Leftovers

• Science

  • The Straits Times ☛ Romans learnt shipbuilding from Malays? Malaysian academia’s integrity in question after claim

    A Malaysian lecturer’s claim about ancient Romans ignited a storm of criticism, memes and debate.

  • Hackaday ☛ The Sanskrit Square Root Algorithm

    Years ago, no math education was complete without understanding how to compute a square root. Today, you are probably just reaching for a calculator, or if you are writing a program, you’ll probably just guess and iterate. [MindYourDecisions] was curious how people did square roots before they had such aids. Don’t remember? Never learned? Watch the video below and learn a new skill.

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Discover Mysterious Signs of Life in Bizarre Blue Volcanic Goo

    Unexpected life found where you would burn.

  • Science Alert ☛ Toxic 'Hammerhead Worm' Is Invading Texas, Triggering Warnings

    "Don't kill it, don't squish it, don't cut it up."

  • Science Alert ☛ Mysterious Streaks on The Slopes of Mars Might Finally Be Solved

    Here’s the verdict.

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Thought a Quantum Satellite Uplink Was Impossible – Until Now

    This could change everything.

• Career/Education

  • Chronicle Of Higher Education ☛ The Decline of the Great American Research University

    For years, Chinese universities have been gaining on — and surpassing — Western institutions.

• Hardware

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Chinese scientists discover method to cut defects by 99% with DUV chipmaking equipment, but it destroys EUV pattern fidelity — analyzing photoresist clustering with cryo-ET at 105°C

    Chinese researchers have visualized how photoresist polymers cluster during development using cryogenic electron tomography and found that slightly raising post-exposure bake temperature could reduce defect density, but the finding has limited practical impact since this temperature is already typical for DUV processes and unsuitable for EUV lithography, where it would harm resolution and yield.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • New York Times ☛ F.D.A. Will Remove Black Box Warnings From Hormone Treatments for Menopause

    The benefits of hormone replacement have been underappreciated, Dr. Marty Makary, the agency’s commissioner, said on Monday. Critics described evidence for the change as insufficient.

  • Stanford University ☛ What daylight saving means for health productivity

    Researchers in Stanford’s Zeitzer Circadian Sleep Lab described the potential impacts of daylight saving time on college sleep schedules.

  • Futurism ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Posts Claim About Health Care System Cited to “Dunning-Kruger Times,” a Website Making Fun of Stupid People

    "If you believe that it is real, you should have your head examined."

  • Futurism ☛ Scientists Say They’ve Figured Out a Way to Regrow Tooth Enamel

    "The growth actually happens within a week."

  • Federal News Network ☛ Senate takes first step toward ending the government shutdown

    The Senate has taken the first step to end the government shutdown after a group of moderate Democrats agreed to proceed without a guaranteed extension of health care subsidies. This angered many Democrats who say Americans want them to continue the fight. In a test vote that is the first in a series of procedural maneuvers, the Senate voted late Sunday to move toward passing compromise legislation to fund the government and hold a vote by mid-December on extending expiring health care tax credits. Final passage could be several days away if Democrats object and delay the process.

  • Federal News Network ☛ 5 ways a Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage FEHB plan can make retirement easier—and healthier

    Retire with confidence—Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage and FEHB give you seamless care, top doctors, and wellness benefits that fit your life.

  • Federal News Network ☛ 2026 Open Season Exchange: MetLife’s Missy Plohr-Memming on prioritizing holistic health

    As the federal workforce evolves, health insurance carriers are adapting to meet changing needs through a “holistic” approach to wellness, MetLife VP explains.

  • Federal News Network ☛ It’s officially Open Season for Federal Employees Health Benefits enrollees

    For plan year 2026, federal employees’ health insurance premiums are rising by an average of 12%.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Local food production up but Malaysia still import-dependent, says minister

    The self-sufficiency level stands at 56.2% cent for rice and 90.2% for chicken, he says.

  • New York Times ☛ China Tightens Controls on Fentanyl Precursors After Summit

    China will require licenses for export of 13 chemicals used to make the deadly drug, another indicator of thawing tensions between the world’s two largest economies

  • The Straits Times ☛ FBI chief visited China to talk fentanyl, law enforcement, sources say

    The trip follows a summit between the US and Chinese presidents, where both hailed “consensus” on the matter.

  • France24 ☛ Canada loses measles elimination status after deadly resurgence linked to religious group

    Canada has lost its measles elimination status after almost three decades, health officials said on Monday, citing a persistent resurgence of the virus largely among unvaccinated groups. Canada’s latest outbreak has lasted for more than a year.

  • Hackaday ☛ The Strange Depression Switch Discovered Deep Inside The Brain

    As humans, we tend to consider our emotional states as a direct response to the experiences of our lives. Traffic may make us frustrated, betrayal may make us angry, or the ever-grinding wear of modern life might make us depressed.

  • Science Alert ☛ Experts Reveal a Drug-Free Way to Mimic The Effects of Ozempic

    No prescription needed!

  • Science Alert ☛ Scientists Discover a Viral Cause of One of The Most Common Cancers

    Here's how it hijacks DNA.

  • New York Times ☛ Suits Accuse Camp Mystic of Gross Negligence in Children’s Deaths

    Parents of campers and counselors who died in the July 4 Texas floods said the camp leadership did little before mounting “a hopeless ‘rescue’ effort from its self-created disaster.”

  • Mental health breakdowns and lesson in ubuntu amid scarce resources

    Sometimes, inexplicably, at clinics or hospitals, there’s a spike in the number of people arriving in a state of breakdown or disconnect from reality.

    On one such day, I was doing my weekly session at a clinic located on a short but extremely potholed old road parallel to the N2 in northern KwaZulu-Natal, surrounded by rolling green hills, sugarcane fields, sparsely populated villages, and livestock grazing wherever they can find a patch of grass.

• Proprietary

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • The Straits Times ☛ Mass cheating scandal at South Korean university ignites calls for clearer Hey Hi (AI) rules on campus

      Instead of banning Hey Hi (AI) tools, experts say that schools should create transparent usage frameworks.

    • Luis Villa: Three LLM-assisted projects [Ed: 'Vibe Coding' Doesn't Work]

      Some notes on my first serious coding projects in something like 20 years, possibly longer.

    • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ University of Hong Kong probes non-existent AI-generated references in paper; prof. says content not fabricated

      The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has launched a formal investigation into a published doctoral thesis, after it was found to contain non-existent references generated by artificial intelligence (AI).

    • Digital Music News ☛ Google Moves to Dismiss Penske Media’s AI-Focused Antitrust Suit, Says the Billboard Publisher’s Claims Are ‘Legally Defective in Every Way’

      Google has fired back against Penske Media’s antitrust lawsuit, maintaining, among other things, that the AI-focused claims therein “fail on every level.” The tech giant just recently moved to dismiss, with Penske Media Corp. (PMC) and several of its divisions having filed the original suit in September.

  • Social Control Media

    • Digital Music News ☛ iHeartMedia and Fentanylware (CheeTok) Finalize ‘Multiplatform Partnership,’ Tee Up Creator-Hosted Podcasts, a Dedicated Radio Station, and More

      Will Fentanylware (CheeTok) stars’ short-form video talents translate into long-form audio success? We’re about to find out, as the app has finalized a “multiplatform partnership” deal, extending to radio, podcasts, and more, with iHeartMedia. Fentanylware (CheeTok) and iHeart confirmed the expanded tie-up today.

• Security

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • Digital Music News ☛ Korean Authorities Open A Sweeping Ticket Scalping Investigation

      The Korean National Tax Service (NTS) has opened a probe into professional ticket resellers accused of turning K-pop fandom into a black market. This action follows the United States’ FTC and DOJ investigations into Ticketmaster and Live Nation over violations of the BOTS Act.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Over 800 Malaysians detained abroad for online scam offences

      Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said the high number could tarnish the nation's image internationally.

    • The Straits Times ☛ Thailand to extradite gambling kingpin She Zhijiang to China

      She continues to deny any wrongdoing, saying that his case in China is politically motivated.

    • The Straits Times ☛ China hotel guest pays 280 times the $20 rate after flooding room in anger

      She was upset that her request for a cancellation and refund at the budget hotel in Hainan was denied.

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • Security Week ☛ Many Forbes Hey Hi (AI) 50 Companies Leak Secrets on Microsoft's proprietary prison GitHub

      Wiz found the secrets and warned that they can expose training data, organizational structures, and private models.

    • NYOB ☛ EU Commission internal draft would wreck core principles of the GDPR

      EU Commission internal draft would wreck core principles of the GDPR

• Defence/Aggression

  • New York Times ☛ F.B.I. Director Is Said to Have Made a Pledge to Head of MI5, Then Broken It

    The episode has contributed to concerns among intelligence allies that Kash Patel, brash and partisan, is also unpredictable and even unreliable.

  • New York Times ☛ Drones Over North Korea Were Part of Martial Law Bid in South, Special Counsel Says

    South Korea’s ousted leader, Yoon Suk Yeol, was accused of trying to stoke military tensions to justify his short-lived martial law last December.

  • New York Times ☛ Hundreds of Migrants Missing Off Malaysia’s Coast

    A boat said to be carrying people from the Rohingya ethnic minority capsized, and another was missing. At least seven bodies were recovered.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Malaysia steps up search for missing Rohingya boats; at least 21 dead

    The status of a boat with about 230 passengers remains unclear, the authorities say.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Influencer Iris Hsieh’s death: Malaysian rapper Namewee maintains innocence as remand extended

    Namewee was the last person seen with the 31-year-old influencer.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan protests against China diplomat’s violent threat over PM Takaichi’s Taiwan remark

    The threat was made in a post on X by China’s Osaka consul-general Xue Jian.

  • The Straits Times ☛ At China’s largest import expo, US exhibitors are hopeful worst of trade war is over

    This follows a framework agreement to roll back a number of tariffs and export control measures.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ China suspends ban on rare earth exports to the U.S., but licensing controls remain — vital semiconductor manufacturing materials get one-year reprieve

    China has lifted its ban on exports of gallium, germanium, and antimony to the United States, temporarily halting restrictions that had reshaped global materials markets over the past year.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China suspends ‘special port fees’ on US vessels amid fragile trade truce

    China said Monday it would suspend for one year “special port fees” on US vessels “simultaneously” with Washington’s pause on levies targeting Chinese ships, as a fragile trade truce between the superpowers continues to take shape.

  • The Strategist ☛ The digital battlefield around Australia’s South China Sea patrols

    When an Australian patrol aircraft met a Chinese jet over the South China Sea last month, the encounter quickly moved beyond airspace to digital space.

  • ACLU ☛ Defending Veterans’ Rights for Over a Century

    The ACLU marks this Veterans Day with a continued commitment to advancing the rights of veterans, servicemembers, and their families. We have a long, proud history of litigation and advocacy on behalf of those who serve, as reflected in a new report released today.

  • Security Week ☛ Australia Sanctions Hackers Supporting North Korea’s Weapons Program

    Australia mirrored the US’s recent sanctions against bankers, financial institutions, and others allegedly involved in laundering funds for North Korea.

  • France24 ☛ Israel bill proposing death penalty for ‘terrorists’ clears first parliamentary vote

    Israel’s parliament on Monday approved a bill in its first reading that would allow the death penalty for “terrorists,” a measure pushed by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and aimed largely at Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis. The bill passed 39-16 and requires two more readings.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong judge grants closed-door hearing to 3 men accused of posing as nat. sec police – report

    A Hong Kong judge has granted a temporary closed-door hearing in a trial of three men – two police officers and a retiree – allegedly posing as the force’s national security staff three years ago, according to local media.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China complains to European Parliament over Taiwan V-P’s speech

    V-P Hsiao in a speech on Nov 7 called Taiwan and its people “a victim of coercion” by China.

  • France24 ☛ US strikes 2 more Latin American ‘drug boats’, bringing death toll to 76

    The United States has struck two more alleged Latin American drug-running boats, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday, adding that all six people on board were killed. Critics say the US strikes in the Pacific and Caribbean – which have now claimed the lives of 76 people – amount to extrajudicial killings.

  • CS Monitor ☛ US keeps striking suspected drug boats, killing dozens. Is it legal?

    The Forrest Dump administration claims it has legal justification for killing alleged “narcoterrorists.” Here’s why many experts, including conservatives, remain skeptical based on what the administration has shared so far.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian minister says pressure on Belarus is working to cut smuggler balloons

      Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovič said Monday that closing Lithuania’s border with Belarus, a measure aimed at pressuring Minsk and curbing contraband, is producing results, with significantly fewer smuggling balloons entering Lithuanian airspace this month.

    • LRT ☛ Minsk to move stranded Lithuanian trucks to paid lots amid border closure dispute

      Belarusian authorities said Lithuanian trucks stranded at the Kamenny Log and Benyakoni border crossings to specially designated parking lots in the Katlovka area, citing “security and protection” as the reason, according to Nashaniva.com.

    • Meduza ☛ Three years after Russia’s retreat, civilians in Kherson are still living under constant fire — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Russia’s oil empire stumbles as Lukoil halts output in Iraq under U.S. sanctions pressure: Meduza breaks down today’s biggest Russia-related news stories, November 10, 2025 — Meduza

    • France24 ☛ Syria seeks alliances with Turkey, Gulf states, West, and envisions a 'new partnership' with Russia

      Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa met US President The Insurrectionist at the White House on Monday for unprecedented talks, just days after Washington removed him from a terrorism blacklist. Sharaa, whose rebel forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, is the first Syrian leader to visit the White House since the country's 1946 independence. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, Yinka Oyetade welcomes Dr. Jerome Drevon, Author, Senior Analyst in Jihad and Modern Conflict at the International Crisis Group (ICG).

    • Latvia ☛ Take a historic Lāčplēsis Day walk in Rīga

      Latvia marks 'Lāčplēsis Day' on 11th November – the day of a crucial victory against joint German and White Russian forces under Count Pavel Bermondt-Avalov was won by the fledgling republic of Latvia, which had declared independence a year earlier.

    • New York Times ☛ Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Agencies Push Back Despite Zelensky Pressure

      Months after Ukraine’s president tried to cripple them, the agencies said they had uncovered a major scheme involving the state-owned nuclear energy company.

    • RFERL ☛ Ukraine's Energy Sector Under Investigation By Anti-Corruption Watchdog

      Ukraine's anti-corruption watchdog has announced a "large-scale operation" exposing tens of millions of dollars of graft in the energy sector in the midst of Russia's full-scale invasion.

    • New York Times ☛ As the Russia War Continues, Ukraine Faces a Major Draft Evasion Problem

      Ukraine faces a major draft-evasion problem, but no place is quite like Vylkove, a Danube River town where men of draft age have all but vanished, many of them trying to avoid military service.

    • RFERL ☛ Ukrainian Battalion Officer Held After Russian Strike Killed 19 During Ceremony

      Ukrainian prosecutors ordered the arrest of a battalion commander after a Russian air strike hit troops at a ceremonial gathering, killing at least 19 people.

    • LRT ☛ EU’s new visa rules for Russians: restrictions and exceptions

      The European Commission announced Friday that it is tightening the rules for issuing Schengen visas to Russian citizens, eliminating the option for multiple-entry visas in response to Moscow’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine and related hybrid threats.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Angelina Jolie highlights the horrors of Russia’s ‘human safari’ in Ukraine

      Hollywood star Angelina Jolie paid a surprise visit to Ukraine in early November to help raise international awareness about Russia's 'human safari' campaign of drone killings targeting Ukrainian civilians, writes Peter Dickinson.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ The geopolitical trends shaping the EU’s policies on China

      European policies on China are shaped by four major geopolitical trends: intensifying US-China competition, uncertainty about sustained US engagement in Europe and globally, China’s support for Russia’s war on Ukraine, and Beijing’s growing economic and technological challenge to the EU.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Poland’s policy on China: From partnership to skepticism

      Despite its traditionally transatlantic orientation, Poland pursued an engagement policy toward China until the late 2010s. However, unmet economic promises and Beijing’s alignment with Moscow following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shifted Warsaw’s view of China from economic partner to systemic challenger.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ France’s policy on China: Strategic autonomy and less naïveté

      Over the last decade, France’s long-standing engagement with China has transformed into a more nuanced and cautious dynamic, reflecting a growing emphasis on balancing. This shift is guided by France’s pursuit of strategic autonomy, its effort to “de-risk” economic and security ties, and the broader geopolitical realities unfolding in the Indo-Pacific.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ How Europe deals with China in trade, technology, and security

      The EU’s approach to China is increasingly converging around “de-risking,” though progress remains uneven. While powerful member states set the overall direction, smaller ones drive change—and outliers slow collective action. Whether the EU can turn this patchwork into a unified strategy will define its China policy in the years ahead.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Recommendations for coordinating US-EU policy

      To effectively counter China, the United States should prioritize closer coordination with the EU in key areas: economic security, supply chains, anti-coercion, and strategic investment. Joint efforts on trade and investment, technology, and security will be crucial to ensure aligned US-EU action.

    • Latvia ☛ Mayors still being evaluated for security clearance in Latvia

      This year's local elections were the first to make it compulsory for appointed council leaders to obtain state secrets clearance. So far, the State Security Service (VDD) has assessed about a third of the municipalities' mayors, reports Latvian Television's "De Facto" on 9 November.

    • LRT ☛ Major banking crises, daring robberies and curious records: Lithuania 30 years ago

      In October 1995, Lithuania’s headlines were dominated by turmoil in the banking sector and other financial institutions. Reports of vanishing millions and financial mismanagement appeared almost daily.

    • Meduza ☛ Jude Law’s Putin film, ‘The Wizard of the Kremlin,’ now has a movie trailer — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Thousands of Russians have applied for asylum in the U.S. since 2022. Trump’s ICE raids could land many of them in Putin’s prisons. — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ New investigation reveals how the Putin regime ‘reproduces itself’ through ruling dynasties — Meduza

    • The Straits Times ☛ Kremlin says active preparations underway for Putin visit to India

      MOSCOW - The Kremlin said on Monday it was "actively preparing" for President Vladimir Putin to visit India before the end of the year and hoped it would be a substantive trip.

    • Latvia ☛ PODCAST: 'Is Europe Ready for Ukraine, and Can Ukraine Support Europe Much Longer?'

      The Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA) is back with another in its series of topical podcasts available to all.

• Environment

  • New York Times ☛ At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, Chinese Technology Is Shifting Climate Politics

    At this year’s climate summit, the United States is out and Europe is struggling. But emerging countries are embracing renewable energy thanks to a glut of cheap equipment.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • The Straits Times ☛ South Korea recovers 600-year-old cargo ship in underwater excavation

      The Mado 4 is now the only fully excavated Joseon-era ship ever recovered.

    • Hackaday ☛ Investigating Soldering Iron Phantom Voltage

      Just because you are paranoid doesn’t mean people aren’t out to get you. Do you think your soldering iron is after you? Well, [nanofix] asks (and answers): Is My Soldering Iron Dangerous?

    • Atlantic Council ☛ The energy conversation has changed—so must COP30

      At COP30, world leaders have an opportunity to reframe how countries work together to achieve energy security, decarbonization, and affordability.

    • Bridge Michigan ☛ Tensions mount as data centers eye ‘sleepy’ Michigan farm towns

      In a scenario likely to repeat statewide, a $7 billion data center planned for a rural Saline Township is prompting debate about jobs versus environmental impacts and noise.

    • CS Monitor ☛ With nostalgia at the helm, the Belle of Louisville steamboat keeps paddling along

      The sheet-cake-shaped vessel, built in 1914, evokes a simpler, more romantic era.

    • Tom's Hardware ☛ Silicon Valley data centers totalling nearly 100MW could 'sit empty for years' due to lack of power — huge installations are idle because Santa Clara can't cope with surging electricity demands

      In the heart of Silicon Valley, two freshly built data centers designed for the world’s most power-hungry computing workloads are standing empty.

    • Hackaday ☛ Testing Whether Fast Charging Kills Smartphone Batteries, And Other Myths

      With batteries being such an integral part of smartphones, it’s little wonder that extending the period between charging and battery replacement has led to many theories and outright myths about what may affect the lifespan of these lithium-ion batteries. To bust some of them, [HTX Studio] over on YouTube has spent the past two years torturing both themselves and a myriad of both iOS and Android phones to tease out some real-life data.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • The Straits Times ☛ ‘They chewed off their own legs’: Malaysian park ranger tells of animals suffering wildlife abuse

      Poachers in Malaysia hunt tigers for their body parts, which fetch high prices on the illegal market.

    • RTE ☛ Pets, Laughs and Chaos! RTÉ KIDS’s The Big Pet Project brings Ireland’s amazing pets to RTÉ One and RTÉ Player

      76 animals. Six locations. Two Irish stars. One Pet Mobile. From surfing dogs to goal-scoring turtles, painting ponies to oversized pigs, Ireland’s most extraordinary pets are about to take over your screens from Saturday 15 November 2025 at 5:15pm on RTÉ One, with all episodes available to stream the same day on RTÉ Player.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ Former Malaysian PM Muhyiddin’s graft trial to start in March

    He was charged with using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM232.5 million (S$72.6 million).

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Greece’s policy on China: Debt-era deals and recalibration

    From the port of Piraeus to Brussels, Greece’s China policy has evolved from enthusiastic engagement and post-crisis dependency to strategic caution. Today, Athens's is balancing economic pragmatism with transatlantic security commitments.

  • BIA Net ☛ Swatch workers in Turkey begin strike over wages

    The action affecting 150 workers at 16 stores follows a breakdown in collective bargaining negotiations.

  • Fast Company ☛ How AI became the scapegoat for the current wave of mass layoffs

    Labor experts reveal the truth behind AI job disruption, and why companies are so willing to cite AI as the excuse for slashing jobs.

    With a new season of mass layoffs upon us, it seems corporate America has found a new scapegoat.

    When Amazon recently disclosed that upcoming layoffs would impact 14,000 corporate jobs, the tech giant said the cuts would help make Amazon leaner.

    “This generation of AI is the most transformative technology we’ve seen since the internet, and it’s enabling companies to innovate much faster than ever before,” HR leader Beth Galetti said in a memo. (Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has since clarified that the layoffs are driven by culture, not AI or the bottom line.)

    Other tech companies like Microsoft have trimmed headcount this year to the tune of over 15,000 layoffs, all the while sinking billions of dollars into AI investments. “To deliver on our mission, we need to stay focused on our three business priorities: security, quality, and AI transformation,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told employees after a significant round of layoffs in July. “We are doubling down on the fundamentals while continuing to define new frontiers in AI.”

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Navigating the complexity of European policymaking on China

    EU policymaking on China is complex not only in structure but also in practice. It unfolds across multiple layers of governance, where EU institutions and member states pursue overlapping—and at times conflicting—priorities, making strategic alignment toward Beijing a persistent challenge.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ The European Commission’s role in steering Europe’s strategic outlook

    Over the past decade, the European Commission has led the EU’s pivot toward balancing and “de-risking” China. Trade and investment have been at the heart of this strategy, not only because of the Commission’s authority in these domains, but also because they are the primary channels through which China challenges Europe’s economic and political interests.

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  • Atlantic Council ☛ Lithuania’s policy on China: An unlikely EU trailblazer

    Lithuania’s defiance of Chinese pressure has made it a policy innovator in the EU, showing how a small state can strengthen collective resilience. Its firm stance on Taiwan and push for European unity have anchored the EU’s shift toward de-risking and closer transatlantic coordination.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Tries to Seize ‘Affordability’ as Americans’ Economic Worries Grow

    The issue has buoyed Democrats and is resonating with an American electorate that is souring on the president’s economic agenda.

  • Latvia ☛ Annual inflation stood at 4.3% in October for Latvia

    Data published by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) on November 10th show that annual inflation ticked up in October 2025 (compared to October 2024) by 4.3 %.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Hungary’s policy on China: Doing Beijing’s bidding

    Under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Hungary has emerged as China’s closest ally within the EU, aligning its foreign policy with Beijing’s global agenda and repeatedly obstructing EU efforts to counter Chinese influence.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Italy’s policy on China: The Belt and Road gamble and its aftermath

    From the Silk Road to the Belt and Road Initiative, Italy’s relationship with China has shifted from early enthusiasm to cautious recalibration. Once Europe’s gateway for Beijing’s ambitions, Rome now frames its China policy around transatlantic solidarity, balancing economic opportunity with strategic prudence.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Convergence and divergence in US and EU policies on China

    Where have US and EU polices on China drifted apart—and where do they converge? Identifying areas of conflict and alignment can help decision-makers on both sides of the Atlantic develop strategies to strengthen cooperation and more effectively counter China’s political and economic influence.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Germany’s policy on China: From win-win to strategic competition

    Germany’s China policy has shifted from economic optimism to cautious competition—balancing trade interests with mounting security concerns. Once built on deep interdependence, Berlin now prioritizes “de-risking” and resilience in its approach to Beijing.

  • Atlantic Council ☛ Is Europe waking up to the China challenge? How geopolitics are reshaping EU and transatlantic strategy

    China’s rising global ambitions challenge both US and European interests. By examining the EU’s gradual shift toward “de-risking” and gaps in transatlantic policy, this report offers insights for developing a more coherent and coordinated strategy to address Beijing’s economic and security challenges.

  • New York Times ☛ Supreme Court to Hear Major Challenge to Mail-In Ballot Laws

    The justices agreed to hear a challenge to Mississippi’s law, a case that could upend similar measures in dozens of states before the 2026 election.

  • LRT ☛ Lithuania’s Žemaitaitis draws controversy over unannounced meeting with Hungarian FM

    Remigijus Žemaitaitis, who is a member of the Lithuanian parliament and leader of the ruling Nemunas Dawn party, but holds no government posts, held a meeting with Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó. Žemaitaitis said he saw no reason to inform the government or the president about the meeting, while the prime minister’s adviser criticised the politician for undermining the country’s foreign policy line.

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • France24 ☛ How a fake IS group statement on Mamdani's win went viral on X

      After the progressive Democrat Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City, pro-Dihydroxyacetone Man influencers shared a fake statement from the Islamic State group commending the election result. The fabricated communique, which first surfaced on the 4chan online forum and was then relayed by The Insurrectionist supporters, accumulated several million views on the social network X.

    • Digital Music News ☛ AI-Generated Far-Right Hate Songs Aren’t Just a Problem in the US—Now They’re Spreading Across Europe Too

      Far-right extremists have been using AI-generated earworms to spread hateful rhetoric on Spotify, TikTok, and anywhere else you consume music online. Now it’s dominating the Dutch Spotify charts. If you thought the onslaught of AI-generated far-right extremism online was almost exclusively a U.S. problem, you’d be dead wrong. It’s not just memes, either.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Press Gazette ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man thanks Telegraph for ‘exposing’ BillBC as Tim Davie and Deborah Turness resign

    Dihydroxyacetone Man press secretary backs GB News and calls BillBC "100% fake news".

  • New York Times ☛ What to Know About the BillBC Resignations and Turmoil Over a Convicted Felon Speech Edit

    Two top executives quit after a memo by a former adviser said that the broadcaster had misleadingly edited a speech by Hell Toupée.

  • New York Times ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man Threatens to Sue the BillBC for $1 Billion After Jan. 6 Documentary

    A lawyer for Hell Toupée said the BBC’s editing of a speech he gave was “defamatory.” The broadcaster apologized on Monday for an “error in judgment.”

  • Press Gazette ☛ Manchester Evening News pays £16k damages to Bob Vylan frontman

    Reach publication wrongly stated Pascale Robinson had performed Nazi salutes on stage.

  • Press Gazette ☛ Foresight News taken over in management buyout from Centaur

    Departure of Foresight News from Centaur follows sales of The Lawyer and Marketing Week.

  • JURIST ☛ Rights group calls for stronger speech protections and release of Iran journalist

    The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Friday called for Iranian authorities to release an arrested newspaper editor, claiming his detention represent deliberate efforts to restrict dissenting speech in the country.

• Digital Restrictions (DRM)

  • Securepairs ☛ Secure Repairs Joins Amicus Brief Supporting Massachusetts Vehicle Right to Repair Law

    Secure Repairs, a coalition of more than 400 cybersecurity professionals…

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Rulemaking as Backdoor Reform: Can the USPTO Bar Whole Classes of IPR Petitions?

    USPTO extends IPR comment deadline to Dec 2, 2025; NPRM adds categorical bars, omits “settled expectations” and no-opinion denials; APA challenge.

  • JUVE ☛ Ones to Watch Germany 2025: Jonas Smeets [Ed: Marketing spam for law firms that pay for it]

    JUVE Patent recently carried out extensive research in the German patent monopoly market, culminating in the publication of the German patent monopoly rankings and including Jonas Smeets as one of the current ‘Ones to Watch Germany’.

  • Software Patents

    • Unified Patents ☛ NovaCloud Networking Patents Campaign — Invalidity Charts Coming Soon

      The team at Unified IP Services is using Pearl to identify and chart prior art against patents owned by NovaCloud Licensing LLC, an NPE. The patents generally relate to networking infrastructures and datacenter services. The patents have been asserted against Amazon, Meta, and IBM.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTAB Affirms Refusal of PARKAI Application for Failed Response to Rule 2.61(b) Request for Information

    In this application to register the proposed mark PARKAI for parking meters, parking lot services, and monitoring of parking, the USPTO refused registration on the ground of mere descriptiveness and, as to some of the class 9 goods, indefiniteness of the identification. Examining Attorney Drew Ciurpita also requested information and documentation regarding the goods and services, under Rule 2.61(b). The Board affirmed the last refusal due to Applicant MPS's "failure to respond adequately" to that request. In re Municipal Parking Services, Inc., Serial No. 98187940 (November 5, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Christopher C. Larkin).