IJR News

Macklemore’s Free Palestine tour sells out after Sheeran split — Sep 30, 2026Macklemore says his three-show “Free Palestine” tour in Dublin, Paris and London sold out, with proceeds set to support organizations aiding Palestinians. The shows follow his removal from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour after pro-Palestinian remarks; accounts differ over who drove that decision, amid venue objections and criticism of his comments.

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EU Urges US Reconsider Palestinian UN Visa Ban — Sep 17, 2026The European Union has urged the United States to rethink its decision to deny entry visas to Palestinian Authority officials ahead of the UN General Assembly, citing the host country’s obligations and the importance of Palestine’s full participation, with Abbas set to address the gathering via prerecorded video after again being denied a visa. The push from Brussels, echoed by UN leaders, comes as the UN votes to allow Abbas to appear virtually and as visa restrictions continue to strain diplomacy surrounding the New York gathering.

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Netanyahu Defends Iran Strike at U.N. — Sep 22, 2026Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan used his UN General Assembly addresses to condemn Israel’s actions in Gaza as the world’s largest graveyard for children and a concentration camp, citing mass injuries, ongoing siege conditions, and settler violence in the West Bank while urging recognition of Palestine and international pressure on Israel. He also highlighted the absence of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas due to a US visa denial and framed the Gaza crisis as a broader humanitarian and regional accountability issue that demands coordinated action to prevent escalation and ensure aid access.

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Macklemore Announces ‘Free Palestine’ Tour — Sep 23, 2026After Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour following his pro-Palestinian remarks, resale prices for Sheeran’s upcoming Massachusetts shows fell about 14%–15%, while activists planned protests; reporting cautions that prices often decline as concerts approach. Macklemore, meanwhile, is set to perform a solo show at Red Rocks, where resale tickets have surged in price.

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Canada Announces $100M Aid for Palestine — Sep 22, 2026Carney pledged $100M new aid for Palestinians at UNGA, topping $600M since 2023, and condemned Israel's 3,401-unit E1 settlement plan.

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Jared Kim Signaling tariffs on settlement goods is a practical step toward keeping two states viable.

AP Top 25 College Football TeamsRankingCollege football fans argue endlessly over which programs deserve the top spots in the AP Poll based on wins, schedule strength, and legacy.

West Bank Settlements Expand a Year After Palestinian State Recognition — Sep 17, 2026A year after Western powers recognized a Palestinian state, ground realities have deteriorated as Israeli settlement expansion increases, Palestinian movement is restricted, and the Palestinian Authority is weakened. International responses remain divided while efforts to preserve a two-state solution confront obstacles from plans like Israel's E1 development and ongoing violence, with voices from the Philippines and Amnesty International highlighting urgency to halt actions that threaten viability of a future Palestinian state.

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Israeli Strikes Kill Palestinians Across GazaWorld — Sep 27, 2026Palestinian health officials report continued Israeli attacks in Gaza despite the October 2025 ceasefire, with deaths and injuries reported in strikes across the territory, including the killing of an eight-year-old boy. They say Israel’s campaign since October 2023 has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, while over 1,400 have been killed since the ceasefire began.

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Macklemore Pledges $1 Million for Palestinian Relief — Sep 16, 2026Macklemore pledged his $1M Loop Tour earnings to six Palestinian relief groups, saying "Palestinian lives are worth protecting," and invited Kraft to match; Kraft pledged $2M after a Sheeran call.

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Derek Foss Macklemore donating his full tour earnings directly to those six groups sets a strong example for other artists.

Israeli attacks kill one, wound journalistsWorld — 22hReports detail continuing risks to journalists covering Gaza, including Israeli attacks that killed one person and wounded journalists, and the killing of Palestinian journalist Saleh Aljafarawi, whose death CPJ attributed to an armed Palestinian group while his father alleged the gunmen cooperated with Israel. The coverage also reflects sharp disputes over Israel’s conduct: a U.N. inquiry member acknowledged its genocide finding was based on “reasonable grounds,” while a British journalist said Israeli officials questioned him about the genocide allegation before briefly denying him entry.

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Palestinian Elections Postponed to September 2027 — 5dPalestinian factions are moving toward postponing legislative elections scheduled for Nov. 28, with Islamic Jihad saying an agreement was reached in Cairo while Fatah says the timing remains under discussion and no final decision is confirmed. The proposed delay reflects severe voting and security challenges in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as efforts to revive dialogue between rival factions; reports differ on whether a new date has been set or the vote would be delayed for a year.

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Turnstile Plans Free Concert for Palestine, Sudan, LebanonMusic — 5dTurnstile will play a free outdoor concert near the Washington Monument on the National Mall on October 24, with donations supporting Human Concern International’s humanitarian relief efforts in Palestine, Sudan and Lebanon. The event is part of the band’s ongoing tradition of pairing free shows with charitable fundraising.

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Most Influential Women in World HistoryYourlist — RankingFrom ancient queens who ruled empires to modern activists who changed laws, these women left indelible marks on politics, science, and culture. Vote for who you think shaped history most profoundly.

Three Years After October 7, Conflict’s Effects PersistWorld — Oct 2, 2026A year after the Gaza ceasefire began, continued attacks, displacement and widespread destruction have left Palestinians far from recovery; Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa says the war has devastated the economy and calls for reconstruction. Hamas’s agreement to decommission its weapons and transfer governing responsibilities under a proposed roadmap marks a strategic shift, but Israel has rejected moving forward, citing doubts about the group’s intentions.

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Settlers Attack Palestinians, Enter Al-Aqsa CompoundWorld — Sep 30, 2026Israeli settlers have carried out escalating attacks in the occupied West Bank, including a shooting that killed one Palestinian and injured another, as well as assaults on activists accompanying farmers; Israeli forces were also reported conducting raids and seizing a home. Separately, Egypt and the Arab League condemned large groups of settlers entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during Sukkot and performing religious rituals, warning that the actions could undermine the site’s longstanding status quo and fuel tensions.

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West Bank spring diverted without authorization to ancient Herod pool — Sep 26, 2026Israeli settlers diverted water from a spring serving the Palestinian village of Fasayil to fill a nearby ancient pool promoted as a tourist attraction, damaging Palestinian farmland. The land is reported to be privately owned, and Israel’s COGAT agency acknowledged the diversion was unauthorized and said it would investigate, amid broader efforts to control West Bank springs and heritage sites.

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Derek Foss This unauthorized diversion shows how hard it is for locals to protect their own resources when rules get ignored.

Macklemore announces 'Free Palestine' tour after Ed Sheeran removal — Sep 24, 2026Macklemore set Free Palestine dates in Dublin, Paris and London after a Sheeran-tour drop, pledging about $1M and saying the billionaire class should not decide who gets a stage.

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Sam Okafor Macklemore turning the removal into his own tour with proceeds going to help is a smart response to the situation.

Toy Story vs ShrekYourlist — VS BattleThe toy box vs the swamp: two animation revolutions, one inevitable playground argument.

US Again Denies Abbas Visa Ahead of UN Assembly — Sep 16, 2026The United States again denied entry visas to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and dozens of his officials for the UN General Assembly, forcing Abbas to address the gathering virtually for a second year in a row. Washington cited deviations from US law and failure to reform by Ramallah as grounds for the visa bans, while the Palestinian mission pushed a virtual address and sought to keep the UN gathering on schedule.

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Tom Gallagher A virtual speech again this year just highlights how little trust exists between Washington and Ramallah right now.

Israeli President Pardons Soldier in Palestinian Killing — Sep 19, 2026Herzog pardoned Elor Azaria on Sept. 19, 2026, clearing the record for the 2016 Hebron head-shot killing of wounded Palestinian Abdel Fattah al-Sharif; the IDF chief had opposed it over lack of remorse.

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Jared Kim This pardon overlooks how the soldier shot a wounded Palestinian without justification and weakens military discipline overall.

Three Openers Withdraw From Sheeran Tour Over Palestine — Sep 14, 2026Macklemore was removed and several opening acts—Finneas, Aaron Rowe, and Beoga—withdraw from Ed Sheeran's The Loop tour in solidarity with Palestine, highlighting coordinated artist protests over Gaza. Advocacy groups and critics urge Sheeran to cancel or rethink the tour amid pressure from pro-Israel donors, fueling a broader backlash against the event.

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Sam Okafor Sheeran should cancel the tour dates if his openers are this united against performing amid the Gaza conflict.

Colombia Opens Jerusalem Embassy, Restores Israel Ties — 2dColombia opened its embassy in Jerusalem, becoming the 10th country to do so, as President Abelardo de la Espriella reverses his predecessor’s rupture with Israel and restores diplomatic and trade ties. The move drew praise from Israeli officials but underscores the disputed status of Jerusalem, which most countries say should be resolved through Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

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Christian Teacher Sues UK School Over DismissalPolitics — 2dAnita Meston is suing Biddick Academy in northeast England, alleging religious discrimination after her contract was terminated following classroom answers about her Christian pro-life views and the Israel-Palestine conflict. Meston says she responded only to students’ questions; the school said it was concerned her comments could cause pupils harm or distress, and her claim is proceeding to an Employment Tribunal hearing.

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Dinosaur Exhibits Span US MuseumsScience — 4dMuseums and attractions across the U.S. are drawing visitors with dinosaur exhibits, from lifelike robotic giants and interactive fossil activities to miniature, science-focused dioramas and fossil displays. The offerings combine family entertainment with paleontology education, while institutions such as Montana’s Museum of the Rockies also highlight major fossil collections and research.

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Gaza Photographer Wins Bayeux Prize for Third Straight YearEntertainment — 3dGaza photographer Mahmoud Abu Hamda won Bayeux’s Nikon prize for the third straight year by a Palestinian working inside Gaza, appearing only by video.

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Israeli Strikes Kill Five in Gaza City — Oct 4, 2026An Israeli airstrike on an apartment building in Gaza City killed Palestinian Christian mother Maysa Abu Daoud and her daughter Mary, along with three other people. The women had recently left a church shelter; Pope Leo XIV and church leaders mourned their deaths, while Hamas also expressed condolences to Gaza’s Christian community.

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US Charity Plans AI Classroom Monitoring in GazaTech — 5dGaza Children Village, a U.S. charity operating schools in Gaza, plans to record classroom audio and use AI to flag speech it classifies as hateful, antisemitic or inciting, with alerts sent to its founder for follow-up with teachers. The charity says the system is intended to support lessons promoting peace and tolerance, while Palestinian groups, advocates and a partner have raised concerns about privacy, surveillance, free expression and local control of education.

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