
Over 700.00 foreign football fans have visited Russia for the World Cup, according to Russian and FIFA officials. World Cup 2018 CEO Alexey Sorokin and FIFA’s chief competitions and events officer Colin Smith, at an event in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, reported on operational aspects of the World Cup so far.

FIFA says stats from 48 games point to success of the Video Assistant Referee system debuting at the World Cup. At a briefing in Moscow on Friday, FIFA Referees' Committee chairman Pierluigi Collina underscored the importance of VAR in guiding refereeing decisions at the Russia World Cup; it’s the first time the technology has been used at the quadrennial tournament.

Vladimir Putin despite all the sanctions imposed on his administration by foreign countries, is a much respected leader for his direct no-nonsense approach to issues, and he wants to make sure the World Cup hosted by Russia becomes an impeccable, unforgettable global event, in line with the grandness of his beloved two-continent country.

Europe’s leaders demanded clarity from Theresa May on her plans for a post-Brexit trade deal, highlighting unresolved issues including Northern Ireland as their impatience over the Prime Minister’s divided Cabinet became clear.

Boeing has unveiled a sleek, new hypersonic passenger plane capable of crossing the globe in hours and which could be available in 20 to 30 years.The US manufacturer says the concept could have passenger or military applications and is one of several its engineers are studying.

The Chinese government has eased rules that limit foreign investment in the country's banks, car industry and agriculture. The barriers have drawn criticism from trading partners, including the US. The Trump administration cited the rules as an example of unfair practices when it announced plans for tariffs on Chinese goods earlier this year.

Apple and Samsung have finally settled a seven-year-long patent dispute, bringing to an end the long-running battle over the design of their rival smartphones. The terms were not disclosed.

Facebook, Google and Microsoft push users away from privacy-friendly options on their services in an unethical way, according to a report by the Norwegian Consumer Council. It studied the privacy settings of the firms and found a series of dark patterns, including intrusive default settings and misleading wording.

The Red Ensign Group is to carry out a trial of electronic oil record books across the thirteen British shipping registries. It was agreed by the REG’s Technical Forum, with the Isle of Man Ship Registry taking the first steps and providing industry guidance for the rest of the group.

A World Trade Organization (WTO) Panel has ruled against complaints brought by several countries concerning Australia’s tobacco packaging law, which implements the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and its Guidelines. The panel decided that Australia’s policy on plain packaging is consistent with WTO law.