The Briefing

Activist Greta Thunberg is a pro at feuding with world leaders, from US president Donald Trump to former-New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, she’s beefed with them all.  

The 22-year-old is back in the headlines after she, and around 170 activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla for Gaza, were recently deported by Israel after being detained in international waters.  

In this episode of The Beefing, Helen Smith unpacks the first time Greta made international headlines for her viral ‘how dare you’ speech at the United Nations climate action summit and examines her ongoing feuds with prominent world leaders.

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Today marks the two-year anniversary of Oct 7 when Hamas militants killed 1200 people and took 250 Israeli hostages. Since then, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to health authorities in Gaza, and Israel's actions have been labelled by a UN independent commission of inquiry and other organisations as genocide. 

Talks have started between Israel and Hamas on the future of the Gaza war in Egypt, with Trumps Gaza peace plan on the table.  

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Dr Eyal Mayroz a senior Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Sydney to explain if we’re close to reaching a permeant ceasefire.

Afternoon headlines: Anthony Albanese condemns pro-Hamas slogan, painted on a blank billboard in the inner-city of Melbourne, global renewable energy generation surpasses coal for first time and the daughter of actor and comedian Robin Williams speaks out against AI videos of her dad

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Tuesday Headlines: PM calls for calm after death threats, alleged Sydney shooter named and charged with over 20 offences, social media platforms ordered to take down Charlie Kirk murder videos, wage theft has more than doubled in the last five years, and the White House has responded to SNL's skit mocking President Trump’s 'war on late-night TV'. 

Deep Dive: She’s an Emmy Award-winning talk show host, actor, and comedian who’s never shied away from a political fight. 

Now living in Ireland, Rosie O’Donnell is in Australia for the first time - bringing her new stand-up show Common Knowledge down under. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Rosie opens up to Helen Smith about life after Hollywood, her long-running feud with Donald Trump, and why she’ll always speak truth to power - no matter who’s in office. 

Tickets for Common Knowledge at www.sydneyoperahouse.com and www.artscentremelbourne.com.au 

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How much money do you need to be happy?

A study found the average Australian would need to earn around $180k a year to reach peak wellbeing in 2025. But as the cost of living rises and our desire for money grows, can money really buy you happiness in the current climate?

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Dr Brad Elphinstone from Swinburne University who explains why the motivation we have for more money is important when it comes to our level of happiness and the role social media plays in shaping our financial aspirations.  

Afternoon headlines: Scott Morrison says Trump should win a Nobel Peace Prize if he ends the war on Gaza, police still looking for a motive for a 60-yr-old alleged gunman and a quarter of Aussies think retail theft is justifiable

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Headlines: Up to 100 bullets fired in suburban Sydney shooting, Trump to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, search for missing four-year-old enters second week, fresh warnings for Sussan Ley after Andrew Hastie's resignation and the Broncos give Storm a masterclass in first grand final victory in 19 years.

Deep Dive: Millions of Australians lost an hour of sleep on Sunday as daylight saving kicked in and while some love the longer evenings, others are asking why we even bother.   

Beyond the confusion and claims it's all about capitalism, shifting the clock can have real impacts on our brains, bodies and even road safety.   

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with Dr Karl Kruszelnicki and Swinburne University’s Ben Bullock to unpack the history, the health effects, and how we can adjust better to the change.

Further listening from the headlines: 
The 'future PM' taking on Sussan Ley
The tradies toppling the A-League

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Hip hop mogul Sean Diddy Combs was due to be sentenced for two counts of transportation for the purposes of prostitution in a New York court on Friday (that's yesterday in our time zone).

Crowds began queuing and setting up camp more than 24 hours beforehand to secure a coveted spot to watch the sentencing live in the courtroom. Meanwhile, Diddy made a last-minute plea for mercy in a letter to the judge, claiming he was "sincerely sorry".

To get you across the case, today's bonus episode is Natarsha Belling's interview with music industry expert, Associate Professor Catherine Strong from RMIT University, after the verdict was delivered in July. 

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Liz Porter has spent decades immersed in the world of crime, from CSI to Silent Witness to the triple murder mushroom trial.

The award-winning journalist, true crime author and host of Crime Insiders: Forensics has spent her career showing how science solves the toughest cases.

In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Liz shares why forensics scientists are the unsung heroes of your favourite true crime thriller and and how blowflies can play a role in solving them.

Weekend list with Helen Smith

• TO LISTEN: Sweet Bobby on Netflix (trust me it's trending)
• TO LISTEN: Black Rabbit on Netflix
  
• TO DO: The Art of Loving Olivia Deans Album
• TO DO: Arms of Eve jewellery

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Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban filed for divorce after 19 years of marriage, involving millions of dollars, prenups and allegedly a ‘cocaine’ clause.   

Society can often slam our obsession with celebrity marriages and divorces as just entertainment, but they can often fulfil a cultural or emotional need, impacting how we view our own relationships.  

In this episode of The Briefing Helen Smith is joined by LiSNTR’s entertainment reporter Justin Hill on our ‘parasocial’ obsession with celebrity romance. 

Afternoon headlines: Former NSW police officer accused of murder declares 'the truth will prevail', Palestinian Action Group told Sydney Opera House 'off-limits' ahead of planned rally and Taylor Swifts long awaited album The Life of a Showgirl is here 

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Friday Headlines: Two killed in 'terrorist incident' at Manchester synagogue, new footage sheds light on Dezi Freeman's escape, Queensland to launch state’s first sexual violence peak body, new research shows $25 billion worth of unworn clothes in Aussie wardrobes, and what bizarre encounters have you had with cops?  

Deep DIve: A soccer team of Uber drivers and tradies is just one win away from making football history - and they’ll get their shot this Saturday. 

Victoria’s Heidelberg United is taking on A-League heavyweight Newcastle Jets in a clash being billed as a true David v Goliath, with all eyes on whether the semi-pro side can become the first to lift the Australia Cup. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with Heidelberg’s head coach John Anastasiadis and sports journalist Adam Peacock to unpack everything we know about their underdog run and what it means for the future of Australian football.

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Taylor Swift and Kanye West’s feud has spanned well over a decade, morphing from a single shocking awards show moment into one of pop culture’s most enduring rivalries.  

Both artists have deftly commercialised the conflict, turning personal grievance into consistent headlines and platinum sales. With the release of Swift's The Life of a Showgirl creating speculation that it's a nod to Kanye’s The Life of Pablo, suggestion the beef is far from over. 

In this episode of The Beefing, Alexandria Funnell dissects how the feud ignited, why it has endured for so long, and how both Swift and West have survived mass cancellation to emerge as masters of reinvention. 

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