Norris pips Russell in Barca practice

BARCELONA: Lando Norris edged fellow Briton George Russell by 0.009 seconds to top second practice on Friday for the Barcelona-Catalunya Formula One Grand Prix. Reigning world champion Norris, who sat out the opening session, and his team-mate Oscar Piastri sandwiched the Mercedes driver for the top three, with the Australian coming in 0.057s off the…

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Brazil enter the fray at the World Cup

Five-time winners Brazil roll into the World Cup on Saturday when they play surprise 2022 semi-finalists Morocco in one of the standout group-stage matchups. On the first day featuring four matches at a tournament expanded this year to 48 teams, Scotland return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998 and take on…

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England rout of Sri Lanka in T20 World Cup

LONDON: England made a flying start to the Women’s T20 World Cup as Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s blistering century inspired an 87-run rout of Sri Lanka on Friday. Wyatt-Hodge, whose wife Georgie gave birth to their daughter Daisy last month, celebrated becoming a parent with a superb innings of 105 not out in just 62 balls at…

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Mexico beat South Africa to kick off World Cup

MEXICO CITY: Mexico ignited their World Cup party with a dominant 2-0 victory over nine-man South Africa on Thursday as the biggest ever edition of the global footballing showpiece kicked off at the iconic Estadio Azteca. Julian Quinones scored the opening goal of the tournament and veteran striker Raul Jimenez added a second as the…

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Canada ready to embrace World Cup pressure

Canada coach Jesse Marsch during the press conference. Photo: REUTERS LONDON: Jesse Marsch has a simple message for anyone wondering whether his Canada side are ready for the weight of a home World Cup: they are not just ready for it, they want it. Canada will arrive at Toronto Stadium on Friday for their first World Cup…

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From spectator to provincial champion

Bannu boy overcomes poverty, lack of facilities to become K-P’s top-ranked junior squash player PESHAWAR: Fourteen-year-old Danish Sikandar, a Class 9 student from the backward village of Mandan in Bannu district, has emerged as the number one ranked junior squash player in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in the Under-15 category, a remarkable journey marked by financial hardship, determination…

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Pulisic ‘ready to battle’ Paraguay

Christian Pulisic has been the US side’s talisman since his teenage years, shouldering massive expectations. Photo: AFP LONDON: United States star Christian Pulisic said the World Cup co-hosts are “ready to battle” on soccer’s biggest stage as they prepare for a potentially bruising opener against Paraguay on Friday. Expecations are running high in the States as the US…

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NZ great Williamson retires from international cricket

New Zealand’s Kane Williamson walks off after losing his wicket to the bowling of England’s Josh Tongue. Photo: REUTERS LONDON: New Zealand’s most prolific run-scorer and arguably greatest batsman Kane Williamson announced his immediate retirement from international cricket on Friday in the middle of their series against England. The 35-year-old former skipper called time ahead…

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UFC marches into mainstream

Construction continues on a temporary arena that will host the UFC Freedom 250 fight event in June on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S. Photo: REUTERS WASHINGTON: As workers put final touches to a massive arena for Sunday’s “cage fight” on the White House South Lawn, a few miles away,…

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