Brief for 2026-11-11

Russia, Ukraine and US begin talks in Abu Dhabi; ceasefire reported off the table

Negotiators from Russia, Ukraine and the United States began trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, the first such meeting since February, according to US broadcasters and the Russian agencies Interfax and RBC. RBC reported the session had run about four hours with a break; Interfax, citing a source in the negotiating group, said the talks would continue on Wednesday. Before the discussions, the White House said the two-day session would focus on security guarantees, NPR reported. The New York Times reported a ceasefire was not on the table. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU would take part, CGTN and The Moscow Times reported; the Kremlin said the negotiations would involve only Russia, Ukraine and the United States, Vedomosti and Asharq Al-Awsat reported. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia would not hinder US contacts with Europeans, Interfax reported.

MOS · in exile · The exile outlets led with European participation and the stated agenda rather than Moscow's exclusion — carrying the French foreign minister's statement that Europeans would attend, which the Kremlin then rejected, and the New York Times report that ceasefire was off the table, which the bloc's own press did not lead with.

House blocks bid to impeach Defense Secretary Hegseth, for now

On 9 November, Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky submitted a resolution to the House of Representatives to force a vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to China News Service. Le Monde reports that the resolution accuses Hegseth of serious crimes and misdemeanours, including the war in Iran, which the outlet says was launched by President Donald Trump without congressional approval. At a Pentagon press conference, Hegseth called the effort a political spectacle and a farce, Interfax and RBC report; Die Zeit reports he used the German term for a show trial. On 10 November the House blocked the bid, according to CGTN, Khaleej Times and BBC News; Vedomosti reports the proposal failed in the judiciary committee, where Republicans hold a majority, and Meduza reports the House voted to send the resolution back to committee. The New York Times reports that Massie is retiring at the end of his term after losing a primary to a Trump-backed challenger.

MOS · in exile · Meduza, publishing from outside Russia, led with Hegseth's responses calling the effort a farce and sabotage, then reported that the House voted to send the impeachment resolution back to committee.

Nvidia board opens investigation into CEO Jensen Huang over reported foreign intelligence link

Nvidia said on Sunday 8 November that it "is initiating an independent investigation in light of recent reporting that founder and CEO Jensen Huang has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort," according to The Guardian. The Hill reports Nvidia shares opened down 7.3 percent from Friday's close on Monday, reaching $170.24 in early trading. US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he spoke with Huang, who told him he did not know a woman at the centre of the allegations was a suspected Chinese spy; Trump said he believed Huang's account, according to The Washington Post and South China Morning Post. China's Foreign Ministry rejected the spying allegations, CGTN reports. The Guardian reports Nvidia and Huang face a shareholder lawsuit in California alleging they misled shareholders; Meduza reports the suit was filed in federal court in San Jose. Trump said the FBI is investigating, according to the BBC and Die Zeit.

MOS · in exile · Meduza, publishing from outside Russia, carried the shareholder lawsuit's filing details — federal court in San Jose, the allegation of misleading shareholders, the woman's former role at Megaspeed — and Trump's comments backing Huang, none of which appeared in the state or business outlets' material.

Israel's president tasks Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government after deadlocked election

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Saturday night he intended to task Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief, with forming a government, according to the Guardian, after the October 27 election left neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc nor the opposition with a Knesset majority. Fox News reported Eisenkot secured 67 Knesset endorsements to Netanyahu's 46. Eisenkot has 28 days to assemble a coalition, Deutsche Welle reported; DW and others noted his alliance is short of a majority and may depend on Arab-majority parties and on talks with ultra-Orthodox parties, which the Washington Post said would likely require him to revisit pledges on universal conscription. Israel's new parliament was sworn in on Tuesday, France 24 and Khaleej Times reported, with Le Monde reporting Eisenkot promised reforms "as fast as possible." Vedomosti reported Netanyahu said Likud must lead the government.

MOS · in exile · Novaya Gazeta Europe reported the decision to task Eisenkot, the endorsement count of 67 to 46 and the planned formal handover of the mandate on November 8, and noted the decision did not yet mean Eisenkot would become prime minister — details the single Vedomosti item did not carry.

UK counter-terrorism police arrest US army member suspected of spying for Russia

British counter-terrorism police arrested a 41-year-old member of the US army on Tuesday near Gloucester, according to Counter Terrorism Policing London. The force said the arrest was part of an investigation conducted with US authorities, the US military and the FBI. Police are conducting searches at two addresses in Gloucestershire, according to TASS. France 24, citing police, reports that the arrest was not related to other counter-terrorism investigations. Le Monde reports that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine are being held Tuesday and Wednesday in the United Arab Emirates under US mediation. Interfax reports that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the arrest has no connection to Russia. O Globo reports that British police questioned the detained soldier on Wednesday.

MOS · in exile · Reported the arrest of a senior US Army soldier suspected of working for Russian intelligence, detained near Gloucester and taken to London, and one outlet led on the Kremlin's denial of ties to the arrested soldier.

Bomb alerts by email hit schools in Italy, Scotland and Ireland; hundreds evacuated

At least 300 schools across Italy were evacuated after bomb alerts sent by email, France 24 and Khaleej Times report, citing the Italian education ministry figure carried by Die Zeit. TASS, citing Adnkronos, reports that pupils at three schools in Rome were evacuated after threatening letters and that authorities are carrying out checks; a second TASS item cites Repubblica's figure of about 100 schools receiving letters and La Stampa's account of evacuations in Rome, Turin and Milan. RBC and Interfax report that more than 6,000 schools in Italy received emails about alleged bomb placements, and Asahi Shimbun reports that 6,300 Italian schools received bomb-threat emails, that pupils were evacuated and that no explosive devices were found. The Independent reports Italian Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara said the number of schools affected could rise. The Financial Times reports schools in Scotland and Ireland also received threats. South China Morning Post reports Valditara told La7 TV the alerts were presumed to be hoaxes. Le Monde reports Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called a government meeting later on Wednesday after 312 schools received threats.

France blames Iran for October cyberattack on supermarket refrigeration systems

France's foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, said on Monday that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was behind cyberattacks on refrigeration systems at around 700 retail sites in France on 11–12 October, according to multiple outlets. The Washington Post reported Barrot described it as "an attack of unprecedented scope and aggressiveness." CBS News reported the Paris prosecutor's office said investigators determined the attack was "carried out to serve a foreign power — in this case, Iran," and Libération reported the Paris prosecutor opened an investigation into the IRGC's cyber branch. NPR reported hackers raised temperatures overnight, spoiling food. The New York Times and France 24 reported Iran's ambassador was summoned; France 24 and Le Monde reported Barrot said Paris "rules out nothing" and would seek European-level sanctions. Deutsche Welle and Politico Europe reported Iran rejected the accusations as "baseless and one-sided"; Die Zeit and Frankfurter Allgemeine reported Iran's foreign ministry called them "ridiculous." The New York Times reported Iran did not immediately respond.

MOS · in exile · Meduza reported that France's foreign ministry attributed the attacks to "Shahid Kaveh," a hacking unit linked to the IRGC, and that more than 700 shops were affected — detail the Moscow outlet did not carry.

NYT reports Bessent moved to military base after Iranian threats

The New York Times reported that US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently moved from his home in the Washington, D.C. area to a military base after Iranian threats against his life; CBS News, Interfax, Asharq Al-Awsat, South China Morning Post, Japan Today, The Guardian, Khaleej Times, India Today, The Hindu, Hindustan Times, The Hill, BBC News, Veja and g1 carry the report citing the Times, RBC also carries it, and TASS attributes it to Reuters and says the reality of the threat is unclear. China News Service attributes the report to Agence France-Presse citing the Times. Der Spiegel reports that US security agencies assess a significant threat to individual government members from Iran. Al Jazeera, citing the Times, reports intelligence warnings that Tehran's plans to target US officials are advancing. South China Morning Post cites a senior Trump administration intelligence official's warning, in a memo seen by Reuters, that Iranian plots against US personnel and citizens had reached an advanced stage. Fox News reports an official saying Iranian threats exceeded an "advanced stage." Frankfurter Allgemeine carries the move in a Middle East liveblog alongside other items. The Independent reports the relocation followed threats and a photo exposing Bessent's home, which it values at $12M. No official statement was issued.

Republicans elect Jim Jordan as House minority leader

Republican lawmakers elected Jim Jordan as their House minority leader, The Guardian reports, ahead of Democrats taking control of both chambers in January. China News Service reports the party vote was 106 to 73, with Jordan defeating current House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and that it was Jordan's third bid for a congressional Republican leadership post. France 24 reports the ballot was secret and that Republicans lost both chambers of Congress in the midterm elections the previous week. Al Jazeera reports Jordan succeeds Mike Johnson as GOP minority leader. Der Spiegel reports Johnson did not stand again. The Washington Post reports Senate Republicans opted to stick with John Thune, who becomes minority leader rather than majority leader in January.

Russia and Ukraine agree prisoner exchange at Abu Dhabi talks, officials say

Russia and Ukraine agreed in Abu Dhabi to a large-scale prisoner exchange, according to Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian negotiating delegation, who said the parameters would be announced soon. Interfax reported that Alexander Zorin, first deputy head of the Russian General Staff's information directorate, said the exchange could take place within two to three weeks and would be one of the largest of the conflict. Der Spiegel reported the second day of talks had ended with agreement on an exchange, and that US envoys were expected to travel to Russia in the coming days. Le Monde reported that US envoy Jared Kushner said the numbers for the exchange would be finalized the next day after two days of US-mediated talks, and that President Volodymyr Zelensky had said the previous day that the exchange could involve 1,000 prisoners on each side, or 1,500. The South China Morning Post reported that the talks ended without a major breakthrough on ending the conflict.

MOS · in exile · The Moscow Times reported that Russia and Ukraine agreed to a prisoner exchange after the latest talks, attributing the announcement to a Kremlin adviser, and framed the White House as leading a renewed push to mediate an end to Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine; it carried the US mediation role, which the bloc's own press did not.