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Preliminary Trade Deal Reached Between U.S. and Europe Includes 15% Tariffs

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Preliminary Trade Deal Reached Between U.S. and Europe Includes 15% Tariffs

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U.S. and Europe Reach Preliminary Trade Deal With 15% Tariffs

The deal, which would set a 15 percent tariff on most E.U. goods, averted what could have become a painful trade war with the United States’ biggest source of imports.

“We are agreeing that the tariff straight across for automobiles and everything else will be a straight-across tariff of 15 percent.” “Indeed, basically, the European market is open. It’s 450 million people. So, it’s a good deal. It’s a huge deal. It was tough negotiations. I knew it at the beginning and it was indeed very tough. But we came to a good conclusion for both sides.” “I think it’s great that we made a deal today instead of playing games and maybe not making a deal at all. I think it’s a — I’m going to let you say, but I think it’s the biggest deal ever made. Thank you very much. Congratulations.” [clapping]

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Challenging Client Situation

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Germany’s Passenger Train Derailment Leaves Three Dead and Dozens Injured | Transportation Update

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Germany’s Passenger Train Derailment Leaves Three Dead and Dozens Injured | Transportation Update

Officials say the crash killed the train’s driver and injured at least 50 others, with 25 of them in serious condition.

A passenger train carrying 100 people has derailed in Germany, killing at least three people and wounding dozens of others, according to officials.

The crash happened on Sunday evening in a forested area near the town of Riedlingen in southwestern Baden-Wurttemberg state, roughly 158km (98 miles) west of the city of Munich.

Charlotte Ziller, the district fire chief, told reporters that the three victims included the train driver and an employee of Germany’s state-owned rail operator, Deutsche Bahn.

She said 50 people were injured in the crash, 25 of them seriously.

Deutsche Bahn confirmed several deaths and numerous injuries, and said that two train carriages had derailed “for reasons yet unknown”.

Authorities were currently investigating the circumstances of the accident, the operator said, and traffic had been suspended over a 40km (25-mile) stretch of the route.

Thomas Strobl, the interior minister of the state of Baden-Wurttemberg, said severe storms had swept through the region earlier, and that investigators are looking at whether the rains had caused the accident.

“There have been heavy rains here, so it cannot be ruled out that the heavy rain and a related landslide accident may have been the cause,” he said.  “However, this is currently the subject of ongoing investigations.”

The train had been travelling from the town of Sigmaringen to the city of Ulm when it derailed.

An emergency worker walks on railway tracks near a derailed passenger train near Riedlingen, Germany, on Sunday [Nonstopnews/EPA]

In a post on social media, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed his condolences to the families of those killed.

He added that he was in close contact with both the interior and transport ministers, and had asked them to “provide the emergency services with all the support they need”.

Footage from the scene of the accident showed yellow- and grey-coloured train carriages lying on their sides, as firefighters and emergency services tried to get to the passengers.

According to the local television station SWR, helicopters arrived shortly after the accident to transport the injured to hospitals in the area, and emergency doctors from nearby hospitals were alerted.

Richard Lutz, the chief executive of Deutsche Bahn, said he would visit the scene of the accident on Monday.

He said the operator was deeply shocked and dismayed by the accident, and thanked all the emergency services and volunteers on the site.

“My heartfelt sympathy and condolences go out to the relatives of the deceased. I wish the injured a quick and full recovery,” he added.

The rail operator has set up a free special hotline for those affected and their relatives, according to the official DPA news agency. Emergency chaplains and psychologists are also available for affected travellers and employees, it added.

German transport is regularly criticised by passengers for its outdated infrastructure, with travellers facing frequent train delays and various technical problems.

The government has pledged to invest several hundred billion euros over the next few years, in particular to modernise infrastructure.

In June 2022, a train derailed near a Bavarian Alpine resort in southern Germany, killing four people and injuring dozens.

Germany’s deadliest rail accident happened in 1998 when a high-speed train operated by state-owned Deutsche Bahn derailed in Eschede in Lower Saxony, killing 101 people.

Travel by train in Germany remains far safer than travelling by car, with 2,770 people killed in crashes on Germany’s roads in 2024, according to Germany’s Federal Statistical Office.

BOJ suggests a more optimistic outlook and potential rate-hike resumption

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BOJ suggests a more optimistic outlook and potential rate-hike resumption

BOJ may paint less gloomy view, signal rate-hike resumption

Trump’s Plan to Boost Profits for US Companies

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Trump’s Plan to Boost Profits for US Companies

Getty Images A young boy, in a T-shirt in the colours of the US flag, stands by an artisanal mine holding a wire sifting tray behind his shoulders in Lumumbashi in DR Congo, December 2005.Getty Images

The Trump administration is spearheading an ambitious, but controversial, peace initiative aimed at ending the long-running conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo that has also drawn in neighbouring Rwanda.

Its mediation efforts come as no surprise, as DR Congo – a nation in the heart of Africa – is endowed with the mineral wealth that the US requires to power the IT, and now AI, revolutions, much of which is currently going to China.

US President Donald Trump is expected to host the leaders of DR Congo and Rwanda – Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame – in the coming weeks to seal a peace agreement that he has hailed as a “glorious triumph”, hoping to back it up with deals that will boost US investment in the region.

US-based World Peace Foundation executive director Prof Alex de Waal told the BBC that the Trump administration was promoting “a new model of peace-making, combining a populist performance with commercial deal-making”.

“Trump has done this in Ukraine also. He wants to get the glory to boost his own political standing, and to secure minerals that are in America’s interests,” Prof De Waal said.

However, he noted that “in DR Congo, China has already snapped up many of the minerals so the US is playing catch-up”.

He said that up to now US companies had been cautious about investing in DR Congo because of safety concerns and the “moral hazard” of dealing in so-called “blood minerals” – minerals financing rebellions – but this could change as the Trump administration implemented its peace model.

Prof De Waal said this could also happen in other conflict-hit states like Sudan, where the Trump administration – along with Arab nations such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt – was expected to get involved in mediation efforts after previous initiatives failed.

He added that the Trump administration’s peace model could not be dismissed out of hand, especially if it stops fighting that has killed thousands of people and displaced millions of others in conflicts that have raged for more than 30 years in eastern DR Congo.

“Trump can get the different sides to talk, and shake things up,” Prof De Waal said.

But Prof Hanri Mostert, an academic on mineral law at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, told the BBC that DR Congo “risked compromising sovereignty over its minerals”.

DR Congo could find itself locked into deals for years, in exchange for vague guarantees of security, she said.

This was reminiscent of the “resource-bartering” deals pursued by China and Russia in numerous African states, Prof Mostert added.

She cited as an example Angola, where China built infrastructure in exchange for oil.

“Even when oil prices went up, Angola couldn’t get more value for it,” Prof Mostert said.

Getty Images Three Chinese railway workers, two of whom are sitting and one of whom is walking, prepare to put tracks on 31 March2007 in Dondo in AngolaGetty Images

China has improved the rail network in Angola in exchange for access to the country’s oil

The US State Department said in 2023 that DR Congo had an estimated $25trn (£21.2trn) in mineral reserves.

This included cobalt, copper, lithium, manganese and tantalum – needed to make the electronic components used in computers, electric vehicles, mobile phones, wind turbines and military hardware.

“For how long will DR Congo have to give its cobalt to US investors? Will it be 20 years or 50 years? What is the price for peace?” Prof Mostert asked.

DR Congo government spokesman Patrick Muyaya confirmed to the BBC’s Newsday programme in March that his country wanted to supply the US with “some critical minerals” in exchange for a security deal.

The M23 rebel group launched a major offensive early this year, seizing huge areas of eastern DR Congo and smuggling minerals across the border to Rwanda, UN experts said in a report earlier this month.

The minerals were then mixed with Rwandan production, and “their subsequent export to downstream actors reached unprecedented levels”, the UN experts added.

Rwanda denies accusations that it backs the M23, even though the UN has provided evidence it has thousands of soldiers in DR Congo.

In what appears to be an attempt to address the issue of mineral smuggling, the US-brokered peace deal between DR Congo and Rwanda provides for a still-to-be negotiated “regional economic integration framework” between the two rival states.

This would “ensure illicit economic pathways are blocked” and “mutually beneficial partnerships and investment opportunities” created for “greater prosperity – especially for the region’s population”.

“We’re getting, for the United States, a lot of the mineral rights from the Congo as part of it,” Trump said, ahead of the peace deal signed by representatives of the two governments on 27 June in Washington.

A DR Congo researcher with the South Africa-based Institute for Security Studies think-tank, Bram Verelst, told the BBC that the US initiative was running in tandem with another one being led by Qatar, a close US ally.

Mr Verelst said the US’s focus was mainly on the regional dimension, while Qatar’s was on domestic issues between DR Congo’s government and the M23 rebel group that has set up its own administration in the east after capturing the regional capital, Goma.

The BBC’s Paul Njie reports from inside rebel-held Goma

Prof Jason Stearns, a Canada-based political scientist who specialises in the region, told the BBC that Qatar, like other oil-rich Gulf states, was expanding into Africa “to project power, influence, but also to seek economic opportunities”.

He added that it became involved in mediation efforts at the request of Rwanda, which perceived the US as being in favour of DR Congo, something Washington denies.

Prof Stearns said Qatar had “massive” economic interests in Rwanda, pointing out that the Gulf state was building a new multi-billion dollar airport in Kigali and was in talks to acquire a 49% stake in the national airline.

He explained that the US and Qatar were working closely together, but it was less than ideal to have two processes because “you don’t want to end up in a situation where there is a peace deal between DR Congo and Rwanda, but Rwanda then says: ‘We don’t control the M23’, and the M23 continues escalating [the conflict] in eastern DR Congo”.

“So it’s very important that the two processes are tightly tied to each other since the actors are so closely linked,” Prof Stearns added.

Map of central Africa showing DR Congo, Uganda and Rwanda.

Under the peace deal, DR Congo and Rwanda agreed to launch a “security co-ordination mechanism” within 30 days of the 27 June deal.

Mr Verelst said that a ceasefire was expected to take effect on Tuesday, followed by the DR Congo government and the M23 signing a comprehensive peace agreement by 18 August, building on the “declaration of principles” they had already negotiated.

DR Congo-based International Crisis Group (ICG) think-tank analyst Onesphore Sematumba said the US and Qatar were getting deals struck in “record time” since Trump’s rise to the US presidency in January.

Mr Sematumba said their intervention came after various Africa-led mediation efforts had “failed to get the parties to sign even a single document” since 2022.

“Regional players do not have the same leverage to influence Kigali and Kinshasa,” he added.

“But between the signing of an agreement and the achievement of peace, the road can be long, and it will be long in this case,” Mr Sematumba warned.

One key question is whether the M23 will give up the territory under its control, as demanded by Tshisekedi’s government.

Mr Sematumba said the M23 had agreed to “state authority” being established across DR Congo, however, the rebels have also said they would not give up a “single centimetre” of land.

“Personally, I think the transition should be gradual, and for certain areas there should be some kind of co-management. But everything will depend on the tact of the mediators, and their ability to break the ice,” Mr Sematumba added.

He said the success of the peace initiative also hinged on what the agreement called the “lifting of defensive measures” by Rwanda, widely interpreted to mean the withdrawal of its troops from eastern DR Congo.

While Rwanda denies backing the M23, it says it wants to wipe out the FDLR, a militia born from those who carried out the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and then fled into DR Congo. Rwanda has accused the Congolese army of working with the FDLR.

The peace deal spells out that the FDLR should be “neutralised”, however this has been attempted several times over the past three decades.

“For Rwanda, the neutralisation of the FDLR is a precondition for the withdrawal of its forces, while DR Congo says the two must be achieved simultaneously,” Mr Sematumba pointed out, saying that mediators would have to find a solution as these issues had led to the failure of previous peace initiatives.

“Just by following the different interpretations given by the parties to the texts signed, you can sense all the difficulties that lie ahead,” Mr Sematumba said.

Prof Mostert agreed that diplomacy on its own could not achieve peace, and a broader initiative was needed.

“You build peace by transforming pain. That takes more than diplomacy. It takes dialogue, decentralised participation and dignifying people’s experiences,” she said.

“That’s why I believe it is important that the dealmakers and the lawmakers remain aware of historical traumas, including decades of resource exploitation,” Prof Mostert added.

So if he wants the peace to hold for long enough for US companies to profit, Donald Trump may have to keep the pressure on for some time to come.

More BBC stories on DR Congo-Rwanda peace deal:
Getty Images/BBC A woman looking at her mobile phone and the graphic BBC News AfricaGetty Images/BBC

Russia launches monthly direct flights to North Korea, with ticket prices starting at $570.

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Russia launches monthly direct flights to North Korea, with ticket prices starting at $570.

Russia on Sunday began direct commercial flights to North Korea, in a further sign of closer ties with its Asian ally helping its offensive in Ukraine.

The first Moscow-Pyongyang flight, operated by Russia’s Nordwind Airlines, took off at 1625 GMT, according to the Sheremetyevo airport’s website.

It is scheduled to land in the North Korean capital some eight hours later.

But initially, the route will only be serviced once a month, Russia’s transport ministry said.

Nordwind Airlines — which used to carry Russians to holiday destinations in Europe before the EU imposed a ban on Russian flights — had tickets priced at 45,000 rubles ($570).

“This is a historical event, strengthening the ties between our nations,” Oleg, a Nordwind employee managing the flight who did not want to give his full name, told AFP at the airport.

He also declined to say how many passengers were on board.

“For the first time in more than 70 years of diplomatic relations, we are launching direct flights between the capitals of our countries,” Russia’s deputy transport minister Vladimir Poteshkin was quoted as saying by the ministry’s Telegram account.

Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that the first return flight from Pyongyang to Moscow would take place on Tuesday.

Russia and North Korea restored train links on June 17 after suspending them in 2020 during the Covid pandemic.

The two countries have been forging closer military bonds in recent years, with Pyongyang supplying troops and weapons for Russia’s military operations in Ukraine.

They signed a mutual defence pact last year, when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited North Korea.

North Korea confirmed for the first time in April that it had deployed a contingent of its soldiers to the frontline in Ukraine, alongside Russian troops.

Introducing the 2025 Fortune 500, the definitive ranking of the biggest companies in America. Explore this year’s list.

Some parts of Gaza receive aid as Israel temporarily halts military operations

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Some parts of Gaza receive aid as Israel temporarily halts military operations

new video loaded: Aid Trickles Into Parts of Gaza as Israel Pauses Some Military Activity

By McKinnon de Kuyper•

Israel’s move comes amid growing international pressure over the dire conditions and hunger crisis in the Gaza Strip.

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Client Dilemma

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Lukas Märtens Secures 1st World Title in 400 Free at 2025 Worlds, Euro Recap Highlights

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Lukas Märtens Secures 1st World Title in 400 Free at 2025 Worlds, Euro Recap Highlights

By Sophie Kaufman on SwimSwam

2025 World Championships

Since he broke onto the senior international stage in 2022, Lukas Märtens has accomplished a lot. During the back half of the previous Olympic cycle, the rangy freestyler from Germany turned himself into a medal threat from the 200-meter to 800-meter freestyle.

Last summer, he achieved the goal that every swimmer dreams about and became the Olympic champion in the 400m freestyle. It was his second major accolade of the summer in the event as he claimed the 2024 European title shortly before the Games, scaring the world record. This year, there was no more scaring the long-standing record. He took down his countrymate Paul Biedermann’s historic super-suited record in the 400m freestyle. His time of 3:39.96 from the Malmsten Open in April made him the first man in event history to break 3:40.

There was still one title that eluded him though—world champion.

Märtens acknowledged after the race that “there was a lot of pressure” coming into the race as the Olympic champion and world record holder. He managed that pressure well though, and checked off the outstanding box on the checklist during the opening night of the 2025 World Championships. He took the race out hard, like he did when he set the world record, opening in 1:48.34. Despite his opening speed, he had not gotten rid of Sam Short, the 2023 world champion in this race. Short took over the lead at the 250-meter mark and continued to lead through the final turn, six-hundredths ahead of Märtens.

Märtens fought back on the final 50 meters, out-splitting Short 28.03 to 28.11 and hitting the wall first in 3:42.35. Fans may be sad to not see either Märtens or Short mount a serious challenge to the world record but as Märtens has reminded people before, on swimming’s biggest stages, getting your hand on the wall first is more important than the time.

“It was not easy to fight these guys,” Märtens said after the race. “But I tried my best, I have out everything, and I’m really happy and proud to be a world champion. Now Germany has a new world champion, and that’s not usual I think. [I am] really proud.”

It was an evening of firsts for the 400m freestyle champions. On the women’s side, Summer McIntosh won her first long-course world title in the event this evening after holding the world record at two separate times.

The German team has often found success on the first day of the meet, though it has sometimes been a challenge for them to sustain that success.

But there is a new energy surrounding the team, powered by a strong group of mid- and distance freestylers that includes medal threats in the men’s and women’s events. The German team put two swimmers into both the women’s and men’s 400m freestyle final. Oliver Klemet finished 8th in the men’s 400m final, while Isabel Gose and Maya Werner finished 5th and 8th, respectively.

“We took a big step forward—the whole team, all the girls and guys,” Märtens said. “We are a really young team, and there is a lot to come. Now, I’m one of the older guys and I’m 23. So that means a lot, and I’m really proud to be a part of the German team.”

With several days until the next mid- or distance freestyle event, the attention turns to Angelina Kohler, Luca Armbruster, and Lucas Matzerath. The three advanced to finals in their respective events and will look to add to Germany’s hardware tomorrow evening.

Quick Hits

Italy Joins Elite Sub-3:10 Club In Men’s 4×100 Free Relay

Carlos D’Ambrosio, Manuel Frigo, Lorenzo Zazzeri, Thomas Ceccon (Credit: Giorgio Scala DBM / DeepBlueMedia)

The Italian men became just the fifth country to break 3:10 in the 4x100m freestyle relay during the event final in Singapore. Carlos D’Ambrosio (47.78) got the squad started with a 47.78. He handed things over to Thomas Ceccon, who swam 47.10, the fastest split on the relay. The Italians were running third at the halfway point, but Lorenzo Zazzeri (47.36) pulled them into second with 100 meters to go.

Though Kyle Chalmers went by, Manuel Frigo’s 47.34 anchor kept the Italians in second when he hit the wall, stopping the clock at 3:09.58. The silver medal winning swim was a national record for the team, beating the 3:10.11 that earned Italy a historic silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

The swim also makes them part of an elite club. Only the United States (3:08.24), Australia (3:08.97), France (3:08.32), and the Russian Federation (3:09.52) have broken 3:10 before. (The times in parentheses mark each country’s best outing). Before today, only the United States had broken 3:09. Italy has been a medal threat in this event for years now, but this moment represents a significant step for the country. They have the depth and were able to put it all together at the right time.

Roos Vanotterdijk Shakes Up Women’s 100 Fly Field

Roos Vanotterdijk could not have asked for a better start to the 2025 World Aquatic Championships. The 20-year-old Belgian lowered her national record in the 100m butterfly twice and tied Gretchen Walsh for the top seed heading into tomorrow night’s final.

Vanotterdijk has been on fire in this event all season. In April at the Malmsten Swim Open she dropped a 57.05, improving on the 57.25 she swam in the semifinals of the 2024 Olympics. She came within five-hundredths of that time at the European U23 Championships in June, clocking 57.10 to win one of her three golds at that meet.

Once in Singapore, she did not waste any time blowing past her previous record. Vanotterdijk broke 57 seconds for the first time this morning, clocking a 56.66. That was just a warning shot though, as she propelled herself to a 56.07 in her semifinal. She was out in 26.14 and came back in 29.93 to move up the all-time performer list into a tie for 9th.

Vanotterdijk became the 2024 European champion in this event shortly before the Paris Games. In a year, she has established herself as “what’s next” for European women in this event. Though she’s making a case for “what’s next” to be “what’s now” as she chases a world title tomorrow evening.  If she earns a medal, it will be her first on the senior global stage.

Europeans Dominate 50 Butterfly Semifinals

When the men’s 50m butterfly final takes to the blocks tomorrow evening, seven of the eight finalists will be European swimmers. Maxime Grousset, the 2023 world champion in the 100m butterfly, led the way through a blistering semifinals round that saw numerous national records fall.

Grousset set a national record of his own, swimming a 22.61 to clip the 22.70 he swam at last month’s French Elite Championships. The swim moves Grousset up from 10th to 5th on the all-time performers list.

Noè Ponti moved through to the final as the second seed (22.72), two-hundredths ahead of Great Britain’s Ben Proud. Proud’s 22.74 swim chopped a hundredth off the British record he swam at the 2017 World Championships, the year he won the world title in this event.

The other Europeans to make the final were Netherlands’ Nyls Korstanje (22.79), Portugal’s Diogo Ribeiro (22.83), Italy’s Thomas Ceccon (22.84), and Germany’s Luca Armbruster. Armbruster brought the German record sub-23 seconds for the first time by hitting a 22.91. Meanwhile, Korstanje, Ribeiro, and Ceccon were all close to their personal bests, setting up a thrilling race for tomorrow.

Though Austria’s Simon Bucher and Greece’s Stergio Marios Bilas missed the final, finishing 10th and 11th respectively, they also reset their country’s national record. Bucher swam 22.95, dropping a tenth from his swim at the 2023 World Championships. Bilas’ semifinal swim was his second national record of the day; his 23.00 improved on the 23.04 he posted in prelims.

National Records

Women’s and Men’s 400 Freestyle

  • Victor Johansson set two Swedish records in the 400m freestyle on the first day in Singapore. His first of the day was a 3:45.26 in the heats, which qualified him 6th for the final later that evening. There, he broke 3:45 for the first time in his career, hitting 3:44.68 to finish fourth. At the start of the day, Johannson held the Swedish record at 3:45.87 from the 2024 World Championships.

Women’s 200 IM

  • Tamara Potocka reset her Slovak record in the 200m IM during the heats. She swam 2:12.29, lowering the record from the 2:12.42 she posted at the 2024 European Championships.
  • The Greek record in the women’s 200m IM has been broke multiple times already this season. Artemis Vasilaki set the mark at 2:13.91 in May at the Greek Championships. Now, Nikoletta Pavlopoulou brought it down to 2:13.85 in the heats.

Men’s 100 Breaststroke

  • While swimming under a neutral flag, Kirill Prigoda broke the Russian record in the men’s 100m breaststroke that Anton Chupkov held at 58.83 for nearly five years. Prigoda, representing the Neutral Athletes – B committee at this meet, swam 58.53 in the heats of the men’s 100m breaststroke. He qualified for the semifinals as the top seed, then made it through to the final in 59.36.

Women’s 100 Butterfly

  • Representing the Neutral Athletes – B committee, Daria Klepikova broke the Russian record in the women’s 100m butterfly. She posted a 56.42 to move through to tomorrow’s final as the fourth seed, chopping .75 seconds from former Russian record. It was a longstanding record too; Svetlana Chimrova set it at 57.17 back at the 2017 Russian Championships. This was Klepikova’s first national record of the session. Later, she helped the NAB women break the Russian record in the 4x100m freestyle relay.

Women’s and Men’s 4×100 Freestyle Relay

  • Fifth through eighth in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay final broke their country’s national record. France shaved three hundredths from their previous record with a 3:34.62 for 5th place. Just six-hundredths behind them, the Russian quartet, swimming as ‘Neutral Athletes B’, brought the national record under 3:35 with a 3:34.69. Powered by Sara Curtis’ lead off, the Italians swam 3:35.18, breaking their national record that had stood since the 2016 Olympics. Finally, Hungary swam 3:36.34, bettering the 3:36.77 the same quartet swam at the 2024 European Championships.
  • Jacob Mills (48.51), Matthew Richards (47.32), Jacob Whittle (47.67), and Duncan Scott (47.23) broke the British record in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay, touching in 3:10.73 for fourth place in the final. The swim bettered the 3:11.14 swum at the 2022 World Championships, which both Whittle and Richards were part of.
  • Lithuania’s quartet of Tajus Juška (48.60), Tomas Navikonis (47.47), Tomas Lukminas (47.83), and Danas Rapšys broke the Baltic and Lithuanian records in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay. Both marks had stood at 3:16.47 since the 2009 World Championships, but the team torched that time with a 3:12.74 that qualified them for the final. They placed 7th in the final, a tenth off their time from the morning.
  • While leading off the Norwegian men’s 4x100m freestyle relay, Sander Sørensen lowered his national record in the individual 100m freestyle. He swam 48.73 as the lead-off leg, taking .13 seconds off the national record he set in April at the Bergen Swim Festival. The relay of Sørensen, Markus Lie (49.10), Jakob Harlem (49.84), and Bjoernar Laskerud (48.99) broke the four-year-old men’s 4x100m freestyle relay as well. Sørensen’s lead-off swim was a huge boost for the squad, which crushed the former record of 3:20.25 with a 3:16.66.
  • Sørensen was not the only swimmer to hit a national record leading off their nation’s relay. Jere Hribar took down the Croatian record in the 100 freestyle. He swam 47.93, bringing the record sub-48 seconds as he bettered the 48.13 Nikola Miljenić swam in March 2024. Sergio De Celis took a hundredth off the Spanish men’s 100m freestyle record with a 48.24. Ralph Daleiden broke his Luxembourgish record too, swimming 48.60 to clear his 2023 mark by three-hundredths.

Continental Medal Table Thru Day 1

Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
Germany 1 1
Italy 1 1
Netherlands 1 1

 

 

 

Read the full story on SwimSwam: 2025 Worlds, Euro Recap: Lukas Märtens Earns 1st World Title, Completing Epic Year In 400 Free

Piastri clinches victory in rain-affected F1 Belgian Grand Prix, fending off Norris | Motorsports News

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Piastri clinches victory in rain-affected F1 Belgian Grand Prix, fending off Norris | Motorsports News

Oscar Piastri controlled the rain-delayed race, extending his F1 Championship lead over McLaren teammate Lando Norris.

Oscar Piastri passed McLaren teammate and title rival Lando Norris with a bold early move to win the rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix and extend his Formula One lead to 16 points.

Charles Leclerc was a distant third for Ferrari on Sunday, as reigning champions McLaren celebrated their sixth one-two finish in 13 races and the third in a row.

The race at Spa-Francorchamps was red-flagged after an initial formation lap and delayed by an hour and 20 minutes due to the weather, with standing water and heavy spray affecting visibility.

Piastri was in no mood for hanging around when the racing got going with a rolling start after four laps behind the safety car to check conditions.

The Australian slipstreamed Norris through the daunting Eau Rouge section of the track and then scythed past down the Kemmel straight into Les Combes in a move of total commitment in the treacherous conditions.

“I knew lap one would be my best chance of winning the race. I got a good exit out of Turn One; lifted as little as I dared out of Eau Rouge,” he said.

“The rest of the race we managed really well. I struggled at the end. Maybe the mediums were not the best for the last five or six laps. We had it mostly under control.”

The win was his sixth of 2025, making the 24-year-old the first Australian – on a list that includes past world champions Jack Brabham and Alan Jones – to win that many races in a single F1 season.

Norris had a slight battery issue, with the Briton asking over the radio why he had “no pack”, before his race engineer assured him it was coming back, but he was not looking for any excuses afterwards.

“Oscar just did a good job. Nothing more to say. Committed a bit more through Eau Rouge, and had the slipstream and got the run,” he said.

“So, nothing to complain of. He did a better job in the beginning, and that was it. Nothing more I could do after that point. I would love to be up top, but Oscar deserved it today.”

McLaren’s Piastri, left, leads teammate Lando Norris during the rain-affected Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday [Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP]

Two-horse race

Piastri now has 266 points to Norris’s 250. The Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen is third but 81 points off the lead. The championship is more than ever a two-horse race, with Hungary up next weekend before the August break.

McLaren lead the constructors’ standings, with 516 points to Ferrari’s 248, while Mercedes fell further behind their Italian rivals on 220.

Piastri pitted on lap 12 of 44 to switch from intermediates to medium tyres on a drying track. Norris followed a lap later, but he opted for the hards and rejoined nine seconds behind.

The Briton might have hoped Piastri would have to pit again, but the Australian made the tyres last to the chequered flag on a one-stop strategy.

Piastri crossed the line 3.415 seconds clear of Norris, who had been chasing a third win in a row, and managed to reduce the gap in the final laps before late mistakes left the ever-calm Australian under no pressure.

Saturday sprint winner Verstappen finished fourth in his team’s first Grand Prix since the dismissal of team boss Christian Horner, with George Russell fifth for Mercedes.

Williams’s Alex Albon held off Ferrari’s seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton – last year’s winner with Mercedes – to secure sixth.

Hamilton had been one of four drivers due to start from the pit lane, but given a big boost by the switch to a rolling getaway and a fresh engine installed overnight.

The Briton was also the first to make the decision to switch to slicks and pit, gaining six places.

Liam Lawson was eighth for Racing Bulls, with Gabriel Bortoleto ninth for Sauber and Pierre Gasly securing the final point for Alpine.

Oscar Piastri in action.
Piastri crosses the finish line as his McLaren team celebrates on the pit wall [Yan Pierse/Getty Images]
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