News World That's Worth

Windows 11 February 2026 Patch Microsoft Fixes Critical Remote Code Execution Vulnerability in Notepad In a surprising turn of events, the Windows 11 February 2026 security update features a critical patch for of all things   Notepad . While typically known as the most basic, "risk-free" text editor in the Windows ecosystem, a new vulnerability has surfaced following the app's recent feature-heavy transformations. The Vulnerability: From Simple Text to Command Injection For decades, Notepad was considered bulletproof due to its simplicity. However, Microsoft’s recent push to modernize the app with advanced features has introduced unexpected security gaps.

China Z.ai Unleashes GLM-5: The Open-Source Challenger to GPT-5.2. Chinese AI powerhouse Z.ai has officially released GLM-5 , a groundbreaking open-weights model designed to compete directly with closed-source giants like GPT-5.2 , Claude 4.5 Opus , and Gemini 3 Pro . This new release marks a significant leap over its predecessor, GLM-4.7, particularly in autonomous reasoning and agentic tasks. Dominating Agentic AI Benchmarks GLM-5 has shown remarkable performance in benchmarks focused on Agentic AI . Notably: BrowserComp: GLM-5 outperformed all other current models, showcasing superior ability in navigating and executing tasks within web browsers. MCP-Atlas: The model delivered scores nearly identical to GPT-5.2, proving its competence in complex tool-use and multi-step reasoning.

From Niche to Mainstream: Ray-Ban Meta AI Glass Sales Top 7 Million in 2025. EssilorLuxottica , the parent company of iconic brands such as Ray-Ban and Oakley, recently unveiled its Q4 2025 earnings, highlighting a monumental year for its AI Smart Glasses partnership with Meta . While Meta leads the software development, EssilorLuxottica’s manufacturing and distribution prowess have driven the hardware to record-breaking heights. Expotential Growth In 2025 alone, sales of the AI-powered glasses hit 7 million units , a staggering jump compared to the combined 2 million units sold during 2023 and 2024. This surge is largely attributed to the successful mid-2025 launch of the new product lineup, which includes:

The End of Browsing? Google Launches AI Mode to Automate Online Shopping. Google has officially launched its highly anticipated AI shopping assistant, integrated directly into the Google Search app and Gemini . This new feature allows users to delegate the entire online shopping process to AI, from initial research to the final purchase. The Backbone: Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) The rollout follows the debut of the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) earlier this year. To ensure the AI could access accurate, real-time product data and pricing, Google successfully onboarded retail giants and platforms including Shopify, Etsy, Wayfair, Target, and Walmart onto the UCP framework.

Russia Commences Telegram Blockade, Pressuring Users Toward State-Backed "Max" App The Russian government has officially initiated its plan to throttle and block Telegram traffic, a move signaled since last year. This escalation is widely seen as an attempt to force the nation’s digital population toward Max , a localized messaging platform developed by the state-aligned tech giant VK . The Official Stance Roskomnadzor , Russia’s federal executive body for media and telecommunications oversight, issued a statement confirming the restrictions. The agency justified the blockade by claiming that Telegram lacks sufficient measures to combat cybercrime, fraud, and the spread of extremist content, thereby posing a threat to national security.

The $20,000 Compiler: How 16 Claude Agents Built a C-to-Rust Compiler from Scratch Nicholas Carlini , a prominent researcher at Anthropic , has demonstrated the raw power of the newly released Claude 4.6 Opus by undertaking an ambitious engineering feat: building a functional C compiler from the ground up using Rust . Utilizing Claude Code , Carlini orchestrated a team of 16 autonomous AI agents to write over 100,000 lines of code, successfully compiling Linux Kernel 6.9 for x86, Arm, and RISC-V architectures. The Multi-Agent Workflow To manage a project of this scale, Carlini implemented a "team-based" AI approach. The key was ensuring agents didn't overlap or conflict:

Exodus at xAI: Two More Co-Founders Depart Following SpaceX Merger The internal landscape of xAI is shifting rapidly. Within the past 48 hours, two more high-profile co-founders   Yuhaui Wu , who spearheaded Grok’s Reasoning capabilities, and Jimmy Ba  have announced their resignations. Their departure marks a significant milestone in the company’s history: out of the original 12 co-founders , half have now left the firm. If Elon Musk is excluded from the count, only five of the original founding members remain at the AI venture. The "Natural" Churn or a Cause for Concern?

The Dark Side of "Search Party": Amazon Ring Faces Backlash Over AI Pet Tracking Feature. Amazon Ring 2026 Super Bowl commercial has ignited a firestorm of criticism, with viewers and privacy advocates labeling it as "dystopian." Critics argue that the company is using the emotional appeal of lost pets to mask a chilling expansion of surveillance technology. The "Search Party" Feature The 30-second spot introduced a new feature called "Search Party." The ad tells a heartwarming story of a family reunited with their lost puppy. The rescue is made possible by a network of neighbors' Ring cameras that automatically scanned the neighborhood. Under this feature, a pet owner simply uploads a photo to the app, and AI-powered Ring cameras in the vicinity immediately begin scanning for a visual match.

Amazon AWS to Launch Content Marketplace: Bridging the Gap Between Media Publishers and AI Developers As the publishing world and online news outlets grapple with declining click-through rates caused by AI-generated summaries, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has identified a strategic opportunity. The cloud giant is positioning itself as a "broker" to connect content creators directly with AI developers through a regulated marketplace. Integrating Content into the AI Ecosystem Amazon plans to integrate this Content Marketplace into its primary AI services, such as Amazon Bedrock and Quick Suite . This initiative offers a dual advantage:

FBI Hits a Wall: Apple "Lockdown Mode" Thwarts Data Extraction in Reporter Raid The FBI was unable to extract data from a Washington Post reporter's iPhone 13 following a home raid, primarily because the device had Apple’s Lockdown Mode enabled. The specialized data analysis tools used by the agency were reportedly rendered ineffective by the high-security feature. The Incident and Seizure In January 2026, the FBI conducted a raid on the residence of Hannah Natanson , a national security reporter for The Washington Post. The search was part of an investigation into a government contractor accused of leaking classified information to the press. During the operation, officers seized multiple devices, including an iPhone 13, a corporate MacBook Pro, and a personal MacBook.

The Compatibility Clash: How to Fix NVIDIA Driver Issues Caused by Windows 11 Update KB5074109. NVIDIA has alerted Windows 11 users following reports that the latest security patch, KB5074109 , may be causing significant disruptions in gaming experiences. Common symptoms reported include dramatic frame rate drops, visual artifacts, and intermittent black screens. As a temporary workaround, NVIDIA recommends that affected users uninstall the update. The Root of the Conflict The issue gained traction on the GeForce Forums , where numerous users reported glitches in high-demand titles like Forza Horizon 5 after updating their OS and GPU drivers. Manuel Guzman , a prominent NVIDIA representative, intervened to confirm that these issues align with the installation of the recent Windows Update. Currently, reverting the KB5074109 update appears to be the most effective solution.

Alphabet Dominates Debt Markets: Total Bond Sale Surpasses $30 Billion to Fuel AI Infrastructure Alphabet Inc. , Google’s parent company, has reportedly extended its record-breaking capital raise. Following yesterday’s $20 billion bond issuance, the tech giant has successfully secured additional funding, bringing the total to over $30 billion . Strategic Expansion into European Markets The latest tranche of funding came from the European debt markets, specifically through bonds denominated in British Pounds (GBP) and Swiss Francs (CHF) . When converted, this European round added approximately $11 billion to Alphabet's war chest, showcasing strong international investor appetite for the company's long-term AI vision.

Discord Clarifies Age Verification Policy: No Mass ID Scans Required for Most Users Following the recent backlash regarding its new age verification initiative, Discord has issued a follow-up statement to address the privacy concerns of its adult user base. The company clarified that the system is designed to be as non-intrusive as possible, aiming to protect minors without inconveniencing the general community. "Business as Usual" for the Majority Discord emphasized that the "vast majority" of users will be able to continue using the platform exactly as they do today. Contrary to initial fears, most users will not be forced to scan their faces or upload government-issued ID documents immediately.

The 15-Year Expiry: Microsoft Quietly Updates Secure Boot Certificates Ahead of June 2026 Deadline Since 2011, Microsoft has utilized the Secure Boot protocol to ensure that the Windows operating system loads safely, preventing malware or malicious code from executing during the boot process. This security measure relies on digital certificates embedded within the PC's firmware (UEFI/BIOS) to verify the authenticity of the software. The Looming Expiration Digital certificates are not permanent; they have a fixed lifespan. The original certificates issued at the start of the Secure Boot era in 2011 were set to expire after 15 years . This means that millions of older PCs are facing a "security sunset" in late June 2026 . Without a valid certificate, the chain of trust that secures the boot process will be broken.

Samsung Confirms Galaxy Unpacked 2026 S26 Series Set to Launch on February 25 The wait is almost over. Samsung has officially sent out invitations for its first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2026, scheduled for February 25 in San Francisco . Interestingly, this year’s launch arrives slightly later than the Galaxy S25, which debuted on January 22 of last year. The Teaser: A Hint at Privacy The official teaser video features a mysterious cube with the Galaxy AI logo nested inside. However, the most intriguing detail lies in the visual effect: as the cube tilts, the logo becomes partially obscured or changes appearance depending on the viewing angle. This subtle clue strongly suggests the inclusion of a much-rumored Privacy Display  or "Anti-Peeping" technology as a standout feature for the Galaxy S26 series.