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According to a report, Meta employees said accounts belonging to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva were restricted during the country's election period. The claim has drawn attention to how major platforms handle the accounts of sitting heads of state, and comes as Brazil remains politically sensitive after past disputes over social media's role in elections.

Brazil's National Council of Justice says procedural powers of attorney can now be signed through the gov.br platform, letting lawyers and citizens authorize legal representation digitally without visiting notaries. The measure ties into ongoing efforts to digitize court procedures nationwide, and users in Brazil are searching for how to access and use the signature feature.

Betfair, the betting exchange owned by Paddy Power Betfair owner Flutter, remains a top search result in the UK, with coverage touching both its technology and horse racing tips. Paddy Power Betfair has previously highlighted its Couchbase-powered platform handling over one million transactions per second, while racing tipsters such as Charlie McCann and Neil Morrice continue to publish daily selections for UK meetings at tracks like Musselburgh, Catterick and Kempton.

Powers of attorney used in legal proceedings can now be signed through the federal gov.br platform, according to the judiciary's news service. The change allows lawyers and parties to formalise procedural representation digitally, without in-person notary visits. Brazilians are discussing the update as another step in the government's push to move official paperwork online.

Canada and the European Union say a closer alliance would help safeguard their sovereignty against economic coercion and the power of large technology companies. The announcement points to deeper economic ties between Ottawa and Brussels, with both sides framing cooperation as a way to protect their interests amid growing pressure from bigger powers and dominant tech platforms.

India's Goods and Services Tax framework is in the news after reports of upcoming rule changes. From November 1, traders selling on online shopping platforms face new registration requirements, altering how e-commerce sellers comply with GST. Separately, GST officers are reported to lose arrest powers in cases involving discrepancies under 5 crore rupees, with only penalties applying for smaller tax defaults.

Volvo Cars engineer Julius Gustavsson presented SmartCell, the company's next-generation electric vehicle battery platform, at the Oxidize conference. His talk covered how the Swedish automaker is using the Rust programming language in battery systems. A power fluctuation disrupted the conference recording, but a similar version of the talk had been delivered at RustConf the previous week.

A new analysis examines the political economy behind China's e-CNY, the digital yuan, looking at how the central bank digital currency is reshaping interests among regulators, banks and payment platforms. It argues that the reform's progress depends less on technology than on institutional politics and the balance of power in China's financial system, with implications for monetary policy and financial control.

SoSoValue has introduced an advanced AI-powered investment research platform aimed at cryptocurrency investors. The platform is designed to help users analyse crypto markets and make investment decisions using artificial intelligence tools. Details on features, adoption, or funding have not been disclosed, and reaction from the wider crypto community remains limited so far.

Taiwan's Academia Sinica is promoting an event titled 'One Technology to Power Them All: Monolithic 3D for AI, Photonics, XR, and Sensing'. The talk presents monolithic 3D integration as a single technology platform with applications spanning artificial intelligence, photonics, extended reality and sensing, drawing attention from researchers interested in next-generation semiconductor and computing architectures.

Chipmaker Wolfspeed has commercially introduced a transparent silicon carbide technology aimed at augmented reality optics and quantum computing applications. The announcement, picked up by financial news outlets including Morningstar, positions the material as a novel platform combining transparency with silicon carbide's semiconductor properties. The move signals Wolfspeed's push to expand beyond power electronics into emerging photonics and quantum markets.

Sylvester Stallone's 1993 thriller, which featured a stunt that reportedly cost $1 million and earned a Guinness World Record, is now available to stream on Netflix. The film's arrival on the platform is drawing fresh attention from action movie fans, with coverage highlighting both Stallone's star power and the famous record-setting stunt sequence.

The French government has asked internet service providers to prepare temporary DNS blocks targeting major social media platforms, reportedly planned for October 24. The measure, prepared at the prime minister's level, would restrict access if activated. The reported plan is drawing concern over freedom of communication and the precedent of disconnecting social networks in a democracy.

US semiconductor maker Wolfspeed has introduced optical-grade silicon carbide materials aimed at augmented reality devices and quantum computing applications. The announcement positions the company's silicon carbide expertise, traditionally used in power electronics, toward emerging photonics markets where transparent, high-purity substrates are needed. Industry coverage is focused on whether the material can become a standard platform for next-generation AR optics and quantum systems.

GenomeWeb reports that makers of next-generation sequencing platforms are exploring data-driven business models as artificial intelligence reshapes biology research. Rather than relying solely on instrument and reagent sales, companies are weighing opportunities in data generation, analysis and services, positioning themselves to benefit from growing demand for biological data in AI-powered drug discovery and life sciences research.

Readwise, the company known for tools that store and organise Kindle highlights for power readers, is expanding into the ebook market and positioning itself as a direct competitor to Amazon's Kindle and Rakuten Kobo. The move signals a shift from building reading-adjacent software to offering its own reading platform, and commentators are watching whether a small independent player can take on the dominant ebook ecosystems.

Digital Science has acquired Jenni AI, an AI-powered research and writing platform. The deal brings a popular AI writing assistant used by students and researchers into Digital Science's portfolio of scholarly technology tools, which already includes products such as Dimensions and ReadCube. The move signals continuing consolidation of AI tools within the academic publishing and research technology sector.

A new report says Spotify is aiming to launch an AI-powered music remix service in early 2027. The tool would reportedly let listeners create or access AI-generated remixes of licensed tracks, placing Spotify alongside other major platforms experimenting with generative AI in music. Details on licensing terms and artist compensation have not been disclosed, and the timing leaves room for the music industry's ongoing debate over AI use to shape the final product.

Meta has released Waddle World, an AI-powered virtual pet application available on iOS and Android in the Philippines. The app presents a 16-bit style pet that users can care for and entertain through mini-games. The launch was spotted and shared by social media consultant Matt Navarra, drawing attention to Meta's continued experimentation with consumer-facing AI products outside its core platforms.

Devin Haney and Richardson Paro have agreed to a welterweight title unification bout, according to The Ring, with the fight set to be broadcast on DAZN. The matchup would bring two world titles together in one of boxing's deepest divisions, and fans are debating how Haney's style will hold up against Paro's power.

An opinion piece argues the case for the open internet, the principle that the web should remain open, interoperable and free from gatekeeping by dominant platforms or providers. The piece frames the open internet as under pressure and calls for defending openness as a public good, though no specific policy dispute or named actor is cited in the headline alone.