UK data centre’s have been officially designated as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), a move intended to strengthen national cyber defences and enhance the country's data resilience. This announcement, made by Technology Secretary Peter Kyle on Thursday, marks the first CNI designation since 2015, when the Space and Defence sectors received the status.

In the latest episode of Rabbit Hole Recap (#322), hosts Odell and Marty Bent delve into a variety of topics, starting with a discussion on Nostr City and the debate over Trump and Kamala. The episode’s highlight comes as they explore the state of Bitcoin mining, discussing current trends, challenges, and potential impacts on the network.

Big Brother Watch highlighted three new policies under the Labour government that could have huge implications for free speech in Britain. As these policies begin to take shape, critics warn that they could roll back civil liberties by decades.

COLDCARD, a hardware wallet provider for Bitcoin, has announced the release of new firmware versions for its Mk4 and Q models. Version 5.4.0 for the COLDCARD Mk4 and version 1.3.0 for the COLDCARD Q bring improvements, new features, and optimizations aimed at increasing both performance and user experience. These updates focus on enhanced security, better multisig functionality, and a faster transaction signing process.

LNbits, the open-source Lightning wallet and accounts system, has rolled out its latest version, v0.12.11, bringing a series of bug fixes, feature enhancements, and user interface (UI) improvements. The release, now available on GitHub, reflects the project's ongoing commitment to refining its platform while adding new features that further expand its capabilities for Lightning Network users.

Kraken, a centralized cryptocurrency exchange (CEX), has recently halted Bitcoin Lightning Network withdrawals for its German customers, citing regulatory changes. The Lightning Network, a layer-2 scaling solution for Bitcoin, has been lauded for its low-cost, instant transactions. This shift is a downgrade in service for German users who have relied on Lightning withdrawals since Kraken introduced the feature in April 2022.

Big Brother Watch reported about Shaun, a community worker, recently experienced the troubling consequences of being misidentified by the Metropolitan Police's live facial recognition (LFR) technology. His story highlights the increasing use of this surveillance tool across the UK, which has surged by 1,000% in recent months, raising serious concerns about privacy, accuracy, and public safety.

The Lightning Network Daemon (LND), a full implementation of a Lightning Network node by Lightning Labs, has released version v0.18.3-beta. This minor release includes essential bug fixes and enhancements, along with a focus on improving security and transaction privacy through route blinding.

Bitkit, a self-custodial Bitcoin and Lightning wallet available on Android and iOS, has released version 1.0.4, introducing several new features and improvements. This update enhances the user experience, with key upgrades to transaction handling, notifications, and user interface fixes.

The Bank of Russia has announced that by July 1, 2025, the country's largest banks must enable their customers to open, replenish, and transfer digital rubles, signalling the widespread introduction of the national digital currency. This effort is aimed at making the digital ruble accessible for both citizens and businesses, alongside existing cash and non-cash payment systems.

A 17-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with a recent cyber security breach affecting Transport for London (TfL), the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) announced. The teenager, who was apprehended in Walsall on September 5, is suspected of involvement in a cyber attack that exposed sensitive customer data, including bank account details.

The Ministry of Justice and Heidi Alexander MP introduced the Property (Digital Assets etc) Bill in Parliament, aiming to clarify the legal status of digital assets, including Bitcoin, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and carbon credits. This new legislation will classify these digital holdings as personal property, ensuring increased legal protection for owners and companies in England and Wales.

On September 11, 2024, Bitcoin's mining difficulty hit a new all-time high, reflecting an ongoing increase in competition for block rewards. The network's difficulty level, which adjusts every 2016 blocks to reflect changes in mining activity, rose by 3.58% to 92.7 trillion. This surpassed the previous record of 90.67 trillion, set on July 31, 2024.

Foundation has released version 2.3.2 of the Passport firmware, bringing a range of new features, improvements, and bug fixes to its secure, open-source hardware wallet for Bitcoin. Known for its emphasis on usability and design, Passport continues to enhance user experience while maintaining strong security principles. Users can now easily update their devices through the Envoy app.

Tails (The Amnesic Incognito Live System), a portable operating system designed to protect users from surveillance and censorship, has released version 6.7. This new version introduces updates, new features, and crucial bug fixes aimed at enhancing user privacy and security.

A government-commissioned review set to be published this week has revealed that the UK's National Health Service (NHS) is 15 years behind the private sector in its adoption and use of technology. The findings, led by Lord Darzi of Denham, a surgeon and former health minister, indicate that outdated IT systems are severely hindering patient care, with a failure to embrace modern technology across the board.

In a highly anticipated debate, Peter Schiff, Chief Market Strategist at Euro Pacific Asset Management, and Jack Mallers, CEO of Strike, squared off on the merits of Bitcoin versus gold as the best form of money. The discussion also touched on the collapse of the U.S. dollar, the future of monetary assets, and the risk-return profiles of both gold and Bitcoin.

Blitz Wallet, a self-custodial Bitcoin Lightning wallet, has launched its latest beta version, v0.2.7-beta, with the introduction of Ecash integration. The wallet, built using Breez SDK, Boltz, and Blockstream Greenlight, aims to offer a seamless payment experience by combining Lightning, Liquid, and now Ecash functionality within a single platform. Developed with React Native, Blitz Wallet is designed to be user-friendly while providing advanced features for Bitcoin transactions.

Live Wallet is a desktop application designed to help Bitcoin users actively manage their UTXOs (unspent transaction outputs) and understand the potential fee burdens associated with them. Unlike traditional wallets that passively store UTXOs, Live Wallet encourages users to engage in an ongoing process of evaluation, management, and decision-making to keep their UTXOs “alive” and usable.

Venezuela’s Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB), in coordination with the Public Ministry, conducted a raid that resulted in the seizure of 35 cryptocurrency mining machines and other equipment. The operation took place at a residence in the El Mirador sector of Juan Germán Roscio Nieves municipality, Guárico state, under a search warrant issued by the 3rd Control Court of San Juan de los Morros on September 6, 2024.