DW reporter Sarah Hucal finds out how one of the most authentic Christmas markets in the US, the Chicago Christkindlmarket, compares to its German counterparts.

Kidnapping by militants in Western Africa is nothing new. However, security experts say many criminals are now abducting women and children to use them as bargaining chips for political attention and fundraising.

Well-worn U.S. dollar notes are finding a new home on the streets of Harare, where they are bought at nearly half their value for resale at a profit after mending, as Zimbabweans find creative ways to survive an unrelenting financial onslaught.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday.⁣

Battery electric vehicles have climbed to a record share of new car sales in the EU, albeit still a modest 12.1%. In the last quarter, alternatively-powered vehicles outsold petrol and diesel for the first time.

The Adani Group conglomerate has seen tens of billions of euros wiped off its market value since a short-seller's report accused it of pulling "the largest con in corporate history" last week. It has now cancelled a €2.2 billion ($2.5 billion) share sale meant to help reduce debt levels. Billionaire founder Gautam Adani maintains that the "fundamentals" of the group are "strong".

France is growing older. However, Europe's record-breaking life expectancy has a downside: in order to pay for its increasingly healthy legion of retirees, the French right wing says there's no other option but to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.

European markets have calmed down after Credit Suisse secured a lifeline of up to 50 billion Swiss francs from the country's central bank. The crisis is just the latest to hit the embattled lender, which has suffered a string of scandals and management issues. Jitters over the banking sector remain as the European Central Bank decides on the next rate hike.

On March 20, 2003, a US-led coalition invaded Iraq. Years of conflict and insecurity followed, with wide-ranging consequences to this day. In mid-April 2003, as American troops advanced on Baghdad amid the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime, the Baghdad Museum was looted and tens of thousands of pieces disappeared. Twenty years later, many of these priceless artefacts are still missing and antiquity trafficking remains a serious problem in Iraq. Our correspondent reports.

Three decades after China enshrined the goal of a "socialist market economy" in its constitution, the era of "reform and opening up" appears to have ended, say experts.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday.⁣

Eva Sonaike’s African-inspired fabrics are made in her studio in London. A combination of bright colors and patterns add a splash of West African luxury to European living rooms.