Author: News Room

Dash is exploring the Philippines as a potential market for crypto payments, citing demand for lower-cost transactions and the country’s openness to digital finance tools. In an interview with Cointelegraph at the Philippine Blockchain Week 2026, Daria Chernozub, global adoption lead at Dash Blockchain, said the project focuses on emerging markets where users face high fees and need simpler payment options. “We believe that Dash brings the technology and the payment solutions for people who are suffering from high commissions [and] who need something easy to use,” Chernozub said, adding that the Philippines fits that profile because consumers are open to learning…

Sharon Osbourne missed out on the unveiling of a statue of her late husband, Ozzy Osbourne, due to an “unexpected” trip to the hospital. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be at Hellfest for the unveiling of Ozzy’s statue. Unfortunately I had an unexpected trip to the hospital earlier in the week,” Sharon, 73, shared via Instagram on Thursday, June 18. “A big thank you Olivier Garnier, Ben Barbaud and everyone at Hellfest. Special thank you to @philippe_pasqua_officiel for the absolutely stunning statue!” The six-meter-tall “Prince of Darkness” statue — which, as Sharon mentioned, was designed by French contemporary artist Philippe Pasqua…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Rabiu Shuaibu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the winner of the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency bye-election in Kano State. INEC’s returning officer, Umar Sani, announced the results late on Saturday, following the polls held across the constituency that day. According to the official results, Mr Shuaibu polled 35,356 votes to emerge victorious. Meanwhile, Lawal Haruna of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) secured 268 votes, and Abubakar Muhammad of the Labour Party (LP) garnered 98 votes. While announcing the outcome, Mr Sani, a professor, said the APC candidate met all legal…

The Xperia 1 VIII marks an attempt at a step change for Sony’s flagship phone line. Not only has it had an aesthetic overhaul, but Sony has also revamped the camera system, dropping the continuous optical zoom telephoto that’s defined the last four generations of Xperia phone.It’s not all different. Sony staples like a 3.5mm headphone jack and microSD card slot remain, and a few specific design touches, like a thick front bezel that fits stereo speakers, have stayed intact. Sony’s ambitious pricing hasn’t changed either: The Xperia 1 VIII isn’t launching in the US, but in the UK and…

Jimmy Kimmel is enlisting Rosie O’Donnell to guest host his ABC talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! as a “special treat” for President Donald Trump. “I will be taking the next two months off — this time voluntarily,” Kimmel, 58, joked during his monologue on Thursday, June 18. The comedian was referencing his September 2025 suspension by ABC for comments related to political fallout of the assassination of conservative Charlie Kirk. (Trump has repeatedly called for ABC to fire Kimmel, yet the network extended his contract for one year in the wake of the scandal.) While Kimmel takes a break from…

The Federal High Court in Abuja is to hear a suit challenging the emergence of former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) in the 2027 general elections. The case, filed by an aspirant, Yakubu Kingsley, will come up for hearing for the first time on Monday. The matter filed on 10 June is before Judge Mohammed Umar. Hearing notices for Monday’s proceedings had been served on parties to the suit. Mr Kingsley, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1234/2026 and filed by his lawyer, D.A. Sulyman, sued PRP, Mr Duke and…

Bitcoin (BTC) has fallen roughly 50% since Michael Saylor’s Strategy launched Stretch (STRC), its flagship Bitcoin-funding vehicle, in late July 2025.BTC/USD monthly chart. Source: TradingViewKey takeaways:STRC is acting like a classic Ponzi scheme, argue Peter Schiff and other critics.Other analysts disagree, noting that STRC’s drop below the $100 par is due to a leverage wipeout. Critics say STRC looks like a “classic centralized Ponzi”STRC was designed to trade near its $100 par value, enabling Strategy to raise capital to buy more Bitcoin. The instrument is now trading at a deep discount, suggesting that the BTC buying channel is under pressure.On…

Courteney Cox shared a heartwarming tribute to late Friends director James Burrows following his death at age 85. “I will miss you so much Jimmy… the joy and laughter you brought to everyone who knew you. How much you cared… but I know your light will always be shining on us,” Cox, 62, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, June 20. In her memorial post, Cox shared a humorous memory of Burrows, who directed 15 episodes of Friends, including the 1994 pilot, “The One Where It All Began.” “Jimmy B called me Cox-N-Hammer,” she revealed. “I have no idea why or…

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has congratulated Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, on his re-election, describing the outcome as a reflection of the people’s confidence in his leadership and governance record. Mr Bamidele, who chaired the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Election Campaign Council in the state, said the renewed mandate would ensure continuity in government policies and accelerate development across Ekiti. In a statement issued on Sunday by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, the senator described the result as “a signpost for a better, brighter and greater Ekiti.” PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the Independent National Electoral…

A Japanese corporate pension fund serving about 1,200 small and medium-sized businesses plans to allocate roughly 1% of its assets to cryptocurrency during fiscal year 2026.According to Nikkei, the Nationwide Business Corporate Pension Fund, based in Okayama, will invest in a passive fund managed by an unnamed “major“ hedge fund that holds multiple crypto assets. The pension fund reportedly manages about 21.3 billion yen in assets (about $130 million).Japanese crypto news site CoinPost reported that the pension fund is adding crypto as part of an effort to diversify its exposure. It reportedly allocates 80% of its assets to yen, 15%…