IJR News

France Wildfires Threaten Bordeaux, Spread to Spain

Wildfires in southwestern France, led by a massive blaze in the Gironde region near Bordeaux, have forced about 220,000 people to evacuate in that region and pushed the national total above 250,000 as the flames close in on Bordeaux. Fire crews, backed by soldiers, are fighting the fires amid strong winds and heat, with a major highway closed and additional evacuations reported in Spain.

Europe France

Jul 27, 2026

Crime

Berlin Pride Attack: Suspect Abdul Ballout Identified

A vehicle plowed into a crowd at Berlin's Tiergarten park during Christopher Street Day Pride, leaving at least one dead and multiple injured as the event was halted and a manhunt was launched. Authorities urged people to evacuate and are coordinating with emergency services, with hundreds of thousands having gathered for one of Europe’s largest Pride events.

Europe Berlin

Jul 27, 2026

Crime

Bite of Seattle Shooting Leaves Three Dead

Police are investigating a shooting at Seattle Center during the Bite of Seattle event that left multiple victims, with authorities urging people to avoid the area and the center evacuated as the investigation continues. The incident is being treated as breaking news with authorities providing few details on casualties or suspect at this time.

Bite of Seattle Seattle

Jul 27, 2026

Traffic

SUV Hits Transit Bus; Fatal Crashes Across States

A cluster of fatal and serious crashes across Las Vegas and Long Beach left multiple people dead or seriously injured, including a delayed death from an SUV striking a bus in Las Vegas, a Long Beach collision with a vehicle plunging into water where the male occupant died, an 81-year-old man killed near Long Beach Airport, a Nassau County home crash injuring two, and a separate Long Beach van collision that resulted in the death of Richard Adam Brown. Police and investigators are continuing to piece together the circumstances in each incident as authorities urge safer driving.

Jul 26, 2026

Crime

San Jose Milpitas Paintball Drive-By Spree; Two Arrested

San Jose police arrested 37-year-old Alfonso Garcia and a 16-year-old after two July 15 drive-by paintball assaults that injured several people with a semi-automatic paintball gun fired from a moving vehicle, with investigators linking the suspects to a Milpitas incident. The suspects were found in possession of a paintball gun and paintballs and were booked for assault with a deadly weapon and related charges, with detectives continuing to probe possible additional cases.

San Jose Alfonso García Ortiz

Jul 26, 2026

Powell Five Die in Scioto River Rescue

Five people died in Powell, Ohio after a group attempted to rescue a struggling swimmer in the Scioto River, with a frightened child alerting authorities and two women then three men found dead; two children under 10 were placed in the care of family services. The incident unfolded Sunday with others jumping in to help as the group faced rising dangers, and authorities confirmed the sequence of recoveries over the following days.

Jul 25, 2026

Social Issues

Seattle-area Raccoon Jimothy Draws Attention, Warnings

Public health officials in Seattle and Toronto urged people to admire Jimothy, the viral Seattle raccoon, from a distance and not to touch or feed him, warning that wild animals can carry serious diseases and pose bite or scratch risks. Despite his internet fame and local celebrations, authorities highlighted risks such as raccoon roundworm, leptospirosis, and the potential for rabies in wildlife.

Jul 25, 2026

Lawsuits

Dallas Gas Explosion Kills Three, Damages Dozens

The Clyde apartment owners in Oak Cliff filed a lawsuit against Atmos Energy alleging negligence for failing to properly mark underground gas lines and for not acting quickly after being notified of an active gas leak, with claims Atmos knew since 2004 that parts of its system were prone to failure. Atmos says it is cooperating with investigations and that the NTSB preliminary report shows the specific line struck had not been marked, as lawsuits continue over the deadly May explosion that killed three people.

Atmos Energy Dallas

Jul 25, 2026

Books

New Life at Ninety Highlights Lifetime of Grace

New Life at Ninety by Rev. Daniel W. Reid chronicles nine decades of faith, portraying God’s steadfast love, mercy, and guidance shaping an ordinary life and affirming that it’s never too late for a new beginning. The memoir emphasizes that God works behind the scenes through imperfect people, directing their journeys toward His purpose and transformation.

Jul 24, 2026

Smuggling

11 indicted over Texas boxcar deaths of migrants

A federal grand jury indicted 11 people in a coordinated human-smuggling operation that resulted in the deaths of seven migrants found inside a sweltering boxcar on a freight train from Del Rio to San Antonio; they are charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death and aiding and abetting transport of illegal aliens resulting in death, with potential life terms. The defendants include a mix of U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and non-U.S. citizens, and authorities say the organization operated since at least 2023, charging thousands in smuggling fees through the Del Rio/Laredo route.

United States Texas

Jul 24, 2026

Elephants

Minnesota grandmother dies in Zambia safari elephant attack

Gail Mattson, a 79-year-old Minnesota grandmother, died after a bull elephant attacked the safari truck in Zambia on March 30, 2024, while six people were on board and four sustained minor injuries. The tragedy disrupted a dream trip for the group, with one passenger treated in a hospital in South Africa and others receiving on-site care.

Europe Asia