The Briefing

For Frances Rings dance is her first language. Since childhood Frances has always know dance would be part of her identity and in 2023 she was appointed the Artistic director of Bangarra Dance Theatre - making her childhood dreams a reality. In this chat with Antoinette Lattouf, Frances unpacks her journey from a working class family that couldn't afford dance lessons to her first production as leader of Bangarra. Weekend List TO EAT - Meatless Mondays and alliteration TO WATCH - Abbott Elementary on Disney+ TO TRY - Going off social media and a dump phone TO TRY - Good running shoes Follow The Briefing:TikTok: @listnrnewsroomInstagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroomFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been an absolutely batshit crazy week in American politics. Donald Trump has accepted the Republican nomination to be president, days after surviving an attempted assassination. Then, at the Republican National Convention which has been dominating headlines this week, Trump has named J.D. Vance, a man who once described Trump as “America’s Hitler”, as his nominee for Vice President. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with COVID, just as former President Barack Obama weighs in on whether he should withdraw from the race. To make sense of the wild week that was, and consider what happens next, Bension Siebert is joined by Editor-in-Chief of Raw Story Dave Levinthal, live from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meet Jack Schlossberg, a self-described silly goose, John F. Kennedy’s only grandson, social media sensation and Vogues’ newly appointed political correspondent. So what does this nepo baby from one of the world's most famous political families have to say about politics. In this episode of the Briefing Helen Smith is joined by Entertainment guru and host of LiSTNR’s The Streaming Service to unpack the logic behind his viral internet persona. Headlines: Biden reportedly more receptive to stepping down 12.9 million Aussies had data stolen in MediSecure hack Peggy and Molly to get their own cartoon  Follow The Briefing:TikTok: @listnrnewsroomInstagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroomFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are growing calls for Australian women to receive paid menstrual, menopausal and reproductive leave – separate from sick leave. Queensland public servants will receive an extra 10 days of paid leave per year, while public and community sector workers in Victoria could also soon benefit. Now unions are campaigning for a universal paid 10 days leave, so all workers can take time off to manage fertility treatments, menstruation and breast screening. So, is Australia ready for the change? And could the policy eventually be introduced into the Fair Work Act? To find out more, Bension Siebert is joined in the studio by LiSTNR journalist Loren Howarth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia's media sector has been rocked by mass sackings over the last month. The culling started at Seven and continued a week later at Nine. Many of those redundancies were in the respective newsrooms. Even nightly news hosts were let go.Then Seven decided to shake up its flagship 6pm bulletins with a weekly Friday night comedy segment and daily horoscopes. The move had many in the industry shaking their heads in disbelief. So what the heck is happening to nightly news? The Briefing's Executive Producer Dan Mullins has over 25 years' experience in radio and television. In today's deep dive, he sits down with Colin Vickery, a TV and entertainment expert with more than 30 yearsexperience. Headlines: CFMEU prepares to fight federal intervention  Biden calls for assault rifle ban as he returns to campaign trail  Andrew Forrest to cut 700 Fortescue jobs Last night’s epic State of Origin decider  Follow The Briefing:TikTok: @listnrnewsroomInstagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroomFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you one of the 30% of Aussies who have a tattoo? The majority of those who have one - 57% - are getting their first ink aged 18-24. There's a growing trend of people having their tattoos removed - could the early age we're starting getting tatted be behind that increase? Within Australia, the world’s leading tattoo removal company Removery has experienced a growth of 30% in removal treatments within the past year, with the current laser removal options safer, more effective and more accessible than ever before.  It’s National Tattoo Day, so for this episode of The Briefing Bension Siebert is joined by Jo Kelton, founder and COO of Removery to find out how and why people are getting their ink removed – and if they’re going clean skin or getting fresh art instead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's drama unfolding with one of the county's most powerful organisations - the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU).Dodgy contracts, bikie infiltration, compromised characters and Labor government headaches. It's one of Australia's largest and most influential unions and it could face the prospect of a Royal commission into its dealings privately and with the Government. It's a huge story - but what exactly is the CFMEU, and why is this such a big deal? To find out we're joined by Seven's Victorian State Political Reporter Sharnelle Vella. Headlines: What the Trump shooter did in his final days  Man who killed two Australians in the Philippines hands himself in  Tenacious D cancels rest of Australian tour Follow The Briefing:TikTok: @listnrnewsroomInstagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroomFacebook: @LiSTNR NewsroomSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Influencers behaving badly isn’t new, but are we seeing an increase in social media star being accused of, or charged, with serious crimes of late? In the past 24 hours, wellness influencer Kat Torres, who escaped a life of poverty in Brazil to become a successful model and social media star has reportedly been sentenced to eight years in prison for the human trafficking and enslavement. So how has Torres gone from partying with the likes of Leonardo Di Caprio to jail time? The Briefing’s Helen Smith joined Bension Siebert to take us through the stories of some of the most prominent stars falling foul of the law, and the series allegations being made about Kat Torres.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A catastrophe is unfolding in Sudan right now. Nearly 26 million people are facing crisis levels of hunger, cholera is rampant and many trying to find safety have experienced horrific sexual violence including rape and abduction on their journeys. To conflict stems from the dictatorship of Omar al-Bashir, a pro-democracy revolution against him led by young people five years ago and a power struggle between Sudanese military and a rival militia called the Rapid Support Forces, which kicked off in April. In this episode of The Briefing, Bension Siebert is joined by Sara Sinada, who has family in the region and works as a disaster risk manager for the humanitarian organisation Plan International to explain the situation, and what those watching from afar in Australia can do to help.  You can donate to Plan's appeal here https://www.plan.org.au/appeal/sudan-crisis/ Headlines: Trump documents case dismissed Israeli strike on Gaza school kills 22  WA introduce some of Australia’s toughest-ever liquor laws A Royal updates  Follow The Briefing:TikTok: @listnrnewsroomInstagram: @listnrnewsroom @thebriefingpodcast YouTube: @LiSTNRnewsroomFacebook: @LiSTNR Newsroom    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Its a research result that has left tampon users across the globe stunned. A team of scientists from U.C. Berkeley, Columbia University and Michigan State University evaluated 30 tampons from 14 different brands and 18 product lines to measure the presence of 16 metals. The findings? All the tampons the researchers tested had all 16 metals in measurable traces, including lead and arsenic. How has this happened – how worried should tampon users be – and are people who use them all over the world being subtly poisoned when they use one? Dr Jenni Shearston, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of California Berkeley and co-author of this study, joined Sacha Barbour Gatt to explain the findings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.