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

Russian authorities on Friday opened a criminal probe into calls to stage an "armed mutiny" after the chief of the Wagner mercenary group accused Russia of targeting his forces with deadly missile strikes and vowed to retaliate.

Republicans and Democrats offered competing visions for reproductive rights Friday as the anniversary of the US Supreme Court decision ending nationwide abortion access threw a spotlight on a polarizing issue sure to dominate the 2024 election.

Global equity markets declined Friday as traders from Wall Street to Frankfurt eyed additional interest rate hikes by central banks to combat elevated inflation amid mounting concerns about global growth.

Canadian authorities said Friday they would launch an investigation into the loss this week of the Titan submersible along with five people onboard during a dive to the Titanic wreck.

Conservative frontrunner Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Friday urged voters to give Greece "a stable government" when they go to the polls at the weekend, as he seeks to secure an absolute majority for a second term in power.

The chief of the Wagner mercenary group on Friday accused Russia of killing a "huge number" of its forces in strikes and vowed to retaliate, ratcheting up tensions between Moscow and the private military company.

Carlos Alcaraz remains in the hunt for his first grass court title after the world number two beat former champion Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals at Queen's Club on Friday.

Denny McCarthy remained atop the leaderboard early in the second round of the US PGA Tour Travelers Championship, where Rory McIlroy put himself in the mix with a six-under-par 64 on Friday.

Malian voters overwhelmingly approved changes to the constitution in a referendum, marking a key step in the ruling junta's declared plans to restore civilian rule, provisional results showed Friday.

The US government has charged four Chinese companies and eight Chinese individuals with trafficking in chemicals used in manufacturing fentanyl, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Friday.

The Chicago Bulls expect Lonzo Ball to miss all of the 2023-24 NBA season as he continues to recover from a left knee injury that has required multiple surgeries.

French giants Marseille on Friday unveiled Marcelino as their new coach to replace Igor Tudor who quit after just one season in charge.

Here, wolfie, wolfie, wolfie!

Frankie Dettori was in double form to break the 80-winner mark at Royal Ascot on Friday as veteran Irish trainer Dermot Weld rolled back the years to claim the showpiece Coronation Stakes.

Brendan Rodgers said restoring Celtic's success in European competition is his target after taking charge of the Glasgow giants for a second time.

Donald Trump's main rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination talked up their tough stances on abortion Friday as they sought to outflank the frontrunner on an issue he has been accused of fudging.

Britain on Friday unveiled help for millions of cash-strapped homeowners facing soaring mortgage costs in a cost-of-living crisis, after the Bank of England unexpectedly hiked interest rates to a new 15-year peak.

A global climate summit wrapped up Friday with leaders agreeing that the international financial system was woefully inadequate in an era of global warming, after taking a number of small steps to helping debt-burdened developing nations.

Young Thug fans awoke Friday to a new album from the Atlanta rapper, who is embroiled in a sprawling gang conspiracy trial and has been imprisoned since May 2022.

Superstar yoga teacher Sadhguru has more than 10 million followers online and he sees no limit to how many people will become adherents in the coming years.

A French submarine operator and daredevil deep-sea explorer dubbed "Mr Titanic", who died onboard a submersible visiting the wreck of the mythic ship, was hailed on Friday as having helped advance mankind's understanding of the "unknown world".

Number one seed Daniil Medvedev has crashed out of the Halle Open, a traditional Wimbledon warm-up, beaten in straight sets by Roberto Bautista Agut on Friday.

A section of one of America's busiest highways, which collapsed some two weeks ago after a fire, reopened Friday, officials said.

Britain on Friday unveiled help for millions of cash-strapped homeowners facing soaring mortgage costs in a cost-of-living crisis, after the Bank of England unexpectedly hiked interest rates to a new 15-year peak.

The United States will host the expanded 32-team Club World Cup in 2025, governing body FIFA announced Friday.

Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga took his second successive five-wicket haul as Sri Lanka crushed Oman by 10 wickets in the 2023 World Cup Qualifier on Friday,

Mike Pence demanded Friday that every US Republican presidential hopeful back a nationwide abortion ban at 15 weeks or earlier as he sought to outflank Donald Trump on an issue his former boss has been accused of fudging.

Sebastien Ogier dominated Friday's stages in the Safari Rally as some of his rivals lost horsepower when zebras wandered onto the course.

The Spanish far-right's denial that gender violence exists is causing a headache for the conservative Popular Party (PP), who may need their help to come to power after next month's general election.

A man who shot and killed a custody sergeant at a south London police station is facing life imprisonment after he was found guilty of murder on Friday.

Dior put on an austere sci-fi spectacle at Paris Fashion Week on Friday that wowed the audience with models rising unexpectedly out of hidden trapdoors.

The Netherlands said Friday it would end production at Europe's largest gas field on October 1 after years of earthquakes, despite global energy worries sparked by Russia's war in Ukraine.