22 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
Skip to main content

Jess Weatherbed

Jess Weatherbed

News Reporter

News Reporter

    More From Jess Weatherbed

    Jess Weatherbed
    Jess Weatherbed
    The Swift telescope rescue mission also needs rescuing.

    Katalyst says the Link spacecraft it launched on July 3rd to push the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory back up to a higher orbit has been in a “multi-axis spin” over the last 72 hours, resulting in sporadic communications. Having identified the cause, Katalyst is working to recover the mission and believes Link still has “a viable path to rendezvous with Swift.”

    Jess Weatherbed
    Jess Weatherbed
    Elon Musk is challenging Minnesota’s ban on ‘nudify’ services.

    XAI has filed a lawsuit in response to a law taking effect on Saturday that bans apps and websites from generating non-consensual sexualized imagery. The Musk-led company responsible for the Grok chatbot said the law will impact free speech and visual expression “in a clumsy attempt to prohibit ‘nudification.’”

    “See you in court, creep,” responded Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

    Jess Weatherbed
    Jess Weatherbed
    Calls are now supported for WhatsApp Web users.

    You can now make and receive calls — including audio, video, one-on-one, and group calls — on your browser without downloading the WhatsApp app. This is launching alongside waiting room and noise suppression features, and the ability to transfer between devices during calls without hanging up.

    An example of a group video call on WhatsApp Web.
    WhatsApp says web calling is available with “no time limits and at no cost” — take that, Zoom.
    Image: WhatsApp
    Jess Weatherbed
    Jess Weatherbed
    Meta pledges to solve AI labeling problems it’s actively exacerbating.

    The company has signed a voluntary code to comply with obligations under the EU’s AI Act to mark and label AI-generated content that takes effect on August 2nd. Meta unironically said it wants to help prevent “a growing array of different labels and disclosures” from confusing people and regulators, after launching its own bespoke system this month.

    Jess Weatherbed
    Jess Weatherbed
    ChatGPT now refuses to mimic famous authors.

    The OpenAI chatbot has started to push back on requests to copy the writing style of authors like Stephen King and Agatha Christie, saying it can spit out something with similar characteristics, but can’t closely imitate distinctive styles. Those disclaimers could be legally important as OpenAI faces down copyright lawsuits filed by authors.

    Jess Weatherbed
    Jess Weatherbed
    Minnesota’s prediction markets ban has been derailed.

    A preliminary injunction has been granted to halt the Minnesota law that was due to go into effect on Saturday. Siding with a lawsuit filed by the Trump administration, Kalshi, and Polymarket, federal judge Katherine Menendez said the plaintiffs would be harmed by enforcement and that federal law supersedes the ban.