The Know Daily - Friday 19 June 2026

_{Read in 5m 09s ∙ Listening to AC/DC ∙}

Hello hello,

I'm on a mission to build the perfect summer reading list, and so far my approach has mostly involved screenshotting recommendations, forgetting who suggested them and then spending 20 minutes trying to find them again.

But it’s got me thinking: would you be interested in a summer reading list from The Know? The team have lots of recs to keep us going, but we’d love to know what's on your bookshelves too. So if you've read something recently that you couldn't put down – whether it's a beach read, thriller, memoir or literary masterpiece – let us know in the poll below. I'm always looking for additions to my TBR pile (even if it's already slightly out of control 😅).

In the meantime, here's your usual roundup of the week's headlines, plus some culture picks and a few recs for the weekend.

Lily
Partnerships manager

UK NEWS

📈 UK inflation held steady at 2.8% in May, defying expectations of a rise despite higher fuel prices linked to the conflict with Iran. 

🗳️ Andy Burnham has won the Makerfield by-election, returning the Greater Manchester mayor to Westminster and increasing the possibility of a Labour leadership contest. 

🤳 A ban on social media platforms for under-16s has been announced by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

GLOBAL AFFAIRS

🇪🇺 EU leaders are entering the second day of their summit in Brussels, with talks set to focus on the bloc’s next long-term budget, as well as defence, economic growth and continued support for Ukraine.

🚢 Thailand has revived plans for a $30 billion "land bridge" linking ports on its east and west coasts, after disruption around the Strait of Hormuz highlighted the world's reliance on a handful of key shipping routes.

✈️ Free cabin luggage and compensation for delayed flights have been agreed by EU ambassadors as part of an air passenger rights deal.

CULTURE

🎭 An iconic West End theatre is set to be renamed in honour of a British actor (and national treasure). 

🏛️ Ancient Greek philosophy is in the spotlight this week, with politicians, academics and business leaders gathering at the Classics Summit in Athens to explore how centuries-old ideas could help tackle some of today’s biggest challenges.

📺 Fox is acquiring Roku – the popular streaming TV platform operating across the US, Europe and Australia – in a deal worth $22 billion.

WORK & INNOVATION

🩺 A free app hopes to close the consultation memory gap by recording medical conversations and turning them into summaries you can actually understand – and can share with family.  We’re downloading it before our next appointment!

💼 UK job vacancies have fallen to their lowest level in five years, according to the Office for National Statistics, although the overall unemployment rate has remained broadly stable.

📱 The Met Police and Apple are working together to make stolen phones "unusable" in efforts to curb thefts.  

UPLIFTING STUFF

🐄 Thousands of anonymous donors have stepped up from across the US to help ranchers in Nebraska who have been impacted by wildfires.

💨 Global offshore wind capacity is set to quadruple by 2035, a report by the Global Wind Energy Council has shown, highlighting a greener future. 

🪨 Stonehenge may have an even older neighbour! Archaeologists have uncovered a 5,000-year-old “proto-Stonehenge” just a few miles away, offering fresh clues about Britain’s prehistoric past and proving there may still be plenty of ancient surprises waiting to be found.

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🗞 Read: I’m a sucker for any article that makes an unlikely case for poetry, and this one argues that the humble haiku might be one of the best ways to talk about climate change. Rather than overwhelming us with statistics and doom-laden headlines, the form captures a single moment in nature and lets the bigger story unfold from there. It’s a fascinating look at how creativity can make complex issues feel more human – and it might even leave you tempted to try writing a climate haiku yourself!

📺 Watch: We’ve had the song, now it’s time for the film itself – Toy Story 5 is finally out in UK cinemas (my inner child is currently crying with happiness!). The final episodes of the latest season of Clarkson’s Farm have just dropped and it’s a surprisingly emotional watch. Also, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are back and once again have us all convinced we can of course do those high kicks in our sitting rooms.

🎧 Listen: If your idea of a good time involves falling down a historical rabbit hole, then I'm willing to bet you'll love The Ancients podcast. Hosted by historian Tristan Hughes, each episode takes a deep dive into a different corner of the ancient world, from the mysteries of the Rosetta Stone to Spartacus, Neanderthal art and life in Iron Age Britain.

🧑‍🍳 Cook: It was International Picnic Day yesterday and the perfect excuse to try making this fig and serrano ham picnic bread (and yes, it’s as good as it sounds).

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