Zero's Briefs

Foreign Affairs and Geopolitics — US mediates Russia-Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi — US envoy Steve Witkoff has announced technical negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11, with the United States acting as mediator. The talks will address postwar security, de-escalation and humanitarian measures. Witkoff also announced a meeting in Brussels, the same week, with France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the European Union and Nato. Ukrainska Pravda; Deutsche Welle

Foreign Affairs and Geopolitics — Mourning in Zaporizhzhia over the Komyshuvakha attack — The Ukrainian region observed a day of mourning on November 3 after the Russian attack that caused 26 deaths, including two rescue workers and four police officers according to Hromadske. Korrespondent.net reports 5 injured and 27 people missing as of publication. The regional administration counted 939 Russian attacks across 52 localities on November 2. Hromadske; Korrespondent.net

Foreign Affairs and Geopolitics — Russia leaves the convention against torture — The Council of Europe has announced Russia’s official withdrawal from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture, which allowed independent inspections of prisons. Between 1998 and 2021 the committee had conducted 30 missions to 450 places of detention. The news currently comes from a single source (Sky TG24, citing a Council of Europe statement); no independent confirmation available. Sky TG24

Europe — The EU Parliament opens gender equality week — From November 3 to 6 the European Parliament is hosting events on female leadership and the fight against discrimination, with the ‘Women in Leadership’ event promoted by Vice-President Antonella Sberna and FEMM Committee Chair Lídia Pereira, with remarks from President Roberta Metsola. In the AFET committee, Commissioner Marta Kos is presenting the 2026 enlargement package. Confprofessioni; InfoParlamento

Italy — Summit at Palazzo Chigi over supermarket attacks — Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano chaired a meeting on November 3 with the director of the National Cybersecurity Agency and intelligence chiefs over hacker attacks on refrigeration systems, which pushed freezers to 50 degrees above zero in six European countries as well as in Italy. The Copasir has requested information from the government. ANSA; Online News

Crime News — Sabotaged freezers in three Italian regions — Large-scale retail chains in Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Sicily have reported suspicious failures in their refrigeration systems, discovered only when stores opened. The same pattern is suspected as in attacks already recorded in Belgium, Sweden, Luxembourg, Estonia, the Netherlands and Ireland. The news currently comes from a single source (Adnkronos roundup); no independent confirmation available. Musicletter

Economy and Markets — EU GDP slows to 0.5% in the third quarter — According to Eurostat’s preliminary estimate, GDP grew by 0.4% in the euro area and by 0.5% in the European Union in the third quarter of 2026, slowing from the previous quarter. Year on year, growth stood at 1.3% in the euro area and 1.5% in the EU. Istat reports Italian GDP unchanged for the quarter, with +0.8% year on year. The news currently comes from a single source (Eurostat statement); no independent confirmation available. Agenzia Nova

Health — An algorithm reads death risk from the face — A study by Mass General Brigham published in Lancet Digital Health trained an artificial intelligence system, FAHR-Face, on more than 40 million photographs to estimate the biological age of cancer patients. In a validation group, about 52% of patients flagged as high-risk died within three months, compared with about 2% in the low-risk group. The news currently comes from a single source (study in Lancet Digital Health); no independent confirmation available. Webnews

Tech & AI — Nasa and Department of Energy join forces on space nuclear power — The two US agencies have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation on nuclear technologies for space exploration, signed in Washington by Nasa Administrator Jared Isaacman and Energy Secretary Chris Wright. The launch of Space Reactor-1 Freedom is scheduled for 2028. The news currently comes from a single source (Nasa-Department of Energy memorandum of understanding); no independent confirmation available. ANSA Scienza

Sport — Antonelli leads drivers’ standings with 380 points — After the Mexico Grand Prix, Kimi Antonelli leads the 2026 drivers’ standings with 380 points, ahead of Max Verstappen (261) and Lewis Hamilton (259). In the constructors’ standings, Ferrari has narrowed the gap to Mercedes. The news currently comes from a single source (official FIA standings); no independent confirmation available. Sky Sport

Cinema & Entertainment — CINEMANIA returns to Montréal with 138 films — From November 4 to 15 the 32nd edition of the French-language film festival offers 138 films and 16 series, with guests including Jean Dujardin, Karin Viard and Jean-Pierre Jeunet. The opening film is ‘Paradis’ by Jérémy Comte, set in Ghana. On November 10 Thierry Frémaux will lead a session on the Lumière brothers. Maudits Français; ATUVU

Culture — At the Colosseum, an exhibition on Troy and Rome opens — The Colosseum Archaeological Park has inaugurated ‘Troy and Rome’, described as the flagship exhibition of the Roman season, with the installation curated by Simona Murrone. The news currently comes from a single source; no independent confirmation available. Quotidiano Arte

The number of the day — Fifty million votes already cast — More than 50 million Americans had voted early before polls opened on November 3, according to Associated Press, a sign of attention on the elections that will decide control of Congress. Associated Press

On this day — Castelvecchio turns one hundred — For the centenary of the Verona museum, the exhibition ‘Titian’s Venus and the Musical Renaissance - Music for the Eyes’ has opened, dedicated to the painting and the musical Renaissance. The news currently comes from a single source; no independent confirmation available. Quotidiano Arte