Author: NCIJ NETWNCIJ NETWORK

OPINIONMost boardrooms are built to evaluate opportunity, growth initiatives, tech acquisitions, and operational improvements. The discussion centers on a familiar equation: investing in X to generate Y return.That mindset is essential for scaling a business. But it often creates dangerous blind spots in digital infrastructure.Unlike revenue-generating projects, many of the most important technology investments don’t produce visible upsides. Modernizing infrastructure, reducing technical debt, building redundancy, improving recovery capabilities, and strengthening governance don’t necessarily translate into quarterly earnings reports. It comes through in the avoidance of system and organizational failure. It is an investment that only becomes visible when it’s not…

Solana is preparing to change how it charges for computing resources on the network.Solana Improvement Document (SIMD-0553) would make its most resource-intensive users pay more while cutting the costs for simpler transactions. As a bonus, it would increase SOL’s burn rate in stages — and one day could even help make it deflationary.Cavey, a researcher at Solana infrastructure firm Temporal and author of the proposal, tells Magazine that fees currently don’t reflect the real costs:“If I submit a transaction that does nothing versus a transaction that burns 200 million CPU cycles, I’m charged the same amount.” This proposal would change…

For decades, scientists have generally viewed the brain’s immune system as largely separate from the immune defenses operating throughout the rest of the body. The brain has its own specialized immune cells, along with the blood-brain barrier, which restricts many substances and cells from entering brain tissue. New research from Stanford is challenging that picture. Scientists found that large numbers of immune cells from elsewhere in the body enter the human brain as people age. The discovery could reshape scientists’ understanding of brain aging and may eventually create new possibilities for treating neurological diseases. The work, supported in part by…

Plans to mine marine sand off Indonesia’s Numbing Island have sparked opposition from fishers, environmental groups, and some lawmakers who warn of damage to fishing grounds and marine tourism.Although the government describes the project as marine sediment management and no company has begun operations, the proposal has divided local communities over the promised compensation.Critics warn the dredging could increase water turbidity, damage coral reefs, alter coastal currents, and weaken natural coastal defenses.The dispute has also raised legal and geopolitical concerns, with researchers arguing the Riau Islands’ strategic location makes the environmental risks a national security matter.See All Key Ideas…

Golar LNG, a Bermuda-headquartered liquefied natural gas (LNG) midstream infrastructure owner and operator, has booked Seatrium, a Singapore-headquartered offshore, maritime, and energy solutions provider, for a potential third floating LNG (FLNG) conversion project. Golar LNG’s FLNG Hilli Episeyo; Credit: Seatrium Seatrium has entered into a letter of intent (LOI) with Golar LNG to advance a potential third FLNG conversion project, enabling the duo to enhance technical design development and project definition activities to finalize an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract in the second half of 2026. The Asian firm emphasizes that an upfront consideration will support its activities relating…

Claim: Texts prove Dr. Anthony Fauci, who helped lead the United States’ COVID-19 response, covered up data indicating that 82% of pregnant women who received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in their first trimester miscarried. Rating: Context The rate of miscarriage among pregnant women who received the COVID-19 vaccine is not 82% — that figure comes from a misinterpretation of a 2021 study. Studies have consistently shown the rate of miscarriage among vaccinated women is in line with rates among the broader population. In August 2026, anti-vaccine advocates claimed online that Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former presidential medical adviser, covered up…

Zambia suspended vote counting nationwide on Friday following reports of violence in some districts, the electoral commission said. The copper-rich southern African nation went to the polls on Thursday in an election focused on economic hardship. President Hakainde Hichilema, who has been in power since 2021, faced off against his main challenger among the 14 contenders – Brian Mundubile, a 55-year-old former minister in the previous Patriotic Front (PF) government. Zambia voters weigh Hichilema’s economic record To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Accept Manage my choices One of your browser extensions seems…

Lawyers for the former Olympian David Hearn filed a motion on Thursday night seeking to bar federal prosecutors from reviving a felony charge that he vandalized the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, saying they needed to head off possible “prosecutorial harassment” prompted by President Trump.Judge Todd Edelman of the District of Columbia Superior Court dismissed the case against Mr. Hearn this month after Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for Washington, said the government would drop the case because damage to the pool had been caused by shoddy installation, not by vandalism. Judge Edelman also canceled a jury trial scheduled for late…

Clip earbuds are an exercise in compromise. It’s an inherent aspect of their design — and physics. They can be more comfortable for people that don’t like something jammed in their ear, but sound response suffers. Ambient awareness is great because you can easily hear the sound around you, which means to hear your own music the buds need to be turned up and potentially leak sound out to your neighbors. For what they offer, they can also get pricey, with popular pairs from Bose, Sony, and Shokz reaching $200. The CMF Clip Pro, though, are under $100, and while…

Abbott and Google are linking continuous glucose monitoring data with Google’s AI-powered health coaching tools, giving the Gemini-powered service access to another source of personal health information.Under a multiyear agreement, data from Abbott’s Lingo continuous glucose monitor will be integrated into the Google Health app. Users will be able to view glucose trends alongside information related to activity, sleep, and other wellness metrics.Google Health Coach, which is built with Gemini, will use Lingo data alongside other health information to provide recommendations covering nutrition, activity, sleep, and recovery. Access to the AI coach requires a Google Health Premium subscription.Google says Health…