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

Michele Lamaro said Friday that Italy should not get ahead of themselves as they prepare for the visit of Scotland and a chance to end an 11-year winless run at home in the Six Nations.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen expressed hopes Friday that a humanitarian aid corridor from Cyprus to Gaza will open this weekend, amid fears of famine in the war-torn Palestinian territory.

Stock markets diverged Friday, with all eyes on key US jobs data to see if it alters expectations of a cut to US interest rates in June.

An integral part of Spanish culture or a longstanding tradition that needlessly burdens staff? Spain's late working hours -- predominantly in bars, shops and restaurants -- have sparked heated debate over the government's wish to curb "unreasonable" excesses.

France head coach Fabien Galthie on Friday announced eight changes for his team for this weekend's Six Nations trip to Wales in round four of the competition.

An experimental new weight loss pill from Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk could be twice as effective as its blockbuster Ozempic and Wegovy jabs, early results from a small trial have suggested, sending the firm's shares soaring.

The Indonesian air safety agency has called for better pilot fatigue monitoring mechanisms, after an investigation revealed that both pilots of a commercial aircraft had recently fallen asleep in-flight.

Israel winger Liel Abada has moved from Celtic to Major League Soccer club Charlotte after coming under pressure from compatriots to quit the Scottish Premiership following displays of support for the Palestinian people among some fans.

An unprecedented mobilisation among women brought a liberal alliance to power in Poland, raising hopes that one of Europe's strictest abortion laws would be scrapped. But now they feel betrayed.

Elisabeth Borne, the second woman to serve as prime minister of France, on Friday denounced the "insidious sexism" that she said still permeated French politics.

The United States plans gathered pace on Friday to get aid by sea into Gaza, where the UN has repeatedly warned of famine and Israel has been accused of limiting aid as it battles Hamas militants.

France head coach Fabien Galthie announced on Friday eight changes for his team for this weekend's Six Nations trip to Wales in round four of the competition.

Former All Blacks winger Julian Savea scored a record 61st Super Rugby try on Friday to surpass Australia's Israel Folau as his Moana Pasifika side crashed 29-23 to the Melbourne Rebels.

Former prime minister Theresa May announced on Friday she will stand down as an MP at the next election, adding to a growing list from the UK's ruling Conservatives to abandon leader Rishi Sunak.

Akira Toriyama was already famous to comic fans in the early 1980s with "Dr. Slump" but he won manga immortality with the global sensation and Japanese success story that is "Dragon Ball".

Efforts to tackle sexism in the UK financial sector, known as the City, are "at a snail's pace", lawmakers concluded Friday, as they demanded "urgent action" be taken over misogyny.

Even though Anya Karkachova grew up in the heartland of Ukraine's industrial east -- dotted by coal mines and their smoking chimneys -- she never imagined she would be working underground herself.

A group of South African Jewish women held an International Women's Day march on Friday to denounce their government's silence on alleged abuse by Hamas fighters against Israeli hostages.

In-demand Stuttgart manager Sebastian Hoeness' contract was extended by two years until 2027 on Friday, a reward for taking the side from relegation candidates to Champions League contention.

LIV Golf made its debut in Hong Kong Friday with a dragon dance on the first tee and electronic music thumping, but after 18 holes it was Dean Burmester and Abraham Ancer who shut out the noise to top a stacked leaderboard.

"I don't sleep anymore," Latifa Abu Hamid said while looking at pictures of her children hanging on the walls of her living room, two women and 10 men. All have passed through Israeli prisons.

Kung-fu-style fights, a monkey-tailed boy and the search for seven magical dragon balls: since its debut in 1984, Japan's "Dragon Ball" manga has captured imaginations worldwide.

A five-wicket haul by paceman Josh Hazlewood ensured Australia finished Friday with the upper hand against New Zealand on a wicket-laden opening day of the second Test in Christchurch.

About 300,000 Taylor Swift fans from Singapore and around the region were expected to flock to the city-state this week for the megastar's six sold-out concerts.

Six couples sued the Japanese government on Friday seeking the right to use different surnames after marriage, filing the case to coincide with International Women's Day.

Twenty years ago, a large, well-organised terror cell planned and staged the deadly Madrid train bombings, but today the jihadist threat facing Spain comes from lone wolves and small self-radicalised groups.

The world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange Binance is halting operations in Nigeria's naira currency as the government puts cryptobusinesses under increasing scrutiny.

France's President Emmanuel Macron is on Friday to oversee abortion becoming a constitutional right at a special ceremony in Paris to mark the world first.

A five-wicket haul by paceman Josh Hazlewood ensured Australia had the upper hand on a wicket-laden opening day of the second Test against New Zealand on Friday.

Hong Kong on Friday introduced the draft bill of a new national security law that includes life sentences for major offences such as treason and insurrection.

US President Joe Biden warned Israel on Thursday that it cannot use aid as a "bargaining chip" in its fight against Hamas and called for an immediate temporary ceasefire in Gaza, where fears of a looming famine have multiplied.

The US military will establish a temporary port off Gaza's coast to bring in desperately needed aid, President Joe Biden announced Thursday, in a major operation as Israel holds up deliveries on the ground.