IJR News

Watchdog clears Powell of misconduct in Fed renovation with rising costs — 3dFed OIG’s 120-page report finds no criminal or administrative misconduct by Jerome Powell as HQ renovation costs hit an estimated $2.5 billion.

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Jared Kim The clearance makes sense given the details, but someone needs to account for why those expenses kept climbing without better oversight.

Millions of Cancer Cases Linked to Infections Worldwide, Study Finds — 1dAn estimated 2.3 million cancer cases worldwide in 2024 were linked to infections, accounting for roughly one in eight new cancer diagnoses, according to a new analysis from the In… — by Andrew Powell

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Marcus Bell It's a reminder that treating chronic infections early might prevent a huge share of future cancer diagnoses.

Stifel Cuts Scotts Miracle-Gro Target to $75Finance — 5dStifel cut its price target on Scotts Miracle-Gro to $75 but maintained a buy rating; analysts overall remain moderately bullish, and the company’s latest quarterly earnings beat expectations. Shares have recently fallen sharply, though GuruFocus estimates they trade below its fair-value estimate while warning of financial-strength and business risks.

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Carnival results lift Norwegian cruise stock 5 percent — 4dCarnival shares jumped 12% on Sept. 29, 2026 after $1.43 adjusted EPS beat estimates; CEO Josh Weinstein said Americans now treat vacations as sacrosanct.

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Derek Foss Norwegian getting a lift from a rival's strong numbers shows the whole cruise sector is recovering nicely.

Cracker Barrel Shares Rise 7.8% in OctoberBusiness — 2dCracker Barrel shares jumped 7.8%, while analysts remain divided, with a consensus “Hold” rating and an average price target of $50.86. One valuation analysis says the stock is trading above estimated fair value and historical multiples, despite a reported quarterly earnings beat.

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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.

Viruses spread across Cuba amid water, power outages — 3dCuban authorities are warning of spreading viral illnesses, including hepatitis, diarrhea, dengue and chikungunya, as prolonged power and water outages undermine sanitation and health care. Residents say shortages have left families struggling to find safe water, while blackouts disrupt pumps and refrigeration; the U.N. estimates water shortages affect about 3.5 million people.

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UK Q2 growth revised up to 0.5% as investment and incomes strengthen — 3dThe UK economy grew 0.5% in the second quarter, up from an initial 0.4% estimate, making it the fastest-growing G7 economy in the first half; household disposable income and business investment also rose. Economists cautioned that higher energy costs, inflation and interest rates could weigh on growth ahead of the government’s October budget.

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Derek Foss Rising household incomes are welcome but with inflation and rates up this growth might not last long into the autumn.

Pope Leo Urges French Bishops to Confront Abuse — 6dPope Leo XIV embraced survivor Jean-Marie Delbos in Lourdes after meeting seven abuse victims; a 2021 inquiry estimated 330,000 minors abused over 70 years.

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Tom Gallagher The church needs to keep proving it can protect kids after failing so many for so long.

Five Infections Linked to 2.3 Million Cancer CasesHealth — 4dAn estimated 2.3 million cancer cases worldwide in 2024—about one in eight—were linked to infections, chiefly H. pylori and HPV, according to a new study. Researchers say many of these cancers could be prevented through measures such as vaccination, testing and treatment, with the burden greatest in low- and middle-income countries.

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Zacks Cuts NVR Estimates, Downgrades NexxenBusiness — Sep 23, 2026Zacks Research cut NVR’s third-quarter and fourth-quarter 2026 earnings forecasts and rates the homebuilder a strong sell, while the broader analyst consensus remains hold. The firm also downgraded Nexxen International from strong buy to hold, despite recent quarterly results beating estimates and most other analysts maintaining buy or outperform ratings.

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GAO estimates annual tax fraud losses at $116B to $304B — Sep 25, 2026GAO finds the IRS has no agency-wide antifraud strategy after pegging yearly tax-fraud losses at 2% to 6% of taxes owed, up to $304 billion.

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Dana Whitfield The IRS ought to prioritize building a real antifraud plan when this much revenue is vanishing yearly.

Madonna vs Lady GagaYourlist — VS BattleThe Queen of Pop versus the artist who studied at her throne.

Eni Offers 30% Power, Gas Discount in Italy — 4dEni’s Plenitude will offer Italian households a 30% discount on electricity and gas supply rates for customers who enroll by Oct. 24, with those rates fixed for two years and potential combined savings estimated at about €200 annually. The discount applies to energy-consumption charges, not the entire bill, and comes alongside a competing fixed-price offer from Enel.

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Toyota estimates $6.4B yearly automation spend for 400,000 robots — Sep 18, 2026Toyota estimates about $6.4B a year from 2028 for automation, with roughly 400,000 robots that could be deployed across its factories, group and suppliers.

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Priya Raman Smaller suppliers will have trouble matching that kind of robot rollout even if Toyota helps them with the technology.

Pope Leo draws 800,000 to Mass at Revolution's guillotine site — 6dAn estimated 800,000 filled Place de la Concorde for Pope Leo XIV's open-air Mass, outpacing registrations in secular France as adult baptisms rise against decades of decline in priests, weddings and overall baptisms.

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Rachel Meyers Rising adult baptisms suggest some real interest despite the drop in priests and weddings.

Aldi lowers prices on nearly a third of staples through November — Sep 23, 2026Aldi cut prices on nearly a third of staples from Sept. 23 through at least Nov. 3, estimating $86M in savings; chicken and Honeycrisp apples hit $1.99/lb.

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Tom Gallagher Those temporary cuts on Brussels sprouts and lean proteins might help until November but rivals will probably match them soon.

Which of your friends would you actually marry?Quizie — QuizName your candidates and answer honestly — the AI issues the verdict, with a runner-up. Private until YOU decide to share it.

Jefferies expects Nike Q1 earnings beatBusiness — 5dNike heads into its fiscal first-quarter results after a steep share-price decline and ongoing challenges including weak demand and China sales; Jefferies expects revenue and earnings to beat estimates and sees the November investor day as a potential catalyst. Analysts remain divided, with other brokerages cutting price targets and the broader rating consensus at Hold, while investors are also watching the company’s dividend sustainability.

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LA28 study estimates up to $40.6 billion and 224,000 jobs — Sep 15, 2026LAEDC study for LA28 estimates the 2028 Games could generate $20.5B to $40.6B in output and 126,000 to 224,000 jobs across five Southern California counties.

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Nicole Hardy Those job projections are encouraging but I hope the infrastructure upgrades actually benefit everyday commuters long after the events end.

California drops charges against Stanford students over protest — Sep 21, 2026Five Stanford protesters will see felony charges dropped after paying $51,973.37 restitution—far below earlier estimates up to $1 million—and 100 hours' service each.

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Chris Dalton Dropping the charges against those Stanford students just encourages more disruptions on campus instead of enforcing the rules.

UK charges first person over 1994 Rwanda genocide — Sep 21, 2026After a seven-year probe, Islington doctor Vincent Brown is the first person charged in the UK over the 1994 Rwanda genocide that killed an estimated 800,000.

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Dana Whitfield After 30 years, any trial needs solid proof to avoid wrongful accusations.

Vance Task Force to Cancel Subsidies for 760,000 ACA Enrollments — Sep 22, 2026JD Vance announced a task force will cancel or halt subsidies for roughly 750,000 to 760,000 ACA enrollments, citing fraud and estimating $2.2 billion in savings.

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Marcus Bell Good to see action against ACA fraud, those subsidies were wasting billions that belong to actual taxpayers.

Federal Judge Orders Texas Prisons Air-Conditioned by End of 2029 — Sep 22, 2026Judge Robert Pitman ordered Texas prisons fully air-conditioned by Dec. 31, 2029, finding extreme heat an Eighth Amendment violation; TDCJ estimates ~$1.5B and will appeal.

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Rachel Meyers Spending 1.5 billion on air conditioning for inmates feels like a waste when roads and schools need fixing first.

China's exports surge while imports miss estimates in AugustBusiness — Sep 8, 2026

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Hegseth cites 300,000 unregistered troops in push for 2026 midterms — Sep 25, 2026Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged service members and their families to register and vote in the 2026 midterms, citing an estimate that 300,000 troops were unregistered in 2024 and pointing them to federal absentee-voting options. His appeal drew scrutiny over its political framing and the administration’s efforts to restrict mail voting, with voting-rights advocates warning that changes could jeopardize military and overseas ballots.

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Report ties Iran oil spike to electric trucks undercutting diesel in six EU markets — 5dElectric trucks now cost less to own and operate than diesel models in six EU markets that account for 46% of new heavy-truck sales, as Iran-conflict-linked diesel price increases strengthen the economics of switching. Transport & Environment estimates five-year savings of up to €100,000 in the Netherlands and €85,000 in Germany, with operators recovering electric trucks’ higher upfront cost in about two years; lower-priced Chinese models add pressure on European manufacturers.

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Dana Whitfield Recovering the higher upfront cost in two years sounds realistic when oil spikes hit operators this hard across Germany and elsewhere.