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  • Bitcoin Exchange Binance Announces It Will Deliste Three Altcoin Trading Pairs from Its Platform! Here Are the Details

    Bitcoin Exchange Binance Announces It Will Deliste Three Altcoin Trading Pairs from Its Platform! Here Are the Details

    Cryptocurrency exchange Binance has decided to delist the ICON (ICX), Secret (SCRT), and Storj (STORJ) tokens from the spot market following recent asset reviews. According to the exchange’s statement, trading in all spot pairs for these assets will cease on September 3, 2026, at 06:00.

    Binance stated that it regularly reviews the digital assets listed on its platform and may delist projects that do not meet certain standards. The exchange said that the main purpose of these reviews is to protect user security and adapt to changing market conditions.

    The evaluation process considers the commitment of the project teams, the level and quality of development activities, transaction volume, and liquidity status. Additionally, the security and stability of the networks against attacks, the projects’ communication with the public, community participation, and level of transparency are also among the review criteria.

    Binance also evaluates projects’ response to regular due diligence requests, evidence of unethical or fraudulent activity, new regulatory requirements, and unjustified increases in token supply. Changes in the token economy, changes in project ownership or core team, and community opinions also influence the decision-making process.

    Accordingly, trading on all spot trading pairs for ICON, Secret, and Storj will end on the specified date. Following the delisting decision, investors will no longer be able to trade these assets, and Binance has urged users to consider the termination date mentioned in the announcement when planning their transactions.

    Regular asset reviews by exchanges stand out as an important practice in the cryptocurrency market, as they assess the compliance of listed projects with technical, financial, and regulatory standards.

    *This is not investment advice.

  • Exclusive: Pentagon sends ‘political loyalty’ survey to US allies

    Exclusive: Pentagon sends ‘political loyalty’ survey to US allies

    In a questionnaire obtained exclusively by Al Jazeera, the Pentagon presented a list of questions to 31 NATO allies to determine ‘loyalty’ to the US. A NATO policy expert tells Al Jazeera’s ‘This is America’ it makes sense for President Trump, who cares deeply about loyalty.

  • Crypto Fear and Greed Index Rises Along with Movements in the Crypto Market! Here Are the Details

    Crypto Fear and Greed Index Rises Along with Movements in the Crypto Market! Here Are the Details

    The Crypto Fear and Greed Index, which tracks investor sentiment in cryptocurrency markets, indicated a significant recovery in market sentiment.

    The index calculated by CoinMarketCap rose to 55 today, registering a 14-point increase compared to the previous day. While the indicator remains in neutral territory, it suggests investors are exhibiting a more positive outlook on the market.

    The index is used to measure the level of fear and optimism among investors in the cryptocurrency market. A reading closer to zero indicates extreme fear, while a reading closer to 100 indicates extreme optimism. A reading of 55 suggests the market hasn’t yet entered a period of strong optimism, but investor sentiment has significantly strengthened compared to the previous day.

    According to CoinMarketCap data, the index is calculated using multiple market indicators. These primarily include the price movements of the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Market volatility, indicators from derivative markets, and especially the put/call ratio are also taken into account in the calculation.

    In addition, stablecoin supply rates and CoinMarketCap’s own search data also play a role in creating the index. This allows investors to measure overall market sentiment by evaluating both market behavior and price movements.

    The 14-point daily rise in the index stands out as a significant signal indicating a recent increase in risk appetite in the crypto market. However, the indicator remaining in neutral territory suggests that investors have not yet fully transitioned to expecting a strong bull run. Market participants will continue to closely monitor changes in the indicators that make up the index, particularly price movements and volatility, in the coming period.

    *This is not investment advice.

  • Manoj Bajpayee, Sudhir Mishra, Anubhav Sinha’s Gandhi Film Unveils Plot, Adds Saurabh Shukla, Narendra Hirawat (EXCLUSIVE)

    Manoj Bajpayee, Sudhir Mishra, Anubhav Sinha’s Gandhi Film Unveils Plot, Adds Saurabh Shukla, Narendra Hirawat (EXCLUSIVE)

    Indian thespian Manoj Bajpayee‘s first screen portrayal of Mahatma Gandhi will focus on a previously undisclosed chapter of India’s independence history, according to new details released on the Sudhir Mishra-directed film.

    Saurabh Shukla has joined the cast, and Narendra Hirawat and NH Studioz have come aboard as producer and presenter, respectively, alongside Anubhav Sinha‘s Benaras Mediaworks.

    Sinha, known for directing “Mulk,” “Article 15” and “Thappad,” is producing the feature as Mishra’s next directorial effort. The film marks Mishra’s return to a theatrical release after 2023’s “Afwaah,” and it lands as he nears four decades working in Hindi cinema. Mishra has won three Indian National Film Awards, for “Yeh Woh Manzil To Nahin” (best debut film of a director), “Dharavi” (best feature film in Hindi) and “Main Zinda Hoon” (best film on other social issues), and his credits also include “Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi” and “Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin.”

    Bajpayee, a multiple Indian National Film Award winner, takes on the role of Gandhi for the first time in his career. Shukla joins him in the ensemble cast.

    “This new film focuses on an important yet lesser-known chapter of history – the 21 days in the life of Mahatma Gandhi during India’s independence. At a time when the nation was stepping into freedom, and Delhi was becoming the center of power, Gandhi made an unexpected choice: he chose to walk away. But by walking away, he did not retreat. He reinvented himself. While history books record the surface events of that era, this story explores what lay beneath that famous choice and will depict the personal journey of a leader redefining his path,” Mishra tells Variety.

    Sinha and Hirawat produce the film through Sinha’s Benaras Mediaworks banner, with NH Studioz presenting.

    The film joins Hansal Mehta’s own Gandhi series, starring Pratik Gandhi and scored by A.R. Rahman for Applause Entertainment, which has yet to unveil a streaming home.

  • NHN KCP Partners with LINE NEXT to Expand Stablecoin Payment Services

    NHN KCP Partners with LINE NEXT to Expand Stablecoin Payment Services

    South Korean payment gateway operator NHN KCP has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with LINE NEXT Inc., the Web3 subsidiary of the messaging giant LINE, to broaden the use of stablecoin-based payments, according to a report from Newsis. The partnership aims to integrate NHN KCP’s domestic merchant network with Unifi, LINE NEXT’s global digital asset wallet, and to lay the groundwork for a won-pegged stablecoin that NHN KCP helps distribute.

    Expanding Real-World Use Cases for Stablecoins

    The agreement signals a step toward mainstreaming stablecoin payments in South Korea, where regulatory clarity around digital assets is still evolving. By connecting NHN KCP’s payment infrastructure—used by thousands of online and offline merchants—with Unifi’s wallet ecosystem, the two companies intend to create a practical bridge between traditional fiat payments and blockchain-based transactions.

    NHN KCP, a major payment service provider in South Korea, processes a significant share of the country’s e-commerce transactions. Its participation in the distribution of a won-pegged stablecoin suggests a growing interest among established financial technology firms in leveraging stablecoins for everyday payments, not just speculative trading.

    Strategic Alignment with LINE NEXT’s Web3 Ambitions

    LINE NEXT has been building a suite of Web3 services, including the Unifi wallet, which supports multiple blockchains and aims to simplify digital asset management for a global user base. The partnership with NHN KCP aligns with LINE NEXT’s strategy to increase the utility of its wallet by enabling real-world purchases, rather than limiting it to token transfers or $NFT transactions.

    The collaboration also reflects a broader trend in Asia, where companies are exploring stablecoins as a faster, cheaper alternative to traditional cross-border payment systems. South Korea’s regulatory environment, however, remains cautious, and any stablecoin issuance would likely require close coordination with financial authorities.

    Implications for Merchants and Consumers

    For merchants using NHN KCP’s payment gateway, the integration could eventually offer a new payment option that reduces transaction fees and settlement times. Consumers, on the other hand, might benefit from a stable digital currency that maintains a 1:1 value with the Korean won, minimizing the volatility typically associated with cryptocurrencies.

    However, the MOU is an initial step, and technical integration, regulatory approvals, and user adoption will determine the timeline for any commercial rollout. Both companies have not announced specific launch dates or which merchants will be involved in early pilots.

    Context and Outlook

    This partnership comes amid a global push by payment firms to explore stablecoin rails. In the United States, companies like PayPal have launched their own stablecoins, while in Asia, firms such as Grab and others are experimenting with digital currency payments. South Korea, despite its active cryptocurrency trading market, has been slower to embrace stablecoins for daily transactions, partly due to regulatory uncertainty.

    The MOU between NHN KCP and LINE NEXT could serve as a bellwether for how traditional payment infrastructure and Web3 platforms might converge. If successful, it could encourage other payment providers in the region to pursue similar collaborations, potentially accelerating the adoption of stablecoins in mainstream commerce.

    Conclusion

    The MOU between NHN KCP and LINE NEXT marks a meaningful step toward expanding stablecoin payments in South Korea, with potential benefits for merchants and consumers alike. While the initiative is still in its early stages, it underscores the growing interest among established financial firms in blockchain-based payment solutions. The coming months will be crucial in determining whether this partnership translates into tangible services that meet regulatory standards and user expectations.

    FAQs

    Q1: What is NHN KCP?
    NHN KCP is a South Korean payment gateway provider that processes online and offline transactions for a wide range of merchants, offering services such as credit card processing, virtual accounts, and mobile payments.

    Q2: What is LINE NEXT and its Unifi wallet?
    LINE NEXT is a global Web3 company under LINE Corporation, focused on building blockchain-based services. Unifi is its digital asset wallet that supports multiple blockchains, enabling users to store, send, and receive cryptocurrencies and NFTs.

    Q3: What is a won-pegged stablecoin?
    A won-pegged stablecoin is a type of cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value of 1:1 with the South Korean won. It aims to combine the benefits of digital currencies—such as fast transactions and low fees—with the stability of a fiat currency.

    Related Reading

    • SNU Study: Crypto Tax Delays Rooted in Readiness Concerns, Not Public Sentiment
    • Crypto Fear and Greed Index Inches Up to 41 as Market Sentiment Stabilizes
    • Upbit and Bithumb crypto holdings drop sharply in H1 amid market slump
    • KakaoBank Extends Coinone Real-Name Account Partnership for One Year
    • USDG DeFi Deposits Hit $929.2M as Paxos-Issued Stablecoin Gains Traction
  • Jonathan Jackson Shares Touching Tribute to Hayden Panettiere: “She Had Such a Bright Light Within Her”

    Jonathan Jackson Shares Touching Tribute to Hayden Panettiere: “She Had Such a Bright Light Within Her”

    Nashville actors Jonathan Jackson and Clare Bowen paid a touching tributes to their late co-star Hayden Panettiere on social media on Wednesday.

    In a message on Instagram, Jackson, who played Avery Barkley, the bad boy on-again and-off again love interest of Panettiere’s Juliette Barnes in the ABC country music drama, described his co-star as a “sensitive soul” who was “incredibly funny and witty.”

    Panettiere, who died Sunday in Greenville, South Carolina at 36, and Jackson starred in Nashville for six seasons, from October 2010 to March 2016. Jackson described how they both “grew up in the industry” and shared that “silent knowing of how intense the struggles can be.” He went on to write that, “she was an absolute joy to work with. Focused, spontaneous and brilliant. The most important thing between friends and coworkers is trust, and we had this.”

    He added that it was “not possible to express the shock and grief that so many of us feel right now.”

    ‘Nashville’

    Everett Collection

    Panettiere’s other Nashville co-star, Australian actress Clare Bowen also posted a tribute on Instagram. Bowen, who played Scarlett O’Connor in the show, wrote a poem set to images of Bowen and Panettiere together from their time working on Nashville together. In one passage, Bowen writes, “I’ll remember you, cheeky in pretty red soles. You said kind things about strangeness, old boots, an old soul. You warned me our monsters only half hid at best…and then fixed the tear in my favorite dress.”

    In another couplet, Bowen wrote, “We’ll see you someday in your beautiful wings, where vultures and sinners aren’t worthy to sing. Wove from new gold and celestial breath, this isn’t goodbye, it’s just “have a rest.”

    Following the news of Panettiere’s death, many of her former co-stars on the various film and TV projects she had worked on shared deeply personal and emotional memories of the actress. Nashville alums Connie Britton and Charles Esten, as well as Solange Knowles (Bring It On: All or Nothing), Jack Coleman (Heroes), Griff Hurst (A Breed Apart), Neve Campbell (Scream) and Tim Fywell (Ice Princess) have all penned tributes to Panettiere.

    Jonathan Jackson’s full note on Instagram:

    “I have no words to express the loss of our beloved Hayden. She had such a bright light within her. She was a sensitive soul. Incredibly funny and witty. Amazingly gifted, with a great sense of empathy and compassion. We both grew up in the industry, although she started even younger than me, but we shared that. A silent knowing of how intense the struggles can be. She was an absolute joy to work with. Focused, spontaneous and brilliant. The most important thing between friends and coworkers is trust, and we had this. Elisa and I both love and cherish her deeply, like our own sister. She holds that place in our hearts. My prayer for her every day we worked together was that she would know how loved she is, and that she would find the peace that she was looking for. It’s not possible to express the shock and grief that so many of us feel right now. Our humble prayers are with her family. May God’s angels carry you to your place of rest and true peace. We love you Hayden. You will always be in our hearts. Always.”

    Clare Bowen’s poem, posted on Instagram:

    “It’s been raining in the treehouse for days…for you…you whispered like you’d found the sun, just in June. But you always were full of surprises and dreams pulling at threads and the lines in between. I’ll remember nights side by side in a nest on the same street by fate, that ridiculous bed. The day you got cross that I didn’t scare then by looking glass light cried for everyone there. Thank you for chasing me that day in the dark. I was shattered and bruised, a hollowed out heart. You’d been there. You listened to the bad…and the worst. Our faces painted with the kisses of a good wolf, a good ghost. I’ll remember you, cheeky in pretty red soles. You said kind things about strangeness, old boots, an old soul. You warned me our monsters only half hid at best…and then fixed the tear in my favorite dress. One, in so many in pain, in plain sight, with the last of yourself you kicked on the lights. We’ll see you someday in your beautiful wings, where vultures and sinners aren’t worthy to sing. Wove from new gold and celestial breath, this isn’t goodbye, it’s just “have a rest.” We’ll switch all the coffees, ride our horses too fast…dance with fireflies…and brothers…sisters…friends…under that beautiful blanket of stars. Fly safe, little butterfly. I miss you. Love, Luna Moth.”

  • Busan Festival Honors Ahn Sung-ki, Market Names Thailand Country of Honor

    Busan Festival Honors Ahn Sung-ki, Market Names Thailand Country of Honor

    The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has unveiled a Special Program in Focus honoring the late Korean screen legend Ahn Sung-ki, while the festival’s market arm has named Thailand the first-ever recipient of a new top-tier country partnership.

    “Those Beautiful Years, Ahn Sung-ki” serves as the grand finale to the nationwide tributes paid to the actor, who died earlier this year. The six-film lineup was hand-picked by Ahn himself before his passing and centers on his 1980s and 1990s peak, including “A Fine, Windy Day” (1980), “Whale Hunting” (1984), “Chil-su and Man-su” (1988), “Gagman” (1989), “White Badge” (1992) and “Festival” (1996). Each screening will include a guest visit featuring longtime collaborators, among them directors Lee Jang-ho, Bae Chang-ho and Chung Jiyoung, along with actors Kim Bo-Yeon and Bae Jong-ok. BIFF will also publish an essay collection on Ahn’s career and legacy, co-hosted with the Korean Film Archive. Ahn’s screen career stretched nearly seven decades, from his 1957 debut as a child actor through his later years as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and longtime member of the BIFF festival committee.

    Elsewhere at the festival, the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) has launched a Country of Honor program, its highest-tier country partnership, naming Thailand as the inaugural recipient for 2026. The designation builds on a long history of ties between the two markets, including Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s “Ploy,” picked for the Pusan Promotion Plan in 2006, and Aditya Assarat’s “Wonderful Town,” which took the New Currents prize at the festival in 2007. More than 540 foreign film and TV productions shot in Thailand last year, drawn in part by cash rebates of up to 30% for eligible projects.

    Chookiat Sakveerakul, president of the Thai Film Directors Association, said, “Thailand is deeply honored to be named the first Country of Honor at ACFM 2026.” He added that the partnership would “open new doors for Thai films and content to reach wider international audiences, while strengthening collaboration between Thailand, South Korea, and partners across the global industry.”

    The 31st Busan International Film Festival runs Oct. 6-15, with the 21st Asian Contents & Film Market held Oct. 10-13.

  • Solana Analysis Outlines Validator Trade-Offs in Proposed 200ms Slot-Time Shift

    Solana Analysis Outlines Validator Trade-Offs in Proposed 200ms Slot-Time Shift

    Solana has published an analysis of the validator and market-structure trade-offs involved in a proposal to reduce target slot time from 400 milliseconds to 200 milliseconds. The Aug. 19 analysis describes the change as a staged, feature-gated path through 350, 300, 250 and 200 milliseconds.

    The work discusses SIMD-0525 rather than announcing that 200ms slots are already active on mainnet. That distinction is central: it is an engineering and economic analysis of a proposed change.

    Potential latency and execution effects

    Solana says shorter slots could allow information to reach canonical state more frequently and shorten the time a single leader controls ordering. The analysis also says faster slots may reduce stale-price exposure, while the effect on sandwich activity is not sign-definite and depends on factors including reaction latency, contention and user slippage.

    At 200ms, the four-slot leader window would fall from 1.6 seconds to 800ms, according to the article. The piece frames those outcomes as modeled or potential effects, not as realized mainnet results.

    Validator economics and operational headroom

    The analysis says validators would vote roughly twice as often per unit of wall-clock time at 200ms, increasing voting activity while potentially making leader opportunities more frequent. It also flags limited timing margin around vote arrival and leader handoff as an area for staged monitoring.

    Solana concludes that some effects require empirical mainnet observation. Operators and delegators should therefore treat the published paper as input to an ongoing proposal discussion, not as a completed network migration.

  • India’s Epic Studios, Rusk Media Ink 50-Title Vertical Drama Deal (EXCLUSIVE)

    India’s Epic Studios, Rusk Media Ink 50-Title Vertical Drama Deal (EXCLUSIVE)

    India’s Epic Studios has partnered with Rusk Media Private Limited (RMPL) to produce 50 original vertical drama series, aiming to build the country’s largest library of owned vertical-drama intellectual property.

    The slate will span genres including mythology, drama, mystery, thriller and romance. The series will premiere on Alright! TV, Rusk Media’s platform for original vertical-drama content, combining Epic Studios’ background in television, streaming and film development with Rusk Media’s digital-first distribution reach.

    Aditya Pittie, managing director of The Epic Company, said, “Vertical dramas are experiencing massive global and domestic growth, reshaping how content is consumed. For us, this partnership is about driving true scale and building the biggest library of owned vertical-drama IPs in the country. A slate of 50 original series is just the beginning – by the middle of next year, we aim to have over 250 titles, and becoming one of the largest independent IP owners in this space. Partnering with Rusk Media and Alright! TV creates a seamless, one-stop ecosystem that blends powerful storytelling with unprecedented volume.”

    Karanvir Sofat, co-founder and chief revenue officer of Rusk Media, cast the deal as a continuation of Alright! TV’s push to build high-quality content for younger Indian audiences, saying, “Epic has been a long-standing partner and this slate collaboration reinforces the commitment to deliver premium, engaging entertainment for digital audiences, that combine compelling storytelling with the pace and accessibility today’s viewers expect.”

    The Epic Company, formerly known as IN10 Media Network, is the parent of Epic Studios and is led by Pittie. Epic Studios, itself formerly Juggernaut Productions and MovieVerse Studio, is headed by Vivek Krishnani as CEO of its film division and Samar Khan as CEO of its OTT and TV division.

    Rusk Media, founded in 2019, produces mobile-first entertainment aimed at Gen Z and millennial audiences. Beyond Alright! TV, its content reaches viewers through platforms including Amazon MX Player and JioHotstar, alongside its advertising arm, Rusk Ads.

  • Trader who made $49 million shorting crypto lost $24 million on ether in 12 seconds

    Trader who made $49 million shorting crypto lost $24 million on ether in 12 seconds

    The wallet known as “pension-usdt.eth” had been short ether for two months. On Thursday morning it was closed out after a surge across all major tokens, and lost nearly $24 million on the trade.

    The address had been one of the more successful short sellers of the year, with roughly $49 million in profits from betting against crypto. Its recent record was a run of wins — nearly $6 million on a 60,000 $ETH short closed in June, $3.6 million on a 1,400 BTC short in the same month, $1.7 million on another bitcoin short in March.

    This single trade cost half of everything the wallet had made. Hyperliquid’s records show the liquidation ran from 04:51:03 to 04:51:15, in five separate forced sales. First 9,989 $ETH at $2,193, then 20,698 at $2,209, then 15,830 at $2,214, then 1,871 at $2,236.

    By the end there were no buyers left for the last 1,417 $ETH, so Hyperliquid absorbed it into a fund it keeps for exactly that purpose.

    Ether rose $43 over those 12 seconds. The trader’s own forced buying was part of what moved it, and every dollar it climbed made the remaining chunks more expensive to close.

    Twelve seconds, five forced sales, and a price that climbed with every one. (Shaurya Malwa/CoinDesk)

    The position was held for 1,445 hours, or a little over two months, through a stretch when bitcoin traded in a range below $65,000 and betting against it looked like the easy side. Wednesday’s Treasury buyback announcement ended that, with ether surging up 18% in the past 24 horus and bitcoin zooming from $64,000 to nearly $70,000.