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

Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at huge crowds of Bangladesh opposition supporters Saturday to break up a giant protest against the prime minister, with one officer killed and scores of people injured in several hours of violent clashes in central Dhaka.

Israel's army relentlessly hammered Gaza on Saturday after a night of fierce bombardment that rescuers said destroyed hundreds of buildings three weeks into a war sparked by the deadliest attack in the country's history.

Mahmud al-Astal is one of many medics providing lifesaving care as casualties flood hospitals in Gaza, only to one day discover his sister and her entire family among the dead.

Defending champions England are feeling the heat of a lacklustre World Cup campaign but assistant coach Marcus Trescothick insisted Saturday that they haven't "lost faith" in the under-pressure 50-over format.

Vikramjit Singh and Max O'Dowd both fell cheaply as the Netherlands were reduced to 63-3 by Bangladesh in a World Cup clash in Kolkata on Saturday.

Spain's Jorge Martin led from pole to chequered flag to win the Thailand MotoGP sprint race on Saturday and reduce the deficit behind championship leader Francesco Bagnaia to 18 points.

New Zealand are British bookmakers' favourites to become the first team to win the Rugby World Cup four times by beating South Africa later Saturday in a tournament that for at least one of them has seen "the largest stakes ever placed."

Travis Head marked his World Cup bow with a blistering century as he and fellow opener David Warner blitzed New Zealand on Saturday to help steer Australia to 388 all out.

Over 100,000 supporters of two major Bangladesh opposition parties rallied in the capital Dhaka on Saturday, police said, demanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina step down to allow a free and fair vote under a neutral government.

Besieged on foreign soil and menaced by a triumphant foe, England's war-weary cricket World Cup campaign next faces India at the site of one of the most significant armed battles between their forces.

When he was barely a teenager, Kenyan goatherder Lisoka Lesasuyan lost both arms to an unexploded bomb while crossing a field used in joint military exercises with the British army.

Italy's government is eyeing Africa in pursuit of energy security, even as some officials defend Rome's often-bloody colonial past on the continent -- giving short shrift to historical accuracy.

Award-winning Belgian film actor Bouli Lanners tenderly applies the final brushstrokes to a traditional wooden puppet he is working on in the cellar of his home in Liege.

Australia's Travis Head marked his World Cup bow with a century after he and fellow opener David Warner blitzed New Zealand on Saturday.

David Warner and Travis Head both hit fifties as Australia raced to 118-0 off the first 10 overs in their World Cup clash against New Zealand on Saturday.

Battles raged in Gaza on Saturday as Israel's army said it expanded ground operations after intensifying its bombardment of the Palestinian territory three weeks after the deadliest attack in the country's history.

Two controversial bills backed by Serbian lawmakers this week have sparked fears of more state control over the media and another setback for press freedom in the Balkan nation.

On stage, the musicians of the Barenboim-Said Akademie in Berlin still play in perfect harmony. But inside, they are reeling.

A crucified Ronald McDonald clown, prayer mats adorned with stilettos and sketches by former Guantanamo prisoners take pride of place at a new museum in Spain devoted to previously censored art.

Jorge Martin took pole for the Thailand MotoGP after scorching to a new lap record on Saturday, with world championship leader Francesco Bagnaia only sixth on the grid.

Adolis Garcia smashed a solo home run in the 11th inning to give the Texas Rangers a dramatic 6-5 victory over Arizona on Friday in the 119th World Series opener.

Derrick White put up 28 points as the Boston Celtics beat rivals Miami 119-111 on Friday while NBA Draft top pick Victor Wembanyama starred in his first win for the San Antonio Spurs.

Derrick White put up 28 points as the Boston Celtics beat rivals Miami 119-111 on Friday while NBA Draft top pick Victor Wembanyama starred in his first win for the San Antonio Spurs.

A third round of Ukrainian-backed peace talks opens in Malta Saturday with representatives from more than 50 countries. But Moscow, denouncing it as "a blatantly anti-Russian event" is staying away.

Battles were raging in Gaza early on Saturday, as Israel expanded its ground operations and cut communications to the Palestinian territory, three weeks after the deadliest attack in the country's history.

Mumbai has been home to many great India batsmen, including Sachin Tendulkar. But there is only one 'Batman of Mumbai' -- Aslam Chaudhry.

The suspect in a mass shooting in the US state of Maine has been found dead after a two-day manhunt that mobilized hundreds of law enforcement agents to find the culprit in the deadliest mass shooting in the United States this year.

Maligned Australia coach Eddie Jones has defended his shock decision to axe Michael Hooper from the Wallabies disastrous World Cup campaign, saying the veteran flanker was "not the right role model".

The suspect in a mass shooting in the US state of Maine has been found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, US media reported Friday, after an intense manhunt that lasted more than two days.

Chelsea striker Sam Kerr said she was filled with pride after her hometown in Australia named a new state-of-the-art training facility after her.

The US economy is contending with a wave of union activism unseen in decades as organized labor seizes a rare opportunity to play hardball in a tight employment market.

Panama's President Laurentino Cortizo on Friday announced a ban on new metal mining concessions, but maintained a contract with a Canadian company that has sparked massive protests in the country.