Two more women claim they were sexually assaulted by Jeffrey Epstein | TheHill – The Hill

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Two more women have come forward to allege that they were sexually assaultedbyJeffrey Epstein, according to CNN.

The women, identified as Jane Doe 3 and Jane Doe 4, claim in a lawsuit against the late financier andconvicted sex offender's estate that Epstein victimized them decades ago in New York and South Carolina.

Jane Doe 3 makes allegations similar to other alleged victims of Epstein, saying he took photos of her in her underwear when she was attempting to launch a modeling career in New York City and claiming he eventually sexually assaulted her in 1990.

Jane Doe 4 alleges that she met Epstein on Hilton Head Island, S.C., in the mid-1980s when she was 13 years old and was luredunder the promise of a babysitting job to his vacation home, where he gave her alcohol and drugs and sexually assaulted her.

Their lawsuit seeks $100 million in compensatory and punitive damages as well as legal fees.

Thefiling in the Southern District of New Yorkcomes shortly after nine other women also sued Epsteins estate, alleging he sexually assaulted and abused them at various residences in New York, Florida, New Mexico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he owned a private island.

Epstein, who served a 13-month sentence in 2008 after pleading guilty to felony solicitation for prostitution and trafficking of a minor, was arrested on trafficking charges in July but died in custody at Manhattans Metropolitan Correctional Center.

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Two more women claim they were sexually assaulted by Jeffrey Epstein | TheHill - The Hill

How One Atlantic Editor Is Spending Her Holidays This Year – The Atlantic

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My evenings will be spent on one of the worlds smallest private islands: my bed, which is fitted with sheets that came recommended by a very good podcast I listen to on my way to work at The Atlantics riverfront offices in the historic Watergate complex. The building, as my esteemed D.C. colleagues well know, is home to a number of interesting fauna such as Mus musculus and Peromyscus leucopus.

What will you be packing?

Plenty of warm pajamas that can double as daywear if you throw an oversize H&M sweater on top. Scarves that can also serve as blanketsor as cloth napkins, for impromptu but classy couch-snackingin a pinch. One of my favorite things to do is to wear sweatpants. They are comfortable for sleeping, and also for not sleeping, if you feel like doing that for some reason.

I never travel without at least six different kinds of snacks and at least six different kinds of medicine (antianxiety, anti-nausea, antidiarrheal, anti-pain, anti-heartburn, anticold virus). And my AirPods, which I am terrified of losing and havent quite figured out how to clean properly.

What are you most looking forward to?

Relinquishing any responsibility for myself and putting my physical, spiritual, and mental well-being in the hands of the Peloton bike my very feminist husband got me for Christmas.

Only joking! Ill be relinquishing any responsibility for myself and putting my physical, spiritual, and mental well-being in the hands of the avant-garde burlesque fever dream that is Tom Hoopers Cats. It means I will start 2020 off as the best version of myself: a person who has seen Tom Hoopers Cats.

What do you hope to open on Christmas Day?

My ongoing project to convert my home into a BTS shrine, much to the chagrin of my husband, requires the addition of life-size cutouts of all of the Korean groups seven members. Haha, just kidding ... (Unless ...?)

Also welcome are weighted blankets, fluffy socks, candles, and new novels that Ive heard a lot of great things about and will definitely add to my Goodreads list ASAP. As every culture editor knows, a staggering tower of Books I Need to Read but Havent Yet Because Ive Been Staring at My Phone All Night is the best bedside-table accessory in the world.

How do you relax?

I am a year-round sufferer of severe eczema on my hands, which turn into dinosaur paws in the dry winter air. So I plan to take advantage of the downtime to really indulge in every possible treatment in my toolkit: from daily soaks in colloidal oatmeal cream, to topical corticosteroid-ointment application followed by swaddling my poor mitts in breathable white cotton gloves. Relief is scant; the itching, flaking, and cracking is plentiful. Such is life.

What are you wearing on Christmas day?

I've been dying to wear this floor-length, haute couture black gown made of human hair and a pair of one-of-a-kind earrings, which are made entirely from found objects like old baby teeth and shards of glass.

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How One Atlantic Editor Is Spending Her Holidays This Year - The Atlantic

20 of the best sustainable holidays in Europe for 2020 – The Guardian

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Electric road trip through Switzerland

You may be trying not to burn fuel, but that doesnt mean forgoing the delicious unrolling of a road trip. Switzerland has launched a route for electric vehicles, with 300 charging stations covering 1,970km through some of Europes most eye-popping scenery, in a country committed to maintaining 30% woodland coverage. The grand electric road trip route goes over five Alpine passes, by 22 lakes, the vineyards of the Montreux Riviera, through foodie Ticino, or the Jura. It launched quietly two years ago but is being given a big push for 2020 by the Swiss tourist board, as sustainable travel is the focus. Its website has green activities and accommodation, including those with e-vehicle charging stations. Rail to Geneva or Zurich, then e-car hire, europcar.ch. Swiss Youth Hostels is dedicated to sustainability and offers climate-neutral booking, myswitzerland.com

Brittany Ferries more eco-friendly vessel launches on Portsmouth and Caen-Ouistreham sailings in the summer (exact date to be announced). The LNG (liquid natural gas) and electric-hybrid produces lower carbon emissions and will be the first of its kind to operate cross-Channel. Its good timing for a tour of new cultural attractions along Normandys coast. Go east to Marcel Prousts favourite seaside resort, Cabourg the inspiration behind Balbec in his masterwork, In Search of Lost Time where a new museum, La Villa du Temps Retrouv, due to open in August, tells the story of this famously arty coast through his eyes. Opening in June in neighbouring Deauville, Les Franciscaines will be a museum complex displaying more than 500 artworks in a restored convent. Stay nearby in pretty Honfleur at Le Loft (sleeps four from 110 a night), a renovated apartment in a colombage (half-timbered) building. Crossings from 230 return for two people and a car, foot passengers from 60 return, brittanyferries.com

The future may be wind-powered, but rather than tacking across a dreary British lake, how about learning the ropes of sailing in Spain, on one of Rubicon 3s new holidays? On an 11-day tour of Galicia aboard an 18-metre clipper expedition yacht, the group of eight mostly solo travellers will stop in out-of-the-way rias, the deep inlets common to this coast, for seafood in fishing villages. There will be hikes into the mountains and tapas in ancient walled towns, too. Theres also a month-long voyage from Tower Bridge to St Petersburg: it sold out this year but will run again next summer, so check the website for updates. Galicia trip departs 28 October from Muros (take train via Paris, Bayonne, Santiago de Compostela), from 1,499pp including most food, rubicon3.co.uk

Sue and Michaela run a gorgeous rural farmhouse hotel, La Grande Maison, in the Loire valley, where next year theyre launching wine tours by electric car and e-bike. Guests are taken from vineyard to vineyard in their e-car, or the couple lead the way on a tour by e-bike using fat-tyred RadRunners, which have a top speed of 25mph. All the wineries are organic, biodynamic or natural, with vegetarian and vegan picnic stops among the vines along the way. Both trips include a wine-tasting supper in the hotel. A two-night electric-car tour, including breakfast, tastings, wine-tasting supper, transfers and lifts to restaurants, costs 425pp; the two-night e-bike tour is 400pp, both based on two sharing, lagrandemaison.net. Take train via Paris to Saumur

With itineraries designed by The Man in Seat 61, a new collection of European rail holidays by Original Travel takes the hassle away. All depart on the Eurostar from London, with hotels, activities, train tickets and timetable wrangling taken care of. The journey to Gothenburg starts with a night out in Hamburg before a ferry from Germany to Denmark, then its on to Gothenburg by train to devour some cinnamon buns. Two nights on the island of Marstrand, home to ornate wooden houses, precedes one in a floating hotel on one of many tiny islands visited by ferry. The Worlds Sweatiest Art Trail, with sculptures you cycle, run and bike between, fills one day; a mussel-harvesting boat safari another. Then its back the same way, with a last hurrah in Hamburg. Ten days from 2,505pp based on two sharing, including carbon offsetting, originaltravel.co.uk

The vintage trains that take in the dramatic mountainscapes of the Pyrenees are like something from a childrens storybook and the basis for a group holiday with rail specialist Arena Travel. Rides include the Roses Express through the Cap de Creus national park, the Yellow Train across the Tet valleys forests and viaducts, a journey through vineyards on the Red Train, a coastal railway and the Nria valleys Rack Railway, ascending to more than 1,000 metres. Three guided hikes take the group further into the rugged landscapes, one along the Refugees Trail, used by those fleeing to France during the civil war. The Catalan town of Roses is your base. Eight days from 1,095pp including return Eurostar from London, TGV from Paris to Perpignan, half-board hotel accommodation, excursions and guiding, arenatravel.com

A smattering of new eco-hotels across Tuscany is a good excuse for a tour of the regions coast and inimitable hill country. Near the medieval hilltown of San Gimignano, a new vegan B&B called Biotique Agrivilla i pini (doubles from 130 B&B), provides plant-based food from a zero-waste kitchen, organic wine, a saltwater pool and rooms decorated with natural materials. Green accommodation website ecobnb.com has a few new Tuscan pads, including a treehouse at Glamping il Sole (rooms from 70 B&B) on a farm in the Maremma hills, and new yoga courses from April-September at Podere di Maggio (from 60 B&B,sleeping two) glamping site and farmhouse, in a pristine valley near Grosseto, with hot springs and Tyrrhenian beaches nearby. In Siena, stay at Paradiso numero 4 (doubles from 75), a B&B on the top floor of an ancient building, which aims for no plastic and zero waste. Trains from London to Milan (10 hours 40m) or Rome cost from about 70 each way, then connect to Florence or Siena

The Belgians have been getting beer right since the middle ages. Tasting the countrys finest and most flavoursome brews is the focus of a potentially wobbly new tour on wheels from UTracks. The self-guided cycling holiday takes in some of Belgiums coolest cities and towns, starting from Genk, then following quiet roads to Bocholt, home to a large brewery museum. More beery pit stops include Postel Abbey, where monks have brewed beer since 1611, a Trappist abbey, and the cafes and shops of the design-savvy city of Antwerp. University town Leuven and untouristy Diest, on the banks of the River Demer, finish the route. Six days moderately difficult cycling covers 231 miles along rural roads, forest and farm tracks, and in cities. From 840pp a week, including seven nights hotel B&B, info pack with maps, luggage transfer and bike with panniers. Departures 4 April to 19 September. Excludes train from London to Genk, utracks.com

Sunvil has launched Greece by rail for 2020, including rail travel from London on trips to Parga, Paxos, Lefkas, Sivota and Corfu. Theres a need to embrace slow travel as it takes a couple of days to reach Greece. A nine-night Corfu itinerary includes one nights B&B in Milan, continuing to Bari the next day and catching an overnight ferry to the island. Accommodation might be the Kalami Bay apartments with pool, on a hillside above the pretty hamlet of Kalami on the north coast, where many of the nearby tavernas operate a free taxi-boat service. Nine-day trip from 1,099pp including room-only accommodation and one-way rail, and flight for the return; a rail return costs 500 extra, sunvil.co.uk

Griffon vultures, bustards, Spanish imperial eagles, great spotted cuckoos and larks are among the species to tick off on a wildlife adventure to Extremadura, in western Spain. This is one of Naturetreks new no-fly group trips, which also aim to minimise disposable plastic use. After the ferry to Santander from Plymouth, theres a boat ride in the Bay of Biscay to spot whales and dolphins, before a rail journey to spend two nights in Madrid for some urban bird-watching in the Real Jardn Botanico. Onwards by rail to Cceres, where the group stays in a spa hotel for five nights, venturing into the steppes and plains each day, including the Monfrage national park, a favourite raptor hangout. 2,295pp full-board including all travel and excursions. Next departure 10 May, naturetrek.co.uk

Travel to France using wind power on a no-skills-necessary sailing voyage on your own skippered yacht. Channel Fairview Sailing provides a seadog to do the grunt work on sailings around, and from, the UK, with a crossing to the north coast of Brittany its most exciting option. Boarding in Hamble, Hampshire, its a days sail to Le Havre, then the group can choose where next to make landfall: Honfleur, Trouville or Deauville, or Caen and the Normandy beaches, before returning to Hamble. Tie up in local marinas or at mooring buoys, going ashore for dinner and drinks, informed by your own savvy seafarer. From 2,500 for seven nights for six people (417pp), self-catered, fairviewsailing.co.uk

In Turkey, the nomadic Yrk people have kept much of their ancient tradition and culture alive, and their name means to walk. Many live in the south, among the western Taurus mountains near the Lycian coast, keeping large flocks of sheep and goats. On a new walking tour, travellers join them on their annual migration from the high summer pastures to winter grazing lands near the sea, seeing how they work, dining with them, and in the evenings listening to melancholic songs played on the saz (similar to a lute). Theres time, too, for the historic sites of Patara, Xanthos and the sunken city of Kekova. The 10-day trip costs from 999pp including half-board, based on two sharing, luggage transfer, guides and activities. Next departure 16 October. Travel by rail to Istanbul via Munich, Belgrade and Sofia, then on to Bodrum, Marmaris or Fethiye, walksworldwide.com

A sleek new resort in the Slovenian Hills, Forest Glamping resort Blagu features 16 high-spec curvy cabins made from glass and timber, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out towards Lake Blagu, a peaceful spot for wild swimming. This north-eastern Alpine part of the country, near Maribor, is known for hiking and wine, while at the glampsite, tree-hugging and climbing, mountain biking and campfires are the order of the day. Theres also a forest library and, as if the retreat wasnt fairytale enough, the owner is also a shoemaker, welcoming guests to become elves-in-training by joining one of his shoemaking workshops. From 140 a night B&B sleeping two, under-6s free. Train to Maribor via Vienna from London St Pancras on Eurostar, charmingslovenia.com

Rail holiday specialist Ffestiniog has increased its range of train adventures for next year, among them an eight-day tour of Germanys Black Forest from the resort of Titisee. There are lovely footpaths to explore and the trip includes a number of rides on historic and steam railways, from the curly-wurly Sauschwnzlebahn (Pigs Tail line) to a circular route crossing the whole forest from west to east, climbing via a series of hairpins to give views of the Rhine valley. Its a group trip but theres plenty of opportunity to branch off independently. From 1,495pp including rail travel from London to Brussels, then high-speed to Aachen, unlimited travel card, excursions, hotel accommodation in Aachen, Titisee and Bonn, guide and welcome dinner, ffestiniogtravel.com

In September, the new Roman Museum of Narbonne is set to open. Its designed by Foster + Partners and will display the largest collection of Roman artefacts in the south of France, in an area rich in Roman monuments and sites. Its also part of a new self-guided rail holiday with Inntravel, visiting the Roman arena in Nmes and the Pont du Gard part of the 20km aqueduct that supplied the city and the Roman theatre in Arles. The Provincia Nostra tour costs from 925pp including return train from London St Pancras, rail journeys between cities, and six nights B&B in hotels. Departures 1 April-31 July, and 1 September-31 October, inntravel.co.uk

Just a short potter past the potted cacti in the garden of the new Eco Casa Penna, you will see warm turquoise waves lap the rocks beside the sandy beach of Sampieri. In the evening, its a short walk to the seafront town of Marina di Modicafor dinner or cook something up from the market and dine on the large, covered deck of the house. The property uses solar power for the electrics that are deemed essential, but there is no aircon, dishwasher, washing machine or microwave and a set amount of water is included, to discourage waste. From 1,330 a week, sleeping six. To reach Sicily by train takes 29 hours, travelling by Eurostar to Paris, then Rome, then by ferry to Palermo for a connection to Siracusa, essentialitaly.co.uk

An art-meets-accommodation project in Switzerland, Zero Real Estate involves simply a bed a decent one on a platform in the Swiss countryside, with no walls, no roof, just two nightstands with lamps, the sky above, mountain scenery all around, and a butler to bring drinks, breakfast and morning coffee. Having appeared in a few Swiss locations in recent years, the open-air concept is being rolled out across seven regions of eastern Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Many will be in the Lake Constance region, where theres another interesting place to stay in Radolfzell, at Aquaturm hotel (doubles from 104), a redevelopment of a high-rise water tower, now energy-neutral, with all energy self-generated from solar, wind and geothermal sources. The area has a few zero-km restaurants too, including Restaurant Muhle in an old monastery and the Schloss Wartegg Hotel, supplied by its own garden and lake. From 230 for two, including backup indoor room at Hotel Alpenrose, butler and breakfast, more locations and details to be announced, toggenburg.org/zerorealestate. Travel by rail to Zurich, then Radolfzell for Aquaturm

A few sailing companies are offering solar-powered charter yachts for holidaymakers, including Ibizas La Bella Verde, self-billed pioneer of the green boating movement, which rents vessels for 2-35 people for day trips and has won awards for its innovative boat design. It has been running sailing trips to Formentera out of Salinas, in a national park, for six years. For 2020 it is adding departures from San Antonio, to enjoy the west-coast beaches of Cala Bassa, Cala Comte, and Cala Tarida with sunset enjoyed by Cafe Mambo. It will also add voyages from Santa Eulalia to Cala Nova and Cala Llenya, or to Tagomago a private island in the north with a chiringuito beach cafe.

The yacht used has cabins, so theres the potential of a longer trip of a few nights. This year, the company created the first emission-free Plastic Ocean Cleanup catamaran, which collects plastic from the sea in a net. This is now operated by the iBi Foundation, but holidaymakers can join for free, spotting dolphins and cleaning the sea. Ibiza and Formentera aim to be single-use plastic free by 2023. For next year Bella Verde is building a boat from 100% recyclable and sustainable materials, to address the problem of many boats ending up in landfill, releasing toxic chemicals as they degrade. Bella Verde launches in Sydney, too, in 2020. Boat hire from 600 a day for six people, including some drinks, meals from 25pp. Green places to stay include an agriturismo in a restored 17th-century farmhouse, Can Domo (doubles from 130 B&B) in Santa Eulria des Riu. To reach Ibiza without flying, take a train to Valencia, via Eurostar to Lille and on to Nmes, then catch the ferry to Ibiza (five hours, from 35 one way). See ibizaproduce.org for green places to eat and buy food.

Undiscovered Mountains has a (pretty hardcore) short break for intrepid types in the southern French Alps this winter, which it describes as an eco challenge some of the proceeds go to the Conservation Volunteers charity, which develops green spaces in the UK. Participants are invited to ice-climb up frozen waterfalls then build and sleep in their own igloos, with the aim of promoting more-sustainable winter holiday activities outside of ski resorts, and furthering appreciation of the Alpine environment. Youre supposed to have fun, too. From 565-656pp including one night half-board in a hotel, one overnight igloo expedition, one-day guided ice-climb, all equipment, carbon offsetting, two picnic lunches, half-day self-guided snowshoe session, transfers from Gap station but not rail travel from the UK. Departures in January and February, undiscoveredmountains.com

There are many authentic pockets of life, and plenty of striking scenery along Montenegros coast with jagged mountains and forest close to lively seaside towns. With five nights in cafe-filled Kotor, a ride on the Bar-Belgrade Railway from the coast to the capital Podgorica, time in the high mountains of Biogradska Gora national park and a night in Belgrade, the Montenegro Explorer tour is one of several new rail holidays in eastern Europe from Tailormade Rail. The company will add and arrange complicated rail journeys from the UK, too. From 1,799pp for 12 days (including a 600 supplement for travel from the UK by rail rather than flight). Includes B&B accommodation in hotels, transfers, excursions and local travel, tailormaderail.com

Looking for a holiday with a difference? Browse Guardian Holidays to see a range of fantastic trips

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20 of the best sustainable holidays in Europe for 2020 - The Guardian

Vogue Editors Show How Alarmingly Out Of Touch They Are, Get Roasted Online – The Daily Wire

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For a magazine that pushes climate change activists as saints, Vogue doesnt seem all that concerned with the issue.

In an article published last week that has been making the rounds on social media recently, the British Vogue editors explained where they would be spending their upcoming holidays. Their responses brought to mind the snobbery and elitism of Frasier characters.

Sarah Harris, deputy editor and fashion features director, for example, said she will be spending her holidays in the Cayman Islands at the newly opened Palm Heights, at a cost of $400+ per night. She then claimed to be a really light packer, even for a two-week holiday, before saying she planned to pack a bikini for every day since they take up almost no room in a suitcase. One might not take up much room, but 14 certainly would.

Ellie Pithers, fashion features editor and senior associate digital editor, had the most unrelatable response:

Ill be in the French Alps for New Years Eve; a dose of icy alpine air always seems to sort me out after the excesses of Christmas. Im looking forward to a spell atLe Coucou in Mribel, a new hotel designed by Pierre Yovanovitch with a delicious-looking spa; and a stop-off atLe Refuge de Solaisein Val dIsre. Only accessible via ski lift, it promises superlative stargazing and fresh powder before breakfast.

Olivia Singer, executive fashion news editor, said that in order to counterbalance the abundance of December, she would be taking an ascetic approach and heading tothe Lanserhofto embark on a seven-day detox programme. She assures her that its the best Ive found and Ive done my research.

Just in case you werent convinced that her detox actually was a counterbalance [to] the abundance of December, she explains what it entails:

Overseen by a specialist doctor, I take advantage of every treatment going: from daily Shiatsu to intravenous vitamin drips to a wealth of both holistic and medical diagnostics and a regular schedule of saunas, swimming and naps. Food is scant (in accordance with the Mayr method, which revolves around giving your digestive system a break) but massages are plentiful. It seems like a fair trade to me.

Naomi Smart, shopping editor, will be spending Christmas day atEl Coyol, a secluded villa on one of the worlds smallest private islands, overlooking Lake Nicaragua. The cost of this villa is at least $775 per night, and thats not including the cost to get there.

Composer Benjamin Tassie posted some of the editors responses on Twitter, saying he was Absolutely losing it at this incredibly relatable feature with the Vogue editors.

The responses to Tassies post were equally savage.

The collective carbon impact of the @voguemagazine editors holidays will, by March, submerge one of the islands they visited, one person wrote.

I too recover from the materialism of the holidays and focus on whats really important in the world by surrounding myself with luxury and rich white people, wrote another.

Those are the exact four destinations I was debating between! What are the odds? another person wrote. Unfortunately, it was my husbands year to pick, so well be going to my sister in laws house in a suburb of Cleveland.

*Cries in poor* another user tweeted.

This is a Frasier episode, wrote one astute observer.

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Vogue Editors Show How Alarmingly Out Of Touch They Are, Get Roasted Online - The Daily Wire

Crypto Legislation 2020: Analysis Of 21 Cryptocurrency And Blockchain Bills In Congress – Forbes

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As of the end of 2019, Congress has introduced 21 bills addressing cryptocurrency and blockchain policy that could be considered in 2020 by the second year of the 116th Congress. Indeed, U.S. legislators have been busy examining the landscape of how this new technology has been and could be impacting businesses, consumers, and society at large. Although Congress introduced a total of 22 bills that involve cryptocurrencies or blockchain technology, there are three main public policy areas that will likely be the continued focus of the 116th Congress into 2020.

UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 31: The Capitol dome is reflected in the compass on the East Plaza of the ... [+] U.S. Capitol on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

The first main public policy issue relates to how cryptocurrency might be used in a wide variety of very dangerous activities, such as evading U.S. sanctions, human trafficking and terrorist use. In addition to these concerns, many legislators are also looking for the U.S. to explore how the unique tracking capabilities of cryptocurrencies as well as blockchain technology may assist U.S. government agencies in the pursuit of bad actions in the activities mentioned.

The second and most often reported type of public policy issue is how companies can use cryptocurrency and blockchain in business models within the current regulatory framework. The size of the United States economy and complexity of its regulatory structure on both a federal and state level can be stifling for private sector innovations.

Finally, the policy issue of how distributed ledger technologies might be utilized by the U.S. government itself is addressed by the legislation that has been introduced so far, particularly as other countries have focused an intense amount of time, effort, and money on cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology.

The table below shows how the three main public policy categories were determined, with eight of the bills seeking address the use of cryptocurrencies by terrorists, money launderers, or human / sex traffickers, nine of the bills address regulatory clarity for blockchain tokens, and finally, five of the bills focus on the use of blockchain technology by the U.S. Government.

Breakdown of U.S. Congressional Legislation on Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Policy Issues

Breakdown Of Public Policy Areas By Congress On Crypto And Blockchain

Summary of Public Policy Issues Addressing Blockchain and Cryptocurrency in the 116th Congress

Use Of Cryptocurrencies by Terrorists, Money Launderers and Human / Sex Traffickers

As with the creation of the Internet, concerns were raised that this was something only for illicit use. As the Internet has evolved, there is certainly the benefit of communication around the globe. Since the technological net is cast over the worlds population, those who are criminals, whether in terrorist organizations or part of the leadership of countries such as North Korea, ways that these criminals may keep their activities in the darkness are always a major concern.

Certainly, a disruptive technology that creates an entire new class of money with value that can be transferred over the Internet and not through traditional banking institutions, raises the spectrum of what could go wrong. This area has seen a total of eight bills addressing these concerns. One bill, the Verdad Act, addresses the concern of cryptocurrencies and the evasion of sanctions by countries, with two bills addressing the use of virtual currencies in human trafficking and three bills looking at prevention of terrorists or money launderers using these digital currencies. Finally, two separate bills look on the other side of the blockchain token, which is that these cryptocurrencies are tracked by the same technology that is used to verify the transactions, that cannot be altered. While the technology specifically was created to be unalterable in terms of the ledger and the design of this was to ensure there could not be double-spending of digital currencies and to create trust in the system, the benefit of having this history of transactions in a pseudonymous way - where although there is a degree of anonymity, the transactions can be traced back to the users.

Regulatory Clarity for Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Companies

This issue overall is the most painful for the United States. While the country is the worlds economic leader, disruptive technologies such as cryptocurrency and blockchain do not seem to have mixed well with the current regulatory environment. As a result, the concept of innovation flight is a top concern for the country. Additionally, the concerns with respect to how to protect consumers in what is still a Wild West atmosphere for an industry are have been top of mind. The state-by-state money transmission licenses is addressed to help provide clarity across the U.S. at the federal level, and the lack of clarity around taxation was addressed, until the most recent U.S. Treasury guidance attempted to provide better clarity for paying taxes on cryptocurrencies. Finally, the introduction of Facebooks new Libra Association and the idea of a global payments system administered in Switzerland led to some high-profile hearings in Congress, as well as a couple of bills specifically addressing the concerns of a large company introducing a financial product to the masses.

Use of Blockchain Technology in Government

There are five bills that specifically look to increase and explore the use of Blockchain Technology. The Blockchain Promotion Act of 2019 focuses on how government agencies can explore the use of blockchain. More specifically, two bills focus on specific uses of blockchain - one with the Export-Import Banks use of the technology and another with applying blockchain to Finding Orphan-disease Remedies With Antifungal Research and Development. Finally, the Rescue Act for Black and Community Banks - my personal favorite - looks to explore how blockchain technology could be used to increase the investment of low-income individuals to invest in startup or crowdfunded companies. This resonates with the hope of many entrepreneurs in the blockchain industry who believe this technology can help spread the wealth to diverse communities. Finally, a bill that is the only one of the 22 bills that became law this year was the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020, that includes a requirement for the Undersecretary of Research and Engineering at the Department of Defense to provide a briefing to Congress on how the U.S. military might look at and analyze blockchain technology.

Authors Note: As well as a Forbes.com Contributor, I am the Founder, President, and CEO of the Value Technology Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit in Washington D.C. focused on increasing the Research and Development of Value technologies such as blockchain, cryptocurrency, and distributed ledger technology in the United States and other open, free societies. The research, table, and graph included in this article is a product of the Value Technology Foundations work thanks to the generous support of its donors.

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Crypto Legislation 2020: Analysis Of 21 Cryptocurrency And Blockchain Bills In Congress - Forbes

Five Fintech Predictions For 2020, According To Kleiner Perkins – Forbes

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Kleiner Perkins investor Monica Desai is focused on fintech and blockchain.

Monica Desai Weiss is an investor at Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, where she focuses on fintech and blockchain. Previously, she led operations and strategy at digital wallet startup Blockchain and was a bond trader at JPMorgan. Forbes spoke with her about the past year in fintech and her top predictions for 2020. The conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Forbes: For fintech in 2019, what events or milestones stand out as the most important?

Desai Weiss: There were a few big themes. Financial services incumbents took notice of fintech startups, and some parts of the fintech industry matured. There were several mergers and acquisitions around payment processors [like Fiserv acquiring First Data]these companies are coming to terms with Stripe and Squares success in payments. There was also a great reckoning around trading fees. Schwab, TD Ameritrade and Etrade all dropped their trading fees to $0, matching Robinhood and Square. This all counters the notion some held that fintech has a ceiling.

Second, everyone is becoming a bank. Big tech made its presence known, with every tech company trying to be a bank and every bank trying to get into tech. Apple, Google and Facebook all entered financial services, or at least announced their entry. Fintech startups Acorns, Betterment and Dave launched checking accounts. Uber and Lyft are adding banking features. Theres huge saturation in banking services.

Third, blockchain made inroads within large enterprises. Fidelity launched a crypto custody service. For Facebooks new digital currency libra, many big companies came to the table, regardless of where they ended the year. JPMorgan created a digital coin [to speed up payments]. Bison Trails, a startup we recently invested in, is helping companies build blockchains. Think about what Amazon Web Services did for cloud computing years ago. Bison Trails is trying to do that for blockchain, so that any app developer or enterprise that wants to create access to a blockchain can do this easily without needing to hire a blockchain team.

Forbes: Regarding the adoption of blockchain technology over the past couple of years, how has that played out compared with your expectations?

Desai Weiss: You always think these things are going to happen faster than they do. I thought things were going to move more quickly. But Ive realized that they have to move slow and then fast. You need a certain level of regulatory clarity. There needs to be technological stability on the underlying blockchain. Were starting to see that come into place. On regulation, theres still a lot more to be done, but with projects like libra, sovereign digital coins [like Chinas] and other things, its going to push the conversation forward such that well get more clarity in the next year or two.

Forbes: How would you summarize what happened with blockchain technology in 2019, and what will 2020 be like?

Desai Weiss: 2019 has been a year of building and consolidation. Funding has been harder in the industry, so youve seen a bunch of companies like Coinbase starting to make acquisitions. Thats probably a good thingif theres still a lot of investment needed before we get to mass adoption, its probably better to be with a well-capitalized player. I think that trend will continue.

My theory is that in the background there has been a lot of building. People are starting to embrace the need for a better user experience for end users. People are starting to build apps that are easier to understand.

Forbes: What predictions do you have for fintech in 2020?

Desai Weiss: First, there has been this great unbundling around everyone offering a bunch of different product lines, and around narrow wedges like payday loans and payment financing. I think were reaching a point where it will become overwhelming for people. Consumers cant keep up with 10 different applications to manage their money. I think there will be re-bundling. It could be like a super app, akin to what you see with Grab or Alipay in Asia, [where the app handles payments and many other functions, like serving as a digital wallet and hailing a taxi]. It could be the return of personal finance management apps. Or it could happen through automation. Some apps can remove some of the headache of financial services, like Tally, which consolidates credit card debt, or Pillar, which focuses on student loans.

Second, in an election year, the student debt crisis will move front and center. Theres still a ton of confusion around the best path forward for people who have debt. What is the best way to repay? What if you have multiple loans outstanding? Are you eligible for refinancing?

We invested in Pillar based on the thesis that student loans are becoming an epidemic of this generation. Hopefully well see some evolution in government rules and regulations and in alternatives like income-sharing agreements (ISAs). With ISAs, you dont pay upfrontafter you graduate and get a job, you pay a set percentage of your income toward the loan. Student loan debt is becoming a bigger issue across voting constituencies, and it will become a bigger part of the conversation. Weve already seen more startups popping up since investing in Pillar.

Third, fintech is becoming saturated. Acquiring customers is getting more expensive, and mindshare is getting harder to come by. Well see brands that already have mindshare in other ways move into fintech. People you go to for other products and services will use fintech to make their product or service easier. Some people call this embedded finance. Youre seeing that with Uber and SmileDirectClub doing it for their teeth aligners. The natural way to do this is with features like flexible payments and insurance. Over time, I think it will go broader than that and will come from brands that you love. Brands like Glossier, Fortnite or Nike that have real loyalty with consumers will start to become bigger players because they have this natural entry point. A challenger bank or a new fintech must build that from scratch in an incredibly difficult world of customer acquisition.

If more brands start adding fintech as a feature, all these companies will need infrastructure. I expect more investing dollars will go toward these companies that will help them manage compliance, fraud and other building blocks.

Forbes: What other predictions do you have?

Desai Weiss: I think companies will continue to move away from FICO and traditional credit scoring for lending to consumers. More and more data sources come online every day, and FICO scoring has become slightly outdated. Today theres more real-time, rich data available on consumers that is probably more correlated with your likelihood to repay but that you couldn't access before. With that you can underwrite better and thus create new companies, but also increase who can access these products, because you can start to underwrite people earlier in their lifecycle of being spenders or of being in the country.

Lastly, one area were spending time on is tools for baby boomers. Ten thousand people will hit retirement age every day for the next decade. Its a very overlooked population, but they are tech savvy. They are young in many ways, and theyre going to need many more tools around retirement, estate planning and family planning. As more of the HENRY [high earning, not rich yet] Millennial population gets saturated, entrepreneurs will start to see this as a huge opportunity and move there.

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Five Fintech Predictions For 2020, According To Kleiner Perkins - Forbes

China Issuing Bonds on Blockchain Is a Sign of Whats to Come – Cointelegraph

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The Central Bank of China has recently issued 20 billion Chinese yuan ($2.8 billion) of specialbonds, which it has sold in order to fund small and micro-enterprise businesses, according to the China Development Network.

This recent issuance of $2.8 billion in bonds is nothing to look twice at and was largely expected, given the bank's inclusive small and micro-enterprise loan balance at 404 billion yuan so far this year representing an increase of 35.36% since the end of the previous year and catering to nearly 410,000 small and micro-enterprise owners.

However, these bonds werent issued the standard way, piquing the interest of market participants the world over. Instead, the Chinese central bank used blockchain to organize the affair, which could be seen as a surprise when one considers Chinas stance on the decentralizedtechnology.

Chinas self-developed blockchain issuance system was put on display for the first time and it will handle the administration and tracking of these two-year bonds with a coupon rate of 3.25%.

Though the use of blockchain and other notable features of the issuance contrasts with Chinas past stance, it may align well with its recently revealed strategy and may have other important implications as well. For all it implies, the act was not uncharacteristic ofChina if one considers the trends that have played out since thecountrys crypto blackout in 2017. China is coming into its own where blockchain is concerned, and its quick pivot toward ledger technology is hardly a bombshell.

For the past few years, blockchain and cryptocurrency innovations have been stifled in China to a degree that matches the countrys zero-tolerance playbook. In 2017, the countrybanned Bitcoin (BTC) and then shutteredexchanges, which had precedent and was meant to quell capital flight. But then it shut down all potentialinitial coin offerings leaving very little for blockchain enthusiasts to look forward to. It seemed that cryptocurrency was dead in the country until just earlier this year.

Related: Crypto Will Eventually Replace Fiat, but How Soon and Where?

2019 revealedChinas past opposition to cryptocurrency as timely hesitance and a potentially savvy multi-year deliberation in front of the official rollout of its state-controlled blockchain and cryptocurrency system. At least thats what it now looks like.

Chinas ban on blockchain systems now seems that it had little to do with ideology and was more about control. This is a safe guess considering that in terms of both blockchain and cryptocurrency, this year saw China launch both the blockchain bond issuance system and its seminal Central Bank-issued cryptocurrency (CBDC).

The pronouncement of CBDC proves this hypothesis correct and shows that China has never truly shunneddecentralized technology, just outwardly. The bond issuance on a blockchain is the second consecutive clue in this favor, with the system making use only of blockchains superior data-tracking capabilities and not anything that can be considered speculative just like with a national digital currency. Blockchain does for bonds what a national stablecoin does for fiat: cost-efficiency while leaving the riskier aspects of crypto at the door.

Viewed through this lens, the blockchain bond system isnt surprising so much as it is expected. Lin Le, the CEO of Energy Blockchain Labs, told Cointelegraph:

Both bond issuance and duration management are needed to control information and capital with proper supervision. Recording issuance on blockchain could help information transparency and undue exposure. With the help of digital currency, cash flows shall be under surveillance by smart contracts which could tie into this system. Hence, that the bond system will work with digital currency is under the markets expectation.

Other countries progress in blockchain bonds lends further credence to expectations of Chinas embrace of similar advancements. Japan was the first to issue bonds on a blockchain and denominated in Bitcoin, with Fiscos 2017 issuance. Even the World Bank has issued blockchain bonds via its Bond-i system in cooperation with RBC Capital Markets, TD Securities and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Other internal trends also indicate that the bond system newly employed by China will change shape.

One factor is the amount of the issuance, which is sure to grow from a meager $2.8 billion, and the other is eventual support for the CBDC. On paper, it seems as though the melding of the national digital currency into the blockchain bond issuance system would be ideal.

The Central Bank of China could use the ledger to track interest payments in cryptocurrency and then pay interest directly in its yuan stable coin. On the other hand, institutions and retail investors could use the CBDC to buy the bonds without going through a broker.

Right now, using blockchain to issue bonds can streamline the procedures of approval and lower the cost of issuance and thus improve the efficiency in issuance, said Arthurine Xiang, the CMO of blockchain infrastructure firm Quarkchain, told Cointelegraph, adding that:

In the future, one would first treat blockchain as an accounting tool such that the issuance will become more efficient with lots of additional functionality. Of course, the benefits of blockchain do not stop there. With the use of smart contracts, users can pay and receive interests automatically. All in all, using blockchain allows bonds to be traded more easily and will improve the level of automation during the whole issuance process.

This may be where Chinas nascent blockchain ecosystem is headed, and the relatively small issuance in 2019 is merely an indication that the technology is in its experimental early stages. According to Xiang, it is just a trial of small scale, which is very normal. Xiang believes that such a test will likely be thoroughly evaluated, continuing:

If the administration thinks the risks are tolerable and the public perception leans favorable towards the new process, then it would continue to issue this kind of bond and increase the scale of issuance.

As issuances get larger and eventually tie into the state cryptocurrency system, Chinas mobilization of blockchain takes on a distinctly centralized theme. This is a common thread in multiple organizations both public and private, as the benefits of blockchain are extracted from decentralized ecosystems and appropriated in the hands ofgovernment or large institutions.

The fact that its happening in China is a part of the course, but its still exciting to see given the timeline and whats occurred on it in recent memory. However, the outcome may not be what most are expecting a blockchain-powered system to produce: a centralized and controlled system.

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China Issuing Bonds on Blockchain Is a Sign of Whats to Come - Cointelegraph

13 fun Bitcoin and blockchain tweets that epitomize this wild industry – The Next Web

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As another year draws to a close in the world of Bitcoin BTC and blockchain, weve decided to look back at some of our favorite cryptocurrency tweets of 2019.

Some are funny, others are weird, but weve loved each and every single one.

So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

First up, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, sent a Bitcoin Lightning Network invoice in a tweet in February and people went nuts.

Dorsey has long been a supporter of Bitcoin and is often quite public about it.

Hes even shared his cryptocurrency plans with TNW.

What kind of roundup would this be if we didnt at least allude to Craig Wright, the manwhos built a cryptocurrency patent empire and keeps claiming to be the real Satoshi Nakamoto?

It seems, hes also intent on convincing everyone about how rich he is.

And if people dont believe him, well, he just blames journalists.

Doesnt this remind you of a certain orange-faced man living in a very big white house?

Luckily for us, Craig Wrightis omnipresent.

He was everywhere.

EVERYWHERE!

The world of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology can get pretty weird and this is exactly what Agrawal is alluding to here.

But, lets be honest, would you have it any other way?

The Winklevoss twins akaWinklevii who claim to own approximately 1-percent of all Bitcoin in circulation have worked hard this year.

Although they are clearly enthusiastic about the technology, it doesnt mean everyone is. And if you dont believe me, just check out this tweet:

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and if these peoples faces are anything to go by, its not looking good for Bitcoin.

I hate the bearer of bad news, but I doubt youll be able to buy your morning coffee with Bitcoin anytime soon.

Bitcoin is often seen as a speculative tool with many buying the cryptocurrency enticed by the possibility of making some extra cash.

Some dream of becomingcryptocurrency millionaires, others and this speaks directly to our souls just want to enjoy the simple life.

Admittedly, weve all spent way too much time writing about Facebooks cryptocurrency Libra, but the truth is: you seemed to care.

Capitalism is so beautiful.

On another note, Twitter proved cryptocurrency enthusiasts have been blessed with a good sense of humor.

And last but not least, did you know Bitcoin can fix a broken toilet?

Let this by our parting gift to you all and heres to another year of crazy cryptocurrency and blockchain chatter on Twitter!

Published December 24, 2019 10:00 UTC

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13 fun Bitcoin and blockchain tweets that epitomize this wild industry - The Next Web

Blockchain This Week: Farmers Kids Win Blockchain Hackathon, Blockchain Fights Deforestation & More – Inc42 Media

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Out of $8.5 Mn blockchain investments, India has been at less than 0.2%

Zubi-IBCOL plans to help students apply cryptography and blockchain solutions to real-world problems across India

Nigeria's MIPAD to use blockchain technology, artificial intelligence and data science to identify and geo-tag planted trees

In recent times, blockchain technology has been gaining a lot of momentum across various industry verticals. Most certainly, the trend is shifting from the pilot stage to actual use cases. Nearly, 50% of the blockchain projects are driven by startups. For the ecosystem to thrive in the long run, it requires the support of all the stakeholders involved, including government, investors, innovators and entrepreneurs.

According to NASSCOM Avasant India Blockchain Report 2019, the investments through venture capital firms (VCs) or initial coin offerings (ICOs) in the blockchain ecosystem in India are at less than 0.2% out of $8.5 Mn globally. The drop in the investment collides with the uncertain policy and regulatory norms in the country.

This cautious regulatory environment in India is hindering the investment opportunities for both domestic and global investors into Indian startups. Surprisingly, several Indian-based investors are raising funds through VCs and ICOs in other jurisdictions such as Malta, Singapore, UK, Switzerland and others due to open regulatory environments.

Moreover, the uncertainties or risk around blockchain in India has made it difficult for startups to enter the radar of global investors that are specifically looking to invest in blockchain startups developing innovative products or solutions.

Graph Of The Week: Size of the blockchain technology market (2018-2023)

Global blockchain technology revenue is expected to see massive growth in the coming years. Currently, at the size of $2.2 Bn, the market is expected to touch $23.3 Bn by 2023.

(Source: Statista 2019)

Here are the biggest block-related headlines from across the world.

A blockchain community platform Zubi partners with International Blockchain Olympiad (IBCOL) to enable its users to apply cryptography and blockchain solutions to real-world problems across India. Through this collaboration, Zubis community of students and blockchain enthusiasts will leverage IBCOls resources to achieve a decentralised future.

With this, Zubi-IBCOL has started a National Chapter in India (IN-BCOL). The IN-BCOL will be responsible for selecting top-projects for the final round of the IBCOL, which will be held in Hong Kong. Both the parties believe in educating and encouraging people to build a sustainable blockchain talent ecosystem. Most importantly, the duo aims to promote awareness on blockchain technology and its applications and enhance employability by equipping participants with necessary skills.

At Indias largest artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and blockchain hackathon held in Pune from December 18 to December 22 organised by Icertis, BlockchainMegaminds won an all-paid trip to Seattle along with INR 5 lakh grand prize.

Interestingly, the winning team members all hailed from agriculture backgrounds. The team utilised ML models to build an app that can analyse crop distress and weather patterns. Additionally, they harnessed blockchain-enabled smart contracts for instant and automated claim settlements to those adversely affected by crop failures and natural disasters.

Team Boopalan were the runners-up with INR 3 lakh cash prize, followed by Team Heuristic at third place, who won INR 2 lakh.

Nigerias Most Influential People of Africa Descent (MIPAD), through its social impact initiative My Roots in Africa Project, will be planting more than 200 Mn trees by 2024 before the end of the UN International Decade for People of Africa Descent. The company has partnered with Decagon Institute to deploy artificial intelligence and data science to identify and geo-tag trees planted using blockchain technology.

Through this initiative, people can place a request to have a tree named, planted or gifted in honour of themselves or anyone they love. This platform is said to bring transparency and enable users who have planted the trees to know the exact location and be able to see it using satellite imagery using Google Maps. This, in a way, helps prevent allocation of the same tree to more than one person and bring down deforestation.

The Blockchain World Forum (BWF) will be held in Dubai from February 27-28, 2020. The event gives all the industry stakeholders to explore the opportunities and challenges associated with blockchain ecosystem. The platform will enable leading technologists, entrepreneurs, regulators, investors and financial institutions in the emerging blockchain industry.

In addition to this, BWF will be giving out the Blockchain Innovation Awards for the highest achievements from the global blockchain industries and entrepreneurs.

Hydra, a multiple blockchain protocols for improving transaction throughput in digital currency, recently announced the launch of Hedra Boost, where it allows startups to plan, build or launch a blockchain-based application using Hydra.

The platform offers technical guidance and ecosystem tools, marketing and business development support and subsidising transaction fees. The platform lets developers design, and test multiple iterations on Hydra Boost. Once the startup is ready to launch its blockchain application, Hydra claims to be funding the project with $1000 worth of Hedera to cover initial transaction costs.

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Blockchain This Week: Farmers Kids Win Blockchain Hackathon, Blockchain Fights Deforestation & More - Inc42 Media

Bombshell Report Finds Inclusion Lacking in the Blockchain Industry – Forbes

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Diversity in Blockchain

Since the introduction of bitcoin in 2009, blockchain technology has been heralded as the great democratizer because of its ability to enable parties to transfer value directly without the need for middlemen. In the last decade, blockchain technology has evolved and entered the mainstream.But has it lived up to its promise to become the great equalizer? For example, have women and minorities coalesced around the technology in great numbers?

Not so much, says Susan Joseph, Executive Director of Diversity in Blockchain Inc. (DiB), a non-profit, committed to creating equal, open and inclusive opportunities in the blockchain industry. And thats a challenge, she confides.

Joseph, an attorney and blockchain consultant with her own firm, SusanJosephLLC, co-founded DiB in 2017 along with blockchain powerhouses, Anna Ashurov, Senior Director, Anheuser-Busch InBev; Shawnna Hoffman, IBM Global Cognitive Legal Leader; Michelle Ann Gitlitz, Global Head of Blockchain &Digital Assets for Crowell & Moring LLP; and Joshua Ashley Klayman, U.S. Head of FinTech and Head of Blockchain and Digital Assets, Senior Counsel, at Linklaters LLP; to make sure that blockchain is inclusive. Paramount in that mission is to ensure that others who traditionally have been underrepresented have a voice in the blockchain technology sector as it develops.

According to Ashurov, because of its decentralized nature, blockchain technology can empower regular people (including underrepresented groups) to grow and accumulate wealth. As a result, she explains, we have a responsibility to encourage diversity, break barriers and force a conversation.

Klayman adds, We are among the first wave of blockchain and digital asset professionals, and there will be more. This space is nascent.We have the power to create a thriving and truly inclusive digital economy."

DiB released today its blockbuster report, The State of Diversity and Inclusion in Blockchain which examines the inclusiveness of the sector and provides a baseline for future assessments. The report considers diversity and inclusion across all strata of society, including government, academia, conferences, and enterprise and, not surprisingly, finds less than stellar results. The reports founding sponsors are elite global law firms, Linklaters LLP and Crowell & Moring LLP. This inaugural report is significant because it highlights certain improvements the industry can make and identifies steps that can be taken to ensure increased representation of women and diverse talent in the industry, says Gitlitz.

The report concludes that, although blockchain technology has the potential to bring in to the fold whole groups of individuals who have traditionally been under-represented, that is, by and large, not happening. Statistics highlighted in the report show that inclusion in the blockchain industry reflects other technology and financial services sectors, generally.

The report highlights the lack of women-centric blockchain and crypto venture-backed startups. To wit, of the 378 venture-backed crypto and blockchain companies identified between 2012 and 2018 globally, only one had an all-female founding team, and only 31 (8.2%) had a combination of male and female founders.

The state of inclusiveness in academic settings is just a little better. A recent CoinDesk study that surveyed top university programs in blockchain in the U.S shows that at the top ten universities listed, twenty percent of the professors/faculty are women.

Joseph notes the existence of a congressional blockchain caucus that is bipartisan and largely male. But, she suggests we are still early enough in the development in the technology to change the trajectory to allow for the inclusion of women, minorities and others who are typically under-represented.

Klayman, who also heads up the Legal Working Group for the Wall Street Blockchain Alliance, offers that after a long crypto-winter, high-profile companies and ambitious projects have begun to breathe new life into the emerging blockchain and digital assets space, and the broader digital economy. This is a critical time for diversity to be front of mind - because we are shaping the future of technology right now she says.

Hoffman adds that, with a technology as globally significant as blockchain, the importance and benefits of a diverse workforce are magnified. Blockchain is on pace to impact every human."

DiB has found support in Representative Maxine Waters Chair of the House Financial Services Committee. She too recognizes the importance of having an inclusive technology sector, as well as the risks of leaving out swaths of society in the development of blockchain technology, artificial intelligence and fintech. To that end, she asked DIB to prepare a report on Project Libras potential. DIB delivered such a report to the Committee that discusses both the Projects potential and its diversity and inclusion implications. The report was entered into and made part of the U.S. Congressional Record during the Congressional hearing at which David Marcus testified.

Change wont happen unless others recognize the importance of inclusion, says Joseph. This is the first of what will be an annual report. If you can measure something, you have the ability change it.

DiB seeks to ensure that the blockchain sector is inclusive and diverse. This is a worthy goal with a lot at stake. But it can only happen with leadership and a focussed strategy. DiB brings thoughtful leadership to this important issue. To make change, we need a conversation. DiBs report gets the conversation started.

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Bombshell Report Finds Inclusion Lacking in the Blockchain Industry - Forbes

Blockchain 50 Race Is On: Enter Now To Test Your Mettle – Forbes

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Forbes

Some of the largest companies in the world were on the first-ever Forbes Blockchain 50 list, inaugurated in early 2019 to recognize the most mature blockchain projects. As we look ahead into 2020, were now taking nominations for the next Blockchain 50 list, and expect it will include not only some of the most mature cryptocurrency platforms and blockchain projects in industries as diverse as finance, health care, and mining, but some of the first live enterprise blockchains conducting real-world transactions. Requests to be on next the list are already flowing in, so we expect the competition to be heated.

Similar to last year, we are looking for companies from all over the world that have at least $1 billion in revenues or are valued at $1 billion or more. Companies must be using distributed ledger technology to improve business processes, eliminate inefficiencies, expand market share, address the challenges of global trade and tariffs, improve product tracking and safety, reduce fraud and protect data.

To qualify, companies must have committed serious resources to re-imagining their industries with fewer middlemen, more transparency, and increased accountability to their customers. Our team will then review the submissions and interview company leaders among the finalists. While many of next years list members will certainly come from companies with household names, others will likely be among the most successful blockchain and cryptocurrency startups.

Forbes

Do you work at one of these companies? Are they among your clients? Do you invest in them? We want to hear from you. Please browse through last years list for some ideas of what were looking for. If you think you might know a project worth highlighting, please share this link with them, Tweet it using the hashtag #Blockchain50, or take a moment to complete this short survey, due Wednesday, January 8, on their behalf. Thanks for helping us find the best projects out there!

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Blockchain 50 Race Is On: Enter Now To Test Your Mettle - Forbes

Blockchain as a Problem Solver for the Industry of Gambling – Captain Altcoin

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Gambling has become the second industry after the financial one to recognize the significance of blockchain technology and begin implementing it on a substantial scale. The main reason behind this increasing fascination is that blockchain shows the capability to resolve the issues that have been plaguing the betting industry for ages: the lack of transparency, the sloth-like pace of transaction, accompanied by the unjustifiably high fees, and the lack of privacy. Experience has shown that the application of the blockchain technology in the processes of software development and gambling itself may help cut the Gordian knot in one blow. The most essential characteristics of blockchain, namely immutability of records, decentralization, speed and cost-efficiency of transactions, and provision for an advanced, if not total, level of privacy serve as the most popular use cases.

Certainly, the mostimportant one lies in blockchains ability to shatter the widelyaccepted notion that online casinos and betting platforms areinherently unfair. Many are convinced that casinos are deliberatelymanipulating the odds and random number generators to rip the playersoff. Regardless of whether these accusations are justified or not,blockchain delivers an ultimate solution that eliminates the opacityof the gambling process, which is often regarded as the fair playcontrol (FPC). It is usually carried out through the use of SHA-256algorithm that generates the verification code of a hand or a bet,which a player can then compare to the ones in the betting historystored on a blockchain. This way, it is possible for a user to seethe exact RTP and compare it to the one declared on the gamblingplatform.

The second mostimportant use case is the incorporation of cryptocurrencies as themeans of payment, which resolves the issues of high transaction fees,the swiftness of such transaction, and allows players to bypass thebanks and, in some cases, avoid the attention of revenue serviceswhen using the blockchain & crypto-oriented gambling platforms.

There are manyblockchain projects tailored specifically for the gambling industrywith Tron and EOS being the most prominent of them. They havedeveloped ecosystems that facilitate the creation ofblockchain-enabled gambling and betting products, which aredistributed among the casinos and sportsbooks that center theiroperations around the use of this technology and/or cryptocurrency.

Speaking of thegambling platforms, the most notable at the moment are BitCasino.io,VegasCasino.io, Fortune Jack, Bitsratz, Cloudbet, etc. All of themare provably fair, accept crypto, and provide for an easydeposit/withdrawal. However, each of these websites have drawbacks,for instance, Cloudbet accepts only Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash,Bitstarz doesnt have a sportsbook, and Fortune Jack has toughwagering requirements.

1xBit is in the cohort of the all-for-crypto online gambling platforms thataspires to become one of the most recognizable in the industry. Ithas certain advantages over the mentioned casinos, such as aone-click registration with no email required, which grants totalanonymity; the availability of a sportsbook alongside afully-featured online casino; adequate wagering requirements, and thefact that it accepts more than 20 cryptocurrencies. But 1xBit alsomakes sure to constantly broaden the range of its services andfeatures to stay abreast with the progress in the development of theblockchain technology and cryptocurrencies that are destined tocontinue walking hand-in-hand with the prominent representatives ofthe gambling industry.

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Blockchain as a Problem Solver for the Industry of Gambling - Captain Altcoin

The Big Moments Of The Crypto Tax Space In 2019 And A Look Into 2020 – Forbes

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3D illustration of a timeline on kraft paper with focus on 2020 and a blue thumbtack. Year two ... [+] thousand and twenty

The popularity of cryptocurrency has been on the rise for years, and 2019 was a year of renewed crypto regulation particularly in the tax space as the IRS produced more detailed guidance after 5 years of the issuance of original Notice 2014-21. Prior to reflecting on my big predictions for the new year, it is important to look back on 2019 and recognize some of the most monumental moments in the space.

In July 2019, the IRS sent out warning letters to 10,000+ US taxpayers with cryptocurrency holdings. These letters came out in 3 variations: Letter 6173, 6174 & 6174-A. Letter 6173 warned of further examination if the recipient failed to respond, even though many had actually correctly filed their taxes. Letter 6174 & 6174-A alerted taxpayers how cryptocurrency related transactions should be reported.

In addition to these letters, throughout 2019, the IRS has been sending out CP2000 letters.These letters were automatically generated when there was a mismatch between whats reported on Form 1099-K by the crypto exchange and whats reported on the tax return by the taxpayer.

On October 9th 2019, the IRS released comprehensive new guidance on cryptocurrency taxation including more clarity on hard forks, cost basis calculations, transfers, gifts & donations.This was the first guidance released by the IRS in over 5 years, so this was probably the most important moment in 2019.

The IRS also announced that it plans to ask every American taxpayer on Form 1040 Schedule 1 At any time during 2019, did you receive, sell, send, exchange, or otherwise acquire any financial interest in any virtual currency? This so called crypto question is designed to improve voluntary compliance and gather more data about US cryptocurrency holders. Notably, this is such a broad question that will help the IRS to collect information on taxpayers with both taxable and non-taxable cryptocurrency transactions.

As we end the 2019, it should be highlighted that the main focus of the IRS is not to achieve perfect compliance; the focus is to increase voluntary compliance and move taxpayers from reporting nothing to reporting something. When faced with complicated matters not directly addressed by the guidance, the service will look into the facts and circumstances of each case.

Beyond just increased interest and understanding from the IRS on crypto taxes, we saw three separate bills go before before the US Congress in 2019 that dealt with crypto - The Token Taxonomy Act (H.R. 2144), The Blockchain Regulatory Certainty Act (H.R. 528), and The Safe Harbor for Taxpayers with Forked Assets (H.R. 3650). It is clear that the US officials and governments across the globe are trying to understand the crypto compliance by actively talking to various industry groups, professional organizations, thought leaders, software companies and tax practitioners.

Inclusion of the crypto question on Schedule 1 will tremendously increase crypto awareness among US taxpayers. This will be a question every taxpayer has to answer on the tax organizer sent out by the accountant. Also, online tax preparation software will require you to answer the question during tax preparation.

Crypto going mainstream will open taxpayers to new tax planning opportunities. Some of these include cryptocurrency tax loss harvesting, Self-directed IRA & trading without considering wash sales rules. Financial advisors and tax practitioners will take a deeper dive into these strategies to save money for their clients.

Various software tools that help taxpayers calculate gains/losses related to cryptocurrency transactions will be flourishing in the coming years. Crypto exchanges do not issue a report similar to the Form 1099-B listing proceeds, cost basis & gain/loss related to crypto activity. Therefore, accurately calculating gains/losses is the taxpayers responsibility. Proper valuation, basis tracking, record keeping & specific Identification of units/lots can only be achieved by using a reputed cryptocurrency tax calculator. Without a software tool, it will be virtually impossible to be tax compliant.

As regulators look more into this space, crypto exchanges may be mandated to provide better data so taxpayers can easily calculate cryptocurrency gains and losses. Some exchanges may take a proactive approach and start producing reports similar to 1099-Bs to make tax compliance easier. However, if you are trading in multiple exchanges and/or have transfers between your own wallets, exchanges may not have access to all information necessary to provide an accurate gain/loss report. In such cases, as mentioned above, cryptocurrency tax software tools will function as third party data aggregators providing vital support for US taxpayers.

It has been an amazing ride to watch the crypto space grow over the past decade, and it will be interesting to reflect on these predictions in one year from now.

Disclaimer: this post is informational only and is not meant as tax advice. For tax advice please speak with a tax professional.

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The Big Moments Of The Crypto Tax Space In 2019 And A Look Into 2020 - Forbes

Why 2020 will be Bitcoins Most Important Year – CoinGeek

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2019 was the year Bitcoin started to get back on track. Thousands of investors, developers, builders and fanssome of them returnees to the scenefound a reserve of new energy and enthusiasm. But if 2019 was the rebuilding year, 2020 is a year heavy with anticipation. People are expecting things to happen in 2020. What are some of the events we should be looking out for?

I should note, this isnt meant to be a prediction and its certainly not a guarantee all these events will happen. Some are certain, others are maybes. They may all interact with each other in esoteric and mysterious ways. Recall the famous Donald Rumsfeld quote about known-knowns, known-unknowns, unknown-unknowns, if you will.

Lets divide the 2020 issues to watch into two sections: Bitcoin technical issues (which are more certain to happen, but may have interesting effects) and issues surrounding Craig Wright (which are far less predictable to us, but could also have a large impact).

Here are the two main technical issues to watch in 2020:

Genesis: In the beginning

In December 2019, the Bitcoin SV Node team began rolling out the Genesis upgrade to its Bitcoin SV Node software. The hard fork on February 4th, 2020 represents the last major step towards restoring the Bitcoin protocol as close as possible to the way Satoshi Nakamoto envisaged it in 2008.

Genesis will include some key features that will determine BSVs future in 2020 and far beyond. It will allow Bitcoin to continue on its path to massively scale and it will introduce functionality for smart contracts, tokenization, and a raft of Metanet applications.

It removes any limit on transaction block sizes, giving miners more power to decide what kinds of data theyll process (and make more money doing it). Improvements to the Bitcoin scripting language will allow more data in each transactions OP_RETURN functions. With Genesis, Bitcoin will also support more non-standard transactions, have parallel transaction verification (to stop huge blocks clogging up the network) and safer zero-confirmation transactions. The last two features also act as protection against a number of attack vectors, such as deliberately sending massive amounts of data to the network to slow it down.

Heres a video of nChains Steve Shadders explaining Genesis at CoinGeek Seoul in October:

Making Bitcoin more attractive to miners and enterprise users alike will be important in 2020, especially given another decisive external event next year. That event is:

The 2020 Bitcoin halvening

Per the rules set out in the Bitcoin whitepaper, the block confirmation subsidy (or reward) halves every 210,000 blocks. Thats generally every four years, and the next is estimated to happen on 14th May 2020. Originally 50 BTC per block, it dropped to 25 in 2012 and to 12.5 BTC in 2016. After May 2020, it will be just 6.25.

Halvenings have happened only twice in the past, in 2012 and 2016. Both happened before the initial 2017 hard fork split over block sizes, so there wasnt a rivalry creating extra anticipation. While both saw Bitcoin increase dramatically in price in the next year or so, no-one can say for sure whether the halvening caused this or whether it would necessarily happen again.

Reward halving will also occur on the BCH and BSV chains, since all three Bitcoin variants use the same original code and hashing algorithm. This is important because non-ideological miners can switch between chains easily, depending on which coin is most profitable.

Due to variations in block confirmation times since 2017, BCH will halve first and then BSV, before finally BTC. Please keep in mind this timing is subject to change. This is important becausefor a few weeks at leastit is likely to be more profitable to mine BTC. This could lead to a drop in hash rate and possibly unit price for BCH and BSV, which may or may not be temporary.

Those are the main technical events to watch in 2020. Which brings us to the issues surrounding Craig Wrightsome within his control, some less so. And heres where we step into truly uncharted territory, meaning things could get really interesting.

The Tulip Trust/s: Can, and would Craig Wright tank BTC?

The existence of a mysterious trust containing the keys to over a million early Bitcoins called the Tulip Trust had been whispered about for years. However more specific details emerged in sworn statements from Dr. Craig Wright as part of his defense against the Ira Kleiman case.

There are actually two Tulip Trusts (I and II) which involve a complex web of international companies and individualssome of which have fallen out of touch. The trusts contain bitcoins Wright had mined or acquired between 2009 and 2011. The trusts apparently stipulate that private keys to the 1.1 million BTC (and thus its forked assets also) will become accessible to Wright at the start of January 2020.

This is important because, well, a million BTC is a significant amount enough to crash the BTC price if whoever has them choses to sell them. And Craig Wright has stated publicly that he will do something like that, with donations to charity (its unclear whether he would donate them before or after selling them). However given the structure of the trusts and people involved, its uncertain whether the keys will actually be delivered, or by whom, or how events will pan out. We will have a clearer idea in the new year.

Other questions remain. Do the Tulip Trusts actually exist, or even if they do, will they cough up the keys to that million-plus Bitcoin treasure chest? Some Craig-watchers are highly confident, and skeptics are (as always) skeptical. Will we even get to know for sure, or will we have to deduce it from the after-effects? Could Ira Kleiman get a share? Will the Tulip Trusts so-called bonded courier show up on a lonely road in the rain with the information, Back to the Future style? The story definitely has a surreal, movie-like mystique.

Better still, the above events could pan out whether or not you believe Craig Wright is Satoshi Nakamoto, or even regardless of whether he actually is or not. Which brings us to the next issue:

Can Craig Wright prove hes Satoshi Nakamoto in court?

Despite misconceptions in less-knowledgable Bitcoin commentary and media circles, the Ira Kleiman lawsuit is not (directly) about whether or not Craig Wright is Satoshi Nakamoto. However, Dr. Wright has claimed in the past that he wants to prove hes Satoshi before a judge.

Around April 2019 Dr. Wright threatened to sue popular social media commentators who maintained public positions that he is not Satoshi, or who called him a fraud, for libel. He then followed through on those threats with actual suits, most notably against podcaster Peter McCormack and social media identity HODLonaut

Exact details of the cases are hard to obtain outside of each partys inner circle, and exaggerated victory claims propagate around social media over every procedural stage. The cases may not even see definitive conclusions in 2020, but rest assured they will get attention, and that attention will matter.

Begun, the patent wars have

Similarly, the issue of Craig Wright and nChains pending and granted patents on blockchain technologies, including smart contracts themselves, could begin to have an impact in 2020. However this is another issue that likely wont be settled 100% in the coming year and probably wont produce a big-bang result.

The big questions here are: will more patents be granted, and will competing companies like Bitcoin Core backers Blockstream, also be granted blockchain patents? Will blockchain developers quietly pay a license fee, or take a more adversarial stance? Will patents encourage more blockchain developers to build on BSV, and thus boost the ecosystems overall value?

Hold on tight

All that and we didnt even touch Bitcoin price speculation. All we can say for sure is: whether we like it or not, price does matterand its a major driver of both positive and negative press.

All the above issues could have dramatic impacts on Bitcoin, its rivals (whether their names include Bitcoin or not) and both public and community attitudes. Whatever happens next, one thing is certain: its bound to be a landmark year in Bitcoin history. We all will be much wiser by the end of it than we are now, some way or other. So strap yourselves in we live in interesting times.

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Why 2020 will be Bitcoins Most Important Year - CoinGeek

Blockchain Applications in the Payments Industry – RTInsights

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Blockchain has multiple applications in the payments industry including use in cross-border payments, foreign exchange (FX) settlement, trade settlements, card payments, and more.

For most people, blockchain and cryptocurrency are almost synonymous with each other. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are often seen as competitors to traditional payments and official currencies. But the truth is that cryptocurrencies are applications that have been built on the principles of blockchain technology. If any other application used the same principles of peer-to-peer communication, distributed databases, transparency, permanence, and security, it could very well qualify to be called a blockchain application and enjoy the same benefits. These principles can be used in the payments industry offering many advantages.

See also: Blockchain for Science: Revolutionary Opportunities and Potential Problems

Blockchain has multiple applications in the payments industry including use in cross-border payments, foreign exchange (FX) settlement, trade settlements, card payments, and more. We will explore some of these here.

International Reconciliation: SWIFT with 34 globalbanks successfully completed a proof of concept(PoC)to evaluate if Distributed Ledger Technology/Blockchain could be used forNostro reconciliation. Nostro/Vostro accounts are used when a bank does notprovide services directly in some countries but does it through a correspondentbank. The conclusion of this PoC was that Blockchain could effectively supportautomated real-time liquidity monitoring and reconciliation if adopted globallyby all the participant banks.

Card Payments: Card payments areconvenient, cashlesspayment optionfor shoppers, but there is a high processing fee involved for merchants. Thisis because there are multiple intermediaries involved that can be categorizedas acquirers (merchants bank), payment gateways, interchange (Visa/Master), andissuer (cardholders bank). Since there is no central authority involved withBlockchain, there would be no need for so many authoritative entities. Thiswould help the merchants who would have to pay less for service charges,transaction charges and, in turn, can offer higher discounts to customers.

Cross-Border Payments: Cross-border payments have to passthrough several banks while going from one country to the other. This increasesthe fees involved in making them. Mastercard has come up with ablockchain-based solution that combines with its existing settlement network toconnect the sending and receiving bank directly without the intermediaries.They will, however, accomplish this without using any cryptocurrency but willallow funds to be transferred as fiat currencies used currently. Similarly, FinTech provider R3 is working with 22banks to build a real-time international payments solution that usesDistributed Ledgers to enable fast, efficient, and cost-effective cross-borderpayments.

Trade Finance: Financing for tradebetween a buyer and seller, whether domestic or intermediary, is done throughmultiple intermediary banks that utilize different financial products that makethe trade possible. Smart contracts for trade finance is a capabilityprovided by blockchain technology. These are self-executing contracts, wherethe terms of trade are directly written as code on the blockchain. Theseautomatically execute payments when specific conditions are met. An example ofa condition could be receipt of a shipment of goods.

While cryptocurrencies remain themost popular and widely discussed application of blockchain, there is nodenying that it has a wide range of applications across various industriesglobally. Almost all the big names in the finance and technology industry likeMastercard, Visa, Oracle, and IBM have invested inblockchain to create their version for use across some of the aboveapplications. They already had the required building blocks like expertise indistributed databases and cryptography that could be put together using theblockchain philosophy. Although thereisnt a universal standard adopted yet, and some of the terms are too complexfor a non-technical person to understand, it is highly likely that blockchainwould be transparently adopted and become part of our daily lives soon.

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Blockchain Applications in the Payments Industry - RTInsights

This startup is using geo-tagging and blockchain to fight deforestation in Africa – CNN

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Forests in West and East Africa, where conservation efforts are not matching deforestation activities, have undergone almost complete decline between the 1900s and 2017, according to a comparison of reconstructed African forests by a team of ecology and evolutionary biology scientists at Yale University.Through a social impact initiative, the group wants to plant and assign more than 200 million trees across Africa by 2024 before the end of the UN International Decade for People of African Descent. From any part of the world, My Roots in Africa Project, makes it possible for anyone to place a request to have a tree named, planted or gifted in honor of themselves or anyone they love.

"My Roots in Africa is...Uber for trees, connecting local communities impacted by pollution or deforestation, with global citizens looking to plant their roots in Africa," said Kamil Olufowobi, MIPAD's Founder and CEO.

"It presents an opportunity where Africa wins, the diaspora wins, and all of humanity wins. It supports the diaspora to reduce their barrier of entry to Africa.

"For every new tree that is planted, we can name one that is existing after you. Many diasporans want to connect to Africa and there is a deep sentimental and emotional connection that this program brings which is 'now I have roots in Africa'," Olufowobi told CNN.

This will enable its subscribers to know the exact location of their allocated tree and be able to see it using satellite imagery including Google Maps. It also helps prevent allocating the same tree to more than one person.

Planting trees remotely

MIPAD says it is already working with city parks and forestry departments in every major African city to help people plant their tree remotely.

"We get the orders placed and the park and forestry departments are the ones who do the implementation. They are the owners of the trees, all we are doing is being the voice of Africa to the diaspora saying 'you can support Africa and in return, you can have your root planted," Olufowobi said.

MIPAD is banking on its history of connecting Africans to get them involved in the project.

Several African countries are also planting trees.

'Africa is our collective responsibility'

The continuity of long-term projects such as planting millions of trees and combating climate change is a major concern in several African democracies where incoming governments often disregard or abandon long-term projects by their predecessors.

Olumide Idowu, co-founder of the International Climate Change Development Initiative argued that afforestation projects will help Africa to tackle threats posed by climate change such as floods, droughts and heat stress and forests.

Idowu said developed countries can help preserve Africa's forests if they reduce the demand for tropical hardwoods considering that the timber export market is a big driver of deforestation.

To repair the damage that has been done already and to secure the future of the continent's forests, the MIPAD CEO said Africa needs help from around the world.

Therefore, Africa is our collective responsibility. This is not restricted to people of African descent, this is open to all of humanity for you to support Africa and have your root planted right here on African soil," Olufowobi told CNN.

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This startup is using geo-tagging and blockchain to fight deforestation in Africa - CNN

COI Blockchain Foundation has reached strategic cooperation with NewStar – Associated Press

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Press release content from ACCESSWIRE. The AP news staff was not involved in its creation.

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HONG KONG / ACCESSWIRE / December 26, 2019 / Its reported that COI Blockchain Foundation, a subsidiary company of China Ocean Heavy Industry, is going to reach in-depth strategic cooperation and undertake the investment distribution with Singapore Flamingo Foundation Pte. LTD, which operates a NewStar project with the mode of Blockchain + Live Streaming.

New to this kind of blockchain project?

With the boom of Live Streaming industry, streamer has come into existence. Based on our understanding, streamers seems to be extremely profitable job with the backing of a competent team and numerous fans base.

Conversely, streamer has faced much greater problems from the platforms and community. The revenue source for streamers is their subscriber base. However, the vast majority of percentage was split to the platforms. In addition, in order to be able to rank in the recommended channels and gain more traffic, the streamers need to split the revenue to the community. Hence, it makes the streamers really hard to make it.

Is there a possibility that the streamers could earn more revenue breaking away from the centralized platform and community?

NewStar, a blockchain platform, offer the chance to realize the possibility by applying the mode of Blockchain + Live Streaming . The streamers can interact directly with the subscribers through NewStar, and there is no third-party compulsory intervention. They can be ranked on the recommended channels depending on their ability. As for the revenue distribution, the streamers can get 100% without splitting. In some cases, there will be some token generated for the subscribers. Both the streamers and subscriber can benefit from it, leading to more and more subscribers get involved. Meanwhile, it drives the streamers to produce high-quality content.

NewStar puts content producer and consumers in direct contact without a third party by building a set of decentralized solutions. Meanwhile, the incentive mechanism of token is applying to maximize the interests of all participants. Based on the characteristics of blockchain itself, every reward given by subscriber to streamers will be recorded on the chain more openly and transparently. The ranking of the recommended channels will be more authentic, avoiding the problem of favoritism and fraud in voting.

COI Blockchain Foundation has reached in-depth strategic cooperation with Singapore Flamingo Foundation Pte. LTD on the operation of NewStar project. It means that the COI Blockchain Foundation has given some ideas of the layout of the entertainment and blockchain, expanding new investments. The COI Blockchain Foundation has committed themselves to a further exploration and development of global blockchain industry.

As a pioneer in field of Blockchain + Live Streaming , NewStar aims to transform the underlying economic system of the entertainment industry through the blockchain technology, and re-structure a decentralized ledger and settlement system to deposit, confirm, store and distribute valuable content in the entertainment industry. In the following period of time, NewStar can further improve its underlying technology by virtue of the resources and influence advantages of COI Blockchain Foundation, jointly promote the project development, and bring valuable and significant changes to the streamer industry chain.

Media Contact:

James Cook

+1 (321) 800-3487

SOURCE: COI Blockchain Foundation

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COI Blockchain Foundation has reached strategic cooperation with NewStar - Associated Press

The Morning Show Season Finale Recap: Cut the Feed – Vulture

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The Morning Show

The Interview

Season 1 Episode 10

Editors Rating 4 stars ****

Photo: Apple TV+

Friends, countrymen, Apple TV+ subscribers: Weve made it to the end of this wild, Jennifer AnistonIsOurOneTrueQueenfueled ride that is The Morning Show season one. Was it at times cheesy as hell and trying way too hard? Yes. Did Bradley Jackson never once make complete sense as a character? Also, yes. But does it pretty much stick the landing? You betcha. Once a show rolls out the Vivaldi while two main characters fist fight on an apartment building lobby floor, you know it is Getting! Things! Done!

All of the scheming that went down in last weeks episode comes to a tragic, volatile head in the season finale. The timetable for both sides Bradley, Cory, and Chip over on Team Interview Mitch and Take Down Fred Mickland, and Fred and Alex on Team Save Our Asses was always a short one, but as more information comes to light, people grow more desperate.

Blame it on Maggie Brenner, I guess? Once she gives Fred a heads-up about the investigation shes doing into his cover-up of Mitch Kesslers sexual misconduct, Fred knows its time to deploy Operation Fall Guy: He expedites the findings of that totally unbiased internal investigation into TMS, so that he can offer up Chip as the one to blame for letting Mitchs behavior go unchecked for so long. Chip has always known hed end up getting blamed, but that doesnt make the scene in which Fred fires him any less emotional. Partly because Fred telling Chip how sick it makes him that someone he trusted was endangering his employees makes me want to flip a table; partly because it is Alex whose begrudging approval of Chips replacement, Marlon Tate, is the final nail in Chips TMS coffin; but especially because Marlon Tate really is the biggest doofus. Poor Chip! Yes, I feel bad for Chip now. Thats where we are in this season.

To pull off the Mitch interview on TMS without even Alex knowing, theres a very fragile plan in play and Chip getting fired does not help. After meeting with Mitch to find out who he has to corroborate his story about Fred when he tells them its Hannah he adds that he didnt realize she was working [him] for good measure because, yes, friends, Mitch Kessler is still playing the victim Bradley wants to make sure Hannah is ready and willing to tell her story. Even if she remains anonymous, its a huge risk on her part and shes starting to realize that more and more especially once a call comes in from another UBA department, offering her a promotion on a show in sunny Los Angeles. Yep, UBA is trying to buy her silence one more time, isnt that swell?

Hannah is falling apart, but she feels like she has to protect other people in her position, so she has Bradley come to her apartment. Reliving the whole thing from Mitch, whom she saw as a parental figure, using her body like that to Fred silencing her without even knowing who she was is obviously traumatic for Hannah. She keeps telling Bradley shes fine, that other people have gone through worse, but by the end of it, she breaks. Teary-eyed and angry, she tries to explain what it feels like to not only have been violated, but to be completely defined by that moment. Bradley tries to remind Hannah that none of this is her fault, but Hannah doesnt want to hear it: All due respect, please take your rhetoric and just fuck off, she says.

Bradley leaves that extremely upsetting meeting for all of us second-guessing if she should even be doing this interview, if she should be putting Hannah through any of this. It is in this moment that Chip shows up and informs her that he was fired and that this interview needs to happen tomorrow. Everyones doing great, guys! At least Chip calls out that none of them are doing this interview for purely altruistic reasons: He wants the interview done tomorrow because he knows Fred will surely cut the network feed rather than be exposed, which means that big announcement of the internal investigations implicating Chip will be postponed, and he knows that part of the reason Bradley is doing this is because it could be huge for her career. No one is simply fighting for justice here! Bradley does not make a callback to her Were newspeople! moment, but she does in my dreams. Instead, she spirals because I guess she suffers from imposter syndrome now. To calm her down Chip tries to hug her, but Bradley pushes him off: Dont hug me right now, what the hell is that going to fix? which, if someone would like to iron that onto a T-shirt with a picture of just Bradleys wig, I would wear it.

So, even though this could blow up in their faces, and even though Hannah is certainly not in any emotional place to have her story told to a national audience, theyre going through with the interview. Cory, too, has his misgivings, but those mainly have to do with how sleazy Mitch is. He pays him a visit to make clear that he may very well soon be head of UBA and that if Mitch ever wants a shot at redemption he needs to pull the victim crap and confess. Cory remains a true blessing on this show.

The morning of the interview, everything is in place to sneak Mitch in the building. Cory will be manning the control room to make sure they stay on Bradley and Mitch when it goes down. This is really happening. But then, things take a turn.

While Freds introducing Marlon to the TMS team before the show, Bradley gets a call from Claire. Claire had been trying to make amends with Hannah after their huge fight over Yanko by showing up at Hannahs apartment with coffee before work. But when she arrives she discovers that Hannah has died from an overdose.

Knowing she was the one who made Hannah relive all of her trauma, Bradley takes on all the blame. After informing the staff, and calling Chip to tell him there is no way she is doing this interview now, Bradley goes to see Alex. Not only does she tell her that they were going to interview Mitch behind her back, not only does she admit that it was partly to blow up Alexs career, but she also says that shes leaving. She cant do this anymore.

In the wake of Hannahs death, Alex is finally finally taking a hard look at her role in all of this and reexamining what the hell shes doing aligning herself with Fred Mickland. She chases Bradley out on the street to get her to come back inside because she knows she was wrong to align herself with Fred and because they need to fix whats happened. Oh, and also to yell at some dude trying to get a photo of them that she is just an empty vessel, because that is the kind of show this is! Bradley goes inside to appease her, but immediately tries to leave again. Its Cory who convinces Bradley to stay and fight the fight against the Fred Micklands of the world. And off we go!

Several things happen at once: Claire runs into the studio, beside herself over Hannah, and back into Yankos arms, which is nice because Yankos drunken El Nio speech about the anchovies was really bumming me out. Chip, distraught over his role in Hannahs death, meets Mitch in the lobby of his building, tells him about Hannah, punches him in the face, and as the two wrestle on the ground, admits that he is the one who leaked the initial story about Mitch to the New York Times. It is awesome. Then, bloody and stumbling around New York, Chip leaves a voice-mail for Alex telling her that he leaked the story because they were going to get rid of her and he knew that if they didnt have Mitch, theyd need her to stay: It was always for you. Always. YOU GUYS. We dont even have time to talk about this declaration of love what a journey my feelings for Chip have gone on this season! because its back at the studio where things are really getting interesting.

Alex Levy cant even get three words out during the opening of The Morning Show before she asks Bradley to take over. While Bradley tries to get through the news, Alex is, well, shes having a meltdown. Shes walking all over the studio, in and out of the shot, shes sweating, shes asking people on the crew their names and chiding herself for not knowing everyone. Alex Levy decides she isnt going to be complicit anymore. She gets in Bradleys shot and starts laying down some truths. Truths about how she turned a blind eye and let the women working at TMS feel threatened without doing anything about it because she was succeeding. Truths about the bogus internal investigations that are going to be released. Truths about Fred Mickland covering up sexual misconduct for years. Are we doing this? Bradley asks her co-anchor.

Oh, they are so doing this.

As the two of them quickly spout off the truth, knowing they could be pulled off the air at any time, Cory is in the control room overriding any calls Marlon is trying to make. Fred Mickland runs runs! downstairs, but is locked out of the control room, which, punctuated by Corys smug wave from inside the room, is honestly hilarious. And finally, as Alex and Bradley rail against simply accepting a culture of silence, Fred has someone completely cut the feed. UBA goes to color bars. It is the only way to stop them. In Times Square, Chip sees the UBA feed go out and knows what Alex and Bradley have done.

Perplexingly, the final shot of the season is of Mitch Kessler, bloodied and bruised, sitting all alone in his giant, empty house, perhaps for the first time reckoning with what he has done but this is not his story. Instead, as the season ends, Ill keep with me the image of our two leading ladies taking on an entire network. Remember when Alex Levy, in her fabulous red coat, told the UBA board that they dont have the power anymore? Yeah, she wasnt kidding.

Keep up with all the drama of your favorite shows!

Originally posted here:

The Morning Show Season Finale Recap: Cut the Feed - Vulture

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ConnectToBrain: The dynamics of the brain – SciTech Europa

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Multiple lines of research has shown that understanding the brain will require a global view on its dynamics. Different sensory and higher brain areas communicate continually with each other, modulating the excitability and function of connected regions.

This interplay of different brain areas is, unfortunately, compromised in many diseases such as depression, stroke, Alzheimers disease (AD), multiple sclerosis (MS), or epilepsy. Overall, brain disorders are a huge problem, causing suffering on a large scale and costing the society about 1000bn per year in Europe alone. In many cases, relief from brain disorders can be obtained from medication, surgery, or physical/cognitive therapy, but for many patients, these methods are either ineffective, too costly or accompanied with undesired side effects.

Recently, a new concept has been added to the arsenal of therapeutic methods: neuromodulation. The most effective forms of neuromodulation are electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and deep brain stimulation (DBS), but good results have been demonstrated and regional governmental acceptance and insurance coverage have been obtained also for transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). However, current TMS technology is limited in that the locus (position) of stimulation can be changed only slowly; therefore, clinical neuromodulation paradigms almost always are limited to targeting the stimuli to only a single brain site, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in the case of medication-resistant depression, rather than targeting multiple nodes of a disordered cortical network.

Our goal in the ConnectToBrain project is to develop and prepare for wide clinical use of a non-invasive brain stimulation technique to stimulate brain networks in a feedback-controlled way.

By activating the neuronal network with TMS at suitable cortical locations at suitable time instants depending on the instantaneous brain state, as measured by electroencephalography (EEG), we can couple to the neurodynamics of the brain.

Our hypothesis is that with clever algorithms, we will be able to control brain dynamics in such a way that we can guide it towards better mood (in the case of depression), towards better connectivity (stroke, MS, or AD), or towards diminished inter-area excitability (epilepsy). For this purpose, the European Research Council (ERC) awarded a Synergy Grant of 10m to the ConnectToBrain project for the period 20192025.

1) Multilocus TMS (mTMS) coil array that will cover most of the cortical mantle and will allow accurate real-time control of the location, direction, intensity and timing of millisecond-time-scale sequences of brain-activating pulses,

2) Real-time analysis of brain activity and connectivity based on high-density EEG for brain-state-dependent and closed-loop stimulation and for adaptive optimisation of treatment effects by machine learning,

3) Application of these technologies and methodologies in scientific studies and brain therapy. If all these steps are successful and the full therapeutic potential of ConnectToBrain will be realised, the new methodology may eventually lead to a substantial reduction of the cost of brain disorders.

Fig. 1 is an artists view of the multilocus magnetic stimulator of the future. The white helmet-shaped structure (here, consisting of two parts, for the two hemispheres) will contain a large number of partially overlapping coils, which would be activated with variable relative intensities synchronously to produce the desired three-dimensional form of the electromagnetic field. By changing the relative intensities, the hotspot (stimulated location) in the brain can be varied at millisecond precision and millimeter accuracy, allowing one to stimulate either separate sites in rapid succession or multiple nodes of the network simultaneously.

The changing magnetic field, penetrating the scalp and skull freely, induces in the brain electric currents that give rise to neuronal signals. The brain signals, called action potentials, although triggered artificially, are perfectly normal and therefore pose minimal risk to the patient. When the hand area of the motor cortex is stimulated, much to the surprise of a first-time subject, a finger in the contralateral hand can move as a result. By stimulating different nodes of brain networks, this technique can be used to strengthen brain connections that have been weakened by brain disorders such as depression, stroke, MS, or AD. The challenge is to develop stimulation sequences that are optimal for the therapeutic benefit.

A key technology to be developed in the project consists of devoted software algorithms that will control the stimulation sequences (see Fig. 2). A typical algorithm will start at pre-selected sites in the brain and then, depending on observed effects on brain activity and brain connectivity, it will automatically and rapidly move the stimulation target in order to approach brain-modulation or therapeutic goals. Brain activity and brain connectivity will be derived in real-time using computationally efficient strategies that will allow predicting the evolution of brain states with millisecond resolution.

To help brain activity and connectivity estimation, information from different neuroimaging modalities in the same subjects or from neuroimaging databases will act as priors. Approaches based on artificial intelligence (AI), for example in a machine learning framework, will be used to automatically derive relevant features that capture changes in the brain state induced by the stimulation, and will transform these features into new driving inputs for the stimulator module.

Conventional single-locus open-loop non-adaptive therapeutic brain stimulation shows serious limitations with respect to effect size, interindividual variability of therapeutic response and high proportions of non-responders. The three synergistic groups will implement the technological developments of mTMS in combination with high-density EEG (hdEEG) and the data analysis algorithms for closed-loop neuromodulation in translational experiments. First, studies will be conducted in healthy subjects to demonstrate feasibility, safety, and neurophysiological and behavioural effects of closed-loop hdEEGmTMS to modify excitability and connectivity in motor and working-memory brain networks. Later, in patient groups with motor stroke or AD, we aim at demonstrating therapeutic utility in their dysfunctional, respectively, motor or working-memory networks. At the end of the funding period of ConnectToBrain, we expect to have new technology capable of correcting dysfunctional brain networks in a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders with far better therapeutic efficacy than hitherto possible.

Professor Risto J IlmoniemiAalto Universityristo.ilmoniemi@aalto.fi

Professor Emeritus Gian Luca RomaniG. DAnnunzio University of Chieti-Pescaraglromani@itab.unich.it

Professor Ulf ZiemannUniversity of Tbingenulf.ziemann@uni-tuebingen.de

Disclaimer: This article is featured in the December issue of SciTech Europa Quarterly.

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ConnectToBrain: The dynamics of the brain - SciTech Europa

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Hedge Funds Have Never Been This Bullish On EDAP TMS S.A. (EDAP) – Yahoo Finance

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The first quarter was a breeze as Powell pivoted, and China seemed eager to reach a deal with Trump. Both the S&P 500 and Russell 2000 delivered very strong gains as a result, with the Russell 2000, which is composed of smaller companies, outperforming the large-cap stocks slightly during the first quarter. Unfortunately sentiment shifted in May and August as this time China pivoted and Trump put more pressure on China by increasing tariffs. Fourth quarter brought optimism to the markets and hedge funds' top 20 stock picks performed spectacularly in this volatile environment. These stocks delivered a total gain of 37.4% through the end of November, vs. a gain of 27.5% for the S&P 500 ETF. In this article we will look at how this market volatility affected the sentiment of hedge funds towards EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP), and what that likely means for the prospects of the company and its stock.

Is EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP) an exceptional investment now? Hedge funds are taking a bullish view. The number of long hedge fund positions increased by 2 recently. Our calculations also showed that EDAP isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds (click for Q3 rankings and see the video below for Q2 rankings). Video: Click the image to watch our video about the top 5 most popular hedge fund stocks.

5 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds

Hedge funds' reputation as shrewd investors has been tarnished in the last decade as their hedged returns couldn't keep up with the unhedged returns of the market indices. Our research has shown that hedge funds' large-cap stock picks indeed failed to beat the market between 1999 and 2016. However, we were able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that outperformed the Russell 2000 ETFs by 40 percentage points since May 2014 (see the details here). We were also able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that'll significantly underperform the market. We have been tracking and sharing the list of these stocks since February 2017 and they lost 27.8% through November 21, 2019. That's why we believe hedge fund sentiment is an extremely useful indicator that investors should pay attention to.

Paul Marshall of Marshall Wace

Paul Marshall Marshall Wace

We leave no stone unturned when looking for the next great investment idea. For example Discover is offering this insane cashback card, so we look into shorting the stock. One of the most bullish analysts in America just put his money where his mouth is. He says, "I'm investing more today than I did back in early 2009." So we check out his pitch. We read hedge fund investor letters and listen to stock pitches at hedge fund conferences. We even check out this option genius' weekly trade ideas. This December, we recommended Adams Energy as a one-way bet based on an under-the-radar fund manager's investor letter and the stock already gained 20 percent. Now we're going to take a glance at the fresh hedge fund action encompassing EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP).

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At Q3's end, a total of 6 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey were long this stock, a change of 50% from the second quarter of 2019. The graph below displays the number of hedge funds with bullish position in EDAP over the last 17 quarters. With the smart money's capital changing hands, there exists a few noteworthy hedge fund managers who were increasing their holdings substantially (or already accumulated large positions).

Is EDAP A Good Stock To Buy?

The largest stake in EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP) was held by Archon Capital Management, which reported holding $2.7 million worth of stock at the end of September. It was followed by Opaleye Management with a $1.3 million position. Other investors bullish on the company included Manatuck Hill Partners, Diametric Capital, and Springbok Capital. In terms of the portfolio weights assigned to each position Archon Capital Management allocated the biggest weight to EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP), around 0.63% of its 13F portfolio. Opaleye Management is also relatively very bullish on the stock, earmarking 0.49 percent of its 13F equity portfolio to EDAP.

As aggregate interest increased, specific money managers have been driving this bullishness. Opaleye Management, managed by James A. Silverman, created the largest position in EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP). Opaleye Management had $1.3 million invested in the company at the end of the quarter. Paul Marshall and Ian Wace's Marshall Wace also made a $0 million investment in the stock during the quarter.

Let's check out hedge fund activity in other stocks - not necessarily in the same industry as EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP) but similarly valued. These stocks are Strongbridge Biopharma plc (NASDAQ:SBBP), Ion Geophysical Corp (NYSE:IO), Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:KALA), and Nymox Pharmaceutical Corporation (NASDAQ:NYMX). This group of stocks' market valuations resemble EDAP's market valuation.

[table] Ticker, No of HFs with positions, Total Value of HF Positions (x1000), Change in HF Position SBBP,9,23435,-1 IO,6,14738,-1 KALA,9,41580,1 NYMX,4,960,0 Average,7,20178,-0.25 [/table]

View table hereif you experience formatting issues.

As you can see these stocks had an average of 7 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $20 million. That figure was $6 million in EDAP's case. Strongbridge Biopharma plc (NASDAQ:SBBP) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand Nymox Pharmaceutical Corporation (NASDAQ:NYMX) is the least popular one with only 4 bullish hedge fund positions. EDAP TMS S.A. (NASDAQ:EDAP) is not the least popular stock in this group but hedge fund interest is still below average. Our calculations showed that top 20 most popular stocks among hedge funds returned 37.4% in 2019 through the end of November and outperformed the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) by 9.9 percentage points. A small number of hedge funds were also right about betting on EDAP as the stock returned 12.7% during the first two months of Q4 and outperformed the market by an even larger margin.

Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.

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Hedge Funds Have Never Been This Bullish On EDAP TMS S.A. (EDAP) - Yahoo Finance

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