First Light.THE DAILY BRIEF

Archive edition

Morning Briefing

9 stories 5 min read

Ukraine and Russia return to U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi, Trump signals restraint on Iran, and China’s factory inflation accelerates. Turkey investigates a deadly steel plant explosion.

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff meets Russian President Vladimir Putin
File photo from October 21, 2026. Steve Witkoff meets Vladimir Putin near St. Petersburg. · Gavriil Grigorov / Sputnik / Kremlin Pool via AP · Available for licensing via AP

Russia and Ukraine

Ukraine and Russia return to U.S.-mediated talks

Negotiators are due to meet in Abu Dhabi on November 10–11 for their first U.S.-mediated round since February. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed his team had arrived and said it would propose steps to reduce hostilities and press for security guarantees. Germany and other European partners will hold separate consultations. The test is whether Kyiv and Moscow can agree on measures to reduce the fighting while their positions on territory and long-term security remain far apart.

World

2 stories

Middle East

Trump signals restraint after Qatar talks as Iran deal remains elusive

After meeting Qatar’s prime minister on Monday, President Donald Trump said he considered the war with Iran effectively over in military terms. In a Reuters interview, he also said the U.S. could resume strikes if needed and signaled he was prepared to keep the naval blockade in place. The remarks suggest a preference for diplomacy for now. The status of tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the terms of any nuclear agreement remain unresolved.

Air pollution

New Delhi faces severe smog after Diwali

Air quality deteriorated sharply in India’s capital after Diwali fireworks on Sunday. Some areas reached an air-quality index of 400 on Monday, according to Al Jazeera. The spike adds to a seasonal health risk as cooler, still air traps pollution from sources including traffic and crop burning. India’s Supreme Court had restricted the types of fireworks allowed and when they could be used.

Business & Markets

2 stories

China’s economy

China’s factory prices accelerate as consumer inflation slows

China’s factory-gate prices rose 5.7% from a year earlier in October, up from 5.0% in September. Consumer inflation eased to 0.7% from 0.9%. Higher oil prices helped drive up industrial costs while domestic demand remained weak. The gap puts pressure on manufacturers whose costs are rising faster than the prices households pay.

Markets

Asian chip stocks extend Wall Street’s rebound

In early November 10 trading, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 2.6% and South Korea’s Kospi gained 4%, with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix among the leaders. The S&P 500 closed up 2.3% on November 9 as falling oil prices and strong earnings from several U.S. companies helped reverse part of last week’s sell-off. The rebound spread across chip stocks despite Nvidia ending Monday down 4.3%.

Technology

1 story

Online safety

Instagram expands AI age checks worldwide

Meta is rolling out age estimation globally to move suspected teenagers into Instagram Teen Accounts, including users who entered an adult birth date. Those accounts limit contact and the content teens can see. The expansion comes as Meta faces lawsuits over alleged harms to young users. It makes the platform’s age estimate more consequential for the features an account can access.

Germany

1 story

EU budget

Merz links Germany’s EU budget support to Ukraine funding

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told European Council President António Costa that the EU’s next seven-year budget needs a Ukraine financing plan backed by all member states from 2028. He also wants members to share the interest costs of existing support. The demand brings two difficult negotiations together and raises the stakes for agreement on both long-term aid and the bloc’s spending plans.

Turkey

2 stories

Public safety

İzmir steel plant explosion kills at least 17

Turkey’s health minister said the death toll from Monday’s blast at the HABAŞ steel plant in Aliağa had risen to 17 after another injured worker died. Prosecutors announced detention orders for six suspects. The cause remains under investigation, including whether workplace safety measures were neglected.

Smoke above the HABAŞ steel plant after an explosion
Smoke rises after the November 9 explosion at the HABAŞ plant in Aliağa. · Ali Ihsan Ciftci / IHA via AP · Available for licensing via AP

Technology training

Apple plans five developer academies in Turkey

Apple announced plans for five developer academies across Turkey over the next three years. The first academy and a separate developer center are scheduled to open in Istanbul in 2027. A manufacturing academy planned for Ankara in 2028 would offer free training and advice to smaller businesses, students and entrepreneurs. The program would expand access to app development and manufacturing training.