Friday, 27 September - I go leaps and bounds

September 27, 2024

Good morning, it’s Friday, 27 September. In your Squiz Today…

  • Israel rejects an international call for peace

  • Jim Chalmers visits Beijing

  • And a big weekend ahead for footy fans… 🏉

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

“The mind boggles.”

Said Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry after the usually pristine waters off Sydney’s harbourside suburb of Kirribilli turned neon green. Tests didn’t show anything toxic, and it could be a Year 12 muck-up day prank - but they may never find the one ooze responsible…

A failed push for peace

The Squiz

Israel has rejected a call by Australia and 11 other nations including the US and France for a 21-day immediate ceasefire on the Israel-Lebanon border. The group issued a statement from the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York saying the recent fighting is "intolerable and presents an unacceptable risk of a broader regional escalation". But reports say Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has told his military to "continue fighting with full force". 

Why is Australia getting involved?

We have at least 15,000 Aussies in Lebanon, many of whom are trying to heed the government’s advice and get out, but it’s not easy with an increasing number of commercial flights being cancelled as the fighting ramps up. Several more airlines have stopped flights to the capital after Israel struck targets in Beirut overnight, where they claim a Hezbollah air unit commander was among 2 people killed. In response to the international call for a ceasefire - which leaders hoped would allow space for diplomacy and bring about a possible end to the fighting in both Lebanon and Gaza - Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote on X, "We will continue to fight against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation with all our strength until victory and the safe return of the residents of the north to their homes.”

So things are bad there?

Since last week’s coordinated device explosions, thought to have been the work of Israel’s spy agency Mossad, there have been hundreds of missiles fired by Israel and Hezbollah, pushing the death toll past 600 and displacing half a million people. And it’s unlikely to end there, with Israel’s military chief General Herzi Halevi confirming a ground invasion could happen, with the aim of destroying the terror group’s infrastructure inside Lebanon. Despite his comments, US officials reckon military action is not “imminent”, and that talks with Israel about a ceasefire are “ongoing”. As for Netanyahu, all eyes will be on him as he addresses the UN General Assembly in New York later today. 

Your fresh market update…

At the Squiz, we’re all about giving you the useful stuff. So, we’ve teamed up with Woolies to share their top weekly fruit and veg picks. Here’s what to grab this week:

🍓 Berries - The growing season for strawberries and blueberries is going strong, and these tasty treats are sweet and juicy

🥬 Cos lettuce - Look for bright green leaves for maximum crunch

🥒 Baby cucumbers - Their fancier name is ‘qukes’, and they’re great on your in salads

🥔 Organic Dutch cream potatoes - These are a versatile ‘tater for all your 'tater needs

Squiz the Rest

Chalmers in China

If you’re wondering where Treasurer Jim Chalmers is today (and frankly why wouldn’t you…), he is in Beijing for the Australia-China Strategic Economic Dialogue. It’s the first time the talks have happened in 7 years, so Chalmers and his Chinese counterparts have a lot to discuss... China’s economy is slowing, which has run-on effects for economic partners like us. Of particular concern is China’s falling demand for Aussie iron ore. The Reserve Bank considers China’s troubles as one of 3 key “vulnerabilities” for our financial stability, and going in, Chalmers said the leaders understand there’s “a lot at stake”. At the same time, China’s firing of a ballistic missile into the Pacific Ocean this week is another fly in the relationship ointment. The more things change…

Generating some big bucks

There’s a big shakeup underway at OpenAI - the company behind generative AI software ChatGPT - with a restructure to turn most of it into a for-profit corporation to encourage more investment. That means the current not-for-profit board would no longer be in charge. It also means a big payday for chief executive Sam Altman… Under a for-profit model, he’d receive equity in the company for the first time, which is estimated to be worth $150 billion. It’s a contentious move, though, and several execs announced their departures yesterday as a result. Someone who’s got a bit to say about it is the world’s richest man/former OpenAI investor Elon Musk - he’s accusing the business of ditching its pledge to develop AI for humanity’s benefit in favour of making a profit. Yesterday, he called the restructure “deeply wrong”.

Closing the door on Kokoda

If you were planning to tackle the Kokoda Track anytime soon, you’re in for delays… The iconic 96km path through Papua New Guinean jungle (crucial to Australia’s military efforts in WWII and visited by PM Anthony Albanese just a few months ago…) has been closed. It’s due to a financial dispute between local authorities and landowners, who say they’re owed $15 million in compensation over the opening of a nearby gold mine. They’ve built a blockade to stop trekkers, leading to Adventure Kokoda director Charlie Lynn airlifting a group of 10 Aussies out and cancelling upcoming tours in what’s usually the busiest time of year. Lynn and other tourism operators have backed the locals - they say their requests have been “falling on deaf ears”. Negotiations are happening, but there’s no word on when it might reopen.

Popping out for the pill

For thousands of women in NSW, maintaining their medications will get a little easier from tomorrow with pharmacists allowed to dispense the contraceptive pill without a prescription for an extra 12 months to women who’ve been using it for 2 years. It follows a year-long trial for women aged 18-35yo which allowed them to extend their supply without seeing a doctor - and this will now be expanded to cover women aged 18-49yo. Premier Chris Minns says it gives women “affordable healthcare, where and when they need it". But not everyone’s convinced… The Royal Australian College of GPs says bypassing doctors’ visits could see women miss out on vital cancer/STD screenings. Queensland already has a similar policy, with Victoria looking to follow suit.

On the road to the holy grail…

A heads up: 2.30pm AEST is the time your Sydney Swans/Brisbane Lions supporting pals will turn into lunatics yelling at the telly (unless they’re lucky enough to be at the MCG, of course…) as the AFL Grand Final kicks off. It’s the first time 2 non-Victorian sides have made the premiership game since 2006, but they both have history in Victoria… They last met in a grand final 125 years ago, when they were known as South Melbourne and Fitzroy - long before their interstate moves. In the present day, Sydney’s tipped to win - but the Lions might get a Roar from the game’s headline entertainer Katy Perry … Meanwhile, the second/final Bledisloe Cup match between the Wallabies and All Blacks starts at 5.05pm AEST tomorrow. The Kiwis have already won the series after winning the last Test - so the Wallabies are playing for pride/maybe their first win on Kiwi territory since 2001.

Friday Lites - 3 things we liked this week

There’s been a lot of superhero movies/shows in recent times, and even if it’s not your usual bag, Colin Farrell’s unrecognisable 2022 portrayal of the Penguin in the movie The Batman is something else... Now he’s back with his own series The Penguin on Binge and so far it’s brilliant. We agree, give this man all the awards.

Speaking of animals… For some light relief in these heavy news times, the Wildlife Comedy Photography Awards are a guaranteed chuckle. You can check out the finalists here - the boogying mantis mediterranea is totally our jam.

Also bringing some sunshine on a cloudy day is this Spanish-inspired chicken with rice and chorizo recipe… It gives Paella vibes without the fuss, making it the perfect meal for after work/wet weekend/while you’re bingeing The Penguin. 

Squiz the Day

Friday
Public holiday in Victoria ahead of tomorrow's AFL Grand Final

9.30am (AEST) - A decision will be handed down in MONA’s appeal against the closure of its Ladies’ Lounge, which was found to be discriminatory because it didn’t allow men entry - Hobart

10.00am (AEST) - Cricket: One Day Cup, Victoria v Queensland - Melbourne, and watch on Kayo

10.40am (AEST) - AFL Grand Final Parade - Melbourne 

7.50pm (AEST) - NRL: Preliminary final, Melbourne v Sydney Roosters - Melbourne, and watch on 9Now

9.30pm (AEST) - Cricket: 4th ODI, Australia v England - London, UK, and watch on Kayo

The ACCC’s interim report into supermarkets is out 

Treasurer Jim Chalmers will visit China in the first trip by an Australian treasurer in 7 years

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is due to address the UN General Assembly in New York

China’s Tennis Open is on (until 6 October)

NSW, SA, Tas  & ACT public schools finish up Term 3

Birthdays for Ray Hadley (1954), Gwenyth Paltrow (1972), and Lil Wayne (1982)

Anniversary of:

  • French scholar Jean-François Champollion announcing he had deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphics using the Rosetta Stone (1822)

  • the physics journal Annalen der Physik publishing Albert Einstein's paper which introduces the equation E=mc² (1905)

  • the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring about the environmental impacts of pesticide use in the US (1962)

  • George and Amal Clooney’s wedding (2014)

Saturday
2.00pm (AEST) - AFL Grand Final, Sydney Swans v Brisbane Lions - MCG, and watch on Channel 7

5.05pm (AEST) - Rugby Union: Bledisloe Cup 2nd test, Australia v New Zealand - Wellington, NZ, and watch on Stan Sport

7.50pm (AEST) - NRL: Preliminary finals, Penrith v Cronulla - Sydney

Anniversary of

  • the release of Stevie Wonder's 18th studio album Songs in the Key of Life (1976)

  • the release of Olivia Newton-John's single Physical (1981)

  • SpaceX launching the first ever private spacecraft, the Falcon 1 into orbit (2008)

Sunday
7.10pm (AEST) - Soccer: Australia Cup Final, Melbourne Victory v Macarthur FC - Melbourne, and watch on 10 Play

8.00pm (AEST) - Cricket: 5th ODI, Australia v England - Bristol, UK, and watch on Kayo

A birthday for Julia Gillard (1961)

Anniversary of:

  • American oil tycoon John D Rockefeller becoming the world's first billionaire (1916)

  • the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 777.68 points, its largest single-day point loss after the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers and doubts over the futures other financial institutions, which sparked the Global Financial Crisis (2008)

  • the death of iconic Aussie singer Helen Reddy (2020)