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

Asian markets extended gains on Wednesday following a record day across Wall Street as fresh data pointing to a weakening US jobs market ramped up expectations for a series of Federal Reserve rate cuts.

Australian regulators have approved a chlamydia vaccine for koalas, researchers said Wednesday, as they seek to stamp out a sexually transmitted disease responsible for about half of all deaths of the fluffy marsupial in the wild.

Noah Lyles and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone lead the US medal charge at the world championships in Tokyo that get under way on Saturday while Armand Duplantis is expected to cement his legacy as the greatest pole vaulter in history.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday the release of Israeli-Russian academic Elizabeth Tsurkov who was kidnapped in Baghdad in March 2023.

Colin Farrell plunges into an intoxicating fever dream among the high-stakes baccarat tables of Macau casinos with "Ballad of a Small Player," a rare major Western film shot on location in Asia's gambling capital.

Alex de Minaur says his ultimate tennis goal is to win the Davis Cup, with the world number eight confident Australia have the goods to secure their first title since 2003.

Pacific Islands leaders opened an influential summit in the Solomons on Wednesday, with nations split over China's growing role in the region and alleged meddling in the meeting.

Obesity has skyrocketed among children and adolescents bombarded by "unethical" marketing of junk food, outpacing undernourishment to become the leading form of malnutrition worldwide for the first time among those age five to 19, UNICEF warned Tuesday.

The US Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear arguments in November on the legality of President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, after his administration asked for an expedited ruling on the issue.

Australian guard Josh Giddey has signed a new contract to remain with the NBA's Chicago Bulls, the team announced on Tuesday.

Meta systematically suppressed internal research highlighting serious child safety risks on its virtual reality platforms, according to allegations from current and former employees who testified to Congress on Tuesday.

President Donald Trump gave Benjamin Netanyahu a rare slap on the wrist Tuesday over Israel's strikes against Hamas in Qatar, as he insisted he played no role in the attack by one close US ally against another.

US stock indices rocketed to fresh records as markets digested disappointing US jobs data, while political upheaval in France lifted the European country's borrowing rate.

Two judges in Brazilian ex-president Jair Bolsonaro's coup trial voted Tuesday to convict him, with three others yet to give their verdicts in a case that has angered the right-winger's US ally Donald Trump.

Thomas Tuchel urged "amazing" England to use their 5-0 demolition of Serbia as the standard they must stick to on the road to the World Cup.

The United States is ready to broaden tariffs targeting buyers of Russian oil -- if the EU takes similar moves -- to hit at revenue Moscow needs for the war in Ukraine, a US official told AFP Tuesday.

Hong Kong lawmakers are expected to vote Wednesday on whether to grant limited rights to same-sex couples, as fears grow in the LGBTQ community that even this narrow equality bid could be sunk by conservative pro-Beijing voices.

A disjointed France recovered from a major Michael Olise gaffe to beat Iceland 2-1 in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday, holding on for a second straight win after Aurelien Tchouameni was sent off and a late equaliser was disallowed.

England sent out a warning to their World Cup rivals with a brilliant 5-0 thrashing of Serbia in qualifying on Tuesday, while Erling Haaland scored five goals as Norway emphatically maintained their 100-percent record.

England demolished Serbia with a 5-0 win in Belgrade on Tuesday as Thomas Tuchel's side finally delivered an eye-catching performance to move within touching distance of World Cup qualification.

Joao Cancelo slotted home from the edge of the box to snatch Portugal a thrilling 3-2 win at Hungary on Tuesday, sending them top of their 2026 World Cup qualifying group.

Donald Trump gave Benjamin Netanyahu a rare slap on the wrist over Israel's strikes against Hamas in Doha, the White House said Tuesday, after an attack which could complicate the US president's push for peace in Gaza.

Cape Verde, a west African island nation of fewer than 550,000 inhabitants, beat Cameroon 1-0 on Tuesday to strengthen hopes of playing at the World Cup for the first time.

Coach Sourav Ganguly splashed out a record 16.5-million rand ($941,000) to land big-hitting Dewald Brevis for his Pretoria Capitals franchise in the SA20 auction in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

Apple's Tuesday announcement that the new iPhone 17 Air will only be available around the world without physical SIM cards marks a new advance for the virtual eSIM technology the firm has relied on in the US for years.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday named defence minister and his close ally Sebastien Lecornu as the new prime minister to resolve a deepening political crisis as protests loom in the next days.

Azmatullah Omarzai hammered a 20-ball fifty as Afghanistan thrashed Hong Kong by 94 runs in the opening match of the Asia Cup on Tuesday.

Deadly Israeli air strikes targeted senior Hamas leaders in US ally Qatar, the venue of repeated rounds of Gaza peace talks, on Tuesday, drawing a rare rebuke from President Donald Trump.

Pacific Islands leaders hold an influential summit in the Solomons on Wednesday, with nations split over China's growing role in the region and alleged meddling in the meeting.

Former Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco has replaced Jose Mourinho as manager of Turkish outfit Fenerbahce on a two-year contract, the Istanbul club said Tuesday.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday named defence minister Sebastien Lecornu as the new prime minister to replace Francois Bayrou and resolve a deepening political crisis as protests loom in the next days.

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday unveiled the Trump administration's long-awaited plan to tackle chronic disease, calling for better nutrition, tighter scrutiny of medical advertising, and even a new push to boost fertility.

A festering corpse has been found in the trunk of an impounded Tesla registered to rising US rap star D4vd, police and media reported Tuesday.

A judge in Brazilian ex-president Jair Bolsonaro's coup trial voted Tuesday to convict him, with four others yet to give their verdicts in a case that has angered the right-winger's US ally Donald Trump.

Barcelona will use the tiny Johan Cruyff stadium at their training ground to host Valencia in La Liga on Sunday, with the Spotify Camp Nou not yet licensed to reopen amid a rebuild.

Stock markets mostly rose while gold reached new highs on Tuesday, with expectations of US rate cuts to bolster the world's biggest economy offsetting political turbulence in Japan and France.

Irish punk-rappers Kneecap believe the cancellation of a string of gigs in recent months has only added to their popularity, while a "ridiculous" upcoming court case in London against them will be "thrown out".

Former Belgium coach Domenico Tedesco has replaced Jose Mourinho as manager of Turkish outfit Fenerbahce on a two-year contract, the Istanbul club said Tuesday.

Brazil's Supreme Court began voting Tuesday on a verdict in former president Jair Bolsonaro's coup trial that has prompted protests by his fervent base and a punitive backlash from US ally Donald Trump.