Bilig's Daily Brief: Nvidia opens inquiry into Jensen Huang as Asian stocks rebound

In today's Bilig Daily Brief, Nvidia's board opened an independent investigation into Chief Executive Jensen Huang over reports that he was targeted by Chinese intelligence, as Asian technology shares recovered part of last week's losses. President Donald Trump meets Qatar's prime minister on Iran, Europe will join Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi, and the COP31 climate summit opened in Antalya.

Nvidia board opens investigation into Jensen Huang

Nvidia's board said on Sunday it had opened an independent investigation into reports that Chief Executive Jensen Huang was the target of a foreign intelligence effort, CBS News and Newsweek reported. The board said it had "no reason to believe" company secrets or national security were compromised. Huang admitted an affair with Alice Huang, a former executive at Nvidia customer Megaspeed whom US officials believe spied for China, according to the New York Times. "There is no excuse for what I did," he said.

Trump to meet Qatar's prime minister on Iran

President Donald Trump meets Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani at the White House on Monday to discuss Qatar's mediation with Iran, Reuters and Axios reported. Trump told CNN on Sunday that new strikes were "highly unlikely" if talks progressed. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Iran's demands "outrageous and ridiculous". Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned Tehran would "rain down hell" if US attacks resumed, Al Jazeera reported. Iran's navy said a tanker caught fire after hitting a mine near the Strait of Hormuz. There was no independent confirmation.

Asian technology stocks rebound after AI rout

Asian technology shares recovered on Monday after last week's sell-off in artificial intelligence (AI) stocks. Japan's Nikkei 225 closed 2.5% higher and Taiwan's Taiex gained about 5%, led by TSMC, according to Investing.com and AP. South Korea's Kospi reversed early gains to close 0.8% lower. Europe's STOXX 600 was flat at 08:10 GMT, while Nvidia's Frankfurt-listed shares fell 6%, Reuters reported. Brent crude traded near $97 a barrel. Traders priced a roughly 80% chance of a Federal Reserve rate rise in December, according to CME FedWatch.

China's factory-gate inflation hits 4.5-year high

China's producer prices rose 5.7% in October from a year earlier, the fastest pace in nearly four and a half years, official data showed on Monday, Reuters reported. The figure beat the 5.3% forecast in a Reuters poll and followed a 5.0% rise in September. Consumer inflation slowed to 0.7% from 0.9%, slightly below forecasts. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy prices, eased to 0.8% from 1.0%.

Trump defends Iran war and Hegseth on 60 Minutes

President Donald Trump said in a CBS 60 Minutes interview broadcast on Sunday that he did not disagree with Vice President JD Vance's view that the Iran war contributed to Republican midterm losses. "I think, historically, this will be a very good decision," Trump said, Fox News reported. He said he still trusted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The House of Representatives is expected to vote this week on a resolution to impeach Hegseth, Israel Hayom and CNN reported.

Europe to join Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Sunday that European countries would take part in US-mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and Wednesday. "The Europeans will be well represented," he said, Reuters reported. Trump told 60 Minutes the war could end soon, with Ukraine in "a little bit different shape". Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said groundwork for the talks was in place, AP reported. Overnight, Russia launched 317 drones at Ukraine, the Ukrainian air force said.

COP31 climate talks open in Antalya

The 31st United Nations climate conference (COP31) opened in Antalya, Türkiye, on Monday, with officials urging faster action, Reuters reported. Simon Stiell, the UN climate chief, said progress was "nowhere near fast enough". Türkiye's Environment Minister Murat Kurum, the COP31 president, wants countries to pledge to raise electricity's share of the global economy to more than a third by 2035. The United States is staying away for a second year. The talks run until 20 November, with leaders attending on 11 and 12 November.

Eisenkot receives mandate and courts Netanyahu's allies

Gadi Eisenkot formally received the mandate to form Israel's next government from President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem on Sunday, the Times of Israel reported. "Israel does not have the privilege of wasting time or repeating endless rounds of elections," Eisenkot said. He invited members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud and the Religious Zionism party to join him, adding: "All of us will need to compromise." He has up to six weeks to build a coalition. If he fails, Netanyahu gets 28 days.

Sand embankment collapse kills five in Gaza

A sand embankment collapsed onto tents sheltering displaced people south of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza after heavy rain, killing five people, including children, Gaza's civil defence agency said, AFP reported. "Rescue teams are continuing to search for missing people," spokesman Mahmud Bassal said. The Hamas-run government media office said about 70,000 tents flooded on the first day of rain, which began on Saturday. A ceasefire has held since October 2025, but Israeli strikes continue almost daily, AFP reported.

Merz backs Ilse Aigner for German president

Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed Ilse Aigner, president of the Bavarian state parliament, as the conservative candidate for federal president on Sunday evening, Bloomberg and the Berliner Zeitung reported. Aigner, of the Christian Social Union (CSU), would be Germany's first female head of state if elected. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) has signalled support. The Federal Convention chooses Frank-Walter Steinmeier's successor on 30 January, and the governing parties hold a majority there, the Berliner Zeitung said.

Krakow gunman dies as Poland investigates terrorism

The 24-year-old man who shot dead six people in Krakow's Main Square on Saturday died in hospital on Monday morning after several operations, police said, AP reported. Prosecutors are treating the shooting as a terrorist offence. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński described the attacker's views as radical and ultranationalist. Fifteen people were wounded. The dead included a British man and an Austrian woman. Police also found the bodies of the suspect's parents and sister at the family home.