How Britain can tackle its mountain of unpaid energy bills
A long-term plan such as a social tariff could stop vulnerable households from running up debt
The main event
Worth reading
Not the busiest stories. The pieces most likely to sharpen the mental model.
The disintegration of British democracy
We are witnessing the fracturing of the traditional party system that glues our society together
We’re entering a sectarian age — playing to extremes wins votes
Selected from The Times as an argument-led read.
Prepare for a reckoning if Ukraine war ends
Selected from The Times as an argument-led read.
The First Roundup of Jews in Paris, 1941
A new collection of photographs gives us a new picture of the Holocaust in France.
More headlines
Financial Times
Streeting says he will battle Burnham for Labour leadership
Former health secretary promises that ‘I know how to win’ as he announces intention to succeed Sir Keir Starmer
Financial Times
The disintegration of British democracy
We are witnessing the fracturing of the traditional party system that glues our society together
Financial Times
Birmingham braces for chaos as multi-party vote leaves council rudderless
Europe’s largest local authority has no leadership after the political scene fragmented in this month’s local elections
Financial Times
Trump’s pick for Republican primary beats senator who voted to impeach him
Julia Letlow advances to second round after US president accused Bill Cassidy of disloyalty
BBC News
The UK is churning through leaders. Is the country becoming harder to govern?
Discontent with the political class is greater than ever - has the UK become ungovernable?
BBC News
Bangaranga! Bulgaria wins Eurovision - but UK comes last
Bulgarian singer Dara is a surprise winner beating Israel in second place, while the UK's Look Mum No Computer gets just one point.
BBC News
'Look Mum, one point': Why does the UK keep getting Eurovision wrong?
After four years of flops, the BBC has to think hard about how it approaches Eurovision in 2027.
BBC News
North of England Olympic bid for 2040s being assessed
The government has commissioned UK Sport to conduct an "initial strategic assessment" into a potential bid for the north of...
BBC News
WHO declares Ebola outbreak in DR Congo a global health emergency
The agency added that the outbreak, with around 246 cases and 80 deaths, does not meet the criteria of pandemic emergency.
The Economist
How Tommy Robinson gained extraordinary influence
NYT Europe
Bulgaria Wins Eurovision Song Contest as Israel Comes Second
Five countries boycotted this year’s contest over Israel’s involvement, but politics took a back seat once the show in Vienna...
NYT Europe
Shoppers’ Frenzy for ‘Royal Pop’ Pocket Watches Forces Swatch to Shut Stores
The pocket watches, a collaboration with the luxury timepiece maker Audemars Piguet, drew crowds to stores and malls around the world.
The Telegraph
Jo Malone CBE: ‘Just because you’re successful once, doesn’t give you the right to be again’
The perfumer and entrepreneur takes readers’ questions on career ups and downs and the inspiration behind her fragrances
The Telegraph
Ebola outbreak declared health emergency ‘of international concern’ as new strain spreads
Bundibugyo strain, which has no vaccine, has so far killed 88 and may have been spreading undetected for three weeks
Wales
BBC Wales
Fuel theft couple caught after locals help track them down
Locals turned into amateur investigators to help police track down the fuel thieves in the seaside town.
BBC Wales
I moved to Australia to save £50,000 to buy a house back in the UK
Tom Cowan has been documenting his new life in Melbourne on social media as he seeks to raise the cash.
BBC Wales
Farming family told to pay £19,000 after damaging rare flowers
Lloyd Jenkins and his parents pleaded guilty earlier this month to damaging a protected wildlife site.
BBC Wales
My dad died when I was 12 - I spent my childhood pretending nothing was wrong
Chloe grew up believing she couldn't talk about her dad, and wants young people to be open on grief.
Sport
BBC Sport · Football
No trophy in turbulent season but Alonso arrival offers Chelsea hope
From the gloom of an FA Cup final loss amid a turbulent campaign, Xabi Alonso's impending arrival gives Chelsea hope, writes...
BBC Sport · Golf
Smalley leads as McIlroy, Rahm, Rose & Rai impress on 'moving day'
Thirty players are within five shots of surprise leader Alex Smalley as Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm make big moves in the third...
BBC Sport · Mixed Martial Arts
Rousey seals perfect ending with 15-second comeback win
Ronda Rousey rolls back the years as she submits Gina Carano with a trademark armbar inside 15 seconds of their...
BBC Sport · Football
Casemiro's fond farewell - how Brazilian turned Man Utd career around
Casemiro plays his last game for Manchester United at Old Trafford against Nottingham Forest, and will return a hero no matter...
The Race
The hidden technique behind Button's extraordinary feel for conditions
There's arguably no F1 driver with the reputation for such feel for conditions as 2009 champion Jenson Button - whose...
The Race
Live: Watch Verstappen's team fight for Nurburgring 24 Hours win
Following months of preparation, Max Verstappen’s Nurburgring 24 Hours debut is here - and you can watch the whole race on The Race
Formula 1 Official
GALLERY: Sainz completes the first laps at the Madring
Williams’ Carlos Sainz was given the chance to drive the Madring ahead of F1’s long-awaited return to Madrid for September’s...
Formula 1 Official
Inside a hot lap of the Madring with home hero Sainz
Lawrence Barretto joins Carlos Sainz for his first laps of the Madring, a new circuit in the Williams driver's home city of...
ESPN Cricinfo
'It is simple math' for GT but the 'upper ceiling' complicates matters
"If you have to score targets further than 225, it will come back and hurt them," Sanjay Bangar says after GT fell 29 runs...
ESPN Cricinfo
Babar scraps after Taskin and Mehidy leave Pakistan in deep trouble
Pakistan, responding to Bangladesh's 278, went to lunch on the second day at a rickety 96 for 4
Science
New Scientist
Can cloud seeding save us from water bankruptcy?
We’ve long tried to control the weather by engineering rainfall. Now such cloud-seeding efforts are escalating, creating...
New Scientist
Himalayan wolf-dog hybrids emerge as a threat to wolves and people
In Ladakh, Himalayan wolves are increasingly breeding with feral dogs, giving rise to a new animal known as khipshang that...
New Scientist
New Scientist recommends a smart new account of human exceptionalism
Why did humans decide they weren't like other animals, or animals at all? Has this exceptionalism twisted us out of shape?...
New Scientist
Where did the laws of physics come from? I think I've found the answer
The rules governing gravity and other laws of nature seem like eternal truths, but cosmologist João Magueijo has always...
Nature
Even mild blows to the head disrupt the microbiome
Nature, Published online: 15 May 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01504-w Some bacterial species became less abundant in the guts...
Nature
Briefing Chat: Hantavirus — what this outbreak reveals about the disease
Nature, Published online: 15 May 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01575-9 Nature staff discuss some of the week's top science news.
Nature
Bespoke DNA vaccine offers hope for treatment of notorious brain cancer
Nature, Published online: 15 May 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01503-x The personalized treatment encourages the immune system...
Nature
Exclusive: NIH ousts infectious-disease leaders as COVID scientists face US charges
Nature, Published online: 15 May 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01558-w Eight of the top ten officials at the US National...
Technology
The Verge
Snap, YouTube, and TikTok settle suit over harm to students
Snap, YouTube, and TikTok have settled the first lawsuit of its kind, alleging that social media addiction has cost public...
The Verge
Sony tries to explain that its AI Camera Assistant doesn’t suck
After Sony drew some unwanted attention for a post demonstrating its AI Camera Assistant on the Xperia 1 XIII, it's trying to...
The Verge
NPR’s Manoush Zomorodi talks about living with too much tech
Manoush Zamorodi is an accomplished reporter, podcast host, and author. Her new book, Body Electric, takes a comprehensive...
The Verge
Turtle Beach made a good SteelSeries headset clone that’s $50 less
I really liked the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless, so the company didn't have to say much to get me excited about its...
Techcrunch
The haves and have nots of the AI gold rush
The vibes around the current AI boom aren't great, even in the tech industry.
Techcrunch
Marketing operating system Nectar Social raises $30M Series A led by Menlo
AI-powered marketing platform Nectar Social announced Thursday that it raised a $30 million Series A round led by Menlo...
Techcrunch
Research repository ArXiv will ban authors for a year if they let AI do all the work
ArXiv is doing more to crack down on the careless use of large language models in scientific papers.
Techcrunch
The offline desk gadget that actually got me to sit up straight
Deep Care's $350 device is pricy, but it runs offline and helps you improve your posture and movement habits
Wired
Old Oil and Gas Wells Could Find Second Life Producing Clean Energy
States across the US are looking to take major sources of pollution and use them to generate much-needed power.
Wired
How to Control Everything on Your Phone With Your Voice (iOS and Android)
Go fully hands-free with these tips for Android and iOS.
Hacker News · 329 pts
Zerostack – A Unix-inspired coding agent written in pure Rust
Hacker News · 85 pts
Colossus: The Forbin Project
Hacker News · 105 pts
Hosting a website on an 8-bit microcontroller
Hacker News · 142 pts
A nicer voltmeter clock
Hacker News · 29 pts
Mozilla to UK regulators: VPNs are essential privacy and security tools
Hacker News · 99 pts