Trap laid, Ukraine walked in
BRICS-Dollar challenge
Al-Qaida’s growing ambitions
Saudi shift shakes Israel
Women sommeliers are cracking male-dominated wine world open
Exhibition of Franco-Chinese print master Zao Wou-Ki opens in Hong Kong
Myanmar junta denies killing civilians in hospital strike
Why SpaceX IPO plan is generating so much buzz
Politics
Thailand continues Cambodia strikes despite Trump truce calls
Thailand said Saturday it was continuing military strikes against Cambodia despite US President Donald Trump saying the countries had agreed to stop fighting after calls with him.
Politics
US envoy to meet Zelensky, Europe leaders in Berlin this weekend
US President Donald Trump's special envoy will meet with Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders in Berlin this weekend, the White House said, as Washington presses for a plan to end Russia's war with Ukraine.
Last news
Politics
Veggie 'burgers' remain on table as EU talks stall
EU wrangling over whether to give plant-based "sausages" and veggie "burgers" the chop and restrict such labels to meat products will grind on into next year after countries and lawmakers failed to reach a deal on Wednesday.
Economy
French far right sparks debate with proposal to reopen brothels
Marine Le Pen's far-right party wants to bring back France's once legendary brothels, sparking a fresh debate about prostitution in a country with a long history of liberal attitudes to sex.
Things to know
Not lovin' it: McDonald's pulls Dutch AI Christmas ad
US burger chain McDonald's said on Wednesday it had removed an AI-generated Christmas advert in the Netherlands after it was filleted online.
Culture
Earliest evidence of humans making fire discovered in UK
Excited scientists announced Wednesday they have discovered evidence in the UK of humans deliberately making fire 400,000 years ago, dramatically pushing back the timeline for when our ancient relatives are known to have mastered this crucial skill.
Sports
Evenepoel to share Red Bull lead with Lipowitz at Tour de France
Remco Evenepoel will share the leadership role with Florian Lipowitz at the 2026 Tour de France in 2026, he said at Red Bull Bora's training camp in Mallorca on Wednesday.
Boulevard
Austrian court rejects Ukraine tycoon's US extradition
An Austrian court announced Wednesday that it had rejected the extradition to the United States of Ukrainian tycoon Dmytro Firtash on bribery charges, the latest twist in a long-running legal saga.
Economy
Instagram users given new algorithm controls
Instagram on Wednesday unveiled a new AI-powered feature that lets users view and adjust the algorithm shaping their Reels feed, calling it a pioneering move toward greater user control.
Politics
M23's advance in DR Congo prompts uncertainty, border closure
Streets were empty, shops shuttered and soldiers fled the eastern DR Congo city of Uvira on Wednesday, a day after a Rwanda-backed militia entered the strategic city's outskirts, prompting Burundi to close its border.
Culture
'Downward spiral': French mother blames social media for teen's suicide
A French mother whose teenage son took his own life is fighting to hold social media platforms accountable, saying their algorithms pushed suicide-related content that sent the 15-year-old into a "downward spiral".
Economy
US Fed expected to make third straight rate cut despite divisions
The US Federal Reserve is expected to deliver a further interest rate cut Wednesday despite divisions among its ranks, with chief Jerome Powell's ability to secure support from fellow policymakers put to the test.
Politics
Daughter of Venezuela's Machado picks up Nobel peace prize in her absence
Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Wednesday urged her compatriots to fight for freedom against "state terrorism", as she said she was coming out of hiding to travel to Norway after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in her absence.
Sports
NFL to play regular season games in Munich in 2026 and 2028
The NFL will play two regular season games in the German city of Munich in 2026 and 2028, continuing the organisation's ongoing commitment to play annual matches in Germany.
Politics
Tens of thousands petition against Croatia Catholic men's public prayers
More than 60,000 people signed a petition delivered Wednesday to Croatia's government calling for the removal of public Catholic men's prayers that promote patriarchal authority from city squares.
Economy
EU seeks better Spain-France energy links after blackout
The EU said Wednesday it wants to boost energy links between France and Spain as part of a bloc-wide push to secure power supplies, months after a massive outage hit the Iberian Peninsula.
Politics
French special forces helped Benin after attempted coup: military
French special forces provided support to Beninese troops who put down an attempted coup at the weekend, the head of the country's republican guard told AFP on Wednesday.
Economy
Madeleine McCann's father says 'lucky' to survive media attention
The father of missing British girl Madeleine McCann has called for greater scrutiny of the UK's media, saying in an interview published Wednesday that his family received a "monstering" from sections of the press.
Sports
Sabalenka says transgender women in WTA events 'not fair'
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka said Tuesday that she considers it "not fair" that the women's professional tennis tour allows transgender women to compete in WTA tournaments, even though they are currently absent from the elite of world tennis.
Sports
Gerrard urges Salah to stay at Liverpool and 'reverse away' from outburst
Liverpool great Steven Gerrard believes the club still need Mohamed Salah as he urged the star forward to "reverse away" from an extraordinary outburst where he accused the faltering Premier League champions of "throwing him under the bus".
Economy
Greek govt in emergency meeting as farmers block central port
Greece's government held emergency meetings Wednesday to address a growing farm protest movement, as demonstrators temporarily blocked the central port of Volos.
Economy
China consumer prices pick up pace but demand still slack
Rising food costs pushed consumer inflation in China last month to its fastest pace in nearly two years, data showed Wednesday, but lower factory-gate prices suggested demand in the world's second-largest economy remains weak.
Politics
Venezuela's Machado 'safe' but will miss Nobel Peace Prize ceremony
Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado is "safe" and will reach Oslo by Thursday at the latest, but will not accept her Nobel Peace Prize in person, Nobel officials said.
Sports
All Black wing Reece signs for French side Perpignan
New Zealand international winger Sevu Reece will join French side Perpignan next season provided the Catalan club retains its place in the Top 14, club president Francois Riviere announced on Wednesday.
Boulevard
Louvre thieves escaped with 30 seconds to spare, probe reveals
The thieves who stole priceless crown jewels from the Louvre in October escaped with just 30 seconds to spare due to avoidable security failures at the Paris museum, a damning investigation revealed on Wednesday.
Politics
Stocks retreat ahead of Fed decision
Stock markets mostly fell and the dollar steadied Wednesday following a tepid day on Wall Street as investors bided their time ahead of a highly anticipated Federal Reserve policy announcement later in the day.
Economy
Not just pizza: Italian cuisine makes UNESCO list
UNESCO recognised Wednesday that Italian food is more than pizza, pasta and gelato, adding the range and ritual of the famed cuisine to its list of intangible cultural heritage.
Sports
Spurs' Simons wants to 'build legacy' as he succeeds Son
Xavi Simons said he wanted to "build my own legacy" after marking the return of Son Heung-min on a visit to Tottenham with another goal in the number seven shirt once worn by the former Spurs star.
Culture
Egypt switches off Liverpool after Salah fallout
At a cafe in a bustling Cairo neighbourhood, Liverpool games once drew wall-to-wall crowds, but with Mohamed Salah off the pitch, his Egyptian fans would now rather play cards or quietly doomscroll than watch the Reds play.
Boulevard
Europe ministers meet on migration 'challenges' to rights convention
Ministers from Council of Europe states met in Strasbourg Wednesday to address concerns aired by several key members that the European Convention on Human Rights is impeding the fight against illegal migration.
Culture
Real-life horror to TV drama: Feared Syria sites become sets for series
At a Damascus air base once off-limits under Bashar al-Assad, a crew now films a TV series about the final months of the ousted leader's rule as seen through the eyes of a Syrian family.
Economy
France's 'Battery Valley' makes use of Asian experts
France is developing domestic production of electric vehicle batteries with an eye on industrial independence but Asian experts are proving key in launching operations.
Economy
Stocks in retreat as traders eye Fed decision, tech earnings
Most markets fell Wednesday following a tepid day on Wall Street as investors bided their time ahead of a highly anticipated Federal Reserve policy announcement later in the day.
Sports
Egypt teammates rally behind unsettled Salah before AFCON
While the future of Mohamed Salah at Liverpool hangs in the balance, Egypt teammates have rallied behind the national team captain ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Things to know
Moo dunnit? Dog lets bull, horse into living room in Australia
A lawmaker in Australia was left in udder disbelief when he came home to discover his pet dog had let a bull and a horse into his living room.
Politics
Venezuela opposition chief Machado to miss Nobel Peace Prize award
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who lives in hiding, will not attend Wednesday's Nobel Peace Prize ceremony and the award will be accepted by her daughter, organisers said.
Boulevard
Indian festival of lights Diwali joins UNESCO heritage list
India's festival of lights, Diwali, was on Wednesday announced as an addition to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list, sparking celebrations.
Politics
Brazil lawmakers approve bill to cut Bolsonaro sentence after ruckus
Brazil's lower house of Congress approved a bill early Wednesday that could slash former president Jair Bolsonaro's prison sentence for plotting a coup, after efforts by a lawmaker to disrupt the proceedings sparked chaos in parliament.
Sports
New Zealand lose Tickner as West Indies all out for 205
New Zealand fought back to claim first day honours in the second Test against the West Indies in Wellington, but the home side were rocked when seam bowler Blair Tickner was taken to hospital with a nasty injury.
Economy
China surplus pushing EU to take 'offensive' trade measures: business lobby
China's mammoth trade surplus with Europe as well as challenges faced by foreign firms in the country are incentivising Brussels to adopt more "offensive" policies, a business lobby warned Wednesday.
Nature
Japanese ivory trade attracts fresh global scrutiny
At his store in Tokyo's ritzy Ginza district, Hajime Sasaki displays a disparate array of wares, from chopsticks to Buddha statues -- including many made of ivory.