The Know Daily - Tuesday 23 May 2023

_{Read in 5m 24s ∙ Listening to Hozier} 

Wildlife is beginning to return to Toronto’s Don River more than half a century after the waterway was pronounced dead. Thanks to decades of citizens’ advocacy work, the city is now spending billions to save the heavily polluted river, which will only become clearer over time.

🦛 Ivory ban extension

Campaigners have welcomed government plans to extend the ban on ivory imports to include hippos, whales and walruses.

What’s the story?
The import, export and dealing of elephant ivory was banned in the UK last year, but a loophole meant that other animals were still being poached to fill the gap in the trade. Now, ministers have announced plans to extend the Ivory Act 2018 to cover more species, including hippos, killer whales, sperm whales, narwhals and walruses.

Under the act, people found to be breaking the law can be given unlimited fines or jailed for five years.

Remind me what ivory is?
Ivory is a hard, white material which comes from the tusks and teeths of animals. It’s used for ornaments, musical instruments, jewellery and other items, and creatures are hunted and killed across the world for their ivory in what can be a very lucrative market.

Got it. What else should I know?
The species set to be included in the ban are already at risk from climate change, and conservationists fear that ivory poaching could drive them even closer to extinction. Ministers believe that hippos are most at risk from the trade after elephants, according to The Guardian.

How have the plans been received?
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has welcomed the government’s proposal. “Today is a good day for conservation and a step change towards international commitments to safeguard our natural world," said a spokesperson from IFAW UK.

Parliament must now vote on extending the Act before it can come into force.

🍰 A dearth of dessert?

Food critics fear that puddings are disappearing from restaurant menus thanks to rising costs and changing customer habits.

Tell me more.
In a recent piece for The Observer, journalist Tony Naylor suggested that while certain restaurants still “go big” on dessert, extensive pudding menus are becoming a thing of the past in many modern, independent eateries.

“Puddings are disappearing in Britain and they have been since the end of lockdown,” added restaurant critic Grace Dent, with fellow critic Jay Rayner agreeing that “a reasonable choice of desserts is becoming rare”.

What’s driving the shift?
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the rising cost of living appears to be at least partially responsible for turning diners off restaurant desserts. A 2022 survey found that diners would prioritise mains, starters and sides ahead of dessert if ordering fewer courses to save money.

The sentiment that desserts often don’t reflect value for money has been reflected on Twitter, too. “I refuse to pay £9 or so for an adequate sticky toffee pud or ‘cheesecake of the day’ that I can make at home,” one user wrote.

In his Observer piece, Naylor added that many restaurants can no longer justify the high cost of employing a pastry chef - a role which requires a lot of skill and experience.

Could we be losing our sweet tooth?
Probably not. The explosive popularity of dedicated, affordable dessert chains such as Creams Cafe or Kaspa’s Dessert - which expanded from 14 stores in 2015 to more than 70 in 2019 - suggests that we may simply be going elsewhere for our sugar fix.

At the same time, there’s been a rise in high-end patisserie cafes, often run by pastry chefs who opt out of restaurant work in favour of a better work-life balance and more creative freedom. “There’s a lot going on in pastry,” Rayner told The Observer, “but it’s in stand-alone dessert bars and coffee shops.”

🚆 Train pain: British rail passengers are at risk of losing free Wifi due to cost-saving measures. The Department for Transport said it is reviewing whether the service “delivers the best possible value for money”.

❌ Inequality exposed: Up to 30 homeless families being housed in a Travelodge near the Tottenham Hotspur stadium are set to be relocated when Beyoncé’s London concerts begin at the end of the month, a report by The Guardian has revealed.

🌋 Volcano warning: Millions of people in Mexico have been warned to prepare for evacuation following increased activity from Popocatépetl - the country’s most dangerous active volcano.

👑 Royal row: Buckingham Palace has declined a request to return the remains of an Ethiopian prince who was buried at Windsor Castle in 1879, during Queen Victoria’s reign. His family wants his body to be sent back to Ethiopia.

📱 What next for WhatsApp: The Meta-owned messaging service has announced a new editing feature which allows users to tweak messages up to 15 minutes after they’ve been sent. Altered messages will display a small “edited” notification alongside them.

Trivia answer: A) Ryanair - the low-cost airline expects to carry a record number of passengers and perform even better in summer 2023.

You currently have 0 referrals, only 1 away from receiving a shoutout in our newsletter!.

As a tiny team with a big mission, we’re so grateful when readers spread the word about us. Plus, we’ll reward you with things like a £30 HURR gift card, free Grubby recipe kits, CRU Kafe coffee and merch.

How did you find today's email?
😍 Loved it 😕 Could be better

Daily emails too much for you? Switch to our weekly Friday edition.