Opinion – Brent’s tourist tax makes more sense than you’d think
Wembley’s three-million-strong crowds bring in noise, traffic, and little benefit to locals. Brent Council’s hotel levy is a smart and overdue response. Granted, Brent isn’t exactly the first place that springs to mind when you think of tourist taxes. It’s not central London and it’s certainly not the picturesque Cotswolds....
Current in People
Why Lamine Yamal is in trouble for his birthday party
The footballer is under investigation for reportedly hiring people with dwarfism for his 18th birthday party. The incident raises serious questions about disability discrimination in 2025. When Spain’s footballing prodigy Lamine Yamal turned 18 last week, he marked the milestone in the way many young men might dream of: a...
Who will stop Israel from starving people in Gaza?
This week, world leaders condemned Israel for ‘drip feeding’ aid into Gaza, while humanitarian groups warned that widespread man-made famine – caused by the ongoing Israeli blockade – has reached critical levels. At least 115 people have already died due to famine and malnutrition, with impacted doctors and aid...
First malaria treatment approved for babies
For the first time ever, treatment for malaria specifically designed for newborns and small infants has received regulatory approval, which is exciting for millions across Africa, where malaria remains a serious public health threat.
Malaria remains a huge public health challenge, particularly throughout Sub‑Saharan Africa.
The World Health Organization reported
No nation can fill the foreign aid void left by USAID
Months since the order was given, the gap left in foreign aid spending by the US is so vast that no other nation has been able to fill it, especially when most are redirecting funding to the defense industry. 4 months ago, the Trump administration moved to cut USAID...
Why Africa must step up following USAID withdrawal
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which represents a fundamental element of American soft power and is one of the most consequential development agencies in the world, is closing its doors. While curtains never truly ‘fall’, there are flagging budget cuts, evolving US foreign policy objectives, and a...
Exclusive – Acclaimed chef Ebru Baybara Demir on driving change through a ‘plate’
I spoke with Ebru Baybara Demir, an award-winning social gastronomy chef from Türkiye, about how gastronomy can impact communities, people, and the environment. Ebru Baybara Demir has been a driving force behind the transformation of a small city in eastern Türkiye: Mardin. Like the butterfly effect, her dream of turning Mardin into a tourist destination led to change. Many local women, some of whom had no access to formal education, joined...
Why is Greece’s farming industry in peril?
The scandal that has made its way up the government’s hierarchy has faced harsh penalties from the EU. However, these may ultimately affect honest farmers. Back in its archaic days, clientelism was central to Greece. This system saw citizens relying on patronage from esteemed parties, normally political, in exchange for their loyalty or service. Today, we refer to this act as a class of corruption, and the Greek government has once...
Why are women’s tears still condemned as weakness?
Rachel Reeves’ display of emotion in the House of Commons has been met with criticism and a stock market nose-dive. Why is the image of an emotional woman still so controversial? The UKs first female Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, cried in the Commons last week. Her tears led to a crash in the pound, attracted widespread criticism from political commentators, and triggered rumours that she was either about to leave her...
Zuckerberg school closures reflect wider shift among US billionaires
The quiet decision to retract funding for a US primary school has caused the institution to shutter – leaving disadvantaged kids in the crossfire. By all accounts, The Primary School in East Palo Alto, California, was designed to be an ambitious experiment in breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Founded in 2016 with the backing of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), the school offered something few public institutions could: not...
