AMNA NAWAZ: We start the day's other headlines with a high-level departure at the Justice Department.

Harmeet Dhillon is stepping down as head of the agency's Civil Rights Division.

The conservative attorney oversaw a massive overhaul of the office, shifting its focus from protecting the rights of minorities to pursuing President Trump's agenda.

That included lawsuits against elite universities, scrapping police reform efforts, and pushing dozens of states for their voter registration lists.

In a statement, Dhillon said the job has been -- quote -- "the honor of a lifetime."

Her departure comes just two days after massive Republican losses in the midterm elections.

First lady Melania Trump hosted Russian and Ukrainian officials at the White House today to mark a localized cease-fire she helped broker last month.

Mrs.

Trump said she hopes the deal in Oleshky, the Ukrainian city captured by Russia early on in the war -- quote -- "inspires greater peace."

MELANIA TRUMP, First Lady: We have chosen humanity over war.

Undeniably, the lives of innocent people must transcend the division of war.

AMNA NAWAZ: Ukraine's human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, also spoke at the event and presented the first lady with an award.

And in a sight rarely seen in the White House, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin took to the podium.

Kirill Dmitriev, a U.S.-sanctioned Russian financier, thanked Mrs.

Trump and Putin for the peace deal.

KIRILL DMITRIEV, Russian Special Envoy: President Putin personally gave all of the necessary instructions to ensure the successful implementation of the local cease-fire in Oleshky.

Ukrainian side abided by cease-fire.

And this humanitarian mission shows what can be achieved when compassion, determination and cooperation come together.

AMNA NAWAZ: Speaking later in the Oval Office, President Trump said he met with Dmitriev, but not with the visiting Ukrainian officials.

And he told reporters that a -- quote -- "big agreement" is in the works aimed at ending the war.

Meanwhile, on the ground, both countries carried out strikes today.

Authorities in Ukraine's Kyiv region say a Russian attack sparked a fire that injured at least one person.

And in a Russian-controlled area of Eastern Ukraine, officials say a Ukrainian attack on a bus killed at least five people and wounded 13 others.

In Europe, authorities are investigating a series of bomb threats that targeted more than a dozen flights, prompting emergency landings and even military escorts.

From Spain to Poland, planes were forced to land, disrupting travel across the region.

No suspicious materials were found, and one British official described these as malicious hoaxes.

The threats follow similar incidents earlier this week.

No explosives were found in those instances either.

Passengers on affected flights today described their experience.

ELENA PALA, Threatened Flight Passenger (through translator): When we landed, I commented on how good the flight had been.

But the moment I stepped off the plane, I saw fire trucks.

The aircraft was surrounded.

WOMAN (through translator): They inspected the luggage, had us get off, lined three of us up, told us to step aside and checked the luggage with dogs.

AMNA NAWAZ: Authorities haven't determined who issued the threats, but they come as European officials have warned about a rise in Russian sabotage and so-called hybrid attacks.

In France, officials say more than 600,000 people took to the streets nationwide today, demanding higher wages and more funding for education.

There were some clashes between protesters and police, though most of the demonstrations were peaceful.

Today's included both public and private sector workers and were part of a general strike that disrupted some public transportation and other services.

It follows weeks of student-led protests that have sometimes turned violent.

The unrest has pressured the nation's government ahead of presidential elections next year.

British comedian Russell Brand was found guilty today of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others.

Photographers swarmed a police van carrying Brand as it left a London court.

He was also found not guilty of three other charges.

The case stems from the late 1990s and 2000s, when Brand became known for his suggestive humor and promiscuity.

Prosecutors say he was a manipulative predator, though Brand has denied the charges.

The 51-year-old was denied bail and will be sentenced on Monday, with the judge saying he faces significant time in prison.

Turning now to sports news, Cristiano Ronaldo is retiring from international football after more than two decades playing for Portugal.

He shared the news today on social media.

CRISTIANO RONALDO, Professional Soccer Player (through translator): It was not an easy decision, because some decisions are not made with the mind alone.

They are also made with the heart.

AMNA NAWAZ: The striker's career spans six World Cups, and he holds the men's international scoring record with 146 goals.

The decision follows a series of public disputes with Portugal's new manager.

In a statement, the Portuguese Football Federation expressed its deep gratitude, calling him -- quote -- "the greatest player of all time."

The 41-year-old will continue to play at the club level in Saudi Arabia, where he's aiming for his 1,000th career goal.

And the biggest night in fashion has a new theme for 2027.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced today that it will showcase ordinary items and materials like jeans or plastic and how designers transform them into fashion.

The show is called "extraORDINARY: Fashion and the Poetics of the Everyday."

And it replaces a planned exhibit focused on the works of British designer John Galliano.

That idea was scrapped in August after an outcry over his past antisemitic and racist comments.

As is customary, the new exhibit will be launched by the star-studded Met Gala next May.

AI stocks tumbled on Wall Street today, dragging the markets sharply lower.

The Dow Jones industrial average dropped more than 1,800 points.

The Nasdaq sank more than 5.5 percent.

The S&P 500 posted its worst loss since April of last year.

Still to come on the "News Hour": incoming House Oversight Chair Robert Garcia on his plans to investigate the Trump administration; California Governor Gavin Newsom commutes the sentences of all the state's death row inmates; and South Sudan's health care system struggles to support a flood of refugees after cuts to foreign aid.