Wednesday, 24 July - I've got the moves like Jagger

Good morning, it’s Wednesday, 24 July. In your Squiz Today…

• Democrats back Harris

• Aussies attacked in Paris

• And fresh baguettes in the mail… 🥖

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Squiz Sayings

Said American basketball legend LeBron James after it was announced that he will carry the flag for Team USA at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Saturday. With the 39yo standing at 206cm tall, they might need a bigger pole…

Kamala clinches it

The Squiz

With no other Democrats putting their hands up and mounting support, Kamala Harris looks almost certain to become the party’s new presidential candidate after President Joe Biden withdrew on Sunday. Over 2,600 Democrat party delegates (aka people elected by voters in each state to represent them) said in a survey they’ll back Harris - that’s well above the circa 2,000 needed. That isn’t binding - delegates have until 7 August to change their minds - and a virtual roll call is being planned to lock it in ASAP. That formality aside, Harris is already operating as the party's candidate with Biden's campaign chief Jen O'Malley Dillon confirming she's taking the reins of her campaign. 

What’s Harris’s platform?

In a speech yesterday, the 59yo said “building up the middle class would be a defining goal of my presidency” - promising a future of “affordable healthcare”, fair pay and the chance to “retire with dignity”. She also spoke about the issues that separate her from Republican nominee Donald Trump - including support for more liberal abortion rights and tighter gun laws. And the money keeps on rolling in… She’s now broken fundraising records by receiving over US$81 million in just 24 hours. It turns out even Trump has donated to Harris in the past… But it’s not all hard policy - Harris is also tackling offensive old tropes that circulated about her gender and race in the past by embracing meme culture. She’s even been called a brat (which is apparently a compliment…). 

Geez it’s been a busy time in US politics… 

Yep and if that wasn’t enough, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington DC today to deliver an address to a joint sitting of Congress early tomorrow morning our time. Given the domestic political flux, all eyes will be on President Biden and Harris - who won’t preside over his speech as per her role as VP. Her team says she has a previously scheduled event in Indianapolis, but reports suggest she may be trying to avoid a difficult situation as Democrats are deeply divided over Israel. US officials say the visit could secure a ceasefire deal for Gaza - whether Netanyahu wants a deal is another matter… Numerous lawmakers are planning to boycott his address, and thousands of protesters could descend on the Capitol. That has security agents on high alert - speaking of which, US Secret Service director Kim Cheatle has resigned overnight, taking responsibility for security failures before the assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump. Never a dull moment…

Increasing your confidence at work

New financial year, new you… Did you know most workplaces have learning development budgets to help unlock their employees' full potential? If your presentation or communication skills need a confidence boost, it’s time to ask your employer about NIDA’s Corporate Training courses. Options include one-day courses like Presenting with Confidence, or 2 day programs such as Influential Women, available in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. Courses can also be customised for entire teams. Discover how NIDA Corporate Training can enhance your professional growth at corporate.nida.edu.au.

Squiz the Rest

Aussies attacked in Paris

Two violent attacks against Australians are alleged to have happened in Paris just days ahead of the Olympics Opening Ceremony. A 25yo woman is in the care of the Australian Consulate after she was allegedly gang-raped by 5 men in the early hours of Saturday morning. And 2 members of Nine’s Olympic broadcast team claim they were attacked in an attempted robbery on Monday. Reports say the Aussie Olympic team has been warned not to travel alone or wear their uniforms outside the Athletes' Village for safety. The Australian chef de mission Anna Meares said the young tourist's alleged assault "sounds horrific" but she said no team members had been threatened. "Obviously, our hearts go out to the woman involved, and we hope she's been cared for and supported in the trauma that she's experienced." The Department of Foreign Affairs is working with French police to investigate the incident. 

Dark days on the web

Cyber experts reckon it’s all but certain that sensitive info about nearly 13 million Aussies has been sold on the dark web. MediSecure - which is responsible for electronic prescriptions service eScripts - confirmed last week the massive scale of a ransomware attack it suffered back in April. The stolen data includes names, Medicare numbers, and medical information like which drugs people had been prescribed. Ethical hacker Jamie O’ Reilly says it’s likely the data was sold on the dark web for $50,000 and that it’s now being resold for $25,000 - he says cyber criminals are thinking “how much money can I make per record or per person?". Another person who’s miffed by the interwebs is Queensland’s Premier Steven Miles - he says an AI-generated video of him dancing put out by his Liberal/National opposition is a “dangerous turning point” for democracy. Fake Miles can move though… 

Going nowhere fast

Aussie airports are still struggling to rebound after COVID, with Perth being the only big gateway with more travellers than pre-2020. In the year to 30 June, 16 million passengers passed through Perth Airport, overtaking the previous record of 14.9 million set in 2014, according to a new report (paywall). While Sydney Airport was the nation’s busiest with more than 40 million flyers in the last financial year, that’s still down from 44 million 5 years ago. Melbourne and Brisbane are also hovering at around 95% of pre-pandemic levels. Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton says that’s down to “higher airfares, a lack of capacity and a downturn in discretionary business travel”. Cue Virgin’s announcement that it’s cutting the daily Tokyo-Cairns flight. A not-so-fun fact for our tourism operators: Japanese visitors to Australia are down 35% on pre-COVID levels.

Stop smashing the op shops

If you're already planning your post-winter wardrobe clear-out, hit pause before you cart your pre-loved items to the local op-shop. Charities say about 10% of what gets left at their doorstep actually makes it onto the shop floor - the rest is too grotty/in bad condition to sell. That's creating a big problem as local fabric recyclers struggle to on-sell old clothes to countries like Malaysia - which has been overrun by wealthy countries trying to offload excess supply. One Aussie company Statewide Cleaning Cloths sent 20 million kilos of clothes overseas last year but has now stopped accepting new stock from op-shops. Fashion/textiles researcher Timo Rissanen says “we are producing more clothes than ever before in history” and we have to ask ourselves “what is enough and what does sufficiency look like?” Think that over with a coffee this morning… 

Check out this News Club interview with Financial Review fashion editor Lauren Sams for more on the fast fashion obsession. 

Eau de baguette

Even if you’re not a beret-wearing francophile, you still might concede the French did the world a big favour by inventing the baguette. And as part of the Olympics, the government’s released a scratch ‘n sniff stamp infused with the aroma of crusty/fluffy white bread that visitors can pop on their postcards to send home. The gimmick hasn’t impressed purists like Parisian baker Jeanne Barrere who reckons the stamp “smells more like vanilla”... Moving onto other experiences, athletes aren’t digging their eco-friendly cardboard beds, even though some on our team reckon it could (cough) withstand even the most strenuous stress test… And it’s time to get your green and gold on because Australia’s Olympic campaign officially starts tonight with the men’s Rugby Sevens team playing Samoa tonight. Aussie, Aussie Aussie…

Apropos of Nothing

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has kept a low profile since returning to Australia last month, but his wife Stella has posted their family’s first happy snap after his release from jail. Well he did say he “plans to swim in the ocean every day”...

Albanians are feeling like they’ve had one too many after checking out an architect’s plans for the new skyscraper in the capital Tirana, which has been described as looking like a “ballet dancer’s plié”. We’re not sure about leg-bending, but it is certainly mind-bending…

And actor Keanu Reeves insists he’s not a morbid soul, despite revealing that he thinks about death “all the time”. It comes as the 59yo is set to publish his first novel The Book of Elsewhere which follows an immortal warrior who wants to be able to die. Totally upbeat, then…

Squiz the Day

12.00pm (ACST) - South Australia CEDA state of the state address - Adelaide

12.30pm (AEST) - Professor Martine Maron & Professor Jamie Pittock from the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists  will address the National Press Club on their Blueprint to Repair Australia’s Landscapes Report - Canberra

11:30pm (AEST) - Olympics: Men’s Rugby 7s, Aus V Samoa - Paris, and watch on Nine

11.35pm (AEST) - Brisbane 3032 Games organising committee president Andrew Liveris to make a presentation to the 142nd IOC session - Paris

Other preliminary Olympic Games events for Soccer and Archery to begin in Paris 

International Self-Care Day

Birthdays for Jennifer Lopez (1969), Tony Gustavsson (1973), Rose Byrne (1979), Elisabeth Moss (1982), and Bindi Irwin (1998)

Anniversary of:

• Jacques Cartier becoming the first person to land in Canada, claiming it for France (1534)

• American explorer Hiram Bingham 'discovering' Machu Picchu (1911)

• Survivor's Eye Of The Tiger starting its 6-week run at No. 1 on US charts (1982) 

• Aussie cyclist Cadel Evans winning the 98th Tour de France (2011)

Thursday
4.00am (AEST) - Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is set to address the joint session of the US Congress - Washington DC