Trump sends troops to Israel + What Netflix's Monsters gets wrong

He stabbed his parents and sister to death but now Sef Gonzales has won the right to appeal his life sentence. More than 20 years after he was sent to jail, new evidence is being presented that Sef lives with PTSD after allegedly being abused as a child. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by criminal psychologist, Tim Watson-Munro, to unpack the latest developments and find out what Sef’s chances are of winning this latest court fight. Headlines: Police address Dezi Freeman directly, Bob Katter has threatened a journalist, and Qantas has delivered a bumper profit. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

28 Aug 16min

Thursday Headlines: Two children dead in US school shooting in Minnesota, Manhunt continues for sovereign citizen gunman Dezi Freeman, US government tightening visas for students and journalists, AI data centres soaking up massive amounts of drinking water, and Parliament’s annual midwinter ball happened in Canberra. Deep Dive: A Silicon Valley start-up is changing the future of fertility, letting future parents screen embryos for disease, but also appearance and IQ. And while some are lining up for the tech, keen to be in the know about their potential kids, critics have questioned the ethics of choosing them based off traits. In this episode of The Briefing, Tara Cassidy speaks with Nucleus Founder Kian Sadeghi about the advanced embryo testing, and why he backs the power to pick. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom Image credit AP: Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star TribuneSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

27 Aug 21min

Australia Post has this week suspended deliveries to the United States as the fallout continues over Donald Trump’s tariffs. While it’s a temporary measure as delivery services around the world try and navigate the new fees and charges, it’s another major hit for thousands of small Australian businesses. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by small business owner Emma Jean Jansen, who unpacks what this shock move means for Aussie retailers, already struggling with rising costs and overheads. Headlines: Linda Reynolds wins Brittany Higgins defamation case, one female student has been killed and several others injured after a school bus crash west of Geelong in Victoria, and Former West Coast defender Mitch Brown has made AFL history. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

27 Aug 11min

A manhunt is underway for a sovereign citizen gunman, who shot dead two police officers and seriously injured a third in rural Victoria, sparking renewed interested in the alternative movement. Sovereign citizens are Australians who reject the authority of the government and believe they’re exempt from laws, taxes and the values of mainstream society. In this bonus episode of The Briefing, Tom Tilley is joined by an Australian dad whose ex-partner became a sovereign citizen and turned his family's life into a living nightmare. This episode is from 2023 and uses voice distortions to protect the identity of a man we’re calling John. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

27 Aug 11min

Wednesday Headlines: Manhunt continues for cop murderer in Victoria, Iran vows ‘reciprocal action’ against Australia after expulsion of ambassador, House calls for Epstein’s 50th birthday book to be handed over, Allergies costing the nation billions, and Tay Tay and Trav engaged! Deep Dive: The world’s richest man is suing two of the world’s biggest tech companies. Elon Musk is claiming Apple and OpenAI are working together on integrating AI into the latest version of Apple’s top-selling iPhones, making it impossible for other AI apps to compete with Open AI’s ChatGPT. In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Trevor Long, Nine’s tech guru and founder of eftm.com, to unpack if Elon Musks has any chance of winning and whether it’s a PR exercise for his own AI company Grok. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

26 Aug 18min

For the first time since World War II, Australia has expelled an ambassador after the Prime Minister confirmed the Iranian Government directed at least two antisemitic attacks on Australian soil. ASIO Director General, Mike Burgess, said Iran was responsible for extraordinary and dangerous acts of aggression, in an attempt to undermine social cohesion. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by intelligence expert Justin Bassi on why this is a dangerous escalation for Australia’s national security and what it means for our fragile international relations. Headlines: Two police officers have been killed in regional Victoria, Former Police officer, Beau Lamarre-Condon has plead not guilty to the murders of Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, and Australia Post has announced it will immediately suspend the majority of its mail deliveries to the US. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

26 Aug 13min

Tuesday Headlines: AUKUS has come under further US scrutiny, Israeli strike kills at least 20 people, including five journalists and health officials in Gaza, The Wiggles are headed for court, Third person charged in Pheobe Bishop case, Australia’s youngest senator makes maiden speech. Deep Dive: The federal government has fast tracked the expansion of the First Homebuyer Guarantee, allowing more Australians to buy a home with a 5% deposit from October. The Treasury estimates the new eligibility caps on income and home prices will see an extra 20,000 guarantees will be issued within the first year, but is it all too good to be true? In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by David Koch, Compare the Market’s Economic Director, to explain what the scheme means for the housing market and if the pros outweigh the cons for first homebuyers. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 Aug 19min

The sole survivor of the deadly mushroom lunch has given compelling evidence in court, saying he forgives killer Erin Patterson. Ian Wilkinson also revealed that he would pray for Erin to become a better person and said he is no longer a victim, instead, Erin is a victim of his kindness. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by criminologist Xanthe Mallett to unpack the new evidence. *NOTE: After this episode was recorded, Erin Patterson's sentencing date has been earmarked for September 8. Headlines: Economists are concerned about the Federal Government’s first home buyer scheme, Virginia Guiffre's book to be published posthumously, and Naked Sundays sunscreen pulled from the Australian market. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroom Facebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 Aug 14min