Tourists in England face nightly levy on hotel and Airbnb stays under new plans 10. September 2026 (11:00) Labelled a tourist tax, proposals would give mayors power to decide how revenue raised should be investedUK politics live – latest updatesHolidaymakers will face a nightly levy on hotel and Airbnb-style stays in England under plans ministers are due to outline to give mayors new powers.The idea, labelled a tourist tax, was first raised by Keir Starmer’s government in November and is similar to a scheme running in Scotland. It would allow mayors to charge a fee to visitors staying overnight and decide how the revenue raised should be invested. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Grace Tame apologises for comments labelling rape of Israeli women during Hamas attacks ‘propaganda’ 10. September 2026 (10:22) The former Australian of the Year said she stood with survivors of sexual violence ‘everywhere’ and ‘no matter who they are’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGrace Tame has apologised for her comments labelling the rape of Israeli women by Hamas during the 7 October attacks as “propaganda” and “debunked”, saying her words were “misinterpreted”.The former Australian of the Year issued the apology in an Instagram video on Thursday. The comments were made in an ABC interview about Israel and Gaza in March. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Tens of millions of people fail to get humanitarian aid as global system crumbles 10. September 2026 (10:00) Funding cuts in 2025 left women, children, older and displaced people hard hit, with 64m fewer people receiving aidThe humanitarian aid system is crumbling as funding shrinks, pressures increase and governments not only fail to protect civilians but are increasingly responsible for endangering them, a new report warned on Thursday as figures revealed 64 million fewer people received aid last year.With aid contributions cut by 30% between 2022 and 2025 and thousands of aid workers losing their jobs, the humanitarian system has suffered one of its biggest contractions since being formed in the post-second world war era, according to the State of the Humanitarian System 2026 report. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Climate ‘feedback loops’ could worsen global warming by 30%, study finds 10. September 2026 (10:00) Emissions of planet-heating methane and CO2 from natural sources are worsening the climate crisis, paper saysRising global temperatures caused by the burning of fossil fuels are transforming the world’s forests, wetlands and tundra to the point they are releasing emissions that could further worsen global heating by as much as 30%, a new study has found.As the world heats up, permafrost in the high latitudes is thawing, fiercer wildfires are burning in drying forests and wetlands and lakes are warming. All of these changes are themselves causing the release of planet-heating methane and carbon dioxide locked in trees and soils, therefore worsening the climate crisis, the paper states. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
