Author: NCIJ NETWNCIJ NETWORK

A federal judge has temporarily barred Minnesota from enforcing its new prediction-market felony law against federally regulated exchanges designated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as contract markets, including Kalshi and Polymarket US, days before the statute takes effect on Aug. 1.Judge Katherine Menendez granted preliminary-injunction motions filed by the CFTC, KalshiEX and QCX, the registered entity doing business as Polymarket US. Her July 27 order prevents named Minnesota officials from enforcing Minn. Stat. § 609.7615 against CFTC-designated contract markets until the cases reach a final merits decision. Related ReadingHow a disputed $1 billion claim became a powerful weapon against…

A new study using data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope finds that star formation in the nearby Andromeda galaxy has undergone a 500-million-year decline, with an even steeper drop in the last 40 million years. Andromeda, a spiral galaxy comparable in size to our Milky Way, is close enough to be seen with the unaided eye from areas with dark skies. Located about 2.5 million light-years from Earth, practically our cosmic backyard, Andromeda offers an opportunity for astronomers to examine its stellar populations in detail, leading to better understanding of the past of galaxies like our own. The results published…

In the communities surrounding Nigeria’s Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary, women’s conservation collectives are transforming the protection of a biodiversity hotspot that’s home to the critically endangered Cross River gorilla and endangered Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee. These collectives, operating in villages such as Ulom, Katabang and Buanchor in southeastern Nigeria, were born from a realization that traditional, male-led governance often struggled to curb illegal activities in and around the 100-square-kilometer (39-square-mile) sanctuary, reports contributor Orji Sunday for Mongabay. Village residents told Mongabay that because men were frequently the primary participants in hunting, logging and river pollution, they often lacked the moral…

Claim: Actor Kurt Russell wrote “The Badge,” a monologue praising law enforcement officers and opposing the defunding of police departments. Rating: In July 2026, people credited film and TV actor Kurt Russell with writing “The Badge,” a monologue praising law enforcement officers and opposing the defunding of police departments. In short, Russell did not write this. Users incorrectly credited the actor with writing the post, which appears later in this article. Early versions of the same monologue attributed it to “Unknown,” indicating one or more people later added Russell’s name. Snopes previously reported about this matter in August 2020. We…

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long presented his closeness to the United States – both politically and personally – as evidence of his indispensability to Israel.Arriving with a camera-ready American accent after spending a large portion of his youth in the country, Netanyahu is said to have used his unique understanding of US politics to charm and cajole numerous presidents into maintaining their unflagging support of Israel and his personal political projects.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listFor a time it appeared as though US President Donald Trump was the most amenable of all past presidents to Israel and…

Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti were both approached by the FIGC about the Italy job before Pirlo.Mancini, 61, previously managed Italy from 2018 until 2023 and won Euro 2020 – beating England in the final at Wembley.He led the Azzurri to a world record 37-game unbeaten run, but failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup – losing to North Macedonia in a play-off – and resigned in August 2023.Another World Cup play-off failure for Italy earlier this year meant they were absent from this summer’s tournament and spelled the end of Gattuso’s tenure, with his contract terminated in April…

The tributes to Senator Lindsey Graham, who died this month, will last for two days across Washington and his home state, South Carolina.Dozens of dignitaries, including President Trump and South Carolina leaders, are gathering to honor Mr. Graham’s political and policy legacy.Here’s what’s happening:Tuesday morning: A ceremony in the Capitol RotundaIn a sign of Mr. Graham’s stature in the Senate, services began at 10 a.m. in the Capitol Rotunda. Chaplains of the House and Senate offered prayers, and political leaders laid wreathes at his hearse. Senators from both parties attended.Representative Sheri Biggs, a Republican who represents Mr. Graham’s home in…

The largest electrical grid in the U.S. has struggled to cope with an onslaught of data centers. Now, after an auction to add more generating capacity fell short, the grid’s operator, PJM Interconnection, has said it will cut off data centers and other large users during power shortages. The decision arrives as the breakneck pace of data center construction has grid operators scrambling to generate power. Data centers are expected to use four times more electricity as they do today by 2035. PJM won’t start curtailing supply until June 2027, and the cuts will only apply to data centers that…

Maine’s new virtual-currency unclaimed-property rules take effect July 29 with a five-year dormancy clock, while the State Treasurer’s current reporting manual still shows three years. The mismatch leaves businesses that hold customer crypto without published transition instructions as the statute becomes effective.Public Law Chapter 675, approved April 13, creates section 2067-A of Maine’s Revised Unclaimed Property Act. The Legislature identifies July 29 as the general effective date for nonemergency laws passed during its 2026 Second Regular Session.The new section presumes virtual currency abandoned five years after an apparent owner’s last indication of interest. If a holder sends first-class mail during…

Exposure to trace metals and “forever chemicals” may be prematurely aging dolphins, raising concerns about both marine pollution and human health impacts.  Metals such as zinc and copper can wind up in the ocean from industrial waste and mining. So can per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, which are often called forever chemicals because of how long they persist in the environment.   Scientists have previously documented harmful effects of metals and PFAS in wildlife, including dolphins. A 2013 study found that bottlenosed dolphins with high exposure to PFAS showed signs that the compounds disrupted their livers, kidneys and immune systems. And earlier this year, researchers showed that…