The Briefing

Headlines: Lebanon repatriation flight touches down in Sydney, Australia to protect 52% of its oceans, Kamala Harris has launched a media blitz and Crumbl Cookies is coming to Australia. Deep Dive: This week senior government minister Bill Shorten argued that if people want to protest, they should have to get a permit first. It’s the latest in a series of moves by politicians to limit protest in t...

It’s been one year since the October 7th attacks today. 365 days on, what reflections do we have on conflict, justice, the role of social media and the failings of western leaders and international law to bring an end what human rights groups describe as an unfolding genocide? On this episode of The Briefing we tell the story through the eyes of a Palestinian, who is also part of the Listnr family...

Headlines: It’s been another horrific 24 hours in the Middle East as thousands gather for pro-Palestine protests across Australia. Elon Musk has been slammed for joining Trump in Pennsylvania and in the NRL the Penrith Panthers have won their fourth-straight Premiership, beating Melbourne Storm 14-6.   Deep Dive: The world is today marking one year since the horrific October 7 attacks on Israel. M...

Lucinda Price (AKA Froomes) turned her internet personality into a full time gig and her debut book All I Ever Wanted Was to Be Hot unpacks it all. The debut author knows how much it takes to be ‘hot’ and has dipped her toe into all facets of the Australian media landscape. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Lucinda reveals just how much her quest to be attractive cost her and how her eating di...

Crumbl Cookies is the billion dollar US company that made global headlines this week after a group of Sydneysiders imported 800 of their cookies and sold them at an inflated price in Bondi. The group had no affiliation to the company, and have since posted statements on their social media accounts claiming to be "fans" of the American product who wanted to introduce them to Australian audiences. C...

Headlines:  Pro-Palestine protests to go ahead, Melania Trump doubles down on abortion rights support, FOI documents reveal Gina Rinehart asked the national gallery to “permanently dispose” of portraits and daylight savings starts this weekend.  Deep dive: Lobbyists speaking with the Federal Government, and giving MPs gifts, is nothing new.   These groups have a range of interests, including the A...

Women are lifting heavy in 2024 than it’s ever been.  There’s been a 20% increase in female participation in competitive lifting and bodybuilding events in the U.S, and here in Australia, there are now more women than men competing in a range national events. But, bodybuilding can come with a darkside – disordered eating, steroid use, and pushing yourself to the physical extreme. So why are so man...

Headlines: Melbourne and Sydney pro-Palestine protestors push ahead with plans for protests over October 7 weekend, Labor plans to address shrinkflation, Australia’s rental prices might finally be coming down and we look at last night's Dally M awards. Deep dive: When we think about the effects of war on children – the psychological trauma of witnessing violence and the loss of loved ones is well...

Tim Walz and JD Vance have gone head-to-head in what will be their only chance to convince the American voting public to pick their leader in the upcoming election in November. Hosted by CBS News at the network's broadcast center in New York City, former high school teacher and American football coach Tim Walz and Donald Trump's vice- presidential nominee and author of Hillbilly Elegy JD Vance wen...

Headlines: Iran strikes Israel as IDF ground invasion of Lebanon continues, Julian Assange says he pleaded ‘guilty to journalism’, NDIS changes revealed, and a naked Donald Trump effigy. Deep dive: From war, to surveillance, to delivering food to your front door, drone technology is quickly entering regular use in our daily lives. A surprising new addition to that list is helping to save Australia...

Experts have called Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s new Netflix show, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, murder porn. The series explores the real-life brutal murders of Kitty and Jose Menendez back in 1989 committed by their sons Lyle and Erik – who alleged their father sexually abused them since childhood, and that their mother knew and let it happen. Experts and viewers have flagged mult...

Headlines: Israel prepares ground invasion of Lebanon, new code of conduct for dating apps in Australia, house prices slow nationally and New Zealand takes back haka world record. Deep dive: SpaceX has just launched a five-month rescue mission to bring home Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station. It's the next step in the long saga of a mission that hasn't gone accord...

Violence is building in Lebanon as the war is Gaza spills over multiple fronts. Over the weekend Israeli strikes killed several high-ranking Hezbollah leaders, while also injuring and killing many Lebanese civilians. Governments around the world are calling for ceasefire, with Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong warning citizens in Lebanon to come home before further escalation. Wit...

Headlines: Thousands gather for protests across Australia amid increased violence in the Middle East, Budget surplus, 8 in 10 Aussie CEOs think WFH will be over in three years and SNL launches season 50. Deep dive: Ever thought about deleting yourself from the internet? It’s more complex than simply deactivating old accounts, especially when almost everything we do online leaves traces of our pers...

Dr Karl is Australia’s favourite science communicator, with a passion for colourful shirts with the energy of an exclamation mark! He’s a former taxi driver, was a serial university student – studying for 16 years – and is now a much-loved medical personality on radio and TV who has just written a memoir – The Periodic Tale. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Dr Karl unpacks his family’s trauma...

Black Myth: Wukong has become one of the fastest-selling games of all time, selling 10 million copies in just three days and changing the Chinese video game market forever. But Wukong’s success didn’t come without controversy after the publishers, Hero games, asking reviewers not to discuss covid, the Chinese gaming industry and “feminist propaganda” whilst streaming. In this episode of the Briefi...

Headlines: Supermarket prices have soared by 20% in the last five years, Palestinian President addresses the UN, if Trump wins the Australian economy will suffer and Katy Perry teases massive Australian name at tomorrow’s AFL Grand Final. Deep Dive: The AFL Grand Final against the Sydney Swans and the Brisbane Lions is set to have the highest ratings of all time.   Both teams are two of the most s...

Housing, and the state of it in this country, has been on the minds of both Australian politicians and regular people alike. The major parties have very different perspectives in mind for what policies will fix this problem – but it’s hard to cut through political point scoring to get real on exactly what they have in mind, and how it will work for you. This week The Briefing brought you a housing...

Headlines: Labor reportedly considering a negative gearing policy, IDF prepares for ground assault in Lebanon, Choice reveals the cheapest supermarket and two Aussie suburbs make top 10 coolest in the world. Deed Dive: The state of Australia’s housing is in crisis.   From building them to buying them, there’s delay, disappointment, and division.   The major parties have very different perspectives...

The internet has become obsessed with two animals in recent weeks; Moo Deng, the pygmy hippo from Thailand, and Pesto the giant emperor penguin chick from Melbourne’s Sea Life Aquarium. The interest has sparked hordes of visitors, thousands of memes, celebrity endorsements and even moves for a patent. What makes an animal go viral? And what are some of the unintended repercussions for the cute spe...

Headlines: More strikes on Lebanon, the UN General Assembly meets, Australia's  Reserve Bank has held our cash rate steady for the seventh time in a row and the Federal Government has been slammed for approving coal mine expansions. Plus, the AFL Event office has been hacked just days out from the sold out Grand Final.   Deep Dive: The state of Australia’s housing is in crisis.   From building the...

Repression and media censorship in Venezuela are at an all-time high. Reports of arbitrary detentions, forced disappearances, and torture of political dissidents have skyrocketed following claims that the country’s current president, Nicolas Maduro, stole the July 28 election. But now, Venezuelan journalists are fighting back – reporting on events through two AI-generated avatars to avoid persecut...

Headlines: Fresh Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed at least 356 people, Albo blames supermarkets for adding to inflation, Reserve Bank tipped to leave interest rates on hold today and Patrick Cripps claims the Brownlow while the AFL settles with Katy Perry.    Deep Dive: The state of Australia’s housing is in crisis. From building them to buying them, there’s delay, disappointment, and divisi...

As the war in Ukraine approaches its third year, global attention has largely moved on - but the conflict remains, and continues to shape the future of Eastern Europe. President of Russia Vladimir Putin has made a third order to boost Russia's military presence since 2022 while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is seemingly relying on ageing conscripts. Overall, it appears manpower on both s...

Headlines: Australia living in its longest period of ‘economic misery’ in a decade, Israel – Lebanon update, Donald Trump says he won’t run in 2028 if he loses this election and Friends turns 30. Deep Dive: Reports of online child exploitation have increased 45 per cent in the last financial year – which is an average of 160 a day. Authorities say every one of these reports contains images and vid...