Mateusz Kaczmarek

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is back under the microscope over his past use of a Medicare self‑employment tax loophole commonly claimed by hedge‑fund managers and other partnership owners. Senate Democrats have alleged since January that Bessent avoided roughly $900,000 in Medicare taxes by classifying himself as a limited partner of his own fund, Key Square Group—an approach the IRS has increasingly challenged in court. During his confirmation process, Bessent said he would pay any contested Medicare tax if ultimately owed, but the matter remains unresolved publicly and pressure has intensified again today. AP News+3Roll Call+3Politico+3 What’s new today (Nov. 12)

A newly described species of native leafcutter bee sporting tiny, devil‑like facial “horns” has been unveiled by researchers in Western Australia’s Goldfields. The species, formally named Megachile (Hackeriapis) lucifer, was first collected in 2019 during a survey of pollinators around a critically endangered wildflower, Marianthus aquilonaris, and is now detailed in a peer‑reviewed paper in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research. Curtin University+1 Why scientists are buzzing about Megachile lucifer The female bees carry a conspicuous pair of forward‑curving “horns” on the clypeus (the front of the face) — a feature not seen in males. Researchers say the structures are sub‑millimetre

Merger chatter intensifies—but no agreement as of today A Bloomberg report today says a group of GoTo backers—including SoftBank—is pushing to replace CEO Patrick Walujo, a shake‑up that investors view as potentially smoothing the way for renewed Grab–GoTo deal discussions. Bloomberg In a same‑day update from Dow Jones Newswires, GoTo stated that no decision or agreement has been made with Grab, addressing market speculation directly. Morningstar For context, Indonesia’s government confirmed last week that it is discussing a potential Grab–GoTo combination, underscoring the sector’s strategic importance for jobs and the economy—yet any transaction would still face regulatory review. Reuters Regulatory