#non existent money laundering case

[indianfasttrack]

कांदीवली की महिला से 14 लाख रुपये ऑनलाइन भुगतान

Digital Arrest Scam: मुंबई के कांदीवली से एक महिला को जालसाजों ने किया डिजिटल अरेस्ट, महिला को डरा धमका कर मजबूरन 14 लाख रुपये का करवाया ऑनलाइन भुगतान। (Digital Arrest: Online payment of Rs 14 lakh from Kandivali woman) इस्माईल शेखमुंबई– कांदीवली पश्चिम के एक महिला को डिजिटल अरेस्ट करने का ताजा मामला सामने आया है। बता दें कि 1 सितंबर को एक व्यक्ति का फोन आया जिसने खुद को दिल्ली दूरसंचार विभाग का…

[stupittmoran]

This is Ross Ulbricht. 10 years ago today, Ross was arrested for creating a website.

If the government gets their way, he'll die in prison.

Ross is serving a double life sentence plus 40 years for, again, creating a website.

If that sounds ridiculous and infuriating to you, keep reading. It gets worse.

Ross created a website called Silk Road, which he designed to be a free market, secure, anonymous marketplace. It used Bicoin for payment, and utilized a system called Tor which allowed buyers and sellers to access it anonymously and without any trace.

An avid libertarian, Ross prohibited anything being sold on Silk Road that violated the Non-Aggression Principle.

This included stolen items, counterfeit/fraudulent items, child p**n, assassinations, etc.

A devout believer in nonviolence, Ross also prohibited the sale of weapons.

Many items that were sold on Silk Road were legal, and a third-party study of the site inventory by Carnegie-Mellon University concluded that the drugs most commonly sold were small amounts of cannabis.

Most importantly, Ross was not convicted for selling, buying, or being in proximity to any of the items that were sold on Silk Road, legal or illegal.

He was convicted for what others did on the site.

Imagine if Elon, or Zuck, or any of the other owners of web platforms were charged for what other people did on them.

On October of 2013, Ross was arrested by the FBI and charged with money laundering conspiracy, computer hacking conspiracy, fake ID trafficking conspiracy and narcotics trafficking. (Ross did not actually launder money, hack computers or sell illegal items himself. These charges were based on what users listed on the site.)

After his arrest, the prosecution fraudulently alleged that Ross attempted to have several people killed, but never charged him for this at trial, and his supposed "victim", Curtis Green, publicly stated that those allegations were false. He is a fervent supporter of Ross.

Despite the fact that these false, unproven allegations were never prosecuted, the federal government used them in the media to paint Ross as some kind of violent criminal kingpin, despite the fact that he was nonviolent and lived a very meager life, living with 3 other roommates in an apartment.

The FBI also seized over 144,000 Bitcoin that they found in a shared wallet on Ross's computer, which today is worth over $3.8 billion.

During Ross's trial:

Evidence and testimony showing that multiple people ran the website was banned from being discussed at trial.

Ross's defense team was not allowed to cross-examine the prosecution's witnesses or present their own witnesses

Key exonerating evidence was blocked by the judge

The prosecution was permitted to allege to the jury that Ross had hired hits on people despite never charging him with this or allowing him the opportunity to defend himself against the allegation

The jury found Ross guilty on all charges, and the judge sentenced this first-time, nonviolent person to double life plus 40 years without parole.

After Ross's trial, two of the key investigating federal agents were convicted on corruption charges related to Ross's case. Their existence was hidden from the jury during trial.

Despite all of this, Ross’s conviction was lost on appeal, and the Supreme Court refused to hear his case.

There is no other way to say it: Ross was railroaded by a corrupt federal government that wanted to make an example of him and steal his Bitcoin.

During his 10 years in prison, Ross has continued to be a model citizen, teaching classes and tutoring his fellow inmates and helping them to earn their GEDs. He has also completed several educational programs himself and has never received a single disciplinary sanction.

Ross Ulbricht is a peaceful, nonviolent man who has never harmed anyone and whose only "crime" was to create a website that other people used to sell drugs that shouldn't be illegal in the first place.

And for this, he's already spent a decade in prison.

If he is not pardoned, or his sentence commuted, he will die there.

That is unacceptable, and it is long past time for Ross to be set free.

Obama could have set Ross free with the stroke of a pen, but he wouldn't.

Neither would Trump.

Neither has Biden.

Let's replace them with someone who will.

Ross, I am sorry for what you're going through, and I will not stop fighting for your freedom until you're back home where you belong.

Free Ross Ulbricht.

Spike Cohen on Twitter/X

[mariacallous]

A new report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, GI-TOC, published on Monday, warns that weak rule of law, organised crime and a large “grey” economy in Western Balkan countries – and the war in Ukraine – have allowed Russian Illicit Financial Flows, IFFs, to surge through the region and interfere in key decision making processes there.

“The Balkans’ strategic geographic position, acting as a gateway between Asia and Western Europe, coupled with an ecosystem of state capture, institutional weaknesses, organised crime and a rampant shadow economy, make the region particularly susceptible to IFFs,” Vanya Petrova, author of the report, told BIRN.

“This fact has actively been exploited by major players such as Russia, China and the UAE to influence decision-making in key markets and institutions,” she added.

The Kremlin has repeatedly taken advantage of its integration into the Western financial system to exploit governance gaps through the corrosive effect of illicit finance. This danger has taken on new and potentially greater dimensions with the onset of Russia’s war in Ukraine,” she says.

Global IFFs are estimated to be worth around 1-1.6 trillion US dollars annually, accounting for 3-5 per cent of world gross domestic product, GDP. However, according to Petrova, in the Western Balkans the figure is around 6 per cent of the region’s GDP.

After Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year, many sanctions were introduced, including a freeze by G7 countries of around 315 billion US dollars’ worth of Russian reserves held in Russia’s Central Bank.

Ways used by Russian elites to avoid sanctions include “laundering money through the purchase of real estate and business assets; utilizing professionals to open bank accounts, initiate bank transactions, transfer funds and create corporate structures that directly or indirectly support them; using complex ownership structures to avoid identification; and using third-party jurisdictions and false trade information to facilitate sensitive goods shipments to Russia”.

Russians avoid sanctions via the Western Balkans “with their combination of state and media capture, simmering ethnic divisions, slow pace of EU accession and the legacy of Russian cognitive bias”.

According to the report, since 2014, Bosnia, Bulgaria and Serbia have not followed EU sanctions against Russia, while both North Macedonia and Montenegro have provided so-called citizenship for investment to Russian citizens, despite criticism from the EU.

Albania has not yet followed through with a “fiscal amnesty” programme that would allow any Albanian or foreign citizen to deposit up to €2 million in non-declared money in the banking system, but has not scrapped the idea either.

Smuggling of people, weapons and cash have facilitated illegal activity since the start of the war in Ukraine. Smuggled cash is mainly concealed in cars or hidden among legitimate products in transport trucks or shipping containers.

According to the report, soon after the war started in 2022, Ukrainian refugees took undeclared cash with them to Europe; the wife of a former Ukrainian MP was caught at a border crossing for refugees with US$28 million and €1.3 million as she tried to enter Hungary.

In another case, a former Ukraine security service general, allegedly a Russian collaborator, was detained at the Serbia-North Macedonia border with €600 000 in cash, a large sum in US dollars, and diamonds and emeralds of unknown value.

Intensified use of covert channels for illegal money transfers into Albania exists as well.

Flows are often made indistinguishable by being mixed with gains in “cash-intensive businesses, such as restaurants, bars, beauty salons, petrol stations, private parking lots and taxi companies,” where this illegal money is laundered.

The report also explains that another form of IFF is fuel fraud. This often includes the evasion of custom tariffs by declaring lesses quantities of an oil product by selling fuel from ships on the Danube to fishers. A more recent trend, the report says, is the purchase of fuel at lower prices from Hungary and reselling it in Serbia.

The EU single market has a zero VAT policy for invoices between intermediaries, which has allowed VAT fraud to bloom. Petrova says that “in December 2022, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) uncovered what is believed to be the biggest VAT carousel fraud ever investigated in the EU, responsible for an estimated loss to EU taxpayers of €2.2 billion, including Bulgaria and Croatia, as well as third countries such as Albania and Serbia”.

“In general, this and trade misinvoicing remains the most prominent channel through which IFFs flow in and out of the Western Balkans,” Petrova writes. Trade misinvoicing includes fake legal transactions when no real business is taking place.

The report urges Europe to further decouple its economy from Russia, a network screening and sanctioning of Russian strategic investments in the Balkans, and to “prioritize the integration of the Balkans into the rollout of the newly designed Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) and coordinating their actions with US FinCEN and the financial intelligence institutions in each EU member state”.

[bopinion]

2022 / 50

Aperçu of the Week:

"Having to go to school should be considered child labor."

(My 14-year-old son)

Bad News of the Week:

In a European country that is also a NATO member, the judiciary has sentenced a citizen to two years and seven months in prison for insulting public officials. Sound harsh? It is. Especially when the convicted man merely spoke of "fools" and did not address anyone personally. Even harder, however, is that the person also got a so-called "political ban". Especially because he is a politician. Stupidly from the opposition. Stupidly in Turkey.

Ekrem Imamoglu is the mayor of Istanbul, by far the largest city in Turkey, a vibrant metropolis located on two continents. He is accused of publicly insulting officials: he is said to have called those who "canceled the (municipal) elections (on March 31, 2019)" idiots. The bottom line is that he has thus denied non-partisanship to the officials. And is right in doing so. Because after two decades of the richly authoritative AKP rule under President Recep Erdogan, Turkey's state agencies, like the judiciary, have degenerated into lackeys.

And just like other critics such as Deniz Yükel, Osman Kavala, Canan Kaftancioglu or even Jan Böhmermann, Ekrem Imamoglu is now suffering the same fate. Anyone who doubts the ruler gets into trouble. Especially if he is considered a promising challenger to Erdogan in the upcoming elections in June 2023. Who obviously thinks little of the rule of law. You can also ask any Kurd. Or, more recently, any Swede or Finn. He denies the former any right to exist. And at least NATO membership for the latter, because he disagrees with their treatment of the - surprise! - Kurds. After all, they are basically terrorists.

But as I said, Turkey is a NATO member. For the U.S., therefore, it is a geopolitically indispensable partner. Because of its location on the southern Black Sea, which controls the access of Russian navy - not only Cuba fan Nikita Crushchov can sing a song about that. And for the EU also geopolitically an indispensable partner. Again, on the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles. In this case as the bridge of countless not only Syrian or Afghan refugees to Europe. As long as Erdogan protects the democracies of others, he may nip this same democracy in the bud in his own country. That is probably also politics. Without any ban at all.

Good News of the Week:

Political Brussels has been rocked by a scandal for a week now: there are allegations of corruption against members of the EU Parliament. And these are so massive that the investigation has led to house searches and even arrests in four cases. At the center is a vice president of the Parliament, the Greek Eva Kaili. Bags full of cash would have been found on her. The accusations are serious. They range from bribery and money laundering to participation in a criminal organization.

Corruption always involves two parties: the bribed party and the bribing party. The latter is allegedly the Gulf state of Qatar. Which is apparently not only willing to buy international sports organizations, but also political goodwill with key partner countries. And it seems fitting, after all, Kaili in particular has recently been a vocal advocate of visa-free travel for Qataris. Her lawyer has so far denied any corruption, but that is his job: "She has nothing to do with money flows from Qatar, nothing at all," and he is not allowed to comment on details.

The reactions at the European level came promptly. Still on the weekend, Kaili was deprived of all powers of the office by the President of the Parliament, the Maltese Roberta Metsola. Then she was expelled from her Greek Pasok party and also from the Socialist group in the European Parliament. And finally, the formal impeachment by the Parliament itself. Already on the second working day of the week! And with only one dissenting vote!

Mind you, the presumption of innocence also applies in Belgium until a legal conviction. And at the moment it seems that Kaili's partner Giorgi is the mastermind. But political hygiene demands action in the case of such serious accusations. Quickly and clearly. That is what happened. The U.S. Republicans, for example, could take a leaf out of their book.

But what also makes this case so unique is just that - its uniqueness. For background: the EU Parliament has existed since 1952, has 705 members from 27 countries in this legislative period, and is the only directly elected supranational institution in the world. And yet this is the first time that a scandal of this magnitude has happened. For me, this means two things: Europe is not a banana republic. And if it is, it knows how to fight back.

Personal happy moment of the week:

Just now the fireplace crackles für the first time this winter. Which pleases me in several ways. The never-ending fascination of the flames. The adorable scent that fills the whole house. The almost therapeutic warmth, which is incomparable. And it was a simple wish I could fulfill for my wife on her birthday.

I couldn't care less...

...about the publicly celebrated royal family therapy of "Harry & Meghan" - now also available as a streaming service. There's really nothing more to say about it.

As I write this...

...I am once again very much in agreement with a position taken by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. He had reacted "very disturbed" to the interim blocking of various journalists' accounts on Twitter by Elon Musk. The "arbitrary" move sets a "dangerous precedent" at a time when journalists around the world are facing "censorship, physical danger and even worse." Media should not be "silenced on a platform that declares itself a space for free speech." There is really nothing more to say about this either.

Post Scriptum

U.S. Republicans continue to work to lack respect for the rule of law. The latest highlight was delivered by Marjorie Taylor Greene at the New York Young Republican Club Gala, when she commented on the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as follows: "I got to tell you something, if Steve Bannon and I had organized that, we would have won. Not to mention, it would've been armed." There was applause. That can only be called a loss of reality. In comparison, the digital trading cards in the style of superheroes of her idol Donald Trump, who considers himself "better than Lincoln, better than Washington," are merely a bad joke. But they also show that the true function of elected politicians - namely to be public servants - has not yet got around in these circles.

[beardedmrbean]

The political institutions of the European Union are in turmoil with a cash-for-favours corruption scandal engulfing the European Parliament with the potential to spread.

Former European Parliament Vice President Eva Kaili is one of four people in detention, charged by Belgian prosecutors with "participation in a criminal organisation, money laundering and corruption." 

She has already been booted out of her political parties and affiliations and stripped of her vice presidency, accused of accepting bribes from Qatar.

Gleaming speeches about the Gulf state in the European Parliament, voting in favor of files related to Qatar in committees, on which she didn't sit, and attending numerous unregistered events in the country are the alleged links between Kaili and Doha.

In a statement published online, the Mission of Qatar to the EU called the allegations "baseless and gravely misinformed."

While official details of the scope and depth of the police investigation in Belgium remain scant, the activities of members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and other EU bodies will now come under increased scrutiny.

EU experts are questioning whether the existing anti-corruption measures in place suffice.

"When there is highly complex and entrenched policymaking like there is in the EU, it becomes untransparent, and then it makes it easier to buy influence," Jacob Kirkegaard from the German Marshall Fund told DW News. "You can buy a vice president of the European Parliament for €600k! Are they really that cheap?"

"This is clearly a woman who wasn't afraid of being caught. It indicates that whatever measures and processes the European Parliament has, have no deterrent effect," he said. "Even stupid people, if they were afraid, wouldn't do it.”

Transparency measures

So what measures are in place at the EU?

It has a database, in which NGOs, lobby groups, consultants, charities, and any other organizations wanting to influence lawmaking must register.

All those listed in the Transparency Register are required to declare their budgets, and any donations above €10,000 (ca. $10,545) for NGOs.

Significantly though, Fighting Impunity, the NGO at the heart of the current corruption scandal, is not on the register.

Its president, former Italian MEP Pier Antonio Panzeri, is also in detention. And Eva Kaili's partner Francesco Giorgi works there too. Furthermore, Fighting Impunity shares an office with the Italian non-profit No Peace Without Justice, whose director was also arrested in this case.

"With the loopholes in the system, this was bound to happen," Paul Varakas, president of the Society of European Affairs Professionals (SEAP), which helps lobbyists apply to the Transparency Register, told DW.

In 2021, the European Parliament refused to apply the principle of "strict conditionality" attached to the Transparency Register, which would have forced them to only meet with registered lobbyists.

Senior officials in the European Commission, the EU's executive arm, are already bound to this principle and only allowed to meet with lobbyists who are listed on the register.

But the MEPS argued that it would infringe on their "freedom of mandate" and rejected moves to force them to disclose all their meetings.

"That's how they [Fighting Impunity] were doing it," said Varakas. "You had an NGO influencing decision-making without having to disclose anything. They were invited by an MEP who didn't have to declare. It was simple for them."

SEAP and other organizations are now saying that while mandatory registration (and disclosure requirements attached to it) might be burdensome for smaller actors, such as NGOs, the pressure on the European Parliament to fall in line on the "conditionality principle" will be immense.

In the wake of the scandal, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has repeated a call for an ethics body to be set up that would oversee all EU institutions.

"We have one with very clear rules internally in the Euroepan Commission and I think it is time to discuss where we could establish this overall for all EU institutions" she said at a press conference in Brussels on Monday.

Diplomatic immunity

MEPS also enjoy diplomatic immunity so that they can carry out their political work without fear of prosecution.

According to a Protocol on privileges and immunities of the EU, they cannot "be subject to any form of inquiry, detention or legal proceedings in respect of opinions expressed or votes cast by them in the performance of their duties."

Immunity is not valid, however, "when a Member is found in the act of committing an offence and shall not prevent the European Parliament from exercising its right to waive the immunity of one of its Members."

If necessary, MEPs do have the right to request their immunity is upheld but the press office of the European Parliament said so far no request of that nature had been made by Eva Kaili.

Prosecuting judges in Belgium have also not asked for the immunity to be lifted.

"If there is no request for immunity to be withdrawn then that suggests that the judge has concluded that the criteria have been met for immunity to no longer apply," said European Parliament spokesperson Jaume Duch in Strasbourg.

In the past, immunity requests have been made in regard to extradition requests. But because the crimes are alleged to have been committed in Belgium, extradition would not apply in this case.

[kaidatheghostdragon]

Do deliveries get treated like the case files? Business meetings? Taxes?

Lets see how much i can flex my knowledge of societal logistics.

America runs on a "just in time" delivery system where long-haul truckers are the backbone. If there are any truckers/postal workers that are from or regularly work with amity, maybe theyre immune, but AP grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and anything else dependant on out-of-town shipping is gonna notice a sharp decline deliveries as various shipments are increasingly forgotton, and if refunds arent an automated service, they are gonna lose a lot of money as calls and meetings get ignored for being "unimportant, dont look here."

In fact, automation might actually be a saving grace here, as workers are just following shipment orders, which are largely a menial task. However, ANYTHING that falls through the cracks, whether a glitch in the system, a shipping mistake, etc, is gonna be a total loss for Amity as corrections require someone to follow up on a complaint that will be eternally ignored. Grocery stores and gas stations will be hit the hardest, most likely, as large shipments like that aren't automated for financial security reasons - its literally a person's job to manage stock and know what to order and when.

Amity is gonna have to quickly learn how to be self-sustaining, which would throw this idea into a deconstruction au starting at the end of that episode. There is a solution that occurred to me while writing this: a management business slash distribution center with 100% Amity Park employment, but stationed at a nearby town. All shipments, orders, and mail to AP is routed through that business, which falls outside of the perception filter, and they handle complications and shipping mistakes, and all shipping from the distribution center to AP homes and businesses are handled by AP truckers.

The extra hassle is gonna be a big incentive to become self-sustaining. An extra distribution center causes a lot of logistical problems. For one, it adds an extra day or two to shipping times, which decreases fresh food quality - goodbye bananas. (However, I learned recently that the midwest has a native fruit tree that grows something called pawpaw fruits, which allegedly taste like bananas.) Secondly, lots of things are regulated: medications, chemicals, etc, so specialized businesses dependant on specific regulated resources are gonna be a hassle and a half to keep stocked up. Even little things - like co2 canisters for the refillable whipped cream cans that restaurants use - you dont think about until its a problem. Labeling the AP distribution center as, well, a distribution center SHOULD solve most of those problems because its clear that its a transportation service and not like a laundering or trafficking scheme or something.

But building and setting up the distribution center will take months, which means Amity is going to suffer a chronic shortage of a lot of modern conveniences, both big and small, for that long.

And thats just the world of shipping.

Chain businesses that answer to a foreign HQ are gonna go under, as HQ continues to drop the ball on logistical needs of the AP branch.

Banks are gonna lose their federal insurance because someone on the outside keeps forgetting they exist. Their gonna struggle keeping fresh bills in circulation as they aren't receiving replacements.

Non local insurance policies can't be created, ended, or updated, as everyone in AP is left on hold indefinitely. Local insurance policies are the only option, and they are VERY aware of the constant property damage.

In fact, government funding for maintenance, roads, and relief grants are gonna stop coming in, which leaves Vlad, as the only local billionaire invested in Amity, as the only source of maintenance money. That is a massive power-play available for him, OR a great redemption arc if you prefer.

On the plus side, the IRS disappeared basically overnight, so the 20-30% (idk, just a guess) federal/state (does illinois have state tax?) tax revenue that Amity generates is now suddenly free to circulate internally - because whats the point in paying taxes if no one is enforcing it? - which will be a massive relief for all the other financial problems they're now suffering. If Amity doesnt already have a city tax, it would likely be downright necessary to install at this point, taking up the revenue that is no longer going to state/federal, in order to recapture the costs of maintainance which now fall solely on the town itself.

The slow climb of technology will stop as newer models of phones, cars, computers, etc, being brought in are hit or miss. This isn't a big issue if the ambiant ecto was already causing interference here. Between this and the sporadic gas/diesel shipments, the Fentons stand to make a lot of money off of ecto-powered tech to fill the void. An everyone knows au usually implies good Fentons, so they could be relied on to, in turn, use that income to continue to improve Amity and keep it circulating locally.

For utilities, I'm not entirely sure how local or regional they are for Illinois. If Amity is lucky enough to have a power plant, then electricity isn't an issue. The Fentons are also more than capable of busting out solar panels and industrial sized batteries, not to mention generators running on ambient ecto (which is a canon invention) if the city is starting to have brownouts from lack of maintainence/attention.

Water is the same - anything on local wells is safe, but if Amity is watered by the great lakes, there might be maintainence issues again. Again, I dont know illinois well enough to guess which is the case here. The biggest water usage is farmland, which literally measure how much food they can potentially grow by how much water they have access to, so infrastructure to keep the farms closest to Amity running will be the highest priority, especially if Amity has to become self-sustaining.

Internet and cell coverage are utilities, which will now fall on Amity Park to build and maintain locally. Again, the Fentons will probably have this handled. I'm not an expert at how cell towers work, but my understanding is that they're owned by the entity that built them, sometimes a big cell company, sometimes a smaller cell company, sometimes a local infrastructure business, and usage is either leased out to some/all the big companies, which means that the tower counts as part of their network, or they're charged per device that connects, which falls under roaming. Dont quote me on that. I might be entirely wrong! At any rate, AP will likely have cell service, its mostly a question of how expensive it is and whether or not its a money sink because cell companies keep forgetting to pay for using the towers, or at worst, whether or not amity's cell service is isolated from the rest of the world because its a constant hassle to maintain licenses and connection to the global network.

Internet, otoh, is black magic to me and i dont know how it would be affected. If it has to be run locally, maybe Amity decides to be one of those cities that sets itself up to have free wifi available anywhere within city limits, so the City of Amity Park is the only entity that has to deal with the hassle of maintainence with the outside world, and civilians and businesses just piggy back off of it.

I realized I haven't touched on emergency services yet. Amity might already have a local 911 dispatch because of rampant ghost attacks to separate them from nearby towns. If they dont, then 911 isn't gonna work if their phone service doesn't connect globally, and thats gonna have to be rectified quickly. I'd imagine Amity Park is large enough to have a handful of police and firefighter buildings, multiple emergency clinics, and at least one hospital. Local 911 dispatch without access to the outside world means no relying on neighbors when the local response teams are overextended, which is normal protocol. Amity will have to overcompensate with extra cops, firefighters, and emts or settle with having occasional "bad days." Probably the former, considering the constant ghost attacks.

The hospital probably isnt equipped to handle everything, as hospitals tend to specialize in one particular field of long-term recovery and trade patients with nearby hospitals to fit their long-term recovery needs after handling emergency first aid and diagnosis. They have to go a similar route as the dedicated AP distribution center, placing AP employees in the neighboring town hospitals to maintain inter-patient logistics and ordering resources through those hospitals instead of directly. If AP hospital has a specialty, its gonna be liminality care, and most of their resources regarding that can come from the Fentons or the ghost zone directly.

Speaking of the ghost zone, it can potentially provide a great deal of relief. Yes, the portal is what caused all of Amity's problems, but in an everyone knows au, it also represents a potential trade route. Allies like the yetis and dora's kingdom would be more than happy to provide relief, aid, supplies, and even a free workforce if danny just asked while Amity was in a bad way. At that point, Amity might be even more inclined to remained cut off from the rest of the world to protect their allies and trade agreements.

In summary, the reality guantlet episode could be what turns amity into a secret hidden liminal eldritch city.

Why doesn't the justice league know about Amity Park?

Okay so it's been a bit sonce I watched the show but one of the things in DpxDC is the anti-ecto acts, which I love, but correct me if I'm wrong, I THINK ??? they only show up in reality trip? SO: What if Danny, when using the gauntlet to undo everything, also got rid of the Anti-Ecto acts? but this is babys first time editing reality so he uh Fucks Up A Lil'. As a result when Danny used the reality gauntlet to wipe the AEA from existence he accidentally wiped Amity Park from perception. A big 'nothing matters over here' jedi mind trick, and now no ones looking at Amity. So, the Justice League actually WERE looking into and monitoring the situation in Amity, but when the perception filter closed them off, all of that suddenly went ignored.

This is noticed when someone (Alfred, Dick, Tim, literally anyone) realises theres just. A BIG dusty pile of case files semi abandoned somewhere in the cave when going through a (time period)ly cave cleaning.

They put it down because it's Not Important.

They come back to finish the cleaning the next day and do the exact same thing, but there's nothing to actually distract them this time and it pings as weird. Because why would case files be not important? They are by definition important, because only things flagged as important go into case files.

They try to get someone else to read it, because as long as they don't read the information in the file, they don't put it down.

That person goes to read it, gets a line in and then says something like 'that isn't important' and goes to leave. Person A pushes it and person B ALSO catches on.

Que the Batfam trying to figure out hey, what the fuck actually?

Meanwhile, how is Amity fairing? Canon compliant everything's going alright? Or have knock on effects to No One Look Here started to show?

[global-newz]

Mysterious "One-Dish" Restaurants Appear on Zomato, Sparking Conspiracy Theories Among Netizens

Netizens have been left scratching their heads after strange "one-dish" restaurants popped up on Zomato, particularly in Chandigarh, and have caused a flurry of speculation online. These restaurants, which offer just a single dish, often at seemingly absurd prices, have ignited conspiracy theories, with some users questioning if these could be fronts for illegal activities like money laundering or drug trafficking.

The odd listings were first discovered by users on Reddit, who shared their puzzling findings in a post on the r/India subreddit. The post described these bizarre "restaurants" as offering dishes with unusual names such as "Naughty Strawberry," "Blue Adventure," and "Citrus Punch"—titles that did little to clarify the situation. What raised more red flags for users were the lack of reviews for these establishments, or in some cases, bombarded negative feedback, further adding to their suspicious nature.

One Reddit user, who had come across these listings, wrote: "I came across some odd listings in Chandigarh—so-called 'restaurants' that only serve one dish, and the prices are ridiculously high. Could these be fronts for something illegal? Money laundering, perhaps?"

The conspiracy theories soon took off, with netizens speculating that the restaurants could be used to launder money or even distribute illegal substances. The mystery deepened when the original poster (OP) shared that after attempting to order from one of these establishments, their order was automatically cancelled, and the restaurant was soon marked as "closed."

"I tried placing an order, but it got cancelled after some time, and the restaurant now shows as closed," the OP wrote. This only fueled further speculation, with users questioning whether these listings were being used to process fraudulent transactions or launder money through overpriced, non-existent dishes.

Some users on Reddit pointed out that this phenomenon might not be limited to Chandigarh alone, suggesting that other cities might have similar strange listings popping up, though concrete evidence of such occurrences elsewhere remains scarce.

Theories and Speculations

Some of the most popular theories include:

Money Laundering: The high price for a single dish and the lack of proper food delivery could suggest that these "restaurants" are merely a facade for illegal financial transactions, with customers unknowingly participating in fraudulent exchanges.

Drug Trafficking: Another theory posited that these listings could be used for the discreet delivery of illegal substances, with the peculiar names of the dishes acting as coded language for drug-related orders.

Fraudulent Businesses: Others believe that these establishments might simply be fake restaurants trying to capitalize on Zomato’s platform, preying on gullible customers or trying to get attention with bizarre, high-priced listings.

Zomato's Response

As of now, Zomato has not officially responded to the controversy surrounding these listings. However, users are urging Zomato to investigate these suspicious restaurants and remove them from the platform. The question of how such businesses are getting past Zomato’s verification process remains a mystery.

Is This Just a Marketing Stunt?

While the conspiracy theories continue to swirl, some have suggested that these one-dish restaurants might simply be an elaborate marketing stunt by an unknown entity trying to generate buzz online. The strange names and high prices could be a tactic to gain viral attention or provoke curiosity in the digital space.

Conclusion

Whether these odd listings are a case of fraudulent activity, a marketing scheme, or something more sinister, netizens are clearly fascinated by the mystery. As more users investigate, it remains to be seen if Zomato will take action or if these peculiar restaurants will continue to intrigue and perplex online communities.

Have you come across any strange listings like these? What’s your theory? Let us know in the comments below!

[globalnewspublisher]

Bandenia: Charges Brought Against Fake Bank’s Associate in Italy

Italian prosecutors charged five individuals with providing illegal financial services, including a London-based financial consultant whom OCCRP last week tied to the sham Spanish banking outfit Bandenia, which allegedly laundered money for criminal clients.

Massimiliano Arena and four others were charged in Sicily with being part of a transnational criminal group offering illegal financial services, a document seen by IrpiMedia confirms.

Italy’s La Stampa Libera reports that Guardia di Finanza in the northern Italian city of Messina had found two associates of Arena selling investments through a group of companies he ran that were not authorized to offer financial services in Italy.

Arena previously co-directed BBP Bandenia PLC, the main holding firm of the Bandenia banking group that was broken up in Spain in 2017 as part of a money laundering probe.

OCCRP and partners uncovered recently how people linked to the group have thrived since that Spanish clampdown, setting up at least 450 shell companies and widening their sphere of influence in a number of jurisdictions.

This has been achieved despite the fact that BBP Bandenia CEO Fabio Pastore is wanted by British authorities, and former CEO José Miguel Artiles Ceballos has been sentenced to four years in prison in Spain for money laundering. Ceballos denied all wrongdoing, and said he is appealing his sentence.

Fabrizio Pistorino, who was charged alongside Arena in the Italian investigation that concluded on April 5, is also linked to the Bandenia brand, having directed the U.K.-registered company Bandenia Ltd. with Artiles Ceballos, Pastore, Arena and others.

Arena previously told OCCRP that, while he had been a director of BBP Bandenia, he held “no executive and/or managerial position” and “never had access to any of the company’s information or documentation.”

Into the financial group that was targeted, the prosecutor Veronica De Toni implicated a company named Wealth Bank. IrpiMedia reported last week that Wealth Bank, like certain Bandenia-branded outfits, has boasted a banking license from the non-existent banking authority of Mwali, in Africa’s Comoros archipelago.

The Messina case claims Arena, Pistorino and the others are behind a corporate structure with holdings in the U.K., the Czech Republic, Portugal and the Comoros, according to Italian authorities.

La Stampa Libera reported that the group attracted customers with opportunities to invest abroad, offering healthy returns, via the Jabardo international network.

However, the foreign companies involved were operating “off the books,” the firms taking the investors’ sums were not complying with local laws in their own jurisdictions, and the suspects were not permitted to promote such investments, Italian authorities say.

The probe had begun when a man from the northern town of Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto noticed, after his brother died, that the brother had been sending large sums of money abroad.

The investigation was carried out using phone intercepts and other techniques, La Stampa Libera reported. From Arena, a judge requested the seizure of 750,000 euros (US$827,000), with Pistorino told to hand over 700,000 euros ($771,000). But according to Italy’s Gazzetta del Sud, the money demanded could not be traced as the men are not in Italy.

Giancarlo Liberati, the lawyer representing Arena in the proceeding, told Italian media there was nothing illicit at play.

Separately, authorities in Spain announced in recent days that an investigation into alleged money laundering and due diligence failures by ING, Ibercaja, and CaixaBank in relation to Bandenia had been closed. A judge said he did not find wrongdoing by the three banks, which had been accused of failing to stop illicit funds from Bandenia clients passing through their books.

On Bandenia, the judge said there were no further indications of wrongdoing in the case involving the Spanish banks, but noted that the main case against Bandenia is ongoing.

That case accuses key companies in the Bandenia structure, as well as Artiles Ceballos and a number of his associates, of moving money for 253 clients, most of them criminals.

In an indictment for the case, a Spanish investigating judge called the Bandenia operation a perfect structure for money laundering that was “industrial” in scale. Among other scams, Bandenia is accused of using tools like fake lines of credit to offer criminal clients pretexts to move money internationally.

[blockchainx]

The Future of ERC-20 Tokens in Blockchain Technology and Beyond

ERC-20 tokens are the foundation of Ethereum blockchain having led to various digital assets that can easily be traded, copied or worked into dApps. However as the blockchain ecosystem progresses and transforms so shall its ERC-20 tokens. The article aims at looking into what lies ahead for these ERCs including how they would define the future of technological enhancements based on blockchains among others.

A Brief Overview of ERC-20 Tokens

A better comprehension of the concept of what ERC-20 tokens entail is paramount before delving into their future. Tokens are created on the Ethereum blockchain using a technical standard called ERC-20. All Ethereum based tokens must comply with the regulations stated in this standard which allows for their mutual interactive use as well as compatibility with decentralized applications (dApps), wallets and exchanges..

The advent of initial coin offerings (ICOs), decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), was largely due to the flexibility and widespread adoption of ERC-20 tokens.

The Role of ERC-20 Tokens in Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

The ERC-20 standard is characterized by an important change observed in decentralized finance. These platforms make use of ERC-20 tokens to give loans, borrow, trade and provide other financial services without mediators. Therefore, it is expected that the relevance of ERC-20 tokens will continue to be significant even as DeFi advances.

Ethereum is getting better at managing more data in a safe way by allowing the creation of new versions like Ethereum 2.0 and Layer 2 solutions which will also help ERC-20 tokens to be used more easily in decentralized finance (DeFi). This will further lead to diverse advancements and commodity creation through the increased emergence of ERC20 Token Development Companies hence contributing to more smooth and available DeFi systems.

The Interoperability of ERC-20 Tokens

Another thrilling trend we see is that ERC-20 tokens will now be interoperable on different blockchains. Wrapped Tokens and Cross-Chain Bridges are enabling the use of these tokens outside of the Ethereum Ecosystem. This movement towards this kind of interconnectedness among blockchains makes it possible for items to traverse from one platform to another as they wish.

Advancements in Token Standards: Beyond ERC-20

Even though ERC-20 changed the game, it is not the only token standard in existence. The Ethereum community keeps on coming up with fresh standards that provide new functionalities or enhancements to existing ones out of ERC-20. For instance, ERC-721 and ERC-1155 were tailored to work with Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) which resulted in more complicated and distinct digital possessions.

ERC-20 is still very relevant among these new standards. For a multitude of blockchain projects, its simplicity, security and universal acceptance make it the most preferred option. However with the advent of new standards it will be interesting to see how the Guide to ERC20 Token Development adopts and incorporates other features in order to remain competitive.

Regulatory Compliance and Security

The demand for ERC-20 tokens is on the rise and with this comes a need for more regulations and security. Regulatory bodies from different nations have now started coming up with laws relating to blockchain assets which includes the ERC-20 tokens.

Regulations are likely to become more stringent in future thereby making it necessary for firms that have developed ERC-20 tokens to comply with Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) policies. In addition, smart contract audits and security mechanisms will be vital tools against hacks and exploitation, two important issues in the world of blockchain.

The Future of ERC-20 Token Use Cases

ERC-20 tokens have been recently utilized for several diverse purposes such as fundraising efforts, governing decision-making processes and even rewards systems. Future scenarios for ERC-20 tokens are predicted to offer more diversified use cases. Here are some examples:

Supply Chain Management: The application of ERC-20 tokens to transparently authenticate and track goods’ movement within a supply chain without any fears about tampering.

Real Estate: The creation of fractional ownership through ERC-20 tokenization of real estate assets which would ease trading.

Gaming: Expanded utilization of ERC-20 tokens in blockchain-based games as in-game assets, currencies and prizes.

Conclusion

The future of ERC-20 tokens will mirror that of blockchain technology as it advances. The implications on the ecosystem include innovations, enhanced speed and larger regulatory attention making sure ERC20 tokens have a secured place in the cryptocurrency domain. Their growth path however will most probably involve converging with other token classes and modifications to flexibly respond to market dynamics. Every investor, developer or business person must understand the ERC20 Token Standard Guide so as to follow closely how blockchain technology keeps changing.

[tagx01]

Banking & Finance Dataset Services for Data-Driven Decisions

In today's fast-paced digital economy, data has become the cornerstone of decision-making in every industry, especially in banking and finance. The ability to access, analyze, and leverage vast amounts of data is essential for institutions aiming to stay competitive, comply with regulations, and innovate in their services. This is where Banking & Finance Dataset Services come into play, providing a robust foundation for transforming raw data into actionable insights.

What Are Banking & Finance Dataset Services?

Banking & Finance Dataset Services encompass the collection, processing, and delivery of financial data tailored to the specific needs of financial institutions, fintech companies, and related sectors. These services provide access to a wide range of datasets, including transaction histories, market trends, customer profiles, risk assessments, and more. The data can be sourced from various channels such as transactional data, market data feeds, financial statements, and regulatory filings.

Key Features and Benefits

Comprehensive Data Coverage

Banking & Finance Dataset Services offer comprehensive data coverage across various financial sectors, including retail banking, investment banking, insurance, and asset management. This breadth of data enables institutions to gain a holistic view of the market and their operations.

Real-Time and Historical Data

Access to both real-time and historical data allows financial institutions to perform time-sensitive analyses, such as tracking market trends, monitoring asset performance, or conducting fraud detection. Historical data, on the other hand, is invaluable for backtesting models, analyzing long-term trends, and regulatory reporting.

Data Accuracy and Reliability

Data accuracy is crucial in the financial sector, where even minor errors can lead to significant losses. Banking & Finance Dataset Services ensure that data is meticulously sourced, verified, and updated to provide institutions with the most reliable information for decision-making.

Regulatory Compliance

The financial industry is heavily regulated, and compliance with these regulations is non-negotiable. Dataset services help institutions stay compliant by providing data that meets regulatory standards, such as KYC (Know Your Customer), AML (Anti-Money Laundering), and other reporting requirements.

Enhanced Risk Management

Risk management is at the heart of banking and finance. By leveraging high-quality datasets, institutions can better assess and mitigate risks, whether they are related to credit, market, operational, or liquidity risks. This leads to more informed decision-making and better overall financial stability.

Customization and Integration

Dataset services can be tailored to meet the specific needs of an institution. Whether it’s integrating with existing financial models, CRM systems, or other data analytics tools, these services offer the flexibility needed to seamlessly incorporate data into various workflows.

Use Cases of Banking & Finance Dataset Services

Credit Scoring and Lending

Accurate and comprehensive datasets allow banks to refine their credit scoring models, ensuring that loans are issued to creditworthy customers while minimizing the risk of default.

Investment Analysis

Access to real-time and historical market data enables investment firms to make informed decisions about asset allocation, portfolio management, and trading strategies.

Fraud Detection

By analyzing transaction data, financial institutions can identify patterns and anomalies indicative of fraudulent activity, enabling them to take swift action.

Regulatory Reporting

Financial institutions can streamline their reporting processes by accessing pre-validated datasets that meet regulatory requirements, reducing the burden of manual data collection and processing.

The Future of Banking & Finance Dataset Services

As the financial sector continues to evolve, the demand for high-quality data services will only grow. Innovations in AI, machine learning, and big data analytics will further enhance the capabilities of dataset services, allowing for even more sophisticated analyses and predictions. In addition, the increasing focus on sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) factors will drive the need for datasets that incorporate these dimensions.

Conclusion

TagX Banking & Finance Dataset Services are indispensable in today’s data-driven financial environment. They provide the critical insights needed to navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and maintain a competitive edge. As financial markets continue to evolve, leveraging TagX services will be key to driving innovation, ensuring compliance, and fostering long-term success in the industry.

Visit Us, https://www.tagxdata.com/ 

[adrl-pt]

BBC and Insider Investigations: Fake Media and Disinformation Campaigns by Russian Intelligence in the West

You are watching news from the weekly rally at the Russian Embassy in Lisbon. Today is July 6, 2:30 PM.

On July 3, journalists from the fact-checking groups “BBC Verify” and “BBC News” revealed who creates fake news for Americans. Thousands of news articles are generated using artificial intelligence and posted on numerous sites with very "American" names. Most of these articles are based on real news and are signed with the names of non-existent journalists. This creates the illusion that these sites are sources of reliable news, but hidden among the content are fabricated stories. Fake documents and doctored YouTube videos featuring people posing as “whistleblowers” or “independent journalists” are used to bolster these bogus stories.

A frequent target of these attacks is Olena Zelenska, the wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is falsely portrayed as either buying a Bugatti sports car with American military aid money or making racist remarks toward employees of a jewelry store in New York.

Clint Watts, head of Microsoft's Digital Threat Intelligence Center, explains that it is now much more common to encounter "information laundering" - the repeated reprinting of fake news in regular news stories to obscure their original source. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c72ver6172do

On July 4, The Insider detailed how the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service organizes disinformation campaigns in the West. From a report found in the hacked correspondence of SVR employees responsible for the “information war” with the West, presented in 2022 at the Federation Council, journalists learned that TV channels RT, Sputnik, and loyal Telegram channels do not meet expectations.

The strategy was also revealed: “Posting in foreign segments of the Internet… materials supposedly on behalf of public pro-Kyiv organizations containing new demands… of a political, economic, social nature. Due to the frequency, intrusiveness, aggressive form, and incorrect presentation, one should expect negative reactions from the target audience."

The Insider journalists also found the “Ice Pick” project in the correspondence, aimed at discrediting a banker who sponsored the Anti-Corruption Foundation and moved to the United States. https://theins.ru/politika/272852

Anti-Semitic graffiti that appeared later in Paris, fake quotes from Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, Ronaldo demanding an end to aid to Ukraine, and a deepfake with a fake voice of Tom Cruise warning of terrorist attacks at the Olympics all align with this strategy. https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/12/27/fact-check-did-celebrities-like-taylor-swift-and-cristiano-ronaldo-criticise-ukraine

Pro-Kremlin resources often appeal to freedom of speech when they face resistance. It is important to remember that Russian authorities have nearly destroyed independent journalism in their country. Since March 2023, they have detained The Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, accusing him of spying for the CIA. Last week, the Yekaterinburg court began considering his case, which could result in up to 20 years in prison. Evan's colleagues shave their heads in solidarity with him. #IStandWithEvan https://x.com/holodmedia/status/1808777869331488948

Proofs and links are in the description. Subscribe and help!

[kezexofficial]

Crypto Tokens: Their Use-Cases Explained

In today's digital age, cryptocurrencies have transformed the financial landscape, providing creative solutions while challenging old structures. Among the numerous types of digital assets, crypto tokens have emerged as adaptable tools with a wide range of applications. Crypto tokens shape the future of finance and technology by simplifying transactions and powering decentralized apps (DApps). In this post, we'll look at the numerous applications of crypto tokens, including their capabilities and possible impact on different industries.

Introduction

Crypto tokens are digital assets or utilities that exist on a blockchain network, usually based on existing platforms like Ethereum or Binance Smart Chain. Tokens, as opposed to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Litecoin, which serve primarily as a medium of exchange or a store of value, have broader functionality and can represent anything from assets to rights or privileges inside a certain ecosystem.

Utility Tokens: Powering Decentralized Applications (DApps)

Fueling Transactions: One key use for utility tokens is facilitating transactions within decentralized systems. These tokens act as the native money of DApps, allowing users to pay for services, access features, and participate in governance processes.

Accessing Features and Services: Utility token holders frequently gain access to premium features or services on decentralized sites. For example, in a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol, holding the native token may grant access to sophisticated trading tools, yield farming opportunities, or liquidity provision rewards.

Governance and Decision-Making: Many decentralized projects use utility tokens for governance, allowing token holders to vote on crucial issues including protocol upgrades, parameter tweaks, and resource allocation. Staking or voting with their new crypto tokens allows users to affect the ecosystem's future direction actively. 

Security Tokens: Digitizing Real-World Assets

Tokenizing Assets: Security tokens reflect ownership or investment in tangible assets such as real estate, stock, or commodities. Security tokens, which digitize these assets on a blockchain, provide better liquidity, fractional ownership, and transparency than traditional securities.

Compliance and Regulation: Security tokens are subject to regulatory standards that ensure they comply with securities laws and provide investor protection. Issuers must follow legal frameworks such as Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) requirements to ensure a secure and compliant environment for investors.

Unlocking Liquidity: Tokenization can transform illiquid assets like real estate or private equity into tradable tokens, creating new prospects for liquidity and investment. Secondary market systems allow investors to purchase, sell, and trade security tokens, improving market efficiency and accessibility. 

Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs): Digital Collectibles and Unique Assets

Digital Collectibles: NFTs are becoming increasingly popular as digital collectibles, representing unique artworks, game products, and virtual real estate. Each NFT is indivisible and irreplaceable, offering blockchain-verified proof of ownership and validity.

Tokenizing Intellectual Property: NFTs go beyond art and entertainment, providing a new way to tokenize intellectual property rights like patents, trademarks, and copyrights. Smart contracts enable content creators to tokenize their work, establish ownership rights, and get royalties, empowering them and encouraging creativity.

Experiential Ownership: NFTs transform ownership in the digital domain, allowing users to experience ownership beyond mere possession. Whether it's owning a virtual plot of land in a metaverse or collecting rare digital items in a game, NFTs provide rich and individualized ownership experiences. 

Conclusion

Crypto tokens represent a paradigm shift in our perception and interaction with digital assets. New Crypto tokens' adaptability and ingenuity are altering sectors worldwide, from utility tokens that fuel decentralized applications to security tokens that digitize real-world assets and NFTs that revolutionize ownership and collections. As blockchain technology advances and matures, the potential applications of crypto tokens expand, providing new prospects for financial inclusion, decentralized governance, and creative expression.

Finally, understanding the various applications of crypto tokens is critical for navigating the quickly changing landscape of blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Whether you're an investor looking for chances, a developer building decentralized applications, or a collector of digital collectibles, crypto tokens open you to a universe of possibilities only limited by your imagination.

[kainat1234567]

Avail the best earning services of Cryptocurrency

Leading the way in the creation of Cryptocurrency development Tokens, Digiature Technology Pvt. Ltd. specializes in creating digital assets that work flawlessly on well-known blockchain platforms. They may carefully define the roles and objectives of tokens, create smart contracts to carry out these tasks, place these digital assets on blockchain networks, and help them integrate seamlessly into a variety of ecosystems. When it comes to addressing a range of use cases that include security, usefulness, and the quickly growing space of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), digitization provides a beacon of hope for companies looking to optimize tokens. Their brilliant ideas clear the way for a simplified and incredibly effective cryptocurrency establishment procedure. Through the implementation of carefully thought-out tactics, companies may make their dream of producing personalized coins a reality, generating new revenue streams and accomplishing their goals in the constantly changing field of blockchain technology. Previously thought of as a cutting-edge technology, cryptocurrency has developed and gained popularity over the previous ten years. The history of cryptocurrencies has been characterized by innovation, difficulties, and paradigm shifts, from the early days of Bitcoin to the formation of a broad ecosystem of digital assets. Bitcoin was the first digital currency to lay the groundwork for decentralized currencies. Bitcoin's blockchain technology allowed for peer-to-peer transactions without the use of middlemen when it was first introduced in 2008 by an unidentified person going by the name Satoshi Nakamoto. It challenged the established financial infrastructure with its decentralized structure, which was based on a distributed ledger system and provided security and transparency. Bitcoin's fame sparke­d lots of altcoins—new types of cryptocurrencie­s—with their unique traits and uses. One­ standout is Ethereum, born in 2015 thanks to Vitalik Buterin. It’s diffe­rent because it has this thing calle­d a smart contract. This allows creators to make dece­ntralized apps (DApps) and even bring ne­w coins into existence on its blockchain.

Cryptocurre­ncies face a rocky road. Big setbacks are­ scaling issues, problems with security, and re­gulatory unknowns. High-profile hacks and thefts shine a spotlight on the­ need for tight security. This has pushe­d advancements in fields like­ cybersecurity and encryption.

Governments are taking a closer look at token development companies to address worries about money laundering, people not paying taxes, and protecting investors. Some countries have welcomed cryptocurrencies, but others have put restrictions or outright bans on them. This makes things complicated and impacts the growth and innovation of the industry.

Cryptocurrencies are still working on being able to handle more users. Bitcoin can only process so many transactions at a time leading to debates over stuff like block size and new solutions like the Lightning Network that take some transactions off-chain similarly, too much activity on Ethereum has caused congestion and high gas fees. So they're trying to switch to a more efficient infrastructure with Ethereum 2. 0.

But even with these challenges, cryptocurrencies keep evolving and expanding. Decentralized finance (DeFi) has opened up new opportunities in lending, borrowing, and trading that compete with traditional financial companies. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are a new use of blockchain technology that lets people tokenize and own digital assets like art, collectibles, and even virtual real estate.

Looking forward, token development company is likely to speed up even more. This will be powered by innovations clearer regulations, and more mainstream adoption. As blockchain technology improves, cryptocurrencies could end up playing a big role in changing finance globally.

In conclusion, the history of Bitcoin development serves as an example of the disruptive and innovative power of innovation. The way we exchange, invest, and deal with money has changed dramatically as a result of cryptocurrencies, from their modest beginnings with Bitcoin to the birth of a thriving and diversified ecosystem of digital assets.

[dwa340]

Hello everyone!

For this week’s reflection, I was interested in synthesizing Moravcsik and Gordon’s articles. I will attempt to do so within the case study of India, specifically regarding the state’s weaponization of the language of terrorism to create laws that facilitate the prosecution and threatening of human rights NGOs. According to Amnesty International and other established human rights NGOs, the Indian government has recently used laws including “the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)” to curb civil society and local and international human rights work under the guise of protecting the country from organizations that could be used for terrorist purposes. Under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act alone, the Indian government has canceled the licenses of over 20,600 non-profit organizations in the last 10 years, specifically targeting human rights NGOs.

India’s actions struck me as very similar to Israel’s development of NGO Monitor and other laws meant to intimidate and curb the influence of human rights NGOs in the name of state security as discussed in Gordon’s article. Gordon argues that Israel weaponized the term “lawfare” to attack NGO presence in the country that might threaten the government’s anti-human rights actions. I see a similar situation in India. Weaponizing the emotionally charged word “terrorism,” the government establishes a false narrative of immediate and necessary action against possibly nefarious NGOs. In doing so, the government can thwart and silence their opposition. 

While many of the laws utilized by the Indian government to attack human rights NGOs existed long before these attacks began, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which came into power in 2014, amended these laws to facilitate greater attacks on NGOs and human rights groups. Since the BJP’s ascent to power, India has been in a democratic backslide. This brings me to the Moravcsik article. He argues that states with established democracies or authoritarian governments are the least likely to approve of binding human rights regimes. India, as a democratic state since the 1950s that is now following a path to authoritarianism, fits into this definition. This case study thus fits Moravcsik’s hypothesis that states act in self-interest and that states that do not desire recognition by the global consensus or those with established democracies do not support global human rights interventions.

An established democratic state that is weaponizing language and law to attack human rights NGOs, India is an excellent example of Gordon and Moravcsik’s arguments about state receptivity to human rights interventions within the context of their domestic situations.

- Molly

[brandsmiths]

How to Navigate Legal Challenges in the Crypto Currency Industry?

The emergence of cryptocurrencies has revolutionised the financial landscape, offering transparency, decentralisation, and potential for substantial growth. However, alongside the remarkable advancements, the crypto industry has encountered a myriad of legal challenges. As the industry continues to expand, understanding and addressing these challenges is pivotal for its sustainable development.

Crypto Currency Law: Complexities and Evolving Regulations

The regulatory landscape surrounding cryptocurrencies remains highly intricate and constantly evolving. The decentralised nature of cryptocurrencies often conflicts with existing financial regulations, leading to ambiguity and legal uncertainties. Governments worldwide are grappling with how to categorise and regulate these digital assets.

AML/KYC Compliance:

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations pose significant compliance challenges in the crypto space. Ensuring the identification and verification of users while maintaining the decentralised nature of cryptocurrencies presents a substantial hurdle. Establishing robust AML/KYC procedures is crucial for regulatory compliance and to prevent illicit activities.

Security and Fraud Concerns:

Crypto markets are susceptible to security breaches, hacking, and fraudulent activities. Cases of exchange hacks and fraudulent initial coin offerings (ICOs) have raised concerns regarding investor protection and security protocols. Implementing stringent security measures, smart contract audits, and transparent governance structures are essential to mitigate these risks and uphold investor trust.

Jurisdictional Challenges:

The global nature of cryptocurrencies complicates matters regarding jurisdictional issues. Determining which laws and regulations apply to cross-border transactions, ICOs, and crypto exchanges often leads to conflicts and legal ambiguities. Harmonising international regulations or developing clear guidelines for cross-border transactions remains a pressing challenge.

Taxation and Accounting:

The taxation of cryptocurrencies presents a complex scenario for both individuals and businesses. The lack of standardised accounting practices and clear taxation guidelines leads to confusion and compliance issues. Establishing comprehensive taxation frameworks specific to cryptocurrencies is imperative to ensure fair and transparent financial reporting.

Legal Disputes and Litigation:

With the rise in popularity of cryptocurrencies, legal disputes and litigation have also surged. Cases involving fraud, contract disputes, regulatory non-compliance, and intellectual property rights infringements have become more frequent. Resolving these disputes requires a deep understanding of crypto-specific laws and the dynamic nature of digital assets.

Solutions and Strategies for Mitigating Legal Challenges:

1.       Collaborative Regulatory Frameworks: Industry stakeholders, including governments, regulatory bodies, and industry participants, should collaborate to establish clear and cohesive regulatory frameworks conducive to innovation while ensuring consumer protection.

2.       Enhanced Security Measures: Implementing robust security protocols, regular audits, and adopting best practices for smart contract development can significantly reduce security vulnerabilities and fraudulent activities.

3.       Compliance and Due Diligence: Companies operating in the crypto space must prioritise AML/KYC compliance and due diligence processes. Investing in comprehensive compliance measures helps build trust with regulators and users.

4.       Education and Awareness: Educating stakeholders about the legal complexities of cryptocurrencies is crucial. Increased awareness among investors, developers, and businesses can help prevent legal pitfalls and foster a more compliant ecosystem.

5.       Legal Expertise and Guidance: Engaging legal experts well-versed in crypto laws and regulations is indispensable. Law firms specialising in crypto litigation can offer tailored solutions and guidance to navigate legal challenges effectively.

Conclusion:

The crypto currency industry's evolution is intertwined with its ability to address and overcome legal hurdles effectively. Embracing regulatory compliance, enhancing security measures, fostering collaboration, and seeking specialised legal counsel are vital steps toward a more robust and legally sound crypto ecosystem.

The industry can foster trust, innovation, and sustainable growth in the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrencies. Brandsmiths, as a forward-thinking litigation agency, recognises the complexities within the crypto industry and stands ready to provide expert legal counsel and solutions for navigating the intricate landscape of crypto currency law and crypto litigation.

[icodesk]

US Government Issues Stringent Warning to Crypto Companies | ICODesk

The landscape of the cryptocurrency market is undergoing a seismic shift as the United States government takes decisive steps to tighten regulations and enforce compliance. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo recently issued a stern warning, setting the tone for intensified scrutiny of crypto companies. The message is clear: comply with regulations or risk exclusion from the broader US economy 

Binance’s Ex-CEO Pleads Guilty

The gravity of the government’s position became apparent with the recent guilty plea of Binance’s former CEO, Changpeng Zhao. The plea, part of a monumental $4.3 billion settlement, underscores allegations of breaking US anti-money laundering laws. Zhao’s resignation from the helm of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange sends ripples through the industry, highlighting the US government’s commitment to holding crypto companies accountable for their actions.

Regulatory Landscape

The US government’s actions are not isolated incidents but rather part of a broader effort to regulate the rapidly growing cryptocurrency market. The Biden administration is taking proactive measures, proposing new legislation to Congress that empowers the Treasury to oversee crypto marketplaces, particularly those used by entities deemed illicit. This legislative push signals a pivotal moment in the government’s quest for greater control over the crypto sector.

Crackdown on Crypto Firms

The crackdown on cryptocurrency firms is a response to the surging global popularity of cryptocurrencies. As the market draws a diverse mix of investors, enthusiasts, and entities seeking alternatives to traditional financial systems, regulators are compelled to tighten their grip. The aim is not only to enforce existing laws but also to stay ahead of potential illicit financial activities facilitated by the anonymity and decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies.

Adeyemo’s Clarification on Innovation

While the regulatory approach may seem stringent, Deputy Treasury Secretary Adeyemo offered a crucial clarification. In a statement, he emphasized that the government is not aiming to stifle innovation but rather to ensure that technological progress occurs within a framework that protects national security, the financial system, and the American people. This nuanced approach highlights the government’s commitment to fostering innovation while maintaining a secure financial environment.

The Binance Case as a Turning Point

The guilty plea from Binance’s ex-CEO serves as a turning point in the government’s strategy. The allegations of failure to report over 100,000 suspicious transactions, allegedly linked to terrorist organizations such as Hamas, al Qaeda, and ISIS, underscore the critical need for accountability within the cryptocurrency sector. The Binance case sets a precedent, signaling that even industry giants are not immune to regulatory scrutiny.

As the US government intensifies its scrutiny of cryptocurrency firms, the industry faces a transformative period. The regulatory landscape is evolving rapidly, with the government asserting its authority to ensure compliance and accountability. The Binance case serves as a stark reminder that adherence to anti-money laundering laws and reporting regulations is non-negotiable. The cryptocurrency market, once known for its decentralized and unregulated nature, is now navigating a new era where regulatory compliance is paramount for survival.

For More Crypto Updates