Today

City need to get over this disappointment quickly because they have got a massive Premier League game against Bournemouth on Tuesday.

As things stand they are in sixth place and out of the Champions League places, so they really need to win it – in effect, it’s another cup final for them.

Whether they finish in the top five or not, however, I can see there being a big turnover of players in Pep’s squad over the summer.

We know Kevin de Bruyne is leaving and the writing appears to be on the wall for Jack Grealish as well – Guardiola preferred to bring a young kid, Claudio Echeverri, off the bench for his debut when he was desperate for a goal against Palace, rather than send on Grealish, a £100m player.

There could be a lot of other changes too, and there has to be really. This City team has been amazing but they have come to the end of their period of dominance and some fresh faces are needed to get them challenging for the Premier League title again.

Even if they spend big and bring a few players in, I am not sure whether they can get back to the levels they reached under Guardiola in the past few seasons, when they were the outstanding team in the country.

But some kind of improvement is clearly needed. Considering the heights they have hit, for them to be in sixth place with two games to go and without a trophy for the first time since 2016-17 has already made this a very poor season by their high standards.

Alan Shearer was speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan at Wembley.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams says 19 people were injured in the collision, four of them seriously.

A Mexican Navy sailing ship has crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City, injuring at least 19 people, including four who are in critical condition, according to officials.

The incident took place on Saturday.

Videos posted online show the ship sailing underneath the bridge, connecting the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan, as the top of its three masts collide with the iconic structure.

The masts can be seen snapping and partially collapsing as they crash into the deck of the bridge.

The vessel, which was flying a giant green, white and red Mexican flag, then drifted towards the edge of the river as onlookers scrambled away from the shore.

Sailors can be seen aloft in the rigging on the damaged masts.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said 19 people were injured in the crash, four seriously, but the 142-year-old bridge was spared major damage.

The cause of the collision is under investigation.

Sydney Neidell and Lily Katz told The Associated Press news agency they were sitting outside to watch the sunset when they saw the vessel strike the bridge and one of its masts snap. Looking closer, they saw someone dangling from high on the ship.

“We saw someone dangling, and I couldn’t tell if it was just blurry or my eyes, and we were able to zoom in on our phone and there was someone dangling from the harness from the top for, like, at least like 15 minutes before they were able to rescue them,” Katz said.

They said they saw two people removed from the ship on stretchers into smaller boats.

The Mexican Navy said in a post on X that the Cuauhtemoc, an academy training vessel, was damaged in an accident with the Brooklyn Bridge, which prevented it from continuing its voyage.

It added that the status of personnel and material was under review by naval and local authorities, who were providing assistance.

Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on X that its ambassador to the US and officials from the Mexican consulate in New York were in contact with local authorities to provide assistance to “the affected cadets”, but it did not mention injuries.

The Brooklyn Bridge, which opened in 1883, has a nearly 1,600-foot (490-meter) main span supported by two masonry towers.

More than 100,000 vehicles and an estimated 32,000 pedestrians cross the bridge every day, according to the city’s transportation department, and its walkway is a major tourist attraction.

At least 22 people have been injured and three remain in a serious condition after a tall Mexican Navy training ship crashed into New York City’s Brooklyn Bridge, the Mexican Navy says.

Footage has emerged showing towering masts of the Cuauhtémoc clipping the bridge as the sailing vessel was passing under the famous structure on Saturday evening.

Parts of the masts reportedly fell on the deck, with US media reporting multiple injuries as members of the crew were standing on the masts at the time of collision.

New York City’s Emergency Management (NYCEM) said it was “responding to an incident”, without giving any further details. Brooklyn Bridge has not sustained any damage, the mayor of New York said,

The Mexican Navy confirmed that the ship was damaged, saying the incident was being investigated.

Crowds who were watching the ship’s trajectory fled from the water’s edge as the masts collided with the bridge.

New York City’s Fire Department confirmed that authorities were responding to injuries, reports CBS, BBC’s US partner.

The department said it had no details about how many people might have been hurt or whether they were on the vessel or on the bridge.

In a statement on X, NYCEM said “the situation is developing and details are not confirmed at this time”.

The mayor of New York Eric Adams is at the scene and has been briefed on the situation, CBS reported.

NYPD told residents to avoid the area of Brooklyn Bridge, South Street Seaport in Manhattan, and Dumbo in Brooklyn.

“Expect heavy traffic and a large presence of emergency vehicles in the surrounding area,” police said on X.

Media reports say the Cuauhtémoc had more than 200 crew on board.

It was in New York City on a goodwill visit.

The Middle East—a cradle of history, culture, and geopolitical contradictions—has repeatedly witnessed alluring promises of peace that ultimately sank into the whirlpool of its complex realities. The doctrine of “peace through strength,” which became a central pillar of U.S. foreign policy in the region during Donald Trump’s second presidential term, relies on displays of military might, economic sanctions, and aggressive diplomacy. It claims to tame rogue actors and bring stability to a turbulent region. However, the history of the Middle East, from the failure of “maximum pressure” policies to the inability of the Abraham Accords to resolve the Palestinian conflict, demonstrates that such an approach not only fails to deliver lasting peace but often fuels instability and heightens tensions.

The strategy of “peace through strength” is based on the assumption that military posturing and economic pressure can alter the behavior of regional players or compel them to cooperate. This approach was tested during Trump’s first term through the “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, beginning with the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018. The goal was to force Iran into negotiations by imposing crippling sanctions, but the outcome was quite the opposite. A 2024 report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirms that Iran has enriched uranium to 60%, just a step away from weapons-grade. This advancement not only signals the failure of the pressure campaign to contain Iran’s nuclear program but also escalated regional tensions. Moreover, the 2020 assassination of Qassem Soleimani—intended as a show of strength—did not weaken Iran but rather empowered its proxy forces, including Hezbollah and Iraqi militias. A 2024 UN Security Council report confirms that these groups expanded their operations following Soleimani’s death.

The Abraham Accords, hailed in 2020 as a major achievement of power-driven diplomacy, are another illustration of the limitations of this approach. These agreements, which normalized relations between Israel and countries like the UAE and Bahrain, were largely facilitated through U.S. economic and military incentives. However, they ignored the core issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, leading to increased violence in the West Bank and Gaza. UN reports from 2025 indicate that violence surged in these areas post-Accords, as Palestinians felt sidelined. This underscores that peace achieved by privileging some parties while excluding others is neither durable nor just—it fosters mistrust and unrest. An analysis by the Middle East Institute (March 2025) likewise emphasizes that the marginalization of the Palestinian issue has rendered the Abraham Accords fragile and incapable of withstanding regional shocks.

The Middle East is a region where history, identity, and national interests are so deeply intertwined that power-centric solutions often prove ineffective. Regional rivalries—such as the Iran-Saudi conflict or the Israeli-Palestinian struggle—are rooted in complex historical and identity-based issues that cannot be resolved through military or economic coercion. Unconditional U.S. support for Israel, a hallmark of Trump 2.0’s power-based approach, has eroded public trust across the Arab world. Pew Research Center polls in 2024 show that 72% of respondents in Arab countries perceive U.S. policies as biased and destabilizing. This distrust has only deepened with recent developments, such as Trump’s controversial proposal to relocate Gaza’s population to Egypt and Jordan and transform Gaza into the “Middle East Riviera.” The plan, strongly opposed by Egypt, Jordan, and Palestinian officials, has been condemned not only as impractical and illegal but also as an attempt to redefine the Palestinian issue as a humanitarian crisis rather than a political one.

Trump 2.0’s aggressive policies—including increased U.S. military presence in the region and threats of strikes against Iran—have exacerbated rather than reduced tensions. An April 2025 analysis by the Middle East Institute notes that Trump’s abrupt announcement of “direct” talks with Iran, while simultaneously threatening military action, sowed confusion and distrust among regional allies, including Israel. This oscillation between threats and diplomacy reflects the absence of a coherent strategic framework in Trump’s foreign policy. Additionally, U.S. military strikes against the Houthis in Yemen and support for Israeli operations in Gaza—disregarding their human and political consequences—have further fueled instability. A February 2025 Newsweek analysis warns that such actions have increased the risk of direct conflict between Israel and Iran.

One of the most significant flaws of the “peace through strength” doctrine is its failure to build trust among regional actors. Lasting peace requires frameworks that account for the concerns of all parties involved, but a power-based approach often strengthens one side at the expense of another. The Abraham Accords, by excluding Palestinians, contributed to growing distrust among Arab societies. In contrast, more successful examples—such as the 1978 Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel—demonstrate the importance of inclusive diplomacy. That agreement, reached through U.S. mediation and extensive negotiations, resulted in a durable peace because it addressed the concerns of both parties. Similarly, the 2015 JCPOA negotiations, which involved global powers and Iran, effectively curbed Iran’s nuclear program until the U.S. withdrawal in 2018. IAEA reports confirm that Iran complied with the deal until that point. This success highlights the superiority of multilateral diplomacy over unilateral pressure.

The “peace through strength” doctrine has not only failed to resolve Middle Eastern conflicts but has also contributed to economic and political instability. While broad sanctions against Iran pressured its economy, they also strengthened nationalist narratives in Tehran. A 2024 World Bank report shows that Iran has mitigated some of the sanctions’ impact by expanding trade with China and Russia. Furthermore, Trump’s aggressive economic policies—including broad tariffs on regional countries, such as a 17% tariff on Israeli goods—have created economic volatility and eroded allies’ trust. A 2025 Brookings Institution analysis notes that Chinese investments in regional infrastructure have grown significantly since 2018, signaling a decline in U.S. influence in favor of rivals like China and Russia.

The continuation of power-based policies risks further escalation. Statements by U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce—that “Iran’s threat to expel IAEA inspectors contradicts its claim of a peaceful nuclear program”—and the response by Iran’s atomic agency spokesperson Behrouz Kamalvandi—that “no limitations exist on enrichment under the safeguards framework”—highlight the current stalemate. These disagreements underscore the need for diplomatic dialogue, not threats and pressure.

The doctrine of “peace through strength,” by ignoring the complexities of the Middle East, has repeatedly failed. Experiences such as maximum pressure on Iran, the Abraham Accords, and unrealistic proposals like relocating Gaza’s population reveal that military and economic might without inclusive diplomacy leads to instability. The Middle East needs frameworks that consider all sides and focus on building trust. Successful cases like Camp David and the JCPOA show that while multilateral diplomacy is difficult, it can yield lasting results. For the United States, shifting from imposing power to facilitating dialogue would not only reduce tensions but also restore its role as a credible mediator.

In the context of emerging new world, key global powers are thumbing up their strategic agendas, seriously evaluating their approaches in taking positions on diverse issues including security, trade and economics with implications for and impact on developing countries. Notwithstanding, Africa has seemingly become the center of the geopolitics, and the United States tariffs China’s trade while Russia attempts to assert its control over Ukraine’s ambitions to join North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO].

In early May 2025, MD Africa editor Kester Kenn Klomegah had the chance to talk with Professor Arnold Boateng over a number questions connecting evolutionary geopolitical process and its implications and likely impact on shaping world’s landscape. Professor Arnold Boateng is an Entrepreneur, Consultant, Speaker and Author. [Books: Dreams of Our Youth: The African Youth Question: Ananse Verses: Foundations for Life…Available from Amazon & Kindle Store].  Here are the interview excerpts:

Which global power is emerging and could, in the near future, be recognized as the super power?

Professor Arnold Boateng: In terms of Security Russia is already a superpower. It has a much [official records] ICBMs and nuclear weapons as the United States. On the economic front, China is more likely to take over. It has the ambition and intent. By purchasing power parity, it surpassed the United States a year ago or two ago.

Russia on the other seems to be more interested in dethroning the United States to put an end to America’s unilateralism, exceptionalism and the chaos in Eastern Europe, the Pacific and Latin America. Recently, Robert Gates was quoted as saying; “The United States is  the most destabilizing force on earth.”

China has a long way though. The final chip for a really superpower is to have your currency as “reserve currency.” China is a long way from that but within reach in a couple of years.

Would China want to be a superpower having seen what unchecked power has altered American foreign policy and excesses?

AB: Global majority is seriously betting on China. And my bet is on China too. But this does not rule out Russia if it could have the ambition. China should learn from the errors of the United States. It should acknowledge that one leader may sit on the throne but he does not rule alone. If Beijing is willing to have a multipolar world, then as they say;” China would have the Mandate of Heaven to lead and NOT rule.

Does it mean power is steadily moving from the northern hemisphere to South-South coalition?

AB: Power has already shifted. It did when Russia and China won Eurasia. We are merely waiting to see the reality play out in the open. Europe is deindustrialising. Their manufacturing sector has slowed due to high energy cost among other factors.

On security front, its benefactor has been the United States through NATO. With Trump’s policy of America first Europe has seen the writing on the wall. Resources for Europe’s industrial drive have largely come from the south. Nigerien uranium power 70% of France’s energy needs. Cobalt, gold, and other minerals driving their tech and general industrial push have come from the south.

The South-South coalition is on the rose. First, they have the raw materials and energy resources. They have a Highly educated and skill workforce in STEM. They have a youthful population and fast moving economies.

Apparently is it rather West vs. East?

AB: It should be the East. The world, especially Africa, has seen the enough to choose the East over the West. The West’s colonial project set Africa back for more than a century. We have endured their economic hitmen, wars and falsification of African history. Everywhere they have been, had been destabilized. In India, during the colonial project, opium wars in China; Libya, Iraq and regime change in Latin America and all over the world.

In a context of this inevitable evolutionary process, how can describe Africa’s position in the shifting power dynamics?

AB: For now Africa is divided. Africa looks either confuse or has failed to read the shifting power centres.

Africa is central to China’s rise and maintaining their position. Without DRC cobalt, the electronic industry and new tech economies could  not be sustained.

Africa is the King who does not know who he is. 

Can we conclude that China is the leading economic power? What makes Africa’s economic position uncertain in sharing global power?

AB: China controls more 85% of global supply chain. It is in the lead but it cannot get to the top alone. It lacked historical prestige. Much of its 5,000 year history it has been a closed system especially after the Ming took over from the Yuan Dynasty. It opened up under British Imperial project and closed again until President Nixon opened it up. Then Tiananmen happened.

The world is not seeking for another Superpower again considering the excesses of the United States around the globe when the Soviet Union declined in the 1990s. We are looking for a round table leadership. Africa is divided. We lack a coherent continent wide vision. Clearly, without sounding disrespectful, it looks like Africa does not know what is going on. We are oblivious to the shifting centres of power. African must stand together. We must have a common BRICS policy. A common China policy and assert good governance; regional industrial policy; common resource extraction and contracts policy. Common intelligence and security infrastructure among other critical systems necessary for being part of the shapers of the emerging global order.

Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills said the blast ‘appears to be an intentional act of violence’.

At least one person has been killed after an explosion near a reproductive health facility in Palm Springs, California, the city’s mayor said.

Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills said the blast on Friday “appears to be an intentional act of violence” and that several buildings were damaged, some severely.

“There has been one fatality, the person’s identity is not known,” Mills’ statement said.

The city’s mayor, Ron deHarte, said a bomb was either in or near a car parked outside of the clinic when it exploded, the Reuters news agency reported.

Palm Springs Fire Chief Paul Alvarado said no suspect had been identified.

Authorities said the blast occurred on Saturday around 11am local time (18:00 GMT) near North Indian Canyon Drive and East Tachevah Drive. Police urged residents to avoid the area as fire crews and investigators secured the scene.

Federal agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were dispatched to support the local investigation, which remains in its early stages.

The blast damaged the American Reproductive Centers facility, a fertility clinic run by Dr Maher Abdallah. He told The Associated Press that, while his office space suffered damage, the in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) lab and its stored embryos were untouched.

“I really have no clue what happened,” Abdallah said. “Thank God today happened to be a day that we have no patients.”

He added that all his staff were safe and accounted for.

Nearby resident Nima Tabrizi, 37, from Santa Monica, said he was inside a cannabis dispensary when he felt the building shake.

“The building just shook, and we go outside and there’s a massive cloud smoke,” Tabrizi said. “Crazy explosion. It felt like a bomb went off … We went up to the scene, and we saw human remains.”

Palm Springs, a wealthy desert city known for its luxury resorts and celebrity history, is located about 100 miles (161km) east of Los Angeles.

Actory calls on filmmakers to ‘keep telling the stories, keep expressing yourself and keep fighting to be who you are’.

Chilean-American actor Pedro Pascal has called on members of the film industry to “fight back” and keep expressing themselves amid what he appeared to describe as a political climate of fear in the United States.

“F*** the people that try to make you scared. And fight back. This is the perfect way to do so in telling stories. Don’t let them win,” said 50-year-old Pascal, who was at the Cannes film festival for the premiere of “Eddington”.

“Fear is the way that they win, for one. And so keep telling the stories and keep expressing yourself and keep fighting to be who you are,” he said.

“Eddington” stars Pascal as a small-town mayor campaigning against a down-on-his-luck sheriff played by Joaquin Phoenix in a New Mexico town where tensions are simmering over COVID-19 mask policies and the Black Lives Matter protests.

Pascal, known for his role in dystopian video-game adaptation “The Last of Us”, added that it was “far too intimidating” for him to address a question about US President Donald Trump’s immigration policy.

“It’s very scary for an actor participating in a movie to sort of speak to issues like this,” he said.

“I’m an immigrant. My parents are refugees from Chile. We fled a dictatorship, and I was privileged enough to grow up in the US after asylum in Denmark … I stand by those protections,” the 50-year-old told a news conference in Cannes.

Trump has launched a crackdown on irregular immigration and has also detained and moved to deport a number of legal permanent US residents, his policies triggering a rash of lawsuits and protests.

Trump has made himself one of the main talking points in Cannes this week after announcing on May 5 that he wanted 100 percent tariffs on movies “produced in foreign lands“.

Acting legend Robert de Niro, who accepted a Cannes lifetime achievement award on Tuesday, also urged an audience of A-list directors and actors to resist “America’s philistine president”.

Swiss authorities say they have rescued everyone who was buried in a “severe” avalanche that occurred on the Eiger mountain on Saturday, and that there are no missing people.

The avalanche at the Swiss Alps took place shortly after midday on Saturday, prompting police to launch a large-scale rescue operation.

“All people have been flown out,” Bern Cantonal police said on Saturday evening, without specifying the number. Authorities had deployed several teams.

The Eiger is a 3,967m (13,000 ft) peak near the tourist resorts of Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, and Wengen.

Pepe has soared 50x gain since April 2023 – but MIND of Pepe ($MIND) is expected to match that or go even further. It’s a new Pepe-themed meme coin with its own AI agent, bringing something completely different to market.

The project is undergoing a presale where it has raised over $9 million so far.

MIND of Pepe’s agent offers real utility, such as providing trading opportunities, launching tokens, and even engaging with followers on X. It’s because of this that the presale is generating such strong demand.

However the $MIND presale will end in just two weeks. As such, those wishing to secure the current fixed price of $0.0037515 should not wait to get involved.

MIND of Pepe could repeat Pepe’s 50X gain

When it was first listed on CoinGecko a little over two years ago, Pepe coin had a market cap of $100 million. But today, it’s worth $5 billion.

Inspired by the comic character Pepe the Frog from Matt Furie’s Boys Club, Pepe serves as both a political statement and a light-hearted beacon of humor.

Pepe coin hit the ground running in 2023, quickly securing a listing on Binance and subsequently becoming one of crypto’s most recognisable meme coins.

It’s currently the third-largest meme coin, even holding a higher valuation than President Trump’s official meme coin, OFFICIAL TRUMP.

Meme coin creators are well aware of this and so often follow the Pepe playbook, creating projects that incorporate Pepe the Frog in some way. Some of these include Book of Meme, Turbo, Brett, and AIXBT – each of these are worth well over $100 million.

Evidently, Pepe-themed tokens tend to perform well. But looking ahead, analysts are tipping MIND of Pepe as the most promising Pepe alternative.

Its agentic capabilities separate it from other Pepe-themed tokens on the market.

And since it’s currently undergoing a presale, investors can buy in from the ground floor. It could be like getting to buy Pepe in April 2023.

Analyst Umar Khan believes that MIND of Pepe will mimic Pepe’s 50x gain after it launches on exchanges, hailing it as the “best crypto to buy now.”

However, others have gone even further, with Cryptonews suggesting it has 100x potential.

MIND of Pepe’s trend analysis, token deployment capabilities

This is exactly the service that the MIND of Pepe agent offers. It analyzes the market to identify trends and opportunities – and it never sleeps.

The agent will consolidate its findings into actionable insights and share these with $MIND holders.

Beyond that, it can also use data it collects to identify gaps in the market and launch its own tokens. It’s worth noting that AI agents created meme coins like Fartcoin and Goatseus Maximus, so there’s real potential for MIND of Pepe to create the next big thing.

If MIND of Pepe launches a token, it’ll give $MIND holders insider access before it promotes it on social media. This equips them with another edge in the market, helping them maximize their upside potential.

Users can also earn via the project’s staking mechanism, which is live now and currently provides a 244% APY. However, this will decrease as the staking pool grows.

Final call to buy $MIND before presale ends

The MIND of Pepe presale will end in 14 days, and then the token will list on exchanges.

Once it lists on the open market, the $MIND price will shift from fixed to a product of supply and demand. And considering the hype around Pepe and AI agents, coupled with $MIND’s innate utility, it appears that token demand will be sky high.

As such, the presale price of $0.0037515 could prove to be the lowest price that $MIND is ever available again.

Follow MIND of Pepe on X or join its Telegram for updates. Alternatively, visit its website to buy and stake tokens.

Visit MIND of Pepe Presale

This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide financial advice. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, and the market can be unpredictable. Always perform thorough research before making any cryptocurrency-related decisions.

Syrian authorities say three ISIL fighters killed and several others detained in Aleppo raids.

Syrian security forces have killed three ISIL (ISIS) fighters and arrested four others in Aleppo, authorities said, the first time the interim government has announced such an operation against the group in Syria’s second city.

The raids, launched by the General Security Department in coordination with the General Intelligence Service, targeted multiple ISIL sleeper cells operating across Aleppo, Syria’s Ministry of Interior said in a statement on Saturday.

One security officer was killed in the operation, it said.

Forces stormed the site and seized “explosive devices, an explosive vest and a number of General Security force uniforms”, the statement added.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the operation took place in Aleppo’s Haidariya district and that clashes also broke out in another neighbourhood.

Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who assumed power in Damascus in December, has long opposed ISIL. His forces battled the group’s self-declared caliphate during the Syrian war.

US President Donald Trump met al-Sharaa this week in Saudi Arabia and described him as an “attractive guy with a very strong past”.

Following the meeting, Washington announced that it would lift sanctions on Syria – a major policy shift and boost for al-Sharaa’s transitional government.

Al-Sharaa seized power in Damascus in December after his forces toppled Bashar al-Assad in a lightning offensive. Al-Sharaa cut ties with al-Qaeda in 2016.

The recent operation comes just months after Syrian authorities said they had foiled an ISIL bombing plot near the Sayeda Zeinab shrine, a key pilgrimage site for Shia Muslims south of Damascus.

Coinbase may owe customers up to $400 million after hackers steal confidential data.

And with ByBit being duped for $1.5 billion in March, this marks the second major centralized exchange exploit in two months. As such, traders are fleeing to secure self-custody crypto wallets like Best Wallet.

Coinbase Hackers Steal Customer Data

Its CEO CEO Brian Armstrong publicly addressed the situation on X, revealing that the hackers have demanded a $20 million ransom. Rather than folding, Coinbase announced a $20 million reward fund that will pay anyone for information that leads to the hackers’ arrest and conviction.

He underlined that the hackers aimed to use the data for phishing scams. That is, to impersonate Coinbase support agents and trick users into handing over their funds or more valuable account information.

Armstrong said that Coinbase will reimburse any users who lost funds resulting from the hack. He estimates this could cost the company up to $400 million.

Coinbase’s stock dropped by 7.2% after news broke.

However, some critics are concerned that the ramifications of this exploit run deeper. Operational security (OPSEC) is crucial in crypto, and people can be targeted in real life if they are known to hold large amounts of digital assets.

Reuters reported that Ledger co-founder David Balland was kidnapped in France in January and held for ransom until he was rescued in a police operation, for example.

OPSEC-aware crypto users are well aware of this danger, and so are concerned.

“The combination of data exposed here (real-life addresses, crypto addresses, and amount and real-life ID documents) is lethal,” wrote Lefteris Karapetsas on X.

Meanwhile, Nansen AI CEO Alex Svanevik called for US President Donald Trump to “dismantle the KYC/AML complex.”

Dismantling KYC regulations would mean exchanges could hold less customer data, helping protect their privacy.

However, users can already protect their privacy through KYC-free crypto wallets. And right now, Best Wallet appears as one of the most secure options.

Best Wallet Brings Unmatched Security to the Wallet Space

Being KYC-free means Best Wallet users retain complete privacy and hackers can’t steal their data.

But it doesn’t stop there. The wallet employs advanced fraud protection to help flag and block crypto scams. It also uses multi-level cryptographic technology for decentralized account recovery. This includes integrating support for Apple and Google accounts, so that users can easily retrieve access to their wallet, even without knowing their private keys.

When it comes to user experience, Best Wallet’s offerings go well beyond those of its peers. The wallet supports over 60 different blockchains, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and Cardano. It also has a cross-chain DEX and even supports derivatives trading.

In addition, the wallet boasts features like a token launchpad, a crypto debit card, a staking aggregator, an NFT gallery, and more.

While making crypto much safer, Best Wallet also creates a seamless and frictionless user experience. It looks like it’s building the future of Web3.

$BEST Presale Soars Past $12M as Wallet Narrative Deepens

The Best Wallet Token offers ecosystem benefits, including trading fee discounts, higher staking yields, governance rights, and access to promotions on partner projects.

It’s currently available to buy via a token presale, which has raised $12.3 million so far.

Best Wallet Token’s presale strength signifies real market appeal, and the recent Coinbase incident will only amplify this in the months ahead.

Expert analyst Jacob Bury explored the Coinbase hack and suggested that Best Wallet Token could be a smart investment to capitalize on the current market outlook.

However, the $BEST presale price will increase throughout the ICO, with the next uptick in under two days.

As such, traders seeking the most value for money should not wait to get involved.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide financial advice. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, and the market can be unpredictable. Always perform thorough research before making any cryptocurrency-related decisions.

The drone strike in the Sumy region amounts to ‘a cynical war crime’, Ukraine’s National Police say.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for tougher sanctions on Moscow after a Russian drone killed nine bus passengers, just hours after the two countries held their first direct peace talks in years.

Seven others were injured in the attack in Bilopillia in Ukraine’s northeastern region of Sumy, Zelenskyy said in a post on X on Saturday.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said it had targeted Ukrainian military equipment, the TASS news agency reported. Russia denies targeting civilians since launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, although thousands have been killed.

“All the deceased were civilians,” Zelenskyy said, adding that preliminary reports indicated a father, mother and daughter had been killed. “And the Russians could not have failed to understand what kind of vehicle they were targeting. This was a deliberate killing of civilians.”

He said the wounded had suffered burns, fractures, and blast injuries, and were receiving treatment in hospital.

The Ukrainian leader said he expected tougher sanctions from Ukraine’s partners to pressure Moscow “to stop the killings”, which came shortly after Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Istanbul on Friday to to attempt to broker a temporary ceasefire.

“Without tougher sanctions, without stronger pressure, Russia will not seek real diplomacy,” he said. “This must change.”

He said Russia had sent “a weak and unprepared” delegation to Istanbul without a meaningful mandate, and real steps were needed to end the war.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha denounced the attack as an “deliberate and barbaric war crime”, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of continuing “to wage a war against civilians” and calling for additional pressure on Russia.

“There should be no illusions. Pressure on Moscow must be increased to put an end to Russian terror,” Sybiha wrote.

No breakthrough

The 90-minute talks in Istanbul on Friday failed to reach a breakthrough, but ended with both sides agreeing to swap 1,000 prisoners in what would be the largest such exchange since the start of the war in 2022.

Vladimir Medinsky, the lead Russian negotiator, expressed satisfaction with the talks and said Moscow was ready for further negotiations, including on a ceasefire. “We have agreed that all sides will present their views on a possible ceasefire and set them out in detail,” he said after the meeting.

But a source in the Ukrainian delegation told Reuters news agency that Russia’s demands were “detached from reality and go far beyond anything that was previously discussed”.

The source told the agency Russia had issued ultimatums for Ukraine to withdraw from all parts of its own territory claimed by Moscow before they would agree to a ceasefire, “and other non-starters”.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Saturday said Putin could meet with Zelenskyy – the first time such a meeting would have taken place since December 2019 – but only if certain agreements were reached. He did not elaborate on what would be required.

Speaking to Reuters on Saturday, British foreign minister David Lammy accused Moscow of obfuscating in its approach to the peace talks.

“Yet again we are seeing obfuscation on the Russian side and unwillingness to get serious about the enduring peace that is now required in Ukraine,” said Lammy. “Once again Russia is not serious.”

Al Jazeera’s Zein Basravi, reporting from Kyiv, said Medinsky, Russia’s lead negotiator, had sent a clear message during the negotiations that Moscow was ready to continue the war for years – and had no problem in continuing to conduct the war at the same time as it held talks.

“And that is exactly what they have done,” said Basravi, adding that the destroyed vehicle in Bilopillia had been evacuating residents from a conflict zone, according to Ukraine.

Arab leaders have urged the international community to fund their plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip after United States President Donald Trump reiterated a proposal to take over the Palestinian territory.

An Arab League summit held on Saturday in Baghdad said in its final statement that it urged “countries and international and regional financial institutions to provide prompt financial support” to back its Gaza reconstruction plan.

“This genocide [in Gaza] has reached a level of ugliness unparalleled in all conflicts in history,” Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said in his opening speech at the 34th Arab Summit, which was dominated by Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

He said Iraq backed the creation of an “Arab fund to support reconstruction efforts”, adding that Iraq will contribute $20m towards the fund and another $20m for Lebanon, which has also been in conflict with Israel.

The Iraqi prime minister said Baghdad rejects “the forced displacement of Palestinians”, calling for an end to “the massacres in Gaza, the attacks on the West Bank and the occupied territories”.

“We have called, and continue to call, for serious and responsible Arab action to save Gaza and reactivate the UNRWA,” he said, referring to the UN body for Palestinian aid.

Saturday’s talks in the Iraqi capital came only a day after Trump completed his Middle East tour, triggering hopes of a ceasefire and the renewal of aid delivery to Gaza.

‘Carnage unfolding in Gaza’

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez – who have sharply criticised Israel’s genocide in Gaza – were guests at the summit.

“We need a permanent ceasefire now, the unconditional release of the hostages now, and the free flow of humanitarian aid ending the blockade now,” Guterres said.

Spain’s Sanchez said the humanitarian crisis in Gaza must end “immediately and without delay”.

“Palestine and Spain are working on a new draft to be presented to the United Nations, where we are demanding Israel to end the unjust humanitarian siege laid to Gaza and to allow for the unconditional delivery of relief aid into Gaza”, he said.

He also said there must be “more pressure on Israel to end the carnage unfolding in Gaza by all the conceivable means, namely the tools available under the international law.”

“And here, I would like to announce that Spain will present a proposal to the General Assembly for the International Criminal Court to examine Israel’s compliance with the delivery of relief aid into Gaza,” the Spanish prime minister added.

In March, Israel ended a ceasefire reached with Hamas in January, renewing deadly attacks across Gaza and forcing a blockade of food and other essential items. In recent days, Israel has intensified its offensive, as tens of thousands of Palestinians are forced to starve.

At a preparatory meeting of the Arab League summit, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said they will try to endorse decisions that were made at their meeting in Cairo in March to support Gaza’s reconstruction as an alternative to Trump’s widely condemned proposal to take over the enclave.

During his visit to Qatar, Trump on Thursday reiterated that he wanted the US to “take” Gaza and turn it into a “freedom zone”. Earlier this year, he caused an uproar by declaring that the US would turn Gaza into a “Riviera of the Middle East”, prompting Arab leaders to come up with a plan to rebuild the territory, at a summit in Cairo.

The Arab plan for Gaza proposes rebuilding the Palestinian enclave without displacing its 2.4 million residents.

Besides Gaza, Arab officials also discussed Syria, which only six months ago entered a new chapter in its history after the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad.

Earlier this week, Trump in Riyadh met Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose group spearheaded the offensive that toppled al-Assad last December. Prior to their meeting, he also announced that US sanctions on Syria will be lifted in a huge boost to the government in Damascus.

Al-Sharaa, who was imprisoned for years in Iraq on charges of belonging to al-Qaeda following the 2003 US-led invasion, however, missed Baghdad’s summit after several powerful Iraqi politicians voiced opposition to his visit. The Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani represented Damascus instead.

Saturday’s summit also came amid Iran’s ongoing nuclear talks with the US. Trump has pursued diplomacy with Iran as he seeks to stave off a threatened military strike by Israel on Iran, a desire shared by many of the region’s leaders.

On Thursday, Trump said a deal was “getting close”, but by Friday, he was warning that “something bad is going to happen” if the Iranians do not move fast.

Iraq has only recently regained a semblance of normalcy after decades of devastating conflict and turmoil, and its leaders view the summit as an opportunity to project an image of stability.

Reporting from Baghdad, Al Jazeera’s Mahmoud Abdelwahed said the summit was “very crucial” for Iraq.

“This is the first time the summit has been held in Iraq since 2012 and Iraq takes it as a credit to regain its rule as a player to bridge the gap between member states of the Arab League,” he said.

Bitcoin’s low speeds and high costs have held back its utility for day-to-day payments and uses. Bitcoin Hyper solves these issues with a Layer 2 solution that enables Bitcoin transactions virtually instantly at little cost.

By connecting Bitcoin’s primary blockchain with a faster processing layer, the platform makes Bitcoin viable for retail payments, microtransactions, and decentralized applications.

Solving Bitcoin’s Speed and Cost Problems

Bitcoin Hyper addresses these concerns by building a secondary processing layer that is still connected to Bitcoin’s primary blockchain. When users bridge their Bitcoin to this Layer 2 system, they can make transactions that settle in seconds instead of minutes, with fees in fractions of a cent.

This design maintains Bitcoin’s underlying security model and decentralization while introducing the speed required for coffee shop purchases, content tips, or in-app payments. The users have full control of their funds with the possibility of returning back to the main chain at any time.

By removing these friction points, Bitcoin Hyper expands what’s possible with Bitcoin. The technology turns Bitcoin from primarily a store of value into a practical medium of exchange for everyday situations.

Practical Applications for Everyday Users

Bitcoin Hyper brings several real-world uses that were previously difficult with Bitcoin’s main chain. Retail merchants can now accept Bitcoin payments with immediate confirmation. This removes the awkward waiting period at checkout counters. This speed makes Bitcoin viable for both online stores and physical retail locations where transaction finality matters.

Content creators gain access to functional micropayment systems. Writers, artists, and musicians can receive small tips or payments for individual pieces of content without fee concerns. A $0.25 tip becomes economically sensible when the transaction fee is less than a penny.

Gaming platforms benefit from the faster processing speed. Players can make in-game purchases, trade virtual items, or receive rewards without gameplay interruptions. The low fees also support frequent, small-value transactions typical in gaming economies.

Subscription services gain more flexibility with recurring micropayments. Rather than monthly billing, services can charge per use, per minute, or per article. This creates more granular pricing models that better match actual consumption patterns.

For regular Bitcoin users, the platform simplifies splitting bills, sending allowances, or making small transfers between friends and family. These everyday financial activities no longer require calculation of fee economics or waiting for confirmations.

How Bitcoin Hyper’s Technology Works

Bitcoin Hyper operates through a four-part technical system that connects Bitcoin’s main chain with a faster Layer 2 environment. The process begins at the Bridge stage, where users deposit Bitcoin to addresses monitored by the Canonical Bridge. This component tracks Bitcoin block headers and transaction proofs through a smart contract called the Bitcoin Relay Program.

After verification, the system creates an equivalent amount of Bitcoin on Layer 2 in a trustless process. This maintains a strict 1:1 relationship between assets on both layers.

On Layer 2, transactions happen with near-instant finality using Solana’s Virtual Machine (SVM) for processing. This architecture supports not only basic transfers but also complex operations like staking protocols and decentralized trading.

For security, the platform uses zero-knowledge proofs to validate transactions while maintaining privacy. The system periodically commits the Layer 2 state back to Bitcoin’s main chain.

When users want to exit Layer 2, they start a withdrawal request. The system generates cryptographic proofs that get submitted to the Canonical Bridge. After validation, the original Bitcoin is released back to the user’s address on Layer 1.

The HYPER Token Presale

The staking program offers a 6,000% annual percentage yield for early participants. This high rate aims to build liquidity and network participation during the launch phase.

Joining the presale follows a simple four-step process. Users first acquire cryptocurrency from their preferred exchange if they don’t already have it. They then visit the Bitcoin Hyper website and connect their wallet using the provided buttons. After selecting their desired amount, they can choose either “Buy” or “Buy and Stake” options, with the latter automatically enrolling tokens in the rewards program.

For those without crypto experience, the platform offers card payment options through supported wallets. The presale has currently raised over $100,000 in presale.

      Join Bitcoin Hyper Now

       Website    |    (X) Twitter    |  Telegram

This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide financial advice. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, and the market can be unpredictable. Always perform thorough research before making any cryptocurrency-related decisions.

United States President Donald Trump’s tour of the Middle East this week is his first international trip since he started his second term. Conspicuously absent from his itinerary, however, was Washington’s closest ally in the region: Israel.

In the US and Israeli media, the apparent snub has fuelled talk of a growing rift between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Contributors:
Diana Buttu – Human rights lawyer and analyst
Dana Mills – Writer, +972 magazine and Local Call
Jeremy Scahill – Cofounder, Drop Site News

On our radar:

Tariq Nafi reports on the killing this week of one of Gaza’s best-known journalists – and why it represents a new low in Israel’s unparalleled war on the press.

Are India’s news channels helping or harming?

The tit-for-tat conflict between India and Pakistan lasted only a week before a ceasefire deal was reached, but it was long enough to provide an insight into the role the media might play in a longer war.

We speak with Indian journalist Hartosh Singh Bal about mainstream media under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government – from misinformation to hate speech – and the alternative news outlets trying to provide the antidote.

Featuring:
Hartosh Singh Bal – Executive editor, The Caravan magazine

Liverpool, England – “I love it when it gets like this,” exclaimed the man beside me as he rubbed his hands with glee.

It was the Halloween of 2009 and in the gloom of an early winter’s afternoon, Goodison Park was at its best.

Everton were playing Aston Villa in a league match, which was becoming increasingly bad-tempered. Two late red cards, an appalling referee and the floodlights taking full effect. It was the perfect recipe for a big bowl of Goodison fury.

The game finished as an unmemorable 1-1 draw, but the sheer delight of the man in the neighbouring seat long stayed with me. His excitement was a reminder to relish those rare occasions when the entire audience at this glorious theatre of football are united in emotion.

And nowhere does emotion quite like Goodison Park.

Fury, relief, joy and despair – and that’s just a two-nil defeat to Norwich in the League Cup fourth round.

Fans sitting in this footballing relic have felt it all throughout the stadium’s long and illustrious history. If they gave out Ballon d’Ors for booing, Everton would need a separate stadium just to house the trophy cabinet.

But on Sunday, there will be new emotions to add to the list – because everything is about to change.

A 133-year chapter in the story of Everton is about to end, as Goodison Park hosts the men’s team for the final time.

“Goodison has just always been there, there’s not an Evertonian alive that has watched Everton anywhere else,” said Matt Jones, host of the Blue Room podcast.

Like thousands of fellow fans, he will spend the weekend grappling with various emotions.

“I feel a bit like a dad watching his daughter get married at a wedding and everything’s starting to make him cry. As you get closer and closer to the day, you get more and more emotional,” Jones told Al Jazeera Sport.

At its most basic level, Sunday’s fixture against Southampton is game number 2,791 for the Everton men’s senior team at Goodison. But for Evertonians, it represents so much more. A small part of our identity is about to be lost.

I’ve grown from a boy to a man in various seats in every stand of that grand old stadium, learning every swear word there is to know along the way.

The highs and lows of the last 30 years have been intertwined with trips there, with the ground somehow able to block out everyday life for 90 precious minutes. Much like the inability to get a phone signal inside, you leave your troubles at the turnstile.

I’ve taken various partners to Goodison (one said that she had “never seen rage quite like it”), with most of those relationships ending in the same sort of heartbreak as an Everton cup run.

But I’ve always felt privileged to sit inside a real-life museum of football. Surrounded by history, tradition and furious middle-aged men abusing anything that moves.

The next page of the Everton story will see the men’s team relocate to a 53,000-capacity stadium at Bramley Moore Dock. The impressive structure sits on the banks of the river Mersey and, for the sake of sponsorship, will be called the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Life in such a shiny, modern arena will be a huge adjustment for one of the oldest teams in English football.

“It’s that feeling of leaving your family home. It’s the only way I can describe it,” said Merseyside-based sports reporter Giulia Bould.

“You know you’re going to a house with a load of mod cons and you know your life’s going to be so much easier in this new house, but you’ve got to leave your family home. It’s weird,” she added.

This season has been filled with finals for Everton, although sadly not the ones that are played at Wembley with a trophy on the line.

Instead, each fixture at Goodison has ticked another final occasion off the list. From the final cup game to the final night match, even the final Saturday 3pm kickoff has had a shoutout.

But on Sunday, it really will be the finale – although only for the men’s team.

Just days before what was due to be the final ever Goodison game, Everton announced that the old stadium would be granted a stay of execution. The bulldozers won’t move in – instead the women’s team will.

“I think it’s perfect,” said Bould as she reflects on the decision from Everton’s American owners to pass Goodison over to the women’s team.

“Under the previous owner, the women’s side has long been ignored and run into the ground really, it’s been pretty much treated as second rate. But now it has been put on a level where it should be, setting the precedent for everyone else,” Bould told Al Jazeera Sport.

Goodison Park is no stranger to setting a precedent. It was the first purpose-built football stadium in England and the first to install dugouts and undersoil heating.

The Toffees’ long run without relegation means it’s hosted more English top-flight football games than anywhere else.

Goodison was also the venue for an FA Cup Final and a World Cup semifinal, with Pele and Eusebio both also scoring there during the 1966 tournament. Even North Korea has graced the Goodison turf.

The storied history of Everton’s home has caught the imagination of some of the greats of the modern game.

Jose Mourinho called the place “the history of English football”, while Arsene Wenger described it as “one of the noisiest” stadium’s he’s managed in.

Sir Alex Ferguson once spared former Evertonian Wayne Rooney from an afternoon at Goodison with Manchester United, purely because of the abuse he would receive.

Visiting Goodison Park today feels vastly removed from the riches of modern English football. To put it bluntly, the stadium is no longer fit for purpose. But that is what makes it magical.

“It is the closest you can get to travelling through time to watch football,” said photographer and Evertonian Gary Lambert. That time travel begins before you even set foot in the stadium.

“Physically, Goodison is an imposing place. It appears out of nowhere between the rows of terraced houses,” said Lambert.

Once inside, the stadium’s history unravels through the various sights and sounds. Obstructed views are common, with posts and pillars causing many a strained neck.

And the unique Archibald Leitch criss-cross design runs down the middle of the ancient Bullens Road stand.

“Goodison Park is the bluest place on earth. The brickwork on three-quarters of the ground is painted a vivid shade of royal blue.

“It doesn’t matter what tweaked blue hue the latest kit manufacturer might tone the latest home shirt, it’s that blue outside which is Everton’s blue,” Lambert told Al Jazeera Sport.

But there is one particular quirk that stands out above them all and it happens whenever Everton go on the attack.

“There are still so many old-fashioned wooden seats, so the seats bang and click as everyone moves to stand up,” said Bould.

The chorus of wooden clangs is something she will miss when Everton move away from their historical home.

“That clicking noise, you don’t hear that anywhere. That, for me, is Goodison.”

Like all Everton fans, I’ll miss the matchday routines around Goodison. Parking near the snooker hall, a pre-match pint in Crofts Social Club, the endless queues for the loo. I might even miss the lack of legroom.

It’s troubling to comprehend life after Goodison for Everton’s men. The two are so connected and so well-suited. Everton is Goodison and Goodison is Everton. A divorce after 133 years was always going to hurt.

But change is needed for a club still clinging to former glories. Everton’s new ground could be the chance for a new start. The Hill Dickinson Stadium doesn’t suit us, but it represents the new world of football, where money is power.

In many ways, Sunday’s fixture will be a changing of the guard as the grand old team are hurtled into the modern age.

“We’re at the end of such a long journey now at Goodison. And at just the very start and the very first step of a new one.

“And maybe we’re quite privileged to be at this crossover point and experience both of them,” said Jones.