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Highlights

Inside Story

Putin and the ‘Petersburg set’: The secret life of a Russian leader

What is Vladimir Putin like behind closed doors? Anne McElvoy takes a closer look at the mind and mood of the Russian president, how he lives and loves, and who has made it into his inner circle...

<p>Vladimir Putin being inaugurated for a fifth term as Russian President </p>

The Longer Read

Buying a Chinese electric car? There is something you should know...

<p>Baby Reindeer has been Netflix’s No 1 show for weeks – but how reliable a narrator is Richard Gadd? </p>

Inside Story

Baby Reindeer’s ‘true’ story is getting more complicated by the day

<p>All the rage: Frustration can lead to anger, which, if it isn’t channelled correctly, can lead to health and relationship problems</p>

Health and Wellbeing

Your anger could be ruining your life (and you don’t even realise it)

Voices

Russell Brand’s Jesus complex has finally gone too far

<p>Buyers are reluctant to pay through the nose for houses, and prices have been falling month on month </p>

House prices are falling – but what does it mean for the future?

<p>All Starmer has to do is hold his nerve and keep the Labour vehicle pointing towards the centre ground</p>

John Rentoul

The local elections are a triumph for Starmer’s embrace of Blairism

The Longer Read

<p>Officers arrest a protestor who participated in an demonstration at the Columbia University campus</p>

In Focus

Could the Columbia Campus wars now tear British universities apart?

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations and overt antisemitism led to the national guard being called out to one American university. Think it couldn’t spiral out of control in this country? Think again, says Nicole Lampert

<p>Is anybody there? If so, Voyager 1 will let them know we are here </p>

Inside Story

Voyager 1 is still surprising us from the edges of our solar system

<p>‘My mum’s simple wish was to die with dignity and in peace’ </p>

I took Mum to Dignitas – this act of love was investigated as a crime

Politics Explained

<p>The Conservatives’ Susan Hall gives her speech at City Hall after losing the London mayoral election </p>

Politics Explained

Did Rishi Sunak deliberately snub Susan Hall by not voting in London?

<p>The party has made significant progress without having Nigel Farage as its formal leader</p>

Politics Explained

How scared should the Tories be of Reform UK?

<p>Monty Panesar will represent George Galloway’s Workers of Britain party in Ealing Southall </p>

Politics Explained

Can Monty Panesar spin his way into the House of Commons?

<p>Rishi Sunak is looking for enough support to continue into the next election</p>

Politics Explained

How bad must local election results get to topple Rishi Sunak?

Most Commented

Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire as IDF orders 100,000 to evacuate Rafah: Live

692 comments

Israelis take Rafah crossing with tanks amid calls for US to ‘intervene’ - Gaza live

287 comments

Brexit changes linked to ‘collapse in confidence’ for UK farmers

385 comments

Tories may not win election, Sunak admits while claiming hung parliament likely

195 comments

Editorials

<p>Palestinians flee Rafah on Monday fearing an invasion by the IDF</p>

The Independent View

If Israel mounts an assault on Rafah, we’ll see desperate consequences

<p>Rishi Sunak in Teesside for the mayoral result – a tiny ray of light for the Tories during the local elections </p>

The Independent View

Election results reveal how futile it would be for Sunak to tack right

<p>The Independent supports the cross-party initiative to extend the combined authority model across the whole of England</p>

The Independent View

Directly elected mayors have breathed new life into local democracy

Culture

<p>Our guide to what to read this May </p>

The best new books to read this May

<p>Is the back catalogue of The Beatles really as infinite as a recent series of releases and projects suggests? </p>

Is there any ‘lost’ classic rock still worth hearing?

<p>Gregory Peck and Brock Peters in the 1962 film of Harper lee’s classic ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ </p>

Book of a lifetime: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Travel

<p>A couple’s tour to Japan was paid for at a much higher exchange rate than experienced in the country on their trip </p>

Can we claim rate rebate after the yen dropped while we were in Japan?

<p>The ruins of a Roman apartment block go unnoticed in the shadow of Rome’s Il Vittoriano and Santa Maria Aracoeli</p>

Beyond the Trevi Fountain: an the ancient roman’s guide to secret Rome

John RentoulThe Independent’s chief political commentator

<p>Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, in a speech in the City of London, accused the Conservatives of ‘gaslighting’ the public over the state of the economy</p>

If anyone is gaslighting us over the economy, it’s Rachel Reeves

<p>‘So, you still believe rack is a five-letter word, do you?’ </p>

Errors & Omissions

Mea Culpa: earlier and later American principles

<p>Rishi Sunak in Teesside celebrating with Ben Houchen following his re-election</p>

No, the local elections don’t point to a hung parliament

Andrew GricePolitical columnist who keeps his ear to the ground inside Westminster

<p>The tactic worked at the 2015 election. It won’t work again </p>

Sunak spinning hopes of a hung parliament won’t work this time

<p>Rishi Sunak limited the scale of the rebellion against him with pre-election policy initiatives</p>

Whatever happened to the post-election Tory bloodbath?

<p>Announcing the date of the general election now is preferable to threatening a summer poll, which few backbenchers want </p>

There is one simple way for Sunak to silence the Tory rebels

Chris Blackhurst

<p>The event was interpreted as a personal advertisement from Sunak, that when he departs No 10, he will want to work in tech, possibly, who knows, for Elon Musk himself </p>

Why is Rishi shying away from a battle with Big Tech?

<p>Shalini Khemka was made a CBE for services to entrepreneurship (E2E/PA)</p>

A celebration of Britain’s fastest-growing women-led businesses

<p>The hospitality industry is struggling without a steady stream of young staff </p>

Business Comment

Blocking a Brexit free-movement scheme is spiteful and unforgiveable

News analysis

<p>David Cameron meeting Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Friday</p>

The UK must support strikes inside Russia – despite Putin’s threats

<p>Rishi Sunak welcomes Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame to Downing Street earlier this month </p>

Is the capital of Rwanda really safer than London?

<p>Demonstrators wave Iran’s flag as they gather in front of the British embassy in Tehran</p>

Could conflict between Israel and Iran trigger a third world war?

<p>That sinking feeling: the City spoke of Britain paying a ‘moron premium’ for the craziness caused by Liz Truss, </p>

Going for broke: the tragicomedy of Trussonomics

Sport

<p>Nottingham Forest accused a Premier League official of bias in a controversial statement </p>

Shameless derby: How Forest made City clash a lose-lose for neutrals

<p>Taylor Swift has been supporting partner Travis Kelce throughout the playoffs </p>

As the NFL grows, could the Super Bowl soon touch down in London?

Mary DejevskyExpert on foreign affairs, Russian politics and diplomatic relations between the Kremlin and the west

<p>They say you want a revolution: Columbia university protests in 1968, and, inset, today </p>

Protesting students have much to learn from the 1960s ‘glory days’

<p>Wednesday’s meeting between Rishi Sunak and his German counterpart, Olaf Scholz, was overshadowed by a diplomatic gaffe </p>

Why Sunak is now banking on a special relationship with Germany

<p>The Renters (Reform) Bill is on its third reading </p>

Politics Explained

How did a Tory promise to end no-fault evictions become stalled?

America

<p>Joe Biden speaks in Belfast on 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement</p>

Biden says Brexit deal can bring ‘significant’ US investment to NI

<p>Such leaks remind countries like Russia – as well as US allies – of the sheer scale and reach of Washington’s operations</p>

The diplomatic damage done by the Pentagon leak won’t last long

<p>Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley wrote a tweet attacking ‘weak and woke’ ideology the day she declared her candidacy</p>

Republicans are running on ‘wokeism’ – but don’t know what it is