Verstappen says Hamilton set for ‘awkward’ last season at Mercedes

Verstappen says Hamilton set for ‘awkward’ last season at Mercedes

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen believes Lewis Hamilton face an awkward final campaign at Mercedes after his title rival's dramatic move to Ferrari for the 2025 season. Hamilton, 39, stunned motorsport by announcing even before next month's opening 2024 Grand Prix in Bahrain that he would be leaving Mercedes, with whom he has won six of his seven world titles, to race for Italian giants Ferrari next […]

February 16, 2024 5

Sport

Osaka’s Qatar title bid ended by Pliskova

Naomi Osaka's hopes of clinching the Qatar Open ended in a straight-sets quarter-final loss to fellow former world number one Karolina Pliskova on Thursday. Four-time Grand Slam title winner Osaka, who is rebuilding her career after maternity leave, went down 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5) after saving three match points. It was the 26-year-old Japanese star's second defeat to Pliskova this year after losing in three sets in her […]

February 16, 2024 4

Sport

Mbappe tells PSG he plans to leave as saga draws to close

France captain Kylian Mbappe has told officials at Paris Saint-Germain that he intends to leave when his contract expires at the end of the season, a source close to the Ligue 1 champions said on Thursday. The 25-year-old, who arrived in Paris from Monaco in 2017, had extended his contract in 2022 until 2024 but last summer declined to activate a clause allowing him to stay another year at […]

February 16, 2024 4

Sport

Lukaku stays hot in Europa League to earn Roma a draw

Romelu Lukaku shouldered in the equaliser to earn Roma a 1-1 draw away to Feyenoord in the first leg of their Europa League playoff on Thursday. Elsewhere, a pair of Argentine veterans struck late to give their teams victories. Mauro Icardi fired home a shot from the edge of the penalty area in added time to earn Galatasaray a 3-2 home win over Sparta Prague after the Czechs […]

February 16, 2024 14

Sport

Alcaraz downs former ‘pirate’ in Buenos Aires opener

Carlos Alcaraz reached the quarter-finals of the Buenos Aires ATP tournament on Thursday, defeating a player who once worked as an entertainment park pirate. World number two and defending champion Alcaraz beat 134th-ranked Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-2, 7-5 in his first match since a shock quarter-final exit at the Australian Open. Carabelli, who lives just a handful of blocks away from the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club, […]

February 16, 2024 1

Sport

Woods inconsistent in PGA return as Cantlay leads at Riviera

Tiger Woods got off to an erratic start in his first US PGA Tour event in more than 10 months, firing a one-over par 72 that left him eight shots behind first-round leader Patrick Cantlay at the Genesis Invitational. Woods, playing his first tour-sanctioned tournament since ankle surgery in April -- two weeks after he withdrew from the third round of the Masters with foot pain -- had […]

February 16, 2024 5

Sport

English Premier Weekend Preview

Chelsea appear lambs to the slaughter ahead of a trip to Manchester City on Saturday as the English champions have hit top form as the business end of the season approaches. However, Pep Guardiola's men could have ground to make up in the Premier League title race by the time they kick-off at the Etihad with Liverpool and Arsenal in action before them on Saturday. At the other end […]

February 16, 2024 6

Sport

Williamson puts New Zealand within 94 runs of winning second Test

Kane Williamson thwarted South Africa on Friday to lift New Zealand to within 94 runs of winning the second Test and taking the series. Williamson was 92 not out at tea on day four in Hamilton and closing on a 32nd Test century as the hosts reached 173-3, chipping away towards their target of 267. Victory would hand the Black Caps a 2-0 sweep of the two-match series and […]

February 16, 2024 4

Local

RSF has installed satellite Internet connections for journalists in nine locations in DRC

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has equipped nine media outlets and journalists’ associations in the Democratic Republic of Congo with satellite Internet connections since December. The aim is to provide the journalists with more reliable connections and make it easier for them to work. These connections, which continue to function even when the Internet has been completely cut by local operators, have been installed at media outlets and associations in Kinshasa, […]

February 15, 2024 2