Squiz Today / 26 September 2018
Squiz Today – Wednesday, 26 September
THREE MINUTE SQUIZ
“Since it started nine years ago, the national program has seen the number of organ donors more than double which has resulted in more than 10,000 people receiving a lifesaving transplant.”
That’s pretty cool. But we can do better. Cindy Barry, CEO of DonateLife, Australia’s organ donation authority, and all-round top woman (she’s a Squizer after all…) joined us for this week’s Three Minute Squiz.
TRUMP’S SOLO WORLD STAGE SHOW
THE SQUIZ
Distracted by domestic political concerns (think an escalating situation with his Supreme Court pick and a fight with his deputy Attorney General), US President Donald Trump has addressed the United Nations General Assembly for the second time in his presidency to reiterate that America is running its own race under his administration. While he had some harsh words for China, Venezuela and Iran in his speech, the theme was ‘American sovereignty', and Trump vowed to "take action in world affairs based on his judgment about how it would benefit Americans.” And he brought some lols…
CAN AMERICA GO IT ALONE?
Not entirely. No country is an island. OK, that’s wrong. What we mean is the US needs security and economic allies. But Trump has already demonstrated that he’s willing to go it alone to pursue his agenda. Like hiking tariffs on Chinese goods. Like dumping the nuclear deal with Iran. Like attempting to negotiate peace with North Korea. On that front, Trump yesterday said he was looking forward to another summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un soon.
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING?
If you’re wondering who’s representing Australia at the UN this week, it’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne. And Kiwi PM Jacinda Ardern made history yesterday by bringing her three-month-old daughter Neve into the UN assembly hall. As the first world leader to have a baby in office in almost 30 years, Ardern said the decision to bring her partner and baby overseas was a practical one while others were excited by what it symbolised. But for cuteness, you can’t go past Neve’s designation as ‘New Zealand First Baby’ on her UN ID pass…
SQUIZ THE REST
COMEDY GIANT SENTENCED TO 3-10 YEARS PRISON
That’s Bill Cosby’s punishment for drugging and assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004. He was also labelled a ‘violent predator' meaning the 81yo legally blind former entertainment icon will have to undergo counselling and appear on the offenders’ registry. His team pushed for house arrest and are appealing his conviction. The sight of him leaving the court in handcuffs is quite something.
BLAST FROM THE PAST
You don't hear this every day, certainly not in Australia anyway… A 37yo man and his 4yo daughter were injured on Monday night when a piece of WWII ammunition the man had collected from a nearby beach exploded. Both suffered non-life threatening shrapnel injuries. The old shells (and not the marine type) were found near Port Stephens, NSW on a beach that was used as a training range during the war. Authorities said it’s best not to touch, let alone take home, old munitions. Note to self.
A TRIO OF SURPRISING STATS
BANKS SLOW ON BREACHES - The corporate regulator says it takes our major financial institutions four-and-a-half years on average to identify major compliance breaches and five years to make good with its customers. ASIC wants a bigger bat to swing to get better compliance.
BETTER BUDGET BULLETIN - Fresh from organising the removalists, PM Scott Morrison yesterday announced the finalised 2017/18 books show we ended up with a deficit of $10.1 billion – the lowest in a decade. Maybe they found some of former PM Malcolm Turnbull’s pocket change between the sofa cushions after he moved out?
MALE/FEMALE UPS/DOWNS - A bunch of official data (that’s the technical term…) released yesterday on gender equality showed men are paid more and have higher-ranking jobs, but they have higher suicide rates and are imprisoned at higher rates. Meanwhile, women live longer, and have higher levels of education but are paid less on graduation, and have less in superannuation.
INSTA MOMENT: FOUNDERS WALKING AWAY
Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, the 30-something blokes who sold their social media platform Instagram to Facebook for US$1 billion in 2012, are leaving the company. They say they’re moving on to do something new. "Building new things requires that we step back, understand what inspires us and match that with what the world needs; that's what we plan to do," said Systrom. Hailed as true creatives, the duo also enjoyed commercial success growing Instagram to a billion monthly users.
And in another corporate change, Michael Kors has bought designer label Versace for US$2.1 billion. Donatella Versace, who took over the fashion house when brother Gianni was murdered in 1997, will continue to lead the brand’s “creative vision”.
OPERATION ‘FREE BILLY’ A SUCCESS
Melbourne Storm fullback Billy Slater is free to play in this weekend’s rugby league grand final after an NRL judiciary last night cleared him of shoulder charging Cronulla winger Sosaia Feki. It means Slater has been granted the chance for a fairytale finish to his league career on Sunday as the Storm take on the Roosters.
And if you’re not too busy washing your hair tonight, NRL’s night of nights - the Dally M Awards - is on like Donkey Kong.
SQUIZ THE DAY
12.30pm (AEST) - Richard Di Natale, Leader of the Greens, to address to National Press Club on 'Bad Faith: How Government Lost the People's Trust and How we Win it Back' - Canberra
8.30pm (AEST) - NRL's Dally M Awards for the 'player of the year' - Sydney
ABS Data Releases - Deaths, 2017; Causes of Death, 2017; Engineering Construction Activity, June (well that's quite a trio...)
Anniversary of Australia II's victory in the America's Cup (1983)
Serena Williams' birthday (1981)
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