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

Debutants Tajikistan sealed a place in the knockout rounds of the Asian Cup on Monday with a battling 2-1 win over 10-man Lebanon that included three lovely goals and another two strikes ruled out by VAR.

Imane Ayissi is on a mission to put authentic African textiles in the spotlight but faces an uphill battle as a pioneer African couturier at Paris Fashion Week.

Stocks moved higher in the US and Europe on Monday, with both the Dow and the S&P 500 building on record gains seen ahead of the weekend on growing optimism for the American economy.

Mauricio Pochettino issued a rallying cry to the Chelsea support as his side aim to turn around a 1-0 first leg deficit against Middlesbrough to reach the League Cup final on Tuesday.

Donald Trump was set to hold a final rally Monday in New Hampshire on the eve of the primary where polls show him likely to trounce the sole surviving challenger, Nikki Haley, for the Republican presidential nomination.

Gazans sheltered Monday from intense bombing and shooting in the city of Khan Yunis, as pressure built on Israel for an eventual two-state solution involving statehood long sought by Palestinians.

England coach Steve Borthwick has urged his side to "hit the ground running" as they bid to improve their poor recent record in the Six Nations Championship.

They are few, tight-fisted and downcast. This year's trickle of Argentine vacationers to a popular Atlantic beach resort is a dreary reflection of the country's economic woes.

Donald Trump returned Monday to his sexual assault defamation trial in New York on the eve of the New Hampshire primary where polls show him likely to trounce the final remaining challenger, Nikki Haley, for the Republican presidential nomination.

France head coach Fabien Galthie said on Monday they are disappointed to be without Anthony Jelonch for the Six Nations after the flanker suffered a serious injury to his right knee.

Stocks rose in Europe and on Wall Street on Monday, lifted by expectations the US economy will shake off geopolitical concerns to continue expanding this year even if the Federal Reserve holds off on cutting rates while waiting to see inflation come down.

US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will push the fight for abortion rights in a series of events this week, highlighting what Democrats believe is political kryptonite for Donald Trump in November's election.

In Johannesburg, illegal miners and mining companies are in a race to tap golden riches hidden in hundreds of heaps of mine waste, many taller than a 20-storey building.

Nigeria's Lagos State, which includes the country's sprawling economic capital of more than 20 million people, has announced a ban on styrofoam and single-use plastics to curb pollution.

German train drivers will stage their longest-ever walkout with a six-day strike this week, their union said Monday, escalating a dispute with rail operator Deutsche Bahn over pay and working hours.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell said on Monday he was not a believer in the four-year World Cup cycle and a radical overhaul of his squad would be damaging to their Six Nations title defence.

Elon Musk visited Auschwitz and was due to address anti-Semitism online at an event in Poland on Monday just weeks after sparking a firestorm by endorsing a anti-Jewish conspiracy theory on his social media platform X.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday the United States was committed to deeper relations with Africa despite global crises as he opened a trip in the shadow of coups and the rising influence of Russia and China on the continent.

France's powerful farming union on Monday threatened a week or more of protest action as it was poised to meet with Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.

Carlos Alcaraz said he would have to play at his "best level" in his Australian Open quarter-final with Alexander Zverev after producing a masterclass against unseeded Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic on Monday.

Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki said Monday he was racially abused on social media following his team's shock defeat to Iraq at the Asian Cup.

Zheng Qinwen drew on advice from Chinese great Li Na to match her exploits at the US Open last year by storming into the Australian Open quarter-finals for the first time on Monday.

Europe's top stock markets rose Monday as investors eyed a record tech-driven rally on Wall Street before the weekend and set aside a mixed Asian performance.

French flanker Anthony Jelonch will miss the upcoming Six Nations with a right knee injury, a source close to the Toulouse star told AFP on Monday.

Forward Tamer Seyam and his teammates "want to make a historic achievement for Palestine" when they face Hong Kong on Tuesday at the Asian Cup, where a first win ever at the tournament could propel them into the next round.

EU foreign ministers on Monday pressed Israel for an eventual two-state solution with the Palestinians after the war in Gaza, at meetings with the top diplomats from the two sides and key Arab states in Brussels.

Cameroon on Monday launched the first malaria vaccination programme to be offered nationwide and as a matter of routine, AFP journalists saw, in a step the WHO has described as "historic".

Unseeded Russian Anna Kalinskaya said Monday she was focused on the job at hand and was not feeling the nerves after powering into a maiden Grand Slam quarter-final at the Australian Open.

A prickly Graham Arnold hit back on Monday at suggestions that his Australia team are too defensive as the title contenders look to end the Asian Cup group stage with a bang.

Two-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev said Monday he is good enough to take the next step and go all the way to the title at the Australian Open this year.

Carlos Alcaraz raced into an Australian Open quarter-final against Alexander Zverev on Monday, producing a fearsome display in a straight-sets win over unseeded Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic.

The Israeli army bombarded Khan Yunis, the latest epicentre of the war in Gaza, on Monday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected what he said were Hamas conditions for the release of hostages, even amid mounting pressure from their families.