🗞️ Wrestling speed dating

Good morning. A new niche dating 'trend' has landed in New York....Wrestling Speed Dating.

In the heart of the venue, three rows of rubber mats are sectioned off by heavy rope, creating a ring for singles ready to grapple their way to a second date.

We don't expect this trend to reach Australia, but we'll be the first to let you know if it arrives…

All the headlines and more below...

AUSTRALIAN & GLOBAL NEWS

Australia’s median house price is now above $1M

• Australia’s housing crisis has pushed the national median house price above $1M. LINK

• Regional petrol stations across Australia have imposed a $20 fuel purchase limit per customer while panic buying in cities causes widespread shortages and diesel supply concerns. LINK

• Australian consumer confidence has dropped as households confront a 40 cent rise in fuel prices and potential RBA interest rate hikes, while inflation expectations climbed to 5.5%. LINK

• Sydney and Melbourne house price growth is expected to slow to around 1% in 2024 as global inflation, Middle East conflict and potential RBA rate hikes weigh on sentiment. LINK

• Australia has granted asylum to 5 Iranian women’s soccer players who say they fear persecution if they return home. LINK

• The government will deploy air-to-air missile systems and a specialised radar aircraft to Gulf states as a defensive measure to support around 115,000 Australians in the region. LINK

• The Australian government is facing a surge in borrowing costs as conflict-driven market instability has pushed 10-year bond yields to 5% with debt nearing $1T. LINK

• Australians have wasted 113 million hours a year on hold as a global survey found AI customer service still struggles with complex complaint resolution and maintaining human connection. LINK

• The ACTU has called to expand the federal “same job, same pay” laws to oil and gas rosters and leave conditions. LINK

COMPANY NEWS

Qantas lifts airfares as conflict pushes jet fuel prices higher

• Qantas has lifted its international airfares as both fuel costs and flights to Europe surge. LINK

• Cortical Labs launched the world’s first data centre using human brain cells in Melbourne as a low-energy proof-of-concept, with expansion planned in Singapore. LINK

• ASIC has warned company directors they will keep pursuing governance failures despite its partial defeat in the Star court case. LINK

• Built is facing a $220M claim over allegedly defective prison cells after losing a court bid to avoid liability. LINK

• Qantas plans to launch nonstop Sydney-New York and Sydney-London flights from 2027 as fare hikes of around 5% loom. LINK

• Virgin Australia has paused pilot and cabin crew secondments to Doha after Qatari airspace closures stranded 40 Australian staff. LINK

• Finance shares led gains on the NZX with a nearly 3% rise by midday as Westpac Banking climbed and Santana Minerals fell. LINK

• Allied Corporation has entered voluntary administration with $10.7M in debts owed to creditors including Google, Microsoft and Adelaide-based Leader Computers. LINK

• Orica has launched a cost-cutting program aiming for at least $100M in annual savings over 3 years. LINK

• Telix Pharmaceuticals has reported positive global phase 3 trial results for its prostate cancer treatment TLX591, as it awaits US FDA approval. LINK

CHART OF THE DAY

China is the biggest buyer of Iranian oil

ONE MORE SCROLL

Editor’s Pick: Here are the reasons why you want to clean your headphones.

Draft Pick: India beats New Zealand in the 2026 Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup.

Odd Pick: 38 snakes, $85K worth of cannabis, and a crocodile found in a bizarre home raid in NSW.

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BRAINTEASER

Today’s puzzle appeared in the UK version of The 1% Club. It was the 60% question meaning that 60% of the population could solve it correctly within the 30 second time limit. Your time starts now:

A) Triangle
B) Ketchup
C) Hat
D) Love

Answer below

OUR SOCIALS

ANSWER

D) Love

Common phrases are made by combining the shape with the word inside it, giving us TOWN SQUARE and FULL CIRCLE. IF we put LOVE inside of TRIANGLE, we get the phrase LOVE TRIANGLE.

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