Tuesday, 23 July - I can buy myself flowers

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, 23 July. In your Squiz Today…

• Kamala Harris steps up

• Tallying the cost of the global IT outage

• And the Tillies’ race to find their bags…

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said Kookaburras coach Colin Batch as he praised Aussie Olympian Matt Dawson’s (ahem…) unconventional decision to have part of his finger amputated rather than opting for a cast to fix the broken digit. Win or lose, no one can question the 30yo hockey player’s dedication…

Honing in on Harris

The Squiz

All eyes are on US Vice President Kamala Harris after President Joe Biden abandoned his run for re-election in November. She’s been endorsed by Biden and a growing list of high-profile Democrats (but not former President Barack Obama…) as a worthy nominee - but with just over 100 days to go, the Democrats have a lot of work to do, fast… The ‘Biden for President’ campaign has filed to change its name to ‘Harris for President’, making her presidential bid official and giving it control of Biden's campaign money. The 59yo is also doing very well at generating her own funds, raising nearly US$50 million in just 5 hours after her campaign launched. 

So what happens now?

While Harris looks to be the frontrunner, it’s not a done deal yet, and there is a process to go through between now and the Democrats’ convention in late August… That’s seen her supporters hitting the phones to gather support to close it out ASAP. Given how unusual this situation is, it’s possible other candidates could still be in the mix, and experts say having multiple candidates vying for support could get messy. Who Harris’ running mate would be is also TBD… Several names have been floated, but some analysts reckon she will likely choose someone from one of the 7 swing states and a centrist to balance out the perception she's part of a left-wing elite. That makes Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro - who said he’d “do everything” he can to help elect her - a top pick, but insiders say Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is also in the running. 

How would Harris fare against Trump?

An old Harris campaign ad attacking Republican nominee Donald Trump has resurfaced, possibly showing what her election strategy might be, with experts also saying she’d focus on divisive issues like abortion to cut across the political divide. What’s for sure is the Trump campaign’s focus on “Sleepy Joe” being too old/frail won’t work against Harris, as Trump is now the oldest nominee ever. It’s a bit early for head-to-head polling, but the bookies reckon Trump’s re-election odds have dipped. Aside from that, inquiries into the attempted Trump assassination are continuing… Overnight, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle was grilled by Congress over her agency’s failings. And with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announcing an independent inquiry into the matter, you can expect plenty more big US headlines to come…

Keep warm this winter

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Squiz the Rest

A communal lament

With Sydneysiders still reeling from the death of Anand Runwal and one of his 2yo twin daughters after their pram rolled onto train tracks at Carlton Station on Sunday, more details have emerged about the family and plans are being made to stop it from happening again. The Indian community is rallying around the surviving girl and her mother Poonam Runwal - who arrived in Australia last year. Reports say they’ve been left “very traumatised”. In response to the accident, the NSW Government is considering whether glass barriers should be installed at train stations - as they are at metro stations - to prevent a similar tragedy in future. Premier Chris Minns says he’ll work with Sydney Trains and the coroner to “take steps that we need to take to keep people safe”.

Tallying up the cost

As airlines dealing with the fallout of Friday’s global IT outage scramble to get Aussies stranded overseas home, the cost of the tech shutdown is starting to become clear. Experts say it’s too soon to put an exact dollar figure on it, but it could run to more than US$1.5 billion in lost revenue and productivity for businesses affected. About 8.5 million Microsoft devices worldwide crashed mid-Friday arvo following a glitch in a cybersecurity update rolled out by Microsoft's partner CrowdStrike. The company has apologised but hasn't answered questions about compensation. Tech analyst Dan Ives says lawsuits could be a-comin’ and “if you’re a lawyer for CrowdStrike, you’re probably not going to enjoy the rest of your summer”. Or winter if you’re one of their Aussie-based legal eagles…

A legal gamble

Speaking of pricey legal fees… Former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins has confirmed she’s selling her new home in France to fund her defence against Senator Linda Reynolds’ defamation suit. Reynolds alleges she was defamed by Higgins and her husband David Sharaz in a series of social media posts. Despite months of mediation, a settlement wasn’t reached so the case is set to kick off in Perth next Friday, 2 August. Reports say the trial could cost more than $1 million - and Higgins/Sharaz would have to foot the bill if they lose. Her spokesperson says “this will be Brittany’s third court case … surrounding her rape at Parliament House”, and “the legal costs have already amounted to well over $1 million”. It’s not a cost-free exercise for Reynolds either - the former federal minister has taken out a mortgage on her home to pay for it.

Running into a problème…

The Matildas have had a rough start to their Olympics prep in Paris thanks to an issue many travellers would empathise with - lost luggage. The team’s private jet landed at Marseilles over the weekend, but their equipment bags - including the Tillies’ green and gold kits - didn’t make it onto the flight. Medical equipment is also AWOL, so organiser/former Olympic superstar Anna Meares says there’s been a mad dash to find everything they need in France. “Tape, strapping, scissors … these are things that are critical to performance,” she said. The hope is the luggage arrives in the coming days before their opening match against Germany on Friday. And while it might have thrown a spanner in the works, they’re hopefully sticking to the rest of their pre-game rituals - including their favourite foods…

Royal horses with bite

Buckingham Palace and the Household Cavalry Museum may be a couple of London's biggest tourist attractions, but the royal horses on guard outside haven't been playing up to the crowds lately. When they're not bolting through the streets, the King’s Guard horses have been known to kick and bite if tourists get too close. But despite the clear warning signs on display, reports say dozens of people still take the risk daily for selfies. In the latest incident caught on camera, a woman fainted yesterday after being nipped by a royal horse. It follows several headbutts and kicks over previous months… Meanwhile inside the palace there’s been another royal birthday, with Prince George turning 11. To mark the occasion, Princess Kate released a new portrait of the prince in black and white, showing him wearing a friendship bracelet - maybe one from his fave singer Taylor Swift?

Apropos of Nothing

One for the Beatles fans out there: A pair of John Lennon-style round, blue-tinted sunnies are set to be auctioned next week in the UK. Lennon gave the shades to a man who visited Abbey Road Studios back in 1968, and could fetch around $5,800. That’s what I want…

Australian zoo animals are no strangers to enjoying frozen treats in summer, and their Florida counterparts are following suit as local temps reach up to 38C… Frozen goat milk and fish might not be our bag, but the otters seem happy… 

With loneliness on the rise, a village in Cumbria might have found a way to help… The local Wharton Women's Institute has been leaving bunches of flowers on local benches to cheer up lonely community members - and they reckon it’s working a treat…

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Squiz the Day

9.00am (AEST) - The first public hearing of a parliamentary inquiry into amending the Criminal Code in relation to the circulation of deepfake sexual material - Canberra

9.00am (AEST) - Queensland Government estimates hearings (until 1 August) - Brisbane

NSW and ACT back at school for Term 3

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu lands in Washington DC to meet with US President Joe Biden

And also in the US, the first congressional hearing into the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump has begun - with the Secret Service director testifying

Revolution Day – Egypt

International Yada Yada Yada Day 

Birthdays for Woody Harrelson (1961), Slash (1965), and Daniel Radcliffe (1989)

Anniversary of:

• Austria-Hungary issuing an ultimatum to Serbia following the killing of Archduke Franz Ferdinand by a Serb assassin, setting the stage for WWI... (1914)

• the formation of One Direction on X Factor (2010)

• NASA’s announcement of the discovery of the most Earth-like planet found yet – Kepler-452b. It’s a convenient 1,400 light-years away… (2015)

• Boris Johnson replacing Theresa May as UK PM (2019)

• Amy Winehouse’s death (2011)