Seoul Gazette - News from Seoul, the Dongan District, Manan District, Buk District, Busanjin District, South Korea and the world

Don't put away those coats and mittens just yet, America. Punxsutawney Phil, the world's furriest weather forecaster, is predicting six more weeks of winter.

A transgender American swimmer's controversial career hung in the balance Wednesday after the collegiate body governing the sport announced new rules, including testosterone limits, that could impact her ability to race competitively.

The United States said Wednesday it was deploying thousands of troops to bolster NATO forces in eastern Europe, ratcheting up its military response to fears that Russia could invade Ukraine.

The European Commission on Wednesday defied protests from green campaigners and dissent in its own ranks to give a sustainable finance label to investments in both gas and nuclear power.

A US senator was resting in hospital Wednesday after suffering a stroke from which he is expected to recover fully, although it threatens to throw the Democrats' agenda into disarray until his return.

US private businesses shed jobs last month for the first time since December 2020 as the Omicron strain again complicated workplaces, potentially a bad sign for the upcoming government employment report.

An oil spill caused by a ruptured pipeline in Ecuador's part of the Amazon leaked almost 6,300 barrels into an environmental reserve, according to information given on Wednesday by the company that owns the conduit.

David Beckham's Inter Miami signed US national team fullback DeAndre Yedlin to a four-year Major League Soccer contract, the club announced Wednesday.

Turkey said Wednesday it launched deadly strikes against Kurdish targets in Iraq and Syria, where Kurd forces have been left reeling from the largest Islamic State group attack in nearly three years.

Global stock markets largely rose Wednesday, driven by strong quarterly earnings, but investors are now turning their attention central bank monetary policy in the eurozone and Britain later this week.

Thousands of homes were left without power in Mauritius on Wednesday as powerful cyclone winds battered the Indian Ocean island nation.

Turkey on Wednesday accused Greece of allowing 12 migrants to die in the winter cold after stripping them of their clothes and then pushing them back across the Turkish border.

The controversial career of a transgender American swimmer hung in the balance Wednesday after the collegiate body governing the sport announced new rules that could impact her ability to race competitively.

Manchester City and France international footballer Benjamin Mendy will face trial in July for the alleged rape and assault of six women, a court heard Wednesday.

Valerien Ismael was sacked as West Bromwich Albion manager on Wednesday after the Championship club slipped out of the race for automatic promotion.

Guinea-Bissau's capital appeared calm on Wednesday a day after President Umaro Sissoco Embalo survived a gun attack, as France joined condemnation for what has been called an attempted coup in one of Africa's most unstable countries.

Top oil-producing countries led by Saudi Arabia and Russia announced another modest increase in output on Wednesday despite soaring crude prices and geopolitical tensions rattling the markets.

The Kremlin said Wednesday that China would back Russia over its security concerns with the West when President Vladimir Putin visits for the opening of the Winter Olympics this week.

Private US businesses shed 301,000 jobs last month as the Omicron variant of Covid-19 disrupted activity, payroll services firm ADP said Wednesday in a report that was far worse than expected.

An ecclesiastical judge on Wednesday began hearing arguments for and against the removal of a Cambridge University college chapel memorial honouring a donor with slave trade links.

Scotland scrum-half Ali Price said Gregor Townsend's men must build on an impressive set of wins over the past year and become more consistent if they are to challenge for the Six Nations title.

Commanders will be the new name of the NFL's Washington Football Team, the club announced Wednesday, completing a name change after dropping the controversial "Redskins" in 2020 over racist connotations.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday will announce a relaunch of the government's cancer "moonshot" effort, with a goal of cutting the US death rate from the disease by half.

Curling started the sport at the Beijing Winter Olympics on Wednesday in front of a smattering of spectators as China tried to move on from the diplomatic boycotts and Covid fears that have dogged the lead-up to the Games.

Carlos Queiroz won the Under-20 World Cup with Portugal, lifted the Champions League trophy as an assistant to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and has twice taken Iran to the World Cup.

Guinea-Bissau's capital appeared calm on Wednesday after an attempted coup the previous day, AFP journalists said, with soldiers patrolling the streets of the West African city.

"It's Auba time!" declared Barcelona on Wednesday as they signed Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as a free agent.

Lagging in the polls and struggling to make an impact barely two months before France's presidential election, Socialist candidate Anne Hidalgo believes her time will come in the campaign.

Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz hit out at Cameroon legend Samuel Eto'o for sending a "very bad message" after likening Thursday's Africa Cup of Nations semi-final between the sides to a "war".

Italian actress Monica Vitti, an icon best known for her starring roles in films by Michelangelo Antonioni, has died aged 90, the culture ministry said Wednesday.

Top oil producing countries led by Saudi Arabia and Russia are expected to stick to their guns and announce another modest output increase on Wednesday despite soaring crude prices.

The Beijing Olympics snowboard slopestyle course is like "bulletproof ice", twice defending champion Jamie Anderson said Wednesday, adding that she was "scared" riding on the artificial snow.