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

Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja combined to dent England after a brisk start by the tourists in the opening Test on Thursday.

France's highest constitutional authority will on Thursday issue a keenly-awaited verdict on whether an immigration bill adopted under pressure from the far-right is in line with its basic law.

Statues of British colonial figures Captain James Cook and Queen Victoria were damaged in Melbourne on Thursday, as annual Australia Day celebrations were again marked by division and protest.

Israeli air strikes and ground operations were focused Thursday on the Gazan city of Khan Yunis, where the UN said nine people were killed by tank shelling at one of its shelters the day before.

Devin Booker produced another high-scoring gem to help the Phoenix Suns notch a seventh-straight victory on Wednesday as Milwaukee shrugged off the sacking of coach Adrian Griffin to end Cleveland's unbeaten streak.

A Japanese court on Thursday sentenced to death the perpetrator of a 2019 arson attack on an animation studio that killed 36 people, local media reported.

A clean-up operation was underway Thursday after giant waves flooded a key US military base on the Marshall Islands in the heart of the South Pacific.

The world's second-largest memory chip maker, South Korea's SK Hynix, said on Thursday it had returned to profit after four consecutive quarters of losses driven by demand for chips used in artificial intelligence.

The Golden State Warriors paid an emotional tribute to Dejan Milojevic on Wednesday as the team returned to play for the first time since the Serbian assistant coach died last week from a heart attack.

The "Yakuza" gangster series has long been seen as a Japanese "Grand Theft Auto" but Masayoshi Yokoyama, one of the main designers of the hugely successful games, dismisses any such comparison.

Behind the global success of Japanese video games lies a delicate task: appealing to overseas players whose expectations on issues such as sexism are increasingly influencing the content of major titles.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday will explore greater coordination with emerging regional partner Angola, capping a tour of Africa to champion US-friendly democracies as global crises mount.

A Japanese court found guilty on Thursday the perpetrator of a 2019 arson attack on an animation studio that killed 36 people, with a death sentence widely expected later in the day, local media reported.

Hundreds of thousands of Hindus celebrated the annual Thaipusam festival on Thursday, gathering in temples across Malaysia, with many displaying their devotion by piercing their bodies with hooks and skewers.

British actor and "White Lotus" villain Tom Hollander often gets mistaken for "Spiderman" star Tom Holland, but occasionally it works in his favor -- like when he got the payslip for the other man's seven-figure film bonus.

Jim Harbaugh was named as the new head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers on Wednesday, weeks after leading the University of Michigan to the US collegiate crown.

Long gone is the Joe Biden of February 2023, strolling confidently through the streets of Kyiv, basking in the role as champion of the Ukrainian cause in the fight against Vladimir Putin's Russia.

Shanghai and Hong Kong stocks built on their recent rally Thursday as traders awaited fresh pledges of stimulus from Chinese officials a day after they announced a measure to boost bank lending, though other Asia markets fluctuated.

A Japanese court found guilty on Thursday the perpetrator of a 2019 arson attack on an animation studio that killed 36 people, with sentencing expected later in the day, local media reported.

From cats and plushies to emojis, a new central London exhibition opening on Thursday is exploring the "irresistible force" of "cuteness".

Indonesia's election lineup next month will be dominated by men, but a number of women are trying to break into a political scene long overshadowed by patriarchal elites.

The European Central Bank is expected to stand pat Thursday and call for patience in the ongoing battle against inflation, pushing back against market hopes of rapid interest rate cuts.

Christmas was without snow, then temperatures seesawed throughout January in much of Canada, as the increasing effects of climate change drastically dampen the country's winter sports season.

The foreign ministers of Guyana and Venezuela are due to meet on Thursday in Brazil to discuss the simmering crisis on their border over a disputed oil-rich region.

Former US president Donald Trump campaigned on the economy during his failed reelection bid in 2020 and it remains a major theme in his push to retake the White House again in 2024.

US regulators approved a detailed inspection framework that would allow the return to service of Boeing 737 MAX planes grounded after an emergency landing earlier this month, officials said Wednesday.

British actor and "White Lotus" villain Tom Hollander often gets mistaken for "Spiderman" star Tom Holland, but occasionally it works in his favour -- like when he got the other man's seven-figure film bonus.

Clean-energy projects were the largest driver of China's economic growth in 2023, with Beijing investing nearly as much in decarbonisation infrastructure as total global investment in fossil fuels, according to a report released Thursday.

Taiwan's Kevin Yu, chasing a first US PGA Tour title, carded eight birdies in his eight-under par-64 to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines on Wednesday.

Inaki Williams raced back from Africa to face Barcelona in the Copa del Rey and sent Athletic Bilbao into the semi-finals by scoring a crucial goal in their 4-2 extra-time triumph on Wednesday.

Morocco's 1-0 win over Zambia at the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday had the knock-on effect of sending Ivory Coast through to the last 16, after a day in which the tournament hosts sacked their coach.

Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel said he felt "a little bit jinxed" after centre-back Dayot Upamecano tore his hamstring in Wednesday's 1-0 win over Union Berlin.