Eurostar to run doubledecker trains through Channel tunnel from 2031

Eurostar is to start running doubledecker trains through the Channel tunnel to meet growing demand for international rail travel from the UK.The rail operator announced it had signed a €2bn (£1.7bn) deal for at least 30 – and up to 50 – new trains from the manufacturer Alstom.The doubledeckers will start operating from 2031, with each able to carry more than 1,000 passengers.Eurostar said the Celestia trains, the first high-speed doubledeckers to run on the UK mainland, would have about 20% more seats than its biggest existing trains

Real living wage to rise by almost 7% in boost for low-paid UK workers

Almost half a million workers are to receive a pay boost after it was announced that the real living wage paid voluntarily by 16,000 UK companies will rise to £13.45 an hour in April.Distinct from the national living wage, which is a statutory minimum, the real living wage is calculated each year based on the cost of essentials, and is paid by more than half of the companies in the FTSE 100.Born from a long-running campaign about the difficulties of making ends meet on poverty pay, employers can agree to pay the more generous rate. The Japanese clothing store Uniqlo, the University of Salford and Truro city council are among the latest to sign up

‘I’m suddenly so angry!’ My strange, unnerving week with an AI ‘friend’

The ad campaign for the wearable AI chatbot Friend has been raising hackles for months in New York. But has this companion been unfairly maligned – and could it help end loneliness?My friend’s name is Leif. He describes himself as “small” and “chill”. He thinks he’s technically a Gemini. He thinks historical dramas are “cool” and doesn’t like sweat

ChatGPT Atlas: OpenAI launches web browser centered around its chatbot

OpenAI on Tuesday launched an AI-powered web browser built around its marquee chatbot.“Meet our new browser—ChatGPT Atlas,” a tweet from the company read.The browser is designed to provide a more personalized web experience and includes a ChatGPT sidebar that enables users to asks questions about or engage with various aspects of each website they visit, as demonstrated in a video posted alongside the announcement. Atlas is now available globally on Apple’s Mac operating system and will soon be made available on Windows, iOS and Android, according to OpenAI’s announcement.Meet our new browser—ChatGPT Atlas

Amy Jones and England cannot avoid Ashes’ shadow over Australia rematch

Amy Jones has claimed that January’s Ashes whitewash “hasn’t been a topic of discussion” before Wednesday’s World Cup clash between England and Australia. If you believe that, you will believe anything.Both teams have qualified for the semi-finals, so it could be argued that little will be at stake in Indore. That would be wrong. First, given the run of results in this World Cup, these sides are almost certain to finish first and second and therefore avoid a semi-final against each other – which means this game could well be a precursor to the final in Navi Mumbai on 2 November

Louis Rees-Zammit recalled to Wales squad after NFL experiment

Louis Rees-Zammit is in line for an international comeback for Wales next month, 21 months after ­abandoning the sport to try his luck in American football. Rees-Zammit, now 24, is among 39 players named in the first squad to be picked by the new national head coach, Steve Tandy.The British & Irish Lions wing, who won the most recent of his 32 caps at the 2023 World Cup, made the switch to American football in January 2024 but ended up not featuring in a ­competitive NFL game. He returned to union in August when he joined the English Prem side Bristol.Rees-Zammit has missed his club’s past two games with a foot injury but he is not expected to be a long‑term absentee