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 

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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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Friday's Headlines: 

• Australia takes part in talks to re-open straight of Hormuz
• TV Broadcasters call for financial help after gambling ad ban
• Artemis II crew preparing to leave earth's orbit
• Manly beat the Dolphins and the Lions beat the Pies in the AFL

Deep Dive: The Good Friday Appeal is synonymous with the Easter long weekend, and this year will be no different. 

Culminating with a primetime TV event and telethon on Channel 7, the appeal – in its 95th year – looks to raised much-needed funds for the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. 

In today’s deep dive, you’ll meet an incredible family whose little boy ended up on an RCH operating table at just four weeks old, along with Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies, hosts of The Morning Show, about why the the Good Friday Appeal is such a worthy cause. 

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US President Donald Trump delivered a rambling speech to the US people and the world earlier today.

He began by saying the US military operations in Iran have been an overwhelming success, calling them “victories like few have ever seen before.”

Mr Trump hinted the US would leave the war in the coming weeks and urged other countries to head to Iran to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, to secure their own oil.

Earlier in the day Mr Trump said he was considering removing the United States from the NATO alliance.

Headlines:

• PM Albanese addressed the National Press Club, announcing bans on gambling ads
• NASA's Artemis mission is on its way to the moon
• Mary Fowler signs a record-breaking $10 million deal with Adidas

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Thursday Headlines:

• Anthony Albanese’s address to the nation draws criticism
• Trump to give primetime address on Iran war
• Gambling reform finally on the way
• Gen Z craving connection, collecting vinyls without record players 

Further listening from the headlines:
Why Albo isn’t banning gambling ads

Deep Dive: More than fifty years after the last Apollo mission, humans are heading back toward the moon.  
 
NASA's Artemis II launches today - a ten-day fly-by that marks the first crewed mission to travel this deep into space since 1972, and the first to include a woman and a Black astronaut. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with astrophysicist and ANU Associate Professor Dr Brad Tucker about what Artemis II is actually testing, why the moon has become the centrepiece of a new global space race, and what Australia's quietly crucial role looks like. 

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