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

Top White House aide Jake Sullivan held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, after a senior military official warned the United States to stop "collusion" with Taiwan in a rare one-on-one meeting.

While on trial for sedition, Hong Kong editor Chung Pui-kuen became the defiant face of the city's media over his leadership of Stand News, a now-shuttered news outlet accused of inciting hatred against Beijing.

Australia's decision not to include new questions about gender and sexual orientation in the next census prompted fierce debate Thursday, and a warning that LGBTQ citizens may boycott the count.

A quarter of all the energy China consumes now comes from non-carbon sources, according to research published Thursday, as Beijing rapidly pivots its huge economy to a greener footing.

South Korea's Constitutional Court ruled Thursday that much of the country's climate goals were unconstitutional, handing a landmark victory to young environmental activists, who wept for joy on the court steps.

Floods submerged hundreds of hectares of dragon fruit farms in south Vietnam, residents told AFP on Thursday, with many villagers forced to seek shelter on higher ground.

Brighton's in-form Kaoru Mitoma returned to the Japan squad on Thursday as Hajime Moriyasu's side eye an eighth straight appearance at the World Cup.

A sell-off in tech firms dragged Asian markets down Thursday after investors were left disappointed by earnings from chip titan Nvidia that stoked concerns about the outlook for all things artificial intelligence.

Bangladesh cricketer Shakib Al Hasan is the leading all-rounder of his era, whose laundry list of achievements is rivalled only by his disciplinary infractions and his brief political career under his country's loathed ex-leader.

A senior Chinese military official warned the United States to stop "collusion" with Taiwan while top White House aide Jake Sullivan stressed the importance of stability in the tense Strait in a rare one-on-one meeting Thursday, both sides said.

A senior Chinese military official warned the United States to stop "collusion" with Taiwan while top White House aide Jake Sullivan stressed the importance of stability in the tense Strait in a rare one-on-one meeting Thursday, both sides said.

Nearly 47 years after her death, one of opera's greatest stars, Greek soprano Maria Callas, is again taking centre stage at the Venice Film Festival played by Angelina Jolie in a new biopic.

Former captain Sam Cane was named Thursday in the All Blacks team to face South Africa in a crunch Rugby Championship match while Scott Barrett returns from injury to skipper the visitors.

Angelina Jolie returns to the limelight at the Venice Film Festival on Thursday as Maria Callas, "La Divina", whose rich voice, glamourous persona, and tragic love affair mesmerised audiences around the world.

Norwegian Princess Martha Louise is set to marry American self-proclaimed shaman Durek Verrett on Saturday, a union of two alternative therapy devotees that has raised eyebrows in Norway.

Expectations are high that France and Serbia will sign a deal worth billions of euros to supply fighter jets to the Balkan country during a visit by President Emmanuel Macron to Belgrade this week.

A Thai court on Thursday jailed a famous Spanish actor's son for life for the grisly murder of a Colombian plastic surgeon on a tropical holiday island, in a lurid case that has gripped Spain.

Indonesian authorities arrested a man trying to sell elephant tusks and the horns of critically endangered rhinos via social media.

Top White House aide Jake Sullivan raised the importance of stability in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea while planning more direct military talks in a rare one-on-one with a senior Chinese army official Thursday, Washington said.

Max Verstappen heads to the Italian Grand Prix with his unbeatable aura fading and a fourth straight world championship looking far less certain than before Formula One's summer break.

Juventus host struggling Roma on Sunday with their tails up and ready to show the rest of Serie A that under Thiago Motta Italy's Old Lady is fit for a league title tilt.

US Vice President Kamala Harris will give her first interview Thursday since becoming the Democratic standard-bearer, after intense criticism from Republicans that she has been hiding from tough questions.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic reached the third round of the US Open on Wednesday as Laslo Djere retired in the third set, but said he'll have to do better to win a fifth title on the hard courts of New York.

Intense monsoon rains and floods in India's Gujarat state killed at least 28 people in the past three days, some drowning and others hit by falling trees, government officials said.

Climate change turbocharged the winds and rain of Typhoon Gaemi, which killed dozens of people across the Philippines, Taiwan and China earlier this year, a group of scientists said Thursday.

A quarter of all the energy China consumes now comes from clean sources, according to research published Thursday, as Beijing rapidly pivots its huge economy to a greener footing.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic racked up his 90th win at the US Open on Wednesday by defeating Serb compatriot Laslo Djere who retired in the third set of their second round clash.

A Brazilian Supreme Court judge threatened Wednesday to suspend X, formerly Twitter, if CEO Elon Musk doesn't name a new legal representative for the social media site's operations in the country.

Top White House aide Jake Sullivan met a senior Chinese military official Thursday, praising the "rare" one-on-one as he wrapped up a visit to Beijing with plans for presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping to speak soon.

A groundbreaking climate case brought against the South Korean government by young environmental activists who named an embryo as a lead plaintiff is set to be decided Thursday by the country's Constitutional Court.

A sell-off in tech firms dragged Asian markets down Thursday after investors were left disappointed by earnings from chip titan Nvidia that stoked concerns about the outlook for all things artificial intelligence.

With around 55 million people placed under heat alerts, players and fans at the US Open on Wednesday struggled to keep cool as temperatures rocketed.