The Briefing

The word fascist is one of the most politically charged, and controversial, labels being used to describe US President Donald trump. He's been called a fascist leader by human rights experts, political commenters and even celebrities like Rosie O’Donell, who in our interview with her earlier this week called Trump an ‘an active fascist in the White House.’  But what are the...

Wednesday Headlines: Australians detained by Israeli forces deported to Jordan, Government accused of ISIS brides cover-up and inaction over sexual assaults, new research finds women have greater genetic risk of depression, Aussie writers could be eligible for a cut of a $2.27bn AI settlement, and more than 50% of Aussie's think its ok to clock off early and hit the beach during summer. &nbsp...

Activist Greta Thunberg is a pro at feuding with world leaders, from US president Donald Trump to former-New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, she’s beefed with them all.   The 22-year-old is back in the headlines after she, and around 170 activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla for Gaza, were recently deported by Israel after being detained in international waters.   In this...

Today marks the two-year anniversary of Oct 7 when Hamas militants killed 1200 people and took 250 Israeli hostages. Since then, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to health authorities in Gaza, and Israel's actions have been labelled by a UN independent commission of inquiry and other organisations as genocide.  Talks have started between Israel and Hamas on the future...

Tuesday Headlines: PM calls for calm after death threats, alleged Sydney shooter named and charged with over 20 offences, social media platforms ordered to take down Charlie Kirk murder videos, wage theft has more than doubled in the last five years, and the White House has responded to SNL's skit mocking President Trump’s 'war on late-night TV'.  Deep Dive: She’s an Emmy Award-wi...

How much money do you need to be happy? A study found the average Australian would need to earn around $180k a year to reach peak wellbeing in 2025. But as the cost of living rises and our desire for money grows, can money really buy you happiness in the current climate? In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Dr Brad Elphinstone from Swinburne University who explains why the mot...

Headlines: Up to 100 bullets fired in suburban Sydney shooting, Trump to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, search for missing four-year-old enters second week, fresh warnings for Sussan Ley after Andrew Hastie's resignation and the Broncos give Storm a masterclass in first grand final victory in 19 years. Deep Dive: Millions of Australians lost an hour of sleep on Sunday as daylight saving kic...

Hip hop mogul Sean Diddy Combs was due to be sentenced for two counts of transportation for the purposes of prostitution in a New York court on Friday (that's yesterday in our time zone). Crowds began queuing and setting up camp more than 24 hours beforehand to secure a coveted spot to watch the sentencing live in the courtroom. Meanwhile, Diddy made a last-minute plea for mercy in a letter to the...

Liz Porter has spent decades immersed in the world of crime, from CSI to Silent Witness to the triple murder mushroom trial. The award-winning journalist, true crime author and host of Crime Insiders: Forensics has spent her career showing how science solves the toughest cases. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Liz shares why forensics scientists are the unsung heroes of your favourite true cr...

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban filed for divorce after 19 years of marriage, involving millions of dollars, prenups and allegedly a ‘cocaine’ clause.    Society can often slam our obsession with celebrity marriages and divorces as just entertainment, but they can often fulfil a cultural or emotional need, impacting how we view our own relationships.   In this episode of T...

Friday Headlines: Two killed in 'terrorist incident' at Manchester synagogue, new footage sheds light on Dezi Freeman's escape, Queensland to launch state’s first sexual violence peak body, new research shows $25 billion worth of unworn clothes in Aussie wardrobes, and what bizarre encounters have you had with cops?   Deep DIve: A soccer team of Uber drivers and tradies is just one win...

Taylor Swift and Kanye West’s feud has spanned well over a decade, morphing from a single shocking awards show moment into one of pop culture’s most enduring rivalries.   Both artists have deftly commercialised the conflict, turning personal grievance into consistent headlines and platinum sales. With the release of Swift's The Life of a Showgirl creating speculation that it's a n...

US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, delivered his new set of directives for the US military, including that moving forward he only wants male standards for combat roles and suggested wokeness was infecting the department of war.    During the hour-long speech in front of some of the country's top personnel, Hegseth told the crowd he’s tired of seeing ‘fat generals and ad...

Thursday Headlines: Police are being called to scrap strip searches of young people after landmark win, sunscreen whistleblowers say testing company ‘cut corners’, Geelong Cats apologise for ‘inappropriate’ Mad Monday gags, large companies paying no tax in Australia hits record low, and James Tedesco and Tamika Upton win the Dally M. Deep Dive: During his recent overseas to...

Donald Trump is eyeing off a Nobel Peace Prize, after scoring nominations from countries including Israel and Pakistan - a surprising nod for a president more often associated with confrontation than conciliation.  Trump would join the likes of former Presidents' Barack Obama and Teddy Roosevelt, but was quick to brush off his nomination saying,  'I don’t seek attention. I just wan...

AFLW has exploded in growth and popularity over the past few years, elevating star players like Essendon FC captain Bonnie Toogood. But with that spotlight comes huge pressure to perform, which can impact players’ mental health.  In today’s special episode of The Briefing, sponsored by Medibank, Helen Smith is joined by Bonnie, who shares her experiences and her tips on building m...

Wednesday Headlines: More sunscreens pulled from Aussie shelves, house prices climb for eighth month in a row as 5% deposits kick in, charges dropped for conspiracy theorist linked to Weiambilla attack, a medical breakthrough in the fertility sector and five stars for Aussie cops turn delivery drivers. Deep Dive:  Free speech has been at the heart of heated debates in recent weeks, off the ba...

Antoinette Lattouf’s legal battle with the ABC has dominated the news cycle, but behind the headlines lies a story of broken trust and, in Antoinette’s own words, a deep sense of heartbreak. In December 2023 Antoinette was fired by the ABC from a casual five day stint and what followed was a lengthy legal battle lasting over 20 months.  In this episode of The Beefing, Helen Smith,...

Nearly two years into Israel's war on Gaza, more than 66,000 lives have been lost, and millions are on the brink of famine. Now, Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have unveiled a 20-point 'peace plan' they say could end the bloodshed. But is it a genuine path to peace, or just political theatre? In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Middle East expert Professor Greg Barton to...

Tuesday Headlines: Trump announces 'historic peace plan' for Gaza, Optus executives to meet with Communications Minister after second 000 outage, Geelong Cats star Bailey Smith labelled a homophobic loser, new warning for melatonin users in Australia, and the Larrimah Hotel has been sold! Deep Dive: When Sussan Ley stepped in as leader of the Liberal Party, the phrase “glass cliff” sta...

Calls are mounting to abolish the use of character references in court sentencing, following Queensland’s recent legislation restricting their use in cases involving convicted sex offenders.  Character references have long played a controversial role in high-profile cases, including when former Prime Minister John Howard gave one to Cardinal George Pell, describing him as ‘a perso...

Monday Headlines: Anthony Albanese promises to "defend democracy" alongside "mate" Keir Starmer, Federal Budget in $18 billion better shape than expected, former Australian political candidate to front court over Nazi salute, Pfizer in court over contraceptive alleged to cause brain tumours and Brisbane sweeps the footy codes with four wins over weekend! Deep Dive: A number of once common, and dea...

The Briefing host Tara Cassidy is once again a finalist in a prestigious journalism award for her LiSTNR crime podcast Crime In Focus: Killer Charm. So for today's bonus episode, we're playing out episode three of the award-winning series. You can find the first two episodes in our feed here and here or to binge the full series, go to Crime in Focus . In episode three, Sharon Graham’s moveme...

Mitch Churi has worn it all, from chicken suits to Spanx, but what really sets him apart is his razor-sharp wit and unapologetic authenticity.  Bursting into commercial radio at just 19, he cut his teeth with industry giants Kyle and Jackie O and was eventually thrown the curveball of redundancy last year. Instead of slowing down, Churi leaned in, reinventing himself with the same mix of...

More than 68% of Gen Z are romanticising eras that existed long before they were born, while Millennials and Gen X are increasingly drawn to historical nostalgia.  Once classified as a medical condition and later a psychological disorder, nostalgia is now being re-evaluated as potentially beneficial for mental health.  In this episode of The Briefing Helen Smith, is joined by Dr Clay Rou...