Author: Vidya Saras

Data centers have caused the demand for gas-fired power in the US to explode over the past two years, according to new research released Wednesday. More than a third of this new demand, the research found, is explicitly linked to gas projects that will power data centers—the equivalent of energy that would power tens of millions of US homes.The findings from Global Energy Monitor, a San Francisco–based nonprofit that tracks oil and gas developments, come as the Trump administration is both encouraging data center build-out and doing away with pollution regulations on power plants and oil and gas extraction. They…

Politics / January 28, 2026 The gospel of affordability is not bold enough to convince voters that the Democrats care about them. To build a lasting majority, Democrats must embrace populism. Ad Policy Shoppers browse the bread aisle at a grocery store on January 23, 2026, in Lenexa, Kansas. Bread prices have increased by more than a third since January 2020.(Chase Castor / Getty Images) Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, Democrats are preaching the affordability gospel. Leaders across the party—from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to centrist Blue Dogs like Abigail Spanberger in Virginia—have embraced affordability. Democratic Representatives…

“MIT hasn’t just prepared me for the future of work — it’s pushed me to study it. As AI systems become more capable, more of our online activity will be carried out by artificial agents. That raises big questions: How should we design these systems to understand our preferences? What happens when AI begins making many of our decisions?”These are some of the questions MIT Sloan School of Management PhD candidate Benjamin Manning is researching. Part of his work investigates how to design and evaluate artificial intelligence agents that act on behalf of people, and how their behavior shapes markets…

High Bitcoin options volumes indicate there is still significant interest and capital present in crypto derivatives markets, according to derivatives exchange Deribit, but risk is now being carefully managed, which could explain Bitcoin’s recent price movements. Bitcoin trading near $90,000 right now “looks a lot clearer when you view it through positioning rather than just price,” said the Coinbase-owned derivatives exchange on Wednesday.Bitcoin (BTC) appears to be stuck due to concentrated options open interest (OI) around current strike prices for the large Jan. 30 expiry, it added.This means a “significant share of market exposure is structured through options rather than…

For years, CSOs have worried about their IT infrastructure being used for unauthorized cryptomining. Now, say researchers, they’d better start worrying about crooks hijacking and reselling access to exposed corporate AI infrastructure. In a report released Wednesday, researchers at Pillar Security say they have discovered campaigns at scale going after exposed large language model (LLM) and MCP endpoints – for example, an AI-powered support chatbot on a website. “I think it’s alarming,” said report co-author Ariel Fogel. “What we’ve discovered is an actual criminal network where people are trying to steal your credentials, steal your ability to use LLMs and…

Kanye West’s sudden apology stunned the public, but those closest to him say the real story unfolded quietly, shaped by private interventions and mounting isolation.As insiders lift the curtain on the months leading up to the statement, a far more complex picture emerges of loyalty, pressure, and a marriage widely misunderstood by outsiders.Article continues below advertisementKanye West And The Moment He Felt Shut OutXavier Collin/Image Press Agency / MEGAThose inside Kanye West’s orbit say his recent apology was not spontaneous.One source explained that the rapper had become painfully aware of how far he had drifted from the world he once…

By Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel THE PHILIPPINES’ agricultural production grew by 2.6% in 2025, the fastest pace in eight years, as gains in crop output and strong poultry performance offset the decline in livestock and fisheries, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.    Data from the PSA showed the value of production in agriculture and fisheries at constant 2018 prices rose to P1.77 trillion last year from P1.73 trillion in 2024. This was a reversal of the 2.1% contraction in 2024 when the agriculture sector was affected by drought and dry spells caused by the El Niño. This was also…

The Bitcoin price surged early Wednesday, reclaiming the $90,000 level as traders digested fresh macro signals and growing momentum around U.S. crypto regulation. The move followed a sharp reversal from weekend lows near $86,000, with the bitcoin price climbing to highs of $90,361 into the day, according to Bitcoin Magazine Pro data.  All this is happening as the market braced for the Federal Reserve’s first rate decision of the year later today, with futures pricing in an almost certain hold on rates Wednesday.  With unemployment at 4.4%, traders are focused less on inflation and more on whether Chair Jerome Powell…

Community & educationCal Hacks 12.0Collegiate hackathon organized at the University of California, Berkeley covering themes such as AI and web3.Community & educationDestino DevconnectGrants round focused on supporting community-led events and initiatives that help bring Argentina and the broader Latin America region onchain.Community & educationETH Latam Hackathon Brasil 2025ETHSambaHackathon hosted in São Paulo, Brazil prioritizing real-world Ethereum and onboarding new builders.EmailCommunity & educationFunding the Commons: Buenos Aires 2025Conference hosted in Buenos Aires, Argentina revolving around RealFi: financial infrastructure designed for real-world coordination, access, and public goods funding.Community & educationHigh Assurance Crypto Software (HACS) Workshop 2026Workshop organized in Taipei, Taiwan bringing together…

Tokenomics defines how a token is created, distributed, used, and sustained over time, and often determines whether a project will thrive or fail. As crypto advances, tokenomics has become a critical framework for investors to evaluate long-term value, incentives, and real-world impact. In this guide, you’ll learn what tokenomics really means, how its core components work together, and why it matters for investors, developers, and retail users. Let’s dive in!What is Tokenomics?Tokenomics is the economic framework that defines how a crypto token works within a blockchain ecosystem. The concept combines token and economics to describe the rules governing a token’s…