Biometric checks stalled again for cross-Channel travellers
Posted on Saturday April 04, 2026

Fears of Easter chaos over scaling up of new EU border system are eased, with no facial IDs for Eurotunnel and Eurostar passengers

Passengers crossing the Channel from the UK to France will not face new biometric checks in the coming weeks, despite an imminent deadline for the complete implementation of the EU’s entry-exit system (EES), ports say.

Airlines and airports across Europe have feared chaos over the Easter holidays.

Read more...

New North Sea drilling would barely reduce UK gas imports at all, data shows
Posted on Saturday April 04, 2026

Exclusive: research finds Jackdaw field would provide only about 2% of current demand, and Rosebank only 1%

Opening major new fields in the North Sea would make almost no difference to the UK’s reliance on gas imports, research has shown.

The Jackdaw field, one of the largest unexploited gasfields in the North Sea, would displace only 2% of the UK’s current imports of gas, which would leave the UK still almost entirely dependent on supplies from Norway and a few other sources.

Read more...

Keir Starmalade, anyone? Will marmalade really have to be rebranded in UK?
Posted on Saturday April 04, 2026

Britain is reportedly considering aligning with EU rules in what Daily Mail is calling the PM’s ‘breakfast reset’

The story is, in Fleet Street terminology, a marmalade dropper. The name marmalade is being dropped.

But is it?

Read more...

‘Over the top and fun:’ TGI Fridays boss insists time is right for a UK revival
Posted on Saturday April 04, 2026

Ray Blanchette admits he may be a ‘little crazy’ as he outlines chain’s hopes of building 1,000 outlets globally

“I am a little crazy maybe,” admits Ray Blanchette, a former TGI Fridays kitchen manager who has taken on the revival of the bar-restaurant chain’s UK business in the face of blasting industry headwinds.

Blanchette’s family investment firm, Sugarloaf, rescued the Dallas-based parent business from administration in 2025. He then went on to pick up its UK arm in January after the local franchisee got into difficulties, retaining 33 UK restaurants but closing 16, with the loss of 456 jobs.

Read more...

UK’s leading AI research institute told to make ‘significant’ changes
Posted on Friday April 03, 2026

Alan Turing Institute told by funder to offer better strategy and more value for money after board was reminded of legal duties by watchdog

The UK’s leading AI research institute has been told to make “significant” changes by its main source of taxpayer funding.

The Guardian revealed last week that the board of the Alan Turing Institute was reminded of its legal duties by the charity watchdog after a whistleblower complaint.

Read more...

Goodbye mrbrightside416: Google allows users to alter quirky Gmail addresses
Posted on Thursday April 02, 2026

Those in US given chance to have more professional usernames without losing access to account

Did your McLovin!1976!@gmail.com email address seem funny at the time but less so now you are applying for dozens of jobs?

Google has said it is giving US users a chance to appear more professional by letting them change their Google account username – whatever appears before @gmail.com in an email address – without losing access to their account.

Read more...

Southampton v Arsenal: FA Cup quarter-final – live
Posted on Saturday April 04, 2026

⚽️ FA Cup updates from 8pm BST kick-off at St Mary’s
⚽️ Arteta admits to Carabao pain | Email Scott here

1 min: Saints are on the front foot immediately, Fellows romping into space down the right. He takes one touch too many, though, allowing Lewis-Skelly to put a stop to his gallop. An early statement of intent from the hosts.

Arsenal get the ball rolling. Plenty of noise, the St Mary’s faithful marching in.

Read more...

Slot rues Liverpool’s ‘missing fighting spirit’ after humiliating FA Cup exit
Posted on Saturday April 04, 2026

• ‘Mentality wasn’t there’ in 4-0 loss to Manchester City

• Slot adds ‘the amount of goals we score is far too low’

Arne Slot slammed Liverpool’s “missing fighting spirit” after the 4-0 humiliation by Manchester City that propelled Pep Guardiola’s team into the FA Cup semi-finals.

The manner of the 4-0 reverse will heighten scrutiny of the head coach’s future, with Liverpool next at Paris Saint-Germain for Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg. A similar defeat in the tie may prove terminal for Slot.

Read more...