IJR News

French School Protests Disrupt Hundreds; Teen Loses Hand — Oct 5, 2026A 15-year-old lost a hand in Lens on Oct. 5 when a police stun grenade detonated during France school protests that closed 400-500 high schools.

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District 2 Doubles Semifinalists SetSports — 2dTop-seeded teams advanced to the semifinals of the District 2 girls doubles championships, including Abington Heights’ Amishi Amit-Sammy Rosenstein in Class 3A and Scranton Prep’s Lily Lengel-Adithi Velaga in Class 2A. The semifinals and finals are scheduled for Kirby Park, with the district champions earning spots in the PIAA championships.

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Bloomia reports $11.2M loss on $48.1M revenue after tulip shiftFinance — Sep 21, 2026Bloomia Holdings rebranded from Lendway to Bloomia, realigned its fiscal year to June 30 to fit seasonal tulip operations, and pursued a strategic shift into specialty tulip agriculture after acquiring fresh-cut tulip capabilities in 2024 while discontinuing lending and in-store marketing. For FY2026, it posted about $48.1 million in revenue with a $11.2 million net loss driven by a $13.2 million non-cash impairment and industry-wide mite-related waste, while debt fell roughly 36% to $21.7 million; a rights offering raised $12.1 million to reduce debt and management is trimming costs and expecting margin gains from price increases and mite-control measures.

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Rachel Meyers Cutting debt by over a third through the rights offering was smart, gives them a better shot at stabilizing the tulip side.

U.S. Banks Raise Prime Rate to 7% — Sep 16, 2026U.S. Bancorp, Fifth Third Bank, and other large U.S. lenders have raised their prime lending rates to 7.00% from 6.75%, with U.S. Bank setting the new level to take effect on September 17, 2026 and others moving in after the Federal Reserve’s rate hike. The changes are designed to lift banks’ net interest income but may raise borrowing costs for consumers and businesses, even as executives express optimism about the economy.

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Dana Whitfield This rate hike will squeeze borrowers just when the economy needs stability most.

NASA Shares Hubble’s Gravitationally Lensed Cosmic Smile — 2dNASA highlighted a Hubble image of galaxy cluster SDSS J1038+4849 that resembles a smiling face: its bright galaxies form the “eyes,” while gravitational lensing creates the curved arcs that look like a grin. The phenomenon, caused by massive objects bending light, also helps astronomers study distant galaxies and map dark matter.

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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.

Arabian Crown Wins Canadian International by 3¾ Lengths — Oct 3, 2026Arabian Crown won the Grade 1 Canadian International at Woodbine by 3¾ lengths in his North American debut, Godolphin’s record fifth win in the race.

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Jared Kim Arabian Crown's big margin on debut makes him look like a serious contender for bigger targets next year.

IMF concludes review, backs adaptable lending reformsFinance — Sep 24, 2026The IMF’s 2026 review calls for lending programs that are more realistic and adaptable, factoring in countries’ implementation capacity, credible economic assumptions and risks such as recurring shocks, with stronger contingency planning and a pilot strategy to prioritize structural reforms. Fiscal adjustment remains important, but the IMF says it should be feasible and growth-conscious, with attention to vulnerable households and caution against applying front-loaded cuts as a blanket prescription.

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Lena Dunham Welcomes First Child via Surrogate — Sep 23, 2026Lena Dunham and husband Luis Felber welcomed their first child, a daughter, via surrogate after Dunham’s fertility challenges. The couple, who married in 2021, also marked their fifth wedding anniversary, with Dunham sharing a loving tribute to Felber and reflecting on becoming a mother.

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Credit Acceptance Agrees to $710 Million Auto-Lending Settlement — Sep 17, 2026Credit Acceptance agreed to a roughly $710 million multistate auto-lending settlement, with $634 million in debt forgiveness for more than 55,000 borrowers and no admission of liability.

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Rachel Meyers Forgiving that much debt shows how many of these loans were unaffordable from the start.

Lena Dunham Welcomes Daughter Via Surrogate — Sep 16, 2026Lena Dunham and Luis Felber welcomed a daughter via surrogate 13 days past due; her first words were "I'm your mama."

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Priya Raman Those first words from Lena sound like a heartfelt start to motherhood after going the surrogate route.

Gilead and PAHO expand twice-yearly lenacapavir access to 14 nations outside licensing deals — Sep 15, 2026On Sept. 16, 2026 Gilead and PAHO agreed to put twice-yearly lenacapavir HIV PrEP within reach of 14 nations outside voluntary licensing deals.

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Priya Raman This should help bring down infection rates faster in places that need it most, especially with the twice-yearly dosing.

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.

Mavericks plan to keep Irving with Flagg — 2dThe Mavericks say they plan to keep Kyrie Irving alongside young star Cooper Flagg, despite rival executives’ doubts about the fit given Dallas’ roster needs and the players’ different career timelines. Irving has returned from a lengthy ACL recovery, and the team is now working to build its on-court chemistry around the pairing.

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EU proposes delaying methane import standardsEnvironment — 1dThe European Commission has proposed delaying EU methane rules for fossil-fuel imports, citing energy-security concerns and pressure from industry and governments; accounts differ on the length, ranging from a one-year postponement to a later 2029 compliance deadline. Fossil-fuel groups want a longer delay, while environmental advocates and center-left lawmakers warn against weakening the climate law.

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Kansas publishes STAR bond boundaries for Chiefs stadium projectSports — 1dKansas published boundaries for a STAR Bonds District spanning Kansas City, Bonner Springs, Edwardsville, Shawnee, Lenexa and Olathe, where incremental state sales-tax revenue will help finance a new Chiefs stadium in Wyandotte County and team facilities in Olathe. The map excludes the KU Medical Center area, a mostly vacant part of Shawnee and existing STAR bond districts; the announcement came amid a Wyandotte County lawsuit raising concerns about the state sports authority’s local control.

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Marcus Bell That lawsuit over local control is worth watching, since state sports bonds shouldn't override city input so easily.

Spring 2027 Runway Collections Highlight Tiny Tops and Knee-Length SkirtsLifestyle — 2dThe articles cover unrelated fashion and retail topics: a Regatta bodywarmer promotion, Spring/Summer 2027 runway trends, a retail ETF investment pitch, Boots’ Christmas beauty showcase, and a Pueblo holiday fashion fundraiser benefiting children’s clothing assistance.

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New York Pizza vs Chicago Deep DishYourlist — VS BattleThe foldable slice versus the fork-and-knife casserole — America's longest-running food fight.

Real Madrid, Roma Set for Champions League Clash — 2dJosé Mourinho returns to Rome with Real Madrid, where Roma fans still revere him for leading the club to the 2022 Conference League title and the following season’s Europa League final. Madrid seek to build on their Champions League opening win amid uneven domestic form, while Roma are back in the competition after a lengthy absence.

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Teen charged in fatal North Carolina homecoming shootingWorld — 4dA 16-year-old has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Michael Cowling Jr. at a crowded high school homecoming party in Lenoir, North Carolina. Investigators say the case remains active, and the suspect’s identity is being withheld because of his age.

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Mortgage AI launches expand training, loan automationTech — 2dMortgage Lab has launched a free UK community offering mortgage advisers practical AI training and guidance tailored to regulated advice, as reported AI adoption among advisers has risen sharply. Separately, nCino introduced an AI-powered productivity suite for mortgage loan officers, designed to automate routine tasks and provide institution-specific guidance; lenders including Educated Mortgage and Security National Financial are adopting or preparing to deploy it.

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US Student Loan Rules Set to Tighten in 2026Finance — 5dLoan rules and costs are changing across several markets: U.S. federal student borrowing limits and repayment options are set for major revisions in 2026, while personal-loan rates in India vary widely by lender and fees. Elsewhere, South Carolina approved business loans at 4% with repayment terms of up to 30 years, and a Greek proposal would generally cap overdue-loan balances at three times the original principal.

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Publications Rank Five Songs Among All-Time Greats — 6dSeveral landmark songs continue to earn top honors: John Lennon’s “Imagine” and the Beatles’ “Yesterday” have been ranked among the greatest songs ever, while James Brown’s “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” and Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” are celebrated for their lasting musical impact. Boygenius’ “Not Strong Enough” has also joined classic collaborations on a list of the greatest supergroup songs.

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Lena Broussard Cookbook Shows How Roux Color Affects Gumbo FlavorLifestyle — 4dSal’s Gumbo Shack, a longtime North Long Beach Cajun kitchen, draws local diners for gumbo and other Louisiana comfort food. A newly announced home-cooking guide, *Cajun Gumbo at Home*, teaches adaptable gumbo basics, with particular emphasis on roux stages, technique, and troubleshooting.

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Officials Schedule Open Houses on Housatonic Cleanup and Water ProjectsEnvironment — 6dCommunities in Lenox, Chennai, Columbia and Charlottesville are being invited to open houses or public meetings on local concerns, including the Housatonic River cleanup plan, water and sewer complaints, road and sidewalk projects, and water-main replacement. The events offer residents opportunities to review plans, ask questions or submit feedback.

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Northeast Stabbing Cases Include Fatality, Critical ToddlerWorld — 6dNelson Blanco, 46, is charged with attempted-murder-related offenses after allegedly stabbing a mother and her 2-year-old daughter in Providence; the child remains in critical condition, while her mother was treated and released. Police say Blanco admitted to the attack, whose motive is unclear, and authorities have highlighted his lengthy criminal history, including a prior accusation involving two children.

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Record US Farm Debt May Exceed $605 Billion — 6dUSDA projects record U.S. farm debt of $605.1 billion in 2026 and says nontraditional lending may leave the true total higher; a 2024 study put some equipment debt up to four times official estimates.

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