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.
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Sports
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.
June 26, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk said on Friday that he was vacating his three boxing world title belts but is not retiring.
June 26, 2026
RECENT NEWS
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.
June 26, 2026
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.
June 26, 2026
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.
June 26, 2026
Economy
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.
June 26, 2026
RECENT NEWS
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.
June 26, 2026
Politics
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.
June 26, 2026
RECENT NEWS
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.
June 26, 2026
- UK hottest June day record broken for third day in a row: Met Office
- Farm workers wilt in sweltering Italian shanty town
- Tech jitters send stocks lower, oil prices fall
- Keys to face Maria in Eastbourne final
- Stokes strikes on England return as New Zealand all out for 438
- Venezuela earthquakes toll doubles amid desperate rescue efforts
- Caudullo challenges Montpellier to be 'watertight' against Dupont
- Mercedes dominate opening practice at Austrian GP