28 June 2025 - Saturday Squiz

It’s been a weird one, but we have a cheesecake recipe that’s so good you know that things are looking up… Today, if you know a chronic second-screener, a photography fanatic, or have 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. Strikes, flights, and ceasefires -  America’s strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites in Operation Midnight Hammer and Iran’s “half-hearted” retaliation with strikes on a US base in Qatar kicked the week off. Since then, there was a sweary outburst from US President Donald Trump, and a ceasefire including Israel that’s mostly held… And thousands of Aussies in the region have been evacuated with the help of DFAT envoys. And breathe…

2. Some big meetings in Europe - President Trump had a pretty big win at the NATO Summit. Having pressed NATO nations to spend more on defence since his first term, they’ve agreed to boost their spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. For our part, Treasurer Jim Chalmers still says our planned increase to 2.3% is enough… The European Council Meeting in Brussels also got a bit of airtime as leaders’ talks centred on managing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

3. Tightening the purse strings - The NSW, ACT and Queensland budgets were all released this week with a major focus on wrangling debt across the board. NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey cut through national headlines with plans for more support for housing.

4. “We got smashed” - Said Coalition leader Sussan Ley in her address to the National Press Club on Wednesday. A review of the Liberal Party’s policies and strategies are on the cards, covering energy, defence spending, and the party’s appeal to women. It’s a big job…

5. Check your socials, kids - The law to ban social media for under 16yos was back in the headlines this week after Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, gave an update on where things are at in the lead up to its implementation in December. But with several kinks yet to be ironed out, including how the age verification tech will work, some experts reckon it could be worth considering a delay.

It’s you against the news…

Reckon you know which famous band announced they'll be back to tour Australia? Test your knowledge with this week’s Squiz Quiz.

Reflection of the Week

Anna Wintour might be stepping down from her role as US Editor-in-Chief, she’s not leaving Vogue anytime soon. The story made us recall that a couple of years ago, she shared a collection of some of her favourite stories and cover images from the magazine’s history. This photograph by Horst P Horst from the September 1939 issue is one of our faves.

Stocking up on some visuals...

You know what jill-of-all-trades/small business owners/someone working in comms/marketing need? Great visual assets in one convenient spot. iStock’s put together a handy set of tools to help you get that sorted fast. From quality stock photos and videos to new AI options, it’s easy to use and doesn’t need a big budget. Check out your options here.

In the Kitchen

With the raging dumpster fire of news at the moment, we’ve been craving something sweet - for balance - and this Cafe Con Leche Cheesecake definitely fits the brief. The coffee flavour cuts beautifully through the cream but doesn’t feel too heavy, meaning you can never have just one slice. Delish.

What we Shortcut for you this week

The nuclear non-proliferation treaty - With nuclear weapons at the centre of the conflict between Israel and Iran, we took a look at the agreement created to prevent their spread across the world - the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. You can read that here or listen to the podcast here.

The social media ban for under 16yos - In less than 6 months, the Albanese Government’s ban on social media for children under 16yo will come into effect. It’s the first law of its kind to be passed in the world, so in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at how it’s meant to work and where the tech is up to… Read here or listen to here.

Squiz the Week

Saturday - Term 2 school holidays begin in Queensland. And the inaugural Australian Tennis Foundation's Night of Champions will honour Evonne Goolagong Cawley in Melbourne.

Sunday - The Commbank Matildas are in Perth to take on Slovenia in the second of 2 friendlies, that’s at 8pm on Paramount+. And if you’re still awake, the Austrian Grand Prix race is on at 11pm from Spielberg, which you can watch on Kayo.

Monday - The funeral for 17yo Phoebe Bishop is on in Bundaberg. And the jury in the trial for Erin Patterson is set to begin their deliberations. And Wimbledon gets underway in London, with all the good stuff on 9Now. 

Tuesday - Happy new financial year… Foreign Minister Penny Wong will be in Washington for a Quad meeting with our US, Japanese and Indian allies. The minimum wage goes up today by 3.5%. And a 40-year-old time capsule set up by Telecom (now Telstra…) back in 1985 will be opened in Adelaide (wonder if a Care Bear will be in there…).

Wednesday - Fijian PM Sitiveni Rabuka will address the National Press Club in Canberra on security and climate resilience in the Indo-Pacific.

Thursday - Queensland’s Deputy Premier will give an update on plans for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games at the Queensland Media Club. And Round 1 of the 2025 NRLW season kicks off with the Sharks v Eels at Sharks Stadium - that’s also on Kayo.

Friday - Schools out in the ACT, NSW, Western Oz, Victoria, South Oz, and Tassie. Our thoughts/prayers are with the parents/carers…

*All times in AEST