Former Germany striker and World Cup record goalscorer Miroslav Klose has backed Lionel Messi to break his all-time FIFA World Cup scoring record. Klose holds the record with 16 goals, while Messi has 13 and France captain Kylian Mbappe has 12.   Klose said the expanded 48-team World Cup gives players more chances to score and believes his record could fall in this tournament. "Messi is welcome to do it. I'm a huge Messi fan," he said.   The German legend also praised Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni. Messi is set to lead Argentina's title defence, starting with a match against Algeria. (PC: AFP)

Indian athletes enjoyed a successful day on the international stage. Archer Dhiraj Bommadevara won two gold medals at the Archery World Cup in Antalya, Turkey. He first teamed up with Kumkum Mohod to defeat South Korea and win the recurve mixed team title. Hours later, he claimed his first individual World Cup gold by beating South Korea's Lee Wooseok in the final.   Meanwhile, athlete Parul Chaudhary set a new national record in the women's 5000m event at Meeting Nikaia in France. She finished second with a time of 15:04.26, improving her previous national best and securing qualification for the 2026 Asian Games.

British forces boarded a Russian "shadow fleet" oil tanker in the English Channel in a major operation ordered by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The vessel, named Smyrtos, was intercepted early on Sunday and searched by Royal Marines and law enforcement officers.   The six-hour operation involved helicopters, aircraft and Royal Navy ships. It was the first time a Russian shadow fleet vessel had been stopped in British waters.   Starmer said the action "delivers yet another blow to Russia" and sends a message to those supporting President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine.   Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the UK for the operation. 

US President Donald Trump has said a peace deal between the United States and Iran is scheduled to be signed on Sunday. He said the Strait of Hormuz would reopen to all shipping once the agreement is finalised.   However, Iran cast doubt on the timeline. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the deal would not be signed on Sunday and that more clarity was needed.   Pakistan, which helped mediate the talks, said the agreement could be completed within 24 hours. The proposed deal aims to reduce tensions in the region and could include steps related to Iran’s nuclear programme and regional security issues. (PC: Reuters)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in parts of eastern and northeastern India over the next week as the southwest monsoon advances further across the country.   According to the IMD, conditions are favourable for the monsoon to move into more parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and Chhattisgarh in the coming days.   While states such as Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Sikkim are likely to receive heavy rain, heatwave conditions may continue in parts of Marathwada and Vidarbha until midweek.   The IMD has also issued warnings for fishermen in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. (PC: PTI)

French President Emmanuel Macron shared a selfie with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday ahead of the G7 Summit in Nice, France. The post quickly went viral after Macron captioned it with a single word: "Nice!".   The caption appeared to be a playful reference to both the city hosting the summit and the moment shared by the two leaders. The photograph showed Macron and Modi smiling against the backdrop of the Mediterranean coast.   Modi is in France to attend G7 outreach sessions and hold bilateral meetings with world leaders. The post also highlighted the strong and growing partnership between India and France.

Indian seafarers working on commercial ships near Iran and the Strait of Hormuz have claimed that vessels carrying Indian crew members are being repeatedly targeted amid ongoing military strikes in the Gulf.   "We are in Iran and the situation here is very bad. Only Indian-crewed ships are being attacked," a seafarer said in a video shared online. "We are not soldiers. We come on contract to work. Then why are we being attacked?" he added. The claims come after a tanker carrying Indian sailors was hit near Oman last week. Three Indian seafarers were killed in the attack. Another vessel with 24 Indian crew members was also targeted, but all were later rescued. The US said the strikes targeted sanctioned vessels, while Iran condemned the attacks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday inaugurated Bharat Innovates 2026 in Nice, France. The three-day event brings together startups, innovators and investors from India, France and other countries.   Speaking at the event, Modi said India and France share a strong partnership based on trust, innovation and a common vision. He said innovation is part of India’s DNA and that the country is now a provider of technology, not just a user.   Modi highlighted India’s growing startup ecosystem, which includes more than 200,000 startups. He said India’s goal is to create technology that is inclusive, trusted and beneficial for humanity. (PC: Lewis JOLY / POOL / AFP) (AFP)

Haiti fans vented their frustration online after their team's 1-0 loss to Scotland in a FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C match, accusing the referee of favouring the Scottish side. Social media was flooded with complaints over several decisions made during the game, with one supporter writing that Haiti had been "absolutely robbed." Fans argued that key calls went against their team and influenced the result. While no official protest has been filed, the controversy quickly gained attention online. Scotland secured three valuable points, but post-match discussion largely focused on the officiating rather than the football. (PC: NDTV)

A series of maritime emergencies has made it a difficult week for Indian seafarers operating near the Gulf coast and the Strait of Hormuz. An Indian-flagged vessel, *Virat 1*, suffered an engine failure and sank off the coast of Oman, triggering a rescue operation for its 14 Indian crew members.   The incident came days after three Indian sailors were killed in a US strike on a commercial tanker in the region amid rising tensions linked to the Iran conflict. Another Indian-crewed vessel was also hit earlier this week.   Indian authorities are closely monitoring the situation and have urged an end to attacks that threaten the safety of merchant sailors in the strategic waterway. (PC: HT)