IJR News

Anthony Edwards Becomes PrizePicks’ First NBA Ambassador — 1dAnthony Edwards has signed a multiyear deal to become PrizePicks’ first NBA player ambassador, appearing in campaigns and projects including the Believe That Awards. The launch ad playfully answers Drake’s jab at Edwards’ shoes while unveiling a purple adidas AE3 colorway and offering PrizePicks users early access.

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Rubio Begins Three-Nation NATO Tour Amid Arctic Concerns — 1dRubio landed in Iceland Oct. 6, 2026, opening a three-nation NATO tour after Trump’s map stretched U.S. colors to Greenland and Iceland; Reykjavik summoned the U.S. ambassador.

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Derek Foss The emphasis on shared priorities is fine, yet skipping a clear strategy on the Arctic leaves too many questions open.

Trapped Busan Shark Draws 600,000, Becomes Ambassador — Sep 29, 2026A shark named Bukangi, trapped in a canal in Busan, South Korea, has drawn about 600,000 visitors and was named an honorary city ambassador. Officials’ efforts to guide it back to open water have failed so far, and they are preparing another attempt using a large net.

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South Africa summons US ambassador for third time over criticism — Sep 29, 2026South Africa summoned U.S. Ambassador Brent Bozell for the third time in nine months over what it called undiplomatic conduct, following his public criticism of the government. The dispute reflects broader tensions over President Donald Trump’s claims about persecution of white Afrikaners, South Africa’s land and racial-equity policies, and U.S. measures against the country, though Pretoria says both sides remain committed to resolving their differences.

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Stallone Says Trump Named Him Hollywood Ambassador Without Consent — Sep 20, 2026Stallone said he learned on TV that Trump named him Hollywood ambassador without asking, told him "thank you and ciao," and called the job impossible.

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Maya Lindstrom If Stallone would have turned it down anyway then the announcement just created unnecessary confusion for everyone involved.

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.

Sweden Expels Iranian Embassy Official, Summons Ambassador — Sep 16, 2026Sweden on 16 September 2026 expelled an Iranian embassy employee and summoned Iran’s ambassador, citing diplomatic-rule breaches and threats to Jewish and Israeli interests via criminal networks.

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Derek Foss Sweden needs to crack down harder on Iran for abusing diplomatic status to target Israelis and Jews through crime networks.

Trump Nominates Greenwood as Caribbean Ambassador — Sep 14, 2026Trump nominated Kimberly Greenwood on Sept. 15, 2026, as ambassador to Barbados and seven other Caribbean nations without extra pay, the same post Biden donor Roger Nyhus held for a year.

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Elena Vasquez Trump keeps handing these posts to personal connections rather than anyone with real foreign policy background.

Trump nominates Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt as Saudi ambassador — Sep 14, 2026Trump on Sept. 14, 2026 named Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt—West Point combat vet and former Saudi liaison—ambassador to Riyadh, a post vacant since January 2025.

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Derek Foss This nomination comes at a tricky time with Iran and Saudi-Israeli talks both heating up.

Trump Denies Discussing Arms Sales With Xi — Sep 27, 2026U.S. Ambassador David Perdue said President Trump once asked Xi Jinping whether China wanted to buy American weapons, a remark made public amid scrutiny over delayed U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and concern about Washington’s commitment to the island. Analysts called the reported offer alarming, while Perdue said U.S. support for Taiwan remains unchanged; an arms sale to China would also violate longstanding U.S. law.

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Israel, Morocco Agree to Upgrade Diplomatic Ties — Sep 16, 2026Israel and Morocco will exchange ambassadors for the first time after a Sept. 16 New York trilateral. Sa'ar: "The friendship between the Moroccan people and the Jewish people has deep roots and a glorious history."

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Rachel Meyers Seeing the US join these talks shows the Abraham Accords still have momentum for practical progress.

France Regrets UN Post Criticizing US Rights Record as Envoy Delayed — Sep 13, 2026France’s UN mission apologized for an online post criticizing the United States’ human-rights vote at the UN General Assembly, and Washington welcomed the statement as it leaves in place the stalled approval of France’s next ambassador to Washington. The dispute concerns a single vote rather than a broader human-rights stance and has delayed the ambassador appointment amid ongoing friction over the UN rights-chief tenure extension vote.

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Priya Raman France overreacted with that online criticism and the apology should have cleared the way for their ambassador by now.

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

Russian Frigate Fires Flares Near Danish Helicopter — Sep 14, 2026A Russian frigate fired two flares at a Danish Fennec helicopter near Gedser; one passed close during a photo mission. Rasmussen called it 'unacceptable'; ambassador Barbin will be summoned.

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Derek Foss Summoning the ambassador is the right move after this near miss near Gedser, but more needs to be done to prevent repeats.

Israeli Envoy’s Son Critically Injured in West Bank — Sep 23, 2026Neria Dev ben Chana Leiter, the son of Israel's U.S. ambassador Yechiel Leiter, was critically injured in a West Bank vehicle-ramming attack while serving as a reserve soldier and is being treated at Shaare Zedek Medical Center, with his father urging prayers for a miracle as Israel experiences a surge of violence around Yom Kippur. The assailant was shot dead at the scene, and Israeli leaders and supporters publicly expressed prayers and solidarity for the Leiter family.

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Britain to Name Ambassador to Venezuela in Renewed Ties — Sep 14, 2026Venezuela and the United Kingdom are moving toward elevated bilateral ties with ambassadorial engagement and renewed dialogue focused on mutual interests and sovereign resource management. Separately, the United States is restoring diplomatic relations with Venezuela and outlining a four-point agenda—stabilization, economic recovery, political reconciliation, and a transition to democracy—under a broader normalization effort.

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UK Sanctions on West Bank Settlements Prompt Israel to Close ConsulateWorld — Sep 8, 2026Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for the immediate expulsion of the British ambassador amid anticipated UK sanctions targeting goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, denouncing the move as antisemitic. The push comes as London prepares a broader policy reset that could include trade restrictions on settlements, signaling a deepening clash over settlement activity and the E1 corridor.

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The Big FiveQuizie — QuizThe personality model scientists actually use — five traits, twenty questions, your real percentages, and an AI read of what your mix means.

Coach Celebrates 85th Anniversary With NYFW Show — Sep 10, 2026Coach’s Spring 2027 show in New York featured a front row led by Elle Fanning and Storm Reid with a diverse mix of Hollywood, music and fashion talent, showcasing the brand’s ongoing emphasis on individual style. The night doubled as an 85th‑anniversary celebration, channeling Studio 54 energy with a tailored party atmosphere and VIPs including global ambassadors and guests, underscoring Coach’s festive, collaborative approach to self‑expression.

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Democrats Seek State Role in Europe Troop Review — Sep 17, 2026Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and fellow Senate Democrats urge Secretary of State Marco Rubio to ensure the State Department is fully involved in the Pentagon-led Europe Force Posture Review, arguing that ambassadors and diplomats must be consulted to account for diplomatic and alliance implications. Critics warn that sidelining State Department input could strain NATO ties, especially with Baltic states, as Russia intensifies hybrid threats, while the administration maintains an interagency review is needed to balance diplomacy with defense considerations as the review runs toward its year-end conclusion.

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Jeff Flake, Cindy McCain Confirmed As AmbassadorsReporting — Oct 27, 2021The Senate confirmed Cindy McCain and former Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) as ambassadors. Flake was confirmed as the ambassador to Turkey while McCain will serve as the ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food…

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Ambassador Reveals Texts With Alleged Last Words of a Russian Soldier to His MotherReporting — Mar 1, 2022Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations on Monday tried to weave an intimately personal picture of the human cost of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine — the cost to the Russians themselves. Ambassador Sergiy…

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Commentary: Biden’s UN Ambassador: ‘White Supremacy’ Is in America’s ‘Founding Documents and Principles’Reporting — Apr 15, 2021Our country’s United Nations ambassador is, at least in the halls of the intergovernmental organization, the point-person for defending American values. What does it say, then, when President Joe Biden’s U.N. ambassador…

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Biden’s Ambassador to Germany in Hot Water for Photo With Man Dressed as a Suicide BomberOpinion — Feb 21, 2022Ambassadors usually do not have to announce they are against suicide bombers. But for one Biden nominee, it turned out to be necessary. In 2006, Amy Gutmann was the president of the University of Pennsylvania. During a…

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Trump Impeachment: Was Someone Tracking the U.S. Ambassador in Kiev?Reporting — Jan 16, 2020A top Democrat in Congress vowed on Wednesday to investigate “profoundly alarming” messages suggesting that the former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine was subject to surveillance before President Donald Trump fired her in…

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Former U.S. Ambassador Sentenced for Conspiring Against His CountryReporting — Apr 15, 2024He secretly spied for Cuba for decades while serving as a U.S. ambassador and working for the State Department for two decades with high-level security clearances. On Friday in Miami, he was sentenced to 15 years in…

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Senate Confirms Mike Waltz As UN Ambassador — Sep 19, 2025The Senate confirmed Mike Waltz, President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser, to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (UN) on Friday afternoon. The upper chamber approved Waltz’s confirmation in a…

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