Category: News
US Launched Kamikaze Drones Against Iran, Reflecting Lessons Learned From Ukraine
US Launched Kamikaze Drones Against Iran, Reflecting Lessons Learned From Ukraine
In the first 72 hours of Operation Epic Fury, U.S. forces conducted more than 1,700 strikes across Iran on high-value IRGC military assets and leadership. These strikes relied heavily on air-delivered munitions, including bombs, air-launched rockets, and missiles deployed from stealth fighter jets, stealth bombers, fourth-generation fighter jets and bombers, as well as guided-missile destroyers.
Notably, U.S. Central Command indicated the operation also marked the first combat use by the U.S. military of one-way kamikaze drones, a newly added capability likely shaped by lessons drawn from four years of high-intensity warfare in Eastern Europe.
Another picture of a Starlink mounted on a Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drone https://t.co/SDVp4gZjCK pic.twitter.com/LyxwcL5fso
— Robin (@xdNiBoR) December 4, 2025
“For the first time in history, it is using one-way attack drones in combat during Operation Epic Fury. These low-cost drones, modeled after Iran’s Shahed drones, are now delivering American-made retribution,” U.S. CENTCOM wrote on X.
CENTCOM’s Task Force Scorpion Strike – for the first time in history – is using one-way attack drones in combat during Operation Epic Fury. These low-cost drones, modeled after Iran’s Shahed drones, are now delivering American-made retribution. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/VYdjiECKDT
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) February 28, 2026
OISNT account on X OSINTdefender published footage of what appears to be one of the Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) US drones used in the operation that crash landed.
OSINTdefender noted, “Locals in Iraq appear to have recovered a crashed and almost entirely intact Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS), an American copy of the Iranian Shahed-136 Attack Drone, which is confirmed to have been used recently by Task Force Scorpion Strike during U.S. attacks on Iran as part of Operation Epic Fury.”
Locals in Iraq appear to have recovered a crashed and almost entirely intact Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS), an American copy of the Iranian Shahed-136 Attack Drone, which is confirmed to have been used recently by Task Force Scorpion Strike during U.S. attacks on… pic.twitter.com/SEqO6627en
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 2, 2026
Strike Map
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World At War: Are There Drone Spillover Threats In Caribbean
AI ‘Kill Chains’ And Rise Of Skynet-Like Weapons Offer Glimpse Of 2030s Battlefield
Whether in Iran or Eastern Europe, the rapid proliferation of low-cost kamikaze drones has permanently altered the battlefield. Four years of war in Ukraine have made it clear to military planners and weapons manufacturers worldwide that these inexpensive, mass-produced drones are no longer optional, but are increasingly pivotal in changing the economics of war.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 03/03/2026 – 14:45
Batavia City Council OKs construction contract for new downtown plaza at old Tin Shop site
Batavia is continuing to move forward with its plans to construct a new downtown plaza where the old Tin Shop building, which was recently demolished, once stood.
On Monday, the City Council approved a construction contract for sitework at the location, in the latest step toward the creation of the new plaza.
The future of Batavia’s Tin Shop building at 106 N. River St. had long been in question.
In the years since the failed One Washington Place project, the city had been marketing the building and other city-owned properties for sale. The city at one point received a proposal for the land and was negotiating the property’s sale and development, but it never entered into a formal contract and terminated negotiations in 2023.
Then, in January 2025, the Batavia City Council voted for a certificate of appropriateness that paved the way for the Tin Shop building to either be relocated or demolished. Because the structure, built in 1890, is within the city’s historic district, a certificate of appropriateness is required for exterior work on the building, including relocation and demolition.
The suggestion to either relocate or demolish the building had been recommended by the city’s Historic Preservation Commission, with the caveat that some of the materials from the building be salvaged. The city’s Community and Economic Development Director Scott Buening previously said that it was going to cost nearly $1 million for the city to rehabilitate the building.
The City Council then returned to the matter in August, approving a contract with Fowler Enterprises for $33,450 to tear down the building. As part of the demolition, the city asked that the “sign” on the north side of the building be preserved, and that some of the wood from the building be reclaimed as long as it does not substantially interfere with the demolition process. The building was ultimately demolished in January.
Now, with the Tin Shop building torn down, the city is moving forward with its plans to turn the site into a public plaza.
In July, the City Council approved the purchase of a public restroom facility planned for the plaza. The facility, which would be a double unit, cleans after each use and deep cleans every hour, and is set to be open year-round. The plaza is also set to include additional benches to meet demand for seating, particularly during busy times like the weekly farmers market.
“The River Street Plaza is about creating a space where people want to spend time — whether they’re attending an event, visiting the farmers market or simply enjoying downtown Batavia,” Batavia City Administrator Laura Newman said in a news release from the city.
In addition to the restroom and seating, the plaza is set to include things like bike racks, a bike repair station and native pollinator plantings, according to the city, as well as public art elements, a limestone feature meant to function as a retaining wall and a punched metal fence and trellis with climbing plants.
The contract approved Monday is with Landmark Contractors, Inc., for an estimated cost of $559,517, with a contingency for a total amount of no higher than $618,000, according to documents from the city included in Monday’s meeting agenda. The project will include accessible paving, landscaping, site furnishings, lighting and utility connections at the site.
Landmark Contractors, Inc., has completed similar projects in nearby communities like Aurora and Roselle, the memo from the city noted.
The project is being funded through the city’s tax increment financing, or TIF, District 3, according to the memo.
Construction is set to begin in March or April, and is planned to be substantially completed in June, per the city. Upon completion, the plaza will be maintained by the city’s Public Works Department.
mmorrow@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/batavia-downtown-plaza-construction-at-old-tin-shop-site/
It’s kitten season, so South Suburban Humane Society is hosting a shower
Kitten season is fast approaching, and Peaches Bonnema knows she’ll soon get a call to help out with the little furballs.
Bonnema, a volunteer foster for the South Suburban Humane Society in Matteson, said kitten season starts in early spring, when unspayed cats become pregnant and area shelters get swamped with young animals that are especially needy.
It’s also a time when shelters put out a call for more foster volunteers to give the kittens the special care they need to get them ready for adoption.
“I wish people knew how rewarding fostering is,” said Bonnema, who has fostered both dogs and cats, and has ended up keeping several. “I know a lot of people tell me they couldn’t do it because giving (them) up is so hard, which it is, but it provides the shelter the space so they can accept more.
“And we give them a chance to survive.”
Like many who are expecting a baby, or many babies in this case, South Suburban Humane Society is throwing a shower. The Kitten Shower & Cat Café is a way to introduce people to the needs of kittens, gain donations of the items that kittens need and attract future fosterers. There will also be light refreshments and the chance to meet shelter kittens.
The event is from noon to 4 p.m. March 7 at the shelter, 21800 Central Ave. in Matteson. It’s free for those who bring items from the donations list.
That list includes kitten milk replacer powder, digital scales, playpens, Purina Kitten Chow, warming discs, pate-style moist cat food, small blankets, non-clumping litter, cat toys, and more.
Mika Carten, director of Impact at SSHS, said kitten season has gotten longer each year.
“There are so many stray cats and so many of them giving birth,” said Carten. “A lot of people see them outside and say, ‘Oh, there’s a lot of stray kittens sitting here, let me bring them to a shelter.” Carten added people may not realize the mom cat is nearby.
A kitten looks out from a windowed space in 2022 at South Suburban Humane Society in Matteson. With “kitten season” rapidly approaching, shelter officials are putting out a call for help and supplies to deal with an expected influx of young cats. (Bill Jones/Daily Southtown)
Carten added the economy can make it hard to adopt or even foster, so SSHS offers as many supplies as possible.
“People are stretched so thin nowadays, it’s hard to commit to a month of care, which is why events like this mean so much,” said Carten.
It also gives shelter staff and volunteers a chance to talk to people about the needs of kittens and how fosters can help.
“The donations mean the world to us and it’s a great opportunity for some of our fosters to connect with folks and say how helpful it is to be able to foster,” said Carten. “We really would not be able to handle the hundreds of kittens who come into our care without their help and support.”
Jordan Chapman, development manager for SSHS, said the shelter takes in 5,000 cats yearly and more than half are kittens.
Fostering kittens requires feeding them from bottles every few hours and then making sure they’re eating enough and gaining weight, keeping them warm and giving them enough TLC, according to volunteers and staff.
A kitten awaits food in 2024 at South Suburban Humane Society, where food donations are always needed. (South Suburban Humane Society)
Chapman said the warming discs, which are heated in the microwave, are especially helpful to the newborns.
“It really helps in creating that mom aspect of warmth,” said Chapman, adding they’re safer than a heating pad. “They’re quite the thing.”
Bonnema will be on hand at the shower to answer questions on fostering.
“It’s a fun event,” said Bonnema, who has done it before. “I like seeing the community come out and support the shelter.”
Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/south-suburban-humane-society-kitten-shower/
Against the odds, IUN chancellor shares success story at portrait dedication
Indiana University Northwest Chancellor Arrick Jackson began his career with a dark sense of urgency.
At age 9, he lost his 32-year-old father after a heart attack. His mom died in a homicide when he was six months old in the family’s hometown of Saginaw, Michigan.
His stepmother, Francis Jackson, adopted and raised her husband’s four children after his death. Yet growing up, Jackson yearned to know more about his parents.
“When Google came along and gave me the ability to search, I was curious… I searched for my father’s name, and my mother’s name, and the only thing that appeared were their obituaries.”
From that day, IUN’s ninth chancellor knew he wanted his own three children to know there was more to his life than an obituary.
“They would find evidence that I existed. That I mattered, that I did something,” he told an audience of IUN faculty, staff and community members Monday as the Gary university celebrated the unveiling of his portrait, which will hang on a wall in the John W. Anderson Library Conference Center.
Chancellor Arrick Jackson (left) stands with artist Renae Ricks-Miller. Ricks-Miller (right) sketched the portrait of Jackson. Her work was unveiled during a campus tradition that commemorates Jackson’s service and marks his place as IU Northwest’s ninth chancellor on Monday, March 2, 2026. (John Smierciak/for the Post-Tribune)
Chesterton artist Renae Ricks-Miller said she created the pencil-on-paper portrait from a photograph. Jackson lifted a white cloth that covered it and smiled for the cameras. Another bit of legacy for his kids to discover.
Jackson’s likeness will join IUN’s eight previous chancellors and Ricks-Miller, who attended IUN, has sketched the last three.
Now 57 and well past his 32nd birthday, Jackson isn’t easing up. He explained how finding his parents’ obits altered his outlook.
“That changed something in me.
“I became almost frantic about leaving something of me behind, not for the world, but for my children.”
Chancellor Arrick Jackson addresses the audience during the unveiling of his professionally sketched portrait. A campus tradition, it commemorates his service and marks his place as IU Northwest’s ninth chancellor on Monday, March 2, 2026. (John Smierciak/for the Post-Tribune)
His three kids are now scattered across the country, from Connecticut to Alaska.
His oldest son, Khari, is serving in the Air Force in Fairbanks. Middle son, Kadin, is working in project management in Massachusetts, and daughter, Karlee, is a freshman at the University of Connecticut.
Jackson has a resume of academic and military successes, but he doesn’t rest on those accomplishments.
He came to IUN from Minnesota State University-Moorhead, where he served as provost and senior vice president for academic and student affairs.
Jackson joined the Army at age 18 and spent three years in field artillery and three years in military intelligence.
Jackson and his former wife had their first child when he was 21. He had his doctorate in criminal justice and political science at 31 and published his first paper at age 32, “because it had to be done. That was going to be it for me.”
Then 33 came, and 40, and more publications, and more academic advancements.
He served stints in education administration and human resources at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan and later became vice president of community and industry education services for the Tarrant County College District in Texas.
He’s been at IUN for less than a year but has already impressed his colleagues.
Chancellor Arrick Jackson examines his professionally sketched portrait, a campus tradition that commemorates Jackson’s service and marks his place as IU Northwest’s ninth chancellor on Monday, March 2, 2026. (John Smierciak/for the Post-Tribune)
Vicki Roman-Lagunas served as interim chancellor until Jackson arrived.
She said he excels in creative academic programming.
“He looks to the needs of the community and finds out what we can do with what we have at IU-Northwest to serve those things,” she said.
Vanessa Allen-McCloud is president and CEO of the Urban League of Northwest Indiana and also serves on the IUN Board of Advisors.
“Chancellor Jackson is honest and open and very engaged in the community,” she said. “He’s a good listener.”
Jackson introduced Ricks-Miller before the unveiling, calling her a “gifted local artist with a beautiful connection to this very campus.”
Ricks-Miller also painted the portrait of former Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson that hangs with other mayors in City Hall.
Finally, Jackson closed his story.
“And that little 9-year-old boy who lost his father and quietly feared he might not last long enough to be remembered, he would be overwhelmed by this room right now,” he said.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Rahm dice que tour europeo “extorsiona” a jugadores LIV al exigirles más torneos para volver
Por DOUG FERGUSON
Jon Rahm arremetió contra el circuito europeo por su oferta para que él y otros jugadores de LIV Golf se reincorporen al afirmar el martes que el circuito estaba “extorsionando a los jugadores” al obligarlos a disputar torneos adicionales.
Rahm, que compite esta semana en el torneo de la LIV en Hong Kong, habló públicamente por primera vez desde que el circuito europeo anunció un acuerdo que exigiría a los jugadores de LIV pagar multas anteriores por no haber obtenido permisos y competir en eventos adicionales designados por el circuito.
Ocho jugadores de LIV, entre ellos Tyrrell Hatton, aceptaron el acuerdo. Rahm no lo hizo.
“No sé qué juego están intentando jugar ahora mismo”, manifestó Rahm. “Pero parece que, de alguna manera, están usando nuestro impacto en los torneos, multándonos e intentando beneficiarse por ambos lados de lo que tenemos para ofrecer. En cierto modo, están extorsionando a jugadores como yo y a jugadores jóvenes que no tienen nada que ver con la política de este deporte.
“Así que no me gusta la situación y no voy a aceptar eso”, añadió.
Los jugadores deben disputar cuatro torneos, sin contar los majors, para mantener la membresía en el circuito europeo. Rahm dijo que el acuerdo habría exigido a los miembros de LIV jugar seis torneos.
“Y ellos dictan dónde tienen que ser dos de esos, entre otras cosas con las que no estoy de acuerdo”, señaló Rahm. “He sido miembro dual toda mi carrera — PGA Tour y DP World Tour. … Ni una sola vez me han pedido un permiso para jugar en cualquiera de esos circuitos. Entonces, ¿por qué ahora necesitamos ofrecer esto y hay todas estas sanciones?”
“Simplemente no me gusta la situación”, sostuvo. “Creo que deberíamos poder jugar libremente donde queramos y tener la opción de jugar donde queramos y que no nos dicten lo que hacemos”.
Las multas se derivan de jugar eventos de LIV Golf en fechas que coincidían con torneos del circuito europeo sin obtener un permiso por evento en conflicto. Rahm pudo usar la política de “circuito de origen” del PGA Tour para jugar en eventos del circuito europeo.
Rahm contó que le dijo al circuito europeo —conocido comercialmente como el DP World Tour— que, si reducía el requisito mínimo a cuatro torneos, firmaría el acuerdo.
“No han aceptado eso”, indicó. “Simplemente me niego a jugar seis eventos. No quiero, y eso no es lo que dicen las reglas”.
Rahm y Hatton estuvieron entre quienes apelaron sus multas por jugar LIV. Ese caso no se ha visto, pero la apelación les permitió jugar la Ryder Cup el año pasado en Bethpage Black.
Ahora está en duda la participación del español en los partidos de 2027 en Irlanda.
Un panel arbitral en Gran Bretaña dictaminó en abril de 2023 que el circuito tenía derecho a sancionar a los jugadores como organización de membresía. Si el panel vuelve a fallar a favor del circuito, Rahm tendría que saldar sus multas o perder su membresía, lo que lo dejaría fuera del equipo de la Ryder Cup el próximo año.
“Fuimos muy duros con los estadounidenses por jugar la Ryder Cup, y también dijimos que nosotros pagaríamos por jugar Ryder Cups. Hay dos tipos que pueden demostrarlo”, comentó Rory McIlroy en enero sobre las multas que enfrentaban Rahm y Hatton.
Rahm respondió que ese comentario tendría más sentido si se les pidiera pagar a los 12 jugadores, no solo a él y a Hatton.
“Hay más complejidad en toda esta situación”, explicó Rahm. “Con gusto pagaré mi parte para ir a la Ryder Cup, no tener que pagar para seguir siendo miembro del DP World Tour y cumplir un compromiso que estoy totalmente dispuesto a asumir”.
___
Deportes AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
Atlanta Braves’ Jurickson Profar faces 162-game suspension for 2nd positive PED test, AP source says
NEW YORK — Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar faces a 162-game suspension by Major League Baseball for a possible second failed test for a performance-enhancing drug, a person familiar with the issue told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the process, first reported by ESPN, was ongoing.
Profar intends to ask the players association to file a grievance to appeal any discipline to baseball’s independent arbitrator, Martin F, Scheinman, a second person familiar with the process said, also on condition of anonymity because no announcement had been made.
Because this would be Profar’s second infraction, an appeal would take place after a suspension was announced.
An All-Star in 2024 with the San Diego Padres, Profar was suspended for 80 games last March 31 after a positive test for Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG), a hormone that helps production of testosterone. He issued a statement then saying: “I would never willingly take a banned substance, but I take full responsibility and accept MLB’s decision.”
His agent, Dan Lozano, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Profar homered in his return from suspension July 2 and finished with a .245 average, 14 homers, 43 RBIs and a .787 OPS in 80 games. He batted .280 in 2024, when he set career highs with 24 homers, 85 RBIs and an .839 OPS.
Profar said at the start of spring training that he had sports hernia surgery in November, requiring a six-week recovery. He has appeared in four spring training games this year, going 3-for-10 with three RBIs.
A native of Curaçao, Profar had been set to play for the Netherlands in the World Baseball Classic.
Under the suspension, he would be ineligible for the postseason.
Profar would lose his $15 million salary for this year as part of the three-year, $42 million contract through 2027 that he signed with the Braves in January 2025. He lost half of his $12 million salary last year because of the initial suspension.
He would be the seventh player suspended 162 games for a second PED infraction after New York Mets pitcher Jenrry Mejia (July 2015), Cleveland outfielder Marlon Byrd (June 2016), free-agent catcher Cody Stanley (July 2016), Houston Astros pitcher Francis Martes (February 2020), Mets second baseman Robinson Canó (November 2020) and Milwaukee Brewers pitcher J.C. Mejia (September 2023).
Mejia received a lifetime ban in February 2016 after a third positive test, the only player to be given a permanent ban since drug testing with penalties started in 2004.
Four players have been suspended previously this year for positive tests, including free-agent outfielder Max Kepler for 80 games under the major-league program after a positive test for Epitrenbolone.
After the offseason signing of left fielder Mike Yastrzemski to a two-year, $23 million deal, Profar had been targeted to be the Braves’ primary designated hitter.
When catcher Sean Murphy returns from a hip injury, perhaps in May, 2025 NL Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin could fill in at DH when not behind the plate.
With Yastrzemski, Michael Harris and Ronald Acuña Jr. in the outfield, Eli White could be a DH option. The Braves also are without projected starting shortstop Ha-seong Kim because of a finger injury. Mauricio Dubon, expected to serve a utility role, is scheduled to open the season as the starting shortstop.
The loss of Profar could create an opportunity for Dominic Smith, who signed a minor-league deal Feb. 17.
AP’s Charles Odum contributed.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/atlanta-braves-jurickson-profar-failed-ped-test/
Kalshi, Polymarket Face Trading Halt In Nevada After Court Rulings
Kalshi, Polymarket Face Trading Halt In Nevada After Court Rulings
Authored by Zoltan Vardai via CoinTelegraph.com,
Two US federal court rulings have increased the risk that Nevada regulators may seek to halt prediction-market trading in the state after a judge sent a dispute involving Polymarket’s parent company Blockratize and Kalshi back to state court in two separate rulings.
A federal judge rejected arguments that US regulation under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) fully preempts state gaming laws for prediction markets, according to a Monday order.
The judge found that the CEA’s savings clause does not completely displace state authority and that the companies had not shown a basis to block Nevada’s action at this stage.
The decision means the Nevada Gaming Control Board can continue pursuing its civil enforcement case in state court, where it could seek an injunction restricting Nevada residents from accessing event contracts offered by Polymarket or Kalshi.
Court filing in the case of Nevada vs. prediction markets. Source: Courtlistener.com
In response to the ruling, Polymarket’s parent company submitted a motion to request a brief administrative stay of the court’s remand order, the filing shows.
The motion is a legal request seeking to freeze a court ruling or enforcement action seen as a short-term emergency measure.
Prediction markets face mounting pressure after Nevada ruling: Lawyer
The Nevada decision comes as prediction markets face mounting pressure from state regulators, including Kalshi, which has been fighting Nevada’s gaming regulator since 2025.
On Tuesday, a federal judge also remanded Nevada’s civil enforcement action against Kalshi back to state court, exposing Kalshi to an “imminent temporary restraining order” barring it from offering event contracts in the state, according to a court filing seen by sports betting and gaming-focused lawyer Daniel Wallach.
“The ruling could embolden other states to sue Kalshi in state court and seek injunctions to block event contracts, a strategy that has so far succeeded in every case brought,” wrote Wallach, in a Tuesday X post.
Source: Daniel Wallach
Kalshi sued the state of Nevada in March 2025 after receiving a cease-and-desist order to halt all sports-related betting markets within the state.
However, in February, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Kalshi’s bid to stop Nevada’s gaming regulator from taking action on its sports event contracts.
Insider trading concerns add to scrutiny
The legal fight is unfolding as prediction markets draw scrutiny over information advantage and potential insider activity.
Suspected insider wallets netted $1.2 million by betting on the outcome of blockchain sleuth ZachXBT’s investigation into Axiom, Cointelegraph reported on Friday.
ZachXBT released the much-anticipated investigation on Thursday, alleging that Axiom employee Broox Bauer and others had been responsible for insider trading activity since early 2025.
Top wallets betting on Axiom in ZachXBT’s insider exposé. Source: Dune
Insider trading concerns were first highlighted in January after a Polymarket account profited $400,000 after it placed a bet on a contract predicting that Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro would be captured, wagering the funds just hours before US forces captured him during a military operation.
Earlier in February, Israeli authorities arrested and indicted two people suspected of using secret information related to Israel striking Iran for insider trading on Polymarket.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 03/03/2026 – 14:25
https://www.zerohedge.com/crypto/alshi-polymarket-face-trading-halt-nevada-after-court-rulings
Kalshi, Polymarket Face Trading Halt In Nevada After Court Rulings
Kalshi, Polymarket Face Trading Halt In Nevada After Court Rulings
Authored by Zoltan Vardai via CoinTelegraph.com,
Two US federal court rulings have increased the risk that Nevada regulators may seek to halt prediction-market trading in the state after a judge sent a dispute involving Polymarket’s parent company Blockratize and Kalshi back to state court in two separate rulings.
A federal judge rejected arguments that US regulation under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) fully preempts state gaming laws for prediction markets, according to a Monday order.
The judge found that the CEA’s savings clause does not completely displace state authority and that the companies had not shown a basis to block Nevada’s action at this stage.
The decision means the Nevada Gaming Control Board can continue pursuing its civil enforcement case in state court, where it could seek an injunction restricting Nevada residents from accessing event contracts offered by Polymarket or Kalshi.
Court filing in the case of Nevada vs. prediction markets. Source: Courtlistener.com
In response to the ruling, Polymarket’s parent company submitted a motion to request a brief administrative stay of the court’s remand order, the filing shows.
The motion is a legal request seeking to freeze a court ruling or enforcement action seen as a short-term emergency measure.
Prediction markets face mounting pressure after Nevada ruling: Lawyer
The Nevada decision comes as prediction markets face mounting pressure from state regulators, including Kalshi, which has been fighting Nevada’s gaming regulator since 2025.
On Tuesday, a federal judge also remanded Nevada’s civil enforcement action against Kalshi back to state court, exposing Kalshi to an “imminent temporary restraining order” barring it from offering event contracts in the state, according to a court filing seen by sports betting and gaming-focused lawyer Daniel Wallach.
“The ruling could embolden other states to sue Kalshi in state court and seek injunctions to block event contracts, a strategy that has so far succeeded in every case brought,” wrote Wallach, in a Tuesday X post.
Source: Daniel Wallach
Kalshi sued the state of Nevada in March 2025 after receiving a cease-and-desist order to halt all sports-related betting markets within the state.
However, in February, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denied Kalshi’s bid to stop Nevada’s gaming regulator from taking action on its sports event contracts.
Insider trading concerns add to scrutiny
The legal fight is unfolding as prediction markets draw scrutiny over information advantage and potential insider activity.
Suspected insider wallets netted $1.2 million by betting on the outcome of blockchain sleuth ZachXBT’s investigation into Axiom, Cointelegraph reported on Friday.
ZachXBT released the much-anticipated investigation on Thursday, alleging that Axiom employee Broox Bauer and others had been responsible for insider trading activity since early 2025.
Top wallets betting on Axiom in ZachXBT’s insider exposé. Source: Dune
Insider trading concerns were first highlighted in January after a Polymarket account profited $400,000 after it placed a bet on a contract predicting that Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro would be captured, wagering the funds just hours before US forces captured him during a military operation.
Earlier in February, Israeli authorities arrested and indicted two people suspected of using secret information related to Israel striking Iran for insider trading on Polymarket.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 03/03/2026 – 14:25
https://www.zerohedge.com/crypto/alshi-polymarket-face-trading-halt-nevada-after-court-rulings
Matteson woman, 26, shot and killed in Sauk Village
T’Mika Neal, 26, of Matteson was killed early Friday morning in Sauk Village, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Neal’s cause of death was listed as multiple gunshot wounds.
She was shot at an address on the 21600 block of Gailine Avenue, and pronounced dead at 2:20 a.m. Friday, according to the medical examiner’s office.
The Sauk Village Police Department did not respond to a request for comment.
elewis@chicagotribune.com
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/matteson-woman-26-shot-and-killed-in-sauk-village/
Blackstone Launching Public Vehicle for Data Center Acquisitions
Blackstone Launching Public Vehicle for Data Center Acquisitions
Amid overwhelming redemptions in other funds, Blackstone is preparing a publicly traded acquisition company dedicated to data centers, opening the door for “mom and pop” to jump into the AI boom, just as the market is panicking over who will find the trillions in data center spending over the next several years
Bloomberg reported that the vehicle’s focus is on already-built and leased facilities, allowing rapid deployment amid surging hyperscaler demand.
The new entity will initially raise capital from sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors before broadening access, with plans to gather tens of billions overall. This structure positions the vehicle as a direct player alongside REITs such as Digital Realty and Equinix, while leveraging Blackstone’s established scale in the sector.
Blackstone has emerged as the world’s largest data center owner following its 2021 privatization of QTS Realty Trust in a deal valued at roughly $10 billion. Since then, QTS’s leased capacity has expanded 14-fold. Blackstone Chief Executive Officer Steve Schwarzman said the “historic pace of investment” to develop AI is the “key driver of economic growth today and is creating an enormous need for capital solutions.”
The timing aligns with accelerating shifts in commercial real estate. Just last week, we detailed the ongoing AI takeover with server-farm projects now outpacing traditional office builds nationwide for the first time ever.
AI Takeover Complete: Data Center Construction Surpasses Office Construction For The First Time https://t.co/g5WxE9glY3
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) February 27, 2026
There was also a recent meeting at the White House between some of the heads of major tech companies and President Trump who pledged their data centers won’t boost electricity bills.
*TRUMP: TELLING BIG TECH THEY NEED TO PROVIDE THEIR OWN POWER
*TRUMP: NEGOTIATED NEW RATE PAYER PLEDGE ON DATA CENTER ENERGY
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) February 25, 2026
For retail investors, the vehicle offers exposure to the “picks and shovels” of AI without needing to pick individual tech winners. Blackstone’s track record with QTS suggests strong underlying fundamentals, but broader challenges persist around power availability and potential construction delays. The recent report from MacroEdge shows January 2026 already setting records for data center cancellations and postponements.
Tyler Durden
Tue, 03/03/2026 – 14:05
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/blackstone-launching-public-vehicle-data-center-acquisitions
