‘Nigel is mad to accept his money’: who is Christopher Harborne, the mystery billionaire bankrolling Reform?
Posted on Saturday April 25, 2026

A crypto tycoon is giving record-breaking amounts to Farage’s party. But little is known about his motives

Shortly before Christmas 2022, Chakrit Sakunkrit, owner of the Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary on the Thai island of Koh Samui, invited 200 guests to spend a few days celebrating his 60th birthday. One sultry afternoon, Sakunkrit and a small group gathered around a table near the shore, surrounded by the burgundy foliage of Good Luck plants. To his right, dressed down in a polo shirt, sat Nigel Farage.

Since Brexit marked the achievement of his life’s work three years earlier, Farage had fizzled. Even some of his supporters had pronounced him finished. Now, with the Conservatives in disarray after Liz Truss’s disastrous budget that September, Farage was hinting at a still more ambitious project: to make himself prime minister.

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Stock markets will fall, Bank of England deputy governor says
Posted on Friday April 24, 2026

Sarah Breeden predicts ‘adjustment’ due to elevated risk including private credit and highly valued AI stocks

• Business live – latest updates

Record-high global stock markets do not reflect the risks in the global economy, and will fall back, a deputy governor at the Bank of England has said.

Sarah Breeden, the deputy governor for financial stability at the Bank, fears that macroeconomic risks are not fully priced into equity markets. She cited concerns about private credit markets, highly valued artificial intelligence stocks, and other “risky valuations”.

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UK eases airline penalties as jet fuel shortages threaten flights
Posted on Friday April 24, 2026

Carriers will retain airport slots if they cancel services as passengers are urged to continue with travel plans

Penalties on airlines that cancel UK flights because of jet fuel shortages have been eased, it has emerged, as the government issued fresh advice to reassure the public they can still fly and should stick to travel plans.

Airlines that cancel owing to a lack of fuel will not lose their rights to valuable takeoff and landing slots at busy airports, which can be forfeited when flights fail to operate over a period.

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‘The damage is done’: global oil crisis has changed fossil fuel industry for ever, IEA chief says
Posted on Friday April 24, 2026

Exclusive: International Energy Agency’s Fatih Birol, the world’s leading energy economist, also says UK should largely forgo North Sea expansion

The oil crisis triggered by the Iran war has changed the fossil fuel industry for ever, turning countries away from fossil fuels to secure energy supplies, the world’s leading energy economist said.

Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), also said that, despite pressure, the UK should forgo much of its potential North Sea expansion.

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Officials hugely underestimated impact of AI datacentres on UK carbon emissions
Posted on Friday April 24, 2026

Revised figures increase fears about energy-intensive datacentres worsening climate emergency

The UK government vastly underestimated the climate impact of artificial intelligence, it has emerged, after officials raised their estimate of carbon emissions from AI by a factor of more than 100.

According to new data quietly published this week, energy use by AI datacentres in the UK could cause the emission of up to 123m tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) – about as much as generated by 2.7 million people – over the next 10 years.

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TikTok and Visa launch debit card to speed payouts to UK creators
Posted on Friday April 24, 2026

Creator card is designed for people making money through TikTok Live, some of whom complain of payment delays

TikTok and Visa have launched a debit card for content creators in the UK which they say will allow people to quickly access their earnings from the platform.

The creator card is designed for the growing numbers of people making money through TikTok Live, a livestreaming feature where creators receive virtual gifts from viewers that are later converted into cash.

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Fulham v Aston Villa: Premier League – live
Posted on Saturday April 25, 2026

⚽ Premier League updates from the 12.30pm BST kick-off
⚽ Live scores | Table | Follow us on Bluesky | And mail Tim

After the stalemate at Brentford this time last week, Marco Silva shuffles the pack. Sander Berge is back to join his partner in the pivot, Sasa Lukic, for the first time in ages. Raul Jimenez edges out Rodrigo Muniz as the spearhead and Samuel Chukwueze comes in on the left to replace Alex Iwobi, who has an injured hamstring.

Morning everyone and welcome to the first Premier League game of the day. For both these clubs, it’s all about the European places.

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FA Cup semi-final buildup, plus crunch games at both ends of the Premier League – matchday live
Posted on Saturday April 25, 2026

⚽ News, discussion and buildup before the day’s action
⚽ Sunderland 0-5 Nottm Forest | Fixtures | Mail us here

At the other end of the table, Arsenal host Newcastle as they look to leapfrog Manchester City and move back to first in the Premier League. The Gunners slipped to second earlier this week after City clinched a 1-0 win over Burnley.

They need a win today to keep some control in the title race.

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