Laughing Hyena
  • Home
  • Hyena Games
  • Esports
  • NFT Gaming
  • Crypto Trends
  • Game Reviews
  • Game Updates
  • GameFi Guides
  • Shop
Tag:

National

Crypto
GameFi Guides

Crypto Industry Urges National Stablecoin Plan For The United Kingdom To Compete With US

by admin August 21, 2025


Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

In a recent open letter to Finance Minister Rachel Reeves, figures from the cryptocurrency industry are calling for the United Kingdom (UK) to develop a national stablecoin strategy, seen as essential for positioning the UK at the forefront of the digital asset landscape.

This comes after the US positioned itself to capitalize on the growing adoption of digital assets through pro-crypto legislation, fulfilling President Donald Trump’s mission to establish the country as the crypto capital of the world.

UK’s Crypto Sector At Risk?

The letter, which garnered support from 30 industry players, emphasizes the need for a proactive and coordinated approach to dollar-pegged cryptocurrencies. It argues that they should not be viewed merely as potential risks but as integral components of a financial infrastructure that can be responsibly embraced. 

The letter highlights that the United Kingdom must act swiftly to ensure it remains competitive with countries like the United States, which have taken significant steps to integrate stablecoins into their financial systems with the passage of the GENIUS Act.

Industry players have voiced concerns regarding the UK’s current regulatory stance on stablecoins, suggesting that it places the nation’s crypto sector at a disadvantage. 

One of the primary issues is the legal classification of stablecoins as “crypto-assets with reference to fiat currency.” Critics argue that this definition focuses too much on the form rather than the function of stablecoins, likening it to defining a cheque solely as paper that references currency. 

The establishment of a national stablecoin strategy could enhance the UK’s status as a global financial center, they assert, and generate new revenue streams, particularly in fees and foreign exchange, while also supporting demand for government bonds.

The Key To Unlocking Stablecoin Potential

The letter received endorsements from executives and firms such as crypto exchange Coinbase, Kraken, Copper, Fireblocks, BitGo, and asset manager and crypto exchange-traded fund (ETF) issuer VanEck.

Daragh Maher, HSBC’s head of digital assets research, has highlighted the potential of stablecoins to bridge the gap between traditional finance and the digital asset world. 

He described them as the cash equivalent of digital assets, serving as a foundational currency for almost all crypto transactions. Maher also pointed out that stablecoins can facilitate money transfers using blockchain technology, offering a modern alternative for the UK financial system.

Despite their potential, regulatory hurdles remain a significant barrier to the widespread adoption of stablecoins. Maher emphasized that creating a suitable regulatory environment is crucial for unlocking the full potential of stablecoins in the UK.

The daily chart shows the total crypto market cap valuation at $3.81 trillion. Source: TOTAL on TradingView.com

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com 

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.



Source link

August 21, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
First National Baseball HOF program sells for record $315K
Esports

First National Baseball HOF program sells for record $315K

by admin August 19, 2025


  • Dan HajduckyAug 18, 2025, 05:01 PM ET

    Close

      Dan Hajducky is a staff writer for ESPN. He has an MFA in creative writing from Fairfield University and played on the men’s soccer teams at Fordham and Southern Connecticut State universities.

A program from the first National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 1939 signed by all 11 living inductees at the time has sold via Lelands Auctions for just over $315,000. It’s the most ever paid for a program, beating out the $241,500 paid for a 1903 World Series program in 2011.

The Baseball Hall of Fame program is believed to be the only ever signed by all the living inductees present at the event: Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb (who signed the program twice), Walter Johnson, Honus Wager, Cy Young, Tris Speaker, Grover Alexander, Nap Lajoie, George Sisler, Eddie Collins and Connie Mack. The program is also signed by Hall of Famers Mel Ott, Lefty Grove and Johnny Vander Meer, among others.

The consignor’s parents, who were engaged at the time, attended the ceremony on June 12, 1939. They both purchased a program and tried to obtain as many signatures as they could, and the consignor’s mother obtained the autographs of all the living inductees.

The Baseball Hall of Fame program is believed to be the only ever signed by all eleven living inductees present at the ceremony in 1939. Courtesy of Lelands Auctions

“My mother and her fiancé wanted to collect all the autographs of the living HOF players while at the opening of the HOF,” wrote the consignor, whose name wasn’t disclosed. “She got autographs from all except for Ty Cobb who was late. In fact he missed the famous photograph with all the other inductees.”

The consignor went on to write that his mother waited for Cobb, who agreed to give his autograph only if he could have a kiss.

“She gave him a kiss on the cheek, but as she pulled away, he kissed her,” the consignor wrote. “When signing, he said ‘Well, since I got two kisses, I’ll sign it twice.’ Thus the ‘Double Ty’ signature.”

The program includes a letter of authenticity, verifying the veracity of the signatures, by grader and authenticator Professional Sports Authenticator.



Source link

August 19, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Us To Seize Ripple’s Xrp Escrow For National Reserve: Fact Check
Crypto Trends

US to Seize Ripple’s XRP Escrow for National Reserve: Fact Check

by admin June 21, 2025



Speculation is spreading across social media that the U.S. government might take Ripple’s XRP escrow and use it for the country’s financial reserves. The rumor started soon after Ripple unlocked 1 billion XRP from escrow in June 2025.

Crypto influencers John Squire and Pumpius were the first to amplify the rumor. They both tweeted on X with people suggesting that XRP might eventually be added to the U.S crypto reserve.

John Squire tweeting the Rumor | Source: X

The released XRP, which was distributed in three tranches of 500 million, 300 million, and 200 million tokens, is valued at over $2.2 billion at current market prices. 

Even though Ripple unlocks XRP from escrow regularly, the timing of this release made people wonder if the U.S. government might be interested in it.

The XRP escrow system was designed by Ripple to manage the token’s supply and ensure market stability. Usually, about 1 billion XRP is unlocked monthly, with any unused amount returned to escrow. 

This system is meant to keep the XRP market steady and help people trust its liquidity. Since the escrow holds a significant portion of XRP’s total supply, some think the U.S. might see it as a strategic asset for future financial systems or cross-border payment systems. However, Attorney Bill Morgan shut down the rumor with a clear answer: “No, it won’t.” 

At the same time, there are also rumors that the Federal Reserve is using XRP in its new payment service called FedNow. Some users online said it’s already happening. But there is no official word from the Federal Reserve to confirm it.

Although Ripple’s blockchain has been integrated into Volante Technologies, a partner in Fednow pilot program, for cross-border settlement solutions, there is no official confirmation has been made that XRP itself is in use. The team is working on XRP ledger and has no direct connection to the XRP cryptocurrency.

Adding fuel to the fire, earlier this year, President Donald Trump talked about possibly creating a national crypto reserve that might include altcoins like XRP, Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA). However, only a reserve that focuses on Bitcoin has been created so far. 

On top of that, Ripple’s long legal fight with the SEC might end soon, and XRP’s regulatory status is getting clearer. That has made people even more curious.

Also Read: Ripple SEC Lawsuit Verdict Won’t Wait Until August, Here’s the Timeline



Source link

June 21, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
CoinDesk News Image
Crypto Trends

Swiss National Bank Cuts Rates to Zero Marking a Return of the ZIRP Policy

by admin June 19, 2025



A COVID-era feature that characterized the bull run in all corners of financial markets, including bitcoin

, has made a comeback in Switzerland, one of the most financial powerhouses of the world.

The Swiss National Bank (SNB) cut its interest rate to zero on Thursday, to counter falling inflation, appreciating Swiss franc (CHF) and economic uncertainty caused by President Donald Trump’s trade war.

The return to zero comes as tariffs threaten to deflate nations with trade surplus, such as Switzerland and China.

The latest rate cut is bank’s sixth straight move since it started reducing borrowing costs in March 2024.

The SNB’s return to zero may be a sign of things to come across Europe and other advanced nations. A broad based return to zero interest rate policy (ZIRP) may bode well for bitcoin.



Source link

June 19, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Michael Saylor to advise Pakistan on national Bitcoin strategy
NFT Gaming

Michael Saylor to advise Pakistan on national Bitcoin strategy

by admin June 16, 2025



Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor has expressed willingness to advise Pakistan on its Bitcoin reserve strategy following a high-level meeting with the country’s finance leaders.

According to local media, Saylor met with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and State Minister on Blockchain and Crypto Bilal Bin Saqib in Islamabad on Sunday to discuss Pakistan’s emerging digital asset framework and its plan to integrate Bitcoin into its sovereign reserve strategy.

Saylor, whose company holds the largest corporate Bitcoin treasury, discussed how Bitcoin could support national resilience and long-term economic transformation. He noted that Pakistan “has many brilliant people” and emphasized that leadership and clarity would attract capital to the country.

The Finance Ministry shared a video of the meeting, in which Saylor stated that when the world sees a nation taking a leadership role in Bitcoin, “they get behind the leader and they send their money to you.” 

“I look forward to working with you,” he told the ministers, signalling his willingness to support Pakistan’s Bitcoin reserve initiative in an advisory capacity.

Saqib’s office described the meeting as a milestone in Pakistan’s bid to build a “robust digital assets policy framework” and position itself as a “Web3 and Bitcoin-ready emerging market.”

Saqib believes Pakistan can adopt a similar model to Saylor’s, pointing to how he “transformed a mid-sized software firm” into a Bitcoin powerhouse through strategic conviction. With “the talent, story, and energy” already in place, Saqib argued that there’s no reason Pakistan, as a nation, can’t follow the same path.

The meeting comes weeks after Pakistan confirmed plans to create a national Bitcoin reserve, just days after establishing the Pakistan Digital Assets Authority. 

Speaking at the Bitcoin 2025 conference in Las Vegas in May, Saqib announced that the government was setting up a long-term Bitcoin wallet and had no plans to sell its holdings, framing the initiative as a matter of state strategy.

Pakistan also plans to allocate 2,000 megawatts of surplus electricity for Bitcoin mining and AI data centres, a move designed to monetise stranded energy assets and attract foreign capital. Officials have framed this as part of a broader effort to modernize the power and technology sectors.

The Pakistan Crypto Council, launched in March, has been central to these developments. Saqib serves as both the CEO of the council and a state minister. In June, the council presented a draft legal framework for crypto regulation, which the Finance Ministry agreed to fast-track.

Pakistan has previously tapped other global crypto figures for guidance, including Binance co-founder Changpeng Zhao, who came on board as a strategic adviser to help shape its blockchain infrastructure and regulatory landscape.



Source link

June 16, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
SAG-AFTRA national board approves tentative agreement
Esports

SAG-AFTRA national board approves tentative agreement

by admin June 13, 2025


SAG-AFTRA’s national board has approved the tentative agreement with the convenience bargaining group for its Interactive Media Contract announced earlier this week.

The next step will see the contract submitted to the union’s membership for ratification. SAG-AFTRA noted that if ratified, the agreement will provide performer compensation increases of 15.7% with additional 3% increases over the next three years.

It was also announced that “the overtime rate maximum for overscale performers will now be based on a double scale,” and that health and retirement contribution rates will rise from 16.5% to 17% “upon ratification” then 17.5% in October 2026.

The union shared more details regarding AI guardrails to be implemented, including the requirement of informed consent and ability for performers to suspend informed consent for using a digital replica during strike action.

Safety features were also highlighted, including:

  • Requirement for a qualified medical professional to be present or readily available at rehearsals and performances during which hazardous actions or working conditions are planned
  • Rest periods provided for on-camera principal performers
  • Employers can no longer request performers to complete stunts or other dangerous activities in virtual auditions

Full terms of the three-year plan will be published alongside ratification materials on June 18, 2025.

Earlier this week, SAG-AFTRA formally called off its industrial action against the video game bargaining group, which had been going on for 11 months after the union voted to strike at the end of July 2024.



Source link

June 13, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Fuel the fire: Texas' journey to win the 2025 national championship
Esports

Fuel the fire: Texas’ journey to win the 2025 national championship

by admin June 7, 2025


  • Eli Lederman

    Close

    Eli Lederman

    ESPN Staff Writer

      Eli Lederman covers college football and recruiting for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 2024 after covering the University of Oklahoma for Sellout Crowd and the Tulsa World.
  • Jake Trotter

    Close

    Jake Trotter

    ESPN Senior Writer

      Jake Trotter is a senior writer at ESPN. Trotter covers college football. He also writes about other college sports, including men’s and women’s basketball. Trotter resides in the Cleveland area with his wife and three kids and is a fan of his hometown Oklahoma City Thunder. He covered the Cleveland Browns and NFL for ESPN for five years, moving back to college football in 2024. Previously, Trotter worked for the Middletown (Ohio) Journal, Austin American-Statesman and Oklahoman newspapers before joining ESPN in 2011. He’s a 2004 graduate of Washington and Lee University. You can reach out to Trotter at jake.trotter@espn.com and follow him on X at @Jake_Trotter.

Jun 6, 2025, 10:27 PM ET

OKLAHOMA CITY — On June 6, 2024, the Texas Longhorns wandered through the concrete hallways beneath Devon Park while their archrivals hoisted yet another national championship trophy on the softball diamond above them.

There, the Longhorns were left grappling with the reality of the program’s latest gut-wrenching disappointment at the Women’s College World Series. After reaching its second WCWS national championship series in three years, Texas fell abruptly and emphatically in a two-game sweep to Oklahoma, which celebrated the sport’s unprecedented fourth consecutive national title. Swept by the Sooners in the 2022 championship series as well, the Longhorns walked out last June wincing from a familiar pain.

As they boarded the team bus outside the stadium, outgoing senior pitcher Estelle Czech turned to infielder Katie Cimusz and issued a challenge.

“‘Go win it all next year,'” Cimusz recalled Czech saying. “‘Do that for us.'”

Editor’s Picks

1 Related

The Longhorns turned that stinging defeat into a resilience that helped deliver the school’s first national championship Friday night.

From a late-season swoon that included an April sweep by Oklahoma, Texas found its groove just in time for the WCWS. After an opening-round win over Florida, the Longhorns finally vanquished the Sooners on May 31, then overcame the million-dollar pitching arm of NiJaree Canady in the championship series, defeating the Red Raiders superstar twice in three days.

Texas chased Canady with a five-run first inning Friday night, and anchored by another impressive outing from ace Teagan Kavan, the Longhorns rolled to a 10-4 victory that sealed the program’s long-awaited chase for a WCWS title under seventh-year coach Mike White.

Exactly one year after the Longhorns sulked off the same field last June, Texas finally got its storybook ending at Devon Park. To get over the hump, the Longhorns rode not only the most complete roster of White’s tenure, but a transformed program mentality, too.

“We never give in,” Kavan said. “If you have an out, you have a chance.”

MONTHS AFTER THE Longhorns trudged out of Devon Park last June, they gathered in a house along a river outside of Austin for a fall retreat.

Paddleboard and pickleball comprised the majority of the weekend agenda. But in between the fun, the team’s senior leaders — including Vanessa Quiroga, Ashton Maloney, Mia Scott, Cimusz and Sophia Simpson, who’d gone 0-5 against Oklahoma in the WCWS — hunkered down to figure out what their cultural foundation could be in 2025.

They conceived a fresh team motto, “Fuel the fire,” and built a PowerPoint presentation to convey a meaning behind each letter of the mantra. They spoke about how they could better hone mental toughness and togetherness and about breaking down barriers between the program’s upperclassmen and underclassmen with an eye on empowering their talented young teammates.

“The family atmosphere that we have this year, nobody’s above each other,” Cimusz said. “We’re all on the same level, playing the same game. It has just changed so much.”

Ranked atop the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Preseason Top 25 poll, the Longhorns cruised early, carrying a 26-1 record into SEC play in March. But Texas stumbled in mid-April in a series defeat to Tennessee. Oklahoma’s three-game sweep of the Longhorns two weeks later seemingly reinforced the apparent gap between the Red River programs.

After Texas crashed out of the SEC tournament with a humbling 14-2 loss to rival Texas A&M, the Longhorns’ path back to softball’s mountaintop appeared tenuous. But their confidence in what they could accomplish and the culture the Longhorns had forged never wavered.

Seventh-year Texas coach Mike White and the Longhorns were all smiles during this tournament run. Stephen Spillman/AP Photo

“We’ve just gotten better through adversity,” Kavan said. “Just leaning into each other. From when I got here, the team was really close. But now, I think the team is even closer.”

Amid their struggles, the Longhorns fell back on the foundation they established at the retreat. White reminded his team of its peer-led motto, using any adversity, past or present, to “Fuel the fire” and crystalize their resolve.

During the Austin Super Regional, the Longhorns were on the brink of elimination after losing Game 1 to Clemson. But in the 10th inning of Game 2, Kaydee Bennett connected on a sacrifice fly to score the go-ahead run. And in the bottom of the inning, with two runners on base, Kavan forced a groundout, giving Texas the 7-5 win. The Longhorns held on the following day 6-5 against the Tigers to return to the WCWS.

“I think that saying, that motto, us pulling together as a team was something that got us through it,” Cimusz said.

TEXAS’ VETERANS KNEW last fall that they’d need their youngest players to deliver in clutch moments for the Longhorns to finally get over the hump. Upon returning to Oklahoma City, that’s exactly what happened.

A sixth-inning home run from sophomore left fielder Katie Stewart helped power Texas’ WCWS opening win against Florida. Against Oklahoma two days later, sophomore center fielder Kayden Henry homered to right, giving the Longhorns a fifth-inning lead they wouldn’t relinquish on the way to a program-defining victory.

Henry said those key plays culminated from “trusting each other,” from the seniors on down.

“A lot of us have come back after we had adversity last year,” she said. “It was just coming together, fighting for each other.”

The Texas Longhorns beat the Texas Tech Red Raiders 10-4 to win the 2025 national championship. Imagn Images

Kavan, another sophomore, spearheaded that fight.

Kavan held Texas Tech bats to four runs on eight hits over seven innings in Friday night’s clincher. She also closed a masterful WCWS run with a school record, eclipsing Texas legend Cat Osterman’s mark with her sixth career WCWS victory.

“She’s always wanting to get better and that’s what pushes the great ones,” White said of Kavan before the championship series. “She’s proven that she’s got the mental toughness.”

Alongside Kavan, no player on Texas’ 2025 roster embodied the Longhorns’ toughness better than catcher Reese Atwood, the central force at the heart of the Texas batting order.

In Game 1 of the WCWS finals, the Red Raiders opted to intentionally walk the All-American junior to load the bases and set up a forceout at any base. But as Canady attempted to toss ball four, Atwood surprised everyone, including White, by smacking a single to left field to score both runners, as the Longhorns rallied to stun the Red Raiders.

Atwood came up big again in Friday’s first inning. It was her one-out RBI single that opened the floodgates on Canady and Texas Tech, setting Texas on course to claim its elusive national title, the ultimate reward for the fresh ambition that finally pulled it into reach.

“[We] built a culture of desire,” as Atwood put it.



Source link

June 7, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Decrypt logo
Crypto Trends

Central African Republic to Tokenize Land Using National Solana Meme Coin

by admin May 31, 2025



In brief

  • Starting in June, more than 1,700 hectares of land west of the capital Bangui will be tokenized and sold online using the $CAR token via the Solana blockchain.
  • The presidential decree cites the country’s mining code and tokenization laws, indicating the land may be designated for mining activities such as gold or diamond extraction.
  • The $CAR token rose 21% on the day of the announcement and is up over 127% this week, though gains began prior to the news.

The Central African Republic’s national meme coin, $CAR, surged on Thursday mere hours before President Faustin-Archange Touadéra announced the country would begin tokenizing over 1,700 hectares of land.

“Starting June, land concessions will be accessible online using $CAR, directly on Solana,” Touadéra said Thursday on X. He also shared a presidential decree authorising the tokenization of the land. “A new era of access and transparency begins.”

The decree marks the country’s latest effort to integrate crypto with national development.

The land, which spans an area equivalent to almost 2,500 football pitches, is situated west of the village of Bossongo, located 45 km west of the capital, Bangui. 

The decree also references the country’s mining code and 2023 laws related to tokenizing natural resources, suggesting that the land may be used for mining purposes. 

The industry is big business in the country—Russia’s Wagner Group has run several mining projects there during Touadéra’s tenure, particularly when it comes to gold and diamonds.

However, the price began rising well before the official announcement was made. After hovering around $0.025 on May 26, $CAR experienced notable gains earlier this week.

$CAR is up 21% on the day to $0.05. It’s up more than 127% over the past week, according to CoinGecko, with a current market cap of $56.63 million and over 18,400 holders.



$CAR was launched in February after President Touadéra posted a flurry of social media messages declaring the coin an experiment in uniting citizens and spotlighting the country on the global stage. 

The token briefly hit a peak market cap of $884.31 million a day after launch, before crashing due to unclear utility and waning interest. Despite the current rally, the coin remains down 92.7% from its all-time high of $0.7.

Even still, President Touadéra has continued to post about it regularly on X.

Reminiscent of Donald Trump’s $TRUMP token rollout, Touadéra also offered the top 100 $CAR holders a chance to meet him in Dubai on April 30.

The land tokenization push comes amid the winding down of CAR’s earlier crypto venture, Sango Coin. Launched in 2022 as a national digital currency initiative, the project sparked controversy and frustration among investors.

On April 29, the Sango team said, “The original Sango project… will not continue in its previous form” but hinted at a reboot.

“After careful consideration and strategic planning, we are preparing a new direction that honors the initial ambition, but adapts it to a stronger path forward,” it wrote on X at the time.

Edited by Sebastian Sinclair

Daily Debrief Newsletter

Start every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more.



Source link

May 31, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Copy Link
Esports

Faizan Zaki rebounds to win Scripps National Spelling Bee

by admin May 30, 2025



May 29, 2025, 10:48 PM ET

OXON HILL, Md. — Faizan Zaki’s enthusiasm for spelling nearly got the better of him. Ultimately, his joyful approach made him the Scripps National Spelling Bee champion.

The favorite entering the bee after his runner-up finish last year — during which he never misspelled a word in a conventional spelling round, only to lose a lightning-round tiebreaker that he didn’t practice for — the shaggy-haired Faizan wore the burden of expectations lightly, sauntering to the microphone in a black hoodie and spelling his words with casual glee.

Throughout Thursday night’s finals, the 13-year-old from Allen, Texas, looked like a champion in waiting. Then he nearly threw it away. But even a shocking moment of overconfidence couldn’t prevent him from seizing the title of best speller in the English language.

With the bee down to three spellers, Sarvadnya Kadam and Sarv Dharavane missed their words back-to-back, putting Faizan two words away from victory. The first was “commelina,” but instead of asking the requisite questions — definition, language of origin — to make sure he knew it, Faizan let his showman’s instincts take over.

“K-A-M,” he said, then stopped himself. “OK, let me do this. Oh, shoot!”

Texas’ Faizan Zaki, 13, celebrates after spelling “eclaircissement” to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night. Jack Gruber-USA TODAY

“Just ring the bell,” he told head judge Mary Brooks, who obliged.

“So now you know what happens,” Brooks said, and the other two spellers returned to the stage.

Later, standing next to the trophy with confetti at his feet, Faizan said: “I’m definitely going to be having nightmares about that tonight.”

Even pronouncer Jacques Bailly tried to slow Faizan down before his winning word, “eclaircissement,” but Faizan didn’t ask a single question before spelling it correctly, and he pumped his fists and collapsed to the stage after saying the final letter.

The bee celebrated its 100th anniversary this year, and Faizan may be the first champion who’s remembered more for a word he got wrong than one he got right.

“I think he cared too much about his aura,” said Bruhat Soma, Faizan’s buddy who beat him in the “spell-off” tiebreaker last year.

Faizan had a more nuanced explanation: After not preparing for the spell-off last year, he overcorrected, emphasizing speed during his study sessions.

Although Bruhat was fast last year when he needed to be, he followed the familiar playbook for champion spellers: asking thorough questions, spelling slowly and metronomically, showing little emotion. Those are among the hallmarks of well-coached spellers, and Faizan had three coaches: Scott Remer, Sam Evans and Sohum Sukhantankar.

None of them could turn Faizan into a robot on stage.

“He’s crazy. He’s having a good time, and he’s doing what he loves, which is spelling,” Evans said.

Said Zaki Anwar, Faizan’s father: “He’s the GOAT. I actually believe that. He’s really good, man. He’s been doing it for so long, and he knows the dictionary in and out.”

A thrilling centennial

After last year’s bee had little drama before an abrupt move to the spell-off, Scripps tweaked the competition rules, giving judges more leeway to let the competition play out before going to the tiebreaker. The nine finalists delivered.

During one stretch, six spellers got 28 consecutive words right, and there were three perfect rounds during the finals. The last time there was a single perfect round was the infamous 2019 bee, which ended in an eight-way tie.

Sarv, an 11-year-old fifth-grader from Dunwoody, Georgia, who ultimately finished third, would have been the youngest champion since Nihar Janga in 2016. He has three years of eligibility remaining.

The most poised and mature of the final three, Sarvadnya — who’s from Visalia, California — ends his career as the runner-up. He’s 14 and in the eighth grade, which means he has aged out of the competition. It’s not a bad way to go out, considering that Faizan became just the fifth runner-up in a century to come back and win, and the first since Sean Conley in 2001.

Including Faizan, whose parents emigrated from southern India, 30 of the past 36 champions have been Indian American, a run that began with Nupur Lala’s victory in 1999, which was later featured in the documentary “Spellbound.” Lala was among the dozens of past champions who attended this year and signed autographs for spellers, families and bee fans to honor the anniversary.

With the winner’s haul of $52,500 added to his second-place prize of $25,000, Faizan increased his bee earnings to $77,500. His big splurge with his winnings last year? A $1,500 Rubik’s cube with 21 squares on each side. This time, he said he will donate a large portion of his winnings to charity.

The bee began in 1925 when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington. For the past 14 years, Scripps has hosted the competition at a convention center just outside the nation’s capital, but the bee returns downtown next year to Constitution Hall, a nearly century-old concert venue near the White House.

A passionate champion

Faizan has been spelling for more than half his life. He competed in the 2019 bee as a 7-year-old, getting in through a wild-card program that has since been discontinued. He qualified again in 2023 and made the semifinals before last year’s second-place finish.

“One thing that differentiates him is he really has a passion for this. In his free time, when he’s not studying for the bee, he’s literally looking up archaic, obsolete words that have no chance of being asked,” Bruhat said. “I don’t think he cares as much about the title as his passion for language and words.”

Faizan had no regrets about showing that enthusiasm, even though it nearly cost him.

“No offense to Bruhat, but I think he really took the bee a little too seriously,” Faizan said. “I decided to have fun with this bee, and I did well, and here I am.”



Source link

May 30, 2025 0 comments
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

Categories

  • Crypto Trends (1,007)
  • Esports (758)
  • Game Reviews (692)
  • Game Updates (887)
  • GameFi Guides (999)
  • Gaming Gear (954)
  • NFT Gaming (981)
  • Product Reviews (943)
  • Uncategorized (1)

Recent Posts

  • New Halloween game coming from IllFonic
  • Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Criticizes France Over ‘Absurd’ 2024 Arrest
  • It’s a bank holiday, please talk amongst yourselves
  • Waymo Gets First Driverless Car Permit in NYC
  • Metaplanet Joins FTSE Japan Index, Continues to Stack Bitcoin

Recent Posts

  • New Halloween game coming from IllFonic

    August 25, 2025
  • Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Criticizes France Over ‘Absurd’ 2024 Arrest

    August 25, 2025
  • It’s a bank holiday, please talk amongst yourselves

    August 25, 2025
  • Waymo Gets First Driverless Car Permit in NYC

    August 25, 2025
  • Metaplanet Joins FTSE Japan Index, Continues to Stack Bitcoin

    August 25, 2025

Newsletter

Subscribe my Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

About me

Welcome to Laughinghyena.io, your ultimate destination for the latest in blockchain gaming and gaming products. We’re passionate about the future of gaming, where decentralized technology empowers players to own, trade, and thrive in virtual worlds.

Recent Posts

  • New Halloween game coming from IllFonic

    August 25, 2025
  • Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Criticizes France Over ‘Absurd’ 2024 Arrest

    August 25, 2025

Newsletter

Subscribe my Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

@2025 laughinghyena- All Right Reserved. Designed and Developed by Pro


Back To Top
Laughing Hyena
  • Home
  • Hyena Games
  • Esports
  • NFT Gaming
  • Crypto Trends
  • Game Reviews
  • Game Updates
  • GameFi Guides
  • Shop

Shopping Cart

Close

No products in the cart.

Close