In the busy streets of Hong Kong's Central district the lunchtime queues snake around the swanky Japanese restaurants where high-end sushi can sell at $150 a pop just for a tasting menu.

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When Evil Lurks is such an impressively grim movie that it's bound to stick in

Max Verstappen goaded his forlorn rivals by challenging Red Bull to pointless “pit-stop training” during his exhibition win in Belgium on Sunday. Verstappen started sixth by virtue of a grid penalty for a gearbox change, but he assumed the lead on lap 17 of 44 before taking the chequered flag 22.3 seconds clear of Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez. Charles Leclerc finished third for Ferrari. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton started third and crossed the line in fourth. Verstappen’s triumph was his eighth in a row – leaving him just one short of Sebastian Vettel’s record. It also marked his 10th victory from 12 rounds so far this season, his 19th from his last 23 outings and Red Bull’s 22nd in that period. The team from Milton Keynes head into Formula One’s summer break unbeaten this season. Verstappen is riding on a wave of invincibility – a staggering 125 points clear in the championship – and with nine laps remaining here, his supreme confidence was expressed in a message to his race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase. “I could also push on and we do another stop?” he said. “A little bit of pit-stop training?” “Not this time,” replied Lambiase. “He has reason to be cheeky because he is just driving circles round everybody else on merit,” was the verdict of Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff following another so-so afternoon for the Silver Arrows. “The stopwatch never lies and there is one guy in one car above everyone else.” From sixth to fourth at the end of the first lap, Verstappen dispatched of Hamilton at 210mph on the Kemmel Straight on lap six, and then Leclerc three laps later following a fine move round the outside of the Ferrari pole-sitter at Les Combes. Then came the first of a series of sharp-edged radio exchanges with Lambiase which would provide some entertainment on a one-sided afternoon in the Ardennes. Trailing Perez, Verstappen wanted Red Bull to perform a double-stack tyre-stop in order not to lose any time to his team-mate on fresh rubber. But his request was rebuffed by the Red Bull pit wall. “So don’t forget Max, use your head please,” said Lambiase. “Are we both doing it (stopping) or what?” replied Verstappen. “You just follow my instruction,” came Lambiase’s response. “No, I want to know both cars do it,” fired back Verstappen. “Max, please follow my instruction and trust it, thank you,” said Lambiase. Lambiase was promptly back on the radio to ask Verstappen if he could make his dry rubber last for the next nine minutes with fine drizzle anticipated. “I can’t see the weather radar,” was Verstappen’s spiky response. A lap after Perez stopped for tyres, Verstappen came in. He left the pit-lane 2.8 sec adrift of the Mexican but he required only two laps before he was crawling all over the back of his team-mate’s identical machine. Verstappen tracked Perez through the fearsome Eau Rouge-Raidillon section before he applied DRS and roared round Perez along the Kemmel Straight. By the end of that 17th lap, Verstappen had already established a 1.6 sec gap over his team-mate. It then began to drizzle, and Verstappen endued a hairy moment through Eau Rouge as the back end of his Red Bull stepped out at 180mph. “F***, I nearly lost it,” said the championship leader after he regained control. On lap 29, Perez now trailing Verstappen by nine seconds, stopped for a second time, with Verstappen following in on the same lap and then building on his lead. Lambiase returned to the airwaves. “You used a lot of the tyre on the out-lap, Max,” he said. “I am not sure if that was sensible.” Verstappen responded by producing the fastest lap of the race. Verstappen’s back-and-forth with Lambiase, known as GP, came 48 hours after they squabbled over the radio in qualifying. But Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said: “GP and Max have been together since the first race that Max stepped into the car. Max is a demanding customer. And you’ve got to be a strong character to deal with that. “GP is our Jason Statham equivalent, certainly a lookalike, and he deals with him firmly but fairly. “There’s a great respect between the two of them and that comes out of a mutual trust, which you must have between an engineer and a driver. There’s no counselling required.” The sport will now head for a four-week shutdown before Verstappen’s home race in the Netherlands on August 27. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Max Verstappen beats Oscar Piastri to sprint race pole in Belgium How Max Verstappen and record-breaking Red Bull compare to Formula One greats I held my breath – Lewis Hamilton enjoys ‘extraordinary’ run to pole in Budapest

From creamy mashed potato and sweetcorn smothered in butter to rich tomato soup and miso-glazed aubergine, cooked veggies can be incredibly tasty. But did you know that, in some cases, munching raw vegetables can be better for your health? “When veggies are cooked, some of the heat-sensitive nutrients, such as vitamin C, can become depleted,” says functional nutritionist Pauline Cox, author of Hungry Woman: Eating For Good Health, Happiness And Hormones. “Beneficial enzymes within raw veg can also be lost to roasting and cooking.” Fresh veg can be especially appealing in summer when you’re craving filling salads and crunchy snacks. “Adding more raw to your daily dish will liven up your palate and upgrade your dinner plate,” Cox says. As with any raw ingredient, it’s important to prepare veg properly. “Whether you’re eating vegetables raw or cooked, always wash them well before consuming to help reduce pesticide residue or harmful bacteria,” suggests Maz Packham, nutritional therapist and founder of Nourishful Nutrition. Here, experts talk through eight vegetables that are delicious raw… 1. Sweet potato “Sweet potato, often associated with oven baked, roasted or mashed, can actually be consumed raw,” says Cox. But you’ll want to grate the flesh first to make it more palatable: “Grated into a slaw, sweet potatoes are a super source of beta carotene, vitamin C and fibre.” 2. Kale Baked kale chips have become very trendy in recent years as health-conscious individuals look for new ways to consume the vitamin-rich leaves. “Many individuals find it easier to digest kale once it’s been sauteed or steamed,” says registered nutritionist Jenna Hope. “However, massaging raw kale with olive oil instead can also help to aid digestion whilst preserving the vitamin C. “Additionally, adding olive oil can help to increase the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin K, which is also present in kale.” 3. Sugar snap peas Unlike some types of peas, there’s no need to shell sugar snaps, which are high in vitamins C and K. “Vitamin C is a powerhouse antioxidant we need to consume through foods for collagen production, to support iron absorption, and for a healthy functioning immune system,” says Packham. “Sugar snap peas are also a good source of vitamin K and folate which are abundant in green vegetables, and they’re a great source of fibre helping to support beneficial bacteria in the gut and good digestive health.” They make a delicious snack on their own or dipped in hummus. “You may want to break off the ends and remove the outer string that runs along the side; you may not even notice it,” Packham continues. “Cut the pods into smaller segments and mix into salads for extra texture and crunch.” 4. Celeriac “Rich in vitamin K, celeriac may have bone-health boosting properties, as higher intake of vitamin K is associated with a lower risk of fractures,” suggests Cox. Cut off the tough outer peel before grating, slicing ribbons with a vegetable peeler or chopping into small pieces. “Delicate in flavour but packed with goodness, celeriac makes a great addition to any salad,” Cox. “Thinly sliced into matchstick-sized strips and tossed with a dollop of olive oil, mayonnaise and a little mustard, celeriac can liven up any meal as a side dish.” 5. Cauliflower Cauliflower cheese may be a culinary classic, but you don’t have to bake this cruciferous veg to reap the health rewards. “Cauli is bursting with vitamin C, vitamin K and dietary fibre,” says Cox. She recommends: “Raw cauliflower makes a great dunker for a delicious guacamole or hummus.” However, if you have any digestive health issues you should be cautious with cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower. “They can cause excess gas as they contain an indigestible fibre called raffinose,” says Rob Hobson, registered consultant nutritionist at Healthspan. “Bacteria try and break this down in the large intestine and in the process produce gas. This could be an issue for people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as it can exacerbate symptoms.” 6. Baby corn While full-size corn cobs are way too tough to consume whole, baby corn (harvested before the stalks mature) is soft enough to munch whole. “Despite its size, baby corn is nutritionally rich containing vitamins A and C as well as folate and potassium,” says Packham. “The high fibre content helps support a healthy gut while also helping you to feel fuller for longer.” You can slice the stalks to add to salads or serve them as crudites, Packham suggests: “Baby corn is a great snack option and can be left whole – it tastes delicious dipped into hummus or guacamole.” 7. Courgette “Courgettes are rich in vitamin C and B6, which can also be degraded by high heat,” says Hope, and because it’s got a semi-firm texture it’s easy to adapt for raw dishes. Hope adds: “Try slicing up your courgettes and using them as an alternative to cucumber in salads, or sliced up and dipped into hummus or guacamole.” 8. Brussels sprouts Not a fan of the classic Christmas dinner side dish? “Trying them raw might just see you developing a newfound love for the humble Brussels sprout,” says Cox, recommending the brassica as a rich source of vitamins C and K. “Thinly sliced and treated like shredded lettuce, glug on a generous dose of avocado oil or olive oil and a few chopped pecans or walnuts and finish with some fresh, grilled goat’s cheese – this combo may well win you over!” As Brussels sprouts are cruciferous, the same warning applies to cauliflower for people with IBS. Hobson adds: “They contain compounds called glucosinolates which can reduce the absorption of iodine which could interfere with thyroid function. “People with underactive thyroid may want to limit their intake of these compounds. Cooking them lowers the levels of glucosinolates.” Read More Brain’s appetite control centre different in overweight or obese people – study Study reveals how muscle cells deteriorate with age, hampering injury recovery Is it heat exhaustion or are you just tired? Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

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The snake-bitten Las Vegas Grand Prix descended into further farce in the early hours of Friday morning as fans were sent home just an hour before the much-delayed second free practice session got underway. F1’s return to Vegas could hardly have been more disastrous as the first practice session was abandoned due to a loose drain cover. FP1 had only been going for eight minutes when Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari rolled to a stop on the ‘Sin City’ strip, having suffered substantial floor damage. LIVE! Follow the ongoing farce at the Las Vegas Grand Prix with our blog Driving at speeds of over 200mph, Sainz went over the loose drain cover before veering to the side and stopping the car after the impact, leaving Ferrari furious at the damage caused. To add salt to the wound, the Spaniard was then issued a 10-place grid penalty for making changes to his car following the loose drain incident. The issue caused huge delays to the schedule as frantic work ensued to ensure the track was safe, with FP2 – which was originally supposed to get underway at 12am local time (8am GMT) – delayed until 2am (10am GMT) and then pushed back a further 30 minutes. Yet it was only at 1.30am in Vegas that an announcement finally came over the tannoy, officially sending fans home from the venue due to “logistical considerations”, meaning FP2 resumed with the backdrop of eerily empty stands. Regarding the initial drain cover issue, F1’s governing body the FIA stated: “Following inspection, it was the concrete frame around a manhole cover that has failed. We now need to check all of the other manhole covers which will take some time. “We will be discussing with the local circuit engineering team about the length of time it will take to resolve and will update with any resultant changes to the schedule.” FP2 was extended to 90 minutes to allow teams more track time but the variety of issues seemed to only confirm the viewpoint of reigning world champion Max Verstappen, who launched a scathing rebuke of the event earlier this week – calling it “99 per cent show, 1 per cent sporting event” and “you just look like a clown” after being introduced to the crowd at a lavish opening ceremony on Wednesday. Read More Carlos Sainz handed ‘ridiculous’ penalty after drain cover crash at Las Vegas GP Jacques Villeneuve becomes first F1 driver to get married in paddock at Las Vegas GP Five times a manhole cover stopped F1 in its tracks

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