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Hong Kong's economy shrank by 3.5 percent in 2022, with exports plunging and the city's worst-ever coronavirus outbreak battering businesses, the government announced Wednesday, while saying it hoped China's reopening would spur a recovery.

Shares in the Indian tycoon Gautam Adani's flagship firm nosedived again on Wednesday as its owner dropped out of the Forbes top 10 rich list following allegations of massive accounting fraud.

Premier League clubs spent a record £815 million ($1 billion) in a frantic January transfer window -- nearly double the previous highest figure, according to sports finance experts Deloitte.

Residents of the Indonesian island of Pulau Pari have filed a complaint against the Swiss cement giant Holcim, demanding compensation for climate damage, the NGO backing them announced Wednesday.

Over a million worshippers turned out for a papal mass in DR Congo's capital Wednesday, organisers said, on the second day of Pope Francis's visit to the conflict-torn country.

After decades in the doldrums, Newcastle's progress to their first League Cup final in 47 years underlined the Saudi-funded club's emergence as a serious threat to the English football establishment.

The Federal Reserve starts the second day of its policy meeting Wednesday, on growing expectations that it will step down to a smaller interest rate hike as red-hot inflation shows signs of cooling.

A mosque blast that killed 101 people -- mostly police officers -- in northwest Pakistan this week has put a city long scarred by violence back on edge, residents said Wednesday.

NATO's chief on Wednesday applauded Japan's plan to double its defence spending, saying the pledge reflected the country's resolve for greater security involvement in a volatile world.

A new law criminalising the possession, consumption and selling of cannabidiol (CBD) in Hong Kong came into effect on Wednesday, placing the substance on par with heroin in terms of legal classification.

One hope united many of the people streaming to see Pope Francis perform mass in DR Congo's capital on Wednesday -- that his presence could at last bring peace to the war-wracked east of the African country.

A huge crowd of singing and dancing worshippers turned out to attend a papal mass in DR Congo's capital Wednesday, on the second day of Pope Francis's visit to the conflict-torn country.

Electric car sales set a new market share record in the European Union in 2022, industry figures showed Wednesday, as the region seeks to rid itself of fossil fuel cars.

A successful public offer failed to stop investors dumping shares in Indian tycoon Gautam Adani's business empire for a fifth day on Wednesday after allegations of massive accounting fraud from a short-seller investment group.

Asian markets bounced back from two days of losses on Wednesday as traders tracked a Wall Street surge fuelled by data pointing to slowing US inflation and hopes the Federal Reserve's rate hike drive is coming to an end.

Russia's invasion has seen Ukraine hurtle towards joining the EU, but the path to full membership remains long and complex despite bullishness in Kyiv.

"Asterix" returns to the big screen Wednesday as France tries to match Hollywood by weaponising nostalgia in the battle for box office success.

The EU will reveal Wednesday plans to counter the threat to European industry from US green energy subsidies and unfair competition from China, with leaked proposals pointing to a controversial expansion of state aid rules.

Standing in a barren schoolyard surrounded by baobab trees at the end of a dusty road in central Senegal, Leila Sy takes a look around and smiles.

Streets emptied and shops closed in protest across Myanmar on Wednesday, the second anniversary of the coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi's government, with the junta hinting it may extend a state of emergency and delay new elections.

New Zealand forward Ardie Savea said Wednesday that he believes Campbell Johnstone's "courageous" coming out as the first gay All Black could pave the way for other rugby stars.

President Joe Biden and the new Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, face off Wednesday at the White House to discuss the US debt standoff -- but so far apart they can't even agree on how to describe their get-together.

LeBron James said Tuesday it's only a "matter of time" before he passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the greatest scorer in NBA history after edging closer to the long-standing NBA record.

Orphaned and homeless, Eddy Kenzo used to struggle to persuade DJs to play his songs, but Uganda's first Grammy contender said his success offers hope that even the poorest person can triumph.

Up to a million people are tipped to celebrate a papal mass in DR Congo's capital on Wednesday, on the second day of Pope Francis' visit to the conflict-torn country.

Australia's Catholic Church held a prayer vigil for late cardinal George Pell who lay in state Wednesday, as sexual abuse survivors tied ribbons to the cathedral gates in protest.

Peruvian lawmakers on Tuesday once again failed to agree on a plan to bring forward elections in a bid to end weeks of deadly protests that have brought parts of the South American country to a standstill.

Short movies nominated for an Oscar often don't get wide public attention. But when one is about an Iranian girl seeking freedom from male domination by taking off her veil, interest is sure to spike.

Myanmar democracy activists called for businesses to close nationwide on Wednesday to mark the second anniversary of the coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi's government, with the junta hinting it may extend a state of emergency and delay new elections.

Norwegian electric car owners have a word for the way they feel when they look nervously at their battery indicators while driving in subfreezing weather: "rekkevideangst", or "range anxiety".

Braving the bitter cold, Lebanese villagers have been patrolling a mountainside in the country's north, trying to protect trees from loggers who roll in under the cover of darkness.

Most Asian markets bounced from two days of losses on Wednesday as traders tracked a Wall Street surge fuelled by data pointing to slowing US inflation and hopes the Federal Reserve's rate hike drive is coming to an end.