BIGGIN HILL, England: Formula One’s governing body is happy for the last two races of the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi to proceed as planned, despite the Iran war and conflict in the Gulf region, International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said on Tuesday. F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali, who also attended the opening but did not speak to reporters, has stated the calendar is confirmed. Qatar’s Lusail circuit and Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina are due to host grand
Scott Kirby says wealth inequality is a ‘danger to society’ and calls for inheritance tax in recent interview
Scott Kirby, the CEO of United Airlines, is under scrutiny from conservative politicians and commentators for saying wealth inequality is a “danger to society” and calling for a national wealth and inheritance tax in a recent interview.
Talking to the New York Times, Kirby was asked about the growing public distrust of CEOs and whether he felt any responsibility to quell that distrust.
Turkey have appointed Sergen Yalcin as head coach on a four-year contract to replace the sacked Italian Vincenzo Montella, the country’s football federation (TFF) announced on Tuesday.
The 53-year-old former Turkey midfielder steps into the job following Montella’s dismissal earlier this month after a difficult Uefa Nations League campaign.
Turkey sit bottom of Group A1 after four consecutive losses, having also suffered a group stage exit from the 2026 World Cup.
“We wish Yalcin success in his new role and hope this decision proves auspicious for our country and our national team,” the TFF said in a statement.
A prominent figure in Turkish football, Yalcin won 37 caps from 1994 to 2003, featured at Euro 1996 and Euro 2000 and played for Besiktas, Fenerbahce, and Galatasaray.
As a manager, Yalcin guided Besiktas to a domestic double of Super Lig and Turkish Cup in the 2020–21 season. He ended a second stint in charge of Besiktas in May.
Mounting anxiety as Russia’s war on Ukraine reaches Nato’s borders with targeting of vessels transporting agricultural cargo
Nato is deploying additional military assets to the Black Sea amid the recent deadly escalation of Russian attacks on merchant shipping, as five more vessels were attacked on Tuesday.
Russia’s military said it struck three cargo vessels in Ukraine’s port of Reni and two other cargo vessels en route to Odesa.
Mounting anxiety as Russia’s war on Ukraine reaches Nato’s borders with targeting of vessels transporting agricultural cargo
Nato is deploying additional military assets to the Black Sea amid the recent deadly escalation of Russian attacks on merchant shipping, as five more vessels were attacked on Tuesday.
Russia’s military said it struck three cargo vessels in Ukraine’s port of Reni and two other cargo vessels en route to Odesa.
Formula 1 announces a 10-year deal with Rwanda for an African Grand Prix, expected to boost the continent’s global sports profile despite criticism from human rights groups.
As Gus Atkinson and Sonny Baker found themselves stranded at the same end, Arafat Minhas fumbled a throw from the deep. The run-out opportunity, with England already nine down, still stood.
Arafat gathered the ball again and his slingy left arm, which had caused havoc in the preceding overs, produced a flat, direct throw that crashed into the stumps.
It was the final act of an evening Arafat had made his own, leading Pakistan to an 87-run victory over England in the One-day International tri-series match at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday.
The run-out capped an outstanding all-round performance from the left-arm spinner, who had earlier scored a crucial half-century before claiming six wickets for 40 runs in 8.4 overs to bowl England out for 215 in 38.4 overs while chasing 303.
Pakistan players celebrate the run-out of England’s Sonny Baker.—AFP
England began the chase confidently, with Tom Banton and Ben Duckett racing to 91 without loss in 14.3 overs. Duckett made 45 off 46 balls, striking eight fours, while Banton scored 57 from 53 deliveries with five fours and two sixes.
Haris Rauf broke the opening stand when Duckett mistimed a pull and Fakhar Zaman took the catch at deep fine leg. Arafat then changed the complexion of the chase, removing Banton with his third delivery as the opener swung across the line and picked out Shaheen Shah Afridi at midwicket.
The spinner struck again by bowling England captain Harry Brook for five with a delivery that gripped and straightened, leaving the visitors at 128-3. Naseem Shah subsequently ended Joe Root’s resistance, bowling him for 33 off 35 balls with a skidding delivery that kept low and struck the off stump.
Sam Curran and Jordan Cox attempted to keep England in contention, but the visitors’ resistance steadily faded. Curran made 27 before top-edging a pull off Haris to substitute fielder Ghazi Ghori at deep backward square leg. Cox, who scored 18, was trapped leg-before by Arafat’s quicker delivery and lost his review.
Pakistan pacer Haris Rauf celebrates dismissing England opener Tom Banton.—AFP
Arafat continued his dismantling of the lower order, dismissing Jamie Overton for one when Hasan Nawaz took a catch at long-on after the batter charged down the pitch.
Will Jacks briefly threatened a counterattack, striking Haris for six, but fell for 19 when he miscued Arafat to Shaheen at short midwicket.
Arafat trapped Adil Rashid leg-before for a first-ball duck in the 39th over, completing his six-wicket haul. The final run-out of Atkinson then sealed Pakistan’s commanding win.
England captain Brook acknowledged that his side had made a promising start but failed to capitalise after losing the opening partnership, with wickets falling in clusters.
England captain Harry Brook looks stunned after being cleaned up by Pakistan’s Arafat Minhas.—AFP
“Banton and Ducky set the tone beautifully, but we lost the wickets in clumps and could not put on a partnership and ended up on the wrong side,” Brook said.
He also felt England had missed an opportunity to put Pakistan under pressure by being too cautious against the spinners.
“We were a bit too much circumspect against the spinners. We could have put them under pressure, I feel,” he said, adding that England would discuss their shortcomings and look to bounce back in the next match.
Pakistan’s total of 302-9 had been built on a spirited recovery led by Hasan Nawaz and Arafat after the hosts slumped to 133-5 following England’s decision to field.
The pair added 78 runs off 74 balls for the sixth wicket, reviving an innings that had threatened to unravel.
Hasan struck 79 off 74 deliveries, including five fours and four sixes, while Arafat contributed 59 off 58 balls, hitting nine fours.
Pakistan’s Arafat Minhas (L) and Faheem Ashraf run between the wickets.—AFP
Faheem Ashraf then provided a late surge with 39 off 26 balls, and captain Shaheen’s brisk five-ball 10 helped Pakistan cross 300.
Arafat said the partnership with Hasan had been crucial in rebuilding the innings, with the pair determined to bat deep after he came to the crease.
“We needed an important partnership when I walked in the middle. Hasan and I discussed that we need to bat deep,” he said at the presentation ceremony, speaking to Urooj Mumtaz.
After Hasan’s dismissal, Arafat took responsibility for carrying the innings forward, helping Pakistan reach a total that ultimately proved beyond England.
“I took the charge after Hasan got out and I tried to bat until the end of the innings, which helped in taking the score beyond 300,” he said.
Pakistan had made a disastrous start when Atkinson dismissed Fakhar Zaman for a first-ball duck, caught by Joe Root at short midwicket. Saim Ayub briefly counterattacked before falling for eight, skying Sonny Baker to Sam Curran in the sixth over with Pakistan at 31-2.
Babar Azam and Saad Baig attempted to stabilise the innings, but Babar’s 34 off 52 balls ended when Will Jacks breached his defences in the 15th over.
Adil Rashid then removed Salman Ali Agha for 16, caught by Atkinson at deep fine leg, leaving Pakistan at 81-4.
Pakistan’s Babar Azam is clean-bowled by England’s Will Jacks.—AFP
Saad and Hasan offered resistance, adding 52 for the fifth wicket before Atkinson returned to dismiss Saad for 35 off 54 balls.
Hasan and Arafat then took control, with Hasan finding the boundary through cover and backward point while punishing loose deliveries over the ropes. Hasan’s innings ended at 211-6 when Jamie Overton beat him with a yorker in the 40th over.
Arafat continued the recovery alongside Faheem, whose aggressive strokeplay included consecutive boundaries against Rashid and a six off Root.
Faheem fell for 39 in the 49th over, caught by Jacks at deep midwicket, while Arafat was dismissed for 59 after skying Baker to Harry Brook at cover. Shaheen’s late boundaries ensured Pakistan finished with a formidable total.
Reflecting on his performance with the ball, Arafat credited the slower surface for offering more assistance to the spinners than in the previous match and said he had worked on varying his deliveries to deceive batters.
Arafat Minhas walks off the field with team-mates after helping Pakistan crush England.—AFP
“I have kept my plans simple. There was not much help for the spinners in the first match. The pitch was on the slower side today, which helped me,” he said.
“Variations are very important for a spinner as they help in deceiving the batters. I have worked on my variations.”
Pakistan captain Shaheen praised the contributions of Hasan, Arafat and Faheem in rescuing the innings but acknowledged that the top order needed to be more consistent.
“It was really good how Hasan Nawaz, Arafat Minhas, and Faheem Ashraf batted, but we also need our top-order to fire,” he said.
Shaheen described Arafat as a promising all-rounder whose performance was an encouraging sign for Pakistan as they build towards the World Cup.
“The form of Arafat and fast bowlers is good signs for us. Arafat is a very good talent and he is a proper allrounder, which bodes well for us. Hopefully, he will deliver for us in many more games in the future,” he said.
While pleased with aspects of Pakistan’s performance, Shaheen stressed that the team still had room for improvement ahead of the global tournament.
“As a team we have done some good things but we need to improve further as we are looking to build towards the World Cup,” he said.
Europeans are obstructing Russian and Belarusian athletes’ participation in international competitions.
On Tuesday, Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyaryov accused European countries of ignoring the demands of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which requires written guarantees that all athletes, including Russians and Belarusians, will be allowed to compete.
“Europeans continue to put obstacles in our way. The European Union (EU) either denies us visas or organizes provocations. We are fighting this alongside the Foreign Ministry and the IOC… They are now demanding that a country seeking to host a championship provide written guarantees that all athletes will be admitted,” he said.
“The Europeans have started falling into the trap, meaning they are now obligated to admit Russians and Belarusians and, as the saying goes, they don’t want to,” Degtyaryov stressed during a meeting at the Kremlin with President Vladimir Putin.
Without naming them, the minister was referring to the three gymnasts who were denied visas to compete at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. They included reigning European and world champion Angelina Melnikova, as well as Anna Kalmykova and Victoria Listunova.
If you somehow missed Angelina #Melnikova at the European Gymnastics Championships… here’s your sign to watch her! 🇷🇺
— Russian Embassy in South Africa 🇷🇺 (@EmbassyofRussia) August 17, 2026
Moscow has undertaken extensive diplomatic and legal efforts to resume participation in international competitions from which Russia has been banned since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine.
“In a year and a half, we have held more than 170 international meetings and made 32 visits to 17 countries… As a result, the Russian Olympic Committee was reinstated by the IOC, and all recommendations to implement discriminatory measures were canceled,” he said.
The Russian national anthem sounded again after several years during the 14th Winter Paralympic Games in Milan. According to Degtyaryov, it was played 300 times at various international competitions throughout this year.
“We are preparing for the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, which will take place in November. Young athletes will be able to wear the national uniform and carry the flag. We have begun training for the Olympic Games in Los Angeles,” he said.
Putin called for tighter financial oversight to prevent the budget from being spent on bureaucratic expenses rather than meeting the needs of sports federations.
The host country held 25 bouts at the Miguel Hidalgo Gymnasium in Puebla.
On Monday, the Mexican team added more positive results on the second day of the Puebla 2026 Pan American Continental Elite Boxing Championship, which marks the beginning of the qualifying process for the Lima 2027 Pan American Games.
The host country held 25 bouts at the Miguel Hidalgo Gymnasium in Puebla, a key day for the local representatives seeking to advance in the continental tournament.
In the women’s division, Valeria Amparan, in the 51-kilogram category, secured her place in the quarterfinals after defeating Esther Jimenez of the Dominican Republic by split decision.
Meanwhile, Santiago Montalvo advanced to the next round in the men’s 60-kilogram category after his opponent, Abishai Jean-Baptiste of Barbados, failed to make weight. The day also brought some setbacks for the host delegation, since Paula Hernandez lost by unanimous decision to Brazilian Rebeca Santos in the 60-kilogram category.
🥊 || Inauguración del Campeonato Panamericano Continental Élite de Boxeo 2026, por el gobernador de Puebla, Alejandro Armenta acompañado por Gennady Golovkin, presidente de World Boxing y ex campeón mundial de boxeo, en el Gimnasio Miguel Hidalgo.
The text reads, “Opening of the 2026 Pan American Continental Elite Boxing Championship, by the Governor of Puebla, Alejandro Armenta, accompanied by Gennady Golovkin, President of World Boxing and former world boxing champion, at the Miguel Hidalgo Gymnasium.”
Likewise, Jose Gonzalez was eliminated in the 55-kilogram category after losing by split decision to Brazilian Michael Douglas. The competition continues this Tuesday with Guadalupe Torres facing American Alyssa Mendoza in the quarterfinals of the women’s 57-kilogram category.
Also taking to the ring are Darianne Hernandez, who will face American Marie Rosendo in the 65-kilogram category, and Hugo Barron, who will face Panamanian Cristofer Filos in the men’s 65-kilogram category.
Another major focus will be on Hugo Padilla, who will fight Canadian Parminder Pannu in the 75-kilogram category, with the possibility of moving closer to qualifying for Lima 2027.
#WorldCup2026 | @CharlieMontero_ continues his journey through Mexico and discovers the incredible friendship and positive energy shared between Japanese fans and Mexican supporters.
Conflict in Middle East is pushing jet fuel costs higher and many carriers are not hedged against such increases, Michael O’Leary says
Ryanair’s chief executive has predicted a record increase in European air fares next year, as airlines grapple with fuel bills pushed higher by the Middle East conflict.
Many carriers are not hedged against rising jet fuel costs, Michael O’Leary said, which he predicted would lead to airline bankruptcies and takeovers. He forecast these pressures would result in the price of plane tickets rising by as much as 20%.
Conflict in Middle East is pushing jet fuel costs higher and many carriers are not hedged against such increases, Michael O’Leary says
Ryanair’s chief executive has predicted a record increase in European air fares next year, as airlines grapple with fuel bills pushed higher by the Middle East conflict.
Many carriers are not hedged against rising jet fuel costs, Michael O’Leary said, which he predicted would lead to airline bankruptcies and takeovers. He forecast these pressures would result in the price of plane tickets rising by as much as 20%.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has approved 19 projects across five tourism destinations under its Hospitality Investment Enablers Program, which is expected to attract SR6.7 billion ($1.78 billion) in investment and create more than 17,000 jobs. The initiatives will be rolled out across five destinations, including Al-Baha, Al-Ahsa, Jeddah, Asir and the Eastern Province, with 19 companies, including BSF Capital, Sedal, Rikaz and Jenan among the participating firms. The undertaking, led by the Ministry of
DUBAI: The management of Al-Nassr FC, owned by the Public Investment Fund, is seeking to repay debts exceeding $212 million (SR800 million) through sponsorships and partnerships as a prelude to a potential sale, Asharq Al-Awsat has reported. The source told Asharq Bloomberg that Al-Nassr will look to pay off its debts through sponsorships and commercial partnerships, noting that these will play the biggest role in addressing the club’s financial crisis. The Saudi Ministry of Sports earlier this
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