The Know Daily - Thursday 18 April 2024

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How do hazel dormice cross the forest? Using seriously adorable mini rope bridges, thanks to a new initiative by Forestry England. The rodents tend to travel via treetops to avoid predators on the ground, but in the Forest of Dean, that was made harder by the removal of diseased ash trees. Thankfully, the new bridges are here to help them move about safely 🫡 

☎️ Hacked off

Actor Hugh Grant yesterday said that he had taken an “enormous” sum of money to settle his phone hacking claim against The Sun newspaper, despite wanting to fight on. So why didn’t he?

First things first - what did he allege?
Grant was suing News Group Newspapers (NGN) - The Sun’s parent company - claiming that journalists had used private investigators to tap his phone and break into his home to snoop on him. NGN denies the claims.

So why did Grant accept a settlement?
Because of a quirk of English civil law, says Grant. The Sun made the actor what is known as a Part 36 offer - and under these rules, even if Grant was victorious at trial, if the court awarded him damages that were any less than the settlement offer, he would have to pay the legal costs of both sides. 

Grant said he did not want to accept the settlement - preferring that the allegations be tested in court - but that he could not risk the potential costs. NGN said it admitted no liability and that the settlement was in the financial interests of both parties.

Isn’t the rule a bit problematic?
It depends on your perspective. As Associated Press explains, the civil court rule is intended to avoid “jamming up the courts”, while also reducing legal costs. But as The Guardian points out, it does create an “incentive” for those keen to avoid a public trial to offer more money that could ever realistically be awarded by a judge.

What’s the bigger picture?
Grant joins a number of other celebrities - including Sienna Miller and Paul Gascoigne - who have settled claims against the publisher. A full trial of some existing claims against NGN, including those brought by Prince Harry, is set to take place in January next year.

🍺 Bottoms up!

Stout is one of the fastest growing beer types in the UK - why is it proving so popular? 

Stout…that’s Guinness, right?
Right. Guinness is probably the most famous kind of stout, but there are lots of other options, too. It’s a dark beer that usually has a creamy head, and it’s made with roasted malt or barley, hops, water and yeast. 

Stout originated in London in the early 1700s, and while it was once one of the most popular drinks in English boozers, it fell out of favour in the 20th century when lager became the drink of choice.

So when did it become so popular again?
Stout has staged quite the comeback in recent years, with one analysis showing that Guinness was the best-selling beer in British pubs, bars and restaurants in 2022. Tesco said that demand for stout in its stores had grown by 35% in 2023, while Waitrose said its stout sales had risen by 29% compared with the same time last year. 

Who’s drinking all this stout?
The stereotype of stout as a “man’s drink” is shifting, as statistics show that women are helping to drive the stout renaissance. Waitrose said that 61.3% of the stout sold was bought by women, while Guinness owner Diageo reported a 24% rise in the number of women drinkers in the UK.

What’s behind stout’s newfound popularity?
According to The Guardian, it’s partly down to good marketing. Social media accounts like “Sh*t London Guinness” - an Instagram which documents poorly-poured pints in the capital’s pubs - have helped the drink to go viral, and even Kim Kardashian was pictured with a Guinness in hand during a 2023 trip to London.

The paper also cites a boom in the number of low-alcohol stout options as an important factor, particularly as numerous studies show that younger people are drinking less.

📱 Watch for rewards: TikTok has launched a new app which pays users for viewing videos - and European lawmakers have raised concerns.

🇬🇧 UK politics: A Conservative MP has been suspended by the party following claims he misused campaign funds. 

🍃 Climate change: Scotland is set to drop its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030, although its pledge to reach net-zero by 2045 remains. 

👐 Women’s health: UK retailer Holland & Barrett announced plans to train up 600 women’s health coaches, who can offer advice on things like periods, hormones and sleep. 

🌸 City scents: Ever wondered which city in the world smells the best? Here’s your answer.

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Trivia answer: B) Hibernating bumblebees can survive fully underwater for at least seven days - and the discovery came about through a lab mistake. 

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