Background Briefing

12-year-old Alliyah’s clowning around in science class, testing the waters to see how the new teacher will respond. An unusual bond grows between them — and what starts with a death stare and a smirk, soon slips into a world of secrets.

She's every student’s favourite teacher — warm, funny, the kind who bends the rules. But for one 12-year-old, Alliyah, her attention goes far beyond the classroom. The Favourite is a five-part series by Background Briefing about how a secret remained hidden in plain sight for nearly a decade.

When a marine scientist starts picking up traces of pesticides in oysters, she follows a trail that leads inland — to NSW blueberries carrying a poison not permitted for use in Australia. 

Catherine Taylor investigates how money, disadvantage and resources risk holding back our brightest students.

The Yes In My Backyard movement is lobbying for denser cities and more housing in places people want to work and live. The YIMBYs want these homes built yesterday, but as Gina Rushton explains, the NIMBYs haven’t given up yet.

Fascinated by true crime? Or intrigued by what drives people to break the law?Criminal Psychology, a gripping series from All in the Mind, takes you deep inside the minds of those who cross the line into extreme behaviour.In this four-episode series, they explore the psychological drivers behind arson, kleptomania, serial killers and Munchausen by Proxy, with people who work closely on these cases.And find out how understanding the human mind can help us to prevent harm.If you're curious about the corners of criminal human behaviour, this is unmissable listening.Find Criminal Psychology from All in the Mind here. 

This week, Nick Bryant returns to the US for the first time in four years, finding a country that doesn't want to talk about politics, despite being in the eye of the Trump storm.

An Australian doctor sells his car and writes a will — unsure if he’ll ever make it back home. He crosses the concrete walls that surround the Gaza Strip and begins work inside the last functioning hospital in the north. But in the chaos of war, something unfolded that no one, including him, could have predicted.  This week, reporter Marty Smiley brings us the story of Dr Mo's impossible mission.

It started with a bizarre customer-service experience and soon transformed into something darker. Outrage rippled across Youtube, spurring an army of online vigilantes into action. But as reporter Maddison Connaughton discovered, the stakes were higher than anyone anticipated.

Rachel Clayton, a dedicated reporter, joins 73-year-old Ian Williams, a retiree from Bendigo, who is boldly challenging NAB in the Supreme Court after being scammed out of $1,338. Ian's inspiring journey illustrates the perseverance of an everyday hero against a corporate giant, as he seeks over $300 million in damages. They delve into the emotional toll of legal battles and the complexities of navigating fraud victimization. This conversation sheds light on the need for reforms to protect consumers from the rampant issues of banking fraud.