Squiz Today – Tuesday, 16 April

SQUIZ SAYINGS

"He is getting stronger and can smile.’’

Said Vitisak Payalaw from Chevron’s drilling team in Thailand of a dog that he and the team found on Friday swimming near the oil platform, 220km out to sea. Boonrod, as he’s now called, means survivor. That he is…

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A TALE OF TWO FOOTY CAREERS AT AN END

THE SQUIZ
Big news in the rugby union/rugby league states yesterday as the curtains were drawn on the careers of two of our most talented players - one on good terms, the other… not so much.

GIVE ME THE HAPPY STORY FIRST…
Greg Inglis has retired. He’s "one of the great players in the history of our game”, according to legendary Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett. The 32yo fronted the media yesterday to announce he was calling time on his 15-year-long career. The kid from Bowraville, NSW became one of Queensland’s most celebrated Maroons over 32 State of Origin clashes. And he shined during 263 NRL games for the Melbourne Storm and South Sydney Rabbitohs, and 39 appearances in the green and gold. However, his career has not been without its challenges. He recently avoided a drink-driving charge, talked about his mental health challenges, and has been injury-prone. "My journey is only starting now," Inglis said yesterday. Rabbitohs manager Shane Richardson said; "Greg’s got the opportunity in the next 20 years to be one of the great indigenous leaders in this country.” Watch this space…

AND THAT LEAVES ISRAEL FOLAU?
You got it. Folau's rugby union career is coming to a close with Rugby Australia yesterday moving to terminate the contract of our top Wallaby. The devout Christian last week posted on social media a warning to people guilty of all sorts of ‘sins’ that they will "end up in Hell unless you repent." Folau had posted similar sentiments before and avoided sanction. Folau has until Wednesday to accept the termination or front up to a code of conduct hearing. Wallabies coach Michael Cheika yesterday said it was important the team represent all Australians, particularly with a World Cup coming up later this year. “We want everyone there fighting with us and standing with us," he said. For his part, Folau is not for turning. This morning, The Australian (paywall) reports former captain Nick Farr-Jones has urged Folau to apologise and RA to forgive him.

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SQUIZ THE REST

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PARIS’ NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL ON FIRE

Sadly the building has been engulfed by flames and it’s having a devastating effect with the roof collapsing and its famous spire falling. The Catholic cathedral dates back to the 12th century and is one of the city's most treasured Gothic structures packed with precious artefacts. People have been evacuated from the area, and there have been no injuries recorded. Speculation is the cause might be linked to ongoing restoration work on the roof. President Emmanuel Macron has visited the site and tweeted “Our Lady of Paris in flames.... Like all our countrymen, I'm sad tonight to see this part of us burn.” More pictures here.

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SHARROUF KIDS REUNITED WITH THEIR GRANDMOTHER

They are the highest profile Australian family caught up in the fall of Islamic State in Syria - the Sharroufs and their grandmother Karen Nettleton. Nettleton’s daughter Tara followed her husband Khaled Sharrouf to one of the most unsafe places on earth with their five children. Tara, Khaled and two of their sons have died. But 17yo Zaynab (who is pregnant with her third child), 16yo Hoda and 8yo Humzeh Sharrouf survived and are in a refugee camp in Syria. And last night’s ABC TV’s Four Corners captured the reunion with their grandmother, ending with Nettleton leaving Syria without them as the bureaucratic process to get them out drags on. PM Scott Morrison and Labor leader Bill Shorten have made reassuring noises about allowing them back into Australia if they can get out of Syria.

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PALMER MOVES ON QUEENSLAND NICKEL

United Australia Party Leader Clive Palmer yesterday agreed to pay back millions of dollars in entitlements to hundreds of workers who lost their jobs three years ago when his Queensland nickel refinery went into liquidation. The company collapsed in 2016 owing debts of about $300 million. It is not clear whether Palmer will cover the outstanding entitlements of workers, believed to be about $7 million, and repay the $66 million tab already picked up by the government. Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said the community could judge for itself the motivation for the timing of the announcement. Which is code for the coming election where Palmer has undertaken to field a candidate in every seat, including a possible run himself.

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ARDERN HITS SKY HIGH POPULARITY

In the first poll since the Christchurch terror attack, Kiwi PM Jacinda Ardern has reached a personal popularity high, climbing to 51% in the preferred PM stakes. National Party leader Simon Bridges scored 5%, as did fellow Nats MP Judith Collins. Asked whether her handling of the Christchurch attack was responsible for the boost, Ardern said; "I just know I have a job to do on behalf of New Zealand, and I’m doing it."

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PULITZER PRIZES ANNOUNCED

Hot off the press this morning are the big American awards across journalism and the arts. A couple of notable award winners are the Sun Sentinel in South Florida which took out the Public Service award for its coverage of last year’s Parkland high school shooting, and Pittsburgh's Post-Gazette won the Breaking News category for its work on the massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue. Reuters won for International Reporting on the Rohingya Muslim humanitarian crisis on the Myanmar/Bangladesh border. And Richard Powers has taken out the prize for fiction for The Overstory.

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MEN WITH BEARDS CARRY MORE BACTERIA THAN DOGS

It’s on the interwebs so it must be true.

SQUIZ THE DAY

12.30pm (AEST) - Reserve Bank minutes from its last meeting released

Queen’s Birthday - Denmark

Budget Day in the Northern Territory

130th anniversary of Charlie Chaplin's birthday