The Know Daily - Friday 17 July 2026

_{Read in 5m 12s ∙ Listening to Suki Waterhouse ∙}

Hello hello,

Since we last spoke, I’ve been busy celebrating at my sister’s hen party – and honestly, what a weekend it was. The most fun few days filled with so much joy and, of course, a fair few Aperols 😏

We were lucky enough to be right by the beach with the most incredible weather, so most of the weekend was spent dipping in and out of the sea and soaking up the sunshine – heaven! And a little pro tip if you’re planning a hen by the coast: personalised beach towels were our little party favours and they went down an absolute treat. 

Anyway that’s enough about me! Let’s get into our usual round-up of headlines and culture picks for the week ✨

Happy Friday!

Annabel
Editor

UK NEWS

💼 Keir Starmer's final week as outgoing prime minister is nearly at a close as the country prepares for him to hand the reins over to Andy Burnham on Monday.

👩‍⚕️ A free vaccine against meningitis B should be offered to all teenagers around the age of 15, UK experts are now recommending.

💰 The BBC’s top earners have been revealed through the corporation’s annual list of highest-paid stars.

GLOBAL AFFAIRS

🇺🇦 Ukraine’s defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov is set to be replaced just six months after his appointment.

💊 Europe's first autonomous parapharmacy for everyday medicines has opened in Lisbon in an effort to give pharmacists time to focus on specialist duties.

🌍 The world’s most expat-friendly countries and cities in 2026 have been revealed through a new survey.

CULTURE

📺 An award-winning children's cartoon series has been translated into Australian Indigenous language for the first time.

⚽️ The World Cup final takes place in New Jersey on Sunday – here’s where you can watch it (and if you’re not a footie fan, there’s also a stellar lineup for the halftime show!).

🎭 British popstar PinkPantheress is to make her acting debut alongside a cast including Matt Damon and Sandra Oh.

WORK & INNOVATION

🐝 Food supplements for honeybees could help them to better tolerate temperature stresses linked to a changing climate, research suggests.

🤖 Human skills are becoming more valuable in an era where employees are increasingly using AI, this year’s Future Workforce Index has found.

👓 3D printed contact lenses could one day be made-to-order (and created in just 20 minutes), a report has said.

UPLIFTING STUFF

🐒 A new monkey species with orange lips has been discovered “hiding” in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

🧪 Thousands of women could be spared invasive examinations for suspected cancer thanks to a new blood test being trialled.

🪴 A hospital for houseplants has opened in Scotland, where horticulturalists can drop off their poorly plants for treatment.

We’ll be honest: our business is built on the hopes that those that can afford to spare a few pounds can keep The Know free and accessible to all. But we can’t keep it going without your help – anything you’re able to give would go right back into helping us keep publishing in 2026. 💖

🗞 Read: We asked our readers for their top summer TBR recs and, combined with some of the team’s, we’ve pulled together The Know’s summer reading list. Everything from character-driven stories to romantic plots, we’ve got you covered. So make sure you save this post for when you’re next in the bookshop!

📺 Watch: A thriller featuring Anya Taylor-Joy is a perfect pairing and her new series already has me at the edge of my seat. On that note, I’ve just started Bad Sisters (I know, I know, so late to the party!) and it’s my new fave show. Finally, The Odyssey is out in cinemas so we can finally see for ourselves if it lives up to the hype. 

🎧 Listen: Suki Waterhouse’s new album is as dreamy as ever and the perfect summer soundtrack (also secretly hoping listening to it makes me a cool girl 😂).

🧑‍🍳 Cook: Gin and tonic ice lollies. Need I say more? And if you fancy a mocktail version, simply sub in your favourite 0%. 

💗 Do: Enter our giveaway with Stripe & Stare for your chance to win a £250 shopping spree. Simply tap "Yes please!" in the poll below to enter. We'll be dropping into one lucky winner's inbox next week. Good luck! ✨

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