18 July 2026, in sixty words

The incoming prime minister, upon assuming office on Monday, will abandon plans for a digital ID to be issued by the government to all British adults.

The US Air Force successfully tested an autonomous combat drone firing a live AIM-120 AMRAAM missile.

Johanna Walsh, with jockey D.

Virgin Media O2 has switched on its upgraded 5G+ standalone network across Oxford, Banbury, and Didcot, benefiting up to 450,000 residents in Oxfordshire.

Australia ended a six-match losing streak by defeating Italy 57-10 in a Nations Championship rugby international on Saturday.

The Farnborough Airshow, one of the world's biggest, is preparing to launch this week without the Red Arrows and the new Prime Minister.

A US judge has ruled that victims of a 2023 data breach at genetics testing company 23andMe will receive a multi-million dollar payout.

San Francisco's city attorney has ordered Apple and Google to take down 13 apps that create AI-generated nonconsensual nude images.

Meta Platforms is reportedly discussing a deal to lease its computing power to AI firm Anthropic, a transaction that could be valued at up to $10 billion across a two-year period.

Another US service member is missing, while four others were taken to hospitals in Jordan and later discharged, according to US Central Command.

Police imposed Public Order Act conditions for Saturday's National March for Palestine in central London, where officers made eight arrests after a small counter-demonstration.

Visa, a major payment processor, has created a new internal system to help banks and fintechs use stablecoins within their existing payment workflows.

Investors will watch the pub chain's trading update on Wednesday July 22 after like-for-like sales growth slowed from 6.1% in the second quarter to 3.4% in the third.

Netflix has used artificial intelligence in nearly 300 titles this year, mainly for post-production work like complex sequences.

Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, recently met with King Charles and Queen Camilla during a UK visit.

Jellycat says it wants substantial damages and court orders stopping the retailers from selling products it claims are too similar to its own designs.

Experts now suggest walking speed should be a key health indicator alongside blood pressure or heart rate.

An Oxfam water expert from Oxfordshire has called the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo “brutal, painful and very distressing”.

Narinder Sandhu, jailed for a £70m postal scam, has been ordered to pay back more than £5m from his illicit gains.

After leaving Downing Street, Keir Starmer's allies expect he will take an international job, an area where he has earned respect.

Sir Keir Starmer said he won't give public advice, but Boris Johnson and former prime minister Rishi Sunak both said Andy Burnham has little time to make an impact.

About 7,000 properties in Tunbridge Wells and Pembury face water supply problems after an instrument failure at a local treatment works.

Iran's Mehr news agency published a statement from supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei after seven straight nights of US strikes.

Antonelli was more than three tenths of a second quicker than Verstappen, giving Mercedes the biggest pole-winning margin of the season.

Jens Spahn, a senior German politician, resigned on Saturday as parliamentary group leader of the governing coalition after facing accusations of hypocrisy.

The Justice Department says the new version of TikTok is safer, allowing federal employees to install it on government phones.

OpenAI will now inform parents with linked accounts if their child is removed from ChatGPT for violating rules on violent threats or acts.

Apple has reportedly issued legal letters to approximately 40 former employees now at OpenAI, instructing them to retain pertinent documents for a trade secret lawsuit.

Hand-painted film posters, central to Ghanaian cinema from the late 1970s through the early 2000s, are currently attracting worldwide attention as collectible art.

Laos authorities say they cannot determine the cause of six tourist deaths in November 2024, which were linked to methanol-tainted alcohol, because no autopsies were conducted.

Indian space startup Skyroot Aerospace successfully launched its Vikram-1 rocket on Saturday, making India the third country with private orbital launch capability.

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton hit a barrier during practice for the Belgian Grand Prix, damaging his car's suspension.

Tottenham are set to sign Manchester City winger Savinho for about £65 million.

American golfer Bryson DeChambeau received a two-shot penalty on Friday at the Open Championship after trampling on long grass.

The Philippine Outrigger Canoe Club is bringing back the country's sea heritage, inspired by the traditional bangka and bugsay.

PepsiCo is recalling 140g bags of Doritos Chilli Heatwave crisps because some contain Tangy Cheese flavour, which has milk not listed on the label.

Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson called the club's decision to let Ibrahima Konate leave for nothing a "crazy business deal".

Apple has increased the cost of its iCloud+ online storage service in eight countries, with prices going up by 17% to 30%.

The White House has upheld the Argentinian football team's entitlement to free expression, following their display of a banner asserting their claim over the Falkland Islands.

Short-term exposure to wildfire smoke is unlikely to cause serious issues for most healthy people.

Greenpeace UK says water companies in England and Wales lose 2.87 billion litres a day through leaks, compared with 577 million litres a nationwide hosepipe ban would save.

Campaigners say relying on intensive chicken farming leaves Britain exposed because the sector depends heavily on imported soy feed and vulnerable global supply chains.

Three men who impersonated police officers to steal over £4 million in cryptocurrency were sentenced to a combined 28 years and nine months in jail on Thursday.

Gazundering, where buyers lower their agreed offer just before exchanging contracts, is a rare but growing problem in England and Wales.

Patrick Spencer, a Conservative MP, was cleared of sexually assaulting two women at London's Groucho Club in August 2023.

One of the world's biggest airshows is ready to launch in Hampshire, but the Red Arrows and the new Prime Minister will not be there.

UFC CEO Dana White is not considering any fight for Conor McGregor currently, as the former champion needs knee surgery.

The World Cup has seen a surge in conspiracy theories, especially after controversial VAR decisions in Argentina's matches.

Boeing still expects airlines to need 43,625 new aircraft between 2026 and 2045, including 33,545 single-aisle jets.

An employment tribunal said Micky Steeds' concerns about asbestos and other hazardous dust were genuine and legally protected after he raised safety worries while cleaning Tube infrastructure.

Official gift records show Sir Keir Starmer accepted £33,000 of sports hospitality during his two years in Downing Street, with Arsenal providing about £20,000.

The ban follows several weeks of exceptionally high water demand, with about 1 billion litres put into supply daily.

This decision goes against Labour's 2024 manifesto commitment, which had vowed to refrain from issuing further licences while upholding current ones.

Supermarket inflation increased to 2.6% in June, the first rise in over a year, mainly because of global supply chain pressures.

Football's governing body is extending the half-time interval beyond 15 minutes, marking the second occasion it has broken its own rule at this World Cup.

Mel C, also known as Sporty Spice, is reportedly planning a secret wedding to her partner Chris Dingwall this weekend.

Nigel Farage resigned as Clacton MP earlier this month, triggering a by-election.

America's military launched its seventh night of strikes on Iran, hitting surveillance sites and military infrastructure in the region.

Jeffrey Donaldson, the former DUP leader, intends to challenge the verdict finding him guilty of rape and further sexual crimes involving two children.

Andy Burnham, the new Labour leader, said he is still deciding his cabinet members before taking over as prime minister from Sir Keir Starmer on Monday.

In a new Survation poll, Labour's support has drawn level with Reform UK, with both parties now registering 24 per cent, which represents Labour's strongest polling since November.

Millions of drivers are expected to hit UK roads this weekend for the summer getaway.

Andy Burnham will become Prime Minister on Monday, pledging "Good growth in every British postcode." His plan involves giving local officials more power to make economic choices and bringing more public services under state control.

Millions of European homes are switching to heat pumps, hoping to cut energy bills after oil and gas prices soared.

Kimi Antonelli recorded the quickest lap on soft tyres in the second practice session, making him the only driver below 1m46s.

The European Union wants to relax its emissions trading system rules, giving businesses more time to reduce carbon output than planned.