Madras Times - Stay Informed with Madras Times: Round-the-clock Coverage of Chennai, India, and Global Affairs in Six Languages

Manchester City ignited the Premier League title race with a second-half blitz that sealed a 3-0 win against Chelsea as they closed the gap on leaders Arsenal on Sunday.

President Donald Trump ordered the US Navy on Sunday to block the crucial Strait of Hormuz shipping lane, furious with Iran's refusal to surrender its nuclear ambitions after peace talks in Pakistan broke down without an agreement.

Roberto De Zerbi said one win can "change everything" for Tottenham as the full extent of his task to save them from relegation became clear after Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.

Champions Cup holders Bordeaux-Begles came through a bruising, thrilling all-French quarter-final on Sunday, dispatching six-time champions Toulouse 30-15 at the Stade Chaban-Delmas.

Tottenham's Premier League plight deepened with a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland on Sunday in Roberto De Zerbi's first match in charge before Manchester City try to close the gap on leaders Arsenal.

Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets to win the Monte Carlo Masters for the first time on Sunday and reclaim the world number one ranking from his Spanish rival.

A sense of dread spread across the Middle East after talks between the US and Iran collapsed, as fears of renewed fighting rattled an already tense region with Donald Trump ordering a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Napoli's Serie A title defence suffered a blow with Sunday's 1-1 draw at Parma which gave league leaders Inter Milan the chance to move nine points clear.

Belgian Wout van Aert finally won one of cycling's cobbled Monuments as he outsprinted world champion Tadej Pogacar to take Paris-Roubaix victory on Sunday.

When US Vice President JD Vance disembarked his plane ahead of high-stakes talks with Iran in Islamabad on Saturday, he was greeted by the powerful Pakistani army chief, his civilian attire blending in with those around him.

Tottenham's Premier League plight deepened with a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland on Sunday in Roberto De Zerbi's first match in charge before Manchester City tried to close the gap on leaders Arsenal.

Napoli's Serie A title defence suffered a blow with Sunday's 1-1 draw at Parma which gived league leaders Inter Milan the chance to move nine points clear.

Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva made the perfect start to her clay court campaign as she came from a set down to beat Anastasia Potapova 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 to land the WTA event in Linz on Sunday.

Belgian Wout van Aert finally won one of cycling's cobbled Monuments as he outsprinted world champion Tadej Pogacar to take Paris-Roubaix victory on Sunday.

US President Donald Trump ordered the US Navy on Sunday to block key Gulf sea lane the Strait of Hormuz, furious with Iran's refusal to surrender its nuclear ambitions after peace talks war broke down without agreement.

Bordeaux-Begles captain Maxime Lucu announced Sunday that he had extended his contract with the Top 14 club through until 2029.

Co-leaders Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young were among those set for an afternoon showdown at firm and fast Augusta National as players began Sunday's final round of the Masters.

England's Jos Buttler struck his second successive half-century in the IPL to guide Gujarat Titans to a comfortable seven-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday.

Polls opened in Peru's presidential and legislative elections Sunday, with crime and instability dominating a crowded race to choose the country's ninth leader in a decade.

Iran and the United States failed to strike a deal Sunday to end the war in the Middle East, but there was no immediate return to hostilities and world leaders quickly urged both sides to pursue the diplomatic route to peace.

Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa won the Paris marathon on Sunday, while Ethiopia's Shure Demise claimed victory in the women's category in a new course record.

Ukraine and Russia accused each other on Sunday of violating a truce in place for Orthodox Easter thousands of times, as the war dragged through its fifth year.

South Africa's second-largest party, the Democratic Alliance, elected Cape Town's mayor Sunday to lead it into the 2029 national polls, stepping up a drive to take votes away from the faltering ANC.

With a minimalist set and a trip through his musical past, pop superstar Justin Bieber returned to the stage on Saturday night to headline the second day of Coachella.

Bundesliga club Union Berlin on Sunday named Marie-Louise Eta as head coach, making her the first female manager of a men's team in a top-five European league, after former mentor Steffen Baumgart was sacked.

Iran and the United States failed to strike a deal Sunday to end the war in the Middle East, but there was no immediate return to hostilities and the region clung to hope that a fragile truce would hold.

Ukraine and Russia accused each other on Sunday of violating a truce in place for Orthodox Easter thousands of times, as the war dragged on into its fifth year.

Italy's Yemaneberhan Crippa won the Paris marathon on Sunday, while Ethiopia's Shure Demise claimed victory in the women's category in a new course record.

Bundesliga club Union Berlin have named Marie-Louise Eta as manager, making her the first female head coach in Bundesliga history, after Steffen Baumgart was sacked on Sunday.

Legendary Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle, whose voice defined Bollywood music through the 1970s and 80s, died Sunday in Mumbai aged 92, her family said.

Benin was voting for a new president on Sunday, with Finance Minister Romuald Wadagni a shoo-in after overseeing a decade of economic growth in the west African country despite jihadist attacks in the north.

A childhood dream of making video games is becoming a reality this week for Imagine Dragons' singer Dan Reynolds, as his company's debut title "Last Flag" is released Tuesday.

Teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout ran a blistering 19.67 seconds to win the 200m at the Australian championships on Sunday, reinforcing his status as a rapidly rising star.

China's long-term strategy of diversifying energy sources and building stockpiles is helping it weather disruptions from the Iran war, although some sectors still face major snags, analysts say.

Hungarians will vote on Sunday in closely watched parliamentary elections that could end nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban's 16-year stint in power as a self-described "thorn" in the EU's side.

Filipinos like their "pares", a traditional beef stew, served hot -- but the soaring cost of liquefied petroleum gas has made that prospect increasingly difficult since war erupted in the Middle East.

Peru votes on Sunday to elect its ninth president in a decade, with crime-weary voters seemingly poised to extend the tide of conservative governments sweeping Latin America.

Iran and the United States failed to reach an agreement to end the war in the Middle East, US Vice President JD Vance said Sunday after marathon talks in Islamabad, adding that he was leaving negotiations after giving Tehran the "final and best offer".

Inter Miami's hopes of securing a first victory at their new Nu Stadium were frustrated once more on Saturday after Red Bull New York came from behind to snatch a 2-2 draw.