Launch

• ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW) has partnered with Accenture to launch a new AI-powered cybersecurity services offering and migration tool designed for enterprise clients. • The initiative aims to help organizations strengthen their cyber controls and streamline the process of shifting workloads onto the ServiceNow platform. • Simultaneously, ServiceNow expanded its multi-year AI partnership with IBM to focus on integrating legacy enterprise systems.

Government hopes to make 30% of city’s fleet electric vehicles by 2030 and build 30,000 public charging pointsThe unruly chaos of Delhi’s roads would be unrecognisable without the rickshaws and scooters that zip through India’s capital in their millions, emitting toxic fumes in their wake. But now new policies aim to give the city’s most recognisable vehicles an environmental makeover.On Monday, Delhi’s government announced ambitious new plans to eventually ban petrol scooters, motorbikes and autorickshaws in favour of those running on electricity, in an attempt to bring down dangerously high pollution levels in the city by the end of the decade. Continue reading...

Defence investment plan, which was originally due in the autumn, criticised by Tories and Lib DemsGood morning. After Keir Starmer agreed to stand down next month to let Andy Burnham replace him, he said that he would not make major policy announcements in his final days in office. But there was one exemption; Starmer was committed to publishing the defence investment plan (Dip) before the Nato summit in Turkey next week, and he took the view that, since it was more or less ready, this was an existing policy commitment, not a new one.It is certainly a policy that has already consumed vast amounts of goverment time. The government published its strategic defence review (SDR) more than a year ago. The Dip, the plan setting out how much money ministers would commit to defence spending to meet the threats identified in the SDR, was originally due in the autumn. It is finally coming today – but only after triggering the resignation of John Healey as defence secretary earlier this month because he wanted defence spending to rise to 3% of GDP by 2030 – and was not happy about the Dip only lifting it to 2.68% by the end of the decade. The new defence secretary, Dan Jarvis, has squeezed a bit more out of the Treasury, and he will present the Dip in a statement to MPs later.This is too little, too late. Too little because it is barely more money than John Healey and Al Carns resigned over when they said Britain would be “less safe”. And too late because the plan is now almost a year overdue and only being rushed through because Keir Starmer is desperate for a legacy.This late and underfunded plan is unforgivable. It is a political choice that makes us all less safe, puts jobs at risk and threatens businesses across the country in supply chains.The government have dangerously short-changed our Armed Forces when they need urgent investment after years of Conservative negligence. Defence chiefs have been forced to make hard choices, when they should be given what they need. Continue reading...

• Northrop Grumman is scheduled to launch a rescue mission on June 30 to save NASA's Swift space telescope. • The mission will utilize a unique deployment method, launching a rocket from an airplane to boost the telescope's altitude. • This intervention is critical to prevent the Swift telescope from falling out of orbit and burning up upon reentry into Earth's atmosphere.

• SpaceX successfully launched a 15,000-pound SiriusXM radio satellite into orbit from Florida's Space Coast on June 28. • The mission utilized a Falcon 9 rocket, marking the company's 76th launch of the current year. • This deployment is critical for maintaining and expanding the satellite radio infrastructure used by SiriusXM subscribers.

• New Project Media (NPM) has launched new intelligence and data coverage focusing on renewable energy and data centers across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. • Founder and CEO Ken Meehan stated that this expansion transforms NPM into a global intelligence platform, building upon its existing presence in North America and Europe. • The move integrates APAC data with NPM's other offerings, including Distributed Generation, API integrations, and AI-powered intelligence via NPM Edge.

• NASA is preparing an unprecedented rescue mission to extend the operational life of the aging Swift observatory. • The mission aims to support the detection of cosmic explosions and transients, complementing new facilities like the Argus Array currently under development in Texas. • This effort is critical because while new detectors can identify millions of potential transients nightly, specialized observatories like Swift are needed to analyze these events.

• Accenture and ServiceNow have launched a joint cybersecurity migration offering designed to reduce the costs and complexities associated with transitioning security systems. • The initiative responds to rising data breach expenses in the U.S., which reached $10.22 million per incident in 2025, marking a 9% year-over-year increase. • The solution features four managed services, including AI-driven integrated risk and third-party risk management to automate vendor monitoring and lifecycle processes.

Makerfield MP and hopeful prime minister to pledge ‘growth in every postcode’ Good morning. When Keir Starmer became PM, he had published his missions and his first steps, Labour was awash with policy, but some people still felt it was hard to know what his driving motivation was, what was the single big goal he wanted to achieve in politics. Andy Burnham is set to become PM three weeks today and in his case it is easy to answer this question is because he published a book about it in early 2024 with Steve Rotheram, the Liverpool city region mayor, called Head North. They argue that the north of England has lost out because power in the UK is hoarded in the south and they propose a huge rebalancing, achieved by the devolution of decision making and spending away from London, building on some of the work they had been able to achieve as metro mayors.Anyone curious as to what Burnham will do in Downing Street has to start here. The book even includes a 10 point plan, some elements of which will almost certainly be dropped but some of which will be at the core of the Burnham project. Continue reading...

• Bahrain has accused Iran of launching a drone attack targeting the island kingdom, escalating tensions in the region. • The United States and Iran have exchanged military strikes following U.S. accusations that Tehran attacked a cargo ship, threatening a fragile ceasefire. • To stabilize the region, the U.S. State Department is facilitating a new “Military Coordination Group for Lebanon” to implement a strategic framework.

• The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by founder Dipke, has escalated its protests by launching a nationwide campaign titled 'Pradhan Go Back'. • Activist Sonam Wangchuk is set to join the movement at Jantar Mantar this Sunday to show solidarity with the campaign's goals. • As a key part of the protest, Wangchuk will begin an indefinite fast to draw attention to the issues driving the movement.

• South Korea will transition its won trading market to a 24-hour schedule, with a trial period beginning June 29 and a full launch on July 6. • The shift includes new reforms such as offshore won settlement and updated overdraft policies designed to prevent liquidity gaps. • The move comes as the currency faces significant pressure, currently languishing near a 17-year low against the U.S. dollar.

Michael Phillips, who says he has a 0.38in member, wrote that he needed procedure to improve his ability to urinateThe North Carolina man who has made the apparently undisputed claim of having the world’s smallest penis is seeking the public’s support for enlargement surgery.Michael Phillips said online on Thursday that he needed the procedure to improve his ability to urinate, which is difficult for him given that he is reportedly 0.38in (0.97cm) long when fully erect. Otherwise, he said he must continue to wear diapers for adults with incontinence daily. Continue reading...

• The Trump administration has reportedly requested that OpenAI limit the launch of its next model, GPT-5.6, to government-approved partners. • This move follows President Trump's recent decision to scrap a previous executive order that established a voluntary framework for reviewing advanced AI models. • The shift suggests a transition toward a more consistent, government-led process for evaluating the most capable AI systems before they are released to the general public.

• A bipartisan group launched on Thursday with $500 million in funding to retrain American workers displaced or affected by the artificial intelligence boom. • The initiative is supported by major corporate donors, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Amazon, Microsoft, and Bank of America. • This represents one of the largest private sector efforts to date to mitigate public anxiety regarding AI-driven widespread job losses.

• JPMorgan Chase has launched a $50 billion share buyback program, signaling strong confidence in its financial position. • The move follows Federal Reserve stress tests, which confirmed that major U.S. banks maintain strong capitalization and stable capital requirements. • This initiative is part of a broader trend among top U.S. financial institutions to increase shareholder payouts following the regulatory approvals.

• UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television (TFT) has launched a five-year artist-in-residence collaboration with Emmy winner and entrepreneur Keke Palmer. • The partnership aims to integrate Palmer's extensive experience as a multi-hyphenate star into the academic community to mentor and inspire students. • This initiative matters as it bridges the gap between professional industry success and formal arts education, providing students with direct access to a modern entertainment leader.

• The Golden Globes is launching the "Golden Globes Silk Road Tribute Gala," a new event dedicated to honoring excellence in film and television from Central Asia and the Caucasus. • The gala is scheduled to take place in Uzbekistan on October 23 and 24. • According to president Helen Hoehne, the initiative aims to reinforce the organization's commitment to recognizing outstanding achievements across diverse global cultural landscapes.

• Carbon Brief has launched Project Cosmos, a comprehensive new database of climate science research and a ranking of the 500 most highly cited publications, authors, and institutions. • The tool is designed to track evolving interests in climate science over time and identify critical knowledge gaps to guide future research opportunities. • This initiative aims to increase transparency and accessibility in climate data for academics, journalists, and analysts.

• The UK government has launched two new artificial intelligence research labs supported by a £60 million investment. • These facilities are designed to accelerate AI innovation, foster talent development, and stimulate economic growth within the technology sector. • The initiative matters as it strengthens the UK's competitive position in the global AI landscape and provides critical infrastructure for researchers.

• Tang Jie, CEO of the leading Chinese AI startup Zhipu, publicly corrected Elon Musk in a rare social media exchange regarding the global AI race. • Tang disputed Musk's assertion that China is months behind the United States in developing frontier AI models, insisting that the gap is not as wide as suggested. • This clash highlights the intense geopolitical competition between the U.S. and China to achieve dominance in artificial intelligence and large-scale model development.

• The UK government has launched two new AI research labs backed by a £60 million investment from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). • One lab will focus on creating open-source AI systems compatible with common hardware, while the second will research learning methods that do not rely on massive centralized computing resources. • This initiative aims to strengthen collaboration between academia, industry, and the public sector to make AI more efficient, open, and useful for the country.

Content creation and online safety among new topics for 14- to 18-year-olds – but tweaks may be needed when social media ban comes inScouts are introducing badges in content creation, digital communication and online safety after consulting nearly 3,000 teenagers who said they wanted skills to help them navigate a world increasingly shaped by AI, social media and digital technology.The new Explorer Scout badges, part of the Scout movement’s first major overhaul in almost 25 years, will require 14- to 18-year olds to explore how digital communities shape opinion, create online campaigns, investigate digital footprints and design toolkits to help others stay safe online. Continue reading...

• French police have launched a manslaughter investigation after children died inside a car during a severe heatwave with temperatures reaching 43°C. • Extreme weather is affecting Southern Europe, with Spain issuing red alerts for dangerous heat expected to hit 44°C and France seeing records shattered on Monday. • Italy's health ministry has issued its highest-level alert for 15 cities, prompting authorities to implement measures to curtail outdoor work.

New party dubbed Community Strong Australia follows secret talks about future of community independentsTeal independents Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender have launched a new political party called Community Strong Australia, with the aim of providing a centrist alternative for voters amid the rise of One Nation and the turmoil inside the Coalition.The party will focus on issues including housing affordability, cost of living, climate change, childcare, education, healthcare and social cohesion, according to Steggall, the member for Warringah. Continue reading...

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched a coordinated, department-wide initiative to restore American leadership in clinical research. • The ONC is working to integrate clinical trial notifications into electronic health records to connect eligible patients with research opportunities during routine care. • ARPA-H is implementing modernization programs, including THRIVE and CATALYST, which utilize AI and machine learning to optimize dosing and predict safety before patient enrollment.

• NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for final pre-launch preparations. • The observatory is scheduled to launch this summer aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket to join other major orbital telescopes like Hubble and Webb. • This mission represents a significant leap in astronomical capabilities, designed to study dark energy and exoplanets with a wider field of view than its predecessors.

• Several major technology and consumer electronics products were launched in June 2026, highlighting new trends in AI and mobility. • Key releases include the Canon Pocket Gimbal Camera and the Soundcore Liberty 5 Pro Max earbuds. • These launches signify a continued push toward miniaturization and high-performance audio in the consumer gadget market.