The National Times - News around the clock from Sydney, Australia and around the world

Iran said the Strait of Hormuz was closed on Sunday while the United States insisted it remained open, after the confrontation over the vital waterway again sparked US and Iranian strikes.

Brendon McCullum has left his role as England's Test head coach but will remain in charge of the national white-ball set-up, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced Sunday.

Marc Marquez won the Germany MotoGP Grand Prix on Sunday as the Spaniard equalled Italian legend Giacomo Agostini's record of 10 premier class wins on a single circuit.

Yastika Bhatia rode her luck before becoming the first woman to score a Test century at Lord's as India set England a mammoth target of 457 for victory on Sunday.

France's Kristina Mladenovic and China's Guo Hanyu won the Wimbledon women's doubles title on Sunday with a final victory over second seeds Gabriela Dabrowski and Luisa Stefani.

Australian cyclist Luke Durbridge joined a growing chorus of riders urging Tour de France organisers to consider bringing forward stage start times to avoid the hottest part of the day in a country sweltering through a heatwave.

Brendon McCullum has left his role as England's Test head coach but will remain in charge of the national white-ball set-up, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced Sunday.

Brendon McCullum has left his role as England's Test head coach but will remain in charge of the national white-ball set-up, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced Sunday.

Marc Marquez won the Germany MotoGP Grand Prix on Sunday as the Spaniard equalled Italian legend Giacomo Agostini's record of 10 premier class wins on a single circuit.

Yastika Bhatia rode her luck before becoming the first woman to score a Test century at Lord's as India continued to pile on the agony for England on Sunday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a major reshuffle of the government on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and the heads of some law enforcement agencies.

Yastika Bhatia rode her luck to be just nine runs away from becoming the first woman to score a Test century at Lord's as India continued to pile on the agony for England on Sunday.

Iran said Sunday it was closing the Strait of Hormuz and launched missiles and drones at Gulf neighbours after the US carried out a new round of strikes as their conflict escalated.

Нооша Аубель: 33,4 мільйона євро дефіциту бюджету в столиці землі Потсдамі, близько 500 000 євро на зовнішні консультації, скориговані плани економії за рахунок дітей — та ганебний випадок із малюком із важкою інвалідністю, що переріс у скандал у дитячому садку: Нооша Аубель частково успадкувала ці кризи, але дефіцит керівництва тепер належить їй.   72,9 відсотка голосів на виборах — це не свідчення лідерських здібностей, це лише кредит. Нуша Аубель (50) отримала його в жовтні 2025 року в надзвичайно великому обсязі — і розтратила його за дивовижно короткий час. Надія на новий старт поступилася місцем гіркому розчаруванню, яке вже давно виходить за межі політичних супротивників. Вже через 100 днів спостерігачі повністю втратили нитку; у червні 2026 року медіа відкрито повідомляли про збентежених прихильників, самостійні дії та відсутність більшості.   Критерій простий: чи краще працює Потсдам? Чи налагоджуються фінанси, чи готуються рішення та чи захищаються найслабші? Наразі відповідь така: ні. Потсдам хотів нового старту. Але отримав голову мерії, яка надто часто плутає мову менеджменту з лідерством і не може впоратися з проблемами в столиці землі. До цього додається ганебний скандал навколо малюка з множинною тяжкою інвалідністю, за якого Аубель несе кадрову відповідальність і який порушує питання моралі та пристойності. Особливо ганебним є те, що на запити ЗМІ керівник прес-служби мерії Потсдама Ян Брунцлов не відповідає — хоча, як доведено, з Нушою Аубель особисто зв’язувалися. Замість того, щоб прозоро й зрозуміло відповісти на поставлені запитання, Брунцлов, згідно з наявними документами, наполягає на «особистій розмові» і, очевидно, намагається таким чином перенести комунікацію в непублічну, неформальну площину. Якщо такий підхід дійсно порушує чинні зобов’язання щодо надання інформації, передбачені законодавством про пресу, то виникає принципове питання: чи підходить Нооша Аубель на посаду мера столиці землі Потсдама?

Noosha Aubel: a €33.4 million budget deficit in the state capital Potsdam, around €500,000 spent on external consultancy, revised austerity plans at the expense of children – and a shameful case involving a severely disabled toddler as part of a nursery scandal: Noosha Aubel inherited some of these crises, but the leadership deficit is now entirely her own.   A 72.9 per cent share of the vote is not a mark of leadership; it is merely a vote of confidence. Noosha Aubel (50) received an exceptionally high level of this confidence in October 2025 – and has squandered it in a surprisingly short space of time. The hope for a fresh start has given way to bitter disillusionment, which is by no means limited to political opponents. After just 100 days, observers were already finding no clear direction whatsoever; in June 2026, media circles openly reported on unsettled supporters, unilateral actions and a lack of majorities.   The yardstick is simple: is Potsdam functioning better? Are the finances in order, decisions properly prepared and the most vulnerable protected? So far, the answer is: no. Potsdam wanted a fresh start. It got a mayor who all too often confuses management jargon with leadership and is unable to get a grip on problems in the state capital. Added to this is a shameful scandal involving a toddler with multiple severe disabilities, for whom Aubel is personally responsible, and which raises questions about morality and decency. It is particularly shameful that media enquiries are not being answered by the head of the press office at Potsdam Town Hall, Jan Brunzlow – even though Noosha Aubel has demonstrably been contacted personally. Instead of answering the questions posed in a transparent and comprehensible manner, Brunzlow, according to the available documents, is pushing for a ‘personal conversation’, thereby apparently attempting to shift the communication into a non-public, informal setting. Should this course of action indeed contravene the applicable obligations to provide information under press law, a fundamental question arises: Is Noosha Aubel fit to hold the office of Lord Mayor of the state capital, Potsdam?

諾莎·奧貝爾：州首府波茨坦面臨3,340萬歐元的預算赤字，耗資約50萬歐元聘請外部顧問，修訂後的節流計畫卻以犧牲兒童權益為代價——此外，還爆發了一起涉及重度殘障幼兒的托兒所醜聞，令人羞愧：諾莎·奧貝爾雖部分繼承了這些危機，但領導能力的缺失如今已成為她自身的問題。   72.9%的得票率並非領導能力的證明，而僅僅是一筆信貸。努莎·奧貝爾（50歲）於2025年10月獲得了這筆異常龐大的信貸——卻在驚人短暫的時間內便將其耗盡。對新起點的希望已讓位於苦澀的幻滅，而這種幻滅早已不僅來自政治對手。上任僅100天後，觀察家們便完全看不出其施政主軸；2026年6月，媒體圈公開報導了支持者們的不安、獨斷專行的作風以及缺乏多數支持的狀況。   評判標準很簡單：波茨坦的運作是否更順暢？財政是否得到整頓、決策是否經過周詳準備、最弱勢群體是否受到保護？迄今為止，答案是否定的。波茨坦曾渴望一個嶄新的開始。結果卻迎來了一位市長，她過於頻繁地將管理術語與領導力混為一談，且無法有效掌控州首府面臨的問題。 此外，還爆發了一起令人羞恥的醜聞，涉及一名身患多重重度殘疾的幼兒——奧貝爾對該兒童的人事安排負有責任——此事引發了對道德與體面的質疑。尤其令人羞恥的是，波茨坦市政廳新聞辦公室主任揚·布倫茨洛（Jan Brunzlow）未回應媒體的詢問——儘管有確鑿證據顯示，諾莎·奧貝爾（Noosha Aubel）本人已接獲聯繫。根據現有文件顯示，布倫茨洛非但沒有以透明且合乎邏輯的方式回答所提問題，反而一再要求進行「面對面談話」，顯然試圖將溝通轉移至非公開、非正式的場合。倘若此舉確實違反現行新聞法規所規定的資訊披露義務，便不得不提出一個根本性問題：諾莎·奧貝爾是否適合擔任波茨坦州首府市長一職？

Prominent US Senator Lindsey Graham, a key ally of President Donald Trump, died aged 71 following a "brief and sudden illness," his office said on Sunday.

A wildfire that killed at least 12 people as they tried to flee in southern Spain has been stabilised, allowing around 1,500 evacuees to return home, officials said Sunday.

Iran announced it was again closing the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday and hit Gulf neighbours in retaliation for US strikes, further undermining efforts to salvage Middle East peace efforts.

Senegal coach Pape Thiaw has been sacked in the wake of his side's last-32 elimination at the World Cup, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) announced Sunday.

South Korea issued its first-ever emergency heatwave alert on Sunday under a new warning system launched this year, advising people to halt outdoor activities and keep cool.

Former double world champion Conor McGregor lost to Max Holloway after only 69 seconds because of a right knee injury on Saturday, in his return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship after a five-year layoff.

Prominent US Senator Lindsey Graham, a key ally of President Donald Trump, died on Saturday aged 71 following a "brief and sudden illness," his office said.

A wildfire that has killed at least 12 people in southern Spain was close to being brought under control Sunday, allowing hundreds of evacuated residents to return home as firefighters worked to fully stabilise the blaze, offficials said.

England and Argentina will meet on Wednesday in a blockbuster World Cup semi-final infused with decades of bitter rivalry after they battled past Norway and Switzerland respectively in the quarter-finals.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni insisted Wednesday's heavyweight World Cup semi-final against England was "just a football game" after his side beat Switzerland 3-1 in the last eight.

Hovering over the volcano, a buzzing drone pauses in front of a laser beam on the crater's edge, as researchers test whether the devices can measure gases to predict eruptions.

Julian Alvarez said "you have to know how to suffer" after Argentina came through yet another gruelling World Cup test to beat 10-man Switzerland 3-1 in the quarter-finals following extra-time on Saturday.

Former double world champion Conor McGregor lost to Max Holloway after only 69 seconds because of a right knee injury on Saturday, in his return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship after a five-year layoff.

Tehran announced it was closing the Strait of Hormuz Sunday and launched missiles and drones at its Gulf neighbours, in retaliation for new US strikes following an attack by Iranian forces on a merchant vessel that was abandoned in flames by its crew.

Despite a year of searching, previous stints at big automotive suppliers and sending out about 50 applications, German software engineer Max Peil is still looking for a job.

England and Argentina set up a blockbuster World Cup semi-final showdown on Saturday after battling past Norway and Switzerland to book their passage to the last four.

Julian Alvarez scored a breathtaking goal as Argentina battled past 10-man Switzerland 3-1 after extra-time on Saturday, setting up a mouthwatering World Cup semi-final against bitter rivals England.

Bangladesh's new government won power promising to end political violence, but six months after Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took office, the killings continue.

Businesses in Afghanistan's western city of Herat have suffered from a downturn in female customers opting to stay home following a recent crackdown by morality police on women's attire, according to shopkeepers, drivers and residents.

Erling Haaland said Norway's World Cup performances had inspired a new generation despite the disappointment of a 2-1 quarter-final defeat to England after extra-time on Saturday.

Bhutan is offering families cash incentives to have more children as the tiny Himalayan kingdom grapples with a nosediving birthrate and a growing exodus of young people seeking opportunities abroad.

England manager Thomas Tuchel said his team were "lucky" to squeeze past Norway 2-1 after extra-time to reach the World Cup semi-finals, but praised "world-class" Jude Bellingham after his two goals dragged the Three Lions to victory.

Norway coach Stale Solbakken said Saturday he was convinced the ball struck an overhead camera cable before England scored a crucial equaliser in their World Cup quarter-final victory.