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North Carolina coasts prepare for flooding as Erin churns offshore
Hurricane Erin threatened North Carolina's coast Wednesday with huge waves and flooding, as the strengthening Category 2 storm triggered mandatory evacuation orders despite its offshore path.

India test-fires ballistic missile ahead of US tariff hike
India on Wednesday test-fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads, a government statement said, in an apparent show of strength ahead of a threatened US tariff increase.

Antarctic climate shifts threaten 'catastrophic' impacts globally
Abrupt and potentially irreversible changes in Antarctica driven by climate change could lift global oceans by metres and lead to "catastrophic consequences for generations", scientists warned Wednesday.

Tall ships sail into Amsterdam for giant maritime festival
Tall ships from around the world paraded up the North Sea Canal into Amsterdam on Wednesday, with crews from Peru, Uruguay, Germany and France waving from their decks as crowds cheered along the banks.

Trump raises pressure on central bank, calls for Fed governor to resign
President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on the US central bank Wednesday, calling for Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook to step down -- after his recent criticism of Fed Chair Jerome Powell for not lowering interest rates sooner.

Woods to head PGA Tour committee to overhaul golf
Tiger Woods will head a new player-led committee aimed at overseeing a radical shake-up of professional golf in North America, PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp announced on Wednesday.

Google packs new Pixel phones with AI
Google on Wednesday unveiled new Pixel 10 smartphones, showcasing artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities woven into its Android mobile operating system.

How Europe tried to speak Trump
A careful selection of cast and roles and a clear strategy to avoid deadlocks. European leaders' charm offensive on Donald Trump to foster Ukraine's cause this week was hastily arranged but followed a scripted plan, say European sources.

Stock markets diverge awaiting Fed signals as tech sell-off deepens
Stock markets fluctuated on Wednesday, with many investors sticking to the sidelines while hoping for clues on US interest rate moves.

Ombudsman gives Gosden another International, Derby hero Lambourn loses
Ombudsman gave trainer John Gosden his fourth victory in the last eight International Stakes, the feature race on the opening day of the Ebor meeting, on Wednesday but there was a surprise defeat for Epsom Derby winner Lambourn.

Eurovision returns to Vienna, 11 years after Conchita Wurst triumph
Vienna was chosen on Wednesday to host the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, 11 years after bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst's win last brought the world's biggest live televised music event to Austria's capital.

England expects at Women's Rugby World Cup as hosts name strong side for opener
Tournament hosts England head into the Women's Rugby World Cup as strong favourites, but are under huge pressure to end more than a decade of disappointment in the sport's showpiece event.

Marseille's Rabiot, Rowe up for sale after 'extremely violent' bust-up: club president
Marseille president Pablo Longoria said Wednesday that the French giants had decided to place star player Adrien Rabiot and English winger Jonathan Rowe on the transfer list as the result of an "extremely violent" dressing room bust-up.

Shearer accuses Isak of pouring 'flames on fire' of Newcastle row
Newcastle great Alan Shearer has accused wantaway striker Alexander Isak of pouring "flames on the fire" of his row with the Magpies by accusing the northeast club of breaking promises.

French champagne harvest begins with 'promising' outlook
France's Champagne region kicked off its official grape harvest Wednesday, with producers predicting a "promising" yield after an early start brought on by hot weather.

England unchanged for Women's Rugby World Cup opener against the USA
England coach John Mitchell has named an unchanged team from their final warm-up game for their Women's Rugby World Cup opener against the United States in Sunderland on Friday.

Stock markets diverge as traders eye US rate signals
Stock markets fluctuated on Wednesday, with many investors sticking to the sidelines while awaiting clues on US interest rate moves.

Russia says must be part of Ukraine security guarantees talks
Russia said on Wednesday it had to be part of any discussion on security guarantees for Ukraine and downplayed the likelihood of an imminent summit with President Volodymyr Zelensky, tempering hopes for a quick peace deal.

Historic Swedish church arrives at new home after two-day journey
A landmark Swedish church in the Arctic arrived Wednesday at its new home after a two-day move across the town of Kiruna to allow Europe's biggest underground mine to expand.

Winds complicate wildfire battle in Spain
High winds on Wednesday hampered efforts to contain wildfires in Spain that have already scorched a record stretch of land despite lower temperatures, authorities said.

Nestle unveils method to boost cocoa yields as climate change hits
Faced with climate change diminishing farmers' yields, Nestle announced Wednesday that it was working on a technique to produce chocolate by using up to 30 percent more of the cocoa fruit.

UK set for more legal challenges over migrant hotels
Britain's government was considering Wednesday whether to appeal a court ruling blocking the housing of asylum seekers in a flashpoint hotel, as it scrambled to come up with contingency plans for the migrants.

Russia says discussing Ukraine security guarantees without Moscow 'road to nowhere'
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that discussing any Western security guarantees for Ukraine without Russian involvement was a "road to nowhere".

Torrential Pakistan monsoon rains kill more than 20
More than 20 people were killed on Wednesday in a torrential spell of monsoon rain in Pakistan, where downpours have swept away entire villages over the last week, leaving more than 400 dead.

Record number of mosquito-borne disease outbreaks in Europe: health agency
Europe has registered a record number of outbreaks of mosquito-borne illnesses such as chikungunya and West Nile virus this year, the EU health agency said Wednesday, saying climate change was contributing to a "new normal".

Stock markets diverge after Wall Street tech sell-off
Stock markets were mixed Wednesday after a US tech sell-off while investors awaited signals from US policymakers on the outlook for interest rates.

Chinese troops swelter through rehearsal for major military parade
Rows of neatly dressed soldiers marched in unison to shouted instructions at a training ground in humid Beijing on Wednesday, as China prepares to unveil new domestically produced military hardware at a parade next month.

Defence begins closing arguments in Hong Kong trial of Jimmy Lai
A lawyer representing Jimmy Lai said Wednesday it was "not wrong to support freedom of expression" as the defence began closing arguments in the jailed Hong Kong media mogul's national security trial.

World champions Springboks to play Japan at Wembley
World champions South Africa will play Japan at Wembley on November 1 the first time they have met in England since the Japanese recorded one of the greatest upsets in Rugby World Cup history in 2015.

Kneecap rapper in court on terrorism charge over Hezbollah flag
Dozens of supporters of Irish rap band Kneecap protested outside a London court Wednesday, as one of the band members appeared charged with a terrorism offence for allegedly supporting Hezbollah.

Israel approves plan to conquer Gaza City, calls up reservists
Israel's defence minister approved a plan on Wednesday for the conquest of Gaza City and authorised the call-up of around 60,000 reservists, piling pressure on Hamas as mediators push for a ceasefire.

Oasis star Noel Gallagher piles praise on 'amazing' brother Liam
Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher has described performing again with his brother Liam as "great", confounding sceptics who feared a fresh sibling bust-up could scupper their reunion tour.