Squiz Today – 26 March 2024

The Squiz

Former US President Donald Trump’s first criminal trial was set to begin in New York overnight, but his lawyers have successfully argued for it to be postponed until 15 April when a jury will be selected. It’s the so-called ‘hush money trial’ where he’s facing 34 felony charges and is one of 4 criminal cases Trump has on the go. And as his legal team worked through that, the bond amount in his civil case was reduced from the $700 million they’d been ordered to cough up to $268 million…

So he’s got a bit on the go…

Yep, so let’s start with the criminal trial. The case has been brought by the New York District Attorney’s office, which accused him of “falsifying New York business records to conceal damaging information and unlawful activity from American voters” during the 2016 election campaign. This is about alleged payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy bunny Karen McDougal… Earlier this month, his lawyers secured a 30-day postponement after 170,000 documents related to Michael Cohen – Trump’s former lawyer and ’fix-it’ man – were handed over. Trump’s lawyers say the documents are “exculpatory and favourable” to their client, but prosecutors say they’re “largely irrelevant to the case”. And while a start date has been set, Trump’s lawyers say they’ll appeal the decision to hold the trial before the US election.

And what about the money he owes?

That’s to do with the New York civil case which found Trump, his 2 eldest sons and other Trump Organisation executives guilty of fraud after lying about the value of the company’s property portfolio. On Sunday, Eric Trump (aka the Trump Organization’s VP) slammed the size of the original bond. “Every single person, when I came to them saying ‘hey, can I get a half-billion-dollar bond?’, they were laughing,” he said. So, long story short, they couldn’t come up with the money… His assets were in the sights of New York Attorney-General Letitia James, who was set to begin seizing estates and golf courses, but overnight, Trump’s camp was given a reprieve when the bond amount was significantly reduced. He has 10 days to come up with the dosh but he says it won’t be a problem and he’ll pay in cash. “I don’t need to borrow money – I have a lot of money,” he said.

If you want to catch up on the details behind Donald Trump’s hush money criminal trial, we’ve got just the Shortcut for you. Get it in your ears here.

Moscow attackers face court

Four men accused of carrying out an attack at a rock concert on Friday that killed at least 137 people and wounded over 180 others have faced court in Moscow, charged with committing an act of terrorism. The men have been named as Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Saidakrami Murodali Rachabalizoda, Shamsidin Fariduni and Muhammadsobir Fayzov – all from Tajikistan. Officials said Mirzoyev and Rachabalizoda have admitted their guilt, but reports note they were tortured during interrogations… Claims that the attack was carried out by an Afghan branch of Islamic State have been verified after the group posted graphic footage of the attack. But Russian officials continue to say that Ukraine helped the attackers – something Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called “absurd”. All 4 suspects will be held in pre-trial detention until at least 22 May.

UN demands immediate ceasefire in Gaza

The UN Security Council has passed a resolution demanding an “immediate ceasefire” between Israeli forces and Hamas in Gaza, which includes the release of all hostages. The vote was approved by 14 votes to 0, with the US abstaining. The US had vetoed previous attempts at a resolution because they didn’t include the release of hostages, but it allowed Monday night’s vote to pass. In response, Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled a planned visit to Washington this week. The US says it’s disappointed by the decision but that a separate visit by Israel’s defence minister will still go ahead. The war in Gaza has been going for almost six months after Hamas militants attacked Israel on 7 October last year, killing 1200 and taking 253 hostages – of which Israel say 134 are still held. The Israeli response has seen more than 32,000 Palestinians killed in what some UN members said was a “bloodbath that had to end.”

Counting on cost of living relief

The Albanese Government has foreshadowed a couple of potential announcements aimed at giving relief to Aussies struggling with ongoing cossie livs issues. The first is to increase the minimum wage (currently $23.23/hour) to keep up with inflation. Treasurer Jim Chalmers says low-income earners shouldn’t “go backwards”, but any change would need to be independently reviewed by the Fair Work Commission before it could come into play. Chalmers also hinted there could be a round of power bill relief in the upcoming Budget in May… That’s after Labor’s promise to cut Aussies’ electricity bills by $275 haven’t panned out. Coalition leader Peter Dutton yesterday called on PM Anthony Albanese to apologise for that, but he pushed back, saying former Coalition governments “didn’t land” several policies that could have improved prices.

Adding SESI to your list of acronyms…

If you were checking out last night’s lunar eclipse, spare a thought for researchers who say a “global consensus” is needed within the next few years to prevent “irreversible damage” on the moon’s surface. With numerous space agencies and private operators rushing to build bases on the moon for research and mining, there are concerns several prime sites will be trashed. It comes after a new report called for the safeguarding of sites of extraordinary scientific importance – aka SESIs. Report co-author Dr Alanna Krolikowski is one expert calling for countries with moon missions planned to make policies on this, but warns SESI protections are needed ”beyond the usual suspects in the established spacefaring states”. And while we’re talking space, the aurora australis could be visible from Victoria to Western Oz this week after a severe geomagnetic storm erupted on the sun’s surface.

A Canadian cat-astrophe

A Canadian man who took in abandoned cats during the COVID-19 pandemic has had to call a rescue shelter for help after he became “overwhelmed” as he ended up with nearly 300 felines. A shelter worker said “They just kept multiplying. One cat can have 3 litters in a year.” Bruce Robinson from British Columbia says he was struggling to cope financially with the 298 cats – 15 of which were pregnant – and often had to skip meals to pay thousands of dollars for their 28kg of food a day and provide clean litter in their 10 trays. Despite the huge number, Robinson says they all had names, and he loved “every one of them” but admitted he’d “ended up in a crazy situation”. Shelter staff are working hard to re-home the animals and say the cats are in purrfect health, which is “quite shocking, actually.” At least that’s pawsitive…

A very French competition has returned to the streets of Paris, where hundreds of waiters competed in the Course des cafés. Participants raced through the streets with a tray carrying a croissant, a coffee and a glass of water. Points were deducted for spillages, but we’re not sure about penalties for consuming the breakfast platter en route…

If you’re curious about some of the unusual food collaborations appearing on supermarket shelves but don’t want to waste your money, a couple of journos have done the taste-testing for you. Bundaberg Rum ginger beer Kettle Chips, anyone?

And if you’re looking for something healthier to fill your stomach, this cereal ranker helps you work out the best grains for your breakfast… No prizes for guessing which one is “like a bowl of lollies”…

8.00am (AEDT) – Surfing: WSL Championship Tour, Rip Curl Pro – Bells Beach (to 5 April)

12.30pm (AEDT) – WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge will address the National Press Club on accelerating gender equality in workplaces – Canberra

7.45pm (AEDT) – Men’s soccer 2026 World Cup qualifier – Socceroos v Lebanon – Canberra, and broadcast live on Ten/10 Play

10.00pm (AEDT) – Australian Bravery Decorations to be announced by the Governor General 

ABS Data Release – Regional population, 2022-23

Purple Day for Epilepsy

Independence Day in Bangladesh

Birthdays for Nancy Pelosi (1940), Bob Woodward (1943), Diana Ross (1944), and Keira Knightley (1985)

Anniversary of:

• the deaths of Beethoven (1827) and Walt Whitman (1892)
• Boris Yeltsin becoming Russia’s first President (1989)
• the Schengen Treaty taking effect (1995)
• And filmmaker James Cameron becoming the first person to visit Challenger Deep, the deepest point on Earth, in more than 50 years (2012)