25 January 2025 - Saturday Squiz

January 25, 2025

With the shortest month of the year upon us, we have a very important decision to make. Every year we have a month off the booze, and February is a good one to do with its neat 4 weeks. But this time around, it seems a bit soon… This week, if you have any long weekend plans, a dish that goes exceptionally well with a vino, or anything else you’d like to share, hit reply.

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This week's top stories

Streem Leading News Stories - 18-24 January

1. A deal is done - It went right down to the wire to get the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in place, but it got across the line. And on Monday, 3 female Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza for 15 months were released in exchange for 90 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. More are due to be released today.

2. When too much tennis is barely enough - And we’re at the pointy end of the Aussie Open. In the women’s singles final tonight, Aryna Sabalenka v Madison Keys. On Sunday in the men’s, it’s Jannik Sinner v Alexander Zverev. Not in the winners’ circle - those who booed Novak Djokovic yesterday when he retired hurt…

3. Hate crimes continue… - An arson attack on a childcare centre in Sydney’s Maroubra made headlines internationally… It means that since late November, there have been 6 major antisemitic incidents in Sydney and one in Melbourne - 5 of those involving arson. Also this week, Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said they’re investigating “whether overseas actors” were behind the attacks...

4. Dancing around a TikTok ban - Just before a federal ban was set to go into effect in the US, the Chinese-owned social media juggernaut went dark, but it was back online the next day after receiving assurances from Donald Trump that the company wouldn’t be fined. Note: users there say the version that’s been restored isn’t the same…

5. Speaking of Donald Trump… - America’s 45th President became it’s 47th this week. A much smaller crowd was hosted inside the Capitol building rather than outside in the -6C conditions. That warrants a picture gallery, don’t you think?

S’Quiz me real good…

Reckon you know who hometown hope Alex de Minaur lost to in the Australian Open quarter-finals this week? Have a crack at the Squiz Quiz here.

Picture of the Week

Putricia the corpse flower at Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden has bloomed for the first time in 15 years. Blooming is a shortlived rarity - and the stench is described as resembling dirty socks, cat food, and bad BO. Despite that, she’s formed quite the community in person and online.

Squiz Recommends

Reading - We enjoyed this piece from the Guardian on Australian Open fashion through the decades. Bring back the 90s fashion, we say… 

Listening - We listened to Vanity Fair’s cover piece Inside Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Big Business Ambitions, 5 Years After Their Royal Exit instead of reading it - you can do either/both… The first section about their podcasting efforts is sooo much fun.  

Watching - It’s official: the second season of 1923 is now in production. As people who really enjoyed the first season on Paramount+, we recommend watching that - we mean, how can you go past Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren… It’s a prequel to the show Yellowstone - another cracking watch.

In the Kitchen

We were feeling decadent last weekend, so we whipped up this lobster spaghetti with chilli breadcrumbs (we used prawns instead of lobster for convenience). We felt as happy as a pig in mud.

What we got across for you this week

A Squiz Shortcut to Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s legal battle - The 2024 film It Ends With Us was a huge box office hit, raking in over 10 times its budget. But the film’s success has been overshadowed as its 2 stars have launched lawsuits against each other over claims of abuse, smear campaigns and reputational damage. You can read/listen here.

News Club interview with Anthony Albanese - Last Friday, we locked in the first podcast interview of this election year with the PM. What we got is a conversation that strips away the assumed knowledge and focuses on his values, approach to politics and the basics of what he believes good government should be. If there’s one thing you’re going to listen to this weekend, we hope it’s this one.

Squiz the Week

Saturday - From 12.30pm, chill out and listen to some good (or not-so-good) tunes for Triple J’s Hottest 100. At 7.30pm, the 2025 Australian of the Year will be announced on ABC TV/ABC iView. Also at that time, the women’s singles final of the Aussie Open starts

Sunday - The Australian Open is wrapping up for another year with the men’s singles final - that starts at 7.30pm

Monday - There’s a national public holiday for Australia Day 

Tuesday - Queensland, Victoria, South Oz and NT kiddos are back at school for the first day of 2025 🤓 

Wednesday - It’s Lunar New Year, bringing in the year of the Wood Snake

Thursday - It’s one of our favourite days of the year - World Croissant Day   

Friday -  A very happy birthday to Aussie icon Pesto the Penguin - she’s one 🐧 

Double-Tapping

Where does Barron Trump get his height from?