The Briefing

Gamblers making millions on war + Move to boost Aussie petrol supply

You can gamble on anything. Now you can even bet on the war in the Middle East. Concern is growing over a dangerous new form of prediction markets, where users are anonymous, and crypto is the only currency. There are even claims of insider trading, where players make billions betting on military strikes and a country's next move in a major war... In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Karoline Thomsen from UNSW to explain how this popular platform works and the dangerous fallout. Headlines: Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen has announced an extra 100 million litres of fuel a month will be made available as concerns grow over Australia’s fuel supplies in the wake of the Middle East war Australian software giant, Atlassian, has confirmed it’s slashing 1600 jobs Former ASIO boss, Dennis Richardson, has abruptly resigned from the Royal Commission into Antisemitism Melbourne has been crowned the best city in the world Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Calls to scrap NAPLAN + Why the Iran war can’t end ‘soon’

Thursday Headlines: Iran accuses Australia of hypocrisy and kidnapping footballers Ships targeted in the Strait of Hormuz Protestors arrested for using banned pro-Palestinian phrase Calls for NAPLAN test to be scrapped after test outage Aussie city crowned the best in the world Further listening from the headlines: THE BEEFING: Sydney vs Melbourne Deep Dive: Israel and the US’s war on Iran has seen missiles flying across the Gulf, regional powers drawn in and Australia now sending aircraft, weapons and personnel to the Middle East. While Donald Trump is suggesting the conflict could end soon, many analysts warn the reality is far more complicated, and that the roots of this war stretch back decades, long before the latest strikes began. In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with foreign policy expert Trita Parsi about the history shaping the conflict: from a CIA-backed coup in Iran in 1953 to the 1979 revolution, the rise of Iran’s regional alliances and why attempts to overthrow the regime have repeatedly failed. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new face of the Nats + Australia closes major international embassy

The Nationals have been rocked by a shock leadership shake-up after the sudden resignation of David Littleproud, just weeks after he survived a leadership spill. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by The West Australian Canberra bureau chief, Katina Curtis. They discuss why Littleproud really stepped down, the role of the surging support for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation in reshaping the political landscape, and new Nationals leader Matt Canavan -- an outspoken figure now tasked with reviving the party as it faces internal unrest, defections, and declining support in key rural seats. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iran player refuses to board flight + Your supermarket is spying on you

Wednesday Headlines: Iranian women footballers defected to Australia last night US warn today will be the most intense so far in Iran Nationals to choose new leader after Littleproud’s shock resignation Lululemon cops $700k + fine for spam emails Australia’s favourite toilet paper revealed Deep Dive: Digital price tags that can change instantly, smart trolleys that track what goes in your basket and cameras that are monitoring more than just shelves. The modern supermarket is evolving quickly as major chains invest heavily in automation, AI and data-driven systems designed to make shopping faster and more efficient. But while many of these changes promise convenience for customers, they also raise important questions about privacy, pricing and the growing power of Australia’s supermarket giants. In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt and Chris Spyrou dig into some of the tech quietly reshaping our supermarket aisles and what it could mean for the future of shopping. Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How therapy can prevent justice + Nationals leader quits

We’re often told to seek help if we’re struggling with trauma. But what happens when the therapy that helps you heal could also impact your chance at justice? EMDR is widely recognised as an effective treatment for trauma and PTSD, but one Australian woman says undergoing the therapy later became a factor in prosecutors deciding not to proceed with her case alleging sexual abuse as an adolescent...and she’s not alone. In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Katie Bird, who explains how EMDR changed her life... but also prevented her from seeking justice in a flawed system. In a statement to the ABC, who originally reported this story, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions would not comment on individual matters but said: "Each prosecution is assessed individually in accordance with the prosecution policy of the Commonwealth." "Part of the assessment is the consideration of the admissibility of the evidence both at statute and common law." For information and support, you can contact Australia's national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service on 1800 RESPECT. Headlines: Nationals Leader David Littleproud has sensationally quit as leader of the National Party The federal government has stepped up its commitment to the War in the Middle East The 5 Iranian soccer players who fled from their handlers overnight have been granted humanitarian visas Labor will push through new superannuation tax changes after securing support from the Greens in the Senate A spokesperson for Kyle Sandilands has released a statement demanding the radio host be allowed back on air Follow The Briefing: TikTok: @thebriefingpodInstagram: @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @TheBriefingPodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.