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

Gold hit a record high on Friday as global stock markets diverged, with profit-taking on Wall Street while European and Asian markets gained on reassuring data about the health of the world's biggest economy and likely US interest rate cuts.

Leicester striker Patson Daka has been ruled out for a "few months" with an ankle injury, new Foxes manager Steve Cooper said Friday.

French President Emmanuel Macron will next week convene party leaders for consultations, his office said Friday, in a bid to break political deadlock and form a government following snap elections.

Bermuda was on high alert Friday as residents brace for Hurricane Ernesto, with heavy rain and flooding expected to wallop the island at the weekend, meteorologists and officials said.

Spain has just emerged from a 21-day heatwave that engulfed Madrid, Barcelona and Zaragoza, posing a health threat which extends far beyond the actual temperature, according to Julio Diaz, a researcher at Madrid's Carlos III Health Institute.

The European Union health agency on Friday urged its member states to get ready for more cases of a deadly strain of mpox, a day after Sweden announced the first case outside Africa.

Manchester City will be without Rodri for the start of their Premier League title defence after Pep Guardiola revealed the Spain midfielder has been ruled out of Sunday's opener against Chelsea.

Premier League new boys Ipswich signed Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips on a season-long loan on Friday.

Ukraine said Friday its incursion into Russian territory was aimed at forcing Russia to negotiate on "fair" terms, as Moscow's troops announced new gains in eastern Ukraine.

Thousands of Indians marched through the streets of Kolkata on Friday demanding justice after the rape and murder of a doctor, channelling nationwide outrage at the chronic issue of violence against women.

Stock markets mostly rallied Friday after encouraging US retail sales data reassured investors about the health of the world's biggest economy.

Diplomatic pressure mounted on Israel Friday to secure a truce that could avert a wider war after more than 10 months of fighting in Gaza, as mediators prepared to meet for a second day of talks in Qatar.

The EU on Friday formally requested that Meta detail steps it is taking on transparency after the Facebook and Instagram owner scrapped a widely-used tool for tracking disinformation online.

Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir will hold local elections for the first time in a decade, the head of the electoral commission said Friday, after polls were stalled in the disputed region following New Delhi's imposition of direct rule in 2019.

Tottenham signed French winger Wilson Odobert from Burnley for an undisclosed fee on Friday.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot said on Friday that key transfer target Martin Zubimendi had "decided not to come" to Anfield from Real Sociedad.

Undertakers are working like bricklayers in a Gaza cemetery, piling cinder blocks into tight rectangles, side by side, for freshly dug graves.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has insisted there's no chance of the Magpies paying "silly" money for new players after the club were linked with a move to sign Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi.

Pakistan said Friday it had confirmed a case of mpox, a day after Sweden recorded the first infection outside of Africa involving a new, more dangerous strain of the virus that has killed hundreds in the DR Congo.

The smell of fuel wafts from storage tanks to Dovi Sonny's apartment -- a long-time irritant, and now a major worry after Hezbollah revealed that the facility in northern Israel was in its sights.

The US government said Friday it has signed a preliminary agreement with semiconductor manufacturer Texas Instruments to give the company up to $1.6 billion to help fund new facilities in the country.

German champions Bayer Leverkusen announced Friday the extension of Germany midfielder Robert Andrich's deal by two years until 2028.

The 40-year-old goalkeeper of Ajax was being hailed as a hero Friday after the Dutch giants won a "crazy" penalty shoot-out 13-12 to advance into the Europa League play-offs.

Indian doctors stepped up nationwide protests and strikes Friday after the rape and murder of a colleague, a brutal killing that has focused outrage on the chronic issue of violence against women.

Negotiators seeking a Gaza ceasefire were set to meet for a second day in Qatar on Friday, while top European diplomats were expected in Israel to stress the urgency of averting a wider war.

Japanese stocks surged and markets in Asia strengthened on Friday, tracking substantial gains on Wall Street after encouraging US retail sales data reassured investors about the health of the world's biggest economy.

Zheng Qinwen's historic tennis gold at the Paris Olympics this month followed a decades-long surge in the sport's popularity among China's burgeoning middle class, and her victory is set to boost it even more.

Captain Allan Alaalatoa said Friday that the Wallabies will be better equipped to handle the physicality of South Africa as the teams prepare for wet and slippery conditions in the second Rugby Championship Test in Perth.

As a marine commando, Michael Chandler knew all about daunting missions, but in his new role of Ravenmaster at the Tower of London, legend would have it that the survival of the United Kingdom now rests in his hands.

Turning heads as they cruise past office buildings and malls, driverless taxis are slowly spreading through Chinese cities, prompting both wariness and wonder.

New Zealand-based tech entrepreneur Kim Dotcom lashed out at the US government Friday, as his decade-long effort to avoid extradition on fraud and money laundering charges appeared to have failed.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo hailed his economic track record on Friday in a final state of the nation address before he leaves office in October after a decade in power.