Merge pull request #168 from lodl/news

Added latest News from Emurgo, IOG, Cardano Foundation and weekly reports.

blog/2024-11-05-here-are-5-benefits-of-blockchain-interoperability/index.md

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+---
+slug: 2024-11-05-here-are-5-benefits-of-blockchain-interoperability
+title: "Here Are 5 Benefits of Blockchain Interoperability"
+authors: [emurgo]
+tags: [education]
+---
+
+Blockchain interoperability allows different networks to communicate, offering enhanced liquidity by enabling token movement across chains and broadening user access. It diversifies assets and users, simplifies token management, and boosts inter-blockchain communication using oracles for seamless data exchange. Cross-chain payments and collateral usage enhance decentralized finance applications, while economic security improves with increased liquidity and reduced risks from isolated systems. Interoperability strengthens blockchain ecosystems for Web3 success.
+
+<div style={{ textAlign: 'right' }}>
+ [**Read more**](https://www.emurgo.io/press-news/here-are-5-benefits-of-blockchain-interoperability/) 
+</div>
+
+ ![weekly development report](./banner.avif)
+

blog/2025-01-05-merkle-patricia-tries/index.md

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+---
+slug: 2025-01-05-merkle-patricia-tries
+title: "Merkle Patricia Tries: A Deep Dive into Data Structure Security"
+authors: [cf]
+tags: [education, ]
+---
+
+Merkle Patricia Tries (MPTs) are advanced data structures that enhance blockchain efficiency and security by enabling rapid verification and modification of data entries. They combine the benefits of tries, Patricia tries, and Merkle trees to allow efficient addition, deletion, and verification of key-value pairs, ensuring data integrity. MPTs are fundamental in decentralized networks, supporting dynamic data storage and secure transaction processing.
+
+<div style={{ textAlign: 'right' }}>
+ [**Read more**](https://www.cardanofoundation.org/blog/merkle-patricia-tries-deep-dive) 
+</div>
+
+ ![weekly development report](./banner.webp)
+

blog/2025-01-08-six-reasons-why-eutxo-wins/index.md

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+---
+slug: 2025-01-08-six-reasons-why-eutxo-wins
+title: "Six reasons why EUTXO wins"
+authors: [iog]
+tags: [education, research]
+---
+
+Cardano's EUTXO model provides six key benefits over account-based systems: predictable transactions, ensuring no fees for failed transactions; predictable costs, allowing accurate calculation of fees and resources; enhanced concurrency for simultaneous transaction processing; improved security through determinism and reduced attack vectors; flexibility for innovative decentralized applications; and compatibility with zero-knowledge proofs, enabling complex off-chain computations with verifiable on-chain results. These advantages make EUTXO a scalable, secure, and versatile framework for blockchain applications. For more, read the full article.
+
+<div style={{ textAlign: 'right' }}>
+ [**Read more**](https://iohk.io/en/blog/posts/2025/01/08/six-reasons-why-eutxo-wins/) 
+</div>
+
+ ![weekly development report](./banner.webp)
+

blog/2025-01-16-explainer-how-nft-marketplaces-work/index.md

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+---
+slug: 2025-01-16-explainer-how-nft-marketplaces-work
+title: "Explainer: How NFT Marketplaces Work"
+authors: [emurgo]
+tags: [education]
+---
+
+NFT marketplaces are platforms where users can buy, sell, and trade non-fungible tokens (NFTs) through auctions or fixed-price listings. They operate as either centralized platforms, managing transactions off-chain, or decentralized platforms, leveraging smart contracts for secure peer-to-peer exchanges. Each model has unique benefits, balancing ease of use, security, and transparency.
+
+<div style={{ textAlign: 'right' }}>
+ [**Read more**](https://www.emurgo.io/press-news/explainer-how-nft-marketplaces-work/) 
+</div>
+
+ ![weekly development report](./banner.avif)
+

blog/2025-01-17-weekly-development-report/index.md

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+---
+slug: 2025-01-17-weekly-development-report
+title: "Weekly Development Report"
+authors: [iog]
+tags: [weekly development report, development]
+---
+
+The January 17, 2025, development report focuses on final preparations for the Plomin hard fork, including bug fixes and code simplifications. Stake pool operators are urged to upgrade to node v.10.1.4. Lace v.1.18.2 improved crash recovery and fixed CIP-95 bugs. Mithril certified stake distribution on the mainnet and upgraded to node v.10.1.4. The Ouroboros Leios project progressed simulations to enhance network throughput. Voting for the Plomin hard fork continues.
+
+<div style={{ textAlign: 'right' }}>
+ [**Read more**](https://www.essentialcardano.io/development-update/weekly-development-report-as-of-2025-01-17) 
+</div>
+
+ ![weekly development report](./banner.webp)
+

blog/2025-01-20-community-digest/index.md

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+---
+slug: 2025-01-20-community-digest
+title: "Community Digest"
+authors: [cf]
+tags: [community digest, governance]
+---
+
+
+The January 20, 2025, *Cardano Community Digest* urges all node users, especially Stake Pool Operators (SPOs), to upgrade to node version 10.1.4 to prepare for the Plomin hard fork. As of now, 85% of blocks are produced using this version. The Interim Constitutional Committee (iCC) is assessing the governance action's constitutionality, requiring a two-thirds majority by January 25, 2025. The Digest also introduces Cardano Delegated Representatives (DReps) on the Cardano Forum and discusses the network's minimum pool cost.  
+
+<div style={{ textAlign: 'right' }}>
+ [**Read more**](https://forum.cardano.org/t/digest-january-20-2025-all-cardano-node-users-encouraged-to-upgrade-to-node-version-10-1-4-current-status-of-the-icc-voting-introducing-cardano-dreps-on-the-cardano-forum-understanding-cardano-s-min-pool-cost/142215) 
+</div>
+
+ ![community digest](./community-digest.png)
+

blog/2025-01-23-explainer-the-plomin-hard-fork/index.md

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+---
+slug: 2025-01-23-explainer-the-plomin-hard-fork
+title: "Explainer: The Plomin Hard Fork"
+authors: [emurgo]
+tags: [education, governance]
+---
+
+The Plomin hard fork is a key upgrade for Cardano, enabling full decentralized governance under the Voltaire era. It allows ada holders to delegate voting power to DReps for decisions on protocol updates, treasury withdrawals, and hard forks. SPOs must upgrade their nodes and achieve a 51% majority vote for activation. With 78% of nodes upgraded as of January 22, 2025, Plomin marks a milestone for community-driven control.
+
+<div style={{ textAlign: 'right' }}>
+ [**Read more**](https://www.emurgo.io/press-news/explainer-the-plomin-hard-fork-cardano/) 
+</div>
+
+ ![weekly development report](./banner.avif)
+

blog/2025-01-24-weekly-development-report/index.md

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+---
+slug: 2025-01-24-weekly-development-report
+title: "Weekly Development Report"
+authors: [iog]
+tags: [weekly development report, development]
+---
+
+The January 24, 2025, development report highlights consensus team progress on security, documentation, and Peras workstream improvements. The UTXO-HD branch achieved successful local chain synchronization. The performance team benchmarked node v.10.1.4 and introduced a tracing Discord channel. Plutus added the `Fix` construct and CLI tool guides. Hydra completed custom ledger experiments and restored `hydra-explorer`. Mithril advanced incremental database certification. The Leios team benchmarked efficient VRF cryptography.
+
+<div style={{ textAlign: 'right' }}>
+ [**Read more**](https://www.essentialcardano.io/development-update/weekly-development-report-as-of-2025-01-24) 
+</div>
+
+ ![weekly development report](./banner.webp)
+