Finnish police opened a criminal investigation into Google’s work on a planned data center in northern Finland. The probe follows the clearing of hundreds of acres of forest before required environmental reviews were completed and adds scrutiny to Google’s planned $1.5 billion investment in Finnish AI infrastructure.
Key Facts
Finnish police opened the investigation on Thursday.
The investigation concerns Google’s work on a planned data center in northern Finland.
Hundreds of acres of forest were cleared for the project.
The forest was cleared before required environmental reviews were completed.
Google’s planned investment in AI infrastructure in Finland is $1.5 billion.
The investigation adds to scrutiny of Google’s expansion plans in Finland.
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Sir Patrick Stewart, who died at 86, built a seven-decade career across classical theatre, television and film. He trained at Bristol Old Vic, joined the Royal Shakespeare Company and later became widely known for roles in Star Trek and X-Men.
Key Facts
Stewart was born in Mirfield, Yorkshire, on 13 July 1940.
His mother encouraged him and his brothers to take part in amateur drama.
He left school at 15 and worked as a journalist and obituary writer before choosing acting.
He won a scholarship to Bristol Old Vic and later joined the Royal Shakespeare Company.
His Broadway debut came in 1970 as Snout in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
His television roles included parts in I, Claudius, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smiley’s People.
Queen Elizabeth II knighted Stewart in 2010.
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin argued in court declarations that President Donald Trump’s proposed triumphal arch would create a “generational defense opportunity.” Critics say the administration’s national security rationale is a pretext for advancing a divisive construction project.
Key Facts
Trump has proposed building a triumphal arch.
Hegseth and Mullin made their arguments in court declarations.
They described the project as a “generational defense opportunity.”
Critics dispute the national security rationale for the arch.
The declarations were submitted in filings to a federal court.
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Preliminary results from Israel’s parliamentary election show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc with 53 seats and the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot with 48, leaving both short of a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Opposition leaders have begun coalition talks, but final results still require certification and no governing arrangement is clear.
Key Facts
Netanyahu’s bloc holds 53 seats, according to results reported after more than 99 percent of ballots were counted.
The opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot holds 48 seats.
Arab list parties together hold 19 seats, including seven projected for Mansour Abbas’s Ra’am party.
A majority in the Knesset requires 61 of 120 seats.
Eisenkot met with Naftali Bennett and Yair Golan to discuss forming a government.
Golan met separately with Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas; the article says other political groups have rejected a coalition with Palestinian citizen-led parties.
Netanyahu’s Likud party has alleged that Arab-led parties stole the election, but the claims are unsubstantiated; Central Elections Committee head Noam Sohlberg asked the Shin Bet to investigate allegations of foreign interference that he could not verify.
The election results are provisional and are due to be certified and announced by Wednesday.
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Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot and Arab-led party leaders accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to undermine the election after his Likud party alleged foreign interference and voter bribery. Election results left neither bloc with a majority, while the Shin Bet investigates suspected foreign funding and election officials say there is no basis for claims of systematic violations.
Key Facts
The Joint List and Ra’am won a combined record 19 of the Knesset’s 120 seats.
Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats, while Eisenkot’s bloc won 48.
The two Arab-led lists could hold the balance of power in government formation.
The Central Elections Committee asked the Shin Bet to investigate suspicions of foreign interference.
Likud alleged that voters had been bribed to support Arab-led parties; both parties rejected the accusation.
Qatar denied claims that it funded efforts to increase voter turnout in Arab communities.
The Shin Bet said its investigation did not implicate an entire community that voted legally.
Acting Central Elections Committee Director General Dean Livne said there was no basis for allegations of systematic violations of election integrity.
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British actor Patrick Stewart has died at 86, according to a statement released Thursday. He was known for playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and Professor Charles Xavier in the “X-Men” films.
Key Facts
Stewart died at his home in Los Angeles, the statement said.
The statement said he died after a brief illness involving Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
His wife, Sunny, was with him, according to the statement.
Stewart was born in Yorkshire, in northern England.
He performed with Britain’s Royal Shakespeare Company before building a career on U.S. stages and screens.
He played Captain Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”
He played Professor Charles Xavier in several “X-Men” and related Marvel films.
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Microsoft is gradually rolling out a Windows 11 preview update that lets users customize the right-click menu, including which commands and third-party extensions appear and where. The update also adds Cloud Rebuild, which reinstalls Windows from the cloud but does not retain users’ files or applications. Microsoft reported declining revenue from Windows-related PC sales, while Azure and Microsoft Cloud revenue grew.
Key Facts
Preview update KB5127936 applies to Windows 11 versions 26H2 and 25H2.
The new menu controls let users show or hide built-in commands, rearrange the main menu, and manage third-party extensions.
Cloud Rebuild can reinstall Windows using an image and system drivers from Windows Update, including when the PC will not boot.
Cloud Rebuild works like a fresh installation: existing applications and files are not included.
Microsoft said Windows OEM revenue fell 27%, or 28% in constant currency, compared with the prior year.
The broader Windows OEM and devices category, which includes Surface, fell 22%.
Microsoft CFO Amy Hood said the company expects the Windows OEM and devices trends to continue through the rest of the fiscal year.
Azure revenue rose 48% and Microsoft Cloud revenue rose 30% year over year; Microsoft reported total quarterly revenue of $92.3 billion.
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Mortgage rates fell for the second consecutive week, dropping below 7.25 percent. The decline offered some relief to people looking to buy homes in an expensive housing market.
Key Facts
Mortgage rates declined for the second straight week.
Rates fell to below 7.25 percent.
The lower rates may provide relief to prospective homebuyers.
The housing market remains pricey.
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Memorial Hermann Health Plan will stop offering Medicare Advantage coverage after 2026, leaving the market for the 2027 plan year. It joins other health system-affiliated insurers withdrawing from Medicare Advantage as health systems also end some contracts with outside insurers.
Key Facts
Houston-based Memorial Hermann offered Medicare Advantage plans in six Texas counties in 2026.
Irving-based CHRISTUS Health Plan will also exit Medicare Advantage in 2027.
CHRISTUS offered plans in 36 Texas counties and eight New Mexico counties in 2026.
CMS data cited in the article show 18 Medicare Advantage plans are set to exit for 2027, including 10 affiliated with health systems.
The article identifies Braven Health, Saint Alphonsus Health Plan, Aspirus Health Plan and Providence Health Plan among the exiting insurers.
Aspirus Health Plan offered coverage in 21 Wisconsin counties in 2026.
CMS suspended new enrollment in Aspirus Health Plan in February after Minnesota regulators took over its claims processor, UCare.
Becker's tracked 35 health system contract breaks with Medicare Advantage insurers that were announced or took effect in 2026.
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Actor Patrick Stewart died at 86 on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, his spokesperson said. Stewart was known for playing Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, as well as for his Shakespearean stage work.
Key Facts
Stewart's spokesperson said he had Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
Stewart played Captain Jean-Luc Picard for seven seasons on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
He reprised Picard in four Star Trek films and the series Star Trek: Picard, which ran from 2020 to 2023.
Stewart played Professor Charles Xavier in seven X-Men films.
He is set to reprise Xavier in December’s Avengers: Doomsday, according to the article.
Stewart joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966.
His awards included a Grammy and two Laurence Olivier awards; he was also nominated for a Tony and four Emmys.
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Many candidates in the 2026 midterm races are skipping debates, while debates that do happen can produce short viral clips used in campaign ads. Strategists quoted in the article say candidates risk damaging their campaigns with a single moment, even though a debate may not help them win.
Key Facts
Eighteen of 35 Senate races and 12 of 36 gubernatorial races did not feature debates between the major-party candidates.
More than half of the 2026 Senate races will not have major-party debates, including Ohio and Texas, both rated toss-ups by CBS News.
In Maine, Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson told incumbent Sen. Susan Collins to “shut up” during an Oct. 15 debate; the clip appeared in Republican attack ads.
Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico repeatedly called for a debate with Republican Ken Paxton and later held a solo CNN town hall.
A third of this cycle’s gubernatorial races will not have debates, compared with seven of the 36 races in 2022.
Ohio Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton said she would not debate Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs declined to debate Republican Rep. Andy Biggs, saying face-to-face interactions with voters were more effective.
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The Pentagon inspector general declined a bipartisan request to investigate reported restrictions on Ukraine’s use of SpaceX’s Starlink and Starshield satellite services. Inspector General Platte Moring said the questions should go to the Air Force and Space Force, while senators also asked about reported intelligence-sharing disruptions and whether they were connected to the satellite problems.
Key Facts
Ukraine said military drones lost satellite connectivity when traveling faster than 161 kilometers per hour (100 miles per hour).
The reported speed restriction was removed after about 10 days.
Five Democratic and four Republican senators asked the Defense Department inspector general on October 15 to investigate the reported disruptions.
The senators asked whether SpaceX or government entities directed, authorized, or implemented restrictions, and whether the restrictions complied with government contracts.
Moring said the Air Force and Space Force were better suited to address the senators’ questions and coordinate responses.
The inspector general’s office said it might reconsider if new information comes to light.
The senators also asked whether reported interruptions to intelligence sharing were connected to the Starlink restrictions.
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Reddit will test a shift toward a primarily logged-in experience outside the U.S. this quarter, then gradually consider broader changes. The company says the move aims to improve personalization and advertising while limiting unauthorized scraping of its data, as search referrals weaken.
Key Facts
Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said the company will test the logged-in experience outside the U.S. this quarter.
Reddit said it will use test data to decide how to approach a gradual broader rollout.
The company said logged-in users can receive personalized feeds and community recommendations, and can opt out of personalization.
Logged-out visitors will still be able to access Reddit’s homepage and view content through search results or shared links; commenting and content ranking will remain limited to logged-in users.
Reddit said search referral traffic fell meaningfully in Q3 and warned that daily users could decline by a low-double-digit percentage in Q4 if the trend continues.
Chief Operating Officer Jen Wong said logged-in users spend about five times as much time on Reddit as logged-out users.
Reddit said more than 80% of its monetization comes from its app and logged-in users, and performance advertising accounts for more than 60% of its ad revenue.
Reddit is relaunching in-app incognito browsing, which lets users browse and search without affecting their account, but does not allow commenting or other engagement.
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Energy costs are shaping key U.S. midterm races. Midwest farmers face pressure from diesel prices, while Northeast homeowners worry about the cost of heating oil.
Key Facts
Energy costs are a key issue in some midterm races.
Diesel prices are squeezing Midwest farmers.
Homeowners in the Northeast are worried about costly heating oil.
The energy concerns differ by region.
The article identifies diesel as a cost concern for farmers.
The article identifies heating oil as a cost concern for homeowners.
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A France 24 interview with Aston University lecturer Joseph Downing examines far-right violence and political polarization in France. Downing says a deadly shooting in the Paris suburbs, allegedly driven by racist and anti-Muslim hostility, highlights a wider threat to democratic societies.
Key Facts
The interview was hosted by François Picard.
Downing described the Paris-suburb shooting as one of France’s first and most serious attacks inspired by right-wing nationalist and nativist views.
The article says the suspect allegedly targeted people because of racist and anti-Muslim hostility.
Downing criticized portrayals of working-class suburbs as centres of Islamist radicalism, saying they stigmatize residents.
He said France’s political centre, as in many democracies, is struggling to hold.
The interview linked political polarization to living costs, social insecurity and divisive identity narratives spread through digital media.
Downing warned that treating French citizens of African or Arab heritage as perpetual outsiders can deepen social divisions.
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A temporary U.S.-brokered ceasefire has brought two days of quiet to Kherson, where residents have briefly returned to streets, shops and public squares after years of Russian attacks. The pause is scheduled to end Sunday, and Ukrainian sources say Russian forces may be using it to strengthen positions near the city ahead of renewed fighting.
Key Facts
Residents described unusual quiet in Kherson since the ceasefire began Tuesday.
Social media videos showed people walking in streets and gathering in squares beneath anti-drone nets.
The ceasefire is linked to efforts by U.S. First Lady Melania Trump to arrange safe passage for civilians leaving Russian-occupied Oleshky, across the Dnipro River from Kherson.
Russian forces have been clearing mines on a road ahead of a planned Friday evacuation from Oleshky.
A local government source told the BBC that Russian forces may be bringing in supplies, weapons, ammunition and drones during the pause.
Ukraine's Center for Studying the Occupation said residents reported a Russian military build-up near Radensk, about 20 kilometers from Oleshky.
The article reported no ceasefire violations by either side since Tuesday.
Dozens of people used the pause to reach homes and belongings in Kherson's highly exposed red zone.
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Alaska’s Senate race has drawn new scrutiny after a New York Times report said Democratic operatives with ties to Mary Peltola’s campaign helped recruit a second candidate named Dan Sullivan. Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee denied recruiting him, and the report did not establish that any laws were broken. President Trump called for prosecutions, while state and House officials announced investigations and the Justice Department’s lawsuit over the race remains in court.
Key Facts
The ballot lists Republican incumbent Dan S. Sullivan and unaffiliated candidate Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., along with Mary Peltola and Republican Gerald Heikes.
Daniel J. Sullivan initially filed as a Republican and later changed his registration to undeclared.
An Alaska election official ruled in June that Daniel J. Sullivan could not run in the primary, citing concerns that his candidacy could confuse voters.
The Alaska Supreme Court ruled that election officials lacked authority to disqualify him based on concerns about his motives; it did not decide whether he intended to mislead voters.
A New York Times report cited texts, interviews and documents that it said showed Peltola-linked aides worked with Democratic operatives to recruit candidates who could draw votes from the incumbent.
Peltola’s campaign and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee denied recruiting Daniel J. Sullivan.
The Justice Department sued Alaska, seeking to block certification of the Senate election if the incumbent loses by a margin potentially attributable to voter confusion between the candidates.
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy ordered a state investigation on Oct. 28, and House Oversight Chair James Comer launched a congressional probe on Oct. 29.
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Actor Patrick Stewart died Wednesday in Los Angeles at age 86. His spokesperson said he had lived with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. Stewart was known for stage performances and for playing Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek” and Charles Xavier in the “X-Men” films.
Key Facts
Stewart was 86 when he died.
He died Wednesday in Los Angeles.
His spokesperson said he had experienced Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
Stewart played Captain Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and related films.
He played Professor Charles Xavier in the “X-Men” films.
His stage roles included Claudius and Macbeth.
He performed in “No Man’s Land” and “Waiting for Godot” alongside Ian McKellen.
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Chancellor John Healey said he had not set a timetable for reducing welfare spending, despite earlier remarks that the benefits bill would fall. The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimated that the government needs an additional £28bn a year to account for inflation and meet its defence spending target, warning that current plans could lead to tight departmental budgets and possible real-term cuts.
Key Facts
The IFS said the government needs to set aside an additional £28bn a year to account for inflation and reach defence spending of 3% of GDP by 2030.
IFS director Helen Miller warned that some departments could face real-term budget cuts under a future spending review.
Healey said the government must bring down the benefits bill but later clarified that it had set no timetable for doing so.
The spending review will focus on departmental budgets and will not include the welfare bill.
Reviews led by Alan Milburn and Stephen Timms will examine employment support for young people and disability benefits.
The Office for Budget Responsibility forecast welfare spending would rise from £334bn last year to £431bn by 2030.
The OBR's overall welfare spending forecast has increased by £8bn since March.
Healey said Brexit had reduced UK growth and trade, but said he did not expect to see the UK rejoin the European Union in his lifetime.
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French prosecutors say a 39-year-old man charged with murder and attempted murder admitted targeting people he believed appeared Muslim, African or North African. One person was killed and seven were injured in shootings in Trappes and La Verrière, west of Paris.
Key Facts
The suspect, identified as Kevin T, was formally charged in connection with a terrorist enterprise.
Prosecutor Olivier Christen said Kevin chose the location because he considered it a “hotbed for Islamists.”
The shooting took place last Friday as the attacker fired from a car in Trappes and La Verrière.
Pengo Bossio Wangi, a 26-year-old French citizen of Congolese heritage, was killed; seven other people were injured, including a child.
Kevin said he felt no regret but did not intend to kill children, according to the prosecutor.
Authorities found weapon components, brass knuckles, a bayonet and a silencer during a search of Kevin’s home.
Police also found copies of Mein Kampf, the Quran and the Bible, as well as stickers celebrating the far-right National Rally party.
Prosecutors said Kevin acquired weapon components, a police armband and handcuffs in September and had prepared extensively.
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