Squiz Today – Tuesday, 2 October

SQUIZ SAYINGS

“Peace pups”

It’s not quite the love letters US President Donald Trump has been receiving, but South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been on the receiving end of two Pungsan hunting dogs from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The pups, named Songgang and Gomi, were offered to cement the leaders’ warming relationship, and are the latest in a long line of diplomacy hounds. Big jobs for little paws…

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SULAWESI CRIPPLED BY QUAKE & TSUNAMI

THE SQUIZ
Authorities believe thousands could have died in an earthquake and tsunami that devastated Central Sulawesi, Indonesia on Friday evening. The magnitude-7.5 earthquake and up to 6-metre high wave hit the provincial capital of Palu, a city of 350,000 people, and Donggala. The current death toll is 844 people, but it’s believed it will rise once the full impact on the area is understood. Reports say 50,000 people have been displaced by the disaster, and 2.4 million people have been affected in total.

WHAT ELSE IS KNOWN?
• Reports this morning say the tsunami warning buoys off the coast of Sulawesi have not been working for six years. Hundreds were gathered at a beachfront festival in Palu when the tsunami hit.

• With the high number of deaths, authorities are concerned about the spread of disease. Some victims have already been buried in mass graves.

• Families are mourning the victims. One story that came to light is that of Anthonius Gunawan Agung, a 21yo air traffic controller who stayed at his post to help a passenger plane take off. He died when he jumped from the tower thinking it was about to collapse and has been hailed a hero.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
PM Scott Morrison has been in touch with Indonesian President Joko Widodo to offer Australia’s sympathy and help. The Indonesians have not asked for our assistance so far. Reports say the arrival of aid, including heavy lifting equipment, has been slow. For now, thousands of people are staying outside, terrified the area will be hit with another quake. No doubt the quakes that hit Lombok in July and August, killing more than 500 people, will be on their minds.

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SQUIZ THE REST

GEEZE IT’S DRY…
You’re not wrong. The official stats show we've just clocked the driest September on record with the nation receiving less than a third of our average rainfall for the month. Only April 1902 beats last month as the driest of any month since records have been kept. That’s not good news for drought-stricken farmers and firefighters bracing for hot, dry and dangerous conditions over spring and summer. Yikes…

BANK LENDING HITTING HOME PRICES
After the Banking Royal Commission’s interim report found our financial institutions like to make money (gasp…), analysts CoreLogic yesterday said it expects home prices to continue to fall. That’s because we’re in a ‘tight lending environment’ that’s tougher than when you tried to get your hands on your teenage sister’s new boots. When it came to September, Sydney and Melbourne's home prices continued to lead the fall, while juggernaut market Hobart kept on keeping on with prices up 9.3% over the last 12 months. The Reserve Bank meets today to consider interest rates, but the pundits aren't expecting any change.

FACEBOOK STARES DOWN BIG FINE
When we say big, we’re talking US$1.63 billion big. This has to do with the latest data breach where more than 50 million accounts (including Aussie users and boss Mark Zuckerberg) were compromised by hackers, but there's not a lot of detail on what has gone down. A fine from the European Union would be one of the first tests of their new General Data Protection Regulation laws. But there's a bit to go before it comes to that.

THEY SAID IT
Consider it an easy way into a few of things that happened since we last spoke:

"Seriously, these people are like, sort of miserable, miserable ghosts.”
That’s former PM Malcolm Turnbull’s assessment of predecessors Tony Abbott and Kevin Rudd and their inability to get over their political misfortunes. Rudd touché’d; “having told the world you've left politics behind, you seem to be in the media every day talking about it.”

“Thanks for being amazing.”
No, thank you, Elon Musk. The Tesla boss was keen to show his staff some love after taking a hit on the weekend. Musk agreed to step down as chairman (but remains CEO) with the US corporate regulator fining the company US$40 million for a variety of issues including Musk's (incorrect) tweets that he was taking the company private.

“Whilst dad was an Australian icon and champion of the community, most importantly to us he was our loving dad.”
Bob Jane, the tyre-retailing giant, died on the weekend from prostate cancer at 88yo. Jane had some highly publicised family troubles. But he was remembered for his big contribution to Australian car racing.

QUICK SPORTS NEWS WRAP
OPALS BEST RESULT IN 12 YEARS – But our national women’s basketball team were beaten by America in the final of the World Cup yesterday going down 56 to 73. The US targeted Aussie star Liz Cambage to limit her shooting opportunities. Because she’s that good.

AFL GRAND FINAL WITH AIDO 2.0 - If you were looking for an omen, the Collingwood banner fail was it. Collingwood started with five straight goals and while the West Coast Eagles clawed back to be level at three-quarter-time, it was this goal with just three minutes left that sealed it for the Eagles. The final score: West Coast 79 to Collingwood’s 74. Now, what to do for the next six months until Round 1 of the 2019 season?

NRL GRAND FINAL WITH GIBBO - Don't be fooled by the score - Sydney Roosters 21 to Melbourne Storm’s 6. This was a tough game. Every time Queenslander Billy Slater picked up the ball he heard what Blues supporters thought of him. But the story of the match belonged to the Roosters’ Cooper Cronk. He was brought in to win it, and he did it with a broken shoulder blade and quite a few fibs. They breed ‘em tough in the NRL.

And while we have you... Greg Inglis was yesterday charged with speeding and drink driving hours after being named Aussie rugby league captain.

SQUIZ THE DAY

2.30pm (AEST) - Reserve Bank announces its decision on interest rates

US First Lady Melania Trump embarks on a trip to Africa, her first solo international trip

ABS Data Release - Internet Activity, June

International Day of Non-Violence

Anniversary of the birthday of Mahātmā Gandhi, spiritual and political leader of Indian independence movement (1869)

Anniversary of the deaths of musician Tom Petty (2017) and actor Rock Hudson (1985)