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

Stock markets slumped on Monday over lingering concerns that interest rate hikes will remain higher for longer or even climb further as central banks combat inflation.

Swimming sensation Qin Haiyang added another title to his name to inflate China's already bulging gold-medal haul on Monday at the Asian Games, while a nine-year-old skateboarder melted hearts.

World champion Qin Haiyang surged to the world's second fastest time this year and the Asian Games 100m breaststroke title Monday while star freestyler Siobhan Haughey clinched Hong Kong's first-ever swimming gold medal.

The French league's ambitious aim of selling the television rights to Ligue 1 for one billion euros per year received a blow on Monday when the competition's longest-standing broadcast partner ruled itself out of the upcoming bidding process.

Ever since Fabien Galthie took over as France head coach in late 2019 the former captain has been more than ready to give players, he describes as "UFOs", a chance.

Sicilian Mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro, captured in January after three decades on the run, died on Monday in hospital in central Italy, taking to the grave the secrets of his brutal reign.

The French government vowed Monday to punish football fans who chanted homophobic slurs at a top Ligue 1 clash at Paris's Parc des Princes stadium.

The Philippine Coast Guard said Monday it had removed a floating barrier at a disputed reef that was allegedly deployed to stop Filipinos accessing the traditional fishing ground.

Australia head coach Eddie Jones has the "full support" of his players despite a disastrous start to his second spell leading the team, captain Will Skelton said on Monday.

For half his life, 67-year-old Azerbaijani Azad Abbasov has dreamed of returning to his home in the beautiful mountains of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Argentina's first ever meeting with Chile in the Rugby World Cup on Saturday will be a "very tough, rough" match, the Pumas' forwards coach Andres Bordoy has predicted.

A Pablo Picasso masterpiece expected to fetch at least $120 million at auction went on show Monday in Dubai, kicking off a set of rare viewings outside the United States.

Thousands of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh streamed into Armenia on Monday, as the presidents of Azerbaijan and ally Turkey held a summit marking Baku's victory over the rebel enclave last week.

A British nurse jailed for life for murdering seven babies and attempting to kill six others will face a retrial on an outstanding charge of attempted murder, prosecutors said on Monday.

Mauricio Pochettino has pleaded for more time as he scrambles for solutions to Chelsea's mounting crisis. But how patient will the owners be?

Kosovo was in mourning Monday after a deadly clash between authorities and gunmen near the Serbian border that has prompted a large police operation and raised many unanswered questions.

India struck gold on their Asian Games cricket debut when they beat in-form Sri Lanka by 19 runs in the women's final in Hangzhou on Monday.

Stock markets mostly dropped Monday on the possibility of more hikes to US interest rates, with Federal Reserve officials struggling to contain inflation as oil prices march higher.

After Mali, Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic, France is being forced to withdraw troops from yet another former African colony that pivoted to Russia after souring on Paris: Niger.

The humble sardine, a feature of the street parties that pop up across Portugal in summer, makes up two thirds of the country's fish catch and has spawned an important canning industry.

As clothing seller Hendri Tanjung struggles to hawk his tunics to Indonesian buyers outside his market shop, he says customers are turning to cheaper versions on TikTok, pummelling his income.

The Philippines vowed Monday to take "all appropriate actions" for the removal of floating barriers allegedly installed by the Chinese coast guard at a disputed reef to stop Filipinos accessing the traditional fishing ground.

India claimed the first world record of the Hangzhou Asian Games on Monday as hosts China snapped up more gold medals and a nine-year-old skateboarder melted hearts.

Amazon said on Monday it would invest up to $4 billion in AI firm Anthropic, as the online retail giant steps into an AI race dominated by Microsoft, Google and OpenAI.

Head coach Warren Gatland says "hard work" is responsible for Wales turning crisis into joy as his team became the first side to reach the Rugby World Cup knock-out stages following a record win over Australia.

Britain's scandal-hit business lobby, the CBI, has received funds to remain operational following reports it was in grave financial trouble in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations.

Milan Fashion Week was not even over and the fashionistas were already heading to Paris on Monday for another 100-plus shows in the hectic womenswear season.

The EU vetoed a bid by US online travel agency Booking to take over Swedish rival Etraveli Group Monday over fears the deal would harm competition and risked raising prices for customers.

Once a giant of European football, Ajax is now mired in one of the deepest crises in its glittering 123-year history, 14th in the league, top officials sacked, and the fans running riot.

She probably ought to have been in primary school, but instead Mazel Paris Alegado -- aged nine -- competed in skateboarding at the Asian Games on Monday.

Thousands of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh streamed into Armenia on Monday ahead of a summit between the leaders of Azerbaijan and ally Turkey marking Baku's victory over the rebel enclave last week.

The creator of "Humans of New York" has slammed an Indian version of the blog for suing a rival, accusing it of unreasonably monetising the stories of its subjects.