Senator Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Congress's foremost Bitcoin advocate, has announced she will not seek reelection in 2026, concluding her term in January 2027. The 71-year-old Republican, who chaired the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Digital Assets, championed landmark initiatives including the Bitcoin Act proposing a U.S. strategic bitcoin reserve of up to 1 million BTC, stablecoin regulations via the GENIUS Act, and market structure reforms distinguishing digital assets as securities or commodities. Her retirement introduces uncertainty for advancing pro-bitcoin policies amid a supportive administration. Lummis reflected, "Deciding not to run for re-election does represent a change of heart for me [...] I am a devout legislator, but I feel like a sprinter in a marathon." Undeterred, she pledged full commitment through 2026, vowing to deliver key legislation to President Trump and bolster America's leadership in the bitcoin industry.
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Entities linked to Tether executives have acquired Peak Mining, the bitcoin mining unit of Northern Data, in a deal valued at up to $200 million. According to a report by the Financial Times, U.S. regulatory filings identified the buyers as Highland Group Mining Inc., Appalachian Energy LLC, and 2750418 Alberta ULC. Corporate records show Highland Group Mining directed by Tether co-founder Giancarlo Devasini and CEO Paolo Ardoino, while the Alberta entity is solely under Devasini. This transaction reflects an internal reshuffling of assets within Tether's network as Northern Data pivots toward artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. "Northern Data said in November that it had agreed to sell Peak Mining... as part of a broader effort to exit bitcoin mining," the Financial Times reported. The sale supports Northern Data's strategic repositioning, enhancing focus on advanced data center operations amid expanding opportunities in digital infrastructure.
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In "How to be more agentic" from Useful Fictions, Cate Hall argues that agency is a learnable skill, not an innate trait, enabling individuals to achieve extraordinary outcomes across domains despite challenges like aging or competitive fields. Drawing from her experiences as a Supreme Court advocate, top female poker player, and co-founder of a rapid-drug-development startup, Hall emphasizes pursuing "real edges" others avoid due to discomfort. Key strategies include courting rejection by asking for unreasonable opportunities, seeking anonymous feedback for genuine improvement, expanding networks to boost serendipity, assuming traits like charisma are malleable through deliberate practice, embracing periods of low status during skill acquisition, and avoiding burnout by setting strict boundaries on work. "No one is born with it, everyone can learn it, and it’s never too late," Hall writes, framing agency as an empowering force for shaping one's world with determination and resilience. This approach is fundamentally optimistic, highlighting how persistent, unconventional actions unlock excellence in personal and professional life.
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Authoritarian regimes like China escalate transnational repression against exiles via sophisticated surveillance, spear-phishing malware, deepfakes, and family harassment, eroding diaspora trust and advocacy as detailed in a Human Rights Foundation's report. An International Consortium of Investigative Journalists probe, interviewing 105 dissidents across 23 countries, found 60 believed surveilled by Chinese agents, 27 hit by online smears, and 19 by hacks; half endured family interrogations back home. Citizen Lab traced World Uyghur Congress leaders' March 2025 Google alerts to trojanized Uyghur-language software from phishing emails mimicking NGO partners, likely Chinese state-aligned. Hong Kong's HRF Freedom Fellow Carmen Lau faces bounties, credential theft attempts, and deepfakes, yet persists: "This latest incident reflects the evolving playbook of transnational repression." At the 2025 Oslo Freedom Forum, Uyghur journalist Nyrola Elimä called for resettling refugees. Democracies can bolster law enforcement training, visa vetting, and criminalization to shield activists and support freedom networks worldwide.
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