TODAY IN AUSTRALIA

In 18-hour time difference means that events ending by late afternoon in Sydney will appear in the same day’s paper in L.A.

When it is 1 p.m. Tuesday in Los Angeles, it is 7 a.m. Thursday in Sydney, Australia.

DELAY OF GAMES

Sydney is 18 hours ahead of Pacific Daylight Time, meaning it will be midday in Australia when The Times goes to press daily. The Times, with a staff of 16 in Sydney, will be uniquely positioned to report on many events on a same-day basis--and often ahead of those events appearing on television. NBC, which owns U.S. broadcast rights, has decided to show all events on tape delay over its network and cable affiliates. Live coverage on the Canadian Broadcast Co. (CBC) is available only on the old, large C-band satellite-dish systems.

ON TV

NBC

* 10 a.m.-noon: Swimming; rowing

* 7 p.m.-midnight: Swimming, finals: men’s 200 breaststroke, women’s 200 butterfly, men’s 100 freestyle, 800 freestyle relay; men’s gymnastics, individual all-around final; women’s basketball, U.S. vs. Russia; canoeing, whitewater finals

* 12:41 a.m.-2:11 a.m.: Women’s volleyball, U.S. vs. Croatia; cycling, track

MSNBC

* 10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Women’s soccer, U.S. vs. Nigeria; softball, U.S. vs. China; men’s archery, individual final; tennis; equestrian, three-day individual dressage

CNBC

* 5-9 p.m.: Boxing, men’s weightlifting, final; women’s water polo, U.S. vs. Kazakhstan; sailing