Spain's Sabadell bank to move HQ back to Catalonia

Barcelona (AFP) – Spain’s Banco Sabadell approved Wednesday moving its headquarters back to Catalonia, the first major firm to do so after thousands left in the wake of the region’s failed 2017 independence bid.

Sabadell was one of some 7,000 firms to move its headquarters out of Catalonia druing the region's failed 2017 independence bid

Wembanyama returns to Paris for NBA games as a global star

Paris (AFP) – Victor Wembanyama will take to the court in Paris on Thursday with the San Antonio Spurs in front of an adoring home crowd, having gone from the French league to global stardom.

Victor Wembanyama is one of the NBA's brightest stars

Trump 2.0 boosts interest in Davos: World Economic Forum chief

Davos (Switzerland) (AFP) – Donald Trump is not stepping foot in Davos this week but the head of the World Economic Forum says the new president has brought renewed interest in the annual gathering of business and political leaders.

WEF President Borge Brende said Davos participants want to 'decipher' Trump's plans

EU's legal weapon facing the heat from US big tech

Brussels (AFP) – For tech billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, the EU’s digital rules are a tool of censorship. For the bloc, they are its most powerful weapon to stop the spread of illegal content.

EU lawmakers have upped the pressure on Brussels to enforce the bloc's Digital Services Act, including against Elon Musk's X

6.0

Taipei (AFP) – A 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said, injuring 27 people, triggering landslides and causing ceilings of homes to cave in according to local authorities.

A resident in Tainan shows damage to his home after a 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan

Emotional Badosa stuns Gauff to reach Australian Open semi

Melbourne (AFP) – An “emotional” Paula Badosa shattered world number three Coco Gauff’s dream of a first Australian Open title when she stunned her 7-5, 6-4 in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Spain's Paula Badosa celebrates her victory against USA's Coco Gauff

S.Korea's suspended president to attend impeachment hearing

Seoul (AFP) – South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol will appear for the first time Tuesday at the Constitutional Court, his lawyer said, for hearings that will decide whether to remove him from office.

South Korean impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to appear for the first time at the Constitutional Court

Trump signs order to pull US from WHO, citing funding disparities

Washington (AFP) – President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), a body he has repeatedly criticized over its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Trum's executive order directing the United States to withdraw from the World Health Organization is the second time he has tried to sever ties with the international group

Facing Trump and Musk, EU lawmakers seek sure footing

Strasbourg (France) (AFP) – How to deal with Donald Trump’s disruptive return to the White House and the tempestuous forays of his billionaire ally Elon Musk into European affairs?

Many EU lawmakers have denounced political 'interference' after Elon Musk publicly backed a far-right party in Germany's upcoming elections