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Simone Biles dazzled a star-studded crowd as she returned to the Olympic stage on Sunday while Paris braced for a blockbuster swimming duel on an action-packed day two at the Games.

Ben Stokes hit the fastest Test fifty by an England batsman, breaking a record that had stood for over 40 years, as the hosts hammered the West Indies by 10 wickets to win the third Test at Edgbaston on Sunday.

Yuval Freilich's dream of Olympic glory in Paris lasted just nine minutes on Sunday, which the Israeli fencer told AFP was a "huge disappointment".

George Russell won the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa on Sunday holding off his teammate Lewis Hamilton in a stunning Mercedes 1-2.

The official Olympics broadcaster has urged camera operators to film men and women athletes in the same way to avoid "stereotypes and sexism" creeping into the coverage, its CEO said Sunday.

England were set a target of just 82 to win the third Test against the West Indies after dismissing the tourists for 175 in their second innings on Sunday's third day at Edgbaston.

Filipino great Manny Pacquiao's exhibition fight against Japan's Rukiya Anpo ended in an underwhelming draw on Sunday.

Rafael Nadal will attempt to set up an Olympic Games blockbuster against Novak Djokovic on Sunday after setting aside injury concerns as Andy Murray prepared for what could be the final match of his career.

A migrant on an overcrowded boat died on Sunday trying to cross the Channel from France to Britain but authorities said dozens on the crammed vessel refused to be rescued and carried on with the hazardous journey.

Simone Biles made a stunning return to Olympic competition on Sunday, powering through a left calf injury to get her multiple-medal bid off to a rousing start.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday vowed to "hit the enemy hard" after rocket fire from Lebanon killed 12 young people in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights and again raised fears that the war in Gaza will spread.

Palestinian swimmer Yazan Al Bawwab hopes his appearance at the Paris Olympics will help boost opportunities for athletes from the war-torn territory.

England were left eyeing a whitewash of the West Indies despite a defiant fifty from Kavem Hodge in the third Test at Edgbaston on Sunday.

Organisers of the Paris Olympics said Sunday they were "really sorry" for any offence caused by their daring and quirky opening ceremony but denied "any intention to show disrespect to any religious group."

Two-metre high waves made for an ideal start to the Olympic surfing competition 16,000 kilometres away from 2024 Games city Paris in Tahiti, home of the towering Teahupo'o.

Simone Biles made a stunning return to Olympic competition on Sunday, powering through a left calf injury to get her multiple-medal bid off to a rousing start.

Rafael Nadal "is ready to play" Olympic singles on Sunday despite concerns over a thigh injury with a mouthwatering clash against old rival Novak Djokovic tantalisingly within reach.

The United States and Japan issued scathing verbal attacks on China and Russia on Sunday after high-level discussions on enhancing already close defence collaboration between Tokyo and Washington in an increasingly unstable region.

The River Seine failed its first Olympic test on Saturday as a training session for triathletes was scrapped after the water failed pollution checks.

Gymnastics icon Simone Biles dazzled in her long-awaited return to the Olympic stage on Sunday as Paris braced for a blockbuster swimming duel on an action-packed day two at the Games.

French hero Leon Marchand threw down the gauntlet with a storming 400m medley swim Sunday as Mollie O'Callaghan outgunned Ariarne Titmus to top the women's 200m freestyle heats.

Fans booed a Dutch beach volleyball player convicted of raping an underaged girl as he played his first match at the Paris Olympics, where his controversial selection has put the sport in the spotlight.

In a training gym in central Bucharest, with heavily taped shins and calves, gymnast Sabrina Voinea steadies her feet on the beam, raises her arms, inhales deeply and sends her body flying through the air.

Vivian Kong is known in fencing as the "Sword Queen" and the tears that flowed after a memorable fightback on Saturday secured Hong Kong's third Olympic title were understandable after overcoming two career-threatening injuries.

Gymnastics superstar Simone Biles launched her Paris Olympics campaign with a stunning balance beam routine on Sunday as women's qualifying got underway in front of a star-studded crowd at Bercy Arena.

World Rugby needs to recalibrate its international calendar to enable more players like Antoine Dupont to switch between sevens and 15s, according to the federation's CEO, Alan Gilpin.

Thousands of Druze men and women, many dressed in black, arrived for the funeral Sunday of several of the 12 youths killed in a rocket attack on the Israeli annexed Golan Heights the day before.

A blockbuster swimming showdown takes centre stage at the Paris Olympics on Sunday as gymnastics icon Simone Biles makes her eagerly anticipated first appearance of the Games.

The United States and Japan issued scathing verbal attacks on both China and Russia on Sunday after high-level discussions aimed at enhancing already close defence collaboration between Tokyo and Washington in an increasingly unstable region.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday vowed to "hit the enemy hard" after rocket fire from Lebanon killed 12 young people in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights and again raised fears that the war in Gaza will spread.

The 100-day sprint to the US election began Sunday, the final act in a campaign transformed by an assassination attempt and the stunning exit of President Joe Biden.

A Bangladeshi student group has vowed to resume protests that sparked a lethal police crackdown and nationwide unrest unless several of their leaders are released from custody on Sunday.