Wednesday, 7 August - Rollin’ on the river

🙋🏻‍♀️ Scroll on for The Paris Sprint, our short ‘n sweet Olympics update…

Good morning, it’s Wednesday, 7 August. In your Squiz Today…

• Kamala Harris picks Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate

• Hamas names a new leader

• And Arisa Trew skates into gold medal history… 🛹

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said veteran association boss Lachlan Gaylard of the death of WWII veteran Tom Pritchard who died at 102yo on Saturday. He was our last ‘Rat of Tobruk’ - the name given to the 14,000 Aussie servicemen who maintained control of the vital Libyan Port in the fight against the Germans in 1941. Lest we forget…

Kamala makes her pick

The Squiz

Tim Walz has been chosen to be US Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate for the November presidential election. He’ll make his debut as America’s potential VP this morning when the pair take the stage at a Democratic campaign rally in Philadelphia. It settles the Democratic Party’s ticket after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, leaving the door open to Harris and Walz to face off against Republicans Donald Trump and JD Vance. 

Umm I don’t think I’ve heard of him…

You mean you can’t rattle off facts about the Minnesota Governor/former teacher/Army National Guard veteran? He’s beaten incumbent Republicans in several of the elections he’s faced and gives Harris an in with Midwestern voters. You might remember in the 2020 election there was a lot of talk about the ‘blue wall’ - that’s the swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania, where both sides believe they need to win. Walz isn’t from there, but Minnesota is right next door, and the argument is that will give the Democrats an advantage. Reports this morning have also pointed to the 60yo’s strong social media presence where he’s “shown a down-to-earth side” via posts with his daughter Hope. And he’s spearheaded one of the Democrats’ most widely-used political attacks since Harris took centre stage - that Republicans are “just weird”. 

What now?

Well, the Walz family were pretty happy about the announcement… So far all the communications have been conveyed via social media. Walz took to X to say “I’m all in… It reminds me a bit of the first day of school.” And Harris said “We are going to build a great partnership. We are going to build a great team. We are going to win this election. So let's get to work." You know who isn't so enthusiastic about the Democratic team? Republicans… Their vice presidential candidate JD Vance said Walz's selection “highlights how radical Kamala Harris is.” They are painting him as a “left-wing extremist” and will focus on his record as governor for the last 4 years, pointing to his policies on gun control, access to abortion and the like. Let the games begin…

Squiz the Rest

Hamas names its new leader

Yahya Sinwar will take the place of former political chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed last week in Iran. Sinwar is said to be the mastermind behind the planning and execution of the October 7 attacks on Israel, and commentators say the move reinforces its radical path. Sinwar is the most senior Hamas leader still alive after Haniyeh's death, which has sparked concerns of a wider conflict in the region after Iran accused Israel of carrying out the assassination and vowed to retaliate. Israel hasn't claimed responsibility, but last week it did put its hand up to killing the leader of Hamas' military wing Mohammed Deif in an airstrike in Gaza last month. While Haniyeh lived in exile in Qatar, it's thought that Sinwar has stayed in Gaza, where he's led the militant group since 2017.

Resting (mortgage holders’ heart) rates

After its latest 2-day meeting wrapped yesterday, the Reserve Bank board left interest rates on hold at 4.35% - a move that Treasurer Jim Chalmers labelled as “not a surprise”. That's because data last week showed that inflation was in line with the central bank's expectations at 3.8% for the year to June. Add to that concerns about a recession in the US, and you get the feeling that pumping the brakes on our economy isn't what they want to do right now… But getting inflation down to the target rate of 2-3% is proving "slowing and bumpy", which Governor Michele Bullock says means we probably won’t see any rate cuts “near-term” - aka within the next 6 months. Nonetheless, Chalmers says yesterday’s decision will still be welcomed by mortgage holders as “Australians are doing it tough enough already”. Let’s pick this up in 6 weeks when they meet again… 

Get back to work (or move to VIC)

The battle to get us out of sweatpants and back to workplaces post-pandemic has hit the NSW public service, with the Premier's Department telling workers at least 3 days in the office is required. Monday’s memo was designed to combat a lessening “sense of joint mission” and makes allowances for those with caring responsibilities/flexible work arrangements. But the Public Service Association says no one “in their right mind” thinks we can return to a pre-pandemic way of life. More onboard is the Property Council, which says the “bold move” will reinvigorate city centres. The Victorian Government has jumped on it as a way to snare some disgruntled workers with Premier Jacinta Allan saying anyone who likes “flexibility in their workplace should consider moving to Victoria”. She might want to wait for some warmer weather before pitching that idea to Sydneysiders… 

Footy icons hang up their boots

There had been whispers for months, but Richmond Tigers star Dustin ‘Dusty’ Martin still shocked fans when he announced his retirement yesterday - effective immediately. He won’t play a farewell game, but fans will have the chance to honour him during a public celebration at the MCG in round 24. There’s plenty to celebrate… The 33yo leaves the AFL as one of the game’s most decorated players with a record-holding 3 Norm Smith medals (best on ground in a grand final) and 2 Brownlows (the best in the league) - among many other awards. Yesterday, he said “the memories that we have created together will live with me forever”. Geelong Cats star Tom Hawkins - the club’s games record holder with 359 matches under his belt - will also retire at the end of this season but hopes to play again before then…

Apropos of nothing

It can cost a fair bit to send kids to our private schools, but parents might save a few bucks on tech… Several NSW schools are planning to follow Eton - the Royals’ school of choice - by only allowing pupils to have Nokia ‘dumbphones’ to reduce social-media-induced anxiety...

A new artwork confirmed to be by illusive street artist Banksy has raised questions about whether he’s declaring himself as the new GOAT of the art world given his latest mural in London shows the animal in a tricky spot…

And they’ve only been on-trend for a couple of months but hot rodent boyfriends are already getting the heave-ho from Hollywood beefcakes like Glen Powell. Luckily for The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White who has managed to transition from one man camp to the other…

🏊🏼‍♀️ The Paris Sprint

Each day of the Paris Olympics we’ll bring you 3 of the top stories from the action overnight and the events to put on your radar for the coming day. 

Aussie Arisa Trew skated her way into the history books early this morning, becoming Australia’s youngest-ever gold medallist by winning the women’s skateboard park final. The 14yo was cool under pressure, saving her best tricks - the ones that won her gold at the World Championships earlier this year - until last. "It's just super cool … I’m just so excited,” she said. Squiz Kids spoke to her in June about her Olympics prep - you can have a listen here. 

Distance runner Jess Hull has made it through to the semi-finals of the 1,500m, to be run on Friday. The world #3 broke her own Australian record last month before setting a new world record in the 2,000m in Monaco, so she’s running hot…

And we missed out in the 10m platform diving final with China continuing to dominate. Sydney schoolgirl Ellie Cole finished 7th, and her mentor Melissa Wu came in 11th. This was Wu’s fifth Olympics and she’s made the final every time, winning her first medal (a silver) in 2008, which is the year Cole was born. For all the armchair diving judges, here’s a handy guide to the sport so you sound credible…

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Squiz the Day

National Indigenous Fashion Awards - Darwin 

ABS Data Release - Selected Living Cost Indexes, June 

Aged Care Employee Day 

National Lighthouse Day

National Sea Serpent Day

Birthdays for Aussies Greg Chappell (1948), Trevor Hendy (1968), Sophie Lee (1968), Megan Gale (1975) and Abbie Cornish (1982)

Anniversary of:

• the discovery of the bodies of Canadian teens Kam McLeod and Bryer Schmegelsky, who were at the centre of a huge manhunt and suspected of killing three people in British Columbia (2019)

• US President George W Bush ordering Operation Desert Shield in response to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait (1990)

• The first known performance of Shakespeare's "Macbeth" being staged in the UK (1606)