The Know Daily - Friday 5 July 2024

_{Read in 5m 54s ∙ Listening to Keane ∙}

Happy Friday! 🌞 I’m writing this on slightly less sleep than I would’ve liked, having stayed up pretty late as the UK general election results rolled in last night. As the polls predicted, Labour secured a landslide majority as the Conservatives are set for the worst results in their history, with high-profile figures including former PM Liz Truss losing seats. 

Election day is always a bit of a weird one. Ofcom rules mean that broadcasters can’t report on much until voting ends, so until the exit polls are released at 10pm, it’s mainly just lots of dogs at polling stations (I’m not complaining…) 👇 

For me, the absolute highlight of yesterday has to be getting out to vote. This was my third general election, and the novelty still hasn’t worn off. I’m not yet bored of all the political analysis either, which is a good thing considering the number of high-stakes elections still to take place around the world this year 😵‍💫

That being said, I’m excited to switch off from the news this weekend, and I hope today’s edition helps you do the same. We’ve rounded up the biggest stories from the week - so no more doomscrolling! - and included plenty of culture recs to keep you entertained. 

Esther x
Editor

UK NEWS

🗳️ Labour won the 2024 general election with a landslide majority - albeit with turnout on track to be the lowest for more than 20 years - as the UK elected the most diverse parliament ever.

🌊 Water companies could face a series of legal challenges over sewage discharges following a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court on Tuesday. 

🖼️ A painting found in a plastic carrier bag at a London bus stop sold for a record £17.6m at auction.

GLOBAL AFFAIRS

🇺🇸 The US Supreme Court ruled that former presidents have “broad immunity” from prosecution; Biden defied calls to drop out of the presidential race following his debate performance last week.

🗞️ Around 90% of people in Gaza have been displaced at least once since the war began, the UN’s humanitarian agency said on Wednesday. 

🇫🇷 France’s far-right National Rally scored a historic victory in the first round of parliamentary elections, but looks set to fall short of a majority in the second round on Sunday.

CULTURE

📖 Frank Cottrell-Boyce was named the new children’s laureate and pledged to “get reading as a right for all into the national conversation”.

📺 Tubi, a new free of charge, ad-supported streaming service, launched in the UK this week.

🖼️ ​​The Pompidou Centre, France’s iconic arts and culture hub, suspended plans for its first US branch due to funding issues.

WORK & INNOVATION

🇬🇷 Greece became the first EU country to introduce a 6-day work week, stirring plenty of controversy.

💾  The Japanese government scrapped the use of floppy disks in all its systems, in an effort to digitise procedures.

🦿 A new bionic leg that can be controlled by the brain alone helps people with amputations to walk more naturally, a group of MIT researchers found.

UPLIFTING STUFF

🌳 More Amazonian land is under some form of conservation than was previously thought, a new study has revealed.

🚲 Biniam Girmay made history this week as the first black African cyclist to win a stage at the Tour de France.

🥕 The White House announced a first-of-its-kind national strategy to tackle food waste in the US.

📰 Read: 100 years ago this week, the Caesar salad (our staff writer Hanna’s favourite summertime meal, ft. a side of fries of course!) was born. Read up on the surprising history of this restaurant staple and if you’re feeling peckish after, try out this tangy twist on the classic.

🎧 Listen to: South African superstar Tyla, who won big at the BET Awards in the US this week. Her eponymous album, released earlier this year, is a vibrant take on pop and R&B and has absolutely no skips.

📺 Watch: Not Dead Yet (Disney+), Owning Manhattan (Netflix), MaXXXine and A Quiet Place: Day One (out in cinemas now).

🛍️  Do: Grab a pair of these breezy, paisley blue pyjama trousers – on sale now! They look pretty perfect for lounging around the house on a sunny weekend.

We help you put your career goals first by highlighting purpose-driven jobs, flexible working options, female-founded environments and employers that truly champion mental health.

This week, we’re highlighting roles at:
⭐ Sustainability consultancy Terranomics
⭐ Corporate responsibility advisory group Seismic
⭐ SolarAid, a charity bringing solar power to rural communities sub-Saharan Africa

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