108 – Breaking News & Latest Updates 2026
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Richard Lawler

Richard Lawler

Senior News Editor

Senior News Editor

    More From Richard Lawler

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    Kotaku’s editor-in-chief has resigned.

    For more on why, Aftermath (a new gaming site started by several former Kotaku writers) has several enlightening quotes from Glennon’s letter of resignation that was sent to G/O Media execs Lea Goldman and Jim Spanfeller.

    I firmly believe that the decision to ‘invert’ Kotaku’s editorial strategy to deprioritize news in favor of guides is fundamentally misguided given the current infrastructure of the site... [This decision is] directly contradicted by months of traffic data, and shows an astonishing disregard for the livelihoods of the remaining writers and editors who work here

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    SpaceX is facing another NLRB complaint.

    SpaceX already filed one lawsuit claiming the agency’s actions o (on a complaint about workers who say they were fired illegally for criticizing Elon Musk) are unconstitutional and now there’s this complaint issued Wednesday night.

    SpaceX is accused of using severance agreements with ”unlawful confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses, and an unlawful limit on participation in other claims against SpaceX,” among other issues. The parties can either settle (seems unlikely), or there will be a hearing on October 29th.

    SpaceX forced workers to sign illegal severance agreements, US agency claims

    [Reuters]

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    Apple’s response to the DOJ’s iPhone antitrust lawsuit.

    The statement from Apple spokesperson Fred Sainz in response to the antitrust lawsuit announced this morning:

    At Apple, we innovate every day to make technology people love—designing products that work seamlessly together, protect people’s privacy and security, and create a magical experience for our users. This lawsuit threatens who we are and the principles that set Apple products apart in fiercely competitive markets.

    If successful, it would hinder our ability to create the kind of technology people expect from Apple—where hardware, software, and services intersect. It would also set a dangerous precedent, empowering government to take a heavy hand in designing people’s technology. We believe this lawsuit is wrong on the facts and the law, and we will vigorously defend against it.

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    Watch the DOJ announce it’s suing Apple for allegedly operating an illegal monopoly.

    Watch the press conference below as US Attorney General Merrick Garland lays out the case against Apple, and read more details right here.

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    “Buy your mom an iPhone.”

    Debates over green bubbles, iMessage, and RCS came to a head in this moment from the 2022 Code Conference when LiQuan Hunt asked Tim Cook about messaging across platforms. Leading to today, when Hunt’s question and Cook’s response came up on page 39 of the DOJ’s antitrust complaint against Apple.

    In 2022, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook was asked whether Apple would fix iPhone-to-Android messaging. ‘It’s tough,’ the questioner implored Mr. Cook, ‘not to make it personal but I can’t send my mom certain videos.’ Mr. Cook’s response? ‘Buy your mom an iPhone.’

    Correction: it’s on page 39, right 92.

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    The DOJ is expected to announce an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, and a livestream is scheduled for 11AM ET.

    The Department of Justice’s website doesn’t say which company this antitrust announcement livestreaming will be about, but there are signs that point to Apple.

    We’ll have all the updates for you right here as soon as they’re available. (Update: And as of 10:30AM ET, now they are — the stream is still scheduled for 11AM.)

    Screenshot showing the DOJ livestream offline
    Image: DOJ
    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    A $40 billion AI investment fund?

    That’s what this NYT report says a16z and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund are considering, which may explain the rumors that Elon Musk (who denied them), Sam Altman, and others looking to the Middle East to fund their AI dreams.

    It also recalls last fall’s news that the US government added an “additional licensing requirement” for Nvidia and AMD AI shipments to unspecified Middle Eastern countries.

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    LeBron James, podcaster.

    As promised, LeBron and JJ Redick’s new podcast Mind the Game, has launched, The first episode is available on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts (Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pocket Casts, RSS).

    So far, there’s very little GOAT debate, leaving room for discussion about stuff like an unexpected element of Steph’s impact on the NBA (below) and a different idea for guarding the baseline out-of-bounds play.

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    The Stardew Valley 1.6 update is here.

    Along with the new festivals, items, dialogue lines, late-game content, and multiplayer support for eight players on PC that we’d expected, the cozy farming sim also has other features listed in the release notes.

    You can now drink mayonnaise and jelly, and eat pickles.

    It should be available for PC players on Steam and GOG, developer Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone tweeted that Gamepass is incoming “soon.”

    Richard Lawler
    Richard Lawler
    The EU and US reportedly reached a security deal so SpaceX can launch Galileo satellites.

    Two diplomats (presumably Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, and Freekey Zekey were not all available) tell Politico that with the Ariane 6 delayed and Russia’s Soyuz unavailable, the European Space Agency (ESA) is using SpaceX to launch satellites for its Galileo global navigation system and have set up a special security deal to make it happen.

    Separately, SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell said it will start selling the lasers Starlink satellites use for in-space communication to other companies.

    EU agrees US deal to launch satellites with Elon Musk’s SpaceX

    [POLITICO]

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