Tuesday, 1 October - Good enough for me and Bobby McGee

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, 1 October. In your Squiz Today…

• Concern over local support for Hezbollah

• Cleo Smith’s kidnapper loses a bid for a shorter sentence

• And get ready for a summer of mandals… 

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said designer Wang Chunhui who had a hand in creating the nation’s new space suits for their first crewed mission attempt slated for 2030. The red stripes on the legs are to resemble “rocket launch flames”, but let’s hope they stay at a safe distance…

Hezbollah’s hatred hits home

The Squiz

The escalating conflict in Israel/Lebanon is now front and centre of Aussie politics with Coalition leader Peter Dutton calling for protesters flying the Hezbollah flag to be arrested or deported. He made the comments after rallies in Melbourne and Sydney where the terrorist group’s flag appeared alongside pictures of the recently-slain leader Hassan Nasrallah. It’s sparked new antisemitism fears for Jewish communities with representatives calling the actions "highly alarming", and PM Anthony Albanese says the protests were “worrying”. He added: “We do not want people to bring radical ideologies and conflict here”.

What have the police said? 

The Australian Federal Police is investigating 6 incidents referred by Victorian Police under new Commonwealth laws passed earlier this year designed to ban the display of hate symbols, while NSW Police are still reviewing CCTV. However, the Feds yesterday said “the mere public display” of a flag “does not meet the threshold” of an offence - which is why Dutton is urging Albanese to recall Parliament to pass new laws. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says he will consider “refusing or cancelling visas” for anyone trying to "incite discord" in Australia. And Foreign Minister Penny Wong said support for Hezbollah "not only threatens national security, but fuels fear and division in our communities". As tensions in the community build, the government has appointed global expert on Muslim affairs Aftab Malik as a special envoy to combat Islamophobia after appointing Jillian Segal as antisemitism envoy in July.

What’s the latest in Lebanon?

Israel has carried out raids in southern Lebanon in preparation for a “limited” ground invasion and closed off 3 towns to civilians on its own side to use as a “military zone”, with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant telling troops “the next stage of the war will begin soon”. Israel has told the US it’s planning a ground operation, despite international pressure for a ceasefire. A spokesman for the US State Department said Israel “has the right to defend itself”. In his first speech since Nasrallah’s death, Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Qassem said the group is ready to face an Israeli ground invasion. It comes as Lebanon’s PM Najib Mikati says up to a million people - about one-fifth of the population - could have been displaced by the conflict in the last 2 weeks.

Squiz Kids’ got a new look

There’s a lot of work going on at Squiz HQ outside our normal newsletter and podcasting… Lately, our website wizards have been busy redeveloping the Squiz Kids website. It’s the same kid-friendly news podcast and newsletter that helps kids stay informed, but now with a fresh new website that makes discovering their content a little bit easier. Dive in and see for yourself what Squiz Kids is all about… There’s something there for every kid.

Squiz the Rest

A ‘no’ for Cleo’s kidnapper

If you can believe it, it’s been 3 years since Cleo Smith was abducted from a remote Western Australian campsite with the then 4yo held for 18 days before being found by police in a Carnarvon home. And yesterday, an appeal by her kidnapper Terence Kelly to have his sentence reduced was rejected. He pleaded guilty back in 2021 and is currently serving 13.5 years in prison, but his lawyers say his sentence is excessive given his mental impairment and traumatic childhood. They also pushed back on the judge’s assessment that the 37yo’s use of illegal drugs fuelled his offending. But none of that saw the WA Court of Appeal change anything - it found his original sentence was “proportionate” given the “extraordinarily serious” nature of his crimes. Kelly won’t be eligible for parole until at least 2032.

Japan’s political not-so-merry-go-round

He’s set to be sworn in/appoint a new cabinet today, but incoming Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba is said to be getting ready to call a snap election later this month - over a year early. The 67yo former Defence minister became the leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Friday, promising to “put a smile” back on voters’ faces after a fundraising scandal dispensed with his colleague Fumio Kishida. Pundits reckon the early election move is designed to capitalise on his current popularity and give his main opponents - the Constitutional Democratic Party - as little time as possible to prepare. Reports say Ishiba is keen to quickly implement some new policies to address the nation’s hard economic times and create an “Asian NATO” to counter threats from China/North Korea.

Baby, that reindeer ain’t real…

It’s one of the biggest TV shows of the year, but Netflix’s claim that Baby Reindeer is a “true story” has been rejected by a judge in California, opening the door to defamation action by the real-life woman at the heart of the story accused of stalking creator/star Richard Gadd. The show won big at last month’s Emmys, but Fiona Harvey - the inspiration for the character Martha - alleges it falsely implied she sexually/physically assaulted Gadd, and was jailed - claims she says the streaming giant “made no effort” to check. In response, she’s suing Netflix for $245 million… US district judge Gary Klausner said episodes starting with the important words “This is a true story” mean that viewers are encouraged to believe what’s depicted. Gadd says the show was fictionalised and not a “beat-for-beat recounting” of reality, but legal eagles say that might not wash. 

Vale Kris Kristofferson

We kicked off the week with the loss of Maggie Smith, and today it’s another icon with the death of Kris Kristofferson. He died in his sleep at his home in Hawaii on Saturday at 88yo. The award-winning actor/epic country musician had a long career and was best known for songs like Me and Bobby McGee and film roles including the 1976 version of A Star is Born alongside Barbra Streisand. More recently, he featured in the Blade series. Kristofferson almost had a very different life after winning a Rhodes scholarship to study at Oxford University and then joining the US Army as a commissioned officer in 1965 - but he gave it all up to be a would-be songwriter in Nashville. Our tip: check out his work with The Highwaymen - the country supergroup that included his longtime friends Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash.

Time for a man-i pedi

We’ve already seen blokes embrace handbags - or rather ‘man bags’ - but the newest trend to be prepared for this summer looks set to be sandals. We’re not talking about boys in Birkenstocks or a classic rubber thong, which was widespread last summer - this is a wider uptake of sandal styles (although we’re keen to coin the phrase ‘mandals’ if you’re with us…). And some are leaning towards luxury, with some of the world’s hottest brands hot-footing it to ride this fashion wave. Where we draw the line - embracing socks and sandals… And for the ladies, get ready for the jelly shoe to make an appearance at the end of legs, along with clogs, wedges and thongs. Actually, we didn’t know the last of those were out of fashion - oops…

Apropos of Nothing

Italy and Switzerland have agreed to redraw their shared border after melting glaciers caused a change to the mountains between them. Take note if you’re heading down the slopes of the famed Zermatt ski resort - you don’t want to confuse your buongiorno with your guete morge…  

Our cousins across the ditch have reclaimed the record for the world’s largest haka after 6,531 Kiwis performed the traditional dance/welcome in Auckland. It means New Zealand takes back the title from France - yep, who knew - which has held the record for the past 10 years.

Damian Lewis can add shepherd to his CV after ushering a flock over a bridge across the River Thames. The actor holds the honorary title of Freeman of the City of London which honours the medieval tradition of bringing livestock to market without paying river tolls. It’s a niche benefit… 

Squiz the Day

11.45am (AEST) - Our very own Squiz Kids’ Bryce Corbett is appearing at the parliamentary inquiry into social media and Australian society to speak about kids’ media literacy - Canberra

12.30pm (AEST) - CG Commodore Jay Tristan Tarriela will address the National Press Club on on issues concerning the West Philippine Sea - Canberra

6.00pm (AEST) - Soccer: Asian Champions League, Central Coast Mariners v Buriram (Tha) - Gosford, NSW, and watch on 10 Play 

ABS data release - Building Approvals, August; Retail Trade, August

Changes to the Commonwealth government's vape ban come into effect, meaning pharmacies can legally sell vapes containing nicotine to anyone over 18 years old without a prescription

The Melbourne Fringe Festival begins (until 20 October)

Claudia Sheinbaum will be sworn in as Mexico’s first female president 

National days for China, Cyprus, Tuvalu, Nigeria, Palau and Guinea

International Day of Older Persons 

Start of Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Week (until 7 October) 

Start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month 

World Vegetarian Day 

☕ International Coffee Day

International Raccoon Appreciation Day

Birthdays for Julie Andrews (1935), Theresa May (1956), and Brie Larson (1989), 

Anniversary of:

• the first publication of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women (1868), National Geographic magazine (1888) and the Little Golden Books series (1942)

• Henry Ford introducing the Model T car (1908)

• The Beach Boys recording their debut single Surfin' USA, introducing a new musical style (1961)

• the start of the Howard Government's gun buyback scheme following the Port Arthur Massacre (1996)