Life Matters - Separate stories podcast

There's an longstanding rule that it's not polite to talk about politics at the dinner table. But in times of global turmoil, where freedom of expression is under threat, it can be harder to keep the peace with relatives and friends whose values don't align with your own.For many, the solution may be cutting off those relationships altogether. But is there a way to stay connected to people we love even when we disagree? And what do we stand to lose as a community if we can't hold space for different opinions?

The looming fuel crisis is starting to bite, with service stations running out of petrol and prices soaring past $2.50 per litre. If you're in the middle of planning a trip, whether it's up the coast for Easter or hitting Greek Islands for European summer, the new reality is throwing travel plans into disarray.

It's seen as the heart of the home — the kitchen table is where we gather to prepare meals and break bread together.But the average kitchen lifespan is about 15 to 20 years. Outdated benchtops and cabinets are replaced with modern, minimalist fit-outs, with more than kitchen replacements and renovations amounting to billions every year.So what do we lose from our family history in this cycle of modernisation?

What if you could have an AI clone of yourself at work respond to all your emails just like you would?It could reply in your tone, predict solutions for you and anticipate problems that may be coming. This Working Life host Lisa Leong has been investigating Identic AI, chatting with technology researcher Don Tapscott and his own agent, Digital Don, to find out the limits of these AI assistants.

From mood swing tea to moisture-wicking pyjamas, marketing to menopausal women has become so lucrative it's been dubbed the hot flush gold rush.But experts say it could be doing harm to your health, as well as your wallet.  So how do you sort the snake oil from the good stuff?

Everyone needs a break from the daily grind from time to time. Usual routines start to feel stale, and the stress of everyday responsibilities and expectations can become a heavy load to bear. The idea of a sabbatical might sound appealing — but what if it wasn't your job, but your relationship, that you needed some reprieve from?It takes a whole lot to keep a marriage going, and for some couples, the best thing to make sure it continues is to take some time apart.So how do you broach the subject of a marriage sabbatical with your partner?

A recent Senate inquiry report found that capital gains tax discounts and negative gearing have benefited investors over owner-occupiers, and there are signs the government may tinker with these settings in the upcoming budget.While it's no silver bullet, some argue it could be a huge step towards addressing intergenerational disadvantage keeping younger Australians who want to buy their own home locked out of the housing market.

University is a big leap for any young person. But, for country students who have to move away to study, it comes with the added expense of relocating and living away from home.The rising cost of living is making it even harder, according to the Country Education Foundation. It says only two in five of its supported students qualify for government assistance, and it's campaigning for more support to close the regional-metro education gap.

You've planned some time off. You madly finish off all the work you need to get done before your break. Your first day of leave begins and... you get sick."Leisure sickness" is a term coined by Dutch researchers for people who are more likely to get sick on the weekend or holidays than during the working week.There's very little science to back it up, but there are some theories as to why it might happen — and what you can do to avoid it.

Author, columnist, and screenwriter Kathy Lette has written dozens of books — but she credits just one as the spark that set her on the path to becoming a writer.In this instalment of Book That Changed My Life, she goes behind the scenes of Vanity Fair by English author William Makepeace Thackeray.