Squiz Today

If you’ve been paying attention to US politics over the last couple of years you might have clocked the rise of JD Vance in the Republican Party - but you can be forgiven if the first you’d heard of him was when former President Donald Trump announced him as his running mate for November’s election. So in this Shortcut, we’ll get you across who he is, his brand of politics, and what the experts say about what he would bring to office.Squiz recommends:Reading/watching: Read Vance’s memoir Hillbilly Elegy or watch the film version on Netflix. If you’re interested in this election, it’s a good thing to have up your sleeve. Reading: This short explainer on Project 2025 from Axios. Project 2025 is a blue-print laid down by a right-wing organisation called the Heritage Foundation that keeps popping up in the coverage on US politics. Vance hasn’t endorsed it, but he has written a forward for a book by its architect Kevin Roberts.Want the email version? Sign up for the Shortcuts newsletter here.

Thursday, 8 August: An inflationary rift develops; Childcare workers get a pay bump; Harris and Walz hit the campaign trail; And a gold rush in Paris...The Squiz is your shortcut to being informed. 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 brand new 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 topicsSupport The Squiz by sharing our newsletters and podcasts with your friends.

Wednesday, 7 August: Kamala names her running mate; Interest rates are held steady; Dusty hangs up his boots; And our youngest-ever Olympian wins gold...The Squiz is your shortcut to being informed. Get The Squiz Today newsletter in your inbox each weekday morning (links to all today’s stories, plus a dose of quirky news).You can find Squiz Kids' chat with Olympic skateboarding champion Arisa Trew here.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 brand new 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 topicsSupport The Squiz by sharing our newsletters and podcasts with your friends.

Tuesday, 6 August: Australia's terror threat rises; The ASX takes a battering; Harris closes in on her running mate; And brat summer takes over...The Squiz is your shortcut to being informed. 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 brand new 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 topicsSupport The Squiz by sharing our newsletters and podcasts with your friends.

Monday, 5 August: A magnifique Olympics weekend; The legionnaires' outbreak turns deadly; Rioters run amok in the UK; And another big night for the Dolphins...The Squiz is your shortcut to being informed. Get The Squiz Today newsletter in your inbox each weekday morning (links to all today’s stories, plus a dose of quirky news).Sponsored: To get up to $235 off your first 5 Marley Spoon boxes, use the code 'SQUIZ' when you check out here.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 brand new 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 topicsSupport The Squiz by sharing our newsletters and podcasts with your friends.

Friday, 2 August: The Tillies toss Tony; Another Hamas chief is killed; This year's Miles Franklin winner is named; And swimming for gold...The Squiz is your shortcut to being informed. Get The Squiz Today newsletter in your inbox each weekday morning (links to all today’s stories, plus a dose of quirky news).If you need some chicken noodle soup in your life, you can find a good recipe here.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 brand new 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 topicsSupport The Squiz by sharing our newsletters and podcasts with your friends.

The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (known as the CFMEU) has been at the centre of some pretty damning allegations over the past couple of weeks including corruption, links to organised crime, and standover tactics. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll explain who the union is, the reasons it has come under scrutiny, and why this scandal is such a big issue for the Labor party.Squiz recommends:Listening: An episode of the ABC’s Insiders podcast called On Background: The CFMEU’s corruption crisis, and it features an interview with investigative journalist Nick McKenzie who was one of the team from the SMH who broke the story.Reading: An article from the Australian Financial Review called Political Poison: Unions, the Labor Party and the CFMEU. It is behind a paywall but it really helps with understanding the impact of the union on the cost of housing and major infrastructure projects.Want the email version? Sign up for the Shortcuts newsletter here.

Thursday, 1 August: A Hamas chief is killed; Quarterly inflation is on the rise; Solving a peanut problem; And Jess Fox rocks again...The Squiz is your shortcut to being informed. 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 brand new 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 topicsSupport The Squiz by sharing our newsletters and podcasts with your friends.

Wednesday, 31 July: Rex issues a mayday; Aussies are told to leave Lebanon; Searching for answers after the UK's stabbing attack; And the Seine strikes again...The Squiz is your shortcut to being informed. Get The Squiz Today newsletter in your inbox each weekday morning (links to all today’s stories, plus a dose of quirky news).You can find our Squiz Shortcut to the Paris Olympics here.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 brand new 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 topicsSupport The Squiz by sharing our newsletters and podcasts with your friends.

Tuesday, 30 July: O'Callaghan wins the gold; Examining what happened in Wieambilla; Another airline is on the edge; And a SharkEye in the sky...The Squiz is your shortcut to being informed. Get The Squiz Today newsletter in your inbox each weekday morning (links to all today’s stories, plus a dose of quirky news).Here's a summary of the swimming events Australia is hoping to score more medals in.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 brand new 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 topicsSupport The Squiz by sharing our newsletters and podcasts with your friends.