Former U.S. President Donald Trump has appointed former Attorney General Pam Bondi to the White House Council on AI.

Mastercard, Chainlink expand crypto access to 3.5B cardholders; details at here.

U.S. markets closed at record levels today as the S&P 500, NASDAQ, and Russell 2000 indices reached all-time highs.

U.S. space sector stocks have posted significant gains since early 2026, driven by expectations surrounding the upcoming SpaceX IPO. The company is scheduled to list on NASDAQ on June 12, aiming for a valuation of $2 trillion, which could set a record for the largest IPO in history. More information is available at mt in max.

Bitcoin exceeds $78,000, reaching a new high in market capitalization.

Israel launches ground operation in Lebanon, reports Channel 12; operation begins beyond designated line. More details at here.

Russia government directive confirms feasibility of producing first domestic semaglutide tablets, Semaltara®, by PROMOMED.

UK sanctions imposed on exchanges EXMO, Bitpapa, Rapira, Arbix, and Aifory for aiding Russia in sanctions evasion; Huobi Global S.A. also sanctioned over links to A7 and Garantex.

Bitcoin (BTC) trades below $75,000, heightening investor caution.

Ebola outbreak in Congo escalates, spreading to new regions as WHO reports response efforts remain insufficient. In the U.S., a travel ban is imposed on green card holders who have visited affected areas. More details available at mt in max.

SpaceX successfully launched its Starship, the world's largest rocket, on the second attempt. Designed for Mars and lunar missions, Starship V3 measures over 120 meters in height and is the most powerful rocket ever built. Its Super Heavy booster delivers twice the thrust of NASA's lunar Space Launch System. mt в max.

Former President Donald Trump extends sanctions against Belarusian leadership for another year.

Russia calls urgent UN Security Council meeting after May 22 attack on Starobilsk; Moscow's UN envoy Vasily Nebenzya blames Western arms supplies for Ukraine, warns of accountability for Western complicity.

Former President Trump reportedly considering new strikes on Iran if negotiations do not yield a breakthrough, Axios reports.

Kevin Warsh to be sworn in as new Federal Reserve Chair; Bitcoin Pizza Day observed; Mexico and EU to sign strategic partnership agreement; key economic data from Japan, Germany, Canada, and U.S. slated for release; OpenAI reportedly considering IPO; Russian firms to discuss dividend policies.

Russia characterizes the "spirit of Anchorage" as the trust established between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, which facilitated the agreement on the basic outlines of a Ukrainian settlement at the Alaska summit, according to Ryabkov as reported by TASS.

Former President Trump announces deployment of 5,000 additional U.S. troops to Poland, citing the election of President Karol Nawrocki and strong bilateral relations.

An Iranian official told Al Jazeera that "intense negotiations" mediated by Pakistan are ongoing, with negotiators reportedly close to reaching an agreement and currently working on a draft text. However, another source cautioned that it is too early to determine whether a significant final agreement is achievable.

CRML advances 3%, ALOY up 3% after Critical Metals secures 15-year deal with REalloys for Greenland rare earth project

U.S. Congressman Davidson on TV urges country to buy Bitcoin amid dollar pressures, warns politicians are bankrupting the nation and debt crisis persists; details at mt in max.

VTB Bank outperformed in today's trading session, with management promising a dividend decision by the end of May.

U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve depleting at record pace; Goldman Sachs attributes the decline to ongoing demand. Separately, the U.S. is ramping up oil imports from Venezuela. More details.

Russian stock market's perpetual decline signals ongoing upside, analysts say; indicating a sustained bullish trend. Details in Max

Russia and China see increased pipeline gas and LNG supplies; Russia's agro-exports to China rise 1.5-fold to $3.5 billion in Q1, according to Forbes.

Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu disagreed on Iran policy during recent talks, with Trump urging diplomatic solutions and Netanyahu favoring military options, Axios reports. MT in MAX

Chinese President Xi Jinping may visit North Korea next week, Yonhap reports.

Russian Defense Ministry confirms delivery of nuclear munitions to Belarus for military exercises.

Federal Reserve proposes "Skinny Master Accounts" to provide crypto and fintech firms access to payment system for clearing and settlement in cryptocurrency.

Goldman reports the cost of hedging against a decline in U.S. equities has hit a 20-year low, with market participants showing minimal concern about a correction or downturn.

Tehran and Washington to conduct new round of talks in Pakistan post-Hajj, scheduled for late May, SaudiTV Al Arabiya reports; Al Hadath previously covered the development.

Former President Trump reportedly planning to build six-story bunker beneath White House ballroom, RTRS reports.

GameStop boosts eBay stake to 6.55% from 5%

🛢️ World unable to detach from Russian oil, Novak says, prompting some nations to ease restrictions.

Russia's oil and gas budget revenues are forecast to climb 39% YoY to 0.7 trillion rubles in May, according to RTRS calculations, but expected to decline 17% from April.

ECB's Wunsch signals rising inflation concerns, suggesting eventual need for policy response. For more details, visit mt in max.

Russian, Chinese energy talks remain subdued during Putin’s Beijing visit; no major announcements in oil and gas sectors. Yushakov suggests discussions on energy matters led to a significant agreement. Further details available at mt in max.

Significant daily outflows observed in spot Bitcoin ETFs, the strongest since January, according to Santiment experts, who interpret these signs of local capitulation as bullish. For more details, visit mt in max.

MOSCOW, Oct 24 (Dow Jones)—Aeroflot expects to transport 1 million passengers between Russia and China in 2025, reflecting a 28.6% annual rise, the airline announced.

European Union and U.S. Reach Trade Deal, Says EU Parliament Member Željana Zovko

Russia's ruble is expected to stay within the 70-73 ruble range per dollar, supported by elevated oil prices and ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, according to analysts cited by TASS.

The European Union is considering Mario Draghi or Angela Merkel as potential representatives in talks with Vladimir Putin, according to the Financial Times. source

China’s LNG imports from Russia rose 16% to 2.02 million tons in the January-April period, while oil imports increased 26% to 40.83 million tons, according to customs data. Pipeline gas imports edged up 1.8% to $703.9 million; physical volume data for gas imports not disclosed by Chinese authorities, TASS reports. mt in max

China keeps benchmark lending rates unchanged for 12th straight month; 1-year Loan Prime Rate next at 3%, 5-year LPR steady at 3.50%

In the foreign exchange market, the US dollar is valued at 6.81 versus the Chinese yuan and at 72.8 versus the Russian ruble.

Russia's coal exports via Russian Railways rose more than 17% in April amid Middle Eastern conflict, reversing a 3.8% decline in Q1 2026 to 43.7 million tons, Pavel Shestakov, Deputy Director of the Institute of Economics and Transport Development, a Russian Railways subsidiary, told TASS. Analysts do not rule out annual coal export growth of up to 2%, with Russian Railways’ loading levels expected to remain at last year’s totals.

Gazprom executives convene board meeting to discuss 2025 dividend payout amid President Putin's visit to China, where he indicated Russia and China are advancing plans for deeper oil and gas cooperation; agreement anticipated during the Chinese visit. For more, see mt in max.

President Vladimir Putin expressed gratitude to the Chinese people ahead of his upcoming visit to Beijing, emphasizing China's commitment to long-term cooperation with Russia. Putin is scheduled to arrive in Beijing this evening, with official events slated for May 20. Further details available at kremlin.ru. Additional insights can be found at max.ru.

Reserve Bank of Australia minutes reveal heightened risk of inflation; policymakers signal willingness to act if needed.

Japan Q1 GDP growth surprises, rising 0.5% qoq and 2.1% yoy; both figures surpass consensus estimates.

Apple Inc. announced Tuesday it will expand its campus in Austin, Texas, with a new $1 billion development that will add 15,000 jobs over the next decade. The company said the project will include a new engineering center, research facilities, and enhanced retail stores. Apple CEO Tim Cook called the expansion a testament to Austin’s growing importance as a tech hub. The announcement follows Apple’s recent quarterly earnings report, which exceeded analyst expectations amid strong sales of iPhones and services. The company’s stock, which closed up 1.2% at $198.34, was unchanged in after-hours trading.