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Here's today's free edition. This is the Worldin Brief from The Economist.

Our top stories. In a surprise move the EU agreed to open membership negotiations with Ukraine.

Victor Orban, Hungary's Pray. negotiations with Ukraine.

Victor Orban, Hungary's Prime Minister, had threatened to veto the decision, which requires unanimous approval, but reportedly left the room when it was put to a vote among the 27 heads of government.

Valodemir Zelenski, Ukraine's president, hailed the decision as a quote victory for Ukraine. The EU also agreed to open accession talks with Moldova and to grant

candidate status to Georgia.

The Bank of England and the European Central Bank held interest rates steady at 5.25% and 4% respectively. Neither bank suggested that rate cuts are imminent.

Earlier, the Federal Reserve also left its benchmark interest rate, unchanged at 5.25% to 5.5%, but it signaled that it would loosen monetary policy next year.

Jake Sullivan, America's National Security Advisor, told Israel to reduce the, quote,

intensity of its war in Gaza in the near future.

During meetings with officials, including Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in

Tel Aviv, Mr Sullivan suggested they transition to targeted operations that

inflict fewer civilian casualties. to targeted the defeating Hamas will,

to

to quote, require a long period of time.

Medicine-Sond-frontier, an aid group, suspended work in a hospital in Porter Prince,

Haiti's capital, after an armed group executed a patient outside an ambulance on Tuesday.

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