26 July 2025 - Saturday Squiz

Happy Boxing Day in July - wishing you all the lazy enjoyment of leftovers and deferred domestic chores that Christmas (in July) brings... This weekend, if you have a realistic bear costume, a peculiar pasta pairing, or anything you’d like to share, hit reply.

⏱️ Reading time: 8 minutes

🎧 Listen to the Weekly Wrap with Claire Kimball and Jodie Speers

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. Australia condemn Israel - On Tuesday, the Albanese Government joined 24 other nations in signing a statement calling for an end to the war in Gaza and for Israel to lift its restrictions on aid. That move was rejected by Israel, as PM Anthony Albanese followed up with even stronger criticism yesterday.

2. The list on everyone’s lips - US President Donald Trump can’t shake his Jeffrey Epstein problem. He ended last week by suing the Wall Street Journal over an article about their history (Shortcut on their history here). Since then: the WSJ has released more reports; a top US Justice Department official has met with Epstein’s former associate Ghislaine Maxwell; and South Park has gotten involved…

4. Starting a beef with farmers - The Albanese Government announced on Thursday that it will lift all restrictions on beef imports from the US. This is all tied in with the conversation about Trump’s tariffs, but while the US President has claimed credit, Agriculture Minister Julie Collins says the decision comes from a new biosecurity risk assessment. Aussie farmers are not happy...

3. Tassie’s political purgatory - There’s still no clear winner from their snap election last Saturday after no one won a clear majority. As the major parties work to form agreements with crossbenchers, counting will continue until 2 August…

5. Talkin’ about AUKUS - Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Deputy PM/ Defence Minister Richard Marles met for annual talks with their UK counterparts - they’re set to sign a new 50-year treaty today to deepen the AUKUS agreement, which comes as the US reviews the deal.

It’s you against the news…

Reckon you know which tennis star achieved a special milestone this week? Test your knowledge with this week’s Squiz Quiz.

Shot of the Week

It was a black day for heavy metal fans on Tuesday when they learned that the ‘Prince of Darkness’ Ozzy Osbourne had died at 76yo. As the frontman of Black Sabbath, he leaves behind a legacy of crazy onstage antics, the well-loved reality show The Osbournes, and a catalogue of music that paved the way for heavy metal.

Sweet dreams are made of this

Sleep is the best, right? If you’re tossing and turning over picking a new mattress, Sleep Republic is a top choice for comfort and support. Recommended by CHOICE and backed by the Australian Spinal Research Foundation, their award-winning 'mattress-in-a-box' is all about comfort. Experience the Sleep Republic difference with a 100-night trial, and get ready to dream.

In the Kitchen

Pantry contents can be uninspiring, but it’s ground zero to source most of what you need for this leek, miso and lemon ditalini recipe. Pasta and miso might not seem like obvious besties, but trust us on this one - lemon and leek combine for a delicious savoury flavour bomb that’ll have you licking the bowl.

What we Shortcut for you this week

Trump’s Jeffrey Epstein headache - US President Donald Trump is dealing with backlash from his political base over the case of Jeffrey Epstein. We cover their long history, and why it’s arguably the most significant issue Trump has had to deal with since his new term began… Read that here or listen to here.

Why this Lions tour is crucial for Aussie rugby - Even if you’re not a fan, you might’ve clocked that there’s a lot of attention on rugby union at the moment. That’s because the British and Irish Lions are touring Australia, which comes at a good time because those in the know say Rugby Australia’s got some big challenges to get it back to the glory days of the late 90s/early 2000s… Read how here or listen to the podcast here.

Squiz the Week

Saturday - The countdown to Triple J’s Hottest 100 Australian songs starts at 10am. And it’s a big day for rugby fans - the Wallaroos take on Wales at 2pm in Brissie and the Wallabies play the second Test against the British & Irish Lions at the MCG. The latter is on from 8pm on Stan Sport. And an exhibition dedicated to iconic Hollywood fashion designer Orry-Kelly will be held in his hometown of Kiama - there’s also a gala tonight.

Sunday - The Super Netball’s prelim finals see the Swifts v Vixens at 2pm at Sydney Olympic Park - watch on Kayo. And go Oscar at the Belgian F1 Grand Prix in Francorchamps, Belgium, at 11pm on Kayo.

Monday - A UN Summit on a 2-state solution for Palestine and Israel will be held in Paris. And the Tour de France will finish with the ride into Paris around 2.00am - that’s on SBS on Demand.

Tuesday - The Australian Clean Energy Summit is on in Sydney.

Wednesday - Scott Farquhar, co-founder of Atlassian/chair of the Technology Council, will address the National Press Club in Canberra. The ABS will release the latest quarterly data on the Consumer Price Index - that’s the report the Reserve Bank is sweating on. And split it with a mate, because it’s International Day of Friendship AND Cheesecake.

Thursday - Reserve Bank Deputy Governor Andrew House will speak at the Barrenjoey Economic Forum in Sydney. And the AgriCULTURED Festival is on in Launceston, Tasmania.

Friday - Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs are set to take effect from today. The 25th Annual Garma Festival, Australia’s largest Indigenous gathering, gets underway in northeast Arnhem Land. And giddy up, it’s a birthday for horses in the Southern Hemisphere.

*All times in AEST