The field of distributed systems and algorithms is moving towards improving scalability, availability, and performance. Researchers are exploring new techniques to enhance the efficiency of distributed protocols, such as sharding, auditing, and optimization. Notably, the development of novel algorithms and frameworks, like Carry-the-Tail and PyloChain, are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in distributed systems. These advancements have significant implications for various applications, including blockchain, payment channel networks, and shared objects. Noteworthy papers include: A Gentle Wakeup Call: Symmetry Breaking with Less Collision Cost, which presents a randomized wakeup algorithm with improved latency and collision cost. Space-efficient population protocols for exact majority in general graphs, which provides improved upper and lower bounds for exact majority consensus in general graphs. Time, Fences and the Ordering of Events in TSO, which develops a semantic framework for characterizing when synchronization is necessary under the Total Store Order memory model.