

Squiz Today
Squiz Media
A daily news podcast, getting you across the latest Australian and international news in under 10 minutes. Agenda-free, independent, and delivered by hosts that'll come to feel like mates. It's the news without the noise, cutting through with a touch of analysis and an eye on what's coming next. And there's always a quirky news story or two to give a touch of balance to the news of the day. News for busy people, out 6am weekday, perfect for your morning routine.The Squiz is your shortcut to being informed.Top tip - check out The Squiz Today newsletter. It's the daily news stories, in your inbox each weekday at 6am, with links and more info to all the stories covered in The Squiz Today podcast. Sign up at www.thesquiz.com.au - it's free.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 23, 2025 • 12min
Looking back at the Handback, and a surprising literary collaboration
 Friday, 24 October: Looking back at the Handback; Trump tackles a reno; Ireland heads to the polls; And a surprising literary collaboration...
You can find out more about celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the Uluru Handback here.
Take a look at one of the mock-ups of US President Donald Trump's White House ballroom here.
Here's the recipe for brekky burritos - potato included, obviously...
And here's a link to the UK quiz show Only Connect - and, for an extra challenge, Drew's Clues... 
You can get The Squiz Today newsletter in your inbox each weekday morning (links to all today’s stories, plus a dose of quirky news).
Other things we do:
Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties!
Newshounds, by Squiz Kids - a free media literacy program designed to teach primary-school students how to recognise misinformation and disinformation when they come across it.
Check out News Club - the place for conversations about the news hosted by Claire Kimball, Kate Watson and Jodie Speers - including the interview series, Newsmakers.
Sign up for the Saturday Squiz newsletter here - it's the news, weekend style.
Sign up for The Squiz Shortcuts newsletter here - a weekly explainer on big news topics
Support The Squiz by sharing our newsletters and podcasts with your friends. 

Oct 23, 2025 • 15min
Squiz Shortcuts: Digging into the Oz-US minerals deal
 The first face-to-face meeting between PM Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump took a while to happen, but a trade war between America and China over rare earth minerals was some fortuitous timing for Australia. The headline item from the meeting was a deal worth billions to harness our critical and rare earth mineral deposits - So in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll look at what’s in the deal, how it’ll work, and what it means for our relationship with the US.
Squiz Recommends: 
Reading: This ABC explainer which is specifically about rare earth minerals and their uses. 
Reading: Annabel Crabb’s piece about that awkward exchange between Trump and Rudd. She’s captured it as only she can…
Listening: To our Shortcut on critical minerals for some extra info on what they are and how they're used.
Email us: Got a topic you want us to tackle? Send us your Shortcut suggestions to hello@thesquiz.com.au. 
Squiz Shortcuts is your back story to the big news stories…
Want the email version? Sign up for the Shortcuts newsletter here
Prefer to watch this episode? Check it out on YouTube here 

Oct 22, 2025 • 11min
Copping some stick from China, and a lasting love of letters
 Thursday, 23 October: Copping some stick from China; A ceasefire in Ukraine is on ice; A wild day of weather; And a lasting love of letters...
You can get The Squiz Today newsletter in your inbox each weekday morning (links to all today’s stories, plus a dose of quirky news).
Other things we do:
Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties!
Newshounds, by Squiz Kids - a free media literacy program designed to teach primary-school students how to recognise misinformation and disinformation when they come across it.
Check out News Club - the place for conversations about the news hosted by Claire Kimball, Kate Watson and Jodie Speers - including the interview series, Newsmakers.
Sign up for the Saturday Squiz newsletter here - it's the news, weekend style.
Sign up for The Squiz Shortcuts newsletter here - a weekly explainer on big news topics
Support The Squiz by sharing our newsletters and podcasts with your friends. 

Oct 21, 2025 • 11min
Digging into our new minerals deal, and an Aussie's massive payday
 Wednesday, 22 October: Digging into our new minerals deal; Japan gets its first female PM; Adelaide moves up the rankings; And an Aussie's massive payday...
You can read up about new Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi here.
You can get The Squiz Today newsletter in your inbox each weekday morning (links to all today’s stories, plus a dose of quirky news).
Other things we do:
Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties!
Newshounds, by Squiz Kids - a free media literacy program designed to teach primary-school students how to recognise misinformation and disinformation when they come across it.
Check out News Club - the place for conversations about the news hosted by Claire Kimball, Kate Watson and Jodie Speers - including the interview series, Newsmakers.
Sign up for the Saturday Squiz newsletter here - it's the news, weekend style.
Sign up for The Squiz Shortcuts newsletter here - a weekly explainer on big news topics
Support The Squiz by sharing our newsletters and podcasts with your friends. 

Oct 21, 2025 • 14min
Squiz Shortcuts: How R360 is shaking up the rugby world
 There’s been a lot of chatter in rugby union and rugby league circles lately about a new competition called R360. Multi-million dollar offers have been put to a selection of star players across the world to lure them over, and there’s been a strong reaction from both codes who want to block that from happening. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll take a look at what the new competition is, how it would work, and what the reaction to it has been.
Squiz Recommends: 
Reading: This explainer by ESPN all about the new competition and how it’d potentially work…
Reading: This piece by author, columnist, and former Wallaby Peter FitzSimons (paywall) in the Sydney Morning Herald which looks at whether existing codes have the right to stop their players from looking sideways at a new competition. It’s behind a paywall, but worth a read if you’ve got a Herald or an Age subscription.
Email us: Got a topic you want us to tackle? Send us your Shortcut suggestions to hello@thesquiz.com.au. 
Squiz Shortcuts is your back story to the big news stories…
Want the email version? Sign up for the Shortcuts newsletter here
Prefer to watch this episode? Check it out on YouTube here 

Oct 20, 2025 • 12min
An amicable Albanese and Trump meeting, and a different way to holiday
 Tuesday, 21 October: An amicable Albanese and Trump meeting; A diplomatic flare-up with China; Searching for France's crown jewels; And a different way to holiday...
Here's the critical minerals Shortcut. 
The list of items stolen from the Louvre.
Here's a story on the Holiday from Hospital program and a link to the website
And the Back to the Future guide... 
You can get The Squiz Today newsletter in your inbox each weekday morning (links to all today’s stories, plus a dose of quirky news).
Other things we do:
Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties!
Newshounds, by Squiz Kids - a free media literacy program designed to teach primary-school students how to recognise misinformation and disinformation when they come across it.
Check out News Club - the place for conversations about the news hosted by Claire Kimball, Kate Watson and Jodie Speers - including the interview series, Newsmakers.
Sign up for the Saturday Squiz newsletter here - it's the news, weekend style.
Sign up for The Squiz Shortcuts newsletter here - a weekly explainer on big news topics
Support The Squiz by sharing our newsletters and podcasts with your friends. 

Oct 19, 2025 • 11min
Another upset for the Coalition, and rowing into the history books
 Monday, 20 October: Another upset for the Coalition; Prince Andrew gives up his royal titles; A jewellery heist at the Louvre; And rowing into the history books...
If the Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre coverage has raised any issues for you, you can find a list of national support services here.
You can get The Squiz Today newsletter in your inbox each weekday morning (links to all today’s stories, plus a dose of quirky news).
Other things we do:
Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age-appropriate news without the nasties!
Newshounds, by Squiz Kids - a free media literacy program designed to teach primary-school students how to recognise misinformation and disinformation when they come across it.
Check out News Club - the place for conversations about the news hosted by Claire Kimball, Kate Watson and Jodie Speers - including the interview series, Newsmakers.
Sign up for the Saturday Squiz newsletter here - it's the news, weekend style.
Sign up for The Squiz Shortcuts newsletter here - a weekly explainer on big news topics
Support The Squiz by sharing our newsletters and podcasts with your friends. 

Oct 18, 2025 • 9min
What’s Coming Up: From a notable RBA Governor’s speech to World Pasta Day
 In the past, our super useful segment What’s Coming Up to get you ready for news and events in the week ahead was squirrelled away at the back of our Weekly Wrap podcast on our News Club show. Now, it has got its own episode... 
We get a lot of feedback from Squizers that one of the most helpful things we do is to get you across what’s going on in the day/week ahead. So we decided to create a bit more space for it. This is a segment of that episode, taking you through some big-ticket items. Head to News Club to hear the full thing.
Long story short, head to News Club for the Weekly Wrap and What’s Coming Up, and you’ll be caught up and ready to tackle the week ahead. 
Want more News Club in your life? We've got you…
Sign up for our News Club newsletter
Watch all our episodes on YouTube
Follow us on Instagram: @TheSquiz
PS: If you love what we do, the best way to support us is by clicking ‘follow’ on Apple or Spotify. A huge thanks to those who drop us a 5-star review, or even better - spread the word about News Club with your friends, family, colleagues... even your barista.
Hosts: Claire Kimball & Jodie Speers
Producer & Editor: Ryan Pemberton
 

Oct 17, 2025 • 12min
Weekly Wrap Preview: How the Gaza peace plan is going
 Each Saturday, we wrap up the news of the week with the (imaginatively named) Weekly Wrap podcast on our News Club show. We’re putting the main story here because we want to ensure Squizers are across what we’re talking about. This week, there was a lot of attention on the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, and quite a bit to unpack on the implementation of the peace deal. There’s been a few shaky moments... 
Listen to the full episode on the News Club show feed. 
Watch all our episodes on YouTube
Follow us on Instagram: @TheSquiz
PS: If you love what we do, the best way to support us is by clicking ‘follow’ on Apple or Spotify. A huge thanks to those who drop us a 5-star review, or even better - spread the word about Squiz Today and News Club with your friends, family, colleagues... even your barista.
Hosts: Claire Kimball & Jodie Speers
Producer & Editor: Ryan Pemberton
Video editor: Charlie Devenport
Researcher: Nicoletta Hay
 

Oct 16, 2025 • 12min
Prepping for a presidential meeting, and some show-stopping salmon
 PM Albanese is gearing up for a tricky US trip, balancing relations amid US-China tensions. Unemployment rates have risen, prompting discussions on economic implications. In sports, Ariarne Titmus bids farewell to her swimming career at just 25. The tawny frogmouth takes the crown as Australia's Bird of the Year, showcasing its unique traits. For the weekend, a delicious Asian glazed salmon recipe is shared, along with highlights from the A-League and a captivating performance by RAYE on Graham Norton. 


