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Zohran Mamdani, young upstart of the US left, was readying Wednesday to take over as New York mayor for a term sure to see him cross swords with President Donald Trump.

Eurostar said it plans to run a full service on Wednesday but warned of possible knock-on disruptions after a power supply issue halted Channel Tunnel train trips connecting London to the European mainland.

A French crew were on Wednesday stripped of overall victory in the prestigious Sydney to Hobart yacht race over a rule infringement.

Thailand on Wednesday released 18 Cambodian soldiers captured in July, both governments said, after a fresh ceasefire between the neighbours held for more than three days following weeks of deadly border clashes.

Taiwan's world-leading microchip manufacturer TSMC says it has started mass producing next-generation "2-nanometre" chips.

In a historic building in central Tripoli, Libyans wander past ancient statues and artefacts, rediscovering a heritage that transcends political divides at their national museum which reopened this month after a 2011 uprising.

Asian stocks were mixed at the start of the final trading day of 2025 on Wednesday, with some tracking Wall Street losses as investors eased towards the New Year break.

The outgoing United Nations refugee chief fears an increasingly fragmented world is fuelling global conflicts and crises, and inflaming hostility towards people desperately fleeing for safety.

Cambodian master classical dancer Penh Yom walks between her teenage students, painstakingly adjusting a bent-back finger here and the tilt of a head there, as she passes on a centuries-old art form.

Central Asia, the Sahel region and northern Europe experienced their hottest year on record in 2025, according to AFP analysis based on data from the European Copernicus programme.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are set for more world domination in 2026, starting at the Australian Open, while Aryna Sabalenka is bubbling with confidence as she chases further Grand Slam success.

Bulgaria was preparing to switch to the euro on Wednesday night to become the 21st eurozone member, amid concerns the move could usher in higher prices and add to political instability rattling the Balkan country.

Iowa farmer Aaron Lehman was already paying a hefty price for health insurance, but his premium is set to skyrocket in January when major government subsidies expire, after US President Donald Trump's Republican party declined to extend them.

American actor Isiah Whitlock Jr., who played a corrupt politician on HBO crime drama "The Wire" and had roles in numerous films directed by Oscar winner Spike Lee, died at age 71 on Tuesday, his manager said.

Japanese tech investor SoftBank said Wednesday that its stake in OpenAI is now around 11 percent after completing the second stage of a $41-billion investment in the maker of ChatGPT.

Bangladesh bids farewell on Wednesday to former prime minister Khaleda Zia with a state funeral expected to draw vast crowds, mourning a towering leader whose career defined politics for decades.

Taiwanese tech titan TSMC has started mass producing its cutting-edge 2-nanometre semiconductor chips, the company said in a statement seen by AFP on Wednesday.

Former Australian Test batsman Damien Martyn has been rushed to hospital in an induced coma after being diagnosed with meningitis, media reports said Wednesday.

Guinea's junta chief Mamady Doumbouya, who had pledged not to run for office after seizing power four years ago, has been elected president after securing a sweeping majority of the vote, according to initial results by the country's election commission published on Tuesday.

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / December 31, 2025 / Goldgroup Mining Inc. ("Goldgroup" or the "Company") (TSXV:GGA)(OTCQX:GGAZF).

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / December 31, 2025 / FireFox Gold Corp. (TSXV:FFOX)(OTCQB:FFOXF) ("FireFox" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a debt settlement agreement (the "Debt Settlement Agreement") as of December 31, 2025, with one director of the Company (the "Creditor") to settle deferred consulting fees payable in the aggregate principal amount of C$142,000 (the "Debt") by way of (i) C$70,000 in cash as partial satisfaction of the Debt, and (ii) the issuance of 144,000 fully paid common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Common Shares") at a deemed price of C$0.50 per Common Share (collectively, the "Shares for Debt Transaction"). The Debt comprises the outstanding balance owed by the Company to the Creditor.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE U.S. NEWSWIRE OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / December 31, 2025 / 55 North Mining Inc. (CSE:FFF)(FSE:6YF) ("55 North" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Wayne Parsons as Executive Chair of the Board, effective January 1, 2026.

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / December 31, 2025 / Pathfinder Ventures Inc. (TSXV:RV) (the "Company") announces that, at the request of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO), it is issuing this press release to comment on recent trading activity in the Company's common shares.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA / ACCESS Newswire / December 31, 2025 / CoTec Holdings Corp. (TSXV:CTH)(OTCQB:CTHCF) ("CoTec" or the "Company") is pleased to note MagIron LLC's ("MagIron") press release dated December 31, 2025, following its prior press release dated December 19, 2025. CoTec owns 16.5% of the equity in MagIron on a fully diluted basis.

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / December 31, 2025 / NextSource Materials Inc. (TSX:NEXT)(OTCQB:NSRCF) ("NextSource" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Company (the "Meeting") held virtually at 8:00 AM (Toronto time) on December 30, 2025.

TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / December 31, 2025 / Aclara Resources Inc. ("Aclara" or the "Company") (TSX:ARA) is pleased to announce the release of a letter to its shareholders from the Company's Chief Executive Officer, Ramón Barúa.

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / December 31, 2025 / Apex Critical Metals Corp. (CSE:APXC)(OTCQX:APXCF)(FWB:KL9) ("Apex" or the "Company"), a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the identification and development of critical and strategic metals, is pleased to provide a summary of all analytical results from its 2025 regional exploration drilling program and 2026 outlook at the 100%-owned Cap Critical Minerals Project ("Cap" or the "Project") in central British Columbia.

Chelsea assistant coach Willy Caballero defended Enzo Maresca's decision to replace Cole Palmer after the controversial substitution sparked jeered from angry fans during the 2-2 draw against Bournemouth on Tuesday.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim said his side "lacked quality" to break down a Wolves team without a Premier League win all season in the latest blow to their chances of Champions League football next season.

Mikel Arteta warned Arsenal's title rivals that their ruthless 4-1 rout of Aston Villa showed they are on track to win the Premier League for the first time in 22 years.

Arsenal snapped Aston Villa's 11-game winning run with a dominant 4-1 win to open up a five-point Premier League lead as Chelsea and Manchester United wasted the chance to climb into the top four.