22 February 2025 - Saturday Squiz

February 22, 2025

We’re tempted to tell you how busy the week has been, but we don’t think we’re Robinson Crusoe there… This week, if you have a house full of your little people’s portraits, a favourite flavour combination, or anything else you’d like to share, hit reply.

⏱️ Reading time: 8 minutes

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🤷‍♀️ IDK: Does anyone ever listen when someone says ‘You’re going to regret that later’?

This week's top stories

Streem Leading News Stories - 15-21 February

1. Trump redefines America’s relationship with Europe - Sure, this started as talks about ending Russia’s war on Ukraine with the Trump administration that left Ukraine on the bench. But the last week has ushered in a bigger conversation, which is that America’s longstanding warm relationships with democracies in Europe don’t put them on US President Donald Trump's friends list. Did someone say ‘new world order’?

2. Come on down… - What goes up must come down by 0.25% this week as the official cash rate went to 4.1% from 4.35%. Inflation’s coming off more quickly than the Reserve Bank expected, Governor Michele Bullock said this week. Did someone say ‘federal election campaign’?

3. Toot toot troubles - If you’re in Sydney, you’re probably bored to death with this story. And if you’re in the rest of the country, you might not be interested… But if you needed to catch a train in the last bit, it’s been hell. Industrial action is on pause until July, and the hope is a deal will be made between the government and the union before then. 

4. Sending prayers - Pope Francis is in hospital with pneumonia, and overnight, his medical team provided an update - the first since he was admitted to hospital on 14 February. They say that while the 88yo is not in "immediate danger of death", his condition remains "fragile".

5. No Whyalla Wipeout… - Congrats - we now own a steelworks… In a big move, the South Oz Government has put the GFG Alliance/Sanjeev Gupta-owned operation into administration after the debts started wracking up, and the Albanese Government has also come to the party. In total, $2.4 billion of taxpayer dollar bucks have been committed to keep Australia’s only fully integrated steelmaking enterprise afloat.

S’Quiz me real good…

Reckon you know how much the Reserve Bank cut interest rates by this week? Have a crack at the Squiz Quiz.

Portrait of the Week

We couldn’t go past these portraits hand-drawn by Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and the Princess of Wales. Art comes in many shapes and sizes, but people reckon Prince George (bottom left) shows a bit of talent…

Squiz Recommends

Buying - Making relishes and pickling veggies yourself is all well and good, but sometimes you want someone to do the heavy lifting. Serva does a range at a good price point - our favourites are the Jalapeno relish and the Anise Myrtle and Fennel Pickle.

Reading - We enjoyed this The Hollywood Reporter profile on the latest rising star - Harris Dickinson. He’s relevant at the moment because he’s Nicole Kidman’s co-star in Baby Girl. It’s a great read about his career so far, the experience of breaking into the Hollywood scene, and why he was the perfect fit for the film.

Watching - Conclave. We just mentioned the Pope, so this is a bit of a coincidence… This is the critically acclaimed flick staring some big names about the death of the Pontiff and the process of electing the next one. And there’s a big twist at the end…

In the Kitchen

We’re glad we didn’t scroll past this red curry and coconut milk dish - it was simple to make, full of all the bits and pieces that make up a balanced meal, and most importantly, it was full of flavour. An addition to our weekly recipe list, we reckon…

A chopping board that deserves a chef’s kiss

Supper Supply is revolutionising the kitchen scene with their new chopping board, designed to be the only board you'll ever need. Great for home chefs seeking a thick and sturdy option, this board is crafted to handle all your chopping tasks with ease - and it's kind on knives, dishwasher safe, and large enough to accommodate any culinary challenge. Visit Supper Supply's website to discover this chopping board and explore its full range of innovative kitchen gear.

What we Shortcut for you this week

Your Shortcut to Jannik Sinner’s doping scandal - He’s one of the most talented players on the tennis circuit, but the world #1 has been suspended from playing professionally for 3 months following a doping scandal. So we get you across the background to the case, why he copped a relatively short band, and why it’s upset so many professional players. Listen to the podcast here.

Your Shortcut to the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine - That’s on Monday next week - and at the same time, talks about how to bring the war to an end are ramping up. So we get you across what the war has cost countries, what’s being done to bring about peace, and why US President Donald Trump is involved in that process. Listen to the podcast here.

Squiz the Week

Saturday - Taiwanese band Mayday will become the first Mandarin-speaking rock band to headline Sydney’s Accor Stadium tonight - it’s noteworthy because they’re iconic/huge in Asia…

Sunday - It’s National Banana Bread Day… What better reason do you need to bake a loaf of the good stuff… This is our go-to recipe 

Monday - Awards season continues with the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles, and live on Netflix from 11am  

Tuesday - American comedian Chelsea Handler is turning 50yo - if you’re a fan of her comedy, her recent podcast with Alex Cooper from Call Her Daddy was a funny one 

Wednesday - Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month - always a good reminder to get a check if you’re due

Thursday - In the evening, the start of Ramadan begins - it’s the Islamic holy month that sees Muslims worldwide fast, pray and reflect on their faith

Friday - You’re not telling me Summer’s over…

Double-Tapping

Pete Davidson, the SNL comedian who was covered in tattoos, has had a rebrand. On Valentine’s Day last week, he was hard-launched as US clothing brand Reformation’s Official Boyfriend. If you missed it, you’re welcome…