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Happy Wednesday!
Overnight, Apple unveiled a suite of new products, including a new iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch.
One of the big headlines from the launch is that the new iPhone will have a new USB-C charger. For anyone with multiple Apple products (and a huge variety of other tech products made by other companies) it now means your phone can use the same charger as your laptop or iPad.
It comes after the European Union mandated all phones must have USB-C charging ports by the end of 2024 to reduce e-waste.
Meantime, here is today’s riddle!
If 1=3
2=3
3=5
4=4
5=4
Then, 6=?
Answer is in the tidbit!
I've got 10 seconds
The quote
"We might look back on 2023 as the last year when humans really dominated the music scene." – Queen guitarist Brian May on the impact of AI in the music industry, in an interview with Guitar Player magazine.
The stat
10,000 baht ($AU437)
The amount every Thai person over 16 will receive in a stimulus package announced by new Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
Today in history
1933: A woman was elected to New Zealand’s Parliament for the first time.
I've got 30 seconds
Some headlines from this morning:
Credit cards could be banned from being used for online gambling, with draft laws being introduced in Federal Parliament today. The proposal includes fines of up to $235,000 for companies who fail to enforce the ban, for example, credit card providers. The proposed legislation follows a 2021 Parliamentary Committee recommendation.
The Victorian Government is trialling university scholarships that cover tuition costs for secondary teaching students. Eligible students will need to enrol in uni in the next two years, and work in Victorian schools for at least two years after graduating. The measure has been introduced to grow Victoria’s teaching workforce. It’s unclear if the subsidised study will be extended in future years.
I've got 1 minute
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is in Russia, where he is expected to meet with President Vladimir Putin.
It's the first time Kim has left North Korea since before the pandemic.
Russia is expected to ask North Korea to supply weapons to aid its invasion of Ukraine.
The details:
The meeting between the leaders has been confirmed by a Russian Government spokesperson as well as by North Korean state-run media, which reported Kim's departure yesterday on his personal, bulletproof train.
The exact location of the meeting is unknown but it’s widely expected to be in the town of Vladivostok, near the North Korean border. Japanese news agency Kyodo reported Kim’s train was sighted at a Russian train station near the border.
Weapons:
The leaders are expected to discuss the sale of North Korean weapons to aid Russian forces in the war in Ukraine. North Korea has broadly supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
However, the United Nations Security Council prohibits North Korea from buying or selling weapons to any other country. A U.S. Government spokesperson said North Korea would "pay a price" if it gave arms to Russia.
No Silly Questions in the wild!
Thank you to Nikita for sending through this fluffy photo! We hope you’re enjoying the book!
For the next week, we’d love to share photos in this section from any of you who spot the book in the wild. Just hit reply with a photo attached of you and the book, or a photo of the book in a bookstore!
I've got 2 minutes
There was a 17% decrease in the number of Australians who died from drowning in the past year compared to the year prior, according to new data from The Royal Life Saving Society Australia (RLSSA).
However, drowning fatalities for the 2022-23 financial year were still slightly higher than the national 10-year average.
Findings:
In the 2022-23 financial year, 281 people drowned, compared to 339 the year prior. The national 10-year average is 279 drowning fatalities.
Drowning deaths are believed to have increased in recent years as a result of limited swimming lesson access during the pandemic. An estimated 10 million swimming classes were cancelled in Australia during the pandemic.
The report also found that drowning rates were 71% higher for people from disadvantaged areas.
Children drownings:
Drowning claimed the lives of 16 children under four in the past year – a 33% decrease on the 10-year national average.
The RLSSA attributed this to the success of recent prevention efforts, such as legislative changes to pool fencing regulations and water safety messaging, targeted towards parents and carers.
Male drownings:
The RLSSA said one of its primary concerns was for men.
Men represented 77% of the number of people who died from drowning in the past year.
RLSSA CEO Justin Scarr said: "We urge men to make the right call, and avoid alcohol and drugs around water, check the conditions and avoid over-estimation of swimming ability."
Older adults:
The RLSSA said another concern was for older adults.
57% of those who drowned were aged over 45-years-old.
“Older adults should understand the potential impacts of other medical conditions and medications on water activities.”
Government response:
Australia’s Minister for Aged Care and Sport, Anika Wells, emphasised the need to prioritise water safety ahead of an expected hot summer.
Wells suggested “simple precautions” like medical check-ups “to ensure you are swim fit, or going to the local swimming pool to refresh your skills,” for any uncertain swimmers.
Give me some good news
A NASA astronaut has broken the record for the longest time spent in space.
Frank Rubio passed the previous record of 355 consecutive days aboard the International Space Station this week. He’ll return to Earth later this month, following 371 days in space.
A message from our sponsor
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A TDA tidbit
Get your wine glasses out.
A river of red wine (about 2.2 million litres!) has flooded the streets of a small Portuguese town, São Lourenço de Bairro, after two tanks burst at a local distillery.
What caused the tanks to explode? That is still being investigated.
But the distillery has committed to covering the cost of repairs to the town.
The City Council told local news that it has prevented the wine from reaching the river and causing an environmental disaster. So no drunk fishies for now.
The City Council is also concerned “about the company’s economic loss”.
2.2 million litres of wine? That’s around 15 million glasses of wine. Not a cheap mistake!
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Riddle answer: 3, because ‘six’ has three letters.
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The Daily Aus acknowledges the Gadigal peoples of the Eora Nation who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work. We acknowledge and pay respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.