3 February 2024 - Saturday Squiz

Welcome to the post-Australia Day/post-school holidays world we find ourselves in where it’s game on for 2024… This Saturday, if you have a story of a near-miss with a shark, a flood cleanup plan, or anything else you want to share with us, hit reply.

⏱️ Reading time: 7 minutes

🎧 Listen to the Weekly Wrap with Claire and Kate

🤷🏻‍♀️IDK: If Elmo becoming the internet’s emotional support puppet is something that could have been foreseen…

This week's top stories

Oh hello speculation about whether interest rates will rise, go down or stay on hold. We’ve missed you…

1. Fears of a widening Middle East conflict - There are a few things going on with this catch-all label, including peace talks with Hamas and Israel. One of the biggest stories was the drone attack on a US base in Jordan - yesterday, the US was said to have approved plans for a series of strikes on Iranian targets in Syria and Iraq in retaliation.

2. The Aussie Open ends on a high - They came, they sweated it out, and Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner came out the other end as the women’s and men’s winners. One million fans passed through the gates during the Flinders Park-hosted tournament, smashing records.

3. Tax cuts comin’ at ya - It was big last week, and it bubbled along this week - and changes to the Stage 3 tax cuts are set to be a big issue this coming week with Federal Parliament resuming in Canberra.

4. A sunset dip gone wrong - 29yo Lauren O'Neill was bitten by what they think was a bull shark during a sunset swim in Sydney Harbour on Monday. It was a rare occurrence that ran and ran in the Aussie and international media this week…

5. The inflation/interest rate loop starts spinning - Tuesday will see the first Reserve Bank board meeting of 2024, and promising inflation figures delivered this week saw the speculation machine kick into gear on what will happen to interest rates…

It’s the Squiz Quiz…

Reckon you know what a top official has said about the existence of aliens? Have a crack at the Squiz Quiz.

Picture of the week

Geez Queensland can’t catch a break… Floods continue to dominate the news there - and check out this lady who took a swim down Pine River Brisbane… Luckily the locals were able to escort her to safer ground. You can check out the search and rescue efforts here. 

Question of the week

The question: Elmo was just saying hi but ended up reminding us to check in with friends… So seeing as we are one month into the year, how are you doing? Is it a dumpster fire (as seen on X), or is 2024 panning out just fine?

The story: It started on Monday when Sesame Street fave Elmo innocently asked “How is everybody doing?” on X. The question transformed the fluffy red character into the world's therapist as thousands of users piled on with woes…

Merrill Davison, a bit of this and a bit of that - “Personally, it's great. I am 81yo and I work 20 hours a week with my friends. The only thing wrong with 2024 is that Trump is likely to be the GOP nominee for pres.”

Phillip, nailing the big life events - “So far, this year for me has involved proposing to my girlfriend, looking to buy our first apartment to live in when we get married and visiting a whole bunch of reception venues.”

Jo Manning, nailing the approach - “It's February 2. I’m already eating hot cross buns spread with melted Valentine’s Day chocolate, contemplating where January went. So who knows...”

Squiz Recommends

Reading - The shark attack in Sydney Harbour generated this terrific read in the Sydney Morning Herald about how these encounters are life-changing… It turns out there is a level of respect and insight people gain from their close encounter with a shark. 

Watching - It reminded us that Playing with Sharks on Disney+ with renowned Scuba diver Valerie Taylor is excellent. She dedicated her life to shark conservation and educating the public, and this doco sheds a different light on the magnificent fish. 

Buying - You’ll need something to sit on with all this reading and watching… One member of Team Squiz has tried and tested the Koala Cushy Sofa Bed and says it does both the sofa and bed functions well. And furniture that doesn’t break the bank is more than ok with us...

In the Kitchen

Confession time - we’re scrolling social media videos so much more than we ever have. And because our algorithm skews strongly towards food, we see a lot of good ideas like Curtis Stone’s charred corn salad, which is fresh and moreish. It’s terrific with some grilled meat or fish - or as a thing on its own.

What we Squized this week

Our Squiz Shortcut on melanoma dropped this week - It’s been in the news in a big way recently. Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, confirmed she has melanoma. And our 2024 Australians of the Year Georgina Long and Richard Scolyer have pioneered treatments for the disease. So in this week’s Squiz Shortcut, we get across ‘Australia’s national cancer’, the treatments, and what you can do to get onto any problems early.  Have a read or listen here.

And get ready for News Club - Starting Tuesday, this is a weekly show where Claire and Kate will take on one big news topic, provide some analysis, and share their reading, watching, listening on it… And get this - News Club will keep you at the heart of our news conversations by providing a place for you to engage with the news, ask questions, share your thoughts, and make suggestions. Bring it on… Hit follow on Apple here or Spotify here.

Squiz the Week

Saturday - The first match of the Women’s Cricket One Day International Series between Australia v South Africa bats off in Adelaide… And tonight, the polls open for the Democratic primary in South Carolina 

Sunday - It’s the men’s turn with the cricket One Day International Series between Australia and the West Indies starting in Sydney

Monday - Get your groove on at noon with the 2024 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. It’s also National Weatherperson Day. They are getting an absolute workout since La Niña entered the chat (umm did she ever really leave?)... 

Tuesday - Federal Parliament returns for the first sitting week of 2024. And it’s Safer Internet Day, which is very topical at the moment

Wednesday - Professor Allan Fels AO addresses the National Press Club on price gouging and unfair pricing practices. And a shout out to sporty types on International Girls and Women in Sports Day 

Thursday - It’s a big one… Papua New Guniea PM James Marape will address the Federal Parliament. Pakistan has its general election. And it’s a birthday for Our Queen Mary 

Friday - New York Fashion Week struts its stuff and hearts will be racing on World Pulses Day… Maybe a lentil curry is on the cards for dinner? 

*All times in AEDT

Double-Tapping

Our very own Milly Alcock (who you might remember from House of Dragon and Aussie comedy Upright) is the latest DC Universe family member. She’s secured the role of Supergirl in the upcoming movie - Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. DC Universe CEO James Gunn described the role of as ‘much more hardcore [than Superman]; she’s not exactly the Supergirl we’re used to seeing’… Must be the Aussie in her.

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