The Know Daily - Tuesday 1 July 2025

_{Read in 4m 22s ∙ Listening to Olivia Dean ∙}

Old gadgets are getting a second life. Under a fresh government-backed initiative, pre-loved tech will be refurbished and redistributed to help bridge the UK’s digital divide. From laptops to tablets, the aim is to empower more people to get online, opening doors to education, opportunity, and connection.

💼 UK welfare reforms

MPs are set to vote today on the government’s new Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Bill, which proposes changes to how disability and sickness benefits are assessed and delivered.

What does the bill include?
It proposes reforms to the way people are assessed for health-related support through Universal Credit and PIP. The government plans to change the criteria used to determine eligibility for benefits for new claimants from November 2026. This will be followed with a review by Sir Stephen Timms, the welfare minister, which is intended to overhaul the entire system for assessing people’s needs. The review will be co-produced with disabled people and the organisations that represent them.

Although not part of the legislation itself, the government has also announced wider measures alongside the bill – including a new “Right to Try” scheme allowing people to test employment without losing their benefits.

Why are people in favour?
Ministers say the reforms are needed to ensure the welfare system remains “sustainable and fair”. They argue that the current structure does not reflect advances in flexible working and that more targeted support will help people who want to work to find suitable roles. The bill protects existing claimants from most of the proposed changes. Some have cautiously supported aspects like removal of the Work Capability Assessment – the process used to determine if someone with a health condition or disability can work – in favour of a new system, while calling for more detail and safeguards.

What’s the other side?
More than 100 Labour MPs have signed a parliamentary amendment opposing the bill. Critics say the new PIP rules could lead to thousands losing eligibility and raise concerns about how the system will handle fluctuating or less visible conditions. Charities including Mind and Disability Rights UK have warned that the changes could reduce access to support. While the government has a working majority, some MPs are expected to abstain or vote against the bill.

What happens next?
If it passes this stage, the bill will be scrutinised by a committee and may receive amendments. The government has said it plans to implement key changes, including adjustments to PIP eligibility, from 2026. Further guidance and secondary legislation are expected later this year, which will set out how the new assessment rules will work in practice.

🚢 Cannes not dock here: Cruise ships carrying more than 1,000 passengers will no longer be able to dock in Cannes.

• The bigger story: The French Riviera city is imposing stricter regulations on the industry, joining Venice and other European destinations in efforts to manage overtourism. Whilst some cruise operators have called such restrictions problematic for livelihoods in popular destinations, France is looking to balance the economic benefits of tourism with environmental concerns.

🛰️ Surprise signal: A powerful radio burst from a long-defunct NASA satellite, silent since 1967, has been picked up by astronomers in Australia.

🚋 Temperate tubes: New data has revealed the hottest and coolest lines on the London Underground. We know which we’ll be avoiding over the next couple of days! 

🤖 Android athletics: Humanoid robots competed at a ROBO League football tournament in Beijing, and the footage is just as wild as you think.

🐆 Feline friends: The government’s wildlife chief has hinted that lynx – a once native big cat – could be reintroduced to Britain during his two-year term.

🍽️ Sustenance stats: Romania has been revealed as the European country with the lowest food prices, according to a Eurostat report.

👠 A sequel? Groundbreaking: Filming for the highly anticipated Devil Wears Prada 2 has commenced. The original cast are onboard, as well as a new addition.

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Trivia answer: C) The limited edition strawberries and cream sandwich is inspired by the ‘Japanese fruit sando’.

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