The Know Daily - Thursday 2 May 2024

_{Read in 5m 48s ∙ Listening to Belle and Sebastian ∙}

A Javan rhino calf was spotted at an Indonesian national park earlier this month, raising hopes for the future of one of the world’s most endangered mammals, reported Phys.org. The calf was captured on camera with its mother inside the park, which is the last remaining wild habitat for the species.

🗳️ How to vote

Local elections are taking place across England and Wales today. Here’s what you need to know. 

Can I vote?
Anyone living in an area where an election is taking place is able to vote - as long as you’re over 18 and registered to do so (the deadline to register has now passed). 

Elections are being held in 107 local authorities across England, with voters in England and Wales also choosing 37 police and crime commissioners (PCCs). Voters will also elect the mayor in London and in nine metro areas, including the West Midlands and Greater Manchester.

Where do I go to vote?
If you’re registered to vote, you should’ve been sent a poll card telling you where to go. You can also find your nearest polling station here. You can only vote at the polling station location on your card, but you do not have to take your poll card with you. 

However, you now need to show photo ID - such as a passport or driving licence - in order to vote. You can check all the accepted forms of photo ID here, and it’s worth noting you can use an out-of-date ID provided you still look the same. 

What do I do at the polling station?
You give your name and address to the staff there, and show them your photo ID. You’ll then be given a ballot paper, which will contain instructions on how to fill it in.  

What if I can’t make it on the day?
If you’re registered to vote but can’t get to a polling station - for example, due to illness or work - you can apply for an emergency proxy vote before 5pm today. That means you’ll nominate someone to vote on your behalf. You can also apply for this if the ID you were planning on using has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed.

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm today. If you’re eligible to vote, go make your voice heard!

📚 A page-turner

Motivated by a need for escapism and relaxation, adults are increasingly turning to YA fiction. 

Go on…
Young adult literature (YA) - such as The Hunger Games or The Fault in Our Stars - is typically aimed at readers aged 12-18. But more than a quarter of readers of YA fiction in the UK are over the age of 28, according to a new report commissioned by HarperCollins in collaboration with Nielsen Book.

What might be going on?
YA fiction offers older readers a way to deal with the pressures of daily life “through escapism and relaxation”, said the report, offering a source of “comfort, nostalgia and self-care”. Author Amy Jones told The Guardian that the typically more accessible writing style of YA novels makes them easier to read for pleasure “when you’re tired or stressed”. 

According to researchers, older adults may also be drawn to the coming-of-age themes that typically underscore YA fiction. They point to the phenomenon of “emerging adulthood” among 18-25s, which is typically marked by “growing up more slowly” and “identity explorations”.

What else did we learn from the report?
Young people appear increasingly keen to think of themselves as readers. Among 14-25s who read books every day, 52% said reading gives them a strong sense of identity. 

At the same time, the number who said they “rarely or never read” had risen across all ages since 2012. Just 16% of 14-25s said they read daily or nearly every day for pleasure, despite the majority of those surveyed saying they recognised and experienced the benefits of reading. 

If you’re looking to get back into reading, here are 20 easy tips we’ll be trying out ourselves! 

⏰ Wake-up call: Apple has said it’s working to fix an issue that’s causing some iPhone alarms not to go off. 

📺 One to watch: Amazon’s advertising revenue grew by 24% in the first quarter of this year, boosted by the decision to turn on ads for Prime Video.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland politics: John Swinney is set to launch his campaign to become SNP leader and first minister later today. 

🔬 Immunisation innovation: Vaccine patches could one day replace measles jabs for children, after a trial in The Gambia found they were “safe and effective”. 

🎭 Horizon musical: The creators of a new musical based on the Post Office Horizon scandal have appealed to postal workers to form part of the choir.

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Trivia answer: B) The tourist was fined by Norwegian authorities for getting too close to a walrus. And he did get pretty close.

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