Wednesday, 25 September - Heathcliff, it's me, I'm Cathy

Good morning, it’s Wednesday, 25 September. In your Squiz Today…

• An urgent warning for Australians to leave Lebanon

• Interest rates stay on hold

• And Melbourne’s viral chunky penguin… 🐧

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said a ground controller watching 2 Russian cosmonauts returning to Earth after recording the longest stay on the International Space Station at 374 days. Given the ISS orbits Earth every 90 minutes, that’s enough to put anyone in a spin…

Leave Lebanon now

The Squiz

Australians in Lebanon should get out immediately, says PM Anthony Albanese, as the death toll from a wave of Israeli airstrikes against Hezbollah rises to more than 500. He says Aussies have continued to fly to Lebanon over the past few months, defying “commonsense” - and they need to leave while commercial flights are still available. Things are starting to get pretty dicey on that front - around half of all scheduled international flights out of Beirut were cancelled yesterday, and Foreign Minister Penny Wong is now warning that “it’s beyond the capacity of the government” to help the estimated 15-30,000 Australians who might still be in the country.

So what’s happening on the ground?

It’s a pretty chaotic scene right now - the roads out of Lebanon’s south are choked after Israel urged locals to leave before launching missiles at more than 1,600 Hezbollah targets on Monday and Tuesday. Lebanese authorities say hospitals are struggling to cope with the numbers of wounded people, which include children. And even though the country’s capital Beirut wasn’t targeted in the latest strikes, many schools are already closed and locals are hunkered down. The attacks follow the pager/walkie-talkie explosions of last week that injured thousands, and Lebanon’s health ministry says another 1,800 have been wounded in these latest airstrikes. 

How’s the world reacted?

The US already has 40,000 troops stationed in the Middle East - and it’s now sending hundreds more to help protect the soldiers already there. President Joe Biden reiterated his calls for calm at the UN General Assembly, saying a “full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest”. It’s still not clear if Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is going to attend that big international meeting, but Iran’s new President is… Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New York yesterday and told waiting journos: "We do not wish to be the cause of instability in the Middle East as its consequences would be irreversible." He added that Iran will “defend any group that is defending its rights and itself" when asked about his country’s inclination to enter the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

A wrap on our Newsmakers series

If you're signed up to our News Club newsletter list, keep an eye out for our Newsmakers wrap up hitting your inbox around midday today. Kate’s sharing her 4 key takeaways from the series (hint: they might surprise you). And if you haven’t had a chance to catch up yet, you can watch all the interviews here.

And if you’re new around here, News Club is the place for conversations about the news. You can sign up here to get the newsletters straight to your inbox. You’re so very welcome…

Squiz the Rest

Sticking by a sticky inflation plan

In line with most economists’ predictions, the Reserve Bank has held the official cash rate at 4.35%, with Governor Michele Bullock saying the board “didn't explicitly consider an interest rate rise” this time around. That said, she stood firm on her previous message that we’re not likely to see a rate cut “in the near term”... During her post-meeting press conference yesterday, Bullock was also asked the question that’s been on many minds since the US Federal Reserve cut its interest rate by 50 basis points last week - are we likely to follow suit? She wouldn’t speculate, saying “when the time comes, then we will have a discussion”. The next rates meeting is in early November. In the meantime, the board‘s waiting on more data to show that our sticky inflation is on the way down. Monthly inflation data from the Bureau of Stats is out this morning - exciting, huh?

A bucket-load of rain…

Australia's eastern and southeastern states are set for significant drops in temperatures and heavy rain - and even some snow in places. This rare weather event is set to smash several September rainfall records, with Sydney’s temperatures expected to drop from a balmy 30C today to a brisk 19C on Thursday/Friday. Victoria, Tasmania, South Oz and Brisbane are also in for some dramatic temperature shifts over the coming days. As for the all-important AFL Grand Final on Saturday arvo, the rain is expected to dry up and it’ll warm up a bit, but more showers for Melbourne are forecast early next week. Before all of that, Central Australian records have been broken by their September splash. “It's been nice steady, soaking rain. I couldn't ask for it to be any more perfect," said Lyndee Severin from Curtin Springs cattle station, 100km east of Uluru. They call that a glass half full… 

Onwards and upwards

After 3 years of making a name for himself on ABC TV’s News Breakfast, Tony Armstrong is turning off the early morning alarm at the end of next week. The Logie winner/former AFL player says he’s “pretty nervous” about his next steps, but the ABC says he’s staying put to host a new show in 2025, details TBA. Lisa Millar also recently left the show, and Armstrong’s departure comes after he recently said he was looking for something “less intense” - and the proud Gamilaroi man has his fans… ABC News boss Justin Stevens called him a “once-in-a-generation talent”. Also for your news radar - newish ABC chair Kim Williams is giving a speech at the 2024 Lowy Institute Media Award Ceremony tonight. He’s had a bit to say recently on what management types call opportunities for improvement… 

Footy fans are forking out 

Dedicated Brisbane and Sydney fans are experiencing a rude shock ahead of this weekend’s AFL Grand Final, with airfares to Melbourne spiking at more than double their normal cost. While the major airlines added extra flights, fans have reported a Jetstar Brissy-Melbs return trip started at $1,800, while Sydney-Melbs and back on Qantas has set some back $1,000. One punter said he would be “asking for forgiveness” after forking out big bucks without telling his wife… The Swans and Lions have each been allocated 17,500 tickets for their members - so plenty are making the trip, including by car/bus/train. It’s going to be a bumper weekend for Melbourne hotels too… In addition to Saturday’s AFL season closer, there’s a preliminary final in the Rugby League with the Storm hosting the Sydney Roosters. Good luck if you’re getting amongst it… 

Hey Pesto…

Australia’s answer to Thailand’s famous baby pygmy hippo Moo-Deng is a king penguin chick named Pesto. Aside from the fluffy/cute factor, the 9mo’s size is also making him a star… Pesto is Melbourne Aquarium’s biggest penguin ever, currently tipping the scales at 22.5kg - nearly double his 11-12kg parents. That’s led his keeper Michaela Smale to call him “a chunky monkey”. To be clear, the chubby chick is healthy and is doing what they would do in the wild - stacking on weight to survive arctic temperatures. And his formidable form is a hit. The aquarium says 4.2 billion people have had a look at Pesto on their website and social media channels… As for why we like baby animals like Pesto and Moo-Deng so much, science can shed some light. Humans are drawn to things with universally cute features like chubby cheeks, small bodies and big eyes. Pesto’s waddle is just a bonus…

Apropos of Nothing

South Korean pistol shooter Kim Yeji - who you might remember from her iconic form at the Paris Olympics - is trying her hand at acting. She’s been cast in a new series called Crush - and fittingly, she’ll play an assassin…

Out on the wily, windy moors we’ll soon find Aussies Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi in a new adaptation of Wuthering Heights by Emerald Fennell. Based on Emily Brontë’s much-loved novel, production won’t start until next year - Fennell still has a bit of work ahead of her to write, direct and produce the flick. 

Think back to September 2023 because if you purchased a division one lotto ticket from the BP petrol station in South Australia’s Mawson Lakes, you might have won $1 million. The less good news is that you only have a few days to claim it before the prize is forfeited. Chop chop…

Squiz the Day

Early morning (AEST) - Police will resume a fresh search for the remains of Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy in bushland in the Grenville area

10.00am (AEST) - Cricket: One Day Cup, Tasmania v Queensland - Melbourne, and watch on Kayo

11.15am (AEST) - Australian Defence Force Roundtable Briefing, Operations Update - Canberra

12.30pm (AEST) - Robert Fitzgerald and Dr Marlene Krasovitsky will address the National Press Club on age discrimination - Canberra

1.00pm (AEST) - Men’s Tennis: Japan Open (until 1 October) - Tokyo

6.30pm (AEST) - 2024 Lowy Institute Media Award ceremony with keynote lecture to be delivered by ABC Chair Kim Williams - Sydney

6.30pm (AEST) - Netball: Game 3 of the England Series - Diamonds v Roses - Bendigo, and watch on Kayo

7.00pm (AEST) - The OECD is set to release its latest Interim Economic Outlook for the world economy and G20 countries - France

ABS data release - Monthly Consumer Price Index indicator (aka our inflation data), August; Engineering Construction Activity, June 

Company AGM - AGL Energy 

World Pharmacists Day

World Dream Day

Catherine Zeta-Jones (1969) and husband Michael Douglas (1944) share a birthday, as well as Will Smith (1968) and Donald Glover (1983)

Anniversary of:

• the birth of the remote control after engineer Leonardo Torres Quevedo successfully guided a boat (1906)

• Henry Ford announcing an 8-hour, 5-day work week (1926)

• the formation of U2 after student Larry Mullen Jr posted an ad at Dublin's Mount Temple Comprehensive School (1976)

• Cathy Freeman's famous 400m Olympic win at the Sydney Olympics (2000)