Al Jazeera is marking 30 years since its 1996 launch with a restructuring of its Arabic-language news services. The network is dividing coverage among three channels and plans to introduce 33 programmes focused on news, analysis and investigative reporting.
Key Facts
Al Jazeera launched on November 1, 1996.
The restructuring covers the network’s Arabic-language news services.
Al Jazeera Mubasher will continue uninterrupted live coverage of events without presenter or correspondent commentary.
The new Al Jazeera Now service will cover breaking developments without scheduled bulletins or a fixed programme grid.
The flagship Al Jazeera Arabic channel will retain news bulletins and put more emphasis on analysis, investigations and other programmes.
The network plans to introduce 33 programmes under the slogan “Your questions are our questions”.
Asef Hamidi became managing director of Al Jazeera Arabic in September 2025.
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Mohamed Soliman pleaded guilty in federal court to 12 charges tied to the June 2025 firebomb attack on a demonstration in Boulder, Colorado. Prosecutors said he targeted the group because he believed its members were Jewish and Israeli; one person died and more than a dozen were injured. His federal sentencing is scheduled for January 7, 2027.
Key Facts
Soliman threw two Molotov cocktails at a Run for Their Lives gathering on the Pearl Street Mall in June 2025, according to prosecutors.
The attack killed Karen Diamond and injured more than a dozen other people.
Soliman pleaded guilty to 12 federal charges, including hate crimes and charges involving fire or explosives.
A judge found Soliman competent to plead guilty to all federal counts.
Soliman had already pleaded guilty to more than 100 state charges, including first-degree murder.
In May 2025, a state judge sentenced him to life in prison without parole for murder and 2,128 additional years for other state charges.
Federal sentencing is scheduled for January 7, 2027; the judge said sentencing guidelines are advisory and may not be followed.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is requesting life in prison plus 50 years.
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After riots and looting on the fringes of mostly peaceful demonstrations in France on October 17, the government proposed a law that could make protesters pay up to €10,000 for damage, even if they did not cause it themselves. The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday, and the National Assembly is due to debate it; critics say it could undermine the right to peaceful protest, while legal experts note that existing law already allows people to pay for damage they caused.
Key Facts
France’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry said nearly 2,500 businesses were damaged during the unrest, with more than 1,000 ransacked, looted or set on fire.
The IFRAP Foundation estimated the nationwide damage at nearly €1 billion.
The proposed law could require protesters to pay up to €10,000 for damage linked to public unrest, even if they were not directly responsible.
The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday, and it will now be debated in the National Assembly.
Human rights groups, unions and left-wing parties have criticized the bill as a threat to the right to peaceful protest.
Criminal defence lawyer Laurent Caruso said existing criminal laws already allow courts to require people to pay for damage they caused.
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Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee apologized after an independent report found government failures contributed to a residential fire that killed 168 people last November. The report blamed private contractors as the main culprits but said four government departments bore part of the responsibility; Lee announced a further investigation and promised reforms.
Key Facts
The fire spread through seven of the eight towers at Wang Fuk Court, a housing complex undergoing renovations.
The report cited decades of government failure and lax enforcement of safety rules.
It said better action by four departments could have helped address fire hazards before the blaze.
Housing Secretary Winnie Ho resigned, and Lee said she should bear political responsibility.
Authorities have charged seven people and two companies, including with manslaughter, and have arrested at least 35 people.
Some victims’ families said the apology and acceptance of responsibility were inadequate.
Lee said a three-month investigation into the government’s role would begin and outlined proposed reforms, including criminalizing bid-rigging.
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Albanian opposition leader Sali Berisha and other lawmakers disrupted parliament in Tirana with flares and smoke bombs as they protested Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government. The unrest is part of protests that began in May over a proposed resort linked to Jared Kushner and have expanded to include complaints about corruption, economic stagnation and education costs.
Key Facts
Berisha and opposition lawmakers tried to stop a vote on a new law governing Albania’s central bank but failed.
The protests began after preliminary approval of a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Demonstrators have also cited alleged corruption, economic stagnation, poor education standards and high tuition fees.
The article reports that the protests have injured hundreds of people, including police officers, and that some buildings have been attacked and set on fire.
Rama has refused to resign after winning a fourth term last year, following 13 years in office.
Rama introduced fines exceeding $6,000 for people who attend protests that turn violent, even if they did not take part in violence.
Rama announced increased student scholarships, expanded eligibility for master’s students and subsidized rent for students.
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Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges told FRANCE 24 that the reported dismissal of Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia may reflect a troubling pattern at the Pentagon under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Hodges said he was disappointed and surprised that few retired four-star generals had publicly challenged policies they view as damaging.
Key Facts
Hodges is a retired lieutenant general and former commander of U.S. Army Europe.
Hodges also formerly led NATO Allied Land Command.
The interview focused on the reported firing of Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia.
The article says no public explanation was given for the reported dismissal of senior military officers.
Hodges said the reported firing could point to a troubling pattern under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Hodges criticized what he described as limited public resistance from retired senior commanders.
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President Donald Trump will not travel to Kansas over the weekend for an in-person rally. A White House official confirmed the cancellation to The Hill on Thursday but did not explain the decision.
Key Facts
Trump had been scheduled to hold an in-person rally in Kansas over the weekend.
The rally was intended to rally voters.
A White House official confirmed the cancellation to The Hill on Thursday.
The official did not provide details about the decision.
Kansas’s Senate race was described as competitive.
The race was entering its final stretch before the midterm election.
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As the U.S. midterm elections approached, the Justice Department under President Donald Trump pursued several politically sensitive investigations and cases. Critics, including defense lawyers and Democrats, questioned whether the actions’ timing and targets were politically motivated; the department also filed election-related lawsuits in Alaska and California.
Key Facts
The midterm elections were scheduled for the following week.
The Justice Department searched Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home as part of an investigation.
The department charged two former FBI officials, accusing them of falsely downplaying what they knew about investigations involving Hunter Biden.
The department disclosed a new attempt to prosecute former FBI Director James Comey.
The department unsuccessfully sought to indict a former White House aide who had given disputed testimony about Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
The Justice Department filed lawsuits related to the upcoming vote in Alaska and California.
Defense lawyers, Democrats and other critics said the actions’ timing and targets raised concerns about political motivation.
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A Russian drone strike killed at least 14 people at Dnipro’s main railway station in central Ukraine on Thursday morning. Passengers were waiting to board a train when the strike occurred.
Key Facts
A Russian drone strike hit Dnipro’s main railway station.
At least 14 people were killed.
The station is in Dnipro, in central Ukraine.
The strike occurred on Thursday morning.
Passengers were waiting to board a train.
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U.S.-based startup 247Solar is developing a small concentrated solar plant in India that combines solar thermal power with photovoltaics. Its system uses heated air and is designed to run on fossil fuels during periods of weak sunlight, sharing much of the same generating hardware rather than requiring a separate backup plant.
Key Facts
India contracted with 247Solar to build and operate a 1-megawatt plant.
The project will combine concentrated solar power with photovoltaic panels.
Concentrated solar systems use mirrors called heliostats to focus sunlight and produce heat.
247Solar’s receiver uses air at ambient pressure and heats it to about 970°C.
The heated air can be used for industrial heat, electricity generation, or heat storage.
The company says its system can burn a range of fuels when solar resources are low.
Photovoltaic panel costs have fallen sharply, making them cheaper than concentrated solar in many locations.
The article says new concentrated solar plant construction has largely stopped.
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More people were recalled to prison than released in England and Wales in the first half of 2026, according to Ministry of Justice figures. The data also show rising annual recalls and continued pressure on prisons, while emergency early-release measures freed tens of thousands of inmates.
Key Facts
Between April and June, 12,338 people were recalled to custody and 12,278 were released.
From January to March, 13,193 people were recalled and 12,977 were released.
A total of 52,716 prisoners were recalled in the year to June, a 27% increase on the previous 12-month period.
Emergency early-release measures freed 79,274 prisoners between September 2024 and June 2026.
The SDS40 scheme reduced the share of sentences some prisoners served from 50% to 40%; a permanent early-release scheme began on 1 October under the Sentencing Act 2026.
The Ministry of Justice said policy changes led most recalled offenders to spend 56 days in custody before release rather than remain imprisoned until the end of their sentence.
Prisons recorded 68,231 self-harm incidents in the year to the end of June 2026, while 360 people died in prison in the year to the end of September.
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Vice President JD Vance is visiting Texas on Thursday to campaign for Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton. President Donald Trump has also backed Paxton, who is running against Democrat James Talarico in a closely watched race.
Key Facts
Vance is making a final campaign push in Texas.
Republican Ken Paxton is running for the Senate.
Democrat James Talarico is Paxton’s opponent.
President Donald Trump has sought to boost support for Paxton.
Decision Desk HQ rates the contest, though the article excerpt does not provide its rating.
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The UK government has said it wants to reduce welfare spending but has not set out a timetable or detailed plan. The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts that total welfare spending will rise in cash terms, while health and disability benefits have grown particularly quickly since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Key Facts
The OBR forecasts welfare spending will rise from £353bn this year to £431bn in 2032.
Pensioner support accounts for just under half of total welfare spending, with the state pension making up most of that cost.
Welfare spending is forecast to increase from 11.1% of GDP to 11.3% by 2032, below its peak of about 12% in 2013.
After adjusting for inflation, spending on working-age disability benefits rose from £14bn in 2020 to £25bn in 2026.
The number of 16- to 24-year-olds not in employment, education or training has risen by about 230,000 since 2019 to just under one million.
An interim review estimated annual PIP spending on 16- to 24-year-olds rose from £1.3bn in 2020 to about £3.2bn in 2025.
The review projected PIP spending on this age group could reach £6.5bn and cover 700,000 young people within five years.
A 2025 government plan aimed to save £5bn a year from health-related welfare spending by 2030 through tighter PIP access and lower health-related Universal Credit payments.
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President Donald Trump canceled a planned Saturday rally in Salina, Kansas, citing a scheduling issue. The cancellation comes as a new poll reportedly shows Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton ahead of Republican Sen. Roger Marshall in the Senate race.
Key Facts
Kansas Republican Party chair Danedri Herbert confirmed the rally cancellation on Thursday.
The rally had been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. at a hangar at Salina Regional Airport.
The airport authority’s executive director said all Salina events were canceled because of Trump’s schedule.
Marshall is seeking a second Senate term.
The article says a new poll shows Hamilton leading Marshall, but gives no polling figures or details.
Trump carried Kansas by 16 percentage points in the 2024 presidential election.
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Michigan's U.S. Senate race between Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers remains a toss-up as both candidates make a final push. The report also notes that New Hampshire Senate candidates Chris Pappas and John Sununu debated Wednesday night.
Key Facts
The Michigan Senate race is between Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers.
The race remains a toss-up, according to the report.
Both Michigan candidates are making a final push.
New Hampshire Senate candidates Chris Pappas and John Sununu held a debate Wednesday night.
CBS News correspondent Kaia Hubbard reported on the races.
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Mohamed Sabry Soliman pleaded guilty to federal hate crime charges over a June 2025 firebomb attack on a group supporting the release of Israeli hostages in Boulder, Colorado. The attack injured at least 12 people and later killed Karen Diamond, 82; prosecutors are seeking a sentence of life in prison plus 50 years, and Soliman is due to be sentenced in January.
Key Facts
Prosecutors said Soliman threw Molotov cocktails at the protesters on June 1, 2025.
The protesters were members of Run for Their Lives in Colorado, which met weekly to call for the release of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas.
Diamond died three weeks after the attack from her injuries.
Soliman pleaded guilty to 101 state charges in May, including first-degree murder, and received a life sentence.
Soliman initially pleaded not guilty in the federal case before changing his plea.
Authorities said Soliman had planned the attack for a year and watched videos about explosives.
Court documents say Soliman told police he wanted to “kill all Zionist people.”
Soliman came to California from Egypt in 2022 on a non-immigrant visa that expired in February 2023.
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Finnish and Norwegian leaders discussed the war in Ukraine with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a rare phone call. Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen shared her thoughts about the conversation in a CBS News interview.
Key Facts
The call involved the leaders of Finland and Norway and Russia's Vladimir Putin.
The leaders discussed the war in Ukraine.
The phone call was described as rare.
Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen discussed the call with CBS News.
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Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy ordered a state investigation into allegations that people linked to Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola’s campaign and national Democratic aides tried to recruit candidates to draw votes from Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee deny recruiting candidates, and the legal basis for any charges remains unclear.
Key Facts
Dunleavy directed the Alaska Department of Public Safety to examine whether efforts to recruit candidates violated state law and whether criminal charges or civil action are warranted.
The New York Times reported that people connected to Peltola’s campaign and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee aides took part in efforts to recruit candidates, including Daniel J. Sullivan Jr.
The Times said a Peltola staffer was instructed in 2025 to search voter records for Alaskans named Dan Sullivan.
Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee denied recruiting Sullivan Jr. or other candidates.
Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired teacher, is on the ballot with Senator Dan S. Sullivan and Republican Gerald Heikes.
Alaska election officials previously found Sullivan Jr.’s candidacy was intended to confuse voters, but a judge reversed that decision; the Alaska Supreme Court allowed him to remain on the ballot.
Alaska’s Department of Law asked a federal judge on October 26 to dismiss a Justice Department lawsuit concerning the state’s administration of the Senate race.
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Canadian musician Bryan Adams released “Lake Ontario,” a song criticizing President Donald Trump’s reported order to rename the lake “Lake America.” Adams says the song is part of a larger project celebrating Canada, which is set to include the album *How’s It Goin’*.
Key Facts
The article says Trump signed an executive order in August directing U.S. federal agencies to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America.”
Adams’s song argues that Lake Ontario’s name reflects its Indigenous roots and criticizes the renaming effort.
The lyrics link the move to what Adams portrays as distractions from other political issues, including Iran and the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Adams described his wider songwriting project as a “love letter” to Canada.
His upcoming album *How’s It Goin’* also includes “51st State,” a song released on Canada Day that rejects Trump’s efforts to annex Canada.
Adams said audiences in the United States gave “51st State” a standing ovation each night when he performed it there.
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President Donald Trump criticized Alaska’s Senate ballot, calling it “very unfair” because it features two candidates named Dan Sullivan. He made the remarks to reporters before leaving for a rally in South Carolina.
Key Facts
The Alaska Senate race includes two candidates named Dan Sullivan.
Trump called the ballot “very unfair.”
Trump spoke to reporters before departing for a rally in South Carolina.
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