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Zelensky says Ukraine faces choice of losing dignity or risking loss of key partner with US plan

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that Ukraine has to confront the possibility of losing its dignity or risking the loss of a key partner as it figures out how to respond to a U.S. peace proposal to end Russia's war with his country.

"This is one of the most difficult moments in our history," Zelensky said in a video address to the nation. "Currently, the pressure on Ukraine is one of the hardest. Ukraine may now face a very difficult choice, either losing its dignity or the risk of losing a key partner."

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Rural Greece struggles to cope with predator comeback

It was a shocking sight for the farmer — three of his sheep lying dead on the ground, signs of their mauling unmistakable. The large paw prints in the earth left no doubt they had been killed by a bear, a once rare but now increasingly frequent visitor in this part of northwestern Greece.

"It was a bear, a very big one, and they come often now. I wasn't the only one, it struck elsewhere too," said Anastasios Kasparidis, adding that another farmer had lost some chickens and pigs. He decided to move the rest of his small flock into a sheep pen near his house for protection.

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At UN climate conference, some activists and scientists want agriculture reform

With a spotlight on the Brazilian Amazon, where agriculture drives a significant chunk of deforestation and planet-warming emissions, many of the activists, scientists and government leaders at United Nations climate talks have a beef. They want more to be done to transform the world's food system.

Protesters gathered outside a new space at the talks, the industry-sponsored "Agrizone," to call for a transition toward a more grassroots food system, even as hundreds of lobbyists for big agriculture companies are attending the talks.

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Trump expands tariff relief on coffee, fruit and beef from Brazil

President Donald Trump has further loosened tariffs on Brazil as part of his effort to lower consumer costs for Americans. The decision, released Thursday, affects coffee, fruit and beef, among other goods.

The White House said last week that Trump was rolling back some worldwide tariffs that were originally announced in April.

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VW debuts restored vintage blue bus that survived California wildfire and melted hearts

A vintage blue VW bus that became an unlikely symbol of resilience after it survived a California wildfire made its public debut this week, shiny and like-new after Volkswagen spent months restoring the damaged vehicle.

The bus went viral in January when an Associated Press photographer captured it looking surprisingly unharmed by the deadly Palisades Fire, a spot of blue and white dwarfed by the charred remains of a Malibu neighborhood. Volkswagen saw the accompanying AP story and reached out to the owner, Megan Weinraub. Upon closer inspection, VW technicians discovered that while the bus had survived, it had smoke damage and blistered paint, rust and a window busted by the heat.

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Japan's exports to world rise, but Trump's tariffs dent shipments to US

Japan's global exports rose 3.7% in October from a year earlier while imports from the world edged up 0.6%, according to government data released Friday.

Exports to the U.S. dipped 3.1%, marking the seventh straight month of year-on-year declines mainly due to higher U.S. tariffs, Finance Ministry data showed.

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Google, US government battle over future of internet advertising

Google will confront the U.S. government's latest attempt to topple its internet empire in federal court on Friday as a judge considers how to prevent the abusive tactics that culminated in parts of its digital ad network being branded as an illegal monopoly.

The courtroom showdown in Alexandria, Virginia, will pit lawyers from Google and the U.S. Department of Justice against each other in closing proceedings focused on the complex technology that distributes millions of digital ads across the internet each day.

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Leaders arrive for first African G20 summit overshadowed by South Africa-US rift

World leaders arrived Friday for a historic first Group of 20 summit in Africa that aims to put the problems of poor countries at the top of the global agenda. But the talks have been undermined by a rift between host South Africa and the United States over a Trump administration boycott.

The weekend summit in Johannesburg will be attended by delegations from 18 of the world's richest and top developing economies — minus the U.S., which has branded South Africa's hosting a "disgrace " and won't participate in the talks.

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Mexico's bullied pageant contestant gets payback by capturing Miss Universe crown

Fátima Bosch Fernández of Mexico was crowned Miss Universe 2025 on Friday, a dramatic victory for a 25-year-old at the center of the turbulent 74th staging of the popular beauty pageant in Bangkok who stood up to public bullying from one of the hosts.

The issues at this year's event sprang from a sharp-tongued scolding of Bosch, which sparked a controversy marked by a walkout, feminist solidarity and a teary, melodramatic apology from the local organizer who set it all off.

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2 robbers steal dozens of ancient gold coins from Swiss museum

Swiss authorities were searching Friday for two robbers who overpowered a security guard at an ancient Rome-themed museum in Lausanne, smashed a display case and made off with dozens of gold coins that had been displayed inside.

City police said the suspects had purchased tickets and waited until other visitors had left shortly before closing time on Thursday, before assaulting and restraining the guard, and then breaking the display case.

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