The Know Daily - Monday 31 July 2023

_{Monday 31 July ∙ Read in 5m 10s ∙ Listening to The Boomtown Rats}

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A new 67-home neighbourhood in Eastern Ontario, western Canada, is being designed to be net-zero, affordable, walkable and protect nearby forests and wetlands. The houses will be solar-powered - only requiring around 20% of the energy needed by a traditional structure - and built in small clusters, to foster a sense of community. Construction is planned for next year… but we’re looking into the visa situ already! 🏠

🌍 The climate question

The government has today announced the expansion of oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, as both the Conservatives and Labour grapple with their green policies.

What’s the story?
Ministers have confirmed that hundreds of new oil and gas licences will be granted in the UK in a bid to “increase the UK’s energy security and reduce dependence on higher-emission imports” while “protecting more than 200,000 jobs”.

What else has been announced?
The government also confirmed that North East Scotland and the Humber have been chosen as locations for two new carbon capture storage clusters. This involves removing carbon dioxide from industrial processes and pumping it into depleted oil and gas fields a mile or so underground.

“The supporters of the technology say it could make industries that can't be decarbonised, such as cement production, far more sustainable,” explained Sky News. “But green groups warn that could sustain the production of fossil fuels into the long term.”

What’s the bigger picture?
Today’s announcement comes as both main parties grapple with their environmental promises and policies ahead of next year’s general election.

The Conservatives’ narrow victory over Labour in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election “placed environmental policy at the centre of political debate”, said The Conversation, with the win being cast as a victory “driven by popular anger against climate policy” - and particularly the planned expansion of London’s ultra-low emissions zone.

But environmental groups have warned that they will mobilise their members if climate commitments are watered down. “We will not stand by whilst politicians use the environment as a political football,” they said. “It is courage and leadership that we need now.”

🎂 Happy birthday to the Beano

The world’s longest-running comic book is marking its 85th birthday - and celebrations have included a special commemorative issue featuring appearances from Adele, Stormzy, Harry Styles and even King Charles.

Sorry, 85th(!) birthday?
That’s right. The comic launched in 1938, when it “pierced the gloom in the bleak days leading to the Second World War” said The Courier. After carrying children through that initial conflict, it has become a “beloved friend to generations of youngsters ever since”.

Over the years, more than 4,100 issues of the Beano have been printed, featuring around 70,000 comic strips and 700 characters. At one point, two million copies were sold each week. These days, that figure is in the tens of thousands, but the comic’s website reportedly receives more than a million visits per year.

What’s the secret to its enduring appeal?
The comic’s success largely comes down to its mischievous and endearing characters, who have become cultural icons over the years. It’s also been successful at diversifying to keep up with changing times, embracing not only the digital age but also societal shifts.

The Beano’s longest-running character, Dennis, has moved away from some of his more aggressive antics in recent years. Nowadays, the mischief-maker is no longer officially titled “the menace” - and his nemesis, Walter, is no longer a “softy”.

Similarly, the uproarious Bash Street Kids posse now includes a diverse range of characters, including hijab-wearing Khadija Raad and Rubi, a brainy redhead who uses a wheelchair. The original line-up featured nine boys and one girl and “all of them were white”, pointed out Mike Stirling, Beano Studios’ Creative Director. “The make-up of that class was OK in 1954 but it had to change.”

Is there anything else I should know?
Not everyone’s on board with the way the Beano has evolved, with some commentators dismissing recent changes as “woke” and examples of “political correctness”.

But Stirling is unfazed by any Beano backlash. “The warmth that people have towards our characters and our comic is incredible,” he told The Times. “We plan to reach our 100th birthday and go way beyond that.”

Are you - or were you - a big Beano fan? Share your best Beano memories with us by hitting reply to this email.

🇳🇿 Road signs row: New Zealand’s plans for bilingual road signs featuring both the English and te reo Maori languages have sparked a “divisive, racially charged debate” ahead of the country’s upcoming general election, according to CNN.

🇳🇪 Niger coup: The EU has suspended all security cooperation with Niger after the country’s army took power in a coup last week. West African leaders have given the junta seven days to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum.

🌊 Sticking to shore: A new poll has found that almost a quarter of the UK’s sea swimmers may avoid taking an ocean dip this year because of sewage.

🛍️ Etsy under fire: The online marketplace has faced criticism from sellers for putting 75% of their takings on hold for 45 days - but the platform said that payment reserves are used to cover any potential refunds.

🤔 A step on the property ladder?: A disused four-storey stairwell at the back of a south-west London Starbucks is up for auction. Agents have suggested it has “development potential” - but we’re struggling to see it right now…

Trivia answer: B) Kylie - nicknamed the “Princess of Pop” - has announced her first exclusive residency in Sin City, promising “extravagant costumes and dances”.

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