Daniel Ricciardo is predicting a raft of changes for the Formula 1 grid at the end of this year, when many high-profile driver contracts are set to expire. With the exception of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who saw his deal with Scuderia extended until the end of 2024, the drivers of Grand Prix racing’s top three teams will be seeking new contracts, and perhaps a new team, during 2020. Lewis Hamilton has already admitted to an encounter with Ferrari boss Louis Camilleri while Max Verstappen will likely be attentive to Mercedes’ own plans if Red Bull and Honda fail to deliver a championship- inning package to the Dutchman this season. Ricciardo:…

If the US military conducted a limited series of strikes on North Korea, would it scare Kim Jong Un enough to stop the young leader’s dogged pursuit for nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles? ### North Korea’s answer, at least in state media, was a resounding no. Pyongyang warned it would respond to any military action against its sovereign territory with force of its own. ### “The empire of America would go to the hell and the short history of the US would end forever, the moment he destroys even a single blade of grass on this land,” a commentary in state media said in February 2018, months before Trump and…

Scientists from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom used satellite data to establish increases in subnival vegetation — plants that grow between the tree line and the snow line — in the Himalayas. ### Using NASA Landsat satellite data from 1993 to 2018, remote sensing scientists measured “small but significant” increases in vegetation cover across four height brackets between 4,150 and 6,000 meters (13,615-19,685 feet) above sea level. ### “There are now more areas that are covered in plants than there were in 1993,” Karen Anderson, a remote sensing scientist who led the research, told CNN. ### Around Mount Everest, there was a significant increase in vegetation across…

The crater may lie beneath lava in a 910 cubic kilometer (218 cu mi) area of the Bolaven plateau volcanic field in the southeast Asian nation of Laos, according a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal. ### A meteorite is a an object from space that survives a trip through the atmosphere and falls on the Earth’s surface. The meteorite that crashed into Earth over 790,000 years ago was 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) wide, and the impact was so great that debris was flung across Asia, Australia, and Antarctica. ### The first clues leading to the impact site came from small, pebble-like glassy objects…

The beginning of the tennis year always takes place in Australia, and in 2020 that means contending with massive wildfires sweeping the continent, even if no significant tournament sites are likely to be in danger of localized burning. Due to the time of year, the Australian Open is often played in incredibly hot conditions, especially as the summers have continued to heat up as part of global climate change. In recent months, Australia’s wildfires have killed at least 25 people, costing many more their homes and forcing widespread evacuations. As the Australian Open approaches, there are still approximately 200 active blazes across the continent, with some expected to affect air quality in Melbourne,…

It only took Josh McCown 17 years in the NFL and eight teams to quarterback a team in the NFL playoffs.  McCown, born July 4, 1979, became the third player 40 or older to play during 2020 wild-card weekend, joining the Patriots’ Tom Brady and the Saints’ Drew Brees, who both lost. McCown came off the bench for the Eagles on Sunday after Carson Wentz suffered a head injury midway through the first quarter against the Seahawks. MORE: Updated playoff bracket for AFC, NFC After Philadelphia didn’t re-sign Nick Foles and chose not to roll with an oft-injured Nate Sudfeld as Wentz’s top backup, it signed McCown on Aug. 17. While…

Only one contest remains in the 2019 college football season, the last game before the 2020 campaign kicks off nearly eight months from now. No. 1 LSU takes on No. 3 Clemson in the 2020 College Football Playoff championship game. It’s a battle of Tigers that features two star-studded rosters, most notably in LSU’s Joe Burrow — Heisman Trophy winner and Sporting News Player of the Year — and Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, sophomore phenom and winner of 25 straight games as a starter. MORE: SN staff picks CFP title game There’s so much more to the game that will take place in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, however: The clash of head…

During the 97th edition of Pitti Uomo Woolrich transformed Florence’s La Dogana into an enchanted winter paradise with a unique installation showcasing the quintessentially outdoor spirit and expertise of the brand. “With the Ultimate Woolrich Experience at Pitti, we are refocusing our product and brand strategy on outerwear – the category that built this brand and made it great, and which will continue to drive our future growth,” explains Stefano Saccone, chief executive of Woolrich in a statement. “Delivering bold, purposeful and innovative products, along with impactful and engaging consumer experiences, is where we will direct our creativity, energy and resources.” The American outerwear brand had various zones within its…

Didier Drogba may have cost a lot in 2004, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a Chelsea fan who feels it was not £24m well spent. He ticked all the boxes. Arriving from Marseille on 20 July as one of Jose Mourinho’s first signings as he began building his all conquering team. And it took some straight talking from the Chelsea boss to get the deal over the line. “He had already played for Guingamp, Marseille, Le Mans, so when I took him to ​Chelsea I remember clearly [owner Roman] Abramovich was asking me, ‘Who? Who do you want as a striker?’ “With all the big names in Europe…

Unai Emery reportedly blocked Reiss Nelson’s exit from Arsenal last summer because he saw a big future for the young forward. The 20-year-old forward is thriving under the leadership of new Gunners boss Mikel Arteta and capped a superb performance against Leeds in the FA Cup by scoring the winner. Nelson, who has starred in the youth ranks at the Emirates, has always had a big admirer in the shape of former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger. The Frenchman once described him as one the best 15-year-old player he’d ever seen and Arteta is keen to give Nelson a run in the first team to prove himself. However, it might have…