Guardian: The average public library is not only a provider of the latest Anne Enright or Julia Donaldson: it is now an informal citizens advice bureau, a business development centre, a community centre and a mental health provider. It is an unofficial Sure Start centre, a homelessness shelter, a literacy and foreign language-learning centre, a calm space where tutors can help struggling kids, an asylum support provider, a citizenship and driving theory test centre, and a place to sit still all day and stare at the wall, if that is what you need to do, without anyone expecting you to buy anything.

It's getting dangerously, fatally, hotter. In Bamako, Athens, Santiago, Mexico City, Podgorica, Mecca, Rio de Janeiro, Paraburdoo, Delhi, Toronto, San Salvador, Beijing, Dubrovnik, Skikda, Rome, Cairo, Trenton, and many other places, 2024 temperatures are deadly and breaking records. What are your techniques, strategies, methods, neat tricks for dealing with the heat? Or just write about whatever is on your mind, in your heart, or on your plate, because this is your weekly free thread, fellow MeFites.

Guardian latest 24 hour summary: "Three new MRP polls predicted varying degrees of Conservative annihilation, the worst of them projecting a collapse to 53 seats (analogy) and prompting a Daily Telegraph front page headline in a font size normally reserved for mass casualty events in the home counties: 'Tory Wipeout'. The Gambling Commission was revealed to be looking into a second Conservative hopeful, Bristol North West candidate Laura Saunders, over an alleged bet on the timing of the election. Jeremy Hunt admitted he might lose his own seat...

...Laura Saunders' husband turned out to be the Conservatives' director of campaigning, Tony Lee, who is also facing questions from the Gambling Commission and has taken a leave of absence two weeks out from the election. Tory campaign resources are being moved out of constituencies with majorities of around 10,000 because they are no longer viewed as winnable. The Conservatives deleted an unfortunately timed social media post that warned "if you bet on Labour, you can never win" alongside a video of a roulette wheel, that had already been viewed 1.4m times. Promotion started for Boris Johnson's forthcoming book, with a picture of the former prime minister looking like a particularly monstrous horror movie villain, and the tagline: "UNLEASHED". Where do the Tories go from here? The answer appears to be the Hurlingham Club, where they are holding their summer party tonight. Tables cost £12,000." [Previouslyer][Countdown] Politico: Betting scandal engulfs UK election. Metro: What happens if a prime minister loses their seat in a General Election? The National: Polls may be wrong and Tories could win the election, claims Michael Gove Highest-rated comment: Must have changed his dealer, the new blow has addled what's left of his very limited intellect.

A compilation of Philomena Cunk moments. Formerly: [1][2][3][4]

'Tis the week of midsummer and the solstice, when people gather for early sunrises, and late sunsets (northern hemisphere edition) impress. Bonfires are lit, and rituals to cleanse abound, in many places (anywhere you want) and not just overcrowded Stonehenge. But what was your "longest day" (and interpret that in any you see fit)? Happy, sad, epic, life-changing, life-affirming? On your own, with a loved one, a friend, or a crowd? Or just write about whatever is on your mind, in your heart, or on your plate, because this is your weekly free thread. Happy midsummer, MeFites!

GQ: "It's happening very fast," said Saurabh Netravalkar, the Team USA cricket player with the world-famous LinkedIn profile ... Several fans in attendance held up signs calling Kohli a god; one held up a sign asking Netravalkar for a job reference. Guardian: As it happened: USA beat Pakistan. The Athletic: So, for a son of Mumbai to inflict such a humiliating defeat on the old enemy was a case of Netravalkar - in the words of his younger sister Nidhi on social media - "making two countries happy". Times of India: Balancing his dual roles as a cricketer and a software engineer at Oracle, Netravalkar manages his demanding career alongside his sports commitments. Interviewed in cricbuzz: "I filed for a patent. It was an innovation algorithm that we had."

Cricinfo: After the Pakistan win, a screen grab of his Slack out-of-office message was all over social media. It said he would be away from work until June 17, when the group phase of the World Cup ends. Netravalkar is not thinking ahead to whether he might have to extend his leave of absence in case USA make it to the Super 8s... ...update on that: As of an hour ago, the USA have enough points so they can't be caught by Ireland, Canada or Pakistan in their group. This means the USA qualify, along with India, into the final group stage of the current World Cup: this also gives the USA automatic qualification for the same World Cup tournament in 2026, two years before cricket returns to the Olympics in Los Angeles. Saurabh is going to need to ask for an extension to WFWCM (Work From World Cup Matches).

The latest: Personal disaster zone Rishi "Bring Back National Service" Sunak couldn't do an afternoon of his own, bailing on D-day commemorations to pre-record a TV interview, and is now campaigning while hiding from the media, public, and his local rival. In Scotland, unpopular referee and malevolent garden gnome Douglas Ross has picked a seat by ejecting the sitting Tory candidate, while in England the Conservative chair has been parachuted into a seat to fight. But it's not all good for the other parties; Hank Hill lookalike Keir Starmer failed to convince in a 1-2-1 debate, while in Wales the (Labour) First Minister loses a confidence vote. Also, Ed Davey continues his bizarre "Mr Blobby incident lifestyle" election campaign, while Farage continues to be a [Previously] [Countdown].

Popsci: (on the Tesla Cybertruck upgrades for police cruisers) "With the all-wheel drive Cybertruck's current $79,990 price, it stands to reason the combined taxpayer cost for a vehicle and new UP.FIT features could easily top $90,000. While UP.FIT's website doesn't offer any price ranges, Unplugged Performance lists similar products on its online store. A 50-inch, 48V double row LED light bar for the Cybertruck, for example, costs $1,293.75, while a front bull bar retails for $1,995. UP.FIT details at least 25 upgrades in its standard "Patrol Cybertruck" tier as well as multiple recommended and optional additions. For comparison, a brand-new 2024 Ford Explorer 4WD Police Interceptor costs roughly $47,000." (Police Cruiser Manual Override Exit Tool: $6.29)