Monday, 19 May - So call me maybe

May 19, 2025

Good morning, it’s Monday, 19 May. In your Squiz Today…

  • Trump and Putin line up another call

  • Media literacy lessons are coming to classrooms

  • And Austria ends Eurovision on a high note…

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

“If you can imagine, it's like trying to hoover up the highway."

Said NSW Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison after 840kg of metal spilt from a truck all over the Pacific Motorway earlier this month. There were flat tyres galore, and a man has now been charged. And we thought vacuuming our apartment on the weekend was a drag…

Pushing for peace

The Squiz

US President Donald Trump will speak with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the phone tonight (midnight AEST) about stopping the “bloodbath” in the war in Ukraine. Last week, after a no-show by Putin at the first direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in over 3 years, Trump said nothing would happen “until Putin and I get together”. After the call, Trump plans to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Western European leaders to map a way forward. In a post on Truth Social, he said “hopefully it will be a productive day, a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war … will end.”

What’s the chance of a breakthrough? 

It’s a long shot - maybe even as long as one of Putin’s tables… Zelensky was ready to meet last week, but when the Russian leader sent a delegation, he pulled out and sent a stand-in too. But a short meeting between officials from both sides went ahead, and while little headway was made in bringing about a ceasefire, they did agree to a large-scale swap of 1,000 prisoners each. As for what it’ll take to end the war, reports say the parties are stuck on some key points. Ukraine wants a temporary ceasefire as a first step towards a permanent truce, but Russia wants Ukrainian soldiers to withdraw from Russian-claimed areas of Ukraine before they'll consider laying down arms. That said, the Russian delegation says they're up for continuing talks, and they've welcomed Trump's involvement. 

And where are peace talks for Gaza up to? 

Trump wrapped up his visit to the Middle East on Friday without visiting Israel, but there was a bit of a breakthrough this weekend with US and Qatari mediators hosting a new round of ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas in Doha. The talks began hours after Israel launched a major military offensive in Gaza in a bid to pressure Hamas to release all of the remaining hostages taken from Israel. Hamas says it’s prepared to release 9 hostages in exchange for a 60-day truce and the release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel. The militant group is also asking for Israel to get out of the way of aid as Gaza heads towards famine. Israel is yet to respond, but it’s been condemned by the United Nations and world leaders who say civilians are bearing the brunt of the attacks.

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Squiz the Rest

What the PM did next…

Anthony Albanese is making the most of his time overseas, after his visit with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto/his cat Bobby last week… Overnight, he was in Vatican City for Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration mass, where he met the new pontiff - who has a liking for Tim Tams - and invited him to visit Australia… Afterwards, he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and assured him our tanks were on the way. They're also trying to lock in a release deal for Australian man Oscar Jenkins, who’s been detained by Russia for months. And rounding off a busy day in Rome, he also met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to discuss defence and trade deals (paywall). Ahead of that chat, he said he’d be pushing back against European calls for Oz to rename products like prosecco and parma ham…

A training exercise goes off-course 

A Mexican Navy ship carrying nearly 300 people has crashed into New York’s Brooklyn Bridge, killing 2 crew members and injuring 19 others. The Cuauhtémoc sailboat, which is used by the navy for training exercises, hit the underside of the iconic bridge in the East River on Saturday evening local time, causing 3 huge masts to snap - footage taken by people watching from the river banks isn't something you see every day… Authorities have launched an investigation, but initial reports say the ship lost control due to a mechanical fault and drifted off-course towards the bridge - it wasn't meant to pass underneath. The changing tide, a strong current and wind are also thought to have contributed. Questions are now being asked about whether a tug boat peeled away from the vessel too early instead of escorting it out to sea.

Ringing the bell on civics

Media literacy is on the minds of our educators, with lessons about how our democracy works being added to the national school curriculum for Aussie kids. It comes a couple of months after results from the 2024 national curriculum test were released, showing only 28% of Year 10 students have a proficient understanding of civics - the worst result in 20 years of testing. That decline has alarmed education experts, particularly given we’re living in a time of mis/disinformation that our young people have a front row seat to online. It’s an issue Governor-General Sam Mostyn has been pushing for more action on - she says it’s important for the next generation to “understand how to access our civics, how to be participants as citizens”. 

*We’re all about improving media literacy and Squiz Kids’ Newshounds program has been created to help our next generation become critical consumers of news and information. Get on it… 

Vale Adam Selwood

Part of our Sunday morning routine is watching ABC TV’s sports show Offsiders, and the devastation about the “sudden death” of the former West Coast Eagles premiership player was palpable. Adam Selwood died at 41yo, just a matter of months after his twin/AFL-playing brother Troy took his own life. The Selwood family is big in the world of Aussie Rules - the 4 boys have had successful playing careers across various teams. Since Troy’s death, Adam had spoken out about the importance of support, and was going to run a half marathon next weekend as a fundraiser for a mental health charity in his twin’s honour. His wife Fiona delivered a statement on behalf of the family over the weekend, saying “Adam was a loving husband, and an incredible father to Lenny and Billie. We are devastated”. 

Austria finishes Eurovision on a high note

Its entrant JJ took out the crystal gong at this year’s song contest with his operatic/trance track Wasted Love, notching up the nation’s third win. Second place went to Israel, which won the public vote, but the judges’ scores tipped the balance in favour of the 23yo Austrian-Filipino artist who’s a professional singer with the Vienna State Opera (which might explain how he hits those high notes…). As for how we fared, Aussie performer Go-Jo failed to shake up the judges enough to make it past the semi-finals despite giving a spirited rendition of Milkshake Man. It’s the second year in a row we haven’t reached the grand final, causing some to ask if we’ve lost our sparkle. Speaking of those, if you’re into Eurovision, you’ll know it’s as much about the costumes as the songs, so here’s a gallery from the GF… 

*And if you want to know how Oz came to be a part of the whole shebang, we’ve got a Squiz Shortcut for you…

Apropos of Nothing

Ten prisoners are on the lam in the US state of New Orleans after escaping through a hole in the wall behind a toilet (yes, really…) and jumping a fence. They evidently felt smug about it, too - they left a note for the guard on duty, who was off getting food during their jailbreak, saying “to easy” (hope they discover Grammarly when they’re out)...

An opposition party in the UK is calling for fines to be imposed for “bare beating” - aka playing music out loud - on public transport. The Liberal Democrats want offenders to pay fines of up to $2,000 - a costly lesson for playlist oversharers…

And move over Bluey - another Aussie icon is getting its own set of limited edition coins… After 45 years of The Australian Women’s Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake Book impressing kids nationwide, some of the most iconic party cakes will be immortalised on special-release coins. Unfortunately, they won’t be edible…

Squiz the Day

9.30am (AEST) - Qantas and the Transport Workers Union head to the Federal Court to determine what penalty the airline should pay for the unlawful outsourcing of ground handling workers (the hearing is set down for 3 days) - Sydney

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan will announce free public transport for children under 18yo “every day, everywhere” along with free PT for seniors on weekends - Melbourne

RBA Monetary Policy Board meeting (until 20 May)

The 78th World Health Assembly opens (lasting until 27 May) in Geneva

Sydney Writers' Festival opens (on until 27 May)

Australian Made Week begins (until 25 May) 

National Walk Safely to School Day 

Anniversary of:

  • the deaths of Anne Boleyn (1536) and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1994)

  • the founding of Save the Children, the first global movement for children (1919)

  • Sri Lanka announcing victory in its 25-year war against the terrorist organisation, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (2009)

  • the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (2018)

Tuesday
12.00am (AEST) - US President Donald Trump says he’s scheduled a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin for another discussion on bringing the war in Ukraine to an end