The Know Daily - Friday 29 May 2026

_{Read in 5m 14s ∙ Listening to Halle Kearns ∙}

Hello hello,

I’m still cooling off from the heatwave (the UK heat is not for the weak!) and firmly in the mood for anything involving shade, cold drinks and harbouring a dangerously co-dependent relationship with my desk fan. I’ve been seeing these cooling rings that you wear around your neck all over my fyp and I might have to invest in one before we get our next wave… if anyone has any recs for how to make them a little bit more ✨ fashion ✨ let me know!

Anyway, here’s your usual mix to ease you into the weekend: a round-up of the headlines, a few culture picks worth your attention, and some lighter reads to carry you through 💝

Annabel
Editor

UK NEWS

🎓 A student loans parliamentary inquiry has found that many graduates say they did not fully understand the terms of their debt before signing up.

🧹 Britain’s “rudest” landmark is getting a glow-up this week to help protect it from fading in the rain. 

👩‍⚕️ Senior doctors have responded to the government’s consultation about social media use for under-16s, saying medical professionals should routinely ask younger patients about their screen time.

GLOBAL AFFAIRS

🤝 A US-Iran deal has reportedly been reached by negotiators on extending the ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. 

🏠 Europe's best buy-to-let opportunities have moved away from its priciest cities to more overlooked regions, new data has shown. 

🚀 China has launched a spacecraft carrying three astronauts towards its Tiangong space station – with one crew member set for a year-long stay in orbit.

CULTURE

🎾 At the French Open, Naomi Osaka wore an Eiffel Tower–inspired gold dress during her opening match, bringing a fashion-forward moment to the court. J’Adore ✨

📖 A novel about “Disneyfication” of nature has won the Climate Fiction Prize, scoring an award worth £10,000.

🏛️ The most beautiful new museums in the world have been unveiled by a prestigious architecture and design award.

WORK & INNOVATION

🐆 A satellite called Icarus is tracking signals hidden in animal behaviour, which could save the lives of cheetahs, rhinos and elephants.

📱 Meta has launched subscriptions across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp and is beginning tests of new subscriptions for businesses and creators.

👩‍🔬 A new vaccine that could be ready for clinical trials within three months to help tackle the Ebola outbreak is being developed by scientists at the University of Oxford.

UPLIFTING STUFF

🌊 About 200,000 km² of Pacific Ocean waters, an area roughly the size of the United Kingdom, is set to be protected from fishing and all other destructive human activity under Papua New Guinea’s new plans.

🍽️ A restaurant in the English Cotswolds (yep, the land of Rivals) has started a system of “radical hospitality” – there are just a couple of dishes on the menu, you sit wherever there’s space, and you pay what you can afford.

🦉 A great horned owl can fly silently again after receiving a rare “feather transplant” – watch the video here.

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: This piece makes a surprisingly compelling case for something we’ve all quietly started to abandon – basic greetings. They argue that “hello” isn’t just politeness filler, but a tiny social anchor that signals openness, recognition and shared humanity… especially in a world where we’re increasingly absorbed in headphones and screens. I love the idea that what sometimes feels like a throwaway interaction is reframed as a small but meaningful act of connection.

🎧 Listen: Greg James is the ultimate comfort listen but sometimes it can be hard to catch his radio show. Thankfully, he’s launched a new podcast with his friend and former colleague Alice Levine – and it’s every bit as good (and hilarious) as expected.

📺 Watch: Two Weeks in August kept coming up on my TV as a recommended series so after a while I just had to click on it – and, of course, I’m hooked. If you’ve got a Steve Carrell-shaped hole in your life, definitely give this show a watch. Now that we’re entering Nancy Meyers season, I’ve been on a mission to find some films with similar vibes. My research brought me to The Family Stone, which I’d never watched before, but it really is that good. 

🧑‍🍳 Cook: It’s National Biscuit Day today (no, we didn’t make that up!) – here’s a super simple, 5-ingredient recipe to celebrate.

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