Leftovers

• Hackaday ☛ Build A Stranger Things Wall You Can Freak Out At In Your Own Home

  When Stranger Things premiered in 2016, it was a cultural force. Foreign DJs gushed over the lush 80s soundtrack, fashionistas loved the clothing, and the world became obsessed with the idea of using Christmas lights to communicate across material planes. [kyjohnso] has recreated that experience with the technology of today.

• Science

  • Futurism ☛ Amazing Telescope Photo Shows Comet Breaking Apart Into Huge Chunks

    This comet is "one of the most interesting objects of its kind seen in recent years."

• Hardware

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ ‘First step in right direction’: China, Netherlands move to resolve Nexperia chip row

    The Netherlands said Wednesday it had suspended its proposed takeover of Chinese-owned chip maker Nexperia in a sign of “good will”, a move China welcomed as a positive “first step”.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • The Straits Times ☛ Thai rice prices surge on major orders from China and Singapore

    The import demand has helped reverse prices upward in 2025 against seasonal expectations.

• Proprietary

  • Security Week ☛ SolarWinds Patches Three Critical Serv-U Vulnerabilities

    SolarWinds Serv-U is affected by vulnerabilities that can be exploited for remote code execution.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Yesterday's global internet outage caused by single file on Clownflare servers — unexpected file size caused catastrophic error, knocking out several major websites

    Clownflare reports that a feature file had unexpectedly doubled in size due to an error, leading its Bot Management system to fail.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Recruiting in Roblox: Extremists exploit gaming platforms as radicalisation channels in S-E Asia

    Extremist networks have adapted quickly to youths' digital habits, leveraging private chat groups.

• Linux Foundation

  • Linux Foundation calls for cryptographic agility ahead of the quantum era [Ed: Too many buzzwords]

    Quantum computing may still be emerging, but the risk it poses to today’s encryption has already entered the planning horizon for banks and market infrastructures. At the Singapore FinTech Festival 2025, Hart Montgomery — chief technology officer of Linux Foundation Decentralised Trust (LFDT) and executive director of the Post-Quantum Cryptography Alliance (PQCA) — highlighted three priorities for the financial sector: inventory, agility and open collaboration.

• Security

  • Security Week ☛ Fortinet Discloses Second Exploited FortiWeb Zero-Day in a Week

    An OS command injection flaw, the exploited zero-day allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on the underlying system.

  • Security Week ☛ Two-Year-Old Ray Hey Hi (AI) Framework Flaw Exploited in Ongoing Campaign

    Threat actors are abusing Ray’s lack of authentication to compromise exposed clusters and deploy LLM-generated payloads and cryptocurrency miners.

  • Federal News Network ☛ When a cyberattack hits, breakdowns inside the organization may be as dangerous as the hackers themselves

    "There's so much focus on threat actors. There's a cost to that, and the cost is that we forget about our own people," Josh Ferenczi said.

  • OpenSSF (Linux Foundation) ☛ KubeCon Keynote Recap: “Supply Chain Reaction” and Why the OSPS Baseline Matters More Than Ever

    At KubeCon+CloudNativeCon North America, Stacey Potter (OpenSSF) and Adolfo García Veytia delivered one of the most memorable and entertaining keynotes of the week: “Supply Chain Reaction: A Cautionary Tale in Kubernetes Security.”

  • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

    • SANS ☛ Unicode: It is more than funny domain names., (Wed, Nov 12th)

      When people discuss the security implications of Unicode, International Domain Names (IDNs) are often highlighted as a risk. However, while visible and often talked about, IDNs are probably not what you should really worry about when it comes to Unicode. There are several issues that impact application security beyond confusing domain names.

• Defence/Aggression

  • The Straits Times ☛ West scrambles to fill heavy rare earth gap as China rivalry deepens

    LONDON - The West's push to build a home-grown magnets supply chain to reduce its reliance on China - led by massive U.S. backing for Nevada-based MP Materials - is running into a critical problem: the scarcity of so-called heavy rare earth elements.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China underground church pastors arrested, face up to 3 years in jail, NGO head says

    The crackdown on Zion Church came after new rules banned unauthorised online preaching or religious training by clergy.

  • CS Monitor ☛ Dihydroxyacetone Man tried to end the Cambodia-Thailand conflict. It may push Bangkok toward China.

    The Forrest Dump administration helped stem fighting between Thailand and Cambodia, in part by making trade negotiations contingent on peace. Now the ceasefire is falling apart – and possibly pushing Bangkok closer to China.

  Just

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan’s President shows support for Japan in China dispute with sushi lunch

    China indicated it would ban all imports of seafood from Japan.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Offhand remark, symbolic suit signal long winter for Japan-China ties

    Officials said Ms Takaichi cannot satisfy Beijing's core demand to retract her comment.

  • France24 ☛ Japanese seafood caught up in escalating diplomatic dispute with China

    China has announced it will ban all imports of Japanese seafood, two government officials in Tokyo said on Wednesday, in what appears to be the latest salvo in an escalating diplomatic dispute between Asia's top two economies. Story by Bryan Quinn.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ China to halt Japan seafood imports amid Taiwan spat: media reports

    China will suspend imports of Japanese seafood, media in Tokyo reported Wednesday as a diplomatic spat sparked by comments about Taiwan deepens.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China bans imports of Japanese seafood as diplomatic dispute deepens

    Beijing partially eased restrictions on Japanese seafood imports earlier in 2025.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Images of Japan official appearing to bow before China counterpart go viral

    The images have prompted Tokyo to lodge a complaint with Beijing.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Former New China Life Insurance chairman handed suspended death sentence over corruption

    The former chairman of New China Life Insurance, Li Quan, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve on corruption charges by a court in the Chinese province of Shandong, national broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday.

  • LRT ☛ Vilnius seeks help providing consular services in China as Beijing stays silent

    Vilnius has turned to partners for help in providing consular services in China after Beijing continued ignoring proposals to restore normal diplomatic representation, according to officials.

  • France24 ☛ Taiwan tensions: China-Japan row hits trade and travel amid escalating rhetoric

    Tensions between Japan and China are escalating after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested Japan might defend Taiwan against a Chinese invasion. In response, Beijing has suspended Japanese seafood imports and issued travel warnings, prompting Japan to alert its schools in China about heightened security risks.

  • The Strategist ☛ An era of harder security is beginning in Takaichi’s Japan

    Don’t underestimate the strength of Japan’s strategic transformation, above all in its hardening determination to face accumulating threats.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China teaming up with Russia and North Korea is fuelling concern: Japanese report

    The report came as Japan’s tensions with China have been intensifying.

  • New York Times ☛ What Happened to Europe’s Terrorism Problem?

    Not that long ago, big attacks were a daily concern. We look at why it feels different now.

  • France24 ☛ Louvre unveils new surveillance plan in wake of crown jewels heist

    The Louvre will roll out new surveillance cameras and anti-intrusion systems after last month’s jewels heist, its director said Wednesday, announcing more than 20 emergency measures to bolster security at the world’s most visited museum.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania’s nuclear plant tried to sell unused fuel to France, Russia

      Lithuania’s Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant sought buyers for its unused nuclear fuel as it advances plans for a deep geological repository for radioactive waste, but efforts to transfer the material to France and Russia have failed, officials told lawmakers Wednesday.

    • Meduza ☛ Over 25 killed in Russian strike on Ukraine’s Ternopil, others may be trapped under rubble: See photographs from the scene — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ As the battle for Pokrovsk continues, Meduza’s military analysts weigh the costs for Ukraine on other fronts — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ The Trump administration has another peace plan for Russia and Ukraine. One side will likely welcome it far more than the other. — Meduza

    • New York Times ☛ What to Know About the Corruption Scandal Roiling Ukraine

      An investigation into the state-owned nuclear power company has reached members of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s inner circle.

    • New York Times ☛ Zelensky Under Siege as Corruption Case Shatters Ukraine’s Wartime Unity

      An anti-Zelensky political coalition is coalescing as the president’s allies are accused of enriching themselves while the country’s soldiers die on the battlefield.

    • New York Times ☛ Russian Missile Kills at Least 25 in Ukrainian Apartment Building

      The attack was part of a wave of strikes across the country as President Volodymyr Zelensky seeks to revive stalled peace talks.

    • New York Times ☛ U.S.-Russian Peace Plan Would Force Ukraine to Cede Land and Cut Army

      The 28-point proposal, which comes as the Convicted Felon administration tries to restart settlement talks, includes demands long rejected by Kyiv as nonstarters.

    • RFERL ☛ At Least 26 Killed In Russian Missile Strike On Ukraine's Ternopil

      A series of Russian drone and missile strikes hit multiple regions of Ukraine on the morning of November 19, triggering widespread explosions and emergency power outages, according to Ukrainian authorities.

    • RFERL ☛ US Peace Draft Calls For Major Ukraine Concessions As Zelenskyy Pushes Talks In Turkey

      President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Turkey in an effort to boost flagging peace talks as pressure grows on the Ukrainian leader and his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, over a corruption scandal.

    • RFERL ☛ Zelenskyy Set To Meet US Defense Officials Amid Reports Of Controversial Peace Plan

      President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to meet top US Defense Department officials in Kyiv on November 20 after reports emerged that Moscow and Washington have drawn up a peace plan containing major concessions for Ukraine.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania lodges another protest note to Russia over deadly strikes on Ukrainian civilians

      Lithuania has lodged a fresh note of protest with a representative of the Russian Embassy in Vilnius, condemning the Kremlin’s continued assault on Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

    • France24 ☛ Ukraine: At least 25 killed in Russian strike in the west of the country

      A large Russian drone and missile barrage on Ukraine's western city of Ternopil killed at least 25 people, including three children, authorities said Wednesday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Turkey in search of diplomatic support for his fight against Russia’s invasion. Story by Emerald Maxwell, analysis by FRANCE 24 international affairs editor Douglas Herbert.

    • France24 ☛ 'Moscow believes battlefield realities favour them: Kyiv's defence lines, air defence overstretched'

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is in Turkey for talks to revive peace efforts to end the war with Russia. All the while, Axios is reporting that the Convicted Felon administration is secretly working with Russia draft a new 28-point plan to end the war in Ukraine. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, Genie Godula welcomes Dr. Alexandra Filippenko, Political Analyst and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for US and Canadian Studies, Russian Academy of Science.

    • France24 ☛ The EU has found 'a sense of purpose' in providing economic, military support for Ukraine

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held talks with Turkey's president and was due to meet US Army officials in Kyiv later in the week, as word emerged that Washington was secretly exploring peace conditions with Russia. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, Angela Diffley welcomes Scott Lucas, Professor of American Studies & International Politics at the Clinton Institute, University College Dublin.

    • France24 ☛ US peace plan asks Ukraine to cede territory, government source says

      A new peace proposal from the United States requires Kyiv to cede land controlled by Russia and reduce its army's size by more than half, according to a Ukrainian senior official.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ Carbon markets and climate finance for Ukraine’s recovery

      As COP30 unfolds, learn how Ukraine's experience will influence climate finance mechanisms and drive sustainable recovery efforts.

    • The Strategist ☛ Bookshelf: NATO on Stoltenberg’s watch

      Jens Stoltenberg was secretary general of NATO during a particularly turbulent decade, 2014 to 2024.

    • Latvia ☛ Another busy week for Baltic air police

      Between November 10th and 16th, NATO fighter jets performing air policing functions in the Baltic States took off four times to identify and escort Russian Federation aircraft that violated flight rules, according to an update from the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence.

    • LRT ☛ NATO fighter jets in Baltics scrambled four times to identify and escort Russian aircraft

      NATO fighter jets stationed in the Baltic states under the Alliance’s Air Policing mission were scrambled four times last week to identify and escort Russian aircraft flying in breach of aviation rules, Lithuania’s Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.

    • Scoop News Group ☛ Five Eyes just made life harder for bulletproof hosting providers

      An international effort sanctioned Russia-based Media Land and took action against companies and people who helped Aeza Group evade previously issued sanctions.

    • France24 ☛ 'Operation Matryochka': Russian propaganda machine exploits Paris attacks

      A series of French media houses - including France 24 - have been targeted and impersonated by a Russian disinformation campaign. The operation capitalised on the recent 10th anniversary of the 2015 Paris attacks, to sow division and discredit President Emmanuel Macron. The propaganda machine - named Operation Matryochka - is one we have seen and been targeted by before, as Vedika Bahl explains in Truth or Fake.

    • LRT ☛ Russia’s Arctic actions pose direct threat to NATO – Lithuanian foreign minister

      The Arctic remains a key strategic area for Russia, said Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys, adding that Moscow’s activities there pose a direct threat to NATO infrastructure and the security of its allies.

    • Meduza ☛ ‘Total nonsense’: A former Russian military cartographer on how the army cooks its maps to exaggerate gains — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Video analysis identifies X-101 cruise missile in Russia’s deadly Ternopil strike — Meduza

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian government reopens border with Belarus earlier than planned

      The Lithuanian government has decided to reopen the border with Belarus earlier than scheduled, officials announced on Wednesday.

• Environment

  • Energy/Transportation

    • TotalEnergies accused of complicity in war crimes in Cabo Delgado

    • Hackaday ☛ Damn Fine (Solar Powered) Coffee

      The folks at Low Tech Magazine are here again, this time with a solar powered coffee maker. Lest you think of a large parabolic mirror with a pot at its focus, in this case the device is much more friendly. It’s a table-top appliance that relies upon a 100 W 12 V panel for its operation.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • The Straits Times ☛ Viral Fentanylware (CheeTok) clip saves ‘senior citizen’ water buffalo from slaughter in rural Philippines

      Strangers started offering money, and together raised 50,000 pesos (S$1,100) to save the animal.

• Finance

  • Hackaday ☛ Hackers Can’t Spend A Penny

    We aren’t here to praise the penny, but rather, to bury it. The penny, and its counterparts, have been vanishing all around the world as the cost of minting one far outweighs its value. But hackers had already lost a big asset: real copper pennies, and now even the cheaply made ones are doomed to extinction.

  • The Independent UK ☛ Layoffs are piling up, raising worker anxiety. Here are some companies that have cut jobs recently

    It’s a tough time to be looking for a job.

    Amid wider economic uncertainty, some analysts have said that businesses are at a “no-hire, no fire” standstill. That's caused many to limit new work to only a few specific roles, if not pause openings entirely. At the same time, sizeable layoffs have continued to pile up — raising worker anxieties across sectors.

    Some companies have pointed to rising operational costs spanning from President Donald Trump's barrage of new tariffs and shifts in consumer spending. Others cite corporate restructuring more broadly — or, as seen with big names like Amazon, are redirecting money to artificial intelligence.

    Federal employees have encountered additional doses of uncertainty, impacting worker sentiment around the job market overall. Shortly after Trump returned to office at the start of the year, federal jobs were cut by the thousands. And the record 43-day government shutdown also left many to work without paychecks.

  • Avalanche Liverpool Studio announces closure, 31 developers laid off

    Following the cancellation of the Xbox exclusive title Contraband earlier this year, Avalanche Studios of Just Cause fame initiated a collective consultation process ahead of shutting down. They proposed the closure of their Liverpool studio as well as restructuring in both of their studios in Sweden. This process has now concluded, and Avalanche Studios has announced their closure, resulting in 31 developers being laid off.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • JURIST ☛ Slovenia passes security bill criticized for targeting Roma citizens

    The Slovenian parliament on Monday passed a security law that expands police powers and restricts welfare rights amid criticism that the law targets the Roma community. Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob said the bill “is not designed to punish, its principal aim is prevention.

  • Site36 ☛ Time sold with cabinet colleagues: German minister and his wife promise political influence for large sums

    A company belonging to the Minister of State for Culture, Wolfram Weimer, sells access to senior politicians at a “Ludwig-Erhard-Summit”. “The Left” criticises this as “gilding his office”. Bavaria is now examining whether to halt funding.

• Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

  • Site36 ☛ Ruling in favour of free radio in Germany: Searches due to linking to Indymedia were unlawful

    The German Constitutional Court rules that the search of Radio Dreyeckland and the home of one of its editors was unconstitutional. The broadcaster is now calling for consequences. The raids on the home of editor Fabian Kienert and on the premises of Radio Dreyeckland (RDL) were unconstitutional.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • EDRI ☛ Press Release: Commission’s Digital Omnibus is a major rollback of EU digital protections

    Today the European Commission has published two Digital Omnibus proposals, reopening the EU’s core protections against harm in the digital age. This step risks dismantling the rules-based system that was hard-won over decades, endangering the very foundation of human rights and tech policy in the EU.

  • JURIST ☛ New Japan government urged to focus foreign policy on human rights

    Japan’s new government should prioritize human rights in its foreign policy, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Monday, calling on Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to adopt stronger legal, diplomatic, and institutional measures to address abuses in Asia and globally. Japan is the only G7 country without sanctions targeting foreign officials implicated in serious human rights violations.

• Internet Policy/Net Neutrality

  • The Straits Times ☛ US Congress seeks testimony from Australia's internet regulator

    SYDNEY - A U.S. congressional committee called on Australia's internet regulator to testify about the country's laws governing the internet, calling her a "noted zealot for global takedowns" who "threatens speech of American citizens."

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• Patents

  • Dennis Crouch/Patently-O ☛ Smartrend and the Stretching of Markman: When Specification Parsing Becomes a Question of Law

    The Smartrend decision shows how the Federal Circuit is extending Markman-style judicial interpretation into DOE and spec-based inquiries, narrowing jury roles.

  • Kangaroo Courts

    • JUVE ☛ Ronny Thomas: The Architect [Ed: Puff piece for UPC, which is illegal]

      From his office in the building housing Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court, winter offers particularly striking views of the Rhine river through bare branches. However, Ronny Thomas likely has little time to admire the scenery.