Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s administration has launched a consultation to consider reducing the UK’s 2030 zero emission vehicle (ZEV) sales targets.

Under existing rules, 80% of all new car sales must be pure electric by the end of the decade. However, the new proposals examine lowering that requirement to 70%, 60%, or even as little as 50%.

The consultation follows mounting pressure from automotive manufacturers, who argue that the current mandate forces them to sell electric vehicles at steep discounts and places unsustainable pressure on the sector.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander defended the review, stating that while the final decarbonisation goals remain unchanged, the government must ensure the pathway is practical and supports British industry.

The announcement arrives amid intense debate over the pace of the green transition. Climate campaigners and the electric vehicle charging sector have strongly criticised the potential rollback, warning it could add millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide to future emissions and undermine billions of pounds invested in national charge point infrastructure.

However, industry bodies have responded positively to the chance to re-evaluate the timeline. Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), said:

“We welcome government’s consultation on the ZEV Mandate and how it should change to better support the UK’s transition. Industry remains fully committed to a zero-emission future, investing billions in new technologies, products and, along with government, consumer incentives. The regulation was conceived, however, under very different conditions – cheaper energy, rapidly declining production costs, and more optimistic global demand expectations.”

Hawes added that regulatory targets are currently running ahead of consumer demand, necessitating a timely optimization to ensure a commercially sustainable transition that protects UK competitiveness, investment and jobs.

The consultation will remain open until October 23, with a final decision expected to shape the regulatory framework leading up to the 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars.

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Flock, the US surveillance firm, is rolling out new safeguards to prevent police misuse of its technology which, its founder and chief executive admits, should have happened sooner. Police have used Flock to track romantic partners, and stalk strangers, leading to growing public backlash against the company. It has also been used to find stolen cars and missing people. Asked whether it had taken Flock too long to protect tens of thousands of its cameras, licence plate readers and drones from police abuse, Garrett Langley said: “Yeah… yes.” BBC 

Samsung has largely defined the foldable phone category, but it’s no longer alone in releasing flexible devices. Google, Motorola, and a raft of Chinese OEMs have their own take on this form factor. Is the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra really “ultra” enough to remain on top? This phone doesn’t have the wide frame of the new Z Fold 8, instead matching the approximate size and shape of the company’s last few tablet-style foldables. The Z Fold 8 Ultra is not a big leap, but it continues Samsung’s pattern of iterative foldable improvements. Ars Technica

The sensitive medical data of transplant patients from across the UK was routinely sent over an unencrypted pager network, an NHS service has admitted. A BBC investigation found NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) sent the names, dates of birth and types of organs being offered or needed to members of hospital transplant teams who were using pagers, unaware they were not encrypted. In 2019, then-Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced the NHS in England should stop using pagers by 2021, but some parts of the organisation have continued doing so. BBC

A new regulatory filing by SpaceX has revealed that Starlink are preparing to release a new Wi-Fi 7 capable home wireless router (UTR-261 – this is same line as the Router Mini UTR-251) for customers of their ultrafast satellite broadband constellation in the UK, USA and other countries. The details are presently quite thin on the ground, although the product supports Power over Ethernet (PoE), 1 x WAN port (AC power is also handled through this via a POE adapter), 2 x LAN ports and a USB-C port. ISPreview

Apple TV is known for its original series like Ted Lasso, Silo and Severance, but it’s now offering new content it doesn’t often feature: classic films. The streaming service just made around 20 popular movies available for subscribers to stream, including The Martian, E.T., The Proposal, The Sixth Sense, Titanic and Zodiac, 9to5Mac reported.  You can usually only buy or rent these movies from the Apple TV Store, but they’re all now tagged as “Just Added,” so they can be streamed for free with an Apple TV subscription. Engadget 

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Dating app Bumble has divided its users by dropping its famous rule which allowed only women to send the first message to a match. When the app launched 2014, founder and boss Whitney Wolfe Herd said it distinguished itself from rivals like Tinder by allowing women to “make the first move”. But the thing that made Bumble famous will now be ditched following a trial which showed more engagement – and a survey among users which found 66% of women prefer men to send the first message. BBC 

Taiwan says it detected AI-assisted cyber-attacks on government agencies that came from overseas last month, a new kind of threat that has been reported as “first-of-a-kind breach”. The Ministry of Digital Affairs (MDA) said its cybersecurity monitoring units ‌detected the “abnormal attack” targeting government agencies, which began on 20 July. The National Institute of Cyber Security issued a series of warning alerts while it investigated. The Guardian

Anthropic investors expect the AI start-up to float at a valuation of $2tn or more in October, a dizzying figure that would eclipse SpaceX and make the AI lab’s debut the largest ever initial public offering. Half a dozen of the company’s backers told the FT that Anthropic’s rapidly rising revenue would enable it to more than double its current valuation in a planned autumn float. A listing at that level could unlock billions of dollars in gains for the five-year-old company’s early investors but would also test public markets that are growing more nervous about the AI boom. FT.com

Britons could cool their homes with air conditioning almost for free if they also install solar panels, energy analysts have said. The high correlation between sunshine levels and heat in London means that 98pc of the cost of running air con can be covered by the energy from solar panels, according to Thunder Said Energy. Keeping a home at no more than 20C would typically incur an electricity bill of around £300 per year, but using solar panels at the same time would bring that down to just £6, it estimated. Telegraph 

A certification filing confirms Garmin is building a CIRQA Smart Ring. It follows the CIRQA Smart Band, a screen-free wrist tracker Garmin launched in July. This page tracks what’s known and will update as more evidence comes in. The ring would likely do much the same job as the band: track sleep, heart rate variability and Body Battery, then send the data to Garmin Connect to be merged alongside data from any other Garmin device. The main benefit is that you could leave your watch off at night. 5K Runner 

Research Gold, a site that advertises services for medical researchers, including drafting peer-review ready manuscripts, systemic reviews and meta-analyses, claims that it’s “100% human-written, never AI,” and lists a number of PhD reviewers and professional methodologists on staff that carry out this meticulous, difficult work. The problem: The PhD reviewers Research Gold lists on its site are AI-generated and don’t exist. Other methodologists it lists are real, but are not aware their identity is being used by Research Gold. 404 Media

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Global wearable band shipments dropped 2% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2026, according to new data from Omdia.

Despite the overall decline, the market is experiencing a distinct split in consumer demand, with minimalist devices and high-end performance models being favoured over traditional mid-tier options.

While the broader basic band category fell 9% and basic watches slipped 3%, impacted by slowing momentum in India, screenless basic bands emerged as a bright spot.

Driven by new entries like Google’s Fitbit Air and Garmin’s Cirqa, screenless trackers accounted for more than 15% of basic band shipments during the quarter.

“Consumers want either minimalist, screenless trackers they can wear 24/7 or feature-rich sports watches with superior accuracy and multi-day battery life,” said Jason Low, Research Director at Omdia.

In the smartwatch segment, shipments grew 6% overall. Apple maintained a commanding lead with a 46% global market share. Meanwhile, Garmin posted the largest share gain among non-Apple vendors, climbing to 15% to tie with Samsung, fuelled by strong demand for advanced running, cycling, and outdoor tracking features.

Huawei led the total wearable band market with an 18% share, bolstered by broad cross-platform smartphone compatibility and health features such as its new Diabetes Risk Study.

Looking ahead to the second half of 2026, rising memory and storage costs are driving up average selling prices across the industry. To justify higher costs, Omdia expects leading brands to lean heavily into device integration, advanced personal AI features, and exceptional battery life to maintain consumer interest.

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Fux, whose work has previously appeared in NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day and The Guardian, captured the rare phenomenon from a carefully scouted location in Spain. For Fux, the window to secure the shot was incredibly narrow too. She had just 103 seconds of totality to capture the perfect frame before daylight returned.

The final image, which documents one of Europe’s rarest astronomical events, combines high-level technical precision with Fux’s artistic style. To achieve this, Fux utilized two Nikon Z8 cameras equipped with NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S and NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S lenses.

According to Fux, the image was the culmination of months of location scouting and intensive rehearsals with specialist equipment. The preparation went beyond simple camera settings, requiring split-second decision-making once the Moon finally passed in front of the Sun.

Beyond the still photography, Fux has documented the entire endeavour for an upcoming short film. The documentary aims to shift the focus away from the fleeting 103 seconds of totality, instead highlighting the human element of the project, including the months of travel, the uncertainty of weather conditions and the emotion of chasing one of nature’s rarest spectacles.

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A Delta Air Lines flight from Las Vegas to Atlanta was forced to declare an in-flight emergency this week after an unauthorized Wi-Fi network appeared on the aircraft, prompting a federal investigation.

The incident unfolded on a flight carrying 199 passengers, notably including attendees returning from the DEF CON cybersecurity convention in Las Vegas. During the flight, passengers noticed an unauthorized network named “Delta WiFi Fast” broadcasting inside the cabin.

Delta confirmed that its core operating systems and official in-flight Wi-Fi network were never hacked or compromised. However, out of an abundance of caution, cabin crew disabled the aircraft’s Wi-Fi functionality for approximately 30 minutes while the rogue signal was active.

Upon landing in Atlanta, law enforcement and aviation authorities met the aircraft to question passengers and investigate the equipment used to broadcast the network.

According to cybersecurity experts, the incident involved an “evil twin” attack, where a small, battery-powered device is used to broadcast a fake Wi-Fi network mimicking a legitimate service.

Aras Nazarovas, a Senior Information Security Researcher at Cybernews, explained the mechanisms and risks associated with such attacks.

“An evil twin attack is when hackers create fake Wi-Fi networks with the goal of stealing sensitive information from people, or exploiting known vulnerabilities present on victim devices,” Nazarovas said. “Once a person connects to the hacker’s Wi-Fi network, the hacker may be able to see what the victim is doing online and what data they transfer.”

Nazarovas noted that while modern HTTPS encryption protects much of a user’s web traffic, the primary danger stems from phishing pages, such as fake login portals designed to harvest credentials, email addresses, or financial data.

Regarding passenger safety, Nazarovas advised that individuals who merely connected and disconnected from the unauthorized network without entering information or clicking suspicious links are likely unaffected.

However, anyone who inputted credentials, downloaded files, or shared payment details on an unfamiliar page should immediately change passwords, run malware scans, and secure affected bank accounts.

Delta stated that it is cooperating fully with federal law enforcement and aviation regulators to complete a thorough investigation into the source of the unauthorized network.

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Chinese company Honor has officially unveiled its latest flagship, the ‘Robot Phone,’ a device which integrates a motorised, three-axis mechanical gimbal into its chassis.

Launching today in China, the smartphone aims to bridge the gap between professional-grade video equipment and everyday mobile convenience.

Featuring the world’s smallest 4D gimbal system (Honor claims it is 65% smaller than the DJI Osmo Pocket), it’s engineered to tuck neatly into the phone’s 9.6mm-thick rear panel when not in use.

The hardware allows for stabilized 4K video recording, AI-powered subject tracking and unique shooting modes such as “AI SpinShot,” which performs automated 90- or 180-degree camera rolls.

The camera system features a 200-megapixel, 1/1.28-inch sensor, paired with a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto lens and a 50-megapixel ultrawide lens. Through a new partnership with cinema brand Arri, the phone also offers professional-grade video features, including native Log-C3 encoding and dedicated cinema modes.

Beyond its videography capabilities, the device lives up to its “Robot” namesake through the YOYO AI assistant. The gimbal can move independently to mimic over 100 facial expressions and interact with surroundings, positioning the phone as a dynamic, expressive companion for content creators, tech enthusiasts and mobile filmmakers.

Under the hood, the device is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset with up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. It also includes a robust 7,060mAh battery and a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED display.

Targeting users who demand professional video stability and cutting-edge experimentation, the Robot Phone is currently only available in China, with the 12GB/512GB model starting at ¥9,999 (approximately $1,482). Sales are scheduled to begin on August 18, with international availability yet to be confirmed.

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Forget fumbling around for keys in the pouring rain or struggling to remember a PIN code while your hands are full of shopping. 

TCL Home Security is set to redefine home entry this month with the launch of its D2 Pro Matter Palm Vein Smart Lock. Designed specifically for homeowners looking for both cutting-edge technology and high levels of privacy, the D2 Pro aims to make home access both faster and more secure.

At its heart is advanced palm vein recognition technology. Rather than relying on easily compromised surface-level features, the lock scans the unique vein patterns beneath your skin. With its “Wave to Unlock” feature, just present your palm to the sensor to gain entry.

Beyond the convenience of biometrics, the D2 Pro is built for the modern, connected household. It fully supports Matter over Thread, ensuring that it integrates with major smart home ecosystems including Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Samsung SmartThings.

Whether you are using your phone to check if the door is locked or incorporating the device into your existing home automation routines, the D2 Pro is designed to be a reliable, central piece of your smart home infrastructure.

Security and privacy-conscious users will particularly like the new “Local Mode.” Recognising that some homeowners are wary of constant cloud connectivity, TCL has engineered the device to function entirely offline.

By disabling Wi-Fi, the lock operates locally via Bluetooth, allowing you to manage users and register palm prints directly through the TCL app without your data ever leaving your home network.

The D2 Pro comes equipped with a robust 10,000mAh rechargeable battery, IP55-rated weather protection and multiple fail-safes including NFC card access, traditional PIN entry and a physical key backup for emergencies.

While TCL has confirmed the lock will hit the market in the third week of August 2026, it has yet to disclose specific pricing. This will be revealed through official channels at launch.

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Spotify is rolling out a major update to combat the massive influx of synthetic media by introducing a new “AI Persona” badge designed to flag fake or fictional artists on its platform.

Scheduled to launch globally in mid-September, the visual tag will appear on mobile artist profiles, search results and track rows within playlists to help listeners distinguish between genuine human musicians and automated creations.

The streaming giant announced that profiles identified as AI personas will also be automatically excluded from personalised recommendations and editorial playlists. While users will still be able to find and stream the music if they search for it directly, the algorithm will no longer actively promote artificial acts alongside real performers.

The policy arrives as music streaming services grapple with an unprecedented volume of computer-generated content. Viral synthetic acts, such as the 1970s-style rock project Velvet Sundown and the mysterious streaming chart regular Sienna Rose, have increasingly blurred the lines between human and machine.

Under the new system, creators can voluntarily self-disclose through Spotify for Artists if their profile is an artificial persona. However, Spotify also plans to deploy a mix of automated investigative tools and human moderation to catch and flag hidden automated accounts. Affected accounts will be notified and given a formal right of appeal.

Executives emphasise that the new labels target an artist’s public identity and backstory rather than the individual production techniques or software used to write or record a song. By pulling artificial personas out of core algorithmic feeds, Spotify hopes to preserve trust and ensure that authentic human musicians do not lose vital streaming revenue to synthetic competitors.

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Spotify is to label AI artists and exclude them from algorithm recommendations as part of a crackdown on fake performers. The world’s largest music streaming platform is creating a label for AI-generated artist identities called “AI personas” that will appear on the artist profile and on track listings on playlists. It means that from September AI-generated artists such as the Velvet Sundown will carry the persona label and will be blocked from personalised recommendations by default. The aim is to differentiate these deepfake artists from real performers who might lose out on streams to artificial rivals. The Guardian 

A farmer in China claims to have lost 25 acres of crops “overnight” after following pesticide advice from an AI assistant. The 67-year-old from Chuzhou in Anhui province had been using artificial intelligence software for a year prior to the incident, according to local reports, using it to ask for advice on everything from scheduling to fertilising. Initial success led to him trusting the AI and blindly following its instructions without confirming the information with other sources. Independent 

The debate over public surveillance and privacy is only getting more intense, with the British Transport Police (BTP) the latest organization to stoke the fires: it’s expanding a trial of Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology across several London Underground stations from today. As per the BTP’s official statement, this will start at Victoria and then rotate around other stations until November. “Our deployments are intelligence-led and focused on identifying people wanted by the police or courts, including those suspected of serious offences..” says the BTP. Tech Radar 

Working from home has triggered a surge in male loneliness, a new study has claimed. Young men aged 18 to 25 now spend, on average two fifths of their waking hours – about 6.5 hours – on their own, the Resolution Foundation said on Wednesday. This is two hours more than they did a decade ago, the study found. The think tank said the rise was driven by the increasing numbers shunning the office and said it was linked to a sharp rise in the number of young people, particularly men, reporting feeling lonely. Telegraph

The Google Pixel 11 series is going official tomorrow at the Made by Google event. While most details about the lineup have already leaked, a new rumor has revealed details about the base Pixel 11’s telephoto camera. According to tipster @evowizz, the standard Pixel 11 will feature a 10.8MP periscope telephoto camera. It is likely the same sensor used in the Pixel 10 and is expected to support 5x optical zoom.

Previously leaked marketing materials suggest the handset will offer up to 30x digital zoom. The tipster also claims the Pixel 11 will be equipped with 12GB of RAM, which aligns with earlier reports. GSM Arena

It’s a familiar experience: racing against masses of anonymous netizens online to get yourself on the list for an in-demand event. For Andrew Bird, from Melbourne, in Australia, it was a spot in an often over-booked pilates class – but his solution had unexpected consequences. He says he outsourced the “chore” to an AI agent – a tool that can carry out online tasks autonomously. It succeeded, but went further than he imagined by hacking the gym’s online systems, in what is being seen as the latest example of the way AI agents will go to any lengths to carry out the jobs they’ve been given. BBC 

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