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

Gusty weekend winds were threatening to worsen a million-acre wildfire that has already killed two people in the southern US, as a monster blizzard engulfed California's mountains Friday.

Chad's main opposition on Friday accused junta soldiers of having executed its leader "at point blank range" in an assault on the party's headquarters ahead of a long-promised May election.

Fernando Alonso on Friday qualified in sixth place for Saturday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix and declared he felt "great" two days after hinting at retirement.

Max Verstappen delivered some much-needed relief for his Red Bull team on Friday when he resisted Ferrari's Charles Leclerc to claim pole position for Saturday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Hussein el Shahat from Al Ahly of Egypt became the leading CAF Champions League scorer this season on Friday, netting in a 1-0 win over Young Africans of Tanzania.

Elon Musk has launched a legal case against OpenAI, the AI firm he helped to set up in 2015, accusing its leaders of a "betrayal" of its founding mission.

America's two biggest pharmacy chains said Friday they will begin dispensing prescription abortion pills in a limited number of states where it's legal.

With the humanitarian situation in Gaza increasingly desperate, donors are considering delivering relief supplies from the sky, as the UN warns famine is "almost inevitable".

A high-level WTO conference is likely to end Friday with no major wins, throwing into doubt the effectiveness of the multilateral trade body, according to sources close to the talks.

Shares of Spirit AeroSystems surged Friday following a report it could be bought by Boeing as the aviation giant seeks to right itself amid its latest safety crisis.

Max Verstappen's quest for a fourth consecutive Formula One world championship began in style on Friday with the Red Bull ace claiming pole for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

Kate Winslet stars as a dictator dealing with her personal demons in "The Regime", a new political satire whose makers hope it is "funny and awful" at the same time.

A car ploughed into crowds on a street in the Polish city of Szczecin on Friday injuring 19 people, including six children, according to authorities who ruled out terrorism.

Armed conflict, violence and entrenched impunity persist in South Sudan as it prepares to hold its first elections, the UN commission investigating human rights in the country said Friday.

A lavish painting of a mythological scene was among several newly discovered frescoes revealed Friday by archaeologists excavating the ancient Roman city of Pompeii.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday visited Turkey which has sought to revive Russia-Ukraine peace talks and ways to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea.

Universal Music Group has lambasted TikTok's approach to AI as the feud between the two companies over song royalties escalates and popular music is expunged from the social media platform.

Marco Silva said he understood Erik ten Hag's angry reaction after the Manchester United manager demanded Fulham apologise for a social media post that appeared to mock Bruno Fernandes.

Stocks markets continued to push into record territory across the globe on Friday as investor excitement over artificial intelligence fed a months-long rally.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was laid to rest in Moscow on Friday, surrounded by crowds of defiant mourners who chanted his name and blamed authorities for his death in prison.

Rainfall offered some reprieve from the largest wildfire in the history of Texas, officials said Friday, though dry, gusty conditions were expected to return this weekend for a blaze that has killed two people and scorched a million acres.

Russia's Andrey Rublev was defaulted from the Dubai ATP tournament for allegedly using obscene language in an angry tirade at a line umpire on Friday, gifting Alexander Bublik a place in the final.

Eurozone inflation continued to ease in February, data showed Friday, but economists warned it was unlikely to push the European Central Bank to cut interest rates next month.

Carlo Ancelotti insisted Real Madrid 'must not forget what happened' as the La Liga leaders return to Valencia Saturday where forward Vinicius Jr was racially abused last season.

Edinburgh and Scotland wing Darcy Graham is set to miss the rest of the season after being told he requires groin surgery, meaning he will play no part in the Six Nations.

Chad's main opposition party on Friday accused soldiers of having executed its leader "at point blank range" in an assault on its headquarters ahead of a long-promised May election.

Jose Peseiro announced his decision to step down as coach of Nigeria on Friday after leading the country to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations last month.

The EU on Friday used new regulatory powers to query Meta about ad-free subscriptions to Facebook and Instagram as well as claims some voices are suppressed online in a phenomenon known as "shadow banning".

President Joe Biden hosts Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White House Friday, for talks dominated by worries about the future of US military support for Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza.

Europe's stock markets climbed Friday as investors welcomed a slowdown in eurozone inflation, while Wall Street opened mixed after setting new records.

Jurgen Klopp said Friday he was proud of his young players after they stepped up to help keep injury-hit Liverpool's quadruple bid alive.

Convicted former Ajax and Dutch international winger Quincy Promes has been arrested in Dubai, two weeks after a court in the Netherlands sentenced him to six years for smuggling more than a tonne of cocaine.