As It Happens: Thursday Edition

Part One

Conservative Senator Don Plett
Technically, there are no Liberals in the Canadian Senate, but there's a majority of Conservatives -- and this unprecedented situation leaves the new Prime Minister in a perplexing position. 

Saudi prince drugs
Most people don't try to get two tons of amphetamines and speed through customs -- but then again, most people aren't Saudi princes with private jets. 

Romance novel theft 
Best-selling author Becky McGraw has no problem with romance novels about gay cowboys -- unless they're plagiarized from her own novel about a non-gay cowboy and his female paramour. 

Part Two

Ottawa traffic memorial
Where a cyclist is killed on a city street, a memorial often springs up -- but now, the city of Ottawa says that what goes up may have to come down before long. 

French restaurant review
In France, an anonymous critic is given a hefty fine for an extremely nasty -- and totally fictionalized -- review of a Michelin-starred restaurant. 

Part Three

Israeli Farsi book
An Israeli author is legally prohibited from travelling to Iran -- so he's had his latest essay collection translated into Farsi, and he's sending it in his place. 

Jays GM latest
When a Toronto sports team has a phenomenal season, something always happens to bring fans crashing back to earth. And today, that something was the departure of Toronto Blue Jays' GM Alex Anthopoulos. 

Eel study
They sent out dozens of eels. And only one made it. For the first time, a group of Canadian scientists have tracked the migration of an adult American eel. A feat, that for a time, seemed quite impossible because the eels kept getting eaten by sharks.