Short answers, pulled from the story.
Al Jazeera English began broadcasting to a global audience on the 15th of November 2006. This date initiated the first twenty-four-hour news channel headquartered in the Middle East.
Al Jazeera English earned numerous awards including the Peabody Award for its coverage of the Arab Spring. The network secured Broadcaster of the Year titles at the New York Festival's TV & Film Awards in both 2022 and 2023.
The block started on the 18th of August 2013 after Al Jazeera purchased Current TV for fifty million dollars on the 2nd of January 2013. This acquisition led to the launch of Al Jazeera America which geo-blocked the official live stream of Al Jazeera English in the United States.
Egyptian security forces arrested Australian Peter Greste, Canadian Mohamed Fahmy, and Egyptian Baher Mohamed at Cairo's Marriott Hotel on the 29th of December 2013. They faced accusations of reporting news damaging to national security despite international outcry.
The unit produced films such as What Killed Arafat? which explored the death of Yasser Arafat and How to Sell a Massacre which exposed efforts by the National Rifle Association. Other investigations included Generation Hate and Football's Wall of Silence.