EU countries override France to greenlight Mercosur trade deal
The EU gave Friday a long-delayed go ahead to a huge trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur championed by business groups but loathed by many European farmers -- overriding opposition led by France.
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Russia joins Chinese, Iran warships for drills off S.Africa
A Russian warship arrived off South Africa's main naval base Friday to join Chinese and Iranian vessels in military exercises that risk further damaging Pretoria's relations with Washington.
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Stocks rise ahead of US jobs data and key tariffs ruling
Stock markets advanced Friday as traders awaited the release of crucial US jobs data and a possible Supreme Court ruling on US President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs.
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'All are in the streets': Iranians defiant as protests grow
Tear gas burning his eyes, his voice hoarse from shouting anti-government slogans as cars honked around him, Majid joined crowds of Iranians taking to the streets in defiance of a crackdown on a swelling protest movement.
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Kurdish fighters refuse to leave Syria's Aleppo after truce
Kurdish fighters rejected a call to leave Syria's Aleppo on Friday after the government announced a truce in deadly fighting that forced thousands of civilians to flee.
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Grok turns off AI image generation for non-payers after nudes backlash
Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok has turned off its image creation feature for non-paying users following backlash over its use to create sexualized deepfakes of women and children.
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Germany factory output jumps but exports disappoint
German industrial production unexpectedly jumped in November but exports fell heavily, data showed Friday, offering a mixed picture for Europe's struggling top economy.
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Defiant Khamenei insists 'won't back down' in face of Iran protests
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday insisted that the Islamic republic would "not back down" in the face of protests after the biggest rallies yet in an almost two week movement sparked by anger over the rising cost of living.
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Russian strikes cut heat to Kyiv, mayor calls for temporary evacuation
Russian strikes cut heating to half of the Ukrainian capital on Friday, triggering the mayor to issue an exceptional call for residents to temporarily leave the city with temperatures at -8C and set to drop further.
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Switzerland holds day of mourning after deadly New Year fire
Switzerland was to hold a national day of mourning Friday for the 40 people killed, mostly teenagers, when fire ravaged a ski resort bar filled with New Year partygoers.
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