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
Aug 24, 2025 • 13min
Australians take to the streets over Palestine, and mapping out some changes
Monday, 25 August: Australians take to the streets over Palestine; Federal parliament is back in session; The US Open gets underway, and mapping out some changes
SPONSORED: If you’re keen to discover your next regional escape, check out Airbnb’s Hidden Vines Guide at airbnb.com/hiddenvines
Here's a link to those maps we mentioned - you can actually scroll between the 2 to see the differences in this article
You can read the results of our 2025 Squiz survey here.
You can check out our new series, The Big Threat, here, on the News Club channel.
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 and Kate Watson - 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.
Aug 22, 2025 • 10min
Weekly Wrap Preview: We’ve got you covered on Trump, Putin, Zelensky, Netanyahu and Albanese
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 our Squiz Today audience is across what we’re talking about. And today we’ll get you across the rough week for the Australia-Israel relationship… Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is furious about the Albanese Government's decision to recognise Palestinian statehood, and took aim at our PM this week. We also cover where we've landed with Russia-Ukraine after a week of talks about ending the war.
Listen to the full episode on the News Club show feed. And while you’re there, listen to episode 1 of our new series ‘The Big Threat’ that looks at how other democracies are equipping their populations to recognise and resist mis- and disinformation, and what Australia can learn from them.
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
Researcher: Nicoletta Hay
Aug 21, 2025 • 13min
An NDIS shakeup raises some questions, and a breezy biryani
Friday, 22 August: An NDIS shakeup raises eyebrows; the government's economic roundtable wraps up; It's a big weekend of sport; and a breezy biryani
Here's a picture of Wonkito, the giraffe with the crooked neck
Here's the recipe for the quick and easy lamb biryani
You can read the results of our 2025 Squiz survey here.
You can check out our new series, The Big Threat, here, on the News Club channel.
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 and Kate Watson - 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.
Aug 21, 2025 • 11min
Squiz Shortcuts: How Aimee Betro went from a dating app to an assassination plot
A bizarre court case over a botched suburban assassination attempt by an American woman named Aimee Betro on behalf of her English boyfriend has been making headlines in the UK and the US. Before coming to a verdict, the jury in the case heard details of a fist-fight in a bridalwear store, a revenge plan by a father and son, and a faulty weapon that jammed at a crucial moment. Then there was the international manhunt involving the FBI, 2 police forces and a tabloid… So in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll get you across how Betro was eventually caught, and where the court proceedings are up to…
SPONSORED: For more tips on making your home energy efficient and saving money on your power bills, visit Origin Energy's podcast So Watt? here: http://www.originenergy.com.au/sowatt
Squiz Recommends:
Reading: As we said, there’s a lot to take in with this case, so this wrap up by the BBC is a good one if you’d like to read a bit more about it.
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
Aug 20, 2025 • 13min
Our diplomatic tensions with Israel grow, and a new moon discovery
Thursday, 21 August: Our diplomatic tensions with Israel grow; Reviewing Victoria's childcare system; A footy star is in hot water; And a new moon discovery...
SPONSORED: For more tips on making your home energy efficient and saving money on your power bills, check out Origin Energy's podcast So Watt? here.
Here's our Shortcut on Palestinian statehood.
And if the story about abuse in Victoria's childcare system raised any issues for you, you can find some national support services here.
Here's a link for Daffodil Day
You can read the results of our 2025 Squiz survey here.
You can check out our new series, The Big Threat, here, on the News Club channel.
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 and Kate Watson - 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.
Aug 19, 2025 • 11min
A Zelensky and Putin meeting is on the cards, and a delicate relocation
Wednesday, 20 August: A Zelensky and Putin meeting is on the cards; More political tension in Tassie; The results of our Squiz survey; And a delicate relocation...
You can read the results of our 2025 Squiz survey here.
You can check out our new series, The Big Threat, here, on the News Club channel.
Here's our shortcut to the Russia/Ukraine peace talks
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 and Kate Watson - 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.
Aug 19, 2025 • 16min
Squiz Shortcuts: Where are peace talks up to between Russia and Ukraine?
There’s been a flurry of meetings over the last week between leaders from Russia, Ukraine, the US and Europe with the aim of ending the war in Ukraine, so we thought it might be a good time to check in on where the negotiations for peace are up to. In this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll get you across who’s been talking to who, what’s been up for discussion and what it might mean for the war going forward.
Squiz Recommends:
Looking: If you’d like a bit more of a visual guide, this story from Sky News in the UK shows where the territory battle is up to between the 2 countries, so you can see which country is currently in control of what land.
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.
Aug 18, 2025 • 12min
A sky-high fine for Qantas, and delulu's in the dictionary
Tuesday, 19 August: A sky-high fine for Qantas; Zelensky takes back-up to the White House; Vale Terence Stamp; And delulu's in the dictionary...
You can check out our new series, The Big Threat, here, on the News Club channel.
Here's an obituary for Terence Stamp, and if you'd like to check out his monologue from The Limey, you can watch that here (just be wary of a bit of colourful language).
Here's the skibidi toilet video, which might explain what it is - or might not...
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 and Kate Watson - 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.
Aug 17, 2025 • 11min
Zelensky prepares to meet Trump, and Irene says farewell
Monday, 18 August: Zelensky prepares to meet Trump; Palestinians are moved again in Gaza; A Qantas fine is about to arrive; And Irene says farewell...
Read the review of Lynn McGranger's last appearance as Irene Roberts in Home & Away here. (PS - this is behind a Daily Telegraph paywall. And spoiler warning!)
Here's the link to learn a bit more about Vietnam Veterans’ Day
You can check out our new series, The Big Threat, here, on the News Club channel.
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 and Kate Watson - 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.
Aug 15, 2025 • 11min
Weekly Wrap Preview: Getting you ahead of next week’s Economic Reform Roundtable
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 our Squiz Today audience is across what we’re talking about. And today it’s a wrap of the Reserve Bank cut to interest rates and next week’s Economic Reform Roundtable that have been big talking points.
Listen to the full episode on the News Club show feed. And while you’re there, listen to episode 1 of our new series ‘The Big Threat’ that looks at how other democracies are equipping their populations to recognise and resist mis- and disinformation, and what Australia can learn from them.
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
Researcher: Nicoletta Hay
