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

England's Maro Itoje will captain the British and Irish Lions rugby union team on their upcoming tour of Australia, it was announced Thursday.

The Gates Foundation plans to spend more than $200 billion over the next 20 years, accelerating its public health mission and shutting down in 2045, the organization said Thursday.

Iga Swiatek dismissed Elisabetta Cocciaretto in just 52 minutes as she opened her account at the Italian Open on Thursday.

The Red Cross on Thursday denounced the human cost of the war raging in Gaza, slamming Israel's "unacceptable" full blockade on aid into the besieged and conflict-ravaged Palestinian territory.

The EU on Thursday threatened to target US cars and planes among a raft of products worth 95 billion euros ($107 billion) if negotiations with President Donald Trump's team fail to avert a trade war.

Chinese-made weapons supplied by the United Arab Emirates have been identified with Sudan's paramilitaries, Amnesty International said Thursday, as drone attacks prompted civilians to flee the army-held aid hub of Port Sudan.

First responders in Gaza said Thursday that their operations were at a near standstill, more than two months into a full Israeli blockade that has left food and fuel in severe shortage.

The Bank of England on Thursday cut its key interest rate by a quarter point to 4.25 percent as the threat of US tariffs starts to weigh on economic growth.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Thursday criticised Russia's "historical lies" over the Ukraine war, as he marked the Nazi defeat that ended World War II in Europe 80 years ago.

India and Pakistan accused each other Thursday of carrying out waves of drone attacks, as deadly confrontations between the nuclear-armed foes drew global calls for calm.

Paris Saint-Germain's achievement in reaching the Champions League final is vindication for the club's decision to abandon its policy of amassing superstars and instead put faith in a hungry young team led by Luis Enrique.

EU lawmakers on Thursday gave the green light to downgrading wolf protections in the bloc, which will allow hunting to resume under strict criteria.

Fijian wing Josaia Raisuqe, who won Olympic rugby sevens silver in Paris last year, has died after the 30-year-old's car was hit by a train on Thursday, his Top 14 club Castres said.

EU lawmakers on Thursday gave the green light to a delay for European carmakers to meet new emission targets, as the bloc seeks to balance climate goals with supporting the struggling industry.

US President Donald Trump announced Thursday an agreement with Britain on trade, which would be the first such deal since he launched his global tariffs blitz.

Global temperatures were stuck at near-record highs in April, the EU's climate monitor said on Thursday, extending an unprecedented heat streak and raising questions about how quickly the world might be warming.

Stock markets and the dollar rose Thursday as US President Donald Trump touted plans to unveil a "major trade deal" with Britain, boosting hopes for other countries' tariff negotiations.

Thick black smoke billowed Thursday from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in a sign that cardinals again failed to elect a new head of the Catholic Church.

Madasar Choudhary said his sister saw two children killed in the town of Poonch that bore the brunt of this week's shelling by Pakistan, with India saying a total of 13 people died there.

Paramilitary drones struck army-held areas of eastern and southern Sudan for a fifth straight day Thursday, army sources said, prompting an exodus of civilians from Port Sudan, seat of the army-backed government.

First responders in Gaza said Thursday that their operations were at a near standstill, more than two months into a full Israeli blockade that has left food and fuel in severe shortage.

Pakistan's army said Thursday it shot down 25 Indian drones, a day after the worst violence between the nuclear-armed rivals in two decades.

China's Xi Jinping was in Moscow on Thursday for a state visit ahead of the Kremlin's grand Victory Day celebrations, as Ukraine accused Russia's army of launching air strikes just hours into a supposed truce.

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Thursday that Israel closed three of its schools in annexed east Jerusalem, months after an Israeli ban on its activities took effect.

The United States and Britain were reportedly set to announce a trade agreement on Thursday that could have implications for President Donald Trump's tariffs assault, but the scope of the deal could be limited.

An Indonesian animated movie is smashing regional box-office records and could be set for wider success as it prepares to open beyond the Southeast Asian archipelago's silver screens.

Asian markets were mixed Thursday ahead of weekend tariff talks between China and the United States, while London was boosted by reports that a "major trade deal" flagged by Donald Trump was with Britain.

Dubai's Emirates Group, which includes the Middle East's biggest airline, announced on Thursday gross annual profit of $6.2 billion, its third record in three years.

An Australian woman accused of triple murder sent her children to the movies before serving up a toxic mushroom lunch that killed her guests, a court heard on Thursday.

Japanese gaming giant Nintendo forecast Thursday that it would sell 15 million units of its hotly awaited Switch 2 console in the current financial year but warned US tariffs could hit its bottom line.

Australian Greens leader Adam Bandt conceded the loss of his own parliamentary seat Thursday, blaming a flood of votes that swept to the triumphant Labor Party.

Japanese auto giant Toyota forecast on Thursday a 35 percent year-on-year drop in net profit for the current financial year, citing Donald Trump's vehicle tariffs among other factors.