Approximately 6,000 websites in the UK, including social media and porn sites, will begin checking if users are over 18 starting Friday, as per the UK's media regulator, Ofcom. This action aims to enhance child safety online, though there are questions about its effectiveness and whether all sites will comply.
Key Facts
About 6,000 UK websites will start verifying if users are over 18.
Ofcom, the UK's media regulator, is overseeing this new age verification measure.
Sites like Pornhub, Reddit, Discord, and Grindr are part of this initiative.
Some significant porn sites in the UK have not implemented age checks yet.
The Technology Secretary calls the new rules "common sense" for online safety.
Critics are concerned about the effectiveness and potential for users to bypass age checks.
The rules are part of broader efforts to protect children from harmful online content.
Organizations like the NSPCC support the move, emphasizing tech companies' responsibilities.
Haiti has sent 150 soldiers to Mexico for training as part of a plan to strengthen its military forces and tackle gang violence. A total of 700 soldiers will undergo training in Mexico to help rebuild Haiti's military, which was disbanded in 1995 but reinstated in 2017.
Key Facts
Haiti sent 150 soldiers to Mexico for training.
A total of 700 soldiers will train in Mexico.
Haiti's military was disbanded in 1995 and reinstated in 2017.
Gang violence in Haiti resulted in the death of over 4,800 people from October 2024 to June 2025.
After training in Mexico, soldiers will work with Haiti’s National Police and Kenyan officers.
Recently, about 30 Haitian soldiers also trained in Martinique.
In 2023, Haiti had about 2,000 soldiers compared to 7,000 soldiers before its army was disbanded.
The Russian upper house of parliament approved a bill that fines people for online searches of information labeled as "extremist." This bill now awaits approval from President Vladimir Putin. The term "extremist" covers various opposition groups and activities, but it is unclear how this will be enforced or differentiated from regular internet use.
Key Facts
Russian parliament's upper house approved a bill punishing online searches for "extremist" information.
The fine for searching such materials online can go up to about $64.
The bill includes a broad definition of "extremist," covering opposition groups and international movements like the LGBT movement.
President Vladimir Putin is expected to sign the bill into law.
It is unclear how authorities will identify violators or differentiate them from regular users.
Many Russians use VPNs to access blocked content, but authorities are making efforts to close these loopholes.
Since Russia sent troops into Ukraine, there has been increased online censorship and more prosecutions related to social media activity.
Several independent media and rights groups have been shut down or labeled negatively by the government.
Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia has intensified, causing more than 100,000 people to evacuate from their homes in Thailand. The evacuees have taken shelter in various locations, including a sports hall at Surindra Rajabhat University, where they await updates on when it might be safe to return home. The conflict has resulted in at least 14 deaths in Thailand and one in Cambodia.
Key Facts
Heavy fighting has broken out between Thailand and Cambodia, making many people leave their homes.
More than 100,000 people in Thailand have evacuated from four provinces by Friday.
Evacuees are using a university sports hall as a shelter, with nearly 3,000 people staying there.
The university has turned into a functioning evacuation center, cancelling classes to provide space.
The provincial hospital is helping with medical needs and mental health services.
The fighting has caused 14 deaths in Thailand and one in Cambodia.
People in shelters are unsure when it will be safe to return home.
About 20,000 people in Cambodia have also evacuated from areas near the border.
A study found that people found robots with neurotic personalities more relatable, though they enjoyed interacting with extroverted robots the most. The study involved a human-shaped robot at a museum in Chicago, where participants interacted with robots having different personalities.
Key Facts
The study explored how people react to robots with different personalities.
Researchers used a human-shaped robot and tested it with neurotic, extroverted, and typical robot personalities.
The neurotic robot spoke tentatively and used filler words like "um."
People described the neurotic robot as understanding deep emotions and relatable.
Participants found extroverted robots the most enjoyable to interact with.
The study took place at a museum in Chicago.
Extroversion has been the main focus in past robot personality research, as it is useful for tasks requiring confidence.
The research aimed to explore the potential usefulness of neurotic robot traits.
The fighting between Thai and Cambodian troops has led to 16 deaths, 15 in Thailand and one in Cambodia. Over 120,000 people have left their homes due to the conflict, which involves heavy artillery and rocket fire on both sides.
Key Facts
The conflict has resulted in 15 deaths in Thailand and one in Cambodia.
More than 120,000 people have fled their homes near the border.
Fighting began with smaller weapons and quickly increased to heavy artillery and rocket fire.
Thailand's Ministry of Public Health reported civilian and military casualties, with injuries counting more than 45 people.
Over 100,000 people were evacuated in Thailand from the provinces of Surin, Sisaket, Buriram, and Ubon Ratchathani.
Approximately 20,000 residents were evacuated from Cambodia's Preah Vihear province.
Cambodia claims damage to the Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
International concerns were raised, with the United Nations Security Council scheduling an emergency meeting to discuss the situation.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating Jeffrey Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender. There are questions about whether the DOJ can conduct the investigation fairly and honestly.
Key Facts
The DOJ is looking into Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sex crimes.
Epstein was known as a financier, which means he handled large amounts of money and investments.
People are questioning if the DOJ's investigation will be fair.
The credibility of the DOJ is in question during this investigation.
A credible investigation means people believe the investigation is honest and true.
In Germany, there have been more anti-LGBTQ+ incidents recently. Authorities are also limiting the display of rainbow flags, which are symbols of LGBTQ+ pride, before upcoming events.
Key Facts
Anti-LGBTQ+ incidents are increasing in Germany.
Rainbow flags, which represent LGBTQ+ pride and support, are facing restrictions.
Authorities are taking these actions before scheduled LGBTQ+ events.
The increase in incidents and restrictions comes ahead of parties celebrating LGBTQ+ communities.
The US government has approved a possible sale of a missile defense system to Egypt, valued at $4.67 billion. This deal includes advanced missile systems and support from US personnel to help with training and logistics.
Key Facts
The US State Department approved a potential $4.67 billion sale of a missile system to Egypt.
The package includes a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), radar systems, and hundreds of missiles.
US employees and contractors will assist Egypt with engineering and technical support.
The sale supports US foreign policy by strengthening Egypt, a major non-NATO ally in the Middle East.
RTX Corporation, based in Massachusetts, is the primary contractor for this sale.
Congress has been notified of this potential sale with the required certification.
If approved, 26 US government workers and 34 contractors will travel to Egypt to provide extended training and support.
Egypt, a long-time US ally, has recently held military exercises with China, showing growing relations between the two nations.
Ranchers in Mexico are dealing with a flesh-eating parasite called the New World screwworm that infects livestock. Due to this, the United States has stopped importing cattle from Mexico to prevent the parasite from spreading across the border.
Key Facts
Ranchers in Chiapas, Mexico, face an outbreak of the New World screwworm that affects animals like cows, sheep, pigs, cats, and dogs.
The U.S. has stopped cattle imports from Mexico due to fears the parasite could spread to the U.S.
Mexico, with U.S. support, is building a plant to produce sterile flies to help control the parasite, but it won't be ready until next year.
The cost of medicines to treat affected animals has risen, leading some ranchers to use home remedies.
The parasite can infect any open wound in animals, no matter how small.
Veterinarian Alfredo Chávez reports an increase in cases in his area and notes limited government support.
The U.S. fears that if the parasite reaches Texas, it could cause significant economic losses.
Despite local efforts to control the outbreak, the presence of the screwworm has significantly affected cattle exports from Mexico to the U.S.
SpaceX's Starlink internet service experienced a major outage, which affected tens of thousands of users for about two and a half hours. This service disruption led to apologies from SpaceX executives, including Elon Musk. The outage was caused by a failure in key software that runs their network.
Key Facts
Starlink provides internet to over six million users in about 140 countries and territories.
The outage lasted approximately two hours and 30 minutes.
The disruption began at around 3 PM Eastern Time on Thursday.
Users reported the issue through Downdetector, with as many as 61,000 user reports.
The outage was due to a problem in the internal software of Starlink's network.
SpaceX has launched over 8,000 Starlink satellites since 2020.
The network is popular with militaries, transportation companies, and rural internet users.
Recent updates to the network have focused on increasing speed and bandwidth.
A Venezuelan man named Neiyerver Adrian Leon Rengel has filed a complaint against the Trump administration, claiming he was wrongly deported to a Salvadoran prison where he suffered abuse. He is seeking $1.3 million in damages, alleging that he was falsely labeled as a gang member to expedite his deportation. The complaint involves his mistreatment in El Salvador and the misuse of an old US law for mass deportations.
Key Facts
Neiyerver Adrian Leon Rengel, a Venezuelan man, filed a complaint against the Trump administration.
He claims he was wrongfully deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador.
Rengel is seeking $1.3 million in damages for alleged abuse while in prison.
He was accused of being a gang member based on his tattoos.
Rengel was deported under the Alien Enemies Act, a law typically used during wartime.
The Trump administration paid about $6 million to El Salvador to imprison the deported men.
Rengel states he was physically abused in the Salvadoran prison.
He was returned to Venezuela as part of a prisoner exchange.
Tensions have risen between Thailand and Cambodia, resulting in a deadly clash at their shared border. The conflict flared up after a leaked phone call and a landmine explosion, straining the relationship between the two nations. Thai authorities report 12 fatalities, with the situation complicating due to political issues between the countries' leaders.
Key Facts
Thailand and Cambodia have a long border and a history of disputes over it.
On July 24, a clash at the border led to 12 deaths, mostly civilians.
A phone call between Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Cambodia's leader Hun Sen heightened tensions.
The conversation's leak embarrassed Paetongtarn and led to her suspension.
Five Thai soldiers were hurt by a landmine, escalating the tensions further.
Both countries have previously cooperated on complex issues, including dealing with dissidents.
Trade has stopped, and investigations into Cambodian business figures by Thai police are ongoing.
Cambodian leader Hun Sen has intensified his public criticism of Thailand.
The network outage that affected many EE and BT customers has been fixed. The issue made it difficult for people to make or receive calls, including emergency 999 calls, but service is now back to normal.
Key Facts
EE and BT experienced a network outage that made phone calls difficult, including calls to emergency services like 999.
The outage was caused by a technical problem that affected voice services on their network.
Over 2,500 EE customers reported problems during the outage, with some impact on customers of other networks using EE's connection.
Other major networks like Vodafone and Three reported no issues with their services.
The UK government confirmed that 999 emergency calls were restored after initial problems.
EE and BT apologized for the outage and confirmed the issue was resolved.
Customers were advised to report the outage to their provider for possible compensation if their landline remains down for more than two days.
The communications regulator, Ofcom, was investigating to understand the scale and cause of the outage.
A passenger plane crashed in Russia's Far East, resulting in the deaths of all 48 people on board. The plane disappeared from radar and was later found burning on a hillside near Tynda. The exact cause of the crash is unknown, but there were reports of bad weather, and the plane was nearly 50 years old.
Key Facts
A passenger plane crash in Russia's Far East killed all 48 passengers and crew.
The crash site was located on a hillside near Tynda, more than 7,000 kilometers from Moscow.
The plane was operated by Angara Airlines.
Officials have not yet determined the cause of the crash, but adverse weather conditions were reported.
The crashed aircraft was almost 50 years old.
Rescuers found it difficult to reach the crash site because it was in a remote area.
The aircraft attempted to land for a second time before disappearing from radar.
A probe is underway to investigate possible flight safety violations.
The number of Americans applying for unemployment aid dropped for the sixth week in a row, according to the Labor Department. Applications fell to 217,000 in mid-July, lower than what analysts expected, showing a strong job market despite some economic uncertainties related to tariffs.
Key Facts
Jobless claims dropped by 4,000 to 217,000 for the week ending July 19.
Analysts had expected 227,000 new jobless claims.
The decline in claims suggests fewer layoffs.
The U.S. added 147,000 new jobs in June, more than expected.
The unemployment rate fell slightly to 4.1% in June.
Tariffs imposed by President Trump are causing some businesses to worry, potentially affecting hiring.
The deadline for new tariffs was moved to August 1.
Companies like Procter & Gamble and Starbucks have announced job cuts this year.
The total number of people receiving unemployment benefits increased slightly to 1.96 million.
OpenAI is set to release its new AI model called GPT-5 in August. The model's release has been delayed a few times, but testing is already underway. This model aims to be more powerful and will come in different versions, like mini and nano.
Key Facts
OpenAI plans to release GPT-5 in August.
The release of GPT-5 has been delayed several times.
CEO Sam Altman announced the upcoming release on social media.
GPT-5 will have enhanced coding abilities and new features.
It will include mini and nano versions accessible via an API.
OpenAI is also working on an open-weights model, which might release before or after GPT-5.
The last open-weights model from OpenAI was GPT-2, released in 2019.
Max Verstappen stated that Christian Horner leaving the Red Bull team as team boss will not affect his plans. Verstappen plans to stay at Red Bull until his contract ends in 2028, focusing on improving his car's performance rather than team management changes.
Key Facts
Max Verstappen is a four-time world champion in Formula 1 racing.
Christian Horner is leaving his role as team boss of Red Bull.
Verstappen is contracted to stay with Red Bull until 2028.
He is focusing on improving his car's speed and performance.
Verstappen confirmed that there will be a new team boss, Laurent Mekies.
He mentioned past tensions between Horner and his father do not influence his decision to stay.
Currently, Verstappen is in third place in the drivers' standings.
He plans to perform well at the Belgian Grand Prix, held in a country connected to his background.
The International Court of Justice provided an advisory opinion stating that all countries need to work on climate change. If countries do not take action, they might have to pay for the damage their emissions cause. The ruling came after small island nations and activists pushed for international attention on the issue.
Key Facts
The International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion on climate change.
All countries must address climate change, as it is linked to human rights.
Countries that do not reduce emissions could have to pay reparations for environmental harm.
Restitution may include repairing damaged infrastructure and restoring ecosystems.
The exact amount for compensation can be hard to calculate because damage can be uncertain.
This ruling was requested by the U.N. General Assembly and influenced by Pacific Island activists.
The opinion serves as guidance to other courts and governments but is not legally binding.
Implementation of the court’s guidance is uncertain and depends on countries' willingness to follow the advice.
Hulk Hogan, a well-known American professional wrestler, has died at 71. He played a significant role in making professional wrestling popular worldwide during the 1980s and became an icon in both wrestling and pop culture.
Key Facts
Hulk Hogan was a famous American wrestler whose real name was Terry Bollea.
He died at the age of 71, as announced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Hogan helped WWE gain global recognition in the 1980s with his entertaining persona.
He was known for his distinctive look, including his handlebar mustache and bandanas.
Hogan took part in WrestleMania events and appeared at WrestleMania 21 in 2005.
He endorsed Donald Trump during the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
Hogan was among the first WWE stars to act in Hollywood films like "Rocky III" and "Santa With Muscles."
