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Stocks fall before inflation data, as bitcoin breaks $60,000
Major stock markets fell Wednesday as investors locked in profits ahead of a key US inflation measurement while cryptocurrency bitcoin topped $60,000.
Verstappen unfazed by Horner speculation before Formula One season opener
Max Verstappen on Wednesday brushed aside suggestions his bid for a fourth consecutive world title may be affected by speculation around his Red Bull boss Christian Horner.
Biden, 81, undergoes annual medical exam
US President Joe Biden reported to a hospital Wednesday for his last yearly medical examination before November's election as scrutiny intensifies over the 81-year-old's fitness and mental acuity for a second term.
Palestinian FM says Hamas knows it cannot be in new govt
Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki said Wednesday he believes Hamas understands why it should not be part of a new government in the Palestinian territories.
Lagos gets Sci-Fi treatment in new Disney+ series
A new animated Disney series set in a futuristic Lagos has won over its first viewers with a Sci-Fi play on life in the Nigerian megacity.
Bitcoin tops $60,000, approaches all-time high
Bitcoin passed the $60,000 mark on Wednesday, approaching its all-time high and continuing its unbridled rise since the approval of a new type of investment indexed to the cryptocurrency.
Saudi investment fund PIF buys into men's tennis in 'strategic' deal with ATP
Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) on Wednesday announced a "multi-year strategic partnership" with the ATP, the governing body of men's tennis, extending the kingdom's influence on international sport.
India's in-form trio handed upgraded contracts
Three India players had their contracts upgraded Wednesday by the national cricket board after stellar performances, as it expanded its players' list from 26 to 30.
Armenia, Azerbaijan make new push for peace in Berlin
Germany on Wednesday hailed the "courageous steps" taken by Armenia and Azerbaijan as the Caucasus neighbours began peace talks in Berlin, in a new push to resolve a decades-long conflict.
Gaza death toll nears 30,000 as UN warns of 'imminent' famine
Fighting raged Wednesday in the besieged Gaza Strip, where the reported death toll neared 30,000 as mediators insisted a truce in the Israel-Hamas war could be just days away.
Airlines had their safest year on record in 2023: IATA
Last year was the safest ever for commercial air travel, despite a massive rebound in passenger flights, an airline industry group said Wednesday.
Mossi Traore brings France's forgotten suburbs to Paris fashion week
Mossi Traore is the only French designer in the official Paris fashion week line-up to operate outside the chi-chi boulevards of the capital, staying faithful to the mixed suburb where he grew up.
Breakaway Moldovan region asks Russia for 'protection'
Pro-Russian rebel officials in Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria appealed to Russia for "protection" on Wednesday, amid fears the territory could become a new flashpoint in Moscow's conflict with neighbouring Ukraine.
O'Shea named interim Ireland boss
Former Manchester United defender John O'Shea will take charge of the Republic of Ireland's March friendlies after being named interim head coach by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) on Wednesday.
World must act to stem surge of polluting trash, UN warns
The world generated 2.3 billion tonnes of municipal waste last year and the pile of trash is set to grow another two-thirds by 2050, the UN said Wednesday, warning of devastating costs for health, economies and the environment.
UN peacekeepers begin pullout from war-torn east DR Congo
The United Nations on Wednesday kicked off the withdrawal of MONUSCO peacekeeping forces from the Democratic Republic of Congo by handing over a first UN base to national police, an AFP team saw.
Zelensky rallies Balkan allies for support, weapons
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday appealed to Balkan leaders for greater backing to help fend off Russian forces, noting an ammo shortage was impacting frontline troops.
UK broadcast journalists demand open access to Gaza
More than 50 UK-based broadcast journalists have sent an open letter to the Israeli and Egyptian embassies calling for "free and unfettered access" to Gaza for foreign media, British media reported Wednesday.
Pro-Russian rebels in Transnistria hold meeting as tensions rise
Pro-Russian rebel officials in Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria gathered for a rare meeting Wednesday, amid fears the territory could open a new flashpoint in Moscow's conflict with neighbouring Ukraine.
Prince Harry loses case against UK govt over security
Prince Harry lost a court challenge against the UK government on Wednesday over a decision to change the level of his personal security when he visits the country.
Burkina's stuntman biker, 72, reignites road safety debate
Burkina's celebrity stuntman, 72 years young, sped down the dusty road lying back on his moped seat, feet draped over the handlebars -- and no protective gear.
Stocks drop before inflation data, as bitcoin nears $60,000
Major stock markets dropped Wednesday as investors digested corporate news and awaited key inflation numbers, while cryptocurrency bitcoin closed in on $60,000 thanks to feverish demand.
France's Senate to vote on making abortion a constitutional 'freedom'
A French government plan to enshrine the "freedom" to have an abortion in the constitution is to be tested Wednesday in a crucial vote in the right-dominated Senate.
Navalny's funeral set for Friday in Moscow
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's funeral is planned for Friday in a Moscow church, his allies said two weeks after his shock death in an Arctic prison.
Church bells, strikes mark year since Greece's worst train crash
Church bells tolled, transport came to a halt and marchers gathered across Greece on Wednesday as the country marked a year since the "national trauma" of its deadliest train crash, which killed 57 people and injured dozens more.
Ukraine film with gay hero prompts praise and protest
In a new comedy film that challenges Ukraine's lingering homophobia, an activist reassures a bewildered family hosting him, saying: "I'm gay, not a Martian."
Battleground Ukraine: 10 years of Russian aggression
Ukraine has been locked in an existential fight for its freedom ever since Russia sent armed soldiers with no insignia -- dubbed the "little green men" -- to take over the Crimea peninsula on February 28, 2014, following a pro-EU revolution in Kyiv.
Google CEO slams 'completely unacceptable' Gemini AI errors
Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Tuesday slammed "completely unacceptable" errors by its Gemini AI app, after gaffes such as images of ethnically diverse World War II Nazi troops forced it to stop users from creating pictures of people.
Vietnam's 'rice bowl' cracks in monster heatwave
Southern Vietnam, including business hub Ho Chi Minh City and its "rice bowl" Mekong Delta region, suffered an unusually long heatwave in February, weather officials said Wednesday.
Gaza death toll nears 30,000 as aid groups warn of 'imminent' famine
The Gaza war's reported Palestinian death toll neared 30,000 Wednesday as fighting raged in the Hamas-run territory despite mediators insisting a truce with Israel could be just days away.
Vodafone in talks to sell Italian unit to Swisscom
British telecoms giant Vodafone is in advanced talks to sell its Italian unit to Switzerland's Swisscom, agreeing on a preliminary price of eight billion euros ($8.7 billion), the companies said Wednesday.
US nuclear weapons plant says open as normal after wildfires closure
A nuclear weapons plant in the US state of Texas said it would be open as usual on Wednesday after pausing operations due to wildfires in the area.