Squiz Today – Tuesday, 23 November

THE SQUIZ
The happy occasion attended by families from suburban Milwaukee in Wisconsin has become anything but when an SUV was driven at high speed into the crowd, killing at least 5 people. Their identities are yet to be released. Another 40 people, including at least 12 children and members of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies, were injured and taken to hospital. The driver is Darrell Brooks – he’s been taken into custody, and his car was recovered about 30km from the city. Reports say it does not appear to be an act of terrorism.

SO WHAT HAPPENED?
Waukesha was celebrating its annual Christmas parade – think marching bands and dancing girls with pom-poms performing for crowds lining the main street. This year’s parade theme was “comfort and joy”. At 4.40pm, Brooks drove his car into the area at high speed and ploughed into performers and crowd members. Reports say a policeman fired his gun in a failed effort to stop the car, but he got away. The horror was recorded on the city’s livestream and on the mobile phones of onlookers. An eyewitness said the car struck a local dance team of 9-15yo girls. One man said he heard what at first sounded like cheering but then realised it was screaming.

ANY WORD ON WHY THE DRIVER WAS SPEEDING THROUGH THE CROWD?
Police will address the media this morning on that point, but reports say Brooks was fleeing another scene – possibly a knife fight. It’s a sign of the times that terrorism was where many minds went yesterday, but a city representative said the family-friendly event wasn’t controversial – or political. Schools did not open on Monday, and trauma counsellors are being brought in to help.

Why did 5 Coalition senators cross the floor?

To get to the other side of the mandatory COVID vaccination debate – which is definitely a contender for the worst Squiz gag of 2021… Yesterday, One Nation’s Pauline Hanson lobbed a bill into the Senate calling for compulsory jabs to be canned. It was defeated despite support from the Coalition senators, including former minister Matt Canavan who said “you should not need to undergo a medical procedure to earn a living”. Fiercely opposing the move was Tassie’s Jacqui Lambie – she said people don’t have to get vaxxed, but “those choices have consequences.” In Oz, the Feds have mandated vaccination for aged care workers while the states and territories cover those in health services/other critical workers. The rest is up to employers to decide… Morrison’s troubles aren’t behind him – 2 of his senators and Queensland MP George Christensen are threatening to withhold their support on any legislation until mandatory vaccinations are quashed.

Taliban implements new TV rules as crisis worsens

Women have been banned from appearing in television dramas in Afghanistan under a raft of new guidelines issued by the Taliban yesterday. Under the new rules, female TV presenters have also been ordered to wear headscarves on screen, and anything racy has been banned. It’s the Taliban’s latest cultural crackdown since they seized power in August – but what’s on the telly can seem minor compared to, well, everything else… The United Nations’ World Food Programme predicts that more than half the population will face acute levels of food insecurity in the coming weeks. And the UN envoy for Afghanistan Deborah Lyons said last week that the country is “on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe”. Reports say aid agencies are demanding an emergency intervention by the UN before winter sets in.

Fears for Peng persist…

Peng Shuai disappeared earlier this month after making allegations on Chinese social media that she had been sexually assaulted by a senior political figure. And despite yesterday’s appearance on a video call with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, who said she’s fine and “prefers to spend her time with friends and family right now,” alarm bells are ringing loud. The Women’s Tennis Association says the call and recent videos distributed by Chinese state media “don’t alleviate or address the WTA’s concern about her wellbeing and ability to communicate without censorship or coercion”. And Amnesty International warned the IOC against playing China’s game. “In the past, we have seen various similar cases where people had no option but to say what they had been told to.” The WTA continues to press for an investigation into Peng’s allegations.

A trio of illuminating studies

• Last year, the number of newborns in the US fell for the 5th consecutive year to a 40-year low. The Pew Research Centre found that the number of Americans who are childless by choice is growing – most (56%) say they didn’t want to get into the rug rat game.

• Know anyone who has a whole thing about sniffing babies? Scientists have discovered a molecule in the smell of babies’ heads that they say reduces aggression in men but increases it in women, fuelling her protective instincts. Powerful stuff…

• And Israeli scientists have developed a new lie detector they claim has a 73% success rate. While TV show-worthy polygraphs track heart rate and blood pressure, the new test detects tiny changes in facial muscles that indicate if someone is lying. Which means we probably have to rethink our trademark wink…

Tiger’s getting ready to rumble

It was February when Tiger Woods was dragged from his totalled car after he crashed outside Los Angeles. At the time, Woods was recovering from his 5th back surgery, and he shattered his tibia and fibula bones in his lower right leg in the accident. His foot and ankle also required screws and pins. Fun fact: despite all the drama and injuries, the 45yo had never gone an entire year without playing professional golf since his first PGA Tour event as a 16yo. He won’t uphold that record this year, but fans were stoked to see footage of him whacking some balls with the caption “making progress”. It’s far from certain that he will make a top-level comeback, but mates say he will try.

Appliance giant Dyson has launched virtual reality (VR) technology that will allow customers to try out its products from the comfort of their own homes. You’ll need a headset and no expectations that your virtual vacuuming will result in a cleaner home.

El Salvador – which became the first country to use Bitcoin as legal tender this year – is building a Bitcoin city at the base of a volcano. They’ll use the geothermal energy to power Bitcoin mining, President Nayib Bukele said. And yes, he was wearing his baseball cap backwards at the time…

And a family in Tampa, Florida have been threatened with a $1,000 fine from their homeowners’ association for putting their Christmas lights up too early. Quite right [insert winky face emoji]. 

7.00pm (AEDT) Commonwealth Bank chief Matt Comyn and Australian Banking Association’s Anna Bligh discuss the banking sector – Brisbane

South Australia will ease its border restrictions for double-vaccinated people

Court mention for Hillsong founder Brian Houston, who has been charged with concealing historical child sexual abuse – Sydney

First court mention for the foster parents of missing boy William Tyrrell, who have been charged over the alleged assault of another child – Sydney

A birthday for champion swimmer and Survivor winner Shane Gould (1956), Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro (1962), and singer Miley Cyrus (1992)

The anniversary of the death of author Roald Dahl (1990)