29 August 2026 - Saturday Squiz

Following the death of Dolly Parton this week, this is a message to any beloved figures who happen to read this newsletter: stay inside this weekend… Everyone else: if you're running the Sydney Marathon, settling in for some trash-adjacent telly, 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 Swans saga kicks on - Following last week’s suspension of 5 Swans players and a Victoria Police investigation into a report of sexual assault, the crisis peaked at last weekend’s historic SCG double-header. A club-record 16,672 AFLW fans watched the women win, and then hundreds of angry supporters left before the men's game. Off the ground, AFL boss Andrew Dillon officially barred the suspended players from attending the upcoming Brownlow Medal night.

2. A tragedy on the Nepal/Tibet border - A catastrophic glacier collapse triggered a deadly flash flood, leaving at least 580 people dead and over 2,000 missing, including 39 Aussies. The devastating torrent destroyed villages, roads, and 19 bridges, severely hindering emergency rescue operations. In response to the unfolding tragedy, Australia has deployed specialist emergency teams and committed $5 million in humanitarian aid.

3. Some alignment on AI and data centres - Australia’s National Cabinet has endorsed a world-first regulatory framework for AI. The upcoming laws will impose mandatory national standards on large data centres, regulating their immense land, water, and energy use. To get it done, the Feds offered flexibility to states reliant on coal and gas-fired power. 

4. Unveiling Secret Harbour’s secrets - When it comes to how its residents vote, anyway… This is about today’s state by-election in Perth's outer-south following the sudden retirement of long-serving Labor minister Paul Papalia. Historically a safe seat for the incumbent government, One Nation’s Luke Herdegen is shaping up as a major threat. It’s one for political junkies nationally this weekend.

5. Sticking with the West - A 2018 GST deal guarantees Western Oz a 75c floor per dollar so its mining boom wealth isn't redistributed to other states. And this week, eastern states revolted after a Productivity Commission report branded the $6 billion annual top-up arrangement a "costly mistake." But PM Anthony Albanese is holding firm, ruling out any changes, much to the aggravation of eastern states.

It’s you against the news…

Reckon you know which Western Australia electorate is holding a by-election today (umm the hint might be in the news rundown…)? Test your news knowledge from the last week with the Squiz Quiz.

Clip of the week

Sadly, it’s impossible to go past the incredible videos of the moment a torrent of water blasted down the Trishuli River in Nepal. If you want to dig further into what happened, this visual guide from The Guardian is a good one.

In the Kitchen

Some days, chopping up an onion or slow-cooking a sauce is in the too-hard basket. This creamy spinach and sausage pasta is for those days. It comes together very quickly, and because the sausage is pre-seasoned, it’s a lot of flavour without a lot of thinking.

What we Shortcut for you this week

Why do North and South Korea have beef? - In the past few weeks, South Korea has renewed its call for peace talks with North Korea. After 73 years, they’re technically still at war, so in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll get you across the background to the conflict and where things are at today. Have a read here or listen up.

The US midterm elections explained - We’re talking US politics - and you get to meet the latest Team Squiz member, Jonathan Liondis. On the upcoming midterm elections, we unpack what they are, how they work and what it might mean for the rest of US President Donald Trump’s time in office. Read it here or listen to the pod.

Squiz the Week

Saturday - We mentioned, it’s polling day in the Western Oz state by-election in Secret Harbour. And Iceland is holding a referendum on whether it should restart membership talks with the EU.

Sunday - The Sydney Marathon kicks off at 6.30am. Hot tip: keep an eye out for the medals that accidentally feature Allianz Arena in Germany instead of Allianz Stadium at Homebush…

Monday - At 1am, tennis fans rejoice with the start of the US Open in New York - you can watch on 9Now.

Tuesday - It’s the 75th anniversary of the US-Australia security alliance, aka the day the ANZUS Treaty was signed in San Francisco back in 1951. And the documentary on Olympically challenged Raygun, Untold: Raygun - Breaking Badly, is dropping on Netflix. Also, it’s the first day of spring 🌷

Wednesday - Consent campaigner Chanel Contos will address the National Press Club in Canberra on 'the systematic promotion of outrage, misogyny, and radicalisation online'. You can watch it on ABC iview.

Thursday - The Australian Museum Eureka Prize winners will be announced, celebrating excellence in science 🧑‍🔬

Friday - At 7.30pm, the Aussie Opals play Puerto Rico in the Women's World Cup in Berlin. Dribble in that direction on Kayo.

*Times in AEST