ACT

May 19 2026FINANCE

Bitcoin hits $78K and traders scramble as wild price swings expose market weak spots

Bitcoin just crashed below $78, 000 after weeks of high hopes for a new US crypto law. Instead of cheering the progress, traders watched $80 billion vanish in hours. Nearly a billion dollars in bets got wiped out when prices dropped fast. But the real damage came from inside the market - too many pe

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May 19 2026BUSINESS

A sports betting bet is off at Wrigley Field

Two years after setting up shop inside Wrigley Field, the DraftKings betting counter closed its doors for good at the end of May. Officials say Illinois’ gambling tax rules made the location too expensive to keep running. DraftKings says the state’s 25-cent tax on every $1 of digital bets, jumping

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May 19 2026POLITICS

How Gauteng's government services really measure up

Gauteng stands out as South Africa’s busiest and wealthiest province, but behind its economic growth lies a bigger question: how well do its public services actually meet the needs of everyday people? While some residents get reliable water and electricity, others face frustrating delays, potholed r

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May 19 2026CRIME

What Massachusetts Crime Victims Could Lose Without New Funding

Victims of crime in Massachusetts may soon face major service cuts unless state senators approve a last-minute funding boost. A proposed $13. 8 million amendment aims to prevent a 35% loss in support for programs helping survivors of domestic violence, child trafficking, and sexual assault. Without

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May 18 2026POLITICS

Climber Takes Gaza Kids’ Wishes to the Highest Peak

A 56‑year‑old mountaineer from Jordan and Palestine is climbing Mount Everest with a kite that bears the Palestinian flag colors. The kite carries handwritten notes from children who live in Gaza, a place that has been devastated by war since October 2023. Those messages are simple yet powerful, sho

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May 18 2026OPINION

A Fresh Plan to Clean Portland’s River and Save the Island

Portland is famous for its parks, trees, and rivers, but a hidden problem lurks in the Willamette River. A 10‑mile stretch near the harbor has been listed as a Superfund site since 2000, meaning it is heavily polluted from past industrial use. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set

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May 18 2026OPINION

Quonset Runway Closure: A Question of Priorities

The Rhode Island Airport Corp. decided to shut down runway 5‑23 at Quonset State Airport, a move that many see as politically driven rather than technically justified. The runway sits on Narragansett Bay, where winter winds make it a key spot for pilots. Yet the decision was made without hearing

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May 18 2026BUSINESS

Why AI isn't killing offshore call center jobs as expected

Many thought AI would replace call center workers in countries like the Philippines and India. Instead, the opposite happened. Call center jobs in the Philippines nearly doubled from 2016 to 2025, growing to 2 million workers. Unemployment there dropped from 9% to about 4% during the same period. In

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May 18 2026SPORTS

Golfers Face the Clock in Windy Conditions

Players at a recent major golf event found themselves racing against more than just the leaderboard when strong winds and tricky pin placements turned round two into a battle against time. Alex Smalley, who sat at the top after day one, wasn’t shaken by a rules official’s warning. He pointed out tha

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May 18 2026EDUCATION

When School Leaders Mix Personal Trips with Public Business

The former superintendent of Cherry Creek Schools and his wife, who also worked for the district, enjoyed two all-expenses-paid trips to Guatemala and Brazil between 2023 and 2024. The trips were paid by private schools in those countries, both of which had business ties with Education Accelerated,

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