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 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
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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 of The Internet Reviewed on YouTube Kirsten Drysdale where they unpacked what’s really driving the rising cost of chocolate.
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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 on the show became something bigger: a chance to challenge stereotypes, represent his community, and show a different side of his culture and faith to a national audience.
In this chat with Sacha Barbour Gatt, Feras opens up about what really happens behind the scenes, how the experience changed him long after the cameras stopped rolling, and why representation in Australian media still has a long way to go.
Weekend list with Helen Smith
Listener Lindsey TO READ: Remarkably Bright Creatures
TO WATCH: Season 4 Love on the Spectrum on Netflix
TO EAT: Nagi Maehashi My very best Vanilla Cake
TO DO: Tell everyone it's your Birthday!
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