Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Hungary next week to discuss what he called 'global stability and fair trade.' The unexpected statement came via Truth Social, followed by Kremlin confirmation that preparatory talks were underway. The White House has not commented. Analysts say the move could have diplomatic implications, as Trump continues informal foreign engagements ahead of his election campaign revival. Markets reacted mildly to the geopolitical development.

Audio-video content platform Kuku FM has raised $85 million in a new funding round led by Granite Asia, with existing investors such as Vertex Growth, IFC, Tribe Capital, and others participating. The valuation post-funding stands at ~$550 million. The capital will be used to enhance content creation, expand reach in regional languages, and improve product infrastructure. The funding signals rising investor interest in regional content platforms as content consumption grows across tier-II/III markets. Monetization, retention, and scaling will be key execution levers ahead.