Nov 5, 2026, 02:00 AM UTC

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on social media that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an energy truce, halting attacks on mutual energy infrastructure. Trump attributed rising fuel prices to the ongoing conflict and urged both nations to maintain the agreement.

However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky disputed the claim of a binding agreement. Speaking to the Financial Times, Zelensky stated that Ukraine had only implemented a temporary three-day pause on striking Russian oil refineries at Washington's request. Pointing to continued Russian strikes against Ukraine's energy grid during that period, Zelensky declared, "we are done," confirming Kyiv will resume targeting Russian refineries. Meanwhile, the Kremlin rejected terms for a temporary ceasefire, offering a counter-proposal instead.

Sources: HRT Vijesti, Index, Klix.

European Union member states have resolved a diplomatic impasse to extend sanctions against roughly 3,000 Russian individuals and entities supporting Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The agreement followed intense negotiations after France, Slovakia, and Luxembourg requested exemptions for steel magnate Alisher Usmanov and banker Mikhail Fridman. A temporary delay in extending the measures was overcome on Tuesday after member states agreed to remove both figures from the penal list to secure unanimous approval before existing sanctions expired.

Separately, EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg approved the bloc's largest sanctions package to date targeting Russia's military-industrial complex. The comprehensive measures aim to maintain economic pressure on Moscow and signal sustained European backing for Ukraine following recent diplomatic friction between Kyiv and Washington.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Standard, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau

A fourth summer heatwave continues to sweep across Western and Southern Europe, prompting expanded public health warnings and recording historic temperatures.

In Italy, health authorities issued red alerts for all 27 major cities, including Messina and Reggio Calabria, as temperatures were projected to reach up to 40 degrees Celsius. Authorities advised residents to avoid direct sunlight during peak hours and stay hydrated, with meteorologists predicting the conditions will persist over the coming week.

Meanwhile, Austria registered a historic temperature high of 40.8 degrees Celsius near Vienna. In France, health officials reported more than 7,300 excess deaths linked to recurring heatwaves spanning 52 days since mid-June. Meteorologists warn of ongoing drought conditions and heightened wildfire risks, with further temperature spikes expected in France and the United Kingdom.

Sources: Aftenposten, Berlingske, DR, TV 2 Nyheter, VG

Public confidence in artificial intelligence in Italy has declined significantly, dropping from 68 percent in 2020 to 49 percent, according to a recent SWG survey presented at the Chamber of Deputies. Concerns have simultaneously increased to 45 percent among citizens.

This shift in sentiment aligns with rising anxieties over economic disruption, including an estimated 425,000 global job losses linked to automated systems over the past three years. Additionally, news publishers face severe disruptions as search engines deploy automated summaries that threaten to diminish direct website traffic.

Despite mounting public caution, major technology firms continue pushing back against government regulatory constraints. At the same time, Italian figures retain influential roles in global technological innovation, even as debate persists over whether current AI investments represent a market bubble or a fundamental transformation.

Sources: ANSA, Corriere della Sera, Il Messaggero, Il Sole 24 Ore, La Repubblica.

Scrutiny surrounding the Slovak coalition government has intensified following reports detailing financial ties between Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák and Czech defense firm CSG. Investigations revealed Kaliňák received consulting fees to promote CSG subsidiaries abroad prior to his ministry awarding contracts to the contractor.

Simultaneously, opposition figures questioned the un-tendered appointment of a police investigator’s spouse to a state energy board after the officer repeatedly dismissed criminal complaints against Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok. Internal coalition strife also resulted in the dismissal of Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba after Slovak National Party leader Andrej Danko backed an opposition vote. Additionally, Slovakia became the first EU member state since 2022 to restore military attaché links with Moscow. Slovak authorities have denied all allegations of misconduct.

Sources: Český rozhlas Plus, Denník N, Ekonomický deník, iROZHLAS, Seznam Zprávy