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

Before conflict broke out, visiting her brother and sister was easy for Alla Lavrova, who could drive from her home in Russia and across the border to Ukraine in just one hour.

Soaring inflation will be in focus when European Central Bank governors meet on Thursday, as the threat of war in Ukraine risked further fuelling already sky-high energy prices in the region.

In a forest on the outskirts of Kyiv, a group of Ukrainian civilians build shelters from snow and tree branches as part of a crash course in survival techniques.

The United Arab Emirates said Monday it shot down a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Huthi rebels, in the third such incident this month, as Israel's president visited the country.

The UN Security Council meets Monday to discuss the Ukraine crisis, with Washington vowing to hold Moscow to account as it works with NATO allies to beef up sanctions should Russia invade its neighbor.

A Hong Kong cabinet minister resigned on Monday for attending a birthday party alongside dozens of officials and lawmakers just days after the city's government had called on people to avoid large gatherings to fight a coronavirus outbreak.

Music streaming giant Spotify announced Sunday it would start guiding listeners of podcasts discussing Covid-19 to facts about the pandemic, after artists including Neil Young pulled their songs from the platform in anger at misinformation.

Rising tensions with Moscow over Ukraine have exposed Germany's problematic dependence on Russian gas, inflaming an already heated debate over soaring energy prices.

The world's top oil-producing countries will meet on Wednesday to discuss a further increase in output, while crude prices have reached seven-year highs rattled by geopolitical tensions.

The Australian Open ended in the early hours of Monday morning with one of the all-time great men's finals.

An Australian Open like no other began in controversy with the deportation of Novak Djokovic but culminated in one of the greatest comebacks in tennis history by Rafael Nadal on Sunday.

Emmanuel Macron's uncompromising stance against the unvaccinated has drawn praise from supporters, but his combative Covid strategy could backfire in a French presidential election that is far from a foregone conclusion.

Despite vaccination against Covid-19 becoming mandatory in Austria on Friday, musician Katharina Teufel-Lieli insists she won't bow to pressure to get the jab.

North Korea confirmed Monday it had fired its most powerful missile since 2017, capping a month-long blitz of launches that has raised the spectre of leader Kim Jong Un restarting nuclear tests.

The Phoenix Suns erased a 12-point third-quarter deficit to beat San Antonio 115-110 and push their NBA winning streak to 10 games on a Sunday that saw Atlanta rally for a seventh straight win.

Quarterback Joe Burrow led the Cincinnati Bengals into their first Super Bowl since 1989 with a stunning upset of the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday as the Los Angeles Rams outmuscled the San Francisco 49ers to advance to the NFL showpiece.

In a factory outside Ayr in southwest Scotland, James Wyllie carefully lifts and caresses a curling stone, as well-used drilling and polishing machines grind in the background.

The head of Macau's second largest junket group has been arrested by the city's police, as authorities tighten the leash on the gambling hub's multi-billion-dollar industry.

Ester Ledecka, a shock champion in two different sports in Pyeongchang four years ago, refuses to even utter the word "Olympics" as she heads to the Beijing Winter Games.

The Los Angeles Rams booked a second Super Bowl appearance in three years on Sunday after staging a fourth rally to outmuscle the San Francisco 49ers 20-17.

Most Asian markets rose Monday after a late afternoon rally on Wall Street capped a volatile week for global equities, though traders remained nervous about the Federal Reserve's plan to hike interest rates as it battles surging inflation.

Defending Olympic women's halfpipe champion Chloe Kim, one of the standout stars of the last Winter Olympics, travels to Beijing with a new perspective and triumphs in all five events since ending a layoff of nearly two years.

Pastry chef Nick Malgieri was scrolling through a food blog when he came upon a recipe for panettone, a puffy sweet bread that the author said conjured up fond memories of Christmases spent with his Italian grandmother.

When Stephanie Hedrick realized she was still suffering from shortness of breath, blurry vision and brain fog months after recovering from Covid-19, she knew she needed more help than her primary care doctor alone could provide.

As 2018 hosts, South Korea dreamed of Olympic ice hockey glory, importing a star coach and roster of players. Four years later, not only did they fail to qualify for this week's Beijing Games, most of their players quit the sport.

Minnows Ecuador's coach Gustavo Alfaro told his team to "stay strong" as they travel to Peru on Tuesday knowing victory would book their ticket to the World Cup for just the fourth time in their history.

A "Freedom Convoy" of trucks joined by thousands of demonstrators brought Ottawa to a virtual standstill for a second day Sunday to protest Canada's vaccine mandates, as other sympathetic truckers blocked a border highway into the United States.

Portugal's ruling Socialists unexpectedly won an outright majority to govern solo after snap elections on Sunday that also saw the far right make huge gains.

Threats of legal action, online troll campaigns and dwindling numbers after the expulsion of colleagues -- foreign journalists in China are facing "unprecedented hurdles" from efforts to discredit independent reporting, a press group said Monday.

Local hero Jason Holder took four wickets in successive balls during a dramatic last over as the West Indies beat England by 17 runs in the fifth and deciding Twenty20 international at the Kensington Oval on Sunday for a 3-2 series win.

US-backed Kurdish forces on Sunday said they had defeated all Islamic State group fighters left inside the Syrian jail that the jihadists stormed 10 days ago, sparking battles that left over 370 dead.

Jason Holder took four wickets in as many balls during a dramatic last over as the West Indies beat England by 17 runs in the fifth and deciding Twenty20 international at the Kensington Oval on Sunday for a 3-2 series win.

Evan McPherson kicked the winning field goal in overtime as the Cincinnati Bengals came from behind to upset the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 and reach their first Super Bowl since 1989 on Sunday.

Toulon captain Baptiste Serin said South Africa's Cheslin Kolbe brings 'serenity to the team' even though he was unable to inspire them to victory on his Top 14 bow for the club on Sunday as Stade Francais won 26-24.

Fourth-tier Bergerac Perigord shocked Ligue 1 strugglers Saint-Etienne 1-0 to book a spot in the French Cup quarter-finals on Sunday and Monaco eliminated top-flight rivals Lens 4-2 in another last-16 clash.

West Indies captain Kieron Pollard top-scored with 41 not out as the hosts made 179 for four against England in Sunday's fifth and deciding Twenty20 international in Barbados.

South Africa's Cheslin Kolbe was unable to inspire Toulon to victory on his Top 14 bow for the club at Stade Francais on Sunday as the Parisians won 26-24.

World number three Lydia Ko held her nerve in the face of a strong challenge from Danielle Kang on Sunday, firing a three-under par 67 to win the LPGA at Boca Rio by one stroke.

Canada took a giant step towards their first World Cup qualification in 36 years on Sunday after scoring an upset 2-0 victory over arch-rivals the United States in CONCACAF qualifiers.