SolStream, an innovative decentralized super app operating on the Solana blockchain, has achieved a significant milestone with the successful launch of its Beta version across multiple major cryptocurrency exchanges. This development underscores the projects ambition to establish itself as the foremost Web3 streaming discovery protocol.

SolStream transcends conventional streaming platforms by offering a comprehensive super app tailored explicitly for the Web3 environment. This unique approach empowers both creators and viewers to harness the potential of blockchain technology, promising a more rewarding and transparent streaming experience.

Utilizing the Solana blockchain infrastructure, SolStream ensures rapid transaction speeds and minimal fees, enhancing user experience while mitigating excessive gas costs. The platform caters specifically to Web3 creators, spanning various domains such as gaming, video production, and key opinion leaders (KOLs), providing them with essential tools and resources for success in the decentralized realm.

SolStream embraces the popular play-to-earn model, enabling users to engage with content while potentially earning rewards through its native token, STREAM. This incentivized approach fosters active participation and cultivates a vibrant community within the platform.

SolStream envisions itself as a central hub for Web3 streaming, prioritizing openness and interoperability over a closed ecosystem. The platform facilitates seamless integration with other Web3 applications and services, fostering a connected ecosystem conducive to innovation and growth.

SolStream has forged strategic partnerships with key players in the Web3 space to enhance its offerings:

Filecoin: Ensures secure and decentralized storage of streamed content. Livepeer: Provides cutting-edge streaming infrastructure for high-quality, low-latency video experiences.

SolStreams commitment to innovation is underscored by its impressive track record, including victories in hackathons sponsored by industry leaders such as Filecoin, Aave, and Polygon. These accolades validate SolStreams potential and underscore its promise for the future of Web3 streaming.

Looking ahead, SolStream has ambitious plans to further its impact and reach within the Web3 ecosystem:

DApp and Whitepaper: Interested users can explore the SolStream DApp and delve into the projects comprehensive whitepaper for detailed insights. Community Building: SolStream actively engages with users on platforms like Telegram to foster discussions, gather feedback, and cultivate a loyal community. SDK Development: SolStream aims to develop a robust software development kit (SDK) to empower developers in integrating SolStream functionalities into their own Web3 applications, fostering innovation and expanding SolStreams influence.

SolStream emerges as a beacon of hope in the realm of Web3 streaming, offering a solution founded on decentralization, transparency, and community empowerment. With its innovative approach, strategic partnerships, and unwavering focus on user-centric development, SolStream is poised to redefine the landscape of content creation and consumption in the Web3 era.

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Solana Blockchain Based SolStream: Pioneering Web3 Streaming with Decentralized Super App - CoinTrust

By Enouch Dormue, Journalists Network On Disability Reporting |

In the aftermath of the recent appointment of Mr. Samuel S. Dean, Sr as the new Executive Director of the National Commission on Disabilities by Joseph Nyuma Boakai, the People with Disabilities (PwDs) community in Bong County wants the commission to critically consider the decentralization of its activities as a major priority under the new dispensation. The PwD community believes that decentralization would ensure better representation and support for people with disabilities across various regions of the country.

The National Commission on Disability (NCD, established to address issues related to disability rights and welfare, currently operates from the capital city, Monrovia. However, individuals with disabilities residing in remote areas often face significant challenges in accessing the services and resources provided by the commission.

According to the PwD community in Bong, the centralized structure of the NCD contributes to disparities in assistance and advocacy efforts. Many individuals with disabilities living outside Monrovia struggle to have their voices heard and their needs addressed effectively.

We need the government to understand that disability rights are not just an urban issue; they affect every corner of our nation. Decentralizing the National Commission on Disability would ensure that our concerns are not overlooked and that support reaches those who need it most, remarked Mr. Lawrence Tokpa, a visually impaired resident of Gbarnga.

Mr. Tokpa further thinks the decentralization of the NCD activities would involve establishing regional offices or branches in various parts of Liberia where these offices would serve as hubs for providing assistance, advocacy, and information tailored to the specific needs of the local PwD communities.

The PwD community in Bong further emphasized decentralization would promote inclusivity and empower individuals with disabilities particularly outside Monrovia to actively participate in decision-making processes at the grassroots level and could facilitate more efficient resource allocation and service delivery, addressing the unique challenges faced by different PwD communities in each county of Liberia.

Despite the call for the National Commission on Disabilities to decentralize its impact and reach, the institution itself has been grabbing with some challenges including limited budgetary allocation by the national government and staffing capacity to carry out its mandate effectively, logistical constraints to enhance monitoring and supervision, lack of accurate data on actual number PwDs nationwide to inform proper planning and limited outreach that has prevented the NCD to reach all segments of the disabled population, including those in rural and remote areas.

As part of the commissions mandate consistent with the Act establishing the National Commission on Disabilities (NCD) by the 51st National Legislature of the Republic of Liberia in November 2005, NCD was established to have jurisdiction over matters involving and appertaining to the welfare and wellbeing of PWDs including but not limited to carrying out empowerment through Capacity Building, Small Business, Livelihood Skills, Medical, Educational Support through School aids, result driven Programs and Projects, Advocacy, Monitoring and Supervising the effective delivery of social services within the territorial confines of Liberia.

The NCD currently works with Seventy-Eight (78) Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPWDs) and subsidize them through Budgetary Support. As discussions on the future of the National Commission on Disability continue, the voices of people with disabilities and their allies grow louder, demanding meaningful reforms that prioritize accessibility, representation, and empowerment for all.

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PwD Community in Bong Calls for Decentralization of National Commission on Disabilities - Global News Network ... - Global News Network

An evaluation report released today by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) charts progress towards decentralizing services for patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal's King Cetshwayo District (KCD), in line with the country's 2011 DR-TB decentralization policy.

The report finds that the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health (KZNDoH) has established some level of DR-TB services in six district hospitals, three district clinics, and one district community health centre but that progress towards the full implementation of the DR-TB decentralization policy is slow.

For example, the report highlights an absence of services for children with DR-TB and patients with extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) and pre-XDR TB. MSF, which supported the decentralization of DR-TB services in KCD from 2015 2023, calls for the decentralization of these services as a priority.

"The Department of Health has made enormous strides in implementing the decentralization policy, yet the most vulnerable DR-TB patients in the district are still having to travel several hours to the province's central TB hospital in Durban to get treatment and care, at a cost that is often catastrophic,"said Dr. Liesbet Ohler, the long-standing medical coordinator of MSF's HIV/TB project in KCD, which closed in 2023.

According to the report, issues preventing or slowing the decentralization of DR-TB services in KCD include

MSF provided considerable support, including structures, equipment, and staff, for implementing the decentralisation policy in KCD.

"In order to fully decentralize DR-TB services in the District, this support will need to be replaced, perhaps with strategic partnerships with non-governmental actors,"said Ohler. He added that MSF's intention in producing the evaluation report"is not to criticize or apportion blame, but to highlight where the work of decentralization is incomplete so that it can be taken up with renewed energy."

South Africa's DR-TB decentralization policy was largely based on a successful decentralization model of care piloted by MSF and the Western Cape Department of Health in Khayelitsha between 2007 and 2011. Although the MSF project in KCD has closed, MSF is currently applying many of the lessons it learned in the district in terms of making treatment and care easier for patients to access in a newly opened non-communicable diseases project in the Eastern Cape.

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South Africa: MSF Calls for Decentralisation of Life-Saving DR-TB Services in Rural Setting - AllAfrica - Top Africa News

March 22, 2024 by Diana Ambolis

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Solana, introduced in 2020, has swiftly risen as a high-performance blockchain platform, revolutionizing the industry with its innovative features. At the core of Solanas architecture is the groundbreaking Proof of History (PoH) mechanism, a decentralized clock that timestamps transactions before they enter the blockchain. This unique approach to transaction ordering significantly reduces confirmation times, enabling

Solana, introduced in 2020, has swiftly risen as a high-performance blockchain platform, revolutionizing the industry with its innovative features. At the core of Solanas architecture is the groundbreaking Proof of History (PoH) mechanism, a decentralized clock that timestamps transactions before they enter the blockchain. This unique approach to transaction ordering significantly reduces confirmation times, enabling Solana to achieve thousands of transactions per second with sub-second finality.

The synergy of PoH with Solanas Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism contributes to the platforms efficiency while maintaining decentralization. The native utility token, SOL, fuels the Solana ecosystem, serving various functions, including staking, governance participation, and facilitating transactions.

Solanas emphasis on scalability and low transaction costs has attracted a vibrant ecosystem of decentralized applications (DApps) and projects. Notably, decentralized finance (DeFi) projects like Serum and Raydium leverage Solanas high throughput to offer efficient decentralized exchanges and automated market makers. The platforms developer-friendly environment supports smart contracts using the Rust programming language, enabling the creation of complex and scalable applications.

PoHs role in Solana is pivotal, as it provides a tamper-resistant historical record of transactions, offering benefits such as low-latency confirmation, enhanced scalability, and efficient consensus mechanisms. The platform actively explores interoperability, with initiatives like the Wormhole bridge connecting Solana with other blockchains.

Despite facing challenges, including network interruptions and concerns about centralization, Solanas commitment to ongoing development and upgrades, supported by the Solana Foundation, showcases its resilience and determination to address emerging issues. As Solana continues to evolve, its impact on decentralized and high-performance blockchain solutions remains significant, making it a key player in the dynamic landscape of blockchain technology.

Also, read- Whales Market Announces the Launch of Its Revolutionary Dapp and Token on the Solana network

The importance of Solana in the blockchain ecosystem is underscored by its notable contributions to addressing key challenges faced by earlier blockchain networks, offering a range of features that make it a significant player in the industry.

Understanding Validators in Solana:

Validators play a crucial role in the Solana blockchain network, contributing to the security, consensus, and overall functionality of the decentralized system. Heres a breakdown of the key aspects of validators in Solana:

In conclusion, Solanas validators are integral components that underpin the security, consensus, and functionality of the blockchain network. Operating within the Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, validators play a vital role in proposing and validating blocks, maintaining the decentralized nature of the network. The importance of decentralization is paramount in Solana, with a diverse set of validators contributing to the resilience and trustworthiness of the overall system.

Validators, driven by the incentive structure and the staking of SOL tokens, are incentivized to act honestly, ensuring the integrity of transactions and adherence to protocol rules. The dynamic nature of Solanas validator set allows for adaptability, as new validators can join, and existing ones can leave, fostering an environment that encourages innovation and participation.

Community engagement is a key aspect of Solanas validator ecosystem, promoting transparency, collaboration, and inclusivity. Validators often interact with the community, providing insights into their operations and seeking input, contributing to a more decentralized and community-driven governance model.

The diversity of validators, including those operated by different entities and community members, enhances the networks robustness. This diversity, combined with ongoing network upgrades facilitated by validator participation in governance decisions, ensures that Solana remains adaptive to evolving requirements and challenges.

Overall, its validators are not only technical participants but also active contributors to the governance and growth of the network. As it continues to evolve and play a significant role in the blockchain space, the collaborative efforts of validators and the community underscore the importance of their role in maintaining the integrity and innovation of the ecosystem.

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Understanding Solana Validators And Top 10 Important Things To Know About Them - Blockchain Magazine

For years, Ethereum developers have been hard at work on one of the network's gravest security risks: thousands of validators operate the second most valuable blockchain, but just a few of them have almost all of the power.

Every 12 seconds, a new block of transactions is added to Ethereum. Those blocks are added by validators, which could be companies, individuals or collectives that lock up, or "stake," at least 32 ETH (currently aboout $70,000 worth) in exchange for a steady yield.

Lido, the collective that is the biggest validator on Ethereum, controls 32% of all staked ETH. If this share grows by just a couple of percentage points creeping past the 33% threshold required to block a 67% supermajority of validators network outages or deliberate malfeasance at Lido could have massive ramifications for Ethereum as a whole.

This vulnerability stems from the "centralized" nature of most validators; virtually all validators are just individual computers (or servers) loaded with one of a few popular node-running softwares. If there are bugs in the software or if a computer falls offline or if the person operating a big validator decides to act dishonestly then the entire network might suffer.

Distributed validator technology, or DVT, aims to put these risks into the past. Projects that use the tech like Obol, SSV and Diva help validators spread their operations between several parties, ostensibly as a way to make validators more resilient and less subject to single points of failure.

DVT solutions have been talked about for a while, but even as some long-awaited DVT platforms are finally going live, their overall adoption remains low. By Obol's estimate, less than a single percentage point's worth of staked ETH is controlled by DVT-based validators.

In 2024, that could all change. Leaders in the DVT space are finally putting the finishing touches on their platforms, and Lido could soon transition some of its operations into the hands of distributed infrastructure.

This article is featured in the latest issue of The Protocol, our weekly newsletter exploring the tech behind crypto, one block at a time. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Wednesday. Also please check out our weekly The Protocol podcast.

The big selling point of blockchain networks is that they are "decentralized." Ethereum's validator system which spreads power between parties according to how much ETH they stake is the main way it remains resilient to outages and stays "credibly neutral," meaning it's theoretically immune to the whims of companies or governments.

But just a few validators, including those run by Lido, have gradually amassed a lion's share of the power over the network.

Lido's market presence grants it a huge amount of sway over how transactions are added to the chain because validators ultimately choose which transactions are written to Ethereum and in what order.

Even more troublingly, should Lido or any other validator ever amass 33% of all staked ETH, it will have the ability to meddle with how the chain reaches consensus. If Lido goes offline or decides to attack the network once it passes this critical threshold, it could, in theory, put the brakes on all network activity.

The prospect of network attacks and unfair distribution of power have always loomed larger over Ethereum. The ecosystem has historically prided itself on operating with a relatively high degree of decentralization, and it shifted from a Bitcoin-esque mining system to its present-day staking regime in part to help further democratize control over the network.

But as certain stakers and Lido, in particular have amassed more and more control over the Etheruem network, DVT has been looked to as a possible saving grace.

"It all goes back to the ethos of Ethereum," said Alon Muroch, founder of DVT firm SSV, which offers a network that validator operators can use to split up control over their infrastructure. "People don't want to be dependent on a single entity. I think that ethos is very strong."

While no two DVT solutions are exactly alike, they generally work similarly, by splitting the "keys" to a given validator across several different nodes. A consensus of key holders needs to sign off on decisions over how DVT validators operate, and if one key holder goes offline, others can fill in to keep things running.

A benefit to this setup is the added resiliency.

"Today validators are single-engine planes. If a validator goes down, it's offline," said Brett Li, head of growth at Obol Labs, which is also building a network to distribute validators. With DVT, "It's redundancy. You can have two engines, and if one of the engines fails, you can still get where you need to go safely."

With product launches and testnets this year from Obol, Diva, SSV and others, long-simmering hopes for a more decentralized Ethereum validator network are finally nearing production.

In November, Lido took a first step toward transitioning to DVT with the introduction of its "Simple DVT Module." Lido takes deposits from users and distributes them across third-party validator operators. With the new DVT module, which is being tested in partnership with Obol and SSV, Lido's third-party validators can become decentralized blunting the ability for Lido, which ultimately controls its validators today, to exert undue pressure on them.

The ambitions for DVT operators don't end with Lido.

"If the milestone with Lido succeeds, then it's gonna be the standard for everyone, because Lido is the biggest," said Muroch." If Lido makes the move, then others will make the move."

It could take some time for Lido to transition its validators to DVT, or for wider infrastructure operators to feel comfortable adopting the technology. Validators run by big institutions might continue to run their validators fully in-house comfortable with the software and maintenance required to keep a validator node afloat, and reticent to adopt new tech that could impinge their flexibility.

But hobbyist "solo-stakers" and community-run collectives like Lido, which continue to account for a large overall proportion of all staked ETH, might soon embrace DVT as a result of its easy setup and ideological underpinnings.

"In two or three years you'll see hopefully between a third or half of validators running on DVT," Muroch estimated. Obol's Li offered a similar near-term prediction, and said that in the long-run he expects "80%" of validators to run on DVT-based infrastructure.

Correction (Dec. 21, 12:43 UTC): Corrects SSV founder Alon Muroch's name and title.

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Lido Tests of 'Distributed Validator Technology' Portend 2024 Decentralization Push - CoinDesk

The PBS Foundation is opening applications for an initial $1 million in grants for research and development on Ethereum proposer-builder separation.

The non-profits pilot phase drew support from Coinbase, Consensys, Fenbushi Capital, Flashbots, Paradigm, the Uniswap Foundation and Vitalik Buterin.

Grants will be disbursed by a council. The council includes representatives from Blocknative, Consensys, the Ethereum Foundation and Flashbots, among others. The foundations grant lead is Eugene Leventhal from the research group Metagov.

Read more: For Ethereum rollups, dealing with data remains a bottleneck

First proposed by Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin, proposer-builder separation (PBS) is the concept of separating proposers which submit transaction bundles to validators on a blockchain and builders, which organize the transactions in a specific order.

PBS represents an attempt at decentralization, as the combination of proposing and building gives well-heeled centralized mining pools a competitive advantage.

PBS first went into effect after Ethereums Merge to proof-of-stake. Now, the PBS Foundation aims to promote research and infrastructure to address some of the challenges the concept currently faces.

Notably, MEV-boost relays have become centralized since the Merge. Relayers operate between block builders and validators on maximal extractable value (MEV) boosted transactions, selecting blocks with the highest possible fees. Roughly 90% of transactions in the last 500 epochs, or roughly two days, made use of MEV-boost. Of MEV-boost transactions in the past 24 hours, roughly 97% have been handled by five relayers, according to relayscan.

Blocknative, once among those top relayers, discontinued its service in September, citing economic viability concerns. Relayers do not currently collect fees. Uri Klarman, CEO of bloXroute, which runs a large relayer, has advocated fee structures outside of public goods funding to incentivize more relayers to join the fray.

A spokesperson for the PBS Foundation said the grant funding could be used to fund relayers, with a particular emphasis on those who introduce novel designs for relaying.

The funding will also be focused on community and educational materials, data transparency on Ethereums mempool and blocks, and research on how PBS can be improved or even enshrined on both the primary network and on layer-2 networks.

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Buterin, Coinbase and more to fund Ethereum decentralization grants - Blockworks

In the evolving 'travelverse', where cutting-edge technology intersects with the timeless allure of exploration, the travel and hospitality industry stand at the cusp of a revolutionary shift. The integration of blockchain technology and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) promises to redefine the landscape of travel experiences, loyalty programs, and the very essence of cultural interactions.

This short article delves into the opportunities presented by these technologies, drawing inspiration from an article of mine: Revolutionizing the Travel and Hospitality Industry with Blockchain and NFTs, published on Hospitality Net on 16 March 2023.

The core of travel lies in authentic experiences and cultural interactions. Blockchain technology, with its inherent data immutability and programmability, offers a unique platform to enhance these experiences without detracting from their authenticity.

Smart contracts, a pivotal element of blockchain, enable the automatic execution of agreements, ensuring reliability and efficiency in travel arrangements. This technological advancement can streamline processes, particularly repetitive ones, benefiting travelers and operators alike. It opens doors for small-scale operators to promote unique, local experiences, thereby preserving the authenticity of cultural interactions in the digital age.

Smart contracts are set to be the backbone of secure transactions in the travel ecosystem. By automating the verification and execution of contracts, they ensure transparency and reduce the potential for fraud. This aspect is particularly beneficial in areas like expense reporting and compliance in business travel, where smart contracts can streamline processes and ensure adherence to company policies.

Room tokenization, emerging through the innovative use of NFTs, offers a transformative approach in the travel and hospitality sector. This concept involves the digital representation of hotel rooms or unique travel experiences as non-fungible tokens.

These tokens, distinct and non-replicable, can be traded, sold, or even collected, introducing a dynamic new element to the travel market. This not only provides travellers with unprecedented flexibility and choice but also opens up novel revenue opportunities for service providers. By tokenizing rooms and experiences, the industry can cater to a range of traveler preferences, from those seeking luxury accommodations to those desiring unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences.

The role of NFTs extends beyond mere tokenization, playing a pivotal role in enhancing experiential tourism.

NFTs enable the sharing of a journey's narrative, encapsulating the essence of the places visited and the depth of connections made with destinations and cultures. This concept of "tokenization of emotions", as I"ve explored in my book "All about NFTs" by Hoepli publisher, allows for the representation of travel experiences as authentic, reputational values.

These tokens can be utilized for storytelling post-travel, adding value to the traveler's experience while simultaneously benefiting the destination and its operators. Through this innovative use of NFTs, the travel industry can create a more immersive and emotionally resonant experience, bridging the gap between physical travel and digital memorabilia.

Decentralization, a fundamental aspect of blockchain, can revolutionize loyalty programs in the travel industry. By removing intermediaries, blockchain enables a more direct and transparent relationship between service providers and customers.

This shift can lead to more personalized and flexible loyalty programs, where travellers have greater control over their rewards and experiences. The decentralized nature of blockchain ensures a more equitable and inclusive system, where smaller operators can compete with larger entities, offering unique and localized rewards.

As blockchain becomes more integrated into the travel industry, several challenges emerge. Adoption requires a significant shift in current operational models, and the industry must be prepared for this transition.

Regulatory frameworks are still catching up with the rapid pace of technological advancements, posing a challenge in terms of compliance and standardization. Ensuring a seamless user experience is crucial, as travellers vary in their tech-savviness. The industry must strive to make these technologies accessible and user-friendly.

The adoption of decentralized technologies is not without risks. Issues such as data privacy, security vulnerabilities, and the digital divide must be addressed. To mitigate these challenges, the industry needs to invest in robust security protocols, ensure transparency in data usage, and provide adequate digital literacy training to both travellers and service providers.

In an increasingly digital world, maintaining the human element in travel is paramount. While technology can enhance efficiency and convenience, it should not replace personal connections and human interactions that form the essence of travel. The industry must find a balance, leveraging technology to enrich experiences while preserving the personal touch that makes travel meaningful.

The integration of blockchain and NFTs in the travel and hospitality industry offers a plethora of opportunities, from enhancing the authenticity of travel experiences to revolutionizing loyalty programs and ensuring secure transactions.

However, it is crucial to manage these technological advancements with a keen awareness of their potential challenges and a commitment to preserving the human essence of travel. By striking this balance, the industry can step confidently into a future where technology and tradition coexist harmoniously.

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Embracing the future of travel ... decentralization | By - Hospitality Net

EDITORIAL USE (Photo by BRIAN BIELMANN/AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images

On Tuesday, Nov 28, legendary Bitcoin Core developer Luke Dashjr announced the launch of OCEAN mining, which closed a $6.2M round led by Block Head Jack Dorsey as a new type of mining pool that aims to decentralize bitcoin mining.

As Luke put it in a communique on Oct 31, OCEAN is "a new type of pool that enables miners to be truly miners again."

Bitcoin mining today is primarily done via pooled mining, which requires miners to point their hashrate to a mining pool that aggregates this towards mining blocks and subsequently makes payouts to these miners. Nearly all mining pools communicate using a now outdated protocol introduced in 2012 called Stratum V1, which only lets the pool have the final say on which transactions ultimately make it into a block.

In the aforementioned communique from Oct 31, Luke highlights that "the centralization and overreach of other pool operators has changed Bitcoin to the point where the security model of Bitcoin is at high risk." Adding, "Pools operate like custodial bank accounts and have the ability to decide who can and who can't use Bitcoin."

It is for these reasons that increasing efforts are underway to decentralize bitcoin mining to address the issues with the existing Stratum V1 protocol, the consequences of having dominant mining pools in certain regions, and having mining done by a handful of pools.

OCEAN, a Wyoming-based company, co-founded by Bitcoin Core developer Luke Dashjr, is a non-custodial pool that requires only a bitcoin address to join, and is the successor of the Eligius bitcoin mining pool (a popular zero-fee mining pool that had mined over 11,631 blocks), which Luke founded and was operated from 2010-2017.

Since its launch, OCEAN has successfully found two blocks and operates at a hash rate of around 422.8 Ph/s. Additionally, as part of its commitment to transparency, the company displays its node policy and block templates on its website.

Over the last few weeks, discussions around handling data such as inscriptions on-chain have surfaced, with OCEAN being accused censoring these transactions, but seems to be a misunderstanding.

Due to OCEAN running a parallel implantation of the bitcoin node software, Knots, maintained by Luke, certain transactions in the above bucket go beyond the default maximum 42-byte datacarriersize limit (responsible for dictating the maximum size of data in data carrier transactions that get relayed and mined) which cause them to be excluded from the blocks it mines.

Currently, there are no Stratum V2 mining pools that engage in pooled mining, however, OCEAN intends to fully transition into using Stratum V2 and allow for payouts to miners over the Lightning Network.

As posted by Luke on Dec 8 on X, formerly Twitter, "OCEAN is on a path to decentralization, and very soon, we are going to be in a position where hashers will be able to fully participate as miners and perform the intelligent parts of mining such as deciding which version of node software to run and what filters or other policies to apply to block template construction."

Additionally, OCEAN is on a mission to build on its three core principles of being non-custodial, transparent, and permissionless by focusing its efforts in 2024, amongst other things, on "leveraging and improving Stratum V2" and incorporating "Lightning payouts, which will solve the dust problem for small miners."

The options for miners in 2024 are promising. The overall landscape of efforts focused on decentralizing bitcoin mining is also on a positive trend and, undoubtedly, a welcomed change for all miners globally.

I'm a Nigerian Bitcoin core contributor and the CEO of the Bitcoin venture capital firm Recursive Capital. I also serve as a board member of trust, a non-profit focused on training African bitcoin and lightning developers via Btrust builders and growing the African Bitcoin ecosystem.

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OCEAN Aims To Further Bitcoin Mining Decentralisation In 2024 - Forbes

The EthereumPOW core team is disbanding to achieve decentralized governance, with OneDAO providing temporary support. Image by Sergey Nivens, Adobe Stock.

The core development team behind the proof-of-work (PoW) fork of Ethereum announced on Tuesday its decision to dissolve EthereumPOWs centralized structure in favor of complete decentralization.

According to the announcement, the EthereumPOW core team will be disbanded in order to achieve full autonomy. Going forward, EthereumPOW will rely solely on PoW consensus and decentralized governance to become a deity-less public chain. This move hands over governance of the EthereumPOW blockchain to its community of users and miners.

Servers supporting the network will be transferred to OneDAO, a decentralized protocol on the Harmony blockchain. OneDAO will provide transitional maintenance for EthereumPOW until long-term ecosystem partners can be established.

Lead EthereumPOW developer Jadal Page explained the reasoning behind relinquishing centralized control.

We have explored and validated the feasibility of ETHW operating independently without Cores support, confirming the fundamental technical and operational conditions for ETHW in such a scenario, Page wrote in the announcement.

The Ethereum hard fork occurred in September 2022, just before the main Ethereum blockchain transitioned from PoW consensus to a more energy-efficient proof-of-stake model following the Merge upgrade.

Some developers and miners unhappy with the perceived centralization and loss of revenues created EthereumPOW to preserve the original PoW-based Ethereum. Since its launch, the forked token ETHW has struggled to gain adoption, however.

Grayscale decided against supporting ETHW in September, citing a lack of liquidity and custodial support. This removed a major source of potential demand. As a result, ETHW has declined from its launch price of $100 to around $2.59 currently.

By dissolving centralized control and embracing community governance, the EthereumPOW team hopes to reinvigorate the network. OneDAO will provide technical assistance during the transitional period as the developers step back. Still, success will ultimately hinge on whether the cryptocurrency community chooses to adopt EthereumPOW over the dominant Ethereum PoS blockchain.

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EthereumPOW Core Team Disbands to Achieve Full Decentralization as OneDAO Provides Transitional Support - Cryptonews

Cubas President Sets 2024 as Year of Territorial Decentralization

In a recent announcement, Cubas President, Miguel Daz-Canel, has set a goal for 2024 to advance in the decentralization of powers at the territorial level. This move seeks to bolster local capacities by using the resources and strengths inherent to each territory, as well as to strengthen work systems and productivity in municipalities. Decentralization is seen as a way to optimize management and sustainable development, allowing greater autonomy and response capacity to the specific needs of each region. With this measure, Daz-Canel is directing municipalities to exploit their endogenous potentialities and develop faculties that allow them to be more self-sufficient and efficient in their management.

(Read Also: Cubas Law No. 143: A Modern Approach to Criminal Justice)

In spite of the efforts of the government and related institutions, Cuba faces challenges in agricultural production and food security. There is an urgent need to organize local food systems to achieve food sovereignty and security. High prices of agricultural products and the impact of hurricanes on crops compound these issues. The program for urban, suburban, and family agriculture in Cuba is a focal point, highlighting its history, current situation, and challenges. The resurgence of potato cultivation in the province of Holgun, using agroecological techniques, is noteworthy.

The provincial governments of Cienfuegos and Las Tunas accounted for their management before the National Assembly of Peoples Power, detailing the operation of the main economic and social development programs in both territories during 2023. Measures to dynamize the national economy, improve healthcare and education sectors from the perspective of workers income, and the implementation of Law 143, Of the Criminal Process, were discussed. The implementation of the Family Code was also evaluated.

(Read Also: Rethinking Agriculture: Challenges, Innovations, and the Future)

The Horticultural Research Institute Liliana Dimitrova in the Mayabeque province is working on a project to reproduce aromatic plant species in Cuba, with the goal of replacing imports. They have successfully adapted 13 varieties of aromatic plants to the Cuban climate and are working on ensuring a high-quality product through good agricultural practices and proper processing. The institute aims to serve as an example for the rest of the country in this regard.

From 2024, Cuba will implement a series of socio-economic measures that will, according to President Miguel Daz-Canel, make a necessary leap in the economy. The National Assembly of Peoples Power of Cuba assessed the implementation of the Family Code positively, though recognizing there are paths to travel in its instrumentation. President Daz-Canel emphasized the importance of municipal assemblies playing a more active role in social prevention and attention strategies in communities. Cuba is currently working on modifications of the legal framework for micro, small, and medium enterprises (Mypimes) on the island, two years after the first norms to regulate their activities were approved.

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Cuba's Decentralization Plans: Aiming for Local Autonomy by 2024 - BNN Breaking