Thursday, 7 November - Just a little bit of history repeating

Good morning. It’s Thursday, 7 November. In your Squiz Today…

• Trump’s on track to win the US election 

• Former detainees have a win

• And an iconic pair of ruby slippers are up for auction… 👠 

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said one of the hosts of the UK’s Channel 4 coverage of the US election. The former British PM was on the panel and told to “put it away” after holding up his new memoir several times and mentioning it during his answers about US politics. All publicity is good publicity…

Kamala gets Trumped…

The Squiz

Or at least that’s what it’s looking like with former President/Republican candidate Donald Trump on track to win the electoral college and popular votes against Vice President/Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. The result caps off an action-packed race, including 2 assassination attempts against Trump, President Joe Biden's surprise withdrawal and Harris' rapid elevation as the Democrat’s candidate. As for Trump, he was a record-setter before things kicked off as the only president to be impeached twice and the first to be criminally convicted. And this win is one for the history books - he is the first president to win non-consecutive terms in more than a century, and at 78yo, he’s the oldest presidential candidate ever elected.

So where are things at? 

Trump has so far won 28 states to Harris's 19, including several of the critical swing states - as we start today, Nevada and Arizona are the last of the 7 to be called, but Trump is in the lead there, too. Trump also improved on his 2020 performance across the geographies, racial groups and ages... According to exit polls conducted by research company Edison, 45% of voters said their family's financial situation was worse than it was 4 years ago, and they favoured Trump 80% to Harris’s 17%. Picking up on that vibe, Trump told supporters in Florida, "I will not let you down. America's future will be bigger, better, bolder, richer, safer, and stronger than it has ever been before." As for Harris, she's yet to address the nation… This morning, the pundits are saying she ran a tight race in limited time but failed to convince voters she was the "change" candidate. 

Anything else I should clock? 

Well, in more good news for Republicans, they have won the Senate... The Democrats had control of that 100-seat chamber of the US Congress by one seat, and now the Republicans have up to 55 seats in their sights. That will make Trump’s life a whole lot easier - for example, a Republican-controlled Senate will make it possible for him to appoint more aligned Supreme Court justices - an opportunity that will probably come up during the next term. As for the House of Representatives, the Republicans started out with a majority, and while they are currently ahead, there’s some way to go to determine the result. If the Republicans achieve a unified government (aka have control of the presidency, Senate and House), it will be quite an achievement, but not a rare one… The last time that happened was during President Joe Biden’s first 2 years in office.

Raising a glass to easy gifting

Finding the time to buy pressies for your holiday party hosts can be tricky. But Naked Wines can help… They're an online wine merchant that curates the best independent Aussie and Kiwi wines and sends them to your door. If you want to sort out your gifts in one go this year (or stock up yourself…), Naked Wines is offering $100 off your first case of 12 bottles. All that’s left is to choose the menu to pair ‘em with...

Squiz the Rest

A sad end on the NSW Central Coast

Police say a body has been found in their search for an 11yo boy who was swept out to sea off the NSW Central Coast on Sunday. No identification has been made yet, but police believe it to be the missing boy, Laith Alaid. He was fishing with his dad and 3 younger brothers when he was swept out to sea trying to cross a notoriously dangerous body of water known as The Entrance Channel. Local lifesavers say the current there is so “treacherous” that an Olympic swimmer wouldn’t be able to swim against it…. Crews from the police, Surf Lifesaving NSW, Central Coast Council lifeguards and Marine Rescue have been searching for Laith - and yesterday, a body was spotted in the water. A report will be prepared for the Coroner.

Former detainees lock in a win

The High Court has thrown a spanner in the works with the Albanese Government’s moves to monitor more than 140 former immigration detainees who were released over the past year… You might remember there was a political blow-up over their release because some had been convicted of serious crimes (including murder and assault) and were unable to be deported from Australia for various reasons. Team Albanese copped criticism over their handling of the situation and rushed through laws to monitor those released with ankle bracelets and curfews. Yesterday, the High Court said those measures are a no-go, ruling the laws invalid. But Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke isn’t giving up - he’s reintroduced new regulations to keep monitoring them. Stay tuned…

Trouble at Israel’s top

Israelis have taken to the streets to protest PM Benjamin Netanyahu sacking his Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Netanyahu said a "crisis of trust" led to Gallant getting the boot and he’s replaced him with one of his close political allies, Israel Katz. It's not the first time Netanyahu has tried to get rid of Gallant, one of the most popular politicians in Israel - he attempted to sack him last year, but mass protests put a stop to it that time. One of the big disagreements between them has been a military service exemption for ultra-Orthodox Jews who make up about 10% of the population. All other Israelis - men and women - take 2 or more years to complete their national service after turning 18yo. Netanyahu’s critics say he’s used the cover of the US election to make the move.

It’s sizzlin’... 

We flagged last week that Oz was in for a toasty/steamy November, and the heatwave is officially underway. Parts of northern Australia will be among the hottest places in the world this week, and parts of Western and South Oz, the Northern Territory, Queensland and NSW will record temps in the mid-40Cs. Yikes… The Bureau of Meteorology says temperatures are hotter than average so far this month, and that rapid temp rise will come as a shock to many, with firies across the country put on high alert. In the capital cities, Sydney and Brissy will have max temps around 30C today, but the good news (if you're not a summer lover) is that a cold front coming across from the west is likely to cool things down over the weekend. Definitely time to check the aircon/fan is working… 

To bid, just click 3 times…

If you’ve ever wanted to put on Judy Garland’s iconic ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, now’s your chance - they’re on the auction block in Texas. The shoes were nicked while on loan to the Judy Garland Museum in 2005 after the thief got some bad intel that the shoes had real rubies on them (nope, just sequins and beads…), and it took over a decade for the FBI to get 'em back. If they do strike your fancy, you'll be competing against the Judy Garland Museum themselves, with the auctioneers guiding a price upwards of US$3.5 million… And if you like your memorabilia a bit more follicular, you could have a crack at a lock of hair from the first US President George Washington - as long as you can drum up US$15,000 for it. That’s a hairy sum…

Apropos of Nothing - Space oddities edition

Here's a question we've never asked - is this the world’s cutest satellite? Japanese researchers are sending a teensy 900g wood-panelled satellite into space to see if it can withstand the conditions up there. And if it does, we're thinking maybe IKEA has a whole new market?

Some enterprising NSW high schoolers are sending algae into space to test a theory that they grow faster in orbit than they do down here. If so, that info could help reduce Earth’s carbon footprint and even help Mars become livable. Imagine what these kids might do at uni…

You might remember the still-controversial demotion of Pluto from its status as the ninth planet, but we might be getting one back. Planet X, which no one has actually found and might not actually exist - could eventually claim that spot. The hits keep coming for poor old Pluto…

Squiz the Day

7.00am (AEST) - Canadian energy expert Professor Mark Winfield and senior research scientist at Princeton University Dr Chris Greig are to give their input into the Senate Inquiry into Nuclear Power Generation in Australia - Canberra

8.30am (AEST) - The Climate Finance and Investment Summit: Mission 1.5C begins (until 8 November) - Melbourne

8.30am (AEST) - The program for next year’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is to be revealed - Sydney

10.00am (AEST) - Bluey’s World opens - Brisbane

10.00am (AEST) - The ACCC will begin public hearings into the retail grocery sector and supply chains (until 22 November) - streamed online

10.30am (AEST) - Men’s Cricket: Australia A v India A - Melbourne, and watch on Kayo 

10.30am (AEST) - The launch of the Australian Wooden Boat Festival program - Hobart

6.00pm (ACDT) - NSW Premier Chris Minns and key ministers will hold a community cabinet meeting in Broken Hill to discuss issues important to the region - Broken Hill

5.45pm (ACDT) - The winners of the National Architecture Awards will be announced - Adelaide

6.30pm (ACDT) - And while we’re in Radelaide, the South Australians of the Year for 2025 will be named - Adelaide, and broadcast live here 

7.30pm (AEDT) - OzHarvest is hosting the Unite to Feed Australia concert - Sydney

AGMs for Nine, Seven West Media, Breville, and NIB 

ABS data release - Building Approvals, September; International Trade in Goods, September, Public sector employment and earnings, 2023-24 

🐻 Bring it in, it’s Hug a Bear Day 

Birthdays for Joni Mitchell (1943), David Guetta (1967), Matt Corby (1990), and Lorde (1996)

Anniversary of

• the birthdays of Marie Curie (1867), Leon Trotsky (1879), and Albert Camus (1913)

• Franklin D Roosevelt being re-elected President of the United States for a record 4th term (1944)

• Hillary Clinton being elected to the US Senate, becoming the first US First Lady to win public office - and while still the First Lady (2000)

• the death of Leonard Cohen (2016)