The Fort Worth Press

With Taiwan vote, US believes tensions won't go past simmer

Taiwan's election had long loomed for US policymakers who feared a showdown with China. Ahead of the vote Saturday, Washington now largely expects to avoid near-term escalation -- but is taking no chances in the longer term.

UN Security Council demands immediate end to Huthi Red Sea attacks

The United Nations Security Council demanded on Wednesday an "immediate" end to attacks by Yemen's Huthi rebels on shipping in the Red Sea.

Polish ex-minister on hunger strike as populists denounce 'political' arrests

Polish President Andrzej Duda on Wednesday said he was shocked over the arrest of a former interior minister and his aide in a high-profile case that saw one of the detained men launch a hunger strike.

After re-election, a parliamentary setback for Spain's PM

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday suffered a setback in the first key parliamentary vote of the new legislature, highlighting the extreme fragility of the parliamentary alliances that returned him to office in November.

Stock markets hesitant ahead of inflation data, earnings

Global stock markets drifted on Wednesday, the eve of the release of key US inflation data and the start of the latest earnings season.

Greece to legalise same-sex marriage, adoption: prime minister

Greece will legalise marriage and adoption by same-sex couples, the prime minister said on Wednesday, but gave no timeframe on the sensitive issue in the staunchly Orthodox Christian state.

Blinken says Abbas 'committed' to reform as Gaza war rages

US top diplomat Antony Blinken on Wednesday said Mahmud Abbas was committed to reforming the Palestinian Authority to potentially reunite war-torn Gaza and the occupied West Bank under its leadership.

Huthi attacks idle Suez Canal, deepen Egypt's economic woes

Attacks by Yemen's Huthi rebels in the Red Sea have caused shipping companies to avoid the Suez Canal -- a key source of revenue for Egypt as it battles a deep economic crisis.

Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania to sign Black Sea demining deal

NATO members Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania will sign this week a preliminary agreement on demining the Black Sea, officials said on Wednesday.

Stock markets hesitant as they await inflation data, earnings

Global stock markets drifted on Wednesday, the eve of key US inflation data and the start of the latest earnings season.

'Nowhere is safe': Russian city evacuates hundreds of children

Authorities in the Russian border city of Belgorod began evacuating hundreds of children Wednesday after weeks of deadly shelling from Ukrainian forces.

Eyeing future, Macron breaks with tradition by picking popular PM

By appointing Gabriel Attal prime minister, President Emmanuel Macron is betting on the youth and dynamism of the 34-year-old to beat the far-right in European elections but also shape a future after 2027 when he must step aside.

Zelensky says Western hesitation on Ukraine aid emboldens Putin

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed for badly needed air-defence systems at the start of a tour of Baltic states Wednesday, warning that Western hesitation on aid for Ukraine was emboldening Russia.

French actor Delon's youngest son steps into escalating family feud

The youngest son of French film legend Alain Delon, 88, has filed a complaint against his sister accusing her of exploiting his frail health, a prosecutor said on Wednesday, in an escalating family feud drawing in his children.

Afghan women detained over improper hijab: Taliban official

A Taliban official has said several girls and women were detained recently in Kabul for not covering themselves properly, after reports circulated of a crackdown in the Afghan capital.

Blinken meets Palestinian leader as Israel keeps bombing Gaza

The Israeli army kept bombing the Gaza Strip and fighting Hamas militants on Wednesday as US top diplomat Antony Blinken met the head of the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank.

Zelensky visits Baltic allies amid Ukraine aid doubts

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Lithuania on Wednesday on an unannounced visit to staunch Baltic allies as he seeks to bolster wavering support among other Western backers.

Train strikes, farmer blockades snarl German transport

Nationwide strikes brought German transport to a standstill Wednesday, with railway workers on a three-day stoppage while farmers on tractors blocked autobahns in a bitter protest over subsidy cuts.

New French PM chooses cabinet after Macron promotion

France's new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal was on Wednesday choosing his cabinet team after his stunning promotion by President Emmanuel Macron to become the youngest French head of government.

Blinken meets Palestinian leader after urging Israel to spare Gaza civilians

Israel kept bombing Gaza on Wednesday as US top diplomat Antony Blinken met the head of the Palestinian Authority, which Washington hopes could govern the coastal territory after the war ends.

Rising prices cap India's thirst for Russian oil

Indian purchases of Russian crude in defiance of Western pressure over the Ukraine war have fallen to an 11-month low as the price tag on the discounted oil rises, figures show.

Asian markets drop again as traders steel for inflation, earnings

Asian markets on Wednesday resumed the losses that have characterised the year so far, following a tepid lead from Wall Street as traders prepare for the release of key inflation data and start of earnings season.

Blinken to meet Palestinian leader after urging Israel to spare Gaza civilians

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to hold talks Wednesday with the head of the Palestinian Authority, which Washington hopes could govern Gaza after Israel's war with Hamas ends.

Attack on S. Korean opposition leader aimed to 'keep him from presidency': police

The recent stabbing of South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung was meticulously planned by a well-prepared assailant who wanted to prevent the politician from becoming president, police said Wednesday.

'Definitely a trap': Ukraine's sappers face new dangers

A deafening explosion shakes the ground, sending lumps of dirt and smoke into the air, breaking the seeming tranquility of a cold January morning in the frozen fields of war-torn Ukraine's eastern Donbas region.

Blinken to meet Palestinian president after warning Israel civilian toll 'too high'

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to hold talks Wednesday with the head of the Palestinian Authority, which Washington hopes could govern Gaza after Israel's war with Hamas ends.

Taiwan voters face flood of pro-China disinformation

From deepfakes to breathless TikTok videos, a wave of disinformation has hit Taiwan's voters ahead of Saturday's presidential election, aimed overwhelmingly at candidates China opposes.

Stabbed S. Korean opposition leader calls for 'end to warlike politics'

South Korean opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who was stabbed in the neck by a man pretending to be a supporter, called for an "end to warlike politics" as he was discharged from hospital Wednesday.

N. Korea's Kim brands Seoul 'principal enemy' on weapons factory tour

North Korea's Kim Jong Un branded South Korea his country's "principal enemy" and warned he would not hesitate to annihilate it as he toured major weapons factories, state media said Wednesday.

Asian markets drop again as traders prepare for CPI, earnings