While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, July 18, 2026

Smoke to have minimal impact on World Cup final

Canadian wildfire smoke will have a minimal impact on the July 19 World Cup final at New York New Jersey Stadium, forecaster AccuWeather said on July 17, as a crowd of more than 80,000 is set to watch Argentina play Spain for soccer’s biggest prize.

Heavy smoke from hundreds of wildfires in Canada has blanketed a large swathe of the US this week, prompting air quality warnings from officials.

Air quality may register below “good levels” on July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, AccuWeather said, but fans and players can expect an improvement over the “poor to unhealthy” conditions expected on July 18.

The New York New Jersey region smelled of smoke under hazy skies this week, as local authorities urged residents to reduce strenuous outdoor activity.

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Taylor Farms pulls iceberg lettuce linked to US outbreak

Taylor Farms, a California-based lettuce supplier, is removing all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico, the company said in a statement on July 17, as it seeks to curtail a foodborne illness outbreak that could become one of the United States’ largest in recent years.

The company said it was doing so based on information provided on July 16 by the US Food and Drug Administration.

The company added in its statement that no Taylor Farms-branded salads or kits are associated with the cyclosporiasis outbreak, and that no Taylor Farms-branded salad kits contain iceberg lettuce.

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Blogger jailed for fake claims about Xiaomi EV

A Chinese blogger has been given 20 months in prison for fabricating negative claims about the safety of Xiaomi’s SU7 electric sedan, state media reported on July 17.

Since 2025, the authorities have stepped up efforts to curb false advertising, online misinformation and other irregular practices in the fiercely competitive auto industry amid concerns that misleading claims could distort consumer perceptions and competition.

Bloggers and online platforms accused of smearing automakers or spreading misleading information have been targeted.

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Mother of Henry Nowak’s killer jailed for hiding knife

The mother of a British Sikh man imprisoned for fatally stabbing a white student was jailed by a court on July 17 for trying to hide the ceremonial knife used in the killing.

Henry Nowak was handcuffed by police in December as he lay dying, after his attacker, Vickrum Digwa, falsely claimed that he had been the victim of racial abuse.

Digwa, 23, was jailed for at least 21 years in June for stabbing Nowak to death using a ceremonial knife with a 21-centimetre blade in the southern city of Southampton following an altercation about a mobile phone.

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‘Disappointed’ but proud to equal British Open record

Self-confessed golf nerd Lucas Herbert admitted being disappointed with only carding a second-round 62 at Royal Birkdale on July 17 to lead the British Open.

The 30-year-old Australian had a five-foot par putt on the 18th green for a nine-under 61 which would have been the lowest-ever round in the history of men’s majors.

His putt slid by the hole though and he had to settle for a share of the record that was shortly afterwards matched by American Sam Burns who chipped in on the 18th.

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