Squiz Today – Thursday, 15 November

SQUIZ SAYINGS

“If this was my last ever game, how would I want to play?”

Is what Aussie women's T20 vice-captain Rachael Haynes asks herself before a game. Yesterday, she helped our team to a win over the Kiwi White Ferns and a spot in the World finals. Asked and answered on the field.

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TRUMP TURMOIL AFTER HOUSE LOSS

THE SQUIZ
‘Five days of fury’ is how the Washington Post puts US President Donald Trump’s days after last week's midterm elections. Even by the standard set in the first half of his time in office, Trump has been busy blowing up at world leaders and plotting changes in his administration.

GIVE ME SPECIFICS…
Challenge accepted.

• UK PM Theresa May copped a verbal lashing from Trump on trade and Iran after she phoned him on Air Force One.

• His visit to Paris for Armistice centenary commemorations on the weekend wasn’t a happy one with the media going him over his cancellation of a visit to an American war cemetery.

• And French President Emmanuel Macron issued a public rebuke in his major commemoration speech by condemning the rising tide of nationalism. He may as well have said; “Yo Trumpy McTrumpface, your leadership style sucks!” Trump retorted with a flurry of tweets, including the taunt that if it wasn't for America, the French would now be speaking German. Oh yes, he went there.

• A staff shakeup is on the cards with rumours resurfacing that his chief of staff John Kelly is for the chopping block. The straw that may have broken the camel’s back was Kelly's advice not to attend the American cemetery because of logistical problems caused by the weather.

• And First Lady Melania Trump flexed some muscle calling for the removal of the deputy national security adviser after problems on her recent Africa trip. A highly unusual move…

WHAT’S THAT ALL ABOUT?
Trump’s team lost the House of Representatives in the midterm elections. The result changes the dynamics for Trump and the Republicans as they head towards the 2020 presidential elections. In the week that’s passed, Team Trump have demonstrated that the pressure is weighing on them by getting involved in some fractious encounters with the media, he's sacked Attorney-General Jeff Sessions, and fended off questions regarding the Russia probe. And as pundits say, when Trump is in a tight spot, he fights. Everyone. Over anything. Strap yourself in; it's going to be a bumpy couple of years…

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SQUIZ THE REST

TERROR PLOTTERS GUILTY
Three men have been convicted for planning a terror attack in Melbourne’s city centreduring the 2016 Christmas period. Police monitored Abdullah Chaarani, Ahmed Mohamed and Hamza Abbas (all in their 20s) as they bought materials to make explosives, tried to obtain guns and messaged each other about their plans. Abbas told police that during a reccie to Federation Square he thought about “how I'm going to use my knife as efficiently as possible." They will be sentenced in the coming weeks. The men and Hussan Kalif Shire Ali (the man who last week attacked pedestrians in Melbourne’s CBD) attended the Hume Islamic Youth Centre in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

AUSSIE SENTENCED TO DEATH IN THAILAND
Luke Cook, a 34yo Perth man, and his 40yo wife Kanyarat Wechapitak have been sentenced to death in Thailand. They were arrested almost a year ago for a 2015 plot to smuggle half a tonne of crystal meth (said to be worth $300 million) into Thailand and then onto Australia on behalf of his Hells Angels bikie brothers. Their convictions are expected to be commuted to life in prison.

MY HEALTH WEBSITE OPTS-OUT
If you were one of the thousands of Aussies trying to opt-out of having a My Health Record but couldn’t get past an error message or have your call answered yesterday, you have another couple of months to try your luck. The systems crash led Health Minister Greg Hunt to extend the opt-out period until the end of January next year. More than 1.1 million people had opted out by the end of October. If you want to get reacquainted with the pros and cons, this is a good guide.

HOUSEKEEPING!
WHEN SCOMO MET JOKO - It doesn’t scream rom-com, does it? Neither was yesterday’s meet-cute by all reports. The key takeouts – Indonesia says a free trade deal wouldn't be signed if Australia shifts our Israeli embassy to Jerusalem. And Morrison said a decision on an embassy shift would be made by Christmas.

BOEING UNDER PRESSURE – Lion Air and an influential pilots association say the manual for the 737 MAX 8 (the type of plane that went down in the Java Sea killing all 189 onboard a couple of weeks ago) doesn't warn about a feature that can cause the plane to dive. Yikes...

BORDER RUN – The first of the caravan of migrants have made it to the US border after their long trek from Central America. President Trump has ordered the deployment of 9,000 troops to prevent their crossing.

FEELING LUCKY, PUNK?
If you’re in the market for a home, the answer is yes. Yesterday’s Westpac Consumer Confidence Index found potential homebuyers reckon it’s a good time to get the chequebook out. And that has more to do with falling home prices than fattening pay packets. The Stats Bureau yesterday said the July-September quarter saw wages rise 0.6%, which takes the annual rate to 2.3% - low, but the best it's been in three years. Public servants are seeing more wage growth than their private sector cousins. Low wages growth (ie anything below 3%) is a key consideration for the Reserve Bank in their interest rate deliberations.

APROPOS OF NOTHING
If Thursday isn't a good day for some mood-lightening fodder, we don't know what is…

SCHWIMMER LOOKALIKE APPREHENDED – The suspected thief was arrested in London with the Metropolitan Police tweeting #IllBeThereForYou in support of their Blackpool colleagues (where the alleged theft occurred). Sadly there’s no mugshot to confirm the likeness to Friends star David Schwimmer.

SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND – A $69 million diamond at that… The Pink Legacy stone is the “Leonardo da Vinci of diamonds” according to auctioneers Christie's. It was bought at a record price by American jeweller Harry Winston. Wonder if they'll chop it up and make a few Meghan rings?

LAW ABIDING SWAN FAMILY – They use the pedestrian crossing, what’s your excuse?

SQUIZ THE DAY

ABS Data Release - Labour Force, October

Annual General Meetings for Fortescue Metals, Goodman Group and Wesfarmers

Jimmy Choo's 70th birthday (1948)