The UK is racing towards a winter energy crisis

The pandemic showed we need a Green New Deal

In today's WIRED Daily, we examine why the UK is racing towards a winter energy crisis and explain why the pandemic showed we need a Green New Deal. The UK is racing towards a winter energy crisis Winter is coming – and it looks like it's going to be a rocky one. The price of natural gas in the UK has increased more than 420 per cent year on year. In mainland Europe, prices are tracking a similarly sharp trajectory. And a perfect combination of other factors – including environmental conditions and unpredictable accidents – is putting the industry under further strain.   These price fluctuations have a knock-on effect: the price of electricity – often generated from gas – is spiking, while household suppliers are hitting the wall as catastrophically high wholesale prices make their businesses uneconomical. Seven UK supply firms have gone out of business so far this year. Bills for end users are forecast to rise 20 per cent, according to Citigroup. Read the full story on WIRED Today's headlines Activision hires new executives What happened: The hires are an attempt to improve the company's workplace culture, after it was rocked by a scandal about its "frat boy culture". Why it matters: The company has been sued by California's employment agency. Ugly details have emerged, including a 'Bill Cosby suite' frequented by an employees. Since the initial lawsuit emerged, it has been followed by others: a newly filed suit from the Communications Workers of America claims the company has been intimidating employees. Facebook under fire for secret Instagram research What happened: According to the Wall Street Journal, Facebook knew that the app affected teenage girls' body image, but kept it secret for two years. The company is now facing demands for answers from US lawmakers and politicians have called for Facebook to scrap its plans for a version of Instagram aimed at children. Why it matters: The extent of the impact was significant. "We make body image issues worse for one in three teen girls," said one slide in the research. "Thirty-two per cent of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse." TikTok faces data scrutiny What happened: Ireland's Data Protection Commission is examining whether TikTok is safe for children, and whether data is being transferred to China. Why it matters: Donald Trump tried to ban TikTok while in office, calling it a national security risk. The investigation will also examine whether TikTok complies with the EU's data regulation and age verification measures. The pandemic showed we need a Green New Deal   "That basic diagnosis of how the world is stitched together, and what a constructive politics would look like – it's just spot on." Adam Tooze's new book, Shutdown, dissects the pandemic's economic damage – and highlights the chance for a Green New Deal Today's job picks Head of software Northrop Grumman Apply now European Innovation Council programme manager EISMEA Apply now Get the latest issue of WIRED   WIRED's guide to the 100 hottest startups in Europe covers the best of the best from ten of Europe's most vibrant ecosystems. Also in this issue... The rise of internet shutdowns Azeem Azhar on the Exponential Age  The hunt for dark energy Making coding less of a drag   Subscribe for £19 a year This week on the podcast ▶️ They watched a YouTuber with Tourette's, then adopted his tics   🌐 The battle for the future of Afghanistan's internet Listen now Prefer a weekly digest? Subscribe to the WIRED Weekly Unsubscribe  |  View this email in your browser  Queries about this email? Contact datacontroller@condenast.co.uk Condé Nast Publications 1 Hanover Square, London W1S 1JU © The Condé Nast Publications Ltd Our Privacy Policy