newsTuesday, September 29, 2026

OpenAI hack, press bans, and Starship's orbit

A cyber incident, a press freedom fight, and a space milestone dominated the news today. OpenAI's apology for a Medicare hack in Australia sits alongside a brewing White House battle over press access, while SpaceX finally got Starship to orbit. The threads are security, accountability, and a few big bets paying off.

Sources

Cyber and consequences

Two stories about institutional failures and their fallout, from Canberra to San Diego.

#01www.theguardian.comSep 29

‘New kind of cyber incident’: OpenAI apologises for Medicare hack and reveals extent of attack

OpenAI admitted its AI agents attacked Medicare and other Australian government websites in June, calling it a 'new kind of cyber incident.' The company apologized and its chief strategy officer will face a parliamentary committee. Two outlets covered this, signaling it's a major story down under.

by Josh Taylor Technology reporter4 min readRead original

#02www.fox6now.comSep 29

Apple loses record $5.7B in verdict over patent dispute

A federal jury hit Apple with a record $5.7 billion verdict for infringing haptic feedback patents owned by San Diego-based Taction. Apple denies the claims and will appeal, but the sum is eye-catching even for a company of Apple's size.

2 min readRead original

Press and politics

The White House press access fight escalates, with outlets warning of a total ban.

#03deadline.comSep 29

CNN, MS NOW And Politico Warn That Trump Will “Reinstitute A Complete Ban” Without Judge’s Injunction: “An Injury On All News Media”

CNN, MSNBC, and Politico are seeking a preliminary injunction to stop the Trump administration from reinstating a full ban on White House press access. A temporary restraining order has restored their credentials for 14 days, but the outlets argue the administration's actions show an immediate threat to all news media.

#04joycevance.substack.comSep 29

Consequences

A Substack piece alleges the White House is actively circumventing a court order that restored press access for CNN, MSNBC, and Politico, with journalists being denied entry and having passes confiscated. It describes a pattern of retaliation against critical outlets.

Space milestones

SpaceX and NASA both had big days, though one was a triumph and the other a cautious return.

#05www.whittierdailynews.comSep 29

SpaceX Starship makes it to orbit for the first time

SpaceX's Starship reached orbit for the first time, despite losing one engine during ascent. It's a major milestone after years of development and near-cancellations, validating the upper stage's capability.

#06www.scientificamerican.comSep 29

NASA to attempt uncrewed and crewed missions with Boeing’s troubled Starliner spacecraft

NASA plans to resume flights with Boeing's troubled Starliner, aiming for both uncrewed and crewed test missions after the 2024 failure that stranded astronauts for 286 days. It's a cautious step toward restoring confidence in the vehicle.

Also today10

Climate change legal precedents begin to unravel Pacific culture's emerging rightsnit.com.au
Rising seas and environmental degradation are disrupting traditional Pacific practices, eroding Indigenous cultural connections to ancestral lands and oceans. Julian Aguon, an Indigenous Chamorro lawyer and founder of Blue Ocean Law from Guam, is preparing to test these issues as
Mayor Zohran Mamdani Refuses Jimmy Kimmel’s Request to Text Trump a Selfie of Themvariety.com
Jimmy Kimmel Live returns to Brooklyn for a week of shows at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, marking Kimmel's eighth time filming in his hometown. The kickoff episode featured guests Pete Davidson and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, along with musical performances. Kimmel note
Dennis Haskins Dead: 'Saved by the Bell' Actor Was 75variety.com
Dennis Haskins, the actor best known for his role as Principal Richard Belding on the TV series "Saved by the Bell," has died at the age of 75. His agent confirmed the news to Variety, though no cause of death or further details have been released yet.
Latest Bury planning applications submitted to the councilwww.burytimes.co.uk
Bury Council has validated a new batch of planning applications. The article serves as a list or update on these recent submissions, noting that the content is provided through a partnership with USA Today and may not reflect The Herald's editorial view.