IJR News

OpenAI Employee Charged in Recorder Case — 20hOpenAI engineer Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, was arrested Oct. 9 after a device hidden in toilet paper on a conference-room TV USB port was found Sept. 30.

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Priya Raman They caught him fast after finding it, which shows OpenAI is watching their internal setup closely now.

FBI Nabs Saudi National Accused Of Hiding Bug In Toilet Paper To Spy On AI Giant’s Inner SanctumTech — 22mA Saudi artificial intelligence engineer is facing federal charges after allegedly planting a bug inside one of America's top technology labs.

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Your focus was stolen by design, not weak willpower — 2dAnyone who cannot finish a book or hold a thought will find Hari’s case that distraction is engineered into tech, work, and childhood—not a private character flaw.

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Sam Okafor I used to blame myself for losing interest in books halfway through, but realizing how work tools and apps are built to pull attention constantly changes how I see it.

Engineer Sentenced 32 Months for Bitcoin ExtortionBusiness — Oct 6, 2026Former infrastructure engineer Daniel Rhyne was sentenced to 32 months in prison after pleading guilty to sabotaging his New Jersey employer’s network and demanding 20 bitcoin, then worth about $750,000. Using privileged access, he deleted administrator accounts and changed passwords across thousands of devices, locking employees out and threatening further damage if the ransom was not paid.

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Students worldwide pursue space science initiativesScience — 2dStudents in several countries are gaining hands-on experience in space science and engineering, through programs ranging from designing Mars missions and space settlements to competitions building space-system models. One U.S. college team is also sending a student-designed lubricant experiment to the International Space Station, while other initiatives aim to inspire young people and prepare them for future STEM careers.

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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.

Apollo Software Pioneer Margaret Hamilton Dies at 90 — 6dMargaret Hamilton, Apollo flight-software leader who coined software engineering and whose code handled the 1969 moon-landing alarm, has died at 90.

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DOE Engineer Charged in Houthi Support Case — Oct 1, 2026DOE electrical engineer Ashton Hamed Ellaboudy, 51, of Richland, Washington, was arrested Thursday on a charge of attempted material support to the Houthis and faces up to 20 years.

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Rachel Meyers Richland is too close to key sites for anyone in his role to get mixed up in something like this.

DOE engineer charged in alleged Houthi material support — Oct 2, 2026A Richland Energy Department engineer faces up to 20 years after the FBI alleges overseas travel, explosive precursors, drone parts, and technical aid to an Iran-backed terrorist group.

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Nicole Hardy Anyone supplying drone parts and technical help to an Iran-backed group like that should face the full twenty years without parole.

Report Details Tech Firms Access to Trump Officials via Health Slack Workspace — 5dCMS AI chief Jacob Shiff told tech firms in February the agency could be a "sales engine" for health apps; a 1,700-member CMS Slack linked industry to Trump health officials, KFF found.

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NTSB report details final moments before Chatsworth news helicopter crash — Oct 6, 2026NTSB: warning horns and changing engine sounds marked the last 29 seconds before the Sept. 15 Chatsworth news helicopter crash that killed three.

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Apple CEO Ternus eyes engineering-led overhaul, report says — Sep 29, 2026Apple cut hardware engineering program managers over two weeks, hitting roughly half a dozen directors, as new CEO Ternus weighs faster releases and fewer management layers, Bloomberg reports.

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Priya Raman Reducing layers at Apple could finally speed up their hardware cycles without losing engineering focus.

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.

Naples Flooding Strands 22 Cars, Roads ClearWeather — 6dHeavy rain flooded downtown Naples, Florida, stranding vehicles and prompting towing crews to remove dozens of cars; police reported 26 flooded-vehicle calls and 22 tows. The water receded and roads reopened by Thursday, though owners faced potential costly engine and electrical damage.

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SpaceX Starship Reaches Orbit Despite Engine Failure — Sep 28, 2026SpaceX Starship Flight 14 reached Earth orbit for the first time Monday despite a Raptor 3 engine shutting down mid-ascent after mission control gave the go-ahead.

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Tom Gallagher Even with one engine down, hitting orbit shows how far Starship has come in reliability.

Laredo Declares Emergency After Hotel FireWorld — Oct 7, 2026A fire at Laredo’s DoubleTree hotel on Oct. 7 forced an evacuation of more than 100 guests; no deaths were reported, though several people were treated for smoke inhalation. The building remains structurally unsafe, keeping investigators out and preventing guests from retrieving belongings, while the hotel’s independent owner says it has hired a structural engineer and is arranging stabilization.

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Public safety workers honored across regionsHealth — 6dFire departments and public-safety organizations in Central Minnesota, Champaign, Saginaw Township and Norfolk recognized firefighters, emergency personnel and community members for service, bravery and contributions to public safety. Champaign’s awards included firefighter, engineer and officer of the year honors and Medals of Valor, while Norfolk also recognized decades of service and workplace well-being efforts.

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

Students in Scotland, Arkansas Contact ISS AstronautsScience — Oct 6, 2026Students at schools in Scotland and Arkansas used the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station program to speak live with Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk during brief ISS flyovers. The conversations let students ask about spaceflight and life in orbit, and grew out of efforts to engage them in science, technology, engineering and math.

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Five people remembered in regional obituary noticesLifestyle — Oct 6, 2026Obituaries announced the deaths of Earl T. Marsillett, James D. Yates, John P. Craig, Murray G. Rhodes and Donald R. Losee. Craig was known for his family welding business and John Deere tractor restorations, while Rhodes was an engineer, entrepreneur and Air National Guard veteran; the notices also named survivors for each man.

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CU Denver plans India’s first US public campusBusiness — Oct 6, 2026The University of Colorado Denver has received a letter of intent from India’s University Grants Commission to establish a degree-granting campus in Hyderabad, becoming the first U.S. public university approved to do so in India. The campus plans to welcome its first students in August 2027, offering programs in business, computing, engineering and analytics with an emphasis on applied learning and career readiness.

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Sea-Doo R&D Center Tests Watercraft at 600-Acre SiteTech — Oct 5, 2026Sea Cloud II offers a small-ship sailing experience centered on traditional tall-ship atmosphere and modern comforts. Separately, BRP’s Florida design and engineering center is developing future Sea-Doo watercraft through years of prototyping and testing.

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Figure gives F.02 robots fiery Terminator farewell in Finland — Oct 4, 2026California robotics company Figure retired its F.02 humanoid robots by melting them at a Finnish steel foundry, turning the disposal into a dramatic farewell inspired by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s suggestion. Figure said the approach protected proprietary technology and spared engineers from dismantling the machines as it shifts to newer models.

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Arkansas suspends mowing in drought areas over wildfire riskEnvironment — Oct 3, 2026Arkansas transportation officials are pausing fall roadside mowing in areas facing severe or extreme drought to reduce the risk of starting wildfires. District engineers will monitor local conditions and determine when mowing can safely resume, with crews instructed to take added precautions.

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Wave-Shaped Designs Cut Building Wind Pressures Up to 60%Science — Oct 6, 2026Florida State University researchers found that wave-shaped walls and roofs on low-rise buildings can reduce peak hurricane-wind pressures near vulnerable corners by 40% to 60% in wind-tunnel tests. The design could offer engineers a way to improve wind resilience through building shape, alongside conventional measures such as stronger materials and rounded corners.

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NC Ports Seek Pause in Wilmington Harbor ExpansionEnvironment — Oct 5, 2026North Carolina’s Ports Authority has asked the Army Corps of Engineers to pause consideration of a proposed $1.3 billion Wilmington Harbor deepening, saying more research is needed on environmental risks, particularly possible PFAS contamination in dredged sediment. The authority acknowledges the project’s potential economic benefits, while federal officials say next steps will be determined by the Army’s civil works office and Congress.

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Giants GM who engineered Eli Manning trade Ernie Accorsi dies at 84 — Sep 20, 2026Ernie Accorsi, the Giants GM who engineered the Eli Manning trade and hired Tom Coughlin, died at 84; the team said he passed peacefully Saturday with family.

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