Tuesday, 27 August - You're my wonderwall

Good morning, it’s Tuesday, 27 August. In your Squiz Today…

• Tackling our region’s big issues at the Pacific Islands Forum

• Schoolgirl Charlise Mutten’s murderer sentenced to life in jail

• And Oasis tease a reunion tour 🎸

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said 112yo John Tinniswood, who's the Guinness World Record's oldest living man after celebrating his birthday yesterday. The Liverpudlian doesn’t proclaim to be a font of knowledge on ageing - he says he used to do “a lot of walking” but ultimately he’s “no different” to anyone else. There’s hope for us all…

Holo pe tu’u he ko e ngalu e fasi

The Squiz

That headline is the Tongan proverb "stand firm and the waves will break" - a local saying that reminds us to be patient and good will come. It's a good tone setter for leaders gathering for the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders' Meeting in Tonga, with PM Anthony Albanese flying in today. It's the biggest political gathering in our region that brings together leaders from the 18 member countries to discuss regional challenges. It extends to the end of the week, and there's a bit to get through… 

Like what? 

With geopolitical tensions in the Pacific bubbling along China v Western ally lines, one of the biggest issues on the agenda is resolving the civil unrest in New Caledonia. This is linked to rioting in May over controversial reforms in the French territory to give voting rights to new residents, which many of the Indigenous Kanak people said undermined their attempts to gain independence from France. The other big ticket item - which celebrity guest star/UN boss Antonio Guterres will push for action on - is climate change. Ahead of the meeting, he said despite the Pacific only contributing 0.02% of global emissions, it’s “on the frontlines of the climate crisis, dealing with extreme weather events”.

What’s on Australia’s wish list?

Well, the big one we’re involved in is the $400 million Pacific Policing Initiative - which was pitched as a "Pacific-led" move earlier this year, but would be largely backed by Australian funding and spearheaded by the Australian Federal Police. It would see a training centre hub set up in Pinkenba (near Brisbane Airport) to help establish a group of highly-trained Pacific police officers. The goal is to upskill them so they're ready to be deployed when Pacific nations need help - and to block out China's efforts to step in. It still needs a sign-off, but reports say that it’s looking likely it will pass… Meanwhile, Treasurer Jim Chalmers put our own security back in the spotlight in a speech last night, calling Coalition Leader Peter Dutton "the most divisive leader…in Australia's modern history" in response to his stance on visas for Palestinians. Dutton hasn't responded yet so things could get interesting today…

Discover heroes in your local area

If you want to learn about people in your area who are making a difference in your community - to recognise and reward them for their work - Westfield Local Heroes is for you. Get involved in the community voting here, with $30,000 worth of grants to be awarded at each of Westfield’s destinations across Australia and New Zealand to help continue/expand the finalist’s work. Voting is open now, so get to it…

Squiz the Rest

A targeted strike

Russia has launched one of its biggest air attacks on Ukraine overnight, targeting its power grid and killing 6 people. Reports say hundreds of drones struck at least 15 regions across the country, including the capital Kyiv, causing mass blackouts and placing the entire nation under air-raid alert. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called the attack “sneaky” because it was aimed at “critical civilian infrastructure.” Reports say Ukraine was “braced” for an attack as its forces continue to advance inside Russia. The strikes are the second major escalation of a world conflict in 2 days, after tensions between Israel and Lebanon-based terror group Hezbollah boiled over on Sunday. Reports say both sides appear to have cooled their jets for now, but the situation is being “closely monitored” by the US as ceasefire talks continue between Israel and Hamas over the war in Gaza. 

No mercy for a murderer

The reasons why Justin Stein murdered 9yo Charlise Mutten remain unclear according to NSW Supreme Court Justice Helen Wilson, but that didn’t stop her from sentencing him to life in prison without parole yesterday for the “shockingly callous crime of very great heinousness”. A jury found the 33yo guilty in June for shooting the young girl in early January 2022 at his family’s NSW Blue Mountains property before dumping her body in a plastic barrel. Stein’s always denied the execution-style murder and tried to blame Charlise’s mother/his fiance Kallista for her death. She broke down at the start of the sentencing hearing on Friday, saying she has to live with the fact that she put her daughter “in harm's way" by leaving Charlise in Stein’s care. 

If you’ve been affected by this story, you can reach out for help here.

Reaching for the skies

Passengers fed up with a lack of choice, sky-high fares, and generally poor treatment from Aussie airlines are being promised better times after the release of the Albanese Government’s white paper on aviation yesterday. It contains 56 policy initiatives that Transport Minister Catherine King says will ensure “continuous improvement” and make the sector more competitive. That includes a ‘charter of rights’ to ensure customers get cash refunds for delays/cancellations. It won’t kick in until 2025 and Qantas has warned the move will increase airfares. Speaking of… the airline has walked back an accidental sale that saw 300 people snap up return First Class fares to the US for $4,300 - 85% less than usual. That could lead to a few questions on Thursday when Qantas reveals its financial results from FY’24…

Getting the call-up

Our women’s cricket T20 World Cup squad has been named, but as the tournament’s most successful side/defending champs, it’s not an easy squad to crack… Veteran Jess Jonassen is the most high-profile player to miss out despite being on 5 of our T20 World Cup-winning teams since 2012. As for who made the list, batter Alyssa Healey is captaining the team in a World Cup for the first time. She’ll be joined by 21yo Phoebe Litchfield, who is making her World Cup debut - with team officials saying she’ll bring “a real x-factor”. Our World Cup opener is against Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates (after being moved from Bangladesh over its deadly political turmoil) on 4 October. If you want a fix before then, a 3-match T20 series against our Kiwi cuzzies kicks off in the Sunshine State from 19 September. 

Definitely, maybe

Britpop/rock fans are preparing for a Champagne Supernova after Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and his brother/songwriter/guitarist Noel both shared a clip of the date ‘27.08.24’ in the style of the Oasis logo on their socials on Sunday. The time '8am' also flashed up, meaning we should find out at 5pm Aussie eastern time today whether a much-anticipated reunion is on the cards. The brothers have spent the last 15 years fighting/making snarky comments about each other since an infamous Paris gig when Liam threw a guitar and a plum at his brother, which broke-up the band in 2009. At one point, Liam called Noel a “potato”... But reports say they’re not looking back in anger and a new tour could be on the way - so maybe you can Stop Crying Your Heart Out…

Apropos of Nothing

If a third engagement of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck is ever on the cards, the good news is some big bling will be at the ready after the world’s second-largest diamond was found in Botswana. At 2,492 carats we could be fooled by the rocks that she got…

We like big bugs and we cannot lie after these amazing bug mug shots caught our attention. They were captured by Scottish nature enthusiast Jimmy Reid who says his subjects are anything but pests in his eyes.

And a bookish burglar in Rome only has himself to blame after he decided to sit down and start reading a copy of Homer's Iliad that he found in the apartment he was robbing when he was caught by the 71yo owner. Sounds like a classic Greek tragedy…

Squiz the Day

9.15am (AEST) - Coles Managing Director and CEO Leah Weckert will release the Coles Group FY24 Results via conference call 

Company results - BHP Group, Coles, Woodside Energy

Nationwide Hambone Award winner for the most surprising pet insurance claim story is to be announced

Independence Day in Moldova

International Boxing Day

World Rock Paper Scissors Day

Birthdays for Tom Ford (1961) and Mark Webber (1976)

Anniversary of:

• the largest eruption of the Krakatoa volcano, west of Java in Indonesia, which killed 40,000 people (1883)

• the first publication of the Guinness Book of World Records (1955)

• the premiere of Walt Disney’s Mary Poppins (1964)

• Lord Mountbatten, cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, being killed by the IRA (1979)