The Briefing

Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated soldier, has been arrested at Sydney Airport over allegations of war crimes. It comes after a joint operation by the AFP and the Office of the Special Investigator. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by lawyer Justin Quill to explain what this latest development means. Headlines:   Trump repeats threat to destro...

Tuesday Headlines: Donald Trump says Iran ‘can be taken out in one night’  Fuel shipments to Australia are now secured 'well into' May   14 people killed on roads over Easter long weekend Kanye West's right to enter UK under review Artemis II sets new record Further listening from headlines:  Why today’s moon mission matters Deep Dive:  Zomi Fra...

Monday headlines Trump threatens Iran in expletive-laden social media post WA gets tough on Petrol Retailers Pope Leo urges those with the power to unleash wars- to choose peace. Sydney Kings break their championship Trophy Newcastle Knights injury against Raiders Deep Dive: Married at First Sight isn’t just dominating TV ratings - it’s driving a constant stream of online content that...

Chocolate prices have surged, with blocks now selling for $8 at major supermarkets - more than double what we were paid a decade ago. Global cocoa prices spiked last year, but climate change and inflation aren’t the only culprits - with a little-known international deal also at play.  In this episode of  The Briefing , we revisit Chris Spyrou’s chat with journalist and host o...

Feras Basal spent nearly 50 days on a remote island for Australian Survivor - facing the ‘wheel of torture’ for hours, dislocating his shoulder in week one and enduring intense psychological strain that pushed him to his absolute limits. But alongside the physical and mental toll came a historic win, becoming the first Arab Muslim to take out the title, and the $500,000 prize. His time...

Friday's Headlines:  Australia takes part in talks to re-open straight of Hormuz TV Broadcasters call for financial   help after gambling ad ban Artemis II crew preparing to leave earth's orbit Manly beat the Dolphins and the Lions beat the Pies in the AFL Deep Dive: The Good Friday Appeal is synonymous with the Easter long weekend, and this year will be no different.  Cul...

US President Donald Trump delivered a rambling speech to the US people and the world earlier today. He began by saying the US military operations in Iran have been an overwhelming success, calling them “victories like few have ever seen before.” Mr Trump hinted the US would leave the war in the coming weeks and urged other countries to head to Iran to help secure the Strait of Hormuz,...

Thursday Headlines: Anthony Albanese’s address to the nation draws criticism Trump to give primetime address on Iran war Gambling reform finally on the way Gen Z craving connection, collecting vinyls without record players  Further listening from the headlines: Why Albo isn’t banning gambling ads Deep Dive: More than fifty years after the last Apollo mission, h...

In a rare national address, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has attempted to reassure Australians as the war in the Middle East hits home, sparking the biggest spike in fuel prices in history and pushing up grocery prices.  He outlines temporary measures the Federal Government is taking to ease cost‑of‑living pressures, while imploring Australians to "do their bit" by resisting the urge to st...

A comprehensive review led by cancer researchers at UNSW has found that vaping is likely to cause lung and oral cancer, even before long-term studies can confirm the exact risk.    The study analyses a wide body of global research to assess the ability of vapes to cause cancer on their own, rather than as a gateway to smoking.     The analysis draws together clinical studi...

Wednesday Headlines: Trump tells allies to ‘get your own oil’   Israel's ambassador defends new death penalty for Palestinians Dezi Freeman’s family speaks out after his death Hip pocket changes coming in from today Kris Jenner becomes Chinese cultural icon Deep Dive: Despite its insanely strict, all-encompassing rejection of meat and animal by-products, veganism was once th...

Dezi Freeman was shot dead by Victorian police early Monday morning. He’d been on the run for almost seven months after shooting and killing two police officers outside the regional Victorian town of Porepunkah in August last year.  Police are now trying to determine if he was helped by anyone else. Freeman considered himself to be a sovereign citizen, so h...

Tuesday Headlines: Cheaper fuel could take weeks to flow despite excise cut Albanese calls on Donald Trump to be clearer about his war plans Vaping likely causes cancer Five social media platforms are being investigated for potentially failing to comply with the social media ban Latest additions to the National Film and Sound Archive revealed Deep Dive: A landmark US court ruli...

Deep Dive: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced he will halve the fuel and diesel excise, after a National Cabinet meeting this morning over the fuel crisis.    In this episode of The Briefing Natarsha Belling is joined by Katina Curtis , Canberra bureau chief at The West Australian, to bring you everything you need to know and the PM’s plans for the nation for challe...

BREAKING: Dezi Freeman, the man at the centre of one of Victoria’s most extensive manhunts, has been shot dead by police, ending a six-month manhunt.   In this breaking news update from The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt gets you up to speed on what we know so far.  Further listening:  Inside the hunt for Dezi Freeman Follow The Briefing:  TikTok: @thebr...

Monday Headlines: National Cabinet to discuss fuel crisis today Iran says it will ‘rain fire’ on US troops Emergency relief announced for residents after tropical Cyclone Narelle Australia to play a key role in this week’s moon expedition  Kylie Minogue to headline AFL grand final Deep Dive: The state of democracy is always up for debate here in Australia -&nb...

The multi-billion dollar fertility industry brings joy to so many who need medical assistance to have a baby. But it's also described as the "Wild West" for a lack of regulation. In the latest case to make headlines, twin sisters discovered they weren't biologically related to their parents following a DNA test. The woman they knew as mum had been implanted with the wrong embryos in an IVF mi...

Katherine Bennell-Pegg is the 2026 Australian of the Year and the first person to qualify as an astronaut under Australia’s own space program. She’s an engineer, a space leader, and one of just a handful of people on the planet to complete astronaut training with the European Space Agency selected from more than 22,000 applicants. In this chat with Helen Smith, Katherine unpacks what i...

There’s a new TikTok wellness trend doing the rounds: so-called 'Trimester Zero'. But experts warn online fertility advice can be exploitative and is creating unnecessary pressure and anxiety among people trying to conceive. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Dr Rachel Rodgers, fertility specialist at IVF Australia, to discuss the growing focus on health before pr...

Friday Headlines: Trump says it’s up to Iran to make ceasefire deal Fuel crisis continues with more than 650 stations running dry Tropical Cyclone Narelle heads to north west WA IOC bans trans athletes from women's Olympic events Former Venezuelan president appears in court in New York Deep Dive: The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton is one of those stories that&rsqu...

Deep Dive: Meta and YouTube have been found liable in a landmark social media addiction trial – that's being called the ‘Big Tobacco’ moment for Big Tech. A Los Angeles jury has delivered the victory for a young woman who filed a lawsuit against the big tech giants, claiming their platforms contributed to her childhood social media addiction with negligence being a substantial fa...

Thursday Headlines:  Iran rejects US peace plan Meta and YouTube found liable in social media addiction trial National cabinet is set to convene next week to discuss Australia’s fuel supply  Super El Nino on the way later this year Ahmed al Ahmed keys to the city Deep Dive: The Installation of the 106th, and first female Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, took...

Deep Dive: Australia could see its food production halved within months in a nightmare scenario, brought about by the continuing war in Iran. What will it mean for putting food on your table?  Farmers are warning they’re already unable to purchase enough fertiliser and diesel to plant their winter crops. It’s a perfect storm. The federal government this week announced a new trade...

Wednesday Headlines:  Fuel shortages ramp up as diesel standards lowered Most Aussies want the Iran war to end and Pakistan tipped to lead peace talks ABC programs pulled as staff walk off the job Married at First Sight expert Mel Schilling has died at the age of 54 The Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special is out Deep Dive: It’s been more than a thousand days since a landmark in...

The world was stunned but not surprised when US President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran over the weekend – open the Strait of Hormuz or Trump will order the US military to begin an unprecedented campaign on the gulf state. Trump’s now extended that deadline for a further five days, claiming Iran is keen to reach an agreement with the US. Iran denies it's in talks.  In t...