Tuesday, 16 July - King of the road

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, 16 July. In your Squiz Today…

• Trump names his VP running mate

• Victoria’s CFMEU branch probed

• And the King and Queen are heading Down Under… 👑

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said Sue Mitchell of her pooch Sharwood of his 40th and final blood donation, making him the first dog to complete the “incredible” feat that has already saved the lives of hundreds of his fellow hounds in the UK. What a heartwarming tail…

Trumping the odds

The Squiz

Undeterred after the failed attempt on his life, former/hopeful US President Donald Trump is in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention where he’ll be confirmed as the party’s presidential candidate. Early this morning he named controversial Senator JD Vance from Ohio as the Vice President who’ll run with him on the ticket. Trump will deliver a speech on Thursday which he says will be “a lot different” to the “humdinger” he originally wrote. He’s already called on Americans to “stand united” against “wickedness” and says it was “God alone” that “prevented the unthinkable”. As the fallout continues, tributes are flowing for 50yo volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore who was shot dead during the attack. Two other men who were injured remain in a critical but stable condition.

Has any more been revealed about the shooter?

A little… Thomas Matthew Crooks was a 20yo nursing home employee from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, which is close to where the Trump rally was held. He was killed by Secret Service agents at the scene where a semi-automatic rifle was recovered. Reports say police also found explosives in Crooks' car and at his home. He was also a member of a local shooting club. Former classmates described him as an "outcast" who was rejected from his high school rifle team, while voter records show he was a registered Republican, but also made a US$15 donation to a Democrat group in 2021. The FBI says he had no criminal history, and they're still unclear about his motive. Crooks' family is cooperating with investigators, with his father Matthew saying he wants to figure out "what the hell is going on".

So what now?

The Secret Service is facing some serious scrutiny over how a sniper was able to access a rooftop just 150m from a former president/future candidate… As the agency charged with protecting the president, vice president and other senior government figures, it’s in the spotlight… Biden has ordered ​​an independent review and instructed Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to “review all security measures” for the Republican Convention. But the Secret Service has hit back at rumours that it denied a Trump team request for more security, or that resources had been diverted to an event featuring Dr Jill Biden. Meanwhile, in what’s shaping up to be quite a week for Trump, he’s won another major legal victory overnight with a Florida judge dismissing the criminal case against him for illegally holding onto classified documents. 

Championing an everyday Fred

You don’t have to be a life-changing eye surgeon like Fred Hollows to be a great humanitarian. Making a difference can be as simple as volunteering in your local community or helping your neighbours take out the bins. If you know someone over 18yo who embodies kindness, compassion and integrity, nominate them for the 2024 Fred Awards, celebrating everyday Aussie humanitarians. Nominations are open and close on Sunday, 21 July. To learn more, visit www.hollows.org/fredawards

Squiz the Rest

Breaking up a union

After allegations of corruption against the CFMEU (the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union), its Victorian branch has been put into administration. That follows some serious claims thrown its way in the last few days, including that it hired staff from within organised crime circles to head up major construction projects. National leader Zach Smith said they’ll investigate those claims in the interim - but that might not be enough… Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan says their “thuggish and appalling” behaviour should be investigated by the state’s anti-corruption commission and called for its construction arm to be deregistered. Council of Trade Unions’ Sally McManus pushed back on that but says she wants any CFMEU officials facing criminal allegations removed from their jobs. That’s put NSW branch secretary Darren Greenfield, who’s facing bribery charges, in the sights of Premier Chris Minns (paywall). 

Harassing Higgins

A case involving former political staffer Brittany Higgins was back in court yesterday, with a 49yo man pleading guilty to using a carriage service to threaten to kill and to menace or harass her. David Wonnocott was arrested in April 2023 after police found he’d sent messages to David Sharaz, Higgins’ now-husband, containing threats to kill the couple and their dog. The court heard the messages made them “fearful for their safety”, while Wonnocott’s lawyer said he has been receiving treatment for mental health issues. His sentencing has been adjourned to November. But it’s not the only case Higgins is dealing with… A defamation trial brought against her by her former boss Senator Linda Reynolds will start on 2 August. And in the midst of all that, Higgins and Sharaz have had some happier news to celebrate - their first baby is on the way… 

A viral flight risk

We’ve been hearing warnings about bird flu for a few weeks now, but the CSIRO raised the stakes yesterday when it said that Australia is facing an unprecedented threat from the virus. Three strains of the highly pathogenic avian influenza H7 are already in Australia, with hundreds of thousands of chickens culled in Victoria, NSW and the ACT. Now, the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness reckons there’s an increasing risk of the H5N1 bird flu strain - which can spread across species, including dairy cattle - reaching Australia in the spring, and it would be birds from Australia’s north and south - aka Asia and Antarctica - that could be the ones to bring it. We’ll say this for effect in case you haven’t got the message - that would be really bad… Still, the experts say the risk to humans remains low, but some countries are preparing backup plans just in case…

Weathering the snow flurries

Confession time: we didn’t update the weather block yesterday, but we promise you can trust us on this update… A “sudden stratospheric warming event” is said to be developing over Antarctica, and despite the mention of ‘warming’ there, it’s set to bring cold fronts/rain across southern Australia in the coming weeks. It's caused by an “abrupt increase in air temperature” about 20-40km above the Earth's surface, over the polar regions. Reports say the warmer air could filter down through the atmosphere, pushing cold Antarctic air away from the continent and towards us. Brr… Even the Sunshine State can’t escape - forecasters say parts of Queensland could be in for “snow flurries” later this week. Time for a hot choc…

The Royals know where it’s at

If you thought seeing the Royals at the Euros/Wimbledon finals this week was exciting, prepare to lose your mind because it’s been confirmed that King Charles and Queen Camilla will be heading here in October. The announcement yesterday coincided with the release of some snazzy new portraits of the pair, which (up to you…) you're encouraged to hang on your wall. Yep - it's Palace-official - the duo will stop off in Canberra and NSW, with specifics to follow "in due course". The monarchs will also head to Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting - aka CHOGM - from 21-25 October. But it’s too bad/so sad for Kiwilanders as they’ve canned their stop-off across the ditch on doctors’ orders. We know who their antipodean favourites are…

Apropos of Nothing

Aussie Travis Bazzana has made Major League Baseball history by becoming the Cleveland Guardians' first-ever #1 overall pick. The 21yo Sydneysider says he hopes it will give “belief” to players at home that they can do “great things” in the US. Go you good thing…

Still reeling from their 2-1 loss yesterday morning to Spain in the Euros football final in Germany, the UK press has gone to work. Our fave headline is The Lions Weep Tonight - although we reckon they missed a trick by not following up with ‘a whimper away’...

Bungee jumping isn’t for everyone, but ‘bungee jumping for cowards’ has taken off in China, where nervous nellies can be lowered gently, upright, onto a waiting platform… Do you still get bragging rights though?

Squiz the Day

7.30am (AEST) - The Australian Clean Energy Summit 2024, run by the Clean Energy Council begins - Sydney

9.00am (AEST) - A public hearing is continuing into the opportunities and impacts for Australia in adopting AI (until 17 July) - Canberra

2.30pm (AEST) - State funeral for former Victorian MP Barry Pullen - Melbourne

World Snake Day

International Drag Day 

Birthdays for Will Ferrell (1967) and golfer Adam Scott (1980)

Anniversary of:

• the birthdays of Ida B Wells (1862), Ginger Rogers (1911) and Shirley Hughes (1927)

• the publication of JD Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye (1951)

• the launch of the historic Apollo 11 mission sending Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins to the moon (1969)