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

Italian Marco Bezzecchi stormed to pole position in a Misano track record time at the San Marino Grand Prix on Saturday, edging out reigning MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez.

Philippine disaster agency workers carried coffins to a cemetery in the resort town of Coron on Saturday, intended for the temporary burial of victims of a ferry fire that has killed dozens of people.

Chinese President Xi Jinping joined the leaders of Russia, Iran, India and other BRICS nations in New Delhi on Saturday, seeking common ground on the Middle East war as deep divisions test the 11-member bloc.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick warned his players Saturday that any drop in focus could bring them crashing back down to earth after a spectacular start to the season.

World number one Nelly Korda finally tasted defeat in a Solheim Cup foursomes match on Saturday, as Europe took a precious 7-5 lead over the United States after a dramatic session.

Donald Trump met Irish leaders in Dublin Saturday as he embarked on a two-day visit to Ireland that mixes diplomacy and golf, once again blurring the lines between his presidency and personal business interests.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would be willing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at a G20 summit in December, in an interview released Saturday, as efforts intensify to end the conflict.

Investigators suspect that a train derailment in northwest France which injured 44, one gravely, was the result of sabotage, a police source told AFP on Saturday.

Qubit Insurance, an independent, AMF-licensed brokerage serving clients across Quebec, has revealed that a significant portion of Quebec homeowners may be underinsured due to rising construction costs. In a recent review of 1,200 new client policies, the brokerage found that 38% were underinsured relative to current rebuilding costs by an average of 16%.

Donald Trump landed in Ireland under tight security Saturday for two days of diplomacy and golf, on a trip that again blurs the lines between his presidency and personal business interests.

US President Donald Trump asked the Smithsonian Institution on Friday to install statues of George Washington, in his latest bid to reshape the treasured museum he has faulted over its presentation of American history and values.

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday for a BRICS summit alongside leaders from India, Russia and Iran as wars, trade and energy test the divided grouping.

Celine Dion is set to make her long-awaited return to the stage in Paris on Saturday evening after years battling a rare neurological disorder, with fans counting down the hours until showtime.

Tiberiu Useriu purged the demons of a violent childhood and a youth marked by crime through grueling races over ice and snow.

Calls are growing louder in Europe for action against "pervert" smart glasses after secretly filmed footage of girls and women appeared online -- with a petition in Britain demanding a ban on their sale.

Frances Tiafoe left Arthur Ashe Stadium court to a standing ovation on Friday, but he won't be coming back on Sunday.

On a basketball court in the Philippines' Marawi, ballots piled high on pallets awaited transport to towns across a Muslim-majority region that has traded decades of separatist violence for a chance at self-determination.

Pop superstar Lady Gaga welcomed her first child with fiance Michael Polansky, US media reported Friday.

At 12, Nepali schoolgirl Ritu Maya Tamang has already learned how a close-knit family can be torn apart in a matter of minutes.

Big-serving Ben Shelton overpowered US compatriot Frances Tiafoe in four sets on Friday to reach the first Grand Slam final of his career, booking a US Open title showdown with Alexander Zverev.

Farmer Pema Dema had never even heard of hazelnuts when she was first recruited to begin growing them on her land in Bhutan's Thimphu region.

Big-serving Ben Shelton overpowered American compatriot Francis Tiafoe in four sets to reach the first Grand Slam final of his career at the US Open on Friday.

The bodies of passengers killed in a ferry fire off the Philippines arrived at a port near the resort town of Coron, Palawan on Saturday morning, as the country's coast guard warned the death toll of 35 would grow.

The Venice Film Festival wraps up Saturday after 10 days of world premieres, celeb-heavy red carpets and a slew of hard-hitting films that have made this year one of the most political yet.

The Venice Film Festival hands out its top awards on Saturday after two weeks of often dark, violent programming including a chilling Israeli-made documentary about Gaza and an oddball drama starring John Malkovich.

Apple TV's new horror-comedy series "Widow's Bay" and gritty hospital drama "The Pitt" have emerged as the favorites ahead of the Emmy Awards, television's equivalent of the Oscars, which will take place Monday in Los Angeles.

A fire and stampede at a school in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo killed at least 26 children, the UN children's agency said on Friday, with some pupils leaping from windows on high floors to escape the carnage.

Six years after an agonizing loss in the US Open final, Alexander Zverev says "everything is different" as he returns to the title match in Flushing Meadows.

A music festival set to feature The Killers, Olivia Dean and Jack White was cancelled Friday because the California beach where it was to be held has been eaten away by coastal erosion.

Top seed Alexander Zverev out-gunned Karen Khachanov to reach his third straight Grand Slam final on Friday, rolling into the US Open title match with a straight sets win.

AI firm Anthropic has said it detected a UAE-linked influence operation that targeted the Muslim Brotherhood and United Nations experts critical of Abu Dhabi's alleged role in Sudan's war.

Scottish actor James McAvoy reflected on spirituality ahead of the world premiere of his supernatural drama "Faith" on the second day of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Friday.