It feels like the end of an era, with the news that Jenny Craig's Australian and New Zealand operations are closing down after administrators failed to find a buyer.

"This has resulted in a decision to immediately cease trading from stores and employees being made redundant, which is an unfortunate outcome and one which the Administrators had sought to avoid," FTI Consulting, who were appointed as Administrators for the company last month, said in a statement.

I'm interested in your thoughts. Do you think weight loss companies can exist in today's culture?

The quote
"How much more blood will stain their typing fingers before someone can put a stop to this madness?" – Prince Harry in a written witness statement against a tabloid publisher. Mirror Group Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, is being sued over allegations of phone hacking and other unlawful activities.

The stat
83
The number of bodies that are still unidentified after a train collision in India last week.

Today in history
1984: Homosexuality was officially decriminalised in the state of NSW.

Some headlines from this morning:

Singapore's only horse racing track will be closed to make way for public and private housing, marking the end of over 180 years of the sport in the country.

The Singapore Turf Club (STC), which sits on around 120 hectares of land in the northwestern suburb of Kranji, will be returned to the Government for redevelopment in 2027.

It will be repurposed to better meet the needs of Singaporeans amid the country's ongoing land scarcity crisis.

Details:
The STC will hold its final horse race at the 100th Grand Singapore Gold Cup late next year.

The Club was founded in 1842 and enjoyed a successful run that included multiple visits from Queen Elizabeth II. However, its in-person attendance has dwindled over the past decade.

According to the Ministry of Finance, "redeveloping [the site] will allow for the land... to be holistically master planned to better meet [Singapore's] future land use needs".

Niam Chiang Meng, STC Chairman, said they were "saddened" by the Government's decision to close the Club.

"At the same time, we understand the land needs of Singapore, including housing and other potential uses such as leisure and recreation," he added.

Niam acknowledged that the site was "a valuable resource" and said the STC was aligned with the Government on "the need to invest in the future of Singapore".

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Figures released today show Australia's economy has slowed significantly, increasing fears of a recession.

Economic activity grew by just 0.2% in the first three months of this year, the worst result since the pandemic. Economic activity per person went backwards by 0.2%.

What is a recession?
A recession is a period where economic activity declines. It's associated with job losses and business closures.

The common measure of economic activity is Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which counts household spending, business investment, government spending and trade.

An 'official' recession is declared when GDP falls for two three-month periods in a row. However, any period of flat or falling GDP can have adverse consequences.

Our economy:
Australia last entered recession during the pandemic, for the first time in nearly 30 years.

Economic activity rebounded after lockdowns, but a new problem emerged: inflation (rising prices), caused by a combination of global restrictions on supply and high spending.

Like in most countries, Australia's central bank (the RBA) responded by raising interest rates to curb spending. The purpose is to reduce inflation, but if spending is curbed too much it can trigger a recession.

Wednesday’s figures:
The Australian Bureau of Statistics released GDP figures for the first three months of 2023 yesterday.

GDP grew by 0.2%, the lowest result since the Delta lockdowns in the second half of 2021.

However, GDP per person fell by -0.2%. Measuring GDP per person excludes extra economic activity created by population growth, so it can more accurately reflect living standards.

Household spending grew by 0.2%, but this was mostly driven by spending on essentials, especially petrol and energy. 'Discretionary' (non-essential) spending fell by 1%.

Household saving also fell to its lowest level since 2008.

Is a recession on the way?
The ABS publishes GDP numbers several months after the time period they cover.

In the three months since March, the RBA has raised interest rates twice and unemployment has increased slightly (although it is still historically low).

As a result, it is possible Australia's economic activity is already declining. Today's numbers were slightly worse than expected and increase the likelihood of a recession. However, the Government and the RBA both currently predict a recession will be avoided.

Get all the news you need to know today in your ears on The Daily Aus podcast!

Ange Postecoglou will be the first Australian to coach in the English Premier League.

The Melburnian signed a four-year contract to become coach of Tottenham Hotspur, a soccer team based in London.

Have you ever noticed a mate is struggling, but you're not sure what to say or how to help? You're not alone - navigating those conversations can be tricky. That's why R U OK? have launched their #FriendBetter hub, designed to help you support your mates through tough times.

The online hub is packed with tips and resources to help you support your mates when they need it most. Whether it's academic stress, cost of living, loneliness, procrastination, self-esteem - and all the stuff in between - you'll find useful advice on how to be there for your mates.

Click here to check out the #FriendBetter hub.

We’ve all been there. You’re in the middle of a heated text exchange and all of a sudden: Ducking hell.

Well, it could be a thing of the past. Apple has announced it will no longer autocorrect the popular swear word to ‘ducking’.

"In those moments where you just want to type a ducking word, well, the keyboard will learn it, too," said Apple’s Craig Federighi.

Ducking great news!