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Benjamin Netanyahu was poised Wednesday to announce an Israeli government, assuming power for a third time since the 1990s, with an administration expected to be the most right-wing in Israel's history.

The United States said Wednesday it will provide Ukraine with the advanced Patriot air defense system to help counter Moscow's relentless aerial attacks.

Some 200,000 holidaymakers in France scrambled Wednesday to book alternative travel for their Christmas holidays as the national rail operator announced major service cancellations due to a strike.

Donald Trump paid $1.1 million in federal taxes in the middle two years of his presidency, according to a report being scrutinized by lawmakers Wednesday -- but almost nothing for the rest of his time in the White House.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola on Wednesday paid tribute to Julian Alvarez and Lionel Messi following Argentina's World Cup triumph.

Better known for giving than receiving, Rio de Janeiro's Santas have been lining up for gifts for themselves: food parcels to help them through pandemic lean times.

Qatar fought a "culture war", corruption claims and accusations over rights abuses in hosting the World Cup but experts say the Gulf state has reinforced its image everywhere except parts of Europe.

Ukrainians struggling to survive intense combat in the hard-hit frontline city of Bakhmut say President Volodymyr Zelensky's surprise visit this week was a non-event -- even if it lifted soldiers' morale.

Stephen Fleming has been appointed as the new head of coach of the Southern Brave in English cricket's Hundred, following the departure of Mahela Jayawardene, it was announced on Wednesday.

World number five Aryna Sabalenka is hoping Wimbledon organisers will be "a bit more open" to the idea of allowing Belarusians and Russians play in the 2023 edition.

European and US stocks traded higher Wednesday and the yen steadied after its biggest daily gain versus the dollar in 24 years following a shock Bank of Japan tweak to monetary policy.

The Gambia's government on Wednesday said it had thwarted a coup attempt the previous day and arrested four soldiers.

African football boss Patrice Motsepe told a press conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday he believes a team from the continent can reach the 2026 World Cup final.

Europe's new Vega-C rocket was lost shortly after lift-off from French Guiana overnight with two satellites on board, in the latest blow to European space efforts.

Sales of existing homes in the United States slid for a 10th consecutive month in November, extending a record streak with mortgage rates high and inventory tight, according to industry data released Wednesday.

The women filed into the yoga studio, on the ground floor of an otherwise pitch-black apartment block, for an afterwork session that was specially tailored to Ukraine's current period of deprivation.

Olympic downhill champion Beat Feuz of Switzerland announced on Wednesday that he will retire after the World Cup race at Kitzbuehel next month.

Nepal's top court ordered on Wednesday the release and deportation of Charles Sobhraj, the French serial killer portrayed in the Netflix series "The Serpent" who was responsible for a string of murders across Asia in the 1970s.

One of France's best-loved stars, Omar Sy, has returned to his Senegalese roots for a movie about colonial troops who fought for France in the World War I trenches.

Notorious French serial killer Charles Sobhraj, the titular "Serpent" of the hit Netflix drama series, was responsible for a string of murders throughout Asia.

German activists chopped the top off a Christmas tree next to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on Wednesday, their latest protest pushing for greater action to combat the climate crisis.

Some 200,000 holidaymakers in France were scrambling Wednesday for alternatives to their cancelled trains as a rail strike caused mayhem in the run-up to Christmas.

Chelsea appointed Christopher Vivell as the club's new technical director on Wednesday, replacing Petr Cech who left in June.

Outside the family home, frost covers the ground and temperatures in the damp Belgian winter have plunged below freezing.

Afghans voiced outrage on social media Wednesday over the Taliban's ban on women attending university, using the hashtag #LetHerLearn -- one of the only ways people can still protest in the country.

The yen steadied Wednesday after its biggest daily gain versus the dollar in 24 years in the wake of a shock Bank of Japan tweak to monetary policy.

Under-fire Dutch medical device maker Philips said Wednesday extensive testing on its recalled respirator devices showed they were "within safety limits" for use, but that a final verdict rests with global regulatory authorities.

France star Kylian Mbappe returned to training with Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday just three days after he ended up on the losing side despite scoring a hat-trick in the World Cup final.

Eddie Jones said on Wednesday he had no complaints about the way he was sacked as England coach, just nine months before the start of the Rugby World Cup.

A transgender rights bill to be voted on this week has sparked bitter divisions within Spain's ruling left-wing coalition, pitting its powerful feminist lobby against LGBTQ equality campaigners.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday fired back at Western criticism of a political ban imposed on Istanbul's popular opposition mayor ahead of next year's general election.

Striking ambulance workers in England and Wales manned picket lines on Wednesday, escalating a pay dispute with the government following walkouts by nurses and other public sector staff.