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

For the third year running toxic blue-green algae blooms that look like pea soup and smell like rotten eggs have covered much of Lough Neagh, the largest lake in the UK and Ireland.

A crowd streamed out of a major Dakar cinema on a recent Tuesday night after watching Senegal's movie of the summer: a book adaptation with no special effects or Hollywood stars that nonetheless has taken box offices by storm.

Surrounded by incubators, a red tube snaking into her tiny nose, four-day-old Grace-Ella is being fed donated breastmilk at the only facility in Kenya that offers the life-giving service.

The Czech Republic upset the United States 3-2 to advance in Davis Cup second-round qualifiers while Belgium pushed Australia to the brink of elimination on Saturday.

In removing Indonesia's finance minister and U-turning on protester demands, the leader of Southeast Asia's biggest economy is scrambling to restore public trust while seizing a chance to install loyalists after deadly riots last month, experts say.

Idan Toklomati's hat trick powered Charlotte FC over 10-man Inter Miami 3-0 on Saturday as the hosts stretched their MLS win streak to a record-tying nine games.

Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir produced a lung-busting final 100m sprint to win a dramatic women's marathon at the world championships on Sunday, but there was heartbreak for Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

Pole vaulting legend Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis and 400m hurdles master Karsten Warholm will be on show on the third day of competition of the world championships on Monday.

The All Blacks' record loss to South Africa was blasted by New Zealand media and commentators on Sunday, with former captain Kieran Read asserting rugby's most famous team lacked a "spine".

Botswana and southern African peers that built much of their prosperity on diamonds are scrambling for alternatives as cheaper, lab-grown stones threaten their economies.

Australia will spend an initial Aus$12 billion (US$8 billion) to upgrade shipyard facilities for a future fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, the government said Sunday.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt lamented the slew of errors committed by his team in defeat to Argentina, saying they were "dominated by disappointment" and must nip it in the bud before a daunting clash with a wounded New Zealand.

Top US diplomat Marco Rubio begins a visit to Israel on Sunday, after expressing the Trump administration's unwavering support for its ally in the war with Hamas following a strike in Qatar that drew broad criticism of Israel.

The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to make its first interest rate cut of the year at its policy meeting this week, spurred by a weakening jobs market -- but political tension looms over the gathering.

Oscar Garcia Santaella's Mexican restaurant is hurting badly as US immigration agents stage raids in Texas: his customers are afraid to leave home and some of his staff are wary of coming to work.

Ben Griffin, warming up for his Ryder Cup debut, fired a two-under par 70 on Saturday to stay atop the leaderboard at the PGA Procore Championship, with amateur Jackson Koivun and top-ranked Scottie Scheffler in pursuit.

Searing teen murder saga "Adolescence" and Hollywood satire "The Studio" are expected to be among the big winners at Sunday's Emmy Awards, television's equivalent of the Oscars.

Kenya's Peres Jepchirchir produced a dramatic, lung-busting final 100m sprint to outpace Ethiopa's Tigst Assefa for gold in the women's marathon at the world championships in Tokyo on Sunday.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen's bid to put an injury-plagued season behind him bombed as the Norwegian failed to make it out of his 1,500m heat at the world championships in Tokyo on Sunday.

The Milwaukee Brewers became the first team to clinch a berth in the Major League Baseball playoffs on Saturday, and they did it before even walking onto the field.

George Ilenikhena scored in the last minute to give Monaco a 2-1 victory at Auxerre who played more than 20 minutes with 10 men.

The former chief executive of the company that allegedly inked NBA star Kawhi Leonard to a phony endorsement deal to help the Clippers skirt the salary cap says reports of the contract are "false".

IndyCar has given up on staging a race next year in Mexico City due to the impact of Mexico's co-host role in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, officials announced Saturday.

Sebastien Ogier led the Rally of Chile on Saturday to keep the wheels on his quest for a ninth world title.

A Martin Zubimendi double took Arsenal top of the Premier League with a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday as Chelsea conceded a stoppage time equaliser to draw 2-2 at Brentford.

Chelsea missed the chance to go top of the Premier League as Fabio Carvalho's 93rd minute equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw for Brentford in Saturday's west London derby.

Atletico Madrid beat Villarreal 2-0 to earn their first win of the La Liga season on Saturday.

Juventus sit level on points with Napoli at the top of Serie A on Saturday after a thrilling 4-3 win with Inter Milan as both teams continued their perfect starts to the new season with the Champions League set to begin.

England's Charley Hull birdied four of the last eight holes to grab a one-stroke lead over Thailand's top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul after Saturday's third round of the LPGA Queen City Championship.

Clashes erupted in London Saturday and police made 25 arrests after up to 150,000 people massed for one of the largest-ever far-right protests in Britain, organised by activist Tommy Robinson.

Romania became the latest NATO member state to report a drone incursion into its airspace Saturday, as Poland scrambled aircraft in response to fresh Russian drone strikes just over the border in Ukraine.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said eliminating Hamas leaders would end the war in Gaza, as top US diplomat Marco Rubio said hours ahead of his visit to Israel that its strike against Hamas in Qatar would not derail their alliance.

Reigning champions New Zealand will face Canada in the last four of the Women's Rugby World Cup after the two nations enjoyed contrasting quarter-final wins on Saturday.

France's new Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu held out an olive branch to the left on Saturday, ruling out his predecessor's plan to cut two public holidays to help slash the deficit.

Belgium's Prime Minister Bart De Wever said Saturday he attended a concert by a German orchestra that was disinvited from a Belgian festival to show support for its Israeli conductor.

Juventus continued their perfect start to the Serie A season after a stunning strike in stoppage time from teenage substitute Vasilije Adzic secured a thrilling 4-3 win over fierce rivals Inter Milan.

Harry Kane scored in each half as Bayern Munich piled the pain on old foe Hamburg in a 5-0 home win on Saturday.

A Martin Zubimendi double took Arsenal top of the Premier League with a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest, while Tottenham beat West Ham 3-0 on Saturday to join their north London rivals on nine points.

Former champions Sri Lanka launched their Asia Cup campaign in emphatic fashion on Sunday, cruising to a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Abu Dhabi.