News Club

Donald Trump has been charged with serious offences related to a plot to overturn the 2020 election, which he lost to Joe Biden. It’s Trump’s third indictment - something that hadn’t happened even once before Trump. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we’re going to talk about what these new charges are and why they’re so important, and we’ll cover what might happen next. Squiz recommends: Politico's track...

One of Australia's greatest-ever rugby league players, Wally Lewis, is the latest sports star to speak out about a diagnosis of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) - the disease caused by repeated head knocks or concussions. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at why Wally's diagnosis is such a big deal, what our sporting codes are doing about CTE, and what’s happening with a Senate inqui...

China’s foreign minister, Qin Gang, disappeared from public view in June, and after a month of speculation reports surfaced that he’d been removed from his job. Once a rising star in the Chinese Communist Party, the minister’s sudden downfall has raised questions about doing business with the world’s second biggest economy. Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that give...

It's been just over a week since Victoria pulled the pin on hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games - and the future of the whole event is still up in the air. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at how Victoria got itself into this mess, who could come to the rescue, and if there even is a future for the Commonwealth Games. Squiz recommends: Commonwealth Games weird and wonderful moments - ABC...

So many of the TV shows and movies we love come out of America, but a writers' and actors' strike over pay and the use of artificial intelligence is disrupting production schedules. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll get you across what's behind the dispute, and what effect the strikes could have on the industry. Are these extras in a film real people or AI generated? Check it out for yourself... Sq...

We've been hearing a drip-feed of worrying economic data coming out of China, and we heard this week that their annual growth rate might fall below expectations. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we talk through why China's economy is slowing, and what it might mean for the rest of the world. Squiz recommends: The Prince podcast about Xi Jinping - The Economist The US-China trade war, an interactive grap...

It's nearly kick-off time for the biggest women's sporting event ever held in Australia, and our own Matildas will be centre stage. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at the rise of women's football around the globe, the who's who of the 32 nations competing, and how the Aussies will measure up. Squiz recommends: Group-by-group guide to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup - The Sydney Morning H...

This week NATO held a summit of its leaders, with big consequences for the war in Ukraine. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we though we'd go back to basics and get you across NATO and its involvement in the Ukraine war so far, as well as what the military alliance has to do with the future of the war – and of Ukraine. Squiz recommends: A explanation from the NATO website on Australia's involvement with...

Robodebt has been in the news all week, after the Royal Commission dropped its final report into the illegal debt recovery scheme. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at the fallout for the politicians and public servants involved in the scheme, and what might change as a result of this report. Squiz recommends: The 7am podcast's 'Inside Robo-debt' series The Royal Commission's list of recom...

We’ve heard a lot about overpopulation but for some countries including Japan and South Korea, the issue is not too many people, but too few. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at why some populations are shrinking, what those countries are trying to do about it, and if too few people is really such a big deal. Squiz recommends: Japan's Shrinking Population Faces Point of No Return - Newswe...

At the start of this week, Israel launched its most intense airstrikes on the occupied West Bank in nearly two decades and sent hundreds of ground troops into a crowded refugee camp, saying they are trying to root out armed militants after a year of escalating violence. In this Squiz Shortcut, we lay out the basics of the conflict between Israel and Palestinians and get across the latest developme...

All the crazy events in Russia over the past week have left the world wondering what it all means. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at some of the theories on how this could play out for Russia, what it means for the war in Ukraine, and why the experts are having trouble figuring it all out. Squiz recommends: The Year Putin Didn't Die - Newsweek Understanding Ukraine's Counteroffensive -...

The recent turmoil in Russia centers on one man: Yevgeny Prigozhin. With all the talk of private armies and the potential end of Putin's regime, this Shortcut gives the backstory to Prigozhin: Who is he? And how did he get so much power? Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a news podcast for curious...

When Saudi Arabia pumped billions of dollars into backing the rival LIV golf tour- there were howls of outrage - with many athletes and commentators calling it a blatant example of sportswashing. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at what sportswashing is, some of the most high-profile examples, and how fraught this is getting for both sport and business. Squiz recommends: Talk show host Jo...

More details are emerging about a migrant ship disaster off the coast of Greece, where an estimated 500 passengers are still missing. We take you through what we know about the boat disaster so far, as well as the latest on Europe’s attitudes towards migration. Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a n...

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the birth of podcasting, so in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at how it all got started, how it completely changed the media landscape, and what's ahead for the medium. Squiz recommends: Podnews email 13 Minutes to the Moon podcast - BBC

Donald Trump has been indicted again, and it’s the first time a former US president has faced federal charges. Those charges will see Trump back in court this week, so in this Squiz Shortcut we’ll get you across what the Justice Department has claimed, why the development is so extraordinary, and what’s next. Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled...

Prince Harry has taken the unprecedented move, for a royal, to sue Britain's tabloids for unethical practices that he says filled him paranoia and upended his relationships. In this Squiz Shortcut, we unpack why Harry is bringing this case, what the allegations against the tabloids are, and what happens next. Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled...

Artificial intelligence, or AI, has been getting quite a bit of really bad press lately, with experts warning it could ultimately spell the end of the human race. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at what AI is, why some of the biggest names in tech are so worried, and what governments are going to do about it. Squiz recommends: A short clip of 60 Minutes reporter Tom Steinfort talking to...

If you live anywhere along the east or west coast of Australia, chances are you might have heard it's whale watching season, when nature's biggest mammals head north in a mass migration. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at what a whale migration is, how whales are faring with so much concern about our oceans, and where and when you can get to see all the action. Squiz recommends: Underwater visi...

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey's newly re-elected president, has made big promises but has a record of cracking down on dissent and diminishing democratic freedoms. In this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll take you through Turkey’s politics and why it matters to the West. Other things we do: Squiz Today - a daily podcast and newsletter that gives a fact-filled run-down of what’s making news. Squiz Kids - a new...

Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, has announced that he wants to become the president of the United States. He’ll go head-to-head with another Florida resident, former President Donald Trump. With the race heating up, let's have a look at who DeSantis is, what issues he’s known for, and whether he’s got a shot to become the Republican nominee and maybe even president. Other things we do: Squiz Today...

The US has been in the middle of a crazy political stoush over this thing called the “debt ceiling” for the past few months which has been threatening to blow up and cause ripples around the world… So in this Squiz Shortcut, we look at what a debt ceiling is, why it's become such a big deal now, and how it could play out. Squiz recommends: Jimmy Fallon "slow jamming" about the debt ceiling. A good...

It's been a horrifying time in the African nation of Sudan with foreign nationals including Aussies being evacuated out of the country. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we take a look at why Sudan is in such strife, what's happening on the ground right now, and what the world is doing to try and stop it from becoming a full-blown civil war. Squiz recommends: Sudan's conflict explained in 5 minutes - The...

The election in Thailand over the weekend was tipped to be extraordinary, and boy, did it deliver... So in this Squiz Shortcut, we dive into the parties that ran on Sunday, and the results of the vote. You can listen to our 2020 Shortcut on the protests in Thailand here.