The US Department of Defense, on Monday, awarded OpenAI a $200 million contract to put generative artificial intelligence (AI) to work for the military.San Francisco-based OpenAI will "develop prototype frontier AI capabilities to address critical national security challenges in both warfighting and enterprise domains," according to the department's posting of awarded contracts.The program with the defense department is the first partnership under the startup's initiative to put AI to work in governments, according to OpenAI.OpenAI plans to show how cutting-edge AI can vastly improve administrative operations such as how service members get health care and also cyber defenses, the startup said in a post.All use of AI for the military will be consistent with OpenAI usage guidelines, according to the startup.Big tech companies are increasingly pitching their tools to the US military, among them Meta, OpenAI and, more predictably, Palantir, the AI defense company founded by Peter Thiel, the conservative tech billionaire who has played a major role in Silicon Valley's rightward shift.OpenAI and defense tech startup Anduril Industries late last year announced a partnership to develop and deploy AI solutions "for security missions."The alliance brings together OpenAI models and Anduril's military tech platform to ramp up defenses against aerial drones and other "unmanned aircraft systems", according to the companies."OpenAI builds AI to benefit as many people as possible, and supports US-led efforts to ensure the technology upholds democratic values," OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said at the time.

San Francisco-based OpenAI will "develop prototype frontier AI capabilities to address critical national security challenges in both warfighting and enterprise domains," according to the department's posting of awarded contracts.

The US Department of Defense, on Monday, awarded OpenAI a $200 million contract to put generative artificial intelligence (AI) to work for the military. San Francisco-based OpenAI will "develop prototype frontier AI capabilities to address critical national security challenges in both warfighting and enterprise domains," according to the department's posting of awarded contracts. The program with the defense department is the first partnership under the startup's initiative to put AI to work in governments, according to OpenAI. OpenAI plans to show how cutting-edge AI can vastly improve administrative operations such as how service members get health care and also cyber defenses, the startup said in a post. All use of AI for the military will be consistent with OpenAI usage guidelines, according to the startup. Big tech companies are increasingly pitching their tools to the US military, among them Meta, OpenAI and, more predictably, Palantir, the AI defense company founded by Peter Thiel, the conservative tech billionaire who has played a major role in Silicon Valley's rightward shift. OpenAI and defense tech startup Anduril Industries late last year announced a partnership to develop and deploy AI solutions "for security missions." The alliance brings together OpenAI models and Anduril's military tech platform to ramp up defenses against aerial drones and other "unmanned aircraft systems", according to the companies. "OpenAI builds AI to benefit as many people as possible, and supports US-led efforts to ensure the technology upholds democratic values," OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said at the time.

San Francisco-based OpenAI will "develop prototype frontier AI capabilities to address critical national security challenges in both warfighting and enterprise domains," according to the department's posting of awarded contracts.

AI goes to war? OpenAI wins $200 million US defence contract to develop military-grade artificial intelligence

Four Atletico Madrid ultras have been handed suspended jail sentences for hanging a dummy of Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior from a bridge in what police deemed a "hate crime", judicial sources said on Monday.&nbsp;A dark-skinned effigy wearing the Brazil forward's jersey was hung by the neck from a highway bridge near Real Madrid's training ground in January 2023, ahead of the club's match against Atletico.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-fifa-club-world-cup-2025-psg-cruise-over-atletico-bayern-thrash-auckland-1750043532580">FIFA Club World Cup 2025: PSG cruise over Atletico, Bayern thrash Auckland</a>&nbsp;Police in May 2023 arrested four men -- all of them members of Frente Atletico, one of Atletico Madrid's ultra fan groups -- who were suspected of being responsible.&nbsp;Under a plea deal with the prosecution, which still must be confirmed by a court, the four pleaded guilty to the crimes of making threats against the player and infringing his fundamental rights, the judicial sources said.&nbsp;Three of the men accepted a sentence of 14 months, while one was given a 22-month sentence for also distributing images of the act online.&nbsp;The four will not serve jail time since in Spain it is customary for those sentenced to under two years for non-violent crimes to have their sentence suspended if they have no criminal record.&nbsp;Public prosecutors had asked they each be slapped with a four-year jail term.&nbsp;The four have signed a letter of apology addressed to Vinicius, Real Madrid, La Liga and the Spanish football federation, and will be required to complete a training programme on equal treatment and non-discrimination, La Liga said in a statement.&nbsp;They were also fined and barred from coming within 1,000 metres of the Brazilian player or any stadium for more than five years, the statement added.&nbsp;"This ruling marks a strong step forward in the fight against hate and discrimination in sport," La Liga said, noting it had filed the original complaint following the incidents.&nbsp;Real Madrid welcomed the ruling, saying in a separate statement that the four bring to 14 the total number of people convicted for racist attacks against their players.&nbsp;&nbsp;The club pledged to continue efforts to "eradicate any racist behaviour in the world of football".&nbsp;The black Brazilian forward, who testified via videoconference in the case last month, has been the target of numerous racist incidents since arriving in Madrid in 2018, sparking public outrage and resulting in several court convictions.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Four Atletico Madrid ultras get suspended jail for hanging Vinicius’ dummy

Four Atletico Madrid ultras have been handed suspended jail sentences for hanging a dummy of Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior from a bridge in what police deemed a "hate crime", judicial sources said on Monday. A dark-skinned effigy wearing the Brazil forward's jersey was hung by the neck from a highway bridge near Real Madrid's training ground in January 2023, ahead of the club's match against Atletico. Also read | FIFA Club World Cup 2025: PSG cruise over Atletico, Bayern thrash Auckland Police in May 2023 arrested four men -- all of them members of Frente Atletico, one of Atletico Madrid's ultra fan groups -- who were suspected of being responsible. Under a plea deal with the prosecution, which still must be confirmed by a court, the four pleaded guilty to the crimes of making threats against the player and infringing his fundamental rights, the judicial sources said. Three of the men accepted a sentence of 14 months, while one was given a 22-month sentence for also distributing images of the act online. The four will not serve jail time since in Spain it is customary for those sentenced to under two years for non-violent crimes to have their sentence suspended if they have no criminal record. Public prosecutors had asked they each be slapped with a four-year jail term. The four have signed a letter of apology addressed to Vinicius, Real Madrid, La Liga and the Spanish football federation, and will be required to complete a training programme on equal treatment and non-discrimination, La Liga said in a statement. They were also fined and barred from coming within 1,000 metres of the Brazilian player or any stadium for more than five years, the statement added. "This ruling marks a strong step forward in the fight against hate and discrimination in sport," La Liga said, noting it had filed the original complaint following the incidents. Real Madrid welcomed the ruling, saying in a separate statement that the four bring to 14 the total number of people convicted for racist attacks against their players. The club pledged to continue efforts to "eradicate any racist behaviour in the world of football". The black Brazilian forward, who testified via videoconference in the case last month, has been the target of numerous racist incidents since arriving in Madrid in 2018, sparking public outrage and resulting in several court convictions. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

A dark-skinned effigy wearing the Brazil forward's jersey was hung by the neck from a highway bridge near Real Madrid's training ground in January 2023, ahead of the club's match against Atletico.

US President Donald Trump directed federal authorities to ramp up deportation efforts in Democratic-led cities on Sunday, doubling down on a politicised anti-immigration drive after major protests in Los Angeles."We must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America's largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside," Trump said on his Truth Social platform."These, and other such Cities, are the core of the Democrat Power Center," he claimed, citing debunked right-wing conspiracy theories that undocumented immigrants are voting in US elections in significant numbers.Trump has made deporting undocumented immigrants a key priority for his second term, after successfully campaigning against an alleged "invasion" by criminals.Raids by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency in Los Angeles have sparked days of mainly peaceful protests, though they have seen sporadic violence at times.Trump has pounced on the violent incidents to deploy 4,000 National Guards and 700 Marines to the Democrat-led city, against the wishes of local and state authorities.California has sued to regain control of the National Guardsmen from Trump, arguing he overstepped his authority. That suit is working its way through federal court.Mayor Karen Bass said Sunday that an overnight curfew put in place last week to stop vandalism and looting at the protests would be extended "a couple more days."She described the fear and anger that have taken hold in the heavily Latino city over the immigration raids."People are afraid to leave their homes," she said, adding that raids have at times felt "indiscriminate.""This is the United States. You are not supposed to have to show your papers if you go out in public," she said.Los Angeles was mostly calm on Sunday with just a handful of demonstrators marching outside City Hall ahead of the curfew.<h2>‘Get the job done!’</h2>In a long screed on Truth Social Sunday, Republican Trump charged that ICE agents "are subjected to violence, harassment, and even threats from Radical Democrat Politicians."But, he insisted, "nothing will stop us from executing our mission... ICE Officers are herewith ordered ... to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History."Trump made a litany of grievances against "sick" Democrats, including charges that they "believe in Open Borders, Transgender for Everybody, and Men playing in Women's Sports."That, he said, was why he wanted ICE and other law enforcement agencies "to FOCUS on our crime ridden and deadly Inner Cities."He said he had directed his entire administration "to put every resource possible behind this effort, and reverse the tide of Mass Destruction Migration that has turned once Idyllic Towns into scenes of Third World Dystopia."Trump said he wanted "our Brave Officers to know that REAL Americans are cheering you on every day.""To ICE, FBI, DEA, ATF, the Patriots at Pentagon and the State Department, you have my unwavering support. Now go, GET THE JOB DONE!" he wrote.Former president Barack Obama meanwhile criticized Trump's deportation drive."Families with similar backgrounds who just want to live, work, and support their communities, are being demonized and treated as enemies," he said on social media platform X."We can fix our broken immigration system while still recognizing our common humanity and treating each other with dignity and respect."

"We must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America's largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside," Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

US President Donald Trump directed federal authorities to ramp up deportation efforts in Democratic-led cities on Sunday, doubling down on a politicised anti-immigration drive after major protests in Los Angeles. "We must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America's largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside," Trump said on his Truth Social platform. "These, and other such Cities, are the core of the Democrat Power Center," he claimed, citing debunked right-wing conspiracy theories that undocumented immigrants are voting in US elections in significant numbers. Trump has made deporting undocumented immigrants a key priority for his second term, after successfully campaigning against an alleged "invasion" by criminals. Raids by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency in Los Angeles have sparked days of mainly peaceful protests, though they have seen sporadic violence at times. Trump has pounced on the violent incidents to deploy 4,000 National Guards and 700 Marines to the Democrat-led city, against the wishes of local and state authorities. California has sued to regain control of the National Guardsmen from Trump, arguing he overstepped his authority. That suit is working its way through federal court. Mayor Karen Bass said Sunday that an overnight curfew put in place last week to stop vandalism and looting at the protests would be extended "a couple more days." She described the fear and anger that have taken hold in the heavily Latino city over the immigration raids. "People are afraid to leave their homes," she said, adding that raids have at times felt "indiscriminate." "This is the United States. You are not supposed to have to show your papers if you go out in public," she said. Los Angeles was mostly calm on Sunday with just a handful of demonstrators marching outside City Hall ahead of the curfew. ‘Get the job done!’ In a long screed on Truth Social Sunday, Republican Trump charged that ICE agents "are subjected to violence, harassment, and even threats from Radical Democrat Politicians." But, he insisted, "nothing will stop us from executing our mission... ICE Officers are herewith ordered ... to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History." Trump made a litany of grievances against "sick" Democrats, including charges that they "believe in Open Borders, Transgender for Everybody, and Men playing in Women's Sports." That, he said, was why he wanted ICE and other law enforcement agencies "to FOCUS on our crime ridden and deadly Inner Cities." He said he had directed his entire administration "to put every resource possible behind this effort, and reverse the tide of Mass Destruction Migration that has turned once Idyllic Towns into scenes of Third World Dystopia." Trump said he wanted "our Brave Officers to know that REAL Americans are cheering you on every day." "To ICE, FBI, DEA, ATF, the Patriots at Pentagon and the State Department, you have my unwavering support. Now go, GET THE JOB DONE!" he wrote. Former president Barack Obama meanwhile criticized Trump's deportation drive. "Families with similar backgrounds who just want to live, work, and support their communities, are being demonized and treated as enemies," he said on social media platform X. "We can fix our broken immigration system while still recognizing our common humanity and treating each other with dignity and respect."

"We must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America's largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside," Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

Trump orders deportation drive targeting Democratic cities amid protests

"How to Train Your Dragon," a live-action reboot of a popular 2010 animated film, roared to the top of the North American box office with $83.7 million in weekend ticket sales, industry estimates showed Sunday.&nbsp;&nbsp;The family-friendly film from Universal and DreamWorks Animation tells the story of a friendship between a Viking named Hiccup (Mason Thames) and a dragon called Toothless.&nbsp;&nbsp;"This is an excellent opening for a live-action animation remake, and it's especially good for the fourth episode in a series like this," said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research.&nbsp;Disney's "Lilo &amp; Stitch," another live-action remake, kept up its excellent summer returns with $15.5 million, Exhibitor Relations said.&nbsp;&nbsp;So far, the film about Hawaiian girl Lilo (Maia Kealoha) and her blue alien friend Stitch (Chris Sanders) has grossed nearly $860 million worldwide.&nbsp;Debuting in third place is A24's "Materialists," a sophisticated rom-com starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans, at $12 million.&nbsp;&nbsp;"It's a grown-up story that's well-timed as summer counter-programming," Gross said.&nbsp;"Mission: Impossible -- The Final Reckoning" -- the latest, and ostensibly last, in the hugely successful Tom Cruise spy thriller series based on a 1960s TV show -- held its own in fourth place at $10.3 million.&nbsp;The Paramount film has now topped the $500 million mark worldwide.&nbsp;In fifth place was Lionsgate's "Ballerina," a "John Wick" spin-off starring Ana de Armas as a dancer turned contract killer, and co-starring Anjelica Huston. Keanu Reeves makes a brief appearance as the hitman Wick. It took in $9.4 million.&nbsp;<h2>Rounding out the top 10 were:</h2>&nbsp;"Karate Kid: Legends" ($5 million)&nbsp;"Final Destination: Bloodlines" ($3.9 million)&nbsp;"The Phoenician Scheme" ($3.1 million)&nbsp;"The Life of Chuck" ($2.1 million)&nbsp;"Sinners" ($1.5 million)

The family-friendly film from Universal and DreamWorks Animation tells the story of a friendship between a Viking named Hiccup and a dragon called Toothless. 

"How to Train Your Dragon," a live-action reboot of a popular 2010 animated film, roared to the top of the North American box office with $83.7 million in weekend ticket sales, industry estimates showed Sunday. The family-friendly film from Universal and DreamWorks Animation tells the story of a friendship between a Viking named Hiccup (Mason Thames) and a dragon called Toothless. "This is an excellent opening for a live-action animation remake, and it's especially good for the fourth episode in a series like this," said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research. Disney's "Lilo & Stitch," another live-action remake, kept up its excellent summer returns with $15.5 million, Exhibitor Relations said. So far, the film about Hawaiian girl Lilo (Maia Kealoha) and her blue alien friend Stitch (Chris Sanders) has grossed nearly $860 million worldwide. Debuting in third place is A24's "Materialists," a sophisticated rom-com starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans, at $12 million. "It's a grown-up story that's well-timed as summer counter-programming," Gross said. "Mission: Impossible -- The Final Reckoning" -- the latest, and ostensibly last, in the hugely successful Tom Cruise spy thriller series based on a 1960s TV show -- held its own in fourth place at $10.3 million. The Paramount film has now topped the $500 million mark worldwide. In fifth place was Lionsgate's "Ballerina," a "John Wick" spin-off starring Ana de Armas as a dancer turned contract killer, and co-starring Anjelica Huston. Keanu Reeves makes a brief appearance as the hitman Wick. It took in $9.4 million. Rounding out the top 10 were: "Karate Kid: Legends" ($5 million) "Final Destination: Bloodlines" ($3.9 million) "The Phoenician Scheme" ($3.1 million) "The Life of Chuck" ($2.1 million) "Sinners" ($1.5 million)

The family-friendly film from Universal and DreamWorks Animation tells the story of a friendship between a Viking named Hiccup and a dragon called Toothless.&nbsp;

How to Train Your Dragon soars to top of North America box office

George Russell secured Mercedes' first win of the season in the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday as McLaren's championship-chasing drivers crashed in the final laps of an intriguing and hectic race.&nbsp;The 27-year-old Briton beat close rival and four-time world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull by 0.228 seconds under the safety car to claim his fourth career victory with his teenage Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli finishing third.&nbsp;The 18-year-old Italian rookie became the third-youngest podium finisher in Formula One history, showing composure in resisting late intense late pressure from championship leader Oscar Piastri of McLaren, who survived a collision with team-mate Lando Norris, on his way to fourth.&nbsp;That ensured he extended his lead in the drivers' standings to 22 points ahead of Norris who crashed into him on lap 67 of the 70-lap race, breaking his front wing as he attempted to pass on the straight.&nbsp;"Yep, I'm sorry," said Norris of his crash with Piastri. "It's all my bad, all my fault. Unlucky, sorry. Stupid from me."&nbsp;Charles Leclerc finished fifth ahead of Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin and Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg.&nbsp;Esteban Ocon finished ninth for Haas, marking their 200th race with a solid points finish, ahead of Carlos Sainz for Williams.&nbsp;Russell was delighted to deliver his team's first win since the Las Vegas Grand Prix last year.&nbsp;"It's amazing to be back on the top step. The last time was Vegas and last year here felt like it was a victory lost. But today we obviously got the victory thanks to that incredible pole lap and I am so happy to see Kimi on the podium as well."&nbsp;Verstappen was quick to congratulate both Mercedes drivers.&nbsp;"It was quite a good race although we were struggling on the tyres in the first two stints. We had an aggressive strategy and we managed to hang in there. And this was the maximum possible for us today."&nbsp;Antonelli was greeted enthusiastically by the big crowd at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with his name chanted as he took his podium place.&nbsp;"It was so stressful," he said. "But I am super happy! I had a good start, managed to jump to P3, and just stayed up there in the front. I am so happy to bring this podium home."<h2>Antonelli overtakes Piastri at start</h2>The top six were all on mediums when the lights went out, Russell reacting quickest to pull clear while Antonelli passed Piastri for third.&nbsp;Verstappen clung on to Russell's early pace, staying within a second of him throughout the opening five laps, and three clear of Antonelli, as he tried to put him under pressure, but by lap seven the Mercedes was 1.5 seconds clear.&nbsp;By lap 10, it was two seconds as the Dutchman eased to save his tyres before pitting early on lap 13, for hards. This promoted Antonelli to P2 behind Russell with Piastri third ahead of Hamilton, Norris and Alonso.&nbsp;Verstappen rejoined ninth as Russell reacted and pitted, returning in seventh on hards before Antonelli pitted from the lead on lap 15 leaving Piastri leading Norris in a McLaren 1-2.&nbsp;Piastri pitted on lap 17 for hards, gifting Norris the lead after starting seventh on hards.After a bright start, Hamilton pitted on lap 16 and came out trapped 10th in traffic, with reported damage to his car, that delayed his pursuit before Russell, on lap 26, swept past Leclerc for second.&nbsp;Two laps later, Leclerc pitted for more hards followed by Norris, who took mediums. "I don't understand this choice," complained Leclerc, knowing it meant he had to pit again.All this restored Russell and Verstappen to lead again ahead of Antonelli and Piastri with Norris charging in fifth, ahead of the two Ferraris.&nbsp;Verstappen was early to pit again, on lap 37, but with a fast out-lap passed Antonelli, as Mercedes responded in vain to the Red Bull under-cut and began the second stops.&nbsp;Only five seconds separated the top four as they began a furious final 10-lap dash to the flag that resulted in the McLarens battling wheel-to-wheel for fourth place near the end when Norris hit the rear of his team-mate's car and crashed out of the race.&nbsp;&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

George Russell secured Mercedes first win of the season in the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday as McLaren championship-chasing drivers crashed in the final laps of an intriguing and hectic race.

George Russell secured Mercedes' first win of the season in the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday as McLaren's championship-chasing drivers crashed in the final laps of an intriguing and hectic race. The 27-year-old Briton beat close rival and four-time world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull by 0.228 seconds under the safety car to claim his fourth career victory with his teenage Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli finishing third. The 18-year-old Italian rookie became the third-youngest podium finisher in Formula One history, showing composure in resisting late intense late pressure from championship leader Oscar Piastri of McLaren, who survived a collision with team-mate Lando Norris, on his way to fourth. That ensured he extended his lead in the drivers' standings to 22 points ahead of Norris who crashed into him on lap 67 of the 70-lap race, breaking his front wing as he attempted to pass on the straight. "Yep, I'm sorry," said Norris of his crash with Piastri. "It's all my bad, all my fault. Unlucky, sorry. Stupid from me." Charles Leclerc finished fifth ahead of Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin and Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg. Esteban Ocon finished ninth for Haas, marking their 200th race with a solid points finish, ahead of Carlos Sainz for Williams. Russell was delighted to deliver his team's first win since the Las Vegas Grand Prix last year. "It's amazing to be back on the top step. The last time was Vegas and last year here felt like it was a victory lost. But today we obviously got the victory thanks to that incredible pole lap and I am so happy to see Kimi on the podium as well." Verstappen was quick to congratulate both Mercedes drivers. "It was quite a good race although we were struggling on the tyres in the first two stints. We had an aggressive strategy and we managed to hang in there. And this was the maximum possible for us today." Antonelli was greeted enthusiastically by the big crowd at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with his name chanted as he took his podium place. "It was so stressful," he said. "But I am super happy! I had a good start, managed to jump to P3, and just stayed up there in the front. I am so happy to bring this podium home." Antonelli overtakes Piastri at start The top six were all on mediums when the lights went out, Russell reacting quickest to pull clear while Antonelli passed Piastri for third. Verstappen clung on to Russell's early pace, staying within a second of him throughout the opening five laps, and three clear of Antonelli, as he tried to put him under pressure, but by lap seven the Mercedes was 1.5 seconds clear. By lap 10, it was two seconds as the Dutchman eased to save his tyres before pitting early on lap 13, for hards. This promoted Antonelli to P2 behind Russell with Piastri third ahead of Hamilton, Norris and Alonso. Verstappen rejoined ninth as Russell reacted and pitted, returning in seventh on hards before Antonelli pitted from the lead on lap 15 leaving Piastri leading Norris in a McLaren 1-2. Piastri pitted on lap 17 for hards, gifting Norris the lead after starting seventh on hards. After a bright start, Hamilton pitted on lap 16 and came out trapped 10th in traffic, with reported damage to his car, that delayed his pursuit before Russell, on lap 26, swept past Leclerc for second. Two laps later, Leclerc pitted for more hards followed by Norris, who took mediums. "I don't understand this choice," complained Leclerc, knowing it meant he had to pit again. All this restored Russell and Verstappen to lead again ahead of Antonelli and Piastri with Norris charging in fifth, ahead of the two Ferraris. Verstappen was early to pit again, on lap 37, but with a fast out-lap passed Antonelli, as Mercedes responded in vain to the Red Bull under-cut and began the second stops. Only five seconds separated the top four as they began a furious final 10-lap dash to the flag that resulted in the McLarens battling wheel-to-wheel for fourth place near the end when Norris hit the rear of his team-mate's car and crashed out of the race. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

George Russell secured Mercedes' first win of the season in the Canadian Grand Prix on Sunday as McLaren's championship-chasing drivers crashed in the final laps of an intriguing and hectic race.

Formula One: George Russell triumphs in Canada as McLaren drivers crash

Paris Saint-Germain laid down an ominous marker on their march towards global domination at the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday as Bayern Munich showed no mercy to Auckland's amateurs with a ruthless 10-0 walloping.&nbsp;The first full day of action at the inaugural edition of the 32-team club tournament saw newly crowned European champions PSG produce a scintillating 4-0 rout of Atletico Madrid after Bayern's double-digit drubbing of Auckland City.&nbsp;The New Zealand minnows are one of the Cinderella stories of the tournament, made up of amateur players who had to take unpaid leave to travel to the United States.&nbsp;But Bundesliga Goliaths Bayern were in no mood to indulge the Davids from the Oceania region, and duly ran riot in Cincinnati.&nbsp;Jamal Musiala scored a second-half hat-trick after coming off the bench while Kingsley Coman, Michael Olise and Thomas Mueller all netted twice.&nbsp;Sacha Boey scored the other goal in a Group C game that amounted to target practice for Bayern, who will face tougher tests ahead in the tournament against Boca Juniors and Benfica.&nbsp;"We have to remain modest but it was important to be able to say that we took the game seriously," said Bayern coach Vincent Kompany.&nbsp;"It was a good first match at the tournament, but of course challenges are going to grow and it's going to become more difficult."&nbsp;Auckland's interim coach Ivan Vicelich admitted that his team had run into the "reality of football against one of the world's top teams."&nbsp;"It is a dream for players coming from an amateur level to play in this environment," Vicelich said.&nbsp;"We knew it was going to be a very difficult game, playing against one of the top teams in the world, potentially one of the favourites for the Club World Cup, so we are just really proud of the players' efforts."<h2>Hungry PSG rout Atleti</h2>While Bayern were left satisfied with a clinical opening, PSG delivered a statement win over Atleti in front of an 80,619 crowd at a sun-baked Pasadena Rose Bowl -- the venue for the 1994 World Cup final.&nbsp;The French champions shrugged off searing heat -- temperatures reached 31 degrees Celsius (87.8 Fahrenheit) shortly after the midday kick-off -- to produce the kind of adventurous, attacking display which became their calling card en route to their dazzling Champions League triumph earlier this month.&nbsp;Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha gave PSG a 2-0 lead by half-time before Senny Mayulu and Lee Kang-In sealed an impressive Group B win with late goals against an Atleti team who struggled to cope with the French side's multi-faceted attacking play.&nbsp;PSG are bidding to crown a superb season which saw them win four trophies at home and in Europe with a fifth title.&nbsp;On Sunday's evidence, few would bet against Luis Enrique's side from being crowned world champions.&nbsp;"We had the objective of making history this season, but this is a new chapter," Luis Enrique said in his post-match news conference.&nbsp;"It's a nice challenge for the players and the team, to want to keep winning."The club is hungry, the fans are hungry, the players and the team are hungry, and that's a good feeling. We have the same objective as in other competitions, which is to go as far as possible and try to win it."&nbsp;Atletico manager Diego Simeone refused to cite the heat as a factor in his team's defeat."I cannot blame it on the heat -- we both played in the same weather conditions," Simeone said. "They played much better than we did. They have amazing players and that's why they've just won everything."&nbsp;In other games on Sunday, Brazil's Palmeiras drew 0-0 with Portuguese giants Porto in Group A at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.Another Brazilian side, Botafogo, face the Seattle Sounders in Group B later.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Saint-Germain laid down an ominous marker on their march towards global domination at the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday as Bayern Munich showed no mercy to Auckland amateurs with a ruthless 10-0 walloping.

Paris Saint-Germain laid down an ominous marker on their march towards global domination at the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday as Bayern Munich showed no mercy to Auckland's amateurs with a ruthless 10-0 walloping. The first full day of action at the inaugural edition of the 32-team club tournament saw newly crowned European champions PSG produce a scintillating 4-0 rout of Atletico Madrid after Bayern's double-digit drubbing of Auckland City. The New Zealand minnows are one of the Cinderella stories of the tournament, made up of amateur players who had to take unpaid leave to travel to the United States. But Bundesliga Goliaths Bayern were in no mood to indulge the Davids from the Oceania region, and duly ran riot in Cincinnati. Jamal Musiala scored a second-half hat-trick after coming off the bench while Kingsley Coman, Michael Olise and Thomas Mueller all netted twice. Sacha Boey scored the other goal in a Group C game that amounted to target practice for Bayern, who will face tougher tests ahead in the tournament against Boca Juniors and Benfica. "We have to remain modest but it was important to be able to say that we took the game seriously," said Bayern coach Vincent Kompany. "It was a good first match at the tournament, but of course challenges are going to grow and it's going to become more difficult." Auckland's interim coach Ivan Vicelich admitted that his team had run into the "reality of football against one of the world's top teams." "It is a dream for players coming from an amateur level to play in this environment," Vicelich said. "We knew it was going to be a very difficult game, playing against one of the top teams in the world, potentially one of the favourites for the Club World Cup, so we are just really proud of the players' efforts." Hungry PSG rout Atleti While Bayern were left satisfied with a clinical opening, PSG delivered a statement win over Atleti in front of an 80,619 crowd at a sun-baked Pasadena Rose Bowl -- the venue for the 1994 World Cup final. The French champions shrugged off searing heat -- temperatures reached 31 degrees Celsius (87.8 Fahrenheit) shortly after the midday kick-off -- to produce the kind of adventurous, attacking display which became their calling card en route to their dazzling Champions League triumph earlier this month. Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha gave PSG a 2-0 lead by half-time before Senny Mayulu and Lee Kang-In sealed an impressive Group B win with late goals against an Atleti team who struggled to cope with the French side's multi-faceted attacking play. PSG are bidding to crown a superb season which saw them win four trophies at home and in Europe with a fifth title. On Sunday's evidence, few would bet against Luis Enrique's side from being crowned world champions. "We had the objective of making history this season, but this is a new chapter," Luis Enrique said in his post-match news conference. "It's a nice challenge for the players and the team, to want to keep winning. "The club is hungry, the fans are hungry, the players and the team are hungry, and that's a good feeling. We have the same objective as in other competitions, which is to go as far as possible and try to win it." Atletico manager Diego Simeone refused to cite the heat as a factor in his team's defeat. "I cannot blame it on the heat -- we both played in the same weather conditions," Simeone said. "They played much better than we did. They have amazing players and that's why they've just won everything." In other games on Sunday, Brazil's Palmeiras drew 0-0 with Portuguese giants Porto in Group A at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Another Brazilian side, Botafogo, face the Seattle Sounders in Group B later. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Paris Saint-Germain laid down an ominous marker on their march towards global domination at the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday as Bayern Munich showed no mercy to Auckland's amateurs with a ruthless 10-0 walloping.

FIFA Club World Cup 2025: PSG cruise over Atletico, Bayern thrash Auckland

J.J. Spaun sank a 65-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win the US Open on Sunday, capturing his first major title despite bogeys on five of his first six holes.&nbsp;The 34-year-old American finished 72 holes at Oakmont on one-under-par 279 after a closing two-over 72 to defeat Scotland's Robert MacIntyre by two strokes with Norway's Viktor Hovland third on 282.&nbsp;"I never thought I would be holding this trophy," Spaun said. "I'm proud I've been so resilient in my career."&nbsp;Well behind for most of the day, Spaun watched US leader Sam Burns and Australian Adam Scott stumble while he charged back with four birdies on the last seven holes.&nbsp;"I don't think I did keep my composure," Spaun said about his bad start. "I was trying to dig deep and hit some great shots coming in."&nbsp;Spaun, the first US Open champion to bogey the first three holes in his final round, sank a 40-foot birdie putt at the par-five 12th, a 22-foot birdie putt at 14 and answered a bogey at 15 with a clutch tap-in birdie at 17 to grab the lead before rolling in the clincher at 18."When I hit it I thought it was short," Spaun said. "But about eight feet out it was looking pretty good.&nbsp;"It's just one of those moments in major championships when you seal the deal."Spaun, who took home a top prize of $4.3 million, wiped tears from his eyes as spectators chanted his name when he walked off the green.&nbsp;The only prior PGA Tour victory in Spaun's career came at the 2022 Texas Open.Spaun said a 96-minute suspension in play for dangerous weather just before he began the back nine made a difference, allowing him to reset.&nbsp;"The weather definitely changed the whole vibe for the day," Spaun said. "I fought really hard.&nbsp;Sharing the top spot with clubhouse leader MacIntyre, Spaun drove the green at the par-four 17th, missed an 18-foot eagle putt but sank a comeback birdie putt from just over three feet to seize the lead.&nbsp;"Pulled it off. It was nice," said Spaun of his crucial tee shot. "Happy to walk away with birdie."&nbsp;Spaun thrived while a roller coaster back nine delivered a twist-filled drama that wiped out his rivals.&nbsp;Burns went five-over in the first 12 holes to surrender the solo lead and leave eight players within two strokes of the lead down the stretch.&nbsp;MacIntyre, trying to become the first left-handed US Open winner, sank a four-foot birdie putt on 17 to reach one-under with Burns and Hatton and when Spaun missed a 12-foot putt to bogey 15, there was a four-way tie at the top.&nbsp;MacIntyre parred 18 to finish on 68 and reach the clubhouse on one-over while Burns made double bogey at 15 and Hatton made bogey at 17.&nbsp;"Gave myself a chance. I seemed to drive the ball really well," said MacIntyre.But Spaun drove the green at the par-four 17th, missed an 18-foot eagle putt but sank a comeback birdie putt from just over three feet to seize the lead for good.<h2>Rahm, Scheffler seventh</h2>Spain's Jon Rahm birdied the last three holes to shoot 67 and finish on 284, sharing seventh with Burns and top-ranked Scottie Scheffler.&nbsp;"Two keys: Number one would be I kept it in play off the tee," Rahm said. "Then my lag putting. I had the speed really dialed in today."&nbsp;Scheffler, who began the round eight strokes adrift of Burns, fired a 70.&nbsp;"I felt like I did some good things out there," Scheffler said. "A few more putts drop today I think it's a little different story."&nbsp;Northern Ireland's McIlroy, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters in April, fired a 67 to finish on 287 and turned his thoughts to next month's British Open on home soil at Portrush.&nbsp;"It will be my first time sort of in public back home after winning the Masters," he said. "It should be a really nice week."&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

J.J. Spaun sank a 65-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win the US Open on Sunday, capturing his first major title despite bogeys on five of his first six holes.

J.J. Spaun sank a 65-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win the US Open on Sunday, capturing his first major title despite bogeys on five of his first six holes. The 34-year-old American finished 72 holes at Oakmont on one-under-par 279 after a closing two-over 72 to defeat Scotland's Robert MacIntyre by two strokes with Norway's Viktor Hovland third on 282. "I never thought I would be holding this trophy," Spaun said. "I'm proud I've been so resilient in my career." Well behind for most of the day, Spaun watched US leader Sam Burns and Australian Adam Scott stumble while he charged back with four birdies on the last seven holes. "I don't think I did keep my composure," Spaun said about his bad start. "I was trying to dig deep and hit some great shots coming in." Spaun, the first US Open champion to bogey the first three holes in his final round, sank a 40-foot birdie putt at the par-five 12th, a 22-foot birdie putt at 14 and answered a bogey at 15 with a clutch tap-in birdie at 17 to grab the lead before rolling in the clincher at 18. "When I hit it I thought it was short," Spaun said. "But about eight feet out it was looking pretty good. "It's just one of those moments in major championships when you seal the deal." Spaun, who took home a top prize of $4.3 million, wiped tears from his eyes as spectators chanted his name when he walked off the green. The only prior PGA Tour victory in Spaun's career came at the 2022 Texas Open. Spaun said a 96-minute suspension in play for dangerous weather just before he began the back nine made a difference, allowing him to reset. "The weather definitely changed the whole vibe for the day," Spaun said. "I fought really hard. Sharing the top spot with clubhouse leader MacIntyre, Spaun drove the green at the par-four 17th, missed an 18-foot eagle putt but sank a comeback birdie putt from just over three feet to seize the lead. "Pulled it off. It was nice," said Spaun of his crucial tee shot. "Happy to walk away with birdie." Spaun thrived while a roller coaster back nine delivered a twist-filled drama that wiped out his rivals. Burns went five-over in the first 12 holes to surrender the solo lead and leave eight players within two strokes of the lead down the stretch. MacIntyre, trying to become the first left-handed US Open winner, sank a four-foot birdie putt on 17 to reach one-under with Burns and Hatton and when Spaun missed a 12-foot putt to bogey 15, there was a four-way tie at the top. MacIntyre parred 18 to finish on 68 and reach the clubhouse on one-over while Burns made double bogey at 15 and Hatton made bogey at 17. "Gave myself a chance. I seemed to drive the ball really well," said MacIntyre. But Spaun drove the green at the par-four 17th, missed an 18-foot eagle putt but sank a comeback birdie putt from just over three feet to seize the lead for good. Rahm, Scheffler seventh Spain's Jon Rahm birdied the last three holes to shoot 67 and finish on 284, sharing seventh with Burns and top-ranked Scottie Scheffler. "Two keys: Number one would be I kept it in play off the tee," Rahm said. "Then my lag putting. I had the speed really dialed in today." Scheffler, who began the round eight strokes adrift of Burns, fired a 70. "I felt like I did some good things out there," Scheffler said. "A few more putts drop today I think it's a little different story." Northern Ireland's McIlroy, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters in April, fired a 67 to finish on 287 and turned his thoughts to next month's British Open on home soil at Portrush. "It will be my first time sort of in public back home after winning the Masters," he said. "It should be a really nice week." Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

J.J. Spaun sank a 65-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win the US Open on Sunday, capturing his first major title despite bogeys on five of his first six holes.

Golf: J.J. Spaun wins US Open for first major title with late birdie binge

Italian Jannik Sinner said on Sunday he had experienced "a few sleepless nights" since his historic French Open final loss to Carlos Alcaraz.&nbsp;Sinner, 23, tasted defeat after five hours and 29 minutes in Roland Garros' longest ever final last weekend and wasted three match points, having been two sets up.&nbsp;"I had already a few sleepless nights, but I think every day it gets better," Sinner told reporters before starting his grass season in Halle, Germany, next week. "Tennis is important in my life, but nevertheless, family and friends more important.&nbsp;"Nonetheless, I think often about the match," the world number one added.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-fifa-club-world-cup-2025-lionel-messi-denied-late-winner-as-inter-miami-draw-with-al-ahly-1749960361353">FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Lionel Messi denied late winner as Inter Miami draw with Al Ahly</a>&nbsp;Sinner failed to add to his Australian and US Open titles in the already legendary decider with Spaniard Alcaraz in Paris.&nbsp;He returned home to Trentino-South Tyrol after the gruelling encounter on clay.&nbsp;"I was very relaxed with my family. We grilled a bit, played table tennis with my friends," Sinner said.&nbsp;"Really normal things, nothing special. I like going home, when a lot is going on.&nbsp;"I feel safe at home and with my friends," he added.&nbsp;Sinner returned from a three-month doping suspension in mid-May and now turns his mind to defending the title in Germany.&nbsp;&nbsp;"The ball can bounce a bit funny because of the grass, and you have to serve intelligently," Sinner said.&nbsp;"But in general, it is a surface on which I took a step forward last year, and we will see how it goes this year," he added.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Jannik Sinner admits suffering sleepless nights after losing French Open final

Italian Jannik Sinner said on Sunday he had experienced "a few sleepless nights" since his historic French Open final loss to Carlos Alcaraz. Sinner, 23, tasted defeat after five hours and 29 minutes in Roland Garros' longest ever final last weekend and wasted three match points, having been two sets up. "I had already a few sleepless nights, but I think every day it gets better," Sinner told reporters before starting his grass season in Halle, Germany, next week. "Tennis is important in my life, but nevertheless, family and friends more important. "Nonetheless, I think often about the match," the world number one added. Also read | FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Lionel Messi denied late winner as Inter Miami draw with Al Ahly Sinner failed to add to his Australian and US Open titles in the already legendary decider with Spaniard Alcaraz in Paris. He returned home to Trentino-South Tyrol after the gruelling encounter on clay. "I was very relaxed with my family. We grilled a bit, played table tennis with my friends," Sinner said. "Really normal things, nothing special. I like going home, when a lot is going on. "I feel safe at home and with my friends," he added. Sinner returned from a three-month doping suspension in mid-May and now turns his mind to defending the title in Germany. "The ball can bounce a bit funny because of the grass, and you have to serve intelligently," Sinner said. "But in general, it is a surface on which I took a step forward last year, and we will see how it goes this year," he added. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Sinner, 23, tasted defeat after five hours and 29 minutes in Roland Garros' longest ever final last weekend and wasted three match points, having been two sets up.

Sinner admits suffering ‘sleepless nights’ after losing historic French Open final to Alcaraz

Gennaro Gattuso was named Italy's new coach on Sunday and will be tasked with helping the Azzurri qualify for the 2026 World Cup after replacing Luciano Spalletti. The 47-year-old was part of the 2006 World Cup-winning side and won 73 caps for the national team as a player.&nbsp;The Italian football federation (FIGC) said Gattuso would be presented to the media on Thursday.&nbsp;"Gattuso is a symbol of Italian football," said FIGC president Gabriele Gravina. "The blue shirt is like a second skin for him. His motivation, his professionalism and his experience will be essential.&nbsp;"(He is) Aware of the importance of the objective we want to achieve. I thank him for the total dedication with which he has accepted this challenge."&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/football-mauricio-pochettino-defends-christian-pulisic-omission-says-i-m-not-a-mannequin-1749962291516">Mauricio Pochettino defends Christian Pulisic omission, says 'I'm not a mannequin'</a>&nbsp;Four-time champions Italy have failed to qualify for the past two World Cups and started their bid to reach next year's tournament in North America with a 3-0 loss to Norway last week.&nbsp;Gattuso is an experienced coach and was last in charge of Croatian club Hajduk Split, helping them qualify for next season's UEFA Conference League.&nbsp;His other former clubs include AC Milan, for whom he made 468 appearances as a player, Napoli, Valencia and Marseille.&nbsp;Italy are next in action in Group I of qualifying with games against Estonia and Israel in September.&nbsp;Spalletti was sacked after the Norway defeat, and Monday's win over Moldova was his last match in charge.&nbsp;Italy missed out on the 2018 World Cup in Russia after losing a play-off to Sweden and then also failed to qualify for the 2022 finals in Qatar, suffering a shock exit from the play-offs at the hands of North Macedonia.&nbsp;Gattuso has had a mixed coaching career since retiring as a player in 2013.&nbsp;His only major trophy as a head coach was the 2019/20 Italian Cup with Napoli.&nbsp;He lasted only 22 and 24 matches in charge of Valencia and Marseille, respectively, while an announced deal with Fiorentina was rescinded just two weeks before his contract was due to begin in 2021.&nbsp;According to Italian media, former Italy defenders Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci will join his coaching staff.&nbsp;Former boss Cesare Prandelli is expected to take over the youth teams.&nbsp;The FIGC had been turned down by both Claudio Ranieri and Stefano Pioli before appointing Gattuso.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

World Cup winner Gennaro Gattuso replaces Luciano Spalletti as new Italy coach

Gennaro Gattuso was named Italy's new coach on Sunday and will be tasked with helping the Azzurri qualify for the 2026 World Cup after replacing Luciano Spalletti. The 47-year-old was part of the 2006 World Cup-winning side and won 73 caps for the national team as a player. The Italian football federation (FIGC) said Gattuso would be presented to the media on Thursday. "Gattuso is a symbol of Italian football," said FIGC president Gabriele Gravina. "The blue shirt is like a second skin for him. His motivation, his professionalism and his experience will be essential. "(He is) Aware of the importance of the objective we want to achieve. I thank him for the total dedication with which he has accepted this challenge." Also read | Mauricio Pochettino defends Christian Pulisic omission, says 'I'm not a mannequin' Four-time champions Italy have failed to qualify for the past two World Cups and started their bid to reach next year's tournament in North America with a 3-0 loss to Norway last week. Gattuso is an experienced coach and was last in charge of Croatian club Hajduk Split, helping them qualify for next season's UEFA Conference League. His other former clubs include AC Milan, for whom he made 468 appearances as a player, Napoli, Valencia and Marseille. Italy are next in action in Group I of qualifying with games against Estonia and Israel in September. Spalletti was sacked after the Norway defeat, and Monday's win over Moldova was his last match in charge. Italy missed out on the 2018 World Cup in Russia after losing a play-off to Sweden and then also failed to qualify for the 2022 finals in Qatar, suffering a shock exit from the play-offs at the hands of North Macedonia. Gattuso has had a mixed coaching career since retiring as a player in 2013. His only major trophy as a head coach was the 2019/20 Italian Cup with Napoli. He lasted only 22 and 24 matches in charge of Valencia and Marseille, respectively, while an announced deal with Fiorentina was rescinded just two weeks before his contract was due to begin in 2021. According to Italian media, former Italy defenders Andrea Barzagli and Leonardo Bonucci will join his coaching staff. Former boss Cesare Prandelli is expected to take over the youth teams. The FIGC had been turned down by both Claudio Ranieri and Stefano Pioli before appointing Gattuso. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.

Four-time champions Italy have failed to qualify for the past two World Cups and started their bid to reach next year's tournament in North America with a 3-0 loss to Norway last week.

United States coach Mauricio Pochettino defended his decision to omit Christian Pulisic from recent friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland on Saturday, saying he alone was responsible for choosing his squad.&nbsp;AC Milan star Pulisic has been at the center of a simmering controversy over his request to be excused from US duty in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which kicked off on Saturday.Former US international players including Landon Donovan have criticised Pulisic's decision, questioning his commitment to representing the United States.&nbsp;Pulisic hit back at his critics on Thursday, revealing that while he had asked to skip the Gold Cup he had been willing to play in the warm-up games &nbsp;-- only to be denied by Pochettino.&nbsp;The winger said that he had accepted Pochettino's decision but did not "understand" it.Asked about his decision to leave out Pulisic on Saturday, Pochettino said it was not for players to pick and choose which games they wanted to play in.&nbsp;"He explained why he only wanted to be involved in two games," Pochettino said of Pulisic. "And I respect and I understand him. I understand him. But I don't need for him to understand our decision. Because my position is, I am 53 with a lot of experience in football."&nbsp;"If he performs well and he is the best, it's normal he's going to have a place in the national team.&nbsp;"It's not because a player [is saying]: 'I want to play.' 'I want this.' 'I want that.' I signed my contract with the federation and I am the head coach -- I am not a mannequin."The USA open their Gold Cup campaign against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

United States coach Mauricio Pochettino defended his decision to omit Christian Pulisic from recent friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland on Saturday, saying he alone was responsible for choosing his squad.

United States coach Mauricio Pochettino defended his decision to omit Christian Pulisic from recent friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland on Saturday, saying he alone was responsible for choosing his squad. AC Milan star Pulisic has been at the center of a simmering controversy over his request to be excused from US duty in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which kicked off on Saturday. Former US international players including Landon Donovan have criticised Pulisic's decision, questioning his commitment to representing the United States. Pulisic hit back at his critics on Thursday, revealing that while he had asked to skip the Gold Cup he had been willing to play in the warm-up games -- only to be denied by Pochettino. The winger said that he had accepted Pochettino's decision but did not "understand" it. Asked about his decision to leave out Pulisic on Saturday, Pochettino said it was not for players to pick and choose which games they wanted to play in. "He explained why he only wanted to be involved in two games," Pochettino said of Pulisic. "And I respect and I understand him. I understand him. But I don't need for him to understand our decision. Because my position is, I am 53 with a lot of experience in football." "If he performs well and he is the best, it's normal he's going to have a place in the national team. "It's not because a player [is saying]: 'I want to play.' 'I want this.' 'I want that.' I signed my contract with the federation and I am the head coach -- I am not a mannequin." The USA open their Gold Cup campaign against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

United States coach Mauricio Pochettino defended his decision to omit Christian Pulisic from recent friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland on Saturday, saying he alone was responsible for choosing his squad.

Mauricio Pochettino defends Christian Pulisic omission, says 'I'm not a mannequin'

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami were held to a 0-0 draw by Egyptian side Al Ahly on Saturday as FIFA's new 32-team tournament got off to a smooth start in front of 60,927 fans in Florida.&nbsp;Messi was denied a storybook stoppage-time winner when he saw his curling shot from 20 yards out tipped on to the bar by Mohamed El Shenawy as Miami piled on the pressure in the final minutes of the game.&nbsp;Al Ahly, who were cheered on by over 10,000 of their supporters, were left to rue a first-half penalty from Egypt international Trezeguet which was saved by Miami's Argentine keeper Oscar Ustari.&nbsp;But the Egyptians also had El Shenawy to thank for another fine save in the dying seconds to keep out a header from Maxi Falcon as Miami pushed for three points in the Group A clash.&nbsp;For organisers FIFA, who have faced heavy skepticism over the necessity for the tournament, the absence of a goal was the only disappointment on a night that delivered everything else that their president Gianni Infantino had hoped for from the opening night.Fears of a low crowd for the opener eased as the seats in the 64,000 venue began to fill up with the stadium almost full at kick-off time.&nbsp;Thousands of fans of Al Ahly, record 12 times African Champions League winner and 45-time league champions of Egypt, arrived at Hard Rock Stadium well ahead of kick-off and made their presence felt with singing and chanting.&nbsp;The stadium, home to the NFL's Miami Dolphins, witnessed chaotic scenes last year at the final of the Copa America between Argentina and Colombia where fans broke into the ground after long delays to enter.<h2>Penalty drama</h2>But there was an efficient filter system set up for ticket and security checks well away from the stadium perimeter and there were no signs of any problems.&nbsp;Nor was there any indication of the controversial crackdown on illegal immigrants from US President Donald Trump's administration having any impact on the game in the heavily Hispanic South Florida community.&nbsp;While there were no goals to celebrate, the game was far from boring with Al Ahly enjoying the better of the first half before Miami improved significantly after the break.Al Ahly opened up Miami's defence with ease in the opening minutes of the game and Emam Ashour was denied by Ustari after being put through by Trezeguet.&nbsp;Palestine international striker Wessam Abou Ali had an effort ruled out for offside in the 31st minute and then the Denmark-born forward had a fierce strike tipped over by Ustari.The penalty came when Telasco Segovia bundled over Zizo but Trezeguet's spot kick was weak and parried out with the former Aston Villa forward unable to react fast enough to the rebound.&nbsp;Miami were stronger after the break with Messi going close in the 64th minute with a free-kick which grazed the post before hitting the side-netting, tricking part of the crowd into thinking he had scored.&nbsp;He nearly did in stoppage time, after a well-worked short-corner but the outstretched finger tip of El Shenawy was to deny him.&nbsp;Miami face Porto in Atlanta on Thursday before returning home to face Brazil's Palmeiras on Monday and while those should be tougher tests, their Argentina coach Javier Mascherano was upbeat.&nbsp;"The truth is we leave with the feeling that we could have won it in the second half. Going forward we have to do what we did in the second half, not have any fear, shed whatever baggage we had because when we play like that, we can play even with any team," he said.&nbsp;Al Ahly's Spanish coach Jose Riveiro, who only took charge of the team for this tournament, said his team should have finished the game off in the first half.&nbsp;"It's a game of mistakes. We had a decent amount of chances in the first half to put the game in a different space," he said before praising the team's fans.&nbsp;"It was like we were playing in Cairo and that was a surprise for me in my first official match with Al Ahly. To be here in the States and have it like you were playing at home is something that can probably only happen in this club," he said.&nbsp;Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami were held to a 0-0 draw by Egyptian side Al Ahly on Saturday as FIFAs new 32-team tournament got off to a smooth start in front of 60,927 fans in Florida.

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami were held to a 0-0 draw by Egyptian side Al Ahly on Saturday as FIFA's new 32-team tournament got off to a smooth start in front of 60,927 fans in Florida. Messi was denied a storybook stoppage-time winner when he saw his curling shot from 20 yards out tipped on to the bar by Mohamed El Shenawy as Miami piled on the pressure in the final minutes of the game. Al Ahly, who were cheered on by over 10,000 of their supporters, were left to rue a first-half penalty from Egypt international Trezeguet which was saved by Miami's Argentine keeper Oscar Ustari. But the Egyptians also had El Shenawy to thank for another fine save in the dying seconds to keep out a header from Maxi Falcon as Miami pushed for three points in the Group A clash. For organisers FIFA, who have faced heavy skepticism over the necessity for the tournament, the absence of a goal was the only disappointment on a night that delivered everything else that their president Gianni Infantino had hoped for from the opening night. Fears of a low crowd for the opener eased as the seats in the 64,000 venue began to fill up with the stadium almost full at kick-off time. Thousands of fans of Al Ahly, record 12 times African Champions League winner and 45-time league champions of Egypt, arrived at Hard Rock Stadium well ahead of kick-off and made their presence felt with singing and chanting. The stadium, home to the NFL's Miami Dolphins, witnessed chaotic scenes last year at the final of the Copa America between Argentina and Colombia where fans broke into the ground after long delays to enter. Penalty drama But there was an efficient filter system set up for ticket and security checks well away from the stadium perimeter and there were no signs of any problems. Nor was there any indication of the controversial crackdown on illegal immigrants from US President Donald Trump's administration having any impact on the game in the heavily Hispanic South Florida community. While there were no goals to celebrate, the game was far from boring with Al Ahly enjoying the better of the first half before Miami improved significantly after the break. Al Ahly opened up Miami's defence with ease in the opening minutes of the game and Emam Ashour was denied by Ustari after being put through by Trezeguet. Palestine international striker Wessam Abou Ali had an effort ruled out for offside in the 31st minute and then the Denmark-born forward had a fierce strike tipped over by Ustari. The penalty came when Telasco Segovia bundled over Zizo but Trezeguet's spot kick was weak and parried out with the former Aston Villa forward unable to react fast enough to the rebound. Miami were stronger after the break with Messi going close in the 64th minute with a free-kick which grazed the post before hitting the side-netting, tricking part of the crowd into thinking he had scored. He nearly did in stoppage time, after a well-worked short-corner but the outstretched finger tip of El Shenawy was to deny him. Miami face Porto in Atlanta on Thursday before returning home to face Brazil's Palmeiras on Monday and while those should be tougher tests, their Argentina coach Javier Mascherano was upbeat. "The truth is we leave with the feeling that we could have won it in the second half. Going forward we have to do what we did in the second half, not have any fear, shed whatever baggage we had because when we play like that, we can play even with any team," he said. Al Ahly's Spanish coach Jose Riveiro, who only took charge of the team for this tournament, said his team should have finished the game off in the first half. "It's a game of mistakes. We had a decent amount of chances in the first half to put the game in a different space," he said before praising the team's fans. "It was like we were playing in Cairo and that was a surprise for me in my first official match with Al Ahly. To be here in the States and have it like you were playing at home is something that can probably only happen in this club," he said. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami were held to a 0-0 draw by Egyptian side Al Ahly on Saturday as FIFA's new 32-team tournament got off to a smooth start in front of 60,927 fans in Florida.

FIFA Club World Cup 2025: Lionel Messi denied late winner as Inter Miami draw with Al Ahly

Russian President Vladimir Putin told his US counterpart Donald Trump Saturday that Moscow was ready to hold a fresh round of peace talks with Kyiv after June 22, once the sides complete exchanging prisoners and soldiers' bodies.&nbsp;Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky meanwhile did not mention whether Ukraine would agree to the next round of talks, only saying that "the exchanges will be completed and the parties will discuss the next step."&nbsp;Putin and Trump held a call for the fifth time since the Republican took office and sought to reset relations with Moscow, in a stark pivot from the approach of his predecessor Joe Biden's administration.&nbsp;Trump's approach has stunned Washington's allies, raising doubts about the future of US aid to Kyiv and leaving Europe scrambling to work out how it can fill any gap in supplies if Trump decides to pull US military, financial and intelligence support.&nbsp;"Both leaders expressed satisfaction with their personal relations" during the call, in which they also discussed the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, the Kremlin said.&nbsp;It added that the presidents "communicate in a businesslike manner and seek solutions to pressing issues on the bilateral and international agenda, no matter how complex these issues may be".&nbsp;<h2>'Happy birthday' call</h2> Trump posted on Truth Social to say Putin had called "to very nicely wish me a Happy Birthday" on the day he turned 79, but that "more importantly" the two discussed the Iran-Israel crisis.&nbsp;"He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end," Trump said, referring to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.&nbsp;Zelensky urged the United States to "shift tone" in its dialogue with Russia, saying it was "too warm" and would not help to end the fighting.&nbsp;"Any signals of reduced aid, or of treating Ukraine and Russia as equals, are deeply unfair. Russia is the aggressor. They started this war. They do not want to end it," the Ukrainian President said on X.&nbsp;The recent escalation sparked fears Washington might relocate resources at its expense, to beef up the defence of its close ally Israel which unleashed a large-scale attack on Iran Friday.&nbsp;"We would like to see aid to Ukraine not decrease because of this," he said. "Last time, this was a factor that slowed down aid to Ukraine."&nbsp;<h2>More soldiers exchanged</h2> Earlier on Saturday, Ukraine and Russia swapped prisoners in the fourth such exchange this week, part of a large-scale plan to bring back 1,000 wounded prisoners from each side and return bodies of killed soldiers.&nbsp;The prisoner agreement was the only visible result of two recent rounds of talks in Istanbul.Photos published by Zelensky on Telegram showed men of various ages, mostly with shaved heads, wearing camouflage and draped in Ukrainian flags.&nbsp;Some were injured, others disembarked from buses and hugged those welcoming them, or were seen calling someone by phone, sometimes covering their faces or smiling.&nbsp;Moscow's defence ministry released its own video showing men in uniforms holding Russian flags, clapping and chanting "Glory to Russia" and "hooray", some raising their fists in the air.&nbsp;As part of the Istanbul agreements, Kyiv also said it had received another 1,200 unidentified bodies from Russia.&nbsp;It said Moscow had said they were those of "Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel." Ukraine did not say whether it returned any bodies to Russia.&nbsp;Russia has rejected calls to halt its three-year offensive. It has demanded Ukraine cede territory and renounce Western military support if it wants peace.&nbsp;Since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, the assault has forced millions of people to flee their homes as towns and cities across eastern Ukraine have been flattened by heavy bombardments.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Russia intensified its advances along the front line, especially on the northeastern Ukrainian region of Sumy, where it seeks to establish a "buffer zone".&nbsp;By doing it, Moscow seeks to protect its bordering region of Kursk, previously partly occupied by Ukraine.&nbsp;Zelensky said Russia's advance on Sumy was stopped and that Kyiv's forces had managed to retake one village.&nbsp;He also denied Moscow's earlier claims that its troops entered the Dnipropetrovsk region. He said 53,000 Russian soldiers were involved in the Sumy operation.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky meanwhile did not mention whether Ukraine would agree to the next round of talks, only saying that "the exchanges will be completed and the parties will discuss the next step."

Russian President Vladimir Putin told his US counterpart Donald Trump Saturday that Moscow was ready to hold a fresh round of peace talks with Kyiv after June 22, once the sides complete exchanging prisoners and soldiers' bodies. Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky meanwhile did not mention whether Ukraine would agree to the next round of talks, only saying that "the exchanges will be completed and the parties will discuss the next step." Putin and Trump held a call for the fifth time since the Republican took office and sought to reset relations with Moscow, in a stark pivot from the approach of his predecessor Joe Biden's administration. Trump's approach has stunned Washington's allies, raising doubts about the future of US aid to Kyiv and leaving Europe scrambling to work out how it can fill any gap in supplies if Trump decides to pull US military, financial and intelligence support. "Both leaders expressed satisfaction with their personal relations" during the call, in which they also discussed the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, the Kremlin said. It added that the presidents "communicate in a businesslike manner and seek solutions to pressing issues on the bilateral and international agenda, no matter how complex these issues may be". 'Happy birthday' call Trump posted on Truth Social to say Putin had called "to very nicely wish me a Happy Birthday" on the day he turned 79, but that "more importantly" the two discussed the Iran-Israel crisis. "He feels, as do I, this war in Israel-Iran should end, to which I explained, his war should also end," Trump said, referring to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Zelensky urged the United States to "shift tone" in its dialogue with Russia, saying it was "too warm" and would not help to end the fighting. "Any signals of reduced aid, or of treating Ukraine and Russia as equals, are deeply unfair. Russia is the aggressor. They started this war. They do not want to end it," the Ukrainian President said on X. The recent escalation sparked fears Washington might relocate resources at its expense, to beef up the defence of its close ally Israel which unleashed a large-scale attack on Iran Friday. "We would like to see aid to Ukraine not decrease because of this," he said. "Last time, this was a factor that slowed down aid to Ukraine." More soldiers exchanged Earlier on Saturday, Ukraine and Russia swapped prisoners in the fourth such exchange this week, part of a large-scale plan to bring back 1,000 wounded prisoners from each side and return bodies of killed soldiers. The prisoner agreement was the only visible result of two recent rounds of talks in Istanbul. Photos published by Zelensky on Telegram showed men of various ages, mostly with shaved heads, wearing camouflage and draped in Ukrainian flags. Some were injured, others disembarked from buses and hugged those welcoming them, or were seen calling someone by phone, sometimes covering their faces or smiling. Moscow's defence ministry released its own video showing men in uniforms holding Russian flags, clapping and chanting "Glory to Russia" and "hooray", some raising their fists in the air. As part of the Istanbul agreements, Kyiv also said it had received another 1,200 unidentified bodies from Russia. It said Moscow had said they were those of "Ukrainian citizens, including military personnel." Ukraine did not say whether it returned any bodies to Russia. Russia has rejected calls to halt its three-year offensive. It has demanded Ukraine cede territory and renounce Western military support if it wants peace. Since Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, the assault has forced millions of people to flee their homes as towns and cities across eastern Ukraine have been flattened by heavy bombardments. Meanwhile, Russia intensified its advances along the front line, especially on the northeastern Ukrainian region of Sumy, where it seeks to establish a "buffer zone". By doing it, Moscow seeks to protect its bordering region of Kursk, previously partly occupied by Ukraine. Zelensky said Russia's advance on Sumy was stopped and that Kyiv's forces had managed to retake one village. He also denied Moscow's earlier claims that its troops entered the Dnipropetrovsk region. He said 53,000 Russian soldiers were involved in the Sumy operation.

Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky meanwhile did not mention whether Ukraine would agree to the next round of talks, only saying that "the exchanges will be completed and the parties will discuss the next step."

Russia ready for next round of talks on Ukraine: Putin tells Trump

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