British horse racing will pause for a one-day strike to protest a proposed tax increase on betting, which could lead to job losses and financial issues for the industry. The strike is the first such event in the sport's history in the UK, reshuffling several races to other dates. The government aims to align taxes on online betting with other online gambling forms.
Key Facts
British horse racing will not hold any races on a specific Wednesday due to a strike.
The strike protests a proposed tax increase on betting which could impact the industry financially.
Major races have been rescheduled to create a blank day for the strike.
Industry leaders believe the tax increase might reduce betting on racing, affecting revenue and jobs.
The current proposal could raise the tax rate from 15% to 21%, aligning it with other online gaming.
Thousands of jobs and significant revenue are claimed to be at risk due to the potential tax increase.
Horse racing is the second-biggest spectator sport in Britain, following football.
Racing leaders plan to lobby MPs on the day of the strike to raise awareness and seek support.
Nuno Espirito Santo's time as Nottingham Forest's head coach ended abruptly after public disagreements with the club's owner about the pace of player transfers. Ange Postecoglou was quickly appointed to replace him. Forest acted swiftly because of the existing good relationship between Postecoglou and the club's owner.
Key Facts
Nuno Espirito Santo left Nottingham Forest after making public comments about issues with the club's transfer activities.
Nuno's departure followed a 3-0 home defeat by West Ham and increasing tension with the club's owner.
Forest spent around £180 million on 11 players, but Nuno was displeased with the timing of these arrivals.
Ange Postecoglou was appointed as the new head coach just 13 hours after Nuno's departure.
Postecoglou previously managed Tottenham Hotspur, where he led them to Europa League success but was later dismissed.
Nuno helped Forest achieve a seventh-placed finish last season, leading them to European competition for the first time in 30 years.
The relationship between Nuno and the Forest owner soured after several public outbursts from Nuno.
Erling Haaland, a Norwegian soccer player, has set new records for scoring goals. He scored 36 goals in a Premier League season and has 46 goals in 45 games for Norway. His success comes from his ability to create and capitalize on high-quality goal-making opportunities.
Key Facts
Erling Haaland scored a record 36 goals in a Premier League season with Manchester City.
He has a total of 88 goals in his first 100 Premier League games.
For Norway, Haaland has scored 46 goals in 45 games.
Haaland is known for his strong, fast, and tall build, helping him create more scoring opportunities.
Compared to other top players, Haaland takes many high-quality shots.
He has a high "xG" or expected goals statistic, indicating he gets great chances to score.
Haaland's skills include excellent movement, anticipation, and reflexes, making it hard for defenders to stop him.
Rory McIlroy commented on a Team USA Ryder Cup T-shirt that features a silhouette resembling his signature golf swing pose. The T-shirt, created by Ralph Lauren, is available for purchase ahead of the Ryder Cup event in New York. McIlroy also shared plans to broaden his golf travels, inspired by advice from tennis player Roger Federer.
Key Facts
A USA Ryder Cup T-shirt has a golfer silhouette that looks similar to Rory McIlroy.
The T-shirt is sold by Ralph Lauren for $65.
McIlroy is fine with USA fans wearing the T-shirt that might bear his likeness.
He has won five major golf titles and plans to play his eighth Ryder Cup for Team Europe.
McIlroy seeks to expand his golfing experience by playing in different world locations.
Inspired by Roger Federer, McIlroy wants to try new tournaments instead of the regular circuit.
He aims to avoid playing repetitive tournaments and focus on play he enjoys.
Colombian cyclist Egan Bernal won stage 16 of the Vuelta a Espana, which was shortened due to pro-Palestinian protests. The stage, originally 168 km long, was cut by eight kilometers after protesters blocked the road near the finish line. This is one of several race disruptions linked to protests against the Israel-Premier Tech team.
Key Facts
Egan Bernal won stage 16 of the Vuelta a Espana.
The stage was shortened by eight kilometers due to pro-Palestinian protests.
Protests have disrupted other stages including stage 11.
The Israel-Premier Tech team faced several targeted disruptions.
The race took place from Poio to Castro de Herville.
Protestors caused a crash to Spain's Javier Romo during stage 15.
Jonas Vingegaard is the current leader in overall standings.
The protests are linked to tensions following recent events in Gaza.
Morgan Rogers will start for England in their World Cup qualifying match against Serbia. England's manager, Thomas Tuchel, plans to change the team's lineup following their recent match against Andorra.
Key Facts
Morgan Rogers is an Aston Villa midfielder with experience playing for England.
The match against Serbia is part of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Thomas Tuchel is the manager of the England football team.
The game will take place in Belgrade, Serbia.
Anthony Gordon is also expected to start in the attack alongside Rogers.
Tino Livramento and Ezri Konsa are likely to play.
Players Dan Burn, Eberechi Eze, and Marcus Rashford will not start after playing against Andorra.
Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly is not included in the final squad for this match.
Tommy Fleetwood recently won his first PGA Tour event after 164 attempts. He is preparing for the BMW PGA Championship and reflecting on his victory. Fleetwood values the support and happiness from fans and family more than the win itself.
Key Facts
Tommy Fleetwood won his first PGA Tour event at the Tour Championship in Atlanta.
He received a $10 million winner's prize for his victory.
Fleetwood is preparing for the BMW PGA Championship in Surrey.
His family, including his stepson recovering from back surgery, will support him at the tournament.
Fleetwood’s victory led to congratulatory messages from notable figures like Tiger Woods and LeBron James.
He emphasized the importance of sharing the victory with people and their support.
Fleetwood is focused on upcoming events, including the Ryder Cup in New York.
He aims to win his first tour event on English soil at the Wentworth tournament.
Premier League clubs are seeking clarity about a settlement with Manchester City concerning rules on commercial deals. Both Manchester City and the Premier League agreed to end legal proceedings over the rules that govern these deals. However, the details of the settlement have not been disclosed.
Key Facts
Premier League clubs are concerned about the unresolved details of a settlement with Manchester City regarding commercial rules.
Manchester City previously challenged the Premier League's rules on associated party transactions, claiming they were unlawful.
These rules aim to prevent clubs from making money from deals with companies linked to their owners that aren't priced fairly.
Manchester City and the Premier League agreed to end legal disputes, but the details remain confidential.
Clubs are curious if Manchester City received any special concessions in the agreement.
Concerns exist about Manchester City potentially securing a new sponsorship deal that was previously blocked.
The Chief Executive and Chair of the Premier League have offered to discuss the matter with concerned clubs.
The settlement does not affect the ongoing disciplinary case against Manchester City involving 115 alleged financial rule breaches.
On September 9, 1965, Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitched a perfect game against the Chicago Cubs. This marked him as the sixth pitcher in the modern era to achieve a perfect game. Koufax's performance was a highlight of his successful career, during which he won multiple awards and set records.
Key Facts
Sandy Koufax pitched a perfect game on September 9, 1965.
It was against the Chicago Cubs in Los Angeles.
Koufax was the sixth pitcher in modern baseball history to achieve a perfect game.
He won three Cy Young awards (given to the best pitchers) in four years during his career.
Koufax led the National League in earned run average for five years in a row.
He set a record by striking out 382 batters in one season.
Koufax's team, the Dodgers, was in a close race with the Giants for the pennant.
Three future Hall of Famers were in the Cubs' lineup that night.
Sam Curran has been recalled to England's T20 cricket team for their match against South Africa in Cardiff. Curran, who performed well in the Hundred cricket competition, last played internationally against West Indies in 2024. England aims to strengthen their squad, particularly in bowling, following recent ODIs against South Africa.
Key Facts
Sam Curran will play in the T20 cricket match against South Africa in Cardiff for the first time since 2024.
Curran was selected after performing well in the Hundred competition, scoring 238 runs and taking 12 wickets.
England previously missed having a seam-bowling all-rounder against South Africa in the ODI series.
Other players in the England squad include Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, and Phil Salt, among others.
Curran is expected to bat at position five, and Jacob Bethell will bat at three.
The first T20 match takes place at 18:30 BST on Wednesday, with two more matches scheduled in the series.
England's cricket team has a busy schedule, including upcoming tours in New Zealand and the T20 World Cup next year.
Athletes at the World Championships in Tokyo will face high temperatures, with forecasts predicting 32°C on the opening day. The event is occurring during Japan's hottest summer ever recorded, posing a challenge for competitors.
Key Facts
The World Championships in Tokyo begin on Saturday.
Japan is experiencing its hottest summer since records began in 1898.
Temperatures are 2.36°C above average.
The first event is the 35km men's and women's race walk.
The race walk is set to start at 8:00 am local time to avoid the worst heat.
In 2021, marathon and race walk events were moved to Sapporo to escape Tokyo's heat.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe commented on the heat challenges athletes will face.
Coe mentioned the lack of government action on climate change, noting sports leaders might need to act independently.
The Women's Rugby World Cup has seen some very one-sided matches due to the expansion to 16 teams. The tournament director believes these matches are part of the sport's growth and more opportunities for smaller teams are planned.
Key Facts
The Women's Rugby World Cup group stage ended with top teams mostly advancing to the quarter-finals.
England had the largest win, beating Samoa 92-3.
A third of the matches had winning margins of 50 or more points.
The tournament was more competitive with 16 teams for the first time.
Brazil played in the tournament for the first time, losing their matches but scoring in each game.
Fiji recorded their first World Cup win by defeating Wales.
Plans to help smaller teams improve between tournaments will be announced soon.
Over 245,000 people attended the group stage matches.
Tunisia has qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026 after beating Equatorial Guinea 1-0. Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane scored the winning goal in added time. This win makes Tunisia the second African country, after Morocco, to secure a spot at the tournament.
Key Facts
Tunisia won 1-0 against Equatorial Guinea with a goal from Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane.
The victory secured Tunisia's qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Tunisia now has an uncatchable lead in Group H, having earned 22 points from eight games.
Morocco was the first African team to qualify for the World Cup in 2026.
The World Cup in 2026 will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Tunisia has qualified for the World Cup seven times but has only won three matches in previous tournaments.
Africa will have at least nine slots in the 48-team World Cup, which might increase to 10 after playoffs.
Max Verstappen of Red Bull won the Italian Grand Prix after starting from pole position. During the race, McLaren's Oscar Piastri was instructed to let teammate Lando Norris pass him. Verstappen noticed a pit stop issue that led to this change in positions by observing large screens at the track.
Key Facts
Max Verstappen converted his pole position into a race win at the Italian Grand Prix.
McLaren's Oscar Piastri received team orders to let Lando Norris pass him during the race.
Verstappen guessed Norris had a slow pit stop by watching trackside giant screens.
Formula 1 teams have separate groups for each driver, although they work under one management.
Drivers at McLaren choose their own car setups, but both cars generally have the same specifications.
McLaren introduced a special suspension part this season to help Lando Norris, but it was optional.
The best Formula 1 drivers can manage racing while also being highly observant, like Max Verstappen.
Ange Postecoglou is likely to become the new head coach of Nottingham Forest after Nuno Espirito Santo was dismissed. Postecoglou, who recently left his position as Tottenham's manager, is in talks with Nottingham Forest for the role.
Key Facts
Ange Postecoglou is expected to replace Nuno Espirito Santo as the head coach of Nottingham Forest.
Nuno Espirito Santo was dismissed from his role late on Monday night.
Nottingham Forest is actively seeking a new coach and is in discussions with Postecoglou.
Postecoglou is 60 years old and a strong candidate for the job.
He was previously sacked by Tottenham at the end of last season.
Despite issues in the Premier League, Postecoglou led Tottenham to win the Europa League last season.
Tottenham finished 17th in the Premier League under Postecoglou.
Scotland's national soccer team won 2-0 against Belarus in a World Cup qualifying match. The victory was part of Scotland's ongoing efforts to qualify for the World Cup, with notable performances from players like Che Adams and Ben Gannon-Doak. With more qualifying matches ahead, Scotland aims to stay competitive in their group.
Key Facts
Scotland defeated Belarus 2-0 in a World Cup qualifying match.
Che Adams scored one of the goals and assisted in the second one.
Ben Gannon-Doak made a strong impact playing on the left wing.
Scotland's defense did not allow any goals, maintaining a clean sheet.
The game took place behind closed doors in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary.
Denmark's 3-0 win over Greece affected the group standings.
Greece will face Scotland in an important upcoming qualifying match.
Scotland's current goalkeepers and midfield have been performing well.
Jorja Miller, a talented New Zealand rugby player, became an Olympic champion at a young age and was voted the best sevens player in the world. She transitioned successfully from sevens to XVs rugby, making a strong impact on the field. Miller continues to excel with New Zealand's national team, contributing significantly as they advance in the Women's Rugby World Cup.
Key Facts
Jorja Miller became an Olympic champion before turning 21.
She was voted the best sevens player in the world.
Miller played in boys' teams from age four to thirteen.
She debuted in sevens rugby at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2022.
In 2023, at age 20, she won New Zealand's Player of the Year award.
Miller started playing XVs for New Zealand earlier this year.
She helped her team advance to the Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
Her playing style combines explosive footwork and rugby skills, influenced by her background in Highland dancing.
Emile Cairess, a British marathon runner, is aiming for the podium at the World Championships in Tokyo. He has previously achieved notable finishes, including third place in the London Marathon and fourth place in the Paris Games, which is the best British male result in 40 years. Despite challenges like injuries and illness, Cairess continues to train rigorously and aims to make history for Britain in marathon racing.
Key Facts
Emile Cairess is the second-fastest British marathon runner in history.
Cairess has finished third in the London Marathon and fourth in the Paris Games.
His fourth-place finish in Paris is the best by a British man in a marathon in 40 years.
Cairess could become the first British man to win a marathon medal at the World Championships.
He broke Mo Farah's British 10km record in 2022 and set a European 10-mile record in 2023.
Cairess trains over 120 miles per week, despite dealing with injuries and illnesses recently.
He is coached by Renato Canova, who is known for training successful runners.
The World Championships in Tokyo have strong competition, with 10 men having run under 2 hours and 6 minutes this year.
England's soccer team, coached by Thomas Tuchel, faces a tough World Cup qualifying match against Serbia in Belgrade. England has not yet lost or conceded a goal in qualifiers but has not shown strong performances. The game will test England's progress under Tuchel, especially in a challenging environment.
Key Facts
England will play Serbia in a World Cup qualifier at Rajko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade.
England has won all its qualifying games but has been criticized for lackluster performances.
Serbia's stadium has a reduced capacity due to past incidents of bad behavior by fans.
The stadium is known for its intense atmosphere, with a long tunnel and graffiti.
Serbia's team includes top players like Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic and former Real Madrid player Luka Jovic.
England's coach, Thomas Tuchel, views this game as an important test for the team's progress.
England is currently leading Group K, five points ahead of Serbia.
Serbia's coach, Dragan Stojkovic, was cautious about revealing his lineup plans for the match.
Brendon McCullum, the head coach of England's cricket team, addressed misconceptions about the team's playing style, which he finds disrespectful. Since taking over in 2022, McCullum has focused on creating an environment where players can perform without pressure, rather than sticking to a rigid style. He emphasizes the importance of mindset over a specific playing strategy.
Key Facts
Brendon McCullum is the head coach of England's cricket Test team since 2022.
McCullum does not like the term "Bazball," which describes the team's aggressive play.
He says misconceptions about the team’s style are disrespectful to players and staff.
McCullum emphasizes a mindset and environment for handling international cricket pressures.
His goal is to allow players' talent to shine without being restricted by negativity.
England's performance has varied, with successes in Tests but recent struggles in white-ball cricket.
McCullum feels his skills are more aligned with fostering confidence in Test players.
