Donald Trump has announced the ceasefire between the US and Iran will be extended via Truth Social. 

This comes after peace talks between the two nations were put on hold earlier today. 

In this breaking episode of The Briefing, we unpack the US Presidents announcement as the blockage on the Strait of Hormuz continues. 

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Wednesday Headlines:

• The hopes of ceasefire talks between the US and Iran are fading
• Major changes to NDIS to be announced today
• The Australian government has been urged to protect Chinese international students
• Rebel Wilson called “f****ing nuts” by crisis PR team, court hears
• Victorian Premier slams YouTuber who filmed Dezi Freeman’s hideout

Deep Dive: The mental health and wellbeing of Australia’s sporting professionals has been thrust into the spotlight this week, after AFL player Elijah Hollands played during what the club has now called a “mental health episode”. 

While the AFL and Carlton launch separate reviews into last Thursday’s incident, serious questions are being asked about whose responsibility it was to pull Elijah from the field. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Sacha Barbour Gatt is joined by sport media and branding expert Associate Professor Robert Gill to discuss what should happen next and whether anyone is to blame. 

A reminder, if you or someone you know needs help, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14, MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978 or Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line 13YARN on 13 92 76 

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Headlines: 

• Uncertainty over Iran peace talks, ceasefire extension “unlikely”
• New Zealand’s PM survives his own leadership spill
• Keir Starmer, UK PM, under pressure
• Apple gets a new CEO 

Deep Dive:

Woolworths is in court, accused of misleading practices around its pricing of “discounted” goods. The case, brought by the ACCC, began in Sydney today. It follows a similar case against Coles. What are the supermarket giants accused of?

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by behavioural economist Dr. Meg Elkins of RMIT, to discuss what, if anything, can be done about alleged dodgy pricing. 

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Tuesday Headlines: 

• Hopes of a peace deal between Iran and the US fade
• ACCC is accusing Woolworths of deliberately misleading shoppers
• AFL player Elijah Hollands admitted to hospital following mental health episode
• Rebel Wilson has appeared in federal court for a major defamation trial 
• Robot beats human record in half-marathon

Deep Dive: Protest laws are under fresh scrutiny in Australia, after the arrest of 20 people in Brisbane over the weekend who used a phrase now banned by the state government. 

Peaceful protest remains a fundamental human right under international law, so with these tighter rules in the wake of pro-Palestinian rallies and climate change marches; are we eroding that right? 

In today's episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Sarah Schwartz, Legal Director at Human Rights Law Centre speaks, who explains Australia’s patchwork of protest laws, your rights when you march, and how far authorities can go in restricting them. 

If you or anyone needs help you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14, MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line 13YARN on 13 92 76

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Headlines: 

• Treasurer flags risks to inflation, unemployment
• U.S. attacks and boards an Iranian ship
• Mass shooting in Louisiana, 8 children killed
• Geelong oil refinery recovery better than expected
• South Korean wolf captured safely
• Robot runners blitz a Beijing half-marathon 

Deep Dive: 

Thousands more Australians will now be able to donate blood after outdated restrictions were lifted. All donors, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, will be able to donate blood.

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Jemma Falkenmire from Australian Red Cross Lifeblood to explain the important changes and her message for Australians wanting to make a difference.

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Monday Headlines:

• Iran has rejected a second round of peace talks with the US
• Ben Roberts-Smith breaks his silence
• 33 year old learner driver charged over Supanova death
• Support for One Nation wanes in two new polls 
• Madonna wraps up Coachella

Deep Dive: Australia’s migration debate has taken a sharper turn, with the Federal Opposition unveiling a plan that puts ‘Australian values’ at the centre of the visa system.   

The plan includes enhanced screening for all visa applicants, including social media checks, a legally binding ‘values’ statement and tougher enforcement measures aimed at refusing or removing people deemed not to meet the threshold. It also signals a broader tightening across the system, from faster visa refusals to stronger action on overstayers and reduced avenues for appeal. 

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by Abul Rizvi, a former senior immigration official and one of the country’s most experienced analysts of migration policy to unpack what this policy could look like in practice.  

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Looksmaxxing is taking over millions of young men’s algorithms - a trend focused on maximising appearance that can start off harmless, but spiral into extreme measures to appear more masculine. 

This week, looksmaxxer influencer Clavicular was hospitalised in Miami after a suspected overdose during a livestream. He’s previously spoken about using drugs, including methamphetamine, to suppress his appetite as part of the trend. 

After leaving hospital, he described his substance use as “a cope trying to feel neurotypical while being in public” and “not a real solution.” 

In this bonus episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith is joined by UNSW public health researcher Samuel Cornell who unpacks the rise of looksmaxxing and why influencers are selling so-called 'ascension' programs. 

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Sofia Levin does a lot more than just eat. She’s built a name as one of Australia’s most respected food critics and landed her dream job as a judge on MasterChef Australia - bringing her expertise to one of the country’s biggest cooking shows.

From carving out a career in food media to earning her first Logie nomination, she’s rubbed shoulders with names like Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver, Robert Irwin and Poh Ling Yeow - learning what it takes to stand out in a world full of big personalities.

In this chat with Chris Syprou, Sofia shares stories from her travels, the reality behind her career, and the personal loss of her father to Motor Neurone Disease, a cause she’s now more driven than ever to fight.  

Weekend list with Sacha Barbour Gatt and Helen Smith

• Listener Matt TO WATCH: Big Mistakes on Netflix
• TO LISTEN: Raye's album This Music May Contain Hope
• TO WATCH: Trust Me: The False Prophet on Netflix

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Headlines: 

• Bail for Ben Roberts-Smith 
• Israel-Lebanon ceasefire begins 
• Trump “not happy” with Australia 
• Pope calls out “tyrants” 
• A Sydney man gets a $40m phone call 

Deep Dive: 

Harry and Meghan are finishing their Australian tour. Thousands turned out to catch a glimpse of Harry and Meghan as they visited Melbourne, Canberra, and Sydney, and the Australian media followed the pair around on every stop. One journalist in the press pack was 7 News journalist Paul Dowsley – he gives the inside view of the tour.

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Friday Headlines:  

• Trump confirms 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel
• Farmers warn of impending grocery price rises
• Ben Roberts-Smith to face court today
• Prince Harry praises Australia's social media ban 
• Red hair gene favoured by natural selection

Deep Dive: You might’ve heard of the term ‘mum brain’ or ‘baby brain’ to describe the forgetfulness and brain fog that women can experience during pregnancy and into motherhood. 

But there’s actually a word for it – matrescence – and rather than denigrating the experience of women during this evolutionary phase of their lives, it describes the total biological, psychological and emotional transformation that comes with becoming a mum. 

Now, there are calls for ‘matrescence’ to be added to the dictionary.  

In today’s deep dive, Sacha Barbour Gatt talks about why that recognition is important with the president of the Peanut app, Michelle Battersby. 

You can check out the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/it-s-time-to-gaf-about-mothers-add-matrescence-to-the-dictionary

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Headlines: 

• Bowen on refinery fire: “Not good timing”
• Marles lays out Australia’s next defence challenges
• Bank data shows 45% rise in fuel spending
• Unemployment at 4.3%
• NZ Airlines introduces bunk beds
• Jail time for ant-smuggler

Deep Dive: 

Fuel prices were high, and then an oil refinery caught on fire. Australia has two oil refineries and late on Wednesday night one of them sprung a leak that became a half-day fire. Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the blaze at Viva Energy Refinery in Geelong was “not great timing”. But why is Australia reliant on such fragile energy infrastructure?

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by David Leaney, a Lecturer at the ANU College of Business and Economics and expert in international supply chain management.  

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.