Friday, 30 August - I paint the town red

August 30, 2024

Your fresh market update with Woolworths

Good morning, it’s Friday, 30 August. In your Squiz Today…

  • Kamala Harris in the hot seat

  • The Wieambilla inquest wraps up

  • And our first gold medal at the Paralympics…🥇

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

“We are appealing to parents: Don’t be afraid.”

Said Israel’s Hecht Museum boss Inbal Rivlin after a 4yo boy accidentally smashed a 3,500yo Bronze Age jar that was on display without a glass case. Despite the whoopsie, the museum was understanding - it’s planning to fix the jar and put it back on show. 

Feeling lucky, punk? 🤑 

We want to tell you about a lil’ something… Each week we run a weekly prize where you get the chance to win a $100 gift card for reading our email each day. Click the button at the bottom of our email from Monday to Friday to enter with the prize drawn the following week. And today we’ve made it easier for you…

Asking the big questions

The Squiz

You’re likely to hear a lot about Democratic presidential nominee/current Vice President Kamala Harris today because she’s suiting up for her first primetime interview since taking over the party’s campaign from President Joe Biden. It’ll kick off on CNN at 11am AEST with the US network’s Chief Political Correspondent Dana Bash asking the questions. But going against the grain of former interviews with presidential hopefuls, she won’t be alone - Harris’s running mate Tim Walz will join her… 

Why is that so notable? 

Good question… First, despite several major polls showing things are going the Democrats' way since Harris was nominated, she's been facing growing scrutiny over her lack of engagement with the major media outlets. Until now, she's only spoken with a few content creators and influencers - in line with what political analysts say is the Democrats’ play to lure younger voters. The push for her to do a big sit-down interview is to show that she can stand on her own as a potential president in facing unscripted questions and highlighting her own policies. So a bit’s been made of the fact that Walz will be at her side, with a former assistant to President George W Bush saying it shows Harris has a “troubling lack of confidence”. The proof will be in the interview pudding… 

And what’s Trump up to? 

It’s the Republican presidential nominee’s campaign staff who have been making headlines in recent days, with 2 of them said to have been in a verbal/physical tussle with a worker at the Arlington National Cemetery while Trump was laying a wreath. Reports say the altercation broke out when the worker at the famous US military graveyard in Virginia tried to stop them from filming/taking photos in a prohibited section. Only cemetery staff are authorised to do that, and US federal law prohibits election-related activity at military cemeteries. Another thing to note: the FBI gave an update yesterday on its investigation into Trump’s attempted assassination. It says there is no sign of foreign involvement, and the shooter - 20yo Thomas Crooks - acted alone. As for the motive, they’re still scratching their heads…

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:

🍎 Envy apples - These beauties are crunchy and sweet - everything we want in a fruit snack…

🍊 Tangold mandarins - When choosing, look for the ones with bright orange skin - they’re ripe and delicious and ready to eat…

🥔 Red potatoes - Every potato is a good potato, but these ones are particularly tasty when steamed or roasted. And heads up, they look a bit different to this emoji…

🥕 Carrots - It’s hard to go wrong with this staple with so many ways to use it

Squiz the Rest

Wieambilla inquest final day

The inquest into the Wieambilla shootings has wrapped up its look into the killing of 2 police officers and a neighbour in an ambush by extremists Gareth, Nathaniel, and Stacey Train in December 2022. How intelligence is shared between NSW and Queensland police has been a focus, as was what led to the Train’s attack. Forensic psychologist Dr Andrew Aboud said he reckons they were suffering from a joint psychotic disorder that saw them go deep on conspiracy theories. Yesterday, emotional statements from the victims' families were delivered - and a friend of Nathaniel’s who reported him missing (which prompted the police check…) apologised to them. “I am so deeply sorry for your loss,” she said. The State Coroner will now consider the evidence and is expected to make recommendations to overhaul police processes. 

Sending a message to the tech world

French authorities have stepped up their investigation into Pavel Durov, the billionaire founder of Telegram - the encrypted messaging app that keeps conversations private for its almost 1 billion users. After being arrested near Paris on Sunday, Durov - a 39yo Russian-French national - is facing charges over Telegram’s alleged lack of moderation and allowing criminal activity to thrive. Reports say the prosecution is notable because it’s a rare legal move to hold a tech boss liable for a platform’s users… There are also questions about what his arrest means for Russia, where Telegram is the dominant messaging platform. In a statement, Telegram said it “abides by EU laws” and is “awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation”. Durov has to stay in France while investigations continue, and his bail’s been set at more than $8.18 million. No chump change… 

It’s on for young and old… 

Australia's cities and regions are a mixed bag when it comes to age and gender ratios, as highlighted by new official data out yesterday. For example, Acton in the ACT, home to the Australian National University, is where you'll find the youngest median age in the country at a sprightly 20.8 years. On the flip side, Tea Gardens/Hawks Nest on the NSW coast is where you'll find the oldest median age at 66.2 years. And if you're a woman looking to sidle up to a bloke for good times, you might want to cross Woollahra in Sydney’s east off the list - it has the lowest male-to-female ratio in the country, with 80.9 males for every 100 females. There’s better hunting to be had in Wacol in Brisbane, where you'll find the highest ratio at 278.1 males per 100 females - except keep in mind that’s because of the presence of a male correctional centre… 

Aussie Paralympians make a splash

Our Aussie para-swimmers have come out strong on the first night of competition in Paris, winning one gold, a silver and 2 bronze medals in the pool. Tom Gallagher took the honour of our first gold medal, powering home to win the 50m freestyle S10 final, with fellow Aussie Rowan Crothers taking bronze. Lakeisha Patterson won silver in the 400m S9 race, adding to the gold she won in Tokyo, and flagbearer Brenden Hall took bronze in the men's 400m S9. Games debutante Alexa Leary missed out on making the podium in the final in the 50m freestyle S10 - despite briefly breaking the Paralympic record in her heat. If you're wondering what all the letters and numbers are about, here's a good explainer of the classifications. Out of the pool, the Steelers - aka our wheelchair rugby team - hit an early speedbump with a loss to the UK in the preliminary round. They'll next face host nation France tomorrow morning.

Painting the town red

Things might be heating up here, but summer is about to wrap in Europe, and so has Spain’s annual La Tomatina festival - aka the ‘world’s biggest (and most good-natured) food fight’. This year 22,000 people - mostly wearing white - showed up in the town of Buñol near Valencia to hurl 150 tonnes of fresh tomatoes at each other - brought in on 7 trucks - in honour of its patron saint Louis Bertrán. Festival organisers say “it’s not just an event, it’s the soul of the town”. When there was nothing left to throw, many participants fell to the ground to make “tomato angels” while others washed their hair and even pashed in the passata. The festival isn’t considered wasteful as the fruit used has been deemed unfit for human consumption, but that isn’t stopping a couple of Aussies who plan to “make some spaghetti to have with our tomato sauce”. Waste not want not…

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A big news story this week was Oasis confirming that they’ll be reuniting after the band split 15 years ago due to ‘creative differences’...

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Friday Lites - 3 things we liked this week

Liane Moriarty’s new novel Here One Minute is out, and it's a different kind of story from one of our most famous authors. Set on a domestic flight, a mysterious woman predicts when all the passengers will die, and for 6 of them, the end is nigh…

Speaking of drama, Aussie courtroom production The Twelve was one of our TV highlights of 2022, and the final episode of the second series has just dropped on Binge. It’s Sam Neill at his finest - nuff said…

The first day of spring is on Sunday and we’re planning to fire up the barbie. This punchy Sicilian citrus and fennel salad recipe is from a collection of veggie dishes, and it’s great with grilled chicken or fish. And your people will think you’re real fancy…

Squiz the Day

Friday
11.00am (AEST) - Kamala Harris/Tim Walz interview with CNN 

7.15pm (AEST) - AFLW Season Opener, Sydney v Collingwood - Sydney, and watch on 7Plus

8.45pm (AEST) - Paralympics: men’s wheelchair basketball, Aus v Spain - Paris, and watch on 9Now

11.00pm (AEST) - Motorsport: Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix - Milan, and watch on Kayo

Interim ACCC report into supermarket prices to be handed to the government

Company results - TPG Telecom, Flight Centre, Harvey Norman, Australia Post, Ramsay Health Care

ABS Data Release, retail trade, July 2024; provisional mortality stats, May 2024

Wear it Purple Day

International Cabernet Sauvignon Day

Birthdays for Warren Buffett (1930), Cameron Diaz (1972), Leisel Jones (1985), and Eamon Sullivan (1985)

Anniversary of:

  • the birthday of Frankenstein author Mary Shelley (1797)

  • the founding Melbourne, Australia (1835)

  • the formation of Hurricane Irma, which went on to become a category 5 hurricane that killed at least 102 people in Florida (2017)

  • the death of Mikhail Gorbachev (2022)

Saturday
3.00am (AEST) - Athletics: Rome Diamond League Meet

3.30am (AEST) - Paralympics: wheelchair rugby, Aus v France - Paris, and watch on 9Now

7.00pm (AEST) - Riverfire 2024, the annual fireworks display over the Brisbane River to mark the start of the Brisbane Festival 

9.30pm (AEST) - Paralympics: wheelchair rugby, Aus v Denmark - Paris, and watch on 9Now

International Bacon Day

National Days for Malaysia, Kyrgyzstan and Trinidad and Tobago

Birthdays for Van Morrison (1945), Richard Gere (1949), and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (1985)

Anniversary of:

  • the Irish Republican Army (IRA) declaring a ceasefire in 1994, which led to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998

  • the deaths of Arthur Phillip (1814) and Princess Diana (1997)

Sunday
8.00am (AEST) - Rugby Union Champion Test Match: Argentina v Wallabies - Argentina, and watch on Stan Sport

10.00am (AEST) - Koala Army's March for Creatures Great and Small to Parliament House - Canberra

2.00pm (AWST) - Women’s soccer: Double header in the Women’s Football Cup involving West Ham United, Paris Saint Germain, Manchester City and Leicester City - Perth, and watch on Optus Sport

6.15pm (AEST) - Paralympics: Men’s and Women’s para-triathlons PTWC - Paris, and watch on 9Now

8.30pm (AEST) - Paralympics: men’s wheelchair basketball, Aus v USA - Paris and watch on 9Now

Father's Day

The Sydney Fringe Festival kicks off (on until 30 September)

Child Protection Week 2024 begins (on until 7 September)

First day of Spring

Start of Legacy Week (on until 2 September) 

Start of Asthma Week (on until 7 September) 

Start of Headache & Migraine Week (on until 7 September)

Ginger Cat Appreciation Day 🐈

Birthdays for Dr Phil (1950) and Zendaya (1996)

Anniversary of:

  • the start of WWII after Germany invades Poland (1939)

  • the US, Australia and New Zealand signing the ANZUS defence treaty (1951)

  • the discovery of the wreck of the Titanic (1985)