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The Council of Europe on Wednesday launched for only the second time in its history disciplinary action against Turkey over its failure to free activist Osman Kavala, with Ankara denouncing the decision as interference.

Global stock markets shed some of their earlier gains on Wednesday as investors turned their attention to central bank monetary policy in the eurozone and Britain later this week.

Floods and landslides caused by torrential rains have killed at least 28 people in southeastern Brazil, with seven still missing, authorities said Wednesday.

While Dustin Johnson welcomes the challenge he will face on the course at the lucrative Saudi International, Phil Mickelson appreciates the financial competition being offered to the established tours, claiming on Wednesday that "everyone in the top 100 has been approached" to play in the new Saudi Arabian-funded Super Golf League.

CNN president Jeff Zucker announced his resignation on Wednesday for failing to disclose a romantic relationship with a colleague at the US cable television network.

The Dutch port city of Rotterdam said Wednesday it would temporarily dismantle an historic bridge to allow a superyacht built for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to pass.

A young whale that washed up near Athens last week was found dead on a nearby island Wednesday despite "superhuman" efforts to save the wounded animal, the Greek government said.

Barcelona finally confirmed the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on Wednesday, handing the 32-year-old a contract until 2025 but with a break clause after 18 months.

Don't put away those coats and mittens just yet, America. Punxsutawney Phil, the world's furriest weather forecaster, is predicting six more weeks of winter.

A transgender American swimmer's controversial career hung in the balance Wednesday after the collegiate body governing the sport announced new rules, including testosterone limits, that could impact her ability to race competitively.

The United States said Wednesday it was deploying thousands of troops to bolster NATO forces in eastern Europe, ratcheting up its military response to fears that Russia could invade Ukraine.

The European Commission on Wednesday defied protests from green campaigners and dissent in its own ranks to give a sustainable finance label to investments in both gas and nuclear power.

A US senator was resting in hospital Wednesday after suffering a stroke from which he is expected to recover fully, although it threatens to throw the Democrats' agenda into disarray until his return.

US private businesses shed jobs last month for the first time since December 2020 as the Omicron strain again complicated workplaces, potentially a bad sign for the upcoming government employment report.

An oil spill caused by a ruptured pipeline in Ecuador's part of the Amazon leaked almost 6,300 barrels into an environmental reserve, according to information given on Wednesday by the company that owns the conduit.

David Beckham's Inter Miami signed US national team fullback DeAndre Yedlin to a four-year Major League Soccer contract, the club announced Wednesday.

Turkey said Wednesday it launched deadly strikes against Kurdish targets in Iraq and Syria, where Kurd forces have been left reeling from the largest Islamic State group attack in nearly three years.

Global stock markets largely rose Wednesday, driven by strong quarterly earnings, but investors are now turning their attention central bank monetary policy in the eurozone and Britain later this week.

Thousands of homes were left without power in Mauritius on Wednesday as powerful cyclone winds battered the Indian Ocean island nation.

Turkey on Wednesday accused Greece of allowing 12 migrants to die in the winter cold after stripping them of their clothes and then pushing them back across the Turkish border.

The controversial career of a transgender American swimmer hung in the balance Wednesday after the collegiate body governing the sport announced new rules that could impact her ability to race competitively.

Manchester City and France international footballer Benjamin Mendy will face trial in July for the alleged rape and assault of six women, a court heard Wednesday.

Valerien Ismael was sacked as West Bromwich Albion manager on Wednesday after the Championship club slipped out of the race for automatic promotion.

Guinea-Bissau's capital appeared calm on Wednesday a day after President Umaro Sissoco Embalo survived a gun attack, as France joined condemnation for what has been called an attempted coup in one of Africa's most unstable countries.

Top oil-producing countries led by Saudi Arabia and Russia announced another modest increase in output on Wednesday despite soaring crude prices and geopolitical tensions rattling the markets.

The Kremlin said Wednesday that China would back Russia over its security concerns with the West when President Vladimir Putin visits for the opening of the Winter Olympics this week.

Private US businesses shed 301,000 jobs last month as the Omicron variant of Covid-19 disrupted activity, payroll services firm ADP said Wednesday in a report that was far worse than expected.

An ecclesiastical judge on Wednesday began hearing arguments for and against the removal of a Cambridge University college chapel memorial honouring a donor with slave trade links.

Scotland scrum-half Ali Price said Gregor Townsend's men must build on an impressive set of wins over the past year and become more consistent if they are to challenge for the Six Nations title.

Commanders will be the new name of the NFL's Washington Football Team, the club announced Wednesday, completing a name change after dropping the controversial "Redskins" in 2020 over racist connotations.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday will announce a relaunch of the government's cancer "moonshot" effort, with a goal of cutting the US death rate from the disease by half.

Curling started the sport at the Beijing Winter Olympics on Wednesday in front of a smattering of spectators as China tried to move on from the diplomatic boycotts and Covid fears that have dogged the lead-up to the Games.