Monday, 23 June - The boys are back in town

June 23, 2025

Good morning, it’s Monday, 23 June. In your Squiz Today…

  • The US has bombed nuclear targets in Iran

  • Billions of logins have been leaked in a massive data breach

  • And get ready for a fresh K-wave…

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

“I guess there’s just something in the water.”

Said New York high school graduate Emily Brake - who’s half of one of the 15 sets of twins in her school’s graduating class. Yep, you read that right… They’re a tight-knit bunch, and say they’ll stay in touch - but who needs a group chat when you’ve got twintuition… 

The US strikes Iran

The Squiz

US President Donald Trump yesterday confirmed that the US had completed strikes on 3 Iranian nuclear facilities, marking the first time the nation has conducted a direct military attack on Iran. Trump declared that the nuclear enrichment facilities had been "completely and totally obliterated" and described the operation, codenamed Midnight Hammer, as a "spectacular military success". And he warned Iran’s ruling regime that, given "there are many targets left", additional strikes would be launched if peace with Israel isn’t brokered quickly. Iran’s Foreign Ministry has accused the US of launching a “dangerous war” and said it will “defend Iran’s national security and interests by all necessary means”.

What exactly has happened?

You can get a full rundown here, but the US launched 30 missiles at the Natanz and Isfahan sites yesterday morning, our time, and dropped more than a dozen “bunker buster” bombs on Natanz and Fordow. You might have heard some chatter about the bombs required to do the job over the past week - they’re officially called the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), and they’re powerful enough to penetrate more than 60 metres underground. Fordow - the main target - is deep below Earth’s surface, and only the US has the planes and bombs required for the job… What we don’t know yet - despite Trump’s comments - is what the damage is. Iran’s state broadcaster says the sites had been evacuated and that Iran “didn't suffer a major blow because the materials had already been taken out”.

So what does it mean?

Regardless of the damage, the US’s involvement fundamentally transforms the Middle East conflict… How/if Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei retaliates is the big question, which is why the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres says the already-tense Middle East region is in a “spiral of chaos”. Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Khamenei, has warned on X that the "game isn't over" and that stockpiles of enriched uranium remain… On the homefront for Trump, many Republicans supported the strikes, but he’s facing blowback from Democrats and some in his own party. There’s also a TBC on whether he needed congressional approval to order the strikes… But for now, the White House is waiting to see how Iran responds.

You look lovely, deer

Winter is here, so it’s a good time to refresh your beauty game. Kotia is the world’s first skincare range made with 100% pure New Zealand deer milk. It sounds wild, and it is because it naturally contains vitamins A, B, D, and E, zinc, iodine, and protein to hydrate your skin for a healthy glow. Kotia products also use peptide technology to minimise imperfections, fine lines and pigmentation to renew your complexion. Check out the full range here. Squizers can use the code GLOW15 for a 15% discount.

Squiz the Rest

Saying no to NATO

PM Anthony Albanese has opted out of this week’s NATO Summit in the Netherlands, with reports saying he’ll send Deputy PM/Defence Minister Richard Marles. There was the idea that Albanese could use the occasion to catch up with President Trump after their ditched meeting last week on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada. The American bolted early for meetings over the Israel and Iran cluster disaster leaving Albanese (and heaps of other leaders) in an awkward spot. Trump’s attendance at the NATO Summit isn’t guaranteed, given what we’ve just talked about, so Marles is up… If you’re unfamiliar, the summit brings together leaders from NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) member nations/their allies to discuss issues impacting the military alliance. So they’ve got a bit to talk about…

Another massive data breach

Consider this a prod to rethink your cybersecurity strategies if you’ve used the same password across social media, streaming and your Apple ID… That’s because Cybernews researchers have uncovered a breach of 16 billion exposed logins across sites like Google, Facebook and Apple. Experts reckon the data was nicked over time by malware known as ‘info stealers’ over many separate occasions, and they say it’s likely to be worth a packet on the dark web, given the scams/identity theft/skulduggery the info can support. It isn’t clear who’s behind the leak, and even though those sites were only exposed briefly, experts reckon that’s long enough... Top tip: use multi-factor ID, strong/unique passwords, and get yourself a password manager. Here’s what our government experts say about that. 

The Pope gets vocal

In his first public comments about the historical sexual abuse scandals of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo said it “must not tolerate any form of abuse”, and that fostering “a culture of prevention” is a must. His comments were in a written statement read out at a play honouring journalist Paola Ugaz, who was subjected to death threats and lawsuits after investigating allegations of abuse by the Church in Peru - and Pope Leo praised her “courage, patience and commitment to the truth”. At an event in Vatican City, he spoke about AI, warning that it was a “tool for the good of human beings, not to diminish or … replace them”. No chance of being replaced is his love for the White Sox, his hometown major league baseball team - he still rocks a cap, and joins in with a chant when prompted. As they say, there’s no rest for the wicked - and maybe the holy… 

Taking a swing at a big prize

Aussie golf champion Minjee Lee is on the brink of winning a third career major - and the biggest pay cheque on the female circuit - as she tees off in the final round of the Women’s PGA Championship in Texas. It’s one of the top 3 women’s golf tournaments in the world with $3.7 million going to the winner, and Lee went into the last day with a solid 4-shot lead. Reports say she’s hoping to follow in the footsteps of other epic Aussie golfers Karrie Webb, Jan Stephenson and Peter Thompson by winning 3 majors. But she’s not getting ahead of herself, saying “I don't think you're really ever in a comfortable position until you're holding that trophy.” She teed off at 1.50am this morning, so we should have a result any minute…

Riding the K-wave… 

Fans of K-pop superstars BTS are sweating on a reunion now that rapper/songwriter Suga has been discharged from mandatory military service. And with a tour on the cards for (arguably) the biggest pop group in the world, the third season of Squid Game about to drop on Netflix, and the musical Maybe Happy Ending recently nabbing a Tony award, reports say South Korea is having a fresh wave of a cultural moment. If you missed the first one, we’ll point you to Psy’s Gangnam Style - the first video to rack up one billion views on YouTube. And reports say it’s not just through music and movies - the K-wave is spreading around the world through K-beauty and K-food, with bibimbap predicted to be as popular as sushi or pizza. Pizza with kimchi? We’re here for it…

Apropos of Nothing

You’ve probably heard of the global Labubu craze, and now, we have numbers to show how far they’ve spread… For the uninitiated, Labubus are fluffy/creepy plush toys - and last year, pulled in revenue of $2.7 billion for their company. A Labu-boss move…

More than 25 years since JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s deaths, they’re still making news - with intense interest/backlash over stills of the actors portraying them in the upcoming miniseries American Love Story. They’ve drawn the ire of fashionistas, in particular…

And while we’re on US icons, it turns out things got a touch testy on the set of The Golden Girls, with producers confirming stars Betty White and Bea Arthur’s long-rumoured feud - saying “those 2 couldn’t warm up to each other if they were cremated together”. Burn…

Squiz the Day

School holidays begin in the NT (until 14 July)

10am (AEST) - NBA: Game 7 (final) of the NBA is on between Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers - Oklahoma, US, catch it on Kayo

The Internet Governance Forum begins (until 27 June) - Lillestrom, Norway

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)