The Briefing

Spring brings with it some pretty wonderful things; blooming flowers, warmer weather and longer days. But it also means another thing that can strike fear into the heart of nearly every Australian – magpie swooping season.
From August to October, the black and white birds are nesting, which means they’re feeling extra protective and have been known to fly at humans as they pass by their babies.
In this episode of The Briefing, we're revisiting Sacha Barbour Gatt's chat with bird expert Sean Dooley to break down the facts and myths around these fabulous animals this swooping season.

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Well, well, well… fancy seeing you here.
Welcome back to The Briefing: Our Take, our weekend hang-out where we loosen our ties and kick off our shoes to take you behind the scenes of the week that was, and what you (and we) made of it.
This week Chris and Sach get into HBO's new Harry Potter series dropping on Christmas Day. They react to the latest trailer, dig through your comments on it, and discuss whether they’re going to watch it.
They're also joined in studio by 2DayFM's very own Emma Chow, who steps up to The Weekend Quiz but somehow manages to get them talking about Tipping Point and Sach’s days as a court reporter.

They also discuss Emma’s very exciting news she received this week!
The Weekend Quiz (just questions, no answers):
The government this week proposed new laws that could give us the power to opt out of, or switch off, the algorithm on socials. What's it called?
Pauline Hanson was on ABC News24 this week and got into a bit of argy-bargy with Chris Kenny. What were they arguing over?
We spoke to Greens Senator David Shoebridge on the pod this week. He was appointed the party's first-ever spokesperson for what?
A Melbourne council this week announced it would be banning what from public pools and playgrounds?
What subject did Chris and Sach admit on the podcast they cared the least about in school?
The Weekend List:
To watch: New Zealand Spy on ABC iview (thanks to listener Jay)
To listen to: Harry Potter audiobook for free on Spotify
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Twenty-five years ago, the September 11 terrorist attacks killed nearly 3,000 people and changed the course of history. The images of hijacked planes striking the World Trade Center, the collapse of the Twin Towers and the devastation left behind became defining images of this century.
But the consequences of 9/11 reached far beyond the United States. The attacks triggered America’s longest war - a 20-year conflict in Afghanistan that began with the fall of the Taliban. This year also marks five years since the war came full circle: the Taliban returned to power as the US withdrew its troops.
BBC Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet witnessed that extraordinary arc. Drawing on almost four decades of reporting from Afghanistan, she takes LiSTNR Senior Journalist Claudianna Blanco from the aftermath of 9/11 and the hope that followed the Taliban’s fall, to the chaotic final days at Kabul Airport and the Afghanistan of today.
This special episode of The Briefing looks back at the long shadow of 9/11, 25 years on.
Lyse's debut book
Lyse on The Weekend Briefing
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Friday Headlines:
Head of Instagram warns against turning off algorithm
Barnaby Joyce apologises to Andrew Hastie over 'traitor' video
Donald Trump accused of bribery over 5k election promise
August declared hottest month on record
Historic NFL game takes over Melbourne
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Thursday Headlines:
Pauline Hanson defends Victorian One Nation leader, Andrew Hastie cartoon
Anthony Albanese defends pork barreling allegations
Another man killed in Sydney's escalating gangland war
Melbourne council bans smart glasses from public pools and playgrounds
Apple unveils new folding iPhone
Further listening from the headlines:
Sach's deep dive on Sydney's gangland war
Chris' chat with David Shoebridge
Deep Dive: Australia's not really well known for skiing, but there is a dedicated ski fraternity who love getting to the slopes each winter. So, what happens if there’s no snow?
That’s the question being put to the country’s resort operators after a dismal 2026 season plagued by warm, dry conditions and patchy snow cover.
With most ski fields wrapping up their seasons over the weekend and just a couple still clinging on, we’re being warned winters like this will become more likely, not less.
In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou chats with the CEO of Snow Resorts Australia, Josh Elliott about the future of snow tourism in Australia. We also hear from Dr Lily O’Neil from Protect our Winters to talk about what climate change’s role is in all of this
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