Volkswacht Bodensee - News from Lake Constance, St. Gallen, Thurgau, Schaffhausen, Switzerland, Europe and the whole world

Asian markets were mixed Wednesday, with Japan election speculation pushing Tokyo shares to a record high, while oil steadied after a surge fuelled by instability in Iran.

Venezuela on Tuesday started freeing jailed Americans, said a US official, who hailed the move by the country's interim leadership following Washington's ouster of ex-president Nicolas Maduro.

The planet logged its third hottest year on record in 2025, extending a run of unprecedented heat, with no relief expected in 2026, US researchers and EU climate monitors said Wednesday.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi played two K-pop songs during a post-summit drumming session with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who joked he felt "a little awkward" in front of the former heavy metal band member.

Los Angeles 2028 Olympics chiefs promised an "affordable and inclusive" Games on Tuesday as they prepared to open registration for a lottery to buy tickets.

K-pop megastars BTS will kick off their first world tour in four years in April, their label said on Wednesday, part of a hotly-anticipated comeback following a hiatus for the South Koreans whose music has become a global phenomenon.

Denmark's top diplomat visits the White House on Wednesday in a high-stakes attempt to lower the temperature on Greenland, which US President Donald Trump has vowed to seize from the longtime ally.

The US Commerce Department on Tuesday opened the door for Nvidia to sell advanced artificial intelligence chips in China with restrictions, following through on a policy shift announced last month by President Donald Trump.

Carlos Alcaraz is targeting a career Grand Slam at the Australian Open but winning the only major to elude him will be no easy feat with great rival Jannik Sinner standing in his way.

Major winners Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith all committed to stay with LIV Golf in 2026 on Tuesday, turning down the chance to follow Brooks Koepka back to the US PGA Tour.

K-pop megastars BTS will launch a comeback world tour from April, the band's label said on Wednesday.

Boeing secured orders for nearly 1,200 commercial planes last year, topping European rival Airbus for the first time since 2018, according to figures released Tuesday.

Armenia will give the United States a nearly three-quarters stake in a corridor of its land connecting parts of rival Azerbaijan, Washington announced Tuesday, as it said it expected to benefit financially from the arrangement but promised to respect sovereignty.

Antoine Semenyo made himself an instant Manchester City hero as Pep Guardiola's men took a giant stride towards the League Cup final with a 2-0 win at Newcastle.

US President Donald Trump warned Tuesday of unspecified "very strong action" against Iran if its authorities go ahead with the threatened hanging of some protesters, as international outrage grew over a crackdown that one rights group said has likely killed thousands.

Marseille progressed to the last 16 of the French Cup on Tuesday with an emphatic 9-0 win over amateur side Bayeux.

Wall Street stocks retreated from records on Tuesday as markets weighed muted US inflation data, mixed bank earnings and a jump in oil prices.

Serhou Guirassy scored his first league goal since October as Borussia Dortmund beat Werder Bremen 3-0 at home on Tuesday and restore their four-point buffer in second spot.

Mikaela Shiffrin bounced back under floodlights in Flachau, Austria, on Tuesday when she won the slalom for the sixth time this season barely a month before the Olympic race in the event.

Fear mixed with sorrow at the funeral of Edilson Torres, a policeman and government critic who died in custody just before Venezuela began releasing political prisoners following the toppling of strongman Nicolas Maduro.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin resigned on Tuesday in the wake of his team's NFL playoff exit, bringing the curtain down on a 19-year reign that made him the longest-serving head coach in the league.

Finn Russell is looking forward to the challenge of going up against several Scotland team-mates when Bath face Edinburgh in the European Champions Cup.

Nikolas Nartey nabbed a late winner and Deniz Undav continued his hot form as Stuttgart beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 at home on Tuesday to climb to third in the Bundesliga.

French farmers said Tuesday they and their tractors would be spending the night in Paris, even after Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu promised an "emergency bill" to help alleviate their woes including the EU-Mercosur trade deal.

Manchester United confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season on Tuesday, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the Champions League.

Russia pummelled a power plant early Tuesday as it kept up pressure on Ukraine's battered energy system, while unidentified drones hit two oil tankers in the Black Sea.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen said Tuesday she had "no sense" of having committed any offence at the opening of an appeals trial which she hopes will save her 2027 run for president.

JPMorgan Chase reported lower fourth-quarter profits Tuesday as CEO Jamie Dimon endorsed Federal Reserve independence and offered an upbeat reading on the US economy.

Jonas Vingegaard said on Tuesday he plans to "mix it up a bit" in 2026 by racing the Giro d'Italia for the first time, but added that when judging a season everything comes down to the Tour de France.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the United States would move forward on building a corridor linking Azerbaijan through Armenia, saying it would benefit all sides.

The Alpine Formula One team announced on Tuesday that it is parting ways with Australian driver Jack Doohan, who had already been sidelined after a brief and unsuccessful stint in the 2025 season.

Toulouse will face Sale in their 'must-win' Champions Cup tie at the weekend without international fly-half Romain Ntamack, a source close to the club said on Tuesday.