RBA expected to hike cash rate to 4.6%, its highest level since 2011 27. September 2026 (17:00) Outcome of meetings of Reserve Bank on Monday and Tuesday will affect Australian mortgage rates, household budgets and house pricesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s key interest rate is expected to hit its highest level since 2011, drag down house prices and add more than $100 to typical monthly mortgage repayments.The Reserve Bank board is poised to hike the cash rate from 4.35% to 4.6% on Tuesday, which would be the fourth increase in 2026 and push typical home loan interest rates to 6.5%. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Lime bike profits double as rider numbers surge in England 27. September 2026 (16:24) US-owned firm says average monthly users at UK arm surged to nearly 700,000 with sales up by a thirdLove them or hate them, Lime ebikes are an increasingly common sight on England’s roads with new figures showing annual profits more than doubling thanks to a surge in riders.Lime’s average number of monthly users jumped 31% to approaching 700,000 as it added more than 4,500 ebikes and scooters to its fleet, taking the total to almost 38,000, the company’s UK arm, Lime Technologies, said in accounts filed at Companies House. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Datacenter developers accused of skirting key US pollution rules 27. September 2026 (16:00) Firms manipulating process to avoid emission controls and scrutiny of their projects, environmental groups warnDatacenter developers are manipulating the EPA’s air pollution permitting process to avoid emission controls and scrutiny of their projects, environmental advocates allege.Companies need federal permits to emit a range of pollutants. In their permit applications, some in big tech are avoiding “major” reviews by dividing their emissions sources into separate, multiple “minor” sources that require less regulatory oversight, the advocates say. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Two giant pandas set off to Atlanta zoo from China after Xi-Trump summit 27. September 2026 (15:14) Pandas departed Chengdu for their new homes in Georgia as part of agreement between Chinese and US governmentsTwo giant pandas departed Chengdu in south-western China early on Sunday for their new homes in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of an agreement between the Chinese and US governments.While in Washington DC for a three-day summit with Donald Trump, Chinese president Xi Jinping announced that the pandas would arrive in Atlanta in the coming days. The loan of the pandas to the Atlanta zoo was one of the few concrete outcomes to come out of Xi’s state visit with the US president, which saw expressions of goodwill between the leaders, but no fixes to any of the longstanding differences between the two countries. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘I wanted to help another family’: four surrogates on how they feel about the surrogacy discourse 27. September 2026 (15:00) The Guardian spoke with surrogates across the US about what they think of the controversy surrounding the practiceSurrogacy has been thrust into the national spotlight in recent weeks, with both the announcement of Lena Dunham using a surrogate to start a family and the ongoing legal battle surrounding McKenna West, a gestational surrogate who fled to Texas to avoid having an abortion that was requested by the child’s biological parents.With a renewed public interest on commercial, or compensated, surrogacy, the Guardian spoke with surrogates across the US who shared their experiences and how they feel about surrogacy being part of a global, public conversation. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
