Monday, 16 September - You got a fast car

Good morning, it’s Monday, 16 September. In your Squiz Today…

• A verdict due in the Amber Haigh case

• Putin considers his options

• And a Sydney win for Madison de Rozario…

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said Oscar Piastri after winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix overnight - the second of his Formula 1 career. The Aussie driver outgunned Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to put McLaren on top of the championship for the first time in a decade. So, yep, one of the better ones…

A verdict due in Amber Haigh’s murder case

The Squiz

Robert and Anne Geeves are set to hear Justice Julia Lonergan’s verdict today after a 2-month murder trial over the alleged killing of 19yo Amber Haigh in 2002 wrapped up last month. The judge-only trial was held in Wagga more than 2 decades after Amber went missing in the state's Riverina region - never to be seen or heard from again. Prosecutors allege the Geeveses killed the intellectually disabled teenager after she gave birth to Robert’s child so they could claim custody, but they’ve pleaded not guilty. 

Back it up a bit…

Amber - who was described as a “warm, kind, loving soul” who was also “easily led” and “vulnerable” - lived next door to the couple in the Riverina village of Kingsvale. One witness said Robert would get her drunk, tie her up and have sex with her - and Amber gave birth to a boy in January 2002. Police, social workers and friends said she and her son then lived between 3 homes for the next few months, and there was plenty of concern about her ability to look after the child and of Robert and Anne’s control over her. In June 2002, the Geeveses told police they drove her to the Campbelltown railway station so she could visit her dying father. They reported her missing 14 days later and told police she’d left her son in their custody. During the trial, several grim theories about what happened to her were offered by police, including that her remains were fed to pigs by the couple.  

So how’d they end up on trial?

The case was cold for the best part of 2 decades despite a 2011 inquest finding Haigh was likely murdered and police long suspecting the Geeveses were involved. The couple was arrested in 2022 after the investigation was reopened, and witnesses said Anne likened Haigh to a “surrogate”. A former legal secretary also testified that Haigh feared that her life “would be taken” by “the father of the child”. But the couple’s lawyers say there’s been no evidence about Haigh’s murder, including “when it occurred, how it occurred, or where it occurred”. They say “the only rational verdict” for their clients is not guilty. We’ll find out whether or not Justice Lonergan agrees this morning. 

Sailing in style

Viking cruises to destinations around the world, with voyages that can last between 8-180 days. So whether you’re thinking of a short holiday or a longer one, there are plenty of options. Ocean journeys - tick. Iconic rivers - tick. Choose from destination-focused voyages with immersive tours in every port. And onboard, it’s all about serene relaxation with no kids or casinos to kill the vibe. Find a cruise and explore the Viking way today.

Squiz the Rest

Mulling over some missile moves

Russia's President Vladimir Putin is considering his options as Western nations consider more military support for Ukraine - and they're not exactly friendly... He's considering everything from striking British military assets near Russia to conducting a nuclear test to show he means business. What brought that response on were weekend talks between UK PM Keir Starmer and US President Joe Biden - specifically, should Ukraine use their long-range missiles inside Russia. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky is calling for that capability, but it would mark "a dramatic escalation of the conflict," says arms expert Ulrich Kuehn. The leaders haven’t agreed on taking that step yet, but they did note their concern about Iran and North Korea's recent moves to provide weapons to Russia.

Lessons in funding

Victoria has rejected the Federal Government's offer to up its share of public school funding, which means they're heading towards a good old-fashioned standoff... Currently, the states and territories are meant to cough up 75% of the funding and the Commonwealth chips in 20%. This time, the Feds have offered to increase their share to 22.5% over 5 years, but Victoria has said 'yeah nah', demanding the full 5%. The government has already struck school funding deals with Western Oz and the Northern Territory - the others have until the end of the month to get on board or forgo $16 billion of additional investment… In other news from Canberra, Labor will today announce it’s approved the first wave of funding to build 13,700 new social and affordable homes under its Housing Australia Future Fund. They’ll include 4,220 rent-capped homes for low income earners and 1,267 homes for women and children escaping domestic violence and older women facing homelessness.

Diving for the truth

The US Coast Guard's Marine Board of Investigation will convene today to hear evidence on the failure of the Titan submersible in June 2023, which led to the death of 5 people during a dive to the Titanic wreck. Its aim: to determine the cause of the sub's implosion, look into whether incompetence or negligence was involved, and decide if any laws were broken. Despite safety warnings from experts, the sub imploded about 500m from the Titanic's bow. But reports say we shouldn’t expect to hear from key witnesses over the coming fortnight - those involved would likely refuse to give evidence on the basis that what they say could incriminate themselves. They would likely get involved in any future prosecution if the board goes in that direction. What officials do have for this exercise is a lot of data and physical evidence… 

The long run for glory

Fresh from her Paris Paralympics triumph, Aussie champ Madison de Rozario scooped up the Sydney Marathon wheelchair title yesterday, setting a new course record in the process. Also breaking barriers were Kenya’s Brimin Misoi and Workenesh Edesa Gurmesa of Ethiopia in the men’s and women’s races - it looks like they’ve clocked the fastest times on Aussie soil. The event saw a record 24,000 runners get their huffy-puffy on over the 42km course yesterday. And there’s a reason for the push - Sydney is trying to join the World Marathon Majors circuit alongside the big 6 in New York, Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, London, and Chicago. Race director Wayne Larden reckons they've got it in the bag, saying "all we need to do is deliver our plans" - and by the look of things, they did. Organisers will find out soon if they have made the elite grade. 

Not so blue after all… 

Aussie researcher Dr Saul Newman has nabbed a notable prize for debunking the existence of ‘blue zones’ - areas across the world where locals are said to have their sh*t together, living for ages, like Okinawa in Japan and Sardinia in Italy. The Ig Nobel Prizes are a bit unconventional - they celebrate achievements that first make people laugh, then make them think... And Newman's research, which looked at 80% of all documented supercentenarians (that's people over 110yo) throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries, found a lot of the stats were dodgy or made up. "I discovered that the oldest man in the world had 3 birthdays and no birth certificate,” Newman said. He’s faced hurdles in getting his research peer-reviewed and published, but the prize could see his findings shake up global demographic studies. 

Apropos of Nothing - Glorious animal edition

With spring comes magpie swooping season, but there’s no need to be fearful - just don’t go swinging an umbrella or stick. “That is a declaration of war. You can avoid it simply by stopping and talking to the magpie” says animal behavioural expert Gisela Kaplan. 

If you have a dog, you know that the ‘cone of shame’ is the ultimate humiliation. But their ignominy has been turned into a crowning moment, with photographer Winnie Au capturing some pups in more stylish lids than the vet-issued model. 

Khao Kheow Open Zoo in eastern Thailand has a hit on its hands - but it’s getting tricky… Their two-month-old pygmy hippo Moo Deng is drawing crowds who are splashing water and throwing things at her to get her to wake up. Even Sephora Thailand is recommending blush shades to match her cutie cheeks…

Squiz the Day

9.00am (AWST) - National Rural Health Commissioner Professor Jenny May will address the National Rural Health Conference (until 17 Sep) - Perth

9.00am (AEST) - The first public hearing in the NSW inquiry into Greyhound racing to begin - Sydney

10.00am (AEST) - 2024 Emmy Awards (here’s all the nominees) - Los Angeles

3.00pm (AEST) - Queensland Premier Steven Miles to appear at the Queensland Council of Social Services (QCOSS) In Conversation event - online

Senate is sitting (until 19 September)

Independence Days for Mexico and Papua New Guinea

International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 

Guacamole Day 🥑

Birthdays for Amy Poehler (1971) and Nick Jonas (1992)

Anniversary of: 

• the birthdays of Lauren Bacall (1924) and BB King (1925)

• the Wall Street Bombing, killing 38 people and injuring 143 (1920)

• the sparking of widespread protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini (2022)

• Arnold Schwarzenegger gaining US citizenship at 36yo (1983) 

• the launch of TV in Australia (1956)