A Gallup poll found that voters rank the economy, healthcare and the war in Iran among their leading concerns ahead of this year’s midterm elections. Half of respondents said the economy and healthcare would be extremely important to their vote.
Key Facts
Gallup released the poll on Thursday.
The poll asked about voters’ priorities for this year’s elections.
Half of respondents said the economy would be extremely important to their vote.
Half of respondents said healthcare would be extremely important to their vote.
The war in Iran was also among voters’ leading concerns.
About 47 percent of registered voters [the article excerpt ends before giving the rest of this result].
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Nvidia said allegations that Alice Huang passed information to Beijing were investigated and debunked last year. The New York Times reported that U.S. intelligence agencies had found that Huang, an executive at Singapore-based data center company Megaspeed, funneled information to China.
Key Facts
Nvidia rejected the report’s allegations.
The company said the allegations were investigated and debunked last year.
The New York Times published the report on Thursday.
The report said U.S. intelligence agencies found that Alice Huang passed information to Beijing.
Alice Huang is an executive at Singapore-based data center company Megaspeed.
The article’s headline says the report alleged that Huang was tied to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.
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Muslim and Arab American leaders in Michigan say anti-Mus Muslim rhetoric and threats have increased during the close Senate race between Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. They describe the attacks as worrying but say they are responding through civic engagement and support for El-Sayed.
Key Facts
Far-right provocateur Jake Lang shouted anti-Muslim slurs outside a Detroit rally that featured Barack Obama.
Lang and his associates held signs supporting Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers.
Pastor Lorenzo Sewell, a Rogers campaign faith adviser, helped Lang organise an anti-Muslim march in Dearborn in August.
Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud said the city has received more threats in recent months, including through social media and calls to emergency and city services.
Rogers said his focus on El-Sayed’s background concerned national security, not religion.
The article reports that President Donald Trump has mocked El-Sayed’s name and called him a “jihadist.”
Activist Suehaila Amen said attacks from the president can make bigotry and racism seem legitimate.
Local leaders said Muslim and Arab Americans are pushing back through civic engagement and support for El-Sayed’s campaign.
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The New York Times, citing anonymous people briefed on U.S. intelligence, reported that President Donald Trump was told about allegations that Alice Huang, a Chinese citizen and former Megaspeed executive, passed information about Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to Beijing. The sources said Trump took no action, in part over concerns about Nvidia sales and U.S.-China trade; the allegations remain unclear, and China’s embassy called them baseless.
Key Facts
U.S. intelligence reportedly briefed Trump about a suspected Chinese effort to obtain information from someone with direct access to Jensen Huang.
The person identified in the report was Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based cloud company Megaspeed; she is not related to Jensen Huang.
U.S. investigators reportedly suspected Alice Huang helped China evade export controls to obtain advanced Nvidia chips through Megaspeed.
The report said Trump chose not to act partly because of possible effects on Nvidia sales and U.S.-China trade relations.
The article said it is unclear what information Alice Huang may have shared with Beijing or how closely she remains connected to Megaspeed.
Nvidia said Alice Huang would not have had access to its trade secrets, according to the report.
The Chinese Embassy in Washington called the accusations against Alice Huang baseless.
The report said Jensen Huang did not receive a defensive briefing about the alleged spying.
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Finnish police are investigating whether Google’s planned data centre site near Muhos breached environmental law. Authorities say forest clearing and drainage began before required environmental impact assessments were completed; Google says it will cooperate.
Key Facts
The investigation concerns possible breaches of Finland’s Water Act and environmental damage.
Tuike Finland, a local Google subsidiary, carried out forest clearing and drainage at the planned site.
Finnish authorities ordered Google to stop work at the site in early October.
Police Detective Superintendent Kari Pakanen said a guilty finding could lead to a corporate fine.
Google said it would cooperate with police and continue working to comply with rules at its sites.
The data centre project is part of Google’s announced $15 billion investment in AI infrastructure in Finland.
Finland’s cool climate and low-carbon electricity have helped attract data centre projects.
Grid operator Fingrid has projected that Finland’s electricity use could rise by up to 40 percent if all agreed grid connection projects proceed.
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House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer opened an investigation into allegations that Mary Peltola’s campaign sought to recruit candidates to draw votes away from Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska’s Senate race. The article says a New York Times report found that Peltola’s campaign worked with national Democrats on recruitment efforts.
Key Facts
James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, chairs the House Oversight Committee.
Comer launched the investigation on Thursday.
The allegations concern Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign and Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan’s Alaska Senate race.
The allegation is that Peltola’s campaign sought to recruit candidates to peel votes away from Sullivan.
The article attributes findings about the campaign’s work with national Democrats to a New York Times report.
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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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