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• US stocks declined on Tuesday, with the Nasdaq Composite dropping 1.0% to 25,092.01, the S&P 500 sliding 0.63% to 7,311.26, and the Dow Jones falling 0.44% to 51,690.51. • The downturn was triggered by reports of a delayed IPO for OpenAI, which created significant jitters across the tech-heavy market. • Market instability was further compounded by a valuation drop for Elon Musk's SpaceX, signaling a more challenging environment for major public offerings on Wall Street.

Passengers report being stuck on grounded planes in sweltering conditions as severe weather causes travel disruption across EuropeEurope heatwave: latest updatesThunderstorms have caused severe delays to hundreds of flights at Heathrow and Gatwick airports, leaving passengers stuck on grounded planes for hours in the scorching heat.Overnight, downpours and thunderstorms lit up the skies of London after back-to-back days of 30C-plus weather as the UK and much of Europe experienced a record-breaking heatwave. Continue reading...

• The FTSE 100 closed down 21.87 points (0.2%) at 10,508.02, following reports of delays at OpenAI that negatively impacted the tech sector. • Asian markets saw sharper declines, with South Korea’s Kospi falling 5.8% and Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 dropping 4.2%. • Major tech players were hit hard, including SK hynix, which saw its share price shed 8.4%, and SoftBank, which plunged 13%.

• Global markets declined on June 26, 2026, primarily driven by tech stocks reacting to reports that OpenAI has delayed its initial public offering (IPO). • Other contributing factors included a slide in oil prices due to easing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the Japanese yen hovering near 40-year lows. • Regional performance diverged, with the Hang Seng Index falling 1.7% and marking an 8.5% quarterly decline, while the MSCI Asia-Pacific index (excluding Japan) fell 3% on Friday.

• Tensions have escalated within Pakistan's ruling coalition as the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) challenged the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to hold long-delayed local government elections. • The dispute specifically centers on the failure to conduct these critical elections in the Punjab province and the capital, Islamabad. • This rift is significant because it creates public friction between two key political allies, potentially destabilizing the coalition's internal unity.

• OpenAI has postponed the rollout of its GPT 5.6 AI model following a request from the US government to limit the initial launch to trusted partners. • The delay stems from government anxiety over AI risks and uncertainty regarding which officials should be briefed and what technical data must be shared prior to releases. • This tension highlights the growing need for standardized oversight of frontier AI models to balance innovation with national security.

• Semi-conductor stocks, including AMD, experienced a decline on June 26, 2026, driven by investor anxiety over chip demand. • The market downturn is linked to concerns that price hikes for major hardware products, specifically Apple and Xbox devices, may reduce overall consumer demand. • This volatility highlights the sensitivity of the semiconductor industry to the pricing strategies of its largest tech clients.

• Widespread flight disruptions hit Europe today, resulting in 189 cancellations and 2,207 delays across multiple countries, including Spain, Germany, England, and the Netherlands. • Major airlines such as British Airways, Lufthansa, Vueling, and Ryanair were affected, leaving thousands of travelers stranded at key hubs like London Heathrow, Amsterdam Schiphol, and Munich. • The chaos spanned a vast geographic area, impacting airports from Barcelona and Rome to Helsinki, Oslo, and several Russian cities including Sheremetyevo.

Dan Jarvis, who took role earlier this month, is said to have secured billion more for plan than predecessorDan Jarvis, the new defence secretary, promised to publish the delayed defence investment plan (Dip) before the Nato summit in a fortnight amid indications he has already secured around a billion more than his predecessor, John Healey.Haggling between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Treasury is continuing – while a source in Andy Burnham’s team said he was happy for a final deal to be concluded while Keir Starmer serves out his last days as prime minister. Continue reading...

Availability of teplizumab on the NHS – which postpones early stages of disease for up to three years – described as an ‘incredible moment’The world’s first drug to delay the onset of type 1 diabetes is to be made available on the NHS in England and Wales, in the biggest breakthrough in tackling the disease for more than a century.Millions of people have type 1 diabetes worldwide, which typically emerges during childhood or adolescence, and occurs when the pancreas makes little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone the body uses to allow glucose to enter cells to produce energy. Continue reading...

Defendants worry that changes could remove chance of acquittal based on jurors’ consciences in defiance of the lawClimate activists fear that delays to their cases may mean they lose the right to a trial before jurors, who are typically more likely to acquit them than a judge.Scores of defendants facing trials for protests as long ago as 2021 have had proceedings repeatedly postponed and worry that by the time their cases are heard, government changes limiting the right to jury trial may be in force. Continue reading...

• The White House delayed the release of a federal report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) regarding voting machine security. • The ODNI report concludes that U.S. voting machines may possess software vulnerabilities that require urgent protections and updates. • This security gap is particularly critical as the United States prepares for the upcoming midterm elections in November.

Supplier Agratas sacks its main building contractor on the government-backed project amid a budget mismatchJaguar Land Rover faces the risk of delays to the first deliveries of electric car batteries from a £5.2bn government-backed factory in Somerset after construction problems.The British carmaker is planning to rely on the Agratas factory in Bridgwater, Somerset, to supply the batteries for its new electric models. Agratas and JLR are owned by the Indian industrial conglomerate Tata. Continue reading...

• The White House has delayed the release of a U.S. government report detailing significant vulnerabilities in the nation's voting machines. • The report has been withheld for several months, coinciding with the approach of the November midterm elections. • This delay is critical as it obscures known security flaws in the infrastructure used to conduct national elections.

• The White House delayed the release of a federal government report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) regarding voting machine security. • The report concludes that U.S. voting machines may have software vulnerabilities and require additional protections, such as updated software, to ensure security. • This delay is significant as it concerns the integrity of the electoral process ahead of the upcoming November midterm elections.

State government and consortium strike deal to complete M6’s twin tunnels with minister insisting there is ‘no extra cost to NSW taxpayers’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTunnelling on Sydney’s $3.1bn M6 project, dubbed the potentially “unbuildable motorway”, will resume after the state government struck a deal with contractors, ending a two-year stalemate during which works were halted.Under the terms of the new agreement, the private consortium will absorb the costs of finishing the tunnels, limiting the financial hit to taxpayers. Continue reading...

Qantas now says first Project Sunrise flight due to take off in November 2027. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Nick Visser with the main action.The first bill to re-criminalise abortion in the nation’s history passed South Australia’s upper house last night – but failed in the lower house despite the support of the premier and opposition leader. More details soon. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Allies of Labour’s Makerfield candidate concerned rapid collapse of Starmer government would increase instability Andy Burnham’s campaign has been forced to talk ministers out of resigning as early as this weekend to avoid Keir Starmer’s government descending into chaos amid fallout from the Makerfield byelection, the Guardian can reveal.As they prepare for a potential change of leader in the event he beats Reform on Thursday, Burnham’s team is increasingly concerned a rapid collapse of Starmer’s administration would mean further instability for the country. Continue reading...

• The European Parliament has approved a long-delayed trade agreement with the United States, granting tariff-free access for US industrial goods and preferences for agricultural products. • The deal includes a safeguard allowing the European Commission to suspend these tariff preferences if the US maintains tariffs exceeding 15% on EU steel and aluminium derivatives. • This agreement aims to strengthen economic ties and reduce trade barriers between the two major global markets.

Opposition and Greens could team up to extend inquiry into changes but health minister ‘utterly convinced’ federal government’s plan is rightFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMark Butler has doubled down on his plans to pass contentious NDIS changes as early as this month, warning the opposition against using the bill as a “pawn in a bigger game of chess” as they consider a potential deal with the Greens.The Coalition and the Greens have criticised Labor’s truncated timeline to pass NDIS, negative gearing and capital gains changes, and have signalled they could team up against the government in the Senate to extend inquiries into the bills. Continue reading...

• Apple has announced that the new Siri AI experience will be delayed for users in the European Union upon the launch of iOS 27 and iPadOS 27. • The company attributes this decision to regulatory challenges posed by the Digital Markets Act (DMA), citing specific concerns regarding user privacy and security risks. • This delay prevents EU customers from accessing the latest version of the digital voice assistant powered by Apple Intelligence at the same time as other global markets.

• Apple and the European Union are at odds over the delayed rollout of Siri AI to European users, with each side blaming the other for the holdup. • The dispute has led to a stalemate, with no clear resolution in sight for the launch of the AI app in the EU. • Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, has been involved in discussions, but details of the negotiations have not been disclosed.

• Apple has delayed the rollout of its new Siri AI features for iPhone users within the European Union. • The company claims it proposed a specific solution to ensure the AI tools were compliant with local laws, but EU regulators reportedly refused to engage or accept the proposal. • This conflict stems from the EU's strict regulatory environment, likely involving the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to prevent tech monopolies and ensure fair competition.

• Apple and the European Union are engaged in a dispute over the delayed rollout of new Siri AI features for users within the EU. • The conflict involves mutual blame between the tech giant and EU regulators regarding the obstacles preventing the software's release. • This standoff highlights ongoing tensions between Apple and the EU over regulatory compliance and the deployment of advanced AI services in the region.

Complaints-led approach could pile £6bn of extra costs on to lenders, says City watchdogBusiness live – latest updatesThe City watchdog has warned that a wave of legal challenges to the compensation scheme for victims of the motor finance scandal could leave drivers waiting three more years for payouts, while piling £6bn of extra costs on to lenders.Bosses at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), who have consistently hit out at lenders and a consumer claims group for challenging its scheme, told MPs the scandal could affect lenders for years, and have “consequences” by stretching its resources. Continue reading...

• OpenAI has officially filed for an initial public offering (IPO), signaling a major transition for the AI giant as it seeks public capital. • Apple has delayed the rollout of Siri's latest updates in the European Union to ensure compliance with strict regional regulations. • Market analysts are advising investors to "take profits" now, warning that the current AI market frenzy may be overextended.

• Apple has announced an indefinite delay for the rollout of its "Siri AI" upgrade on iPhones and iPads within the European Union. • The reimagined assistant, powered by Apple Intelligence, was originally unveiled during the company's annual WWDC 2026 conference. • This delay highlights ongoing regulatory tensions between Apple and the EU regarding digital competition and data privacy laws.

• Apple has announced that its new Siri AI features will not be available for iPhone and iPad users in the European Union as part of iOS 27 or iPadOS 27. • The company claims the delay is due to the European Commission refusing to accept any of Apple's suggestions regarding regulatory compliance over the past several months. • This standoff highlights the ongoing tension between Big Tech and EU regulators over digital competition and data privacy laws.