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California Governor Gavin Newsom signed 13 new laws that prohibit social media platforms from using addictive design features like infinite scrolling and algorithmic recommendations for users under 16. The laws apply statewide in California, a state of about 39 million people. The laws have been signed but their implementation and effects are not yet demonstrated, and legal challenges from technology companies are possible.
Syrian authorities destroyed 42 unfilled aerial bombs from the former Assad regime's chemical weapons programme. This is the first such destruction in Syria verified by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) since 2014. The operation is national in scope, though it represents an initial step. More chemical materials, production facilities, and munitions remain to be destroyed, and future operations may be hampered by security conditions.
A new law in New York state requires cosmetology schools to teach students how to work with all hair types. The mandate applies to all beauty schools across the state. The law took effect on September 1, 2026, and its impact on service quality has not yet been measured.
A study of San Francisco's Urban Alchemy program found that unarmed civilian practitioners reduced behavioral health-related and total crime in three neighborhoods. The analysis showed a modest reduction in drug crime and no change in property crime. This is a single study of neighborhoods in one city, so it is not clear if these results apply elsewhere.
In July 2026, agents from Brazil's Indigenous affairs agency, FUNAI, physically marked the borders of the Rio Pardo Kawahiva Indigenous Territory. The regional territory covers 411,000 hectares. The agency confirmed the presence of the isolated group, but this has not been independently verified.
Ethiopia is providing digital IDs to refugees in a mass scheme. Thousands of refugees in the Somali region have received the IDs, which allow them to move freely, access education, and get jobs. This information comes from a single independent report, and the exact number of recipients and the full extent of the scheme's implementation have not been independently confirmed.
The government of Taiwan has granted legal recognition to the Siraya people, an indigenous group of several thousand people. This recognition was granted under the Pingpu Indigenous Peoples Status Act. The information is based on a single report from Mongabay and has not been independently corroborated.
Twitch has introduced a setting that lets users stop Amazon from using their content to train generative AI models. The feature is available on the global platform. Data collection is on by default, and it is unclear if Amazon has already used historical data for training.
Lebanon's parliament passed a general amnesty law at the national level. The law reduces sentences for inmates and for people detained for more than 12 years without charges. Implementation details and release timelines are not yet reported, and the exact number of affected individuals is not specified.
Lebanon's parliament passed a national law formally abolishing the death penalty. The law replaces it with life imprisonment of aggravated hard labor. The law has passed, but implementation details for the replacement punishment remain unclear. The country has had a de facto moratorium on executions since 2004, so the law's practical impact on executions may be limited.
Australia's Fair Work Commission has issued a national order establishing a $31.30 per hour minimum wage and injury insurance for gig delivery drivers. The standards will take effect on August 17, 2026. This is a regulatory decision, not a current wage.
More than 5,000 public-school teachers and school heads in the Bicol Region of the Philippines were promoted under the Expanded Career Progression system and took part in a mass oath-taking ceremony. The promotions were specific to the regional level of the program. Nationally, the president's State of the Nation Address mentioned a total of 82,000 appointments.
Over 3,000 Class 9 girl students in Delhi government schools received free bicycles at the launch of the Vidya Vahini scheme. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta distributed the bicycles during a single event that completed the first phase of the program. While the scheme aims to cover 1.4 lakh students in total, future distributions are currently projections.
New Zealand's national ban on greyhound racing is now in effect. As a result, at least two chartered flights are being arranged to relocate up to 150 greyhounds to Australia. The flights are still being planned and have not yet occurred.
New EU-wide rules will require labelling for artificially generated images, audio, and text designed to look authentic. The regulation takes effect on Sunday, August 2, 2026. Actual compliance and enforcement remain to be seen.
Utah enacted a statewide law prohibiting 1-to-1 device-per-student ratios for students in kindergarten through third grade. The policy took effect in July 2026 but allows exceptions for state standardized tests. The law is newly enacted, and its implementation details and enforcement may vary.
New Jersey enacted a statewide law banning the sale of sensitive consumer data. The law has been signed but may take time to go into effect or require regulatory implementation.
A new Virginia law requires employers to include salary ranges in job postings and prohibits asking about salary history. This rule applies statewide. The law took effect on July 1, 2026, so it is in the early stages of implementation and long-term effects are unknown.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill signed the Fair Price Protection Act, a state-wide law prohibiting surveillance pricing. The law makes New Jersey the third US state to enact such a ban, according to reporting by the Guardian. The implementation timeline for the law has not been specified.
France has passed a national law banning social media accounts for children under 15. The legislation makes France the first EU country to enact such a ban. Enforcement will not begin until September 2026, as age verification systems still need to be fully developed.