Thursday, 13 February - Gotta kiss myself, I’m so pretty

Good morning, it’s Thursday, 13 February. In your Squiz Today…

• Two nurses have been stood down over “sickening and shameful” antisemitic footage

• Negotiations ramp up over Ukraine

• And Monty the giant schnauzer is crowned top dog…🥇

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said Aussie diver and 5-time Olympian Melissa Wu after announcing her retirement from the sport yesterday. Wu made her debut at just 13yo in the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in 2006 and has a silver and bronze Olympic medal to her name. What a champ…

Outrage over antisemitic footage

The Squiz

A pair of nurses in NSW have been stood down after footage where they claimed to have killed and refused to treat Israeli patients was shared online. NSW Premier Chris Minns said an investigation is underway into Bankstown Hospital workers Ahmad Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh, with the NSW police and health department both involved. The government says there’s no evidence at this stage that any Israeli patients have been mistreated at the hospital. 

How did this come to light?

It was shared by an online content creator called Max Veifer, who posts footage of conversations he has with people using an app called Chatruletka. You might have heard of an app called Chatroulette that connects strangers to other strangers via online video chat - this app does the same thing. Veifer uses the app to talk to people from around the world about Israel and then posts edited clips of those conversations online. This video shows Abu Lebdeh saying that she won't treat Israeli patients and "will kill them" instead, and Nadir - who claims to be a doctor in the footage - saying he has sent many Israeli patients to Jahannam, which is an equivalent to hell in Islam. 

What’s the reaction been?

Our PM Anthony Albanese said the footage was “sickening and shameful” and had “no place in our health system” or anywhere in Australia, and NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the 2 workers “will not ever be working for NSW Health again”. Alex Ryvchin from the Executive Council of Australian Jewry said it was the “tip of the iceberg” and that he’d had reports of Jewish people who had felt unsafe getting treatment in public hospitals. Late yesterday, Nadir claimed that his comments in the footage were “a joke” and “a misunderstanding”, and he was planning to apologise to the Jewish community after cooperating with the investigation. Abu Lebdeh's family has told the media she's sorry as well.

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Squiz the Rest

Negotiations over Ukraine are ramping up

After a "lengthy" phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin early this morning, US President Donald Trump says Putin has agreed to begin negotiations to end the war in Ukraine “immediately”. In a significant thawing of US/Russian relations, Trump’s also been invited to visit the Kremlin. No word yet from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but earlier this week he said he's willing to agree to a land swap - giving back the ground in Kursk his forces took last year in exchange for territory Russia has occupied. He’ll meet with US Veep JD Vance tomorrow, but it’s unlikely his push to join NATO will happen, with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth saying Ukraine’s security would be up to Europe to maintain. 

Keeping Rex off the ground

Our PM Anthony Albanese said yesterday that the government would buy the regional airline Rex if no one else is keen, so that Aussies living in remote areas would still have access to flights. Quick recap: Rex (which stands for Regional Express) went bust halfway through last year and administrators have been trying to sell what’s left ever since, but no dice - so that’s where the government might come in. After being asked in parliament by Coalition MP Michael Sukkar if he would put former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce in charge of ‘Albo Air’ in the event of a purchase, the PM fired back, accusing the Coalition of overseeing the collapse of several Aussie airlines while it was in charge.

CommBank goes ka-ching

We’re in the thick of mid-year reporting season, and our biggest bank’s results got a lot of attention yesterday… Commonwealth Bank reported a better-than-expected half-year profit of $5.13 billion. In a statement sharing the results, CBA boss Matt Comyn said they came despite a “challenging period” for customers. He’s referring there to a term we’ve all become familiar with in recent times - the high cost of living… Comyn said more customers are falling behind on personal loan repayments, with "young and low-income customers" particularly at risk. The bank expects future interest rate cuts to give some relief, with its economists and others tipping a cut when the Reserve Bank meets next week.

A question mark over Kerr’s future

Despite being cleared of racially aggravated harassment during her trial in the UK, Matildas captain Sam Kerr is facing other fallout from the legal battle… Football Australia backed Kerr, saying it will “reflect with Sam on learnings from this matter” and looks forward to her return to the pitch. But others have pointed out that the statement didn't clarify whether she'd stay on as captain - a topic of debate since the case came up… Kerr’s been on the sidelines for more than a year with a knee injury, with no return date locked in yet. Teammate Emily van Egmond is one who supports Kerr’s return - she said it’s “up to other people to decide, but for me, she’s a great leader”.

Who’s a good boy?

If the regular Super Bowl didn’t tickle your fancy this week, “the Super Bowl of US dog shows” - aka the Westminster Dog Show - might be up your alley… Monty the Giant Schnauzer won Best in Show - the first time his breed’s been top dog. It was his final show pre-retirement, with handler Katie Bernardin saying she’ll now have to “keep his brain busy and keep his mind sharp so he stays out of trouble”. As for the other fan favourites… Ranger the Komondor (aka a Hungarian sheepdog) was one, with some very well-cared-for tresses. And a sprightly Whippet, Bourbon - named Reserve Best in Show - was also a crowd-pleaser. If you want to nose through the others, this gallery has you covered… 

Apropos of Nothing

Reviews are coming in for the third season of resort drama The White Lotus - set in Thailand this time around. The third go-round has been called everything from “absolutely exquisite” to “flabby and elongated” - you can find a full roundup here. Everyone ready for the theme music again?

Chinese researchers have discovered a species of fish we didn’t know about and they’ve named it after San, a character from the beloved animated film Princess Mononoke, because it has similar unusual facial markings. Its catchy new name is Branchiostegus sanae… Rolls off the tongue…

When it rains, it pongs… Another corpse flower has bloomed on Aussie soil, the third one in quick succession. This time, those lucky ducks in Canberra got to experience the plant’s memorable odour, comparing the stench to rotten eggs and sweaty socks. Yum…

Squiz the Day

7.00am (AEDT) - PM Anthony Albanese will deliver the main address at the National Apology Breakfast to commemorate the 17th anniversary of the Australian Government’s formal apology to the Indigenous community - Canberra

6.15pm (AEDT) - Climate Resilience in the Pacific, a panel event at the National Press Club - Canberra

India's PM Narendra Modi is due to meet with Donald Trump - Washington DC

Company half-year results for ASX, Domain, IAG, Origin, Temple & Webster, and Treasury Wine Estates

NSW (Western division) schools return for Term 1 of 2025

ABS Data Release on schools - government and non-government students, staff, and schools - 2024

The National Indian Film Festival of Australia begins (until 16 February)

National Apology Day

International Epilepsy Day 

World Radio Day 

Anniversary of:

• the start of the bombing of Dresden by Allied forces (1945)

• British boy band Take That officially announcing that they are disbanding, prompting the UK Government to set up counselling phone lines (1996). And it’s former member Robbie Williams’ birthday (1974)