Friday, 21 June - I read the news today, oh boy

Good morning, it’s Friday, 21 June. In your Squiz Today…

• An inquiry into social media kicks off

• Big bucks in burritos

• And a “vegan Dracula” discovered in our waters…

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Vale actor Donald Sutherland, star of The Hunger Games and The Dirty Dozen, who has died aged 88. His son, actor Kiefer Sutherland, announced the sad news, saying his dad was “one of the most important actors in the history of film”. We loved him as Mr Bennet in Pride and Prejudice the most…

The news behind the news…

The Squiz

The bosses of 3 of our biggest news companies - Nine Entertainment’s Mike Sneesby, Seven West Media’s Jeffrey Howard and News Corp Australia’s Michael Miller - will appear before a parliamentary committee looking into social media and its effects on Australian society that kicks off today. Also getting the call-up are Australia's competition and media regulators along with the Digital Publishers Alliance, the peak body representing independent news publishers. The inquiry, being chaired by Labor's Kate Thwaites, is the culmination of a few big themes that have been bouncing around the news this year. 

Like what?

So in February, Meta - the parent company of Facebook and Instagram - announced it would not re-sign deals with Australian publishers to host their content on its platforms. You can read up on it here, but Meta had inked 3-year deals with publishers in 2021 after the introduction of the News Media Bargaining Code by the Morrison Government. Given publishers had been encouraged for years to build an audience and distribute their content on Facebook, Meta’s decision - and the suggestion it could take news off its platforms altogether - has angered politicians and media bosses alike. Then in April, the social media companies were in the spotlight after mis/disinformation spread on the Bondi Junction and Wakeley terror attacks. At the time, Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said “just about every problem that we have as a country is either being exacerbated or caused by social media”. 

So where is this going? 

It’s a great question because it’s a heady mix of issues… First and foremost the Albanese Government has to make a call about how those companies do business here, including whether to/how to ban kids’ access to social media. News publishers are a big part of the conversation because how Aussies access their news and who pays for it is an existential question… And then you’ve got lil’ ole us - everyday news consumers/citizens - who just want to stay informed and not be exposed to gross/violent/wildly false information online. So there’s a bit to unpick… The first cab off the rank is responding to Meta’s breach of the News Media Bargaining Code, and then it’s about safety and mis/disinformation. And it’ll happen quickly - for a government process, anyway… An interim report from this committee will be out in mid-August, and the final in November. 

Squiz the Rest

An unstoppable force meets an immovable object

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu is facing increasing opposition as the war in Gaza drags on… After disbanding his war cabinet following the high-profile resignation of centrist former general Benny Gantz, Netanyahu’s mission to destroy Hamas has been publicly questioned by chief army spokesman Daniel Hagari. During a TV interview, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) rep said "Hamas is an idea - whoever thinks we can eliminate Hamas is wrong." It reveals the deepening rift in Israel’s halls of power. The conflict is also fracturing other ties, with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz warning a decision on an all-out war with Lebanon’s militant group Hezbollah is coming soon after ongoing cross-border attacks. In return, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is threatening Cyprus over allegations it’s allowing Israel to use its airports and bases for military exercises.

Gas supply freezing up

Back home, the cold snap hasn’t just frozen our bones, it’s threatening to create a shortfall in Australia’s gas supply, the energy market regulator has said. The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has warned of a dwindling supply of gas on Australia's east coast due to the recent cold snap, lower levels of renewable energy and supply disruptions. It means Victoria, NSW and South Australia are now relying on gas supplies from Queensland for the rest of winter and reports say a shortfall could force temporary shutdowns in some manufacturing sectors. The warning comes a day after the Coalition reignited the national energy debate with a proposal for 7 nuclear power plants to provide an alternative power source. A spokeswoman for Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the risk was being handled. "AEMO and the market are taking steps to ensure the risk is mitigated ahead of time," she said. 

Big money in burritos…

The bosses at Mexican-themed fast-food chain Guzman y Gomez probably had a few celebratory tequilas last night after the company yesterday made the biggest debut on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) in 3 years… The company's valuation topped $3 billion yesterday after it started trading as its share price quickly rose to $30 - $8 more than the issue price. Quite the success story… Guzman y Gomez started in Sydney back in 2006 and has since opened more than 200 stores across the country - as well as Japan, Singapore and the US. If you’re not familiar, they serve things like burritos, nachos, tacos and quesadillas - and they’ve got plans to open 1,000 stores, so you could be saying ‘hola’ soon…

A stroll a day keeps the back pain away

We know exercise is good for us, but now we have a very specific reason to force ourselves out the front door even when the weather has us wanting to hide under a doona… That’s because Australian scientists have found taking at least 3 strolls a week nearly halves how often people with low back pain will suffer. That comes from a world-first trial and better yet, the study’s lead author Mark Hancock says that we “don’t need to be walking 5 or 10km every day to get these benefits.” Instead, you can focus on the time spent walking, as the research showed those who spent an average of just over 2 hours a week wandering, remained pain-free for nearly twice as long as those who didn’t. Wonder if a walk to get an ice cream counts? 

Gettin’ weird in the water

There are a lot of curious goings-on in our waters, including in Queensland where scientists have discovered a new aquatic species lovingly dubbed the ‘vegan dracula fish’. The Australian brook lamprey was found on K’gari - formerly known as Fraser Island - and up close it looks like something from a creature feature. Despite its hundreds of teeth, it's unlike other lamprey fish as it isn’t parasitic, but that hasn’t dulled the excitement of the discovery for Dr Luke Carpenter-Bundhoo who says that it "sort of harks back to a bygone era when people were discovering things everywhere.” Tasmanians will need to still watch out for more bitey varieties of lamprey when they dive naked into the Antarctic waters off Hobart for the nude winter solstice swim this morning in what’s become an iconic annual tradition. You wouldn’t want anything latching on while you’re in there…

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Friday Lites - 3 things we liked this week

There’s been a bit of news around this week about North Korea, but one thing you might not know is how the Hermit Kingdom makes money from selling fake eyelashes and hair to the West. This article will raise your situational awareness… 

The much-anticipated documentary Federer: 12 Final Days (on Prime) was released this week, and we’ll be serving it up this weekend. Roger Federer, what a legend… But to add to the sales pitch, it’s co-directed by Oscar winner Asif Kapadia - the guy behind Amy and Senna.  

And with no end in sight to the cold weather for much of the country this weekend, we are in need of some serious comfort food… Delia Smith’s doughnut alternative - a deep-fried jam sandwich recipe - will cheer anyone up on a cold day.

Sorry to nag…

As you probably know, our Newshounds program - our media literacy podcast for 7-12yos that more than 2,500 classrooms around Australia have signed up for - is incredibly important to us. And as we talked about in our lead story, the Federal Parliament is looking into all things news and social media - and we're going to put in a submission.

So, if you’re a parent or a teacher, here’s our survey - it'll take about 5-7mins to complete. Please and thank you…

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Squiz the Day

It’s the end of Term 2 for kids in Queensland and the Northern Territory 

7.42am (AEST) - Annual Dark Mofo nude winter solstice swim…brrr - Hobart

8.30am (AEST) - Murray-Darling Basin Science Symposium showcasing the latest scientific research from the area - Albury

9.00am (AEST) - The bosses of our biggest news companies will appear before the first public hearing into the effects of social media on Australian society - Canberra

9.45am (AEST) - Winners of the National Photographic Portrait Prize and the Darling Portrait Prize to be announced at the National Portrait Gallery - Canberra

10.30am (AEST) - Cricket: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Australia v Bangladesh - Antigua and Barbuda, and watch on Prime

2.00pm (AEST) - The Parliamentary Inquiry into Live Sheep Exporting will hand down its report - Canberra

9.00pm (AEST) - Women’s Basketball: Aus v Japan in the second of 2 pre-Olympic friendlies - Hokkaido

Night 2 of the Vinnies CEO Sleepout to tackle homelessness

Conservative US commentator Tucker Carlson's tour kicks off in Cairns (on until 1 July) - Aus wide 

Winter Solstice

World Humanist Day 

International Yoga Day 

Take Your Dog to Work Day

World Music Day

Go Skateboarding Day

National Selfie Day

Birthdays for Ian McEwan (1948), Joko Widodo (1961), Prince William (1982), Edward Snowden (1983), and Lana Del Rey (1985)

Anniversary of:

• the first Victoria Cross won during the Crimean War (1854)

• the birthday of philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre (1905) 

Saturday
10.00am (AEST) - The World's Ugliest Dog Contest - California

10.00am (AEST) - Exhibition for the National Photographic Portrait Prize opens (until 22 September 2024)

3.30pm (AEST) - Men’s Basketball: Aus v Japan in the first of 2 pre-Olympics friendlies - Hokkaido, and watch here

5.05pm (AEST) - Super Rugby Pacific Final, Blues v Chiefs - Auckland, and watch on Stan

6.30pm (AEST) - Arts of Music gala fundraiser - Sydney

9.00pm (AEST) - Surfing: WSL Championship Tour Vivo Rio Pro (until 30 June) - Rio de Janeiro

Buy Local Day - Sunshine Coast

Birthdays for actor Meryl Streep (1949), US Senator Elizabeth Warren (1949), singer Cyndi Lauper (1953), and author Dan Brown (1964)

Anniversary of:

• Princess Elizabeth meeting her future husband, Prince Philip of Greece (1939)

• Nazi Germany invading the Soviet Union during WWII (1941)

• the deaths of actor/singers Judy Garland (1969) and Fred Astaire (1987)

Sunday
7.15am (AEST) - Mixed Martial Arts (MMA): UFC Fight Night middleweight bout - Australia’s Robert Whittaker v Ikram Aliskerov from Russia - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

10.30am (AEST) - Cricket: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Australia v Afghanistan - St Vincent and the Grenadines, and watch on Prime

11.00pm (AEST) - Motorsport: F1 Spanish Grand Prix - Barcelona, and watch on Foxtel or Kayo

5.00pm (AEST) - Men’s Basketball: Aus v Japan in the second of 2 pre-Olympics friendlies - Hokkaido, and watch here

International Women in Engineering Day

World Whistleblowers Day 

International Widows' Day 

Public Service Day 

Olympic Day, commemorating the formal establishment of the International Olympic Committee in 1894 

Birthdays for Frances McDormand (1957), Joel Edgerton (1974), 

Anniversary of:

• the first contraceptive pill is made available for purchase in the US (1960)

• the Childers Palace Backpackers Hostel fire that killed 15 tourists visiting the Queensland town (2000)

• the UK's Brexit referendum (2016)

• Ash Barty winning the Birmingham title, becoming women’s world #1 (2019)