Monday, 11 November - I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringin'

November 11, 2024

Good morning, it’s Monday, 11 November. In your Squiz Today…

  • Qatar bows out of mediating in peace talks

  • Problems persist in Parliament House

  • And one big shower hog…🐘

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

“Thanks boys for getting me out.”

Said British cricket legend Sir Ian Botham after tumbling into croc-infested waters in Darwin while fishing with his former adversary/moustached icon Merv Hughes, who helped pull him to safety. That’s one place you don’t want to be if your nickname is ‘Beefy’...

Continuity and change in Gaza

The Squiz

Hamas and Israel need to "show their willingness" to negotiate a ceasefire/hostage release deal, according to Qatar - and until that happens, it’s bowing out as mediator. Along with the US and Egypt, Qatar has played a major role in many rounds of talks on Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza, including the latest round of talks in mid-October that failed to produce a deal. 

Back it up a bit… 

Good shout because there’s a bit going on underneath the surface… Qatar has a unique role in the region - it has been home to Hamas’s exiled political leaders since 2012 while also being an important ally of America. Initial reports said the move is actually an attempt to shut down Hamas’s political headquarters in the country after its leaders’ deaths this year, further weakening the terror organisation. Qatar says that’s not why it’s hitting pause on its role. As that unfolds, the fighting continues, particularly in the north of Gaza. Intense Israeli air and ground assaults against regrouping Hamas fighters have been going on for a month, leaving thousands of Palestinians trapped without food, water and medical care. Now, concerns about famine are rising. Last month, the US issued an ultimatum to Israel to increase aid by tomorrow or risk losing some military support… 

So the US is still in the middle of it? 

It sure is… The US is Israel’s main backer, but President Joe Biden hasn’t been successful in persuading Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to ease up/broker a peace, so attention has shifted to what President-elect Donald Trump might do… He was pretty vague in the campaign, but it’s thought he’ll be sympathetic to Netanyahu’s determination to drive Hamas into the ground. However, Trump has also told Netanyahu that he wants to see an end to the fighting ASAP… Trump’s feud with Hamas’s backer Iran will also follow him back into office with a plot to assassinate the American leader made public by US authorities. That means there’s a whole lot for Trump and Biden to chat about when they get together later this week…

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Squiz the Rest

Problems persist in Parliament

There have been 339 complaints raised with the new body dealing with workplace issues at Parliament House in its first 9 months, including 30 about serious misconduct like sexual assault. The Parliamentary Workplace Support Service (PWSS) was set up after an independent review found the culture there was “revolting and humiliating”. And while not everything the PWSS deals with is about HR complaints (note: staff can use it for personal matters as well), former staffer Brittany Higgins and Health Minister Mark Butler both said the stats were “not surprising” and more work is required. The PWSS itself is also under scrutiny - Defence Minister Richard Marles’ chief of staff Jo Tarnawsky questioned its independence and effectiveness last month as part of her ongoing dispute over allegations she was bullied.

Good COP, bad COP?

The United Nations’ annual global climate forum kicks off today, but it might look emptier than usual. The Conference of the Parties (aka COP) is the summit where participating nations get together to discuss how it’s going - and this year’s 29th edition (aka COP29) isn’t expected to be as intense as previous meetings. The leaders of the US, France, China, Germany and India are giving it a miss, as is PM Anthony Albanese. There for Oz will be Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen. Papua New Guinea has also pulled out, calling it “a total waste of time.” And host nation Azerbaijan has copped a whack because of a recent announcement to expand gas production in coming years, and its deputy energy minister/COP29 chief exec was caught on camera using his role to sort fossil fuel deals. Oops… 

Not quite annus horribilis… 

…but Prince William reckons 2024 has been “the hardest” year of his life. He’s just been on a solo tour of South Africa where he reflected on his wife’s and father’s brushes with cancer - he said he’s proud of the pair, but “from a personal family point of view, it's been brutal.” He also gave a glimpse of how he might steer the monarchy in the future “with a smaller ‘r’ in the royal”. We’ll pass that note on to our spell/grammar checker… One Royal who isn’t toning it down is Prince Andrew, who’s found enough dosh to stay put in the Royal Lodge after the King ordered him out. He’s still in the bad books and didn’t score an invite to commemorate Remembrance Day with his bro, Princess Kate and Prince William at Royal Albert Hall in London. Queen Camilla was also on the bench - she’s recovering from a chest infection.

If you’d like to know more about the significance of Remembrance Day, we have a Shortcut for you…  

New faces thriving under pressure

If you got up early to watch the Wallabies yesterday morning you were rewarded handsomely as they beat England in the final minute after a nail-biter - the highlights are well worth a watch. It was former league player Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s first game of Rugby since high school and he was Player of the Match in the 42-37 win. Not bad for his first outing… Speaking of pressure, opening the batting for Australia in a home Test cricket series is up there, and Nathan McSweeney will be doing just that after clinching the spot. He’s never opened in a first-class game before this year... And a local club player called up for WBBL’s Melbourne Renegades wasn’t fazed by the spotlight. Charis Bekker went from having a drink with mates to dismissing superstar Meg Lanning in her first game. Talk about nerves of steel…

She does hold a hose, mate

They’re not teenage siblings, but 2 elephants in Berlin Zoo are doing a good impression of it, with one taking extra-long showers and the other sabotaging the flow of water. Scientists have noted the “astonishing” ability of an Asian elephant called Mary to use a hose to shower herself - but they found she became attached to it and grumpy towards other elephants who interrupted her. A younger female elephant Anchali then began finding ways to stop the water - from kinking the hose to blocking it with her trunk. Lead scientist Dr Michael Brecht said his team experimented to find the reason. “Does she think it’s funny? I think it’s very funny, but we really don’t know. Maybe she’s just trying to be mean.” Lucky there’s no mirror to fight over…

Apropos of Nothing

The best new building of the year is an Aussie primary school. Darlington Public School in Sydney got the nod from the World Architecture Festival for its ‘sawtooth’ roof, curved walls and connection to Indigenous heritage. It’s a long way from an assembly on a bitumen basketball court…

In music to Parisians’ ears, the bells of Notre Dame have been rung for the first time since a fire destroyed the roof of the historic cathedral in 2019. The church doesn’t officially reopen until next month, but reports say the test went très bien.

And it’s usually goals described as show-stoppers in soccer, but an A-League game yesterday ground to a halt while pitch invader ‘Tiger’ ran to his owner Wellington Phoenix captain Annalie Longo. He might’ve stolen the show but Canberra United took home the win 1-0…

Squiz the Day

8.30am (AEDT) - National Tech Summit begins (until 13 November) with speakers including Mike Cannon-Brookes, Robyn Denholm, Paul Fletcher and Bill Shorten - Melbourne 

9.00am (AEDT) - The case of Erin Patterson, charged with 3 counts of murder and 5 of attempted murder after allegedly serving a poisonous mushroom lunch to her in-laws, is back in court for more directions - Melbourne

10.00am (AEDT) - A judgement is due in the appeal of former NSW minister Ian Macdonald, jailed for corruption in relation to a mining licence he issued in 2008 - Sydney

11.00am (all time zones) – Lest we forget: A minute’s silence will be held for Remembrance Day marking the anniversary of the armistice which ended WWI, and in memory of the millions who have died in all wars and armed conflicts

11.00am (AEDT) - The first of 3 National Innovation Policy Forums will be held - Melbourne 

APEC Economic Leaders’ Week (until 16 November) - Lima, Peru

COP29 starts in Azerbaijan (on until 22 November)

The 90th anniversary of the opening of the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne

Start of National Recycling Week (on until 17 November) 

Singles' Day - China

A birthday for Leonardo DiCaprio (1974)

Anniversary of

  • Ned Kelly being hanged at Melbourne Gaol (1880)

  • the birthday of author Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821)

  • the opening of the Australian War Memorial in Canberra (1941)

  • the publication of Joseph Heller's novel Catch-22 (1962)

  • PM Gough Whitlam being removed from office by Governor General Sir John Kerr (1975)