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

Troubled Chelsea finally showed some spirit as they fought back from two goals down to dent Aston Villa's top four bid in the Premier League with a dramatic 2-2 draw on Saturday.

Atletico Madrid earned a vital 3-1 win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday in La Liga, striking a significant blow in the race to secure Champions League football.

Karayme Bartley and Leah Anderson gave Jamaica a sweep of 400-meter titles on Saturday as global talent spread out the victories at the 128th Penn Relays.

Defending Olympic 100 meters champion Marcell Jacobs posted a time of 10.11 seconds to finish second in the East Coast Relays on Saturday in his first race in nearly eight months.

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes claimed Barcelona benefitted from the "worst decision in Women's Champions League history" as the holders reached the final with a controversial 2-0 win on Saturday.

The Orlando Magic, with 32 points from Franz Wagner and a dominant second half, thrashed the Cleveland Cavaliers 112-89 on Saturday to level their NBA Eastern Conference playoff series at 2-2.

Rafael Nadal avenged his defeat to Alex de Minaur from Barcelona with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 victory over the Australian on Saturday to extend his stay in Madrid on his final appearance at his home tournament but admitted he still "needs time" to return to his competitive peak.

Sean Dyche praised his Everton team after they secured Premier League survival with three games to go following a turbulent season by beating Brentford 1-0 on Saturday.

Hamas said Saturday it was studying Israel's latest counterproposal for a Gaza ceasefire, a day after media reports said a delegation from mediator Egypt was in Israel trying to jump-start stalled negotiations.

Robert Andrich scored with the last kick of the match to extend Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten run to a 46th game this season with a 2-2 home draw against Stuttgart on Saturday as Harry Kane closed in a Bundesliga goals record.

Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso said it was "hard to explain" why his unbeaten Bundesliga champions kept snatching games late after Saturday's last-gasp 2-2 draw against Stuttgart.

Holders Barcelona booked their place in the Women's Champions League final with a controversial 2-0 win against Chelsea in the semi-final second leg on Saturday.

Liverpool's fading Premier League title hopes were dealt a near-fatal blow on Saturday as West Ham rescued a draw against Jurgen Klopp's men while Sheffield United dropped through the relegation trap door.

Erik ten Hag pleaded with fans to stay patient after misfiring Manchester United yet again blew a late lead against relegation-threatened Burnley at a disgruntled Old Trafford on Saturday.

Robert Andrich scored with the last kick of the match to extend Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten run to a 46th game this season with a 2-2 home draw against Stuttgart on Saturday.

Robert Andrich scored with the last kick of the match to extend Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten run to 46 games this season with a 2-2 home draw against Stuttgart on Saturday.

Hamas's armed wing released video Saturday of two men held hostage in Gaza who are seen alive and urging Israeli authorities to strike a deal for the release of all the remaining captives.

French President Emmanuel Macron is ready to "open the debate" about the role of nuclear weapons in a common European defence, he said in an interview published Saturday.

England completed a third straight Women's Six Nations Grand Slam when they beat France in the closing game of the championship 42-21 in Bordeaux on Saturday.

Skipper Babar Azam hit a solid half century while spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi grabbed four wickets as Pakistan overcame New Zealand by nine runs in the fifth and final Twenty20 international in Lahore on Saturday.

AC Milan took another step towards Champions League qualification after Saturday's goalless draw at Serie A rivals Juventus.

Three military police officers were killed in an ambush early Saturday in a restive region of southern Chile, authorities said, in the worst such violence in years.

Australia's Jake Fraser-McGurk smashed 84 off 27 deliveries to fire Delhi Capitals to 257-4 and a 10-run win over Mumbai Indians in another IPL high-scorer on Saturday.

England completed a third straight Women's Six Nations Grand Slam when they beat France in the closing game of the championship 42-21 in Bordeaux on Saturday.

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, who scored both goals in Saturday's 2-1 home win over Eintracht Frankfurt, said it's "possible" he will break the Bundesliga single season goalscoring record.

Sheffield United were relegated from the Premier League after a 5-1 humbling at Newcastle on Saturday.

Rafael Nadal avenged his defeat to Alex de Minaur from Barcelona with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 victory over the Australian on Saturday to extend his stay in Madrid on his final appearance at his home tournament but admitted he still "needs time" to return to his competitive peak.

Harry Kane scored twice in Bayern Munich's 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday to set a new personal record for goals in a season as RB Leipzig tightened their grip on fourth spot with a home victory over Borussia Dortmund.

Skipper Babar Azam notched a solid half century to guide Pakistan to 178-5 in the fifth and final Twenty20 international against New Zealand in Lahore on Saturday.

Sheffield United were relegated from the Premier League after a 5-1 thrashing at Newcastle on Saturday.

Palestinians in Rafah told AFP Saturday they were living in "constant terror" as Israel vows to push ahead with its planned assault on the south Gaza city flooded with displaced civilians.

Liverpool's fading Premier League title hopes were dealt a near-fatal blow on Saturday as West Ham rescued a draw against Jurgen Klopp's men while Sheffield United were relegated in ignominious fashion.