Gordon Lyons commits to attending GAA match amid criticism
Northern Ireland’s Communities Minister has pledged to attend a GAA match this year.
US Sport News
Verstappen wins US Grand Prix and McLaren’s Norris pulls closer to teammate Piastri in F1 title hunt
AUSTIN, Texas: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen raced to his third victory in four races Sunday at the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix, while McLaren’s Lando Norris took a huge chunk out of teammate Oscar Piastri’s championship lead by finishing second. Piastri was a distant fifth, allowing Norris to pull within 14 points with five grand prix and two sprint races to go. Verstappen is also closing fast with his late-season charge. Verstappen now trails Piastri by 40 points, and Norris by 26, in third place, and has put the McClarens on notice he intends to chase them all the way to the end of the season. Piastri and Norris are trying to win their first career drivers championship. Verstappen is hunting his fifth in a row, and his dominant form of late has given him a real chance to get it. He also won the sprint race Saturday after the two McLarens ran into each other on the first turn and crashed out. “It was an unbelievable weekend for us,” Verstappen said. “The chance is there. We just need to try to deliver these kind of weekends until the end.”
Aramco F4 Saudi Arabian Championship concludes Round 2 in Bahrain
MANAMA: Round 2 of the FIA-certified Aramco F4 Saudi Arabian Championship concluded on Saturday with Kit Belofsky and Adam Al-Azhari winning one race each at the Bahrain International Circuit in Manama.
Jannik Sinner crowned champion at Six Kings Slam in Riyadh after fierce battle with Alcaraz
RIYADH: Jannik Sinner claimed the title at the second staging of the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh with a commanding performance against Carlos Alcaraz in the final, solidifying his place as one of the dominant forces in men’s tennis.
Lionel Messi’s hat trick powers Inter Miami past Nashville on Decision Day
MIAMI: Lionel Messi recorded a hat trick and added an assist and Baltasar Rodriguez scored the tie-breaking goal as visiting Inter Miami used a second-half assault to defeat Nashville SC 5-2 in a Decision Day matchup on Saturday night. Telasco Segovia also scored for Inter Miami (19-7-8, 65 points), who won their third straight game. Miami will be the No.
Verstappen wins dramatic US Grand Prix sprint, McLarens crash
AUSTIN: Max Verstappen made the most of a first-corner collision between the two McLaren drivers to win Saturday’s sprint race at the United States Grand Prix and reduce Oscar Piastri’s lead over him by eight points.
Afghanistan announce spin-heavy squad for tri-series, Asia Cup
KABUL: Fast-rising Afghanistan announced a spin-heavy squad on Sunday led by Rashid Khan for the T20 tri-series and Asia Cup to be played in the United Arab Emirates. Along with Khan, Afghanistan will have Noor Ahmad, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar and Mohammad Nabi in the spin department as they play their first Twenty20 internationals this year. The tri-series, also involving Pakistan and hosts the UAE, starts in Sharjah on Friday, while the six-nation Asia Cup begins on September 9. The 19-year-old Ghazanfar has yet to play a T20I but has made rapid strides in domestic matches in that format and one-day internationals. Afghanistan lost in the semifinals at last year’s men’s T20I World Cup in the United States and West Indies but have not played a single T20I since the start of 2025. Fazlhaq Farooqi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Azmatullah Omarzai and Gulbadin Naib are the fast-bowling options. Afghanistan face Pakistan in the opening match of the tri-series on Friday. For the Asia Cup, Afghanistan are drawn in Group B with Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka. Defending champions India, Oman, Pakistan and UAE are in Group A. Afghanistan face Hong Kong in the opening match of the Asia Cup in Abu Dhabi on September 9. Afghanistan also announced a series of three one-day internationals and three T20Is with Bangladesh after the Asia Cup, also in the UAE. The T20Is are on October 2, 3 and 5 in Sharjah, while the ODIs will be played from 8-14 in Abu Dhabi. Squad: Rashid Khan (captain), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Darwish Rasooli, Sediqullah Atal, Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Sharafuddin Ashraf, Mohammad Ishaq, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, AM Ghazanfar, Noor Ahmad, Fareed Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq
British wheelchair basketball players turn backs on Israeli opponents before game
LONDON: Members of the Great Britain wheelchair basketball team turned their backs on their Israeli opponents before a game in Germany.
Cheteshwar Pujara announces retirement from Indian cricket
MUMBAI: Batsman Cheteshwar Pujara announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket on Sunday, bringing to an end an international sporting career that spanned over a decade. Pujara has played in 103 Tests and five ODIs in his international career, last featuring for India in the World Test Championship 2023 final against Australia. The batter made his Test debut for India in 2010 and throughout his playing journey racked up 7,195 Test runs at an average of 43.60. On Sunday, the 37-year-old said he was hanging up his boots, noting that “all good things must come to an end.” “Wearing the Indian jersey, singing the anthem, and trying my best each time I stepped on the field – it’s impossible to put into words what it truly meant,” Pujara said in a social media post. “But as they say, all good things must come to an end, and with immense gratitude, I have decided to retire from all forms of Indian cricket.” “As a little boy from the small town of Rajkot, along with my parents, I set out to aim for the stars; and dreamt to be a part of the Indian cricket team,” the cricketer continued. “Little did I know then that this game would give me so much – invaluable opportunities, experiences, purpose, love, and above all a chance to represent my state and this great nation.” Pujara, a rare five-day specialist in the age of T20 and white-ball performers, has in the past attributed his staying power to discipline. “I have certain routines, fitness, little bit of meditation, yoga and pranayama (a breathing technique) because it is necessary to shut the outside noise, even if it is positive,” he told reporters in 2023. “We play nine Tests on an average, and when you go back home, unless you have domestic cricket, you are not