Wednesday, 8 July - Got royalty inside my DNA

July 08, 2026

Good morning, it’s Wednesday, 8 July. In your Squiz Today…

  • China’s missile test in the South Pacific is condemned

  • Prince Harry loses his privacy case in a UK court

  • And a special South Oz horse is being cloned… 🐴

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🙋🏻‍♀️ This newsletter was written by Anna Pykett, Larissa Huntington, Alice Dempster and Sophie Felice

Squiz the Weather

Squiz Sayings

“He’s made an absolute mess of it.”

Said an SBS commentator about the moment team USA’s goalie Matt Freese muffed a kick while out of his area, allowing Belgium to score their third goal on the way to a 4-1 victory in this year’s FIFA men’s World Cup. And that’s adios to the hosts...

Missile messages

The Squiz

World leaders have joined PM Anthony Albanese in condemning China for launching a long-range ballistic missile at the South Pacific, calling it “provocative”. It appears to have hit close to Tuvalu's waters, about 1,000 kilometres north-east of Solomon Islands, and analysts say it’s more evidence of Beijing flexing its military muscles and asserting its dominance in the region. China says it was a routine military exercise, but Albanese says tests of this nature usually come with 48 hours notice, and Oz wasn’t given enough of a heads-up.

Back it up a bit

The timing of this missile launch has been talked about a lot, because it happened hours after the Federal Government signed a new defence agreement with Fiji - but Albanese doesn’t think the “destabilising” act was in response to the new pact. Yesterday Albanese continued his diplomatic efforts to bolster security ties with the Pacific, visiting the Solomon Islands. Its PM Matthew Wale also condemned China’s actions, saying this was “not the act of a friend”, and demonstrates why a Pacific-wide regional pact is needed. On that - Albanese says he wants to fast-track negotiations for a new treaty with the Solomons that will bring both countries even closer, and discussions are continuing…

Another day, another diplomatic chat

It’s a busy week for the PM - who’s heading straight back to Oz to host the Indian PM Narendra Modi for their Annual Leaders' Summit. It’s expected the trip will be heavy on trade and defence negotiations, with experts saying India is one of our key strategic partners. The 2 leaders will also be attending the Melbourne Meets Modi event at Marvel Stadium, where the Indian PM is expected to be given a rockstar’s welcome from the thousands going along. For the cricket fans among us - it’s also expected this trip will include confirmation that the opening match of the 2026-2027 Big Bash league will be hosted in India for the first time… Howzat.

Worksite safety, redefined by Claude

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Squiz the Rest

Marine Le Pen found guilty

… but the far-right French leader has been cleared to run in next year’s Presidential elections, on one condition. The Paris appeals court has ruled that she must wear an electronic ankle tag while serving out her sentence for misusing public funds, which she says she’s going to appeal. Le Pen has run for the French presidency 3 times before, and has repeatedly said she wouldn’t campaign wearing an electronic bracelet, but analysts say her party has never looked so strong in France and reckon she has a real shot. Over the Channel in Blighty, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has resigned as an MP over a finances scandal, triggering a by-election… but both UK Labour and the Conservatives have said they won’t contest his seat, with PM Keir Starmer labelling the move a “desperate stunt.”

A legal blow for Prince Harry

The Duke of Sussex has lost his privacy case against the Daily Mail, which he’s labelled a “complete and obvious whitewash.” He appeared in court earlier this year, arguing information in several articles published years ago had been gathered unlawfully, saying Associated Newspapers Limited made his wife's life an "absolute misery". But the judge dismissed all of Prince Harry’s claims, saying he and the other high-profile claimants (including Sir Elton John and Liz Hurley) hadn’t provided enough evidence. ANL has welcomed the High Court's ruling as an "overwhelming victory for the Daily Mail and its journalists”. This adds to a rough week for the Duke… He was denied police protection for his London trip, and was publicly told he couldn’t stay at Buckingham Palace.

Flight payments ready for landing

Law firms have begun contacting over 1 million Qantas passengers by email and text to tell them they might be able to share in a $105 million settlement from a class action over flights cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understandably, some people might think the messages are a scam, but law firms Echo Law and Piper Alderman say they’re in the process of contacting passengers as a first step to distribute the funds. Qantas hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing, but customers who had flights cancelled between January 2020 and November 2022 could receive from $50 up to much higher amounts. Claims must be registered by 2 October, and after Federal Court approval, lawyers say payments could begin by the end of the year…

A big NRL deal

They’ve been teasing it for days, but Nine and Foxtel signed off on a $5.3 billion deal yesterday to keep the NRL broadcast rights in a 7-year contract that makes it the most expensive sport on Oz TV. Australian Rugby League’s Peter V’landys says it “future-proofs the game” and gives the code the ability to grow globally - but there are some fears the extra cash coughed up by broadcasters may send streaming fees higher… In a stroke of timing, the deal was signed on the eve of this year’s State of Origin decider. To remind you, NSW won the opener, pulling off the biggest comeback in Origin history - then game 2 saw Queensland come from behind to win by 20 points. Tonight’s clash is in Brissy at 8pm AEST… You know where you can watch it - our top tip is don’t go to bed at half-time… 

Ride on, pony

The DNA of Vulcan, the most decorated police horse in South Oz, is set to be cloned and passed down to a new generation of police horses. In case you’re wondering - this isn’t a standard procedure, but Vulcan wasn’t an ordinary horse… South Oz Police say “he wasn’t simply a police horse. He was a trusted partner”. Vulcan served for 20 years before he died last year - when that day came, tissue samples were collected and sent to horse breeding specialists, Catalina. An embryo is now being created (paywall) using Vulcan’s genetic material. The Mounted Operations Unit’s Kelly-Anne Taylor says horses with Vulcan’s qualities are “exceptionally rare and very difficult to replace”. She added that “if there was an opportunity to preserve those genetics … we felt it was worth pursuing”.

Apropos of Nothing

Former Rabbitohs player Jai Arrow and partner Berina Colakovic have tied the knot in Sydney, 2 months after he retired from the NRL following a diagnosis of MND. Colakovic announced it on socials, saying “We did a thing”... You can see pics here… 

Research from Macquarie University and the Southern Medical University in China has found that bumblebees display behaviour consistent with ‘liking’ or ‘disliking’ different solutions. The study suggests that there’s an “inner life to being a bee”. BRB, crying…

And a recent study of prehistoric human relatives (nicknamed ‘hobbits’) suggests they were scavengers rather than fire-using hunters, as previously thought. Fossils found show evidence that hobbits ate dragon’s leftovers. And now we have our mythology all mixed up…

Squiz the Day

9.00am (AEST) - Volvo Australia will show off the first electric trucks built on site at its Brisbane factory - Brisbane

11.00am (AEST) - RBA Assistant Governor (economic) Sarah Hunter is set to deliver a speech at the Australian Conference of Economists - Canberra

12.00pm (AEST) - PM Anthony Albanese is holding bilateral talks with leaders from Tonga, Samoa and PNG, followed by a Pacific rugby league event with all 4 leaders - Brisbane

2.00pm (AEST) - AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett will address the UN Chiefs of Police summit, bringing together ministers and chiefs of police from across the globe - New York 

8.10pm (AEST) - Rugby league: State of Origin game 3 - Queensland Maroons v NSW Blues - Brisbane, watch on 9Now

India's PM Narendra Modi to arrive in Australia (until 10 July)

Hadi Alodid, the 30yo Sudanese man charged with attempted murder over a knife attack in Belfast on 8 June, will appear in court - Belfast

Primetime Emmy Awards nominations

ABS data release: building activity, March 2026

Anniversary of:

  • Businessman and philanthropist John D Rockefeller born (1839)

  • the first publication of The Wall Street Journal (1889)

  • the deaths of actress Vivien Leigh (1967), North Korean founder Kim Il Sung (1994), former first lady and social activist Betty Ford (2011) and former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe (2022)

  • Atlantis launching as the final mission of US Space Shuttle program (2011)

  • the release of the Spice Girls’ debut single Wannabe (1996)