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It is now beyond question: Putins dream of decapitating Ukraines central leadership and subjugating the country has turned into a nightmare for Russia. Rather than finding Ukraines society divided and malleable, Russia has encountered a confident citizenry animated by commitments to a free and democratic future. While many of Ukraines national figures have provided commendable leadership examples, local leaders and mayors have also emerged as pivotal sources of resilience and hope.

Since Moscows invasion began in February 2022, cities across Ukraine have experienced significant destruction from Russias frequent artillery bombardments, drone attacks, and missile strikes. Ongoing fighting around Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine is a reminder of how cities remain central battlefields in the war.

Local officials and mayors have courageously stepped up to the challenge of wartime governance, with citizens increasingly turning to them to address emergency humanitarian and security challenges. Ukrainian mayors often serve as primary lines of defense responsible for processing medical aid, engaging directly with international organizations, and repairing damaged infrastructure.

According to a recent survey conducted across twenty-one cities, between 87% and 96% of Ukrainian residents wish to remain in their cities after the war, with 39% to 62% of respondents agreeing that local officials should decide reconstruction priorities. Clearly, leaders who have managed local response systems are well equipped to identify local needs and mobilize available resources for future targeted reconstruction projects.

For this reason, it is crucial that Ukraines nascent reconstruction strategies incorporate local leaders and mayors as primary actors charged with directing and managing redevelopment initiatives. Although any Ukrainian Marshall Plan will certainly prioritize financing redevelopment projects and infrastructure repair, Ukrainian officials and the countrys international partners should also work to establish new relationships that empower leaders at the local level.

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Numerous plans to address Ukraines future economic and political engagement with transatlantic and other recovery institutions are already underway. During the recent Ukraine Recovery Conference in London, public and private leaders from over 60 countries pledged significant financial resources to address humanitarian needs and outline investments in Ukraines battered economy.

Kyiv had earlier presented a draft Recovery and Development Plan at the 2022 Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, Switzerland. This plan outlined the need for approximately 850 reconstruction projects set over ten years with total costs estimated at $750 billion dollars.

In January 2023, the European Commission also unveiled its Multi-Agency Donor Coordination Platform, which is designed to streamline future Ukrainian international recovery assistance and establish clear, transparent, and accountable financial standards. While such initiatives help secure much-needed funds, Ukraine and its allies must also seek to utilize these global opportunities and engage Ukraines local leaders as vital partners in their countrys recovery.

Expanding on Ukraines decentralization experience is not only a pragmatic wartime imperative necessary for distributing equipment and supplies; it will also build upon established reforms necessary for Ukraines democratic consolidation. Beginning in 2014 as part of the many sweeping reforms enacted after the Euromaidan Revolution, political decentralization has been an important way of reducing Soviet-style centralization in Kyiv while combating corruption.

Over the past nine years, Ukraines mayors have started to gain experience developing and managing public policies and directly responding to constituent needs. Over this period, more than 10,000 informal local councils were merged into officially recognized municipalities and granted formal administrative oversight and financial regulatory powers. Up until Russias 2022 invasion, decentralized economic and political reforms introduced unprecedented positive changes in quality of life for millions of Ukrainians; the share of citizens living below subsistence levels fell from 52% to 23% between 2015 to 2019.

Ukraines continued success in creating resilient local governance systems will require cooperation with national political leaders with clear expectations outlined in legal commitments. Meanwhile, examples of renewed political centralization in response to wartime demands have highlighted possible fault lines between local and national figures. This trend threatens to exacerbate tensions if left unchecked.

In the city of Chernihiv, located approximately 90 miles north of Kyiv, Mayor Vladyslav Atroshenko was removed by courts following an investigation by Ukraines National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) into the alleged use of a municipally-owned car by the mayors wife to evacuate from the city during the opening days of the war. Mayor Atroshenko himself stayed in Chernihiv to oversee the defense of the city which withstood a siege and partial occupation in spring 2022.

In the city of Rivne in western Ukraine, rumblings grow of Mayor Oleksandr Tretyak potentially being removed in relation to an NAPC investigation into the payment of bonuses to city officials in 2020. At the same time, Mayor Tretyak claims he has come under increasing pressure to move limited city budget money to the regions civil military administration, something he has so far refused to do, claiming that the city has already fulfilled all budgetary support requirements. These examples have fueled speculation over the direction of wartime centralization and should give pause to local authorities and regional civic leaders.

Any future national reconstruction policy will be best served by building upon Ukraines localized leadership assets and incorporating local councils, mayors, and officials in decision-making processes. By directing incoming aid at the local level, global partners can help expand technical, strategic, and administrative capacities and ensure resources are used effectively across targeted issues. Ukraines dedication to continued decentralization reforms is not only necessary to achieve reconstruction goals but is also a critical component of the countrys mission to develop transparent democratic systems from the ground up moving forward.

Zachary Popovich is a senior program associate at the International Republican Institute. Michael Druckman is the resident program director for Ukraine at the International Republican Institute.

The views expressed in UkraineAlert are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Atlantic Council, its staff, or its supporters.

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Image: A bombarded and burnt block of flats is being demolished as reconstruction plan for the destroyed neighborhood started and new blocks will erase in Irpin, Kyiv region, Ukraine on May 13, 2023. The city was on the front line of full scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian forces over a year ago, it was heavily bombarded. The most affected areas of the town are being rebuilt, while other parts still wait for renovation projects. (Photo by Dominika Zarzycka/NurPhoto)

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Why local officials must participate in Ukraine's reconstruction - Atlantic Council

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The IOTA Foundation team remains committed to advancing the development of the IOTA core network, with the aim of achieving enhanced decentralization. Last month in June, the IOTA team made some key developments with Mana, Staking Rewards, and Congestion Control.

Also, the GoShimmer and Hornet teams joined hands to accelerate work on the IOTA Core. More importantly, the IOTA core node has become fully ready for processing Stardust transactions in a completely decentralized environment.

In May, the work on the IOTA core began. The team decided to transition from GoShimmer to an experimental prototype of the node protocol for the IOTA core, which is a stable version of the node software. This required porting the existing GoShimmer CodeBase to the IOTA core. To the surprise of many community members, this task was completed in about a month, and the team was able to showcase the decentralized running of Stardust VM on IF computers during the first monthly update in June.

In June, the focus was on Congestion Control, Accounts, Mana, and Staking. Congestion Control is necessary to prevent network spamming and ensure fair network access for everyone. To achieve this, IOTA introduces a secondary resource called Mana.

To use the network during congestion, users must possess and spend Mana. Mana is earned as a reward for staking your IOTA tokens and is managed through an individual Mana Account connected to your IOTA Wallet. This system is crucial for managing network congestion and has significant implications for the value of the token. Lets take a look at each of these.

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The integration of Mana and Account support primarily took place in the iota.go repository, and users can follow its progress in PR#435. This implementation introduces a new type of output called AccountOutput. It was reviewed approximately two weeks ago and has now been successfully merged into the code base. As a result, the protocol can accurately monitor the Mana balances of each wallet. The congestion control mechanism can then be activated based on the Mana balance.

Users can find the implementation of Congestion Control in the IOTA core repository under PR#130. Congestion Control serves as the control unit for the block scheduler, ensuring that only blocks with a sufficient amount of stored Mana in the account can be passed to the scheduler. The PR is currently a work in progress, with a team of research engineers and research scientists actively working on it. We anticipate that it will be merged into the code base in the upcoming week(s).

The next step is understanding how to earn or generate Mana through staking. The progress on staking can be tracked in PR #143 within the iota-core repository. With staking, users can delegate their funds to a registered validator and stake their funds. Your Mana rewards are then calculated based on the duration and amount of IOTA tokens users have staked. Once earned, users will be able to claim their Mana rewards. This PR is still a work in progress, and the team is actively working on it. It is likely to be merged into the code base simultaneously with the finalization of Congestion Control.

In addition to Mana and Congestion Control, the team is working on introducing seamless protocol updates. These updates are important for maintaining decentralization and avoiding network disruptions.

Crypto News Flash does not endorse and is not responsible for or liable for any content, accuracy, quality, advertising, products, or other materials on this page. Readers should do their own research before taking any actions related to cryptocurrencies. Crypto News Flash is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods, or services mentioned.

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Building the Future: IOTA-Core Update Unveils Congestion Control ... - Crypto News Flash

Wallet security concerns have been a persistent thorn in the side of the blockchain ecosystem, hindering the mainstream adoption of Web3. High-profile security breaches, frequently spotlighted in the media, have stirred up fear and uncertainty among potential adopters, thereby obstructing the growth and maturation of the industry.

The inherent decentralized and pseudonymous characteristics of cryptocurrencies pose distinct security challenges. These challenges call for a more encompassing approach to effectively secure users assets and information. Currently, wallet functionality falls short of meeting everyday users needs, obstructing the intuitive navigation of the ecosystem. As the initial point of entry for crypto-curious individuals, wallet providers must shoulder the responsibility of delivering a seamless user experience while also addressing security concerns.

In response to this, some might argue for introducing an element of centralization to benefit users at the current stage of the ecosystem. However, its important to understand that in order to foster successful mass adoption in Web3, account abstraction is crucial, as it enables an on-chain user-experience approach that mirrors Web2 without sacrificing the principle of self-custody while providing nascent users with a seamless and user-friendly gateway to Web3.

Before venturing into how wallet security could be enhanced while ensuring a frictionless user experience, it is imperative to acknowledge and address the pervasiveness of security issues. These issues are not only confined to the crypto industry but are also rampant in traditional finance and technology sectors in the forms of cyber-attacks or data leaks.

These security issues can be traced back to a combination of human error, bad actors and technological inefficiencies. While human errors manifest in forgotten passwords or susceptibility to phishing attacks, bad actors exploit these vulnerabilities to instigate security breaches and scams. On the technological front, no matter the maturity stage of the crypto ecosystem, continuous vigilance is required to detect and resolve bugs that threaten cybersecurity.

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Addressing these challenges requires concerted efforts across the ecosystem. Absence of know-your-customer (KYC) procedures enhances opportunities for sophisticated, malicious actions against users and ecosystems. Therefore, comprehensive user education about security best practices, deterring bad actors through progressive regulations, and advancing technological security mechanisms are essential steps toward bolstering crypto security and building a resilient, user-friendly ecosystem.

The world of Web3, despite its divergence from Web2, actually represents an evolution of the latters security challenges. Web2 relied on passwords and usernames, a system often vulnerable to breaches. Web 3 introduces a more secure foundation with cryptographic passkeys such as private keys or seed phrases stored securely in wallets, offering users full control of their digital assets. However, these measures can be daunting for newcomers who have to manage complex seed phrases to recover their assets.

Account abstraction offers a user-friendly solution to these issues, simplifying the complexities of key management and mitigating risk related to human error or malicious attacks. It builds a significantly more secure and resilient Web3 future by enhancing trust and integrity. Additionally, it features social recovery, which allows a user to designate trusted individuals as recovery agents, or guardians, to safeguard against seed phrase loss or theft. This option alleviates the problem of forgotten keys and outweighs custody concerns.

These changes in Web3 arent isolated even Web2 is adapting. Technology companies like Google, PayPal, Shopify and DocuSign have begun to offer passkey options instead of passwords, harnessing the superior security that cryptographic measures offer. This shift towards a more secure login system, or Web 2.5, not only meets user demands but also aids in preparing the masses for the eventual transition to Web3. This symbiotic evolution of both Web2 and Web3 security mechanisms signals a future where user-centric security is paramount for mainstream adoption.

The ethos of Web3 is fundamentally distinct from Web2, being deeply rooted in the principle of decentralization. However, maintaining a balance between decentralization and centralization is critical for robust security measures and meeting the needs of average users, especially those new to the crypto world.

Thoughtfully applying centralizing elements can allow wallet providers to implement effective security measures. Key management and user authentication can be centralized to efficiently counter potential vulnerabilities and respond to emerging threats, thus effectively safeguarding user assets. This isnt about negating the spirit of decentralization in Web3, but about integrating practicality into the existing system.

Centralizing certain features, such as transaction fees, can also contribute to a more seamless user experience. By abstracting transaction fees, a user-friendly, partially centralized payment method is introduced, reducing the complexity and friction associated with handling multiple cryptocurrencies.

This hybrid approach combining the principles of decentralization with a reasonable degree of centralizing elements caters to the needs of both experienced crypto enthusiasts and newcomers, while promoting wider adoption. By establishing a common security standard, we can address security concerns, instill confidence in users, and foster the broader adoption of blockchain technology.

As technology evolves, the focus must shift to optimize user experience. Harmonizing user-friendliness with security is a critical undertaking for achieving widespread Web3 adoption.

Account abstraction plays a vital role here, offering significant benefits to alleviate pain points for newcomers and skeptics. However, it can introduce new vulnerabilities as it adds another layer of complexity to the system. Mitigating these concerns requires rigorous testing and auditing processes, preferably done by authorized external partners, and comprehensive user education.

Underpinning the Web3 revolution, account abstraction can foster an exponentially smoother user experience, expand accessibility and promote wider adoption of blockchain technology. This strategy helps build confidence and trust by providing a user-friendly interface while maintaining the highest standards of security. As we move forward, the harmonization of user experience and robust security will set the stage for a more secure and accessible future in the realm of cryptocurrency.

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Improving crypto user experience is an imperative and need not come at the cost of security: Opinion - Yahoo Finance

The resurfacing of a video featuring SEC Chair Gary Gensler praising the blockchain platform Algorand has raised questions about his stance on the technology.

A video from 2019 featuring Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chair Gary Gensler reignited interest in Algorand (ALGO). Throughout the video, Gensler spoke primarily about the broader crypto landscape, but his positive remarks about Algorand have piqued curiosity about his perspective.

Gensler referred to Algorand as a "great technology" and used it as an example when discussing the decentralization of cryptocurrencies. Yet, he also acknowledges that Algorand has flaws, such as the unresolved issue of software editing and the ambiguous classification of crypto tokens as securities.

The speech showcases disclaimers, contrasting perspectives, and unsettled dilemmas surrounding the crypto industry. However, the subsequent legal actions by the SEC against Bittrex, involving ALGO as one of six tokens identified as unregistered securities, add another layer of complexity to the Algorand narrative.

However, what is Algorand, and what makes it unique? Lets find out:

Algorand, founded in 2017 by Silvio Micali, a renowned cryptographer, and recipient of the Turing Award and MIT researchers, is a platform for scalability, security, and decentralization that aims to revolutionize decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts.

One of the key distinguishing factors of Algorand is its transaction processing capability. With a focus on speed and efficiency, Algorand can handle thousands of transactions per second, making it one of the fastest blockchain platforms. It takes less than five seconds for a transaction to be finalized, enabling a seamless user experience.

Further, with an average gas fee of $0.0001, Algorand offers cost-effective transactions, making it attractive for various use cases, including micropayments and high-frequency transactions.

The platform's architecture further enhances its capabilities. Algorand adopts a two-tiered blockchain structure. The base layer supports smart contracts, asset creation, and atomic swaps between assets, ensuring security and compatibility. The second layer is dedicated to more complex smart contracts and dApp development, enabling efficient transaction processing.

This network separation allows Algorand to cater to the requirements of widespread global usage and accommodate diverse use cases.

In addition to its technical strengths, Algorand stands out for its commitment to sustainability. The network's low energy requirements contribute to its carbon negativity, and the Algorand Foundation actively engages in carbon offsetting initiatives.

Gensler's endorsement of Algorand stems from his recognition of its technological advancements and ability to facilitate real-world applications.

Gensler's connection with Algorand dates back to his time as a professor at MIT's Sloan School of Management, where he had a professional relationship with Silvio Micali, the founder of Algorand. The SEC Chair made favorable comments about Algorand, highlighting its potential for hosting popular applications like Uber or Lyft. His positive assessment of the platform's capabilities showcases his belief in scalability, security, and decentralization.

Nonetheless, Gensler's recognition of Algorand's technological potential aligns with his broader perspective on cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. As the Chairman of the SEC, Gensler emphasized the need for investor protection, market integrity, and transparency in the crypto space.

While Algorand has garnered attention and support from high-profile individuals and organizations, the platform has faced certain challenges and limitations that warrant consideration. Here are some of the disadvantages associated with Algorand:

Struggles with Adoption: Despite its high-profile connections and partnerships, Algorand has faced difficulties achieving widespread adoption. Compared to its competitors, such as Fantom and Kava, Algorand's Total Value Locked (TVL) is relatively low. This indicates that the platform has not yet attracted a significant number of users or developers.

Regulatory Uncertainty: The future of ALGO is uncertain due to the SEC's declaration that it is an unregistered security. The potential legal implications of this regulatory classification could hinder Algorand's growth and adoption.

Smaller Ecosystem: Algorand currently suffers from a relatively small user base. The platform's ecosystem lacks the robustness and diversity of some of its competitors. This smaller ecosystem can make Algorand less attractive for developers looking to deploy applications and may limit the range of available dApps and use cases.

Overcoming these hurdles will be crucial for Algorand to achieve widespread adoption, navigate regulatory uncertainties, expand its ecosystem, and differentiate itself from its formidable competitors.

ALGO didn't hit the market until late June 2019, two months after Gensler's speech. Gary Gensler, the Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has faced calls for his dismissal based on his endorsement of Algorand and his perceived favoritism towards the platform.

Cinneamhain Ventures partner Adam Cochran has publicly expressed doubt about the effectiveness of Gensler's advice for crypto companies to register with the SEC, pointing out an apparent inconsistency between Gensler's past praise of Algorand and the SEC's claim that ALGO is a security not registered with the SEC. It doesn't stop there.

As another instance of mockery, some critics point out that the price of ALGO has declined 93.8% since launch, according to CoinGecko.

If you bought $100 of Algorand when Gensler told you they could build Uber on it you would now have $5

Gensler's public praise of Algorand founder Silvio Micali, and his positive remarks about ALGO at multiple public events, have raised questions about his ethical conduct and potential conflicts of interest. These endorsements raise concerns about Gensler's impartiality and his ability to make unbiased decisions as SEC Chair, according to critics.

The perceived inconsistency has been compared to Gensler's previous legal actions against people promoting crypto securities, implying an inconsistency in his approach.

The SEC's classification of Algorand and five other crypto tokens as securities based on the expectation of profit for investors has fueled speculation about Gensler's motives and raised questions about the fairness and transparency of the SEC's actions. The personal connection between Algorand's founder and the SEC's former director of corporate finance, William Hinman, has further intensified these speculations.

As the crypto landscape continues to evolve, the relationship between regulators, blockchain platforms, and market participants remains a complex and dynamic space. The actions of Gensler and its stance on Algorand illustrate the importance of regulatory clarity, transparency, and consistency for fostering trust and enabling innovation.

The story of Algorand and its connection to Gensler underscores the broader challenges and discussions surrounding the regulation, adoption, and potential of blockchain technology.

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What Attracted SEC Chair Gary Gensler to the Algorand Blockchain ... - BSC NEWS

By Joshua Olujimi 11 July 2023 | 6:00 pm Perhaps the most powerful cryptographic technology to come out of the last decade is general-purpose succinct zero-knowledge proofs, usually called zk-SNARKs(Zero KnowledgeSuccinct Non-Interactive Arguments of Knowledge). From day one it has always been evident that, that the problem of scaling could significantly limit the potential of blockchain, security and decentralization remain paramount and scalability suffers. blockchain Perhaps the most powerful cryptographic technology to come out of the last decade is general-purpose succinct zero-knowledge proofs, usually called zk-SNARKs(Zero KnowledgeSuccinct Non-Interactive Arguments of Knowledge). From day one it has always been evident that, that the problem of scaling could significantly limit the potential of blockchain, security and decentralization remain paramount and scalability suffers. For claritys sake, Ill describe scalability here as The chains ability to perform more transactions at reduced gas costs( increased throughput, reduced latency). Ina centralized system, there is a third party that charges transaction fees to execute transactions. This third-party monitors and controls all of the stakeholders data, who are participating in the online transaction in a consolidated manner. No such party exists on the blockchain as it is entirely peer-to-peer. In response to what can best be described as the casting down of the proverbial gauntlet, talented minds in the field of computing with the required foresight and vision to sought to proffer solutions to this latest, most daunting of challenges. In the early days of the endeavour numerous technologies were deployed to abate the problem, and though most worked there had to be trade-offs, what one lacked another provided and so the cycle went. Shards and sidechains are two of the more notable solutions. Sharding It focuses on dividing the blockchain network into smaller and easily manageable parts, known as shards. Sidechains are another solution and are simply separate blockchains linked to the main blockchain (mainchain). It serves as a transactional chain adjacent to the blockchain, especially in the case of large batch transactions. Now Rollups have come along, at its core a rollup is simply a function computed over an array of inputs( in this case transaction and state data from the mainchain ). Rollups have proven to be the most effective of all solutions provided so far. Optimistic rollups are a rollup sub-type, considered optimistic because they assume off-chain transactions are valid, This separates optimistic rollups from zero-knowledge rollups that publish cryptographic proofs of validity. They reduce computation on the main Ethereum chain by processing transactions off-chain, significantly improving processing speeds. These rollups rely on a fraud-proving scheme to detect incorrect transactions. After a rollup batch is submitted on Ethereum, theres a time window ( a challenging period) during which anyone can challenge the results of a rollup transaction by computing a fraud-proof. If the rollup batch is unchallenged after the challenge period elapses, it is deemed valid and accepted on Ethereum. If the proof succeeds, the protocol re-executes the transaction(s). ZK-Rollups on the other hand, rely on cryptographic proofs generated by so-called zero-knowledge algorithms. Aptly named due to the fact that a zk-SNARK allows you to generate proof that some computation has some particular output, such that the proof can be verified quickly even if the underlying computation takes a longer time to run, random sampling of transaction data provides the proof necessary for the system to work. The three primary components of a zero-knowledge rollup include a smart contract on Ethereum, a prover, and a set of verifiers. A prover generates cryptographic proofs of transaction validity on the layer-2 chain, while verifiers are a group of nodes that confirm these proofs and submit At this point it is important to note that rollups are relatively novel and care should be taken in developing the system to avoid buggy behaviour, fail-safes and audits should help prevent exploits, still, it is inherently risky to lean on an external program to handle transactions.

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Scaling Solutions To The Blockchains Trilemma - Rollups To The ... - The Streetjournal