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

Campaigners on Monday lost a legal challenge to stop a controversial road tunnel near the prehistoric UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stonehenge in southwest England.

Alexei Navalny's widow Yulia Navalnaya on Monday accused President Vladimir Putin of killing her husband and vowed to continue his work, three days after he died in a Russian Arctic prison.

US Open champion Coco Gauff said on Monday tennis can follow basketball's example and have men facing women in specialised contests such as Serena Williams and Australian Nick Kyrgios in serve targets.

Palestinian foreign minister Riyad Al-Maliki told the UN's top court Monday his people were suffering "colonialism and apartheid" under the Israelis, urging judges to order an immediate and unconditional end to the occupation.

Newcastle sporting director Dan Ashworth has been put on gardening leave after reportedly telling the club he wants to join Manchester United.

Deadly fighting raged on in Gaza on Monday after Israel warned that, unless Hamas frees all hostages, it will push on with its offensive during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, including in the far-southern Rafah area.

Major stock markets diverged Monday as traders awaited more earnings updates this week from heavyweight companies, including HSBC bank, chip giant Nvidia and retail giant Walmart.

France likely overshot its budget deficit target in 2023, a finance ministry official said on Monday.

The Eiffel Tower, one of the world's top tourist attractions, was closed Monday after staff went on strike, unions told AFP.

The mother of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is being refused access to his body for a third day, his team said on Monday as his widow prepared to meet European foreign ministers.

Dozens of bloodied bodies have been found along a remote stretch of road in Papua New Guinea's highlands, police said Monday, a gruesome escalation of long-running violence between warring clans.

Australian equestrian Shane Rose escaped punishment on Monday for wearing a "mankini" during a showjumping competition, allowing him to resume preparations for this summer's Paris Olympics.

Mainland Chinese stocks were buoyant after Lunar New Year as figures showed holiday spending surged past pre-pandemic levels, leading gains in most other Asian markets on Monday.

Fourteen people went on trial Monday in Hong Kong for allegedly planning to carry out a bomb attack to murder police officers during pro-democracy protests in 2019, with prosecutors invoking the city's anti-terrorism act.

For nine centuries, Indians prayed at the forest shrine of Baba Haji Rozbih, a revered Sufi saint whose grave is one of the capital Delhi's oldest Islamic sites.

Talented young batsmen Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan were hailed Monday as the future of Indian cricket after they led their team to a monumental Test victory over England.

The current Asian Champions League is "unsustainable", the global footballers' union FIFPRO said in a report Monday, accusing the regional governing body of failing to listen to players and clubs.

Israel has threatened to invade Gaza's Rafah by the start of Ramadan if Hamas does not return the remaining hostages by then, despite international pressure to protect Palestinian civilians sheltering in the southern city.

South Korea ordered trainee doctors back to work Monday after they resigned en masse to protest medical training reforms, with the government looking at using military medics to cope with shortfalls.

Sixty-four bloodied bodies have been found along a stretch of road in Papua New Guinea's remote highlands, police said Monday, a gruesome escalation of long-running violence between local warring tribes.

Ukraine's prime minister urged Japan's government and private sector on Monday to step up support for the country's reconstruction, promising an "economic miracle" once the almost two-year-old war with Russia ends.

China's new year holiday spending last week surged past pre-pandemic levels, official figures showed, a rare bright spot for an economy struggling with sluggish consumption and deflation.

A "saddened and disappointed" Manny Pacquiao conceded Monday his Olympic boxing dream was over after the ring great was denied a berth at this year's Paris games.

Chinese stocks were buoyant after Lunar New Year but other Asian markets were mixed on Monday as a hot US inflation report rekindled worries over the timing of Fed rate cuts.

Americans haven't elected an independent president since George Washington, but a public turned off by two historically unpopular frontrunners appears more open than ever to the rich crop of wildcards who could tilt the election in 2024.

Training starts with playful exercises for 2019 world epee champion and Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Gergely Siklosi before he breaks sweat in fierce duels with his fellow Hungarian fencers.

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone returns to a happy hunting ground on Tuesday at the San Siro, but must put feelings to the side in an intriguing Champions League last 16 clash with Inter Milan.

Simone Inzaghi is on the verge of a major breakthrough at Inter Milan as the Serie A leaders push towards the first Serie A title of his coaching career and eye another deep run in the Champions League.

Inspecting a thriving green field, Brazilian farmer Adriano Cruvinel is beaming: Using a fraction of the chemical products he used to, he is growing even more soy, thanks to natural pesticides.

Two police officers and a first responder were shot and killed early Sunday in the US state of Minnesota after answering a call about a domestic dispute in a house with multiple children inside, authorities said.

Alexei Navalny's widow will meet European foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, EU officials announced, as Russian courts jailed dozens of people detained at events commemorating the Kremlin critic.

Four-time NBA champion LeBron James said Sunday he has not formulated a farewell timetable but he looks forward to the Paris Olympics and wants to finish his playing days as a Los Angeles Laker.