💊 Science Corporation implants its vision-restoring chip in its first Stargardt disease patient

Science Corporation CEO Max Hodak announced that the company has implanted its vision-restoring chip, PRIMA, into its first patient with Stargardt disease, an inherited eye disease that gradually destroys central vision. Hodak envisions BCIs expanding beyond computer control into a wide range of medical applications.

PRIMA, already commercially available in Europe for patients with vision loss caused by geographic atrophy, could also help treat other retinal diseases, including Stargardt disease, a currently incurable condition that causes progressive central vision loss and affects around 150,000 people worldwide.

In May, the first patient with Stargardt disease received a PRIMA implant as part of a clinical trial at Sydney Eye Hospital in Australia. During rehabilitation, the patient was able to see a letter in the first session and read a word in the second, offering an encouraging early sign of the technology’s potential. 👏

📱 Watch the video on YouTube

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⚡️🇮🇳 India Education Minister Plans Technology Push After Exam Leaks

India will overhaul its examination system using technology and large question banks, Education Minister Pralhad Joshi said, as the government addresses weaknesses exposed by exam leaks and cheating allegations that triggered widespread student protests.

“We are making it more technology driven, making it more transparent, all those loopholes, we are plugging it now,” — Joshi said. The government wants an “overall change in the system,” including computer-based examinations as early as possible, he added.

#BRICS

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😊 Google Will Let Anyone Publish Privately Listed Vibe-Coded Apps on the Play Store

Google is making it easier for Android users to run vibe-coded apps for personal use, lowering the barrier for nontechnical consumers who are increasingly turning to AI to build tools for their own needs.

Starting Tuesday, people 18 and older with a Google account can publish Android apps on the Play Store that were created through Google AI Studio, a web-based platform for prototyping apps and creating media with the tech giant’s various AI models.

Notably, the new allowance includes even people without a paid developer account, opening up the Play Store to so-called vibe coders — anyone who uses natural language to ask AI to generate software code.

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⚡️🇯🇵🇺🇸 Japan to invest $21 billion in up to two GlobalFoundries chip factories in New York

Japan will invest about $21 billion to build up to ‌two chip factories in New York State that will be jointly owned by the US government and Japanese interests and operated by GlobalFoundries.

The initiative is part of a Trump administration deal struck last year for Japan to invest $550 billion in the US in return for the US lowering tariffs on ​Japanese cars and other imports from at least 25% to 15%.

The first factory is expected to ​add annual US manufacturing capacity for about 900,000 300mm wafers when fully operational, ranking it among the larger US semiconductor manufacturing facilities, and create more than 1,000 factory jobs in New York.

"We are the first administration ever to turn grants ‌into ⁠money for America," — Trump said. 🏆

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🇰🇷🤑 Ripple and Meritz Securities Partner to Bring Institutional Custody and Tokenization to Korea’s Capital Markets

Ripple announced a strategic partnership with Meritz Securities, one of Korea's leading securities firms. Together, the two companies will explore how to bring Ripple Custody and Ripple's tokenisation infrastructure into Korea's capital markets.

The two companies will start within the scope of Meritz's existing securities business and current regulation. They will then widen their cooperation in stages as Korea's digital asset framework develops. 💸

Meritz Securities is currently exploring a range of digital asset-related business opportunities in preparation for the integration of digital assets into the regulated financial system, including spot ETFs, fractional investment and security tokens, trading platforms, and KRW-denominated stablecoins. The partnership with Ripple was formed as part of these broader efforts.

“Korea is one of the most dynamic digital asset markets in the world and its institutions are preparing to move from exploration to real-world utility,” — said Fiona Murray, Managing Director, Asia Pacific at Ripple.

Ripple's first partnership with a Korean securities firm extends its institutional footprint across Korea's banking, insurance and capital markets. 🚀

#Stellar

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🤑 Willow Adds Support for Stellar, Its First Non-EVM Chain

A contract on Ethereum mainnet verified our proof of 64 Stellar ledgers, with 20,361 Soroban events and balance changes

Ethereum contracts can now act on Stellar data trustlessly 🤝

#Stellar

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🇪🇺 ​The EBA classifies USDC as the first significant e-money token in the European Union

​The European Banking Authority (EBA) has classified USDC, issued by Circle Internet Financial Europe SAS, as a significant e-money token (EMT) under the Markets in Crypto Assets Regulation (MiCA), following its assessment of the criteria set out in the Regulation.

❗️There are currently 45 EMTs in the European Union, which have been notified under MiCA, and USDC is the first one to be classified as being significant.

⚡️​From 12 November 2026, USDC will be subject to the dual supervision foreseen by MiCA for significant EMTs.

This means that direct supervisory responsibilities in the areas of own funds, reserve of assets, liquidity requirements, and recovery and redemption plans will be transferred from the Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution (ACPR) to the EBA.

🤩The ACPR will continue to be responsible for supervision of areas such as governance, qualifying holdings, fit and proper assessment, outsourcing and conflicts of interest.

🤩The EBA and the ACPR will work closely together to ensure a smooth transition and effective supervisory cooperation.

🤩​USDC is issued in the European Union by Circle Internet Financial Europe SAS and in the United States by Circle Internet Financial, LLC.

To support its supervision of cross-border stablecoin activities, the EBA has signed a MoU with the New York State Department of Financial Services which will facilitate the cooperation and exchanges of information between the two authorities. 🤝

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🧠 Scientists uncover a hidden map of the brain with 539 distinct regions

Researchers at Switzerland’s École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne have developed a detailed 3D map of lipids — fatty molecules essential for brain structure and communication.

By analyzing around 7 million measurements from mouse brain tissue, the team identified 539 chemically distinct regions, revealing patterns that conventional brain maps had missed.

The researchers discovered that even white matter, previously considered relatively uniform, contains a complex network of chemically distinct zones. They also found substantial changes in brain lipid composition during pregnancy, suggesting that the brain’s chemistry adapts to the body’s changing needs.

Published in Nature, the study provides a new tool for investigating brain organization, aging, and neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression. Although the map is based on mice, the method could eventually be applied to human brain research.

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🇦🇺 Australia’s financial watchdog seeks stiffer rules for crypto exchanges ahead of licensing deadline

Australia's financial regulator proposed new standards for cryptocurrency exchanges and digital asset custodians, setting out how companies must protect customer funds, execute trades and meet financial requirements under laws that take effect next year.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) said it opened a consultation on the rules on Thursday, which would require affected firms to obtain or update their regulatory approval or license.

The consultation closes on Nov. 27, with final guidance and standards expected in March 2027.

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🇮🇳🇺🇸 India, US Very Close to Landing Trade Deal, Ambassador Gor Says

The US and India are close to finalizing a trade deal, with most of the major issues resolved, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor said on Thursday, echoing comments from senior Indian officials earlier this week.

“The big picture, the big framework, the big items are done,” — Gor said. The two countries are very close to “landing it,” he added.

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💸 Mastercard and BVNK launch Global Money Platform to power a multi-money world

Mastercard and BVNK announced the launch of Mastercard Global Money Platform, bringing together Mastercard’s global payments capabilities with BVNK’s stablecoin infrastructure through a single API.

👉 Banks, fintechs and enterprises can now embed multi-currency accounts, including fiat and stablecoins, real-time conversion, stablecoin-linked cards and local bank payouts through Mastercard Move into their own products and under their own brand.

👉 They can also use the platform to manage their own treasury, payments and settlement activity directly.

Mastercard Move, Mastercard’s portfolio of global money movement capabilities, reaches more than 17 billion endpoints and enables users to leverage stablecoin balances to make local currency payments directly into recipients’ local bank account, with coverage expected to expand to more than 40 currencies across 200-plus countries and territories in 2027. 🌎

The launch marks the first major integration of Mastercard and BVNK capabilities since the acquisition of BVNK in August 2026. 🚀

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