The Know Daily - Thursday 27 July 2023

_{Read in 5m 10s ∙ Listening to The xx}

🎷 This month, our friends of The Know are being entered into a draw to win a pair of tickets to Ronnie Scott’s Blues Explosion at Home Farm in Elstree, Hertfordshire, on 28 August. Support independent journalism by becoming a friend of The Know today - and be in with a chance of winning the tickets (plus a pre-show meal for two) 👀

A mother dolphin and her calf have been rescued and released back to the ocean nearly two years after they became trapped in a Louisiana pond system as a result of Hurricane Ida. The Audubon Coastal Wildlife Network monitored the pair for over a year until the calf was old enough to move to an area with access to open water. What flipping fantastic news! 🐬

🇳🇪 A coup attempt in Niger

Late last night, soldiers in the West African country of Niger appeared on national television and announced a military coup. Here’s what you need to know.

What’s the background?
Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum came to power in 2021, his election marking the first democratic transition of power in the country since it gained independence from France in 1960.

Since then, Niger has witnessed four military takeovers, as well as several attempted coups. This most recent attempt comes as Bazoum has been grappling with Islamist insurgencies in the south-west and south-east of the country, as well as active militant groups allied to both al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

And the latest events?
On Wednesday, troops - thought to be led by the head of a regional political and security group - blockaded the presidential palace in Niamey, Niger’s capital, and detained the president.

A group of soldiers later appeared on state TV, saying they had decided to “put an end to the regime that you know due to the deteriorating security situation and bad governance”. They warned against foreign intervention but said they would respect Bazoum’s wellbeing.

The soldiers added that they had closed the landlocked country’s borders, dissolved the constitution and suspended all institutions. They also announced a national curfew.

What’s the bigger picture?
The coup is the seventh to have taken place in the West and Central Africa region since 2020, with neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso also experiencing takeovers triggered by jihadist uprisings.

As a key Western ally, Bazoum’s detention is likely to complicate efforts by France, the US and the EU to fight against Islamist militancy in West Africa. “Bazoum has been the West’s only hope in the Sahel region,” Ulf Laessing, an expert on the area, told Reuters. He said the coup could “create an opportunity for Russia and other actors to spread their influence in Niger”.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has promised Washington’s “unwavering support” to Bazoum - a sentiment echoed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

🦗 Are we getting the bug for eating insects?

Would you try “silkworm sashimi” or “cricket curry”? According to a new Reuters report, insect-eating - also known as entomophagy - is on the rise across the globe.

What’s the story?
In Tokyo, a popular dining spot has been leaning into Japan’s bug-eating heritage by serving up a menu packed with critters. Take-Noko cafe - which offers cider “infused with water bug extract”, as well as sashimi made from “the left-over casing of silkworms” - is often fully booked at weekends, its manager told the news outlet.

The cafe is the brainchild of Takeo Saito, the founder of Tokyo-based startup Takeo Inc, which “offers a variety of dried and packaged bugs ranging from crickets to scorpions”, said The Japan Times. It’s one of several companies looking to capitalise on a newfound consumer interest in insect-eating.

Why is this happening?
Without diversifying our protein sources, the planet will struggle to feed a global population that’s predicted to reach 9.7 billion by 2050 and 10.4 billion by 2100.

Farming insects has far less of an impact on the environment than other food sources. According to The Ecologist, insects “emit less than 0.1% of the greenhouse emissions of cows to produce the same amount of protein” - and also require less water than chickpeas.

Is there a downside?
Despite the clear environmental benefits, not everyone’s on board with the insect-eating trend. Italy’s government has been taking steps to ban their use in pizza and pasta production, while a 2022 Food Standards Agency survey found that just 26% of UK consumers would be willing to try edible insects - citing food safety concerns.

What next?
The idea of crunching on critters might be off-putting to some (or many), but this trend isn’t going to go away. Attitudes are certainly shifting, especially among younger consumers, and the EU approved the sale of insects for human consumption earlier this year.

According to the UN, the market for edible insects could be worth £4.6 billion by 2030.

🎙️ Sinéad O'Connor remembered: Tributes have poured in for the legendary Irish singer-songwriter and activist, best known for her hit ballad Nothing Compares 2 U, following her death at the age of 56.

⚖️ Kevin Spacey trial: A jury in London found the Oscar-winning actor not guilty of nine counts of sexual assault between 2001 and 2013. Spacey said he was “humbled” by the outcome - but questions remain over what the news will mean for his career.

🛸 UFO hearing: A former military intelligence officer has testified that the US is concealing a longstanding programme that retrieves and reverse engineers UFOs - claims the Pentagon has denied. NBC News has highlighted five memorable moments from Congress’ UFO hearing.

🌡️ Climate crisis latest: 2022 was the warmest year on record in the UK, according to the Met Office’s annual State of the UK Climate study. Both the record warm year and July heatwave were made more likely by human-induced climate change, the report found.

🔨 Mystery solved: A Historic England study has determined that the remains found in a 2,000-year-old grave on the Isles of Scilly in 1999 belonged to an iron age female warrier - putting an end to a decades-long archaeological mystery.

Trivia answer: C) Services on the popular train (which has the real name of The Jacobite) were cancelled after a report raised safety concerns around its door locks - so we’ll have to settle for looking at pictures of the incredible journey for now.

We’ve partnered with HURR, Grubby and CRU Kafe to reward readers who spread the word about us. You’ve signed up 0 friends so far!

Or copy and paste your referral link to others: https://theknowmedia.beehiiv.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER

The Know is an independent media company on a mission to help everyone start their day feeling informed and hopeful. Our daily newsletter always features the day’s top stories broken down without jargon, uplifting news to put a smile on your face and hand-picked recs we think you’ll love.

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

Daily emails too much for you? Switch to our weekly Friday edition. Support The Know here.