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
Sep 25, 2025 • 17min
Squiz Shortcuts: Much ado about Labubus
You've probably spotted them around - cute but slightly creepy plush dolls with cheeky grins and pointy teeth. They're called Labubu dolls, and they've gone from quirky collectibles to must-have accessories thanks to fashion influencers and celebrities jumping on the bandwagon. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we'll explain what on earth a Labubu is and how these little monsters became such big business...
Sponsored - Head online and search for 'Bankwest Virtual Card' to find out there T&Cs.
Squiz Recommends:
Watching: This short YouTube video produced by Pop Mart about artist Kasing Lung’s journey creating Labubu. He’s talking about it during a signing event at the Louvre in Paris, no less. It’s got subtitles but it’s a sweet look at what he loves about the character…
Reading: This Vogue article featuring some very fashionable people speaking about their Labubu collections and why they’ve got them…
Perusing: Naomi Osaka’s Labubus Billie Jean Bling and Arthur Flashe…
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
Sep 24, 2025 • 12min
A state of emergency at Optus, and an early Oscar front-runner...
Thursday, 25 September: A state of emergency at Optus, The super typhoon moves over China; Jimmy Kimmel returns, and an early Oscar front-runner...
SPONSORED: Head online and search for 'Bankwest Virtual Card' to find out the T&Cs.
Here the Smart Traveller advice for China
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.
Sep 23, 2025 • 11min
Albanese locks in a Trump meeting, and Fat Bear Week returns
Wednesday, 24 September: Albanese locks in a Trump meeting; A super typhoon threatens Asia, Jimmy Kimmel is back; And so is Fat Bear Week...
SPONSORED: Head online and search for 'Bankwest Virtual Card' to find out the T&Cs.
You can read more about next year's Artemis II mission to the moon here.
And get up to speed on our favourite Squiz comp - Fat Bear Week - here.
And here's the link to our Airbnb survey - we appreciate your help!
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.
Sep 23, 2025 • 15min
Squiz Shortcuts: What's going on at the UN this week?
Leaders from around the world are in New York for ‘High-level Week’ at the 80th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. Our PM Anthony Albanese is there, and he’s got a lot on his agenda. He’s also facing pressure to lock in a meeting with US President Donald Trump and get relations back on track with our key ally... So in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll take you through the role of the UN, what’s happening in High-level Week, and what Albanese hopes to achieve there…
Sponsored - Head online and search for 'Bankwest Virtual Card' to find out their T&Cs.
Squiz Recommends:
Reading: This UN paper titled: What to know ahead of the UN summit on the Question of Palestine which will get you across what’s up for discussion this week.
Watching: This short video produced by the UN about its 80th Anniversary and the organisation’s role in the world.
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
Sep 22, 2025 • 13min
Optus is under fire over outages, and a river cleanup works wonders
Tuesday, 23 September: Optus is under fire over outages; Estonia raises the alarm over Russia, Rowell wins the Brownlow, And a river cleanup works wonders...
SPONSORED: Head online and search for 'Bankwest Virtual Card' to find out the T&Cs.
Here's the link to the article about Chicago's river clean-up (and one about Chonkosaurus, because we know you want to know more about him...).
Here's that surprise Brownlow moment
A link for all your Fat Bear Week news...
And here's the link to our Airbnb survey - we appreciate your help!
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.
Sep 21, 2025 • 11min
Waiting on a big Australia-US meeting, and some surprising science
Monday, 22 September: Waiting on a big Australia-US meeting; Optus is in hot water; A golden night for Aussies in Tokyo; And some surprising science...
Here's the story about the Ig Nobel Prizes.
And here's the link to our Airbnb survey - we appreciate your help!
SPONSORED: Head online and search for 'Bankwest Virtual Card' to find out the T&Cs.
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.
Sep 19, 2025 • 14min
Weekly Wrap Preview: A big climate announcement, and Pacific security deals not getting done
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. There was a lot of climate policy news to get across this week, first with the release of the National Climate Risk Assessment, and then the government setting a 2035 emissions reduction target. We'll pull that together and make sense of it for you.
Listen to the full episode on the News Club show feed. And while you’re there, check out ‘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
Video editor: Charlie Devenport
Researcher: Nicoletta Hay
Sep 18, 2025 • 12min
Australia's new emissions target is set, and some Friday fish cakes
Friday, 19 September: Australia's new emissions target is set; A US talk show is pulled off air; King Charles backs AUKUS; And some Friday fish cakes...
SPONSORED: Head online and search for 'Bankwest Virtual Card' to find out the T&Cs.
Here's the story about Marilyn Hagerty, and, of course, her famous Olive Garden review.
For a recipe, we'll point you to Larissa's favourite Old School Fish Cakes.
Speaking of eating fish... Fat Bear Week Junior is upon us! Read about it here.
And here's the link to our Airbnb survey - we appreciate your help!
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.
Sep 18, 2025 • 17min
Squiz Shortcuts: Why China built the world's tallest bridge
The world’s tallest bridge, Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, is about to open in China but it’s not in a place you’d expect… Instead of linking parts of a city, the bridge spans a gorge in one of the country’s most remote, poor areas - and it’s both a feat of engineering and a symbol of China’s economic progress. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll get you across what it took to build such an immense construction and what it means for China…
SPONSORED: Tune in to Mumbition’s Start Your Business Boot Camp series—your go-to guide for turning ideas into action and ambition into impact.mumsandco.com.au/podcasts
SPONSORED: Head online and search for 'Bankwest Virtual Card' to find out the T&Cs.
Squiz Recommends:
Watching: This YouTube video by The Impossible Build about the bridge’s construction. It’s got great footage and really gives you a sense of its scale.
Browsing: And for the bridge fans, I’ve got a round up of other famously tall and long bridges in the world compiled by the BBC for a bit of comparison/general bridge appreciation.
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
Sep 17, 2025 • 11min
Another delayed deal in the Pacific, and Robert Redford's online legacy
Thursday, 18 September: Another delayed deal in the Pacific; Trump gets the royal treatment; The NBL gets underway, And Robert Redford's online legacy...
SPONSORED: Tune in to Mumbition’s Start Your Business Boot Camp series—your go-to guide for turning ideas into action and ambition into impact.mumsandco.com.au/podcasts
SPONSORED: Head online and search for 'Bankwest Virtual Card' to find out the T&Cs.
Here's that GIF we were talking about.
And here's the link to our Airbnb survey - we appreciate your help!
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.
