Thursday, 9 April - I was born in a small town

Good morning, it’s Thursday, 9 April. In your Squiz Today…

• An eleventh-hour ceasefire in the Middle East is on shaky ground this morning

• The prestigious US Masters golf tournament begins tonight

• And your chance to own your own town has arrived…

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said Hamish McAlpine, after witnessing his friend Andrew Morton in a tug-of-war with a freshwater crocodile for his pet dog Milli the kelpie in far north Western Oz. Milli only suffered minor injuries, because unlike most AFL players, the croc let go…  

A tense truce

The Squiz

After nearly 6 weeks of fighting and with less than 2 hours on the clock before US President Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran to open up the Strait of Hormuz elapsed, the countries involved reached a deal for a 2-week ceasefire yesterday. But it’s off to a very shaky start, as there were conflicting opinions over whether the deal involved a pause to fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. That fighting has led to Iran saying it’s closed the Strait of Hormuz again - less than 24 hours after the ceasefire was announced.

What’s the deal in Lebanon?

That’s the big question… To go back a step, after Israel and the US launched their operation in Iran, the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah (an Iranian ally) attacked Israel in response. Israel struck back, and the subsequent fighting in southern Lebanon has left over 1,500 people dead and more than a million people displaced. When the ceasefire deal was announced, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif (who has been acting as a mediator) said that the deal covered Lebanon, but both the US and Israel have rejected that - and overnight, Israel launched a series of military strikes on the Lebanese capital of Beirut. Those strikes killed hundreds of people, and in response, Iran shut the Strait again - saying it won’t reopen until Israel stops its war with Hezbollah in the region.

So we’re back to square one?

That’s yet to be seen - the US has demanded Iran reopen the Strait, and says if it does, the ceasefire should continue to hold. But there’s still a lot to work through over the next 2 weeks for any chance of a lasting peace in the area. It’s unclear, for example, what the future of Iran’s nuclear program - the US’s main stated reason for beginning the war - will look like, and what passage through the Strait of Hormuz will look like. To figure that out, Pakistan has invited all sides to hold talks in Islamabad this weekend, and US Vice-President JD Vance confirmed this morning that he will lead the US side of those talks, which are set to begin on Saturday - provided the ceasefire lasts that long.

The autumn city-swap

Now that the Easter long weekend is done, you might be thinking about your next getaway - and this year's Sydney Comedy Festival could be just the ticket. It's the festival's 21st anniversary, so the lineup is massive: think international headliners at the Opera House and hidden gems in the Inner West. A great reason to book those flights and leave the entertaining up to others - you can have a look at the lineup and start planning out your itinerary now...

Squiz the Rest

Taking stock of the fuel crisis

If the Strait of Hormuz does reopen for good (and that’s a big if…), experts say it doesn’t mean our fuel headaches are over just yet. That’s because Iran didn’t just block the shipping channel, it also damaged the oil and gas infrastructure of its Gulf State neighbours, and analysts say repairs could take months. Because of that, global fuel supplies will remain under pressure - some experts say the impact will last for years - and prices will likely stay on the high side. PM Anthony Albanese has welcomed the ceasefire, and he’s flying to Singapore today to try to shore up fuel shipments for Oz… Experts say a trade deal could be on the cards when he meets with PM Lawrence Wong tomorrow.

Ben Roberts-Smith is still behind bars

The former soldier, who’s charged with 5 counts of war crimes - murder, will stay in custody for at least a week after his lawyers didn’t apply for bail yesterday. The arrest of a Victoria Cross recipient has made headlines around the world, and many prominent figures have weighed in over the last couple of days. Former PM John Howard has released a statement, saying while Roberts-Smith’s arrest would “tug at the heartstrings of millions of Australians… no man or woman is above (the law’s) reach.” Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart has questioned why millions have been spent on prosecuting veterans, but on the other side of the fence, Greens Senator David Shoebridge said “No one should be above the law”. Roberts-Smith’s case will next be in court for a bail review hearing on Friday 17 April.
*We’ve done up a Shortcut on the Roberts-Smith case - keep an eye out for that in your inbox this afternoon…

Double trouble on the weather front

We mentioned yesterday that Tropical Cyclone Maila could be heading for Far North Queensland by the weekend - now there’s a second powerful storm on weather radars, and it’s causing mayhem for people in Fiji. Severe Tropical Cyclone Vaianu has brought strong winds and heavy rain to the island, with holidaymakers describing having to stay inside hotels that had gone dark due to blackouts. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has urged tourists to stay alert to flight changes and follow the advice of local authorities. While Vaianu is tracking towards New Zealand, TC Maila has strengthened to a category 5 storm in the Solomon Sea. Forecasters say it’s likely to weaken to a category 3 when it makes landfall - but exactly where on the FNQ coast that will be is less of a certainty…

The race for the green jacket begins

That’s the prestigious piece of clothing awarded to the winner of the US Masters, which is regarded as the most famous golf tournament in the world. Players will start teeing off this evening in Augusta, Georgia, with Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy back to defend his title. He’ll have fierce competition, with US stars Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau considered big chances to take out the tournament. For Aussie hopes, Perth’s Min Woo Lee is one to watch, while our only ever Aussie winner, Adam Scott, will be in the mix again. Very much not in the mix is 5-time champ Tiger Woods, whose rumoured comeback to the tournament at 50yo was scuppered by his car crash 2 weeks ago. You can watch it on Fox Sports and Kayo, and we’ll find out the winner on Monday…

We don’t need no population

The rare chance to own your own town is up for grabs, with Cooladdi in western Queensland looking for a buyer. Carol Yarrow and Jo Cornel are the only 2 current residents of the joint, and they’re selling the whole thing - including a 4-bedroom house, and several businesses. If you’re a fan of a bit of peace and quiet, it could all be yours for around $400,000 - but don’t worry, you won’t be too lonely… Lots of travellers and local graziers regularly pop into the town’s Fox Trap Roadhouse, and it’s only a 5.5-hour drive to go get the mail… Other perks: the town has its own postcode (4479), and you could even be the unofficial mayor. With house prices the way they are in the capital cities, it sounds more appealing by the minute… 

Apropos of Nothing

The first photos from NASA’s Artemis II mission capture stunning views of the moon’s surface and of Earth. The mission in photos is quite the spectacle, and we like to think of the images of Earth as the largest possible group photo… 

A roller coaster at Movie World on the Gold Coast paused mid-ride yesterday, leaving guests stranded near the top of the 10 metre drop. All guests were safe, and there’s no word yet on why it stopped - talk about a cliffhanger…

Those guests might have had a bad day, but at least they’re not Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev’s racquet, which was smashed into the court 7 times during a 6-0, 6-0 loss at the Monte Carlo Masters. The meltdown went on for so long, the crowd started joining in…

Squiz the Day

10.00am (AEST) - Athletics: Day one of the Australian Athletics Championships (until 12 April), Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre - Sydney, watch on 7plus 

10.00am (AEST) - The Australasian Quilt Convention celebrates 20 years, and will feature over 500 quilts from 17 countries - Melbourne 

11.00pm (AEST) - Golf: Day one of the 90th Masters Tournament, Augusta National Golf Club - Augusta, GA, watch on Kayo

PM Anthony Albanese travels to Singapore to meet with his counterpart Lawrence Wong to discuss fuel trade and security (until 11 April) 

AFL Gather Round kicks off in South Australia, where all 18 teams play 9 games in the same state over the weekend

ABS data release: Work-related training and adult learning, 2024-2025 financial year

Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) in the Orthodox calendar

🍸 National Gin and Tonic Day in the US

Birthdays for food journalist Nigel Slater (1956), designer Marc Jacobs (1963), Sex and the City actor Cynthia Nixon (1966), actor/director Kristen Stewart (1990), and rapper Lil Nas X (1999)

Anniversary of:

• the end of US Civil War after the surrender of the Confederate Army (1865)

• US troops capturing Baghdad, which led to the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime (2003)

• Prince Charles and Camilla's wedding (2005)

• the death of Prince Philip (2021)