Monday, 12 August - We are the champions

Good morning, it’s Monday, 12 August. In your Squiz Today…

• The Paris Olympics come to a close

• This morning’s polls show Team Albanese is under pressure over the economy

• And the Paris Sprint hits the finish line with as much determination as Sifan Hassan…

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said Canadian crooner Celine Dion who was not impressed that Donald Trump used her hit My Heart Will Go On at a campaign rally in Montana on Friday. Having said that, the theme song from Titanic hardly screams a successful journey to the top…

Bringing it home

The Squiz

After more than 2 weeks of athletic endeavour that saw Australia land fourth on the medal tally, the 2024 Paris Olympic Games are winding down. The Closing Ceremony is on as we speak with history-making swim star Kaylee McKeown and sailing champ Matt Wearn waving our flag - something McKeown said was a “once in a lifetime opportunity”, even if it did interrupt her family holiday… And there’s been no sign of Tom Cruise yet - but you never know when he’s going to drop out of thin air…

How did we end up?

Our team goes home with 18 gold medals, 19 silver and 16 bronze behind the US, China and Japan - but there are many ways to calculate these things… As we went over last week, we’ve had our best Olympics ever, and they got even better over the weekend - we’ll wrap up the latest with our final Paris Sprint this morning, but there are some weekend performances to call out… Middle-distance runner Jess Hull added to our tally with a silver medal in the women's 1,500m yesterday morning. And although the Stingers - our women's water polo team - couldn't quite recreate their gold medal moment at the Sydney Olympics, they bring home a very respectable silver. Of course, there’s been plenty of highs and lows, and we can’t not mention Raygun/Professor Rachael Gunn’s internet breaking performance in the breakdancing - that probably falls into both categories… 

So how will Paris 2024 go down in the history books?

Well, the International Olympics Committee’s (IOC) outgoing Aussie committee member/former President John Coates has given the Paris Olympics the thumbs up. We’ll have to wait to find out how it went for the Games’ official broadcaster here - Channel Nine paid $305 million for the Games from Paris through to Brisbane in 2032, and it’s been winning the ratings each day and night. And as the world turns its eyes towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, reports say the IOC will be looking to build on the Paris officials’ ability to pull off the mega-event at a reduced cost. The organisers of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics will also be watching closely…

Squiz the Rest

Keep your eyes to yourself

A week after our top spy agency ASIO raised the terror threat level to “probable”, boss Mike Burgess has warned foreign interference is a pressing issue with at least 3 foreign nations caught meddling in our domestic affairs. That includes Iran as tensions in the Middle East reach boiling point - and we’re not the only ones… Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s re-election campaign also claimed yesterday its internal communications had been hacked by the Iranian government. Burgess wouldn’t say which other countries have been having a nosey, but threatened to do so if they don’t stop. He said “some of them would surprise you, some of them are also our friends”. Last month, the government said it would introduce new legislation to help identify and manage the risk of foreign interference and espionage. 

Awaiting Russian retaliation

After days of not saying much about it, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged his troops’ offensive in Russia’s Kursk region. Ukraine has pushed past the Russian border in its largest incursion inside Russian territory since the conflict began, forcing authorities there to evacuate over 76,000 people. Zelensky says it proves they can "restore justice and ensure the necessary pressure on the aggressor.” Reports say the “surprise” assault caught the Kremlin off guard and exploited “Russia’s lack of readiness in its border areas”. And it's seen as a humiliation for Russian President Vladimir Putin, leaving open the question of how he will respond - experts say redeploying troops to Kursk could “create vulnerabilities in Russian defences elsewhere” so aerial bombing campaigns are expected. Whatever the means, Russian officials say they will respond with force.

And they’re back…

The winter break is over for our federal politicians - they are back in Canberra with parliament resuming sittings today. Rating high in the chatter will likely be this morning’s polls… In the Australian’s Newspoll, Labor and the Coalition are tied on a 2-party preferred basis, with the survey respondents tipping Team Albanese slipping back in with support from the minor parties and independents. Just 7% of those polled reckon the Coalition will win the next election… And in the Sydney Morning Herald/Age, Labor is trailing the Coalition on primary votes, with respondents giving Team Dutton’s economic management credentials a big tick. After last week’s interest rates decision and the Albanese Government’s disagreement with the Reserve Bank, expect a few questions about that today. You’ll be tuning in, right? 

Just look up

The nights are pretty chilly across much of Australia right now, but experts reckon that shouldn’t stop you from getting out for a spot of stargazing - given it can do wonders for your mental health… British academic Chris Barnes found the higher our connection to the natural environment at night, the happier we feel with "a more positive outlook". He says he was inspired to investigate the impact of nocturnal reflections as most research on our relationship with the natural world focuses on the daytime. As a result, he's created the Night Sky Connectedness Index to measure our connection to the cosmos. But for many, it's easier said than done as an estimated 80% of us live in areas with huge light pollution, with one-third unable to even see the Milky Way. So if you've been mulling over a camping trip, now could be the time…

Apropos of nothing - Harmless fun edition

After 7 new Banksy murals appeared in London over the last week, we have an answer as to the meaning behind them… The pelicans, elephants, monkeys, wolf, goat, cat, and the latest an aquarium, are designed to cheer people up. Seems suspiciously simple… 

For those with fond memories of Blue Light Discos - aka booze-free parties for teens run by the police - they are set for a comeback with organisers looking to Gen Z to run the events to make them cool once again.

And while the kids are out, parents can have a more adult-themed night in with a saucy novel as the corset-busting Mills and Boon series turns 50yo. The enduring appeal of the racy books comes down to heroines and happy endings. Now get your mind out of the gutter…

🏃🏻‍♀️ The Paris Sprint 🏃🏻‍♀️

As we cross the finish line of the Paris Games, here are 3 of the top stories from the last day of Olympic action. 

Aussie cyclists Matthew Richardson and Matthew Glaetzer finished Australia’s Paris campaign by winning silver and bronze in the men’s keirin, coming in behind Dutch legend Harrie Lavreysen who’s now won 5 Olympic gold medals for sprint cycling. For extra points: Richardson narrowly lost to Lavreysen in the men’s sprint final on Saturday. 

The Opals are bringing home bronze after a thrilling 85-81 win over Belgium. It’s the Aussies’ first women’s basketball medal since they won bronze in London in 2012. Skipper Tess Madgen said the team stayed strong, even after their shock first-game loss to Nigeria. “We weren’t ready for that game, but we were sure as hell ready for all the ones that followed,” she said.

And we have to call out Dutch runner Sifan Hassan, who became the first woman to win gold in the 5km, 10km and marathon over 2 Olympic Games. She overtook Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa just before the finish line yesterday - an incredible feat after racing over 60km across the Games. "At the end, I thought, 'This is just a 100m sprint. Come on, Sifan. One more. Just feel it like someone who sprints 200m',” she said. Aussies Jessica Stenson and Genevieve Gregson finished 13th and 24th.

Squiz the Day

From 5am (AEST) - Paris Olympic Games Closing Ceremony - Paris

10.30am (AEST) - Australian high school students gather for the first Together For Humanity National Youth Summit - Parliament House, Canberra

10.30am (AEST) - Launch of Go Gentle’s first comprehensive report on voluntary assisted dying in Australia and New Zealand - Canberra

12.00pm (AEST) - Reserve Bank Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser to address the Economic Society of Australia - Brisbane

Federal Parliament resumes after the winter break - Both houses are sitting (until 14 August)

Company results - JB Hi-Fi, Beach Energy, carsales.com

World Elephant Day 

International Youth Day 

Birthdays for media personality Karl Stefanovic (1974), and models Jesinta Franklin (1991) and Cara Delevingne (1992)

Anniversary of:

• American inventor Isaac Singer patenting the sewing machine (1851)

• Henry Ford’s company building the first Model T car (1908)

• IBM launching its first Personal Computer (1981)

• the deaths of Cleopatra (30BC), and actors Henry Fonda (1982) and Lauren Bacall (2014)