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• Straiker has raised $64 million in Series A funding to develop and scale its AI security platform. • The startup's technology enables enterprises to identify AI agents within their environments and provides visibility into their behavior, access levels, and associated risks. • This funding addresses the growing security gap as companies rapidly deploy autonomous AI agents that may introduce new vulnerabilities or unauthorized access.

• Straiker, an agentic security company, raised $64 million in a Series A funding round led by Marathon, bringing its total funding to $85 million. • The company provides security solutions for AI agents, a rapidly growing segment of the enterprise workforce used by Frontier AI labs and Fortune 500 companies. • This investment highlights the critical need for specialized security frameworks as businesses increasingly integrate autonomous AI agents into their operations.

• The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) warns that rising public debt, financial fragilities, and the sustainability of the AI boom are escalating global economic risks. • Core bond markets have become more vulnerable due to elevated asset valuations and growing investor complacency. • The AI sector's rapid growth is increasingly dependent on high levels of debt and complex funding structures throughout its supply chain.

• Aarhus-based martech startup Serpier has raised €1.4 million in a funding round led by True Collective and the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO). • The company utilizes an AI agent named Navi to automate content generation, analysis, and publication, helping e-commerce retailers increase their visibility across search engines. • This investment allows Serpier to scale its AI-driven visibility tools, addressing the growing need for automated marketing optimization in the competitive online retail sector.

Princess of Wales becomes first royal to climb Scotland, England and Wales’s highest mountains, 18 months after cancer remissionThe Princess of Wales has completed the Three Peaks challenge to raise money for a cancer charity, becoming the first member of the royal family to achieve the feat.Catherine Middleton, 44, revealed in a message on social media she had successfully taken on the trek not only as a physical endeavour but “to give something back” and raise awareness of the wider impact of serious illness. Continue reading...

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...

Experts say decision presents problem for business owners – and indicates direction court’s conservatives are headingExperts say a supreme court ruling that struck down a Hawaii law banning people from carrying guns on private property without permission could present problems for business owners – and is a bellwether of what steps the majority-conservative court may take toward undoing policies they see as placing an undue burden on legal gun owners.The US supreme court handed down the ruling in Wolford v Lopez on Thursday in a 6-3 decision. Second-amendment law centers and advocates praised the ruling as another win and important step toward challenging other restrictions that are out of line with gun laws that existed at the nation’s founding. Gun control and gun violence groups, meanwhile, lambasted the decision as a dangerous one that prioritizes the rights of gun owners over public safety. Continue reading...

Bodycam footage captures moment motorist pulls over to help police officer and calls: ‘Get in the back’A van driver in Kent has been praised after giving a lift to an armed police officer who was chasing down a suspect.Bodycam footage from the officer captured the moment the motorist pulled over to help the police on 16 June and called out: “Get in the back. Get in the back.” Continue reading...

Company says it cannot shield customers from memory and storage chip costs – and iPhone hikes could be nextApple raised iPad and MacBook prices on Thursday, saying it could no longer shield customers from soaring memory and storage chip costs driven by the AI industry’s datacenter buildout.The move does not affect Apple’s cash cow, the iPhone. But it would take starting price of the ⁠Neo, its lowest priced laptop, from $599 to $699 mere months after launch. Continue reading...

• The US Federal Reserve announced on June 24 that 32 of the nation's largest banks are well-positioned to continue lending despite a severe hypothetical economic downturn. • The annual "stress test" revealed that while banks' capital levels dropped by 1.6 percentage points, they remained above the minimum regulatory requirements. • These results indicate that the banking sector could absorb over US$700 billion in hypothetical losses without failing.

• Vienna-based fintech Talentir has raised €4 million in a seed funding round to modernize cross-border payout infrastructure for creators, freelancers, and contractors. • The round was led by Redstone VC and supported by Inovia Capital, featuring backing from former Google CFO Patrick Pichette and eight other investors. • Talentir aims to solve inefficiencies in platform payments by utilizing AI and stablecoin rails to streamline global financial transfers.

• NASA plans to deorbit the International Space Station (ISS) in the coming years, intending to let the massive structure crash into the ocean. • A leading ocean conservation organization has raised serious concerns, arguing that the impact could negatively affect ocean health and marine ecosystems. • The controversy highlights a critical gap in international law regarding the environmental impact and regulation of space debris entering Earth's atmosphere.

• New York-based company Attention has raised $30 million in a Series B funding round announced on June 23, 2026. • The investment round was led by RTP Global and included participation from several of Attention's own customers. • The funds will be used to develop an AI system designed to actively run revenue teams rather than simply recording their activities.

• Major AI-driven tech stocks, including hyperscalers like Microsoft and Alphabet, are experiencing a slump as investors question the timeline for returns on massive AI investments. • The decline follows a period of aggressive spending where companies utilized significant cash reserves to fund AI infrastructure and expansion. • This market shift highlights growing nervousness among investors regarding whether the high capital expenditures will translate into sustainable profit growth.

Recommendations from commission propose gradual rise in retirement age to about 70 by the early 2090sEurope live – latest updatesGermany will gradually raise its retirement age to about 70 by the early 2090s under recommendations backed by the chancellor, Friedrich Merz, as a means of future-proofing the pension system for an ageing population.Presenting its findings on Tuesday, an expert commission set up to explore reforms to the pension system said retirement age should be linked to rising life expectancy and early retirement should be scrapped. Continue reading...

Trump-admiring Abelardo de la Espriella has vowed to ‘disembowel’ the left and kill criminals like ‘rats and cockroaches’When more than 20 women accused a Colombian evangelical pastor in 2012 of sexually abusing them, the defendant’s lawyer sought to discredit the allegations by telling the court that they were “trepadoras” – a pejorative term meaning social climbers.He ultimately secured his client’s acquittal – although the case remains under review by the supreme court – but footage of the remark resurfaced during Colombia’s presidential campaign, sparking outrage among many progressive voters. Continue reading...

• A movie theater chain has introduced a new Spider-Man-themed popcorn bucket to promote the upcoming fourth installment of the Tom Holland-led film series. • The controversial container features a Spider-Man arm topped with a white cone-shaped bowl and a central straw, combining snacks and drinks in one unit. • The design has sparked social media backlash, with fans questioning the aesthetic choices and how the product was approved.

• Lam Research (LRCX) shares rose 6.1% following a quarterly report showing 24% year-over-year revenue growth and earnings that exceeded company guidance. • The company raised its outlook for wafer fabrication equipment demand, citing a surge in orders driven by artificial intelligence infrastructure. • Growth is further supported by expanding partnerships focused on increasing semiconductor manufacturing onshore within the United States.

State government project among range of works celebrated for community-centred design that goes beyond utilityThe reimagined St Kilda pier has added more accolades to its burgeoning trophy cabinet, taking out some of the top gongs at the 2026 Australian Institute of Architects’ Victorian awards.The $53m Victorian government project redesigned by Jackson Clements Burrows Architects, alongside Site Office Landscape Architecture and AW Maritime, took home the Victorian architecture medal on Friday, the award given to the most outstanding project of the year.Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads Continue reading...

Simone Venturini says proposal aimed at discouraging arrivals in ‘periods of heightened tourist pressure’Venice’s new mayor has said he hopes to raise a controversial entrance fee for day-trippers to the lagoon city to as much as €50 (£43).Simone Venturini, the rightwing former tourism councillor who was elected mayor in late May, said the proposal was aimed at further discouraging arrivals “during periods of heightened tourist pressure”. Continue reading...

• Cyber warfare startup Twenty has successfully closed a $100 million Series B funding round led by Accel. • This latest investment brings the company's total funding to $138 million, providing significant capital to expand its operations. • The funding is critical as the company scales its cybersecurity capabilities to address evolving threats in the cyber warfare landscape.

• European leaders at the G7 summit in Evian and VivaTech conference in Paris are discussing technological sovereignty. • The talks come after a U.S. directive banned foreign nationals from using Anthropic's Fable 5 and Mythos 5 AI models on national security grounds. • The move has raised concerns among European leaders about reliance on U.S. technology and potential threats to their own technological development.

• President Donald Trump displayed a more positive attitude toward his allies during the G7 summit at a French Alpine resort. • The shift in tone was driven by support from fellow world leaders regarding Trump's tentative agreement with Iran to end the war. • However, Trump complicated this diplomatic momentum by thanking Russia and China for remaining "neutral" during the conflict.

• The Pentagon has renamed the Indo-Pacific Command shortly before the G7 Summit, sparking concerns regarding the stability of India-US relations and future trade ties. • Pentagon officials claim the renaming is a primarily administrative move designed to restore historical military traditions rather than a strategic shift. • Geopolitical observers are questioning if the timing sends a specific message ahead of critical discussions between Prime Minister Modi and Donald Trump.

• Startups AutoVRse, Maya Research, and IHLD MedTech have successfully secured fresh capital to fuel their growth in AI and healthtech. • India Post is advancing its logistics capabilities by partnering to implement drone-powered mail delivery services. • N-able has expanded its global footprint by launching a new Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Bengaluru.

• Chinese AI lab DeepSeek has closed its first external funding round, raising over CNY 50 billion (approximately US$7.4 billion). • The deal values the large-language model developer at more than US$50 billion, establishing it as China's most valuable AI startup. • This massive capital injection underscores the intense competition in the AI sector and DeepSeek's strategic position as a national champion.

• Chinese AI startup DeepSeek raised over 50 billion yuan (approximately $7.4 billion) in its first external funding round. • The investment values the company at more than $50 billion, marking a massive scale-up for the artificial intelligence firm. • To maintain founder control, the company utilized an unusual limited partnership structure for the funding arrangement.

• Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has raised over 50 billion yuan ($7.40 billion) in its first external funding round. • The investment has propelled the company's valuation to over $50 billion, making it one of the largest fundraising events in the global AI sector. • A unique investment structure was utilized during the round to ensure the company's founders retain operational and strategic control.