30 April, 2024

Hello and welcome to the first Tuesday edition of The Essential List. This newsletter, which always features a handpicked selection of our favourite articles, short-form videos and podcasts, will now reach your inbox on Tuesdays and Fridays, to book-end your week with the best of the BBC. We hope you enjoy reading our extra edition; please share any feedback here. ‌ In today's newsletter, we're going back to 2020 to take a look at what happened when India banned TikTok. We also have a run-down of the best films to watch this May and a deep-dive into why shoppers can't get enough of Temu. But first, it's wonderlust time.

ESSENTIAL FEATURES The most beautiful hideaways – from treehouses to cabins These stunning off-grid sanctuaries are examples of "parkitecture" – in other words, they follow the architectural style of US national parks by celebrating nature while causing minimal environment impact. Read more

What happens when a social media app is banned Looking at what unfolded when India banned TikTok in 2020 is a lesson for what could happen if the US follows suit. ‌ Read more >‌ A canoe trip into Scotland's sublime borderlands A new three-day canoe trail, which officially opens tomorrow, covers a 30-mile stretch of the majestic River Tweed. ‌ Read more >‌ 11 of the best films to watch in May From A Mad Max Saga to Kingdom of the Planet of The Apes, these are the films on our watch list this coming month.   Read more >‌ How mini ponds are 'tiny universes' of biodiversity Ponds support more biodiversity than rivers and lakes, and even a pot or bucket could soon attract wildlife. ‌ Read more >‌

ESSENTIAL INSIGHTS What it's like to be Muslim in Modi's India Ever since Narendra Modi came to power in 2014, India's 200 million-odd Muslims have had a turbulent journey.  ‌ Read more >‌ Why shoppers find Temu nearly impossible to resist The ecommerce retailer is pushing the exact consumer psychology buttons necessary to keep shoppers shopping. ‌ Read more >‌ Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and the album comeback By opting to ditch singles, could two of the world's biggest stars breathe life back into albums? ‌ Read more >