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

Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing won best actress at Taiwan's prestigious Golden Horse Awards on Saturday, earning accolades for an uncharacteristic farmer role as she eyes a rebound after a tax evasion scandal wrecked her career.

Nations neared a deal at the UN climate summit Saturday after the EU accepted a text with only an implicit nod to phasing out fossil fuels following fraught negotiations with oil producers and emerging countries.

England are determined to avoid being undone by the kind of Argentina counter-attack that stunned Scotland when they face the Pumas at Twickenham on Sunday.

Yuma Kagiyama jumped and spun from third to first in the free skate to take the Finlandia figure skating Grand Prix title as his main rivals stumbled on Saturday in Helsinki.

Ukrainian and US officials will soon meet in Switzerland to discuss Washington's plan for ending the war with Russia, Kyiv said Saturday, as it seeks to fix the draft that heeds to some of Moscow's hardline demands.

French skier Paco Rassat claimed a career-first World Cup victory in the men's slalom in Gurgl on Saturday.

Ruben Amorim is refusing to take anything for granted as he approaches a match against Everton at Old Trafford on Monday that marks the first anniversary of his maiden game in charge of Manchester United.

Irish-American fashion titan Paul Costelloe, who was the late Princess Diana's personal designer for over a decade, has died aged 80, his family said in a statement Saturday.

Chelsea stepped up their Premier League title challenge with a gritty 2-0 win against struggling Burnley on Saturday.

Climate activists dyed Venice's Grand Canal green Saturday, as countries at a UN climate conference in Brazil struggled to agree on the crucial issue of phasing out of fossil fuels.

French skier Paco Rassat claimed a career-first World Cup victory in the men's slalom in Gurgl on Saturday.

Jair Bolsonaro swore he would never go to prison.

Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro was taken from house arrest into police custody on Saturday to prevent him from escaping as he appeals a conviction for a failed coup attempt, the Supreme Court said.

The G20's role in fixing economic crises is threatened by geopolitical fractures and competition, leaders warned Saturday at a summit in South Africa boycotted by the United States.

Ukraine and the US will soon meet in Switzerland to discuss Washington's plan for ending the war with Russia, which currently heeds to some of Russia's hardline demands, Kyiv said Saturday.

Gunmen have kidnapped more than 300 students and teachers in one of the largest mass kidnappings in Nigeria, a Christian group said Saturday, as security fears mounted in Africa's most populous nation.

Skipper Steve Smith warned that a confident Australia were primed to ram home their advantage after stunning England in the first Ashes Test on Saturday, calling the team effort "outstanding".

Ukraine and its European allies scrambled Saturday to come up with counter-proposals after US President Donald Trump gave Kyiv a tight deadline to approve a deal to end the war that accepts some of Russia's hardline demands.

Steve Smith hailed Travis Head's explosive 69-ball century that won Australia the first Ashes Test on Saturday as one of the best he had ever seen, calling it "out of this world".

Norwegian skier Atle Lie McGrath clocked the fastest time in the first run of the men's slalom in Gurgl on Saturday.

The UN's COP30 climate talks spilled into overtime on Saturday, with the European Union in a standoff with oil producers and emerging countries over its push for a renewed commitment to a fossil-fuel phaseout.

Captain Ben Stokes admitted Saturday he was "shell-shocked" at a crushing loss to Australia in the first Ashes Test but told his England team they must move on fast for the next clash in Brisbane.

Spinner Kuldeep Yadav took three wickets as India rattled South Africa with late strikes to leave the tourists 247-6 at stumps on the first day of the second Test on Saturday.

Makeshift opener Travis Head smacked an explosive 69-ball century to power Australia to victory in a high-octane first Ashes Test on Saturday as England meekly surrendered in the Perth Stadium cauldron.

Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing was the talk of town as she was tipped to win the best award actress and make a surprise appearance at Taiwan's prestigious Golden Horse Awards Saturday.

A US-European rift over the future of Ukraine threatened to overshadow a G20 summit that started in South Africa on Saturday marked by the absence of Donald Trump.

Explosive makeshift opener Travis Head slammed the first century of the Ashes series Saturday and the second fastest ever by an Australian to power the hosts within sight of victory in a high-octane first Test.

Skipper Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs steadied South Africa in a stubborn stand after the openers departed on day one of the second Test against India on Saturday.

A blistering spell from marauding pace pair Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc sparked a stunning England collapse to leave Australia chasing 205 to win a high-octane first Ashes Test in Perth on Saturday.

Negotiations at COP30 climate talks in Brazil ran into overtime on Saturday with no agreement struck and delegates still locked in a bitter fight over whether to mention fossil fuels in the final text.

Aiden Markram fell bowled to Jasprit Bumrah after a strong start as South Africa reached 82-1 at the first break of the second Test against India on Saturday in Guwahati.

Lando Norris maintained his charge towards a maiden Formula One crown on Friday by grabbing his third pole position in as many races at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

On a lush cricket ground outside Colombo the sharp jingling of a ball cuts through the afternoon air. Every rattle is a pushback against the stigma of disability.

Cricket Australia defended underfire Usman Khawaja on Saturday for playing a round of golf on the eve of the first Ashes Test, where he failed to open the innings with back stiffness.

Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope shared in a defiant 59-run stand to stretch England's lead and put them in firm control on day two of the first Ashes Test in Perth on Saturday after dismissing Australia for 132.

Rescuers raced to find more than a dozen people still missing on Saturday after a week of heavy flooding in Vietnam, where authorities said at least 55 people have died.

Shiina Ito has had fewer Chinese customers at her Tokyo jewellery shop since Beijing issued a travel warning in the wake of a diplomatic spat, but she said she was not concerned.

Ukraine scrambled Saturday to respond to a US plan to end the war that includes many of Russia's hardline demands, with Kyiv saying it had discussed the next steps with several key European allies.

England dismissed Australia for 132 in their first innings on Saturday to take charge of the first Ashes Test in Perth, with the hosts trailing by 40 runs on an overcast day two.