Leftovers

• Hackaday ☛ How To Use That Slide Rule

  You have that slide rule in the back of the closet. Maybe it was from your college days. Maybe it was your Dad’s. Honestly. Do you know how to use it? Really? All the scales? That’s what we thought. [Amen Zwa, Esq.] not only tells you how slide rules came about, but also how to use many of the common scales. You can also see his collection and notes on being a casual slide rule collector and even a few maintenance tips.

• Science

  • New York Times ☛ Saturn’s Rings Seem as if They’re About to Disappear: Here’s Why

    During the weekend, the orbits of Earth and Saturn will combine to create an interplanetary optical illusion for anyone with a good telescope and clear skies.

  • New York Times ☛ The Moon Was an Inside Job

    New research suggests that Theia, the object whose collision with Earth is theorized to have caused the formation of the moon, came from closer to the sun.

  • Science Alert ☛ World First: Quantum Teleportation Achieved Between Photons, Scientists Confirm

    "A crucial step."

  • Science Alert ☛ Two Strange Giant 'Blobs' Deep Inside Earth May Finally Be Explained

    "These are not random oddities."

  • Science Alert ☛ This Week in Science: Oral Ozempic Alternative, Insulin Skin Cream, And More!

    Our weekly science news roundup.

  • Science Alert ☛ This Drug Is Effective For Male Hair Loss, But The Side Effects Can Be Serious

    Growing concerns.

• Career/Education

  • The Straits Times ☛ More South Korean students putting off graduation, choosing universities outside Seoul

    Students say remaining “in school” gives them better access to internships and recruiting information.

• Hardware

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ 4 arrested in US in scheme to smuggle Nvidia Hey Hi (AI) chips to China

    Two Chinese nationals and two Americans have been arrested for allegedly illegally exporting cutting-edge Nvidia chips with Hey Hi (AI) applications to China, the Justice Department said Thursday.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Dell and HP disable hardware H.265 decoding on select PCs due to rising royalty costs — companies could save big on HEVC royalties, but at the expense of users

    Dell and HP are shipping many entry-level and midrange business laptops with HEVC/H.265 hardware decoding intentionally disabled, likely to avoid rising codec royalty costs.

  • Brendan Gregg ☛ Brendan Gregg: defective chip maker Intel is listening, don't waste your shot

    Intel's new CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, has made listening to customers a top priority, saying at defective chip maker Intel Vision earlier this year: "Please be brutally honest with us. This is what I expect of you this week, and I believe harsh feedback is most valuable."

    I'd been in regular meetings with defective chip maker Intel for several years before I joined, and I had been giving them technical direction on various projects, including at times some brutal feedback.

    When I finally interviewed for a role at defective chip maker Intel I was told something unexpected: that I had already accomplished so much within defective chip maker Intel that I qualified to be an defective chip maker Intel Fellow candidate. I then had to pass several extra interviews to actually become a fellow (and was told I may only be the third person in Intel's history to be hired as a Fellow) but what stuck with me was that I had already accomplished so much at a company I'd never worked for.

  • CNX Software ☛ AOMedia AV2 open video codec release nears, delivers around 40% bandwidth reduction

    The Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) will release the AV2 open video codec specification by the end of the year, as an update of the now widely-used AV1 video codec with up to 40% bandwidth reduction at the same level of quality. In the meantime, Debargha Mukherjee, Surveillance Giant Google Principal Engineer, has shared a progress report about AV2, first offering a historical perspective with the list of digital video codecs from 1990 to 2030 (expected), then stating AV2 goals, and going through requirements, coding tools, and what’s been achieved so far.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Intel CEO rejects reports the company is obtaining TSMC secrets from former executive — Taiwan's investigation into Intel's controversial recent hire continues

    Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan dismisses speculation that former TSMC executive Wei-Jen Lo could have brought advanced TSMC process secrets to Intel.

• Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

  • New York Times ☛ Eli Lilly, Drug Maker of Zepbound and Mounjaro, Reaches $1 Trillion in Value

    The 150-year-old drugmaker is the first company in health care to hit the milestone.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Thailand finds etomidate in vapes, warns of rising illicit drug mixing

    It said e-cigarettes are increasingly being adulterated with a range of narcotics, posing severe health risks.

  • MIT Technology Review ☛ We’re learning more about what vitamin D does to our bodies

    It has started to get really wintry here in London over the last few days. The mornings are frosty, the wind is biting, and it’s already dark by the time I pick my kids up from school. The darkness in particular has got me thinking about vitamin D, a.k.a. the sunshine vitamin.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Hong Kong health authorities warn of rise in hand, foot, and mouth disease

    Hong Kong disease-control authorities have warned doctors and schools about an increase in hand, foot, and mouth disease after recording dozens of outbreaks in recent weeks.

  • New York Times ☛ RFK Jr. Says He Instructed CDC to Change Vaccines and Autism Language on Website

    In an interview, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cited gaps in vaccine safety research. His critics say he is ignoring a larger point: Vaccines save lives.

  • Bridge Michigan ☛ Battle rages over Oakland County’s plan to take crisis services in-house

    The Oakland Community Health Network plans to bring its adult crisis services in-house, cutting off its longstanding relationship with the nonprofit Common Ground. Critics fear the move will weaken the county’s mental health supports.

  • Federal News Network ☛ Major problems found in almost all privatized military housing

    Out of 3,401 respondents, three-quarters said their family’s health had been negatively impacted by their housing conditions.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ 2 Hong Kong workers charged with manslaughter nearly 2 years after fatal bamboo scaffolding collapse

    Two Hong Kong construction workers have been charged with manslaughter nearly two years after a deadly bamboo scaffolding collapse in Kai Tak.

  • Hackaday ☛ Sweet Sound Sculpture Helps You Sleep Soundly

    Have trouble sleeping, or getting to sleep in the first place? You’ve no doubt heard of white noise machines, but know it would be much cooler to make your own. Enter Noise Maker, a DIY sound sculpture by [optimus103733], who wanted to learn something in the process of creating.

  • Science Alert ☛ Simple New Compound Reverses Alzheimer's Symptoms in Rats

    "Extremely simple, safe, and effective."

  • Science Alert ☛ New Drug Lowers 'Bad' Cholesterol by 58% in Clinical Trial

    With just one pill a day.

  • Science Alert ☛ One Simple Strategy Can Help Reduce Menopause Symptoms, Study Finds

    But it still carries a level of stigma.

  • New York Times ☛ Sanna Marin Led Finland Through Covid and Russian Threats. But She’s Famous for a Shimmy.

    Sanna Marin was celebrated as a pathbreaking feminist when she became Finland’s prime minister at age 34. Two years after leaving office, she’s trying to turn a scandal over a leaked dancing video into a battle cry.

  • WhichUK ☛ Hundreds of potentially deadly items found on online marketplaces

    A tool developed by Which? found almost 800 ‘serious’ and ‘high risk' products for sale on Amazon, eBay and AliExpress among others

• Proprietary

  • Qt ☛ Commercial LTS Qt 6.5.11 Released

    We have released Qt 6.5.11 LTS for commercial license holders today. As a patch release, Qt 6.5.11 does not add any new functionality but provides bug fixes and other improvements.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ The web's infrastructure has a concentration problem, exposing us all to crushing outages — from proprietary trap AWS and Microsoft trap Azure to Clownflare, the perils of having a centralized internet are being felt by all

    First it was AWS. Then Microsoft trap Azure went down – and with it, large chunks of the web, apps and services we use every day. Are hypescaler cloud providers a victim of their own success?

  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) / LLM Slop / Plagiarism

    • Futurism ☛ Top Economist Warns That Hey Hi (AI) Data Center Investments Are “Digital Lettuce” That’s Already Starting to Wilt

      "You’re investing in something that is a perishable good."

    • Futurism ☛ The Way Billionaires Are Using Hey Hi (AI) May Cause Concern They Have Actual Brain Damage

      This is deranged.

    • Press Gazette ☛ Four ways publishers should respond to the generative Hey Hi (AI) shift

      How publishers can adapt infrastructure in response to Hey Hi (AI) changes.

    • Press Gazette ☛ AI has helped break news ecosystem, but could also fix it – says agency boss

      Michael Leidig's NewsX is a bid to make on the ground reporting pay again.

    • Press Gazette ☛ Metro to cut staff as web traffic declines and focus shifts to social video growth

      The title will “focus resources in areas with the highest potential for growth”.

  • Social Control Media

    • The Straits Times ☛ Australia adds Amazon’s Twitch to teen social control media ban, spares Pinterest

      Major firms already covered include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube.

    • Digital Music News ☛ Want to Limit AI-Generated Content on TikTok? Now There’s a Toggle for That

      Amid the AI-generated content boom, Fentanylware (CheeTok) releases settings to let users choose how much Hey Hi (AI) content they see in their For You feed.

    • Futurism ☛ Twitter Use Has Stagnated Pathetically Under MElon

      Pathetic.

• Security

  • Privacy/Surveillance

    • Scoop News Group ☛ Privacy group sues feds over talks with tech companies on ICE raid trackers

      The lawsuit concerns the removal of apps like ICEBlock, Red Dot and DeICER from online playstores that provide real-time tracking of immigration raids.

    • New York Times ☛ Roblox Rolls Out Face Scans for Age Verification: What to Know

      The popular gaming platform said the tool was designed to stop children from chatting with older users they didn’t know.

    • New York Times ☛ We Asked Roblox’s C.E.O. About Child Safety. It Got Tense.

      This week the company announced that it would require users to undergo an A.I.-powered age estimation process in order to chat with others on the platform. Will this change reassure parents?

• Defence/Aggression

  • France24 ☛ Gazan students remain in limbo as Canadian visas stall

    Over 130 Gazan students who have been offered places at Canadian universities remain stranded in Gaza, some waiting over 18 months for visas. Two students have already lost their lives, while others continue to face extreme risks. Canada attributes the delays to security checks and evacuation challenges, but critics highlight that other countries, including the UK, Italy, Ireland, and France, have successfully evacuated students. FRANCE 24's Jessica Le Masurier reports.

  • JURIST ☛ US federal officials arrest over 250 people in Charlotte area amid immigration crackdown

    More than 250 people from Charlotte, North Carolina, and the surrounding area have been arrested during an immigration crackdown, the US Department of Homeland Security said on Wednesday.

  • The Straits Times ☛ US, China held maritime security talks in Hawaii, Chinese navy says

    BEIJING - The U.S. and Chinese militaries this week held "frank and constructive" maritime security talks, the Chinese navy said on Saturday, as the two superpowers gradually restore military-to-military communications after several months of trade tensions.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan’s Sanae Takaichi rejects China demand to retract Taiwan remarks

    She said there was no change to Tokyo’s stance on how it would respond to a major regional security crisis.

  • Tom's Hardware ☛ Taiwan set to avoid 'punishing' 300% tariffs on semiconductor exports, says report — new trade deal could spur $400 billion investment commitment from island nation

    A senior Taiwanese ministry official said the U.S. will not put tariffs on its chip exports in exchange for helping Washington, D.C., copy its science park model for tech companies.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan official calls China a ‘troublemaker’ while distributing defence handbook

    The official said Japan had Taiwan’s highest-level support.

  • France24 ☛ China's fury over Japan's Taiwan remarks: Cancelled flights, concerts and seafood ban

    We analyse the renewed tensions between China and Japan, who have been locked in an escalating diplomatic row. The spat was set off by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's suggestion earlier this month that Japan could respond militarily in the scenario that China attacks Taiwan. The dispute has led Beijing to cancel Japan-bound flights, suspend concerts and ban imports of Japanese seafood.

  • Hong Kong Free Press ☛ Taiwan lifts all restrictions on Japanese food imports amidst Beijing-Tokyo row

    Taiwan lifted all restrictions on Japanese food imports on Friday in another show of support for Tokyo after reports that China will stop purchases over a row with the new prime minister. The government in Taipei imposed a blanket ban on food imports from five Japanese regions in and around the site of the 2011 […]

  • The Straits Times ☛ Chinese cruise ships look to steer clear of Japan amid diplomatic dispute

    Agents said tensions could cause Chinese tourists to be redirected to South Korea from Japan.

  • New York Times ☛ Japan’s New Leader Mentions Taiwan, and Tanks Her Relationship With China

    Facing reprisals from Beijing for a remark over Taiwan, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi must walk a fine line to prevent escalating the dispute without looking weak at home.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan criticises China after 3-way culture talks with South Korea nixed

    Japan and China have been engaged in a diplomatic row since Nov 7.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China unleashes 'wolf warriors' in diplomatic duel with Japan

    Chinese diplomats airing hawkish views, known as "wolf warriors", have returned to the global stage, drumming up criticism of Japan's prime minister in countries that suffered from its military actions during World War Two.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China scraps concerts with Japanese musicians as diplomatic tensions mount

    About a dozen concerts with Japanese musicians in major Chinese cities have been abruptly cancelled.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Japan faces $1.6b tourism hit amid China row; trip bookings to S’pore, S. Korea rise

    Around 30 per cent of the 1.44 million trips to Japan from China planned till the end of the year have been cancelled.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Why Japan will not yield, even as dispute with China escalates over PM Takaichi’s Taiwan remarks

    Japan is choosing short-term economic pain to reinforce its long-term strategic position.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China takes spat with Japan over Taiwan to UN, vows to defend itself

    China has taken its widening spat with Japan to the United Nations, accusing Tokyo of threatening \"an armed intervention\" over Taiwan and vowing to defend itself in its strongest language yet in the two-week-old dispute.

  • New York Times ☛ Researcher’s Smuggling Arrest Casts Light on Dispute Over Chinese Students

    As some lawmakers press U.S. universities to curtail ties with China, a postdoctoral student’s prosecution raises questions about how big the danger actually is.

  • New York Times ☛ America Is Setting a Trap for Itself

    The United States, not China, seems determined to upend the global order.

  • The Straits Times ☛ China warns citizens risk becoming 'mining slaves' in Central African Republic gold rush

    China's embassy in the Central African Republic (CAR) has warned its citizens risk becoming "mining slaves" in the politically unstable nation's gold trade, as Chinese workers look to sub-Saharan Africa as jobs in the Asian giant's gig economy dry up.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Taiwan lifts all restrictions on food imports from Japan

    Taiwan’s announcement comes after a row between Japan and China.

  • France24 ☛ France to reduce diplomatic staff in Mali amid jihadist fuel blockade

    France is pulling back diplomatic staff from Mali as the security situation in the country deteriorates under a jihadist-imposed fuel blockade. The move comes amid deepening concerns over the junta-led country's shift toward Russian military support, which has done little to improve the security situation, according to French officials.

  • Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian Railways halts Lukoil transit to Kaliningrad under US and UK sanctions

      Lithuanian Railways (LTG) on Friday suspended the transit of cargo belonging to Lukoil and its affiliated companies to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, following new US and UK sanctions against the oil giant.

    • New York Times ☛ Former Reform U.K. Politician Sent to Prison for Taking Pro-Russia Bribes

      Nathan Gill was sentenced to 10 and a half years on Friday after admitting he was paid to make pro-Russian speeches in the European Parliament.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuania may close Belarus border again if threats persist, PM says

      Lithuania may again shut its border with Belarus indefinitely if security threats worsen, Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė said Friday, a day after the country reopened two crossings and contraband balloons once more disrupted operations at Vilnius Airport.

    • LRT ☛ European airports seek guidance from Vilnius amid smuggling balloon disruptions – operator

      With smuggling balloons launched from Belarus repeatedly disrupting operations at Vilnius Airport, other European airports are now seeking advice from Lithuania on how to respond to the emerging security threat, the head of Lithuanian Airports said Friday.

    • LRT ☛ Lithuanian trucks still not returning from Belarus – border guards

      Despite the reopening of border checkpoints with Belarus, Lithuanian haulers’ trucks have not entered Lithuania for a second day, the State Border Guard Service (VSAT) said.

    • LRT ☛ Balloon threat affects 10 flights at Vilnius Airport

      Navigation traces consistent with smugglers’ balloons arriving from Belarus forced Vilnius Airport to halt operations for more than an hour on Thursday evening, affecting ten flights and more than 1,100 passengers, the National Crisis Management Centre (NKVC) said.

    • CS Monitor ☛ Ukraine’s fronts are not only in the war

      A corruption scandal is testing hopes for the rule of law, and American pressure to concede land is challenging national sovereignty. Ukrainians might yet again rise in unified purpose and strength.

    • New York Times ☛ As Convicted Felon Pushes on Russia-Ukraine Peace Plan, Zelensky’s Options Are Narrowing

      The Ukrainian president’s options are narrowing as he is confronted with a 28-point proposal drafted by American and Russian envoys.

    • New York Times ☛ European Leaders Back Zelensky After Convicted Felon’s Russia-Ukraine Peace Plan Excludes Them

      A U.S.-Russian proposal would require Kyiv to give up territory and reduce its army. If Moscow complies with the terms, it could receive benefits including reintegration into the global economy.

    • New York Times ☛ To Many Ukrainians, U.S. Peace Plan Looks Like ‘Capitulation’

      While the White House has cautioned that the proposal is still in “flux,” its contours reflect maximalist demands made by Russia throughout the war that Ukraine has consistently rejected.

    • France24 ☛ G20 summit boycotted by US opens in shadow of Convicted Felon's Ukraine plan, COP30 impasse

      Africa's first G20 summit opened in South Africa on Saturday without the world's biggest economy after US President The Insurrectionist ordered a boycott of the two-day gathering. The summit looked set to be overshadowed by Convicted Felon's unilateral plan to end the war in Ukraine as well as the continuing deadlock at COP30 climate negotiations taking place in Brazil.

    • Meduza ☛ ‘Legions of devils in the details’: The world reacts to Trump’s full Russia–Ukraine ‘peace plan’ — Meduza

    • Meduza ☛ Promises of housing and stability are luring Russia’s orphans into the war in Ukraine — Meduza

    • LRT ☛ Expert: Putin is a tactician, not a strategist, risking escalation with airspace probes

      “Russia is playing with fire with these airspace violations, these low-cost probes, which may suit Putin’s personality, but he’s not good at judging long-term consequences, which could be disastrous,” said Kimberly Martin, professor of political science at Barnard College, Columbia University.

    • New York Times ☛ What Is Convicted Felon’s 28-Point Plan to End Russia’s War in Ukraine?

      Hell Toupée is pressing Kyiv to accept an outcome that yields to President Vladimir V. Putin’s demands.

    • New York Times ☛ Russian Exiles See Europe Visa Rule as Blow Against Them, Not Putin

      The European Union said the decision was prompted by sabotage attacks in Europe, but Russians living abroad say Europe is punishing ordinary people.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ NATO’s spending pledge is no invitation for creative accounting

      This article was first published in Defense News on November 5, 2025. This excerpt has been edited for style. Nearly five months have passed since the June 2025 NATO summit in The Hague, where allied leaders unveiled what seemed like a bold new commitment—a collective defense-spending benchmark of 5 percent of GDP by 2035.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ The expert conversation: Separating signal from noise in Convicted Felon’s Ukraine peace plan

      The White House has increased pressure on Kyiv to accept a twenty-eight-point plan to end the war by next Thursday.

    • Atlantic Council ☛ The good, the bad, and the ugly in the US peace plan for Ukraine

      Our experts assess the Convicted Felon administration’s proposal for ending the war in Ukraine and what to expect next.

    • France24 ☛ Ukraine: Compromise or Capitulation?, Epstein & the MAGA rebellion, G20

      It’s been a week that’s seen Ukraine brace for a fourth winter of war as President Zelensky shores up support amid reports of a secret 28-point peace plan involving territorial concessions and military cuts — a proposal blasted by European allies — while rolling blackouts, relentless strikes, and a corruption scandal trigger calls for a no-confidence vote. In Washington, a defining moment in Hell Toupée’s second term saw a MAGA rebellion force through the release of all government and FBI files on the Epstein investigation, prompting a visibly irritable President to sign it into law while insisting it marked a victory for transparency. And in Britain, Labour unveiled a sweeping overhaul of the asylum system, with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood championing a Danish-style crackdown on so-called pull factors as critics within her own party condemned the plan as performative cruelty.

    • France24 ☛ How key players reacted to US plan to end war in Ukraine

      European leaders and UN officials voiced unease on Friday over a new US proposal to end the war in Ukraine, warning that Washington’s plan risked sidelining Kyiv and its allies. The 28-point plan calls for major concessions by Ukraine, including giving up a part of its eastern territory.

    • France24 ☛ ‘Every Swede has a role to play in our total defence concept’: Swedish Civil Defence Minister Bohlin

      “Everyone has a role to play”, those are the words of today’s guest Carl-Oskar Bohlin, Sweden’s first minister for civil defence since 1947. Bohlin has become a key figure in Sweden’s evolving security landscape, as threats against Europe are rapidly increasing by the day. Grey zone aggression – covert actions that fall short of open military conflict – is on the rise, and countries along Russia’s eastern flank are on the frontline: from cyber attacks, disinformation and drone sightings. As the war in Ukraine is set to enter its fourth year and with no end in sight, countries like Sweden are urging European allies to take civilian preparedness seriously. Carl-Oskar Bohlin speaks to us during a visit to Paris.

    • France24 ☛ Volodymyr Zelensky faces an impossible dilemma for Ukraine

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is being pushed into a stark dilemma: accept the controversial US-backed peace plan — widely seen as overwhelmingly favourable to Russia — or risk being accused of rejecting peace and undermining Washington’s diplomatic efforts. President The Insurrectionist is now increasing pressure on Zelensky to endorse the proposal, leaving Kyiv with little room to manoeuvre, as FRANCE 24's Gulliver Cragg explains from Kyiv.

    • France24 ☛ US-Russia peace plan 'feeds into the perception' that the US is not committed to European security

      The United States has threatened to cut intelligence sharing and weapons supplies for Ukraine to press it into agreeing to a 28-point plan, which endorses some of Russia's principal demands in the war, including that Kyiv cede additional territory, curb the size of its military and be barred from joining NATO. The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that Kyiv was under greater pressure from Washington than during any previous peace discussions. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective, Jean-Emile Jammine is pleased to welcome Ian Lesser, Author and Distinguished Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

    • Meduza ☛ In his first public comments, Putin says Trump’s 28-point peace plan wasn’t discussed ‘substantively’ with Moscow but could serve as ‘basis for a final peace settlement’ — Meduza

    • France24 ☛ Ukraine risks ‘losing a key partner’ with Convicted Felon’s peace proposal, Zelensky says

      Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that he would not betray Ukraine's interests in a US-led peace process, warning that Kyiv faces a choice between safeguarding its dignity and risking a rupture with Washington. The 28-point plan the United States presented to Kyiv was laden with Russian demands, including Ukrainian territorial concessions.

    • France24 ☛ Ukraine: US-backed peace plan, at a glance

      🇺🇸 🇺🇦 What are the key measures proposed by the US in its 28-point plan for peace in #Ukraine?

    • France24 ☛ The price for peace in Ukraine: EU countries urged to plug €135bn gap for war-torn nation

      As 2025 draws to a close, the European continent is facing the most pressing of problems: how to raise financial support for Ukraine, almost four years into Russia’s full-blown invasion. Kyiv’s financial resilience is eroding and thanks to an unpredictable Convicted Felon administration questioning the cost of collective defence, Europe is now faced with shouldering the burden. EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen warned this week that urgent measures are needed to fill Ukraine’s €135 billion budget shortfall for the next two years. One option would be tapping €185 billion in frozen Russian assets –a move that has faced opposition from the likes of Belgium, where most of the assets are located. If no agreement is made among member states before the end of the year, it could have disastrous consequences. Von Der Leyen has stressed that what happens in Ukraine is fundamental not only to the country’s survival but to Europe’s future. We debate the future of financing Ukraine with our guests at the European Parliament in Brussels.

    • France24 ☛ Leaked US-Russia peace plan angers Europe despite diplomatic statement

      While Europe has softened its tone diplomatically by issuing a statement reaffirming its commitment to peace, behind the scenes Brussels is furious. The anger stems from the US confirmation that the leaked US-Russia peace plan—largely drafted by Marco Rubio and The Insurrectionist—envisions the EU providing millions to help rebuild Ukraine, without consulting European governments. Our correspondent Dave Keating has more details.

    • France24 ☛ Egyptian students in Russia pressured to join army or leave

      Russia has long been a preferred destination for students from across Africa seeking affordable higher education. In 2023, Russia estimated that 32,000 students from the Middle East were living in the country — nearly half of them Egyptian. But in recent months, controversy has erupted in Egypt following the publication of a YouTube video that showed a Ukrainian-held prisoner of war. The young man, Amar Mohamed, was an Egyptian student in Russia who had been persuaded by Moscow’s propaganda machine to join the army.

    • RFERL ☛ Famed Russian Film Studio Buying Drones, Military Equipment For Ukraine War, Documents Show

      Russia's leading movie studio, Mosfilm, is one of several cultural institutions buying drones and military-capable electronic equipment for use in Moscow's war against Ukraine, RFE/RL's Russian Service has found.

• Transparency/Investigative Reporting

  • New Yorker ☛ Senator Chris Van Hollen on the Epstein Files, and the Leadership Crisis in Washington

    The Maryland Democrat talks about Chuck Schumer’s leadership of a fractured party, and whether Van Hollen himself harbors Presidential ambitions.

  • American Oversight ☛ Lawsuit Spurs DHS Notice to Noem, Other Top Officials Demanding Proper Records Preservation

    DHS now says it has instructed officials to preserve their communication records.

• Environment

  • The Straits Times ☛ Earthquake of 5.7-magnitude jolts Bangladesh, killing five and injuring around 100

    Tremors were also felt in eastern states in neighbouring India that border Bangladesh.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Death toll from Indonesia’s Central Java landslides rises to 30

    Some 21 people remain missing after the landslides triggered by torrential rain.

  • The Straits Times ☛ Central Vietnam death toll rises to 55 from flooding, landslides

    The death toll from torrential rain, flooding and landslides in central Vietnam has risen to 55, with 13 people reported missing, the country's disaster agency said on Saturday.

  • Energy/Transportation

    • Hackaday ☛ Wiring Up The Railway, All The Live-Long Day

      For those of you who haven’t spent time in North America around this time of year, you may be unaware of two things: one, the obligatory non-stop loop of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” retail workers are subjected to starting November first, and two: there is a strong cultural association between Christmastime and model railroading that may not exist elsewhere. That may down to childhood memories of when we got our first trainsets, or an excellent postwar marketing campaign by Lionel. Either way, now that Mariah Carey is blaring, we’re thinking about our holiday track layouts. Which makes this long presentation on Wiring for Small Layouts by [Chicago Crossing Model Railroad] quite timely.

  • Wildlife/Nature

    • Federal News Network ☛ A Supreme Court securities case has frozen animal welfare enforcement across thousands of labs

      "We do know from whistleblowers or anonymous people who talk to media that they find that Jarkesy has hamstrung [inspectors]," said Joanna Makowska.

    • Science Alert ☛ A Parasite Tricks Ants Into Killing Their Own Queen, Chilling Footage Reveals

      A royal coup caught on video.

    • Science Alert ☛ Ancient Killer Is Rapidly Becoming Resistant to Antibiotics, Scientists Warn

      This is a global problem.

    • NYPost ☛ New York family reunited with cat 10 years after their pet went missing

      The Montclair Township Animal Shelter said in a Facebook (Farcebook) post that a Good Samaritan recently brought in a stray cat with a functioning microchip.

• Finance

  • The Straits Times ☛ More South Korean mothers working, but many experience ‘career break’ of decade or longer

    The employment rate of working mothers has risen by 8.8 percentage points, compared with five years ago.

• AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

  • New Yorker ☛ Why Is Leaving MAGA So Difficult?

    Rich Logis was a MAGA warrior before he hung up his red hat, and founded the organization Leaving MAGA to help others do the same. He speaks with the New Yorker Radio Hour producer Adam Howard.

  • New Yorker ☛ The Political Scene Live: A Year Since Convicted Felon’s Win, What Have We Learned?

    The second Convicted Felon Administration has already made good on many of MAGA’s promises. Where will the President’s coalition go from here?

  • Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

    • France24 ☛ This mummy portrait isn’t from Roman Egypt - it was generated by AI

      An image described as a “Fayum portrait”, a naturalistic portrait placed on mummies in Roman Egypt, has been widely shared on social control media. It turns out that it is actually a fake AI-generated image that differs in key ways from the real portraits.

• Civil Rights/Policing

  • Stanford University ☛ What Makes Us Human: Untitled

    Drawing upon the ideas of political science professor Lowry Pressly, Sakamoto writes on the importance of embracing what cannot be articulated.

  • ACLU ☛ Our Holiday Book Guide for Justice-Minded Readers

    For nearly a century, the ACLU has defended the freedom to read and to think for every American. As we approach the holiday season, we’ve selected a list of books about civil liberties, fitted perfectly with some of our most popular products to make the perfect gift for family members and friends.

    This holiday season, we’re celebrating the power of stories with a curated collection of books, paired with unique items from the ACLU Shop, such as our banned book collection, aprons, tote bags, and more. Whether you’re gifting a thought-provoking read or a statement-making accessory, each purchase supports the ACLU’s mission to protect free speech and the right to learn.

• Digital Restrictions (DRM)

  • Digital Music News ☛ ‘I Run’ Suddenly Reappears on Spotify, Fashion Company Apple Music, YouTube After Hey Hi (AI) Controversy — But Where’s the Original Version?

    The year’s fastest-charting dance track is back with a new version featuring a different singer. But what happened to the original? HAVEN.’s “I Run” has had an exciting few weeks, with early streaming success on Spotify leading to what many assumed would be a Hot 100 debut.

Monopolies/Monopsonies

• New York Times ☛ The Fate of Google’s Ad Tech Monopoly Is Now in a Judge’s Hands

  A judge queried lawyers about whether a breakup made sense during closing arguments on how to fix the tech giant’s dominance in online advertising.

• Public Knowledge ☛ Stuck at the Start: A Call for the United States to Act on Digital Competition Law

  The time to act is now.

• Patents

  • Unified Patents ☛ Malikie messaging patent monopoly challenge instituted

    On November 10, 2025, four weeks after Unified filed an ex parte reexamination, the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) granted Unified’s request, finding substantial new questions of patentability on the challenged claims of U.S. Patent 10,779,156, another patent monopoly owned and asserted by Malikie Innovations Limited, an NPE and entity of Key Patent Innovations Limited. The ‘156 patent, formerly assigned to Blackberry Ltd., is directed to a mobile device communicating with a server to retrieve a pending data message (i.e., email) after the device receives an enable message, which indicates that the pending data message is available.

  • Unified Patents ☛ Tir Technologies Media Streaming Patents Campaigns — Invalidity Charts Coming Soon

    The team at Unified IP Services is using Pearl to identify and chart prior art against patents owned and asserted by Tir Technologies Limited, an NPE and entity of Atlantic IP Services Limited. The patents listed below generally relate to media content delivery features within various platforms.

  • Unified Patents ☛ Fortress Investment entity, DivX, video streaming patent monopoly challenge instituted

    On November 20, 2026, after Unified filed an ex parte reexamination, the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) granted Unified’s request, finding substantial new questions of patentability on the challenged claims of U.S. Patent 11,611,785, owned and asserted by DivX LLC, an NPE and entity of Fortress Investment Group LLC.

  • Kangaroo Courts

    • JUVE ☛ Morello Forni successful against Gastroteam in dispute over pizza former machines [Ed: UPC is illegal. JUVE got paid to play along with the narrative wherein EPO corruption, cocaine, and kangaroo courts are A-OK.]

      The UPC local division in Milan issued a default judgment (UPC CFI No. 802/202) concerning a semi-automatic pizza former. The patent monopoly proprietor markets the machine under the trademark Pizzarella. The associated patent monopoly EP3691454B1 protects a method and apparatus for shaping pizza. In 2018, Gastroteam had become the exclusive distributor for Pizzarella machines in Sweden.

  • Software Patents

    • Unicorn Media ☛ Panasonic Automotive Advances GNU/Linux Collaboration Through OIN

      The open source legal safety nets grow as Panasonic Automotive adds its weight to GNU/Linux patent monopoly defense efforts.

• Trademarks

  • TTAB Blog ☛ TTABlog Test: Two Section 2(d) Refusals of THE JILLY BOX: How Did the Appeal Turn Out?

    The USPTO refused to register the mark THE JILLY BOX (standard characters) for "jewellery; curated boxes being kits comprised of jewellery" in Class 14, and for subscription box services (described more fully below) in Class 35, on the ground of likely confusion with two different registered marks. Keeping in mind the comment of one former TTAB judge that the outcome of a Section 2(d) case can be predicted 95% of the time based on just the marks and the goods, how do you think these appeals (set out in more detail below) came out? [Answer in first comment]. In re The Jilly Box Inc., Serial No. 90253914 (November 19, 2025) [not precedential] (Opinion by Judge Thomas L. Casagrande).