15 March 2025 - Saturday Squiz

March 15, 2025

Soz it’s a bit late this morning - it’s been a big week... This week, if you have a good use for cucumbers, F1 obsession (Drive to Survivers - we see you…), or anything else you’d like to share, hit reply.

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🤷‍♀️ IDK: How someone trying to look like a berry can be so insightful...

This week's top stories

Streem Leading News Stories - 8-14 March

1. Alfred blows… - While the devastation caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred wasn’t as significant as predicted, thousands have experienced wind damage and flooding of their properties and businesses. On Thursday, the Insurance Council said they’d received 45,000 claims. Thousands - mainly around the Gold Coast - remain without power. And beaches from the Sunshine Coast to Coffs Harbour are worse for wear…

2. Tariffs coming in hot - The hope was our close relationship and trade surpluses would see us exempt from US President Donald Trump’s 25% tax on Aussie steel and aluminium, but it wasn’t to be. “This administration is more nationalist on questions of foreign policy, more protectionist on trade policy, and much more transactional in its overall approach to international negotiations,” said our Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd.

3. Edging towards a ceasefire in Ukraine - A US-backed 30-day ceasefire deal has got Ukraine’s agreement, and overnight, President Trump said they’ve had “very good and productive” discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. A focal point right now is what happens to the Ukrainian soldiers in the Kursk region of Russia - reports say they are surrounded, and Trump says he’s “strongly requested to President Putin that their lives be spared.” 

4. A caravan con job - The discovery on the outskirts of Sydney of a caravan packed with explosives earlier this year raised the alarm on a possible terrorist attack - and put a cloud over the Albanese Government’s response to antisemitism. On Monday, authorities said the caravan was part of a “fake terrorism plot” allegedly orchestrated by organised criminals for personal gain.

5. A snappy response… - Thirty-two soldiers - 16/vehicle - en route to assist with the aftermath of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred were involved when their military vehicles rolled at Tregeagle, just outside Lismore, NSW. Later in the week, just one of the injured soldiers remained in hospital and was said to be doing well. Incredibly, the Sydney Morning Herald’s chief photographer Nick Moir was one of the first on the scene…

S’Quiz me real good…

Reckon you know which Kylie Minogue song King Charles put on his official Commonwealth Day playlist? Have a crack at the Squiz Quiz.

Update of the Week

F1 driver Oscar Piastri captioned this post “I seem to have multiplied” - and so did his bank balance this week… His contract has been extended, and it is rumoured to be worth $41 million a year. He’ll be hoping to become the first Aussie to win the F1 season opener Australian Grand Prix tomorrow arvo in Melbourne’s Albert Park.

Squiz Recommends

Reviewing - Last week, we did what we rarely do - recommend a recipe without having tried it first. So we wanted to report back on the masala potatoes - they’re super terrific. Don’t blink at the long boil time before roasting because it works a treat. We drizzled ours with greek yoghurt before serving. Yum.

Scrolling through - with caution… - Police in the Philippines detained former President Rodrigo Duterte on an International Criminal Court warrant issued for crimes against humanity during his so-called ‘war on drugs’ that saw 27,000 die - and he’s now in the court’s custody in the Netherlands. It’s controversial because the country’s no longer a signatory to the ICC, and his family retains political influence there. His daughter Sara Duterte is Vice President… That’s a long way of saying this bit of photojournalism from the New York Times from 2016 was how we were introduced to what was going on there, and it’s as compelling now - and horrifying - as it was then.

Becoming familiar with… - Rachel Zegler. She is a young actress on the rise and will be everywhere when Disney's live-action take on Snow White launches in the coming days, so we thought you might like to become familiar with her... Variety’s profile piece on her from late last year unpicks her steely determination.

In the Kitchen

We’re latecomers to the spicy cucumber salad sensation. Look, we never pretended to be trendy… But we now get the hype with this RecipeTinEats recipe. And with a good bit of the country experiencing a heatwave this weekend, it’s a cool way to enjoy something tasty with whatever you want to pair it with.

Cucumber - so boring, but with a bit of help, a lot more interesting

What we Shortcut for you this week

Why does the US want Greenland? - US President Donald Trump has made a lot of announcements in the short time he’s been back in the White House - but one that has raised some big questions is his intention to buy Greenland. It’s election time on the island - which is ruled by Denmark - and its future has never been more in focus. You can read up on that here or listen to the podcast here.

Former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte and the ICC - As mentioned, this was a big story this week. So we get you across who he is and what he’s alleged to have done. You can read more here or listen to the podcast here.

Squiz the Week

Saturday - It’s all about Gout Gout and his ambition to break the magical 10-second barrier for the 100m - AND to go sub-20 seconds over 200m as well. He’s competing today at the Queensland Athletics Championships

Sunday - As mentioned, it’s the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne - go Oscar Piastri, and go Jack Doohan. (If the second name is a bit familiar, he’s the son of Mick Doohan, our motorcycling world champ from 90s…)

Monday - It’s St Patrick’s Day - he’s the guy who they say brought Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century and drove the snakes away

Tuesday - Get your bins in order on Global Recycling Day

Wednesday - You know an election is coming when the National Press Club debates start up… Michele O’Neil from Labor and Andrew McKellar from the Coalition are debating Industrial Relations policy

Thursday - Beau Lamarre-Condon - the former police officer accused of murdering Jesse Baird and Luke Davies - is due back in court in Sydney

Friday - It’s Harmony Day - and we could all do with a bit of that…

Double-Tapping

There’s always something compelling about outsiders unpicking the Aussie psyche - but this person in the strawberry hat has a point - there is a bit of magic in how we do this…