The Briefing

Elon Musk has introduced Optimus, Tesla’s new humanoid robots, to the world and has made some ambitious claims about their uses in the not-too-distant future. Viral videos of Optimus robots making drinks, dancing and chatting to attendees at the launch event have sparked questions around the humanoid's autonomy. But this past week has been a massive one for Elon Musk, with SpaceX's successful dock...

Headlines: Coalition leading in Newspoll, King Charles comments on Australia becoming a Republic ahead of visit, QLD nuclear plebiscite, Christopher Columbus was likely Spanish and Jewish. Deep Dive: Kelly McMasters has written her own obituary every year since she was 12 years old. An obituary is usually written by a dedicated obit journalist or writer and includes key facts about a person’s life...

Meet the American law professor who’s visa was in question earlier this week after speaking at a Mosque in Sydney.  Khaled Beydoun, who is of  Lebanese, Egyptian and Palestinian heritage, has a staggering 2.5 million Instagram followers and has become a major source of trusted news on war on Gaza and the broader regional conflict.  In this exclusive interview, Khaled sits down to share his insight...

Scammers are calling Australians ‘easy prey’ because they are considered wealthy and trusting. An ABC investigation found that perpetrators of these highly organised and sophisticated operations believed that unlike American law enforcement, the Australian Federal Police just won’t go after them – so is that true, and if so, why? In this episode of the Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by cyb...

Headlines: Hurricane Milton death toll rises, China to lift Australian lobster restrictions, latest statistics on how we’re dying in Australia revealed, Princess Kate's first official engagement since finishing chemo and the Socceroos beat China in their World Cup qualifier clash last night. Deep Dive:  Kamala Harris has done very few media interviews since replacing Joe Biden as the Democratic no...

Football is Australia’s most played team sport – with 1.7 million participants across all genders and ages. But professionally, it feels like we’re not making a splash. The Matildas exited the Paris Olympics much earlier than expected and the Socceroos have had a shocking start to their world cup qualifiers that continue tonight against China in Adelaide. In the last few months – both national tea...

Headlines: Fugitive dad and three kids spotted for the first time in three years in New Zealand, amendments to Labor's international student cap, Fox proposes new Presidential debate date and a Nepalese teen breaks record by summitting world’s 14 tallest peaks. Deep dive:  Finding out your genetic history can be as easy as spitting into a test tube. Since the mid-2000s take take-home DNA kits have...

Brat summer is officially coming to Australia.  Superstar singer Charlie XCX will headline Laneway in 2025. The excitement is palpable – but the story of the last few years of music festivals in this country has not been a good one, with countless examples of big-ticket headlining artists dropping out at the last minute.  The cost of living is hitting organizers and punters alike, and there has be...

Headlines: Anthony Albanese issues second apology over Tourette's comment, Florida is bracing for the impact of Hurricane Milton, the supermarket milk wars could be back and the first trailer drops for 'How to Make Gravy'.   Deep dive: How much is a ticket actually worth?  Yesterday, Oasis announced Australian dates for their massive 2025 reunion tour – and in news that will likely make fans very...

73% of young people are turning to TikTok, YouTube and Instagram for mental health support, according to a new report by ReachOut who surveyed over 2000 people between the ages of 16 and 25 about how they use social media to find mental health advice and information. But how safe is this practice - especially when young people are turning increasingly to socials as a replacement for professional h...

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...