The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has urged Australia not to weaken copyright protections for AI companies, warning that a change could affect creators worldwide. The Albanese government is considering AI policy changes, while saying future copyright changes will provide meaningful control and fair compensation for creatives.
Key Facts
IFPI represents recording industry bodies around the world.
IFPI chief executive Victoria Oakley said weakening Australian copyright protections could encourage similar changes elsewhere.
The Australian government is considering copyright changes as part of a broader package of AI policies.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said creatives should be paid for their work.
Some AI companies say they need greater legal certainty about copyright to invest or train models in Australia.
Anthropic has proposed an opt-out model that would let it use material unless rights holders object.
Attorney General Michelle Rowland's office said the government is committed to supporting creatives and ensuring meaningful control and fair compensation.
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The writer argues that playful, unstructured activities can offer a break from the pressures and routines of adult life. Psychologists say playfulness can coexist with responsibility, while creative activities may encourage curiosity and give the brain a pause from work-focused thinking.
Key Facts
The writer contrasts a childhood filled with spontaneous activities with an adult routine shaped by screen time and on-demand services.
The article describes current examples of whimsy, including crafts, pottery classes, analogue hobbies and decorating reusable cups.
Psychologist Connie McReynolds says whimsy can help people loosen expectations and make room for curiosity, imagination and spontaneity.
Clinical psychologist Matthew Leahy says adults can be playful while still meeting responsibilities.
Leahy says play can give the brain a break; he uses fiction unrelated to his work as an example.
The writer says adults may turn hobbies into activities to document or measure, such as logging films or tracking runs.
Catherine Thomas says workplaces often value creativity while also emphasizing efficiency and measurable results.
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Harwood, North Dakota, voters rejected a proposal to add review requirements for future large developments, including data centers. The vote came as voters in 40 of 41 local contests tracked by Ballotpedia backed measures limiting or opposing data center development.
Key Facts
On November 3, Harwood voters rejected the amendment by 325 votes to 105.
The proposal would have required independent technical review, more public information, at least one public hearing, and written findings before city approval.
Harwood rezoned 320 acres from agricultural to light industrial use in September 2025, allowing Texas-based Applied Digital to plan a large data center facility.
The proposed review rules would have applied to future projects and would not have affected the existing Applied Digital development.
Harwood Mayor Blake Hankey opposed the amendment and said its requirements could financially burden a city of Harwood's size.
Amendment advocate Mike Swartz said residents had been caught off guard by the pace of the existing data center project.
Ballotpedia reported that data center-related measures appeared in local contests across 10 states and that voters supported limits or opposition in 40 of 41 contests it tracked.
Ballotpedia said voters approved five full bans, 12 partial bans, three six-month moratoriums, and two measures expressing opposition to data center development.
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Physicists used electrical shot noise to investigate the pseudogap, a state in copper-based superconductors where measurements detect fewer electrons than expected. The study team used a scanning tunneling microscope to measure current fluctuations at selected energies, aiming to test whether electrons form pairs before the material becomes superconducting.
Key Facts
Cuprate superconductors can work at temperatures reachable with liquid nitrogen, but scientists still debate how their high-temperature superconductivity works.
The pseudogap appears above the temperature at which cuprates become superconducting, and measurements show fewer electrons at certain energies.
One explanation says electrons freeze into patterns; another says they form pairs before superconductivity begins.
The researchers measured shot noise, small current fluctuations caused by individual charges arriving.
The team used a scanning tunneling microscope to measure noise at different energies and locations on a cuprate sample.
The study examined BSCCO crystals cooled to a few degrees above absolute zero.
The article text provided does not include the study’s results or its conclusion.
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Optimising systems can improve performance but also leave them less able to handle surprises, overlook important goals, or create harmful effects when separately optimised parts interact. The article illustrates these risks with hospital capacity, Milton Keynes roundabouts and the 2010 U.S. market crash, and says AI could make the traps more serious.
Key Facts
About 95% of adult hospital beds in England were occupied at the height of the previous flu season.
The article says keeping some hospital beds unused can help hospitals respond to sudden increases in demand.
Milton Keynes has about 130 roundabouts, which support traffic flow but can make coach journeys uncomfortable.
The article says optimisation can overlook goals that are harder to measure, such as passenger comfort.
On 6 May 2010, the S&P 500 fell another 5% in five minutes during a market decline, then recovered within 10 minutes.
An automated program selling 75,000 futures contracts worth more than $4 billion was one trigger of the 2010 market swings.
The article says automated traders reacted to one another, contributing to a loss of market liquidity.
The article warns that AI could make the risks of excessive optimisation more serious.
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A U.S. Geological Survey assessment estimates that Alaska’s North Slope may hold up to 96 trillion cubic feet of technically recoverable, undiscovered natural gas. Developers say the resource, along with Alaska’s cold climate and available land, could support data centers, including a proposed 3-gigawatt facility, but political opposition may affect future projects.
Key Facts
The USGS estimate covers the entire North Slope and was released last month, according to the article.
The estimated 96 trillion cubic feet is about three times the North Slope’s known gas reserves, a USGS official said.
Alaska has at least six operational data centers, with other projects announced or proposed.
STAK Energy’s proposed Project Aaka would be powered by natural gas and built in an industrial corridor on the North Slope.
Project Aaka announced a 15-year gas supply agreement with ExxonMobil Alaska Production Inc.
Alaska is also considering a $55 billion LNG pipeline to carry North Slope gas to Anchorage and beyond.
Two candidates for Alaska governor have criticized data centers; Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins said he would seek a temporary ban on new facilities, while Bernadette Wilson opposed hyperscale centers.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum praised Alaska’s energy resources and cited President Donald Trump’s commitment to developing the state’s potential.
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A supercomputer at the University of Southern Denmark uses liquid cooling to capture its waste heat and send it to the local district heating network. The system, designed by Danfoss, offers one way to reuse heat from data centres as their electricity use grows.
Key Facts
The article says data centres used 485 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2024, equal to 1.5 percent of global electricity supply.
The International Energy Agency projects data centres’ share of global electricity use will reach 3 percent by 2030.
The University of Southern Denmark launched the Bitten supercomputer in May.
Danfoss developed a liquid-cooling system for Bitten that captures all of its waste heat.
The system pumps coolant over the processors and transfers the resulting hot water to Sonderborg’s district heating network.
Sonderborg’s district heating network serves about 75,000 residents.
The United States has about 4,000 data centres, which the article says use 5 percent of the country’s electricity.
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A cyberattack caused refrigeration units at businesses in several European countries to heat up, while separate incidents targeted Ukraine’s emergency alert app and cryptocurrency exchange Binance. UK cyber officials warn that AI could help attackers find and exploit weaknesses in digital systems, though they said the fridge attack did not require AI to find its targets.
Key Facts
London wholesaler Alex Pearce unplugged his refrigeration system from the internet after its units showed temperatures of up to 150C.
Retailers in Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden reported similar refrigerator and freezer problems.
French blood banks were also reported to have suffered from hacking attacks.
The article says Binance was robbed of $6.3bn on 30 October and that the hack has been attributed to North Korea.
On 1 November, hackers targeted Ukraine’s emergency alert app and sent people in Kyiv a fake nuclear strike warning.
The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre warned that AI could help attackers locate weaknesses and write malicious code.
The NCSC said AI-powered malicious software is highly likely to be used in attacks against UK power stations, airports and hospitals by 2028.
The NCSC’s director of operations said the hackers behind the refrigeration attack did not need AI to find the vulnerabilities they used.
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Microdramas are short, vertical shows designed for phone viewing, with episodes typically lasting 60 to 90 seconds and ending on cliffhangers. The format, which emerged in China, is gaining viewers in the UK and other countries, and streaming services and producers are beginning to adopt it.
Key Facts
Microdrama series often contain 50 or more episodes, with a total runtime comparable to a feature film.
The shows often feature themes such as forbidden love, family feuds and secret billionaires.
China’s microdrama market was worth more than 100 billion yuan last year, and viewer numbers exceeded 800 million, according to China’s National Radio and Television Administration.
Microdramas are also popular in South Korea, India and the United States.
Prime, Peacock and Disney+ have announced plans to add microdramas to their services.
The UK app TattleTV, which describes itself as the country’s first dedicated microdrama app, launched earlier this year.
Some companies have produced branded short-video dramas, including Jamie Oliver, the Co-op, and a Channel 4 and Sol de Janeiro collaboration.
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Nintendo released a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Thursday, keeping gameplay close to the 1998 Nintendo 64 original while updating its graphics and controls. The developers adjusted some frightening scenes after play testers found them too scary, and the article reports that early feedback from gaming commentators was positive.
Key Facts
The original Ocarina of Time launched on the Nintendo 64 in 1998.
The article says the original game helped establish features such as horseback riding, sword-and-shield combat, and locking on to enemies.
Nintendo chose to keep the remake’s gameplay similar to the original rather than reinvent it.
Producer Hidemaro Fujibayashi said players now expect games to show more detail directly through graphics.
Producer Eiji Aonuma said improved graphics and lighting made the Skulltula House seem too frightening to some play testers.
Nintendo adjusted the remake’s scary scenes to preserve the balance of the original, according to Aonuma.
Outside Xbox co-editor Mike Channell praised the remake’s detailed world and updated controls.
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U.S. lawmakers are seeking answers about Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s reported relationship with Alice Huang, whom news reports have described as a Chinese spy. Nvidia denies the relationship went beyond business and says no sensitive information was shared; China has denied using Alice Huang to spy on him.
Key Facts
The New York Times and Financial Times reported on Nov. 6 that Alice Huang was recruited to spy on Jensen Huang and encourage him to lobby for chip exports to China.
The Financial Times also reported that Jensen Huang and Alice Huang had a romantic relationship.
The New York Times reported on Oct. 29 that U.S. authorities had concerns about Alice Huang’s intelligence ties and that President Donald Trump had been briefed.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Oct. 31 that U.S., Singaporean and Taiwanese intelligence authorities had reason to believe Alice Huang might be a Chinese spy.
On Nov. 5, Republican House committee chairs asked Jensen Huang to brief them on his relationship with Alice Huang and Nvidia’s safeguards for sensitive information.
The committee chairs set Nov. 11 as the deadline for Huang to arrange a meeting.
Sen. Chris Coons said Congress would investigate, according to his post on X.
Nvidia has said Alice Huang was a business contact and that no sensitive information was shared; the Chinese government has denied that it used her to spy on Jensen Huang.
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The FAA says the first U.S. digital air traffic control towers are operational at airports in Bartow, Florida, and Kenai, Alaska. The agency says the systems give controllers a 360-degree view of airport activity and are meant to support, not replace, human controllers.
Key Facts
The digital towers are operating at Bartow Executive Airport in Florida and Kenai Municipal Airport in Alaska.
The FAA says the systems use cameras and digital displays to show runways, taxiways, and nearby airspace.
The agency plans to install the technology at five more regional airports.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford is scheduled to appear before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee next week.
Congress approved $12.5 billion over five years in June 2025 for air traffic control reforms.
The Trump administration is seeking an additional $30 billion from Congress for further improvements.
The FAA introduced an AI software tool called Strategic Management of Airspace, Routes and Trajectories, or Smart, in September.
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A series of cyberattacks on grocery stores in Europe has raised concerns about cyber threats to the U.S. food supply. The article asks whether hackers are targeting America’s food supply but provides no further details in the supplied text.
Key Facts
The article reports a series of cyberattacks on grocery stores.
The attacks took place in Europe.
The article links the attacks to concerns about cyber threats in the United States.
The potential area of concern is America’s food supply.
The supplied text does not identify the attackers or describe the attacks.
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The Trump administration is reportedly considering four sealed underwater datacenters off Maine and Alaska, while underwater facilities already operate off China. No such project has been proposed for the Great Lakes, but a regional nonprofit is raising concerns about heat, leaks and contamination in the freshwater system.
Key Facts
Two underwater datacenters are operating off China’s coast.
Reports say the administration is considering four sealed-pod datacenters off Maine and Alaska.
Microsoft tested an underwater datacenter off northern Scotland in 2018; the project ended after two years.
Microsoft reported 87% fewer server failures in the underwater facility than in comparable land-based datacenters.
The Lake Erie Foundation says heat from a datacenter could worsen harmful algal blooms and affect aquatic life.
The foundation also raised concerns about leaks or contamination from batteries, fluids and electrical equipment.
Ohio’s state EPA rejected a proposal last July that would have made it easier for datacenter companies to discharge wastewater into public waterways.
New York is the only Great Lakes state with a statewide pause on datacenter construction; it is set to end in mid-2027.
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Carolyn Marvin, a 78-year-old retired University of Pennsylvania communications professor, regularly blocks Uber Eats delivery robots in Philadelphia to protest their use of public sidewalks. Police cited her for disorderly conduct after one confrontation, and she is waiting for a court date while continuing her protests.
Key Facts
Marvin says she objects to delivery robots taking jobs and creating hazards for people with mobility issues.
She blocks robots in public spaces when she encounters them, but says she does not do this every day.
During one confrontation, a crowd gathered and some people supported her while others worried she was delaying customers’ orders.
Three police officers responded after someone reported criminal mischief involving a delivery robot.
Marvin refused officers’ requests to move and argued that her protest was protected by the First Amendment.
Police handcuffed Marvin and issued her a disorderly conduct ticket, saying she had blocked a business.
Marvin plans to contest the ticket and is awaiting a court hearing date.
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A peer-reviewed study of more than 6,600 pregnancies found that higher exposure to DINCH, a plasticizer used in food packaging and other products, was associated with lower birth weight and a greater risk of babies being small for their gestational age. The researchers said the findings add to concerns about the chemical’s safety, but the study reports an association and does not establish that DINCH caused the outcomes.
Key Facts
Researchers analyzed pregnancy data from the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes program.
Up to 70% of the women in the study had detectable DINCH in their urine.
Each tenfold increase in DINCH exposure was associated with a 27-gram reduction in newborn birth weight.
Higher DINCH levels were associated with an increased risk of being small for gestational age, defined as below the 10th percentile for babies at the same stage of pregnancy.
DINCH is used to make plastic more flexible and durable and is found in food packaging, toys, medical devices, flooring, cling film and plastic wine corks.
The article says animal and cell research has suggested that DINCH by-products may interfere with hormones involved in fetal development.
Global DINCH production rose from 25,000 tons in 2002 to 400,000 tons in 2024, according to the article.
Researchers say more safety research is needed; the Switzerland-based Food Packaging Forum is conducting research on DINCH.
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Google told education leaders that schools must accept some AI in classrooms or lose access to its search engine. School officials who oppose expanding AI have little time to respond, and Google’s dominant position in online search limits their options.
Key Facts
Google delivered the ultimatum on Tuesday.
Google said schools must accept some AI in classrooms or lose access to its search engine.
Some school officials are trying to resist the expansion of AI in classrooms.
The article says Google dominates online search.
The article says districts received little time to respond.
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China has selected an unnamed Pakistani astronaut to serve as a payload specialist on its Shenzhou-24 mission, which Chinese state media says would make the astronaut the first foreign national to visit China’s space station. China has not announced the astronaut’s identity or the launch date; the mission is expected by the end of 2026.
Key Facts
The China Manned Space Agency selected a Pakistani astronaut for the Shenzhou-24 mission.
The astronaut’s identity and the mission’s departure date have not been announced.
Pakistani pilots Zeeshan Ali and Khurram Daud trained at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center in Beijing.
Pakistan and China agreed last February to a Chinese government-led programme to train Pakistani astronauts.
China’s space agency plans to deploy Jinnah-1, Pakistan’s first lunar rover, to study lunar plasma, radiation and soil.
The article says the astronauts would return to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft after a short in-orbit flight.
China aims to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030.
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DataVita has revised its energy plans for a proposed 500MW AI datacentre in Lanarkshire, saying it will be fully served by the National Grid. The company says its grid electricity will be covered by a renewable power purchase agreement, while direct connections to proposed wind and solar projects may be added later.
Key Facts
DataVita had previously said more than 1GW of renewable capacity would supply the datacentres through direct connections.
The proposed datacentre is near Chapelhall, outside Airdrie, and is expected to have a capacity of 500MW.
DataVita said the project could bring 3,400 jobs to Lanarkshire.
The company’s plans are subject to commercial agreements, planning, grid access and consent processes.
DataVita remains eligible for £202 million in wealth guarantees from the UK’s national wealth fund.
The article reports that UK datacentre projects face years-long waits for grid connections and high energy costs.
DataVita has proposed a wind and solar park in North Lanarkshire that could connect to the datacentres in the future.
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Democrats are calling for tighter rules on AI data centres, and concerns over the facilities are also growing in Europe. In Amsterdam, several hundred activists occupied the site of a planned Microsoft data centre during a two-day protest taking place across the continent.
Key Facts
Democrats are calling for tighter regulation of AI data centres.
The article says concern about AI data centres is shared across Europe.
Several hundred activists occupied the site of a planned Microsoft data centre in Amsterdam.
The occupation took place as part of a two-day protest across Europe.
The report was published on November 7, 2026.
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