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  • 🚨 Meta Scam Ads Probe | 🛒 Amazon Smuggling Raids | 📺 Sinclair’s Bold Media Move

🚨 Meta Scam Ads Probe | 🛒 Amazon Smuggling Raids | 📺 Sinclair’s Bold Media Move

U.S. senators demand action on scam ads sweeping Meta’s platforms, Italian authorities intensify Amazon smuggling investigations, and Sinclair shakes up broadcast TV with a high-stakes takeover bid.

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🖋 Today’s Angle

  • Big Tech’s under scrutiny again, with U.S. senators demanding a crackdown on scam ads on Facebook and Instagram.

  • Amazon faces intense heat as Italian authorities raid sites amid a smuggling probe.

  • Sinclair Broadcast Group aims high with an unsolicited takeover bid for E.W. Scripps, shaking media waters.

  • On the crypto front, Monad’s MON token stumbles on launch day amid tokenomics concerns.

  • Meanwhile, a hobbyist miner pulls off a near-impossible $265,000 Bitcoin jackpot with a humble ASIC rig.

  • Plus, a nifty tutorial for leveling up your Python data viz game rounds out the load.

––Sascha Thiele

🚀 Tech & Business

What Happened: Senators Josh Hawley and Richard Blumenthal called on the FTC and SEC to investigate Meta Platforms over profits from scam ads running rampant on Facebook and Instagram. They highlighted how these scams may have cost consumers over $50 billion, accusing Meta of cutting ad safety staff while prioritizing AI investments.

 Why It Matters: Meta’s ad ecosystem is under growing regulatory scrutiny, and this probe could force major changes in social media ad policies, protecting consumers and shaking up how social platforms operate revenue-wise.

What Happened: Italian tax and customs police raided two Amazon sites near Milan, seizing thousands of products and IT equipment tied to a probe into the alleged smuggling of Chinese goods without tax payments. Prosecutors warned Amazon may be acting as a “Trojan horse” for tax evasion.

Why It Matters: This crackdown signals escalating regulatory challenges for e-commerce giants in Europe, spotlighting how cross-border trade compliance is coming under sharper enforcement. Sellers and marketplaces might feel the heat globally.

What Happened: Sinclair Broadcast Group made an unsolicited bid to buy E.W. Scripps Co. at a 70% premium, aiming to boost its broadcast TV reach in a competitive media landscape. Sinclair already holds a substantial stake in Scripps.

Why It Matters: Media consolidation continues as Sinclair’s move could reshape local TV markets and advertising dynamics, highlighting how traditional broadcast is evolving amid digital disruption.

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💰 The Finance Overview

Black Friday Money GIF by Kohl's

Giphy

Big Tech stocks are digesting mixed signals today. Meta Platforms is under pressure from regulatory probes, while Amazon faces geopolitical risks in Europe due to customs investigations.

FAANG sentiment is cautious, with investors eyeing how these legal issues might disrupt earnings. Startup funding hints at a slowdown as macro jitters linger, especially for high-burn tech ventures.

Infrastructure spending remains solid, particularly for AI hardware, though chip supply chains are steadying.

Cloud services grow, but tech watchers keep an eye on emerging companies promising specialization.

Wild card: Broadcast media mergers with Sinclair’s bold moves highlight a shake-up beyond Silicon Valley.

Ticker

S&P 500: $SPY ( ▲ 0.94% ) 

DowJones: $DJI ( ▲ 1.43% ) 

Nasdaq: $QQQ ( ▲ 0.62% ) 

German DAX: $DAX ( ▲ 1.68% ) 

Indian NIFTY: $NIFTY50.NSE ( ▼ 0.39% ) 

Bitcoin: $BTC.X ( ▼ 0.95% ) 

Ethereum: $ETH.X ( ▼ 0.92% ) 

Gold Nft GIF by patternbase

Gif by darkbean on Giphy

What Happened: Monad’s new MON token launched with a soft debut, trading below its token sale price and facing skepticism over its tokenomics, as 27% of the allocated tokens were reserved for the team. Total volume barely hit $50 million in morning trades.

Why It Matters: This sluggish start could hamper Monad’s ambitions to build a strong Layer-1 blockchain ecosystem, illustrating how token structure and early market reception can make or break new crypto launches.

What Happened: Despite an ongoing official ban, China has quietly climbed back to become the world’s third-largest Bitcoin mining hub with an estimated 14% share of global hashpower as of October 2025. Miners are taking advantage of cheap and abundant electricity in regions like Xinjiang and Sichuan, fueling a resurgence in underground operations and renewed rig sales by domestic producers like Canaan.

Why It Matters: This rebound highlights the resilience of China’s crypto mining scene and signals a shift in regulatory enforcement tone, with China’s softer approach sparking fresh activity. However, miner revenues are pressured by Bitcoin’s recent price decline and record low hash price, pointing to a challenging environment ahead.

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  • How to optimize data filtering by placing filters earlier in workflows for efficiency

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  • Practical insights into debugging and refining real-world n8n workflow mistakes

Why It's Worth Your Time: This hands-on video goes beyond tutorials by diving into common beginner pitfalls and showing practical fixes in a real student project. It’s perfect for anyone looking to level up their automation game with n8n, from newbie to intermediate, all explained with clear, actionable advice.

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🏁 Tomorrow’s Forecast

Expect more regulatory heat and blockchain drama—strap in for a wild ride ahead. 🚀

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