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A divided US Federal Reserve lowered interest rates Wednesday for a third consecutive time this year, flagging labor market concerns even as inflation remained elevated as President Donald Trump's tariffs bite.

Several tens of thousands of people took to the streets across Bulgaria on Wednesday to protest against the government and corruption, as anger over the country's draft budget boiled over into a widening anti-graft movement.

Music powerhouse Beyonce, tennis legend Venus Williams and Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman will co-chair the 2026 Met Gala on May 4 alongside Vogue's Anna Wintour, the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced Wednesday in New York.

The EU General Court dealt a blow to the European Commission on Wednesday in reducing what was initially a record fine against US chipmaker Intel to 237 million euros ($276 million) -- a quarter of the original sum.

Streets were empty, shops shuttered and soldiers fled a key eastern DR Congo city Wednesday a day after the Rwanda-backed M23 militia entered the outskirts, in a move Burundi called a "middle finger" to the United States after the signing of a peace deal in Washington.

The outgoing Czech government said Wednesday it had approved the use of psilocybin -- the active ingredient in magic mushrooms -- for medical purposes from 2026.

The administration of US President Donald Trump plans to order visa-exempt foreign tourists to disclose their social media histories from the last five years before entering the country, according to an official notice.

Wilfried Nancy will not "waste time" on the negative reaction that followed his debut defeat as Celtic boss.

UAE-backed south Yemeni separatists have taken control of vast new areas, rattling the anti-Houthi government and threatening to further divide a country fractured by more than a decade of civil war.

Global stock markets marked time and the dollar steadied Wednesday with investors' eyes on a highly anticipated Federal Reserve policy announcement later in the day.

Hollywood A-listers Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde and Russell Crowe will rub shoulders with some of cinema's best and brightest new talent at the Sundance film festival next month, organizers said Wednesday.

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.

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.

US burger chain McDonald's said on Wednesday it had removed an AI-generated Christmas advert in the Netherlands after it was filleted online.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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".

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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".

Greece's government held emergency meetings Wednesday to address a growing farm protest movement, as demonstrators temporarily blocked the central port of Volos.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.