A daily news podcast, The Briefing gives you the latest headlines, discussion and explainer interviews to keep you informed and entertained.
Bringing you the n...
During last year’s election, Donald Trump joked about becoming a dictator, but “only on day one” of his second term as president. But over the past month, Trump has ignored laws passed by the US Congress, rejected the authority of US courts, forced the deletion of thousands of government websites and destroyed reams of scientific literature and public health data. It’s starting to look less and less like a joke. On this episode of the Briefing, Bension Siebert dives deep into whether Trump is genuinely beginning to turn the US into a dictatorship, and as Trump’s politics gain traction in Australia – most recently through billionaire Clive Palmer’s new political party – we ask what it would mean for this country if the world’s most powerful democracy slid into autocracy. On the other hand, Trump is no Hitler or Stalin – so is calling him a dictator...just a bit over-the-top? US investigative journalist Dave Levinthal and University of Melbourne lecturer in history Dr Sarah Walsh join Bension Siebert to help unpack these questions and more. Listen to The Briefing's episode on Trump's key cabinet picks here. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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19:20
What the actual f*** is Skibidi Toilet?
Headlines: Trump calls Zelensky a ‘dictator without elections’, ASIO boss says multiple ‘hostile’ nations plotted to murder critics in Australia and Scott Morrison asks for photo album bought at south Sydney Salvos to be returned. Deep Dive: Skibidi Toilet, the wildly popular YouTube web series featuring animated singing human heads emerging from toilets, is making its debut in an art gallery at the Institute of Modern Art (IMA) in Brisbane. Since it burst onto the scene in 2023, the quirky series by Russian content creator Alexey Gerasimov has captivated audiences worldwide, amassing 18 billion views and has gained the attention of film director Michael Bay. In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Nick Aloisio-Shearer, the Assistant Director and curator of the exhibition at IMA, and Dr Nicholas Karah, the Director of the University of Queensland’s Centre for Digital Cultures and Societies, to explain the phenomenon that is Skibidi Toilet, and why we need to talk about it. You can check out the exhibition until the 30th of March at Brisbane’s Institute of Modern Art. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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29:14
Another plane crashed. Here's how to stay calm on your next flight
When a plane carrying 80 people crash landed, burst into flames and flipped upside down on the tarmac of a Canadian airport yesterday, it was the third plane crash in North America in less than a month. 18 people were taken to hospital but, amazingly, no-one was killed. Although statistically, flying is a very safe way to travel – much safer than driving – these incidents make many of us increasingly nervous about the next time we get on a flight. On this episode of the Briefing, Helen Smith asks President of the Australian Association of Psychologists Sahra O'Doherty for her top tips for keeping calm, especially when your flight hits a patch of turbulence. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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16:18
If you're getting your pills tested, should we all see the results?
Headlines: The Reserve Bank finally cut interest rates, man charged with online harassment of Antoinette Lattouf and a TikTokker finds an album of unseen photos of Scott Morrison from 1996. Deep Dive: If you’re getting your pills tested at a music festival, who ends up with your data from the results – and what should they do with it? Legal pill and drug testing in Australia has made significant legislative steps in recent years – from calls for it to be trialled by community organisations to being introduced into four jurisdictions across the country, with some being permanent sites. But as we become more familiar with pill testing, are we doing enough with the data we get from it for it to be of major use to the community?In this episode of The Briefing Helen Smith is joined by RMIT drug policy expert, Associate Professor Monica Barratt, who has some ideas for what our policymakers could be doing better. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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26:35
How the Catholic Church protected Australia's worst paedophile
Gerald Ridsdale, known as Australia’s most notorious paedophile priest, has died in prison, aged 90. Ridsdale was convicted eight separate times over the sexual abuse of 70 known victim survivors – with the most recent sentencing being in 2023. The impact of his abuse – on victim survivors, on the reputation of the church, and on Australian society – cannot be understated. Lucie Morris Marr is a Walkley-awarding winner investigative journalist, author and broadcaster – who's book Fallen: The inside story of the secret trial and conviction of Cardinal George Pell went into great detail on the abuse surrounding Ridsdale and his relationship to Pell. She joins Helen Smith on this episode of The Briefing to outline what those impacted by his violence are feeling on the day of his death. You can find Lucie's newest book, Processed, here. If anything in this episode has caused you distress, you can get help. Some numbers you can call include:1800 Respect National Helpline: 1800 737 732 Men's Referral Service: 1300 766 491Lifeline (24-hour crisis line): 131 114 Victims of Crime Helpline: 1800 819 817 Full Stop Australia: 1800 385 578 Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @listnrnewsroom Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A daily news podcast, The Briefing gives you the latest headlines, discussion and explainer interviews to keep you informed and entertained.
Bringing you the news you need to know at 6am and 3pm Monday to Friday, and profiles across the weekend, The Briefing is Australia's go-to news podcast for your commute, coffee or exercise.
Hosted by journalists Sacha Barbour-Gatt, Bension Siebert and Antoinette Lattouf.
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