Business

More drops in Big Tech pull stocks lower; Bitcoin drops 19%

Stocks were broadly lower in early trading Wednesday as the market's downturn entered into a third day. Meanwhile the price of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies dropped sharply.

Europe

Belgian manhunt for soldier on terror-watch list goes on

BRUSSELS — Belgian forces kept up their manhunt for an armed soldier who is on a terror watch list because of his extreme right sympathies while the government remained nonplussed over how a known threat to society could have had access to an array of heavy weapons.

Europe

Barcelona president preparing club’s revamping process

MADRID — With or without Lionel Messi, Barcelona will look different next season.

Benjamin Netanyahu

The Latest: Biden tells Netanyahu he expects de-escalation

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has called for “significant de-escalation” from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Europe

Russian lawmakers vote to follow US out of overflight treaty

MOSCOW — The Russian parliament's lower house voted Wednesday to withdraw from an international treaty allowing surveillance flights over military facilities following the U.S. departure from the pact.

Europe

The Latest: France outdoor cafes reopen after 6 months

PARIS — It’s a grand day for the French. Cafe and restaurant terraces are reopening Wednesday after a pandemic shutdown of more than six months deprived people of what feels like the essence of life in France.

Europe

Iceland band won’t play at Eurovision after positive test

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — Iceland’s popular Eurovision Song Contest entrant Dadi og Gagnamagnid will not perform live at the event after one of the group tested positive for coronavirus, organizers announced Wednesday.

Europe

Germany welcomes US sanctions U-turn on Russia gas pipeline

BERLIN — Germany’s foreign minister on Wednesday welcomed the Biden administration’s decision to waive sanctions against entities and individuals involved in a controversial Russian pipeline, describing the move as “constructive.”

Europe

Angry French police hold huge, emotional rally at parliament

PARIS — French police officers held a huge demonstration outside parliament Wednesday to press for a law that protects the protectors who are feeling vulnerable to attacks, angry and useless.

Europe

Chelsea youngster Gilmour selected by Scotland for Euro 2020

GLASGOW, Scotland — Uncapped Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour was included Wednesday in Scotland's squad for the European Championship.

Europe

JetBlue sets date for start of flights between US and London

JetBlue Airways said Wednesday it will start transatlantic service late this summer, competing against bigger rivals on the lucrative route between New York and London.

Europe

Putin, Xi initiate projects in show of warming ties

BEIJING — Chinese leader Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin joined Wednesday in a videoconference to initiate a series of nuclear energy projects, an event intended to display warming ties between two nations that have paired-up as the chief geopolitical rivals to the United States.

Europe

UK inflation spikes as retailers respond to lockdown easing

LONDON — Britain’s inflation rate more than doubled in April as energy prices soared and clothing retailers hiked prices as the country's coronavirus lockdown was eased, official statistics showed Wednesday.

Europe

Green governor sets bold climate goals for rich German state

BERLIN — Germany’s only state governor from the rising Green party on Wednesday announced ambitious new climate targets that includes boosting new technologies so that “Tesla will soon only see our tail lights.”

Business

ECB sees elevated risks to financial stability in Europe

FRANKFURT, Germany — The European Central Bank says risks to the stability of companies, banks and financial markets remain “elevated” due to the uneven impact of the pandemic on the economy, warning that the eventual removal of relief measures could lead to a surge in bankruptcies.

Europe

Germany recalls Müller and Hummels for Euro 2020

BERLIN — Thomas Müller and Mats Hummels were recalled by Germany coach Joachim Löw on Wednesday for the European Championship.

Europe

German minister quits amid thesis plagiarism allegations

BERLIN — A prominent German government minister announced her resignation Wednesday as a long-running controversy over allegations of plagiarism in her doctoral thesis nears its conclusion.

Europe

Belgian players to get COVID-19 vaccine before Euro 2020

BRUSSELS — Belgium's soccer players selected for the European Championship will get vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of the tournament, the government said Wednesday.

Europe

EU court annuls approval of KLM, TAP aid, wants more info

BRUSSELS — A top European Union court on Wednesday annulled the EU's approval of 3.4 billion euros ($4.1 billion) in state aid for the Dutch carrier KLM but suspended its immediate application because of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry.

Europe

Lando Norris signs multiyear extension with F1 team McLaren

WOKING, England — Lando Norris signed a multiyear contract extension with McLaren on Wednesday that will keep the 21-year-old driver with the Formula One team for the immediate future.

Europe

French sports minister welcomes return of Karim Benzema

PARIS — French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu on Wednesday welcomed the return of striker Karim Benzema to the country's national team following a long exile.

Europe

Spain’s African enclave struggles to handle migrant influx

CEUTA, Spain — Spain’s north African enclave of Ceuta awoke to a humanitarian crisis on Wednesday after thousands of migrants who crossed over from Morocco spent the night sleeping where they could find shelter.

Europe

EXPLAINER: Spain’s migrant crisis in North Africa

About 8,000 people have streamed into the Spanish city of Ceuta from Morocco in the past two days in an unprecedented influx, most of them swimming around breakwaters and across the border to reach the Spanish enclave in North Africa.

Europe

Grand day for the French: Cafe and bistro terraces reopen

PARIS — It’s a grand day for the French. Cafe and restaurant terraces are reopening Wednesday after a shutdown of more than six months deprived people of what feels like the essence of life — sipping coffee and wine with friends — to save lives during the coronavirus pandemic.

Europe

Focus on local: London pub emerges from lockdown with gusto

LONDON — “You come here often?”

Europe

Sweden’s Ericsson Globe gets a new name: AVICII ARENA

NEW YORK — Avicii's legacy will live on in Sweden — one of the country's popular arenas is being renamed AVICII ARENA.

Business

Asian shares drop, tracking Wall Street decline led by tech

TOKYO — Asian shares fell Wednesday, tracking a decline on Wall Street that was led by big technology stocks. Investors are awaiting the release of minutes from the latest Federal Reserve policy setting meeting.

Europe

The Latest: France seeks UN Security Council resolution

UNITED NATIONS -- China’s U.N. ambassador says France is seeking a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian militants who control Gaza.

Europe

Fans return to Chelsea to see top-4 rival Leicester beaten

LONDON — Even though “Super Frankie Lampard” wasn’t completely forgotten in the repertoire of songs, Stamford Bridge was finally able to serenade Thomas Tuchel and found so much to be appreciative of.

Europe

The Latest: Las Vegas Strip rules to end for vaccinated

LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Strip and surroundings will fully reopen to vaccinated diners, dancers, shoppers and club-goers beginning June 1.

Europe

Column: Garrick Higgo, the latest South African on the rise

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. — Justin Thomas doesn't have many regular games lined up during his rare appearances on the European Tour, so he was more than happy to play a nine-hole practice round this year in Abu Dhabi with a 21-year-old from South Africa.