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Articles by Benjamin Cooper
ANALYSIS: Digital Assets Developments | Nov. 6–12, 2026
The Trump administration this week furthered its digital assets-friendly agenda by canceling a proposed rule and approving options trust shares and another digital asset firm’s bank charter. However, securities law issues remain unresolved, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s downsizing during an explosion in new bank charters may create risks through enforcement gaps. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network on Nov.
ANALYSIS: Digital Assets Developments | Nov. 6–12, 2026
The Trump administration this week furthered its digital assets-friendly agenda by canceling a proposed rule and approving options trust shares and another digital asset firm’s bank charter. However, securities law issues remain unresolved, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s downsizing during an explosion in new bank charters may create risks through enforcement gaps. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network on Nov.
ANALYSIS: Digital Assets Developments | Oct. 23–30, 2026
The Binance heist, where hackers made off with a record-breaking $6.3 billion in crypto assets dominated headlines Friday morning. On Thursday, blockchain-based prediction market Polymarket announced that hackers made off with $2.7 million of users’ funds. Notably, both Binance and Polymarket‘s US platforms were unaffected, as they run on separate systems, which have to comply with CFTC information security rules for designated contract markets.
ANALYSIS: Digital Assets Developments | Oct. 23–30, 2026
The Binance heist, where hackers made off with a record-breaking $6.3 billion in crypto assets dominated headlines Friday morning. On Thursday, blockchain-based prediction market Polymarket announced that hackers made off with $2.7 million of users’ funds. Notably, both Binance and Polymarket‘s US platforms were unaffected, as they run on separate systems, which have to comply with CFTC information security rules for designated contract markets.
ANALYSIS: Digital Assets Developments | Oct. 16–22 Original
The major digital asset development this week was that the OCC issued the final rule establishing the regulations that implement the GENIUS Act. Previous SEC and CFTC proposed regulations, orders, and guidance for brokers and exchanges depended on the issuance of GENIUS Act-compliant stablecoins, and now the rush to comply has begun for issuers despite lingering yield questions. The final rule sets two important dates for issuers and dealers in stablecoins: • Jan. 18, 2027.
ANALYSIS: Digital Assets Developments | Oct. 9–15, 2026
This week, state enforcement led developments, along with successful test transactions of tokenized Treasuries. The state actions emphasize the importance of state compliance — regardless of a more permissive federal regulatory environment — and the tokenization efforts point to the potential future of trading. Thirty-four states and territories are executing individual final orders against digital asset kiosk firm Coinme, Inc. pursuant to a multistate settlement signed late last week.
ANALYSIS: Digital Assets Developments | Oct. 9–15, 2026
This week, state enforcement led developments, along with successful test transactions of tokenized Treasuries. The state actions emphasize the importance of state compliance — regardless of a more permissive federal regulatory environment — and the tokenization efforts point to the potential future of trading. Thirty-four states and territories are executing individual final orders against digital asset kiosk firm Coinme, Inc. pursuant to a multistate settlement signed late last week.
ANALYSIS: Digital Assets Developments | Oct. 2–9, 2026
This week, federal agencies filled gaps in digital asset regulation, but with piecemeal solutions rather than a complete framework. The OCC’s charter program already faces a court challenge, and the next phase of agencies’ actions will play out in comment letters and courtrooms. Until legislation arrives, any progress built through rulemaking can be narrowed by a court or reversed by the next administration.
ANALYSIS: Digital Assets Developments
Following the CLARITY Act's failure, federal agencies have proceeded with piecemeal digital assets regulation. The OCC's charter program already faces a court challenge, and the next phases for agencies will play out in comment letters and courtrooms.
ANALYSIS: Digital Assets Legal Outlook | Sept. 18–24, 2026
The largest developments in digital assets over the last week hinged on one event: the failure of the CLARITY Act in the Senate. The act would have established an industry-wide framework on digital assets, giving the majority of digital asset regulation to the CFTC. After the failed committee vote, the SEC and CFTC issued proposals to provide more certainty on the status of digital assets; however, it’s unclear whether these actions will overcome the opposition that sank CLARITY.
ANALYSIS: Lost Stablecoin Recovery Becoming Tricky for Issuers
A common refrain in digital assets is that public blockchain transactions are immutable; once a transfer occurs, even if the cryptographic keys are lost or the tokens are sent into the digital oblivion of a nonexistent account, nothing can be done. However, that’s not quite true under the GENIUS Act. The act establishes that only those qualified as “permitted payment stablecoin issuers” (PPSIs) can create new stablecoins for sale in the US.
ANALYSIS: States Can Replace CFPB Enforcement, but Will They?
The future of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is unclear after the Trump administration dismissed its director, paused its work, and suspended its funding. Elon Musk has proposed “deleting” the agency, although the CFPB under acting Director Russell Vought stated in Feb. 24 court filing that the intent is to streamline, not end, the agency. The Trump administration has the power to effectively neutralize the agency, preventing it from taking any enforcement action.
ANALYSIS: States Can Replace CFPB Enforcement, but Will They?
The future of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is unclear after the Trump administration dismissed its director, paused its work, and suspended its funding. Elon Musk has proposed “deleting” the agency, although the CFPB under acting Director Russell Vought stated in Feb. 24 court filing that the intent is to streamline, not end, the agency. The Trump administration has the power to effectively neutralize the agency, preventing it from taking any enforcement action.
ANALYSIS: In DAO v. Bureaucratic Formalities, Bureaucracy Wins
The SEC successfully suspended decentralized autonomous organization American CryptoFed DAO LLC from registering its Locke governance token and Ducat transactional token last month. The organization would tell you that it’s in a “regulatory Catch-22”: It must register but is prevented from registering. However, the DAO’s predicament is of its own making. The alternative currency effort got it mostly right.
ANALYSIS: In DAO v. Bureaucratic Formalities, Bureaucracy Wins
The SEC successfully suspended decentralized autonomous organization American CryptoFed DAO LLC from registering its Locke governance token and Ducat transactional token last month. The organization would tell you that it’s in a “regulatory Catch-22”: It must register but is prevented from registering. However, the DAO’s predicament is of its own making. The alternative currency effort got it mostly right.
Challengers to Watch 2023: Genki Forest
In the 10th instalment of our annual ‘Challengers to Watch’ feature, we identify 20 rising companies from around the world and explore the broader trends, opportunities and threats to the status quo they represent. Our roundup covers an expansive range of categories, markets and geographies, but all these companies share a firm rejection of ‘best practice’ and an understanding of the imperative to make their own rules.
Soap opera Neighbours axed after 37 years
Neighbours has announced it will cease production of the long-running Australian soap in June. The future of the show had been in doubt after Britain's Channel 5 last month confirmed it would stop airing the show. And on Thursday morning the show's Twitter account said: "We are so sorry to say that after nearly 37 years and almost 9000 episodes broadcast we have to confirm that Neighbours will cease production in June.
UK might safeguard position in other ways over protocol - Frost
(Alliance News) - The UK will have to safeguard its position "in other ways" if it is not able to reach an agreement with the EU over the Northern Ireland protocol, according to the UK's Brexit negotiator. David Frost had said there was "momentum" for his government to "secure a solution based on consensus" following a meeting in Brussels with European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic on Friday.
London's Notting Hill Carnival goes online
The organisers of Europe's biggest street party, London's Notting Hill Carnival, have decided to take the event off the streets in its 55th year. The move comes after the delay to Britain's COVID-19 'freedom day', which had been due on June 21, means social distancing measures are still in place - something which organiser Matthew Phillip had warned would be "devastating" for the iconic event.
DMX in hospital after overdose: report
American rapper DMX is reportedly in hospital in a critical condition after a drug overdose at his New York home. The 50-year-old hip hop star, whose real name is Earl Simmons, suffered a heart attack during the overdose and was rushed to hospital on Friday night, TMZ reports. Sources told TMZ that Simmons was showing "some brain activity" but was in a "vegetative state".
China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) Report
Prioritizing the quality rather than the quantity of growth After China was the only major global economy to avoid recession last year, the annual government work report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang set a GDP growth target of more than 6% for 2021, well below most analysts’ expectations of a stronger recovery unfolding this year. A survey of economists by Bloomberg showed an average annual forecast of 8.4% growth for the Chinese economy.
UK minister to meet Facebook over news ban
The UK's culture secretary is tipped to meet with Facebook executives over concerns sparked by the social media company's Australian news ban. The technology giant began removing news content from its platform in Australia last Thursday over a proposed law that would compel internet firms to pay news organisations.
Extent of injuries to child who fell from Tate Modern still unknown, parents say
© Provided by The Press Association Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of the 17 year old appearing at the Old Bailey in London charged with attempted murder after allegedly throwing a six-year-old boy from a viewing platform at the Tate Modern art gallery (Elizabeth Cook/PA) The six-year-old boy who fell five storeys from the Tate Modern has had “two long and difficult operations” but the full extent of his injuries is not yet known, his parents have said.
Plastic Bag Sales Down 90% Since 5p Charge Introduced
Sales of plastic carrier bags in England’s largest supermarkets have fallen by 90% since a 5p charge was introduced in 2015, according to Government figures. Tesco, Waitrose, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons and The Co-operative Group sold 549 million plastic bags in 2018-19, which was half the number purchased in the previous year.
Opinion: Education in free fall
ASU is too close with Teach for America Teach For America, in less than 30 years, has risen to become, perhaps, the most influential organization in education. However, for over a decade, education researchers at ASU have pointed to the pernicious nature of the organization's approach to education. In 2017, 50 Arizona State University students joined Teach For America, the third most of any university in the United States, a fact that ASU President Michael Crow touted on his Twitter account.
Taking the Spring Festival Roads Less Traveled By: Chinese Outbound Tourism Sees Massive Growth - Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Every year, the world’s largest human migration is unleashed in the weeks surrounding China’s Spring Festival as hundreds of millions of people depart for the annual holiday. Although the vast majority return to their hometowns for family gatherings, a small but rising stream of travelers are increasingly being siphoned off from the homeward-bound tide, veering away from conventional domestic destinations and opting instead to take the overseas roads less traveled by.
President Trump Declares Arrival of a “New American Moment” in His First State of the Union Address - Hill+Knowlton Strategies
On January 30th, President Trump ascended the dais in the U.S. Capitol Building and delivered his maiden State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. For U.S. presidents, the annual speech usually represents their highest-profile and most powerful platform on the American political calendar, providing them with the opportunity to both tout their achievements in office as well as outline the future agenda for their administrations.
Sailing with the “Red Boat Spirit” into China’s New Era - Hill+Knowlton Strategies
On their first trip outside Beijing since being elected at the Central Committee’s First Plenum, President Xi recently led the other six members of the new Politburo Standing Committee (PBSC), China’s highest governing council, on a rare joint visit to some of the Party’s most important historic sites in Shanghai and the neighboring province of Zhejiang.
The dawn of Xi Jinping Thought – What the Party’s New Ideological Compass Means for the President and China’s Future - Hill+Knowlton Strategies
On the final day of the 19th Party Congress, the Chinese leadership unveiled what was arguably the most dramatic outcome of its five-yearly political summit: the enshrinement of “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” in the Party Constitution.
All aboard! Last stop for the Party Congress at the Seventh Plenum station - Hill+Knowlton Strategies
From October 11-14th, the Party’s Central Committee convened in Beijing for its Seventh Plenum, the last assembly of the elite body’s roughly 200 members before the conclusion of its five-year term at the 19th Party Congress. The closed-door gathering saw the Chinese leadership iron out its final preparations for the quinquennial political transition.
No country for old communications – The Big e-Bang for rebooting Beijing’s public voice? - Hill+Knowlton Strategies
In recent years, the spectacular breaking of China’s digital dawn has unfolded at a pace and scale that has been unprecedented around the world. From ordinary citizens to massive conglomerates, the nation has fully plugged into the digital future, and Chinese officialdom has recognized the urgency of keeping up with its tech-savvy populace and corporates.
Beijing Handles Financial Fragilities with Care - Hill+Knowlton Strategies
In the build-up to the Party Congress, Beijing has moved to insulate the economy from its financial vulnerabilities throughout the year.
All Quiet on the Economic Front - Hill+Knowlton Strategies
The halcyon days of China’s double-digit growth may be long gone, but the robustness of a reenergized Chinese economy has defied most expectations of a marked deceleration occurring in 2017.
All politics is local – big players in China’s regional supply chain for national office - Hill+Knowlton Strategies
With the 19th Party Congress scheduled to kick off on October 18th, the behemoth on Beijing’s political calendar is now bearing down on us full-tilt, and speculation abounds as to which newcomers will fill the five expected vacancies on the Politburo Standing Committee (PBSC), China’s supreme decision-making panel.
Prevalence and correlates of postsecondary residential status among young adults with an autism spectrum disorder
Introduction The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) has increased since the early 1990s (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2012). One in 88 American children have an ASD, a 78% increase from 2002 to 2008 (Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network (ADDM), 2012; CDC, 2012). Consequently, there are a growing number of adolescents with an ASD transitioning into adulthood.
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