Squiz Today / 14 November 2022
Squiz Today – Monday, 14 November
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Squiz Today Podcast
Starting your Monday on the right foot.
Today’s listen time: 9.30 minutes
Squiz Sayings
“Pines don’t like a wet foot.”
Said Christmas tree grower Will Cappello of the impending shortage after record-breaking rain affecting his farms outside Sydney. And with the trees taking 4 years to grow, this year’s wet weather has long-lasting consequences. Ho ho oh no…
Ukrainians celebrate Russia’s withdrawal from Kherson
THE SQUIZ
There have been scenes of celebration in the Ukrainian city of Kherson after Russian troops withdrew over the weekend. Crowds cheered as Ukrainian soldiers re-entered the city, which was the only regional capital taken by Moscow since the invasion began in February. Kremlin officials flagged the move last week, which was initially met with scepticism that it was a trap. Russia says 30,000 military personnel have left the area, along with 5,000 pieces of military hardware and other equipment used to fight the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says “stabilisation measures” are now being carried out after Russian forces destroyed critical infrastructure – including communications, water, heat and electricity – and planted mines and explosives throughout the area.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace says the loss of Kherson city is a major humiliation for Russia, which could make ordinary citizens question what the war has been for. But while the withdrawal marks a win for Ukraine, officials say it’s “too early to relax”, and the war is “far from over”. Russian troops retreated across the Dnipro River to “go into deep defence” in a new stronghold in the region. Experts say it’s “highly likely” Russian troops destroyed bridges as they went, entrenching their new position. Zelensky says pro-Russian forces are putting up a fight elsewhere in the east of the country, including the Donetsk region, where he says “it is just hell”.
WHAT’S NEXT?
As we’ll get into in a sec, it’s summit season, and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is representing his nation after President Vladimir Putin confirmed he would give it a pass, including tomorrow/Wednesday’s G20 meeting of world leaders in Bali. Overnight, PM Anthony Albanese said he directly challenged Lavrov during yesterday’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Cambodia where he “condemned the invasion as you would expect.” Several world leaders, including UK PM Rishi Sunak, said they wouldn’t attend the G20 meeting if Putin was present, and he says he will refuse to take part in the ‘family photo’ in protest against Russia’s presence. Experts say there’s some irony in Putin not attending because he has alienated himself from a forum that could have helped end the conflict.
Squiz the Rest
When a casual chat means so much more…
Speaking of summit session… PM Anthony Albanese has had a brief encounter with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang as they arrived at the ASEAN gala dinner on Saturday night. It might not sound like much, but the informal chat – and hopes the PM will get a few moments with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bali or later in the week at the next summit in Thailand – might see some ice chipped off Australia-China relations. Improving things will take time because the differences “are not trivial,” said Foreign Minister Penny Wong. US-China relations are also strained, and President Joe Biden will have his first presidential chat with Xi today. Speaking of Biden, he and Albanese had a 40-minute meeting last night covering economic issues and regional security (ahem China…). We haven’t been so engaged in who spoke to who since the Year 9 disco…
AusPolDemocrats regain control of the US Senate
A key US midterm election result in the state of Nevada has left Democrats in control of the Senate – so far they have 50 seats compared to the Republicans’ 49. The final spot to be settled is from Georgia where neither major party candidate got 50% or more votes last week, so there’s a run-off election on 6 December. Even if the Republicans and Democrats get 50 Senate seats each (which is where it was before the midterms…), the Democrats will retain control with Vice President Kamala Harris able to cast a tie-breaking vote. Maintaining control of the Senate is a big deal for President Joe Biden because so much of the political agenda is set there, including the appointment of US Supreme Court judges. As for the House of Representatives, the votes are still being counted, but experts still think a Republican win is likely.
World NewsCrypto king’s fall from grace costs billions
If you’ve seen a bit in the news about cryptocurrency and wondered what’s going on, here it is… About $1.5 billion has been wiped from a major exchange called FTX in “suspicious circumstances”, leaving the platform’s one million users unable to withdraw their funds. On Friday, the trading platform filed for bankruptcy and its founder Sam Bankman-Fried stepped down. He’s said to have fled to South America after failing to find nearly $9 billion to keep it afloat after a takeover deal fell through last week. FTX was to be sold to its biggest rival, a company called Binance, but it pulled out saying the issues facing FTX were “beyond” its “ability to help”. It’s a significant fall from grace for FTX, which was valued at nearly $48 billion in January, and has wiped $16 billion from Bankman-Fried’s personal wealth. Financy types say it could also spark a major shakeup, forcing regulators to intervene.
Business & FinanceSamoa’s golden ticket to glory
Samoa has rocked the Rugby League World Cup with a stunning last-second win over England, making them the first tier-2 nation to make it to the final. They will face the reigning champions – the Aussies – next weekend after our team beat New Zealand 16-14 on Friday. Samoa’s Stephen Crichton hit an extra-time golden drop-goal to seal Saturday’s 27-26 victory. It’s a remarkable result, particularly after the tournament opener when England smashed Samoa 60-6… Saturday’s historic match will be played at Old Trafford in Manchester, where the Pacific nation becomes the first team outside Oz, Kiwiland, England and France to qualify. Captain Junior Paulo says it will be “the biggest game in Samoan history”, while coach Matt Parish says it’s “inspirational for “a tiny little dot in the middle of the Pacific” to reach the final. But it’s not all about the blokes – the Aussie women are playing for a spot in the final against Papua New Guinea tomorrow morning. Go you good things…
SportVale Mehran Karimi Nasseri
An Iranian man who called a small section of France’s Charles de Gaulle airport home for nearly 2 decades has died. Merhan Karimi Nasseri went to Europe searching for his mother and lived in Belgium for some years. But he became stuck in legal limbo after being sent to the airport in 1988 from the UK, with court rulings preventing him from entering the country – and from being forced out of the airport. Nasseri was given permission to live in France in 1999, but he stayed at 2F Terminal until a hospital stay in 2006, and then he lived in shelters until recent weeks when he returned to the airport. Nasseri’s story was bought by Steven Spielberg’s production company and made into the 2004 comedy-drama movie The Terminal, starring Tom Hanks. Nasseri was yesterday remembered as a man who spent his days making friends with staff (who gave him access to their facilities), and he passed his time writing in his diary, reading magazines/newspapers and watching travellers.
World NewsApropos of Nothing
It’s King Charles’ 74th birthday – his first as sovereign. To mark the occasion, it’s expected he will be out and about to thank well-wishers. Some of those cheering loudest could be his lowest-paid staff – they’re getting some extra cash to help with cost of living pressures. Reports say Charles is making the payments “out of his own pocket”.
The top has won a place in the Toy Hall of Fame thanks to its 5,000 years of history across cultures. Master of the Universe – a 1980s icon – was also recognised, beating out Pound Puppies, bingo and the piñata.
And rats can – and will – bop along to the beat if it’s at the right pace. Scientists thought it might be faster than humans like it, given their faster heartbeat – but rats are just like us, preferring it in the 120-140 beats per minute (bpm) range. It’s such a shame the Boomtown Rats’ I Don’t Like Mondays comes in at 145bpm…
Quirky NewsSquiz the Day
7.00am (AEDT) – MTV European Music Awards – Dusseldorf
A 2nd inquiry into Kathleen Folbigg’s convictions for the killing four of her children begins – Sydney
Company AGM – Flight Centre
National Pickle Day – US
A birthday for King Charles (1948)
Anniversary of:
• the birthday of painter Claude Monet (1840)
• the publication of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick (1851)
• New York World reporter Nellie Bly beginning her attempt to surpass the fictitious journey of Jules Verne’s Phileas Fogg by travelling around the world in under 80 days. She succeeds, finishing the trip in 72 days, 6 hours (1889)
• the first public trains runnings under the English Channel (1994)
• the film premiere of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
• the first James Bond film starring Daniel Craig, Casino Royale, premieres (2006)
Tuesday
12.30am (AEDT) – Men’s Basketball -World Cup qualifier – Australia v Iran – Tehran
From 4am (AEDT) – Women’s Rugby League World Cup Semi Finals – Huntington, England
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