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  • Germany's economy shrank for the second consecutive year in 2024

    The German economy shrank for the second straight year in 2024 as worried consumers held back on spending and Chinese competition ate into the country's traditional exports of cars and industrial machinery. “German exports saw themselves exposed to stronger international competition, not least from the People's Republic of China,” Brand said.

  • Irish parties secure 'comfortable majority' for new government

    DUBLIN (Reuters) -Talks between Ireland's two historically dominant centre-right parties and independent lawmakers have reached an agreement that will give a new coalition government a "comfortable majority," a negotiator for one of the parties said on Wednesday. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, who led the outgoing coalition, have been in talks since they fell one seat short in a Nov. 29 election of the 87 needed to govern. The parties had been aiming to finalise the deal before next week's inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, conscious that his pledges to cut corporate tax and impose tariffs pose a potentially major threat to Ireland's foreign multinational-focused economy.

  • Jared Kushner advises from afar as Ivanka Trump opts out of role in father's second term

    Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her husband Jared Kushner enjoyed largely unfettered access to Trump in his first term and were influential on a vast portfolio including Middle Eastern peace negotiations and COVID-19 vaccine development. In the second Trump administration starting on Jan. 20, however, they say they will not take official roles, and will instead be some 1,000 miles (1,600 km) away from Washington D.C. in their Miami home. Kushner, originally a real estate scion, now runs a private equity firm fueled by investments from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

  • How accurate is BMI when measuring obesity? Experts weigh in

    We hear from doctors and weight experts about whether BMI calculations should be considered a thing of the past or not.

  • Ukraine's Zelenskiy visits Poland after progress in World War Two dispute

    WARSAW (Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was visiting Warsaw on Wednesday, following what Poland has called a breakthrough in a historical dispute about wartime exhumations that has stood between the allies. The issue of securing the exhumation and proper burial of victims looks set to be important in a May presidential election in which a conservative historian who heads the National Remembrance Institute (IPN) is running as the main nationalist opposition candidate. Although Poland has been one of Ukraine's staunchest backers since Russia invaded in 2022, ties between the neighbours have been strained for generations by the Volhynia killings that took place from 1943 to 1945.

  • Archaeologists unveil reconstructed face of Peru's most famous mummy, 'The Ice Maiden'

    In a remarkable unveiling, the potential true appearance of "Juanita," Peru's iconic mummy has been revealed: a teenage Inca girl sacrificed more than half a millennium ago on the lofty Andean peaks.

  • Will the Oscars 2025 be cancelled as Los Angeles wildfires rage

    Oscars nominations and several Oscars-related events have already been delayed

  • Analysis-Trump's US presidency return ushers in new era of volatile markets

    Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday could herald a more volatile period for markets, with the Republican seen moving quickly on a wide swath of issues including trade and immigration that are expected to swing asset prices. Trump's tariff plans could further fan inflation fears that pressures bond and stock prices, while efforts to tighten immigration controls could also reverberate through those markets. "The markets will be very sensitive to this speech," said Jeff Muhlenkamp, a portfolio manager at investment management firm Muhlenkamp & Co. "Everyone right now is trying to parse every word and nuance that comes from Trump or his biggest allies.”

  • Kashmir's saffron growers experiment with indoor farming as climate pressures mount

    Tucked in a valley beneath the snow-capped Himalayas of the Indian Kashmir region is the town of Pampore, famed for its farms that grow the world's most expensive spice - the red-hued saffron. This is where most of saffron is farmed in India, the world's second-largest producer behind Iran of the spice, which costs up to 325,000 rupees ($3,800) a kg (2.2 pounds) because it is so labour-intensive to harvest. Come October, the crocus plants begin to bloom, covering the fields with bright purple flowers from which strands of fragrant red saffron are picked by hand, to be used in foods such as paella, and in fragrances and cloth dyes.

  • The 'Sean McVay Effect' is real. Data shows average age of NFL coaches is plummeting

    NFL coaches are now the youngest in 'Big Four' leagues. Does that correlate to performance? USA TODAY Sports' Coaches Project dives into the data

  • China hawk Rubio set for smooth confirmation as Trump's State Dept nominee

    Republican U.S. Senator Marco Rubio is expected to face friendly questioning at his Secretary of State nomination hearing on Wednesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he has served for 14 years, and go on to comfortably win confirmation by the full Senate. A China hawk and staunch backer of Israel, the 53-year-old won Democratic support as soon as President-elect Donald Trump announced his nomination to become the top U.S. diplomat, a sharp contrast with some more controversial nominees who drew skepticism even from Trump's own party. The son of immigrants from Cuba, Rubio would be the first person of Hispanic origin to serve as the top U.S. diplomat.

  • Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq inch higher ahead of CPI inflation, bank earnings

    A consumer inflation report could reset interest-rate bets, while big bank reports will kick off earnings season.

  • WTFilms Posts Deals On Fabrice Du Welz’s Belgian Marc Dutroux Pedophile Thriller ‘Maldoror’ Ahead Of Release In Belgium

    EXCLUSIVE: WTFilms has unveiled a slew of deals on Fabrice du Welz’s thriller Maldoror, inspired by the 1990s case of infamous Belgian pedophile and serial killer Marc Dutroux, as the movie releases in France ahead of its theatrical launch in Belgium next week. In the Europe, the movie has sold to the Nordics (Njutafilms), German-speaking …

  • South Korea's impeached President Yoon detained in major law enforcement operation

    SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was detained in a major law enforcement operation at the presidential compound Wednesday, defiantly insisting the anti-corruption agency didn’t have the authority to investigate his actions but saying he complied to prevent violence.

  • What Could Change for Retirees Living Abroad Under Trump?

    Anytime a new U.S. president is elected, people naturally start wondering how they'll be impacted in the short term and long term. And it's not just Americans living domestically who have their...

  • How to quickly remove ice and snow from your car's windshield — and common mistakes to avoid this winter

    As January brings the ice and snow, many of us are braving the elements to get our vehicles ready for the road.

  • 7 Types of Homes Expected To Soar in Value by the End of 2025

    As we approach the end of the year, housing prices are still expensive, with the median U.S. home sales price hovering around $435,000. Interest rates are dropping, but they are still high --...

  • Gretchen Whitmer Says She Isn't Looking For A Fight ... Yet

    The Michigan governor known for battling Trump says she's up for finding common ground, though she's already warning about some of his big plans.

  • HDFC Asset Management Co Ltd (NSE:HDFCAMC) Q3 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Revenue ...

    HDFC Asset Management Co Ltd (NSE:HDFCAMC) reports impressive revenue and profit growth, while navigating market uncertainties and regulatory changes.

  • Bitcoin and stocks have been moving in sync: Morning Brief

    It's been just over a year since the SEC legalized bitcoin spot ETFs. And in that time one thing has become fairly obvious: "Digital gold" may not be the best description.