The Briefing

Discussion on the leaked photo of Kate Middleton, speculations, and conspiracies. Major news agencies retract the image due to alleged alterations. Exploring the history of royal family conspiracy theories and the impact of online conspiracies. Delving into the challenges of verifying image authenticity in the digital age and the role of media in combating conspiracy theories.

The housing crisis in Australia is well documented and much debated. All sides of politics have their own ideas to tackle rising rents, supply issues and soaring house prices, from assisting first home buyers to increasing the number of new builds. But on the ground the feeling is that it’s all just kicking the can down the road, and a lot of the solutions fail to address the sometimes dodgy and underhanded tactics used by our country’s real estate agencies. So is it time for a royal commission into the real estate industry and would that make a meaningful dent in fixing the housing crisis? In the first episode of this three part series, Sacha Barbour Gatt speaks to Rob Westwood, National Chairman of First National Real Estate to get his take on the housing crisis.   Headlines: US military ship departs for Gaza port-building mission Suspected drug overdose death at Victorian music festival First image released of Princess Kate since surgery Oscars hit by plagiarism scandal hours before the event   Follow The Briefing:Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wendell Sailor represented Australia in both rugby league and rugby union at the highest level in the 90s and 2000s. Now, he spends his afternoons on the airwaves with Triple M’s Sydney drive show The Rush Hour with Gus Worland and Jude Bolton. In this chat with Tom Tilley, Wendell weighs in on the latest racism scandal in the NRL, and opens up about his own experiences with racism growing up. He also reveals what it was like finding out he’d been adopted, and explores why a two-year ban for cocaine use in 2006 was the making of him.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former reality TV star Clare Verrall discusses the impact of her experience on mental health and warns against applying for shows. She shares her journey of being diagnosed with ADHD and autism, her love for fostering dogs, and a funny tattoo mishap.

Alabama has been in a state of turmoil after a legal case had unexpected consequences by implying that frozen embryos could be interpreted as having the same rights as children.  After the judgment, several IVF clinics around the state suspended services due to the fear of legal ramifications, leaving prospective parents undergoing procedures in the dark. On Thursday, legislation was passed to protect IVF providers, but has this opened the door to further debate over reproductive rights in the US? And how much of this conversation is linked to religious or political views? On this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt speaks with John Sharp, a local news reporter based in Alabama.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve seen two major decisions affect the reproductive rights of women in the lead up to International Women’s Day: the decision of the Alabama Supreme Court to declare embryos created through IVF as children, and France’s move to enshrine abortion rights in the constitution.  They present the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to the issue of women’s health, so where does Australia stand?  On today’s episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt speaks with the Chair of the Australian Women's Health Alliance, Bonney Corbin, to dive deeper into the reproductive rights of women in Australia. You'll hear what we’ve achieved, and what work is still needed to ensure the health, safety and respect of women’s bodies and choices.    Headlines: Police allege Samantha Murphy was murdered in “deliberate act”  Hamas delegates leave Cairo without a ceasefire deal AFL pays tribute to Luke Davies and Jesse Baird at season opener  Debate sparked by Sam Kerr revelation   Follow The Briefing:Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAU   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The importation of all non-therapeutic vapes is now illegal in Australia. This means anyone wanting to import a vape into the country needs a licence to do so, and anyone wanting to buy a vape will need a prescription from their doctor. With vaping rates continuing to soar across the country, will this next step in the government's crackdown on vaping make a noticeable difference? And will the latest legislative changes push those who can't access a vape onto smoking cigarettes instead? Federal Health Minister Mark Butler joins Bension Siebert to explain why he's so focused on trying to get young people off the vapes in 2024, and why he "shares the fear" about those vaping switching back to smoking instead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PFAS are known as forever chemicals, and they're really bad for the environment - they never break down, and can spread into waterways, land, animals...and us. Research has also shown that they can be really bad for us, with high exposure also been linked to a various range of health conditions, and a higher risk of some cancers. Larry Acton has been farming cattle for over 50 years, but when he bought his property in 2021, he had no idea it was contaminated with PFAS. He's now seriously worried about his cattle drinking the groundwater, and whether that could make it into the meat, and eventually into consumers. Speaking to The Briefing, the long time cattle farmer shares his concerns, and what he thinks needs to be done about it. Headlines: Nikki Haley drops out of run for Republican presidential nomination ASEAN ends with watered down warning to China  Sam Kerr’s alleged slur revealed    Follow The Briefing:Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAUSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Super Tuesday in the US presidential election, but the biggest day in America's primary season won't be like any other we've seen in recent history. In today's episode, Bension Siebert sits down with Planet America's Chas Licciardello to explain what Super Tuesday is, why Donald Trump looks set to wipe the floor with his closest rival, and why Americans are stuck with two unpopular old men running for President.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know there is a World Cup of Gay Rugby? Technically called The Bingham Cup, it's an international tournament for gay and inclusive rugby teams from around the world - and the next one will be in Rome this coming May. The Cup has been around for 20 years, and Australian teams are some of the most successful. The Sydney Convicts have won the competition five times! In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt speaks with Ken Averre, Sydney Convicts club president to find out all about this year’s Bingham Cup. Headlines: Football Australia blindsided by Sam Kerr charge Anthony Albanese referred to the ICC as an 'accessory to genocide in Gaza' Super Tuesday gets underway in the US Queensland unions push for 10 days of reproductive health leave  Jeff Bezos reclaims world’s richest person title    Follow The Briefing:Instagram: @thebriefingpodcast Facebook: TheBriefingNewsAUTwitter: @TheBriefingAUSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.