NEWS

Bitcoin is on one of its biggest runs ever – and a new project called Bitcoin Hyper (HYPER) is taking advantage. This Solana-powered Layer-2 has just passed the $4 million mark in its presale.

Analysts are taking it seriously – with one even calling for 100x returns after the HYPER token lists on exchanges.

With a high-yield staking system and a mission to unlock smart contracts for BTC, Bitcoin Hyper is gaining momentum fast. And as Bitcoin itself hovers near its all-time high, infrastructure plays like this are looking more and more attractive.

What Exactly Is Bitcoin Hyper & Why All the Hype?

Bitcoin Hyper wants to give Bitcoin a massive upgrade. Picture Bitcoin as an ultra-safe highway – but one that’s often bogged down with traffic.

Bitcoin Hyper is basically building a parallel road – using Solana’s super-fast tech stack – that can handle massive amounts of that traffic and always connects back to the main highway.

To achieve this, Bitcoin Hyper uses the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM), which gives it the “engine” it needs to handle complex apps and DeFi protocols.

And investors are excited by this setup. Bitcoin Hyper’s presale has already raised $4.1 million, driven by staking rewards that continue to yield an incredible 231% APY. That explains why more than 226 million HYPER tokens are already locked up.

Plus, Bitcoin Hyper’s community is growing rapidly. The project’s X (Twitter) following has ballooned to 10,900 people, while the official Telegram channel now boasts over 2,000 members.

HYPER Token Presale Heats Up as 100x Calls Get Louder

The hype around the Bitcoin Hyper presale is ramping up. In just a few months, it has gone from a niche idea to one of the most talked-about launches of 2025. The HYPER token’s price is now at $0.01235, with the listing price expected to be significantly higher, giving early buyers a slight, built-in advantage.

Would-be investors can secure HYPER by swapping tokens like ETH, SOL, USDT, USDC, or BNB. There’s even an option to buy directly through the Best Wallet mobile app.

Several well-known analysts are starting to drum up support. The team at 99Bitcoins – with over 710,000 YouTube subscribers – recently flagged it as one of the “best crypto presales” to invest in.

They even suggested HYPER could climb up to 100x after its exchange launch. That’s a bold call, but with this kind of presale momentum, it’s not being dismissed.

How Bitcoin Hyper Could Benefit from Bitcoin’s Bull Run

Bitcoin is doing what it does best right now: smashing expectations. After hitting a new all-time high above $123,000 earlier this month, the 2025 bull run is clearly in full swing. Plus, with crypto ETFs pulling in billions and a more open stance from the US government, the whole industry has changed for the better.

These kinds of conditions create a massive ripple effect. It’s like a gold rush – it isn’t just the miners who get rich, but also the people selling the pickaxes. Bitcoin Layer-2s could be the “pickaxes” of this cycle, and Bitcoin Hyper is set to cash in.

As BTC’s value rises, more people are looking for ways to use their coins. Bitcoin Hyper’s network is the onramp for them to do just that.

It’s the bridge that turns all that BTC buzz into real uses – and maybe some explosive returns for anyone who gets in early.

Visit Bitcoin Hyper Presale

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. ModernDiplomacy.eu is not a licensed crypto-asset service provider under EU regulation (MiCA). Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile and involve significant risk. Always conduct your own research and consult a licensed advisor before making any investment decisions.

Local emergencies ministry says the plane dropped off radar near the Amur region, bordering China.

Debris of a Russian passenger plane carrying about 50 people has been found in Russia’s far east, news agency Interfax has said.

The local emergencies ministry said the An-24 plane, operated by a Siberia-based airline called Angara, dropped off radar screens while approaching its destination of Tynda, a town in the Amur region bordering China, on Wednesday.

Regional Governor Vasily Orlov said that, according to preliminary data, there were 43 passengers, including five children, and six crew members on board.

“All necessary forces and means have been deployed to search for the plane,” he wrote on Telegram.

The emergencies ministry put the number of people on board somewhat lower, at about 40.

Analysts expect a turnaround in future quarters as the automaker bets on robotaxi expansions.

Tesla has reported its biggest decline in quarterly revenue in more than a decade as CEO Elon Musk’s political activity weighs on the electric carmaker brand’s reputation.

Revenue fell to $22.5bn for the April-June quarter from $25.5bn a year earlier, according to its earnings report, which Tesla released after the closing bell on Wall Street. Analysts on average were expecting revenue of $22.74bn, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Revenue from car sales declined by 16 percent. Tesla attributed the revenue dip to a decline in vehicle deliveries. Earlier this month, it reported a 14 percent decline in car deliveries in the second quarter.

Investors are worried about whether Musk will be able to give enough time and attention to Tesla after he locked horns with United States President Donald Trump by forming a new political party this month. Weeks earlier, he had promised that he would cut back on government work and focus on his companies.

Musk’s connections to the Trump administration and layoffs across the US government when he headed the Department of Government Efficiency weighed on its US reputation. Meanwhile, the billionaire’s endorsements of the far-right AfD party in Germany have affected the brand’s reputation in Europe.

A series of high-profile executive exits, including last month of a longtime Musk confidant who oversaw sales and manufacturing in North America and Europe, is also adding to the concerns.

The company reported a second straight quarterly revenue drop, despite rolling out a much-awaited refreshed version of its best-selling Model Y SUV that investors had hoped would rekindle demand.

Much of the company’s trillion-dollar valuation hangs on its bet on its robotaxi service – a small trial of which started in Austin, Texas, last month – and developing humanoid robots. On Wednesday, Bloomberg News reported that Tesla has been in talks with the state of Nevada about introducing robotaxi services there.

Analysts believe that this will keep the automaker on pace for growth in future quarters.

“We are at a ‘positive crossroads’ in the Tesla story: Musk is laser focused as CEO, Robotaxi/autonomous expansion has begun, demand stabilisation has begun especially in China, and Tesla is about to embark on an aggressive AI-focused strategy that, we believe, will include owning a significant piece of xAI,” Dan Ives, an analyst at the financial services company Wedbush Securities, said in a note provided to Al Jazeera.

xAI is Musk’s AI firm which also makes the chatbot Grok.

“While near-term and this quarter the numbers are nothing to write home about, we believe investors are instead focused on the AI future at Tesla, with a motivated Musk back driving Tesla’s future,” Ives said.

Tesla’s stock closed the trading day in positive territory, up by 0.1, but has tumbled in after-hours trading, down by 0.3 percent.

Settlement marks victory in US President Donald Trump’s efforts to exert greater control over third-level education.

Columbia University, one of the top educational institutions in the United States, has agreed to pay $221m to settle claims by US President Donald Trump’s administration that it failed to police anti-Semitism on campus.

Under the agreement announced on Wednesday, Columbia will see the “vast majority” of $400m in federal grants frozen by the Trump administration reinstated, the New York-based university said.

Columbia will also regain access to billions of dollars in current and future grants under the deal, the university said.

Columbia said the agreement formalised reforms announced in March to address harassment against Jews, including the hiring of more public safety personnel, changes to disciplinary processes, and efforts to foster “an inclusive and respectful learning environment”.

The agreement also commits Columbia to maintaining merit-based admissions and ending programs that promote “unlawful efforts to achieve race-based outcomes, quotas [and] diversity targets”.

Under the agreement, Columbia will pay the federal government $200m over three years, in addition to a $21m payment to settle claims by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Claire Shipman, Columbia’s acting president, said that while the settlement was “substantial”, the university could not continue with a situation that would “jeopardize our status as a world-leading research institution”.

“Furthermore, as I have discussed on many occasions with our community, we carefully explored all options open to us,” Shipman said in a statement.

“We might have achieved short-term litigation victories, but not without incurring deeper long-term damage – the likely loss of future federal funding, the possibility of losing accreditation, and the potential revocation of visa status of thousands of international students.”

Shipman said Columbia did not accept the Trump administration’s findings that it had violated civil rights law by turning a blind eye to the harassment of Jews, but acknowledged the “very serious and painful challenges our institution has faced with antisemitism”.

“We know there is still more to do,” she said.

The settlement marks a victory in Trump’s efforts to exert greater control over third-level education, including campus activism in support of Palestine and other causes.

Trump hailed the settlement as “historic” in a post on his Truth Social platform.

“Numerous other Higher Education Institutions that have hurt so many, and been so unfair and unjust, and have wrongly spent federal money, much of it from our government, are upcoming,” Trump wrote.

Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), a student activist group, slammed the settlement as an effective bribe.

“Imagine selling your students out just so you can pay Trump $221 million dollars and keep funding genocide,” the group said on X.

Columbia was among dozens of US universities that were roiled by protests against Israel’s war in Gaza throughout the spring and summer of 2024.

Many Jewish students and faculty complained that the campus demonstrations veered into anti-Semitism, while pro-Palestinian advocates have accused critics of often wrongly conflating opposition to Israel with the hatred of Jews.

On Tuesday, Columbia University’s Judicial Board announced that it had finalised disciplinary proceedings against students who took part in protests at the university’s main library in May and the “Revolt for Rafah” encampment last year.

CUAD said nearly 80 students had been expelled or suspended for between one and three years for joining the protests, sanctions it argued “hugely” exceeded the precedent for non-Palestine-related demonstrations.

Troops from Thailand and Cambodia exchanged fire at a disputed portion of their border early on Thursday, both sides said.

The Thai military said Cambodian soldiers opened fire near the Khmer temple Ta Muen Thom, where tensions have run high in recent weeks.

Cambodia’s defence ministry however said Thai troops fired the first shots, and Cambodian soldiers responded in self-defence.

Cambodia had sent a surveillance drone into the area before deploying troops carrying heavy weapons, the Thai military said.

A spokeswoman for the Cambodian defence ministry, Maly Socheata, said their troops “exercised their right to defend their sovereignty and territorial integrity against the aggression of the Thai troops.

Socheata said Thailand “violated the territorial integrity of Cambodia”.

The clash on Thursday morning comes hours after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Cambodia, following a landmine explosion that injured a Thai soldier along the border.

On Wednesday, Bangkok also said it would expel Cambodia’s ambassador.

Bilateral relations between the two countries are at their worst in more than a decade, after armed clashes in May left one Cambodian soldier dead.

In the past two months, both countries have imposed tit-for-tat restrictions and strengthened troops presence along the border.

At least 10 more Palestinians have starved to death in the besieged Gaza Strip, health officials say, as a wave of hunger crashes over the enclave.

The latest starvation deaths bring the death toll from malnutrition since Israel’s war began in October 2023 to 111, most of them in recent weeks.

At least 100 other Palestinians, including 34 aid seekers, were killed in Israeli attacks over the past 24 hours, Gaza’s Ministry of Health said on Wednesday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that 21 children under the age of five were among those who died of malnutrition so far this year. It said it had been unable to deliver any food for nearly 80 days, between March and May, and that a resumption of food deliveries was still far below what is needed.

In a statement, 111 organisations, including Mercy Corps, the Norwegian Refugee Council and Refugees International, said that “mass starvation” was spreading even as tonnes of food, clean water and medical supplies sit untouched just outside Gaza, where aid groups are blocked from accessing them.

Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, said that “hunger has become as deadly as the bombs. Families are no longer asking for enough, they are asking for anything”.

He said that Gaza residents have described “a slow, painful death playing out in real time, an engineered famine that the Israeli military has orchestrated”.

Israel cut off all goods from entering the territory in March, but has allowed in a trickle of aid starting in May, mostly distributed by the controversial United States-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

The United Nations and aid groups trying to deliver food to Gaza say Israel, which controls everything that comes in and out, is choking delivery, while Israeli troops have shot dead hundreds of Palestinians close to aid distribution points since May.

“We have a minimum set of requirements to be able to operate inside Gaza,” Ross Smith, the director of emergencies at the UN World Food Programme, said. “One of the most important things I want to emphasise is that we need to have no armed actors near our distribution points, near our convoys.”

Recurring attacks on aid seekers have turned the few remaining hospitals in Gaza “into massive trauma wards”, Rik Peeperkorn, the WHO’s representative for the occupied Palestinian territory, said.

The food scarcity is so extreme that people cannot do their work, including journalists, teachers and even their own staff, Peeperkorn added.

Nour Sharaf, an American doctor from al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, also warned that people “haven’t eaten anything for days and are dying of hunger”.

“Doctors sometimes don’t get food, but they still do their jobs,” she told Al Jazeera, adding that medical workers often work long hours.

Two more journalists killed

Israeli strikes have continued to pound various parts of the enclave, including Gaza City, where the Israeli army said it was “intensifying operations”.

The area has come under intense bombardment in recent days.

Gaza’s Government Media Office also announced the Israeli killing of two Palestinian journalists, Tamer al-Za’anin and Walaa al-Jabari, raising the number of media workers killed in the enclave since October 2023 to 231.

The statement said that al-Za’anin was a photojournalist with various media organisations, while al-Jabari worked as a newspaper editor with several media outlets.

Meanwhile, US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is heading to Europe for “very sensitive negotiations” over a Gaza ceasefire and captive release deal, the White House said.

During the visit, Witkoff “will meet with key leaders from the Middle East to discuss the ongoing ceasefire proposal to end this conflict in Gaza and to release the hostages”, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

Talks on a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which would include the release of more of the 50 captives still being held in Gaza, are being mediated by Qatar and Egypt, with Washington’s backing.

A Palestinian official close to the Gaza ceasefire talks and the mediation efforts said that Hamas had handed its response on the ceasefire proposal to mediators, declining to elaborate further.

Successive rounds of negotiations have achieved no breakthrough since Israel broke a ceasefire in March.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog told soldiers during a visit to Gaza that “intensive negotiations” about returning the captives held there were under way and that he hoped that they would soon “hear good news”, according to a statement.

A senior Palestinian official earlier said that Hamas might give mediators a response to the latest proposals in Doha later on Wednesday, on the condition that amendments be made to two major sticking points: details on an Israeli military withdrawal and how to distribute aid during a truce.

US officials are ‘optimistic’ that an agreement could be imminent.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said that negotiations between the European Union and the United States over a long-running trade dispute are making progress.

Speaking in Berlin on Wednesday ahead of a dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron, Merz said, “We have been hearing in the last few minutes that there could possibly be decisions,” referring to ongoing talks aimed at avoiding steep tariffs on European goods.

The United States has threatened to impose a 30 percent tariff on EU exports if no agreement is reached by August 1.

But hopes for a breakthrough rose this week after reports that both sides are close to a deal that would set a 15 percent tariff rate on EU goods – a compromise similar to a recent agreement between the US and Japan.

Macron said that European leaders and the European Commission had been in “constant contact” to coordinate their response to the US pressure.

He added: “We want the lowest possible tariffs, but also to be respected as the partners that we are.”

US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent echoed the optimism, telling Bloomberg Television that the talks were “going better than they had been”, and that progress was being made.

Further discussions between EU Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic and US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also took place on Wednesday, while officials from the European Commission briefed EU member states following the latest round of discussions.

Diplomats say the recent deal between Washington and Tokyo has increased pressure on Brussels to accept a compromise, even if reluctantly.

“The Japan agreement made clear the terms of the shakedown,” an EU diplomat told the Financial Times. “Most member states are holding their noses and could take this deal.”

If finalised, the EU-US deal could include some exemptions, such as for aircraft, medical devices and alcoholic beverages, according to the newspaper.

However, the European Commission, which leads trade policy for the EU, has already prepared a plan to hit back with more than $100bn in tariffs if talks collapse.

It comes as EU exporters have already been facing a 10 percent tariff on goods sent to the US since April, on top of pre-existing levies.

A United States judge has blocked immigration authorities from immediately detaining and deporting Kilmar Abrego Garcia upon his release from jail.

The decision was part of a one-two punch on Wednesday, as two courts weighed in on the Maryland father’s fate.

Abrego Garcia was catapulted into the national spotlight in March after the administration of President Donald Trump wrongfully deported him to his native El Salvador, despite a court order protecting him from removal.

His case became emblematic of the early days of Trump’s mass deportation drive, with critics accusing the president of taking a slapdash approach that violated the due process of the law.

In recent weeks, Abrego Garcia has been held in a Tennessee prison, as the Trump administration pursues criminal charges against him.

But in one of Wednesday’s twin rulings, US District Judge Waverly Crenshaw in Nashville upheld the finding that Abrego Garcia could be released from jail, rejecting Trump administration claims that he might be a danger or a flight risk.

Crenshaw also expressed doubt about the Trump administration’s claims that Abrego Garcia is a member of the gang MS-13, citing a lack of evidence.

His decision allows Abrego Garcia to potentially be released from detention as he awaits a January trial on human smuggling charges. Still, his release has been once again delayed for a period of 30 days, at the request of Abrego Garcia’s lawyers, who fear he could be deported.

Simultaneously on Wednesday, a second court hearing was unfolding in Maryland under US District Judge Paula Xinis.

She has been hearing arguments about Abrego Garcia’s wrongful deportation to El Salvador, as part of a lawsuit filed by his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura.

Given that Trump officials have signalled they plan to deport Abrego Garcia if he is released, Xinis issued a ruling requiring that immigration officials to give him notice of three business days if they initiate removal proceedings.

The Trump administration, Xinis wrote, has “done little to assure the court that, absent intervention, Abrego Garcia’s due process rights will be protected”.

Xinis also ordered the government to restore the legal status that Abrego Garcia had previously been under, which allowed him to live and work in Maryland.

Abrego Garcia was deported to El Salvador in March, in violation of an immigration judge’s 2019 order barring him from being sent back to his home country.

His lawyers have maintained that Abrego Garcia fled El Salvador as a teenager to avoid gang threats.

The government acknowledged that Abrego Garcia’s removal to El Salvador had been the result of an “administrative error”.

Judge Xinis — and later the US Supreme Court — ultimately ruled that the Trump administration had a responsibility to “facilitate” his return to the US.

But the Trump administration doubled down, arguing that Abrego Garcia’s removal was lawful and painting him as a member of MS-13.

Trump even posted a picture of himself to social media holding a photo of Abrego Garcia’s knuckles, with the letters and numbers for “MS-13” digitally superimposed on each finger, next to real tattoos of a smiley face and marijuana leaf.

“He’s got MS-13 tattooed onto his knuckles,” Trump wrote, falsely, on April 18.

Judge Xinis had threatened to find the Trump administration in contempt of court for failing to adequately facilitate Abrego Garcia’s release, or provide meaningful updates. Officials had argued that they had little power to bring him back, given that he was held in El Salvador.

But in early June, the Trump administration abruptly announced Abrego Garcia’s return to the US. At the same time, the Justice Department revealed it had obtained an indictment to criminally charge Abrego Garcia.

At the centre of the government’s case is a video from a November 2022 traffic stop, showing Abrego Garcia driving a Chevrolet Suburban SUV with three rows of seats. A police officer heard in the footage speculates that the nine passengers could be involved in human smuggling, but no charges were brought at that time.

His lawyers have dismissed the government’s case as “preposterous”.

Still, before Xinis’s ruling, the lawyers had requested Abrego Garcia remain in custody as he awaits trial, for fear that he might be immediately deported if released.

While Abrego Garcia cannot be sent to El Salvador again, the Trump administration has maintained he can be legally deported to a third country, even one where he has no personal ties.

Last month, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration could, at least in the short term, continue to deport individuals to such third-party countries while legal challenges proceed against the practice.

Some of those third-party countries have included South Sudan and Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, both of which have faced accusations of human rights abuses in their prisons.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security took to the social media platform X on Wednesday to criticise Xinis’s latest ruling.

“The fact this unhinged judge is trying to tell ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] they can’t arrest an MS-13 gang member, indicted by a grand jury for human trafficking, and subject to immigration arrest under federal law is LAWLESS AND INSANE,” spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin wrote, reiterating unproven claims.

Abrego Garcia’s lawyers, however, applauded Wednesday’s court decisions.

“These rulings are a powerful rebuke of the government’s lawless conduct and a critical safeguard for Kilmar’s due process rights,” lawyer Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg said in a statement.

Luke Littler survived a real scare before fighting back to beat Jermaine Wattimena 13-11 in a thriller to reach the World Matchplay quarter-finals in Blackpool, but three-time champion Michael van Gerwen is out after defeat to Josh Rock.

World champion Littler looked out of sorts at Winter Gardens as he slipped 4-0 and then 7-2 behind against Dutchman Wattimena.

After pulling one leg back immediately before the second break, a clearly fired up Littler let out a roar of delight and gestured to the crowd that he was not going home just yet.

Littler returned from the break reinvigorated, winning six legs in a row, but Wattimena rediscovered his composure and the two players traded blows to send the game to a tie break

Littler missed two match darts as the nerves began to show, but after making the third he once again roared in celebration and pointed to the star on his shirt, which signifies his World Championship victory.

“When I pointed to the star on my shirt, I’m a world champion for a reason, I find these gears when I need it,” Littler told Sky Sports.

“I’ve not felt pressure like that since the first round of the World Championship. I was a bit nervous and it’s on to my third game here, I’ve won two of them.

“I want to get back on stage and right now I can’t wait to be in the quarter-final.”

Van Gerwen made a flying start against Northern Ireland’s Rock, taking the opening leg with a 150 checkout before surging into a 5-1 lead.

Rock narrowed the game to 6-4 at the second break only for Van Gerwen to move into a 9-6 lead and seemingly on the brink of victory.

But Rock fought back again and the momentum to swung in his favour when a superb 152 checkout cut Van Gerwen’s lead down to one, before winning the next two legs to take the lead for the first time.

Van Gerwen needed a 138 checkout to stay in the game and make it 10-10, but Rock held his nerve in a tense tie break.

“I kept my emotions, I think, throughout the game. I don’t know what was going on but I got into the game at the end,” he told Sky Sports.

“One of the most dramatic, my heart was pumping throughout the whole game. The stress has finally gone. What a game.”

Gerwyn Price stormed into the quarter-finals with an 11-3 thrashing of England’s Chris Dobey,

Welshman Price, who was involved in an angry confrontation with Daryl Gurney in the previous round, averaged 108.7, hit eight 180s and had a 146 checkout in a dominant performance.

“It was fantastic. In the middle part of the game I felt like I couldn’t miss,” he told Sky Sports. “I put Chris under a lot of pressure. I think he still played pretty decent in patches.

“I think early on we were both flying and I was just pipping him on a couple of legs, probably disheartened him a little bit. It’s a good game for me.”

Andrew Gilding set up a meeting with Littler after the former UK Open champion beat Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode 11-5 to reach the last eight of the World Matchplay for the second successive year.

Meme coin enthusiasts are celebrating Dogecoin’s (DOGE) rally toward its five-month high, as it gained about 90% from its June lows. All of the top 10 meme coins by market cap were up double-digits over the past week, pushing the entire sector’s valuation above $84 billion.

This bullish sentiment toward meme coins isn’t happening in isolation. Bitcoin dominance slipped to around 60% on July 21, while CoinMarketCap’s Altcoin Season Index shows a gradual trend shift in favor of altcoins.

Against this backdrop, investors are enthusiastically backing TOKEN6900 (T6900), a satirical meme coin that’s building on the success of the SPX6900 (SPX) token. While Dogecoin continues to enjoy global recognition and SPX is hitting all-time highs, TOKEN6900’s minimalist manifesto and rapidly growing crypto presale could allow it to outperform the veteran meme coin in the current leg of the bull cycle.

Analyst Eyes Bullish Dogecoin Target After This Breakout

This breakout triggered a wave of buy orders, coinciding with a 24-hour volume spike of over 2 billion DOGE.

In the meantime, corporate interest in Dogecoin is further adding to the bullish expectations for the meme coin. Recently, US-listed entity Bit Origin Ltd’s stock experienced a double-digit gain after it acquired roughly 40.5 million DOGE for its treasury.

Another catalyst for DOGE is the growing optimism around a spot-based Dogecoin ETF. Prediction markets are now assigning an 80% probability to a DOGE ETF approval in 2025, especially following the recent successes of Ethereum and XRP products.

But opportunistic investors recognize that, despite these bullish catalysts, Dogecoin’s upside is still limited compared to that of a low-cap meme coin. This is why they’re now shifting their focus to TOKEN6900, a viral meme coin that’s about to reach the $1 million raise milestone in its presale.

TOKEN6900: The Anti‑Index Meme Coin With Viral Momentum

TOKEN6900 has secured more than $925,000 in its recently launched presale, while riding the broader optimism that has re-energized the meme coin market.

The meme coin openly embraces the absurdity of meme coins, branding itself as the anti-S&P 500 token that doesn’t track any index or pretend to solve real-world problems. This honest narrative has drawn comparisons to the recent sensation SPX6900, another viral meme coin which TOKEN6900 “one-ups” by having one extra token in total supply.

SPX6900 has skyrocketed by over 692% in just the past four months, hitting a brand-new ATH of $2.03 on July 20. Since its inception two years ago, SPX6900 has delivered a staggering 75,658,386% return, lifting its market cap to more than $1.8 billion. An early $100 investment in SPX would be worth over $75 million today.

What’s worth noting is that the term “spx6900” has seen an uptrend on Google search, and crypto analysts predict buying interest will spill over to T6900 next. With altcoin season already underway and retail traders on the hunt for the next big altcoin to explode, T6900 positions itself as a rare high-upside opportunity.

A micro-cap like TOKEN6900 could outperform Dogecoin by orders of magnitude if momentum and community fandom continue to build. To buy T6900 and enter at a position that could yield millions, visit the TOKEN6900 official presale page and connect a compatible Web3 wallet (like Best Wallet).

Buyers can also immediately stake their holdings for a high annual reward of up to 66% without waiting for the presale to end.

Visit TOKEN6900 Presale

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. ModernDiplomacy.eu is not a licensed crypto-asset service provider under EU regulation (MiCA). Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile and involve significant risk. Always conduct your own research and consult a licensed advisor before making any investment decisions.

The administration of United States President Donald Trump has unveiled its new artificial intelligence action plan, which includes a strategy it says will boost the US standing in AI as it competes with China for dominance in the rapidly growing sector.

The White House released the 25-page “America’s AI Action Plan” on Wednesday.

It includes 90 different policy proposals that the administration says will increase AI tools for allies around the globe. It will also promote production of new data centres around the US. It will scrap federal regulations that “hinder AI development”, although it is not clear which regulations are in question.

In a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the plan will “ensure America sets the technological gold standard worldwide, and that the world continues to run on American technology”.

The president is expected to announce a series of executive orders which will outline key parts of the plan around 5pm in New York (21:00 GMT).

“We believe we’re in an AI race … and we want the United States to win that race,” White House AI czar David Sacks told reporters on Wednesday.

The White House says the plan will “counter Chinese influence in international governance bodies” and also will give the US more control over exports of AI technology.

However, the administration did not offer any details on how it plans to do that.

The plan outlined by the Trump administration will also include a framework to analyse models built by China to assess “alignment with Chinese Communist Party talking points and censorship”.

Free speech in the spotlight 

The plan says that it will also uphold free speech in models that will allow systems to be “objective and free from top-down ideological bias” for organisations wanting to do business with the federal government.

A senior White House official said the main target was AI models that consider diversity and inclusion, according to The Wall Street Journal, which, experts say, signals the concern is the government’s perceived liberal bias as opposed to an overall bias.

“The government should not be acting as a Ministry of AI Truth or insisting that AI models hew to its preferred interpretation of reality,” Samir Jain, vice president of policy at the Center for Democracy & Technology, said in a statement provided to Al Jazeera.

“The plan is highly unbalanced, focusing too much on promoting the technology while largely failing to address the ways in which it could potentially harm people.”

Conservatives have long accused AI chatbots of having a liberal bias, comparable to their comments on legacy media for providing critical coverage of the administration. However, it comes as users of GrokAI, former Trump ally and right-wing tycoon Elon Musk’s AI platform, have accused it of having a right-wing lean. Musk’s X AI is part of a $200m package with the Pentagon that has other AI companies, including OpenAI.

Building out data centres

A key focus of the new plan will be to build out new data centers for AI technology as the industry rapidly expands. The administration said that will include streamlining permits for new centre development and the energy production facilities used to power these data centres.

The plan sidesteps environmental concerns that have been a major criticism of the AI industry. AI “challenges America to build vastly greater energy generation than we have today”, the plan said.

AI data centres have been tied to increased power consumption and, in turn, greenhouse gas emissions. According Google’s 2024 sustainability report, there was a 48 percent increase in power greenhouse gas emissions since 2019 which, it says, will only become more prevalent.

“This result was primarily due to increases in data center energy consumption and supply chain emissions. As we further integrate AI into our products, reducing emissions may be challenging due to increasing energy demands from the greater intensity of AI compute, and the emissions associated with the expected increases in our technical infrastructure investment,’ the report said.

The streamlining of permits also comes as the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to reverse its scientific determination that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health. That change would remove the legal framework that climate regulations are based on, the Reuters news agency has reported, citing two unnamed sources.

The reversal would remove the “endangerment finding”, making it easier for the EPA to undo legislation limiting greenhouse gas emissions on energy-producing facilities, including those used to power AI data centres.

The administration has created environmental review exceptions for data centre construction and will allow expanding access to federal lands for AI development.

“AI will improve the lives of Americans by complementing their work — not replacing it,” the plan says.

It, however, comes as employers across the country scrap jobs because of AI. Earlier this month, Recruit Holdings, the parent company of Indeed and Glassdoor, cut 1300 jobs which it directly attributed to AI.

In June, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said that AI is doing 30 to 50 percent of the company’s workload. In February, the tech giant laid off 1,000 employees.

Analysts say the plan looks promising for investors in the AI sector.

“This is a watershed moment in the AI revolution, and Trump recognises this AI arms race between the US and China. A big step forward,” Dan Ives, analyst at Wedbush Securities, told Al Jazeera.

As of 4pm in New York (20:00 GMT), stocks of AI-focused companies had mixed results. NVIDIA was up 2.1 percent; Palantir up 3.6 percent, Oracle up 1.5 percent and Microsoft was up 0.3 percent. On the other hand, Google’s parent company Alphabet was down 0.5 percent.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has promised to introduce new legislation amid continuing protests and international criticism over a law passed earlier this week that critics say undermines Ukraine’s fight against corruption.

The controversial law, passed on Tuesday, places the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) under the direct authority of the country’s prosecutor general – an official appointed by the president. Critics say the law strips the agencies of their independence and could allow political interference.

While Zelenskyy has defended the law as a necessary response to suspected “Russian influence” within the agencies, European Union officials and rights groups say that it contains no specific provisions to target Kremlin-linked operatives and warn it could derail any Ukrainian accession bid to the European Union.

“I have analysed all concerns,” Zelenskyy wrote on X following a meeting with top government and law enforcement officials.

Writing about the proposal of the new bill, he said: “We will prepare and submit a bill to the Verkhovna Rada [parliament] that ensures the strength of the rule-of-law system. There will be no Russian influence or interference … and all the norms for the independence of anti-corruption institutions will be in place.”

Public anger and European backlash

On Tuesday night, thousands of Ukrainians rallied in Kyiv and other major cities in rare wartime protests. More than 1,000 demonstrators defied martial law, which bans large public gatherings, to express their anger at the government, while on Wednesday, more protests took place in the capital.

“This is complete nonsense from the president’s office,” 20-year-old student Solomiia Telishevska told the news agency Reuters, referring to the law signed by Zelenskyy on Tuesday. “This contradicts what we are fighting for and what we are striving for, namely to [join] the European Union.”

Cleaning up systemic corruption has long been a core requirement for Ukraine’s EU membership and for unlocking billions in foreign aid. The law’s passage risks alienating Kyiv’s Western allies as the war grinds on.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has demanded “explanations” from Zelenskyy, with a spokesperson confirming on Wednesday that she conveyed “strong concerns about the consequences of the amendments”. Germany’s Johann Wadephul, deputy leader of the Christian Democratic Union, warned on X that the restrictions were “hampering Ukraine’s path to the EU”.

Anticorruption bodies targeted

The storm erupted days after law enforcement raided NABU offices and arrested an employee on suspicion of spying for Russia. Another employee was accused of illegal business ties to Moscow. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) agency also carried out searches and arrests related to other alleged infractions, including a traffic incident.

Zelenskyy suggested these incidents justified the law passed on Tuesday, but Ukrainian analysts have warned the changes could erode public trust in Zelenskyy’s leadership during a critical phase of the war.

NABU was created in 2015 after Ukraine’s 2014 pro-European revolution to tackle deep-rooted government corruption. The agency has investigated multiple high-profile cases, including figures close to Zelenskyy’s administration.

Transparency International Ukraine denounced the raids as “an attempt by the authorities to undermine the independence of Ukraine’s post-Revolution of Dignity anti-corruption institutions”.

Some Ukrainians believe the government is protecting loyal insiders at the expense of transparency. “Those who swore to protect the laws and the constitution have instead chosen to shield their inner circle, even at the expense of Ukrainian democracy,” said veteran Oleh Symoroz, who lost both legs in 2022 fighting Russian forces.

The political firestorm risks creating deeper rifts within Ukraine at a time when unity is vital in Kyiv’s war against Russia. Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Center for Civil Liberties, warned the law could play directly into the Kremlin’s hands. “This is a gift to Putin,” she said.

Russian officials have already seized on the controversy. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov remarked there was “a lot of corruption” when asked about the protests in Kyiv.

A former security guard who worked at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation ‘aid distribution sites’ described to Israeli media abuses he witnessed firsthand, including the potentially lethal use of pepper spray and tear gas.

Turkiye is waiting for a price proposal for the possible acquisition of Eurofighter jets after submitting a list outlining its technical needs to Britain’s Defence Ministry, a Turkish Defence Ministry source said today according to Reuters.

The Eurofighter Typhoon jets are built by a consortium of Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain, represented by companies Airbus AIR.PA, BAE Systems BAES.L and Leonardo LDOF.MI.

Ankara has been in talks with Britain and Spain to purchase 40 Typhoons and Germany took a step toward clearing the deal after initially being opposed to it.

“The […] document, prepared within the scope of the procurement of 40 Eurofighter Typhoon Aircraft, was sent to the British Ministry of Defence and the relevant company,” the source told a briefing in Ankara.

“We expect the price offer to reach us in the coming days.”

READ: Germany reconsiders Turkiye’s request to purchase Eurofighter

States no longer employ war as a tool to achieve their goals. Preferring to utilize more peaceful methods, states employ it to pursue highly consequential objectives. BRICS serves as a manifestation of this notion. The emergence of BRICS increasingly challenges the Global North. The establishment of this cooperation reflects the efforts of the Global South to alter the global order and break free from the long-standing dominance of the Global North.

BRICS represents more than a symbol of cooperation. It is actively engaged in a geopolitical chessboard that shapes today’s global economy. Gradually yet steadily, it is shifting the global balance of power through the strength it has accumulated. This is evident in the growing interest among developing countries to join the group.

Led by two major powers perceived as threats to the Global North, China and Russia hold substantial leadership roles. China dominates the global economic landscape and poses a challenge not only to the United States but also to Europe. The European Union consistently asserts that China is a rival in the renewable energy sector, particularly in electric vehicles. Russia, on the other hand, holds significant energy leverage over Europe and poses a geopolitical challenge to NATO, which is led by the United States. The development of this cooperation is further reinforced by the accession of strategically significant global actors such as Iran and the United Arab Emirates, with their vast oil reserves; Ethiopia, with its port access; and Egypt, with its strategic geographic position in relation to the West.
The inclusion of these countries further destabilizes the seemingly absolute dominance of the Global North.

Power has long been synonymous with the realist approach, which is grounded in strength.
However, the definition of strength and power has evolved. Power is no longer solely defined in terms of military capability or weaponry. In today’s global context, power is also measured by a state’s influence in shaping the rules of the game. Cooperation serves as the foundation of this new form of power.

BRICS leverages this expanded notion of power and influence. It builds coalitions to undermine dominance not by overt force, but by subtly shifting the balance—leaving its opponents unaware that a transformation is underway. BRICS undoubtedly presents a substantial challenge to the Global North’s dominance. In response, Western countries have adopted equally measured diplomatic strategies aimed at undermining BRICS from within.

During a G7 summit, former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed regret over Russia’s removal from the G7 following its annexation of Crimea in 2014.

“I would say that was a mistake, because I think you wouldn’t have a war right now if Russia were still in, and you wouldn’t have a war right now if Trump had been president four years ago.”

Trump also did not object to the possibility of China joining the G7, stating:

“Well, it’s not a bad idea. I don’t mind that. If someone wants to suggest China joining, I think we should suggest it, but you want people you can talk to,” he added.

At first glance, these remarks appear to suggest a constructive approach to U.S.–China relations. However, upon closer examination, they may be interpreted as part of a broader strategic effort to weaken U.S. involvement in China’s global agenda.

This statement illustrates the extent to which the Global North powers are monitoring and responding to the actions of two principal BRICS members—China and Russia—as part of their efforts to undermine alliances among the Global South countries. Beyond these two core members, the G7 extended invitations to three strategically important BRICS countries—India, South Africa, and Brazil—to attend the forum as guest participants. This move represents a calculated geopolitical effort by the Global North to engage selectively with the Global South actors on the international stage.

In early July 2025, BRICS convened a summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 6–7 July. The summit was attended by all member states, including Indonesia as the newest addition to the group. Amid widespread global instability, the summit focused on pressing international issues, particularly those concerning the global economy and sanctions imposed by the United States. The meeting also addressed and condemned the Israel–U.S. military action against Iran, characterizing it as a violation of international law. These discussions served to foster a shared perspective and unity among BRICS members, with the expressed objective of challenging and dismantling systemic dominance.

The global chessboard, once governed exclusively by the most powerful Global North actors, is now being gradually redefined by emerging powers. These new actors, having grown weary of external direction, are seeking to establish their own platforms for influence and victory.

In conclusion, cooperation may serve as a strategic instrument for gaining power—one that cannot be easily condemned by any state. It represents the power to shape a new world order. Moreover, cooperation can also function as a tool for existing powers to engage with emerging actors and potentially undermine them from within the very system those new actors have established. Thus, cooperation in this context is not merely a symbol of unity but a form of conflict—one that is waged without conventional weaponry or the noise of warfare, yet still aimed at securing or contesting global dominance. Whether that dominance is preserved or overtaken remains the central struggle.

Host nation Morocco will face Nigeria in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations after beating Ghana on penalties.

Goalkeeper Khadija Er-Rmichi blocked Comfort Yeboah’s attempt, and the hosts, Morocco, advanced to the championship of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw with Ghana.

Morocco, which prevailed 4-2 on penalties on Tuesday, will face Nigeria in the final on Saturday. The Super Falcons defeated defending champions South Africa 2-1 in the earlier semifinal on Tuesday in Casablanca.

Ghana took a first-half lead. Er-Rmichi got a hand on Josephine Bonsu’s header, but it bounced off the post and skittered across the goal for Stella Nyamekye to push it into the net in the 26th minute.

Morocco equalised in the 55th when Sakina Ouzraoui bounced a pass from her chest to her feet and scored from underneath diving Ghana goalkeeper Cynthia Konlan.

Scoreless for the rest of regulation, the match went to extra time at Rabat’s Olympic Stadium.

Morocco has seen its national team rise in recent years. The team reached the WAFCON final in 2022 but fell to South Africa. Morocco also went to the Women’s World Cup for the first time in 2023 and advanced to the round of 16.

Morocco advanced to the semifinals with a 3-1 victory over Mali, while Ghana downed Algeria 4-2 on penalties after a scoreless draw.

Nigeria beat South Africa in first WAFCON semi

Michelle Alozie’s long ball bounced into the goal in stoppage time to give Nigeria a 2-1 victory over South Africa earlier on Tuesday, and send the Super Falcons into the final at the WAFCON.

The Super Falcons have won nine WAFCON titles. Disappointed by their fourth-place finish in the 2022 tournament, the Super Falcons dubbed their goal to win this event as “Mission X”.

Alozie, who plays in the National Women’s Soccer League for the Houston Dash, sent the ball forward from distance four minutes into stoppage time. Although two teammates were in front of South Africa’s net, neither of them touched the ball as it bounced into the goal.

Rasheedat Ajibade, who plays for Atlético Madrid, converted a penalty just before half-time to put Nigeria ahead 1-0. The Super Falcons were awarded the penalty because of a handball in the box.

South Africa, the defending WAFCON champions, pulled even on Linda Motlhalo’s penalty in the 60th minute.

Nigeria, which had not previously conceded a goal in the tournament, routed Zambia 5-0 in the quarterfinals to advance. South Africa, led by coach Desiree Ellis, advanced on penalties after a scoreless draw with Senegal.

There was a scary moment in the 84th minute when South Africa midfielder Gabriela Salgado went down with an injury, and players from both teams frantically gestured for help.

Salgado was stretchered off with her left leg heavily wrapped as her teammates sobbed. The crowd at Stade Larbi Zaouli chanted her name.

Israel’s blockade has plunged Gaza into an increasingly dire malnutrition crisis. As hunger spreads across the Strip, children are dying from malnutrition, aid workers are collapsing, and hospitals are overwhelmed.

United States President Donald Trump has called for the arrest of former President Barack Obama, repeating unproven claims that the Democrat’s administration intentionally misled the public in its assessment of the 2016 election.

At Tuesday’s Oval Office meeting with Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, Trump accused Obama, a longtime rival, of helming a criminal conspiracy.

“ The leader of the gang was President Obama, Barack Hussein Obama,” Trump told the media.

“ He’s guilty. This was treason. This was every word you can think of. They tried to steal the election. They tried to obfuscate the election. They did things that nobody’s ever even imagined, even in other countries.”

President Trump has a history of spreading election-related falsehoods, including by denying his own defeat in the 2020 race.

But since taking office for a second term, he has sought to settle scores over his victory in the 2016 presidential contest, which raised questions about Russia’s alleged attempts to influence the outcome.

In 2016, in the waning days of Obama’s second term, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) concluded that Russia had attempted to sway the results in Trump’s favour. Obama responded to the allegations by expelling Russian diplomats and slapping sanctions on the country.

An intelligence community assessment in 2017 later offered details into the Russian influence campaign.

But in 2019, a special counsel’s report found there was not enough evidence to support the claim that the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia. It did, however, once again underscore the government’s assertion that Russia had interfered in the election “in sweeping and systematic fashion”.

Trump, however, has described such probes as politicised attacks designed to undermine his authority.

In Tuesday’s appearance, Trump cited recent claims from his director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, to assert wrongdoing on the part of the Obama administration.

“They caught President Obama absolutely cold,” Trump said. “They tried to rig the election, and they got caught, and there should be very severe consequences for that.”

Tulsi Gabbard renews Obama attacks

Trump’s latest remarks about what he calls the “Russia hoax” come just days after Gabbard released a press release about the subject on July 18.

In the statement, Gabbard’s office asserts she “revealed overwhelming evidence” that “President Obama and his national security cabinet members manufactured and politicised intelligence to lay the groundwork for what was essentially a years-long coup against President Trump”.

Gabbard followed that release up with a series of social media posts, some indicating she had pressed the Department of Justice (DOJ) for criminal charges against Obama. She has called the scrutiny on the 2016 election a “treasonous conspiracy”.

“Their goal was to usurp President Trump and subvert the will of the American people,” Gabbard wrote.

“No matter how powerful, every person involved in this conspiracy must be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” she continued. “We are turning over all documents to the DOJ for criminal referral.”

However, the veracity of Gabbard’s report has been widely questioned. Critics have pointed out that she appears to confuse different conclusions.

Gabbard, for instance, has highlighted internal government documents from the 2016 election period that indicate Russia was not using cyberattacks to alter the overall vote count.

But the published 2017 intelligence report did not assert that Russia was attempting to hack the election. Instead, it highlighted ways that Russia tried to influence public sentiment through disinformation.

Russia’s campaign included online propaganda, the dissemination of hacked data, and targeted messaging about individuals and entities involved in the election.

Other investigations related to the matter, including a separate Department of Justice inspector general report and a Republican-led Senate investigation, all supported that Russia did indeed seek to influence the 2016 election.

Backlash against Gabbard’s statements

But Gabbard’s argument that the scrutiny over the 2016 election was criminal has prompted uproar, particularly from the Democratic Party.

Senator Mark Warner of Virginia even questioned whether Gabbard should remain in her role as director of national intelligence.

“It is sadly not surprising that DNI Gabbard, who promised to depoliticize the intelligence community, is once again weaponizing her position to amplify the president’s election conspiracy theories,” he wrote on social media.

Obama himself released a statement through his office, calling Gabbard’s claims “bizarre”.

“Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes,” it said.

Some critics have speculated that Trump may be using the years-old question of Russian election interference to distract from his current political woes: He recently faced backlash from members of his base over his handling of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Still, President Trump has doubled down on Gabbard’s assertions, even reposting a video generated by artificial intelligence (AI) on Monday showing Obama being handcuffed in the Oval Office, while the song YMCA played.

“ This is, like, proof – irrefutable proof – that Obama was seditious, that Obama was trying to lead a coup,” Trump said on Tuesday. “Obama headed it up.”

Experts have long speculated that Trump may use a second term as president to settle political scores and seek retaliation against his foes.