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

A New Zealand chain store has pulled festive kiwi-shaped canine chew toys from sale, after backlash from conservationists trying to save the endangered bird.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will not be on the ballot in Sunday's parliamentary and local elections, but the contest is nevertheless a referendum on his government amid soaring inflation and months of protests.

France's foreign minister travels to Lebanon on Saturday as part of diplomatic efforts by President Emmanuel Macron's government to help contain the Middle East conflict.

Pakistan weathered a fiery Australian bowling blitz Friday to survive unscathed by tea on day two of the opening Test in Perth as they chase the hosts' first innings 487.

When Jose Soriano was a child, the hills near the village of Sarrion in Spain's remote and sparsely populated eastern province of Teruel were mostly uncultivated, covered in brush and rocks.

With bawdy songs and violin solos, a live concert near Ukraine's front line gave troops a chance to unwind and clear their heads of warfare.

Luka Doncic scored 39 points but could not prevent the Dallas Mavericks falling to a 119-101 home defeat against the top of the table Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.

The Las Vegas Raiders ran in nine touchdowns in a 63-21 thrashing of the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday, coming within a whisker of breaking the NFL's all-time scoring record.

Cannabis smokers in two Dutch cities will be able to light up legally for the first time Friday, as authorities roll out a trial decriminalising the production and supply of weed.

Israel pressed its offensive in the Gaza Strip on Friday after telling key backer the United States that the war to crush Hamas will last "more than several months".

Mitchell Marsh plundered a majestic unbeaten 90 as Australia turned the screw on Pakistan on Friday to build a commanding lead on day two of the first Test in Perth.

Rock stars, royalty and Rupert Murdoch on Friday praised late Australian entertainer Barry Humphries, whose life was celebrated in a glitzy state memorial at the Sydney Opera House.

A court in the Netherlands will rule Friday on whether to force the Dutch government to stop supplying parts for F-35 fighter jets being used by Israel over the Gaza Strip.

Manchester United travel to the home of bitter rivals Liverpool this weekend desperate to avoid another humiliation but with all the signs pointing to a tough afternoon at Anfield.

Israel pressed its offensive in the Gaza Strip on Friday after telling key backer the United States that the war to crush Hamas will last "more than several months".

The presidents of Venezuela and Guyana pledged after direct talks on Thursday not to resort to force to settle a long-simmering -- and recently reheated -- territorial dispute over the oil-rich Essequibo region, a joint statement said.

Asian markets built on the previous day's rally Friday as investors recalibrated their outlook for the new year after the Federal Reserve indicated it will cut interest rates.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Friday blocked 50 billion euros in EU aid for Ukraine, after leaders side-stepped his opposition to agree to open talks with Kyiv on joining the bloc.

Reigning Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich face a tough task to bounce back from last weekend's humbling at Eintracht Frankfurt when they host surprise title challengers Stuttgart on Sunday.

Paris Saint-Germain return to domestic action with a trip up north to play fourth-placed Lille on Sunday, days after nail-bitingly securing Champions League progress.

Barcelona's trip down the coast to face Valencia in La Liga on Saturday has taken on a new dimension following their midweek Champions League defeat by Royal Antwerp.

In a central Kabul street, the sound of kids playing was once mostly the scuff of a football against concrete. Now, it is punctuated with the crack of a cricket bat.

Jaguars don't understand borders, but where the United States meets Mexico, they are having to adapt to them.

Australia's top swimmers have opted out of the world championships in Doha, with the squad announced Friday missing Ariarne Titmus, Mollie O'Callaghan and Kyle Chalmers.

When Hurricane Ian churned past her home in southwest Florida last year, Mary Frisbee shrugged off worries. She watched TV and surfed the internet.

Major League Soccer's heads on Thursday approved the introduction of new rules for injuries and substitutions next season designed to speed up play.

Several new European and American rockets are set for blast off in 2024, at a time the aerospace industry faces a shortage of launch vehicles fueled by the rise of satellite constellations.

Almost 2,000 people who died during the first year of the Covid pandemic and whose bodies were never claimed were laid to rest in Los Angeles on Thursday.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called Thursday for China to shift from a state-driven approach in economic policy, saying that this can discourage investors.

Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani said on Thursday he was excited to join the Los Angeles Dodgers because he hungers to win a Major League Baseball title.

The presidents of Venezuela and Guyana met Thursday in the Caribbean for talks that analysts said could "de-escalate" tensions but would do little to resolve their countries' long-standing -- and now reheating -- territorial dispute.

The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles will try to secure playoff berths with road triumphs while Baltimore and Detroit hope to seal NFL post-season spots with weekend help from rivals.

Guatemala's top court on Thursday ordered Congress to "guarantee" the swearing-in of president-elect Bernardo Arevalo, after accepting an appeal against efforts by the prosecutor's office aimed at preventing him from assuming power on January 14.

Paris Saint-Germain broke their duck in the Women's Champions League with a 2-1 win against Roma on Thursday as Chelsea and Haecken played out a goalless draw in London.

Kemar Roofe's winner sent Rangers into the Europa League last 16 with a 3-2 victory at Real Betis on Thursday, while Joao Pedro's late strike helped Brighton sink Marseille.

Global equities mostly rose Thursday as the ECB and Britain pressed pause on rates after the Fed had sent Wall Street soaring on a pivot toward interest rate cuts next year.

Brandon King scored an unbeaten 82 and skipper Rovman Powell blasted a quickfire 50 as West Indies defeated England by 10 runs to take a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-five Twenty20 international series in Grenada on Thursday.

The United States told Israel on Wednesday to scale down its war on Hamas in Gaza in the "near future," with President Joe Biden urging it to take more care to save civilian lives in Gaza.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday announced a review that could eventually lead to the end of PVC plastic production -- impacting everything from records to rubber ducks.