Friday Headlines: Donald Trump demands answers after IDF strikes Gaza's only Catholic Church, Australia is in the midst of a vicious flu season with respiratory illnesses surging, Australian law firm launches action against Qantas over cyber attack, tributes flow for Australian killed in base jumping accident and it turns out y'all love a conspiracy theory!

Deep Dive: Can Kyle Sandilands end racism?
Kyle Sandilands and Eddie McGuire are among the faces of a new national anti-racism campaign - but are they the right people for the job?

Backed by major media outlets including Channels 7, 9 and 10, KIIS owner ARN and News Corp, the #StandUpToHate campaign is being billed as an “unprecedented show of solidarity” against racial hatred. Yet some are questioning whether these ambassadors undermine the message.

In this episode of The Briefing, Chris Spyrou speaks with journalist and founder of Back Cover Media, Mibengé Nsenduluka about the campaign, its choice of spokespeople, and whether it can drive real change.

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Afternoon Headlines: Bank exec charged with procuring under-age girls for sex found dead, Aussie dollar down as unemployment rate rises, Palestinian Ministry of Health reports over 58,000 killed in Gaza since October 7 and Tomorrowland mainstage engulfed by flames.

Deep Dive: Credit and debit surcharges are costing Australians billions of dollars every year. But who’s making the profit? The RBA announced this week that it wants to crack down on a major loophole and abolish the surcharges.

In this episode, Natarsha Belling is joined by Brad Kelly, co-founder of Independent Payments Forum, who explains how the surcharges work and why the planned overhaul may actually be bad news for small businesses and consumers.

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A little tracking tag in your bin might seem harmless - but what happens when that data is combined with all the other tech tracking your life?

From profiling your household habits to being used in ways you’d never expect, the risk goes far beyond waste collection.

In part two of this deep dive, Chris Spyrou speaks with former FBI and US intelligence officer turned cybersecurity expert Dr Dennis Desmond on how your everyday data can be harvested, weaponised – and how to protect yourself.

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Thursday Headlines: Donald Trump turns on his own supporters labelling them weaklings over the Epstein Files saga, Israel has struck the capital of Syria killing at least three, birthrate's in Aussie cap cities declined further this year, Australians are losing $110 million a week in unpaid super, and two footy legends have gone head to head, not on the field but in the ring!

Deep Dive: Your bin is spying on you
Ever noticed a little green chip under your council bin? It's an RFID tag used by waste management services across Australia to boost efficiency, but could the data it collects be used for more than tracking collections?

In part one of this two-part deep dive, Chris Spyrou speaks with the CEO of Veolia Australia and New Zealand to find out why our bins are being fitted with this tech and whether fears of “Bin Brother” are justified.

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Afternoon Headlines: Two Sydney childcare workers charged with alleged assault, 10 million vapes seized as new data finds fewer young Aussies vaping and a global Matcha shortage.

Deep Dive: Bradley John Murdoch, the man convicted of murdering British backpacker Peter Falconio, has died at 67, without ever revealing where Falconio’s body is.

His death comes just weeks after police increased the reward for information relating to the murder to $500,000, reigniting hope Peter’s remains may finally be found.

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling speaks with criminologist and associate professor Xanthé Mallett, who explains why Murdoch always maintained his innocence and refused to reveal what happened to Peter’s body.

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Wednesday Headlines: Anthony Albanese signs six new deals with China, police warn list of childcare centres accused child abuser Joshua Brown worked at will likely grow, State schools reporting violent incidents in classrooms every four minutes, First nations peoples and climate activists share their disappointment in a Federal Court ruling over the Torres Strait islands, and the Emmy nominations are out!

Deep Dive: A handful of decisions made by a young German backpacker were the difference between life and death, after she went missing in the remote WA wilderness for 11 days

Authorities and experts have dubbed Carolina Wilga's survival a miracle, with the 26-year-old being found alive and well after braving subzero temperatures, rain, wind and rocky terrain with limited food and water.

In this episode of The Briefing, Tara Cassidy is joined by survival expert and bushcraft teacher Jake Cassar on what likely saved the backpackers' life, and his non-negotiables for braving the bush, whether you're a tourist, seasoned camper or find yourself lost too.

Further listening from the headlines:
Red flags of a child predator
Why Netflix is so not chill

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Bitcoin is booming, reaching an all-time high this week with some experts saying it could be the next liquid gold.

The United States is now debating rules and regulations around crypto currencies with a push to shakeup the framework.

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by Investment Analyst Justin Lin to unpack why Bitcoin is surging and is it the new way to make a fortune?

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Tuesday Headlines: Trump threatens Russia with ‘very severe tariffs’ as he unveils new weapons plan for Ukraine, former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas to front court today as police investigate threat video to Melbourne tech business, German backpacker shares a heartfelt message to Aussies from her hospital bed, more than a third of young Aussies are exploited by their employers, and a Sydney man has been charged after trying to pinch the Stone of Scone in Scotland!

Deep Dive: Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp and Chris Brown have all faced allegations of abuse - yet remain in “pass baskets,” where fans overlook their problematic track record and continue supporting their work.

In this episode of The Briefing, Helen Smith speaks with sex and relationship expert Georgia Grace to unpack why we keep putting celebrities in “pass baskets” and what it says about fame, accountability, and cultural change.

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