Berliner Tageszeitung - News from Berlin, Brandenburg and the world

The US Federal Reserve cut its key lending rate by half a percentage-point Wednesday in its first reduction since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, sharply lowering borrowing costs shortly before November's presidential election.

Saudi club Al Nassr announced Wednesday the appointment of Stefano Pioli as coach of the side headed up by Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo.

British boat Ineos Britannia booked its place in the final of the Louis Vuitton Cup in Barcelona on Wednesday clinching the point it needed against Switzerland while American Magic fought back against the Italian Luna Rossa.

Roma sacked club icon Daniele De Rossi and replaced him with Ivan Juric on Wednesday after a poor start to the season which has left the Serie A team without a win and languishing near the relegation zone.

The Women's NBA, enjoying a record-shattering season of growth, announced Wednesday it will add an expansion club in Portland, Oregon, for the 2026 season.

Brazil's raging wildfires are being driven by people seeking to clear land for agriculture or arsonists out to sow havoc, a top police official told AFP, calling for harsher punishments for environmental crimes.

Boeing said Wednesday it would start temporary furloughs of professional and white-collar staff as it seeks to conserve cash amid a labor strike that has shuttered Seattle manufacturing plants.

A second wave of device explosions killed nine people and wounded more than 300 in Hezbollah strongholds of Lebanon on Wednesday, officials said, stoking fears of an all-out war in the region.

Conservationists on Wednesday voiced concern at a fall in the number of butterflies found in the UK, declaring a "butterfly emergency" and calling for greater protections for under-threat species.

Rory McIlroy claims the US Department of Justice and the rift between players on both sides of golf's civil war pose the biggest threats to a peace deal.

European markets and the dollar slipped, while US stocks barely budged Wednesday as traders avoided taking strong bets on the size of the US Federal Reserve's interest rate cut expected later in the day.

Russia's counter-offensive to retake Ukrainian-held territory in the Kursk region has been "stopped", a spokesman from Ukraine's military administration there told AFP Wednesday, after Moscow said it was beginning to repel the surprise incursion.

UN member states formally demanded in a non-binding resolution Wednesday an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories within 12 months and sanctions for non-compliance.

Snapchat, the popular teen-focused social network, is positioning itself as a healthier alternative to platforms like Instagram and TikTok, which have faced criticism for their impact on youth mental health. However, not everyone is convinced.

A second wave of device explosions killed three people and wounded more than 100 in Hezbollah strongholds of Lebanon on Wednesday, officials said, stoking fears of an all-out war in the region.

Taiwan and Hungary on Wednesday denied making pagers that exploded while being used by Hezbollah members in Lebanon, killing 12 people.

In the form of bottles, tyres, packaging and piping, millions of tonnes of plastic waste are dumped every year in the world's waterways, often ending up in the oceans.

With full military honours and proud family members looking on, two Allied servicemen were laid to rest Wednesday, 80 years after giving their lives to liberate Europe from the Nazis.

Mitch Marsh refused to reveal who Australia will pick to open alongside Travis Head on the eve of their one-day international series against England.

A new sculpture on London's Trafalgar Square, unveiled on Wednesday, will give "visibility to the trans community," its Mexican creator told AFP.

Doctors in Lebanon spoke Wednesday of horrific eye injuries and finger amputations, a day after Hezbollah paging devices exploded across the country, killing 12 people and wounding up to 2,800.

Rory McIlroy has set his sights on winning the PGA Championship at Wentworth this week to make amends for his costly collapse at the Irish Open.

Italy is due to regain its spot as the world's largest wine producer in 2024 as France's vineyards are hit by unfavourable weather, according to figures from each country's agricultural authorities.

Hezbollah vowed on Wednesday to retaliate against Israel after hundreds of paging devices used by the militant group exploded in a deadly wave across Lebanon, raising fears of an all-out war.

Harry Brook believes England's approach to the Test and limited overs formats will "merge into one" when Brendon McCullum unifies the head coach role.

Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis scored a courageous century against New Zealand Wednesday as the hosts wrestled back the initiative to reach 302 for seven at stumps on the first day of the first Test.

Stock markets were little changed and the dollar was down slightly Wednesday as investors awaited the US Federal Reserve's first interest rate cut in more than four years.

Two people were killed in a shooting at the Moscow office of Russian retailer Wildberries on Wednesday, Russian media reported, an incident the CEO blamed on a botched takeover attempt by her estranged husband.

Train drivers in Britain have overwhelmingly accepted a government pay deal, their union said on Wednesday, ending a two-year dispute at 16 rail companies.

A 32-year-old Australian "computer geek" has been arrested on suspicion of building an encrypted messaging app used by hundreds of criminals worldwide to arrange drug deals and order killings, police said Wednesday.

A man who learned to drug and rape his own wife from the Frenchman who admits he recruited scores of strangers to sexually assault his partner, said Tuesday that he deserved to be harshly punished.

A man who learned to drug and rape his own wife from the Frenchman who admits he recruited scores of strangers to sexually assault his partner, said Tuesday that he deserved to be harshly punished.