Madras Times - Stay Informed with Madras Times: Round-the-clock Coverage of Chennai, India, and Global Affairs in Six Languages

Ousmane Dembele scored one of the earliest hat-tricks in World Cup history on Friday as the Ballon d'Or winner starred in France's 4-1 win over a second-string Norway, while Erling Haaland watched on from the bench.

Wall Street's main stock indices overcame an early bout of tech jitters Friday thanks to buy-the-dip traders, finishing mildly lower, while oil prices fell as shipping traffic resumed through the Strait of Hormuz.

While the global economy has faced shocks and trade turmoil, globalization is not dead -- it is simply being "transformed," the International Monetary Fund's chief economist told AFP Friday in an exclusive interview.

OpenAI on Friday launched a US-only preview of its latest powerful AI model series to a limited group of partners at the request of the US government, the company said.

Israel and Lebanon hailed an agreement signed Friday with the United States to pave a way towards peace on their front in the Middle East war, while Iran-backed Hezbollah warned the deal would thwart plans to resolve the broader conflict.

Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler fired a 10-under par 60 on Friday, seizing the lead and just missing a rare 59 in the second round of the PGA Tour Travelers Championship.

Oleksandr Usyk's boxing feats have boosted Ukrainian morale during the four years since Russia invaded but at 39, the old warrior has decided job done and being king of the heavyweight division belongs to someone else.

US President Donald Trump accused the Democratic left of being "hardcore, godless communists" in a divisive, politicized speech Friday full of falsehoods about his perceived foes as he addressed evangelicals at a right-wing Christian conference.

Few observers tipped the Netherlands as potential World Cup winners, but a quietly efficient group-stage campaign has propelled them firmly into the conversation.

The death toll from twin earthquakes rose Friday to 920 in Venezuela, where tens of thousands were reported missing as a desperate and slow-moving search for survivors was boosted by international rescue teams.

The reactors at Europe's oldest nuclear plant were shut down Friday, its Swiss operator said, after the heatwave roasting Europe sent temperatures soaring in the river used for cooling.

Ben Duckett scored his first century in over a year and Jacob Bethell banished his first-innings blues after returning England captain Ben Stokes sparked a fightback in the third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge.

American businesswoman Michele Kang has become the majority shareholder of French club Lyon, the Ligue 1 outfit's previous owners Eagle Football Group (EFG) announced on Friday.

South Korea's much-maligned coach Hong Myung-bo admits he is struggling to pinpoint where his side went wrong as their chances of reaching the World Cup last 32 faced increasing jeopardy.

Lebanon, Israel and the United States on Friday signed a trilateral framework agreement aimed at paving the way for a peace deal between the two long-time Middle East adversaries.

The trial of a man accused of setting one of the blazes that tore through Los Angeles last year in one of the costliest disasters in US history collapsed Friday when the jury failed to reach a verdict.

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli swept to a perfect 'double top' for Mercedes in Friday's practice at the Austrian Grand Prix to boost his hopes of extending his lead in the title standings on Sunday.

Four-time champion Max Verstappen wants to continue racing in Formula One for Red Bull, his team boss Laurent Mekies said on Friday before adding that he needs a fast car to stay.

Coach Tony Popovic said Australia want to do "something special" after reaching the World Cup knockout rounds for only the third time in their history.

Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk said on Friday that he was vacating his three boxing world title belts but is not retiring.

Ships continued to leave the Gulf, some of them braving a route not authorised by Tehran, despite an attack on a freighter that forced the suspension of a UN evacuation, tracking platforms showed Friday.

The UK broke the record for a June temperature for the third day in a row on Friday, the Met Office weather agency said, as a sweltering heatwave strained schools and hospitals and drove down business.

Germany saw its highest temperature ever recorded on Friday at 41.3C, according to preliminary weather service data, as the country braces for the possibility of even higher temperatures over the weekend.

The slew of online abuse created by artificial intelligence is deterring good candidates from standing for election, the incoming head of the Inter-Parliamentary Union told AFP on Friday.

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli fought off the heat to top the times for Mercedes in both practice sessions on Friday ahead of the 'heat hazard' Austrian Grand Prix.

More than 50,000 people were missing Friday after twin earthquakes in Venezuela, the United Nations' aid chief told AFP as international rescue teams and sniffer dogs arrived to join a desperate search for survivors.

Japan will give "everything we've got" and declared they have what it takes to beat Brazil in the last 32 of the World Cup in Houston on Monday.

Montpellier head coach Joan Caudullo said on Friday his side have to be "watertight" to stop Toulouse superstar Antoine Dupont having an impact on this weekend's French Top 14 final.

Wall Street's main stock indices overcame an early bout of tech jitters Friday thanks to buy-the-dip traders, while oil prices fell sharply.

The death toll from twin earthquakes in Venezuela soared to 589 on Friday, with thousands more unaccounted for as international rescue teams and sniffer dogs arrived to help find survivors.

A punishing heatwave overwhelming hospitals in Europe is just the latest reminder of the deadly threat such scorching temperatures can pose to human health.

England captain Ben Stokes stepped up his impressive return to the side by reaching 250 Test wickets before Ben Duckett made New Zealand pay for dropping him with a quickfire fifty on Friday.

Europe's heatwave has smashed several temperature records, the UN's weather and climate agency said Friday, adding that it would determine the full impact once the phenomenon has ended.

The UK broke the record for its hottest-ever June day for the third day in a row on Friday, the Met Office weather agency said, as a sweltering heatwave strained schools and hospitals and drove down business.

From sun-scorched fields of crops to the corrugated iron shacks of a sprawling shanty town, there is no escaping the heat for migrant labourers in southern Italy's Puglia region.

Stock markets retreated Friday, capping a rollercoaster week for technology shares as doubts spread about the huge AI-fuelled gains for technology stocks that have propelled indexes to record territory.

Former Australian Open champion Madison Keys will face German veteran Tatjana Maria in the Eastbourne final after the pair benefited from their opponents' retirements on Friday.

England captain Ben Stokes stepped up his impressive return from international exile with a treble strike that took him to 250 Test wickets before New Zealand's first innings in Nottingham finally came to an end on Friday.

The death toll from twin earthquakes in Venezuela more than doubled Friday to 589, interim president Delcy Rodriguez said, as rescuers boosted by international teams raced to find survivors beneath collapsed buildings.