Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg resume their title bids at the Belgian Grand Prix this weekend, with 11 points separating the Mercedes teammates and Hamilton leading 5-4 in race wins. Among the sport's talking points is the news that Max Verstappen will become the youngest ever F1 driver when he makes his debut at the age of 17 in next year's championship. Meanwhile, drivers Alexander Rossi and Andre Lotterer are set for F1 debuts of their own in Spa, where Frenchman Romain Grosjean needs to find some form.

Here are five things to know ahead of Friday's first practice session:

Bastia striker Brandao has been temporarily suspended by the French league after he headbutted Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Thiago Motta at the end of last weekend's match.

The French league's disciplinary committee decided on Thursday to "provisionally suspend Brandao starting from Friday, August 22" ahead of a hearing on Sept. 18.

Former Brazil striker Fred warned on Thursday that he and his Fluminense teammates might not play this weekend following threatening behavior by fans after the team's recent run of defeats.

A few dozen Fluminense fans shouted abuse at players, threw objects and hit out at their cars earlier Thursday as the team left a Rio de Janeiro airport where it had touched down following a 1-0 loss to Chapecoense, its third in a row.

Star goalkeeper Tim Howard is taking a one-year break from the U.S. national team because of a "commitment" to his family.

The three-time World Cup veteran asked U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann to not consider him for the roster until September 2015. The 35-year-old Howard will continue to play for Everton in the English Premier League.

The Dominican Republic government commission that oversees public performances is banning a Sept. 13 concert by Miley Cyrus on morality grounds.

The commission said in a statement Thursday that it took the action because Cyrus often "undertakes acts that go against morals and customs, which are punishable by Dominican law."

Archaeologists excavating a large burial mound in northern Greece that has captivated the public's imagination have asked politicians and others seeking guided tours of the site to leave them in peace.

The Culture Ministry appealed Thursday for "understanding" while the Amphipolis excavation proceeds.

New research suggests a one-two punch could help battle polio in some of the world's most remote and conflict-torn regions: Giving a single vaccine shot to children who've already swallowed drops of an oral polio vaccine greatly boosted their immunity.

The World Health Organization officials said the combination strategy already is starting to be used in mass vaccination campaigns in some hard-hit areas and is being introduced for routine immunizations in developing countries.

A U.S. defense attorney said Thursday that a Marine accused of deserting his unit a decade ago in Iraq was kept in Lebanon for eight years while he faced a military trial there.

The Marine officer presiding over the hearing for Cpl. Wassef Hassoun adjourned the proceeding for at least a week to allow defense attorneys to translate Lebanese documents they say support his case.

If it walks like a drama and talks like a drama and yet calls itself a comedy, that's just fine with the Emmy Awards.

But the audience for Monday's ceremony (8 p.m. EDT, NBC) may suffer momentary confusion when, say, the Netflix women's prison saga "Orange Is the New Black" pops up as a nominee for best comedy series.

Amy Winehouse is to be commemorated with a statue in the London neighborhood where she lived and worked.

The late singer's family says the statue will be unveiled in Camden Town on Sept. 14, her 31st birthday.