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Apr 18 2026POLITICS

Republican Candidates for Oregon Governor Focus on State Issues in Pre-Primary Debate

Four Oregon Republicans faced off in a debate last month, each pushing their vision for the state’s future. The event in Hillsboro brought together candidates with different backgrounds—including business owners, a former athlete, and lawmakers. To join the discussion, hopefuls needed support from a

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Apr 18 2026ENTERTAINMENT

Why Famous Faces Don’t Always Fill Seats Anymore

Hollywood used to bank on star power alone. A single well-known name on a movie poster meant sold-out shows, regardless of the plot. That trick worked for years—think back to superhero hits like Iron Man in 2008—but times have changed. Studios now play it safer, betting on pre-existing stories from

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Apr 18 2026SCIENCE

Small talk can actually be fun, despite what you think

Many people avoid casual chats with coworkers or neighbors, assuming the topics will be dull. But research suggests these brief conversations often turn out better than expected. A recent study looked at nearly 2, 000 people across nine experiments. No matter how dull the topic was advertised, parti

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Apr 18 2026CRYPTO

Iran’s Bitcoin experiment: Can crypto bypass oil sanctions?

Iran is testing a bold idea: charging oil tankers in Bitcoin to dodge US sanctions. The plan targets the Strait of Hormuz, where one-fifth of the world’s oil passes. Instead of dollars or local currency, ships might pay fees in BTC. But how practical is this? Experts debate whether Bitcoin’s speed

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Apr 18 2026CRYPTO

XRP's Recent Surge: What Traders Really Think About Its Future

XRP has jumped about 10% in just seven days, catching the attention of crypto watchers. This sudden rise has people wondering if it’s just a small bump or the start of something bigger. Some traders point to a pattern called price compression, where an asset’s price gets squeezed into a tight range

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Apr 18 2026POLITICS

Poland’s crypto debate: money, politics, and outside influences

Poland’s current government has accused a Warsaw-based crypto exchange of quietly bankrolling nationalist politicians and events tied to Russia. In a recent speech to lawmakers, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the company, Zondacrypto, used cash linked to Russian mafia and intelligence networks to s

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Apr 18 2026HEALTH

Do apps steal our focus? A quick scroll one-time check

A new look at how Indian med students’ study brains react right after social scrolling shows the devices we hold might actually hold us back in real time. Researchers tested memory with a simple number game. One group spent thirty minutes tapping away on social feeds. Another spent the same thirty

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Apr 18 2026POLITICS

A Religious Leader and a President Clash Over War and Faith

Over the past week, a heated exchange between Pope Leo XIV and former President Donald Trump grabbed headlines, revealing deep divides over war, religion, and leadership. The argument started when Trump called the Pope "weak on crime, " a comment the pontiff dismissed by saying he had "no fear" of T

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Apr 18 2026POLITICS

Alabama missed a chance to regulate AI image abuse

Alabama lawmakers had a simple task last session: pass a bill that would stop tech companies from using AI to create and share sexual images of people without their consent. Instead, the bill died in committee, leaving Alabamians—especially women and kids—vulnerable to a growing problem. Right now,

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Apr 18 2026TECHNOLOGY

Europe bets big on homegrown cloud services for government work

The European Union just spent €180 million on cloud services from four homegrown providers. That’s a lot of money for digital storage that will run government agencies for the next six years. The deal is meant to cut down on Europe’s habit of relying on tech from outside the continent. Instead of us

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