Each week, Ben Hopkinson looks back at a serious, crazy, and happy news story from the past week.
Serious News
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has estimated that £75billion of private sector investment is needed so that the capital can meet its target to be carbon neutral by 2030.
London needs to go “much further, much faster” after the economy was hit by July’s heatwave as there were 130,0000 less daytime workers commuting and 86,000 less daytime visitors.
During Khan’s tenure as Mayor of London, his Green New Deal has created investments in green jobs, skills and infrastructure in London – as well as a increase in protected cycling lanes, more electric and hydrogen powered buses on roads, cleaned up the taxi fleet and installed hundreds of new electric vehicle charging points.
Crazy News
Last weekend’s London Marathon has seen a new Guinness World Record be set. Jeremie Maillard from Harrogate set the record for the fastest mythical creature to complete the 26.2 mile race in a time of three hours and 26 minutes – 22 minutes quicker than the previous record.
Sporting flashy rainbow leg warmers, a rainbow tail and wearing a mask, he done this for his daughter who loves unicorns. Since he broke the record, he also completed the school run in the outfit.
Struggling with the mask, Maillard said: “It was very hard because there’s only a small hole through the mouth of the unicorn to see out of, and the breathing as well, so it was very limited vision. It was quite hot”.
Previously, he had completed the London Marathon dressed as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle for his son.
Happy News
Being in development for many years, Eviation completed a test flight for its all electric aeroplane.
Named Alice, the nine-passenger aircraft was powered by two 640-kilowatt electric motors from the airport in Washington’s desert. The pilot was Steve Crane and flew for eight minutes at an altitude of 3,500 feet.
The motors sounded like electric grass trimmers and gave a slight hum when heard from overheard.
The name was inspired by ‘Alice In Wonderland’ and the Jefferson Airplane song ‘White Rabbit’.
