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- Friday, 11 April - I wanna hold your hand
Friday, 11 April - I wanna hold your hand
Good morning, it’s Friday, 11 April. In your Squiz Today…
Answering the question that’s probably kept you up all night - what do US government bonds have to do with Trump’s tariff pause?
A teen’s alleged terror plot to target Coalition leader Peter Dutton
And makin’ ricotta pancakes 🥞
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Squiz the Weather
Squiz Sayings
“This is what we train for, and I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
Said gun Aussie sprinter Gout Gout after running 100m in less than 10 seconds - twice - at the National Athletics Championships in Perth last night. His time(s) of 9.99 seconds won’t be official because of a pesky tailwind, but wind-assisted or not, he’s an exciting talent…
Testing our diplomatic bonds
The Squiz
As US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping continue their financial staring contest, Australian leaders are being asked to pick a side in the showdown. China's Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian said his nation is willing to "join hands" with Oz in taking on Trump's taxes on foreign imports, but Deputy PM Richard Marles swiped left on that idea, saying "I don't think we'll be holding China's hand". Instead, he says we'll focus on new markets, like Indonesia, India, and the UK.
Where do things sit between China and the US?
In an expensive and precariously built chair… Yesterday morning, Trump paused his 'reciprocal tariffs' (aka those beyond the baseline 10%) on imports from every country affected - except for one nation. Whereas most imports into the US will be taxed at 10% for now, China's tariff rate sits at a hefty 145%. The White House says that while most countries sought to do a deal or just sat tight, China hit back with tariffs on US imports of 84%. Long story short, it's now really expensive for companies in both countries to buy from the other, and things are tense. As for why Trump hit pause on the tariffs for everyone else, those in the know say the US bond market might have a lot to do with that….
The bond market?
Giddy-up, we’re taking a little bit of a gallop into finance-land here, so stay with us… US government bonds are essentially a way to buy the US Government's debt, which is paid back with interest over time. They're considered one of the safest investments in the world because of the strength of the US economy. But since 'Liberation Day', investors have abandoned them, indicating a big lack of confidence in America as a secure investment - and that's a problem for the US government because bonds play a big role in funding it. Now that the extra tariffs have been paused, bonds have started to recover in value, much like many stock markets worldwide. Investors - and the White House - will be watching now whether that recovery is a long-term trend or a blip…
Your fresh market update…
At The Squiz, we’re all about giving you the useful stuff. So, we’ve teamed up with Woolies to share their top weekly fruit and veg picks. Here’s what to grab this week:
🍎 Royal Gala apples - Crunchy, sweet, and ideal for a quick school holiday snack.
🍐 Pears - It’s a good time of year to cook with pears, or just snack on ‘em fresh.
🍠 Red washed potatoes - Keep an eye out for the firm, smooth potatoes with a vibrant red colour.
Squiz the Rest
An Aussie teen on terror charges
Coalition leader Peter Dutton was allegedly the target of a planned attack from a Brisbane teenager. Reports this morning say the 16yo was planning to target him at his family home north of Brisbane, but officials are yet to confirm the specifics. This has bubbled to the surface this morning because the boy - who can’t be named but reports say attended a top private school in Brissie until his arrest last August - appeared in Brisbane Children’s Court yesterday on the charge of “preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act”. It’s alleged he obtained “bomb-making instructions” and tested “homemade explosives” that would be delivered using a drone. The boy has been committed to stand trial in the state’s Supreme Court on a date TBD. Dutton’s people won’t comment on the case.
An embryo imbroglio
A woman has given birth to a stranger’s baby after being implanted with the wrong embryo at an Aussie fertility clinic. Monash IVF apologised yesterday for the mixup, which it first learned about in February, and said that an embryo at one of its Brisbane clinics had been “incorrectly thawed and transferred to the birth parents, which resulted in the birth of a child”. Chief Executive Michael Knaap has apologised and said the company is confident that it only happened once but has launched an independent investigation into how it did. Experts say that while this sort of thing has happened before overseas, it might be the first time it's ever happened in Australia.
Some unexpected cash back
A PSA: If you're someone who flew with Virgin Australia between April 2020 and March 2025, the airline has fessed up overcharging customers due to a booking system error. An airline spokesperson yesterday said "some bookings were repriced in a way that does not align with our policy and we are refunding all impacted guests for that amount". As for how many people are affected, about 61,000 customers are expected to receive an average refund of $55. That's only about 0.1% of the bookings made in that period, but it’s likely to set Virgin back about $3.3 million. The spokesperson yesterday said the airline has self-reported the "error" to the consumer watchdog and will start contacting eligible customers.
A severe case of footy fever
One from the ‘you won’t know unless you try’ file… A Melbourne lawyer has had an unfair dismissal case rejected after he chucked a sickie so he could go watch the AFL's Gather Round, where all 18 teams play in South Australia on the same weekend. Mitchell Fuller told his workplace that "he had a tough time sleeping" and wasn't up to coming in - but it turns out he had flown to Adelaide the night before. After his employer found some Instagram posts of the weekend's exploits, he was sacked - and the Fair Work Commission reckons that was fair enough. As it happens, Gather Round is on again this weekend - but maybe only go if you’ve booked your annual leave in advance…
Masters and apprentices
The first day of The Masters is now underway, but the world's best golfers warmed up with a Par 3 competition that showed off their skills - and those of the next generation… Check out this incredible putt from 4yo Poppy McIlroy, daughter of 4-time major winner Rory, which everyone but her seemed thrilled with… Another highlight included Jordan Spieth’s 3yo son Sammy absolutely launching it off the tee to open the event - like father, like son. Colombian Nico Echavarria won the event, and now the festivities are done, it's on to the real stuff. It's a big event for Perth's Min Woo Lee - it's the first time he's going in as the top-ranked Aussie. Hopefully his talent comes to the, uh, fore…
Friday Lites - 3 things we liked this week
There’s a murder-mystery series called Ludwig streaming on 7plus that’s a lot of fun - it stars Peep Show star David Mitchell as an introverted puzzle designer who has to impersonate his police detective twin brother to try and solve the latter’s disappearance. It mixes comedy, mystery and puzzles - sign us up…
With a bunch of public holidays coming up, you might be looking for a few ways to keep family and friends entertained - one of our go-to's is the Jackbox Party Pack, which is sort of like digital party games where players use their phones to compete. They're quick, fun, easy to learn, regularly on sale and often the saviour of a flagging social event…
If you're searching for a brekky recipe to try out this weekend, we'll point you toward these fluffy ricotta pancakes. It's a RecipeTinEats recipe based on the late Sydney restaurateur/’King of Breakfast’ Bill Granger's famous dish. What a way to start the day...
Squiz the Day
Friday
9.00am (AWST) - Coalition leader Peter Dutton will address a Leadership Matters Breakfast - Perth
9.00am (AEST) - The Sydney Royal Easter Show begins (until 22 April) - Sydney
🍰 The International Cake Show opens at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre - Brisbane
ABS data release on Overseas Arrivals and Departures, Feb 2025
Coachella Weekend 1 opens with Lady Gaga, Charli XCX and Post Malone taking the stage (until 13 April) - California, US
A birthday for Aussie actress Milly Alcock (2000)
Anniversary of:
US President Lyndon Johnson signing the Civil Rights Act (1968)
the arrest of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange after his forced removal from the Ecuadorian embassy in London (2019)
Saturday
12.00pm (AEST) - Tennis: The Australian team of 4 led by captain Samantha Stosur will take on the Colombian team at the Billie Jean King Cup at the Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane, and watch on 9Now
US President Donald Trump says his administration will hold a “very big meeting” with representatives from Iran in the Gulf Arab state of Oman on Saturday to discuss Iran’s nuclear program
Passover begins on Saturday evening, commemorating the Exodus from Egypt (until 20 April)
🧀 National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day
Birthdays for late night TV host David Letterman (1947), Australian comedian Magda Szubanski (1961), and actors Clare Danes (1979) and Saoirse Ronan (1994)
Anniversary of:
the publication of Gustave Flaubert's novel Madame Bovary (1857)
the beginning of the US Civil War with the Battle of Fort Sumter (1861)
US President Bill Clinton cited for contempt of court for giving "intentionally false statements" in a sexual harassment civil lawsuit (1999)
Sunday
9.00pm (AEST) - Motorsport: F1 - Bahrain Grand Prix begins, and watch on Kayo
It’s the official election campaign launches for the Coalition (city TBC) and Labor (in Perth) parties
The first anniversary of the Bondi Junction Westfield attack in which 6 people were killed
Thai, Burmese, and Lao New Year will be celebrated
Author/actress Judy Nunn’s birthday (1945)
Anniversary of:
Apollo 13 announcing "Ok, Houston, we've had a problem here", as an oxygen tank exploded en route to the Moon (1970)
Tiger Woods becoming the youngest golfer to win the Masters Tournament at 22yo (1997)
Racehorse Winx ending her racing career with a third Queen Elizabeth Stakes win in Sydney (2019)