The Know Daily - Friday 3rd March 2023

_{Friday Edition ∙ Read in 5m 18s ∙ Listening to beabadoobee}

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Dear readers,

Happy Friday! I hope you all had a wonderful week.

I’ve just returned to chilly England after 8 days of sunbathing, surfing and ceramics shopping in Morocco. I didn’t realise how much I needed a change of scene and chance to fully switch off until I was there. It’s so important to take the time to rest and reset when you can - whether that’s on holiday or by planning your weekend around exactly what you want to do.

Given all this, I am super excited to tell you about our latest giveaway. We’ve partnered with Hill Farm Glamping to provide 1 lucky subscriber with a luxury 2-night tipi stay for two, in the heart of the countryside (with a breakfast hamper thrown in!). Scroll to our “Weekend Treats” section to find out more.

As always, this edition contains a roundup of the week’s biggest headlines, as well as our culture recommendations to see you through the weekend.

Have a great one,

Kate
Editor-in-Chief

POLITICS & GLOBAL AFFAIRS

📝 A Telegraph investigation obtained more than 100,000 WhatsApp messages sent both to and from Matt Hancock at the height of the pandemic, providing an insight into ministers’ decision-making processes - and raising questions over transparency.

🇮🇷 Dozens of girls from 26 schools in Iran are being treated in hospital after another wave of apparent toxic gas attacks. Many Iranians suspect that the poisonings are a deliberate attempt to force girls’ schools to close.

🇳🇬 Ruling party candidate Bola Tinubu was declared the winner of Nigeria’s presidential election, but the two main opposition parties have called the result a “sham” and announced legal action.

CULTURE

🎭 Netflix’s Stranger Things is the latest TV show to get a stage spin-off. The First Shadow is set to open in London’s West End later this year.

📚 Just 2% of GCSE students study a book written by a female author, latest research suggests. Campaigners are urging exam boards to diversify their set texts to tackle the rise in misogynistic views.

🇭🇰 Hong Kong’s tourism board is giving away half a million free plane tickets to entice tourists to return. The giveaway will open up to residents in Europe and the US on May 1.

WORK & INNOVATION

🛍️ Klarna - the controversial buy now, pay later provider - is going to start charging fees of up to £5 if users miss a payment, claiming it will stop borrowers from falling behind.

👩‍💼 The UK’s gender balance target has been reached three years early, with women now making up 40% of boardroom positions across FTSE 350 firms.

🎓 ChatGPT has been allowed in International Baccalaureate (IB) essays, with a spokesperson for the A-Level alternative describing the chatbot as “an extraordinary opportunity”.

UPLIFTING STUFF

💊 Taking vitamin D supplements in old age helps to protect against dementia, according to a new study. University of Exeter scientists believe the vitamin is “a potential agent for dementia prevention”.

🇦🇺 Four spears stolen by Captain James Cook from Kamay (now known as Botany Bay in Sydney) in 1770 are to be returned to their traditional owners in Australia.

🏛️ The Young V&A - a new museum dedicated to children - is set to reopen this summer following a £13 million-plus redevelopment of a site in Bethnal Green, east London.

 📰 Read: This wonderful piece in The Atlantic on subjective age, where writer Jennifer Senior explores why so many people feel like they’re younger than they actually are. She dives into the fascinating science behind this phenomenon, and reminds us that age really is just a number.

🎧 Listen to: Memories from the Dance Floor, a docu-series celebrating LGBTQ+ venues and unravelling the forgotten history behind queer nightlife across the UK. Each episode sees host Damian Kerlin joined by artists and revellers in what is a perfect new podcast for culture and social history fans.

🎥 Watch: Cocaine Bear (out in cinemas now), Daisy Jones & the Six (Prime Video), Liaison (AppleTV+), Unforgotten (ITVX).

🧺 Save your preloved garments: Keen to rescue a beautiful yet flawed secondhand find - or spruce up your existing spring wardrobe? With tips on everything from cleaning up leather to removing bobbles from knitted jumpers, this Guardian guide is here to help.

Our Jobs Board puts your career goals first. How? By highlighting purpose-driven jobs, flexible working options, female-founded environments, and employers that truly champion mental health.

FEATURED JOBS

💻 Email Marketing manager, Usborne Publishing
We’re loving: Enhanced maternity and paternity leave policies.

👯 Media and Celebrity Manager, Mind
We’re loving: Flexible working and generous parental leave pay.

💆‍♀️ Key Account Manager, The Ordinary
We’re loving: The option to work from anywhere for 4 weeks of the year.
 
Currently hiring? Email [email protected] if you'd like to list your role with us.

Trivia answer: A) The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, B) War and Peace, C) Of Mice and Men - have a go at more emoji book challenges here.

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