I’ve cracked the EES border checks

Greece’s tourism minister has just announced that British holidaymakers visiting the country this summer will not have to deal with the new biometric checks introduced by the EU last month.

Having navigated the Entry/Exit System (EES) on a visit to Italy last month, I understand why the Greeks have decided the risks to their tourism industry are such that they are willing to defy Brussels, break ranks with other Schengen countries and open their borders to UK holidaymakers – for now at least.

What I also learnt is that there is a way in which non-EU (or non-European Economic Area) passport holders can beat the cumbersome border checks, whose introduction has forced passengers to wait for long periods and in some cases miss flights. 

Shorts – Quick stories

ENTERTAINMENT

Why Dua Lipa has sued Samsung for $15m

Dua Lipa has filed a lawsuit against Samsung for at least $15m (£11m), accusing the South Korean tech giant of using a photo of her to sell its TVs.

Samsung began using an image of Lipa on an image of a TV screen printed on its cardboard packaging for a “significant portion” of its TVs sold in the US last year, according to the legal complaint filed in California on Friday.

No permission or compensation

The British popstar, 30, alleges that Samsung did not financially compensate her or seek permission for using her image, which was taken backstage before a performance at the Austin City Limits festival in 2024.

When Lipa became aware of Samsung’s use of the image June 2025, she says she immediately demanded that the company stop using it. However, the singer claims Samsung was “dismissive and callous” and “repeatedly refused”.

NEWS

3 min read

MUSIC

5 min read

Singer had ‘no say, control, or input’ in campaign

Ms. Lipa’s face was prominently used for a mass marketing campaign for a consumer product without her knowledge, without consideration, and as to which she had no say, control, or input whatsoever. Ms. Lipa did not allow and would not have allowed this use.

tHE LAWSUIT STATES

Copyright claims

The lawsuit states that Lipa owns the copyright to the photograph that was used, and that it is a violation of the California right of publicity statute, a federal Lanham Act claim, and trademark claims.

The case also alleges that Lipa is “highly selective” in making product endorsements and that Samsung’s conduct “makes a mockery of her hard work in establishing a successful brand”. Samsung has yet to respond.

OPINION

4 min read

HEALTH

How the four-day week could reduce obesity

Those who work longer hours are more likely to be obese, new research suggests, prompting experts to push for a four-day week in Britain.

Long days mean “time-poor” staff rely on unhealthy convenience food, have fewer opportunities to exercise, and register higher levels of cortisol – the stress hormone, all of which increase fat storage. 

The research

The research, published at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, examined data from 33 countries working with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, including the UK.

It compared average working hours with obesity rates, and found nations with the highest rates of obesity, including the US and Mexico, had the longest working hours. Other countries, such as the Netherlands, had low obesity and low working hours. 

• Every 1 per cent reduction in working hours was associated with a 0.16 per cent decrease in obesity rates at a population level, the data suggests.
• Switching to a four-day week could result in a 3 per cent fall in obesity rates.
•  If applied to England, where 13.5 million are obese, this would result in over 400,000 fewer obese adults.

A balanced life is a better life

We need to change the food environment and working conditions. When people have a more balanced life, they have a better life. They have less stress, they can focus on more nutritious food and engage in more physical activities

Dr Pradeepa Korale-Gedara of the University of Queensland in Australia, the study’s author

Of the 33 countries in the study, the UK ranked ninth for obesity rates, but 24th in terms of working hours.

The average adult in England is forecast to work 1,505 hours a year in the UK, compared with 1,811 in the US.

Dr Rita Fontinha, of the World of Work Institute at the University of Reading, said: “If you work two jobs or long hours, you simply do not have the energy to cook, and it becomes easier to just buy something packaged or processed.”

More than 200,000 workers have switched to a four-day week since the Covid-19 pandemic, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

What is the four-day week?

There is a growing movement in the UK towards a four-day week, where employees work one less day per week with no loss of pay.

Advocates argue companies can still maintain the same level of productivity, while also having wider health and societal benefits. Some say it may increase pressure to do the same amount of work in less time.

OPINION

3 min read

WORLD ANALYSIS

Trump faces his greatest rival this week. He needs a win

Peter Frankopan

Professor of Global History at Oxford University

Only a few months ago, the prospect of a summit between Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping looked likely to be a bruising confrontation.

Last year, after Washington had imposed tariffs on Chinese goods that reached as high as 145 per cent at one stage, rhetoric on both sides hardened sharply.

Rising anxieties

Trump has tried to navigate the rising anxiety about China, which is one of the issues that has united Republicans and Democrats in the US for the best part of 10 years.

He has consistently expressed his admiration for Jinping, even when he was out of office. To his detractors, this was yet another sign that the US President has a soft spot for autocrats and dictators.

OPINION

3 min read

A ‘friendly’ summit

After a meeting between the two leaders in Busan, South Korea, last October, Jinping took a similar line. “China and the United States should be partners and friends,” he said.

This does not mean that the anxieties that both countries have about each other’s motivations, ambitions or capabilities have dissipated. At the moment, however, it suits both sides to make this week’s summit as friendly and constructive as possible.

Iran war pressures

For the US, the opening of Pandora’s box that has followed the attacks on Iran means that, as well as being preoccupied elsewhere, there is a need to replenish heavily depleted weapons stocks.

• That means that a moratorium with China is helpful, as is a loosening of Beijing’s tight controls on the export of rare earths and critical minerals.
• Trump has been messaging his intentions accordingly.
• Last month, he posted on Truth Social about the summit: “President Xi will give me a big, fat, hug when I get there in a few weeks. We are working together smartly, and very well!”

The cost of fighting

Trump cannot afford to pick another fight at a time when the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has put pressure not only on oil supplies but also on fertiliser, helium and the global economy as a whole.

That works well for Jinping, too. The optics of Washington treating China as a peer are good for the latter’s global stature.

OPINION

4 min read

Movement on both sides

That is why the meeting is likely to produce a set of carefully calibrated announcements designed to show that co-operation remains possible.

The United States is expected to push hard for major Chinese purchases of American goods.

China, meanwhile, will seek movement on export controls, semiconductor restrictions and investment barriers.

Analysis

4 min read

Analysis

6 min read

Environment

How climate change could put tea drinkers in hot water

The familiar taste of tea may turn bitter as climate change disrupts harvests and makes it harder to achieve consistent flavours, campaigners have warned. A Christian Aid report also warns that a warming world could cause the price of a cuppa to spike.

“As climate variability increases, achieving that consistency becomes more challenging, Dr Neha Mittal from the Met Office said.

What does the report say?

• Rising temperatures and worsening weather extremes in countries such as Kenya, India and Sri Lanka could make tea more bitter and harsher, researchers say.
• The issue is also hitting close to home, with tea growers in the UK warning that it is making it much harder to achieve consistent flavours .
• Climate-induced disruptions to harvests could cause price spikes and unreliable supplies .
• The rising price of fertiliser and fuel as a result of the US-Iran war is also expected to hit tea producers.

ENVIRONMENT

3 min read

Supporting farmers

Tea production relies on stable temperature and rainfall conditions, which are shifting in producer nations. Optimal growth conditions sit within a narrow range of between 13°C and 30°C and with adequate but not excessive rainfall.

The flavour and quality of tea depends on a balance of compounds such as catechins, amino acids and polyphenols, the report said. However, higher temperatures increase the production of more astringent compounds while reducing sweetness – leading to a more bitter taste.

The expert view

For generations, consumers have taken for granted that a cup of tea will taste the same, day in, day out. But that consistency depends on a stable climate, and that stability is now breaking down. What we are seeing is the beginning of a shift towards a harsher brew

Claire Nasike Akello, climate adaptation and resilience lead at Christian Aid

NEWS

Who won big at the Bafta TV Awards 2026

The winners of this year’s Bafta Television Awards have been announced in London, with Netflix drama Adolescence emerging as the big winner.

The hard-hitting four-part series was named best limited series. Owen Cooper, who played central character Jamie in his acting debut, became the youngest ever winner of the award for best supporting actor aged 16.

A look at key winners

• Leading actor: Stephen Graham – Adolescence (Netflix)
• Leading actress: Narges Rashidi – Prisoner 951 (BBC One)
• Supporting actor: Owen Cooper – Adolescence (Netflix)
• Supporting actress: Christine Tremarco – Adolescence (Netflix)

Interview

6 min read

More small screen winners

• Drama series: Code of Silence (ITV1)
• Limited drama: Adolescence (Netflix)
• Scripted comedy: Amandaland (BBC One)
• Best comedy actor: Steve Coogan – How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge) (BBC One)
• Best comedy actress: Katherine Parkinson – Here We Go (BBC One)

FILM

4 min read

New Bafta record

Among the other winners were The Celebrity Traitors, EastEnders and comedy series Last One Laughing. The Celebrity Traitors and Last One Laughing each picked up two awards, while Adolescence set a record for the most Bafta victories in a single night.

In the International category, Apple TV+’s The Studio featuring Seth Rogan triumphed over fellow nominees Severance, Sky’s The White Lotus and Disney+’s The Bear.

Inside the race to replace Keir Starmer

When Angela Rayner finally commented in the wake of Labour’s election humiliation, it was a brutal takedown of Sir Keir Starmer’s record.

“What we are doing isn’t working, and it needs to change. This may be our last chance,” she declared.

OPINION

6 min read

Analysis

4 min read

Rayner sets out demands

The former deputy prime minister called on Starmer to end a “toxic culture of cronyism” and to allow the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, to return to Westminster. Then she set out a left-wing shopping list of demands.

Her demands include taxing the wealthy, cutting household costs, ending the freehold system, raising the minimum wage, giving regional mayors more powers over planning and licensing and boosting community ownership.

Damp local elections for Labour

Rayner’s comments follow a damp set of local election results for Labour, as MPs openly debated whether there should be an immediate leadership contest.

MPs who had been previously loyal, in public and in private, were beginning to say on Sunday that they would lend Rayner support for a challenge.

POLITICS

4 min read

Dozens of MPs call for Starmer to step down

• Josh Simons, previously a Starmer loyalist, said the Prime Minister had “lost the country”.
• Labour’s leader in Scotland, Anas Sarwar, blamed a “national wave” against Labour for his party’s defeat in the Holyrood election.
• Labour left-wingers fear that a stalking horse candidate would boost Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s chances of becoming PM, with Burnham barred from standing until he becomes an MP.

Exclusive

7 min read

Landing at Pisa airport, as a British passport holder, I saw how a system designed to streamline entry instead created confusion and delay. A full planeload of passengers were directed towards four electronic passport terminals and split into two groups. A few dozen EU citizens passed swiftly through two dedicated Schengen machines. Meanwhile, hundreds of British and American travellers were left to inch forward through the other two EES terminals allocated to non-EU nationals, each requiring several minutes per passenger.

The absurd imbalance quickly became obvious as the queue shuffled slowly towards the two EES machines, while the two Schengen machines stood idle. Eventually, the overwhelmed Italian border official realised something needed to be done. Those who had previously registered biometric details in the Schengen system — identified by a blue ticket issued earlier — were waved towards the Schengen machines. I was one of the lucky ones with a blue ticket.

Interestingly, I found that the Schengen machines seemed equally able to deal with a UK as a Schengen passport, and having been accelerated to the front of the queue with a few other blue ticket holders, I passed the border rapidly. Predictably, this further divisive move only increased frustration among the majority still queueing. The border official consulted her superiors and then conceded defeat – everybody was allowed to use the EU machines. 

My conclusion from this experience was that the problem with the EES is not technology, but implementation. And while Brussels and Schengen governments try to improve on the imperfections, British travellers this summer might be forgiven for behaving in a rather un-British way and using the terminals reserved for those with Schengen passports. Of course, that might be seen as selfish and undermining the entire point of the new system – but it is clearly not yet working. 

As for the Greeks, I suspect they will find that they cannot kick the can down the road indefinitely. Rushing people informally through their borders will not be sustainable in the long term. Come the autumn after the holiday rush, the Greeks will need to grasp the problem and register visitors like all other Schengen countries. Hopefully by then, the EES implementation may have been improved. 

Days after my trip to Italy – to promote my book, Maremma Mia, inspired by renovating a Tuscan farmhouse – I travelled to Cyprus: an EU state that is not part of the Schengen zone. The contrast was striking. Hundreds of British travellers were processed quickly and efficiently using the Cypriot national system. Cyprus aspires to join Schengen, but on this evidence alone, it may want to think again.

Cyprus, which I visited with Cambridge University’s Centre for Geopolitics, is facing its own travel problems, however.

Early in the Iran war, a missile apparently fired from Lebanon struck the UK’s RAF Akrotiri base on the island, which led to a political fallout. The Cypriot government renewed calls for Britain to relinquish its bases in the country, while international media reported on the island’s proximity to danger. The result was a wave of cancelled holidays, despite no significant change in official travel advice. To me, Cyprus felt safe and welcoming – the damage inflicted appears to have been more perceptual than physical.

Across the Mediterranean, from malfunctioning border gates to fragile geopolitical balances, the lesson is consistent: systems and gestures are no substitute for clarity, competence and commitment. Sadly, it appears that neither the UK nor our partners are ready to rise adequately to that challenge.

Nicholas Hopton is Director General of the Middle East Association and runs geopolitical consultancy Belmont Advisory Limited. He served as the British ambassador to Libya, Iran, Qatar and Yemen