IJR News

Russia and Ukraine Open First US-Mediated Talks in Nine Months — 3dThe Trump administration expressed cautious optimism ahead of the first direct Russia-Ukraine talks since February, scheduled in Abu Dhabi, with President Donald Trump saying a breakthrough is possible. The sides remain divided over territory and Ukraine’s security guarantees, and Ukrainian officials cautioned that an immediate deal is unlikely.

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Sam Okafor These talks are overdue but the gaps on territory and security mean real progress will be slow at best.

Coca-Cola Caravan Plans Nationwide Holiday TourBusiness — 2dCoca-Cola’s illuminated Holiday Caravan is making stops across the country, offering seasonal activities and photo opportunities with Santa or the Coca-Cola polar bear. Stops are planned in Maryland, Ohio, and Middle Tennessee, with events and schedules varying by location.

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NBA Games Scheduled Across November 11 SlateSports — 2dOrlando is favored by 4.5 points on the road against Utah, which is trying to snap a nine-game losing streak. Both previews favor the Magic, citing their recent improvement and strong road record against the spread alongside Utah’s struggles to cover.

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Sabres Seek to Extend Streak Against Slumping Blackhawks — 1dThe Buffalo Sabres visit the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, Nov. 12, with the game scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+; Buffalo’s and Chicago’s regional broadcasts are listed as MSG-B and CHSN. Chicago is trying to end a six-game losing streak, while Buffalo won the teams’ previous meeting 4-3; Tage Thompson and Connor Bedard are among the players to watch.

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Chattanooga visits Elon after facing Louisville and Penn StateSports — 1dChattanooga visits Elon on Friday for an early-season test after opening with a difficult schedule that included road games at Louisville and Penn State; Elon enters with wins over UNCG and Columbia. The Phoenix went 14-18 last season, while the Mocs finished 13-19.

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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.

40 Teams Open Louisiana State Volleyball TournamentSports — 23hThe LHSAA state volleyball tournament opened Thursday at Lafayette’s Cajundome, with top seeds including St. Thomas More, Westminster, Dunham and University High advancing after quarterfinal wins. Semifinal matches were scheduled for Friday, with state title matches set for Saturday.

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La Crosse County Clears Midterm Canvass With No Discrepancies FoundPolitics — 3dWorthington school officials certified Adam Blume, Eugenio Lopez and Gretchen A. O’Donnell as winners of three board seats. La Crosse County reported no discrepancies in its midterm canvass, and Kanawha County completed its general-election canvass; Guthrie County supervisors were scheduled to review and canvass results.

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Former Death-Row Inmate Glossip Pleads to Accessory ChargeWorld — 19hRichard Glossip pleaded guilty to accessory to murder after the fact in the 1997 killing of Oklahoma motel owner Barry Van Treese, and prosecutors dropped the murder charge, averting a third trial. The plea closes a case that kept Glossip on death row for decades before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction; sentencing is scheduled to begin Dec. 17.

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Derek Foss Glossip's plea to accessory after so many years on death row feels like the right compromise to finally settle this case.

Corpus Christi Council Backs Ban on Short-Term Rentals in HomesPolitics — 2dCorpus Christi’s City Council voted to advance a ban on short-term rentals in single-family neighborhoods, responding to residents’ complaints about noise, parking and disruptions and doubts that stricter rules could be enforced. Rentals would remain allowed in multifamily areas, and the council is scheduled to take a final vote on the proposal Nov. 17; the changes would take effect in 2027 if approved.

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2026 Cheer Championships Set Across Four StatesSports — 2dSeveral 2026 cheer and dance competitions are scheduled for December, including events in Orlando, Worcester and Las Vegas, with teams competing for championship bids and league-ranking points; the events will stream on Varsity TV. Colorado has also posted a tentative schedule for its Dec. 10–12 state spirit championships, listing performance and check-in times for 258 teams.

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Louisiana Postpones UNC-Wilmington Game Over Player ShortageSports — 17hLouisiana postponed its men’s basketball game against UNC-Wilmington because illness and other absences left the Ragin’ Cajuns without enough available players. The teams plan to reschedule the nonconference matchup.

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Jared Kim Tough break for Louisiana, but postponing makes sense when they can't field a full roster due to illness.

Quentin Tarantino vs Martin ScorseseYourlist — VS BattleThe video store savant versus the film-school don — two visions of American violence, guilt, and cool.

Local councils schedule hearings on rates, taxesPolitics — 2dLocal governments in Washington, Illinois and Oregon are weighing public input on proposed utility rate increases, a school tax levy increase and a city personnel matter. Salem officials are also debating a proposed data-center moratorium, alongside plans for a December hearing on water, wastewater and stormwater rates.

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Groundbreakings span housing, community centers, servicesLifestyle — 3dGroundbreakings are underway or scheduled for several community projects: Fort Wayne’s Victory Gardens will add 74 affordable homes, Fort Worth is replacing its Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center with a multipurpose facility and aquatic complex, and Ray County is building a larger administrative and skills-development center. In Miami-Dade, leaders and the family of Sgt. La David T. Johnson also marked the start of construction on veterans’ villas named in his honor.

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DeSantis signs death warrant for Florida’s scheduled 22nd execution — 2dFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant for Willie Seth Crain, 80, convicted in the 1998 killing of 7-year-old Amanda Brown; his execution is scheduled for Dec. 10. The warrant comes amid Florida’s record-setting execution pace, prompting death-penalty opponents, including people exonerated from death row, to urge a pause, while governor-elect Byron Donalds has voiced support for swift punishment of violent criminals.

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Bucks-Knicks, Jazz-Heat Games Scheduled Tuesday — 3dThe surging New York Knicks host the struggling Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday as heavy favorites, with New York riding a three-game winning streak and Milwaukee mired in a six-game skid. Coverage highlights Milwaukee’s absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo and differing views on whether the Bucks can keep the game within the large spread.

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Pick a food for every letter and the AI reveals your futureQuizie — QuizA to (almost) Z, one delicious decision at a time. At the end, the AI reads your feast like tea leaves and tells your fortune.

Firearms Trainer Pleads Guilty in Soldier’s DeathWorld — 1dSean Stark, a former Letterkenny Army Depot firearms instructor, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Army reservist Krystofer Lopez during training that prosecutors said was conducted with gross negligence. Stark faces up to eight years in prison; Lopez’s family said the plea and potential sentence do not provide justice, and sentencing is scheduled for February 2027.

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ICE Takes Haitian Boy Into Custody After San Diego Immigration Check-InWorld — 6dAn 8-year-old Haitian boy was taken into ICE custody after attending a scheduled immigration appointment in San Diego with the uncle who had cared for him since his father’s deportation. Federal officials said the uncle could not establish legal guardianship and placed the child in federal care; school officials and community advocates condemned the separation and raised concerns about the boy’s whereabouts and well-being.

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Theaters schedule Veterans Day screenings nationwideEntertainment — 2dCommunities marked Veterans Day with ceremonies and movie events, including free screenings for veterans and active-duty personnel in Sanford, Ann Arbor and Waynesboro. Springfield’s State Theater hosted a ticketed screening and Marine Corps birthday program, with proceeds benefiting veterans and their families.

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Fed drops October 2027 policy decision — 20hThe Federal Reserve’s tentative 2027 calendar replaces the October rate-setting meeting with a session devoted to long-term monetary strategy, leaving seven scheduled policy decisions. The change is intended to allow more time for strategic discussion and fuller data review, and the calendar revision itself does not signal a shift in interest-rate policy.

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Maya Lindstrom I doubt this change signals anything major on rates but it does reduce chances for timely tweaks.

Inaugural Austin Championship Set for $6 Million Purse — 6dThe inaugural Austin Championship, a 72-hole PGA Tour event scheduled for Nov. 12-15 at Omni Barton Creek, features a $6 million purse and a field led by Max Homa, Austin Smotherman and other tour winners. Players are competing for FedExCup points and a place in the top 100 to secure 2027 playing privileges, while four golfers can earn spots through Monday’s open qualifier.

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FoodieLand Sets 2027 Dates for Festivals in Five CitiesLifestyle — 1dFoodieLand announced a 2027 spring tour across Phoenix, Austin, Houston, Dallas and Oklahoma City, with three-day festivals featuring more than 250 food and merchandise vendors, thousands of food offerings, live music and family activities. The events are scheduled from March 19 through April 25.

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Southeast Construction Employers Recruit Project Managers and SuperintendentsBusiness — 2dConstruction firms are recruiting project managers and superintendents for industrial, multifamily, healthcare and life-sciences projects across the Southeast. Roles include managing MEP scopes, overseeing job-site schedules and budgets, and delivering a 220-unit multifamily development in downtown Spartanburg.

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Dothan Man Held on $22,000 Bond for Troy Vehicle Break-Ins and Debit FraudAuto — 2dA 24-year-old Dothan man was arrested in connection with multiple vehicle break-ins in Troy and accused of fraudulently using a debit card. He faces five vehicle break-in counts and three debit-card fraud counts, with $22,000 total bond, and also has a pending vehicle break-in charge in Ozark.

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Marcus Bell A pending case in Ozark for the same thing shows he won't stop on his own. The courts need to treat this as a repeat pattern.

Lidl Opens Two Stores, Plans MoreBusiness — 6dLidl is expanding across the U.S. and the U.K., with a second Baltimore store scheduled to open Dec. 16 and a Silver Spring location planned for a former Amazon Fresh site. In the U.K., a proposed Paisley store could create 40 jobs, while a new Stockport location has opened.

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