Moscow’s Middle East gamble backfires amid Israel-Iran war
Russia hoped to benefit from the Israel-Iran escalation—oil revenues, global distraction, diplomatic clout. But the situation is turning sour. Political analysts in Moscow warn of reputational damage after failing to stop Israel’s strike on Iran, a country it recently signed a strategic deal with.
Russia’s partnership with Iran is non-military, limiting its leverage. And having lost Assad in Syria last year, the Kremlin fears Iran may be next. Meanwhile, Russian state media now admit that “massive changes” in global politics could have real domestic consequences.
A major crypto scam hub operating out of the Philippines was recently exposed, thanks to an independent investigation. Here's how the $800,000 fraud was uncovered:
🟠A call center targeting victims in Africa, the Gulf, Europe, and Canada promoted fake investment schemes like Quantum AI and Bitcoin Code, generating $820,000 a year 🟠Scammers used polished scripts, psychological pressure, fake addresses, credit card theft, and Bitcoin ATM requests—all while leaving victims’ data exposed, risking mass identity theft 🟠YouTuber Mrwn launched an investigation after a friend received a suspicious call—he gained remote access to the office, surveillance, and internal systems, gathering evidence for over a year 🟠He identified real names behind aliases “Marcus” (Antonio) and “Adam,” uncovered financial trails, chat logs, and withdrawal routes via Binance, Netcoin, and Соins.рh 🟠After a direct digital confrontation, the scammers fled and shut down their office and servers 🟠At first, Philippine authorities ignored the case, but after the video went viral, they pledged to track down and prosecute those responsible—suspects are now being identified
The SEC is widely expected to approve altcoin ETFs later this year, with Solana likely to be the first—potentially within the next 3-5 weeks.
Projected approval odds:
🟠ETF for LTC—90% 🟠ETF for SOL—90% 🟠ETF for XRP—85% 🟠ETF for DOGE—80% 🟠ETF for ADA—75% 🟠ETF for DOT—75% 🟠ETF for HBAR—80% 🟠ETF for AVAX—75% 🟠ETF for SUI—60%
Tariff ceasefire: US and China pull back in trade war
The US and China have agreed to drastically reduce import tariffs after a high-level meeting in Switzerland, marking the first major de-escalation in their long trade feud.
US tariffs on Chinese goods drop from 145% to 30%, while China’s duties fall from 125% to 10%.
China will also resume critical exports to the US. The US maintains a 20% fentanyl-related surcharge.
If no new deal is struck, tariffs could rise again in 90 days — but both sides say they want cooperation, not decoupling.
⚡ Zelensky invites Putin to Istanbul after Trump demands talks
President Zelensky says he's ready to meet Putin “personally” in Istanbul on Thursday, responding to Donald Trump's call for immediate Ukraine-Russia talks.
“There is no point in prolonging the killings,” Zelensky posted on X. “I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye.”
The post followed Trump’s message urging Ukraine to accept Putin’s offer of direct talks. Western leaders had earlier called for a 30-day ceasefire, starting Monday.
Putin said he’s open to “serious negotiations” but didn’t confirm support for a truce. Zelensky insists talks can only begin after a full ceasefire.
Leaders from the UK, France, Germany, and Poland warned Russia of new sanctions if it rejects the ceasefire.
⚡️ Zelensky reacts cautiously as Putin calls for Istanbul talks
President Zelensky has called Putin’s surprise proposal for direct talks in Istanbul a “positive sign” — but stressed that Ukraine still expects Russia to confirm a 30-day ceasefire starting Monday. His measured response contrasts with growing concern that Moscow is simply stalling.
Meanwhile, President Trump hailed the news on Truth Social, calling it “a potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine”. Trump’s next move could determine whether the talks lead to real peace or more delay.
Analysts warn Moscow could use negotiations to weaken Ukraine’s defense — while ramping up drone and missile strikes.
European leaders joined Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv to call for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire with Russia — starting Monday. France, Germany, Poland and the UK backed the move after a joint call with President Trump, who originally proposed the idea.
UK PM Starmer said the ceasefire would be key to rebuilding Ukraine and reuniting families. Macron warned of “massive sanctions” if Russia refuses.
Russia says it won’t consider a truce unless the West halts military aid. Zelensky: “Any preconditions mean prolonging the war.”
BlackRock met with the SEC and went straight to the point: staking must be included in any real ETH ETF.
They claim that without staking, returns are lost and investor value is diluted. They also pitched tokenization of real assets. Their $2.9B BUIDL fund already operates on the blockchain — showing how it can be done cheaper and faster.
With ETH demand rising and institutions making moves, this could mark a shift in the market.
⚡️ Trump Marks 100 Days of Second Term with Rally and Sharp Attacks
US President Donald Trump celebrated the 100th day of his second term with a rally in Michigan, hailing a "revolution of common sense" and criticizing rivals, including Joe Biden and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.
Trump highlighted declines in illegal border crossings and falling inflation, while dismissing poor approval ratings as "fake polls". Despite economic concerns and a wave of legal challenges to his immigration policies, Trump’s core base remains loyal.
⚡️ Israel Boycotts ICJ Hearing on Gaza, Cites UN Bias
Israel will not take part in a UN hearing on its conduct in the Palestinian territories, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced. He accused UNRWA of employing over 1,400 known Hamas militants and called the UN's actions a political attack on Israel’s right to self-defense.
The ICJ is reviewing Israel’s responsibilities as an occupying power, a move Sa’ar denounced as part of ongoing "double standards" against Israel.
Donald Trump, the current U.S. president, accused Joe Biden of causing the stock market’s recent slide. He added that the impact of his tariff policy would show positive results soon.
Observers noted the irony: in January, Trump celebrated market growth as his personal achievement.
Big news for the crypto market: the SEC has greenlit the ProShares XRP-ETF.
Trading will kick off on April 30, giving institutional players a new way to gain exposure to XRP. Analysts suggest that, just like Bitcoin, XRP might experience a significant boost following the ETF launch. Buckle up — it could get fun.