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

Eastern Conference leaders FC Cincinnati had to fight back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw with Charlotte in Major League Soccer on Saturday.

Mexico and Panama booked their places in the last four of the CONCACAF Gold Cup with victories on Saturday in their quarter-final ties against Costa Rica and Qatar.

Jitka Klimkova says her New Zealand team must get "gritty" if they are to end their 32-year wait for a first Women's World Cup win and avoid embarrassment on home soil.

The prolific Ada Hegerberg is aiming to cap her return from the international wilderness by firing Norway back among the elite at the Women's World Cup this month.

In a country obsessed with beauty pageants, basketball and boxing, the Philippines women's team hope to ignite interest in football when they make the nation's World Cup debut.

The FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand kicks off on July 20.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone continued her push to make the 400m her own Saturday, blazing to victory at the US athletics championships in a world-leading 48.74sec.

Jordan's key tourism industry may have been hammered by Covid, but the pandemic gave a boost to another sector, keeping its beekeepers busy as demand for honey has soared.

Inspired by kitesurfing, French firms want to deploy the same wind technology to propel everything from yachts to cargo ships in order to cut the shipping industry's massive carbon footprint.

Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo are pinning hopes for economic revival on the revamp of an iconic African railway connecting mineral-rich inland areas to the Atlantic Ocean.

High in the Austrian Alps, hundreds of construction workers toil in a huge underground project aimed at storing hydropower as climate change has reduced the country's water-dependent electricity production.

San Antonio Spurs coach and president of basketball operations Gregg Popovich, an iconic bench boss at 74, has signed a new five-year contract with the NBA club, the team announced Saturday.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday that her talks with top Chinese officials have helped put ties on "surer footing", as she wrapped up a trip aimed at stabilising fraught relations between the two biggest economies.

Coach Eddie Jones said he endured "a long day at the office" in Pretoria after a disastrous start to his second stint in charge of the Wallabies, with Australian media Sunday blasting their defeat to South Africa as an "embarrassment".

Eastern Conference leaders FC Cincinnati had to fight back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw at Charlotte in Major League Soccer on Saturday.

Japan's Nasa Hataoka fired a stunning six-under par 66 in blustery conditions at Pebble Beach to grab a one-stroke lead after Saturday's third round of the US Women's Open.

Shericka Jackson stayed on course to win a women's sprint double at the Jamaican athletics championships on Saturday, advancing to the 200m final by winning her heat in 22.88secs.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sunday that her talks with top Chinese officials have put ties on "surer footing", as she wrapped up a trip aimed at stabilising fraught relations between the world's two biggest economies.

Uzbekistan holds a presidential election on Sunday that is set to hand the incumbent Shavkat Mirziyoyev a third term as head of the gas-rich Central Asian state.

Two years ago, Marta Perdomo and Liset Fonseca were two unassuming Cuban women with little interest in politics and no social media footprint.

Aw, gee! The technology driving artificial intelligence sure is swell, but it could never capture the essence of Mickey Mouse, according to the man who voices Disney's mascot.

Ismael Díaz blasted a hat trick in the space of nine second-half minutes as Panama marched into the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup with a 4-0 win over Qatar on Saturday.

The NBA launched its first-ever in-season tournament on Saturday, revealing the groups for the 30-team event culminating with the NBA Cup Final on December 9 in Las Vegas.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Matt Manning and relievers Jason Foley and Alex Lange combined to throw a Major League Baseball no-hitter on Saturday as the hosts defeated Toronto 2-0.

Australia coach Eddie Jones said he endured "a long day at the office" in Pretoria on Saturday after a disastrous start to his second stint in charge of the Wallabies.

New Zealand head coach Ian Foster says a showdown with the in-form Springboks is a challenge his All Blacks need following their 41-12 thumping of Argentina in Mendoza on Saturday in The Rugby Championship.

Brendon Todd birdied three of the last six holes, closing with a clutch par putt, to seize a one-stroke lead after Saturday's third round of the PGA John Deere Classic.

Captain Sam Cane hailed a "ruthless" performance by the All Blacks after they romped to a 41-12 win over Argentina in Mendoza on Saturday as New Zealand got their Rugby Championship campaign off to a flying start.

Megan Rapinoe's activism on such causes as gender equity, racial inequality and gay rights has ensured her iconic status as much as her US women's national team football heroics.

Carlos Alcaraz reached the last 16 at Wimbledon on Saturday after a tough battle against Nicolas Jarry as defending women's champion Elena Rybakina snuffed out the hopes of Britain's final hope Katie Boulter.

New Zealand romped to a 41-12 win over Argentina in Mendoza on Saturday as the All Blacks got their Rugby Championship campaign off to a flying start.

Chris Woakes urged England to recreate the spirit of Headingley 2019 as they look to revive their Ashes hopes against Australia, but without any of the accompanying tension.