Squiz Today / 25 September 2019

Squiz Today – Wednesday, 25 September

THREE MINUTE SQUIZ

“When we don’t agree, the disagreements tend to the surreal. I mean, who knows how Fae magic actually works?

Said Christopher Scanlon of his working relationship with wife Kasey Edwards. They are journalists and authors, and their collaboration has resulted in The Chess Raven Chronicles - a young adult fantasy series that’s “an antidote to the toxic messages young girls receive”. Please welcome Kasey and Chris to the Three Minute Squiz.


VIOLENT CLASHES ESCALATE IN WEST PAPUA

THE SQUIZ
At least 26 people were killed in two separate incidents on Monday in clashes between Indonesian forces and activists. With authorities clamping down on protests against the racism students say they are subjected to, four people were killed (including a soldier) when police fired on the crowd in Jayapura. And at least 22 people were killed in a riot at another student demonstration in the city of Wamena.

WHAT’S THAT ABOUT?
Long story short:

• When you look at the landmass directly to our north, draw a line down the middle and to the east is Papua New Guinea, an independent nation. To the west are the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua (collectively referred to as 'Papua' by the Indonesians, and 'West Papua' by others including those who advocate for its separation).

• Formerly a Dutch territory, the United Nations handed its administration to the Indonesians in 1963. A dodgy referendum six years later confirmed the arrangement. Since then, many indigenous Papuans have fought against racism and human rights abuses at the hands of Indonesia’s security forces, and they’ve raised concerns that the region’s natural resources are being exploited.

• Over recent months and intensifying in the last few weeks, the number of violent incidents have increased as thousands of people join rallies against the central government.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Well, Indonesian President Joko Widodo isn’t backing off. He’s previously called for calm and has ordered “firm action against anarchist and racist actions”. He also promised to develop the region further. And while protests are not new, experts say this is different in ferocity and scale. But for now, they say activists’ calls for a referendum on independence for West Papua are falling on deaf ears. Indonesia's authorities currently have their hands full... Protests in Jakarta yesterday saw thousands turn out against the proposed changes to the criminal code that would include a ban on extramarital sex amongst other things.


SQUIZ THE REST


JOHNSON’S SCUTTLING OF PARLIAMENT OVERTURNED

UK PM Boris Johnson is facing a wave of calls to resign after the Supreme Court last night ruled that his decision to suspend the parliament for five weeks was “unlawful”. It was the unanimous decision of 11 judges that the move stopped MPs from carrying out their duties "without reasonable justification". Johnson supporters say the court has strayed into political matters, but the court’s president Lady Hale (rocking an incredible diamond spider brooch…) said it had nothing to do with Brexit. Johnson shut the parliament down to reset the government's agenda, but the court's decision has given critics license to claim he misled the Queen, who approved the proroguing of parliament on his advice. Johnson, who is in New York, said he was disappointed but "refused to be deterred" from getting on with leaving the European Union on 31 October and his broader agenda. MPs return to Westminster to resume yelling at each other today.


NO BREAKTHROUGHS FROM UN CLIMATE SUMMIT

They came, they saw, they talked a lot… about taking action. But the UN's Climate Action Summit saw few new commitments. China, the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, did not up its targets but said it is on track to meet its Paris Agreement obligations. French President Emmanuel Macron put the European Union on notice saying: “I don’t want to see new trade negotiations with countries who are running counter to the Paris Agreement.” He’s talking about you, America… Australia was represented at the Summit by Foreign Minister Marise Payne, but she did not have a speaking role. Meanwhile, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro has addressed the UN overnight calling on the world to butt out of the Amazon. More than 80,000 fires have broken out in the globally important rainforests so far this year.


IT’S A LONG WAY TO THE TOP IF YOU WANT TO BE A FEMALE CEO

The number of women running our top 200 listed companies has fallen in the last year, according to the annual CEO Tracker released by recruitment agency Robert Half. And it’s not because no top jobs opened up - 22% of the ASX200 turned over their CEO in the year to 20 July. The report found 6% of the companies surveyed were being led by women, down 1% from 2018. And four of the new 48 new chief executives were female. The more things change...


QUICK BUSINESS NEWS WRAP

PAYPAL UNDER THE MICROSCOPE - Money laundering regulator AUSTRAC has ordered Paypal Australia to appoint an external auditor to investigate concerns the payments platform is being used to order child exploitation materials from Asia. Paypal came forward with the issue after an internal review.

MMM CHOCOLATE SPREAD... - Wrong response. Australian supermarket operators are investigating allegations of child labour in the Nutella supply chain. A BBC investigation revealed many hazelnut farms in Turkey, which provide 75% of the world’s supply of hazelnuts (of which Nutella producer Ferrero buys one third), are using child labour. Ferrero, which produces 11 million kilograms of Nutella annually in its Lithgow, NSW factory, said it is “not asking questions” about where their hazelnuts come from.

BOEING PAYS BEREAVED FAMILIES - Almost 350 families who lost relatives in plane crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia will each receive A$213,000 in compensation. Paid from a US$50 million financial assistance fund, the families said it wasn’t enough. One of their attorneys said; “The families really want answers."


RIOLI TESTS ARE IN

West Coast Eagles player Willie Rioli tested positive for traces of cannabis after the team's elimination final victory on 5 September, according to the AFL. The doping rules state that testing positive for an illicit substance on game day, no matter its effect, is considered performance-enhancing. Rioli also allegedly tampered with his sample during a drug test in August. The Eagles released a statement saying they will continue to support Rioli while the investigation is underway.


APROPOS OF NOTHING

Cats - they're either all smooshy or plotting your demise. But a new study says they’re as capable of making human bonds as dogs. Which makes it more terrifying when so many seem to choose not to...

You know that old painting in your elderly relative’s home? It might be worth checking if it’s a missing 13th-century masterpiece.

In a hump day work rut? This opportunity might be worth a punt… But you’ll have to fight us for it.

SQUIZ THE DAY

12.30pm (AEST) - Marcia Langton to address the National Press Club on 'Innovation - Indigenous genius then and now’ - Canberra

Wednesday morning New York time - PM Scott Morrison to address the United Nations General Assembly

ABS Data Releases - Australians' journeys through life: Stories from the Australian Census Longitudinal Data; Deaths, and Causes of Death in Australia, 2018

Catherine Zeta-Jones (1969) and husband Michael Douglas (1944) share a birthday

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