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The UK government is set to publish its long-delayed defence investment plan (Dip) before the NATO summit next week. The plan outlines defence spending increases but has faced criticism for not providing enough funding or being published on time.
Key Facts
The defence investment plan (Dip) details how much money the UK will spend on defence to address threats identified in a previous strategic defence review.
The Dip was originally due last autumn but is only being released now, after causing the resignation of former defence secretary John Healey.
Healey resigned because he wanted defence spending to reach 3% of the UK's GDP by 2030, but the Dip only plans to raise it to 2.68%.
New defence secretary Dan Jarvis negotiated slightly more funding from the Treasury and will present the plan to Parliament.
Opposition politicians said the plan gives too little money and is too late, potentially making the country less safe and risking jobs and businesses tied to defence.
Keir Starmer, soon to leave his leadership position, is committed to publishing the plan as part of his legacy.
Starmer will give a speech on the Dip outside London before the official statement by Jarvis in Parliament.
Several other political events and committee hearings are scheduled on the same day, including topics on AI, copyright, and a public inquiry.
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An employee at EY, a major accounting firm in Australia, was fired after allegedly accessing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s personal bank account without permission. Two men have been charged and are awaiting further court appearances related to this case.
Key Facts
The accused men are 21 and 25 years old and face charges for unauthorized access to restricted data.
The younger man, Paul Issa, was accused of both accessing and sharing personal data.
The men were charged on May 6 and appeared in court on May 9, with bail extended until August 25.
The breach reportedly happened while the EY employee was working temporarily at Commonwealth Bank.
Prime Minister Albanese holds a savings account and mortgage with Commonwealth Bank.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers expressed serious concern about the data breach affecting not just the PM but all Australians.
EY confirmed the employee involved no longer works at the firm but declined further comment.
Other large accounting firms like KPMG and PwC have recently faced scandals related to leaking confidential client information.
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A campaigner whose daughter died due to maternity care failures in England warned that appointing a single national maternity commissioner could be dangerous and might not improve safety. The government plans to recruit this commissioner to hold hospitals accountable and improve care after a report highlighted problems like poor treatment and discrimination in maternity services.
Key Facts
Emily Barley’s daughter died in 2022 at Barnsley hospital due to care failures.
Barley and her group, the Maternity Safety Alliance, oppose a single maternity commissioner role, fearing it concentrates too much power.
The UK government will appoint its first national maternity and neonatal care commissioner to oversee and improve maternity services.
The move follows the Amos review, which found the maternity system had poor care, failed to listen to women, and had racism and discrimination problems.
The commissioner’s job includes investigating hospitals, pushing for improvements, and restoring family trust in the system.
The Amos report recommends better maternity triage (emergency care similar to A&E), more staff, independent investigations when families are unhappy, and a fairer compensation system for harmed families.
Baroness Amos said the role is meant to be an independent voice for women and families, not just concentrate power in one person.
Amos prefers starting changes immediately over holding a long public inquiry, though she understands families want one.
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The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has confirmed 1,307 cases of Ebola, with 377 deaths reported. The virus has spread to four provinces in the northeast, affecting around 15 million people, and health workers are facing difficulties in controlling the outbreak.
Key Facts
The DRC has recorded 1,307 confirmed Ebola cases and 377 deaths.
Cases have been found in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, and recently Haut-Uele.
Haut-Uele is a new province affected after an infected person traveled there from Ituri and died.
The northeastern region of the DRC, home to about 15 million people, is now affected by Ebola.
The Ituri province is the center of this Ebola outbreak, which started in May and is the 17th outbreak in the country.
The virus spreads easily at funerals where people touch the bodies of the deceased.
Health workers often lack enough protective gear, medicines, and testing equipment and face hostility from some local communities.
The government banned public gatherings in four provinces, including the capital Kinshasa, to slow the outbreak.
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The Strawberry Moon, the first full moon of summer, appeared clearly in the night sky over Hampshire and Dorset. Many people took photos of the bright moon, which is named for the time of year it appears, not its color.
Key Facts
The Strawberry Moon is the first full moon of the summer season.
It appeared full during the night of Monday, June 29, 2026, and was visible again the following night.
The name "Strawberry Moon" comes from the timing in the year, not from the moon's color.
The moon was low in the sky, making it easier to view and photograph.
People took many pictures of the moon from various locations, including Swanage, Gosport, Keyhaven, Fareham, Bournemouth, Highcliffe Beach, and Christchurch.
The moon was seen rising near landmarks such as the Needles and Christchurch Priory.
The weather was clear, allowing a good view of the moon in Hampshire and Dorset.
The event drew attention from the public and local photographers.
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A parcel bomb exploded in a residential building in Monaco, injuring Ukrainian oligarch Vadym Yermolaiev, a couple, and a teenager. Authorities are investigating the attack, which is the first of its kind in Monaco, and a suspect was seen fleeing the scene toward France.
Key Facts
The explosion happened around 9 pm on a Monday in Monaco, near the French border.
Vadym Yermolaiev, a Ukrainian oligarch, was one of the injured.
A couple in their 50s or 60s suffered life-threatening injuries.
A 13-year-old teenager, likely related to the couple, was also wounded but less seriously.
Police saw a suspect on video fleeing the area toward Beausoleil, France.
The bomb was hidden in a parcel left in the building’s lobby and contained bolts and buckshot.
About 50 firefighters and 80 security officers responded to the scene.
Yermolaiev has been under sanctions from Ukraine since December 2023 related to his business activities.
Investigators are trying to understand if the victims had specific threats or reasons to be targeted.
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Social Media Day is celebrated on June 30 each year to recognize the role of social media in communication. Over 5.6 billion people, or more than two-thirds of the world population, use social media daily, spending an average of almost two hours and 40 minutes per day on these platforms. Some countries have started setting age limits to restrict children's access to social media to protect their well-being.
Key Facts
Social Media Day was created in 2010 by the website Mashable.
There are 5.66 billion social media users worldwide in 2025, about 68% of the global population.
Users spend an average of 18 hours and 36 minutes online per week on social media.
East Asia has the highest social media use at 88.1% of its population; Central Africa has the lowest at 12.1%.
Facebook is the most popular social media platform with 3.07 billion monthly active users.
Instagram and WhatsApp each have about 3 billion monthly active users; YouTube has 2.58 billion; TikTok has nearly 2 billion.
Some countries like Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, Turkiye, and the UK are introducing laws banning or limiting social media use for children under 15 or 16 years old.
The EU is considering rules to protect children from addictive features like infinite scroll and autoplay on social media.
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An explosion at a residential building in Monaco seriously injured three people, including a Ukrainian businessman and his family. The attacker fled across the border into France and is being searched for by French and Monaco police.
Key Facts
The explosion happened around 9 p.m. near the French border in Monaco.
Three people were injured: two adults and one child.
The injured were taken to hospitals in France.
One injured person is Vadym Iermolaiev, a Ukrainian construction tycoon.
Iermolaiev was sanctioned by Ukraine in 2023 due to ties with Russia.
The attacker escaped on foot into France and was recorded on video in Monaco and Beausoleil, France.
Authorities from both Monaco and France are investigating and looking for the suspect.
Monaco’s leader, Prince Albert II, called the attack a serious crime and promised increased security.
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Paris experienced a record-breaking heatwave in the summer of 2019, which was even worse than previous historic heatwaves in 2003. The article describes how a pregnant woman living in a poor area of Paris coped with the extreme heat, including challenges with non-air-conditioned public places, health risks, and personal cooling efforts.
Key Facts
The heatwave in Paris in 2019 reached the highest temperatures ever recorded in the city.
Paris suffered worse heat conditions than during the 2003 heatwave, which caused nearly 15,000 deaths.
The author is seven months pregnant and living in Seine-Saint-Denis, a poor area vulnerable to extreme heat.
Many French hospitals are not air-conditioned, raising concerns for pregnant women during heatwaves.
Pregnant women often try to avoid giving birth during heatwaves due to the dangerous conditions.
Public healthcare offices made people wait outside in the heat, leading to at least one heatstroke incident.
People used various cooling methods, like portable air conditioners and reflective blankets, with mixed success.
Social media showed many discussing the heat, including reports of heat-related health emergencies like heart attacks.
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Almost one in four pubs, bars, and restaurants in the UK are losing money, according to a recent survey. Industry leaders, including chef Tom Kerridge, want the government to lower the VAT (a sales tax) on hospitality from 20% to 10% to help the struggling sector.
Key Facts
A new survey shows 23% of UK hospitality businesses are losing money, up from 15% three months ago.
About 1 in 6 of these businesses risk going bankrupt within a year.
The hospitality sector is campaigning to reduce VAT on food and drink services from 20% to 10%.
This VAT cut could cost the government between £10.5 billion and £12 billion.
Other European countries have lower VAT rates for hospitality, ranging from 7% to 13.5%.
The campaign is led by well-known chefs and business owners who say high taxes harm the industry.
Labour's recent increases in national insurance and minimum wage, plus rising inflation and energy prices, are adding pressure on hospitality businesses.
Some experts warn that a VAT cut may benefit larger companies more and that government funds could be used differently to support growth.
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WhatsApp will allow users to create and use unique usernames instead of phone numbers to improve privacy. This feature will roll out later this year, letting people be found and contacted only by their chosen usernames without exposing their phone numbers.
Key Facts
WhatsApp will let users choose unique usernames to hide their phone numbers.
Users must know the exact username to contact someone new on WhatsApp.
This change adds a new privacy layer with no public username directory or autocomplete.
The update will be available to all users in the coming months, with early username reservations starting now.
Usernames must be 3 to 35 characters long.
High-profile usernames, such as those of celebrities and government groups, will be protected to prevent impersonation.
Current privacy only allows blocking or silencing unknown contacts.
Companies and creators with Meta social media accounts can claim their usernames early.
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President Donald Trump shared an edited image on social media showing a large golden eagle attached to the White House’s Truman Balcony. The image was created using artificial intelligence and does not match the real appearance of the balcony.
Key Facts
President Trump posted the image on Truth Social with the caption "A Golden Gift to the White House for its 250th Birthday Year!"
The image shows a bald eagle with wings spanning the balcony columns and a shield with 11 stars.
The real Truman Balcony has different railings than those in the image.
The traditional stars and stripes shield usually has 13 stars, representing the original 13 states.
Metadata from the image shows it was created using Google AI technology.
President Trump has previously shared AI-generated and edited images on social media.
Earlier this year, he posted an image portraying himself as a Jesus-like figure healing people, which received criticism.
This story is ongoing and might be updated with new information.
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Charlie Kirk’s parents and widow will attend a key court hearing in Utah where prosecutors will present evidence against Tyler Robinson, the man accused of killing Kirk. The hearing will determine if the case moves to trial, where the death penalty may be sought.
Key Facts
The hearing starts July 6 and will last a week.
Tyler Robinson, 23, is charged with aggravated murder for killing Charlie Kirk on September 10.
Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking at Utah Valley University.
Robinson has not yet entered a plea.
Prosecutors plan to show videos, witness statements, forensic evidence, and a note allegedly written by Robinson admitting to the crime.
DNA matching Robinson was found on the rifle used in the killing and on related items.
Erika Kirk, Charlie’s widow, now leads Turning Point USA, a conservative youth group he co-founded.
Kirk’s parents, Robert and Kathryn Kirk, have mostly stayed out of public view until now.
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Keiko Fujimori has won the presidential election in Peru by a very small margin. She is a conservative leader and promised to keep open communication with different groups.
Key Facts
Keiko Fujimori is the new president-elect of Peru.
She defeated left-wing candidate Roberto Sanchez.
The election result was very close.
Fujimori is considered a conservative politician.
She promised to keep “doors to dialogue” open, meaning she wants to talk with various groups.
This election is seen as a win for right-wing politics in Latin America.
The election reflects shifting political trends in the region.
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Iran and the United States have recently exchanged attacks after months of tension. Both countries have signaled interest in talks, but Iran has delayed direct negotiations, focusing instead on managing previous agreements, especially about the Strait of Hormuz.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump said talks with Iran would be held in Doha on Tuesday, but Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister denied that technical talks would happen this week.
Iran cancelled earlier scheduled talks with the US due to disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route.
Both Iran and the US recently conducted reciprocal attacks after Iran opposed a US-backed evacuation route for ships in the Strait.
The current memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the US and Iran includes a 60-day agreement for safe passage of commercial vessels without charges.
Iran insists it will control the Strait of Hormuz and opposes interference from other countries.
Iranian officials want access to billions of dollars in frozen funds overseas but face US demands that any release depends on Iran meeting its obligations.
A proposed military hotline between the US and Iran has not prevented recent hostilities, and Iran’s military group showed little interest in the channel.
Iran plans to charge fees for insurance and services in the Strait, but the US opposes any tolls during the 60-day MoU.
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The Queensland government admitted that vulnerable children sometimes slept on floors in public service offices when no other safe places were available. The government says this happens only in emergencies and early mornings, but unions and advocates say the child protection system is overwhelmed and these conditions are harmful to children.
Key Facts
Children in Queensland’s child protection system have slept on mattresses in government offices due to lack of other places.
Premier David Crisafulli said this occurs occasionally when no safe options exist, often early in the morning.
The practice has been used since 2019 as a last resort when placement options like hotels are unavailable.
Unions report children have slept overnight at specific child safety centers recently, saying the system is under too much pressure.
Queensland has the highest number of children in out-of-home care in Australia, about 12,500.
Recent government changes banned children under five from staying in hotels and tightened rules on residential care providers.
Advocacy groups say putting vulnerable children in office spaces is harmful and increases their trauma.
The child safety minister denied the practice has happened since the government inquiry ended.
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Two strong earthquakes hit northern Venezuela last week, killing at least 1,719 people and injuring more than 5,000. Rescue teams are still searching for survivors, but time to find people alive is running out, while thousands remain missing and many are homeless.
Key Facts
The earthquakes struck the La Guaira state in northern Venezuela.
The two main quakes measured 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude.
At least 1,719 people have died and 5,034 have been injured so far.
Tens of thousands of people are missing or not accounted for.
Rescue workers say the first 72 hours after a quake are the most important for saving lives.
Officials restored electricity to 90% of La Guaira and set up 15 temporary camps.
More than 600 aftershocks, including a 4.6 magnitude tremor, have happened since the main quakes.
People in Caracas have evacuated their homes due to ongoing shaking and fear.
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A drone exploded near a bus in Zaporizhzhia, southeastern Ukraine, injuring several civilians. Another drone strike in the area hit a van, killing three people.
Key Facts
A drone exploded close to a bus in Zaporizhzhia, causing damage to the vehicle.
Several civilians were injured in the bus incident.
A separate drone strike in the same region targeted a van.
The strike on the van resulted in three deaths.
Both incidents took place in southeastern Ukraine, in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Video footage captured the damage caused by the drone to the vehicles.
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The cost to upgrade Great Britain’s electricity network in the 2030s could reach nearly £90 billion, which is 50% more than earlier estimates. This increase reflects the government’s goal to expand clean energy and meet rising electricity demand.
Key Facts
The energy system operator (Neso) now estimates £89 billion is needed to improve the electricity network by the 2030s.
Previous estimates put the cost at £58 billion before the Labour government took office.
The increased cost is due to faster clean energy projects, higher inflation, and rising electricity use, including from data centres.
Neso recommends 43 network projects, including 16 new ones not in earlier plans.
Projects include connecting wind farms in the Celtic Sea to parts of Wales and south-west England.
The Labour government aims to make the UK a clean energy superpower by 2030.
Plans include doubling onshore wind, tripling solar power, and quadrupling offshore wind capacity by 2030.
Transmission companies are speeding up upgrades to support economic growth and keep costs down for consumers.
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The Oura Ring 5 is a much smaller and lighter smart ring that tracks health data like heart rate, sleep, and temperature. It costs around $399 and requires a monthly subscription to access full features, offering improvements in size, comfort, battery life, and durability compared to the previous model.
Key Facts
The Ring 5 is 40% smaller in volume than the previous Ring 4 and weighs about 2 grams.
It measures around 6mm wide and 2.23mm thick, making it similar in size to a regular wedding band.
It tracks over 50 health metrics including heart rate, blood oxygen, body temperature, movement, sleep, stress, and women’s health.
The Ring 5 comes in six colors, is made of titanium, and has a more scratch-resistant coating.
Users choose from eight sizes, and Oura offers a free sizing kit to help find the right fit.
The battery lasts between 6 to 9 days depending on ring size, with a full charge taking under 90 minutes.
The ring syncs with the Oura app on smartphones via Bluetooth, but full data access requires a subscription costing about $6 a month.
Optional accessories include a battery case for travel that provides multiple full charges.
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