The Know Daily - Wednesday 12 November 2025

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Born in Japan, Spogomi is turning litter-picking into a competitive sport 🏆 Teams race to collect the most rubbish in timed clean-ups that are sweeping the world. More than 165k participants are already joining in!

🎓 University fees and inflation

From 2026, undergraduate tuition fees in England will rise with inflation provided universities meet certain standards, marking the biggest shake-up to student finance in nearly a decade. 

The history of UK fees.
Tuition fees in England were first introduced in 1998 and gradually rose to the current cap of £9,535 per year. They have been largely frozen since 2017, which has left many universities struggling to balance their books and budgets. Over the years, fee increases have been a sore topic, sparking protests and debates about fairness, access, as well as the burden on students.

What happens with the new reforms?
From 2026, fees will rise automatically with inflation. Maintenance loans will also increase, and targeted maintenance grants will return for students from lower-income households. Only universities that meet certain quality standards will be allowed to charge the full fee. Here’s the important bit: universities must demonstrate strong teaching, good student outcomes and a positive learning experience.

So why now?
Universities have struggled under the financial pressures under the frozen fee system. The government says the reforms will stabilise university finances while also making sure students get value for money. Although, The Independent has said that education leaders have described the new reforms as a “sticking plaster” on what is needed.

What's the politics surrounding it?
Labour has positioned these reforms as part of a broader effort to make higher education accessible and fair. At the same time, unions warn the increases could deepen student debt, especially for those from poorer backgrounds. The government has said that students from lower-income households may still benefit from targeted maintenance grants, but more debt is likely for many. The challenge for ministers is still the same: balancing financial sustainability for universities with fairness and opportunity for students.

So how will things look going forward?
From 2026, students can expect higher tuition fees and slightly increased maintenance support. For universities, there will be pressure to maintain quality or risk losing the ability to charge full fees. 

🗞️ Two BBC leaders have resigned after a leaked memo accused the broadcaster of “systemic bias” and mishandling coverage of a speech by Donald Trump.

• The bigger story: Director-General Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness both stepped down as the BBC faces political pressure and a potential lawsuit from Trump, who claims the network misrepresented his remarks in a recent broadcast. In a statement, Davie defended the organisation, warning that growing efforts to “weaponise” criticism of the BBC could undermine trust in public service journalism.

🤖 Wikipedia has laid out a simple plan to ensure its website continues to be supported in the AI era by asking companies to use its paid version and properly attribute their content.

💷 Ministers will review their decision not to compensate the so-called Waspi women – those born in the 1950s who say they weren’t properly informed about the rise in the state pension age.

🚆 The best-value commuter towns under 60 minutes from London have been revealed in a study by estate agent Savills.

💚 Charli XCX has released her first single since Brat which will appear in Emerald Fennell’s upcoming adaption of Wuthering Heights.

✌ ️Scientists have discovered there’s an optimal strategy for winning multiple rounds of rock, paper, scissors.

🏃‍♀️The most beautiful marathons in the world have been ranked by Sportsshoes.com – we’ll race you!

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Trivia answer: C) Named Blue and Gold, the satellite duo are set to arrive in Mars’ orbit in early 2027 and will help to predict weather patterns for future crewed missions to the planet.

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