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Secretary of State Marco Rubio hailed 鈥渢remendous鈥� progress during talks between American, Ukrainian, and European delegations in Geneva yesterday. President Donald Trump, whose 28-point peace plan has been criticized for favoring Russia, had accused Ukraine of being ungrateful for his efforts to end the nearly four-year war. A joint statement between the United States and Ukraine said they had developed an 鈥渦pdated and refined鈥� peace framework. Talks are expected to continue today.

Several airlines canceled flights to and from Venezuela after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration warned pilots to use caution due to security issues and increased military activity. Washington is reportedly preparing for a new phase of operations in Venezuela, with rumors circulating about possible plans to overthrow President Nicol谩s Maduro. The Pentagon announced that America鈥檚 top officer, Gen. Dan Caine, will be in Puerto Rico today to thank troops deployed to the region.

Brazil鈥檚 former President Jair Bolsonaro was arrested on Saturday on suspicions he was going to flee from house arrest to avoid a 27-year prison sentence. The rightwing ex-president was sentenced earlier this year for plotting a coup in the aftermath of his 2022 reelection loss, a verdict that reinforced Brazil鈥檚 deep political divisions. Both Mr. Bolsonaro and President Trump have called the trial a 鈥渨itch hunt.鈥� He was jailed days before he was supposed to start his sentence.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announced her departure from Congress after a sharp break with President Trump, who threatened to support a challenger if she sought another term. Ms. Greene, once one of the president鈥檚 staunchest allies, split with him over foreign policy and the release of the so-called Epstein files. Before her decision to resign, Ms. Greene had 鈥渉umbly鈥� apologized for 鈥渢aking part in the toxic politics.鈥�

Fifty students abducted in Nigeria have returned to their families after fleeing their captors, while more than 250 children and 12 teachers remain missing. Friday鈥檚 kidnapping at a Catholic school in Niger state was one of the largest that Nigeria has seen and came days after gunmen abducted 25 schoolgirls in a neighboring state. 鈥淚 urge you all to continue in your prayers for the rescue and safe return of the remaining victims,鈥� said the Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna.

A Texas woman began an 鈥淎dopt-a-Ranger鈥� program to support national park rangers during the holiday season. Sandra Ramos, who works for the National Parks Conservation Association, created two online forms, one for rangers in need, and one for those wanting to give back. In the first three days, over 500 people had signed up to send a Thanksgiving package, winter care kit, or both. She thanked all who participated for their 鈥済enerosity and abundance of spirit.鈥�

鈥� Our staff writers around the world

Gen Zers have brought down governments because they want good governance. From around the globe, they tell us how they鈥檙e inspiring each other鈥檚 activism in a hyperconnected world.

The United States backed a military coup in Chile in 1973, ushering in nearly two decades of dictatorship. How Chileans individually experienced that period influences how they see U.S. military strikes in Venezuelan waters today.

Each approaching winter since 2022, besieged Ukrainians have braced for more Russian attacks on the energy installations they rely on to survive the harsh cold of the Eurasian steppe. This year, they are confronting two additional jolts: Anti-corruption agencies have revealed high-level graft, with the equivalent of $100 million siphoned off from funds intended to defend this very same energy infrastructure. And many Ukrainians are discomfited by reports of a U.S.-Russia 鈥減eace plan鈥� 鈥� initially drafted without Ukraine鈥檚 involvement.

United States and Ukrainian representatives held talks on the plan in Geneva on Sunday. But some Ukrainian officials believe the timing of the plan鈥檚 announcement was designed by the U.S. to use the corruption crisis to pressure President Volodymyr聽Zelenskyy into concessions. European leaders have also expressed concerns about the plan鈥檚 reported allowances for Russia. 鈥淯kraine may find itself facing a very difficult choice 鈥� either loss of dignity, or the risk of losing a key partner,鈥� President Volodymyr聽Zelenskyy said shortly before the Geneva meetings.聽

Both challenges, now intertwined, have deep implications for the survival and viability of a nation that sees its future tied to the West. All former Soviet republics 鈥� including both Russia and Ukraine 鈥� carry a legacy of corruption from communist rule. But in its bid to entrench democracy and join the European Union, Ukraine has made major strides toward accountable and honest governance, especially in the integrity of its antigraft fighters, though there is still more to do.

鈥淲e cannot afford for ... Ukrainian authorities to lose the remnants of legitimacy during the war,鈥� economist and banker Serhiy Fursa posted on social media. To avert 鈥渄espair and political discord,鈥� he wrote, 鈥渢he authorities must respond ... appropriately. It鈥檚 in their interest 鈥� and ours.鈥�

Even amid wartime exigencies, Ukrainians maintain a robust insistence on the rule of law. In July, young people came out in force to protest a move to strip the main anti-corruption watchdogs of their independence 鈥� a plan that was quickly reversed.

The country鈥檚 two main anti-corruption bodies have publicly shared findings from their 15-month 鈥淥peration Midas鈥� 鈥� including images of opulent apartments, gilded bathrooms, and bags of cash. While Mr. Zelenskyy is not implicated in the alleged wrongdoing, a friend and former business partner of his was identified as a mastermind and has fled the country. Ukraine鈥檚 parliament has dismissed the energy and justice ministers. And a senior prosecutor stepped down over an internal probe into investigation leaks.

In a statement citing Russian strikes and power outages, Mr. Zelenskyy said, 鈥淚t is extremely difficult for everyone.鈥� He also described the corruption scandal as 鈥渁bsolutely abnormal,鈥� adding, 鈥淲e all need to protect Ukraine.鈥�

Note: This article was updated Nov. 23 to include mention of the Ukraine-US talks in Geneva, Switzerland.