Squiz Today – Monday, 9 October

SQUIZ SAYINGS

“This industry is passionate about causes but when it comes down to doing business, they’re definitely capable of holding their noses.”

Editor-at-large at The Hollywood Reporter Kim Masters says 'everyone' knew of famed Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s years of “misconduct” towards women. After decades of silence, stories have started to flow since revelations were aired late last week. What of the man behind screen favourites like Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, The King’s Speech and Shakespeare in Love? After he sues the New York Times, he's going to channel his anger towards US President Donald Trump and the NRA. Alrighty then…

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XENOPHON CHANGES THE POLITICAL GAME

THE SQUIZ
South Australian Senator and minor party leader Nick Xenophon has shocked political pundits with his announcement to quit the federal scene and switch to South Australian politics. He plans on leading a team of about 20 candidates in his comeback to the South Australian parliament. Xenophon says he is doing it because his home state is at a crossroads; “Labor has been taking us in the wrong direction; the Liberals want to take us to a dead-end.” The next South Australian election is scheduled for March next year.

OK… SO WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
Three points to ponder:

1. It makes life more difficult for PM Malcolm Turnbull to get legislation through the Senate. Xenophon has been a key negotiator on Coalition agenda items.

2. It will shake up South Australia’s politics. Xenophon’s newly named ‘SA Best’ party has good prospects of success with him spearheading the effort. The Weekend Australian said Xenophon is more popular in SA than Pauline Hanson is in Queensland. Could he become Premier? Probably not, but it’s now a gen-u-ine three-cornered contest.

3. He’s expanding his influence. With four Nick Xenophon Team members in the federal Parliament, Xenophon says he will retain a “very active role” in Canberra. That means he is seeking to be a key voice in two Australian parliaments. Critics say it’s more about his ego than anything else, but supporters say they’re happy to put that responsibility in his hands.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? 
Xenophon says he'll resign from the federal Parliament when the High Court rules on his eligibility (remember he's caught up in the citizenship cluster-disaster). That's important because if he's found ineligible, he will likely be replaced by the next candidate on the Nick Xenophon Team ticket, Tim Storer. But if he’s found to be a-ok by the court, his party has free rein to pick whomever they want (we’d suggest Sophie Monk given her sky-rocketing popularity…). The High Court will hear Xenophon’s (and others’) cases from Tuesday. But first, the stunt-king has an ugg boot protest (complete with sheep) in California to carry out…

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SQUIZ THE REST

QUICK WORLD NEWS WRAP
HERE WE GO AGAIN - Let’s face it, it wouldn’t be Monday if US President hadn't trash-tweeted North Korea over the weekend. It follows Friday’s obfuscation after Trump described a picture with his military chiefs as “the calm before the storm.” Meanwhile, in North Korea leader Kim Jong Un has promoted his 30yo sister Kim Yo Jong to the nations’ top political body. Analysts also say they’re expecting another “provocation” from the Hermit Kingdom this week.

MAY BACKS HERSELF – After weeks of speculation that a challenge to topple UK PM Theresa May from the top job is in the making, she’s doubled down in an interview on the weekend. Describing herself as “resilient” and “determined”, she says she’s not giving up despite reports Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is coming for her job.

CATALANS' 'NO' SIDE ON DISPLAY - Crowds of more than 300,000 assembled in Barcelona on Sunday to protest against separation from Spain. The country is bracing for a divisive week after Catalan leaders said they will claim independence in days.

PADDOCK’S SCRIBBLES CALCULATED TARGET RANGE
A note found in Las Vegas mass-killer Stephen Paddock’s room has been deciphered by authorities. It’s believed to be the calculations of distance and trajectory from his 32nd-floor room for his attack on the crowd across the street attending a country music festival. While authorities struggle to find a motive, one prominent journalist says claims of responsibility from Islamic State can’t be dismissed out of hand. And country singer Jason Aldean (who was on stage at the time the shooting started) made a powerful comeback on Saturday Night Live singing I Won’t Back Down in a dual tribute to the victims of the massacre and to mark music legend Tom Petty's death last week.

ANTI-NUKES MOB WIN PEACE PRIZE
The Australian-founded International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) won the Nobel Prize for Peace on Friday. ICAN is a coalition of non-government groups working across 100 nations. The Nobel committee said it won the award “for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons, and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition on such weapons." Co-founder and Australian chair Professor Tilman Ruff told The Australian today that he’s still waiting on a congratulatory phone call from the PM.

GARDASIL UPGRADE TO PREVENT MORE CERVICAL CANCERS
While we’re all ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie’, can you believe it’s been 10 years since cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil was first launched into public awareness? We were the first country to provide the game-changing Oz-pioneered vaccine under a free, national program. It was announced yesterday that the program would be improved with Gardasil 9 (which immunises against nine strains of Human Papillomavirus HPV, the current dose protects against four) which could prevent 90% of cervical cancers. It will be available for boys and girls aged 12-to-13yo from next year.

QUICK SPORTS NEWS WRAP
KYRGIOS V NADAL IN CHINA OPEN FINAL – The Aussie lost against the world #1 in a quick match 6-2 6-1. Reports say Kyrgios lost his cool. Again.

BATHURST 1000 – Supercars racing 1000km by doing 161 laps of a track – safe to say it’s not our thing. Not even the rain or a slippery track would get us to pick it over a marathon screening of some dreadful zombie TV series we can’t stand. But you know, each to their own. Some bloke named David Reynolds and his co-driver Luke Youlden won. It was Youlden’s 18th attempt, so that's pretty cool.

NATHAN WALKER BECOMES FIRST AUSSIE TO PLAY PRO ICE HOCKEY – This is one for people who dream. Sydney-sider Walker skated for the Washington Capitals in their winning game on the weekend – he even scored a goal. Nice one, Stormy!

SQUIZ THE DAY

Bleeding Disorders Awareness Week

World Post Day

50th anniversary of death of Argentine Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara