The Briefing

The WHO has released new guidelines recommending breakthrough weight loss drugs like Ozempic as long-term treatments for obesity. While the new measures are hoping to make the medications more accessible and cheaper, it comes as our TGA released new safety warnings for people taking the drugs.

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by endocrinologist and obesity specialist Katherine Samaras, who explains the complexities of managing obesity and why, in many cases, the benefits of these game-changing drugs far outweigh any negatives. 

If this discussion raised any issues for you, contact the Butterfly Foundation on 1800 33 4673 or Lifeline on 13 11 14.  

Headlines: A long-awaited review into government board appointments has blasted Australia’s “jobs for mates” culture, Environment Minister Murray Watt has admitted that greater oversight was needed on the controversial $96 million Bureau of Meteorology website redesign, and a new report has revealed Australia’s happiest workers. 

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Tuesday Headlines: Labor to launch its National AI Plan today, WHO recommends Ozempic-style meds for weight-loss as TGA issues fresh warning, landmark class action against ADF starts today, Donald Trump says he will release his MRI results, and Joey Watson joins us to chat about this week’s investigation on Secrets We Keep: Uncovered.

Deep Dive: Millions of Aussies are being duped by sneaky subscription traps, drip pricing, and refund runarounds - and the government’s calling time.  

A proposed ban on unfair trading practices could soon make it illegal for businesses to deliberately trick or trap us into spending more and it’s not just consumers paying the price.  

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with Erin Turner, CEO of the Consumer Policy Research Centre, about what the ban would cover, how it could work, and whether it can actually stop the dodgy tactics. 

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It’s the frightening new frontier of coercive control and family violence. Abusers are now weaponising smart devices and even the software in cars to spy, abuse and manipulate victim survivors. In one case, there are allegations that an abuser manipulated an ex-partner’s software in her car, which allegedly allowed him to control where she was going or completely shut down the vehicle. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by CEO of Full Stop Australia Karen Bevan, to explain what technology-facilitated abuse is and where you can go to get help.   

If this discussion raised any issues for you, or you think you may be a victim of technology-facilitated abuse, contact 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732.

Headlines: Australia is keeping a close eye on a Chinese Navy flotilla currently in the Philippine Sea, four Sydney men have been charged in connection with an international "satanic" child sex abuse material ring, and more than $150,000 worth of snails have been stolen from a farm north of Paris. 

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Monday Headlines: More than 100 arrested at major port protest, death toll rises in Hong Kong apartment blaze, Benjamin Netanyahu asks for pardon in corruption case, Gen Z Australians are attempting suicide more than previous generations and what we’ve learnt about Albo’s wedding.

Deep Dive: Scientology is turning to TikTok in Australia as a way to advertise to and recruit young people. 

Mirriam Francis spent 26 years of her life as a member of the Church of Scientology in Australia, the US and UK. 

At just 15 years old, she was working in the Department of Promotion and Marketing of Scientology in LA, a division of the church which looks to find the best ways to sell the religion to potential members. 

Mirriam has since left the church and has recently been giving evidence at a Victorian inquiry into high control religious groups. In this episode of The Briefing, she’s joining Sacha Barbour Gatt to reveal why she’s deeply concerned at the church’s recent foray into TikTok. 

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John F Kennedy’s grandson Jack Schlossberg, is a self-described silly goose, social media provocateur and one of vogues political correspondents, and now he’s running the U.S. House of Representatives next year.

The Democrat officially launched his campaign via social media, leaning into the online persona that has made him both a curiosity and a headline regular. 

In this bonus episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by LiSNTR's entertainment reporter Justin Hill who unpacks the strategy behind Schlossberg’s viral rise. 

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Bob Brown is nothing short of a trailblazer. A pioneering environmentalist, he became a defining force in Australia’s conservation movement and made history as the first openly gay leader of an Australian political party.

Before entering politics, Bob trained as a doctor more than 50 years ago shaping his understanding of life and fragility. In his latest book, Defiance, he shares why he’s entering a new era of being at peace with death.

In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Bob explains why he still refuses to give up on humanity and how people like Trump find themselves in such powerful positions.

Weekend list with Helen Smith

• TO WATCH: Bugonia
• TO WATCH: Kevin Hart: Acting My Age on Netflix
• TO DO: Watch out for scams
• TO WATCH: Yurlu Country

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A special plea for more Australians to donate blood, plasma and platelets, with supplies at dangerous levels in the lead up to Christmas. Australia needs a new donor every 5 minutes, but only one in 30 donates.

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by 11-year-old Rosie, who has been diagnosed with a rare blood disease and needs donations to stay alive. The 11-year-old and her mum Ann share their heartbreaking story, and their important message for Australians to help others in need. 

https://www.lifeblood.com.au/

Headlines: Two people have been arrested after a man was shot dead in Sydney’s west, one of the National Guards shot near the White House in the US yesterday has died, and shoppers are being warned it may cost more to buy prawns this Christmas because of low stock. 

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Friday Headlines: Anger grows in Hong Kong as death toll rises from horror apartment fires, Labor strikes deal with Greens on environment laws, FBI launches terror probe into National Guard shooting, Pollies react to Barnaby Joyce’s Nationals defection and Sydney train station forced to remove AI art 

Deep Dive: Would you sit on your bed for an hour with no phone, no music, no book - literally nothing to distract you? 

Well, that’s a trend that’s been sweeping socials called ‘rawdogging boredom,’ where users film themselves doing absolutely nothing for a set amount of time, in the hopes it’ll improve their dwindling attention spans.  

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou and Sacha Barbour Gatt give it a go before unpacking the neuroscience behind it with author, podcaster and neuroscience expert, Alexis Fernandez-Preiksa. 

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Colin Kaepernick was a star quarterback in the NFL, but his decision to kneel during the national anthem in 2016, in protest against racial inequality and police brutality, ended up costing him his career.   

His silent gesture exposed deep power imbalances between players and team owners, sparking a league-wide reckoning - with his beef resulting in athletes being able to protest the national anthem without facing the same consequences he did.  

In this episode of The Beefing, Helen Smith unpacks how Kaepernick was quietly side-lined by all 32 teams, why it took the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement for the NFL to shift its stance and what prompted Donald Trump to label him a ‘son of a bitch.’ 

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The latest gender pay gap report has been released, and while there is some good news, there is still a long way to go, especially when it comes to inequity at the CEO level. The pay gap still stands at just over 20 per cent, with overall numbers showing men still earn almost $30,000 more per year compared to women. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Mary Woolridge, the CEO of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, to unpack all the latest data and what to do if you think you’re being paid unfairly. 

Headlines: Barnaby Joyce has officially announced his resignation from The Nationals, The United States has stopped processing all immigration requests from Afghan Nationals effective immediately, three men have been arrested over the horrific inferno in Hong Kong, and investigations are continuing after a woman was killed in a shark attack on the NSW Mid North Coast. 

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