- The Squiz Today
- Posts
- Friday, 5 December - I lost my poor meatball
Friday, 5 December - I lost my poor meatball
 |
Good morning, it’s Friday, 5 December. In your Squiz Today…
Australia finally gets its AUKUS report card from the United States
There are heatwave/fire warnings across the country
And a spectacular salad that might be perfect for an Xmas party…
🎧 Listen to the podcast
🤓 This email will take you 7 minutes to read
Squiz the Weather
Squiz Sayings
“Of course we have the meatballs. We have tons of meatballs.”
Said IKEA Australia/NZ CEO Mirja Viinanen, after the Swedish furniture chain opened its first-ever store in New Zealand yesterday. Around 800 people, including NZ PM Christopher Luxon, were there for the grand opening - and to sample those meatballs, of course…
Better late than never
The Squiz
Remember that review the US was doing of the AUKUS agreement - the $368 billion defence pact between Oz, the US and the UK? Well, despite the White House announcing a 30-day review in June, Defence Minister and Acting PM Richard Marles says the Oz government has only just received it. Details are scarce at this point, but Marles says the government’s working through it and reckons the US is “completely supportive” of the pact - which would line up with things American officials have been saying in recent months…
What kind of things?
There was that meeting between PM Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump in October, when Trump publicly supported the pact for the first time. A couple of weeks later, a US Defence official said that the deal would result in “significant benefit” and that “it is in our interest for this to work”. AUKUS has plenty of critics - including here at home - but both Labor and the Coalition are behind it, so Team Albo may have been given an early Christmas present by the Trump administration… We could find out more next week when Marles, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and members of Trump’s team meet to go over the finer details.
Much else happening in politics?
As the Acting PM, Marles was also asked about the Albanese Government’s impending social media ban for kids under 16yo, which will come into effect next Wednesday. He knocked back a claim from YouTube that kids would be less safe under the new rules, but warned that not everything was likely to work perfectly on 10 December, and that the government was monitoring new and emerging apps to see whether they also needed to be brought under the ban. But Instagram and Facebook aren't waiting around for next week - as promised, they began shutting down accounts in advance yesterday - around half a million of them - and reports say there's already an increase in complaints about wrongful account closures. So if you've got some grumpy kids (or adults) in your midst, that might be why…
Navigating the social media ban
It's less than a week before the under-16yo social media ban kicks in on 10 December, and there's still a heap of unanswered questions... So the Tech Policy Design Institute's podcast Tech Mirror has launched a 5-part series to try to answer them. They've spoken to eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, psychologists and young people themselves to get you across why the ban is happening and how it's going to work. Find Tech Mirror wherever you get your podcasts.
Squiz the Rest
More charges for Joshua Brown…
He’s the former Melbourne childcare worker who was charged with 70 child sex offences earlier in the year, leading to about 2,000 children from 23 childcare centres he worked at needing health screenings. Yesterday, police detectives issued the 27yo accused paedophile with 83 additional charges, linked to his work at 3 childcare centres - meaning he’s now been charged with 156 offences in total. As part of the new charges against him, another 4 alleged victims have been identified, with their families notified and being provided with “all available” support. Some of the fresh charges also relate to the 8 victims who were first identified by police in July. Brown is still in custody and is due to face court in February.
*Need help?
A peace deal in pieces
Russian President Vladimir Putin says he’s unhappy with the current version of the Ukraine peace plan, after a 5-hour meeting with US officials on Wednesday morning. Putin is currently on a trip to India (his first in 4 years), where he's catching up with Indian PM Narendra Modi, and he told local media that the reason the US meeting took so long was because Russia hadn't seen the modified version of the plan in advance - and they had to go through it point-by-point. While we don't know exactly what Russia is unhappy with, experts say what happens to Russian-held territory in Ukraine is likely to be a major issue. US special envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet with Ukrainian negotiators today to discuss further, so watch this space…
And while we’re on the topic of peace negotiations, the Presidents of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have just met with US President Donald Trump this morning to sign a peace agreement. Here’s a liveblog for the latest updates - and our Shortcut if you need a little background on what's been happening in the region…
It’s really really hot…
…with heatwave warnings sweeping the country at the moment and extreme fire warnings popping up everywhere to boot. Western Oz has already been suffering through hot conditions, and it will be the eastern side of the country’s turn over the next day or so. NSW is expected to cop temperatures in the low 40s, and some parts of the state have an ‘extreme’ warning in place. Already yesterday, Tasmania experienced multiple bushfires with plenty of people evacuated as firefighters battled away. Given the high temps are likely to continue throughout summer, it seems a good time to get acquainted with how to deal with it - here’s the Red Cross’s advice so you can prep yourself. Stay safe out there…
FIFA has a group chat
Tomorrow at 4am AEDT, the Socceroos will find out their fate for next year’s men’s FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by Canada, the US and Mexico in June and July. For the first time in its history, next year’s tournament will feature 48 teams - up from 32 in 2022 - split into 12 groups of 4. There are a bunch of ways it could shake out, but essentially the Socceroos want to avoid a ‘Group of Death’ - where they have 3 really good teams in their group - and are hoping for a ‘Group of Life’ - where their opponents would be much more beatable. For all the possible machinations, this is a good preview, but you’ll know by the faces of your local football-lovers how it’s all gone tomorrow morning…
There are cricket fans, and there are cricket tragics…
…and Canberran Scott Stokes probably falls into the second category (alongside other icons like Sharon Strzelecki…). Because Stokes is travelling to watch every single one of the men's Ashes Tests in a yellow Vespa (aka one of those fancy Italian motor scooters). It means he'll be travelling over 12,000km around the country before the series is done, but given the most recent leg was Perth to Brisbane, he's already done the hard part - 8,000km down, a bit over 4,000km to go. But it's not just a lark - Stokes says the project was a way for him to have a clear goal for his future after some mental health struggles in 2020, so the trip on his scooter - nicknamed Van-espa - is special to him. And based on the first day in Brisbane, the cricket might last a bit longer this time…
Friday Lites - 3 things we liked this week
We like a good list at The Squiz, and this exhaustive ranking of the 100 Best TV Episodes of the Century is a belter - keep in mind it’s very US-centric and full of spoilers, but as a guide to the best TV had to offer in recent years, it might lead you to your next favourite show…
And the latest film in the Knives Out murder mystery series - starring Daniel Craig as detective Benoit Blanc - is out in select cinemas at the moment, and it’s another winner. It’ll hit Netflix on 12 December, but it’s worth experiencing on the big screen if you can.
It’s also the time when Christmas gatherings start happening, and if you’re thinking about your Christmas salads, this is one to jump on. It’s an eggplant tabbouleh with grilled peaches. If you don’t do fruit with savoury, get over yourself because this is delish. Remember, good friends tell you when you’re wrong…
Squiz the Day
Friday
10.00am (AEDT) - A Family Violence Prevention Forum will be held at the Federal Court - Melbourne
10.45am (AEDT) - The National Gallery of Australia will launch the 5th annual National Indigenous Art Triennial titled After the Rain, with the official opening set for this Saturday - Canberra
11.30am (AEDT) - Premier Investments will hold its AGM at Pullman Melbourne Albert Park - Melbourne
12.00pm (AEDT) - Good Things Festival kicks off at Flemington Racecourse - Melbourne
7.00pm (AEDT) - Lady Gaga's MAYHEM Ball world tour comes to Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, marking her first Australian show in 11 years - Melbourne
ABS data releases: Labour Account Australia, September 2025; Multiple job-holders, September 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin will be in New Delhi, where he’s met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit - New Delhi, India
Bartender Appreciation Day (buy them a drink?)
Anniversary of:
the birthdays of animator Walt Disney (1901) and musician Little Richard (1932)
the end of alcohol prohibition in the US (1933)
the death of former South African president and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela (2013)
Saturday
4.00am (AEDT) - The Critics' Choice Awards TV and Film nominations will be announced - online
4.00am (AEDT) - US President Donald Trump will attend the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage, which will be held across North America from next June - Washington DC, US
10.00am (AEDT) - The National Gallery of Victoria will launch a new exhibition featuring prominent fashion designers Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo - Melbourne
12.00pm (AEDT) - Good Things Festival makes its way to Sydney Olympic Park - Sydney
12.00pm (AEDT) - The 2025 Mulletfest Grand Final kicks off at the Chelmsford Hotel - Kurri Kurri, NSW
5.00pm (AWST) - Horse racing: The Northerly Stakes at Ascot Racecourse - Perth
8.00pm (AEDT) - Popstar Troye Sivan will co-Chair the Annual NGV Gala - Melbourne
8.00pm (AEDT) - Boxing: Jai Opetaia will defend his world title against Huseyin Cinkara in the IBF and The Ring cruiserweight world title fight at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre - Gold Coast, Queensland, watch on Stan Sport
Finland's Independence Day
Armed Forces Day in Ukraine
Birthdays for politician Andrew Cuomo (1957), filmmaker Judd Apatow (1967), and actor Molly Gordon (1990)
Anniversary of:
the ratification of the 13th Amendment of the United States Constitution abolishing slavery (1865)
the birth of actor Agnes Moorhead (1900)
the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty that created Northern Ireland (1921)
the “blood in the water” water polo match between the USSR and Hungary at the Melbourne Olympics (1956)
Sunday
4.00am (AEDT) - The full schedule of matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be released - Washington DC, US
12.00pm (AEST) - Good Things Festival heads to Brisbane’s Showgrounds - Brisbane
Golf: The final day of the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne Golf Course - Melbourne
Childhood brain cancer researcher Alex Barba will arrive back in Sydney after running to Perth and back for his fundraising campaign Big Run for Little Brains, with The Kids Research Institute Australia - Sydney
Birthdays for linguist and political philosopher Noam Chomsky (1928), former basketball player Larry Bird (1956), actor Jeffrey Wright (1965), musician and composer Sara Bareilles (1979),
Anniversary of:
the deaths of Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero (43BC) and British naval officer William Bligh (1817)
the birth of singer and rapper Aaron Carter (1987),
the attack on the US Naval Base in Pearl Harbor by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service (1941)
the premiere of the first Star Trek movie (1979)
Monday
12.00am (AEDT) - F1: The final Grand Prix race is on in a thrilling finish to the season - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, watch on Kayo