cyclone coverage during our active months, but this is a risk that they take. "So far none of the vessels that have sought shelter in the mangroves adjacent to the marina have sustained any damage, but the challenge now was to accommodate everyone." She said it was becoming increasingly common that underwriters were not willing to cover vessels in active cyclone areas, including the Caribbean.

Even an effective coronavirus vaccine will not return life to normal early next year, a group of leading scientists has warned. Photo: AFP A vaccine is often seen as the holy grail that will end the pandemic. But a report, from researchers brought together by the Royal Society, said we needed to be "realistic" about what a vaccine could achieve and when. They said restrictions may need to be "gradually relaxed" because it could take up to a year to roll the vaccine out. More than 200 vaccines to protect against the virus are being developed by scientists around the world in a process that is taking place at unprecedented speed. "A vaccine offers great hope for potentially ending the pandemic, but we do know that the history of vaccine development is littered with lots of failures," said Dr Fiona Culley, from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London. There is optimism, including from the UK government's scientific advisers, that some people may get a vaccine this year and mass vaccination may start early next year. However, the Royal Society report warns it will be a long process. "Even when the vaccine is available it doesn't mean within a month everybody is going to be vaccinated, we're talking about six months, nine months ... a year," said Professor Nilay Shah, head of chemical engineering at Imperial College London. "There's not a question of life suddenly returning to normal in March." The report said there were still be "enormous" challenges ahead. Some of the experimental approaches being taken - such as RNA vaccines - have never been mass produced before. There are questions around raw materials - both for the vaccine and glass vials - and refrigerator capacity, with some vaccines needing storage at minus 80C. Prof Shah estimates vaccinating people would have to take place at a pace 10 times faster than the annual flu campaign, and would be a full-time job for up to 30,000 trained staff. "I do worry, is enough thinking going into the whole system?" he says. Early trial data has suggested that vaccines are triggering an immune response, but studies have not yet shown if this is enough to either offer complete protection or lessen the symptoms of Covid. Unanswered questions Professor Charles Bangham, chair of immunology of Imperial College London, said: "We simply don't know when an effective vaccine will be available, how effective it will be and of course, crucially, how quickly it can be distributed. "Even if it is effective, it is unlikely that we will be able to get back completely to normal, so there's going to be a sliding scale, even after the introduction of a vaccine that we know to be effective. "We will have to gradually relax some of the other interventions." And many questions that will dictate the vaccination strategy remain unanswered, such as: will one shot be enough or will boosters be required? will the vaccine work well enough in older people with aged immune systems? The researchers warn the issue of long-term immunity will still take some time to answer, and we still do not know if people need vaccinating every couple of years or if one shot will do. Commenting on the study, Dr Andrew Preston from the University of Bath, said: "Clearly the vaccine has been portrayed as a silver bullet and ultimately it will be our salvation, but it may not be an immediate process." He said there would need to be discussion of whether "vaccine passports" were needed to ensure people coming into the country were immunised. And Dr Preston warned that vaccine hesitancy seemed to be a growing problem that had become embroiled in anti-mask, anti-lockdown ideologies. "If cohorts of people refuse to have the vaccine, do we leave them to fend for themselves or have mandatory vaccination for children to go to schools, or for staff in care homes? There are lots of difficult questions." - BBC

Mark Brown was sworn in as the 12th Prime Minister of the Cook Islands in a ceremony last night. The new Deputy Prime Minister is Robert Taipatau. Mark Brown is sworn in as the new Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Photo: Office of the Cook Islands PM Brown and his cabinet took the Oath of Allegiance and were issued with their warrants during a formal ceremony at Government House conducted by the Queen's Representative, Sir Tom Marsters. Brown replaces Henry Puna who stood down to contest the Secretary General's role at the Pacific Islands Forum. Brown, who has spent 10 years in parliament, was educated at Gisborne Boys' High School, Massey University and the University of the South Pacific. Before entering parliament he worked in the Cook Islands public service and also had business interests there. In his time as Puna's deputy he was very much the voice of the Cook Islands Party Government.

A Japanese man has pleaded guilty to murdering nine people after contacting them on Twitter, in a high-profile case that has shocked the country. Takahiro Shiraishi (C) covers his face with his hands as he is transported to the prosecutor's office from a police station in Tokyo Photo: AFP Dubbed the "Twitter killer", Takahiro Shiraishi was arrested in 2017 after body parts were found in his flat. He told a court in Tokyo on Wednesday that the allegations against him "are all correct". But his lawyers argue that his charges should be reduced because his victims apparently gave consent to be killed. If convicted of murder, Shiraishi faces the death penalty, which is carried out by hanging in Japan. The court case has attracted wide interest, with more than 600 people lining up for 13 public gallery seats to watch the first hearing on Wednesday, reported public broadcaster NHK. What happened? The prosecution say the accused opened a Twitter account in March 2017 "to contact women contemplating suicide, whom he saw as easy targets", NHK said. Eight of his victims were women, one of them aged 15. The only male victim, aged 20, was killed after confronting Shiraishi about the whereabouts of his girlfriend, Japanese media reported. The 29-year-old is believed to have lured his victims by telling them he could help them die and in some cases claimed he would kill himself alongside them. His Twitter profile contained the words: "I want to help people who are really in pain. Please DM [direct message] me anytime." The serial killings first came to light when police were looking into the disappearance of a young woman, who later turned out to be one of the victims. Officers visited Shiraishi's flat in the Japanese city of Zama, near Tokyo, where they found dismembered body parts. What do his lawyers say? Shiraishi's lawyers argue his victims had agreed to be killed, so the charges should be reduced to "murder with consent". This carries a lower prison sentence of between six months and seven years. But it is reported that Shiraishi disagrees with his lawyers. He told Mainichi Shimbun, a local daily, that he killed without the consent of his victims. "There were bruises on the back of the victims' heads. It means there was no consent and I did it so that they wouldn't resist," he said in comments published on Wednesday. What impact have the killings had? The serial killings have stunned Japan. When they were exposed in 2017 it triggered a new debate about websites on which suicide is discussed. At the time the government indicated it may introduce new regulations. The murders also prompted a change by Twitter, which amended its rules to state users should not "promote or encourage suicide or self-harm". Twitter's chief executive Jack Dorsey said at the time the case was "extremely" sad. Japan has long battled one of the highest suicide rates in the industrialised world although figures have dropped since preventative measures were introduced more than a decade ago. -BBC