New York

Markets, Cryptos and Culture

FinTech, Big Tech, Big Biz

May 8, 2026

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street, New York

Australia Continues To Ring Bells Before The NYC Bell; Who Is The Bell Of Big Balls?! : TKO Neg With Talent/Wrestling With Numbers And Contracts; If The New Price Is Right Mr Wrestling and Ms Wrestling

Pop Culture Ref: "I've Got Friday On My Mind" (The Easybeats)

LinkedIn b2b Business Lifts For Media Man Group and Associates

Media And Broadcasting Legend Ted Turner Dies (May 6); 100s Of Tributes Globally; Media, Entertainment And Sports Business World Pays Tribute

Alphabet/Google Cracks TIME 100 Cover; Positive Buzz

Beast Industries aka MrBeast TIME Top 100 Influencer;
Post Buzz Continues For TIME Media Darlings

TKO/WWE In And Out Of The Ring Continues; Up and Down Cycle; TKO's Nick Khan Continues To Offer Positive Vibes To US Admin Re Ali Act Amendment; Zuffa Boxing 06 This Weekend; WWE Backlash Weekend

TKO's LinkedIn Continues To Enjoy Strong News Media Buzz; Google LinkedIn Numbers Up; Rio Tinto (Mining) Strong LinkedIn Media Vibes And Buzz

WWE's Danhausen Offers Mega Exposure To Rootless Coffee And WWE Merch; Number 3 Best Seller Of WWE Merch With Human Movies; Danhausen ESPN News! Very Nice!

Media Man LinkedIn and X Up; TKO News Flashbacks

Road To WWE Backlash: May 9 in Tampa, Florida: Bloodline Themes! Road To WWE SNME

Google/Alphabet Earnings Ultra Bullish

May 8, 2026

(Sydney, Australia To Wall Street, New York)

Markets

ASX 200 futures down 152 points/1.7%: 8746

AUD -0.4% to US72.12¢

Bitcoin 79,628 -1.80%

Wall St:
Dow -0.6%
S&P -0.4%
Nasdaq -0.1%
VIX -0.31 to 17.08
Gold -0.03% to $US4684.59 an ounce
Silver 79.677 +1.313
Brent oil +2% to $US103.40 a barrel
Iron ore +0.2% to $US110.50 a ton

10-year yield:
US 4.39%
Australia 4.92%

Coffee 273.25 -10.60

Cocoa 4427.00 +292

Sillicon 8865.00 -75.00

Numbers Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.7209 USD (down $0.0021 USD)
Iron Ore: $110.50 USD (down $0.10 USD)
Oil Price: $97.25 USD (up $1.04 USD)
Gold Price: $4,685.51 USD (down $5.75 USD)
Copper Price: $6.1405 USD (down $0.0530 USD)
Dow Jones: 49,596.97 (down 313.62 points)

News (Australia)

May 8

ASX up as gold miners rally; Tabcorp dives

The Australian sharemarket posted another strong gain on Thursday, amid hopes of a permanent ceasefire in the Middle East; the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.9 per cent to close at 8,878.1 points. The materials sector was boosted by a rise in the price of both gold and iron ore, with Evolution Mining up 6.3 per cent to $13.10 and BHP adding 3.7 per cent to end the session at $58.52. However, Light & Wonder fell 8.3 per cent to $102.66 andWoodside Energy was down 4.1 per cent at $22.42. (RMS)

News

China hit with punitive 82pc steel tariff

The federal government has imposed tariffs of between 38 per cent and 82 per cent on hot-rolled coil steel products that are imported from China. Industry Minister Tim Ayres approved the new tariffs on Monday, with temporary levies of up 117 per cent having been in place since late 2025 while the Anti-Dumping Commission completed its investigation into claims that China was exporting steel products to Australia at heavily discounted prices. A spokesman for Ayres says that all trade remedies are fully consistent with Australia's obligations under its trade agreements, and the nation's anti-dumping regime does not target any country in particular.

News

Politics/MMA/UFC

Trump Hosts UFC Stars in Oval Office for White House Fight Event

Trump welcomed lightweight champ Ilia Topuria, challenger Justin Gaethje, light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira, and heavyweight Ciryl Gane to preview UFC Freedom 250 on June 14. The free event on the South Lawn features a 4,500-seat arena for Topuria vs. Gaethje and Pereira vs. Gane, tying into America's 250th anniversary and Trump's 80th birthday, with overflow crowds on giant screens nearby. Banter flew in the meeting—Trump joked about Pereira's powerful hand, while Topuria teased him lightly—building hype for this historic first pro sports event on White House grounds. (Media Man Peg-On): Win-Win-Win. Even if you lose on whe White House, you also win at the game and biz of MMA! Much respect to all.

News Lead Up

24 Hours Ago

Cryptos

Altcoins are surging amid a steady rise in BTC price

Market Overview

The crypto market capitalisation has risen by 0.75% over the past 24 hours, reaching $2.69 trillion. The top three performers are Zcash (+29%), Toncoin (+23%) and Filecoin (+16%). The underperformers are Ethereum (-0.4%), Algorand (-0.5%) and Basic Attention Token (-4.6%).

Bitcoin is approaching $81.5K, continuing its movement within an upward channel and hitting new highs since February. This positive momentum can easily be linked to the continued rise in stock indices, which is boosting risk appetite and bringing a more significant technical battle into view. The leading cryptocurrency is approaching its 200-day moving average (currently at $83.3K); a firm consolidation above this level would be a further sign of bullish dominance. We saw the first such sign – consolidation above the 50-day moving average – exactly one month ago. It is quite likely that, as Bitcoin approaches $83K, a short-term profit-taking phase awaits, allowing some of the gains to be taken.

The performance of altcoins clearly shows how BTC’s steady growth is encouraging increased risk-taking. First Toncoin, and today Zcash, have gained nearly 30% over the past 24 hours. The latter has been rising every day since 3 April, gaining 80% during this period; it was one of the first major cryptocurrencies to climb out of the slump at the end of January and reach highs last seen in November of last year. The key pivot zone in 2018 and 2025, near $800, looks well within reach in the coming days.

News Background

The total USDT market capitalisation has increased by $5.9 billion over the last 60 days, whereas prior to March, the market was losing around $2 billion monthly, notes analyst Darkfost. The inflow of capital into the crypto market is boosting asset values.

Morgan Stanley suggests that US banks may be able to hold Bitcoin on their balance sheets in the future, despite current regulatory barriers. The bank recently launched a Bitcoin-based exchange-traded product (ETP). Later this year, Morgan Stanley will launch spot trading in cryptocurrency on its Wealth platform.

The international payment system Western Union has launched its own stablecoin, USDPT, on the Solana blockchain. Integration with SOL will allow the company to speed up settlements and move away from traditional interbank systems, which are prone to delays.

BitMine has increased its Ethereum reserves to $13 billion, purchasing over 100,000 ETH for the third week in a row. The company’s reserves have reached 5,180,131 ETH, or 4.29% of the Ethereum supply.

Toncoin (TON) jumped by 45% amid fee reductions and the reorganisation of TON. Pavel Durov announced that Telegram would take over management of the TON crypto project from the current operator, the TON Foundation. The entrepreneur promised to reduce fees on the TON network sixfold and turn the eponymous token into a mass-market product.

News

Advertising expectations and experience: Australians have their say about AI

The second wave of Ad Standards' Community Sentiment Tracker, which was conducted by Roy Morgan, has found that 72% of Australians are concerned about the use of AI-generated content in advertising, particularly its potential to mislead or deceive people with unrealistic or fake content. Around half are also worried that the use of AI could reduce authenticity and creativity in advertising and promote unrealistic body or beauty standards. Australians believe AI-generated content is already widely used in advertising, with more than half saying that it is used very often (21%) or often (37%). Despite this, confidence in recognising AI-generated content remains low, with one in five Australians saying they are not at all confident they could identify when AI-generated content has been used in an ad. Some 64% of Australians believe it should always be necessary to disclose when advertising contains AI-generated content. The Ad Standards-Roy Morgan Community Sentiment Tracker Survey was conducted online with a cross-section of 1,000 Australians aged 18+ between 19 February and 2 March 2026. (Roy Morgan)

News

Sports/Media/Broadasting

Seven boss flags interest in NRL

Southern Cross Media Group's CEO Rohan Lund has indicated that the Seven Network owner could potentially bid for the NRL's broadcasting rights. Lund says media companies like Seven have an important role in helping audiences and partners to connect with their sports teams. He adds that Seven could be interested in the annual State of Origin series in particular. The Nine Network's current free-to-air rights deal for the NRL expires next year, and the NRL aims to finalise its next deal by the end of July. (RMS)

News

Mining/Resources

BHP's learning curve after tough negotiations

BHP's chief financial officer Vandita Pant addressed the Macquarie Australia conference on Wednesday. She stated that the resources group was pleased to have concluded commercial negotiations with China Mineral Resources Group regarding iron ore pricing and sales. The recent deal ended a seven-month stand-off, and Pant said the negotiations with state-owned CMRG were "tough". Chinese media reports have suggested that CMRG has secured a 1.8 per cent discount on iron ore from BHP. Pant also stated that BHP's experience in dealing with supply chain disruptions during the pandemic has been invaluable in coping with similar global supply shocks due to the Iran war. (RMS)

News

Pop Culture/Wrestling/WWE/NXT

Shawn Michaels Announces Loaded NXT Card for Next Week

Next Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on The CW from Orlando's WWE Performance Center, NXT Women's North American Champion Tatum Paxley teams with newcomer Lizzy Rain against Zaria and Nikkita Lyons, fresh off last week's wild brawl. A win in the Kendall Grey vs. Kelani Jordan match earns a title shot, while Japanese star Naraku debuts in the ring and indie signee Sean Legacy joins a six-man tag. Noam Dar returns from injury for a one-on-one with Jackson Drake, as Michaels spotlights rising talents in a buzzing women's reset. (Media Man Peg-On): For Australians enjoy the show on Tuesday morning (Australia) via Netflix! Highlights will appear on YouTube the same day!

News

May 6

Ted Turner, CNN Founder and Media Pioneer, Dies at 87

Turner launched CNN in 1980 as the world's first round-the-clock news network, revolutionized cable with superstation WTBS, TNT, and Cartoon Network, and owned the Atlanta Braves during their 1995 World Series win. He built a vast media empire from his family's billboard business, sold it to Time Warner for $7.3 billion in 1996, and gave $1 billion to the United Nations while conserving 2 million acres of land. Tributes highlight his innovations in news and entertainment, with survivors including five children, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. (Media Man Peg-On): RIP legend. Thank you for what you did for us in our 5 years of Pay TV days at Optus Vision down under. Feature by Greg Tingle of Media Man Group now live on the Media Man Int official website.

May 8

Shares

TKO Group Holdings Inc
$187.51
-2.96 -1.55%
Lead Up
$190.47
+3.53 +1.89%

Alphabet Inc Class A
$397.99
+0.17 +0.042%
Lead Up
$398.04
+9.57 +2.46%

NVIDIA Corp
$211.50
+3.84 +1.85%
Lead Up
$207.83
+11.33 +5.77%

Meta Platforms Inc
$616.81
+3.93 +0.64%
Lead Up
$612.88
+7.92 +1.31%

Netflix Inc
$88.25
-0.020 -0.023%

MGM Vegas

Heyman Hustle/Paul Heyman - Live At MGM News

Heyman’s involvement ties into his Looking4Larry Agency’s creative work and a broader MGM Studios partnershipMGM Live is the new entertainment/content brand for MGM Resorts International’s Las Vegas properties. It launched on Instagram with a debut reel featuring Paul Heyman and UFC President Dana White together at an EZ Baccarat table at the Live at Park MGM venue on the Las Vegas.

This marks a notable crossover, as UFC and WWE are both under TKO Group Holdings. Park MGM has hosted WWE events (like the 2026 Hall of Fame) and UFC PPVs.

Heyman shot disruptive/late-night content there during WrestleMania week, including:His TikTok debut from Park MGM (talking about Brock Lesnar, WrestleMania, etc.).

"Heyman on Heyman" interview with his son Jacob for HeymanHustleTV. Multiple Instagram/TikTok reels embracing his "King of New York (and everywhere else)" persona while promoting MGM.

News

Pop Culture/WWE

Danhausen Reopens Cameo for Sports Curses and Uncurses

The Metro Detroit wrestler, now with WWE, offers personalized videos for around $125 to curse or uncursed sports teams, just as NBA playoffs heat up. A Knicks fan's uncursing video preceded their 140-89 Game 6 blowout over the Hawks, sparking requests from Chiefs, Nets, Panthers, Cavs, Bears, Arsenal, Ferrari, and Jets fans. His 'very nice, very evil' persona has fans half-jokingly linking his hexes to real results, with Cameo now swamped and unavailable. (Media Man Peg-On: You are not cursed, and you are on Media Man!

News

(ICYMI)

Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta Platforms Report Q1 2026 Earnings Beating Expectations

Alphabet reported Q1 2026 revenue of $109.9 billion and EPS of $5.11, surpassing estimates, with Google Cloud revenue up 63% to $20 billion.

Microsoft reported fiscal Q3 2026 revenue of $82.89 billion and EPS of $4.27, beating expectations, driven by 39-40% Azure growth.

Amazon reported Q1 2026 revenue of $181.5 billion and EPS of $2.78 exceeding forecasts, with AWS up 28%, while Meta reported Q1 2026 revenue of $56.3 billion and EPS of $10.44 above estimates.

News

Geopolitics has caused the dollar to retreat

The end of Operation Epic Fury is boosting risk appetite.

Japan is likely to continue punishing speculators. The US dollar has lost ground following statements from the White House regarding the conclusion of the two-month ‘Operation Epic Fury’ and progress in negotiations with Iran. Investors are interpreting this as a de-escalation in the Middle East and are selling Brent. At the same time, the dollar index is once again testing the lows of the past two months amid risk-on sentiment in key markets. Optimism could push EURUSD higher. Although its further trajectory will depend on the pace of the fall in oil prices. It will take time to repair the damaged energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf. Therefore, it is believed that Brent and WTI will not return to the $65–70 levels seen before the conflict in the Middle East this year. This is a pro-inflationary factor. US services PMI indices are signalling the highest price pressure since 2022, while the futures market is ramping up expectations of Fed rate hikes. It will not be easy for Kevin Warsh to fulfil Donald Trump’s wishes for a significant easing of policy. For now, traders’ attention is entirely focused on the Middle East. The end of the conflict is driving the EURUSD up to 1.1760, and this rise will gain momentum with further signs of de-escalation.

Conversely, another breakdown in negotiations and a deadlock in US-Iran relations will force the major currency pair to take a step back. And this is not merely a matter of caution, as alongside their conciliatory rhetoric, the US is building up its military presence in the Persian Gulf. The sharp collapse in USDJPY on Wednesday suggests that the government has once again intervened in the forex market. Japan needs to properly deter speculators from using dips in the US dollar to buy it. Rumours of a de-escalation in geopolitical tensions have catalysed a rally of more than 3% in gold, pushing it above $4,700. The fall in oil prices reduces the risk of high inflation becoming entrenched and removes the need for central banks to tighten policy. As a result, the precious metal may see a return to the debasement trade. (FxPro)

News Lead Up

56 Hours Ago

Bitcoin has begun hunting down short sellers

Market Overview

The crypto market capitalisation has continued to hit new highs since early February, reaching $2.67 trillion. This time, the movement was not uniform, consisting of individual surges led by Toncoin (+29%), followed by Algorand (+4.5%) and Basic Attention Token (+4%). The underperformers include Dash (-5.5%), Aptos (-2.1%) and VeChain (-1.6%).

The sentiment index has reached 50, the midpoint of the indicator’s range, where it last stood on 17 January. The market is approaching a significant turning point. Since last October, there have been only brief surges in sentiment to higher levels, but these have provided excellent opportunities for bears to sell at higher prices.

Although Bitcoin faced some pressure midday on Monday, it overcame it on Tuesday, reaching $81K and gaining 1.3% for the day, though, by and large, it covered this ground in just the last 4 hours. We attribute this rally to short squeezes, as the rise occurred during the period of the most aggressive movements ahead of the start of active trading in Asia, when liquidity is at its lowest. Meanwhile, on the stock markets, there was only a slight pullback following the downward momentum. In any case, on the daily charts, Bitcoin is recording its sixth bullish candle, and the entire April uptrend now fits within a new upward channel, with the upper boundary currently at the 200-day moving average.

News Background

The Capriole investment fund has noted a sharp rise in demand for Bitcoin from major players. Institutional investors are buying up more than 500% of the daily mining output of the leading cryptocurrency every day. Historically, such a supply shortage has led to a 24% rise in BTC over the following month.

Bitcoin appears poised for an upward surge. A break above $80K opens up the possibility of reaching $86K–$88K in the coming period, notes MN Trading founder Michael van de Poppe.

Following the latest adjustment, Bitcoin’s mining difficulty has fallen by 2.3% to 132.47 T. According to Glassnode, the network’s average hash rate, smoothed by a 7-day moving average, stands at around 955 EH/s.

Senators Tom Tillis and Angela Olsbrooks have reached a compromise regarding stablecoin yields in the CLARITY Act. This bill regulating the US crypto market may be considered by the Senate Banking Committee in the week following 11 May. (FxPro)

News

BHP's price deal puts minnows, rivals on alert

Rio Tinto's former CEO Sam Walsh believes that the iron ore pricing deal between BHP and China Mineral Resources Group will fail. Few details of the deal to end the long-running dispute between BHP and CMRG have emerged, although reports suggest that BHP has ceded more influence to China in setting iron ore prices; this could potentially lead to more ore being priced in Chinese currency. Geoff Raby, Australian ambassador to China, believes that the key outcome of the deal is BHP's acceptance that the benchmark price of iron ore should be set by China, rather than a price reporting agency based in the US or the UK. (ABIX)

Media Man Peg-On: BHP per ad "We've been called many things". Gonzo journalism in mining and rare earth news lives!

News

UFC/MMA

Chimaev Shares Sparring Clip Ragdolling Strickland Before UFC 328 Title Fight

The undefeated UFC middleweight champion Chimaev (15-0) shared the American Top Team gym session showing him slamming takedowns on a shirtless Strickland (30-7), days ahead of UFC 328 at Newark's Prudential Center where he defends his belt for the first time. Bad blood stems from a group chat spat over Chechen wrestling jokes, escalating to media day barbs like Strickland calling Chimaev 'soft' and daring a parking lot fight, while Chimaev shrugged it off and said security protects Strickland. Odds favor Chimaev at -510, but Joe Rogan spots a real shot for Strickland's boxing and cardio, with Dricus du Plessis warning the first round decides it all. (Media Man: Nothing quite like a good old fashioned blood feud, be it MMA or wrestling. Red turns to green! Sell out on the cards!

News

WWE Backlash

May 9, 2026

Benchmark International Arena

Tampa, Florida

Main Event: Roman Reigns vs Jacob Fatu - World Title

Rollins vs Breakker
Williams vs Zayn
SKY vs Asuka
Danhausen and Mystery Partner vs Miz and Kit Wilson

News Flashback

WWE NXT/Wrestling

NXT Debuts EVIL, Lizzy Rain, and Will Kroos in Roster Shake-Up

WWE NXT's April 28 episode on The CW featured six debuts, including former NJPW star EVIL's chilling arrival targeting NXT Champion Tony D'Angelo, rocker Lizzy Rain's dominant win over Nikkita Lyons with her Thunderstruck finisher, and indie powerhouse Will Kroos joining a beatdown on D'Angelo. John Cena hyped EVIL with his classic promo quote, while fans praised the secrecy around Kroos and Rain's heavy-metal entrance. Other newcomers like Tristan Angels, Kam Hendrix, and Tate Wilder added to the stacked night, setting up fresh storylines for titles and rivalries. (Media Man Peg-On): NXT needed some fresh faces and new blood to replace some of the WWE main roster call-ups; Shawn Michaels and Robert Stone one again deliver. It's almost a new era kinda feeling and vibe with the shake-ups. Fans pumped for the upcoming main roster debuts of Blake Monroe and Ricky Saints.

News

News Lead Up

WWE/Pop Culture

Paul Heyman Praises Lil Yachty Amid WWE Celebrity Backlash

On SmackDown, Yachty celebrated new U.S. Champion Trick Williams' WrestleMania 42 victory over Sami Zayn, but Zayn ambushed them unmasked as a Gingerbread Man with a Helluva Kick. Paul Heyman endorsed Yachty as a respectful crossover star who honors WWE's history and fans, countering backlash from viewers upset over recent talent cuts like Aleister Black and Karrion Kross. While some fans call it unwanted filler, others praise the fun energy as WWE balances celebrities with homegrown stories ahead of Backlash. (Media Man Peg-On): We're going with Heyman on this. Yachty is great and over with the audience for the most part.

News

Pop Culture/Lucha Libre

AAA Announces New General Manager Reveal on May 23

On the April 25 episode of AAA on Fox, President Marisela Peña announced that Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide will get a new General Manager, with the live reveal set for May 23 in Mexico City. This follows her son Dorian Roldán's recent plea for the role, which she decided to open to other candidates after careful thought. Fans are speculating on names like Zelina Vega, Rey Mysterio, or even The Undertaker, amid AAA's growth since WWE's majority stake acquisition last April and its new Fox broadcasts blending lucha action with WWE polish. (Media Man Peg-On): Ariba. Triple A has massive influence from The Undertaker, and it's paying off as far as entertainment value for fans and in other creative and business ways from what we see and hear. Can see see Danhausen in Triple H also? Lucha Hausen!

News Lead Up

April 23

(Wall St, New York) : April 24 (Sydney, Australia)

UFC - MMA Building Stars Again

New York Kind Of Feeling

US Stocks - Black Friday - Black-ish Thursday into Friday

Post WrestleMania; Road To WWE Backlash 2026

WWE Management And Wrestlers Bullish; Wrestling and Boxing

Sports Biz Event Tickets And Merch Drive

Danhausen Lifts WWE Merch Hausen

Traditional Big Tech Sector Takes Big Hit April 23

News

Media Man Group Weekly Series

Pop Culture Dream Matches

New Blood vs New Day vs Old News

GCW Bloodspot vs The Others

MGM Wrestling vs Atlantic City

Bam Bam vs Father Time

UFC vs Outlaw Mud Shows

WBD Wrestling vs Own Goal

Mr Dingo Driver vs Naysayers

New School vs Old School

Paul Heyman and Son and MGM Gamification vs others!

PopWrecked vs Karen

Studio97 vs others: Catfight Rules!

Danhausen def Easy E

x AI vs others!

T. Abbott (Aust) vs Wokes

Netflix vs Paramount Plus vs YouTube - 3 Way Dance! Special Ref: Easy E. Share The Love! Enough For The Big 3!

Ultra A.I vs Human Full Bloods

Ex Machine vs Cave Man

Rudos vs Technicos (Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide)

News

Best Quotes Of The Day

"An investment in ones self is always the best bet" Greg Tingle, Media Man Group

Media Man

Markets, Cryptos And Culture

March 17, 2026

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street, New York

Pop Culture Themes:

"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" - Cannonball Adderley
"Gold" (Spandau Ballet)
"Ruby Tuesday" (The Rolling Stones)
"I Don't Like Mondays" (The Boomtown Rats)
"Monday, Monday" (The Mamas & the Papas)
"The Wall Street Hustle" (10cc)

Markets

ASX 200 futures up 66 points or 0.8%: 8646
AUD +1.3% to US70.71¢
BTC $74,325.72 +3.10%
Dow +0.8%
S&P +1%
NAS +1.2%
VIX -3.62 to 23.57
Gold -0.1% to $US5016.30 an oz
Silver 80.047 -0.488
Oil -3.1% to $US99.96 a barrel
Iron ore -0.01% to $US107.70 a ton

News

Numbers Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.7072 USD (up $0.0084 USD)
Iron Ore: $107.70 USD (down $0.25 USD)
Oil: $93.13 USD (down $5.58 USD)
Gold: $5,009.61 USD (down $10.39 USD)
Copper: $5.8390 USD (up $0.1640 USD)
Dow: 46,946.41 (up 387.94 points)

News

ASX hits three-month low; gold stocks drop

The Australian sharemarket lost ground on Monday, with the S&P/ASX 200 shedding 0.4 per cent to close at 8,583.4 points. Emanuel Datt from Datt Capital expects the outlook for equities to remain subdued until there is more certainty regarding the Iran war. Fortescue was down 3.9 per cent at $19.69, Regis Resources fell 8.3 per cent to $7.04 and IperionX ended the session 22.2 per cent lower at $4.09. However, Lynas Rare Earths was up 1.4 per cent at 20.99 and Reliance Worldwide rose 6.9 per cent to $3.12. (RMS)

News

Bitcoin: See No Evil

Market Overview

The crypto market cap is on an upward trend, having surpassed the $2.5 trillion mark, the region of previous local highs and the 50-day moving average.

Consequently, the technical picture is becoming more favourable for the bulls, who are steadily reclaiming one high after another. This gradual growth appears to be a further sign of the recovery’s robustness. At current levels, the crypto market cap is approaching the 61.8% retracement of the latest downtrend, and all eyes are on whether the recovery momentum will fade. The consolidation may simply become broader but lack the strength to turn into an uptrend.

The sentiment index stands at 23, on the verge of exiting the extreme fear zone and at its highest level since 29 January. This could be a new trap, just as it was in the second half of January, when the index’s recovery was followed by a fresh wave of selling and new lows.

Bitcoin is looking on the bright side, approaching the $74K level and already hitting seven-week highs. The leading cryptocurrency closed Sunday above the 50-day moving average and began Monday with a further upward move. This could well prove to be a prelude to a rise towards $85K – the region of recent significant lows. However, it is quite possible that near the $75K mark, the bears will take control, leaving BTC within a corrective rebound pattern following a decline. From a cross-market analysis perspective, the bears have more arguments on their side, but Bitcoin has often moved ahead of the market, reflecting its underlying shifts in sentiment.

News Background

Bitcoin has passed the ‘stress test’ of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. However, on-chain metrics indicate a lack of strength among the bulls for a medium-term breakout, according to Glassnode.
Ethereum risks continuing its decline due to the ‘adoption paradox’ — the widening gap between network activity and the asset’s price dynamics, CryptoQuant notes. An exit from the bearish phase should be facilitated by capital inflows into the ecosystem and a reduction in cryptocurrency inflows to exchanges.

BlackRock has launched an Ethereum ETF with staking. At launch, assets under management reached $100 million. Around 82% of the staking rewards received will be paid out to investors on a monthly basis — like dividend-paying ETFs.

According to Mizuho Bank, Circle’s USDC stablecoin has overtaken Tether’s USDT in terms of adjusted transaction volume since the start of 2026. The total stablecoin market has recovered to $311 billion amid an influx of retail capital.

Stablecoins could form the basis of a global payment system within the next 10–15 years, billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller has stated. According to him, such assets offer clear advantages over traditional banking infrastructure. (FxPro)

News Lead Up

24 Hours Ago

Bitcoin Tops $73,000 Amid U.S.-Iran Conflict Rally

The cryptocurrency reached an intraday high near $73,100 on March 15 before easing to around $71,800 by early March 16 UTC, marking an 8% weekly gain that lifted its market cap above $1.4 trillion. Since conflict began on February 28, Bitcoin rose about 7.75% while the S&P 500 dropped 3.85%, Nasdaq fell 3%, gold declined around 5.5%, and silver plunged over 13%. Bulls celebrate the breakout above $70,000 resistance and seven green daily candles as signs of strength heading toward $74,000-$78,000, but bears warn of downside risks below $70,000 and potential drops to $40,000-$60,000 levels seen in past bear markets. (Grok): Media Man Peg-On: X and Grok right on the money as per usual!

News

Gold

Gold is finding it increasingly difficult to stick to uptrend Over the past week, gold traded within a range of just over 3%, which could be described as a lull given the current geopolitical climate. Perhaps even more puzzling is the increase in sales as prices rose, which, at first glance, does not fit the narrative of gold serving as a safe haven for capital during periods of instability.

Gold’s muted reaction to the armed conflict in the Middle East is due to the rise in the dollar and Treasury bond yields. Pressure on the precious metal comes alongside diminishing prospects of a Fed rate cut and growing expectations of policy tightening by other major central banks in response to the oil shock. (FxPro). Media Man: Summary only. More to come.

News

US wants investors, just don't mention tariffs

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has told a gathering of Australian superannuation fund executives in Washington that the Trump administration welcomes foreign investment, but that it does not want to hear criticism of US President Donald Trumps' tariff regime. Australian super funds already invest about $US500 billion in the US, a figure that lobby group Super Members Council estimates will increase to $US1.5 trillion by 2035, and around 16 per cent of all Australian retirement savings are invested in the US. (RMS)

News

Elon Musk Unveils Digital Optimus AI to Control Computers in Real Time

Digital Optimus pairs xAI's Grok for smart reasoning with Tesla's vision AI, processing the last five seconds of screen video to execute actions instantly on affordable $650 AI4 hardware. Musk plans to run it in all AI4-equipped Teslas, turning parked cars into 'mobile compute nodes' for owners' office tasks, and deploy millions of units at Supercharger stations with 7 gigawatts of grid power. This Tesla-xAI collaboration, backed by a $2 billion investment, could reshape compute economics by blending vision tech from self-driving and robots with advanced language models.

News

Gaming/Wrestling/Pop Culture

WWE 2K26 Launches with Strong Reviews and Battle Pass Backlash

WWE 2K26 hit stores worldwide today on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2, building on WWE 2K25 with refined gameplay like a winded stamina system, better collision physics, and new match types such as I Quit and Inferno. Reviews praise the fun in-ring action and detailed character models, earning Metacritic scores around 80, while CM Punk's Showcase mode lets players relive his career with dream match tech. Controversy centers on the Ringside Pass battle pass, which replaces DLC with free and premium tracks requiring RXP grinds for wrestlers and attires—fans call it predatory, especially with launch server issues in MyFaction.

News

Wrestling

SmackDown Preview: Rhodes-Orton Contract Signing Lights Up Phoenix

Tonight's WWE SmackDown at Phoenix's Footprint Center features the official contract signing between Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes and challenger Randy Orton, the 14-time champ who earned his shot at Elimination Chamber. The card packs in Miz TV with country star Jelly Roll, Danhausen crashing the party, Jade Cargill vs. Michin, a Women's Tag Team title defense by Nia Jax and Lash Legend against Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, plus Bloodline's Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga facing Uncle Howdy and Erick Rowan. It's the final big push before WrestleMania 42 kicks off April 18 in Las Vegas.

News

A.I News

Losses growing, staff cut: Atlassian's billionaire boss faces his AI test

Atlassian's CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes has used a video message to inform its employees about the decision to retrench 10 per cent of its global workforce. He said that artificial intelligence technology has changed the skills and number of people that Atlassian needs in some areas, and the company will prioritise retaining employees who have AI-relevant skills. Atlassian will shed some 1,600 jobs globally, including about 480 in Australia; the restructuring will cost up to $US236m ($331m). Employees who will be affected by the downsizing were informed via email shortly after watching the video message. Atlassian posted a net loss of $US42.6m in its most recent quarterly financial results. (RMS)

News

Media/Advertising (Australia)

Advertising expectations and experience: Australians have their say

New national research conducted by Roy Morgan for Australia's advertising regulator Ad Standards reveals a gap between what Australians expect from advertising and what they currently experience - particularly online. The community sentiment tracking study found that 88% of Australians believe that advertising should reflect community standards and values, yet only 37% say the advertising they encounter meets those expectations. The research highlights the high expectations Australians have of advertising and the importance of aligning with community standards to maintain trust. When it comes to platforms, social media attracts the highest levels of concern (62%). The expectations gap presents a clear commercial risk for brands, with 67% of Australians saying they avoid brands that use inappropriate or offensive advertising; this increases to 83% among Australians aged 65+. (RMS)

News Feature

Pop Culture/Netflix

Dynasty: The Murdochs (2026)

Follows the Murdoch family's behind-the-scenes succession battle as Rupert's adult children compete for control of his media empire, based on thousands of documents, emails and text messages.

A high-profile Netflix docuseries scheduled to premiere on 13 March 2026. Directed by Liz Garbus, the four-part series explores the real-life "Succession" drama within the Murdoch family as Rupert Murdoch’s children battle for control of his global media empire.

Key Real-World Developments (as of March 2026)

The documentary arrives following a definitive shift in the Murdoch family power structure:

Lachlan Murdoch's Succession: In September 2025, a long-running legal battle over the Murdoch Family Trust concluded with Lachlan Murdoch cementing total control.

The Settlement: His siblings—Prudence, Elisabeth, and James—agreed to a $3.3 billion settlement (approx. $1.1 billion each) to cash out of the trust. Under a long-term "standstill agreement," they now have no further share or involvement in the family's core companies, Fox Corporation and News Corp.

Rupert Murdoch's Status: Now 94, Rupert remains Chairman Emeritus of both News Corp and Fox Corp, while Lachlan serves as the sole Chair of News Corp and Executive Chair/CEO of Fox Corp.

Netflix Docuseries Overview

The series is a deep dive into how the empire was built and the subsequent internal fracturing:

Focus: It uses thousands of pages of leaked documents, emails, and text messages to expose the private machinations between the siblings.

Themes: It explores the intersection of family and business, questioning whether a dynasty can remain a family when power and politics are involved.

Featured Experts: Includes interviews with prominent media figures like David Folkenflik, Kara Swisher, and Paddy Manning (Lachlan Murdoch's biographer).

Media

Oher documentaries or series about the family, the following are available:

The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty (2020): A three-part BBC/72 Films documentary charting Rupert's influence on British society and the closure of News of the World.

Succession (HBO): While fictional, this acclaimed drama series was widely inspired by the Murdoch family's real-world dynamics.

News Lead Up

Miners, banks lift ASX as rate rise looms

The Australian sharemarket posted a solid gain on Wednesday, with the S&P/ASX 200 rising 0.6 per cent to close at 8,743.5 points. Bank stocks rallied amid growing expectations that the Reserve Bank will increase official interest rates next week, with the ANZ Bank rising 1.8 per cent to $37.98. The resources sector also rose, with Fortscue advancing 3.7 per cent to $19.98 and Ora Banda Mining up 21.5 per cent at $1.41. However, WiseTech Global was down 3.6 per cent at $49.24 and GQG partners fell 5.5 per cent to end the session at $1.80. (RMS)

News

U.S News/Politics/World

The dollar acts in tandem with oil

The impact of oil on currency rates has risen sharply.

The ECB promises to prevent a repeat of the 2022 inflation shock.

Donald Trump has a formidable competitor. A tweet by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright about the US military escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz caused a real stir in the markets, as did its subsequent deletion. Previously, only the White House could claim such influence over investors. However, when nerves are stretched tight, even a minor piece of information can shake the markets.

Investors continue to ponder when all this will end. Donald Trump's comments about the imminent conclusion of the conflict in the Middle East suggest a 12-day war scenario, similar to the summer of 2025. Nonetheless, the IEA's plan to sell oil from strategic reserves, by contrast, echoes the events of 2022. According to Christine Lagarde, the eurozone is better prepared for an energy crisis than it was back then. The ECB will prevent the war between the US, Israel, and Iran from causing the same inflationary pain to the currency bloc. In 2022, the European Central Bank raised rates by 450 basis points in response to soaring energy prices, which pushed inflation from 5.9% to 10.6%. Deposit rates are now higher, but inflation remains lower.

Markets are starting to price in two ECB rate hikes in 2026. The anticipated scale of the Fed's monetary policy easing has decreased from 65 to 36 basis points due to the conflict in the Middle East. In theory, the narrowing of the rate differential should cause a rally in EUR/USD. However, investors doubt the eurozone economy can withstand the rising borrowing costs and energy prices.

At the initial stage of the confrontation, the US dollar gained favour due to financial market fears, its status as a safe-haven asset, and the United States' position as a net energy exporter. However, as the conflict in the Middle East drags on, the US economy will suffer from rising oil and petrol prices. Consequently, investor interest might shift towards the Canadian dollar and the Norwegian krone. (FxPro)

News

Biz/Brands (Australia)

Bunnings is Australia's most trusted brand; Telecommunications, led by Optus, is the most distrusted industry

Bunnings is the most trusted brand in the 12 months to December 2025, a ninth consecutive quarterly victory for the leading hardware retailer. Discount supermarket Aldi is in second place, and discount department store Kmart is third; the top three places have remained unchanged for an eighth straight quarter. Meanwhile, Woolworths remains Australia's most distrusted brand, while Optus deteriorated two places to be the second most distrusted brand in the 12 months to December; in fact, Optus was the single most distrusted brand in Australia during the month of December, following its fatal triple-zero outage in September. Roy Morgan's latest data on trust and distrust reveals a remarkable relationship between highly regulated industries and trust. The financial services sector provides clear evidence that greater regulation and stricter rules have helped shape public perception for the better. On the flipside, sectors like Telecommunications and Supermarkets have relatively low regulation and suffer deep distrust; they currently face severe regulatory headwinds as the public demands better accountability and a fair go. (RMS)

News

Mining (Aust)

Feb 27

Haoma Mining Shareholder Update: Ravenswood Gold Joint Venture - drilling confirms shallow high-grade gold at Podoskys

Haoma Mining NL Announcements

(Roy Morgan)

Haoma's Directors are pleased to advise shareholders of additional shallow high-grade gold results from a further 16 holes (holes PYRC 12 to PYRC27) drilled at Haoma's Podoskys deposit on ML10315 located at Ravenswood in North Queensland.

News

Combat Sports

Rezar Delivers Brutal BKFC Debut Knockout After WWE Days

The Albanian powerhouse, known from WWE's Authors of Pain and NXT Tag Team titles, debuted in BKFC's heavyweight division Saturday at Utilita Arena, stopping Daniel Curtin after surviving a first-round scare that drew blood. Selmani dropped his opponent four times in Round 2 for the finish, then grabbed the mic for a profanity-filled rant calling himself the 'Albanian Psycho' and vowing to knock out foes worldwide. Fans loved his raw edge, joking WWE had kept it hidden, while his performance stole the show from the main event UK Heavyweight title fight.

News

WWE

Roman Reigns Returns on 3:16 Day Raw in San Antonio

Monday Night Raw hits San Antonio's Frost Bank Center tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix, packed with AJ Lee defending her new Women's Intercontinental Championship against Bayley, who eyes Grand Slam glory after a gauntlet win. Brock Lesnar continues his open challenge, Roman Reigns returns with eyes possibly on CM Punk, and matches like Natalya vs. Maxxine Dupri add grudge heat. Adam Pearce promises four bouts plus appearances by Punk and The Judgment Day, all fueling the Road to WrestleMania 42.

News

WWE

Danhausen Curses Miz and Draws Huge WWE SmackDown Pops

On March 13's WWE SmackDown, indie favorite Danhausen made waves by handing out tees ringside, cursing Miz as 'Mizhausen,' and prompting Jey Uso's knockout superkick that had crowds chanting 'curse!' He debuted at Elimination Chamber on February 28 with a 3-0 curse streak and added laughs with a 'TWINHAUSEN' backstage bit yelling 'BOO! CLONES!' at Nikki and Brie Bella. WWE filed trademarks for 'Girlhausen,' 'Ghoulhausen,' 'Kidhausen,' and 'Kid-Hausen' on merch and events, signaling family-themed plans amid his rising popularity.

News

Wrestling

Dolph Ziggler Reveals WWE Paid Him Big to Block AEW Move

On the 'Off the Ropes' podcast, Nemeth explained how WWE offered him top money after he tested the market amid AEW's launch and a talent war. The four-year deal followed a surprise SummerSlam match with Goldberg, despite his concerns. Released in 2023, he joined TNA, won their world title in 2024, and re-signed this year. Fans noted how AEW's competition raised WWE salaries by 33-50% on average.

Combat Sports

WWE Blocks Logan Paul's $1M NFL Boxing Challenge

Paul hyped the fights on his podcast after mocking NFL players' boxing skills, with terms like no headgear and fight until quit. A WWE rep named Chris intervened on March 8, barring the bouts to protect Paul as a key talent now on Netflix's Raw. Bell accused Paul of faking the call and being scared, flooding posts with duck emojis, while Paul fired back calling them 'bums' and congratulating their brief fame. Critics like ex-NFLer Emmanuel Acho labeled it cowardly, but WWE confirmed the decision to safeguard their star.

News

Pop Culture/Sports

Tyson Fury Returns Against Undefeated Makhmudov on April 11

The Gypsy King steps back into the ring on April 11 following back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk, taking on the 34-year-old Canadian-based Russian with a perfect 17-0 record and 16 knockouts. Tickets start at £44, with a strong undercard including Conor Benn vs. Regis Prograis, Jeamie TKV vs. Richard Riakporhe, and Frazer Clarke vs. Justis Huni. Spencer Brown of Gold Star Promotions leads as promoter, while Frank Warren's Queensberry stays allied; Fury's already firing trash talk, calling old foe Deontay Wilder 'completely shot to bits.' A win could line up a summer clash with Joshua or a Usyk rematch.

News

Pop Culture/Wrestling/Streaming

NXT Stand & Deliver Streams Free on YouTube as Peacock Era Ends

Shawn Michaels announced Thursday that NXT Stand & Deliver takes place April 4 at The Factory in St. Louis, with doors at 4 p.m. CT and main card at 7 p.m. ET. Vengeance Day on March 7 was the last NXT premium live event on Peacock, as its deal expires; international fans previously used Netflix but now join on YouTube. The standalone show in the intimate 2,300-3,000 capacity venue spotlights NXT weeks before WrestleMania 42, with tag team title tournaments already building buzz. Robert Stone offered to help Michaels with YouTube, and fans expressed excitement over the free global access.

News

Media/Streaming/Sports

Netflix rules out bid for NRL rights

A spokesman for Netflix says the streaming company is not interested in bidding for the upcoming NRL broadcast rights, as Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'landys seeks a $4 billion deal over five years. The spokesman's remarks back up previous comments by Netflix executive Brandon Riegg that it is interested in marquee sporting events rather than entire seasons, while a $4 billion deal over five years would be larger than the AFL's six-year $4.5 billion deal. V'landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo believe they can secure a deal of that size because of the introduction of two new teams; the PNG Chiefs and the Perth Bears and the popularity of its annual Las Vegas season launch. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Digital Business (Australia)

Subscriptions in firing line to ease living costs

The federal government has proposed legislation that would make it easier for households to cancel subscriptions that they no longer require. The former Coalition government introduced similar reforms in 2018 aimed at making it easier to cancel credit cards via the internet. Research undertaken by the Consumer Policy Research Centre shows that about 75 per cent of Australians have had a negative experience when trying to cancel a subscription. It is estimated that households collectively have around $46m worth of subscriptions that they no longer use. (RMS)

News

The Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper Of The Month'; Runner-up: The Australian

Roy Morgan wins Media Man 'Media Services Company Of The Month' award

Netflix wins Media Man 'Streaming Service Of The Month' award

FxPro wins Media Man 'Financial News Services Provider Of The Month' award

Mack Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Of The Month' award

CAT wins Media Man 'Heavy Industry Brand Of The Month' award

News

Best Quotes

"Bullish is a mindset", Greg Tingle, Media Man Group

"We can buy more Bitcoin than they can sell" Michael Saylor (via X)

Media Man Int

Markets, Cryptos and Culture

February 20, 2026

Mining For Intel
Crypto Fool's Gold Shines Up A Little

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street, New York

Markets

ASX 200 futures down 44 points/0.5%: 9003
AUD +0.2% to US70.59¢

Bitcoin $66,744.93 +0.48%

Wall St:
Dow -0.5%
S&P -0.3%
Nasdaq -0.3%
VIX +0.61 to 20.23
Gold +0.5% to $US5000.44 an ounce
Silver 76.738 -0.86
Brent oil +2.2% to $US71.89 a barrel
Iron ore -0.4% to $US95.35 a tonne

10-year yield:
US 4.07%
Australia 4.78%

News

Numbers Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.7048 USD (up $0.0008 USD) Iron Ore: $95.35 USD (down $0.60 USD) Oil Price: $66.60 USD (up $1.35 USD) Gold Price: $4,990.28 USD (up $11.22 USD) Copper Price: $5.7530 USD (down $0.0110 USD) Dow Jones: 49,319.56 (down 343.10 points)

News

ASX rallies as banks, oil stocks gain; Zip sinks 34pc

The Australian sharemarket performed strongly on Thursday, with the S&P/ASX 200 Index closing up 79.20 points at 9086.20. The big four banks all rose, while the rising oil price on the back of fears of a US-Iran conflict saw energy stocks in demand, with Santos up 5.6 per cent to $7, and Woodside Energy increasing 4.5 per cent to $27.10. Payments company Zip slumped after its results for the half year fell short of expectations, while Lifestyle Communities fell 7.1 per cent to $5.33 after its profit dropped to $15.8 million for the first half. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Shares Summary/Snapshot (near live)
*check Google Finance or Yahoo! Finance for totally live (as close to) for the latest ticker prices)

TKO Group Holdings Inc
$208.68 -4.60 -2.16%

Alphabet Inc Class A
$302.85 -0.48 -0.16%

Netflix Inc
$77.00 -0.99 -1.27%

News

Cryptos

Ethereum is resting on a 6-year trend

Market Overview
The crypto market cap fell by more than 1% in 24 hours to $2.31 trillion, approaching last week's lows but leaving the market 5% above its low point on 6 February. The market's range continues to narrow, suggesting that volatility is likely to soon break out of the $2.3-2.4T range. Given the previous dynamics and the increasingly cautious nature of growth in the US stock markets, there is a greater chance of an early update of local lows with a dip to the levels we saw in the second half of 2024.
Bitcoin is trading just above $67K, losing slightly under 1%, which is better than the market, as active selling has moved to altcoins outside the top five. BTC is trading at the bottom of the downward range of the last week and a half.
Ethereum is resting on a support line that originated in 2020 and was touched in early 2024 and at the February lows. This global trend line now also coincides with the area around $2,000, which further reinforces its significance. However, for such a serious event as the breakdown of the 6-year support, confirmation in the form of a failure below the recent lows at $1,500 is required. Until then, bulls may remain hopeful, attracting long-term buyers on dips. News Background

The indicator of Bitcoin inflows from large holders to the Binance exchange has reached record levels, indicating increased pressure on BTC from large players, according to CryptoQuant.
The current state of the crypto market resembles the final stage of the 2022 bear phase, which was followed by a protracted period of consolidation, according to K33.
Bitcoin has only entered the first phase of the bear cycle, according to Willy Woo, co-founder of the CMCC Crest investment fund. The second phase will be associated with a fall in global stock markets, and the third will mark a period of stabilisation.
Strategy bought 2,486 BTC ($168.4 million) over the past week at an average price of $67,710 per coin. Strategy now owns 717,131 BTC, purchased for $54.5 billion at an average price of $76,027 per bitcoin.
Japan's Metaplanet reported a net loss of $619 million for 2025. The negative financial result is due to the revaluation of the company's Bitcoin reserves.
Ethereum's share of staking exceeded 50% of the total supply of the asset for the first time in history, according to Santiment. The queue for Ethereum staking is near historic highs — 3.8 million ETH (waiting time — 67 days).

BlackRock has taken the first step towards launching a staking Ethereum ETF in the United States.
The Founders Fund, a venture capital fund owned by billionaire investor Peter Thiel, has sold all of its shares in the DAT company ETHZilla, one of the largest corporate holders of Ethereum. Back in August, Thiel's share was 7.5%.
Updated rules from the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have scared American crypto investors. Starting in 2026, all US-licensed crypto exchanges will be required to disclose information about their clients, from the volume of investments to the profits or losses they have. (FxPro)

News

Bitcoin News

Bitcoin’s worrying slips down

Market Overview

The crypto market cap has been hovering around $2.34-2.35T for the third day in a row. Volatility seems to have been turned off in this market, while stock indices are much livelier. There, investors are actively buying up dips, relying on support in the form of important moving averages: 50-day for the Dow Jones and Russell 2000 and 200-day for the Nasdaq100. The crypto market is now below its 50- and 200-day curves by 17% and 31%, respectively. If cryptocurrencies still play a role as an indicator of risk appetite, it points to disaster.

By and large, the cryptocurrency sentiment index says the same thing, falling to 8 at the start of the day on Wednesday. The indicator has been in single digits for nine of the last fourteen days. This is worse than the darkest moments of 2020 and 2022. It seems that as the cryptocurrency market matures, it is becoming less optimistic. On the other hand, it is also becoming less volatile.

Bitcoin continues its downward drift, periodically bouncing along the way. At the end of US trading, the price of the first cryptocurrency fell to $66.7K but added about 1,000 at the time of writing. It is alarming that Bitcoin's dynamics mirror the recent strengthening of the dollar. When investors become convinced that the rise of the dollar is a trend, there may be a sharp increase in volatility.

News Background

Bitcoin's collapse to $60,000 has put psychological pressure on long-term BTC holders, comparable to the collapse of the Terra (LUNA) ecosystem in May 2022, Glassnode notes. They began to sell off assets at significant losses, which is typical of the later stages of a bear market.

A net outflow of stablecoins from the Binance exchange has been observed for the third month in a row, signalling a continuing liquidity squeeze across the crypto market, notes analyst Darkfost. The last time a similar dynamic was observed was during the 2023 bear market.

Standard Chartered Bank has significantly lowered its forecasts for major cryptocurrencies for 2026 amid market volatility. The forecast for Bitcoin has been lowered from $150,000 to $100,000, for Ethereum from $7,000 to $4,000, for Solana from $250 to $135, and for XRP from $8 to $2.8.

Bloomberg Intelligence commodities strategist Mike McGlone has reiterated his forecast for Bitcoin. According to him, the leading cryptocurrency could plummet to $10,000 this year, heralding a recession in the US economy and a stock market crash.

According to Token Terminal, Polygon has surpassed Ethereum in daily transaction fees for the first time. The Polymarket prediction platform has made the main contribution to the growth in activity.

Stablecoins are increasingly being used for payments, salaries and savings, according to a study by BVNK. The key factor was savings on fees, which average 40% compared to traditional payment services. (FxPfo)

News

Geopolitics saves Crude Oil

Asian demand is making the black gold market more bullish than last year

The fate of Brent depends on the outcome of negotiations between the US and Iran on the one hand, and Russia and Ukraine on the other.

Brent bulls believe that sooner or later, Russia and Iran will reduce production and exports of Crude. This will lead to price increases. The bears are convinced of the opposite: thanks to discounts, barrels of oil will be absorbed by buyers, most likely China. At the same time, the negotiation processes between Washington and Tehran on the one hand, and Moscow and Kyiv on the other, are of key importance.

According to a Bloomberg insider, Russian oil production did indeed decline for the second month in a row to 9.28 million bpd in January. This is approximately 300,000 bpd below OPEC+ quotas. Nevertheless, exports rose to 3.39 million bpd in the week ending February 15th. In the first half of the month, deliveries to China jumped to more than 2 million bpd. According to Kpler, they are being redirected from India.

Overall, Asian demand for oil continues to grow rapidly. The company expects record growth in imports to China, India and other countries in the region to 28.51 bpd in February. This growth could lead to a smaller market surplus than previously expected. This is especially true given the supply disruptions that have occurred, including those caused by sanctions.

Thus, even without geopolitics, the situation looks less bearish than it did in 2025. Last year, according to the IEA, onshore reserves of Oil grew by 477 million barrels, or 1.3 million bpd. The main reason for this was increased production in the US, Brazil and OPEC+. At the same time, global demand remained healthy.

The market's attention is focused on the negotiations between Washington and Tehran, where each side has its own version of the truth. The Iranian Foreign Ministry claims that the basic terms of the agreement have been reached. This will allow sanctions to be lifted and war in the Middle East to be avoided. US Vice President DJ Vance, on the other hand, believes that Donald Trump's demands have not been met and that Tehran has two more weeks to do so.

Iran has an important trump card. It knows the peculiarities of the US president's negotiating tactics, which involve moving from threats to retreat. Moreover, a rise in Brent to $150 per barrel is not part of Donald Trump's plans, especially in the run-up to the midterm elections. (FxPro)

News

Eric Trump Predicts Bitcoin Will Reach $1 Million Despite Slump

Speaking at the World Liberty Forum in Mar-a-Lago, hosted by Eric and Donald Trump Jr., Eric forecasted Bitcoin hitting $1 million, citing its average 70% yearly gains from $16,000 two years ago. The event ties to their World Liberty Financial platform, launched after banks closed Trump Organization accounts post-January 6, 2021, which the brothers call political debanking. Donald Trump Jr. called traditional banking a 'Ponzi scheme' favoring insiders, while WLFI announced a partnership with Apex Group for their USD1 stablecoin.

News

Shares (Yesterday - 24 Hour Ago)
The Lead Up
(For reference, historical and educational purposes)

Alphabet Inc Class A
$303.33 +1.31 +0.43%

TKO Group Holdings Inc
$213.40 +3.30 +1.57%

Netflix Inc
$77.99 +0.99 +1.29%

Palantir Technologies Inc
$135.38 +2.36 +1.77%

Tesla Inc
$411.22 +0.59 +0.14%

Microsoft Corp
$399.60 +2.74 +0.69%

Mercedes Benz Group ADR
$17.41 +0.030 +0.17%

Porsche Automobile Holding SE Unsponsored Germany ADR
$4.20 +0.011 +0.26%

Volvo ADR (Parent to Mack Trucks)
$38.13 +0.13 +0.34%

Formula One Group Series A
$81.70 +2.07 +2.60%

Wynn Resorts Ltd
$116.31 +1.91 +1.67%

MGM Resorts International
$37.19 +2.92 +8.52%

Light & Wonder Inc
$98.12 +0.020 +0.020%

Mineral Resources Ltd
$53.75 +1.73 +3.33%

St George Mining Ltd
$0.079 -0.0262 -4.76%

Lynas Rare Earths ADR
$11.00 +0.21 +1.95%

Arafura Rare Earths Ltd
$0.17 +0.0006 +00.35%

Rio Tinto plc ADR Common Stock
$98.93 +2.05 +2.12%

Rio Tinto plc ADR Common Stock
$98.93 +2.05 +2.12%

Fortescue Ltd
$20.20 (ASX)
+0.100 +0.50%

BHP Group Ltd
$52.29 -0.45 -0.85% (ASX)

News

Culture/Streaming

24 Hours Ago approx

YouTube Restores Service After Brief Global Outage

The outage hit around 2 a.m. UTC on February 18, blocking access to videos, apps, recommendations, YouTube TV, Music, and Kids for under two hours. TeamYouTube confirmed the issues and fixed them by 3:12 a.m. UTC, after Downdetector logged over 320,000 U.S. complaints alone. Users turned to X to share frustrations and jokes, while some reports of wider disruptions to services like Google and Netflix went unconfirmed by official status pages.

News

Sports/Formula One

Russell Edges Piastri to Top Bahrain Pre-Season Test Day One

On Wednesday at Bahrain International Circuit, Russell's 1:33.459 lap led Piastri by a whisker, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc third after 70 laps. Mercedes piled on mileage at 145 laps combined, while Lewis Hamilton tested Ferrari's SF-26, calling it 'exciting' with his heavy sim input baked in. Drama came from Lance Stroll's gravel spin and Aston Martin's power issues, but off-track smiles shone in the 'Carlando' reunion photoshoot of Norris and Sainz. (Grok)

News

Culture

'Welcome To The Blockchain' aka

The Bitcoin Song

Intro

We're now standing on the precipice of a global revolution
Of economics, of politics, and government
Welcome to the blockchain

verse

Power corrupts, money is power
The power to control the money is one that is now
In the hands of those who pretend we can't function without them
So how can we do something about it? (Huh?)
Working hard to get a raise, lifting that wage up
Inflation takes it like a hidden taxation
Manipulated interest rates to give the banks
A way to create money with the loans that they're giving out daily (yup)
That means our money is debt
That we gotta pay back more than a hundred percent
No wonder then why the middle class is going under
When the one's above them gotta cover and come to collect
And many have no access to banking
Making payments, or saving, so more fees are taken
And every day the gatekeepers are trying to stop change
We can not wait, welcome to the blockchain

chorus

Welcome to the blockchain
Things are about to change
Open up the gates
Systems get replaced
Bitcoin
Decentralize the trust
Security, transparency
The network's run by us
Bitcoin

verse

Bitcoin is a decentralized ledger
And the currency is its first enterprise ever
Secured by the worldwide incentivized network
Can't be stolen or controlled by any sized effort
You can send it anywhere and instantly
No one can intervene, no third party in between
There's no counterfeiting
Algorithms control the outer limits of how many coins can get released
Programmable money, no government can seize it
Payments can be customized by sender and receiver
Contracts can be written cementing your agreements
With terms that can't be bent once you consent then it completes it
Autonomous businesses are possible
Where profit is distributed amongst those adopting it
Paradigm shift we must adjust to the ending
With the blockchain, bitcoin is just the beginning

chorus

Welcome to the blockchain
Things are about to change
Open up the gates
Systems get replaced
Bitcoin
Decentralize the trust
Security, transparency
The network's run by us
Bitcoin

bridge

Now that we got control
We're not gonna let it go
My people all around the globe
We gotta keep building, building, building
Now that we got control
We're not gonna let it go
My people all around the globe
We gotta keep building, building, building

chorus

Welcome to the blockchain
Things are about to change
Open up the gates
Systems get replaced
Bitcoin
Decentralize the trust
Security, transparency
The network's run by us
Bitcoin

Writer: Toby Ganger

News

Mining/Energy/Resources/Biz

Rio Tinto dodges merger bullet

Rio Tinto has dodged two 'bullets' due to Glencore's rejection of a merger proposal: a possible BHP takeover bid and a dangerous acquisition. BHP looked closely at whether to bid for Rio Tinto if the latter announced a merger with Glencore. The two companies would make excellent merger partners; amongst others things, their staff and senior people have similar cultures, they are co-operating on future Australian iron ore projects and they are copper joint venture partners in Chile and the US. Meanwhile, there are significance cultural differences between Rio Tinto and Glencore; there is little doubt that Rio Tinto's CEO Simon Trott would have had doubts about a merger once he understood these cultural differences. (RMS)

News/Snapshot

Australian Mining

Global Commodity Rankings

Australia holds some of the world's largest reserves and is a leading producer of several key minerals.

#1 Producer: Iron Ore, Bauxite, Lithium, Rutile, and Zircon.

#1 Reserves: Iron Ore, Gold, Lead, Nickel, Rutile, Uranium, and Zinc.

#2 Producer: Gold, Alumina, and Manganese.

Key Mining Hubs & Major Projects

Western Australia: The nation's "engine room," producing 98% of Australia's iron ore and 60% of its gold. Major sites include the Pilbara (iron ore) and the Super Pit in Kalgoorlie (gold).

Queensland: A global leader in metallurgical coal (Bowen Basin) and silver/lead production (Cannington mine).

South Australia: Home to Olympic Dam, which contains the world's largest single uranium deposit and significant copper and gold reserves.

Major Players

The sector is dominated by several multinational giants and significant domestic players:

BHP: Often ranked as Australia's most valuable company; major interests in iron ore, copper, and coal.
Rio Tinto: A world leader in iron ore (Pilbara) and aluminum.

Fortescue (FMG): Primarily focused on iron ore and rapidly expanding into green energy.

Hancock Prospecting: Australia's largest private mining company, led by Gina Rinehart, the nation's wealthiest person.

South32: Spun out of BHP; manages a diversified portfolio including manganese, silver, and nickel.

2026 Trends & Developments

Critical Minerals Push: The government has introduced a $23 billion package to support domestic processing and manufacturing of critical minerals to reduce global reliance on single-country supply chains.

Uranium Rally: Prices exceeding US$100/lb have sparked renewed interest in Australian prospects like the Kalkaroo project.

M&A Activity: Major merger talks continue between giants like Rio Tinto and Glencore as they seek to consolidate copper exposure for the EV market.

Workforce Challenges: The Minerals Council of Australia is currently calling for migration reforms to address a significant "skills crunch" in the sector.

News

Best Quotes Of The Day

Media Man

Cryptocurrency, Finance and World

"Volatility is Satoshi’s gift to the faithful." - Michael Saylor

"Bitcoin is a tool for freeing humanity from oligarchs and tyrants, dressed up as a get-rich-quick scheme." — Naval Ravikant

"We have elected to put our money and faith in a mathematical framework that is free of politics and human error." — Tyler Winklevoss

"You can't stop things like Bitcoin. It will be everywhere, and the world will have to readjust. World governments will have to readjust." — John McAfee

"Bitcoin is the most important invention in the history of the world since the Internet." — Roger Ver

"Cryptocurrency is such a powerful concept that it can almost overturn governments." — Charles Lee

"In the future, national currencies will become obsolete. Bitcoin will become the single global currency." — Jack Dorsey

"The future of finance is crypto, whether it’s in payments, contracts, or savings." — Changpeng Zhao

"Crypto offers freedom to the unbanked and hope to the underprivileged." — Elizabeth Stark

"The new frontier of innovation is in decentralization. Blockchain leads the charge." — Don Tapscott

"Digital currency is here to stay, and it’s only a matter of how long before governments embrace it." — Brad Garlinghouse

Pop Culture

Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking

The Million Dollar Man vs IRS
Money INC vs Right To Censor
Santa vs Grinch
Bulls vs Bears
Crypto King vs Mr World Bank
Citizens vs NWO
Neo vs Agent Smith
John McAfee vs You Know Who!
TKO vs Naysayers
Jake Paul, Polymarket and BETR vs Naysayers
Pro Boxing vs Newspaper Reports
VKM vs The World
Paul Bros vs Mainstream Wokes
Mr X vs Mr Bluesky
Chris Jericho vs Dirtsheets
NFL vs everyone
Zuffa vs MVP
Netflix vs World
Meta vs Australia
White Light vs Dark Matter
Lexis King vs NIL's (WWE NXT)
Volk vs Naysayers (UFC: Sydney, Australia)
Brock Lesnar vs Everyone! (WWE Royal Rumble)
Roman Reigns vs CM Punk (WWE WrestleMania)
Green vs The Coal Miners Daughter
AC/DC vs Swifties
Triangle v World Bank
Sarah's Oil vs Big Oil
Mr X vs Mr VOX
Mr X vs Mr Platformer
Mr FOX vs Mr Vice
Fox And The Hound vs The View
The Masked Superstar vs Mr Jones
The Undertaker vs Mankind
UFC Legends vs Father Time
Vinnie Vegas and Oz vs Los Americanos
NXT GM vs The Don
Mr Moneymaker vs Mr Regulator
Mr Blockchain vs Mr EU
WWE Unreal vs The Old Guard
Reality TV vs John Pilger Type Journalism and Docos
Mr Real Deal vs Mr Grifter
Mr Truth vs Mr Shock Jock
Mr X vs Mr Bluesky: Rematch
WWE Wrestlers vs NFL Super Bowl Players
Logan Paul and Bad Bunny vs Jake Paul and The Don - Special ref: Damian Priest
Kelly Gang vs Snow White Clan
BKFC vs PFL vs ONE
Mr Sky vs Mr Vice
Marvel Universe vs DC Universe vs Monster Universe
Logan Paul vs Tom Brady
MMA vs Lucha Libre

Confirmed Matches To Happen:

Rousey vs Carano (Netflix) May 16
Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov (Netflix) April 11

UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev (aka VeChain UFC 322)

November 15, 2025

Madison Square Garden
@TheGarden

New York City, New York

Mains:

Welterweight
Jack Della Maddalena (c) vs. Islam Makhachev

Women's Flyweight
Valentina Shevchenko (c) vs. Zhang Weili

Welterweight
Sean Brady vs. Michael Morales

Welterweight
Leon Edwards vs. Carlos Prates

Lightweight
Beneil Dariush vs. Benoît Saint Denis

Prelims:

Middleweight
Bo Nickal vs. Rodolfo Vieira

Middleweight
Roman Kopylov vs. Gregory Rodrigues

Women's Flyweight
Erin Blanchfield vs. Tracy Cortez

Bantamweight
Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Cody Haddon

Middleweight
Kyle Daukaus vs. Gerald Meerschaert

Featherweight
Pat Sabatini vs. Chepe Mariscal

Women's Strawweight
Angela Hill vs. Fatima Kline

Middleweight
Baisangur Susurkaev vs. Eric McConico

Lightweight
Viacheslav Borshchev vs. Matheus Camilo

Videos

VeChain UFC 322 Embedded: Vlog Series - Episode 1
https://youtube.com/watch?v=tjDrgX7OfpA

Champ Valentina Shevchenko shows off her moves on Live with Kelly and Mark; Zhang Weili takes a break from her training; Leon Edwards wraps up his camp in the UK; Bo Nickal goes on a hike with his family; Tracy Cortez prepares for a rematch with Erin Blanchfield; Champ Jack Della Maddalena tries New York pizza; Islam Makhachev goes fishing before heading into New York City. (Credit: UFC)

VeChain UFC 322: Pre-Fight Press Conference
https://youtube.com/watch?v=bj10oVRG15g

VeChain UFC 322: Ceremonial Weigh-In
https://youtube.com/watch?v=r-1S4EwvN8s

VeChain UFC 322: Post-Fight Press Conference
https://youtube.com/watch?v=w5Mex_GgivQ

Media Man: About as much of the octagon news and warfare as there is happening inside the cage! Road To The White House!

News

UFC 322 Betting:

Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev
Welterweight (Title)
Islam Makhachev (-250)
Jack Della Maddalena (+210)

Valentina Shevchenko vs. Weili Zhang
Women's Flyweight (Title)
Valentina Shevchenko (-135)
Weili Zhang (+115)

Sean Brady vs. Michael Morales
Welterweight
Michael Morales (-119)
Sean Brady (+139)

Leon Edwards vs. Carlos Prates
Welterweight
Carlos Prates (-195)
Leon Edwards (+165)

Beneil Dariush vs. Benoit Saint Denis
Lightweight
Benoit Saint Denis (-187)
Beneil Dariush (+162)

Profiles

Welterweight Championship: Jack Della Maddalena (c) (-210) vs. Islam Makhachev (+175)

Jack Della Maddalena (17-2, Australia, 29 years old): The reigning welterweight champ captured the title six months ago at UFC 315 via unanimous decision over Belal Muhammad, stuffing all takedowns in a gritty five-round war. On an 18-fight win streak since early losses in 2016, he's a versatile striker with elite conditioning, volume, and finishing power (12 KOs). Recent wins include a late KO of Gilbert Burns and decisions over Kevin Holland and Bassil Hafez. He's trained with Alexander Volkanovski and Craig Jones to shore up grappling.

Islam Makhachev (26-1, Russia, 34 years old): Former lightweight king with 15 straight wins (UFC record for most lightweight title defenses at four), last loss in 2015. A Dagestani grappling savant under Khabib Nurmagomedov's tutelage, he's 14-0 in UFC with elite chain wrestling, ground control, and improving striking (11 subs, 5 KOs). Moving up from 155 due to weight cut toll, this debut at 170 could make him the 11th two-division champ and tie Anderson Silva's 16-win streak.

However, consensus favors Makhachev's experience in big spots.

Analysis: Della Maddalena thrives in chaos with heart and pace, but Makhachev's technical superiority on the mat could overwhelm—especially if he exploits any ground vulnerabilities. Experts like Israel Adesanya predict a brutal Della Maddalena finish via strikes, while Dan Hooker backs the Aussie for size/strength edges.

Prediction: Makhachev by submission (Rd 3). He neutralizes the power puncher early and grinds out a tap for dual-division glory.

Women's Flyweight Championship: Valentina Shevchenko (c) (-135) vs. Weili Zhang (+115)
Valentina Shevchenko (24-4-1, Kyrgyzstan, 37 years old):
Two-time flyweight champ with a 14-1-1 UFC record at 125 lbs (10-1-1 in title fights). Avenged her only divisional loss (to Alexa Grasso in 2023) last year; recent UD win over Manon Fiorot at UFC 315.
A muay thai master with surgical counters, clinch work, and cardio (7 KOs, 2 subs), she's eyeing a tie for most women's UFC title wins (10, with Amanda Nunes).

Weili Zhang (26-3, China, 36 years old): Two-time strawweight queen (10-2 UFC) moving up for her first flyweight title shot. Reclaimed gold at UFC 281 via sub over Carla Esparza; recent UDs over Amanda Lemos, Yan Xiaonan, and Tatiana Suarez. Explosive wrestler-striker with raw power (12 KOs, 7 subs), undefeated at 125 except vs. Rose Namajunas (0-2 overall). This "superfight" pits her physicality against elite technique.

Analysis: Near pick'em odds reflect a clash of eras—Shevchenko's precision vs. Zhang's aggression and size advantage at flyweight. Zhang's strawweight dominance translates via strength, but Bullet's counters could punish rushes. Previews call it a potential career-definer, with stoppage risks high.

Prediction: Shevchenko by decision. Her technical edge and home-division comfort edges out Zhang's debut power in a five-round chess match.

Welterweight: Sean Brady (+139) vs. Michael Morales (-119)

Sean Brady (18-1, USA, 32 years old): Grappling wizard on a three-fight skid after his lone loss to Belal Muhammad. Subbed Leon Edwards (Rd 4) on short notice in London earlier this year for a bonus; 12-1 UFC with suffocating top control (12 subs).

Michael Morales (18-0, Ecuador, 25 years old): Undefeated phenom with four UFC finishes (all first-round KOs lately over Neil Magny and Gilbert Burns). Athletic finisher (16 KOs) hungry for top-5 entry.

Analysis: Morales' KO streak meets Brady's elite wrestling; a title eliminator where ground game vs. standup decides. X buzz favors Morales' youth/momentum.

Prediction: Morales by KO (Rd 2). His power overwhelms if Brady can't chain takedowns.

Welterweight: Leon Edwards (+165) vs. Carlos Prates (-195)

Leon Edwards (22-4, England, 34 years old): Ex-champ on a two-fight skid after losing gold at UFC 296 (two years ago). 12-3 UFC with crisp boxing and distance management (10 KOs); needs a rebound to rebuild confidence.

Carlos Prates (20-6, Brazil, 32 years old): Rising KO artist with five straight UFC first-round stoppages (incl. Geoff Neal at UFC 319), but recent UD loss to Ian Garry. Muay thai sniper (17 KOs) chasing contention.

Analysis: Prates' blitz could end it quick, but Edwards' IQ shines in later rounds. Betting tips highlight over 2.5 rounds value.

Prediction: Prates by KO (Rd 1). His power exploits Edwards' recent rust.

Lightweight: Beneil Dariush (+162) vs. Benoit Saint Denis (-187)

Beneil Dariush (22-6-1, USA/Iran, 36 years old): Veteran grappler (9-2 in last 11) with recent UD over Renato Moicano at UFC 317. Durable with slick subs (12 total), eyeing top-10 return.

Benoit Saint Denis (14-3, France, 29 years old): 7-2 UFC, snapped skid with back-to-back subs (over Mauricio Ruffy and at UFC 315). Aggressive finisher (10 KOs/subs) with cardio.

Analysis: Dariush's experience vs. BSD's momentum; previews predict a grappling war turning violent.

Prediction: Saint Denis by sub (Rd 2). Youth and pressure seal the comeback.

News

X UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya on record re UFC 322 Welterweight Main Event:

Jack Della Maddalena vs Islam Makhachev

“I’m not trying to count Islam out, but knowing Jack, I know that when Jack keeps getting up, it’s going to be a problem” Adesanya

“Islam’s going to be forced to strike, and when he does, he’s going to get hurt. I think Islam’s the best of the Dagestanis, one of the best fighters in history…but if Dustin was able to get up and stop his submissions, I’ve seen it live what [Volkanovski] can do with Islam in Perth.”

“That’s how I know [Jack] is going to hurt Islam. Islam will be able to get him down, but not for long. Stuffed from the beginning, to the middle, until Jack ends it at the end”

“I really think Jack Della Maddalena has the skills to stifle Islam’s game and just put it on the feet, knock him out. Might be second round.”

News Flashback

UFC White House

In July 2025, President Donald Trump announced plans to host a UFC event on the White House grounds in 2026, as part of the America250 celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. The event, confirmed by the UFC and White House officials, is envisioned as a "championship fight" with 20,000–25,000 spectators, likely held on the South Lawn. UFC CEO Dana White has expressed enthusiasm, calling it "the baddest card of all time," with logistics already in progress, including coordination with White House staff and Secret Service. Potential headliners include Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall, with Conor McGregor also expressing interest, though his inclusion is less certain. The event aims to be a historic first, as no professional sporting event has ever been held on White House grounds. (Grok)

News

MMA Watercooler

WWE Champion Cody Rhodes On Conor McGregor

“I’ll say that one person I’d love to see just dip his toes in the WWE would be Conor McGregor…The competition environment at WWE is different from what people might expect - it’s so much about who’s the most disciplined, the most professional, getting to the finish line, making it to a WrestleMania.” Cody Rhodes

News

MMA And Politics via Social Media

Renato Moicano tweeted that “leftism is a cancer” and that “if you’re a liberal, you the fucking problem” ... “all the radical left has ties with gangs and narco terrorism.”

News

TKO's Dwayne Johnson on Potential U.S Political Run

“It’s wild, man,” Johnson said when asked whether he would run for president in the future. “I’m always honoured that people ask that. I love what I do. I love storytelling. But yeah… we’ll see.” Dwayne Johnson

News

Coach Wood On Rountree Jr’s vs Prochazka

“It’s a double-edged sword when you fight like that,” Wood via MMA Fighting. “You’re going to win a lot of fights because of that style, but you’re also going to lose fights because of that style. I think this is a phenomenal matchup for us. I think it’s going to be a great fight.

“As a fan, it’s great, but as a coach, I love it. You’ve got a crazy weird guy with that crazy weird stuff and it does open you up, and I think it really does play into our benefit.”

“I think it’s going to be violent, bloody” ... “Nothing in my bones tells me it’s going three rounds. There’s no thought process, no world where I go ‘I think it’s going to go to a decision.’ If it does, they’re going to be very damaged. There’s going to be eyeballs falling out, ears falling off, type of fight.” John Wood

News

Wanderlei Silva suffers fractured nose in postfight brawl

Wanderlei Silva, one of the most popular figures of early mixed martial arts, received treatment at a hospital Saturday after he was knocked out in the aftermath of an exhibition boxing match in Sao Paulo.

Silva, 49, was disqualified in the fourth round for throwing illegal headbutts against 50-year-old Acelino Freitas. Immediately after the bout, members of both fighters' camps entered the ring and started an ugly postfight brawl. During the scuffle, Silva got hit with a right hand and crumpled violently to the floor. Brazilian media identified Silva's attacker as Freitas' son, Rafael.

Silva's cornerman and former UFC champion Fabricio Werdum later posted on social media that Silva suffered a fractured nose from the punch and received facial stitches. He was released following treatment.

"The images don't lie," Werdum said in Portuguese on social media. "It was so evil for that guy to punch Wanderlei. He punched the back of the head of Wanderlei. I don't know if it landed clean, but it could have been something very serious."

Acelino Freitas, a former boxing champion, blamed Silva's corner for the brawl -- namely Werdum, who threw a series of punches at Freitas and other members of his team before Silva got knocked out.

"When the fight ended, the referee disqualified Wanderlei for the three headbutts, his coach went after me and punched me," Freitas said on social media. "Wanderlei, the fight was between you and me and had nothing to do with the team. If you headbutted me, cool, I don't care. But unfortunately, Werdum cowardly entered the ring with your son and went all over everybody. And I saw that someone also punched you."

Neither the Brazilian National Boxing Council nor the promotion, Spaten Fight Night, announced any immediate discipline. In a statement, Spaten Fight Night said the events did not represent its values of "sportsmanship and respect to the rules."

The boxing match was Silva's first since he retired from MMA in 2018. He was supposed to face fellow Brazilian MMA legend Vitor Belfort, but Belfort withdrew and was replaced by Freitas on less than one month's notice. The bout was scheduled for eight rounds. Silva weighed in 44 pounds heavier than Freitas for the exhibition.

News

X WWE Star Shotzi On Ronda Rousey In Pro Wrestling

Asked about Rousey during an interview with TMZ, former WWE star Shotzi Blackheart stated that she enjoyed her time in the ring with the UFC star.

"She was always so cool," Blackheart said of Rousey. "She would invite me to her house to come train with her and she was always down to take the most brutal bumps. Especially [during] our pay-per-view match, she was taking some crazy bumps for me."

"I'm a big Ronda fan," Blackheart continued. "I will forever be so proud to say, 'Hey, I wrestled Ronda Rousey in a pay-per-view for the f**king championship.' You can't take that away from me."

When asked if Rousey hit harder than other opponents because of her MMA background, Blackheart denied that to be the case. There was one exception to that, as Blackheart said that Rousey's judo throws hurt because they were real.

Overall, Blackheart indicated that working with the rest of the women's locker room was her favorite aspect of being in WWE. After being released by the company in May, Blackheart has made her return to the independent scene with appearances in MLW, GCW, and more.

: Markets, Trading News

Markets

Sports And Entertainment Mix

(Near Live)

September 26, 2025

Prepare For Opening Bell And Monday Madness!

TKO Group Holdings $199.04 +3.25 +(1.66%)

Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) $1,210.61 +2.37 (+0.20%)

The Walt Disney Company (DIS) 113.47+0.48(+0.42%)

Paramount Skydance Corporation (PSKY) $18.92 -0.01 (-0.05%)

Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) $19.51 -0.27 (-1.37%)

Formula One Group (FWONK) $104.93 +0.97+(0.93%)

Mixed Martial Arts Group Limited (MMA) $1.4800 -0.0200 (-1.33%)

NIKE, Inc. (NKE) $69.31 +0.07 +(0.10%)

Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) $247.18 +0.61 (+0.25%)

Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) $743.75 -5.16 (-0.69%)

Media Man Group: Medium bullish!

Casino/Gaming/Hotels

News, Background, Stockmarket

Markets/Trades: Near Live

September 26, 2025

New York, USA

MGM Resorts International $35.60 +1.12 +3.25%

Wynn Resorts Ltd $128.97 +3.13 +2.49%

Las Vegas Sands $54.01 +0.95 +1.79%

Boyd Gaming Corporation $85.94 +1.45 +1.72%

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. $27.04 +1.13 +4.36%

Red Rock Resorts, Inc. $61.73 +1.75 +2.92%

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. $43.49 +0.59 +1.38%

PENN Entertainment, Inc. $19.80 +0.26 +1.33%

Light & Wonder, Inc. $84.96 +0.30 +0.35%

News Bonus

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) $178.19 +0.50 +0.28%

TKO Group $199.04 +3.25 +1.66%

Casino News

Casino: a public room or building where gambling games are played. "He was a keen gambler and often went to casinos". A facility for gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions.

Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertainment, such as stand-up comedy, concerts, and sporting events. The term casino is of Italian origin, from the root word casa meaning "house." Originally, the term referred to a small country villa, summerhouse, or social club. During the 19th century, casino came to encompass other public buildings where pleasurable activities took place.

The precise origin of gambling is unknown, but it is believed to have existed in nearly every society in history. The first known European gambling house, the Ridotto, was established in Venice, Italy, in 1638 to provide controlled gambling during the carnival season. In the United States, early gambling establishments were known as saloons. In the early 20th century, gambling was outlawed in the U.S. by state legislation. However, in 1931, gambling was legalized in Nevada, leading to the rise of Las Vegas as a major gambling center. In 1976, New Jersey allowed gambling in Atlantic City, which is now the second-largest gambling city in the U.S.

Casinos offer a variety of games of chance, which in some cases involve an element of skill. Common games include craps, roulette, baccarat, blackjack, and video poker. All casino games have a mathematically determined advantage for the house, known as the house edge, which ensures that the casino will make a profit in the long run. The percentage of funds returned to players as winnings is known as the payout. Slot machines have become one of the most popular forms of gambling in casinos. The design of a casino, including factors like sound, odour, and lighting, is often carefully controlled to encourage gambling.

News

WWE and UFC Themed Slot Games Continue To Build Upon Popularity; TKO Beancounters See Strong Merit; No Official Betting On TKO's/WWE Action Pro Wrestling Match Outcomes! UFC MMA Match Betting Remains Bullish! UFC themed 'The Smashing Machine' movie gets strong industry and fan reviews; UFC/MMA themed movie 'Brawler' still happening; Tipped to be a big hit in Vegas (Media Man Group/Casino News Media)

News

New York City's Casino License Race Heats Up:

Manhattan Proposals Rejected, Yonkers and Queens Advance

All three proposed casino projects in Manhattan have been voted down by local community committees, including the high-profile $11.2 billion Freedom Plaza bid near the UN headquarters, operated by Mohegan and developer Stefan Soloviev. This leaves no casino developments in Manhattan for now.

On a positive note, MGM Resorts' $2.3 billion expansion of Empire City Casino in Yonkers and Genting Group's $5.5 billion Resorts World upgrade in Queens received key approvals from advisory panels on September 25, moving them to the state licensing board. Developers are promising billions in community investments, jobs, and infrastructure to sway officials.

Social buzz: X users are debating the economic impact, with some calling it a win for suburban gambling hubs over urban congestion.

Michigan Cracks Down on Unlicensed Online Casinos

The Michigan Gaming Control Board issued cease-and-desist orders to eight unlicensed online operators targeting residents, emphasizing risks to player data and fair play. This aligns with broader U.S. enforcement trends under state laws like the Lawful Internet Gaming Act.

Boom in New Online and Sweepstakes Casinos for U.S. Players

September 2025 has seen a surge of fresh platforms, with experts ranking sites like Ignition, Jackbit, Wild io, BitStarz, and Rakebit for their fast payouts, crypto support, and bonuses up to $1,000 match + free spins. New sweepstakes options include LoneStar Casino (500+ games, 100K Gold Coins no-deposit bonus), Sixty6 (1,500 slots), and Rich Sweeps (5,000-game launch).

Standouts for social/sweepstakes play: GameDayZone (NFL-timed debut), Shuffle us (spin-off from Shuffle dotcome), and Sweeps Royal (mobile-first with generous promos). These focus on no-purchase entry, quick redemptions, and AI personalization.

Other Notable Stories

Tragic NFL Shooting Linked to CTE: Shane Tamura, a Las Vegas casino worker, was revealed to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) after fatally shooting four at NFL headquarters in July, blaming the league for hiding head injury data.

Mining Stocks Tie-In: Casino-adjacent sectors like mining (key for casino construction materials) saw gains, with BHP up 1.32% to $42.22 on September 26.

For more details follow X handles like
@casinonewsmedia

Casino, Gaming and Hotel Stocks

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September 21, 2025

New York, USA

MGM Resorts International $35.80 -0.14 -0.39%

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Las Vegas Sands $53.87 +0.66 +1.24%

Boyd Gaming Corporation $83.30 Flat

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. $25.56 -0.84 -3.18%

Red Rock Resorts, Inc. $60.76 -0.23 -0.38%

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. $44.53 -0.35 -0.78%

PENN Entertainment, Inc. $19.09 -0.12 -0.62%

Light & Wonder, Inc. $87.28 -0.94 -1.07%

News Bonus

Prices: Near Live!

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) $176.60 +0.20% +0.36

News

MGM CEO says Dubai casino approval still pending as 2028 resort construction advances

MGM Resorts International has yet to receive approval to operate a casino at its upcoming $2.5 billion integrated resort in Dubai, CEO Bill Hornbuckle said, despite earlier expectations that a decision would have been made by now.

“I thought by now, Abu Dhabi would have ruled on what they were doing,” Hornbuckle said during a recent industry conference, referring to the anticipated regulatory green light. “There’s a lot of dialogue around that.”

The resort, currently under construction on a 25-acre artificial island near Jumeirah Beach and the Burj Al Arab, is being developed in partnership with the government-owned Wasl group. It will feature MGM Grand, Bellagio, and Aria-branded hotels, along with a 250,000-square-foot podium that has been purpose-built to accommodate a casino should regulatory conditions allow.

While a federal gaming regulator, the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), was established in recent years to oversee commercial gambling activities across the UAE, the final decision to authorize casino operations remains with the rulers of individual emirates.

Hornbuckle noted that the company is still waiting on an official directive from Dubai’s leadership. “We don’t have permission yet from the ruler of Dubai to go forward,” he said. “I don’t know when we’ll hear, but I do believe this ... If this gets a casino, and I believe it will over time, we think it’s a massive opportunity.”

MGM submitted its license application to the GCGRA in September 2024. Any future approval would likely involve both federal coordination and local consent. The GCGRA is currently chaired by Jim Murren, MGM’s former CEO.

Meanwhile, competition in the UAE's nascent casino sector is heating up. Wynn Resorts is preparing to open the country’s first casino at its upcoming property in Ras Al Khaimah.

Scheduled for a 2027 launch, the resort on Al Marjan Island will likely be the UAE’s only licensed casino at the time of opening, according to Wynn CEO Craig Billings. He said last month that he anticipates it will be “the first and only casino in the country.”

Wynn has also expanded its footprint in Ras Al Khaimah by acquiring an additional 70 acres of land, raising speculation of a potential second property in the emirate. Analysts estimate that the UAE gaming market could generate annual revenues of up to $8 billion, while Wynn has projected figures closer to $5 billion.

Despite Wynn’s confidence in securing a dominant position, sources cited by Arabian Gulf Business Insight suggest that other operators may eventually receive licenses, casting doubt on the prospect of a long-term monopoly.

News

Lead Up ...

Casino, Gaming and Hotel Stocks

Markets/Trades

September 16, 2025

New York, USA

MGM Resorts International $35.36 -0.28 -0.79%

Wynn Resorts Ltd $120.68 -2.17 -1.77%

Las Vegas Sands $51.86 -1.23 -2.32%

Boyd Gaming Corporation $82.15 -1.32 -1.58%

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. $25.58 -0.32 -1.24%

Red Rock Resorts, Inc. $59.71 -1.37 - 2.24%

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. $45.45 -0.100 -0.22%

PENN Entertainment, Inc. $18.92 +0.090 +0.48%

Light & Wonder, Inc. $88.69 -1.74 -1.92%

News Bonus

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) $174.84 -2.91 -1.64%

Lead Up

24 hours ago approx

Markets/Trades

September 15, 2025

New York, USA

MGM Resorts International $35.64 +1.09 Today +3.15%

Wynn Resorts Ltd $122.85 +1.40 Today +1.15%

Las Vegas Sands $53.09 -0.41 -0.77%

Boyd Gaming Corporation 83.47-1.03 -1.22%

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. 25.90 +0.81 +3.23%

Red Rock Resorts, Inc. 61.08 -0.01 -0.02%

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. 45.55 +0.34+ 0.75%

PENN Entertainment, Inc. 18.83 -0.78 -3.98%

Light & Wonder, Inc. 90.43 +1.36 + 1.53%

News Bonus

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) 177.75 -0.07 -0.04%

Casino/Gaming/Hotels

News, Background, Stockmarket

Markets/Trades: Near Live

September 26, 2025

New York, USA

MGM Resorts International $35.60 +1.12 +3.25%

Wynn Resorts Ltd $128.97 +3.13 +2.49%

Las Vegas Sands $54.01 +0.95 +1.79%

Boyd Gaming Corporation $85.94 +1.45 +1.72%

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. $27.04 +1.13 +4.36%

Red Rock Resorts, Inc. $61.73 +1.75 +2.92%

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. $43.49 +0.59 +1.38%

PENN Entertainment, Inc. $19.80 +0.26 +1.33%

Light & Wonder, Inc. $84.96 +0.30 +0.35%

News Bonus

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) $178.19 +0.50 +0.28%

TKO Group $199.04 +3.25 +1.66%

Casino News

Casino: a public room or building where gambling games are played. "He was a keen gambler and often went to casinos". A facility for gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions.

Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertainment, such as stand-up comedy, concerts, and sporting events. The term casino is of Italian origin, from the root word casa meaning "house." Originally, the term referred to a small country villa, summerhouse, or social club. During the 19th century, casino came to encompass other public buildings where pleasurable activities took place.

The precise origin of gambling is unknown, but it is believed to have existed in nearly every society in history. The first known European gambling house, the Ridotto, was established in Venice, Italy, in 1638 to provide controlled gambling during the carnival season. In the United States, early gambling establishments were known as saloons. In the early 20th century, gambling was outlawed in the U.S. by state legislation. However, in 1931, gambling was legalized in Nevada, leading to the rise of Las Vegas as a major gambling center. In 1976, New Jersey allowed gambling in Atlantic City, which is now the second-largest gambling city in the U.S.

Casinos offer a variety of games of chance, which in some cases involve an element of skill. Common games include craps, roulette, baccarat, blackjack, and video poker. All casino games have a mathematically determined advantage for the house, known as the house edge, which ensures that the casino will make a profit in the long run. The percentage of funds returned to players as winnings is known as the payout. Slot machines have become one of the most popular forms of gambling in casinos. The design of a casino, including factors like sound, odour, and lighting, is often carefully controlled to encourage gambling.

News

WWE and UFC Themed Slot Games Continue To Build Upon Popularity; TKO Beancounters See Strong Merit; No Official Betting On TKO's/WWE Action Pro Wrestling Match Outcomes! UFC MMA Match Betting Remains Bullish! UFC themed 'The Smashing Machine' movie gets strong industry and fan reviews; UFC/MMA themed movie 'Brawler' still happening; Tipped to be a big hit in Vegas (Media Man Group/Casino News Media)

News

New York City's Casino License Race Heats Up:

Manhattan Proposals Rejected, Yonkers and Queens Advance

All three proposed casino projects in Manhattan have been voted down by local community committees, including the high-profile $11.2 billion Freedom Plaza bid near the UN headquarters, operated by Mohegan and developer Stefan Soloviev. This leaves no casino developments in Manhattan for now.

On a positive note, MGM Resorts' $2.3 billion expansion of Empire City Casino in Yonkers and Genting Group's $5.5 billion Resorts World upgrade in Queens received key approvals from advisory panels on September 25, moving them to the state licensing board. Developers are promising billions in community investments, jobs, and infrastructure to sway officials.

Social buzz: X users are debating the economic impact, with some calling it a win for suburban gambling hubs over urban congestion.

Michigan Cracks Down on Unlicensed Online Casinos

The Michigan Gaming Control Board issued cease-and-desist orders to eight unlicensed online operators targeting residents, emphasizing risks to player data and fair play. This aligns with broader U.S. enforcement trends under state laws like the Lawful Internet Gaming Act.

Boom in New Online and Sweepstakes Casinos for U.S. Players

September 2025 has seen a surge of fresh platforms, with experts ranking sites like Ignition, Jackbit, Wild io, BitStarz, and Rakebit for their fast payouts, crypto support, and bonuses up to $1,000 match + free spins. New sweepstakes options include LoneStar Casino (500+ games, 100K Gold Coins no-deposit bonus), Sixty6 (1,500 slots), and Rich Sweeps (5,000-game launch).

Standouts for social/sweepstakes play: GameDayZone (NFL-timed debut), Shuffle us (spin-off from Shuffle dotcome), and Sweeps Royal (mobile-first with generous promos). These focus on no-purchase entry, quick redemptions, and AI personalization.

Other Notable Stories

Tragic NFL Shooting Linked to CTE: Shane Tamura, a Las Vegas casino worker, was revealed to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) after fatally shooting four at NFL headquarters in July, blaming the league for hiding head injury data.

Mining Stocks Tie-In: Casino-adjacent sectors like mining (key for casino construction materials) saw gains, with BHP up 1.32% to $42.22 on September 26.

For more details follow X handles like
@casinonewsmedia

Casino, Gaming and Hotel Stocks

Markets/Trades

September 21, 2025

New York, USA

MGM Resorts International $35.80 -0.14 -0.39%

Wynn Resorts Ltd $129.52 +0.84 +0.65%

Las Vegas Sands $53.87 +0.66 +1.24%

Boyd Gaming Corporation $83.30 Flat

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. $25.56 -0.84 -3.18%

Red Rock Resorts, Inc. $60.76 -0.23 -0.38%

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. $44.53 -0.35 -0.78%

PENN Entertainment, Inc. $19.09 -0.12 -0.62%

Light & Wonder, Inc. $87.28 -0.94 -1.07%

News Bonus

Prices: Near Live!

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) $176.60 +0.20% +0.36

News

MGM CEO says Dubai casino approval still pending as 2028 resort construction advances

MGM Resorts International has yet to receive approval to operate a casino at its upcoming $2.5 billion integrated resort in Dubai, CEO Bill Hornbuckle said, despite earlier expectations that a decision would have been made by now.

“I thought by now, Abu Dhabi would have ruled on what they were doing,” Hornbuckle said during a recent industry conference, referring to the anticipated regulatory green light. “There’s a lot of dialogue around that.”

The resort, currently under construction on a 25-acre artificial island near Jumeirah Beach and the Burj Al Arab, is being developed in partnership with the government-owned Wasl group. It will feature MGM Grand, Bellagio, and Aria-branded hotels, along with a 250,000-square-foot podium that has been purpose-built to accommodate a casino should regulatory conditions allow.

While a federal gaming regulator, the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), was established in recent years to oversee commercial gambling activities across the UAE, the final decision to authorize casino operations remains with the rulers of individual emirates.

Hornbuckle noted that the company is still waiting on an official directive from Dubai’s leadership. “We don’t have permission yet from the ruler of Dubai to go forward,” he said. “I don’t know when we’ll hear, but I do believe this ... If this gets a casino, and I believe it will over time, we think it’s a massive opportunity.”

MGM submitted its license application to the GCGRA in September 2024. Any future approval would likely involve both federal coordination and local consent. The GCGRA is currently chaired by Jim Murren, MGM’s former CEO.

Meanwhile, competition in the UAE's nascent casino sector is heating up. Wynn Resorts is preparing to open the country’s first casino at its upcoming property in Ras Al Khaimah.

Scheduled for a 2027 launch, the resort on Al Marjan Island will likely be the UAE’s only licensed casino at the time of opening, according to Wynn CEO Craig Billings. He said last month that he anticipates it will be “the first and only casino in the country.”

Wynn has also expanded its footprint in Ras Al Khaimah by acquiring an additional 70 acres of land, raising speculation of a potential second property in the emirate. Analysts estimate that the UAE gaming market could generate annual revenues of up to $8 billion, while Wynn has projected figures closer to $5 billion.

Despite Wynn’s confidence in securing a dominant position, sources cited by Arabian Gulf Business Insight suggest that other operators may eventually receive licenses, casting doubt on the prospect of a long-term monopoly.

News

Lead Up ...

Casino, Gaming and Hotel Stocks

Markets/Trades

September 16, 2025

New York, USA

MGM Resorts International $35.36 -0.28 -0.79%

Wynn Resorts Ltd $120.68 -2.17 -1.77%

Las Vegas Sands $51.86 -1.23 -2.32%

Boyd Gaming Corporation $82.15 -1.32 -1.58%

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. $25.58 -0.32 -1.24%

Red Rock Resorts, Inc. $59.71 -1.37 - 2.24%

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. $45.45 -0.100 -0.22%

PENN Entertainment, Inc. $18.92 +0.090 +0.48%

Light & Wonder, Inc. $88.69 -1.74 -1.92%

News Bonus

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) $174.84 -2.91 -1.64%

Lead Up

24 hours ago approx

Markets/Trades

September 15, 2025

New York, USA

MGM Resorts International $35.64 +1.09 Today +3.15%

Wynn Resorts Ltd $122.85 +1.40 Today +1.15%

Las Vegas Sands $53.09 -0.41 -0.77%

Boyd Gaming Corporation 83.47-1.03 -1.22%

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. 25.90 +0.81 +3.23%

Red Rock Resorts, Inc. 61.08 -0.01 -0.02%

Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. 45.55 +0.34+ 0.75%

PENN Entertainment, Inc. 18.83 -0.78 -3.98%

Light & Wonder, Inc. 90.43 +1.36 + 1.53%

News Bonus

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) 177.75 -0.07 -0.04%

News Flashback

New York Media Man Mortimer Zuckerman's $200 Million Gamble - 8th July 2009

Media companies such as Costigan Media's Gambling911 and Forbes are reporting the following:

The Daily News publisher is spending a mint to remake the paper. Wait till you hear his plan to save the rest of the industry.

Mortimer Zuckerman is chairman and co-founder of publicly traded Boston Properties, editor in chief of U.S. News and World Report and publisher of the Daily News. A Harvard Law grad, he's a fixture on Sunday talk shows like The McLaughlin Group. Off-air, he's often mid-air: Zuckerman traveled to Tangier in early August to attend events commemorating the 10-year rule of Morroco's King Mohammed VI. Zuckerman, with an estimated net worth of $2.8 billion, spoke to Forbes just after his return.

What kind of shape will newspapers be in when the recession ends, and what else can they do?

A lot of cities are going to exist without newspapers. There is something that can be done, and the federal government ought to do it: allow sports betting on newspaper Web sites. That would save every newspaper in America. The New York Times.com could do it. Plenty of British papers do this; for them it's a crucial part of their net revenue stream. I know a major newspaper in London that makes $15 million a year from sports betting alone.

What would it take for that to happen in the U.S.?

It would take congressional legislation and the willingness on the part of the government to confront gambling and casino interests that have blocked this. Newspaper owners have never gotten together to lobby for this because they have always been quite profitable. Those days are behind us.

Now that the price of newspapers have come down, are you considering acquisitions?

I'm going to focus on the new presses I'm buying.

The New York Times has raised newsstand and delivery prices. Is this something you're considering too?

I really haven't thought about it. It's true that there has traditionally been a price relationship between the Times and the Daily News, with the News costing about 50% of the Times. With what the Times charges now, the Daily News is more like 25% of that. But it's not something I'm considering.

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