Wednesday, 25 June - I'm not that innocent

Good morning, it’s Wednesday, 25 June. In your Squiz Today…

• A shaky truce between Israel and Iran has held overnight

• Australia’s eSafety boss has YouTube in her sights

• And a costly art gallery trip…

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Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

Said Goulburn Valley fruit grower Rocky Varapodio about plans to build a giant pear in Shepparton - in the style of Coffs Harbour’s Big Banana. The pear might cost $1.3 million to build, but Varapodio hopes it’ll make a visit to the area a juicier prospect…

A shaky truce holds

The Squiz

Despite looking like the ceasefire between Israel and Iran was over just hours after starting, reports this morning say it seems to still be on… After being the one to announce it early yesterday morning, US President Donald Trump wasn't happy to see Iran and Israel still firing missiles at each other overnight. And when we say not happy, he dropped a swear bomb of his own as he berated both sides for violating the truce, later posting an all-caps warning to Israel on Truth Social to not drop any new bombs. The shock tactic appears to have worked… An Israeli source told US media that Israel's leadership was "stunned" Trump "went and did all that in such a public way and basically switched on them very quickly".

Sounds confusing…

Confusion was the theme for most of yesterday, too… As both countries recorded casualties from new rounds of strikes, Trump declared "a complete and total ceasefire" had been brokered with help from Qatari officials. Iran denied that, saying no agreement had been reached, and Israel didn't confirm anything either - but by mid-afternoon AEST, reports said it was official. The truce initially involved a couple of 12-hour ceasefire periods, first with Iran downing weapons, then Israel. If all goes to plan, the 24-hour mark - around 2pm today (AEST) - is when the war will be over. There's no update on that timeline yet, but Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is claiming a “great victory”, and Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz says it will respect the truce if Iran does…

What else is happening?

It’s not on the same level as being stuck in warzones, but if you’ve got any upcoming flights scheduled that are due to fly over the Middle East, you might like to check on their status if you haven’t heard from your airline yet… Israel has reopened Ben Gurion Airport, but several international carriers have cancelled flights over the region after Iran launched missiles at US military bases in Qatar and Iraq on Monday. Here’s a look at the different airlines affected. And speaking of people stuck in Israel and Iran - the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is still trying to get Aussies who have registered to evacuate out of the 2 countries. You can read up on the latest advice and information about border crossings in the region here.

A small gift makes a big difference

Catherine Hamlin Fistula Foundation raises much needed funds for the work of Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia, an organisation dedicated to ensuring no woman endures the trauma of obstetric fistula. It's a devastating childbirth injury that’s all too common in rural areas and approximately 267 Ethiopian mothers die per 100,000 births. In Australia, it’s virtually zero... If you want to support their important work, consider donating a Comfort Package. Donations are also tax-deductible. Head here for the details.

Squiz the Rest

From one conflict to another

This time, we’re talking about Russia’s war in Ukraine - another hot topic at the NATO (aka the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) Summit which kicked off last night. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has taken the meeting as a chance to shine a light on the war - and to call for additional defence support. His concern is that, with the Middle East conflict's escalation, his military could see less aid from its major allies, like the US - which could allow Russia to "feel the advantage on the battlefield". For context, NATO member countries are due to sign off on their defence spending during this week's meeting - so Zelensky's waiting to see what happens there… And now that Trump has shown up, the Ukrainian leader’s keen for another meeting.

You too, YouTube

Unlike Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat, the platform is exempt from the Albanese Government’s upcoming social media ban in December - but Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said yesterday that no specific app or site should get a pass. She’s advised the Communications Minister Anika Wells to reconsider, but YouTube would prefer she doesn’t - it says it’s a video streaming site, not a social media company. That wasn’t all Inman Grant spoke about yesterday - she’s also announced 3 new industry codes to help stop kids from seeing X-rated, violent and eating disorder content online. You can see her full speech here - on YouTube, as it happens - and now it’s over to Wells to make a call… 

They made it through the wilderness

As of yesterday, it’s once again possible to buy shares in one of Australia’s biggest airlines - Virgin Australia is back on the Oz stock market. To give you an idea of the ride so far, Virgin used to be listed on the ASX but had to delist after it entered voluntary administration in April 2020 - mainly because people stopped flying during the pandemic. It was picked up by the private equity company Bain Capital later that year and has been working its way back to a point where it can be publicly traded again - including adding Qatar Airways as a co-owner earlier this year. And despite the global airline troubles we mentioned above, its first day was a success - the opening share price was $2.90 a pop, but by the end of the day it was trading at $3.23. Quite a journey for a company that started life on a beer coaster… 

A memorial fit for a Queen

After a 6-month search, a design has been picked for an official national memorial to the late Queen Elizabeth II. The winning idea - which will be built in St James Park in London - will feature a bridge inspired by the tiara Her Maj wore at her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947. Speaking of the Duke of Edinburgh, he’s also a big part of the winning design - there’s a statue of the 2 together, as well as a separate statue of the Queen sitting on a horse. The winning bid beat out 4 other contenders to get the gig - you can have a look through them all here - and has a budget of about $50-100 million to build. It’s still a while away though - final building plans won’t be announced until next year. 

Not that kind of self-portrait

Next time you whip out your phone at your local art gallery, maybe make sure you're wearing sensible shoes… an Italian gallery is rather cranky with a tourist who damaged a historic portrait while taking a selfie. The Uffizi Galleries in Florence is planning to lay charges against the man who was taking a photo in the same position as Fernando de Medici, the subject of the painting, but lost his balance, fell backwards and allegedly tore the 18th-century work.  Weirdly enough, it’s been a big month for art gallery accidents - as we mentioned last week, another tourist at a different gallery broke a crystal chair-shaped sculpture paying tribute to Vincent Van Gogh, also while taking some happy snaps. Not happy, Van… 

Apropos of Nothing - Stranger things edition

A horse is a horse, of course, of course - except maybe in the case of Western pleasure horse Crosby Ray Von, who just fetched a record $2.65 million at auction in the US state of Utah. And PS: if you’re keen on getting in on the action, she has an Aussie link…

Scientists are trying to figure out why orcas in the North Pacific are using kelp to give each other massages - no, really… Theories at this point include social bonding, hygiene or health, but maybe life under the sea is just really stressful…

And on weird marine behaviour, researchers are also trying to work out why sharks freeze and ‘play dead’ when they turn upside down. It's common behaviour for prey, but less for a natural predator like a shark. Best guess at this point - just a topsy-turvy quirk of evolution…

Squiz the Day

9.00am (AEST) - Council leaders from 1,300 LGAs will attend the National General Assembly hosted by the Australian Local Government Association - Canberra

9.30am (ACST) - The Reintegration Puzzle Conference, a national gathering of leaders, experts and people with lived experience working to drive down incarceration rates and build safer communities, begins (until 26 June) - Alice Springs

9.00am (AEST) - The 2025 Energy from Waste Conference gets underway (until 26 June) - Gold Coast

9.00am (AEST) - An application by Bruce Lehrmann’s lawyer for a permanent stay in proceedings in a rape case against him will be heard - Ipswich, Queensland 

10.00am (AEST) - Star Entertainment Group AGM - Sydney 

10.30am (AEST) - Justice Christopher Beale is expected to finalise his summing up in Erin Patterson’s mushroom murder trial before the jury begins deliberations - Morwell, Victoria

10.30am (AEST) - The Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affairs will hold the National Commemorative Service for the 75th Anniversary of Australian Service in the Korean War - Canberra

11.30am (AEST) - Liberal leader Sussan Ley will address the National Press Club where she’ll outline the party’s revamped policy platform - Canberra

12.00noon (AEST) - Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, Andrew Leigh, will address the McKell Institute on the Progressive Productivity Agenda 2025 - Sydney

ABS data release: Monthly Consumer Price Index indicator, May 2025; Engineering Construction Activity, March 2025

📚 Heads up bookworms - the shortlist for the Miles Franklin Literary Award will be announced 

Glastonbury festival begins (until 29 June)

National days for both Croatia and Slovenia

Leon Day, which marks the halfway point to Christmas (Leon is noel spelled in reverse… 🎅)

World Vitiligo Day

Day of the Seafarer

Birthdays for comedian Ricky Gervais (1961) and actor Busy Philipps (1979) 

Anniversary of:

• Venetian Elena Cornaro Piscopia becoming the first woman to receive a university doctoral degree or PhD (1678)

• the start of the Korean War (1950)

• the divorces of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (1974), and Cher and Sonny Bono (1975)

• the first use of the rainbow flag as a symbol of gay pride at a march in San Francisco (1978)

• the release of Blade Runner (1982) and Prince's Purple Rain (1984)

• the marriage of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban (2006)

• the birthdays of George Orwell (1903), Anthony Bourdain (1956) and George Michael (1963)

• the deaths of Farrah Fawcett (2009) and Michael Jackson (2009)