20 June 2026 - Saturday Squiz

If Team Mexico has a jersey-wearing duck as their World Cup mascot, we’re pitching Robert Irwin and a quokka as ours… This weekend, if you’re taking your dog for a morning stroll, in the mood for some cosy French cuisine, or have anything else you’d like to share, hit reply.

⏱️ Reading time: 8 minutes

🎧 Listen to the News Club with Claire Kimball and Kate Watson

This week’s top 5 news stories

The week’s most mentioned news stories in Australia across TV, radio and print, according to media analytics firm Streem.

1. The US and Iran sign on the line - The 2 countries have signed a ceasefire extension and a 14-point plan on the road to a full peace deal. There’s a bit to it, but essentially the the Strait of Hormuz is open, and there will be a $428 billion fund for Iran’s reconstruction from regional partners. But there’s a lot to talk through on Iran’s nuclear program and Israel v Hezbollah before a peace deal is struck…

2. It’s one-all in SOO - The Maroons pulled an UNO reverse card on the NSW Blues for game 2 on Wednesday night, pulling off a comeback after they were down at half-time to win 44-24. They’re heading to the deciding game on 8 July in Brisbane, and we’re guessing the atmosphere will be intense…

3. The global game is everywhere - We’re more than a week into the FIFA World Cup, and there’s been some surprises in the first round of matches. The Socceroos faced the US team early this morning on its home ground in Santa Clara, California. After a lot of, shall we say, colourful back and forth between the teams, the US managed to grab a 2-0 win. We’ve still got another game left against Paraguay on Friday to turn things around…

4. An eventful afternoon in politics - One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson addressed the National Press Club for the first time in her political career, and it didn’t miss... She spoke for 55-minutes (when convention is to speak for 30…) on policy (in a little detail) and her broad positioning (in broad detail), and activist group GetUp unfurled a protest banner on the stage. And we’re not even in an election campaign yet…

5. A shark attack at Coogee - Locals are slowly returning to the water after a woman was attacked by a shark close to shore at Coogee in Sydney last Saturday. The 35yo victim Leah Stewart remains in hospital after multiple surgeries, inclusing to amputate her arm. Her brother shared the update saying “As a family we’ve been blown away by the support, care, love and generosity we have received.”

It’s you against the news…

Reckon you know which Aussie rock band announced a reunion this week? Test your news knowledge from the last week with the Squiz Quiz.

Pic of the week

To help us shake off this morning’s loss, could our selection be anything but the Socceroos’ first goal of the World Cup? Nestory Irankundra is the youngest Aussie rep to score at a World Cup as he put us ahead of Turkey in the first half of game 1. You little beauty…

Something's stirring under Wynyard

HBO Max has turned Sydney's old Wynyard station tunnels into a free, immersive House of the Dragon experience this weekend. Imagine being guided through hidden passages to the Dragon Pit, where you find out if you'd survive a dragon... Not a bad way to get ready for season 3 - it kicks off Monday, 22 June.

In the Kitchen

Is there a better way to curl up in the cold than with a French favourite? This coq au vin (AKA chicken in wine) recipe is delicious alongside some mash. And trust us, this recipe is a super easy one (thank you, Women’s Weekly…). You can even pop it in the freezer as a gift to your future self.

What we Squizzed for you this week

Squiz Special Series on AI - Between market moves and tech breakthroughs, AI news is everywhere, leaving us average peeps to figure out what to make of it. We’ve partnered with Minderoo on a 3-part series to help you get across the big questions - how Australians really feel about AI, who's protecting our data and legal rights, and what it all means for our national security. You'll find all 3 episodes at the top of the Squiz Today feed, listen here.

The Socceroos World Cup squad - Soccer fans will know that the squad has quite a few new faces in the mix, with some remarkable stories behind them - but a lot of us are hearing their names for the first time. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll get you across some of the players making news and their path to the World Cup. Read that here or listen up.

Zooming in on One Nation’s policies - According to the polls, the party has seen a surge in support since last year’s federal election, as Senator Pauline Hanson’s party challenges the major parties for support. So in this Squiz Shortcut, you will get across the party’s signature policies and who is influencing them. Read it here or listen to the pod.

Squiz the Week

Saturday - The Super Rugby final between the Hurricanes and the Chiefs kicks off at 5.05pm in Wellington - you can watch it on Stan.

Sunday - House of the Dragon season 3 drops on HBO, and it’s the Winter Solstice.

Monday - Federal Parliament resumes for a fortnight of sittings. And keep your eyes up here in Hobart - the Nude Solstice Swim for Dark Mofo is on.

Tuesday - The Queensland and NSW governments will hand down their Budgets. And the Aussies who were quarantined after being on the Hantavirus cruise are set to be released.

Wednesday - The Bureau of Stats will release the May Consumer Price Index, so check that out for the latest on inflation…

Thursday - Supergirl, starring Aussie Milly Alcock, will be released in Australian cinemas.

Friday - At 12pm, the Socceroos will play Paraguay at the FIFA World Cup in Santa Clara. You can catch that on SBS. We’ll be watching from Squiz HQ…

*Times in AEST