Czechs greenlight magic mushroom use from 2026
The outgoing Czech government said Wednesday it had approved the use of psilocybin -- the active ingredient in magic mushrooms -- for medical purposes from 2026.
Boulevard
An Austrian court announced Wednesday that it had rejected the extradition to the United States of Ukrainian tycoon Dmytro Firtash on bribery charges, the latest twist in a long-running legal saga.
Economy
Instagram on Wednesday unveiled a new AI-powered feature that lets users view and adjust the algorithm shaping their Reels feed, calling it a pioneering move toward greater user control.
Politics
Streets were empty, shops shuttered and soldiers fled the eastern DR Congo city of Uvira on Wednesday, a day after a Rwanda-backed militia entered the strategic city's outskirts, prompting Burundi to close its border.
Culture
A French mother whose teenage son took his own life is fighting to hold social media platforms accountable, saying their algorithms pushed suicide-related content that sent the 15-year-old into a "downward spiral".
Economy
The US Federal Reserve is expected to deliver a further interest rate cut Wednesday despite divisions among its ranks, with chief Jerome Powell's ability to secure support from fellow policymakers put to the test.
Politics
Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Wednesday urged her compatriots to fight for freedom against "state terrorism", as she said she was coming out of hiding to travel to Norway after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in her absence.
Sports
The NFL will play two regular season games in the German city of Munich in 2026 and 2028, continuing the organisation's ongoing commitment to play annual matches in Germany.
Politics
More than 60,000 people signed a petition delivered Wednesday to Croatia's government calling for the removal of public Catholic men's prayers that promote patriarchal authority from city squares.
Economy
The EU said Wednesday it wants to boost energy links between France and Spain as part of a bloc-wide push to secure power supplies, months after a massive outage hit the Iberian Peninsula.
Politics
French special forces provided support to Beninese troops who put down an attempted coup at the weekend, the head of the country's republican guard told AFP on Wednesday.
Economy
The father of missing British girl Madeleine McCann has called for greater scrutiny of the UK's media, saying in an interview published Wednesday that his family received a "monstering" from sections of the press.
Sports
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka said Tuesday that she considers it "not fair" that the women's professional tennis tour allows transgender women to compete in WTA tournaments, even though they are currently absent from the elite of world tennis.
Sports
Liverpool great Steven Gerrard believes the club still need Mohamed Salah as he urged the star forward to "reverse away" from an extraordinary outburst where he accused the faltering Premier League champions of "throwing him under the bus".
Economy
Greece's government held emergency meetings Wednesday to address a growing farm protest movement, as demonstrators temporarily blocked the central port of Volos.
Economy
Rising food costs pushed consumer inflation in China last month to its fastest pace in nearly two years, data showed Wednesday, but lower factory-gate prices suggested demand in the world's second-largest economy remains weak.
Politics
Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado is "safe" and will reach Oslo by Thursday at the latest, but will not accept her Nobel Peace Prize in person, Nobel officials said.
Sports
New Zealand international winger Sevu Reece will join French side Perpignan next season provided the Catalan club retains its place in the Top 14, club president Francois Riviere announced on Wednesday.
Boulevard
The thieves who stole priceless crown jewels from the Louvre in October escaped with just 30 seconds to spare due to avoidable security failures at the Paris museum, a damning investigation revealed on Wednesday.
Politics
Stock markets mostly fell and the dollar steadied Wednesday following a tepid day on Wall Street as investors bided their time ahead of a highly anticipated Federal Reserve policy announcement later in the day.
Economy
UNESCO recognised Wednesday that Italian food is more than pizza, pasta and gelato, adding the range and ritual of the famed cuisine to its list of intangible cultural heritage.
Sports
Xavi Simons said he wanted to "build my own legacy" after marking the return of Son Heung-min on a visit to Tottenham with another goal in the number seven shirt once worn by the former Spurs star.
Culture
At a cafe in a bustling Cairo neighbourhood, Liverpool games once drew wall-to-wall crowds, but with Mohamed Salah off the pitch, his Egyptian fans would now rather play cards or quietly doomscroll than watch the Reds play.
Boulevard
Ministers from Council of Europe states met in Strasbourg Wednesday to address concerns aired by several key members that the European Convention on Human Rights is impeding the fight against illegal migration.
Culture
At a Damascus air base once off-limits under Bashar al-Assad, a crew now films a TV series about the final months of the ousted leader's rule as seen through the eyes of a Syrian family.
Economy
France is developing domestic production of electric vehicle batteries with an eye on industrial independence but Asian experts are proving key in launching operations.
Economy
Most markets fell Wednesday following a tepid day on Wall Street as investors bided their time ahead of a highly anticipated Federal Reserve policy announcement later in the day.
Sports
While the future of Mohamed Salah at Liverpool hangs in the balance, Egypt teammates have rallied behind the national team captain ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Things to know
A lawmaker in Australia was left in udder disbelief when he came home to discover his pet dog had let a bull and a horse into his living room.
Politics
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who lives in hiding, will not attend Wednesday's Nobel Peace Prize ceremony and the award will be accepted by her daughter, organisers said.
Boulevard
India's festival of lights, Diwali, was on Wednesday announced as an addition to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list, sparking celebrations.
Politics
Brazil's lower house of Congress approved a bill early Wednesday that could slash former president Jair Bolsonaro's prison sentence for plotting a coup, after efforts by a lawmaker to disrupt the proceedings sparked chaos in parliament.
Sports
New Zealand fought back to claim first day honours in the second Test against the West Indies in Wellington, but the home side were rocked when seam bowler Blair Tickner was taken to hospital with a nasty injury.
Economy
China's mammoth trade surplus with Europe as well as challenges faced by foreign firms in the country are incentivising Brussels to adopt more "offensive" policies, a business lobby warned Wednesday.
Nature
At his store in Tokyo's ritzy Ginza district, Hajime Sasaki displays a disparate array of wares, from chopsticks to Buddha statues -- including many made of ivory.
Sports
The West Indies threw away a fine start to be bowled out for 205 in the first innings of the second Test against New Zealand, but the home side were rocked when seam bowler Blair Tickner was taken to hospital with a nasty injury.
Politics
Half a million evacuees in Cambodia and Thailand were sheltering in pagodas, schools and other safe havens on Wednesday after fleeing renewed fighting in a century-old border dispute in which US President Donald Trump has vowed to again intercede.
Sports
Cambodia withdrew on Wednesday from the Southeast Asian Games, an Olympic official said, as a border conflict with hosts Thailand escalated and forced a mass exodus of civilians from both sides of the disputed frontier.
Sports
The Orlando Magic, sparked by 37 points from Desmond Bane, and the New York Knicks advanced to an NBA Cup semi-final showdown with breakthrough triumphs on Tuesday.
Politics
Cambodia withdrew on Wednesday from the Southeast Asian Games, a Games official said, as a border conflict with hosts Thailand escalated and forced a mass exodus of civilians from both sides of the disputed frontier.