Explained

The background, the numbers and what comes next on the big stories.

Seven hours is the minimum health agencies recommend for adults. What the guidance says, and the habits that make it easier to reach.

NewCultureOct 25, 2026

A central bank changes one number, and mortgages, savings and shop prices follow. What a rate decision means for your money.

NewBusinessOct 25, 2026

Americans vote in November, but 538 electors pick the president. Why that system makes a few swing states matter more than the rest.

NewWorldOct 24, 2026

Every Test series now counts towards one league table and a final. How the points work, and why teams are ranked by percentage.

NewSportsOct 24, 2026

Festival premieres in September, guild prizes over winter, the Oscars in spring. How awards season works, and who actually votes.

NewCultureOct 23, 2026

Prices rise for different reasons, and statisticians track them with a basket of everyday goods. Why central banks want a little inflation, not none.

NewBusinessOct 23, 2026

It decides big matches and starts endless arguments. What offside actually means, when it is an offence and when it does not apply.

NewSportsOct 22, 2026

The G20 can't pass laws or enforce anything. So why do the leaders of the world's largest economies keep turning up every year?

NewWorldOct 22, 2026

Films used to play in cinemas for months before reaching your TV. Why that gap has shrunk, and why cinema owners are pushing back.

NewCultureAnalysisOct 21, 2026

When the news says markets rose, it means an index did. What the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and Nikkei track, and why a few giant companies move them.

NewBusinessOct 21, 2026

25 points for a win, one for tenth, and extra points on sprint weekends. How Formula 1 scores the drivers' and constructors' titles.

NewSportsOct 20, 2026