Max Verstappen earned his and Red Bull's first pole position of the 2026 Formula 1 season in qualifying at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. He was nearly three-tenths of a second faster than Lewis Hamilton, who qualified second ahead of Kimi Antonelli, promoted after a penalty to another driver.
Key Facts
Max Verstappen secured the pole position with the fastest time in qualifying.
Lewis Hamilton qualified second, close behind Verstappen.
Isack Hadjar was third fastest but received a five-place grid penalty.
Kimi Antonelli moved up to third on the starting grid due to Hadjar’s penalty.
George Russell qualified eighth, behind his teammate Antonelli.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was fifth fastest.
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso placed 12th, their best qualifying result this year.
Malaysia hosted this Grand Prix for the first time since 2017 after a delay caused by conflict in the Middle East.
Red Bull introduced an aerodynamic upgrade that helped performance at the Sepang track.
Mercedes’ recent car upgrade did not improve their results as expected.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Tom Kim won the gold medal in golf at the Asian Games, which allows him to avoid South Korea's mandatory military service except for a short basic training. He finished the tournament with a strong final round and a three-stroke lead, securing his exemption and enabling him to focus on his golf career.
Key Facts
Tom Kim is 24 years old and won gold at the Asian Games golf event.
Winning gold exempts him from nearly two years of military service required of most South Korean men.
The military exemption applies to Asian Games champions and Olympic medal winners, except for short basic training under one month.
Kim finished the final round with a score of six under par 64, winning by three strokes and totaling 18 under for the tournament.
He traveled quickly from the Presidents Cup in the U.S. to compete in Japan, managing jet lag and little sleep.
Kim is ranked 32nd in the world and has four PGA Tour wins, including the Scottish Open in July.
Other South Korean athletes like Son Heung-min have received similar exemptions after winning gold at the Asian Games.
South Korea only allowed silver in the team event at the Asian Games, so another golfer, SH Kim, did not get an exemption.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Zinedine Zidane made his first appearance as the coach of the French national football team in a match against Italy at the Stade de France. The game ended in a draw, with Italy playing strongly despite a good free kick goal by Michael Olise for France.
Key Facts
Zidane returned as France's national team coach and was warmly welcomed at the Stade de France.
The match was against Italy, the same team Zidane last played against in 2006.
Michael Olise scored a free kick goal for France early in the game.
Italy played well and managed to hold France to a draw.
The Stade de France was full of spectators for Zidane’s home debut.
Other football news mentioned includes Belgium’s win over Turkey and upcoming matches for Spain and England.
Manchester City announced they will appeal after being found guilty of breaking financial rules.
The event is part of the Nations League, an international football competition.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
India won the Asian Games T20 cricket gold by beating Pakistan by 19 runs in the final held in Nagoya, Japan. India scored 211 runs, with strong batting from Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma, while Pakistan’s Hasan Nawaz scored 96, but his team finished with 192 runs.
Key Facts
India scored 211 runs for 6 wickets in their 20 overs.
Abhishek Sharma scored 61 runs and Tilak Varma scored 51 runs not out.
Pakistan scored 192 runs for 6 wickets in 20 overs.
Hasan Nawaz scored 96 runs for Pakistan with seven sixes and five fours.
The match took place at Korogi Park Athletic Stadium in Nagoya, Japan.
India and Pakistan are political rivals and only meet in neutral venues for cricket.
The Indian players celebrated by waving their national flag after winning.
Sri Lanka won the bronze medal by defeating Bangladesh in the third-place match.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Robert Lewandowski scored three goals to help Poland win 6-0 against Romania in a Nations League match. Meanwhile, Edin Dzeko retired from international football after Bosnia-Herzegovina drew 1-1 with Sweden.
Key Facts
Poland beat Romania 6-0 in the Nations League, with Lewandowski scoring a hat-trick (three goals).
Romania played with 10 men after Radu Dragusin was sent off in the 22nd minute.
Lewandowski, 38 years old, has scored 92 goals for Poland and completed his seventh international hat-trick.
Romania’s coach Gheorghe Hagi lost his first three competitive matches in his current role.
Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Edin Dzeko retired from international football after playing 152 games and scoring 73 goals.
Dzeko received a large celebration including fireworks, a guard of honor, and a drone show at his last match.
Belgium beat Turkey 3-0 with two goals from Kevin De Bruyne and one from Romelu Lukaku.
Hungary secured their first win of the Nations League campaign with a 1-0 victory over Georgia.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Wang Cong, a Chinese MMA fighter known for her Joker-inspired face paint, will fight Natalia Silva for the vacant UFC flyweight title at UFC 332. Both fighters are on winning streaks, with Silva favored for the title, but Cong feels confident and ready to surprise her opponent.
Key Facts
Wang Cong has won 10 out of 11 professional MMA fights and is on a four-fight win streak.
She wears green hair dye and Joker-style face paint to intimidate opponents and boost her performance.
Cong will fight Natalia Silva for the vacant UFC flyweight championship in Salt Lake City.
Silva is on a 14-fight win streak and is the UFC’s number one ranked flyweight.
The title became vacant after Valentina Shevchenko was injured and had to give up the belt.
Cong is ranked sixth but got the title shot because higher-ranked fighters are already booked or recently fought.
This fight is the first women’s main event in the UFC since January 2025.
If Cong wins, she will become only the second Chinese UFC champion after Zhang Weili.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
John McGinn is an important player for Scotland’s national football team, with 91 appearances and 21 goals. Recently, his impact in games has lessened, and he acknowledges the pressures and competition but remains committed to playing his best for Scotland.
Key Facts
John McGinn has scored 21 goals in 91 games for Scotland.
He is third on Scotland’s all-time appearance list and fifth in all-time goal scorers.
McGinn will turn 32 years old later this month.
His last Scotland goal before scoring against Haiti was nearly two years ago.
McGinn feels pressure to perform but accepts criticism as part of the game.
He is not guaranteed a starting spot and supports competition for places on the team.
McGinn played for both Scotland and Aston Villa.
He remains motivated by his debut experience and desire to help Scotland succeed.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Rodri is a quiet, hardworking football player who prefers to focus on the game rather than fame. He won many trophies with Manchester City, including the Champions League, and recently moved to Barcelona after also achieving major success with Spain’s national team.
Key Facts
Rodri is a 30-year-old midfielder who has won 12 major trophies with Manchester City.
He helped Spain win both the European Championship and the World Cup.
Rodri won the Ballon d’Or award in 2024, a prize given to the best football player in the world.
He avoids social media and fame, focusing on football tactics and game control.
Rodri spent time in the U.S. as a teenager, improving his English at a summer camp in Connecticut.
He studied business administration at university while training to become a professional footballer.
Manchester City was found guilty of breaking financial rules, but Rodri supports the club’s appeal.
Rodri chose to join Barcelona instead of their rival club, Real Madrid, after his success at Manchester City.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Jack Wilshere, a former professional football player, is now the manager of Luton Town, the club where he started playing as a child. He has won trophies as a player and coach and aims to use his experience to help young players develop. Wilshere recently shared his career story and his passion for coaching in an interview on BBC Sport.
Key Facts
Wilshere began playing football at Luton Town when he was seven years old.
He won the FA Cup twice as a player with Arsenal.
He played 182 Premier League games and represented England 34 times, including at the 2014 World Cup and 2016 European Championship.
Injuries forced him to retire early at age 30.
Shortly after retiring, he became a youth coach at Arsenal.
Wilshere became Luton Town's manager in October last year, his first senior coaching job.
He led Luton to win the EFL Trophy in April 2024.
Wilshere learned coaching skills from Mikel Arteta, Arsenal’s manager and former teammate.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Manchester City was found guilty of creating fake contracts to boost its income by £900 million. The article connects this to how football clubs, once community-based, have become focused on profit after being bought by wealthy owners.
Key Facts
Manchester City’s owners made false contracts to increase reported income by £900 million.
The ruling came during the Labour party conference, highlighting broader issues of privatization in the UK.
Football clubs like Manchester City started as community institutions linked to local groups and supporters.
The club was bought in 2008 by Sheikh Mansour from the Abu Dhabi ruling family.
The article compares the commercialization of football to the privatization of public services in Britain since the 1980s.
Manchester City had limited success before wealthy ownership, with one major trophy in 1976 and a brief golden period around 1968-70.
Supporters remained loyal during tough times, showing strong emotional ties despite lack of trophies.
The article’s author has a personal connection to Manchester City, growing up as a fan and later reporting on football business.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Baseball’s postseason has reached the League Divisional Series, which is an important playoff stage. Steve Phillips, a former New York Mets General Manager, discussed this series on the CBS News program "The Takeout."
Key Facts
The baseball postseason is currently in the League Divisional Series (LDS) stage.
The LDS includes both the American League Divisional Series (ALDS) and National League Divisional Series (NLDS).
Steve Phillips, who used to manage the New York Mets team, shared his insights on the series.
The discussion appeared on the CBS News show called "The Takeout."
The LDS determines which teams advance further in the playoffs.
The article provides brief coverage and expert opinion without detailed game results.
The League Divisional Series is one step before the Championship Series in baseball’s playoff structure.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Eli Price, an 8-year-old boy, is competing in the NASCAR Youth series even though he is not old enough to have a driver’s license. This allows young kids to race in a controlled and safe way.
Key Facts
Eli Price is only 8 years old.
He participates in the NASCAR Youth series.
The NASCAR Youth series is designed for young racers.
Participants in this series do not need a regular driver’s license.
This series is a stepping stone for kids who want to become race car drivers.
It provides a safe environment for young drivers to learn racing skills.
The news was reported on October 2, 2026.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Luke Humphries won his quarter-final match 3-0 against Niels Zonneveld to reach the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix darts tournament. He will play James Wade, who also won his quarter-final match without losing a set.
Key Facts
Luke Humphries has not lost a set in this year's World Grand Prix.
Humphries beat Niels Zonneveld 3-0 with an average score of 85.91.
James Wade defeated Gian van Veen 3-0 to reach the semi-finals.
Nathan Aspinall also won his quarter-final 3-0 over Ryan Joyce.
Gerwyn Price won a close 3-2 match against Jonny Clayton.
The semi-finals will be Nathan Aspinall vs. Gerwyn Price and Luke Humphries vs. James Wade.
The final is scheduled for Sunday, 4 October.
Humphries won the World Grand Prix in 2023 and aims to reach his fourth consecutive final.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Between 2009 and 2018, Manchester City spent about £1.2 billion on player transfers, making them the biggest spenders in that time. The club was found guilty of financial rule-breaking connected to inflated accounts, which likely helped fund their spending spree. The money went to 46 clubs across 19 countries, especially in the Premier League and other top European leagues.
Key Facts
Manchester City spent around £1.2 billion on player transfers from 2009 to 2018.
An independent commission found the club guilty of inflating its accounts by more than £900 million.
The club paid transfer fees to 46 different clubs in 19 national leagues.
About a quarter of the transfer money went to English Premier League clubs.
Clubs that received big fees from City included teams from La Liga and Bundesliga as well.
Spending by Manchester City raised prices in the global football transfer market.
Some clubs that got large fees did not improve much in their performance afterward.
Manchester City has confirmed they will appeal against the guilty verdict regarding financial rules.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius scored 188 runs without getting out in a South African domestic T20 cricket match. This is the highest score ever made in a men's T20 match, beating Chris Gayle's previous record of 175 runs.
Key Facts
Lhuan-dre Pretorius scored 188 not out in a T20 game for the Titans.
He hit 13 sixes and 15 fours during his innings of 79 balls.
Pretorius' score surpassed Chris Gayle’s 175-run record from 2013.
The match was part of the CSA T20 Challenge held in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Pretorius reached 50 runs in 24 balls, 100 runs in 40 balls, and 150 runs in 58 balls.
The Titans scored 267 runs for 3 wickets in their 20 overs.
The Titans won by 124 runs after bowling out the Knights for 143 runs.
Pretorius has previously played other formats for South Africa, including Tests and One-Day Internationals.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Martina Navratilova won 59 Grand Slam tennis titles during the 1970s and 1980s. She now works as a tennis commentator and mentor and speaks publicly about topics beyond tennis.
Key Facts
Navratilova was a top tennis player with 59 Grand Slam wins.
She played actively mainly in the 1970s and 1980s.
After retiring from professional tennis, she became a commentator.
She also mentors younger tennis players.
Navratilova uses her public platform to discuss issues outside of tennis.
Amna Nawaz interviewed her for a culture of sport segment.
The interview is part of the CANVAS series, focused on sports culture.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Croatia and England will play a UEFA Nations League match on October 3 in Rijeka, Croatia. Both teams have won one game and lost one so far in the tournament, which features competitive matches between European countries.
Key Facts
The match will be held at Rujevica Stadium in Rijeka, Croatia on Saturday, October 3, at 6 pm local time.
The UEFA Nations League started in 2018 to replace less meaningful friendly matches with competitive games between European nations.
Croatia and England are in Group A3, along with Spain (the world champions) and Czechia.
Both teams have a record of one win and one loss this season in the Nations League.
England beat Croatia 4-2 in their last meeting at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Key players include Luka Modric (Croatia, age 41) and captain Harry Kane (England), both leading their teams.
England’s Anthony Gordon has scored in consecutive games.
Croatia will miss injured players Martin Erlic and Josip Juranovic; England’s Nico O’Reilly is also out due to injury.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Northern Ireland’s football team won 3-0 against Ukraine in the Nations League, with a very young team averaging 22 years old. The victory moves Northern Ireland to the top of their group, showing strong defense with another clean sheet and promising talent for the future.
Key Facts
Northern Ireland beat Ukraine 3-0 in a Nations League match.
The starting team’s average age was 22, the youngest for Northern Ireland since World War Two.
Ciaron Brown, 28, scored two goals and was the team’s most senior player.
Other notable young players, Ruairi McConville (21) and Tom Atcheson (20), performed very well in defense.
Northern Ireland kept a clean sheet (no goals allowed) for the third game in a row.
The team leads their group in League B2 with seven points after three games.
Northern Ireland will next play Georgia at home, who have only one point in the campaign.
Manager Michael O’Neill praised the team’s preparation and overall performance.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
France and Italy played a 1-1 draw in a UEFA Nations League match, which was Zinedine Zidane’s first home game as France’s coach. Michael Olise scored for France, but Italy’s Alessandro Bastoni equalized, and France’s Dayot Upamecano was sent off late in the match.
Key Facts
The match ended 1-1 between France and Italy at Stade de France near Paris.
Michael Olise scored early in the second half from a free kick for France.
Alessandro Bastoni scored the equalizer for Italy in the second half.
Defender Dayot Upamecano from France received a red card late in the game.
France leads Group A1 in the UEFA Nations League with 7 points, ahead of Belgium with 6 points.
Zidane’s home coaching debut attracted 77,118 fans, and he played his last France game against Italy in 2006.
Kylian Mbappe missed the game due to a knee injury.
Italy’s goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma made several important saves to keep the draw.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Bath won an exciting rugby game against Exeter Chiefs with a score of 40-34. The two teams scored 11 tries in total, and Bath secured the win with a strong first half and key plays in the second half.
