9 August 2025 - Saturday Squiz

Soz for the delay in sending - truth is no alarm was set, but the sleep-in was amazeballs so thanks for your patience... This weekend, if you have a staple minestrone, a deep relationship with ice cream, 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. Israel’s approved occupation of Gaza - From protests in Israel over videos of Israeli hostages, to mass marches in our own cities, the Gaza war was in the news a lot this week. And yesterday, Israel’s plan for a gradual military takeover of Gaza, starting with Gaza City, where they believe several hostages are being kept, was confirmed.

2. Another meeting, another deadline - US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday. And the update this morning is that US President Donald Trump posted to his social media that he will meet his Russian counterpart in Alaska at the end of next week. Stay tuned…

3. No new tariffs - This mostly happened a week ago but Trump’s tariff whack-a-mole lingered in the news all week with India copping a steep hike for importing Russian oil. Australia’s rate of 10% - the lowest on offer - is considered a bit of a win, but with Trump’s threats for a 250% tariff on our pharmaceutical exports, we’re not out of the woods…

4. Goodbye, Goodwin - We didn’t cover this story, but it was a big one in the AFL world. On Tuesday, Melbourne Demons coach Simon Goodwin was sacked with 3 games of the season left. In 2021, he took the team to its first premiership since 1964, so for Demons players and the footy community, it’s come as quite the shock.

5. A proposed pause on tough AI regulations - That’s what the Productivity Commission’s report suggested when it was released on Monday, to ensure Australia can make the most of the $160 billion economic potential AI could provide in the coming years. But critics of the report and its proposal to give AI companies a copyright exemption say it’s super bad for creatives and doesn’t help with the issue of public trust. TBC…

The Big Threat Episode 2 - The Enemy Within

In this week’s episode of The Big Threat - a new podcast series examining the global information wars - Bryce Corbett travels to Washington and New York on the eve of a presidential inauguration. There, he sat down with the Financial Times’ US correspondent and media literacy advocates. Read the highligor tune in to the podcast here.

It’s you against the news…

Reckon you know which Aussie library is one of the most beautiful in the world? Test your knowledge with this week’s Squiz Quiz.

Reflection of the Week

With the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima in WWII, political leaders and citizens paused to reflect. This post takes a look at how it was commemorated this year, and this gallery includes photos from after the bombing all those years ago.

The skincare ingredient that sounds weird but works wonders

Winter does a number on the skin, and for many of us, regular moisturisers just don't cut it. Enter Bescher Beauty's Sea Cucumber Collagen Glow Toner: it's packed with marine collagen, native botanicals, and hyaluronic acid that work together to deliver results. The proof? It sold out in 6 days after building a 35,000-person waitlist, so if winter skin is the bane of your existence, it might be worth trying. You can check it out here.

In the Kitchen

We think you probably know by now that soup normally isn’t our thing, but hearten it up with some pasta and a bit of protein, and you might have us convinced… This loaded minestrone with pork and ricotta meatballs passes that test and has been on high rotation for Sunday night batch-cooking this winter. Happy slurping…

What we Shortcut for you this week

Australia’s Closing the Gap plan - The latest Closing the Gap report shows there’s still a long way to go when it comes to improving the lives of First Nations people across the country, so we look at what’s being done to address it. Read that here or listen to the podcast here.

Ask The Squiz - Thanks to questions from you, this month we tackle how the US tariffs and the free trade deal interact, South Australia’s toxic algal bloom, and what the deal is with pets on planes. Let’s call it an assortment of news topics… Read that here or listen here.

Squiz the Week

Saturday - Nagasaki Day commemorates the victims of the second atomic bomb dropped on the Japanese city during WWII. Ekka, Queensland’s Royal Show, kicks off in Brisbane. And the World's Ugliest Dog Contest is back for 2025 in California, with the winner announced 11am our time.

Sunday - Australia’s men’s T20 side will play the first of a 3-match series against South Africa at Mararra Stadium in Darwin, watch on Kayo. And for adrenaline junkies, the Australian Indoor Sky Diving Championships are on in Sydney.

Monday - Today marks 100 days of PM Albanese’s second term in government. Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury Dr Andrew Leigh will speak about 'reigniting productivity growth in Australia' at a CEDA event in Canberra.

Tuesday - The Reserve Bank will announce its latest decision on the interest rate at 2.30pm. And the 90-day tariff truce between the US and China is set to end, though President Trump has signalled he’s close to extending the deadline.

Wednesday - Aussie food icon Maggie Beer will be at the National Press Club to talk about her new project to transform aged care through better food. And the NSW Parliament will celebrate 100 years since the election of its first female member Millicent Preston-Stanley. She’s pretty cool…

Thursday - The Pacific Airshow gets underway on the Gold Coast. The AFLW season kicks off with Carlton v Collingwood at 7.15pm in Melbourne’s IKON Park, watch on Kayo.

Friday - Victory in the Pacific Day marks the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in WWII. Women’s Minister Katy Gallagher will speak at the 2025 National Conference of Women in Media in Sydney. And Beijing will host the first-ever World Humanoid Robot Games - we’re picturing lots of prostrate bots on the ground after missing a step…

*All times in AEST