The Briefing

BREAKING: Donald Trump has announced he will suspend all bombing and attacks on Iran for two weeks - but only if Iran agrees to the complete and immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

In a post to Truth Social, the US President says he's agreed to a request from Pakistan, which has been working as a mediator, to hold off on his threatened bombardment of Iran's power and civil infrastructure.

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Wednesday Headlines:
Trump warns a 'whole civilisation will die' if Iran doesn't make deal
Ben Roberts Smith to appear before court today
Record number of scam websites taken down by Australia's financial regulator
Kanye West blocked from entering the UK
EV sales hit record highs in Australia
Deep Dive: War used to be reported. Now it’s being packaged.
Footage shared by the White House showing strikes on Iran is being edited like gameplay - complete with stylised overlays, dramatic pacing and even ‘killstreak’-style visuals, pulling in millions of views.
But this isn’t a one-off. From ICE raid clips set to the Pokémon theme to military operations branded like blockbuster titles, conflict is being reframed through the language and aesthetics of entertainment.
In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith speaks with Daniel Baldino from the University of Notre Dame Australia about how war is being gamified - and what that shift does to public perception, accountability, and reality itself.
Further listening: Will Elon unplug your EV dream?
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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 destroy civilian infrastructure in Iran
PM Albanese will be travelling to Singapore to address the fuel shortage
One Nation surges in the latest Newspoll
The Artemis mission is heading home
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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 Frankcom was the Australian aid worker killed by an Israeli strike in Gaza, and her family still want answers.
Last week was the second anniversary of Zomi’s killing, and her brother Mal Frankcom was in parliament advocating for a more open and transparent investigation into Israel’s strikes, which also killed six other aid workers.
The day before the anniversary, Israel’s ambassador to Australia refused to apologise for the killing. He said “sympathy had been expressed”.
In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt speaks with Mal Frankcom about the family’s push for justice.
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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 keeps the show alive well beyond each episode.
Beyond the drama on screen, a growing ecosystem of podcasts, parody accounts and creators are shaping the conversation - stretching a few episodes a week into a 24/7 cycle in your feed.
In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with creator Amanda Catalano about why MAFS is “the easiest content on the internet,” how her parody videos rack up huge numbers, and what it says about how we feel about the show.

You can follow Amanda on Instagram @amanda.catalano and TikTok @amanda.catalano
Follow The Briefing:
TikTok: @thebriefingpod
Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast
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