The week in questions

Ukraine

Ukraine's Prime Minister is expected to step down as President Zelenskyy announces a government reshuffle.

27

A fire at a pub in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday morning killed at least 27 people.

Lindsey Graham

US Senator Lindsey Graham died on Saturday, July 11, at the age of 71, from a brief and sudden illness.

A majority stake in Vocalink

Mastercard is exploring the sale of a majority stake in Vocalink, the company that runs much of the UK retail payments system, back to British banks.

Spain

Spain's conservative ex-prime minister Mariano Rajoy faced criticism after saying the French national football team had 'no French players'.

Nicola Sturgeon

Nicola Sturgeon is refusing to publish the written statement she provided to police after being arrested and interviewed under caution in relation to her estranged husband Peter Murrell's embezzlement.

An AI-driven modernization service

Fujitsu Limited announced the Japan launch of the Fujitsu AI-driven Modernization Service, designed to support the sustainable growth of businesses and organizations by combining modernization expertise with generative AI.

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates condemned Iranian hostile attacks that targeted its national oil tankers, Mombasa and Al Bahiyah, in the Strait of Hormuz.

AI posing a serious and growing threat to jobs

An open letter signed by over 200 influential economists, technology executives, and researchers warns that artificial intelligence poses a serious and growing threat to jobs.

Manchester

Andy Burnham, who has served as Greater Manchester mayor for nearly a decade, is now all but certain to become Labour's next leader and the country's new prime minister.

United States

The US military announced it completed an additional round of strikes against Iran at 10 pm EST on July 14 (02:00 GMT on July 15), hitting dozens of military targets near the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian coastal areas.

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services regulation

New regulations for Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services came into effect in the UK on July 15, 2026, aiming to provide stronger protections for consumers, including affordability checks and access to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Spain

Spain defeated France 2-0 to advance to the World Cup final.

India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)

The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and Double Contribution Convention (DCC) came into force on July 15, 2026.

Next-generation helmet technology

BAE Systems will unveil its next generation of fighter pilot helmet technology, Project Intuity, at the Farnborough International Airshow next week.

Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham is expected to replace Keir Starmer as the UK Prime Minister on Monday, July 20, 2026, after Starmer's resignation.

Ambient Voice Technology (AVT)

NHS England in the Midlands is the first region to procure Ambient Voice Technology (AVT) at scale for all its GP practices and over 70,000 clinicians across 15 acute and community trusts.

3M and Microsoft

3M and Microsoft announced a strategic partnership focused on AI data center infrastructure and enterprise transformation, with Microsoft's Azure cloud and AI infrastructure deploying 3M's Expanded Beam Optical (EBO) technology.

Default overnight curfews and the switch-off of addictive features

The UK government announced plans to introduce default overnight curfews from midnight to 6 am and the switch-off of addictive features for 16 and 17-year-olds on social media apps.

United Kingdom

Britain's public finances are losing approximately £330 billion ($442 billion) annually due to factors such as weak economic growth, population ageing, and ill health, according to a think tank.

Tesco

Tesco revealed plans to invest heavily in AI technology to optimize its supply chain and reduce waste, aiming for greater efficiency across its stores.

Solar farms on agricultural land

The UK government has faced criticism over its policy regarding solar farms on agricultural land. Former Prime Minister Liz Truss and the current government have circulated proposals to curb the rapid growth of solar projects on farming land, citing concerns about food production and food security. This has led to criticism from landowners and renewable energy groups. While there have been discussions about offshore wind, the primary recent criticism regarding a new policy has been directed at solar farms on agricultural land.

Anxiety and depression

The NHS report indicated a marked rise in diagnoses of anxiety and depression among children and adolescents across the UK.

The Ryder Cup

The Ryder Cup opening ceremony was rescheduled due to the prospect of inclement weather, moving from Thursday to Wednesday. The Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in 2022 took place as scheduled on July 28th. The 2026 Commonwealth Games were cancelled, so its opening ceremony never took place. The World Athletics Championships had events delayed due to storms, but not the opening ceremony itself. The European Aquatics Championships had open water events postponed and cancelled due to weather, but there is no indication of the main opening ceremony being postponed.

The Sahel region of Africa

An emergency session of the UN Security Council was convened to address the worsening humanitarian and security crisis in the Sahel region.

Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham was confirmed as the newly elected leader of the UK's governing Labour Party on Friday, July 17, 2026, and is set to become the Prime Minister-designate.

ICC Women's T20 World Cup

London's Lord's Cricket Ground is scheduled to host the final of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup on July 5, 2026.

Indonesia

President Prabowo Subianto announced a target to build up to 50 new ethanol plants across Indonesia to support the E20 agenda, which mandates fuel to contain at least a 20 percent blend of bioethanol.

Target 66,000 additional roles

The UK government's Life Sciences Sector Plan includes a dedicated new jobs plan that will target 66,000 additional sector roles by 2035.

The 'ironclad' friendship between the two nations

Chinese Premier Li Qiang reaffirmed that China regards its relationship with Cambodia as a diplomatic priority and reiterated the 'ironclad' friendship between the two nations during talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.

Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Manchester, is expected to become Britain's new prime minister on Monday, July 20, 2026, replacing Keir Starmer.

Argentina and Spain

Argentina and Spain will meet in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday, July 19.

Smoke from wildfires

An Air Quality Health Advisory for fine particulate matter was issued for Central and Western New York due to the impact of smoke from wildfires in Canada and Minnesota.

Increased risk premium for potential supply disruptions

The market is pricing in an increased risk premium for potential supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, leading to a surge in oil prices.

China's aggressive stance in the Indo-Pacific region

The Council of the EU approved a new strategic environment report stating that Beijing's aggressive stance in the Indo-Pacific region represents a 'critical long-term strategic challenge' to Europe's security.