Category: 6. Sports

  • Indiana Fever Sign Chloe Bibby to Seven-Day Contract

    Indiana Fever Sign Chloe Bibby to Seven-Day Contract

    Indiana Fever Sign Chloe Bibby to Seven-Day Contract

    Fri, Jul 25, 2025, 10:00 AM

    Australian forward most recently played with Golden State Valkyries

    INDIANAPOLIS (July 25, 2025) — The Indiana Fever have signed Australian forward Chloe Bibby to a seven-day contract, the team announced today.

    Bibby most recently featured with the Golden State Valkyries, with two stints during the 2025 season. During the preseason Bibby appeared in two games, averaging 5.0 points and 1.5 rebounds per game. After re-signing with the Valkyries on June 15, Bibby played five games with the team before being waived on June 30. During her second stint with the team, Bibby averaged 6.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

    Earlier this month, Bibby helped lead her national team, the Australia Opals, to a gold medal in the 2025 FIBA Women’s Asia World Cup. Two years prior, Bibby also guided the Opals to a bronze medal in the 2022 FIBA World Cup in Sydney.

    Bibby also has extensive overseas experience, including being named the Polish League MVP while with the AZS AJP Gorzow Wielkopolski in the 2023-24 season, and MVP of the Liga Femenina de Baloncesto in Spain with the Spar Girona in the 2024-25 season.

    The Indiana Fever are set to face the Chicago Sky on Sunday, July 27, at 3 p.m. ET at the United Center

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  • LIV Golf achieves leading International Sustainable Event Management Certification

    LIV Golf achieves leading International Sustainable Event Management Certification

    The ISO 20121 certification demonstrates LIV Golf’s commitment to meeting the highest standards of sustainability in event management

    LIV Golf is the first Golf league, tour, or major body to achieve this certification across its global operations and events

    Through the league’s impact and sustainability commitments, LIV Golf continues to drive golf forward with impact on and off the course

    JCB GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB, UTTOXETTER AND NEW YORK – As a driving force in golf sustainability, LIV Golf has been officially certified to ISO 20121 Sustainable Event Management by BSI (British Standards Institution), the leading global body for standards certification for sustainable event management. LIV Golf is the first golf league, tour, or major body to achieve ISO certification across its global operations and events

    To achieve ISO 20121 certification, LIV Golf undertook a rigorous 18-month audit, demonstrating the underpinning of sustainability practices across all functions within the organisation.

    The international standard is awarded to organizations that demonstrate a robust and proactive approach to managing the social, environmental, and economic impacts of their events in a sustainable way.

    LIV Golf has successfully demonstrated that it operates a Sustainable Management System that ensures environmental responsibility, social impact and continuous improvement across business and event operations.

    LIV Golf holds environmental standards as a priority. This year’s LIV Golf UK by JCB tournament will be powered by 100% renewable energy, 10,000 shuttle bus journeys will be powered by electric vehicles, flooring will be donated to social housing post event, and school and university students are job-shadowing throughout the event, gaining vital work experience. Further to LIV Golf’s tournament at JCB Golf & Country Club, it upholds a consistent standard of environmentally conscious standards across all its 14 events each season:

    • Branding, signage, and temporary infrastructure are designed for reuse across multiple tournaments, reducing single-use materials and minimising resource demand.
    • Waste is separated on-site for recycling, with event teams working to reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible to minimise what goes to landfill.
    • All catering aligns with LIV Golf’s Sustainable Food Charter, prioritising local sourcing where possible, offering plant-based menu options, and using compostable or reusable service ware.
    • Hydration stations are provided across all events to reduce reliance on single-use plastics for staff, players, and fans.
    • Environmental site risk assessments are completed for every venue, ensuring habitat and biodiversity protection, spill prevention measures, and responsible site management.

    LIV Golf joins an exclusive group of global organisations in world sport, including the Olympics, Formula 1, the EPL’s Liverpool FC, and the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, to have its sustainability management system certified to ISO 20121.

    Jake Jones, Senior Vice President of Impact and Sustainability at LIV Golf added: “Achieving the ISO 20121 certification is a significant milestone for LIV Golf. Being awarded this prestigious certification follows a rigorous, company-wide effort to integrate sustainability principles into our operations, strategy, and event delivery. From procurement to planning and on-site implementation, every part of our business has played a role in reaching this global benchmark and continuing this progression for years to come. ISO 20121 is one of the most respected sustainability standards in the world – and we’re proud to be golf’s global standard bearer.”

    Matt Page, Senior Vice President, Assurance Services EMEA at BSI, said: “There is a fantastic opportunity to harness the power of golf and its many supporters to collaborate to reduce our collective carbon footprint, as well as energy, water usage and waste.

    We are delighted to congratulate the LIV Golf League on achieving certification to ISO 20121, the internationally recognized standard for sustainable event management. This milestone reflects the organization’s strong commitment to embedding sustainability at the heart of their operations and delivering positive social, economic, and environmental outcomes. We’re pleased to have supported LIV Golf through this process and look forward to seeing the continued impact of their sustainability journey across the global sporting landscape.”

    ISO 20121 is the internationally recognized standard for sustainable event management, helping organizations improve environmental, social, and economic performance across their events.

    The certification furthers LIV Golf’s efforts to expand the game and its societal impact on a global level. This achievement is part of the league’s Impact & Sustainability program and wider impact initiatives that aim to enable and inspire a better tomorrow—on and off the course.

    The announcement of LIV Golf’s achievement of ISO 20121 Certification for Sustainable Event Management comes ahead of the final international event of the 2025 League season at JCB Golf & Country Club from 25 – 27 July.

    Excitement for the event has been building following the Open Championship at Portrush in Northern Ireland last weekend, where a record number of 19 LIV Golf League players took part in the final major of the year, the most since the formation of the league in 2022.

    Fans in the UK can look forward to seeing Jon Rahm, Captain of Legion XIII, prepare to defend his individual and team event wins from 2024, with world golf’s biggest names – including two-time major winner Bryson DeChambeau (Crushers GC), Lee Westwood (Majesticks GC) and golfing hall of famer Phil Mickelson (Hyflyers GC) – in action at the JCB Golf and Country Club.

    Click here to learn more about LIV Golf’s Impact and Sustainability efforts from the last several years.

    Tickets are now on sale for the upcoming edition of LIV Golf UK by JCB, the final international event of the 2025 season, at LIVGolf.com.

    ISO 20121 Sustainable Event Management certified by BSI under certificate number SEMS 816245.

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  • British and Irish Lions second Test: Rob Valetini returns to Melbourne with series on the line

    British and Irish Lions second Test: Rob Valetini returns to Melbourne with series on the line

    On the back row of an old team photo, chest puffed out with pride, stands Sione Tuipulotu.

    Now a Lion, back then Tuipulotu, born and brought up in Melbourne, was representing Victoria’s Under-12 state team.

    The ready smile and hefty build make him easy to pick out more than 15 years on.

    The boy standing in front of him is less readily recognisable though.

    The hair is shorter, the frame is slimmer, but Rob Valetini, the Wallabies’ great second-Test hope, stares out of the same frame.

    Had a few sliding doors lined up, Valetini and Tuipulotu could have been on the same side this weekend.

    One side of Valetini’s family, like Tuipulotu’s, has Scottish ancestry. Captain William Sinclair, a diplomat, was dispatched to Fiji in the 19th century and is his great-grandfather.

    On his father’s side, a route to Britain and Ireland opened up more recently though.

    “I was supposed to come to England to play for Bath,” Valetini’s father Manueli tells BBC Sport.

    Manueli was a fast, strong runner, capable of playing in both the back row and centres, long before Levani Botia pulled the same trick.

    He had played against the Wallabies for one of Fiji’s regional teams and was on the fringes of the national team when, in 1985, Bath offered to sponsor a move to the other side of the world.

    “It was very close to happening, but my dad told me ‘no, England is too far, you had better go to Australia or New Zealand’.

    “I think I made the right choice to come to Melbourne.”

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  • Think you’re a Montreal tennis expert? Let’s find out

    Think you’re a Montreal tennis expert? Let’s find out

    The first WTA 1000 stop of the North American summer swing is about to take over Montreal. The Omnium Banque Nationale présenté par Rogers begins this weekend, launching a 12-day run that features a 96-player draw, record prize money and a deep field of contenders.

    This year’s tournament marks the event’s debut in an expanded format, with main-draw play starting Sunday, July 27, and concluding with a Thursday night final on August 7. Fans will see over $5 million in total prize money awarded, alongside 1,000 ranking points for the champion.

    Jessica Pegula arrives as the two-time defending champion. She won both Toronto (2024) and Montreal (2023). Pegula, the World No. 4, owns a 17-2 record at this tournament and will look to fend off challenges from Roland Garros winner Coco Gauff, who leads the field as the No. 1 seed, and Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek, who is seeded second.

    Amanda Anisimova, who reached her first WTA 1000 final here last year, returns as a Top 10 player after a breakthrough season, while past champions Belinda Bencic, Elina Svitolina and Bianca Andreescu will add firepower to the draw.

    For Canadian fans, Eugenie Bouchard’s farewell appearance will be one of the week’s most notable moments as the 2014 Wimbledon finalist closes her career on home soil.

    Think you know your Montreal tennis history? Test your knowledge with our trivia challenge.

     

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  • Camiral celebrates being named 2031 Ryder Cup host venue

    Camiral celebrates being named 2031 Ryder Cup host venue

    By Ryder Cup Europe On July 25, 2025 13:55 UTC

    Camiral welcomed guests from across Catalunya and Spain at launch event on Friday to celebrate the announcement that it will host the 2031 Ryder Cup.

    More than 330 people attended the event which took place three days after Ryder Cup Europe formally announced that Camiral, in Costa Brava, near Barcelona, will be the setting for golf’s greatest team contest in six years’ time.

    Guy Kinnings, the Chief Executive of the European Tour Group, took the famous Ryder Cup trophy to Camiral as he took part in a press conference with the institutions who helped bring the biennial contest back to Spain.

    GIRONA, SPAIN – JULY 25: Pau Gasol, basketball legend, Olympic medalist, NBA champion and global sports ambassador, Joan Roca, chef of El Celler de Can Roca, three Michelin stars and a symbol of Girona’s culinary excellence, Cristina Cabañas, leading hotel entrepreneur and a key voice in Costa Brava tourism industry, Berni Álvarez, Conseller d’Esports de la Generalitat de Catalunya, committed to sport as a tool for community and growth and Lidia Masllorens, a visual artist whose bold and expressive work embodies the creativity of Girona during the press conference for the official announcement of the host venue for the 2031Ryder Cup at Camiral Golf & Wellness on July 25, 2025 in Girona, Spain. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

    Spain will become the first country in continental Europe to host the Ryder Cup twice, having previously done so in 1997 when the legendary Seve Ballesteros led Europe to victory against the United States.

    Kinnings was joined by Albert Dalmau, Minister of the Presidency, Generalitat; José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, President of Consejo Superior de Deportes; Juan Guerrero-Burgos, President of the Real Federación Española de Golf, Miquel Noguer, President de la Diputació de Girona and Mateu Hernández, Director General de Barcelona Turisme.

    Also on the top table was Denis O’Brien, the Owner of Camiral, whose long-term vision to host the Ryder Cup will be realised in 2031.

    Estrella Damm were also represented following the announcement they will be the Official Beer of the 2031 Ryder Cup and the title sponsor of the Estrella Damm Catalunya Championship for the next five years.

    Kinnings paid tribute to the collaboration between the various organisations from the public and private sector and reflected on the impact Tuesday’s announcement has already had in Catalunya and Spain.

    “I am delighted to be joined here today by our distinguished guests who sit alongside me, who have been so crucial in bringing Ryder Cup here to the Catalunya, back to Spain for a second time and to this world class venue, Camiral, in 2031.

    “Our announcement earlier this week was the culmination of many months of diligent discussions and close collaboration to deliver a shared vision.

    “The Ryder Cup is a truly global event which is watched and loved by hundred of millions around the world. But it is also an event for the host region – this will be your Ryder Cup as much as it will be ours.

    “We aim to leave a lasting legacy that runs deeper than just the week itself. We’re six years out, but that process very much begins today.”

    A panel discussion also took place with some guest Catalan speakers from sport, culture hospitality and business. Berni Álvarez, Conseller d’Esports de la Generalitat de Catalunya, joined the panel which also featured Pau Gasol, NBA basketball legend, Joan Roca, chef of the three Michelin star El Celler de Can Roca – a symbol of Girona’s culinary excellence; Cristina Cabañas, leading hotel entrepreneur and a key voice in Costa Brava tourism industry; and Lidia Masllorens, a visual artist whose bold and expressive work embodies the creativity of Girona.

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  • Satwik-Chirag reach semis, Unnati Hooda bows out

    Satwik-Chirag reach semis, Unnati Hooda bows out

    Asian Games champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty stormed into the men’s doubles semi-finals at the China Open 2025 badminton tournament with a comfortable win over Malaysia’s Yew Sin Ong and Ee Yi Teo on Friday.

    Playing at the Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium in Changzhou, the People’s Republic of China, Satwik and Chirag won 21-18, 21-14 to make it to their fourth semi-final of the 2025 badminton season.

    They previously made the last four at the India, Singapore and Malaysia Opens.

    Satwik and Chirag made a confident start, racing to a 4-1 lead in the opening game. Though the Malaysians clawed back to make it 19-18, the Indian badminton players held their collective nerves to close out the game.

    In the second game, the world No. 12 Indian pair kept their noses ahead before pulling away from 15-14 with six unanswered points to seal the match in 40 minutes.

    Chirag and Satwik will next face familiar opponents in world No. 2 Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia. The Malaysian badminton players had beaten the Indian pair in the quarter-finals of the Paris 2024 Olympics.

    Meanwhile, Unnati Hooda’s inspiring run at the BWF Super 1000 tournament came to an end in the quarter-finals. The 17-year-old tennis player, 35th in the badminton rankings, lost 21-16, 21-12 to Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, the world No. 4 and a two-time world champion.

    Unnati had stunned two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu in the pre-quarterfinals after opening her campaign with a confident win over Commonwealth Games medallist Kirsty Gilmour of Scotland.

    The teenager was the last remaining Indian in the singles draw.

    Unnati matched her opponent early on and even led 6-5 in the opening game, but the Japanese ace strung together five consecutive points to wrest control.

    The second game followed a similar pattern, with Unnati level at 8-all before Yamaguchi accelerated and wrapped up the match in just 33 minutes.

    India’s campaign in men’s singles ended on Thursday, with HS Prannoy losing to sixth seed Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei in the round of 16. Lakshya Sen, a Paris 2024 semi-finalist, was knocked out in the opening round on Tuesday.

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  • F1 – 2025 Belgian Grand Prix – Friday Press Conference Transcript

    F1 – 2025 Belgian Grand Prix – Friday Press Conference Transcript

    TEAM REPRESENTATIVES: Laurent MEKIES (Red Bull Racing), Jonathan WHEATLEY (Kick Sauber), Ayao KOMATSU (Haas)
     
    Q: Laurent, if we could start with you, please. Many congratulations on the new job, first of all. You’ve been in it about two weeks. Can you start by giving us your first impressions of Red Bull Racing?
    Laurent MEKIES: You know, the first impression is that you get into the building – a building Jonathan knows very well – you get through the trophy room and how can you feel? You just feel honoured, privileged. It’s unbelievable achievements that the team have been getting the last 20 years. So that’s the first wow effect you get. And then, of course, what these two weeks have been about is really trying to meet as many people as possible from the team. There is no other way, I think, to try to get to know the team, to start to understand the strengths and the weaknesses, to understand how we will be able to eventually support. That’s what I’ve been doing the last two weeks, trying to meet as many of our people as possible. And the good news is it’s an incredible team. They didn’t win by luck or by mistakes. They won because of the accumulation of talents that there is in the buildings. Every small box you open and you look at how they go about a given topic or another thing, every time you say, “Wow, that’s really nice.” And that’s all coming from the people there at all levels that have been doing amazing jobs for all these years. Maybe that man [Wheatley] as well. So really, that’s how the first two weeks have been.
     
    Q: And have you seen enough to be able to tell us what you think the biggest differences are between Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls where you were before?
    LM: The short answer is no. I think it would be wrong to compare teams at this stage. But it’s fair to say that the game is changing when you try and fight for wins, when you’re trying to fight for championships, and how extreme you have to go in every single area to grab the last bit of performance. That means you need to make some very bold choices, very bold decisions. This is what you find in all these small boxes we were talking about before – how extreme the team goes about every single detail in order to eventually get that ultimate performance that you need for the sort of ambition the team has.
     
    Q: Jonathan, if I could come to you now, you joined Sauber mid-season. How difficult is it to pick up the baton during a busy racing season?
    Jonathan WHEATLEY: I think it’s a challenge, but everything about being a team principal of a Formula 1 team is a challenge. You can’t always choose when you start the position, and you have to make the most of it. It’s been a very intense period of time, my first four months or something with the team. I have to say I’ve loved every second: the new challenges, the energy, the atmosphere in the team. And of course, that’s just getting stronger, and the energy is just getting more intense as a result of our performances recently.
     
    Q: Just on the topic of Red Bull Racing, it’s a team where you spent many years. Can you just give us your thoughts on the news that Christian Horner has been relieved of his operational duties?
    JW: I’d like to start by saying look at what Christian achieved in that team. Look what the team that he was part of achieved over the last twenty years. I had a fantastic time in Milton Keynes. I have a slightly more scenic drive to work now, but I know the strength and depth of the people there, and I know the task that Laurent’s taken on is going to be exciting for him. I want to say on a personal level that I wish Christian absolutely the very best in the future, but also that two really good friends of mine, this gentleman sat to my right here Laurent and also Alan Permane, it’s provided opportunities in their careers and their career development. Honestly, out of everything comes something hugely positive, and I’m really, really pleased for Laurent and Alan.
     
    Q: Jonathan, your team has scored more points in the last four races than Red Bull Racing. In terms of performance, do you feel you’re building some momentum now in Hinwil?
    JW: Yeah. I mean, look, let’s face it. I doubt we’re going to be regular competitors for podiums. But what I think it showed is that the small gains we’re making behind the scenes, the things people can’t see necessarily, on top of the performance we’re putting on the car towards the end of a set of technical regulations where normally things are stale, all show good signs for the future. Like I said earlier, there’s a great energy in the team. We’re moving forwards. I’m not entirely sure we could have delivered that result earlier on in the season because you have to get everything right to get a podium, as these gentlemen know. But we got a great time to enjoy it and actually got to breathe and enjoy it at the factory before coming to the next race.
     
    Q: Ayao, thank you for waiting. Let’s come to you now. Am I talking to a team principal or a racing driver? Just how much did you enjoy driving the Haas at Goodwood last week?
    Ayao KOMATSU: I think everyone knows I’m not a racing driver! Far from it. I’m very grateful. Amazing opportunity. I used to go to Goodwood all the time, seeing those cars going up the hill, and I never thought I’d drive a car one day [there], let alone a Formula 1 car. When we asked Gene to drive and he said yes, we decided to do the preparation together, but I still wasn’t going to drive it. Then he very generously let me do it with him. I’m very grateful about that. The best thing is we celebrated our ten years really in style, and Gene absolutely loved it. I’ve never seen him smile so much, shaking hands with everyone, interacting with fans. That was a great experience all around.
     
    Q: You said after Silverstone that the team had underperformed in the race. What were the issues there?
    AK: Issues, honestly, starting from myself really, the whole team including myself. I think we had a wrong mindset. I think Jonathan’s team and Nico showed us how to do it. We knew we had a fast car. We knew we had fast drivers. What we should have done was just focus on our race, look at what’s in front of us, and do the best. Don’t worry about the results because the result will come.
    I think Nico and Sauber made all the right decisions, judged the conditions very, very well, and then executed it. Such great teamwork. So honestly, congratulations for you guys and also very happy for Nico as well. It’s a shame that Nico couldn’t do it with us when he was with us, but again, it just shows it’s so important to work as a team with the correct mindset, correct objectives. Just our approach was wrong. The good thing is we’ve got the machinery to do it. We’ve got the drivers to do it. We just need to put it right.
     
    Q: I hope we might get mixed conditions this weekend here at Spa. Are you entering the race weekend with a different mindset?
    AK: 100%. Yes.
     
    QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
     
    Q: (Ian Parkes – RacingNews365.com) Question for you, Laurent. Can you just give us an idea as to how things played out in the days following the British Grand Prix as much as you’re allowed to, of course, with regard to the approach that was made to you to take over and, of course, your reaction to the news that the owners had decided to relieve Christian of his operational duties?
    LM: Thank you. Well, it was not very different for me than it was for you, really, guys. I got a call a few hours before you guys were made aware. I got a call from Oliver [Mintzlaff] and Helmut [Marko], and they asked me if I would be interested to do the job. Obviously, it came out of the blue at that moment for me. I was actually in the UK at Racing Bulls and it came in a completely unexpected way. I actually asked them to think about it for a few hours and hung up the phone. It’s difficult to digest. But the first thing that comes into your mind is, “Wait a second. It’s Red Bull. They are calling you. They ask you to step in to do that job , with everything that Red Bull means – its energy, its spirit, how they go about their racing teams” and that’s how you pick up the phone and you say, “Of course, it’s an honour. It’s a privilege.” First thought obviously goes in this moment as well to Christian because it’s not something I could have expected. And he had been nothing else than extremely supportive with me these last two years. It’s not a secret that he’s the one with Oliver and Helmut that brought me back to the Red Bull family a couple of years ago. So that’s the sort of mix of emotions you get at that moment. But as I said, the dominant one is: it’s Red Bull calling. I guess it’s a matter of loyalty to go towards the brand and you just say, “Of course, if you think you need me there, I will go there.”
     
    Q: (Luke Smith – The Athletic) Laurent, another one for you. Max Verstappen’s future has obviously been a big talking point in Formula 1 over the past few months. For you, how much of a priority is ensuring that Max will be remaining with the team for next year and the foreseeable future? And what conversations have you had with Max about his future?
    LM: In terms of priority, I’m sure what Max wants is a fast car. If we get him a fast car, it cancels out all the other considerations. So really, the focus is very much, as we said earlier, to get to know the team as quickly as possible in order to see how we can support, how we can build the next step of competitiveness in order to get a fast car and hence make it an easy call for Max.
     
    Q: (Andrew Benson – BBC Sport) Laurent, it’s for you again, I’m afraid. What qualities do you think Oliver and Helmut saw in you that made them want to make you team principal? And what initial impressions have you formed about where Red Bull have gone a little bit off the rails so far this year and last?
    LM: The first question you will have to ask them. I’m not going to take that one. The second question: all I’ve been seeing in these two weeks is extraordinary talent, incredible racing spirit. These guys go on the edge on every single aspect. There is not a single department where you see a bit of a feeling of laying back or resting. They really are at war, in the good sense of the word, in every single aspect. That’s what you see, Andrew. So, in front of that, what we are going to try to do is make sure that all these women and men have everything they need to express themselves at their best, that they are supported, that they have all the means they need to show their talent.
    They have been showing season after season that they are the best in the world or, if they are not, they are very close. To your point, you do not see weaknesses. You see a lot of desire from everyone to get that Red Bull energy, perhaps to reduce the noise outside, just to concentrate on racing. That’s what you see, and that’s what we are going to try to do together.
     
    Q: (Scott Mitchell-Malm – The Race) When you had your conversations with the shareholders about the decision, what was explained to you in terms of the timing of doing it now? And what kind of plan’s been outlined to you in terms of how you will run the team and how things will work? Because Helmut mentioned in an interview this week that the idea will be reduced responsibilities versus Christian and a tighter focus on the race team, for example.
    LM: It’s probably, because of everything we’ve said earlier about trying to get to know the team, trying to understand the dynamics, trying to understand the strengths and the weaknesses, a bit early to talk about structure. But for sure, one thing that is very high in our priorities is to make sure that we have the right focus, that we avoid any bottlenecking in the company at all levels. It’s with that spirit that we look at what we need to do next. For sure, Formula 1 comes first. We have the chassis operation, the power unit operation. That’s what is going to be the main focus. It’s a racing team. People in the team love racing. That’s what they are here for. That’s going to be where the main focus is.
     
    Q: (Giles Richards – The Guardian) Again for you, Laurent. This has been quite a seismic shift for many people in the team, many of whom have been there as long, if not slightly longer, than Christian. You’ve had two weeks now. Can you just tell us what is the state of morale within the team as they deal with this big change?
    LM: For sure, the first 24 hours were a big adjustment because nobody was expecting it. The first few hours after the announcement were a surprise for everyone and certainly a digesting phase for everyone. What can I say after that? I’ve only been finding a huge amount of support from everyone. They just want to go racing. They are hugely respectful, and we all are, of the achievements that have been made under Christian’s leadership. Could I be hoping for more support, openness from the people I’ve been meeting these last two weeks? No. Everybody has been incredibly supportive, willing to open the door, willing to speak, to listen, to explain their limitations and strengths, how we go next about going back to the racetrack and fighting at an even higher level tomorrow. That’s what I’ve found.
     
    Q: (Ronald Vording – Motorsport.com) Another one for you, Laurent. Last time Christian was in the FIA press conference, he said Red Bull has had two really successful eras in F1, and now it’s all about building a third one. Do you think that’s the current state of the team, that it’s somehow a transitional phase and that maybe building that third era is a long-term project, also given that some of the tools, including the wind tunnel, will be online a bit later on?
    LM: We normally don’t like very much the word ‘transition’ in Formula 1. You’re right, Red Bull F1 has had these two incredible eras of success. I think the next one is dictated by the change of regulations for next year and the amazing decision to go with our own power unit with Ford. That’s what will dictate a new era whether we want it or not. I think all the teams will be starting a new era because of the scale of the regulation change next year.
     
    Q: (Phil Duncan – PA) Laurent, another one for you. I just wondered if you’d spoken to Christian since you’ve taken on the job. And also, Christian was obviously a big character in the sport over the last twenty years. Do you feel under pressure in any way to fill his shoes both on and off the track?
    LM: At first, yes, we have spoken. He has been nothing else than supportive even in the extremely difficult context for him. He was the first one to text, he was the first one to call. I think, again this morning or yesterday we texted again. He has been nothing else than supportive, which is very impressive in the context. Nobody is going to replace his character. Nobody is going to replace him like for like. I come in to do the CEO and team principal job. Is there any way one can do it in the same way as Christian? No. Or at least, certainly not me. But we’ll be relying on the incredible strengths that there are in this team. Everybody is stepping up. It’s certainly an opportunity to look for even more empowerment of our people. Every time we have discussions with Jonathan, we talk about how much strength in depth you have in this team, and that’s what you find. We will certainly look at this phase as a way to get our incredible people to step up and create together the next competitive advantage for the next regulation phase.
     
    Q: (Ivo Pakvis – Panorama) Question to Laurent and Jonathan as well. Red Bull has always been known for a very distinctive team culture. Do you think that will change with new people at the top?
    JW: Laurent is an incredibly impressive person. He’s been a friend of mine for a really long time, and he has a wonderful way of managing people. I think the team principal’s role is very much to motivate the team, to put the right people in the right positions and give them the best opportunities and the tools they need to do the job. I have no doubt whatsoever that Laurent is going to excel in that regard. I just want to say again, I want to wish him all the very best in the future, and I couldn’t be happier for him.
    LM: You’re a bit too kind. What we want to get there is…. You’re asking about the culture, everybody loves the Red Bull approach, everybody loves the Red Bull energy. I’m sure you all recall the early days when Red Bull started in Formula 1, and I’m sure Jonathan remembers them very well. We all want to feel that energy. We all want to go racing. That’s what we all love, and that’s the basis of our culture. Yes, it is a Red Bull culture. It’s a Red Bull energy: work hard, play hard, and try to only think about racing.
     
    Q: (Leonid Kliuev – Grande Premio Brazil) One more question for Laurent. Any details you can share about your current agreement with Red Bull? Is it just for this year? Is it multi‑year? And are there any clear goals for you to achieve, a particular place in the championship, to retain Max maybe?
    LM: Thank you. Not sure how much I can share. Seriously, I don’t think anyone doubts what Red Bull F1 is here to do in terms of objectives. I don’t think anyone doubts what the objectives of the team are short term, mid‑term, long term: it’s to fight for wins and to fight for championships. That’s what it is. In terms of mission statements, that’s of course the objective for the time being, For the short term and the mid‑term, is it different to what it was yesterday? No. Does anyone have a contract that guarantees him to stay forever? No. I don’t either. But I think it’s pretty normal in Formula 1.
     
    Q: (Louis Dekker – NOS) For the other two: 20 years is a long time. Have you ever had the ambition to stay on for twenty years? And Laurent, for you, what will you be doing in 2045 when Max is 47 and you have a lot of grey hairs and be an old man?
    AK: Twenty years? I don’t know. I didn’t think about it like that, to be honest. I wanted to do Formula 1 since I was 14, then came to England when I was 18 and started working in 2003. Every year has been a new challenge. There’s never a moment of boredom at all. You continue to make progress as an individual, as a team, looking for the next stages. So, I don’t count the years. It just happened that I’ve been here for more than 20 years. But it’s as fresh as anything. It’s very exciting – new challenges we get every single time we do our job. I’m looking forward to another new challenge continuously.
    JW: I guess when I came into the sport, I thought I’d do it for a couple of years. That was 34 years ago. Twenty years ago…  Crikey. I never thought I’d meet somebody like Dietrich Mateschitz. What can happen in twenty years is extraordinary. The team he built, to be part of that journey, was incredible. Flavio Briatore…. The people that you meet, the opportunities that Formula 1 gives you… the excitement I still get about coming to Spa‑Francorchamps after all these years. There’s something in all of us, we share this positive energy and love for the sport. It’s well known I started as a mechanic in 1991. I’m sat here as a team principal now. The opportunity that Formula 1 gives to people – I say to so many young people when I first meet them when they’re coming into the business or trying to find out about it – I’m fully energised. I don’t know if I’ve got another 20  years at the cutting‑edge level, but it’s a remarkable sport. We’re all honoured and proud to be part of it, and I’m looking forward to whatever the next part of the journey is.
    LM: It’s exactly as Jonathan and Ayao said. The truth is we are Formula 1 fans. That’s who we are. We have been from very early days, from childhood, and somehow without understanding exactly why and how you end up being paid to actually witness your hobby. To this date, for every single race, there will be a moment in the weekend where you get into the garage, where you plug in on the pit wall and you have that feeling: “I have the best seat to watch the race weekend.” That’s how we feel. I hope that’s also how a lot of you feel. That’s the passion we have in the sport. So, as a result, we don’t count the years – our hair is counting for us – but that’s really how you feel. We are extremely lucky, and that’s why it’s important to keep that perspective and keep the right energy and the right spirit when we come racing. As much as we are competitors and live and die for the competition, we are also hardcore fans – and very privileged hardcore fans.
     
    Q: (Michaël Duforest – Auto Hebdo) A question for all three of you and continuing on that topic. You have all started your journeys in this current position in the last eighteen months, and there have been a lot of changes in the team principal group of Formula 1. What do you think about this new generation that you guys are part of now? Ayao, should we start with you?
    AK: Yeah. I think every situation is different. People have very different backgrounds. Jonathan was a mechanic; I came from an engineering background; some people come from more commercial or business backgrounds. Every team is built differently. I think the important thing is, like Laurent’s been saying, you really have to spend time listening to people, understanding what we need to perform in each team. I’m sure each one of us thinks about understanding the organisation, the people, trying to get the best out of them. I don’t know if it’s just a generation difference, but certainly when I talk to people like Laurent, Jonathan and other team principals, the way we try to approach it, regardless of background, is actually very similar. It’s a huge team sport. Nobody can do it on their own. It’s not a dictatorship. You really have to motivate people, listen to people, facilitate, provide an environment where these talented, hardworking people can perform. I don’t know if it’s a generational thing, but that’s how I see it.
    JW: I would just build on what Ayao said because he’s hit the nail on the head. I think there’s a common theme that runs through all the team principals, which is passion for people and passion for the sport. Without the people, there’s just a lot of machines in empty rooms, in big vast factories – maybe not big vast factories in our respect at the moment. It’s about empowering those people, and you feel it. There’s a common thread that runs through all of us.
    LM: Very, very similar really. We call it the ‘hidden lap time’. It’s not a lap time that will appear on your wind tunnel tracker or engine power tracker, but it’s how much your people are engaged, how much they are motivated, how much they trust each other, how much they help each other. I think we all agree that’s where the business is right now. That’s where you can and have to make a difference. It’s good news for everyone. It means it’s more than ever a people’s business, also because the size of the teams has grown so much that the difference between having everyone at 100% or not sometimes outweighs one innovation or another.
     
    Q: (Tom Cary – The Telegraph) Laurent, last one for you. You mentioned in your conversations with Oliver Mintzlaff and Helmut Marko that when they offered you the job you were surprised. Did they offer you any reasons why Christian Horner had been dismissed at that point? Are you clear on why and why now?
    LM: The short answer is no, they haven’t. We didn’t get into the why and the why now, but they outlined the sort of objectives they had for the team moving forward.
     
    ENDS

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  • Sumit Nagal, Yuki Bhambri return to squad for Switzerland tie

    Sumit Nagal, Yuki Bhambri return to squad for Switzerland tie

    India’s top-ranked singles tennis player Sumit Nagal has returned to the national squad for the Davis Cup 2025 World Group I tie against Switzerland, scheduled to be played on September 12 and 13 in Biel.

    Nagal, who last featured in the home tie against Morocco in Lucknow in September 2023, had missed India’s previous three Davis Cup ties against Pakistan, Sweden and Togo.

    Against Morocco, the 27-year-old Indian tennis player registered two singles wins to help India seal a 4-1 victory.

    Despite a steep drop in his tennis rankings – from world No. 96 in January to 306 currently – due to poor form this season, Nagal remains India’s highest-ranked men’s singles player.

    Also returning to the squad is Yuki Bhambri, India’s top-ranked doubles player at world No. 35, who missed the Togo and Sweden ties. Bhambri played a vital part in India’s 4-0 away win against Pakistan in Islamabad in February 2024.

    The squad was selected based on current rankings, form and availability, the All India Tennis Association (AITA) informed through a press release.

    Veteran Ramkumar Ramanathan, a regular feature in recent squads, has not been included this time.

    The tie will be contested on indoor courts in Biel.

    Switzerland dropped to World Group I after a 3-1 defeat to Spain in the qualifiers while India qualified for the World Group I stage after a 4-0 win over Togo in the play-offs earlier this year in New Delhi.

    Jerome Kym ( world No. 145) is Switzerland’s best-ranked singles tennis player. Former Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka, at world No. 156, is next.

    The winner of the tie will progress to the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers, while the losing nation will fall to the World Group I Playoffs.

    India’s Davis Cup 2025 team vs Switzerland

    • Players: Sumit Nagal, Karan Singh, Aryan Shah, Yuki Bhambri, N Sriram Balaji
    • Reserves: Dakshineswar Suresh, Sasikumar Mukund, Rithvik Bollipalli
    • Captain: Rohit Rajpal
    • Coach: Ashutosh Singh

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  • Afridi back in Pakistan squad for white-ball series against West Indies in US

    Afridi back in Pakistan squad for white-ball series against West Indies in US

    ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan recalled fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi for the white-ball cricket series against West Indies, starting at Broward County Stadium in Lauderhill, Florida.

    The three Twenty20 matches in the U.S. — on July 31, Aug. 2 and 3 — will be followed by three ODI games in Trinidad and Tobago.

    Afridi, who is also in the ODI squad, was surprisingly excluded from Pakistan’s last two T20 series against Bangladesh despite leading Lahore Qalandars to its third Pakistan Super League title in the last four years with a rich haul of 19 wickets this year.

    In Afridi’s absence, Pakistan routed Bangladesh 3-0 at home but lost 2-1 to Bangladesh at Dhaka in a series which ended Thursday.

    Fast bowler Haris Rauf, who was forced to miss the series against Bangladesh because of a hamstring injury he sustained during Major League Cricket (MLC) in the U.S., has recovered and was named in the T20 squad.

    Pakistan’s pace attack was further strengthened Friday with the return of Hasan Ali for both T20s and ODIs against West Indies.

    The selectors dropped pace bowlers Abbas Afridi and Salman Mirza, who both participated in the T20 series in Bangladesh, and retained all-rounders Hussain Talat and Mohammad Nawaz.

    Middle-order batter Hasan Nawaz is the only uncapped player named in the ODI squad. Nawaz scored Pakistan’s fastest-ever T20 century against New Zealand in March this year.

    Salman Ali Agha will continue to lead the T20 side while wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan was named skipper for the ODI series.

    ___

    Pakistan:

    Twenty20 squad: Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.

    ODI squad: Mohammad Rizwan (captain), Salman Ali Agha, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.

    ___

    AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket


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  • SGS Co-Founder Harold A. Feiveson *72 Dies; Remembered as ‘Special Friend and Enthusiastic Educator’

    SGS Co-Founder Harold A. Feiveson *72 Dies; Remembered as ‘Special Friend and Enthusiastic Educator’

    Harold A. Feiveson, a two-time Princeton School of Public and International Affairs alumnus who taught for decades at his alma mater and co-founded its acclaimed Program on Science and Global Security (SGS), died peacefully at his home in Princeton July 10. He was 90.

    Dr. Feiveson — “Hal” to his friends — was an influential researcher in the fields of nuclear weapons and nuclear energy policy, a leading advocate for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and a warmly remembered teacher and colleague.

    “I can still remember the atmosphere he created in the classroom and the way he both taught and empowered us,” said Anne-Marie Slaughter ’80, whom Dr. Feiveson taught and with whom he worked when she returned to the School as dean. “To revere a teacher when you are a student is not so unusual, but Hal was just as civil and decent, and yes, gentlemanly, as a faculty member when I was dean. He embodied the decency and dignity that this country is sorely lacking right now. I grieve his loss.”

    Born in Chicago, Dr. Feiveson attended the Illinois Institute of Technology, where he earned a bachelor’s in physics and played varsity baseball. A master’s in physics from the University of California, Los Angeles, followed. He went to work for Hughes Aircraft and was tasked with developing nuclear-armed air-to-air missiles to be used against Soviet nuclear bombers, an assignment that disillusioned him. Dr. Feiveson decided instead to focus on nuclear arms control, and he came to Princeton SPIA for his MPA. After graduating and spending four years with the science bureau of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, he returned to the School to begin a doctoral program.

    Dr. Feiveson earned his Ph.D. in 1972, joined the Princeton SPIA faculty, and went on to cofound SGS with Frank von Hippel. The two co-directed the program until 2006, in the process helping to shape it into one of the oldest and most highly regarded academic programs focused on technical and policy studies on nuclear issues in the world.

    As a researcher, Dr. Feiveson studied nuclear weapons and nuclear energy policy. In addition to publishing in numerous leading scientific journals, in 1989 he helped to found the international journal Science & Global Security, of which he served as editor for the next 21 years. He was a member of the International Panel on Fissile Materials and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

    Dr. Feiveson taught numerous courses, policy task forces, and graduate workshops relating to nuclear weapons, energy, and national and global environmental issues.

    Former Princeton trustee Aaron Harber ’75 took classes with Dr. Feiveson and was his senior thesis advisee.

    “While he was known worldwide for his work in nuclear policy, seeking to make our world a safer place, only those who knew him experienced one of the kindest, gentlest intellectuals who could ask the tough questions and get the best out of you,” Harber recalled. “Having so successfully and so incredibly taught, supported, and mentored thousands of students over the years, thanks to his pedagogy, leadership, and inspiration, many of us dedicated ourselves to making the world a better place.”

    A passionate supporter of the Princeton Tigers, Dr. Feiveson also taught freshman seminars on intercollegiate athletics, values, and the educational experience.

    “Professor Feiveson was more than a professor — he was a lifeline,” said Will Venable ’05, who played basketball and baseball at Princeton, went on to a nine-year Major League Baseball playing career, and is in his first season as manager of the Chicago White Sox. “He went above and beyond to be there when any member of the basketball team needed help — whether it was offering feedback on papers, running through ideas or simply, talking through issues we might have with a class. There’s no way I could have survived without his guidance to navigate the academic challenges.”

    Jeff Orleans, a former director of the Ivy League, co-taught seminars with Dr. Feiveson, whom he praised for encouraging students to “get the facts right and … really try and be rigorous.”

    “It wasn’t didactic,” Orleans said. “Even though this was not a research seminar in any way, it was important to him that the students understand what mattered most was not your point of view or somebody else’s point of view. It wasn’t even necessarily coming to an answer with what we were trying to explore. It was the exploration, it was trying to see what we could all bring to bear on it together.”

    Former New York Knicks president and general manager Steve Mills ’81 played basketball for the Tigers and was a student of Dr. Feiveson, whom he remembered as “a special friend and an enthusiastic educator.”

    “We always enjoyed seeing each other at games and sharing our mutual passion for the rich history of Princeton basketball,” Mills said. “One of the most meaningful experiences I had with Hal was the opportunity he gave me to co-teach his Dilemmas in Athletics freshman seminar in 2009. That experience deepened my connection to the University and its students in an unforgettable way.”

    Dr. Feiveson was such a fervent supporter of Princeton athletics that he was recognized with the Marvin Bressler Award, given to a Princetonian who “best embodies a belief in the lifelong lessons taught by competition and athletics as a complement to the overall educational mission,” in 2010.

    “I am so saddened to hear of Hal’s passing,” said Gary D. Walters ’67, who was the University’s athletic director at the time. “Hal was the very personification of a mensch. He was a dear friend and a huge basketball fan who attended every home game and many practices. He was a great mentor to many students and academicians. His engaging and easy manner enabled him to connect with everyone. I will miss him greatly. We have lost a great father, husband, professor and teacher.”

    Dr. Feiveson retired in 2013 and was appointed a senior research scientist, emeritus.

    “Hal Feiveson made a difference for Princeton, for America, and for the world,” Harber said. “He will be forever missed.”

    Dr. Feiveson is survived by Carol, his wife of 51 years, their children Dan, Peter, and Laura, and their four grandchildren.

    A memorial service celebrating Hal Feiveson’s life will be held Sunday, July 27, from 2 to 4 p.m., in Chancellor Green. A fuller description of his remarkable life and career can be found on the SGS website.

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