Squiz Shortcuts: Recent Episodes
Squiz Media
Each week, Squiz Shortcuts gives you the backstory to the big news stories. In the usual Squiz tone, we'll keep it short and sharp, and opinion-free. If you're interested in the news but sometimes find there is a whole lot of assumed knowledge which makes it confusing and time-consuming to get across - Squiz Shortcuts is for you. The Squiz is your shortcut to being informed.
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In this episode we cover the issue of legal challenges, existing Indigenous bodies, and get into the nuts and bolts of voting again. Want opinion-free, agenda-free information on the Voice and the Referendum? We've got you covered with our resource centre here. If you found it useful, please share it with your people. Got a question for us? Ask it here or send us an email at hello@thesquiz.com.au. Other things we do: Squiz Shortcuts - a weekly explainer on big news topics Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties!
A powerful earthquake hit Morocco over the weekend, with the death toll quickly climbing over 2,000. As the search and rescue operation continues, we look at Morocco’s vulnerability to this type of disaster, and what can and has been done elsewhere to mitigate earthquake risks. Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties!
In this episode we cover questions about improving Indigenous outcomes, how risky is constitutional change, and the ticks and crosses of your vote... Want opinion-free, agenda-free information on the Voice and the Referendum? We've got you covered with our resource centre here. If you found it useful, please share it with your people. Got a question for us? Ask it here or send us an email at hello@thesquiz.com.au. Other things we do: Squiz Shortcuts - a weekly explainer on big news topics Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties!
The G20 is meeting this weekend in New Delhi, India, and its a big opportunity for international leaders. So in this Squiz Shortcut we’re going to remind you what the G20 is, what it aims to achieve, and what members – including Australia – are hoping to get out of this year’s summit...
Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties!
Some powerful nations are holding a summit this week – and no, it’s not the G20, the Quad or APEC… It’s called BRICS and it’s a gathering of China, India, Russia, Brazil, and South Africa. If there’s a fence going down the middle of global blocks, BRICS is on the other side of it. So in this Squiz Shortcut we’re going to talk about its history, what’s on the BRICS agenda, and why it might be expanding. Squiz recommends: A great explainer from The Economist on BRICS and the tensions within the group. If you’re more of a watcher, Bloomberg TV has some short video explainers on BRICS. Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Over the next few days you're going to be hearing a lot about the Australian Labor Party's national conference – the big Labor love-in which sets the party's policies. In this episode, we're going to dig into how the conference actually works, what might happen this time around, and how similar conferences work for the Liberals and other political parties.
Squiz recommends: The ABC's list of the greatest hits and biggest moments from previous Labor Party conferences. Political Lives by historian Chris Wallace, a book about Australian PMs and their biographers. Buy using this link and The Squiz may earn a little commission.
Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Matildas have had a best-ever World Cup performance, progressing through to the final 4. So we thought now would be a great time to get across the history of our national women’s football team and nail down how we got to this big moment.
Squiz recommends: Kieran Pender's excellent writing for The Guardian on all things Matildas. The Disney+ doco Matildas: The World at Our Feet.
Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's the most wonderful time of the year if you're a shareholder of a publicly listed company... Following the end of the financial year, businesses big and not-so-big publicly disclose the details of their financial performance and outline their plans for the future. It's called reporting season and it's a big generator of business news stories in August, so in this Squiz Shortcut, we'll get across what it's all about and why it matters.
Squiz recommends: Reporting season calendar - CommSec The socials of the excellent business journo Alan Kohler and his son Chris.
Hosts: Kate Watson and Claire Kimball Producer: Lara Robertson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump has been charged with serious offences related to a plot to overturn the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden. It’s Trump’s third indictment - something that hadn’t happened even once before Trump. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we’re going to talk about what these new charges are and why they’re so important, and we’ll cover what might happen next. Squiz recommends: Politico's tracker of Trump's legal cases The Run Up podcast from The New York Times Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
One of Australia's greatest-ever rugby league players, Wally Lewis, is the latest sports star to speak out about a diagnosis of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) - the disease caused by repeated head knocks or concussions. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at why Wally's diagnosis is such a big deal, what our sporting codes are doing about CTE, and what’s happening with a Senate inquiry into concussions.
Squiz recommends: Wally Lewis' 60 Minutes interview Our Squiz Shortcut on concussions and sport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
China’s foreign minister, Qin Gang, disappeared from public view in June, and after a month of speculation reports surfaced that he’d been removed from his job. Once a rising star in the Chinese Communist Party, the minister’s sudden downfall has raised questions about doing business with the world’s second biggest economy. Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's been just over a week since Victoria pulled the pin on hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games - and the future of the whole event is still up in the air. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at how Victoria got itself into this mess, who could come to the rescue, and if there even is a future for the Commonwealth Games.
Squiz recommends: Commonwealth Games weird and wonderful moments - ABC News Australia’s most iconic Comm Games moments - Fox Sports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
So many of the TV shows and movies we love come out of America, but a writers' and actors' strike over pay and the use of artificial intelligence is disrupting production schedules. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll get you across what's behind the dispute, and what effect the strikes could have on the industry. Are these extras in a film real people or AI generated? Check it out for yourself...
Squiz Recommends: Dropout.tv, a streaming service for original comedy shows. Find it here or on YouTube. And from Vox, 'Hollywood's historic double strike, explained'
Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We've been hearing a drip-feed of worrying economic data coming out of China, and we heard this week that their annual growth rate might fall below expectations. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we talk through why China's economy is slowing, and what it might mean for the rest of the world.
Squiz recommends: The Prince podcast about Xi Jinping - The Economist The US-China trade war, an interactive graph - The Lowy Institute
Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's nearly kick-off time for the biggest women's sporting event ever held in Australia, and our own Matildas will be centre stage. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at the rise of women's football around the globe, the who's who of the 32 nations competing, and how the Aussies will measure up.
Squiz recommends: Group-by-group guide to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup - The Sydney Morning Herald/The Age Matildas: The World at Our Feet - Disney+ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week NATO held a summit of its leaders, with big consequences for the war in Ukraine. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we though we'd go back to basics and get you across NATO and its involvement in the Ukraine war so far, as well as what the military alliance has to do with the future of the war – and of Ukraine. Squiz recommends: A explanation from the NATO website on Australia's involvement with the military alliance A map from CBS showing the nations currently in NATO
Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Robodebt has been in the news all week, after the Royal Commission dropped its final report into the illegal debt recovery scheme. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at the fallout for the politicians and public servants involved in the scheme, and what might change as a result of this report.
Squiz recommends: The 7am podcast's 'Inside Robo-debt' series The Royal Commission's list of recommendations, and the report
Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We’ve heard a lot about overpopulation but for some countries including Japan and South Korea, the issue is not too many people, but too few. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at why some populations are shrinking, what those countries are trying to do about it, and if too few people is really such a big deal.
Squiz recommends: Japan's Shrinking Population Faces Point of No Return - Newsweek OECD country birth rate tool
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
At the start of this week, Israel launched its most intense airstrikes on the occupied West Bank in nearly two decades and sent hundreds of ground troops into a crowded refugee camp, saying they are trying to root out armed militants after a year of escalating violence. In this Squiz Shortcut, we lay out the basics of the conflict between Israel and Palestinians and get across the latest development. Here's our 2021 Shortcut on the Israel-Gaza conflict. Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
All the crazy events in Russia over the past week have left the world wondering what it all means. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at some of the theories on how this could play out for Russia, what it means for the war in Ukraine, and why the experts are having trouble figuring it all out. Squiz recommends: The Year Putin Didn't Die - Newsweek Understanding Ukraine's Counteroffensive - NYTimes' The Daily podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The recent turmoil in Russia centers on one man: Yevgeny Prigozhin. With all the talk of private armies and the potential end of Putin's regime, this Shortcut gives the backstory to Prigozhin: Who is he? And how did he get so much power? Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
When Saudi Arabia pumped billions of dollars into backing the rival LIV golf tour- there were howls of outrage - with many athletes and commentators calling it a blatant example of sportswashing. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at what sportswashing is, some of the most high-profile examples, and how fraught this is getting for both sport and business.
Squiz recommends: Talk show host John Oliver's takedown of the Qatar World Cup Sportswashing Is Everywhere, but It’s Not New - Sports Illustrated Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More details are emerging about a migrant ship disaster off the coast of Greece, where an estimated 500 passengers are still missing. We take you through what we know about the boat disaster so far, as well as the latest on Europe’s attitudes towards migration.
Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the birth of podcasting, so in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at how it all got started, how it completely changed the media landscape, and what's ahead for the medium.
Squiz recommends: Podnews email 13 Minutes to the Moon podcast - BBC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Donald Trump has been indicted again, and it’s the first time a former US president has faced federal charges. Those charges will see Trump back in court this week, so in this Squiz Shortcut we’ll get you across what the Justice Department has claimed, why the development is so extraordinary, and what’s next.
Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Prince Harry has taken the unprecedented move, for a royal, to sue Britain's tabloids for unethical practices that he says filled him paranoia and upended his relationships. In this Squiz Shortcut, we unpack why Harry is bringing this case, what the allegations against the tabloids are, and what happens next.
Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties!
Artificial intelligence, or AI, has been getting quite a bit of really bad press lately, with experts warning it could ultimately spell the end of the human race. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at what AI is, why some of the biggest names in tech are so worried, and what governments are going to do about it.
Squiz recommends: A short clip of 60 Minutes reporter Tom Steinfort talking to an AI robot How to Spot an AI-Generated Image Like the 'Balenciaga Pope' - TIME Magazine
If you live anywhere along the east or west coast of Australia, chances are you might have heard it's whale watching season, when nature's biggest mammals head north in a mass migration. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at what a whale migration is, how whales are faring with so much concern about our oceans, and where and when you can get to see all the action.
Squiz recommends: Underwater vision of the Humpback whale, narrated by the one and only Sir David Attenborough ORCCA census day information
Alright Squizers, strap yourselves in because we're going to the Moon… Yep, you read that right - US space agency NASA reckons it's about to take another giant leap for man (and woman) kind and this time it's not just about walking on the moon - but actually setting up camp there. So in this week's Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at what steps are being taken to return to the moon, how NASA is planning to set up a village, and why the 2030s will be the big space decade to watch. Squiz recommends: The Dish - Netflix NASA's Twitter and Instagram Everyday objects that were actually invented for space exploration
Victorians head to the ballot box on Saturday and this campaign has been pretty bruising. Premier Daniel Andrews is going for a 3rd term, and while the polls suggest he's on track to stay in power, the state's seemingly endless lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 meant the gloss has well and truly come off. So in this week's Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at the post-COVID vibe in Victoria, why Andrews has earned the name "Teflon Dan", and how the election might play out.
Squiz recommends: Mashd N Kutcher - Get On The Beers (feat. Dan Andrews) Daniel Andrews's legacy could be immortalised in bronze, but there's a tightening Victorian election to win first - ABC News
Next week, billions of eyeballs will be on Qatar for the start of the soccer World Cup. This has been one of the most controversial tournaments in the game's history - and that's before a ball is even kicked. So in this week's Squiz Shortcut we take a look at why Qatar is hosting the tournament, how the world's reacted to the decision and a form guide on who might take home the glory. Squiz recommends: Grey Wiggle video Ted Lasso clip Lionel Messi highlights
Next week leaders from around the globe will converge on Bali for a meeting of the G20 - which is the forum that brings together the world's biggest economies. There’s been a lot of focus on a possible showdown between the Presidents of Ukraine and Russia - but there is plenty more to watch out for. So in this week's Squiz Shortcut, we break down the big issues on the G20's agenda, how the Russia issue is going to play out in Bali, and some of the other diplomatic landmines waiting for the world's leaders. Squiz recommends: Malcolm Turnbull's selfie with Xi Jinping and Donald Trump A British Vogue gallery celebrating Brigitte Macron's G20 outfits back at the G20 in 2017. So chic...
Next week in the US voters will cast their votes in the midterms, which will elect a whole bunch of new members to Congress (which is the equivalent of our Federal Parliament.) So in this week's Squiz Shortcut, we break down what the midterms are, why you'll be hearing about them and Donald Trump and the big issues for voters in America right now. Squiz recommends: Tracking the states where abortion is now banned - NY Times Joe Biden falls off bike while cycling in Delaware - YouTube Why Kari Lake is the next Republican star - Politico
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has just handed down his first Budget, the first for a Labor Government in nearly 10 years. He's called it "solid and sensible" but warned that the world is heading towards tougher economic times. So in this week's Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at the state of the economy, what's in the Budget for you and the big challenges headed our way.
Squiz recommends: ABC's overview of the winners and losers from the Budget A summary of the Budget verdicts from SMH's and Age's experts
Mahsa Amini was a 22yo Iranian woman who was arrested by the country’s morality police in mid-September for wearing her hijab too loosely. She died in custody some days later, which led to large-scale protests across Iran and the world. So in this week's Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at what life is like for women in Iran, how these protests have been unfolding, and what might shake out in Iran's future. Squiz recommends: Iranian women before and after the Islamic Revolution The journalist who broke Mahsa Amini’s story and the price she is paying for it
It was on 12 October 2002 that 202 people including 88 Aussies were killed in a terror attack in Bali. This week marks 20 years since that horrific event, so in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at what happened on that night in downtown Kuta, who was responsible for the attacks, and how it changed our relationship with Indonesia. Squiz recommends: Life-saving medical innovations and burns treatments that came from the Bali bombings, 20 years on - ABC News Operation ALLIANCE: 2002 Bali Bombings - AFP Podcast
Whether you're an Optus customer or not, you might have heard the news of one of Australia's worst-ever data breaches that left millions of peoples' data exposed. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at how it happened, what the federal government is doing to try to stop history from repeating, and why a lot of Aussie businesses will be stepping up their cyber game. Squiz recommends: The government's Essential Eight checklist is a must-do to keep on top of cybersecurity for all your devices. Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast
There have been some big developments in the war in Ukraine, and the world's on edge wondering how it's all going to play out. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at Russia's big call-up of troops, its threats to go nuclear, and the way it's using referendums to claim parts of Ukraine. Squiz recommends: Global News Podcast - BBC Two Cities, Two Armies: Pivot Points in the Fight in Ukraine’s East - The New York Times
There have been some big developments in the war in Ukraine, and the world's on edge wondering how it's all going to play out. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at Russia's big call-up of troops, its threats to go nuclear, and the way it's using referendums to claim parts of Ukraine. Squiz recommends: Global News Podcast - BBC Two Cities, Two Armies: Pivot Points in the Fight in Ukraine’s East - The New York Times
It wasn't that long ago Netflix was that shiny new thing we all went crazy for, but huge competition from other streaming services and a bit of audience fatigue with its shows means the gloss has come off. So in this Squiz Shortcut we take a look at the extraordinary rise of Netflix, who's who in the current world of streaming, and how all this competition might shake out. Squiz recommends: Top 10 TV shows in Australia My Brilliant Friend - SBS On Demand
It wasn't that long ago Netflix was that shiny new thing we all went crazy for, but huge competition from other streaming services and a bit of audience fatigue with its shows means the gloss has come off. So in this Squiz Shortcut we take a look at the extraordinary rise of Netflix, who's who in the current world of streaming, and how all this competition might shake out. Squiz recommends: Top 10 TV shows in Australia My Brilliant Friend - SBS On Demand
It doesn't matter about your age, where you live, or what you were doing last week - it's very likely you've been swept up in coverage of the Queen's death and the new era of King Charles III. So in this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we cut through the noise and take a look at a brief overview of the Queen’s 70-year reign, the events of the past week and what could happen going forward, and the future of the monarchy here in Oz.Squiz recommends:The Queen's best outfitsThe Age’s Tony Wright gives us an insight into how Queen Consort Camilla has won over hearts and minds after being a much loathed figure in the UK and abroad.
It's been a bit of a ride in recent months when it comes to politics in the United Kingdom. The nation's new prime minister - former Foreign Secretary Liz Truss - was sworn in this week, so in this Squiz Shortcut, we get across why there's been a leadership change in the UK, who Liz Truss is, and the biggest challenges she's facing at home and abroad.Squiz recommends:The Liz Truss Foreign Secretary One - Political Thinking with Nick Robinson podcastLiz Truss' dance moves
Everywhere you turn in Australia people are looking for workers. Businesses are calling it a “crisis” and the new Albanese Government is holding a Jobs and Skills Summit this week to try to fix some of the most serious issues. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at how it’s come to this, who's responsible for educating and training the workforce of the future, and some of the ideas on the table to try to turn it around.Squiz recommends:Treasury's issues paper for the Jobs and Skills Summit12 of the most fun jobs
We're currently going through a pretty extraordinary period in Australian politics, with revelations that former PM Scott Morrison secretly appointed himself as a minister to 5 key portfolios. So in this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we'll answer all the big questions on how and why this happened, how are we governed in Australia, and who calls the shots in our Parliament.Squiz recommends:Plagued by Simon Benson and Geoff ChambersA collection of the best memes on the Morrison ministries saga - Pedestrian
This week marks one year since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan after the United States and its allies left the country. The country's economy is now in a state of collapse, with the United Nations estimating that almost all Afghans are living below the poverty line and human rights abuses are running rampant, particularly for women and girls. So in this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we take a look at how Afghanistan got to where it is now, what's been happening in the last year under Taliban rule, and what's next for the troubled nation.Squiz recommends:Photo essay on women and girl's lives under Taliban rule - Time MagazineCounterterrorism Chief Christy Abizaid on Top Terror Threats to the US - Intelligence Matters podcastSecret girls' schools in Afghanistan; China's kangaroo astronaut; mystery caves on the moon; and squirrels that sploot - Squiz Kids podcast
Judith Durham and Olivia Newton-John were both giants of Australian music and died within one week of each other. They had very different musical styles, but both left a huge mark, so in this Squiz Shortcut, we get across what was shaping the Australian music scene at the time, the life and times of the 2 women, and the massive legacies they both leave behind.Squiz recommends:The Seekers performing I Am Australianat the 1994 AFL grand finalOne of ONJ’s classic songs from Xanadu, Magic
▲The Albanese government said it would deliver the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full, and we've now heard of plans to hold a referendum to establish a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous Voice to Parliament within the next couple of years. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at how a referendum works, what a Voice to Parliament is, and the hurdles it's likely to come across in the process.Squiz recommends:The Uluru Statement from the Heart full textPM Anthony Albanese's annotated Garma Festival speech - The Sydney Morning HeraldThe Uluru Statement from the Heart - Squiz ShortcutsTook the Children Away - Archie Roach
Two and a half years of COVID has made us all more virus literate, and now there are concerns about 2 more that are going around - monkeypox and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). So in this Squiz Shortcut, we'll cover off what monkeypox is and what led to it being declared a global health emergency, what FMD is and the threat it poses to our farming industry, and the steps that are being taken to combat both viruses.Squiz recommends:'The agony of an early case of monkeypox' - The New Yorker'Foot-and-mouth disease is on Australia's doorstep. What will it look like if it spreads?' - ABC News
It's been 2 months since Anthony Albanese and his Labor team beat the Coalition led by Scott Morrison and Barnaby Joyce to reclaim government at the federal level. With Parliament set to resume on 26 July, we set the scene and take a look at the who's who on the front line, and the government's priorities that will shape the federal political scene in the weeks and months to come.Squiz recommends:2022 federal election promise trackerWhat the start of a new parliamentary term involves - APH website
The beautiful and culturally rich nation of Sri Lanka is in economic and political collapse. With its President fleeing the country on a military jet amid mass protests, we take a look at the foundations of Sri Lanka, it's recent political history, and how one powerful family brought the nation to its knees.
Our recommendations for further reading/watching/looking:A photo gallery of the President's official residence in Colombo during the mostly peaceful protests
How one powerful family wrecked a country - Washington Post
Australia and the Pacific Islands used to go together like cossies and sunscreen, but things have become more complicated and the relationship has been strained in recent times. So before PM Anthony Albanese and other Pacific Islands Forum leaders gather in Fiji to talk, we're going to go through our connection to the region, Australia's role in supporting Pacific Island nations, and the challenges and opportunities ahead.Recommendations:Larissa: Our Shortcuts episode on the Solomon Islands and ChinaClaire: Fiji's Prime Minister on the Paris Climate Agreement, from Fiji's perspective.
The US Supreme Court has overturned Roe v Wade, removing American women's constitutional right to have an abortion. It wasn't exactly a surprise - the draft opinion was leaked 2 months ago - but when it was announced it was met with huge disappointment by campaigners for access to the services and celebration by those opposed to abortion. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at what led to the Supreme Court’s decision, what it means for reproductive rights in the US, and where Australia's at on the issue.Squiz recommends:Abortion is now banned in these states. Others will follow - Washington Post Reproductive rights around the world - Foreign Policy20 ways the Supreme Court just changed America - Politico
Figuring out how to start and grow a business can be intimidating, so in this 4-part series, we talk to 4 Aussie businesses about what they wished they knew before they started and how they got to where they are today. This is the final episode we are talking to Matt Whiley, founder of RE bar. He has been a business owner for over 20 years, so who better to talk to about the highs and lows of owning a business.
This limited series is brought to you by Square. Learn about how Square can help you to start, run or grow your business here.
Check out RE Cocktail Bar and Kitchen on Instagram or through their website.
One of the biggest news stories going around is what's happening with our energy system, with Oz facing a raft of issues that have smashed supply and demand for electricity. It's a discussion that's packed with technical jargon and detail, so in this Squiz Shortcut, we get back to basics and take you through how our power grid works, what's happened to bring it to crisis point, and what can be done about it.
Squiz recommends:Energy Made Easy website
5 tips on how to save energy and money
See /privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Over the past 5 years, the Murugappan family has become the most high-profile asylum seeker case in Australia. Their fight to stay here started almost 10 years ago, and has taken many twists and turns as the couple and their 2 children fight for permanent residency after the adults' applications for refugee status were rejected. So in this Squiz Shortcut we go through the background to the case, how the Central Queensland town of Biloela took them under their wing, and what happens now that they've gone 'home to Bilo'.
Squiz recommends:
Why do Tamil asylum seekers need protection and why does the Australian government say they don't? - The Conversation
Home to Bilo campaigners for Tamil asylum-seeking family await weekend reunion - ABC News
Figuring out how to start and grow a business can be intimidating, so in this 4-part series, we talk to 4 Aussie businesses about what they wished they knew before they started and how they got to where they are today. In this third episode, we talk to Collective Closets about dealing with the unexpected, being able to adapt and how it can drive success.
This limited series is brought to you by Square. Learn about how Square can help you to start, run or grow your business here.
Check out Collective Closets on Instagram or through their website.
UK PM Boris Johnson is a colourful character whose career has ranged from journalist to politician, to world leader. He's been a significant figure in the UK during Brexit and has been leader throughout the COVID pandemic, which hasn't been without scandal. Having just survived a challenge to his leadership, we take a look at his life, his career, and why 'partygate' has got him into a bit of hot water.
Squiz recommends:
My Boris Johnson story - The Spectator
Boris Johnson, the mystery man and the Bullingdon Club: Where are they now? - ITV
Figuring out how to start and grow a business can be intimidating, so in this 4-part series, we talk to 4 Aussie businesses about what they wished they knew before they started and how they got to where they are today. In this second episode, we talk to Tribe Skincare about growing your side hustle from the kitchen bench to a fully-fledged enterprise.
This limited series is brought to you by Square. Learn about how Square can help you to start, run or grow your business here.
Check out Tribe Skincare on Instagram or through their website.
In the first episode of our new Squiz Shortcut series on building a business, we take a look at the ins and outs of entrepreneurship. Figuring out where to start can be intimidating, so in this 4-part series, we talk to 4 Aussie businesses about what they wished they knew before they started and how they got to where they are today. And in this episode, we're talking to Grumpy Donuts about where it all starts: finding your big idea.
Brought to you by Square. Learn about how Square can help you to start, run or grow your business here.
Check out Grumpy Donuts on Instagram @grumpydonutsofficial or through their website.
When Anthony Albanese's claimed victory for Labor in the recent federal election, he acknowledged the traditional owners of the land and committed to delivering the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at the background to the statement, what it's about, and how it might be delivered.
Squiz recommends:
The Uluru Statement from the Heart
Treaty - Yothu Yindi (Original Version)
Treaty - Yothu Yindi (Filthy Lucre Radio Edit)
The 2022 federal election sees record Indigenous representation - ABC
The 2022 federal election was quite a ride... What we saw was a result that ushers in a change of government to Labor, sends the Coalition into opposition for some deep reflection, and the arrival of the biggest crossbench the Australian Parliament has seen since WWII. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we'll get into where things have landed, the trends that delivered that remarkable result, and what's next.
Squiz recommends:
The path to power: How the 2022 federal election was won and lost - ABC Four Corners
How the election result has changed our cities - ABC
Mike Cannon-Brookes - the billionaire co-founder of tech company Atlassian - has been making a few headlines recently off the back of his attempt to buy Australia's largest energy retailer AGL and transform it into a lean, green, power-generating and retailing machine. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at his early life, his career in business, and why he's so keen on getting his hands on AGL.
Squiz recommends:
Mike Cannon-Brookes’ Ted Talk on imposter syndrome
Article on Atlassian's approach to remote working
A big battle is brewing in America over the future of abortion rights after it was revealed that the Supreme Court is on the cusp of overturning a judgement that legalised terminations across the country: Roe v Wade. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at the landmark legal decision, the efforts over the years to overturn it, and what will happen if that occurs.
Squiz recommends:
'Supreme Court has voted to overturn abortion rights, draft opinion shows' - Politico
'The Roe Baby' - The Atlantic
The world's richest man, Elon Musk, stunned the business world when he launched a $44 billion takeover bid for social media giant Twitter. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at the backgrounds of Twitter and Elon Musk, how this transaction came about, and what's next for the platform Musk calls a digital "town square".
Squiz recommends:
Profile on Aussie Tesla chair Robyn Denholm - Australian Financial Review
Live updates on Musk's Twitter acquisition - The New York Times
The French have voted to give incumbent President Emmanuel Macron another 5 years in the top job. It was a decisive win, but he faces a divided nation, which is split between the haves and the have nots and differing visions about the future of France. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we run through the election result, what's happening in France, and what it means for the world, including here in Oz.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Macron bares his 'he-vage' - https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/french-president-emmanuel-macron-turns-heads-with-bristling-carpet-of-chest-hair-exposed/news-story/0c471279134ccb29ea4256a7bda1be09
Macron's official photographer's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/soazigdelamoissonniere/
Before the war in Ukraine and on the eve of the Beijing Winter Olympics, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping entered into a strategic partnership to cooperate with each other and challenge the power of the West. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at the 2 countries, their shared world views, and how this new alliance has been challenged by the war in Ukraine.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Who are Putin's daughters? (BBC) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61011141
Xi and Putin admire some pandas (Reuters) - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-china-xi-putin-zoo-idUSKCN1T62HW
This year, Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating her Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the British throne. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we look back at her reign, what's in store for the Jubilee celebrations, and what's next for the scandal-plagued royal family.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
The infamous 2019 BBC interview with Prince Andrew - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtBS8COhhhM
The Queen (2006) - available to watch on Binge, Foxtel and Paramount+
The Solomon Islands is poised to sign a controversial security deal that would increase China's military presence in our region, putting them less than 2000kms from Australia. It's fair to say that our government isn't too thrilled about it, so in this Squiz Shortcut, we'll get to know our Pacific Island neighbour, their recent troubles, and how China fits into it all.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Squiz Kids' Squiz the World podcast on the Solomon Islands - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/subscriber-content-squiz-the-world-goes-to-solomon-islands/id1494238283?i=1000556272890
Australia's role in the Battle for Guadalcanal in WWII - https://www.navy.gov.au/history/feature-histories/australians-guadalcanal-august-1942
The Federal Government handed down its latest Budget this week, including some big-ticket items designed to win your vote in the upcoming election. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at the health of the economy as we recover from the pandemic, the sweeteners in the Budget, and the politics of it all as we sprint to the ballot box.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Liberal and Labor's social media take on the Federal Budget - https://fb.watch/c3r0g-hjIQ/
https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1508724113346469888 https://fb.watch/c3r0g-hjIQ
Politics Today website - politicstoday.com.au
La Niña has hammered eastern Australia during the last couple of summers. Across Queensland and NSW, so many communities have experienced unprecedented flooding. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we get you across a few of the different weather systems affecting Oz, what climate change has to do with it, and what it means for Aussies going forward.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
The Australian Academy of Science website - https://7news.com.au/news/nsw/elderly-woman-93-found-floating-on-mattress-just-20cm-from-the-ceiling-in-her-flood-ravaged-home-c-5911907
Interview with a 93yo woman who had an incredible escape from her flood-ravaged home - 7News - https://7news.com.au/news/nsw/elderly-woman-93-found-floating-on-mattress-just-20cm-from-the-ceiling-in-her-flood-ravaged-home-c-5911907
Just a few years ago, Volodymyr Zelensky was a comedian and actor playing Ukraine’s president on television. Now, he’s a real-life wartime leader directing his country in its fight against a Russian invasion. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at Zelensky's early life, his path into politics, and how he's galvanised Ukrainians - and the West - behind resisting Russia.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Watching: Zelensky on Dancing with the Stars https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlJywp7E3Gw
Reading: 'The Betrayal of Volodymyr Zelensky' - The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/12/zelensky-ukraine-impeachment/602905/
It's been a devastating few days for Australia's cricket community and fans around the world with the deaths of 2 giants of the game, Shane Warne and Rod Marsh. So The Squiz and Sport Today have come together for this look at these icons' achievements on the field, and their lives off it.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Vale Shane Warne: Legends recall their favourite Warnie stories - The Unplayable Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/vale-shane-warne-legends-recall-their-favourite-warnie/id1093437634?i=1000552975945
Rod Marsh's best catches - https://www.cricket.com.au/video/rod-marsh-caught-bowled-dennis-lillee-australia-test-one-day-cricket-1970s-1980s-classic/2022-03-04
Shane Warne's 50 best wickets on home soil - https://www.cricket.com.au/video/shane-warne-top-50-wickets-on-aussie-soil-countdown-highlights-greatest-moments-extended/2022-03-05
As Russia pushes forward with its invasion of Ukraine, the West has been using sanctions as a key method of retaliation and punishment. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at what they are exactly and who imposes them, the impact of these sanctions, and Russia's reaction.
Squiz Shortcuts is the backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
'How Russian sanctions work' - The Atlantic - https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/02/how-russian-sanctions-work/622940/
'As sanctions batter economy, Russians face the anxieties of a costly war' - The New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/28/world/europe/russia-economy-sanctions-ukraine.html
As you well and truly know, Russia has launched a full-scale assault on Ukraine. To get you across the background to this, it's time to get to know NATO - the military alliance that is the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. It's at the centre of the stand-off between Russia, Ukraine and the West. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll get you across why NATO was established, how it has operated in times of conflict, and what it has to do with this crisis.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Smiley's People by John le Carré - https://www.booktopia.com.au/smiley-s-people-john-le-carr-/book/9780241322529.html
A map of NATO's expansion since 1997 - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-18023383
It's been a fractious few weeks in politics as we head towards a federal election. And one of the issues that burned brightly was a new Religious Discrimination Bill. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we'll look at Australia's existing anti-discrimination laws, why religious discrimination is on the agenda now, and what the Coalition had hoped to achieve before an election.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
ABC interview with Paddy Quilter-Jones - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-10/paddy-stephen-jones-son-speech/100819064
Bonegilla website - https://www.bonegilla.org.au/
It's a part of Europe that many of us don't know much about, but the crisis in Ukraine has been in the news a lot recently. Western nations are worried Russia will invade Ukraine, but there's a whole lot of baggage that's gotten us here. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we cover the history of Ukraine's relationship with Russia, why things are at a flashpoint now, and how the US, the UK and Europe are reacting.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Russia and the US face off over Ukraine - The New York Times' The Daily podcast
Chicken Kyiv nuggets recipe
It feels like the 2020 Tokyo Olympics were on 2 seconds ago - and they basically were because of COVID delays. But it's time to get set for the next round - the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. And there's a lot going on, including international politics, human rights issues, the pandemic, and environmental concerns. And, of course, a big global sporting event where Aussies will compete for the medals... So in this Squiz Shortcut, we cover issues like why Australia and other nations are staging a diplomatic boycott, as well as taking a look at the sporting side and Australia's chances on the podium.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Cool Runnings movie - available on Disney+
Sport Today's Beijing Blitz podcast
The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai undersea volcano erupted with an enormous force less than a fortnight ago, accompanied by cracking sonic booms, stratospheric volcanic ash and tsunami waves that travelled more than 10,000km. The volcano sits in an area prone to eruptions and earthquakes. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we'll take a look at the zone known as the Ring of Fire, the big eruptions and earthquakes that have come from this region, and how Tonga is managing in the wake of the disaster.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Tonga's volcano eruption in pictures - The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2022/jan/18/tongas-volcano-eruption-in-pictures
Aceh Tsunami Museum https://museumtsunami.id/
Australian Red Cross donation page https://www.redcross.org.au/donation/international/
This year is Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, marking 70 years on the British throne. To kick it off, the Australian Republican Movement has outlined its preferred model for appointing an Australian head of state. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at Australia's place in the Commonwealth and our relationship with the British monarchy; the push for a republic and the defeated referendum in 1999; and how this new proposal for a republic might work in practice.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Australia says no to a republic - Sydney Morning Herald
Queen Elizabeth's 'wattle gown' portrait from 1954, painted by Aussie artist William Dargie.
It’s a new year, but an old story… COVID is still here, and now the Omicron variant is ripping through our communities and the world at a rapid pace. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at the latest on Omicron, what Omicron's game-plan might be, and what’s being said about when this pandemic will be over.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Pfizer chief Albert Bourla's interview with the Wall Street Journal's podcast The Journal
How to Meditate - The New York Times
When one of South Africa's biggest characters - Archbishop Desmond Tutu - died on Boxing Day, he was remembered as a champion for freedom and equality who made things happen for the troubled nation. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we look back at Tutu's early life, his role in the anti-Apartheid movement, and his legacy both at home and abroad.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Desmond Tutu and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission - US 60 Minutes
Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela
In the final episode of our 3-part Year in Review series, we revisit the stories that kept us entertained during 2021.
You can find a written version of the content here: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/2021-news-year-in-review/
In the 2nd episode of our 3-part Year in Review series, we revisit the big local stories that shaped 2021.
You can find a written version of the content here: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/2021-news-year-in-review/
In the first episode of our 3-part Year in Review series, we revisit the big international stories that shaped 2021.
You can find a written version of the content here: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/2021-news-year-in-review/
It’s a bit of fun, it’s a bit festive, with a lot of laughs. Take a lighter look at year that was 2021 by joining us for The Great Big Squiz Quiz.
And a link to the quiz on our website is here: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/quiz/2021-great-big-squiz-quiz/
After 16 years Angela Merkel is no longer Chancellor of Germany. Leading Europe's biggest economy - and in a lot of ways, Europe - through some of the most challenging times post-WWII, she has certainly left a mark on modern political history. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we delve a little deeper into Merkel's early life growing up in East Germany, her political legacy, and what's expected to happen in Germany post-Merkel.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Waiter spills beer on Angela Merkel - YouTube
'The Merkel legacy' - The Guardian
It is near-impossible to ignore cricket news during an Aussie summer, and this year will be a big 'un… That's because the Ashes are on Aussie soil, where our team is going up against the Brits in one of our biggest sporting rivalries. The first Test started yesterday, so this week we've handed the Squiz Shortcut reins to the team from Sport Today to step you through the history of the Ashes, why the Ashes is so lucrative, some talking points on the teams, and the names to look out for.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
The Test - Amazon Prime
The Captains by Malcolm Knox
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
As much as we wish it wasn't the case, Omicron is here and it's a thing. And there are lots of questions about what that might mean... So in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at what's different about the Omicron variant, what a variant even is, what it means for the current crop of vaccines, and vaccination inequality around the world.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Bloomberg vaccination tracker
'The Omicron variant: We know almost nothing' - The Atlantic
The disappearance of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has us left with a lot of questions… After all, she's not the first high-profile person to have seemingly vanished after criticising the Chinese government. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at what's been called China's cultural crackdown. We’ll cover the rise of Chinese President Xi Jinping and his authority over the Chinese Communist Party and the country, the CCP’s history of cultural crackdowns and what’s happening now, and a few high-profile disappearances, including, of course, Peng Shuai.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
China's Cultural Revolution - Vox
Cheng Lei no closer to release a year after being detained - The Guardian
The disappearance of Alibaba's Jack Ma - Squiz Shortcuts
Xi Jinping - Squiz Shortcuts
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Inflation is a key piece of the economic puzzle, and it's a hot topic in Oz and across the globe right now. So In this Squiz Shortcut, we'll look at inflation and what drives it, what happens when it's too low or too high, and how inflation is playing out now and into next year's federal election campaign.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Zimbabwe's inflation and currency problems explained - BBC Africa
RBA website
At 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month was the time in 1918 when the guns on Europe’s Western Front fell silent after more than 4 years of war. And to this day, we are encouraged to observe one minute’s silence in memory of those who died or suffered in all wars and armed conflicts. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we give you a quick guide to WWI and how it ended, how its commemoration was observed after the war, and what it means today.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Photo gallery of the centenary celebrations of the end of WWI
Photo gallery of the first Armistice Day in 1918
The Australian War Memorial - The Menin Gate lions
There's been a lot of buildup to the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. It's currently underway and the world leaders part of it is now wrapped up. So at the nearly halfway mark, we'll take you through Australia's climate change policy, what other nations' agendas are, and the 2 new pledges countries have made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
COP26 summit photo gallery – The Guardian
How Much Are Countries Pledging to Reduce Emissions? - The New York Times
With a meeting of G20 nations this week and COP26 taking place next week, there's lots of talk about summits of late. So we've handpicked a few of the big meetings of world leaders that Australia is involved with each year to give context around each. We start with the one happening this weekend, the G20, and then get you across some other ones in our region that at certain times of the year, get a lot of attention.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
The best of APEC's fashion diplomacy - SBS
Why your meetings stink and what to do about it - Harvard Business Review
In Japan, a royal wedding scheduled for 26 October is causing quite the stir. That's because it's the wedding of the Emperors' niece, and if you are female royalty in Japan and you get married, you're out of the family. It's an age-old rule and one that is now being challenged. So in this Squiz Shortcuts, we take you through how Japan's Imperial family works, their public life in Japan, and the background to the wedding that has brought the Japanese royal family back to the fore.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Watching: How Japanese citizens are reacting to princess' wedding date - CNN. It has lots of clips of the Japanese royals, Princess Mako and her husband to be, and it helps with putting names to faces.
Reading: The princess, the palace and the shrinking royal line - BBC. It's a great explainer on all the issues with Princess Mako's engagement and it's got a handy family tree so you can visualise it.
Just a few weeks ago, Queensland joined Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania in passing voluntary assisted dying laws, which makes NSW the last state not to have them. That could all change soon with a new bill being introduced into the NSW parliament this week. It's a sensitive topic, and one that comes up from time to time in the news, in conversation, and of course, in our lives. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we cover the history of the euthanasia debate here in Australia, the arguments for and against it, and where each state has landed on voluntary assisted dying laws.
Squiz Shortcuts is the backstory to the big news story.
Squiz recommends:
Sydney Morning Herald op-ed by former NSW Premier Mike Baird - 'Why I hope NSW does not embrace voluntary assisted dying'
Mental health helplines
Go Gentle Australia website
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In a shock to many, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklan not only resigned but bowed out of state politics completely last Friday. That's because she's being investigated by the state's ICAC, the Independent Commission Against Corruption. If you're confused about why exactly she had to go, you're not alone... In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we explain anti-corruption commissions and why they exist, the ongoing debate on why or why not there should be a federal ICAC, and what happened with Gladys Berejiklian.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
ABC's Four Corners - Moonlight State
Wag the Dog - available on Netflix
As we head towards the end of the year, climate change is going to be the talk of the town. That's because in just over a month's time, around 25,000 people will descend on Glasgow in Scotland for what's been called the most significant climate gathering since the Paris Agreement was nutted out in 2015: COP26. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at why this conference is such a big deal, where Oz is at with its climate commitments, what we can expect in the lead-up, and why it’s such a tricky issue.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
ABC - What does the latest IPCC report mean for Australia?
Australia will join a new security alliance with the United Kingdom and the United States to share their top-secret technology, which means we can build our own nuclear-powered subs. And France isn't too happy about it... So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take you through why submarines are such a big deal in defense, the contention around nuclear, what's happening with the French, and our chequered history with getting subs built.
Squiz recommends:
ABC Radio National: Submarines: 'The history and future underwater warfare'
Vigil - available on Foxtel or Binge
Greyhound - available on Apple TV
The closing of our state and territory borders is something most Aussies had never thought possible. But then came COVID-19, and those state lines have become the subject of much conjecture... As we look to a life free of lockdowns, state borders continue to throw up some hurdles in our quest to return to what was 'normal'. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we give you the background to the responsibility of the states and territories when it comes to our borders, the differing points of view about opening up, and what might come to be.
Squiz recommends:
Squiz Shortcuts - The Federation
The University of Melbourne's vaccine hesitancy tracker
This Saturday will mark the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States. Two decades later, the impact of what happened that day is evident around the world due to the wars that followed, but it’s also apparent in our day to day lives ... It's a huge topic so in this episode of Squiz Shortcuts we’ll recap what happened on September 11, how America and the West responded and how it changed things forever.
Squiz recommends:
Listening: ABC’s Conversations Podcast from 2011. It interviews former PM John Howard about being in the US at the time of 9/11.
Watching: ABC’s Beyond the Towers series. It’s 4 episodes hosted by Tony Jones and it looks at all this though an Aussie lens.
Learn about how you can do more, sell more and grow more online with Square’s eCommerce tools
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This week it's the 70th anniversary of the ANZUS alliance - that's a treaty between Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. So, it's an important one... In this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at how it came to be, where things are out now and what the new focus is for the alliance.
Squiz recommends:
Squiz Shortcut - The China-Australia Relationship
Squiz Shortcut - What's Happening in Taiwan
The ANZUS Treaty. It's about 800 words...
There are set to be four different vaccines available to Australians in the coming year. If you're anything like us, incessant reporting about AstraZeneca and Pfizer has meant things can often get confusing - and now there are two more to consider... So in this Shortcut, we step back and talk through each vaccine that will become available to Australians, including how the deals were done, how they're funded, who can get what and how the rollout is tracking.
Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
ABC's 7.30 Report - Children and COVID – Dr Norman Swan has the facts
Forbes - Covid’s Forgotten Hero: The Untold Story Of The Scientist Whose Breakthrough Made The Vaccines Possible
Learn about how you can do more, sell more and grow more online with Square's eCommerce tools.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The Paralympics start next week and after a massive medal haul by the Aussies at the recent Olympics, we're riding the Olympics train for as long as we can... To get you geared up and ready for the start of the games we get you across how the Paralympics came to be, the sports included, how the often referred to 'classifications' work, and the big one - who and what to look out for.
Squiz Shortcuts is the backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Reading: A Guardian article about Paralympian Curtis McGrath who was deployed to Afghanistan and lost both his legs just months later. It’s an incredible story about how he turned to sport to stave off PTSD and other mental health issues.
Watching: The best moments of the Paralympics over the years - just to get you excited for what’s to come...
This week the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. Given the conditions in the country when they last ruled, there are huge concerns about what a Taliban-led Afghanistan will be like for the people who live there - and beyond. In this Squiz Shortcut, we talk through who the Taliban are and what they stand for, what life under the Taliban was like in the 1990s, how they have been able to regain control, and what Afghanistan might expect under the Taliban once again.
Squiz recommends:
Squiz Shortcut - Afghanistan
The New York Times' The Daily podcast - 'The Fall of Afghanistan'
Online shopping is a favourite pastime but how we finance it is big business and therefore news. Lately, that news has been the sale of buy now, pay later business Afterpay. It's been valued at $39 billion which makes it the biggest acquisition in Aussie history. So in this episode, we'll look at how buy now, pay later works, who's who in the zoo, and the issues surrounding the sector.
Squiz recommends:
An interview by the ABC's Geraldine Doogue with Jonathan Shapiro and James Eyers from the Financial Review who have just written a book about Afterpay's founders and the company.
A story by Kathryn McConnell, the founder of Brighte which provides BNPL-style finance for big purchases like solar panels and batteries. She's a real innovator and has the backing of billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and others who are excited about what she and her team are building.
The Census is a massive national survey taken by the Australia Bureau of Statistics - the ABS - that counts every single person and household in Australia. Census night is just around the corner on the 10 August - and by the way, it is compulsory - so given you'll all be getting involved... In this Shortcut, we'll take you through just what the Census is and why it's important its history, and what we can expect for Census 2021.
Squiz recommends:
Census website www.census.abs.gov.au
Census helpline: 1800 512 441
ABS Instagram
'What the religion question in the census really measures' - Sydney Morning Herald
Elon Musk is definitely one of a kind - whether it's because of his ambitious business goals or controversial tweets he's someone that pops up in the news more often than most... So in this Shortcut we take you through his fascinating life, what he gets up to in the business world and the quirky things about him that make him hard not to talk about.
Squiz recommends:
Elon Musk explains how to pronounce his son's name
'Grimes’s Digital Art of Spear-Wielding Babies Sells for $5.8 Million' - Vanity Fair
The Games are finally here... Of course we’re talking about the Tokyo Olympics. Delayed last year, it’s been a long and tough road to get to the starting line, so it's only fitting that we handball this Shortcut to the team at Sport Today, Sam Ferris and Martin Gabor. They’ll give you the background on pulling off a delayed Olympics, how the Japanese public feel about it, what it will look like for the athletes and as a viewer, Australia's medal hopes, and some athletes to watch.
Squiz recommends:
Aussie swimmer Emily Seebohm's Instagram
Eliud Kipchoge's record-smashing win
The US and its allies are withdrawing the last of their troops from Afghanistan after one of their longest military engagements. It amid rising violence from the Taliban, and concerns that a civil war between it and supporters of the Afghan Government could follow. It's the latest for a country that has suffered through decades of conflict. We've talked about it a bit on the Squiz Today podcast, so in this episode, we'll dive into Afghanistan's history, why the US and other nations including Australia got involved, and what's next.
Squiz recommends:
Famous picture of women in Kabul in the 1970s
Profiles of Australian soldiers who died serving in Afghanistan
Afghan lamb pilaf recipe
Superannuation, for plenty of us is something that’s just always been a line item on our pay check. Its goes out, and somewhere way in the future we’ll be able to get our hands on it and live happily every after in retirement, simple. But actually there’s whole system in place to make that happen. Plus, from now, your contributions are going up and there's other changes too. So in this Squiz Shortcut we take you through how super became a thing in Australia, how the system works, and what these new changes mean for you.
Squiz recommends:
YourSuper comparison tool
ABC 7.30's special report on the future of retirement
Mouse plague - chilling words. For parts of Australia, it's been the reality for thousands of people. They've been battling millions of mice in their homes, on their farms, and in their towns - everywhere they go. In this Squiz Shortcut we'll get acquainted with the house mouse, the scale of the current plague, and just what can be done to stop it.
Squiz recommends:
Mouse Alert app
ABC journo Lucy Thackray's Twitter account
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Barnaby Joyce has been in politics for the best part of 16 years. This week, for the second time, he was has won the job of Leader of the Nationals Party which makes him our Deputy Prime Minister. In this Squiz Shortcut, we get you up to speed on the background to Barnaby, his rise to and fall from grace, and his resurrection.
Squiz recommends:
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's apology
Midsomer Murders
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Cyberattacks are one of those things we all know we are exposed to, and if you follow the news, you know it happens... And not just to individuals but there are big organised cyberattacks happening to big companies like the recent one on one of America's largest fuel pipeline, and one on the world's largest meat processing company. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take you through what is a cyberattack, who is behind them, and importantly, how you can avoid one...
Squiz recommends:
The Australia Cyber Security Centre website - it's got all those tips we mentioned around protecting your biz from an attack and some great links to resources...
Vanity Fair - The untold story of the Sony hack
As evidence builds around the long term impact of repeated head knocks in sport, sporting codes are putting in place protocols to protect players. There are a lot of opinions about all of that and it's likely to be an ongoing issue. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at what the science says about head knocks and injuries, and what it means for athletes and sport.
Squiz Shortcuts is the backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Reading: The Australian Sports Brain Bank website. The ASBB was established in 2018 by the Neuropathology Department at RPA Hospital Sydney in partnership with the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney, and the Concussion Legacy Foundation in the USA.
https://www.brainbank.org.au/
Watching: Concussion. You can catch it on Stan or Amazon.
https://play.stan.com.au/programs/1098344
https://www.amazon.com/Concussion-Will-Smith/dp/B01AB6PODK
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Belarus has been making news lately after a commercial flight was forced to land in the capital Minsk and a journalist and his girlfriend - both outspoken critics of the President of Belarus - were arrested. It sounds like a movie but it's real life... So it got us asking, what's going on in Belarus? This episode of Squiz Shortcuts will help you understand the politics of Belarus, why President Alexander Lukashenko is considered to be "Europe's last dictator", and why the public has been taking to the streets.
Squiz Shortcuts is the backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
An interactive article by the ABC on two women protesting against Lukashenko's regime
Friends Minsk clip
Cryptocurrency, perhaps the most requested Shortcut and one that has taken a little bit of time to wrap our head around. But we've got there and in this Shortcut, we'll help you understand the basics of how cryptocurrency became a thing, how they hold value, we'll tell you about bitcoin, and get you across the big players in the crypto game...
Squiz Shortcuts is the backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
NFTs are getting weird…
https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathyhackl/2021/05/15/nfts-are-getting-weird/?sh=51a1f9107343
Video: Bitcoin explained
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6hnqpn
The latest eruptions of long-running tensions between Israel and the Palestinian Territories have prompted the UN to warn of a "full-scale war". It's followed a month of simmering tensions in Jerusalem, over a conflict that is deep-rooted in history and has been ongoing for decades... So in this Shortcut, we are going to rehash the history between Israel and Palestine, go through what's happening now and why the international community is getting involved.
Squiz recommends:
Squiz Shortcuts - Israel and Palestine
Washington Post - A timeline of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
After what has been one of the most expensive policy years in Australian history, the Federal Government handed down its 2021-22 budget this week. Let's face it - underlying cash balances, fiscal strategies and the price of iron ore aren't everyone's cup of tea... But given the global pandemic we have found ourselves in, the budget is more relevant to our everyday life than ever before... So in this Squiz Shortcut we'll get you across what it all means.
Squiz recommends:
ABC - Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's Federal Budget 2021-22 speech
Annabel Crabb - Does the Federal Budget deliver for women?
For thousands of years, people have looked up at the night sky with questions and as technology has advanced so have we in coming closer and closer to answering them. Since the race between the US and the Soviet Union to reach the moon in the 1960s there has been a growing appetite to explore the great unknown. In this Squiz Shortcut, we take you through what's been happening since Neil and Buzz touched down, why there is so much talk about Mars, and the private companies joining the space race.
The Squiz is the backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Elon Musk is adding the host of Saturday Night Live to his resume. That’s on Saturday, 8 May and it’s controversial already…
The landing of NASA’s Perseverance Rover on Mars - that only happened a few months ago in February so it’s still pretty raw and exciting.
It’s the 25th anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre, the worst single-person mass shooting in Australia’s history and a tragedy that left 35 people dead. In this edition of Squiz Shortcuts we’ll take you through the background to that dark day, the gun law reforms that followed, and where that sits today.
Squiz Shortcuts is the backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Reading: An opinion piece former Prime Minister John Howard wrote in 2013, calling on US President Barack Obama to follow his model on gun laws.
Watching: John Oliver's humorous but blade-sharp series into Australia's gun laws showing American's that it can be done. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
The rollout of Australia’s coronavirus vaccination program has had a couple of bumps in the road... There have been challenges with supply and the program’s logistics, along with safety issues to address. In this week’s episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we take you through Australia’s vaccine deals, what’s behind the issues that have arisen, and where things are at with the program to get Australians vaccinated.
The Squiz is the backstory to the big news stories.
Episode notes:
A short 7-minute video by VOX explaining different types of vaccines. A good way to get your head around all that scientific lingo...
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was described by his wife Queen Elizabeth as “my strength and stay”. He died on Friday at 99yo, just a couple of months short of his 100th birthday. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we take you through his early years, the bumpy transition to the Queen's consort and the formalities around his funeral. Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The Chinese Government sees Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be part of the country again. While some Taiwanese think this could eventually happen, others now feel that they are very much a separate nation. This dispute has caused friction and a constant threat of a violent flare up. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts we'll take you through the background on how Taiwan came to be, it’s complicated history with China, and Beijing's recent moves to take control over it. Squiz Shortcuts is your backstory to the big news stories.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
With a global pandemic on our hands and Australia’s first recession in almost 30 years, some analysts thought property prices would collapse… but they’re booming. So whilst the topic is hot, this episode of Squiz Shortcuts will take you through the late 80s and 17% interest rates, how that period compares to now and the factors that influence a person’s ability to buy a place to call home.
Squiz Shortcuts is the backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Graphs, graphs and more graphs - an almost kinder way to see the numbers
A year on from the smashed avo column, Bernard Salt writes about the reaction (paywall)
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The Tokyo Olympics have already been postponed once and questions about whether they will happen this year have been highly speculated on. So in this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we take you through why the Olympics are such a big deal anyway, the impact of postponing them, and how organisers are now planning to pull it off.
Squiz Shortcuts is the backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz recommends:
Cathy Freeman's famous 400m sprint at the 2000 Sydney Olympics
Nikki Webster's performance at the 2000 Sydney Olympics
'The Odd Couple: Roy and HG' - Australian Story
It was back in August 2019 when we launched Squiz Shortcuts with our very first topic being Hong Kong and its relationship with China. At the time, China was making moves to increase control over Hong Kong, and pro-democracy demonstrations had been ongoing for some months. Now, it’s 18 months on and whilst many Hong Kongers have rallied against China, it's control over the territory has only tightened. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we step through the complicated history between China and Hong Kong, the territory’s historic protest movement, and where things are at now.
Squiz recommends:
Hong Kong on Edge. It’s a good look into the causes of the unrest in the territory, and possible solutions to the crisis.
BBC’s The Documentary episode Hong Kong at a Crossroads. It’s about Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters who are facing that difficult decision on whether to stay and fight or take the opportunity to flee to the UK.
Survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WVQVZQW
Dr Kylie Moore-Gilbert is a 33yo British-Australian who until her arrest in Iran in 2018 was a lecturer in Islamic Studies at the University of Melbourne. She recently spoke out about her time in Iranian prison, as well as our government’s handling of her case, her release and the lasting effects of her 804-day detention. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts we explain what hostage diplomacy is, why Moore-Gilbert found herself caught up in it, what happened to her, and how her case was handled by the Australian government.
Squiz recommends:
Kylie Moore-Gilbert Sky News interview. It’s behind a paywall but those who have Foxtel can watch it.
BBC article on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. The British-Iranian is another high profile victim of hostage diplomacy. She was an aid worker and was arrested in Iran in 2016, and since then she's been in and out of prison.
Over the past two years, a Royal Commission into aged care quality and safety has heard the harrowing evidence of a broken system. It’s a system that supports 1.3 million Australians, their families and friends and the 400,000 people who work in the sector. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we take a look at the system itself, why a Royal Commission was called and its findings, and where it goes from here.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au.
Squiz recommends:
Life advice from the residents of Waratah Lodge
The ABC's Four Corners two-part series Who Cares?
Many Aussies got quite a shock when they woke up on 18 February to find no news content on their Facebook feeds. But less than a week later, following discussions with the federal government, Facebook announced it will be reversing its decision. It was the latest move in what has been a back-and-forth feud with the government and media outlets over whether they should pay to have news on their platforms. So in this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we cover the events leading up to Facebook’s decision, the push by the Australian government to protect Aussie media outlets, and where it's all heading.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au.
Squiz recommends:
The Squiz Facebook page
Paul Fletcher's outburst over the loss of the North Shore Mums Facebook page during question time (Fast forward to about the four minute mark...)
Crown Resorts is in the news after an inquiry launched by NSW's gaming regulator found it unfit to operate a newly built casino in Sydney after allegations of money laundering emerged in 2019. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we take a look at the company's history, its major shareholder James Packer, what came out at that independent inquiry, and what it all means for Crown.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au.
Squiz recommends:
Watching: James Packer’s 2019 interview with Sunday Night’s Mike Willesee. It’s a candid interview with the late, great journo about growing up rich, his friendship with Tom Cruise, and his father Kerry.
Reading: The troubled birth of Crown Casino (The Age). It’s a fascinating look into the complicated web between the big business names, the government and the casino operations.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The coup in Myanmar is the latest flex of military muscle in a nation that is 70 years into a fight for democracy. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts we cover Myanmar's chequered democratic history, the rise of its popular de facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and what led to the coup on 1 February.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au.
Squiz recommends:
The BBC’s Global News podcast. Events in Myanmar reminded us that for a daily dose of world news, it’s unparalleled.
Aung San Suu Kyi’s Nobel Peace Prize lecture. It was the moment the world fell in love with her.
The coronavirus pandemic is not just a health crisis - it’s also delivered a once-in-100-years economic blow. We talk a lot about the health issues, so in this Squiz Shortcut, we focus on the other side of the equation. We'll get acquainted with the commonly used economic terms, look at the state of play, and outline 3 things to look out for this year.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au.
Squiz recommends:
The Age/SMH journo Stephen Bartholomeusz aka a Team Squiz favourite for accessible economics/business analysis.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics Instagram account. It’s funny - trust us...
Producer: Lara Robertson
In the past few months, there's been a bit happening in the United States... Democrat Joe Biden is now the president and there's been a lot of talk about what he will change, and what needs to be done to unify the nation after the turmoil of Donald Trump's stint in office. In this Squiz Shortcut, we look at Biden's top priorities, how he plans to tackle them, and why Trump still looms large.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au.
Squiz recommends:
Squiz Shortcuts - Joe Biden
Presidential Inaugural Committee Store
Producer: Lara Robertson
As the founder and former boss of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, Jack Ma is one of the most powerful people in the world. Which means he's drawn the eye of the Chinese government, with the planned launch of Ma’s financial services giant Ant Group on the Shanghai and Hong Kong stock exchanges was cancelled last year after Ma criticised them. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we take a look at Jack Ma himself, his rise and success, what it means to run a business venture in Communist China and the reasons a usually very public character is thought be laying low.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au.
Squiz recommends:
Jack Ma dancing to Billie Jean
Where next, Jack Ma? - Lowy Institute
Producer: Lara Robertson
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
After the assault on the US Capitol by Donald Trump supporters last week, Twitter decided to permanently suspend the President's account. It wasn’t alone - with Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit and even Pinterest making moves to restrict his presence on their platforms. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we take a look at why these decisions have been taken, the rise of alternative social media platforms, and what it all means in the ongoing free speech debate.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au.
Squiz recommends:
Rabbit Hole podcast
Public sector guidance sheet on free speech in Australia
Producer: Lara Robertson
Discussion about our national anthem Advance Australia Fairwas a big part of the start of 2021. That's because our PM announced that the song's second line, 'for we are young and free' would be officially changed to 'for we are one and free'. So in the first episode of Squiz Shortcuts for 2021 we dig into the background of our anthem, how it came to be the song for our nation, and what changes have been made to it over the years and why.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au .
Squiz recommends:
Advance Australia Fair performed in both the Eora language and English
Song of Australia
Producer: Lara Robertson
In the third and final episode of our three-part Year in Review series, we revisit the big local and international stories that shaped September through to December, as well as the most clicked links in the Squiz Today email.
The Squiz is your shortcut to being informed.
You can find a written version of the content here:
Episode notes:
Wedding announcement goes wrong
Princess Mary's eldest son Prince Christian turns 15yo
Rockefeller Christmas tree fail
The best Christmas ad of 2020
In the second episode of our three-part Year in Review series, we revisit the big local and international stories that shaped May through to August, as well as the most clicked links in the Squiz Today email.
The Squiz is your shortcut to being informed.
You can find a written version of the content here:
Episode notes:
Crabs on the baggage carrier
Kiwi pornography public service announcement
Lockdown online shopping mishaps
Roger Federer surprises fans on rooftop
In the first episode of our three-part Year in Review series, we revisit the big local and international stories that shaped January through to April, as well as the most clicked links in the Squiz Today email.
The Squiz is your shortcut to being informed.
You can find a written version of the content here:
Episode notes:
An unlikely parrot love story
Dog training academy fail
The story behind that Harry and Meghan umbrella photo
Barbie marries One Directioner Louis Tomlinson
2020 - it was a big one. In our final Squiz Shortcut for the year, we're aiming to achieve one thing - to catch you up on where some of the big issues are so you can impress your friends and family over the Christmas break. So we'll take you through the fall out from the bushfires, where things are at with coronavirus around the world, what's the latest between Australia and China, how our economy is faring in this year of upheaval and finally, where things landed post-US election.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au .
It's a bit of fun, it's a bit festive, with a lot of laughs. Take a lighter look at year that was 2020 by joining us for The Great Big Squiz Quiz.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Australia is set to become the first place in the world where Google and Facebook will have to pay for news content, with the mandatory bargaining code currently up for debate in Parliament. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts we'll set the scene for how we got to this point, the problem news organisations have with big tech platforms, the counterarguments from Facebook and Google and what the code will do to address each parties issues.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au .
Squiz recommends:
Squiz Shortcuts - Facebook
The Social Dilemma
This year, there have so far been eight fatalities from shark attacks - the most in nearly a century - and a total of 23 attacks. So with summer upon us, public pressure is mounting to find out why this is the case. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we take a look at Australia's history of shark attacks, why they seem to be becoming more prevalent, and what experts are suggesting we can do to prevent them.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au .
Squiz recommends:
Dorsal Watch app
Why do hammerhead sharks look like that? - BBC Earth
Producer: Lara Robertson
Pop star Taylor Swift was MIA from the recent American Music Awards, saying she was busy re-recording all of her old music. Her fight to own the masters of her first six mega-hit albums is big news in the music industry. In this Squiz Shortcut we’re going to take a look at what master recordings are, the power relationship between a record label and an artist, and how this battle has played out before.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au .
Squiz recommends:
Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun’s Drama, Explained - Cosmopolitan
Taylor & Kanye: How two superstars, four words and 15 seconds of TV influenced a decade of pop culture - Washington Post
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts we dive in to the events leading up to the release of the Brereton Report - which looks into allegations that members of our special forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan between 2005 to 2016 - as well as what we know about the report's findings, and what happens next.
Defence All-Hours Support Line: 1800 628 036 / Open Arms: 1800 011 046
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au .
Squiz recommends:
Life on the Line podcast
As we come down from a frantic week of wall-to-wall US election talk, this final episode in our shortcut on the US elections covers how it all went down. We take a look at how America voted; how the House and the Senate vote played out, and what happens in the lead up to Joe Biden's inauguration on 20 January.
Squiz Shortcuts gives you the backstory to the big stories.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au
NYTimes The Daily - About Those Polls...
Slate - Trump Team Holds News Conference Outside Drab Landscaping Firm, Next to Adult Bookstore
In Part 4 of our Squiz Shortcut series in the lead up to the US election, we arm you with handy information that'll help as you tune into the see the results. We take a look at the important numbers, how demographics play a part, what the key battleground states are, when you can expect a results and finally, what's being predicted.
Squiz Shortcuts gives you the backstory to the big stories.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au
Squiz recommends:
When To Expect Election Results - fivethirtyeight.com
The Battleground States Trump and Biden Need to Win - New York Times
Can We Trust the 2020 US Election Polls? - Quartz
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
If you've been tuning into to news about the US election it would be easy to think the race to the White House is only about character. So in Part Three of our four-part Squiz Shortcuts series in the lead up to the US election, we take a step back from the personality contest, and look at the what each candidate will bring to to the table on policy issues including foreign affairs, climate change, immigration, racial injustice and of course, the coronavirus.
Squiz Shortcuts gives you the backstory to the big stories.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au
Squiz recommends:
PolitiFact
Squiz Shortcuts - The US Election series
In the second episode of our four-part Shortcuts series in the lead up to the US election we tackle the Presidential Race - so we're talking the electoral college system and how a the President actually wins the election.
Squiz Shortcuts gives you the backstory to the big stories.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au
Squiz recommends:
Squiz Shortcut - US Elections
The Pew Research Centre analysis of the 2016 US Presidential Election
This is the first in our four part series in the lead up to the US Election on 3 November. We're going to start though outside of the presidential race itself, and have a look at the other important races that are being run on the same day - and thats the US Senate and the House of Representatives. So strap yourself in for round one, as we take a look at the implications these elections have for governing in the US, and what's happening in those races in the lead up to 3 November.
Squiz Shortcuts gives you the backstory to the big stories.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au .
Squiz Recommends:
Squiz Shortcuts - Mail-in voting
FiveThirtyEight website
Thailand has a particularly turbulent political history. It's got a lot of beautiful beaches, but it's also got military coups and a monarchy that's central to its national character. It's also one of the few places in the world with lèse majesté laws, which is tricky because their current king is quite a colourful character...
A recent protest movement has been in the news a bit lately, and in this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we'll take a look at why Thailand is unique amongst southeast Asian nations, how its monarchy is protected, and what demonstrators are risking by calling for change to the way the country is governed.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au .
Squiz Recommends:
Vox profile on King Vaijiralongkorn .
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The invention of Pad Thai as a national dish .
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The lockdown of our national border along with state and territory borders, have become some of the most contentious issues of the coronavirus crisis. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we look at why our borders closed in the first place, how it has unfolded and the impact it has had.
Squiz Shortcuts gives you the backstory to the big stories.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/
Squiz Recommends:
Squiz Shortcuts - The Federation
Geoscience Australia - Border facts
It seems like every week, there's a new low in the Australia-China relationship. From trade disputes to diplomatic arguments - these have been some of the biggest news stories of the year. But it wasn't always like this. So in this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we're taking a look at how Australia's ties with China were established, how we've thrived together - and how we've recently hit some very choppy waters.
Squiz Shortcuts gives you the backstory to the big stories.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/
Squiz Recommends:
Chinese President Xi Jinping's address to the Australian Parliament (2014)
Inside Story - Whitlam in China
Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, is in the news a lot. Whether it's on the diplomatic trail, in dealings with the US and other big nations, or in relation to the poisoning of political opponents, he's someone worth knowing a bit more about. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we take a look at who he is, how he came to be the leader, his broad agenda and how he is using his increasing power.
Squiz Shortcuts gives you the backstory to the big stories.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/
Squiz Recommends:
Putin playing ice hockey
ABC podcast - 'Russia, If You're Listening'
"It’s not easy growing old. We avoid thinking and talking about it." That's how the interim report from the Royal Commission into aged care starts. Since it was released in October 2019, we've been hearing a lot about the sector, especially as its been significantly affected by COVID-19. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we look at how the sector is set up, who's responsible for it, and the massive challenges it faces.
Squiz Shortcuts gives you the backstory to the big stories.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/
Squiz Recommends:
Aged Care Royal Commission Interim Report
'Pearls of Wisdom'
The 2020 US presidential election is happening in November, but with the country still in the grip of COVID-19, there's a lot of talk about how the vote will be carried out, and more specifically, the role of mail-in voting. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts, we take a look at how US elections work, what mail-in voting is, and the issues surrounding it.
Squiz Shortcuts gives you the backstory to the big stories.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/
Squiz Recommends:
FiveThirtyEight article on 2020 US election mail-in voting trends
Vox article on Facebook's new voter information centre
In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts we take a look at the role of the Vice President of America, and learn a bit more about the current veep, Mike Pence, and the potential veep, Kamala Harris.
Squiz Shortcuts gives you the backstory to the big stories.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/
Squiz Recommends:
NYT profile on Kamala Harris
Business Insider - Inside the 34-year marriage of Mike Pence
A vaccine for the coronavirus is being held out as the thing that's going to get the world back on track. In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts we look at what a vaccine is, how it's developed, and the challenges public health officials are facing with finding one for COVID-19.
Squiz Recommends:
Squiz Shortcuts - Infectious Diseases
NYT The Daily - The Vaccine Trust Problem
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
It's one of the Arab world's poorest countries and in recent years has been devastated by a civil war. Millions of civilians are now starving and thousands have died. The conflict itself is complicated. In this episode we step through the origins of the conflict and what it has meant for the people of Yemen.
Squiz Recommends:
UNICEF - Yemen: https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/yemen-crisis
Secretary Clinton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es-Tc0bMUKA
It comes up a bit in the news due to concerns about the health effects. In this episode we’ll take you through exactly what vaping is, the arguments for and against, as well as how it is regulated both here in Australia, and abroad.
Squiz Recommends:
BBC "The Inquiry - Vaping" - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-inquiry/id932499233?i=1000454551494
The New Yorker - A b=Beginner's Guide to Vaping - https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/a-beginners-guide-to-vaping
It's the biggest social media platform in the world so inevitably Facebook is in the news a lot. In this episode we take a look at how Facebook makes money, how it collects and uses our data and how at times that has the platform in a bit of strife.
Squiz Shortcuts is the backstory to the big news stories.
Squiz Recommends:
The Social Network - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1285016/
Facebook Activity Tool - https://www.vox.com/2020/1/28/21112380/facebook-activity-tool-data
Squiz recommends:
Forbes profile on Zhang Yim- https://www.forbes.com/sites/giacomotognini/2019/11/04/meet-zhang-yiming-the-chinese-billionaire-behind-tiktok/#24f55b3475b3
Mallee Boy - https://www.tiktok.com/@malleeboy3490?source=h5_m
The conflict between Israel and Palestine is in essence a fight over territory. But it is so much more that with religion, nationalism, and a lot of history behind it. Consider this episode a starting points as we take a look at Israel and Palestine, what they are fighting over, and why America and others are involved in this immensely complicated conflict.
Squiz recommends:
BBC Israel profile - https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14628835
Vox Israel-Palestine Explainer - https://www.vox.com/2018/11/20/18079996/israel-palestine-conflict-guide-explainer
Donald Trump is probably the most talked about person on the planet. The leader of the free world had a colourful path to becoming President of the United States - and a turbulent time in office so far. In this episode we take a look at a young Donald Trump, his family, his business and showbiz careers as well as his politics.
Squiz Recommends:
Barbara Walters interview with Donald and Melania Trump: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgYTCHrWkxI
Washington Post "Donald Trump's misleading claims": https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-claims-database/
He's the Democratic candidate running against Donald Trump in November's presidential election. A former vice president, Biden's been around American politics a long time. This episode takes a look at his background, his family, his politics and how he came to be the man up against Trump come November.
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Squiz Shortcuts gives you the backstory to the big stories.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/ ...
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Squiz Recommends:
Hunter Biden - https://www.businessinsider.com.au/hunter-biden-life-scandals-ukraine-involvement-with-trump-giuliani-2019-9?r=US&IR=T ...
Vanity Fair 'Obama-Biden friendship' - https://www.vanityfair.com/news/photos/2016/12/barack-obama-joe-biden-friendship .
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
It's one of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s most ambitious foreign policy initiatives - and it's contentious. Officially called One Belt, One Road it's all about China investing in big infrastructure projects across the world. In this episode we take a look at what China is setting out to do, which nations have signed up and why it’s causing concern, especially here in Australia.
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Squiz Shortcuts gives you the backstory to the big stories.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/ .
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Squiz Recommends:
Lowy Institute map - https://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/understanding-belt-and-road-initiative
The New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/18/business/china-loans-coronavirus-belt-road.html
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In this Shortcut we'll look at what a Royal Commission is, the power and effectiveness of Royal Commissions, and take a quick look at the ones currently running.
Squiz Shortcuts is your shortcut to more than the headlines.
Squiz Recommends:
Black Summer, the ABC - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-03/inside-the-australian-bushfires-crisis/11890458 .
ABC's interview with Nicola Gobbo (Lawyer X): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z4kDCeUVt0 .
Check out The Squiz Today - a free weekday email and podcast that's your shortcut to the news. Out each weekday at 6 am. Sign up at https://www.thesquiz.com.au/ .
We take a look at the history of slavery in America, the fight for civil rights, and what's happening now.
Squiz Shortcuts - The Back Story To The Big Stories .
Sign up to The Squiz - a weekday email that's your shortcut to the news www.thesquiz.com.au .
Squiz Recommends:
The Smithsonian Museum – Talking About Race .
Childish Gambino, This is Americaand the break down the video here.
Xi Jinping is the man in charge of China. So, let’s take a look at who he is, how he came to be the leader, his broad agenda and how he is using his increasing power.
Squiz Shortcuts gives you the backstory to the big stories.
Check out The Squiz Today email and podcast - published 6 am each weekday, it's your shortcut to the news: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/ .
Squiz Recommends:
The New Yorker – Xi Jinping
The Guardian – China Bans Winnie The Pooh
It's the big 'un of global politics... we're talking the South China Sea. By popular request we explain why it is so strategically important, the competing claims to it, and how the world is managing China's increasing presence in the region.
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Squiz Recommends:
Map Men - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypMCK7NcbxU
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The Squiz Today is a free weekday email and podcast that's your shortcut to the news. Sign up at https://www.thesquiz.com.au .
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
With the coronavirus crisis requiring a coordinated response between the federal government and our states and territories we take a step back and look at how the federation operates. In this episode we focus on its formation, we talk you through how responsibilities are split, the structures that have been put in place to coordinate those responsibilities as well as how some of it has been rethought recently.
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Squiz Recommends:
The Federation - Parliamentary Education Office
Henry Parkes "Tenterfield Address"
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
We don't need to tell you why the World Health Organisation is in the news a lot lately. That's why you might want to know a bit more about how it operates, the guy in charge, and some of the criticisms centred at it of late.
Squiz Recommends:
Inside Bill's Brain - https://www.netflix.com/au/title/80184771
Time Magazine "Dr Tedros" - https://time.com/5735544/world-health-organization-chief-tedros-adhanom-ghebreyesus-interview/
Get in touch: hello@thesquiz.com.au
They're some of the key people involved in our coronavirus response. So, who are they and what are we relying on them for? This week on Squiz Shortcuts we tell you a bit about each of these men and the role they're playing during this health and economic emergency.
Squiz Recommends:AFR: https://www.afr.com/companies/mining/man-of-resource-nev-power-s-wild-ride-to-the-top-20140802-j6yr1Insiders Interview: https://www.abc.net.au/insiders/greg-hunt-and-brendan-murphy-joins-insiders/12057676
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Hand in hand with the measures being used to contain the spread of Covid-19 comes the economic consequences. While we are flattening the curve, businesses are shutting down and unemployment is rising. Talking about economics can be as exciting as watching paint dry, but once you get your head around some basic concepts, it is, shock horror, actually quite interesting. In this Squiz Shortcut we're going to take you through some economic fundamentals that'll help give some context to what is happening right now with the Coronavirus pandemic, including what a recession looks like, and what governments can do when times get tough.Squiz Shortcuts is your shortcut to more than the headlines.The Squiz Today is a free weekday email and podcast that's your shortcut to the news. Sign up at https://www.thesquiz.com.au .Recommendations:Buy local! Find your local businesses on social media and support them if you can. Buy From The Bush and Buy Aussie Now are also good places to discover Australian businesses.The Labor in Power series documented the Hawke and Keating years. This episode on the economic downturn in the late 80s and early 90s is a good one.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison answers kids' questions about Coronavirus, in a kids-only Q&A.
Squiz Kids is a news podcast just for kids. A short weekday podcast, created here in Australia, that gives kids (and their adults) the rundown on the big news stories, delivered without opinion, and with positivity and humour.
‘Kid-friendly news that keeps them up to date without all the nasties’ (A Squiz Parent)
This Australian podcast for kids easily fits into the morning routine - helping curious kids stay informed about the world around them. Learn more: https://www.squizkids.com.au .
Squiz Kids is proudly supported by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
As the world braces for the impact of COVID-19, we're going to take a look back at some of the big infectious disease outbreaks of the past. Where they started, their devastating mortality rate, and how they were eventually contained.
Squiz Shortcuts is your shortcut to more than the headlines.
The Squiz Today is a free weekday email and podcast that's your shortcut to the news. Sign up at https://www.thesquiz.com.au .
Squiz Recommendations:Houseparty app: https://houseparty.com/ . Coronavirus Australia app: Search for 'Coronavirus Australia' in the App Store or Google PlayWhatsApp Bot: Download WhatsApp, then visit www.aus.gov.au/whatsapp .
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Turns out there's a long history of people messing with time. In this episode we'll get you across the reasons it came about in the first place, the countries who use it and the great daylight savings debate here in Australia.
Squiz recommends:John Oliver - Daylight Saving "Why is this still a thing?"Thrive Global - Sleep Tips
Got a Squiz Shortcuts suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.auHear our daily podcast: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
The Squiz is a weekday Australian news podcast. It’s your shortcut to being informed about international and Australian news.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This Squiz Shortcuts episode is a little different. It’s brought to you by Bryce Corbett, the host of our Squiz Kids podcast. In this 10 minute episode, Bryce and kids from around Australia ask well-known GP Dr Ginni Mansberg some frequently asked questions about the Coronavirus outbreak. It's great for kids, but we certainly learned a lot as well. We hope you enjoy it, and if you do, check out our Squiz Kids podcast - a weekday news update for 8-12yos - and some adults we know...
Check out Squiz Kids: www.squizkids.com.au .
Sign up to The Squiz, a free weekday email that's your shortcut to being informed about the news: www.thesquiz.com.au .
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Dame Mary Gilmore, Mary Reibey, Edith Cowan, and Dame Nellie Melba are four notable Australian women whose significant achievements are honoured through their inclusion on our currency. So let's get to know them - who they were, what they achieved, and their legacies.
Recommendations:The first publication of Mary Gilmore's 'No Foe Shall Gather Our Harvest'. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/51271905 .
Nellie Melba Museum: https://www.nelliemelbamuseum.com.au/recordings.htm .
Sign up to The Squiz: https://www.thesquiz.com.au
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Who can become the President of the USA, how the parties elect their candidates, the all-important numbers; and what to watch out for in the 2020 election ...
Squiz Shortcuts is your shortcut to more than the headlines.
Sign up to The Squiz - https://www.thesquiz.com.au .
Squiz Recommendations:Axios - https://www.axios.com/ . Everything Explained - What Is The Electoral College? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-is-the-electoral-college/id1124110920?i=1000371562184 . Hamilton soundtrack - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ZcGI2hFTy5Rruln175z9X .
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
How Australian kids perform at school is always a hot topic with parents, teachers and taxpayers. We're taking to take a look at how the Australian education system works, where Australia ranks relative to the rest of the world, and the debate about how to lift our game.
Take the PISA tests: https://www.oecd.org/pisa/test/ Subscribe to Squiz Kids, our news podcast for 8-12 year olds: www.squizkids.com.au
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The Rohingya and the Uyghurs - both groups are considered by the United Nations to be victims of human rights abuses. Here we explain who they are, as well as why and how they're being persecuted.
Squiz Recommends:Four Corner documentary : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-axd1Ht_J8 .Cate Blanchett's address to the UN Security Council on the Rohingya crisishttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AO49WFl4FE.
The Squiz is a free weekday email and podcast, we're your shortcut to being informed on international and Australian news. Want more? Sign up at www.thesquiz.com.au.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
From how they grew up, how they came to politics and where they stand on key issues - this episode looks at the bloke who runs the country and the bloke who wants too.
Squiz recommends:Anthony Albanese op-ed: https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/shout-less-listen-more-let-s-make-this-our-new-year-s-resolution-20191226-p53myc.html .Jenny Morrison interview: https://honey.nine.com.au/latest/jenny-morrison-interview-scott-morrison/e4af2ed3-2117-489f-86d1-8b11b08fdd32 .
The Squiz is a free weekday email and podcast, we're your shortcut to being informed on international and Australian news.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
What coronavirus actually is, where it came from, the broader implications, and how we stop the spread.
Squiz Recommends:
Quartz "How China can build a hospital for coronavirus patients in a week": https://qz.com/1792705/coronavirus-the-engineering-behind-wuhans-rapidly-built-hospitals/ .
Mayo Clinic "Washing your hands": https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/hand-washing/art-20046253 .
The Squiz is a free weekday email and podcast, we're your shortcut to being informed on international and Australian news.
What it means to be a 'senior royal', how are the Royal Family funded and how do they work with the media? In this episode we tackle those questions while we talk you through Harry and Meghan's new arrangement, and how it'll work.
Squiz recommends:
Sussex Royal: https://sussexroyal.com/
Sussex Royal instagram: @sussexroyal
The Squiz is a free weekday email and podcast, we're your shortcut to being informed on international and Australian news.
It's the Chinese tech company that's been banned from rolling out 5G networks here in Australia, in NZ and in the US. Here we step through what the concern is, how it plays into broader diplomatic tensions between China and the West and what Huawei has to say.
Squiz Recommends:
Quartz "Huawei's Journey to Becoming Us tech enemy No 1": https://qz.com/1627149/huaweis-journey-to-becoming-us-tech-enemy-no-1/
The Daily "Why Controlling 5G Could Mean Controlling the World": https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/25/podcasts/the-daily/5g-technology-huawei-china-us.html
Got a Squiz Shortcut suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
How about our daily podcast and email? www.thesquiz.com.au
The Squiz is a free weekday email and podcast. We're your shortcut to the being informed on international and Australian news.
What the date marks, how it evolved, the argument for and against moving it, and what our leaders think.
Squiz recommends:
Australia Day Council advertisement: https://www.australiaday.org.au/
The Australian "Voyage of the damned": https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/inquirer/first-fleet-sets-sail-for-australia-and-were-bound-for-botany-bay/news-story/26c7e05017e6a42d50a0f6f6a58d2751
The House with Annabel Crabb: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/house-with-annabel-crabb
The Squiz is a weekday Australian news podcast. We're your shortcut to being informed about international and Australian news.
Australia’s bushfire history, the scale and extent of what we've seen in 2019/2020, the conditions that have caused this event, what we can learn from it, as well as the response.
Squiz Recommends:
Batlow:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-06/nsw-fires-in-batlow-residents-return-home-to-damage/11845072
How to donate: https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/bushfire-crisis-how-can-i-donate-and-help/11839842?utm_source=TheSquiz&utm_medium=Email&UTM_campaign=200106
Black Saturday 10 Years on: https://iview.abc.net.au/show/aftermath-beyond-black-saturday
Got a Squiz Shortcut suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
How about our daily podcast and email? www.thesquiz.com.au
The Squiz is a free weekday email and podcast. We're your shortcut to the being informed on international and Australian news.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Since the UK Election we've updated this episode of Squiz Shortcuts. It now covers Brexit - post Johnson becoming Prime Minister. A bit about him, his Brexit plan, what happened in the election and how it impacts Brexit.
Squiz Recommends:
The Guardian "Isaac Levido: the Australian political strategist credited with Boris Johnson's victory": https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/16/isaac-levido-the-australian-political-strategist-credited-with-boris-johnsons-victory
The Daily "Switching Sides in Britain": https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-daily/id1200361736#episodeGuid=gid%3A%2F%2Fart19-episode-locator%2FV0%2FAe_60FweiiR0fpYYt6KP_rb5Xhv9vRSkUKrN8-mHnzQ
Got a Squiz Shortcuts suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
Seen our daily podcast? https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
The Squiz is also a free weekday email with a uniquely Australian take on the news headlines. It’s a quick read and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Get on it. Sign up at www.thesquiz.com.au
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
It's a bit of fun, it's a bit festive, with a lot of laughs. Take a lighter look at year that was 2019 by joining us for The Great Big Squiz Quiz.
The Great Big Squiz Quiz - Written Edition: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/quiz/.
2019 Year in Review: https://www.thesquiz.com.au/2019-news-year-in-review/.
Who is he and what is exactly is Wikileaks? Plus, the events that thrust Assange and Wikileaks into the spotlight and the ongoing legal fallout.
Squiz Recommends:
Timeline of Events - BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-11949341
The New Yorker - Raffi Khatchadourian’s profile: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/08/21/julian-assange-a-man-without-a-country
Got a Squiz Shortcut suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
How about our daily podcast and email: www.thesquiz.com.au
The Squiz is a free weekday email and podcast. We're your shortcut to the being informed on international and Australian news.
The battle of the big economies. Why the trade war started, how it is playing out and how it is affecting all of us.
Squiz Recommends:
The Conversation "How Soybeans became China's most powerful weapon in Trumps trade war":https://theconversation.com/how-soybeans-became-chinas-most-powerful-weapon-in-trumps-trade-war-118088 WTO Explainer: https://money.cnn.com/2018/03/12/news/economy/what-is-the-wto/index.html
Got a Squiz Shortcuts suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
Seen our daily podcast? https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
The Squiz is a weekday Australian news email and podcast. It’s your shortcut to being informed on international and Australian news.
We'll tell you what it means, what the process is, when it's happened before and why it's happening to Donald Trump.
Squiz Recommends:
Tim 'Apple'
Vox - Ukraine PM
Got a Squiz Shortcuts suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
Seen our daily podcast? https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
The Squiz is a weekday Australian news email and podcast. It's your shortcut to being informed on international and Australian news.
How has online shopping changed the face of retailing? And what are the major shopping events that are now landmarks on the shopping calendar?
Squiz Recommends:
New York Times' The Strategist - http://nymag.com/strategist/.
Curated lists that land in your inbox.
Browser extension Honey - https://www.joinhoney.com/.
Add to your browser and it will scan and apply all available discount codes.
Got a Squiz Shortcuts suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
Seen our daily podcast? https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
The Squiz is a weekday Australian news email and podcast. It’s your shortcut to being informed on international and Australian news. Sign up at www.thesquiz.com.au
It's no secret Australia is in drought. In this episode we look at how bad this one actually is, and what's being done to help.
Squiz recommends:
Instagram page - Buy From the Bush - https://www.instagram.com/buyfromthebush/?igshid=7wyptef01wul
National Museum - Federation Drought - https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/federation-drought
Got a Squiz Shortcuts suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
Seen our daily podcast? https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
The Squiz is a weekday Australian news email and podcast. It’s your shortcut to being informed on international and Australian news.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
A look at how Islamic State came to be, the power it had at its peak, and the push to defeat it.
Squiz Recommends:
ABC "Married to Islamic State": https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-30/women-of-isis-reveal-australian-network/11549490
News York Times "Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, ISIS Leader Known for His Brutality, Is Dead at 48": https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/27/world/middleeast/al-baghdadi-dead.html
Got a Squiz Shortcuts suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
Seen our daily podcast? https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
The Squiz is a weekday Australian news email and podcast. It’s your shortcut to being informed on international and Australian news.
Three world leaders who are in the news a lot are the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, and India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi... Here, we take a closer at who they are, how they came to power, their politics and just why they're in the news all the time.
Squiz Recommends:
Modi's 'complicated' marriage: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/abandoned-as-a-child-bride-indias-first-lady-still-hopes-her-husband-will-call/2015/01/25/3509dac5-5ac1-49e3-8b44-7d92e027c9ec_story.html
Macron v Bolsonaro: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/26/macron-rebukes-bolsonaro-over-extraordinarily-rude-comments-about-wife
Sign up to The Squiz Today email: www.thesquiz.com.au
Got a Shortcut suggestion: hello@thesquiz.com.au
The Squiz is a weekday Australian news podcast. It’s your shortcut to being informed about international and Australian news.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This episode of Squiz Shortcuts is all about 1MDB - the fund, set up by former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, and is at the centre of one of the biggest corruption scandals ever. This story has it all - money, corruption, power, celebrity. In this podcast, we'll start by getting you across what 1MDB is, who was involved, how the money this fund generated was spent and how the whole thing has gone down.
Squiz Recommends:
Sydney Morning Herald, Andrew Horney article: https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/ps-malaysian-investigation-recalls-first-lady-s-sydney-shopping-spree-20180522-p4zgqo.html
More about Jho Low: https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/pa8pj8/the-pretend-billionaire-who-threw-insane-parties-for-celebs-and-vanished-1
Got a Squiz Shortcuts suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
Seen our daily podcast? https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
Squiz Shortcuts is your shortcut to more than the headlines.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This episode of Squiz Shortcuts will give you the background to one of the most commonly used phrases in news - climate change. We'll steer clear of the politics and rather take you through what climate change means, why it's a problem, what the world has agreed to do about it and Australia's position.
Squiz Recommends:
Australian Academy of Science: https://www.science.org.au/learning/general-audience/science-climate-change/1-what-is-climate-change
Squiz Shortcuts is your shortcut to more than the headlines.
Got a Squiz Shortcuts suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
Other things we do:
The Squiz Today is a free email and podcast with a uniquely Australian take on the news headlines. It’s a quick read and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Sign up to our free weekday email newsletter here: www.thesquiz.com.au. Or subscribe to our daily news podcast here https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
West Papua is seeing the largest scale uprising for some time which has led to deadly riots and mass arrests. Here is the history of the region, the major players and the background to the unrest.
This podcast is presented by Urban You.
Book here and use the code SHORTCUTS30 for $30 off your first clean... https://urbanyou.com.au/book/new/cleaning/check_postcode?coupon_code=shortcuts30&utm_medium=partner&utm_source=The+Squiz
Squiz recommends:
West Papua - Lonely Planet
The Conversation - "Not so clueless about Papua"
Got a Squiz Shortcuts suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
Seen our daily podcast? https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
The Squiz is a weekday Australian news email and podcast. It’s your shortcut to being informed on international and Australian news.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The context to what is going on in northeast Syria. This shortcut will get you across why America is in Syria in the first place, who the Kurds are, their relationship with Turkey, and how all involved have responded to after the US announced the removal of troops from the region.
This podcast is presented by Urban You.
Book here and use the code SHORTCUTS30 for $30 off your first clean... https://urbanyou.com.au/book/new/cleaning/check_postcode?coupon_code=shortcuts30&utm_medium=partner&utm_source=The+Squiz
Squiz recommends:
New York Times‘ ‘The Daily’ podcast – ‘Is the US betraying its Kurdish allies..”
The Smithsonian Magazine on Kurdish heritage and traditions
Got a Squiz Shortcuts suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
Seen our daily podcast? https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
The Squiz is a weekday Australian news email and podcast. It’s your shortcut to being informed on international and Australian news.
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
This episode of Squiz Shortcuts will get you across why the relationship between the US and Iran is so significant for the world; why Iran is strategically important, the history of the relationship, why the US walked away from the nuclear deal with Iran and other tensions that have foreign affairs and military experts worried.
Squiz Recommends:
Vox video
A Separation (film)
Strait of Hormuz
Got a Squiz Shortcuts suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
Seen our daily podcast? https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
The Squiz is a weekday Australian news podcast. It’s your shortcut to being informed about international and Australian news.
This is all things Brexit pre-Boris Johnson. Have a listen for an understanding on why Britain was ever part of the EU, why they decided to leave, why it's so hard to leave and the major sticking point - the Northern Ireland backstop.
Brexit (Part 2) is coming soon!
Squiz Shortcuts is your shortcut to more than the headlines.
Squiz Recommends:
Brexit Yoga: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqwEa6I1lwI
BBC Brexit Explainer: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-32810887
Got a Squiz Shortcuts suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
Seen our daily podcast? https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
The Squiz is also a free weekday email with a uniquely Australian take on the news headlines. It’s a quick read and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Get on it. Sign up at www.thesquiz.com.au
In this episode of Squiz Shortcuts we're getting you across Ash Barty. 2019 really has been her year, winning the French Open and spending eight weeks as world #1.
So if you're keen to know more about this Aussie tennis prodigy, we'll get you across her life growing up, her break from tennis and how she made her way back and to the top of the sport.
Squiz Shortcuts is your shortcut to more than the headlines.
Squiz Recommends:
Great video from Tennis Australia.
Interview with Stellar magazine (paywall).
Got a Squiz Shortcuts suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
Seen our daily podcast? https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
The Squiz is also a free weekday email with a uniquely Australian take on the news headlines. It’s a quick read and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Get on it. Sign up at www.thesquiz.com.au
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In this (first) episode of Squiz Shortcuts we are looking at Hong Kong. It's been in the news every day for the past few months given the ongoing demonstrations in the region against what protestors see as an erosion of freedoms to China.
That's the news. In the episode of Squiz Shortcuts we'll give you the background. We'll start with Hong Kong pre-Britain, we'll then have a look at what happened during the British lease-period and then the more recent history, when it was handed back to China. Finally we'll look at how this all ties in with what is happening there now.
Squiz Shortcuts is your shortcut to more than the headlines.
Squiz Recommends:
BBC World Service: The Inquiry podcast - Will China crackdown on Hong Kong?
(Or on Apple here).
Got a Squiz Shortcuts suggestion for us? hello@thesquiz.com.au
Seen our daily podcast? https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
The Squiz is also a free weekday email with a uniquely Australian take on the news headlines. It’s a quick read and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Get on it. Sign up at https://www.thesquiz.com.au/signup/
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Welcome to Squiz Shortcuts - our new weekly podcast. It's your shortcut to more than the headlines.
Are you interested in the news but sometimes find there is a whole lot of assumed knowledge which makes it hard to get the full picture? We hear you.
Once-weekly, in under ten minutes, Squiz Shortcuts will give you the background on the news, personalities and historical events that often come up but can be overwhelming and time-consuming to get across.
Hosted by Kate Watson and Claire Kimball, Squiz Shortcuts will give you the context to the news. You're smart and busy, so in the usual Squiz-way we'll keep it short and sharp, and opinion-free.
As always, The Squiz is your shortcut to being informed.
Have a Squiz Shortcut idea for us? hello@thesquiz.com.auSeen our daily podcast? https://www.thesquiz.com.au/podcast/
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.