18 December 2025, in sixty words

Government research reveals one in three UK adults have used artificial intelligence for emotional support or social interaction, with men more likely to seek AI help than women.

A French court has given a life sentence to Frédéric Péchier, aged 53.

Violence Against Women and Girls Minister Jess Phillips has revealed female teachers face increasing misogyny in schools alongside girl students.

A new study by Dutch researcher Alex de Vries-Gao reveals that artificial intelligence systems generated between 32.6 to 79.7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2025, comparable to New York City's entire annual output.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee voted 5-4 to cut interest rates from 4% to 3.75% on December 18, marking the sixth reduction since August 2024 and bringing borrowing costs to their lowest level in almost three years.

Brazil's Senate passed legislation that could dramatically reduce former President Jair Bolsonaro's 27-year prison sentence to just over two years.

Five-year-old Blowers created racing history on Thursday by winning at Exeter at 300-1 odds, becoming the joint longest-priced winner in British racing history alongside Irish winners.

West Yorkshire's long-awaited mass transit network has been delayed from the early 2030s to the late 2030s after an independent government review.

Bremen prosecutors have filed criminal charges against three former executives of Greensill Bank, including two board members and one supervisory board member, for bankruptcy crimes and false accounting linked to the lender's 2021 collapse.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk predicts artificial intelligence and humanoid robots will make work optional within 10-20 years, creating universal high income and eliminating poverty.

A growing trend sees former UK politicians trading Westminster for Silicon Valley roles, with George Osborne joining OpenAI, Rishi Sunak advising Microsoft and Anthropic, and Nick Clegg previously heading Meta's global affairs.

Senior MPs and ministers have warned that UK agreements with Donald Trump are built on sand after the US President suspended a crucial technology prosperity deal worth £31 billion.

A 15-year-old boy has been charged with the murder of nine-year-old Aria Thorpe in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.

Two families from Scotland and Pennsylvania have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Meta following their teenagers' suicides after sextortion schemes on Instagram.

Two people were arrested during a pro-Palestinian protest outside Westminster's Ministry of Justice on Wednesday evening for shouting slogans involving calls for 'intifada,' marking the first enforcement of a new policy by Metropolitan and Greater Manchester Police.

The Philippines continues to serve as a training ground for Islamic extremists despite reduced terrorist activity in recent years.

China has ended its 30-year tax exemption on contraceptives, imposing a 13% value-added tax on condoms and other contraceptive products from January 1, 2026.

King Charles met survivors of the November 1 Huntingdon train stabbing attack at a special Buckingham Palace reception.

Senior MPs and health committee chairs warn the UK government's agreements with Donald Trump lack foundation amid growing concerns over pharmaceutical costs and suspended technology deals.