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  • The Know Daily - Thursday 28 May 2026

The Know Daily - Thursday 28 May 2026

Author

Annabel Preston
May 28, 2026

Read in 4m 32s ∙ Listening to Parmalee ∙

WE’RE TALKING ABOUT…

🗞️ The headlines that got us all talking, what the latest doctor strikes could mean for you, a Simpsons writer’s presidential bid + the internet falling in love with a new sea creature

Ever wondered what all that scrolly handwriting in old letters and diaries actually says? Well, volunteers in the US are taking part in “Cursive for a Cause” – helping decipher historical handwritten journals, documents and notes so they can be preserved for future generations. Turns out reading cursive is basically a historical superpower now. 💪

NUMBER OF THE DAY

199 years

The age of England’s oldest sweet shop.

🗞️ The headlines this month

In the last few weeks we’ve had landmark legal moves to protect England’s rivers, debates over what local election results mean for political leadership, growing conversations around homeschooling, graduate jobs and AI regulation, plus people trying to tackle light pollution and the rise of low-quality “podslop” podcasts. So before June comes along, we thought we’d share a little roundup of the stories that got us (and you) talking throughout May.

Our Editor’s picks
🎓 The graduate job market: As entry-level jobs become more competitive, many graduates are finding new ways to break into work by building side hustles, portfolios and practical skills alongside traditional applications. LinkedIn research shows networks and visible experience now play a huge role in opening doors, with more young people taking flexible career routes or moving into skilled trades for stability and long-term demand. The shift reflects a changing job market where proving what you can do increasingly matters just as much as formal experience.

🗣️ The National Climate Briefing: A major UK climate project is moving beyond Westminster and into local communities through a new film, The People’s Emergency Briefing. Based on talks from scientists, MPs and business leaders, it explores how climate change and nature loss could affect everyday life – from food prices to flooding – while also highlighting practical solutions like renewable energy, better-insulated homes and restoring natural spaces. Community screenings and discussions aim to make the conversation more accessible and action-focused, as the UK continues working towards its 2050 net zero target.

Our inbox has been overflowing…
Some stories this month really resonated with you. These were the topics that sparked the most reader reactions, questions and comments.

❤️‍🩹 The Gender Pain Gap: One in two women feel their pain has been ignored or dismissed, a new report has shown. We asked our readers too, and 91% of respondents said that they’ve often or sometimes felt this too. 

“This seems to be worse when there is no obvious cause or 'quick fix'. It feels a mental health diagnosis can be used against you too, with GPs putting your concerns/pain down to that.”

“It took a year of doctors asking if I was anxious or sad – or if I was still in pain when I was on holiday – for them to actually accept I was in pain.”

To combat this, Nurofen has created a free downloadable tool to help women track and describe symptoms.

🗳️ Local elections: Local elections took place on 7 May in England, Scotland and Wales. We asked our readers if they were planning on heading out to vote and 90% of respondents said that they would be (or already had!) hitting the polls.

“I want to support the dynamic of our country in a way I believe is best in an informed and meaningful manner!”

“Sadly my council isn't holding local elections because of boundary changes. Although Leicester city council are doing a good job generally, I'm not happy about not being able to vote.”

🙋‍♀️ TRIVIA TIME

The first female conductor of America’s “Big 7” orchestras has been named for which city?

A) New York
B) Boston
C) San Francisco

Got it? Answer at the bottom.

👩‍⚕️ Resident doctors in England are set to stage another round of strikes in June, in the latest escalation of a long-running dispute over pay.

  • The bigger story: The walkout will run from 07:00 BST on Monday 15 June until 06:59 on Friday 19 June, marking the 16th strike in the dispute between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the government. The BMA says doctors are still about 20% worse off in real terms than in 2008, despite pay rises worth around 33% over the past four years. Ministers argue salaries have already increased significantly – with starting pay just over £40,000 and senior resident doctors on up to £76,500, plus extra earnings for unsocial hours – and say further rises are “unrealistic and unaffordable”. 

🐠 A newfound fish in shallow seas near Australia has been named “Snuffleupagus” (whoever chose that deserves an instant bonus).

🚀 Nasa has selected Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin for the first of three uncrewed lunar missions to start building a $20bn moon base.

🎟️ Tour tickets are set to be reserved for artist “superfans”, a streaming platform has announced in a bid to support live music.

🇺🇸 The Simpsons writer who famously “predicted” Donald Trump’s presidency has jokingly announced that he’ll be running for President in the 2028 election.

📖 The 2026 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction shortlist has been revealed, with the winner set to be announced on 11 June. Shop the shortlist here.

🚊 The hottest tube line in London has been unveiled – you won’t catch us on there until next week!

If you want to experience a city in a way that feels thoughtful, local and human, I have just the thing. Look no further than Intrepid Travel’s new “Uncommon Day Trips”. The responsible travel company has launched a series of small-group experiences in Paris, Barcelona and Venice from just £48pp, designed to take travellers beyond the busiest tourist areas and into the neighbourhoods where real daily life happens. Think local markets, community spaces, independent businesses and quieter corners you’d never stumble across on a typical city break.

I was lucky enough to try the Uncommon Paris tour and honestly, it completely changed the energy of the city for me. Instead of rushing between landmarks, our knowledgeable Tour Leaders, Cecilia and Benoit, led us through peaceful neighbourhood streets and found quiet viewpoints overlooking the Eiffel Tower without the usual crowds. We stopped at a local market where we tried fresh pastries from Golosa Patisserie and galettes from Creperie Chez Marie-Do, and had a delicious lunch at Le Reflet restaurant – all of which I highly recommend! It felt less like “doing Paris” and more like properly experiencing it.

It’s all part of Intrepid’s wider approach to travel, which feels especially relevant right now. While plenty of companies are still pushing mass tourism, Intrepid’s focus is on travelling better: smaller groups, local guides and making sure tourism benefits the communities people are visiting, not just the people profiting from it. The tours are capped at just 12 people and designed by local teams who actually know the cities beyond the postcard version.

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Trivia answer: C) Elim Chan’s historic appointment will begin next year.

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