Russia And Ukraine Resume US-Mediated Peace Talks (Diplomacy)
Russia’s Novaya Gazeta Closes After Years Of Repression (Russia)
Israel’s Opposition Moves To Dismantle Netanyahu’s Legacy (Middle East)
US Moves Aircraft From Second UK Base Amid Iran Threat (UK)
US Treasury Secretary Relocates Amid Iranian Threats (US)
Iran Displays Underground Missiles And Lifts Range Limit (Middle East)
Salvadoran Forces Strike Haitian Gang Stronghold (Caribbean)
UN Delays US Human Rights Review After Washington Boycott (World)
US House Blocks Bid To Impeach Defence Secretary (US)
US Army Officer Arrested Over Suspected Russian Espionage (UK)
A succinct daily briefing delivered each weekday to help you stay on top of the stories shaping the world.
Russia and Ukraine held their first US-mediated peace talks in nine months in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, with both sides agreeing to continue discussions on Wednesday. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the meeting as productive, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called it constructive and substantive.
The discussions covered humanitarian issues, including prisoner exchanges, alongside security guarantees for Ukraine. Washington is also pursuing a broader European security framework, although Moscow and Kyiv remain divided over the sequencing of negotiations and the conditions for ending the war.
Russia wants Ukraine to surrender territory and abandon its NATO ambitions, while Kyiv insists on a ceasefire before wider negotiations and rejects territorial concessions. European governments are seeking a role in the process but Moscow has thus far resisted their direct involvement.
Fighting continues despite the diplomatic initiative, with both sides conducting long-range strikes against infrastructure.
Sources: PBS, Reuters
Russia’s one remaining independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta closed its Moscow newsroom on Monday after authorities designated it a foreign agent, its landlord refused to renew its lease and banks stopped processing reader donations. The investigative publication, founded in 1993 with support from former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, had faced escalating restrictions, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The newspaper had already lost its media licence, printing facilities and access to its website. Six of its journalists were murdered during its history, including Anna Politkovskaya, who investigated abuses by Russian forces in Chechnya. Founding editor Dmitry Muratov, who shared the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, criticised the suppression of independent voices and called for the release of political prisoners.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov characterised the closure as normal turnover in the media industry. The newspaper’s journalists rejected that explanation, describing years of mounting state pressure.
Sources: New York Times, DW
Israel’s newly elected parliament convened on Tuesday, with opposition parties introducing legislation to reverse key policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The proposals include an official inquiry into the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks, repeal of his government’s judicial overhaul and term limits for future prime ministers.
However, opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has yet to secure the parliamentary majority needed to replace Netanyahu. His bloc holds 48 seats, against 53 for Netanyahu’s allies, leaving both short of the 61 required. Arab parties control another 19 seats and could support Eisenkot, although some of his coalition partners oppose their inclusion.
President Isaac Herzog has given Eisenkot six weeks to form a government. Netanyahu, who remains interim prime minister, has called for a national unity government while attacking the prospect of cooperation with Arab parties. The political impasse leaves Israel’s next government uncertain despite the opposition’s legislative offensive.
Sources: Washington Post, DW
The United States moved military aircraft from RAF Mildenhall in eastern England on Monday amid reported threats from Iran, the second withdrawal from a British air base in recent weeks. Flight-tracking data showed at least eight refuelling tankers and three Osprey aircraft leaving the base, with tankers relocating to Germany, Spain and Scotland.
A US official confirmed enhanced security measures at Mildenhall but did not specify the threat. American forces had already withdrawn bombers from RAF Fairford last month following reports of a suspected Iran-linked plot. Security at Mildenhall and nearby RAF Lakenheath was raised to a level associated with intelligence indicating a likely terrorist attack.
Iran has warned that retaliation for renewed US strikes could extend beyond the Middle East. However, US President Donald Trump said on Monday that further military action appeared unnecessary, citing progress in negotiations, while maintaining that Washington was prepared to act if circumstances changed.
Sources: Wall Street Journal, NBC News
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has reportedly moved from his Washington-area home to a military base following threats against his life attributed to Iran. American officials believe Iranian planning to target current and former US officials has become more advanced, although the severity of the specific threats against Bessent remains unclear.
Since August, Bessent has led Operation Economic Outcast, a campaign of sanctions and trade restrictions intended to isolate Iran financially and reduce funding to its Revolutionary Guard. US officials say the campaign is damaging Iran’s economy but intelligence assessments indicate its leadership remains determined to retain power.
Separately, US prosecutors announced terrorism-related charges against three Iranian nationals allegedly involved in attacks and attempted attacks across Europe and America. The developments come as President Donald Trump emphasises progress towards ending the conflict, while Iranian officials deny that negotiations are even taking place.
Sources: New York Times, CNBC
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has unveiled footage of an underground missile facility containing ballistic and cruise missiles, while announcing that its self-imposed 2,000km missile range limit has been lifted. The location, age and operational status of the facility could not be independently verified.
Iranian armed forces chief Major General Ali Abdollahi warned that renewed attacks could trigger retaliation beyond the Middle East. IRGC spokesman Brigadier General Hossein Mohebbi said Iran had also moved missile and drone production underground. The announcement follows American and Israeli strikes intended to weaken Tehran’s missile capabilities.
The developments coincide with renewed diplomatic efforts involving Qatar. US President Donald Trump has described positive momentum towards ending hostilities, following talks with Qatar’s prime minister. Iran’s removal of its range restriction raises concerns about potential threats to American bases in Europe and the Indian Ocean, although the extent of its longer-range capabilities remains uncertain.
Sources: Jerusalem Post, Al Jazeera
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele said his forces had helped destroy the headquarters of Haiti’s 400 Mawozo gang near Port-au-Prince. Helicopter footage posted by Bukele showed strikes on a property in Croix-des-Bouquets, although the building’s identity and extent of the damage have not been independently verified. Reports that 20 people died remain unconfirmed by authorities.
The operation followed El Salvador’s deployment of more than 2,000 troops to Haiti after four Salvadoran personnel were abducted in October. Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé praised the intervention and pledged continued cooperation with the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force.
However, the deployment has raised questions about command arrangements and rules of engagement. Amnesty International urged both governments to ensure operations comply with international human rights law, while Dominican President Luis Abinader called for coordination between Salvadoran forces and the international mission. Haiti continues to face widespread gang violence.
Sources: BBC, France 24
The United Nations Human Rights Council has postponed its review of the United States’ human rights record until January after the Trump administration refused to participate. The 47-member body agreed to the delay on Tuesday, marking the second consecutive year Washington has declined to undergo the assessment.
The Universal Periodic Review examines all 193 UN member states every four to five years. President Donald Trump’s administration withdrew from the council last year, accusing it of anti-American and anti-Israel bias. The State Department reiterated its rejection of the organisation, while European Union representatives defended the principle of universal scrutiny.
Human rights advocates warned that Washington’s refusal could encourage other governments to avoid examination of their records. The council requires a country’s participation to conduct its review, leaving the process stalled. Rights groups have called for a separate UN briefing on US human rights conditions despite the administration’s absence.
Sources: Associated Press, Reuters
The US House of Representatives has blocked an attempt to impeach Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over the war in Iran, voting 211-204 to refer the resolution to a committee. The measure was introduced by Republican congressman Thomas Massie, who accused Hegseth of conducting military operations without congressional authorisation.
Massie’s eight impeachment articles also alleged extrajudicial killings during US strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and Pacific. Hegseth rejected the accusations, calling the impeachment effort a political stunt and defending the military operations as lawful. President Donald Trump celebrated the vote, saying the attempt had failed.
The referral effectively shelves the effort for now, although Democrats are due to control both chambers of Congress in January. Massie was the only Republican to oppose the procedural motion. Republican Senator Ted Cruz has separately said he expects Hegseth to resign or be dismissed, underscoring continuing questions about his political future.
Sources: BBC, South China Morning Post
British police have arrested a 41-year-old US Army officer on suspicion of attempting to obtain sensitive NATO information for Russia. The unnamed officer was detained near Gloucester on Tuesday under Britain’s National Security Act, following an investigation involving MI5, the FBI and military counterintelligence services.
The officer was assigned to NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, headquartered at Imjin Barracks in Gloucestershire. The British-led formation prepares forces for rapid deployment in defence of alliance members. US Army Counterintelligence Command chief Brigadier General Sean Stinchon described the suspect as a senior soldier entrusted with sensitive information.
Officials familiar with the investigation said the suspect had sought information potentially valuable to Moscow, but no classified material was passed to Russia. British police are searching two locations in Gloucestershire, and the suspect remains in custody. The arrest comes amid Western concerns about Russian intelligence and sabotage operations across Europe.
Sources: CNN, Washington Post
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On this day …
On this day in 1918 the armistice between Germany and the Allied powers took effect at 11 a.m., ending fighting on the Western Front after more than four years of war.
The agreement had been signed earlier that morning in a railway carriage near Compiègne, France. The conflict had killed millions of soldiers and civilians, devastated large areas of Europe and contributed to the collapse of four empires: German, Austro-Hungarian, Russian and Ottoman. The subsequent Treaty of Versailles established peace terms that would remain deeply contested.
More than a century later, 11 November remains an international occasion for remembrance and reflection on the human cost of war.