EXPERTMATTER

At least 146 people are now known to have died in the devastating fire that tore through high-rise buildings in Hong Kong on Wednesday. Police announced the new death toll on Sunday, cautioning that they "cannot rule out the possibility of further fatalities". There still 150 people missing, and the blaze left 79 injured. Seven of eight tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in the northerly Tai Po district rapidly went up in flames. Accusations that the fire was spread by flammable construction materials have sparked widespread anger. Three days of national mourning started on Saturday, and thousands have gathered at the scene to mourn the victims. There have been queues stretching a long as 2km (1.2 miles), as people wait to lay flowers and handwritten notes.

  Bitcoin traded near $110,900 on Wednesday, stabilizing after recent turbulence. Analysts say strong stablecoin inflows and liquidity point to growing investor confidence, with buyers defending key levels despite lingering volatility. “Momentum remains intact, and dips are quickly absorbed. Tactical buying continues to dominate,” said Parth Srivastava of 9Point Capital. Ethereum hovered at $4,321, down 1.35% in 24 hours and 7% over the week, but analysts note its resilience above $4,300. “Ethereum’s structural strength and surging dApp activity support long-term momentum, even as traders remain cautious near $4,500,” said Vikram Subburaj of Giottus.com. At 10:53 AM IST, Bitcoin was up 0.62% in 24 hours but down nearly 1% over the week. The total crypto market cap stood at about $3.83 trillion. Analysts add that BTC’s price action suggests consolidation, with a breakout above $110K potentially opening the way to $117K, while rejection could send it back to $104K support. Vanguard N...

The White House has denied that an alleged letter from Donald Trump to Jeffrey Epstein is authentic, saying the president "did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it". US lawmakers released the letter, which features a drawing of a woman's body, as part of a "birthday book" given to Epstein in 2003. The book was part of a trove of documents released by a US House committee, including the late paedophile financier's will and his personal address book, which includes the names of royalty, celebrities, models and politicians from around the world. The birthday book also contains a message from Lord Peter Mandelson, the UK Ambassador to the US, in which he calls Epstein "my best pal". The House Oversight Committee last month issued a legal summons for the executors of Epstein's estate to produce a number of documents, including the birthday book. The release comes as the president faces growing pressure, including from his own supporters an...

Ghana’s central bank Wednesday cut its benchmark interest rate by three percent on the back of easing inflationary pressures, as the west African country emerges from a severe economic crisis. The Bank of Ghana announced that its benchmark rate would drop from 28 percent to 25 percent — the first such reduction in more than a year, which comes as the cedi currency has recovered against the dollar. “We remain committed to our price stability mandate while creating the conditions for sustainable growth,” said the bank’s governor Johnson Pandit Asiama. While prices are still rising in the major cocoa and gold producer, inflation eased in June to 13.7 percent year-on-year — the sixth consecutive monthly drop. At the same time, the cedi has appreciated by more than 40 percent against the US dollar since the start of 2025, supported by stronger external buffers, rising exports and growing investor confidence. The International Monetary Fund earlier this month said Ghana was making headway i...

The U.S. House of Representatives is on track to pass major crypto legislation, including a framework for regulating stablecoins: cryptocurrencies pegged to the U.S. dollar: after intense negotiations this week. Lawmakers were scheduled to meet Thursday to vote on two key bills: one focused on stablecoins, and another setting broader rules for the crypto industry. The stablecoin bill, already approved by the Senate, is expected to pass and be signed by President Donald Trump as early as Friday. The legislation would mark a milestone for the digital assets sector, establishing the first major crypto law in U.S. history and opening the door to deeper integration with traditional finance systems. Stablecoins have grown rapidly in popularity for their ability to offer faster and cheaper money transfers compared to banks. They are commonly used in crypto trading due to their stable value, typically fixed at $1. Dubbed “crypto week” by Republicans, the process nearly stalled after some cons...

Russia and Ukraine traded insults on Thursday as negotiators were due to meet in Turkey for the first direct peace talks in more than three years. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky slammed Russia for sending a “dummy” delegation, as he touched down in Ankara for a meeting with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Russian officials, for their part, called Zelensky “pathetic” and a “clown”. The exchange of personal barbs undermines the chances of any breakthrough at the talks. Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be attending, despite days of international pressure. Instead Russia’s negotiating team, which touched down in Istanbul on Thursday morning, is led by a hardline historian and Kremlin aide who has denied Ukraine’s right to exist. “We need to understand the level of the Russian delegation and what their mandate is, if they are capable of making any decisions themselves,” Zelensky said from the tarmac at Ankara airport. “From what we see, it looks more like a dummy...

President Donald Trump of the United States said Moscow and Kyiv want to settle the war in Ukraine and that Russian President Vladimir Putin was more inclined towards peace after the recent fall in the price of oil. Trump said this while addressing reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. “I think Russia with the price of oil right now, oil has gone down, we are in a good position to settle, they want to settle. Ukraine wants to settle,” he said. The price of oil, which drives the Russian economy, is reported to have fallen around $15 a barrel since the start of the year. “We’ve come a long way, and, it could be something will happen, but hopefully it will,” Trump added. Recall that Putin ordered many Russian troops into Ukraine in February 2022, sparking Europe’s biggest ground conflict since World War Two and the largest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the depths of the Cold War. Scores of soldiers have been killed or injured and Trump has repeatedly said he wants to ...

Israeli police have announced the arrest of two top aides to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of the ongoing ‘Qatargate’ investigation into suspected unlawful ties between Netanyahu’s inner circle and Qatar. The suspects, identified by Hebrew-language media as Yonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein, were taken into custody earlier today, according to a brief police statement. The arrests are linked to an investigation by Lahav 433, Israel’s national crime unit, and the Shin Bet security agency. Authorities are probing suspected ties between Netanyahu’s senior aides and Qatari interests. Due to a court-imposed gag order, further details remain undisclosed. The ‘Qatargate’ scandal gained traction following reports that Feldstein, Netanyahu’s former spokesman, allegedly compromised national security by stealing and leaking classified IDF documents. Additionally, Feldstein is accused of working on behalf of Qatar, using an international firm hired by Doha to influence Israeli media with...

Samsung Electronics has announced the sudden passing of co-CEO Han Jong-hee due to a heart attack on Tuesday, leaving newly appointed leader, Jun Young-hyun, as the sole chief executive at a critical time for the company. Han, 63, had led Samsung’s consumer electronics and mobile devices division since becoming CEO in 2022.   His death comes as the South Korean tech giant struggles to regain its footing in the competitive semiconductor and smartphone markets. Samsung confirmed in a regulatory filing that Jun, who was appointed co-CEO just last week at the annual shareholders' meeting, will now oversee the entire company.    Jun was previously promoted in 2024 to head the semiconductor division, which has lagged behind rivals such as SK Hynix and TSMC in the booming artificial intelligence chip sector.   Following the news of Han’s death, Samsung’s shares fell by 0.5%, mirroring a broader decline in the South Korean stock market.

The United States has has frowned at the remarks made by South Africa’s ambassador to the United States about President Donald Trump were unacceptable. US State Department spokesperson stated this on Monday while speaking with reporters after Washington last week made the decision to expel the envoy. Ties between the two countries have reportedly gone sour after Trump cut US financial aid to South Africa, citing disapproval of its land policy and its genocide case against Washington’s ally Israel at the International Court of Justice. The expulsion of ambassador Ebrahim Rasool amid an article that quoted him as saying President Donald Trump was leading a white supremacist movement, was the last straw. US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio said on Saturday in a post on X that he was expelling Rasool, calling him a race-baiting politician, who hates Trump, and reposting the article from right-wing website Breitbart. “These remarks were unacceptable to the United States, not just to the pre...

South Korea’s military confirmed that the missiles were fired from North Korea’s western region toward the Yellow Sea.  North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles on Monday, just hours after denouncing joint military drills by South Korea and the United States as a “dangerous provocative act” that could escalate into conflict. South Korea’s military confirmed that the missiles were fired from North Korea’s western region toward the Yellow Sea.  This marks the first reported ballistic missile test since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, according to Reuters.    The launch coincides with the ongoing Freedom Shield drills, an annual military exercise between the U.S. and South Korea, which is scheduled to run until March 20. North Korea has historically opposed such drills, calling them a rehearsal for invasion.   “This is a dangerous provocative act... which may spark off a physical conflict between the two sides by means of an accidental ...

American billionaire Elon Musk on Sunday warned that the entire frontline of Ukraine’s defence system will collapse if he “turned off” his Starlink satellite internet system. According to Musk, his Starlink has been vital in maintaining the military communications of Ukraine. In a tweet to X, Musk said he is “sickened by” the years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose amid the country’s ongoing war with Russia. “I literally challenged Putin to one on one physical combat over Ukraine and my Starlink system is the backbone of the Ukrainian army. “Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off. What I am sickened by (Th)is years of slaughter in a stalemate that Ukraine will inevitably lose. “Anyone who really cares, really thinks and really understands wants the meat grinder to stop. PEACE NOW ,” Musk wrote. This is coming days after Musk called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “evil” for pushing what he called a “forever war” with Russia. Russia...

American model Amber Rose has publicly announced her departure from feminism, citing disturbing experiences with friends who lied about pregnancies and abortions to extort men. On the Club Shay Shay podcast, Rose expressed disgust at these manipulative tactics, emphasising the importance of respecting men’s trust. She said, “I have had girlfriends lie about abortions to get money. Some even act like they are pregnant [to extort men]. It’s disgusting. This is why I stopped my slutwalk. This is why I’m no longer a feminist. “I saw the dark side of what women can do; you guys are extorting men, lying about pregnancies, saying you’re on birth control when you’re not to trap men. If a man cums inside of you and you said you’re on birth control, he trusts you. You don’t have to trap him like that.” Her decision to step away from feminism has sparked debate, given her previous advocacy for women’s rights and s3x positivity.

  The  Federal Bureau of Investigation , FBI, has accused North Korea of orchestrating the hack of Bybit, the world’s second-largest crypto exchange by trading volume. The agency declared that DPRK coordinated the theft of approximately $1.5 billion USD in virtual assets from the cryptocurrency company, which serves more than 50 million users. The cyber attack occurred on or about February 21; the FBI identified the specific North Korean malicious activity as “TraderTraitor.” The FBI said the actors have converted some of the stolen assets to bitcoin and other virtual assets dispersed across thousands of addresses on multiple blockchains. “It is expected these assets will be further laundered and eventually converted to fiat currency,” the public service announcement added. The statement advised private sector entities and other virtual asset service providers to block transactions with or derived from addresses TraderTraitor are using. The PSA further listed dozens of Ethereu...