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Oscar Winner Yeoh Joins IOC Along with Seven New Members 

Malaysian actress and UDP Goodwill Ambassador Michelle Yeoh takes part in a press conference on road safety at European Union headquarters in Brussels on September 20, 2023. (AFP)
Malaysian actress and UDP Goodwill Ambassador Michelle Yeoh takes part in a press conference on road safety at European Union headquarters in Brussels on September 20, 2023. (AFP)
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Oscar Winner Yeoh Joins IOC Along with Seven New Members 

Malaysian actress and UDP Goodwill Ambassador Michelle Yeoh takes part in a press conference on road safety at European Union headquarters in Brussels on September 20, 2023. (AFP)
Malaysian actress and UDP Goodwill Ambassador Michelle Yeoh takes part in a press conference on road safety at European Union headquarters in Brussels on September 20, 2023. (AFP)

Michelle Yeoh, the first Asian actress to win an Oscar, joined the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Tuesday after being voted in as a member at a ceremony in Mumbai.

She was one of eight new proposed members to join the Olympic body at its session in the Indian financial capital.

A former Malaysian junior squash champion, Yeoh won the Oscar for best lead actress earlier this year for her role in the film, "Everything Everywhere All at Once".

She got her Hollywood breakthrough when she was cast as the first ethnic Chinese Bond girl in 1997's "Tomorrow Never Dies" opposite Pierce Brosnan.

Yeoh, also a producer and a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, starred in martial arts movie "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon", the 2005 period drama "Memoirs of a Geisha" and the 2018 romantic comedy, "Crazy Rich Asians".

The 61-year-old is married to Jean Todt, the former head of FIA, the governing body for motor sport, which was recognized by the IOC in 2013.

She joins judoka Yael Arad, who won Israel's first Olympic medal, Hungarian businessman and sports administrator Balasz Furjes, Cecilia Roxana Tait Villacorta, a former Olympic volleyball medalist and politician from Peru, and German sports entrepreneur Michael Mronz as the five new individual members.

Furjes and Mronz have also led efforts, unsuccessful so far, to get the Olympics to Hungary and back to Germany respectively.

Sweden's Petra Soerling, head of the International Table Tennis Federation, and South Korean Kim Jae-youl, president of the International Skating Union, joined through their function as heads of an international federation.

Mehrez Boussayene, President of the Tunisian Olympic Committee, also joined.

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Convincing Barcelona Comeback Win Answers Doubts Over Flick’s Approach

Barcelona's Hansi Flick reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports game played between Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain, 08 November 2026. (EPA)
Barcelona's Hansi Flick reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports game played between Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain, 08 November 2026. (EPA)
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Convincing Barcelona Comeback Win Answers Doubts Over Flick’s Approach

Barcelona's Hansi Flick reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports game played between Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain, 08 November 2026. (EPA)
Barcelona's Hansi Flick reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports game played between Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain, 08 November 2026. (EPA)

After two damaging defeats ‌in late October undermined confidence in Hansi Flick's approach, a convincing second-half performance from Barcelona and a 2-1 win against Atletico Madrid helped to quell the doubts.

Paris St Germain and Real Madrid both had the answers to the questions that Barcelona asked of them last month.

Twice eliminated by Atletico Madrid in cup competitions last season, concerns were raised about the reliability of Flick's strategy against the strongest opposition. Even so, there was no serious suggestion that it could cause Flick to rethink his ideas.

Another defeat to Atletico would have had even the most fervent believers in ‌Flick's aggressive strategy ‌wavering. It might even have raised questions for ‌the ⁠Barcelona players.

During the ⁠opening exchanges at the Metropolitano on Sunday, Barcelona looked destined for a fate similar to the one they suffered against PSG and Real Madrid.

Yet Fermin Lopez scored twice as the visitors came from behind to win and retain a three-point lead at the top of LaLiga.

"Things got difficult in the first half, but we managed to turn it around and played ⁠a great match," Fermin told Movistar+.

"We weren't quite ‌at our sharpest, but the goal helped ‌us feel more at ease."

Atletico moved the ball with speed through Barcelona's press ‌and repeatedly found themselves bearing down on Joan Garcia's goal.

The response ‌from Barcelona showed that Flick's methods can still bring success against top opposition, even if they were spared a larger deficit by shoddy Atletico finishing.

"We knew the fans were a bit disappointed with the two defeats, but we've made ‌a statement," Fermin later told Barcelona club media.

"From 1-10, 10," said Flick in a press conference when asked ⁠how important ⁠the win was.

Barcelona wrestled back control from Atletico and once they had it, left little room for Diego Simeone's side to respond.

The home side made a host of changes in the second half, but none had any impact on the pattern of the game, which was dictated by Barcelona.

Flick's side moved fluidly, escaping Atletico's clutches and finding space to play in. Without the ball, Barcelona were equally impressive, swiping possession back whenever they lost it.

The performance showed that Flick's Barcelona can control games as well as outscore opponents.

Barcelona go into the international break with a three-point advantage over rivals Real Madrid in the standings, but the true value of the victory may be measured in the minds of Flick's players.

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Spain’s Yamal, Oyarzabal Out for Czech Nations League Clash

Barcelona's Spanish forward #10 Lamine Yamal applauds during a moment in remembrance of late Spanish footballer Jesus De Miguel during the Spanish league football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on November 8, 2026. (AFP)
Barcelona's Spanish forward #10 Lamine Yamal applauds during a moment in remembrance of late Spanish footballer Jesus De Miguel during the Spanish league football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on November 8, 2026. (AFP)
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Spain’s Yamal, Oyarzabal Out for Czech Nations League Clash

Barcelona's Spanish forward #10 Lamine Yamal applauds during a moment in remembrance of late Spanish footballer Jesus De Miguel during the Spanish league football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on November 8, 2026. (AFP)
Barcelona's Spanish forward #10 Lamine Yamal applauds during a moment in remembrance of late Spanish footballer Jesus De Miguel during the Spanish league football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on November 8, 2026. (AFP)

Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal will miss Spain's upcoming Nations League match against the Czech Republic, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) said on Monday.

Barcelona's teenage winger Yamal "reported discomfort in his right knee" after their 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid in La Liga on Sunday.

Real Sociedad forward Oyarzabal "is in the final phase of a bout of flu", explained the federation.

"Both players will join the training camp in the coming days so they can be available to face England at the Metropolitano Stadium (on Sunday)," added the RFEF.

World champions Spain, who have already qualified for the Nations League quarter-finals, visit the Czechs on Thursday before hosting Thomas Tuchel's England in Madrid.

Sports

Subdued Hamilton Praises Ferrari After ‘Tricky’ Weekend

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain competes in qualifying for the 2026 Formula One Sao Paulo Grand Prix at the Interlagos Circuit in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 07 November 2026. (EPA)
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain competes in qualifying for the 2026 Formula One Sao Paulo Grand Prix at the Interlagos Circuit in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 07 November 2026. (EPA)
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Subdued Hamilton Praises Ferrari After ‘Tricky’ Weekend

Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain competes in qualifying for the 2026 Formula One Sao Paulo Grand Prix at the Interlagos Circuit in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 07 November 2026. (EPA)
Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain competes in qualifying for the 2026 Formula One Sao Paulo Grand Prix at the Interlagos Circuit in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 07 November 2026. (EPA)

Lewis Hamilton made a subdued exit from Interlagos on Sunday after a weekend to forget at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, the third race in a disappointing "triple-header" for Ferrari.

The seven-time champion finished ninth after starting 20th on the grid, two places behind teammate Charles Leclerc, after a rain-hit contest where Ferrari were amongst the also-rans as Mercedes clinched the constructors' title.

Ferrari remained second in the teams' standings but needing only three more points that their rival Mercedes cruised to the world title with little concern on the day.

The result saw Hamilton slip from third to fourth in the drivers' title race behind new champion Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, Max Verstappen of Red Bull and Mercedes' George Russell. Leclerc is fifth.

Hamilton, ahead of his 400th Formula One race start, had started the weekend declaring that he and Leclerc had squashed the unrest and tension that lay between them in the team after a first lap tangle in Mexico, but his raised optimism did not produce results.

"It was a really tough day and weekend for the whole team," he said.

"They have done a really great job, especially all the mechanics in switching the engines and making sure the car was as good as it could be."

Hamilton had engine problems on Friday and had to introduce two new units on Saturday as another one failed during final practice. It led to him being penalized and starting 20th.

"I had a great start in the race, but unfortunately the rear tire just ballooned and over-heated and after that on slicks I was feeling pretty good.

"It was very tricky in these conditions, and we ended up making an extra stop, so I had a lot of ground to cover."

He said he spun late in the race because he did not realize how wet it had become.

"I didn't hear that it was raining more in the first sector and I passed the pit lane, got to turn one and it was wet. So that unfortunately, lost us a couple of places, but otherwise the team did a great job."