Iran has a new Supreme Leader - but who is he, and what does it mean for the region and the future of the Middle East conflict? 

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Kylie Moore-Gilbert, who explains the rise of Mojtaba Khamenei, who has stepped into power during one of the most volatile moments in Iran’s history. Kylie reveals what his rise means for the Iranian people, why the US and Israel may be deeply unhappy with this outcome, and whether the escalating conflict could spiral into a long and messy war. Plus, the growing calls in Australia to offer asylum to Iran’s women’s soccer team amid fears of persecution back home. 

Headlines: 

• Former NSW Liberal MP, Rory Amon, has been found not guilty on a majority of child sex abuse charges
• More than $110 billion has been wiped off the Australian stockmarket
• Investigations are underway after two separate shootings in Sydney’s west 
• Prince Harry and Meagan will visit Australia next month

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Monday Headlines: 

• Australia’s role in Middle East being considered
• Crocs “absolutely everywhere” in flooded NT
• Tributes for 22-year-old Melbourne Good Samaritan 
• Age verification comes into effect for porn sites from today
• Matildas draw 3-all with South Korea in electric Asian Cup clash

Further listening from the headlines:

• Watching porn? ID please
• How I escaped porn addiction

Deep Dive: There are fears one family is accumulating more control over tech, government and media than any other family in modern history. Most Australians have barely heard of them, but they probably should.  
 
Tech titan and Trump backer Larry Ellison is one of the wealthiest people on the planet, and his company Oracle doesn't just do business with governments - it helps run them.  
 
Now his son David has won the most expensive bidding war in entertainment history, bringing a vast collection of film studios, news networks and streaming platforms under the same family umbrella.  
 
In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou is joined by NPR host Roben Farzad to unpack what the Ellison empire actually controls and what its latest moves tell us about who really holds power in 2026. 

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Before she was busy being “difficult”, Grace Tame was side-eyeing former Prime Ministers, calling out power at the highest levels and reshaping Australia’s conversation around sexual abuse.

The former Australian of the Year has endured more scrutiny than many public figures twice her age, all while staying fiercely outspoken and unapologetically herself.

In this bonus episode of The Weekend Briefing with Antoinette Lattouf, we bring you a discussion with Grace Tame about what it really takes to ‘win’ as a woman in Australia.

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When Sam Taunton was a kid, he dreamed of becoming a professional golfer. Instead, he found himself in a blazer, behind the desk of The Project, working live on national television alongside a man whom he calls “the smartest guy in the country."

He didn’t grow up with a lot of money and his dad would often get creative to keep the family home standing. But long before he invited the whole of Australia to his New Year’s Eve party on live TV, Sam was chasing a very different future.

In this chat with Chris Spyrou, Sam reveals what it's actually like working on live TV, the moment he found out the show was no more, his gratitude journal and how losing one dream can sometimes lead to finding the right one.

Tickets to Sam's tour here

Weekend list with Helen Smith

• Listener Krissy TO WATCH: Upper Middle Bogan on ABC iView
• TO LISTEN: BBC World of Secrets: The Child Cancer Scam
• TO DO: Dance Party
• TO DO: Share the Dignity Drive

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Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan is driving Australia’s first work from home laws, arguing they will boost productivity and help families. 

But there's backlash from small businesses, who warn the extra pressure of remote working and lack of exemptions will force some to move operations interstate or overseas.

In this interview with Natarsha Belling, the Premier addresses the new WFH controversy - and the mystery of how 90,000 fake followers appeared on her Instagram account.

Headlines: 

• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirms Australian sailors were on board the US submarine that sank an Iranian frigate
• ACCC has written to the top fuel companies as concerns grow over price gouging
• Coroner reveals cause of death of 19-year-old Canadian backpacker Piper James
• Australian billionaire James Packer announces engagement

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Friday Headlines:

• More Aussies return from Middle East as thousands flee Beirut
• Hizb ut-Tahrir officially banned
• 'From the river to the sea' and 'globalise the intifada' outlawed in Queensland
• Number of kids enrolled in public school drops to record low
• Matildas beat Iran 4-0 in Asian Cup clash
• Britney Spears arrested in California

Deep Dive: Millions of young men’s algorithms are being taken over by looksmaxxing. 

What starts as self-improvement - gym sessions, grooming routines and ‘mewing’ -can spiral into extreme dieting, steroids, cosmetic surgery and even ‘bone-smashing,’ where men attempt to break and reshape their own facial bones to appear more masculine. Critics warn the trend is fuelling a pipeline toward incel culture, wrapped up in the language of optimisation and status. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Sam Cornell a public health researcher who unpacks how the rise of looksmaxxing has racked up millions of views online and is more than vanity – turning into something darker. 

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The rapidly escalating conflict in the Middle East is now sending shockwaves through global aviation, with major airspace closures and key international travel hubs suddenly out of action. So what does it mean for Australians planning to travel overseas? 

In this episode, Natarsha Belling is joined by aviation expert Professor Ron Bartsch, who explains why this disruption could be the most significant to hit global travel since COVID. With major Middle Eastern airline hubs like Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi affected, airlines are scrambling to reroute flights through Asia -- triggering delays, reduced capacity and the likelihood of soaring airfares.

Headlines: 

• Qatar has evacuated residents near the US embassy in Doha
• Canadian PM Mark Carney hasn’t ruled out the Canadian military joining the Middle East conflict
• Former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn has had his application for bail denied while he awaits a retrial for the alleged murder of 73-year-old Carol Clay
• The US House Oversight Committee has voted to subpoena Attorney General Pam Bondi
• A man has been airlifted to hospital after being attacked by a shark on the Great Barrier Reef

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Thursday Headlines:

• First war-trapped Aussies arrive back home
• Attorney General pays back $8000 for family flights
• Inquiry launched into racism, hate and violence directed at Indigenous people
• Scorching temps and hot nights plagued summer 2025/26
• Beckhams post birthday messages for estranged son Brooklyn
• Your thoughts on our high-speed rail deep dive

Deep Dive: While they were controversial and certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, there was no denying the power and influence of the Kyle and Jackie O show.  

So, what happens now that the pair has been dumped from their lucrative $200 million Sydney and Melbourne breakfast radio show on KIIS FM?  

Industry insider Craig Bruce joins Sacha Barbour Gatt in this episode of The Briefing to discuss the astronomical rise and sensational fall of Kyle and Jackie O. 

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Women’s bodies are back in the headlines with Kelly Osbourne this week slamming online trolls for their cruel and dehumanising comments about her appearance at the BRIT Awards. So, is it ever ok to comment on someone’s body? And when you are concerned someone could be unwell, what do you do? 

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Body Image expert Professor Gemma Sharp from The University of Adelaide to unpack it all. 

This episode contains descriptions of disordered eating and body image that may be triggering or distressing for some listeners. For support, call the Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673) or visit www.butterfly.org.au to chat online or email, 7 days a week, 8am-midnight (AEDT). 

Headlines: The federal government has announced it will deploy six Australian crisis consular teams to the Middle East, Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has warned inflationary pressure from the Middle East Conflict will affect the upcoming Budget, and Greens Senator Sarah Hanson Young has called for radio host Kyle Sandilands to be sacked effective immediately. 

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Wednesday Headlines:

• Oil and gas prices surge as the US and Israel’s war on Iran continues
• Australian girl dies in Japan after snowmobile accident
• Secret Liberal election loss review labels Dutton ‘grim’ and ‘unattractive to women’
• Jackie O sensationally quits breakfast radio show with Kyle Sandilands
• Oscar Piastri mobbed by fans in Melbourne

Deep Dive: Australia has long been promised high speed rail is on the way, and last week, the federal government announced a further $230 million for detailed design work on an east coast bullet train. 

While we’re dazzled by the promise of connectivity, greener travel and a boom of jobs and opportunities, the idea of super-fast rail in this country is being described by one expert as a “beautiful waste of time”. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt chats with financial journalist Alan Kohler about why the Aussie dream of a bullet train is unlikely to ever be a reality. 

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