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

Whoever succeeds Thomas Bach as president of the International Olympic Committee on Thursday will need to be "cool under fire" with some members believing the very existence of the Olympic Movement is at stake.

Bone and muscle deterioration, radiation exposure, vision impairment -- these are just a few of the challenges space travelers face on long-duration missions, even before considering the psychological toll of isolation.

Nvidia chief Jensen Huang is expected to showcase cutting-edge chips for artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing on Tuesday, shrugging off talk of China's DeepSeek disrupting the market.

Dressed in a floral shawl, Benji Dezaval carefully places hallucinogenic mushrooms on the tongues of the faithful of his Colorado "psychedelic church," as if they were communion wafers.

A spoon emoji, a subreddit, a viral song: US federal workers are finding sweet succor in the bosom of the internet as President Donald Trump takes an ax to their jobs.

Serbia's embattled government is facing a watershed moment, analysts said Monday, after a massive student-led rally in Belgrade over endemic corruption saw the capital engulfed by a sea of demonstrators.

Veteran ESPN Broadcaster Chris Fowler to Host Prestigious 2025 U.S. Open Polo

He addressed the masses, or at least the media, from the presidential opera box. He led a board meeting. He said he never really liked the smash hit musical "Hamilton."

US President Donald Trump on Monday picked Michelle Bowman to be the Federal Reserve's next vice chair for supervision, tapping someone seen as favoring a lighter touch to banking regulation.

A jury in North Dakota began deliberating Monday in a trial that has broad free speech implications, over a US oil pipeline operator's lawsuit seeking millions of dollars from Greenpeace for allegedly orchestrating a campaign of violence and defamation.

Europe's ESO astrophysics agency said Monday that a giant green energy project billed for Chile's Atacama desert -- home to the world's darkest skies -- will spoil its view of the stars and threaten its science mission.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday warned his country must reduce its reliance on the United States and would turn towards its "reliable" European allies instead on his first trip abroad.

Starbucks has been ordered to pay $50 million to a customer who was burned when hot tea spilled on his lap at a California drive-through.

Several countries united with campaign groups Monday to call for caution in regulating the divisive practice of deep-sea mining at a meeting on the issue in Jamaica.

After more than nine months aboard the International Space Station, a pair of astronauts are finally set to depart for Earth early Tuesday, ending a prolonged mission that has captivated global attention.

US President Donald Trump barreled towards a showdown with the courts Monday after his administration expelled alleged members of a Venezuelan gang under little-used, centuries-old wartime legislation.

The EU led the way as donors on Monday pledged $5.8 billion euros in aid for Syria at a conference in Brussels -- but the call for funding to help the war-torn country after Bashar al-Assad's ouster fell short of last year as US support dries up.

The Rwanda-backed M23 group said it would not attend Tuesday's peace talks with the DR Congo government in the Angolan capital Luanda following EU sanctions on some of its top brass.

Manchester United announced plans to raise season ticket prices by five percent for the 2025/26 season on Monday, defying calls from supporters groups for the cost to be frozen.

Huthi media said fresh US strikes hit Yemen on Monday, after huge crowds gathered in the conflict-torn country to protest earlier bombings targeting the Iran-backed rebel group.

UN chief Antonio Guterres met the rival Cypriot leaders for dinner on Monday ahead of informal talks aimed at finding a "way forward" on the divided island's future.

Lionel Messi will miss two World Cup qualifiers after he was on Monday left out of the Argentina squad for games against Uruguay and Brazil because he reportedly suffered an injury in a club game the day before.

Premium carmaker Audi said Monday it will cut 7,500 jobs by 2029 in Germany, citing "immense challenges" as the country's auto industry battles slowing electric vehicle demand and rising Chinese competition.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday said his country was seeking to reinforce ties with "reliable" European allies as he met Britain's King Charles III and France's Emmanuel Macron on his first foreign trip since taking office.

Conan O'Brien will return to host a second consecutive Oscars, the Academy said Monday, after this month's well-reviewed gala drew almost 20 million viewers in a slight ratings uptick.

Global stock markets started the week on the front foot on Monday as investors welcomed China's plans to kickstart consumption in the world's number two economy, with upcoming central bank rate decisions also in focus.

Hong Kong's second-richest man Lee Shau-kee has died aged 97, the property tycoon's firm Henderson Land Development announced Monday.

The EU led the way on pledging aid for Syria on Monday at a donor drive in Brussels -- but the call for funding to help the war-torn country after Bashar al-Assad's ouster risked falling short of last year as US support dries up.

Washington has questioned UN agencies, nonprofits and charities that received US funds on whether they have "communist" links or support "gender ideology", and other topics targeted by US President Donald Trump, a dozen groups told AFP.

Donald Trump declared Monday he was annulling pardons issued by Joe Biden to shield Trump critics from retribution, claiming that they were invalid because his Democratic predecessor had supposedly used an autopen for his signature.

North Macedonia lowered flags to half mast and hundreds turned out for memorial events on Monday as the Balkan nation mourned 59 people killed in a horrific nightclub blaze on the weekend.

West Ham forward Michail Antonio says he came close to dying in a horrific car crash that shattered his leg but is "100 percent" confident he will play football again.