Thursday, 22 October - That's that me espresso

Good morning, it’s Thursday, 22 October. In your Squiz Today…

• Helen Haines’ husband has given an update about her condition

• Author Craig Silvey is due to be sentenced

• And Oz defends its coffee crown… ☕

🎧 Listen to the podcast

🤓 This email will take you 6 minutes to read

🙋🏻‍♀️ This newsletter was written by Andrew Williams, Anna Pykett, Larissa Huntington, Jonathan Liondis and Sophie Felice

Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said diver Jake Murray about the unusual catch he hauled in almost 3km offshore in Boston Bay, off the coast of Port Lincoln in South Oz. Back on dry land, the animal rested on the beach for a bit, and then it was hooroo from the roo…

A long road ahead

The Squiz

Phil Haines, the husband of injured federal MP Helen Haines, gave an update on her condition yesterday afternoon, and he confirmed that surgeons have amputated her right leg, after removing her left on Monday. Earlier in the day, 43yo Brendan Nugent appeared in Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court, accused of deliberately driving into Haines outside her electorate office. The court heard he has a rare spinal cord disorder and needs medication. He didn't apply for bail and won't be back in court until 4 February next year, but police say the investigation is "far from complete" and more charges may be coming.

What’s the latest on Haines?

Phil, who is set to mark 40 years of marriage to Helen in the coming weeks, said the incident was a “horrendous thing for our family” but “the good news in all this is that Helen is alive and she’s stable”. He said her road to recovery “will be long and difficult, but we know she is a fighter” and the family is taking things one day at a time. He also thanked the community members who came to her aid and those who’ve sent messages of support. And while he said she’d love the pile of bouquets outside her office, he’s asked people to donate the money they’d spend on flowers to a cause she supports, Save the Children. 

Did anyone else speak? 

Yes, Governor-General Sam Mostyn is a friend of Helen Haines and Phil asked her to say a few words - she said Australia is still reeling with “shock and distress” but that “it must be a moment for us to pause and choose to be better”. She also said the need for greater civility across public life is something she discussed with Haines only recently, and that "we don't have to all agree, but we can wrestle the issue, not the person". Threats against our pollies are a growing problem - Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said "almost one individual every week" is being charged over threats against politicians, a number that’s risen sharply since 2020. Just yesterday, police arrested a man who was allegedly wielding ‘nunchucks’ and making threats at the electorate office of Western Oz MP Hannah Beazley.

Squiz the Rest

Ebola is spreading further across Africa

It’s been a little while since we checked in on the Ebola epidemic, but it’s back in the headlines because this month both Kenya and Nigeria have recorded cases for the first time since the current outbreak started. As a quick refresher, the virus is very contagious, and it spreads when people come into contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, or if someone touches a contaminated surface. This outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, and ATM there’s no cure or approved vaccine to protect people, although trials are underway. More than 4,600 people have died from the disease since the outbreak started in the Democratic Republic of Congo in May, and now health officials are worried that the disease is travelling further across the continent. 

Craig Silvey is to be sentenced

The Western Oz author is back in court today for sentencing after he pleaded guilty in May to possessing and distributing child exploitation material. To recap, Silvey - who’s best known for his award-winning novels Jasper Jones and Honeybee, and kids’ book Runt - was charged back in January after police raided his home in Perth and seized several electronic devices. Reports say the charges he pleaded guilty to involve images of child exploitation - 2 further charges, including one of producing child exploitation material, were dropped. Following his arrest, his books have been pulled from many shops and removed from teaching lists in schools. Silvey's sentencing hearing begins at 9am AWST.
* Need help?

Musk's mega merger

Elon Musk is making headlines for comments he made yesterday about a potential merger between rocket company SpaceX and auto-maker Tesla. During a livestream of SpaceX’s third-quarter financial results, the CEO of both companies said he’d like to see them consolidated and that while special committees of “independent directors” were looking into it, the decision was ultimately up to shareholders. The ‘flying car’ Tesla unveiled last week is a flashy example of the 2 working together, but any potential merger might have more to do with a huge rise in SpaceX’s AI revenue over the past year. Both companies are betting big on AI to power their upcoming plans, so merging could suit them both - we may learn more at Tesla’s results call, set for 8.30am AEDT this morning.
*To learn more about SpaceX, check out our Squiz Shortcut. 

Get your motor running

The US Grand Prix is coming up this weekend in Austin, Texas (Monday morning for us in Oz) and if Italian driver Kimi Antonelli crosses the line first, he could wrap up this year's Drivers' Championship - even with 5 races to go. We say 'could' because there's a few moving parts… Here's what has to happen: Antonelli has to win, his Mercedes teammate George Russell must finish ninth or lower, and Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton must finish fifth or lower. But if the stars align for him, 20yo Antonelli will become the youngest driver to ever win the Championship, and the first Italian since 1953. He doesn’t drive for Ferrari, but he's 102 points in front, and with 8 race wins this season, he's been winning over legions of Italian fans who are set to go wild if he clinches victory. Catch it on Kayo…

Bean there, won that

We reckon we’re the crème de la crème when it comes to coffee - as the home of the OG flat white, it’s a major source of national pride, and now Team Oz is getting ready to defend our crown at the World Barista Championship. It’s kicking off in Panama in the wee hours of tomorrow morning (AEDT). We’ve won the whole thing 4 times, including last year - so you might say Gabrel Tan, who’s flying the flag for us this time round, is under a latte pressure. The way it works is competitors have to prepare 12 coffees in 15 minutes, including 4 espressos, 4 milk-based drinks, and 4 unique signature beverages, all while judges watch closely. Think of it like The Great Australian Bake Off, but for coffee. The winner will be announced on Monday morning, fingers crossed it’s full steam ahead for Gab…

Apropos of Nothing

Behold the new logo and jersey of the PNG Chiefs, who will join our National Rugby League competition in 2028. Both feature the team’s signature red, yellow and black colour scheme, and the logo was designed by a team of PNG graphic artists. 

US actor Julia Stiles has paid tribute to her former co-star, the late Aussie actor Heath Ledger, with a special tribute dance on US Dancing with the Stars. The 2 worked together on the 1999 film 10 Things I Hate About You, but it was all love on the night…

It seems like October is the month for photography awards - we’ve had a stack recently, and here’s a new gallery of the finalists in New Zealand’s largest photographic competition. Some absolute stunners in there…

Squiz the Day

9.00am (AEDT) - An interview between 2GB’s Ben Fordham and Ben Roberts-Smith is due to be broadcast

9.00am (ACDT) - Sentencing for 20yo William Yeates, the first person to be prosecuted under federal deepfake pornography laws - Adelaide 

9.30am (AEDT) - Sentencing for former Neighbours star Damien Patrick Richardson for performing a Nazi salute after his appeal was thrown out - Melbourne

10.00am (AEDT) - BHP AGM - Sydney 

9.00am (AWST) - Author Craig Silvey returns to court after pleading guilty to one count of possessing child exploitation material and one count of distributing child exploitation material. Provisional sentencing hearing - Perth

12.30pm (AEDT) - ASIC Chair Sarah Court will be a guest speaker at the ING Business Lunch - Sydney 

7.15pm (AEDT) - Cricket: Third women's T20 International Australia v New Zealand - Sydney, watch on Kayo

World Barista Championship begins (until 25 October) - Panama

The Australian Statistics Advisory Council set to release its annual report 

Klara and the Sun starring Jenna Ortega is set to premiere in Aussie cinemas

Wombat Day 

International Stuttering Awareness Day 

CAPS LOCK DAY 

Birthdays for actor Jeff Goldblum (1952) and filmmaker Spike Jonze (1969)

Anniversary of:

• Thomas Edison perfecting the carbonised cotton filament light bulb (1879) 

• the opening of the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City (1883)

• US President John F Kennedy announcing a naval blockade on Cuba, beginning the missile crisis (1962)

• PM Scott Morrison making a public apology to victims of child sexual abuse in institutions (2018)

Housekeeping

Reckon you read the email each day?

Want the chance to win a $100 gift voucher for Dan Murphy’s? Hit the button below each day this week, and we’ll know you’ve read the email. That gives you a chance to go in the draw. And repeat…

Button not showing for you? Click here instead. Legend.