Pallade Veneta - News from Venice, Veneto, Venetia and Italy, as well as from around the world

Memphis star Ja Morant made a sparkling return from injury Sunday, scoring 24 points and handing out 13 assists to lead the Grizzlies to a 126-109 NBA victory over the Orlando Magic in London.

Uncontrolled wildfires tore through communities in southern Chile, leaving charred ruins in their wake and at least 18 dead, authorities said Sunday.

The Pentagon has ordered 1,500 US soldiers to prepare for a possible deployment to a state roiled by unrest over an immigration crackdown, US media reported Sunday.

Limited internet access briefly returned in Iran before dropping again, a monitor said Sunday, 10 days into a communications blackout that rights groups said aimed to mask a protest crackdown that killed thousands.

South Africa on Sunday declared a national disaster after widespread flooding that destroyed homes and killed dozens, while thousands sought shelter in neighbouring Mozambique.

Marcus Smith's late penalty secured Harlequins a surprise 27-17 victory away to former two-time Champions Cup winners La Rochelle on Sunday and a top-two finish in Pool 3, while the French side were eliminated.

Guatemala's interior minister accused gangs of killing seven police on Sunday in retaliation for the government's refusal to transfer gang leaders to a lower-security prison.

Aston Villa's Premier League title challenge suffered a huge blow in a 1-0 defeat against Everton, while Newcastle's push towards the top four was derailed by a 0-0 draw at Wolves on Sunday.

Paulo Dybala starred for Roma with a goal and an assist Sunday's 2-0 win at Torino which boosted his team's Champions League hopes, as Fiorentina beat Bologna 2-0 to honour deceased owner Rocco Commisso.

Aston Villa's Premier League title challenge suffered a huge blow in a 1-0 defeat against Everton, while Newcastle's push towards the top four was derailed by a 0-0 draw at Wolves on Sunday.

"Avatar: Fire and Ash" showed no signs of slowing down, topping the North American box office for the fifth consecutive week over the long holiday weekend, industry estimates showed Sunday.

Limited internet access has returned in Iran, a monitor said Sunday, 10 days after authorities imposed a communications blackout that rights groups have said was aimed at masking a violent protest crackdown that killed thousands.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Sunday announced a deal with the chief of Kurdish-led forces that includes a ceasefire, after government troops advanced across Kurdish-held areas of the country's north and east.

Marcus Smith's late penalty secured Harlequins a surprise 27-17 victory away to former two-time Champions Cup winners La Rochelle on Sunday and a top-two finish in Pool 3.

Alexander Sorloth's towering header earned Atletico Madrid a narrow 1-0 win over Alaves on Sunday in La Liga, helping them pull level on points with third-placed Villarreal.

Union Berlin's Woo-yeong Jeong scored with seven minutes remaining to snatch his side a point in a 1-1 draw at Stuttgart in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, fresh from winning a seventh term at age 81, said Sunday that the opposition were "terrorists" who had tried to use violence to overturn results.

New Zealand overcame a valiant 124 by Virat Kohli to down India by 41 runs and seal their first-ever ODI series victory on Indian soil on Sunday.

Spain's Nacho Elvira recovered from one shot down to claim a dramatic victory in the Dubai Invitational on Sunday after Shane Lowry's final hole meltdown.

Union Berlin's Woo-yeong Jeong scored with seven minutes remaining to snatch his side a point in a 1-1 draw at Stuttgart in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has challenged Paul Scholes to come to his house after the Old Trafford legend mocked the Argentine's height.

Portugal was voting Sunday in the first round of a presidential election in which a far-right candidate is expected it get to the run-off for the first time.

Thomas Frank is in danger of being sacked after his future as Tottenham manager was reportedly discussed by the club's hierarchy on Sunday.

Wildfires raging in southern Chile have killed at least 15 people and forced more than 50,000 to evacuate, the government said Sunday.

European leaders on Sunday slammed US President Donald Trump's threat of tariffs over their opposition to his designs on Greenland, warning transatlantic ties were at risk.

Men's Fashion Week will kick off in Paris on Tuesday, and from Veronique Nichanian's farewell at Hermes to Jonathan Anderson's second Dior collection, AFP has selected the stand-out moments not to be missed.

Norway's Atle Lie McGrath surged to the top of the men's World Cup slalom standings after winning in Wengen on Sunday.

Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka launched their Australian Open title bids with straight-sets wins but there was no fairytale for 45-year-old Venus Williams on Sunday.

Iranian authorities have said they are considering "gradually" restoring internet access after imposing an unprecedented communications shutdown 10 days ago, which rights groups say masked a violent protest crackdown that killed thousands.

Daryl Mitchell and Glenn Phillips struck counter-attacking centuries as New Zealand posted 337-8 against India in their third and deciding one-day international on Sunday.

Struggling Eintracht Frankfurt fired coach Dino Toppmoeller on Sunday after a poor run of results has left them down in seventh in the Bundesliga and in danger of failing to progress to the Champions League play-offs.

Kurdish-led forces withdrew on Sunday from Syria's largest oil field, a conflict monitor said, as government troops extended their grip over swathes of territory in the country's north and east.

Venus Williams fell at the first hurdle but said she was proud of herself after making history as the oldest woman to ever play at the Australian Open on Sunday.

Lindsey Vonn continued her remarkable form in the lead up to the Winter Olympics with her seventh World Cup podium of the season in Sunday's super-G in Tarvisio won by Emma Aicher.

Carlos Alcaraz kickstarted his bid for a career Grand Slam with a battling three-set beating of home hope Adam Walton at the Australian Open on Sunday.

The Africa Cup of Nations reaches its climax on Sunday with a showdown between host nation Morocco, looking to win the title for the first time in 50 years, and Sadio Mane's powerful Senegal side.

European leaders on Sunday hit back at US President Donald Trump's threat of tariffs over their opposition to his designs on Greenland, with far-right Italian leader Giorgia Meloni urging Washington against making a "mistake".

Venus Williams made history as the oldest woman to ever play the Australian Open on Sunday but the 45-year-old fell at the first hurdle after an epic battle with an opponent more than 20 years her junior.

Taiwan's Lin Chun-yi won the India Open badminton men's singles title on Sunday, after playing conditions that included bird droppings on court and a monkey in the stands drew criticism.