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  • From smelters to servers: Alcoa to cash in on crypto’s thirst for energy

    From smelters to servers: Alcoa to cash in on crypto’s thirst for energy

    The largest aluminum producer in the U.S., Alcoa, is close to selling its idle Massena East smelter in upstate New York to bitcoin firm New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG), as it offloads dormant assets and taps demand for energy-ready industrial sites.

    The company’s chief executive officer, Bill Oplinger, said the company is in advanced talks and expects the deal to close “in the middle part of this year,” Bloomberg reports.

    The site, located along the St. Lawrence River, has sat idle since 2014 when Alcoa shut it down due to high operating costs and global competition.

    The appeal lies in the site’s power, not the metal itself. Aluminum smelters are built to run around the clock, drawing large amounts of electricity through dedicated substations and transmission lines. When they close, that infrastructure remains.

    For bitcoin miners and data center developers, this can cut years off the time required to secure grid access.

    Massena East also has access to hydropower from the New York Power Authority, a draw for firms seeking low-cost and carbon-free energy.

    The deal reflects a broader shift. Earlier this year, Century Aluminum sold a Kentucky smelter to TeraWulf (WULF), which plans to build a digital infrastructure campus supporting high-performance computing and AI.

  • Judge sides with creators of banned ICE trackers who allege DHS and DOJ violated their First Amendment rights

    A judge has granted the makers of the “ICE Sightings – Chicagoland” Facebook group and the Eyes Up app a preliminary injunction to stop the Trump administration from coercing platforms to take these projects down. Judge Jorge L. Alonso of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois found that the plaintiffs, Kassandra Rosado and Kreisau Group, are likely to succeed in their case, which alleges that the government suppressed protected speech under the First Amendment by strong-arming Facebook and Apple into removing ICE monitoring efforts.

    Both Eyes Up and ICE Sightings – Chicagoland use publicly available information to keep tabs on ICE activity. But after pressure from Trump officials, they were removed from Apple’s App Store and Facebook, respectively. Similar apps including ICEBlock and Red Dot were also taken down from the App Store and Google Play. The lawsuit cites social media posts by former US Attorney General Pam Bondi and former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that demanded and took credit for the removal of these apps. In a document filed on Friday, Alonso called these posts “thinly veiled threats.”

    The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), which is defending the plaintiffs, wrote in a post on X that it is “extremely encouraged by this ruling.” It continued, “Even though it’s not the end of the case, it bodes well for the future of our legal fight to ensure that the First Amendment protects the right to discuss, record, and criticize what law enforcement does in public.”

  • SNK’s Neo Geo console remake works with original cartridges and HDMI

    Not everyone had the money for the original Neo Geo Advanced Entertainment System when it released in the ’90s, but there’s still a chance to experience it as an adult with disposable income. SNK and Plaion Replai, who is also behind the all-black remake of the Commodore 64, announced a faithful remake of the high-end retro console, called the Neo Geo AES+.

    To bring the original console into the modern day, the collaborating companies added HDMI compatibility for resolutions up to 1080p and DIP switches on the bottom of the console to allow for language selection, overclocking and switching display modes. Rounding out the upgrades, SNK and Plaion Replai included a permanent way to retain high scores on a memory card and a low-power usage mode. For the purists out there, the Neo Geo AES+ still works on those chunky CRT displays since it has the original AV output.

    Preorders are currently open for two versions of the Neo Geo AES+, including an all-white 35th anniversary edition bundle that includes an Arcade Stick, a limited-edition Metal Slug game cartridge and a memory card, for $349.99. The standard edition in classic black will only come with an arcade stick, but will be available for $249.99. Coinciding with the console release, Replai Plaion will release 10 modernized game cartridges, including Metal Slug, The King of Fighters 2002 and other classics, for $89.99 each. If you think those prices are high, don’t forget the original Neo Geo AES’ release price was $649.99. The Neo Geo AES+ is set to start shipping on November 12.

  • ‘The Numbers Don’t Lie’: Ripple Spotlights XRP Growth as ETFs Eye $4B in First-Year Inflows

    ‘The Numbers Don’t Lie’: Ripple Spotlights XRP Growth as ETFs Eye $4B in First-Year Inflows

    Ripple has highlighted $XRP’s institutional growth since the spot ETFs launch in November last year. The crypto firm noted how the crypto asset has grown through regulatory clarity, which it achieved through the long-running legal battle against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

  • Bitcoin mining difficulty falls, but projected to rise in next adjustment

    The Bitcoin ($BTC) mining difficulty, the relative challenge of adding new blocks to the $BTC blockchain, fell on Saturday, amid public mining companies selling record amounts of $BTC to cover operating expenses.

    The Bitcoin mining difficulty fell to about 135.5 T, a modest decrease of about 1.1% over the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinWarz. Mining difficulty is also projected to increase in the next adjustment period. CoinWarz said:

    “The next Bitcoin difficulty adjustment is estimated to take place on May 01, 2026, 01:24:54 PM UTC, increasing the Bitcoin mining difficulty from 135.59 T to 137.43 T, which will take place in 1,865 blocks, about 12 days, 18 hours, and 41 minutes from now.”

    Bitcoin mining difficulty between 2014 and 2026. Source: CoinWarz

    Bitcoin miners have faced mounting challenges over the past year, as reduced block rewards, rising energy prices, a crypto bear market and geopolitical shocks create economic headwinds for miners.

    Related: Solo Bitcoin miner bags $210K Bitcoin block reward

    Public mining companies sell record amounts of $BTC

    Publicly traded Bitcoin mining companies sold more $BTC in Q1 2026 than all four quarters of 2025 combined, according to TheEnergyMag.

    Mining companies MARA, CleanSpark, Riot, Cango, Core Scientific and Bitdeer, sold more than 32,000 $BTC in total during Q1 2026, TheEnergyMag said.

    The combined sales surpassed the 20,000 $BTC sold in Q2 2022, the same quarter as the collapse of the Terra-Luna ecosystem, which plunged crypto into an extended bear market.

    Miners periodically sell their $BTC to cover operating expenses, which are denominated in fiat currency.

    However, as the cost of mining a single $BTC increases past spot market prices, many $BTC mining companies are now treading water.

    Mining companies’ cost of mining a single $BTC. Source: TheEnergyMag

    Up to 20% of Bitcoin miners are unprofitable under current economic conditions, according to asset manager CoinShares’ Q1 2026 mining report.

    “Q4 2025 marked the most challenging quarter for Bitcoin miners since the April 2024 halving,” the CoinShares report said.

    The authors cited the “sharp” $BTC correction in October 2025, which slashed $BTC’s price from a high of about $125,000 to about $86,000 by December 2025, and the rising computational difficulty of adding blocks as headwinds for the mining industry.

    Magazine: 7 reasons why Bitcoin mining is a terrible business idea

  • Crypto Trader Turns $2,500 Into $500K on Skyrocketing Ethereum Meme Coin

    Crypto Trader Turns $2,500 Into $500K on Skyrocketing Ethereum Meme Coin

    In brief

    • A trader on Ethereum turned 1 ETH, or around $2,500 worth, into nearly $500,000 after making a meme coin trade on Thursday.
    • The 19-month old ASTEROID token surged in value after gaining attention via a social media interaction from Elon Musk.
    • ASTEROID is up more than 71,000% in the last 24 hours of trading.

    A meme coin trader turned 1 Ethereum (ETH) or around $2,455 into nearly $500,000 on Thursday after trading the surging Asteroid (ASTEROID) meme coin on the Ethereum network.

    ASTEROID is up more than 71,000% in the last 24 hours, jumping from a market cap below $100,000 to nearly $19 million at the time of writing, according to data from DEXScreener.

    The token, which is based on a Shiba Inu mascot named Asteroid, skyrocketed early on Friday following a social media post from media personality Glenn Beck, which earned a reply from X owner and SpaceX and Tesla founder, Elon Musk. 

    Beck’s post highlighted the story of Liv Perrotto, a teenage girl who he said maintained a list of questions for Musk, but passed away from cancer in January without the chance to get them answered. 

    Her final question would have asked Musk if Asteroid, the Shiba Inu mascot she created to act as the zero-g indicator for SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission in 2024, could become the face of SpaceX. 

    “Will answer shortly,” Musk said in reply to Beck’s post around 11:50 p.m. ET on Thursday. That post has now garnered more than 1.3 million views on X. 

    Eight minutes later, an Ethereum address ending with “EF99af” bought 1 ETH worth of ASTEROID tokens, first launched 19 month ago on Ethereum. The buy was good enough for more than 10 billion ASTEROID tokens. 

    As renewed attention bloomed around Perrotto and Asteroid with Musk’s reply, a massive surge in the meme coin ensued, quickly making the trader’s portfolio worth nearly $500,000. 

    At this time, “EF99af” is the top trader on the token according to DEXScreener’s top traders tab, locking in more than $242,000 in profits with sales while maintaining a stash of just around $180,000 worth of ASTEROID tokens. 

    Two other traders, “6E5Eae” and “9dE8db” both purchased less than $10,000 worth of ASTEROID tokens, and have similarly locked in more than $150,000 in gains via sales. 

    The token has generated more than $43 million in 24-hour trading volume, making it the second most-traded meme coin across blockchains in the last 24 hours per DEXScreener. 

    An ASTEROID token on Solana follows closely behind, with more $37 million in volumes over the same period.

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  • Dylan Sprouse Tackled Trespasser at His Los Angeles Home, Held Them Down Until Police Arrived

    Dylan Sprouse Tackled Trespasser at His Los Angeles Home, Held Them Down Until Police Arrived

    Dylan Sprouse stopped a trespasser at this Los Angeles home on Friday morning.

    According to The Los Angeles Times, Sprouse tackled a man to the ground on his lawn after his wife, Victoria’s Secret model Barbara Palvin, reported a “creepy guy” on their property to the police via an emergency call at about 12:30 a.m. on Friday. TMZ reported that, according to unnamed sources, Sprouse held the suspected trespasser down at gunpoint until the police arrived.

    The Times reports that the suspect was taken into custody on outstanding warrants and that no one was hurt in the altercation. The alleged trespasser did not make it inside Sprouse and Palvin’s home, only onto the property.

    Reps for Sprouse did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment.

    Sprouse is probably best known for starring alongside his twin brother, Cole, in the Disney Channel series “The Suite Life of Zach and Cody.” The sitcom spawned the spinoff series “Suite Life on Deck” as well as a 2011 made-for-TV movie. His more recent credits include films like “Surrender,” “Under Fire,” Behind the Lines,” “Aftermath,” “Beautiful Disaster,” Beautiful Wedding” and “The Duel.”

    While they haven’t collaborated on screen in over a decade, Dylan said in 2019 that he and Cole would be open to acting together again, as long as the project doesn’t revolve around being twins.

    “Yes, we’re totally not averse to working together again,” Sprouse said. “I don’t think we’ll be working as twins ever again, like cast in a role. But I think we both would be fine working together, whatever that means.”

  • Nathalie Baye, ‘Day for Night’ and ‘Catch Me If You Can’ Actress, Dies at 77

    Nathalie Baye, ‘Day for Night’ and ‘Catch Me If You Can’ Actress, Dies at 77

    Nathalie Baye, the acclaimed French performer who broke out in “Day for Night” and later appeared in “Catch Me If You Can” and “Downton Abbey: A New Era,” has died. She was 77.

    Baye died Friday evening at her home in Paris following complications related to Lewy body dementia, her family told Agence France-Presse.

    Born July 6, 1948, in Mainneville, Normandy, Baye trained at the Conservatoire national supérieur d’art dramatique in Paris and began her film career in the early 1970s. She went on to become a central figure in French cinema, earning four César Awards over a career spanning more than five decades.

    Her early work included collaborations with François Truffaut in “Day for Night” and Jean-Luc Godard in “Every Man for Himself.” She also starred in notable French titles, including “The Return of Martin Guerre” and “Venus Beauty Institute.”

    In the U.S., Baye appeared in the Emmy-winning television film “And the Band Played On,” which chronicled the early years of the HIV/AIDS crisis. She was widely recognized by international audiences for her role in Steven Spielberg’s “Catch Me If You Can,” portraying the mother of Leonardo DiCaprio’s character opposite Christopher Walken and Tom Hanks.

    More recently, she appeared in “Downton Abbey: A New Era,” sharing the screen with Maggie Smith in one of her final film roles. Baye also made a memorable appearance in the French series “Call My Agent!,” where she appeared alongside her daughter, Laura Smet, who has also gained international attention with a role in the upcoming season of “The White Lotus.”

    Baye is survived by Smet and her family.

  • BREAKING: Rumors Swirl That Today’s Hacking Incident Could Be Much Larger – Aave Takes Action

    The security crisis in the cryptocurrency market is deepening. While earlier allegations of a potential attack exceeding $100 million on KelpDAO’s liquid staking token surfaced, recent developments suggest the attack may be on a much larger scale.

    According to on-chain data, one user had over $280 million in assets stolen from various DeFi protocols operating on Ethereum and Arbitrum. The addresses used in the attack were found to have been funded through Tornado Cash, a privacy-focused transaction tool.

    Related News RAVE Tokeninde Manipülasyon İddialarına Geliştiricilerden Yanıt Geldi

    Following these developments, Aave, one of the leading lending protocols in the DeFi ecosystem, intervened quickly. According to on-chain sources, Aave’s multisig guardian mechanism froze the rsETH holdings in lending markets to limit the risks. This move is considered an urgent measure to prevent the spread of potential losses.

    As you may recall, approximately half an hour ago, following allegations of a security breach on the KelpDAO side, signals emerged indicating a “bad debt” (uncollectible debt) on Aave V3.

    *This is not investment advice.

  • AI is increasingly eating into VC fundings and here is how crypto firms are adapting

    AI is increasingly eating into VC fundings and here is how crypto firms are adapting

    Forty cents of every venture capital dollar invested in crypto companies in 2025 went to firms building products that combine artificial intelligence and crypto, more than double the 18 cents a year earlier.

    “AI is increasingly entering crypto not as a parallel narrative, but as part of crypto’s own product and infrastructure stack,” Binance Research said, citing data from Silicon Valley Bank, noting that this shows “how quickly AI is becoming embedded within crypto roadmaps.”

    That pressure is visible in crypto’s shift from AI “co-pilots” to “agents.” Co-pilots help users analyze information, while agents can monitor conditions and execute actions. In trading environments, where timing affects outcomes, reducing the gap between insight and execution can change behavior.

    The trend is part of a wider surge in AI spending. Crunchbase data shows AI companies raised about $242 billion in the first quarter of 2026, or roughly 80% of global venture funding. Gartner estimates total AI spending will reach $2.52 trillion this year.

    Crypto leading the AI push

    This trend, however, isn’t surprising.

    As capital concentrates in one area, it often pulls adjacent sectors along with it, pushing firms to adapt their strategies and shorten product cycles, Binance Research wrote.

    While almost all sectors are trying to incorporate AI into their business models, the report says that crypto platforms have moved faster than traditional finance in deploying such systems. This is due to support from always-on markets in the digital assets sector and programmable infrastructure, whereas TradFi faces market-hour constraints and intermediary systems that agents must pass through.

    For example, the research noted that on Binance’s AI Pro beta, nearly half of the activity on a recent day, 45.7%, was triggered by the system rather than users.

    These interactions came from scheduled tasks and monitoring systems, pointing to growing use of AI tools that run in the background without prompts.

    Adoption of AI solutions is uneven across the 17 exchanges and brokers Binance Research surveyed. Risk management, market signals, and fraud detection are standard, while user-facing tools such as copy trading, chatbots, and portfolio advisors are present in only 47% to 71% of them.

    Several major platforms have shipped agentic products this year, moving AI closer to monitoring and execution within set guardrails. That compresses the value chain between identifying an opportunity and acting on it, Binance Research added.

    That means the competitive landscape will shift from who’s integrating AI features to who’s owning users’ decision-making loops, the report noted.