Wednesday Headlines: Western governments continue welcoming UN’s MH17 ruling, Kim Kardashian’s Paris robbery trial, new global study into OCD, Trump signs $142 billion defence deal with Saudi Arabia, and Eurovision has started this morning.

Deep Dive: Imagine spending 15 years trying to have a baby and finally succeeding through an overseas surrogate - only to be up for criminal charges when you get home.  

That’s what’s happening to a Brisbane couple, right now, who admitted to paying for international commercial surrogacy - which is illegal in Queensland, NSW and the ACT.

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with LiSTNR investigative journalist Claudianna Blanco to unpack the secretive world of international surrogacy, how these laws are consistently skirted and what she discovered about the industry whilst undercover.

Listen to Claudianna on Secrets We Keep: By Any Means. 

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Erin Patterson has been charged with the murders of three relatives and the attempted murder of another; after allegedly serving up a beef Wellington dish laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms at a lunch at her home in 2023.  

She’s pled not guilty to all charges.  

In this special series of The Briefing, Holly Mitchell unpacks day 10 of the trial in under two minutes.  

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Sussan Ley has made history as the first female to lead the Federal Liberal Party. So, can she help rebuild a broken party? 

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Former Liberal MP Julia Banks, who says Sussan’s leadership is already under threat from the hard right of the party and they will never succeed if they don’t garner the female and younger voter. 

Julia also shares a brutal insight into what really happens within the Liberal party room and the two words you're never allowed to mention.  

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Tuesday Headlines: The new leader of the Liberal party will be unveiled today, Hamas release American-Israeli hostage, the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs has begun in New York City, the supermarket wars are heating up, and we're getting a Wicked Live Musical Special.

Deep Dive: Australia is one of the world leaders for sexual violence against kids and teens, according to a new study. 
 
Nearly one in three girls experience it before the age of 18, and one in six boys, and experts say the issue is cultural. 
 
In this episode of The Briefing, sexual crimes expert & host of Crime Insiders Detectives, Brent Sanders, joins Tara Cassidy to explain what’s behind the concerning rates.

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Who will lead the Liberal Party? Ahead of tomorrow’s crucial vote, we look at the top candidates and what the Liberals need to do to win back Australians 

In this edition of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by political expert Kos Samaras who warns the current candidates to lead the Liberals won’t work unless the party undergoes a complete overhaul. 

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Monday Headlines: Albo to reveal ministerial lineup today, Pope calls for ‘no more war’ in first Sunday message, a tonne of cocaine seized off NSW's east coast, and Brisbane has secured the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo for 2026!

Deep Dive: Should doctors be required to help patients access abortion services, even if it conflicts with their personal beliefs? 

That was the question at the centre of a major pro-life protest that brought parts of Sydney’s CBD to a standstill last week. 

At the heart of the controversy is a new bill introduced by Greens MP and former GP Dr Amanda Cohn, aimed at expanding access to abortion across New South Wales.  

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with Dr Amanda Cohn and one of its leading critics, University of Adelaide law professor Dr Joanna Howe. 

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Luisa Dunn has transformed her natural grey hair into a powerful statement and an Instagram following of over 1.4 million.

The model and activist harnessed the power of her beauty and career in marketing to challenge the impossible beauty standards, faced by women in particular, and ageing.

In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Luisa explains how we are tricked into thinking ageing gives us an expiry date and why she uses her following as a platform for amplifying social issues.

Weekend list with Helen Smith

• TO READ: The Nightmare Sequence by Omar Sakr
• TO READ: Funny Story by Emily Henry
• TO TRY: Elizavecca Cer-100 Collagen Coating Hair Protein Treatment
• TO TRY: CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser

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Erin Patterson has been charged with the murders of three relatives and the attempted murder of another; after allegedly serving up a beef wellington dish laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms at a lunch at her home in 2023.

She’s pled not guilty to all charges.

In this special series of The Briefing Helen Smith unpacks day nine of the trial in under two minutes.

Follow The Briefing: 
TikTok: @listnrnewsroom 
Instagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast 
YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom 
Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Afternoon Headlines: The battle for the Liberal Party leadership begins and the 2025 Archibald prize goes to Julie Frager becoming the 13th women to win

Deep Dive: Oscar Piastri is Australia’s only hope for becoming the Formula One world champion, after winning four of the past six races in the multi-billion-dollar sport.

Formula One’s popularity has continued to rise with recording breaking crowds flocking to the Australian Grand Prix this year and Netflix’s Drive to Survive showing a new side of the drivers.

In this episode of The Briefing Helen Smith is joined by Greg Rust, host of LiSNTR’s Rusty's Garage, to unpack the 2025 Formula One season and whether Oscar Piastri could become the third Australia to take home the title.  

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Friday Headlines: America's Robert Francis Prevost announced as new pope, More than 30 people have been arrested over a number of homophobic attacks linked to dating apps, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has quit the Nationals party to instead join forces with the Libs, Putin and Xi Jinping slam AUKUS, and Matildas captain Sam Kerr has announced the birth of her son Jagger.

Deep Dive: Australia’s music scene is looking like it’ll be getting a boost with big incentives for international acts — but there’s a growing threat putting our festivals at risk. Extreme Weather. 

As more gigs get cancelled, is the real danger something we just can't control? Helen Smith sits down with Berish Bilander, Green Music Australia CEO to discuss.

Further listening from the headlines:
Why we shouldn't torpedo AUKUS 

Follow The Briefing: 
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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.