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

Waving glow sticks, and wearing sequin dresses and friendship bracelets, Chinese fans of American pop sensation Taylor Swift turn a normally-quiet Beijing cinema into a raucous celebration of their favourite singer.

Ancient lake systems once provided Bengaluru with critical water supplies, but the Indian tech hub's breakneck expansion left many waterways covered over or used as dumps.

Tigers in India have been photographed in high-altitude mountains rarely seen before, with experts suggesting relentless human pressure and a heating climate are driving them from traditional hunting grounds.

India beat England by 106 runs in the second Test in Visakhapatnam on Monday to level the five-match series 1-1.

Japan's Toyota raised its annual net profit forecast to a record high on Tuesday and reported strong sales in all regions in the first three quarters as the global semiconductor shortage eases.

Lionel Messi said Tuesday his leg injury was "getting better" but the World Cup-winning captain could not guarantee he would be fit to play in Inter Miami's pre-season friendly in Japan this week.

Anthony Davis delivered his third career triple double on Monday to support big nights from LeBron James and D'Angelo Russell as the Los Angeles Lakers won 124-118 at Charlotte.

Travis Kelce says he wants to match girlfriend Taylor Swift's record-breaking Grammy exploits by bringing home some silverware of his own at this week's Super Bowl.

Chile began two days of national mourning Monday for at least 123 victims of a raging wildfire, with the search continuing for the missing as survivors pick through the scorched remains of their lives.

Liz Truss may have flopped as UK prime minister, but she remains on the political stage, this week launching a new movement that aims to push the ruling Conservatives rightwards.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to fly to Egypt on Tuesday as part of a Middle East crisis tour seeking a new truce and "an enduring end" to the Israel-Hamas war.

Swiss banking giant UBS will on Tuesday report its first full-year results since swallowing rival Credit Suisse, with investors keen for details on a US-centred growth strategy hinted at by the mega-bank.

Asian markets were mixed Tuesday following a drop on Wall Street, though Shanghai and Hong Kong were lifted by a pledge by authorities to boost investment in a range of stocks as they look to staunch a long-running rout.

France head coach Fabien Galthie has enjoyed a long honeymoon but for the first time since he took over after the 2019 Rugby World Cup, there are rumblings about his stewardship following the 38-17 thumping by Ireland in the Six Nations.

"We know about Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. But we can't access them -- everything here is blocked," said Byashim Ishanguliyev, a fruit seller in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat.

Defiant weightlifter Oleg Musokhranov has told AFP "Russians never throw in the towel" as he contemplates sitting out the Paris Olympics later this year.

Enigmatic and unflappable, spy chief Kyrylo Budanov has built up a legendary reputation in Ukraine with a series of daring operations against Russia.

Australia's government said Tuesday it had expressed "outrage" to China over a suspended death sentence handed to Chinese-Australian dissident writer Yang Jun.

The Philadelphia Eagles were named on Monday to play in the NFL's first ever regular-season game in South America, a September 6 contest to be held in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Canadian police confirmed Monday charges against five current and former NHL players over an alleged 2018 gang rape, and apologized for the six years it took to investigate the accusations.

On a frozen river in Canada, a cluster of brightly coloured cabins stand out against the white snow as vehicles crawl to and fro.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell dismissed conspiracy theories surrounding Taylor Swift as "nonsense" on Monday as the final countdown to this week's Super Bowl got under way in Las Vegas.

A powerful storm lashing California on Monday has left at least three people dead and caused devastating mudslides and flooding, after dumping months' worth of rain in a single day.

Senegalese lawmakers on Monday voted to delay this month's presidential election until December, an unprecedented move that has sparked international concern over a country normally seen as a beacon of stability in West Africa.

Tourists in the narrow streets of Paris's historic centre next month may find themselves dodging swarms of servers with trays of coffee and croissants, as a long-defunct waitering contest is revived.

Phil Foden said he is in his best form for some time after scoring a hat-trick to help Manchester City up to second in the Premier League with a 3-1 win at Brentford.

Phil Foden scored a hat-trick as Manchester City came from behind to beat Brentford 3-1 on Monday and leave the Premier League's top three separated by just two points.

Global stock markets mostly fell Monday after comments by Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell doused flickering hopes that US interest rate cuts could still begin in March.

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres announced Monday the creation of an independent panel to assess UNRWA, its embattled agency tasked with helping Palestinian refugees.

Britain's King Charles III, whose cancer diagnosis was announced on Monday, has thrown himself into the role of monarch since ascending to the throne nearly 17 months ago.

Williams boss James Vowles has issued a hands-off warning to Mercedes and Red Bull as he revealed Monday that Alex Albon is under contract with the British-based team until the end of the 2025 season.

Simone Biles's superhuman skills have made her a gymnastics superstar, but as the Paris Games beckon it is her down-to-earth qualities that teammates treasure.