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Former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin, who steered the country through a transformational era from the late 1980s and into the new millennium, died Wednesday at the age of 96, state news agency Xinhua said.

Jiang Zemin led China through an era of stunning transformation after coming to power in the traumatic aftermath of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

Half the world's democratic countries are experiencing an erosion of democracy, intensified by war in Ukraine and economic crisis, an international think tank said in a report on Wednesday.

Markets rose Wednesday on hopes that China will further ease its strict Covid containment measures following widespread protests, though gains were tempered by leaders' warnings of a crackdown on dissent.

Experts hailed full data Wednesday showing a new drug can slow cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients, but warned improvements were comparatively small and the treatment can have serious side effects.

Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja shared in a 142-run stand Wednesday to put Australia on track for a big total in the opening Test against the West Indies at Perth Stadium.

Stroking a tiny spruce sapling, Swiss forest ranger Francois Villard fears the tree will not withstand global warming and live to a ripe old age like its ancestors.

Barrelling down a motorway south of Stockholm in a 40-tonne lorry and trailer, the driver keeps a careful eye on the road but, jarringly, no hands on the wheel.

Fresh clashes have broken out between police and protesters in a southern Chinese city, part of a wave of Covid lockdown-sparked demonstrations across the country that have morphed into demands for political freedoms.

In Belgium's port city of Antwerp, residents live in fear of eruptions of violence between the gangs that control Europe's vast cocaine trade.

From torture and murder in the Netherlands and Serbia to an unprecedented web of corruption in Belgium, the Sky ECC investigation has shone a light into some of Europe's darkest corners.

Luka Doncic delivered a 41-point triple-double to power the Dallas Mavericks to a 116-113 victory over NBA champions Golden State on Tuesday in a rematch of last season's Western Conference finals.

French President Emmanuel Macron was set to meet President Joe Biden on Wednesday, at the start of a state visit highlighting the countries' strategic ties but also fears of a transatlantic trade war.

China's factory activity shrank for a second straight month in November, official data showed Wednesday, as large swathes of the country were hit by Covid-19 lockdowns and transport disruptions.

SpaceX on Wednesday postponed by one day a mission to launch the first private -- and Japanese -- lander to the Moon.

David Warner fell cheaply before Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne steered Australia to 72-1 at lunch on day one of the opening Test against a lively West Indies pace attack on Wednesday.

Eighteen people go on trial in Ivory Coast on Wednesday accused of involvement in one of West Africa's bloodiest jihadist attacks -- a machine-gun assault on a beach resort in 2016 that left 19 dead.

As Russian forces poured across Ukraine's borders, Palych knew that pain, suffering and injuries would follow in the ensuing war and his training as a paramedic would be needed.

Markets mostly rose Wednesday on hopes that China will further ease its strict Covid containment measures following widespread political unrest, though gains were tempered by leaders' warnings of a crackdown on dissent across the country.

With rainbow flags and "OneLove" armbands, World Cup fans have protested against host Qatar's anti-LGBTQ policies, but many queer Arabs fear a Western solidarity push could do more harm than good.

Fictional films and TV have immense power to shift attitudes on political issues, yet they remain little-used in debates over climate change.

Alibaba founder Jack Ma has been living in Tokyo for almost six months after disappearing from public view following China's crackdown on the tech sector, the Financial Times reported Wednesday, citing multiple unnamed sources.

Iranians had been hoping for a repeat of their 1998 World Cup victory over the United States but their 1-0 defeat in Qatar on Tuesday plunged Tehran into disappointed silence as they exited the tournament.

Prince William and his wife Kate head to the United States this week for their first visit in eight years, and the popular couple's inaugural trip as prince and princess of Wales.

Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski head into Wednesday's showdown between Argentina and Poland with the futures of what could be their final World Cup adventures hanging in the balance.

Chinese astronauts on Wednesday arrived at the Tiangong space station, where they completed the country's first-ever crew handover in orbit, state news agency Xinhua reported.

Twitter said it has stopped enforcing a policy intended to prevent the spread of Covid misinformation, as new owner Elon Musk -- who has clashed previously with US officials over pandemic safety rules -- continues to remake its content moderation policies.

In a yellow-and-green outfit with matching shoes, eye glitter and fingernails, Julia Barbosa is on her way to watch Brazil's big match in a Sao Paulo bar.

Australia's parliament on Wednesday censured ex-prime minister Scott Morrison for secretly appointing himself to several key ministries during the Covid-19 pandemic, issuing a rare and stinging rebuke of the former conservative leader.

Marcus Rashford's eye-catching performance in England's 3-0 win against Wales shows he "belongs" on the World Cup stage, according to Manchester United and international teammate Harry Maguire.

A 42-year-old mother extradited from South Korea appeared in a New Zealand court for the first time on Wednesday, facing murder charges after the remains of her two children were found in suitcases in Auckland.

Two leaders of the far-right Oath Keepers militia, including founder Stewart Rhodes, were found guilty of sedition on Tuesday in the most high-profile case yet stemming from the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by supporters of former president Donald Trump.