Squiz Today – Wednesday, 12 September

THREE MINUTE SQUIZ

“I once cooked Sausage Casserole for Maggie Beer and Stephanie Alexander. They ate it. They've also never come back to my house for dinner.”

Confession time: we have a bit of a crush on Amanda Blair. She’s an ace woman who conquered radio, writes for the Women’s Weekly, got her Tarago painted to resemble a Hot Wheels car, enters her baked goods in the Adelaide Show and rates compassion above all else. And she likes The Squiz (squeal!). Yep, we’re in deep… Please welcome Amanda to the Three Minute Squiz.

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KNIGHT WATCH ON SERENA CARTOON

THE SQUIZ
Mark Knight, cartoonist from Melbourne’s Herald Sun, was yesterday hit with a wave condemnation from American media outlets and the Twittersphere for a cartoon that ran in Monday’s paper depicting tennis champ Serena Williams “throwing a tantrum”. Backed by the paper as having “nothing to do with gender or race”, the cartoon was criticised for depicting Williams as having “exaggerated lips and nose reminiscent of racist depictions of black people in the US during the Jim Crow era.” Knight was also accused of ‘whitewashing’ Japan's Naomi Osaka by depicting her as a skinny blonde woman. Despite the heat, today's front page takes on the "self-appointed censors".

UNPACK THAT A BIT…
The Jim Crow reference relates to “dehumanising” depictions of African-Americans that were prominent last century, and the one before that. On top of that, there's the “angry black woman” discussion, which both Oprah and Michelle Obama have commented on, so there’s some explosive material to work with… And for a taste of the international media coverage, this opinion piece on CNN’s website by Australian writer Max Berry calling Oz “the nicest racist country you will ever see” is a start.

WHAT DID PEOPLE SAY?
JK Rowling, Harry Potter author - “Well done on reducing one of the greatest sportswomen alive to racist and sexist tropes and turning a second great sportswoman into a faceless prop.”

Brenna Edwards, Essence Magazine - "You have Serena in the foreground as a hulking mass, not even looking like a human. Anyone with two brain cells to rub together knows what that was.”

Neil Mitchell, 3AW mornings host - "It didn’t even cross my mind it was meant to be racially offensive. It was a sports bully, throwing a tantrum.”

Mark Knight - “The world has just gone crazy.”

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SQUIZ THE REST

TWO BOYS DROWN IN PERTH POLICE CHASE
Police said a group of five boys ran from them on Monday afternoon, with four fleeing into the Swan River. Two of those boys drowned. The two that survived the swim were found by police and treated by paramedics before being reunited with their families on Monday. And the fifth boy was found safe yesterday afternoon. Police had been called because there were reports they were jumping fences in suburban Maylands. “This is nothing short of a tragedy that has taken these young boys’ lives,” said Police Commissioner Chris Dawson.

DUTTON DOUBLES DOWN
Dutton v Quaedvlieg - episode 4893… Or is that just how it feels? Tired of batting off justifying decisions taken as the Minister for Immigration/Home Affairs, Peter Dutton yesterday launched a blistering attack under parliamentary privilege on former Border Force boss Roman Quaedvlieg. Dutton accused him of “grooming” a younger woman – a reference to Quaedvlieg being dismissed from the Border Force for helping his girlfriend get a job with the agency. Quaedvlieg called for the remark to be withdrawn. Until next time…

A TRIO OF POWER PLAYS
WAR GAMES – Russia is playing host to China for five days of military exercises and "coordinating weapons systems and command structures" (just nod…). Defence types say both countries are focused on modernising their military capabilities. And both have difficult relationships with America. The US says it’s watching closely.

DEAR DONALD – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has written to US President Donald Trump to request another meet-cute, something the White House says it’s open to. That comes despite US national security adviser John Bolton saying they are waiting for North Korea to take steps towards getting rid of its nukes.

US BLASTS THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT – The ICC, which is considering prosecuting US servicemen for alleged abuses in Afghanistan, was labelled “illegitimate” by National Security Advisor John Bolton yesterday. The US has not joined the ICC with Bolton adding it was a threat to  "American sovereignty and US national security".

WINDY DAYS AHEAD
There’s a lot of hurricane/cyclone/typhoon activity happening in the world right now but here are two to note:

• Hurricane Florence looks like she's going to be nastier than her name suggests. Bearing down on the east coast of the US, 1.5 million people have already been evacuated. Massive flooding is expected when Flo makes landfall on Thursday US time.

• And Super Typhoon Mangkhut is currently intensifying in the Pacific and headed towards the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China.

Batten down the hatches…

ALCOTT’S “SAD” VICTORY
Congrats to Aussie wheelchair tennis champ Dylan Alcott for his second US Open title beating world #1 David Wagner. Alcott criticised organisers for moving Monday's match to an indoor practice court where spectators were not allowed access. “It was pretty sad,” said Alcott. But a win's a win and "the milky bars are on me" he said.

DUBBO ROLLS OUT RHINOS FOR HARRY AND MEGS
One of the surprise elements of Prince Harry and his bride Meghan’s trip to Australia next month is a visit to Dubbo in NSW’s Central West on October 17. Why are they going there? “Why not? One thing we are sure of, is that they’re going to have a great time!” said local rag, the Daily Liberal. And to make sure, it’s put together a list of ten things they could do while in town complete with a countdown clock. Coming in at number two: get a photo with a fibreglass rhino at the airport. Can't you just see it?

SQUIZ THE DAY

12.30pm (AEST) - Kate Jenkins, Sex Discrimination Commissioner, to address the National Press Club - Canberra

ABS Data Releases - Sources of Disability Information, 2012 - 2016; Changing characteristics of the Torres Strait region and its people, 2011 to 2016

Westpac Consumer Confidence Index

Start of the Global Climate Action Summit (on until 14 September) - San Francisco

Anniversary of the disappearance of 3yo William Tyrrell from Kendall, NSW (2014)