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Dollar halts descent, gold keeps climbing before Fed update
The dollar enjoyed a respite Wednesday after this week's steep drop as traders awaited the US Federal Reserve's take on interest rates, while gold reached another record high thanks to investors seeking safety amid an uncertain economic outlook.
Sweden plans to ban mobile phones in schools
Sweden plans to ban mobile phones from primary and middle schools in order to ensure that children can focus on learning in the classroom, the government said on Wednesday.
Deutsche Bank offices searched in money laundering probe
German prosecutors and police on Wednesday searched Deutsche Bank's headquarters in Frankfurt and its office in Berlin in an investigation over suspected money laundering offences, officials said.
Trump says 'time running out' as Iran rejects talks amid 'threats'
President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned Iran that time was running out for the Islamic republic to prevent American military intervention as Tehran rejected holding negotiations against a backdrop of threats.
Spain eyes full service on train tragedy line in 10 days
Spain aims to restart within 10 days full service on a key high-speed railway line where a collision between two trains killed 45 people, the transport minister said on Wednesday.
Greenland dispute 'strategic wake-up call for all of Europe,' says Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday a standoff with the United States over Greenland was "a strategic wake-up call for all of Europe", speaking alongside the leaders of Denmark and the Danish autonomous territory.
Dollar rebounds while gold climbs again before Fed update
The dollar recovered slightly on Wednesday as traders awaited the US Federal Reserve's outlook on interest rates, while gold reached another record high as investors seek safety amid an uncertain economic outlook on several fronts.
SKorean chip giant SK hynix posts record operating profit for 2025
South Korean chip giant SK hynix said on Wednesday its operating profit doubled last year to a record high after a surge in global demand for technology powering artificial intelligence.
Dutch tech giant ASML posts bumper profits, cuts jobs
Dutch tech giant ASML, which sells cutting-edge machines to make semiconductor chips, reported a significant gain in annual net profit Wednesday but said it would cut hundreds of management jobs to improve internal organisation.
Uganda's Quidditch players with global dreams
Far from the legendary skies above Hogwarts school, a young woman chased a "Golden Snitch" highlighting how the craze for Harry Potter's favourite sport, Quidditch, has taken hold in a remote Ugandan village.
'Hard to survive': Kyiv's elderly shiver after Russian attacks on power and heat
Shivering in her flat after Russian strikes knocked out the heating, 91-year-old Lidia Teleschuk said she couldn't remember a winter this harsh since World War II.
Polish migrants return home to a changed country
Unemployment was soaring and the country was in economic turmoil when Monika Pudlik first left Poland to find a job in Ireland just over two decades ago.
Dutch tech giant ASML posts bumper profits, eyes bright AI future
Dutch tech giant ASML, which sells cutting-edge machines to make semiconductor chips, reported a significant gain in annual net profit Wednesday and predicted a bright future driven by demand for artificial intelligence.
Minnesota congresswoman unbowed after attacked with liquid
Seconds after an attacker sprayed US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar with unidentified liquid at a Minnesota meeting, she confronted the man and then defiantly went on to finish her comments, AFP journalists saw.
Omar attacked in Minneapolis after Trump vows to 'de-escalate'
As the White House worked to "de-escalate" tensions in Minneapolis Tuesday, a man sprayed Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar with a syringe of unknown liquid at a town hall meeting, where she called for curbing the Trump administration's anti-immigration crackdown.
Dollar struggles to recover from losses after Trump comments
The dollar ticked up Wednesday following another selloff fuelled by Donald Trump's suggestion he was happy with the currency's recent decline, while tech firms extended their rally ahead of much-anticipated earnings from the sector this week.
Greenland blues to Delhi red carpet: EU finds solace in India
Presiding over the signing of a major trade deal alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen broke into a large smile.
French ex-senator found guilty of drugging lawmaker
A French court Tuesday found a former senator guilty of drugging a woman lawmaker with ecstasy with intent to sexually assault her, and sentenced him to four years in prison, of which 18 months must be behind bars.
US Fed set to pause rate cuts as it defies Trump pressure
The US Federal Reserve is broadly expected to pause its series of interest rate cuts Wednesday, resisting mounting attacks from President Donald Trump, while policymakers await more data on the world's biggest economy.
Trump says will 'de-escalate' in Minneapolis after shooting backlash
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would "de-escalate a little bit" in Minneapolis after the fatal shootings of two civilians fueled a storm of criticism over his signature immigration crackdown.
CERN chief upbeat on funding for new particle collider
Mark Thomson, the new head of Europe's physics laboratory CERN, voiced confidence Tuesday about raising the billions of dollars needed to build by far the world's biggest particle accelerator.
Trump's Iowa trip on economy overshadowed by immigration row
US President Donald Trump headed to Iowa Tuesday eager to show voters he cares about affordability -- but his trip was overshadowed by anger over the deadly immigration crackdown in the neighboring state of Minnesota.
GM reports quarterly loss but boosts shareholder returns
General Motors announced Tuesday fresh actions to return funds to investors, lifting shares despite reporting a quarterly loss on costs connected to its electric vehicle retreat.
US banks fight crypto's push into Main Street
The banking industry is pushing back against White House-aligned crypto companies seeking to expand their business to Main Street customers in the United States.
LVMH 2025 net profit drops 13% to 10.9 bn euros
The world's leading luxury group, LVMH, saw net profit slide 13 percent in 2025 to 10.9 billion euros ($13.1 billion) as an exceptional tax on large French companies weighed on its bottom line.
US consumer confidence drops to lowest level since 2014
Consumer confidence in the United States plunged in January to its lowest level since 2014, survey data showed Tuesday, as American households continue to fret about inflation and elevated costs of living.
Teens underwhelmed by France's social media ban
Teens and tweens were split Tuesday over a looming ban on social media for under-15s in France, with some admitting the risks of overuse -- while others laughed off the measure and vowed to dodge it.
Mexico exports jump in 2025 despite US trade tensions
Mexico's exports climbed 7.6 percent in 2025, despite its auto, steel and aluminum sectors being swept up in US President Donald Trump's tariffs blitz, according to figures released Tuesday.
Blazy takes flight of fancy with bird-themed Chanel show
After reaching for the stars in his first show for Chanel, new chief designer Matthieu Blazy took a feathery flight of fancy for his debut Haute Couture collection inspired by birds and nature on Tuesday.
Spain to regularise 500,000 undocumented migrants
Spain's left-wing government approved Tuesday a plan to regularise around 500,000 undocumented migrants by decree, the country's latest break with harsher policies elsewhere in Europe.
Stocks gain tracking tech, Fed and trade
Stock markets gained Tuesday as investors geared up for the US Federal Reserve's policy meeting and earnings from tech titans, which will be pored over for signs of AI momentum.
Spain unemployment drops below 10% in first since 2008
Spain's historically stubborn unemployment fell below 10 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, official data showed on Tuesday, a first since the 2008 financial crisis.