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Lord Richard Walker, the Iceland supermarket boss, said the new Prime Minister 'doesn't have time for resets and delays' as he announced his role had 'expired' following Keir Starmer 's departure.

A man suspected of fatally shooting six child welfare workers at a shelter for mothers in Stade in northern Germany last month died by suicide in jail on Tuesday. 

by George Whittaker

Mozilla has officially released Firefox 153, bringing another round of improvements to its open-source web browser. The latest version introduces new multimedia capabilities, enhanced PDF editing tools, stronger privacy protections, better support for modern web technologies, and several features aimed at improving the browsing experience across Linux, Windows, and macOS. Firefox 153 became available on the stable release channel on July 21, 2026.

While this isn't a major redesign, Firefox 153 delivers a collection of practical updates that benefit both everyday users and web developers.

HDR Video Playback Comes to Windows

One of the headline features in Firefox 153 is support for High Dynamic Range (HDR) video playback on compatible Windows systems.

Users with HDR-capable displays and Windows HDR enabled can now enjoy richer colors, improved contrast, and brighter highlights when watching supported online video content. Mozilla notes that certain laptop displays offering only "HDR video streaming" are not currently supported, and some HDR videos recorded on mobile phones may still have limitations.

Although this feature is Windows-specific, it represents another step toward bringing Firefox in line with modern multimedia standards.

PDF Editing Becomes Even More Powerful

Mozilla continues expanding Firefox's built-in PDF editor, eliminating the need for third-party applications in many situations.

Firefox 153 introduces the ability to:

• Merge multiple PDF documents
• Insert images as new PDF pages
• Continue using existing editing tools such as annotations, page organization, and text editing

These additions make Firefox an even more capable document viewer and editor, especially for users who frequently work with PDF files.

Stronger Privacy and Permission Controls

Privacy remains one of Firefox's biggest selling points, and version 153 introduces several enhancements designed to give users more visibility and control over website permissions.

New improvements include:

• A visual indicator when a website is actively accessing your location
• More restrictive default permissions for browser extensions accessing local files
• Local Area Network (LAN) restrictions enabled by default for all users

These changes reduce unnecessary exposure of local resources while making it easier to understand what websites and extensions can access.

Experimental JPEG XL Support

Firefox 153 also adds experimental support for the JPEG XL image format, which many developers consider a promising successor to older image standards.

JPEG XL offers several advantages, including:

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Long-serving councillor Roy Whitehead has been granted the honorary title of Freeman of the City in Chelmsford.

The Montefiore Institute in Stisted has unveiled new historical displays thanks to a £5,212 grant from Braintree Council.

A federal judge has temporarily paused the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger after a 12-state coalition led by California argued the deal would violate antitrust law. The 14-day restraining order (PDF) preserves the status quo while the court considers a preliminary injunction, which could effectively determine whether the merger survives. Variety reports: "Plaintiff States' showing at least demonstrates that serious questions going to the merits remain, weighing in favor of preliminary injunctive relief," the judge wrote, adding that Paramount has acknowledged it will not be harmed by the delay until the end of September. "Paramount and Warner Bros. will continue to operate as separate, viable companies competing in the marketplace while they wait for the Court to adjudicate this case. The balance of equities, combined with the public's vital interest in antitrust enforcement, therefore tips sharply in favor of the requested injunctive relief." The 12-state coalition, led by California, brought a motion for the temporary restraining order. The states are also seeking a preliminary injunction, which would block the merger until the judge rules on the merits of the states' lawsuit. The 14-day restraining order could be extended to as long as 28 days. Martinez-Olguin, of the U.S. District Court for Northern District of California in Oakland, also set a hearing on the preliminary injunction for Aug. 3, though that date, too, could be delayed if the parties agree. Rob Bonta, the attorney general of California, hailed the judge's ruling as a "critical first win in our case to ensure this megamerger never sees the light of day." "History tells the tale of what happens when a few people have great power over markets that are central to Americans' lives: fewer opportunities for more people, worse products and services for all people," Bonta said. "With our lawsuit, we're fighting for a free and fair market and a thriving film and television industry that serves creatives and audiences alike. We have a full tank of gas, the law on our side, and look forward to continuing to make our case."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Jenny Powell looked incredible in a blue bikini as she posed for sizzling Instagram snaps during a lavish Ibiza getaway on Tuesday. 

Jenny, 84, a former florist and model, is battling bowel cancer as well as normal pressure hydrocephalus - a condition caused by a build-up of spinal fluid.

While Rio and Kate Ferdinand are believed to have splurged £6.5million on their Dubai home, Jordana felt the 'contemporary' door of the property lacked consideration.

Unions have seized on Andy Burnham's arrival to threaten NHS and schools strikes unless there are better pay deals.

Andy Burnham was wafted into No 10 for the first time as Prime Minister yesterday on the same welter of vacuous cliches that propelled him to the Labour leadership.

Ljubiša Karović, 61, from Serbia, was travelling from Greece to Germany when his head and shoulders were left hanging outside the aircraft while his wife desperately clung to his feet for five minutes.

Exhausted and frustrated, I pushed open the glass doors of the 7-Eleven and made a beeline for the chilled section to pick out dinner for my tired, hungry family.

Eight years ago Richard Carnaby handed his parents the set of door keys that gave him access to their Suffolk home. 'I told them I wouldn't be needing them any more,' he says.

While the Milky Way galaxy might look calm and stable today, scientists say a grand display of cosmic gymnastics once turned our world upside down.

From iconic London viewpoints to majestic beaches across the country, these are some of the UK's top views.

After replacing Sir Keir as Prime Minister on Monday, Mr Burnham wielded the axe as he culled those closest to his predecessor.

Neil Lewis, 47, confessed to fraud by false representation following the deaths of Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21, and driver Rafel Jeanne, 24.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Wired: Nearly seven years after Apple debuted the Apple Card, Samsung is following the iPhone maker's footsteps with the Galaxy Card, aiming for its own slice of the credit card market. The announcement comes two days before Samsung's second Galaxy Unpacked event of the year, where it's expected to showcase new smartwatches and folding smartphones. The Galaxy Card is issued by Barclays on the Visa network; the Apple Card, originally issued by Goldman Sachs but now transitioning to Chase, is on the MasterCard network. There is a physical card -- it's not made of titanium but recycled steel. The virtual card will be provisioned to a user's Samsung Wallet account. With no annual fee, Samsung says cardmembers can earn 5 percent cash rewards on all in-store or online purchases made directly from Samsung in the US, 3 percent cash rewards on purchases made with the Galaxy Card using Samsung Wallet, 2 percent cash rewards on streaming service subscriptions, and 1 percent cash rewards on everything else with the physical card. The cash rewards can be redeemed as a statement credit or transferred to a checking or savings account. The annual percentage rate (APR) varies by cardmember, but the card has no foreign transaction fees. Other perks include a 20 percent discount on Samsung's VIP Advantage membership, which offers extended device protection, specialized support, and exclusive deals, and $200 in cash rewards after spending $2,000 in the first 90 days. Applications open up on July 22. The Samsung Wallet app is only available on Samsung smartphones and watches, so what happens if a consumer switches to a different smartphone brand? The company says Galaxy Card is not limited to Samsung device owners and that anyone can use the physical card, but you lose the key perks; the card can be managed through a BarclaysUS.com online portal. (Similarly, if an iPhone owner switches to Android, their physical Apple Card will still work, but they lose access to the Apple Wallet app and the 3 percent daily cash perk on Apple purchases; there's a web portal to manage the account.)

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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