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

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is targeting more records after cementing her place as the greatest women's 400m hurdler in history with a jaw-dropping defence of her Olympic crown.

Hungary's Kristof Rasovszky won gold in the Olympic men's 10k marathon swimming at the Paris Games on Friday.

A Philippine news site co-founded by Nobel laureate Maria Ressa can continue operating after a court overturned a shutdown order, according to the ruling released Friday, the latest legal victory for the media outfit.

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus led a solemn tribute to Bangladesh's fallen independence heroes in the first act of his interim government on Friday, after a student-led uprising forced predecessor Sheikh Hasina into exile.

Asian stocks rallied Friday as investors breathed a sigh of relief after US jobs data soothed concerns that the world's top economy could tip into recession, bringing a painful week to a positive end.

The US ambassador to Japan skipped a ceremony on Friday marking the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki in protest at Israel not being invited.

Juan "Chi Chi" Rodriguez, who rose from poverty in Puerto Rico to golf's Hall of Fame, has died at age 88, the PGA Tour said Thursday.

Dozens of villagers gathered in front of the modest home of Pakistan athlete Arshad Nadeem to watch the hulking javelin thrower take part in the Olympic Games final late Thursday.

Thailand's main opposition party relaunched on Friday with a new name and leader, after its old version won the popular vote in last year’s elections but was forced by a court to disband this week.

Popping supplements, drinking herbal teas and signing up for lifestyle classes, China's youth are turning to the wellness industry as work stress and pandemic memories spur a growing interest in health.

All Blacks captain Ardie Savea said Friday he expects a physical "battle" against Argentina as New Zealand seek to snap their six-year winless streak in Wellington.

Ukraine pressed on with a major cross-border incursion into Russia, where state media and local officials on Friday reported a fire at a military airfield and "massive" drone attacks hundreds of kilometres from the border.

E-commerce tycoon Colin Huang has become China's richest man, an index showed Friday, capping an ascent for the former Google employee whose shopping site Temu has sucked in consumers with its low prices and all-powerful algorithms.

India's foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar leaves Friday on his first trip to the neighbouring Maldives since Male expelled dozens of Indian soldiers and shifted to become closer to China.

Australian rugby's revival from the depths of despair faces its most severe test yet on Saturday when the Wallabies face the world champions Springboks in Brisbane.

Noor Miah was a student when riots broke out in northern England in the summer of 2001, with angry young British South Asians clashing with police after a series of racist attacks and incidents.

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Friday cancelled a trip to Central Asia after earthquake scientists warned the country should prepare for a possible "megaquake".

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro suspended access to the social media site X on Thursday, as he faced renewed pressure from a trio of friendly Latin American nations to release data proving his claimed reelection was valid.

The United States have been carried to the Olympic women's football final by their new-look attack. With Megan Rapinoe having retired and Alex Morgan being left out of the squad by new coach Emma Hayes, the trio of Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman and Mallory Swanson has stepped up in spectacular fashion.

Japan's earthquake scientists say the country should prepare for a possible "megaquake" one day that could kill hundreds of thousands of people -- although they stress the warning does not mean a colossal tremor is imminent.

Japan's earthquake scientists have warned of the possibility of a coming "megaquake" after eight people were injured Thursday by one of magnitude 7.1 in the south.

Born in Somalia, raised in Belgium, and training regularly in Ethiopia, marathon runner Bashir Abdi is hoping for another medal in Paris after winning bronze at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.

Asian stocks rallied Friday as investors breathed a sigh of relief after US jobs data soothed concerns that the world's top economy could tip into recession, bringing a painful week to a positive end.

New artifacts have been found on the legendary Spanish galleon San Jose, Colombia's government announced Thursday, after the first robotic exploration of the three-century-old shipwreck.

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, at the centre of an Olympic gender eligibility row, goes for gold in Paris on Friday as Thierry Henry bids to lead France's footballers to glory.

The finals come thick and fast on the penultimate night of track and field at the Paris Olympics which should provide fireworks.

A resurgent United States under new coach Emma Hayes are hoping to establish themselves as the leading force in women's international football once again by claiming the gold medal in Saturday's Olympic final against Brazil and their legendary skipper Marta.

Israel has agreed to resume Gaza ceasefire talks on August 15 at the demand of US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Thursday, as regional tensions skyrocket over the war.

California pulled out all the stops Thursday to welcome the arrival of two new giant pandas from China, the first to be sent by Beijing to the United States in 21 years.

Kevin Durant called Stephen Curry's 36-point effort in the United States' 95-91 win over Serbia a "God-like performance" as the four-time reigning Olympic champions pulled off an exhilarating fourth-quarter comeback Thursday.

Half-centuries by captain Temba Bavuma and opener Tony de Zorzi anchored a resolute batting effort by South Africa in extending their first innings to 344 for eight at the close of the second day of the rain-affected first Test of a two-match series against the West Indies in Trinidad on Thursday.

The United States had to dig deep to erase a 17-point deficit to beat Nikola Jokic's Serbia 95-91 on Thursday to keep their bid for a fifth straight Olympic men's basketball gold medal alive.