A logjam at the U.K.'s busiest commercial port ratcheted up concerns Wednesday that the country could see an array of shortages in the crucial Christmas trading period, including of toys and food.

Worries have mounted over recent weeks that the U.K.'s economic recovery is being hobbled by widespread shortages, which have been most clearly seen in long lines at gas stations and some empty shelves at supermarkets.

The European Union's executive branch advised the 27 EU member countries Wednesday to adopt tax cuts, state aid and other measures to help households and businesses weather the impact of high energy prices that have fueled a renewed debate on the use of nuclear power.

After months of economic instability linked to the coronavirus pandemic, the European Commission wants a rapid and joint response to mitigate the effects of the price hikes, especially for people living in poverty or on low incomes.

The Biden administration says the United States will reopen its land borders for nonessential travel next month, ending a 19-month freeze due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New rules to be announced Wednesday will allow fully vaccinated foreign nationals entry to the U.S. regardless of the reason for travel.

The Lebanese pound sold for more than 20,000 to the dollar on Wednesday, losing almost all the value it regained following the announcement of a new government last month.

The pound, officially pegged at 1,500 to the greenback since 1997, has lost more than 90 percent of its black market value since the start of an unprecedented economic crisis in 2019.

The de-facto leader of South Korea's sprawling Samsung group Lee Jae-yong went on trial Tuesday on charges of illegally using the anesthetic propofol, the latest legal travail to beset the multi-billionaire.

Lee -- the vice-chairman of the world's biggest smartphone maker Samsung Electronics and according to Forbes the world's 297th richest person -- is accused of having repeatedly taken the anesthetic at a plastic surgery clinic in Seoul in 2017 and 2018.

President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday announced a plan worth 30 billion euros ($35 billion) to re-industrialize France, saying the country should reclaim its crown as a global leader in innovation.

Speaking at the Elysee Palace six months before a presidential election and one month ahead of a U.N. climate summit, Macron said France had taken key decisions "15-20 years later than some of our European neighbors" and now needed "to become a nation of innovation and research again."

World shares retreated on Tuesday as surging prices of oil, coal and other energy added to concerns over inflation.

Benchmarks fell in Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Oil prices extended gains, having closed above $80 per barrel in New York after trading briefly above $81 per barrel on Monday for the first time in seven years.

Dozens of drones floated through the skies of Tel Aviv on Monday, ferrying cartons of ice cream and sushi across the city in an experiment that officials hope provided a glimpse of the not-too-distant future.

Israel's National Drone Initiative, a government program, carried out the drill to prepare for a world in which large quantities of commercial deliveries will be made by drones to take pressure off highly congested urban roads. The two-year program aims to apply the capabilities of Israeli drone companies to establish a nationwide network where customers can order goods and have them delivered to pick up spots.

Global shares were mixed on Monday amid persisting worries about energy shortages and weaker than expected jobs growth in the U.S.

Shares fell in Paris, Frankfurt and Sydney but rose in Tokyo and London. Shanghai was flat.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa admitted his government is "not delivering" as shortages persist of food, medicines and other essential items because of a dire foreign exchange squeeze.