Australian wedding costs soar to $60,000

Restaurant booking platform SevenRooms has introduced a new feature requiring customers to upload selfies in advance, allowing staff to identify and greet diners upon arrival. The feature has sparked debate about privacy concerns, with critics questioning the need for restaurants to collect photos alongside existing personal data like names, credit card numbers, and dates of birth. Panellists discuss whether personalised greetings justify the additional data collection or if restaurants should simply focus on food quality and service.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent study reveals Australian couples are spending an average of $38,000 on weddings, with a quarter of surveyed couples spending up to $60,000 on their wedding day. The rising costs are attributed to post-COVID attitudes, social media influence on wedding aesthetics, and the phenomenon of 'bridal tax' where venues and services charge premium prices for wedding-related bookings. Alternative perspectives suggest redirecting wedding funds towards supporting the marriage through regular babysitting and couple time in the early years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia has experienced an unprecedented number of shark attacks this year, prompting authorities to lift the drone surveillance ban at Coogee Beach following a weekend incident that left a 35-year-old woman in critical condition. The attack occurred at 11am in clear, calm conditions between the flags, challenging conventional understanding of when and where shark attacks occur. The New South Wales shark management programme costs $86 million over four years, with calls growing for expanded drone surveillance and detection technology at all coastal beaches.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New York Knicks' recent victory attracted numerous celebrities courtside, including Prince Harry attending solo, Timothy Chalamet celebrating enthusiastically with champagne, and Ben Stiller filming what is believed to be a Netflix documentary on his iPhone. Jordan Woods, reality TV personality and girlfriend of a Knicks player, has become a lucky charm for the team, with fans crediting her $125 orange handbag for their winning streak whenever she attends games.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Radio presenter Carrie Bickmore is returning to her afternoon show with co-host Tommy after a recent health scare that required hospitalisation. The broadcaster had previously indicated the condition was potentially serious enough to end her career, though she is now recovered enough to resume work at approximately 70% capacity. Further details about her medical situation are expected to be shared when she returns to air.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tyra Banks is suing Netflix over her portrayal in a documentary series about America's Next Top Model that aired in February. Banks claims that 16 minutes of her three-and-a-half-hour interview were used out of context, making her appear to confess regrets about controversial incidents from the show, including pressuring contestant Dani to fix the gap in her teeth. The lawsuit centres on editorial control and context, with Netflix likely to argue that Banks agreed to participate without control over the editing process.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rod Stewart cancelled his California concert 40 minutes before showtime, citing laryngitis and a sinus condition. Within 24 hours, he posted social media content showing himself on a plane with his sons travelling to Boston to watch Scotland play in the World Cup, where he was seen drinking alcohol. Fans have criticised his actions as disrespectful and tone-deaf, given the last-minute cancellation that left concertgoers who had already made arrangements unable to attend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mathematician Dr Susan James and sex historian Dr Esme James have collaborated on a new show combining statistical research with historical insights about intimacy and relationships. Their survey data reveals that relationship quality often improves with age, with over 70% of participants above 60 rating their life satisfaction at 8 out of 10 or higher. The research also shows that marriage doesn't decrease bedroom satisfaction as commonly believed, and that 50% of Australians desire being worshipped or praised by their partners.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthropic, the AI company behind Claude, has called for a global freeze on AI software development due to concerns about the exponential speed of advancement. The company has developed Mythos, a model so powerful they're withholding its public release, whilst simultaneously advocating for a pause. Despite calls for regulation from various global voices including the Pope, enforcing a worldwide freeze faces significant challenges as AI companies themselves don't fully understand how their neural network models work, and there's minimal international regulation in place.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dorothy Lennox, a Taylor Swift impersonator from New York City, gained international attention when she performed at a wedding in India in January, with many believing she was the actual pop star. Standing at the same height as Swift at five foot ten, Dorothy meticulously recreates the singer's Eras Tour costumes, with some outfits taking up to five months to complete. She discusses her transformation into 'Taylor 2', the growing demand for her performances, and speculation about Taylor Swift's potential wedding.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.