With Billi off sick with the winter sniffles, I thought I’d use this pre-riddle space to say a very big thank you to everyone who has pre-ordered our book.

It was definitely a balancing act to write a book at the same time as trying to build our business, but we’re really proud of the final product. If you have friends, family or colleagues who are keen to understand how the world works, but don’t know where to start - this book is for them.

It’s also a wonderful chance to support the work that TDA does - any money we make from the book will go straight back into funding our journalism (including these newsletters!).

You can pre-order the book here!

Now, before Billi fires me, here’s today’s riddle: How far can a fox run into a forest? Answer is in the tidbit!

The quote
"I understand that renters are doing it tough. I also understand that in Australia’s federation, the Commonwealth does not control rents, the Commonwealth does not have the capacity either to abolish the private rental market." - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responding to a question about the housing crisis during Question Time yesterday. The PM said the issue will be discussed at next week's National Cabinet meeting.

The stat
$US29,000
The purchase price of a first-generation iPod sold via online collectibles investment platform Rally. The unopened Apple music player was originally bought as a Christmas present in December 2001. It has been sitting on a shelf in Texas unopened ever since.

Today in history
1945: The second atomic bomb dropped by the U.S. on Japan in World War II hit the city of Nagasaki.

Some headlines from this morning:

An extinction alert has been issued for the critically endangered vaquita porpoise, the world’s smallest cetacean (the term used for a group of marine mammals including dolphins and whales).

The species is only found in Mexico's northern Gulf of California and has suffered a population decline of 83% in the last three years.

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) alert is the first of its kind in the organisation's 77-year history.

The alert:

Despite decades of repeated warnings, the IWC says the sole significant threat to the survival of some ten known remaining vaquitas is "gillnet" entanglement.

Similar to the shark nets commonly used off Australian beaches, gillnets are long, mesh nets set horizontally along the ocean floor to catch various shark and fish species.

Recovery threats:

Gillnets were made illegal in Mexico in 2017. However, the IWC says Mexico must fully enforce the ban to give the "small but resilient porpoise a chance of recovery".

"The IWC is speaking out now because it believes extinction is not yet inevitable," it said.

Three people have died and one person remains in a critical condition from a suspected mushroom poisoning in southeastern Victoria.

The group of four were hospitalised the day after consuming mushrooms at a lunch on Saturday, 29 July.

The woman believed to have served the mushrooms has spoken publicly, saying she is "devastated" by the incident, as police investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Further details:

The poisoned group were from the same extended family.

The woman believed to have cooked the meal did not become ill. Two of the people who died were her parents-in-law.

Another guest, whose husband is critically ill in hospital, has also died.

Police response:

Victoria Police searched the house over the weekend. They also questioned the woman believed to have served the meal and have since released her.

Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Dean Thomas said the group showed symptoms consistent with eating death cap mushrooms.

The investigation is ongoing, and police have said they're keeping an "open mind" about the incident.

Death cap mushrooms:

According to the Victorian Health Department, death cap mushrooms can cause serious organ failure within 24 to 48 hours.

They are typically found near oak trees in metropolitan Melbourne and rural areas.

"These mushrooms are large, with a pale yellow-green to olive-brown cap, white gills, a skirt around the stem and a cup-shaped sac around the base," the Health Department said.

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

The Matildas’ knockout match against Denmark on Monday was the most-watched broadcast event of 2023.

According to ratings agency OzTam, the match attracted almost 2.3 million viewers across the five biggest Australian cities. The Matildas play their next match on Saturday against France.

Feeling the winter social slump? You're not alone. In a recent survey of young adults (18-25), 72% struggle to socially connect in winter. However, it's important to remember that staying socially active is just as crucial as being physically active for a healthy life.

With VicHealth's Reality Check initiative, we're here to remind you (and ourselves at TDA) to prioritise face-to-face moments. Joining a local sports team or scheduling regular dinners with your friends can break up the day-to-day routine and make a real difference. It may sound simple, but you might be surprised by the impact it can have on your overall well-being!

Authorities have captured a fugitive female black bear named Hank the Tank (pictured) following a series of break-ins in California.

The 227kg bear is linked by DNA evidence to 21 break-ins in South Lake Tahoe, where she was responsible for extensive property damage between February 2022 and May 2023.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed Hank the Tank was safely immobilised with her three cubs and will be taken to a Sanctuary in Colorado.

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Answer: A fox can only run halfway into the woods. Any further and it will be running out of the woods.

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