The tennis match was the BBC’s third-highest ratings for any non-final contest in the last three years, with over five million people watching the Wimbledon match
Wimbledon breaks TV record for BBC as millions tune in for Emma Raducanu(Image: Marleen Fouchier/Getty Images)
A record number of viewers tuned in to watch Emma Raducanu’s match with Aryna Sabalenka on BBC One on Friday. The tennis match was the BBC’s third-highest ratings for any non-final contest in the last three years, with over five million people watching the Wimbledon match.
The 22-year-old had the ultimate challenge in the third round of the Grand Slam as she came up against world No. 1 Sabalenka on Friday. Despite a spirited display where she broke the serve of the Belarusian powerhouse on more than one occasion, she ultimately came up short and lost 7-6 (6) 6-4 in just under two hours 7-6 (6) 6-4.
Emma Raducanu’s match brought in millions of viewers(Image: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
The intense match was watched by 5.32million people, and her third round received over 1.2million streaming requests on iPlayer.
In comparison, the most-watched non-final match from the last four years at Wimbledon Championships was Raducanu’s fourth round with Lulu Sun in 2024 – which had 5.47 million viewers.
Andy Murray’s tennis match with John Isner in 2022 came in second, with 5.34 million viewers.
The intense match was watched by 5.32million people(Image: Victoria Jones/Shutterstock)
Over the five days of the sporting event, the Been got over 31 million online streaming requests from eager tennis fans, which was over a 50% increase from 2024.
Meanwhile, Cameron Norrie was recently left shocked when a bold reporter asked him whether he was dating Raducanu.
The 29-year-old progressed into the round of 16 by beating Mattia Bellucci 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 6-3. Jack Draper’s shock exit to Marin Cillic means Norrie is the only Brit left in the men’s singles.
In his post-match press conference, he was questioned on his love life, which baffled the tennis star. The reporter first praised Norrie, telling him: “Congratulations again on your win.
“Apart from everyone here loving tennis, some of the gossip has been about who Emma Raducanu is dating. Can I ask if you’re dating her? Can we get to the bottom of this, please?”
A slouching Norrie quickly straightened up and widened his eyes befire asking: “Sorry?” Repeating his question, he said: “We’re trying to find out who is dating Emma Raducanu. It seems to be going round all the men’s singles. I was just wondering if you are dating her, please?”
With a confused look on his face, Norrie replied: “I’m not, no. You can ask her, though. You can ask her. I don’t know,” before he swiftly turned away.
The contrast to the outcome of a very similar incident in Canada two races ago between Mercedes’ George Russell and Verstappen was notable.
In Montreal, after the stewards took no action, Red Bull lodged a protest, but it was dismissed out of hand.
Piastri said: “Going back to Canada, I think he had to evade more there than he did today. So, yeah, I’m a bit confused to say the least.”
There was also the feeling within McLaren that Verstappen may have ‘gamed’ the system by exaggerating how much it affected him.
“I don’t think he had to evade me,” Piastri said. “He managed the first time.”
Team principal Andrea Stella said: “We’ll have to see also if other competitors kind of made the situation look worse than what it is.
“Because we know that as part of the race-craft, some competitors definitely have the ability to make others look like they are causing severe infringement when they are not.”
Verstappen said: “The thing is that it happened to me now a few times, this kind of scenario. I just find it strange that suddenly now Oscar is the first one to receive 10 seconds first.”
Was that because because there was no difference from what Russell did in Canada?
“Well, to the stewards, yes, (there was),” Verstappen said.
The end result was that Norris has moved himself on to four wins for the season, one short of Piastri.
“I felt like I drove a really strong race,” Piastri said. “Ultimately, when you don’t get the result you think you deserve, it hurts, especially when it’s not in your control.
“I will use the frustration to make sure I win some more races later.”
Both have two weekends off to reset and refresh before battle recommences at the Belgian Grand Prix, the start of the second half of the season.
Here are the key events on day 1,229 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Here is how things stand on Monday, July 7:
Fighting
Russian forces launched missile and drone attacks on the eastern Ukrainian province of Donetsk, killing four people in the town of Kostiantynivka and another in nearby Druzhkivka, according to officials.
Donetsk Governor Vadim Filashkin urged residents of the front-line towns to evacuate, saying: “It is dangerous to stay here! Evacuate to safer regions of Ukraine!”
Elsewhere in Ukraine, large-scale Russian drone attacks wounded three civilians in Kyiv, two in Kharkiv, and damaged port infrastructure in the central region of Mykolaiv, according to the governor.
A woman who was wounded in a Russian attack on the city of Poltava in central Ukraine on July 3 died in hospital, taking the death toll from that attack to three, local officials said.
Russia’s Ministry of Defence said that Russian forces seized the village of Piddubne in the Donetsk region and the village of Sobolivka, near the town of Kupiansk, in the Kharkiv region.
Ukraine, too, launched drone attacks on Russia, injuring two civilians in Belgorod near the border and disrupting flights at airports in the capital, Moscow.
Russia’s aviation agency, Rosaviatsia, said that the Ukrainian attacks forced at least three airports in Moscow, St Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod to ground some 287 flights on Sunday.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defences shot down 120 Ukrainian drones during nighttime attacks, and 39 more before 2pm Moscow time (11:00 GMT) on Sunday.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin later said that Russian air defence units downed six Ukrainian drones headed for Moscow.
Sanctions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a new sanctions package, “targeting numerous Russian financial schemes, particularly cryptocurrency-related ones”.
Politics and diplomacy
Russian President Vladimir Putin is not attending the BRICS summit in Brazil this week, since he is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for his role in the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Brazil is a signatory to the Rome Statute, and would be required to enforce the arrest warrant.
Putin, speaking via a videolink, told the BRICS leaders that the era of liberal globalisation is obsolete and that the future belongs to swiftly growing emerging markets, which should enhance the use of their national currencies for trade.
Tensions hit boiling point in Casa Amor as one Islander’s behaviour sparks fury among viewers after a string of questionable decisions and disrespectful moments
Love Island fans demand for boy to be axed after ‘disgusting behaviour’ in Casa(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
Love Island viewers have called for Harrison to be axed from the iconic villa after his ‘disgusting behaviour’ in tonight’s episode. Just days before Casa Amor kicked off, Harrison, 22, had shared his devotion to Toni, 25, after kicking Helena, 29, to the curb and finally ending the never-ending love-triangle which left Toni in tears on multiple occasions.
After making her cry on her birthday, Harrison finally decided that Toni was the one for him as he told Helena that he only wanted to get to know Toni from here on out. However, just mere minutes into his Casa Amor adventure, Harrison made it crystal clear that his feelings for Toni were not as strong as he made out.
In tonight’s explosive episode, Harrison locked lips with the girl he fancies most, until the group had to step in and call time on the unusually long snog. And when asked to rate his connection with Toni, Harrison told the group: “Seven, could be better.”
Love Island fans are not happy with Harrison(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
Viewers were naturally left fuming by his actions and admission given that he had told Toni just days previous that all of his attention was on her after finally admitting that he likes her. Toni accepted Harrison’s apology and graciously gave him yet another chance, however, his actions have once again landed him in trouble.
“Harrison is literally the worst kind of human. He needs to be axed from the villa ASAP. Toni is a queen and deserves the world,” one viewer ranted. Another agreed: “Harrison is such a slimy little boy. He should count himself LUCKY that Toni is even giving him the time of day.”
Someone else echoed: “I actually cannot stand that Harrison!!!!!! Thinks he’s literally the bees knees when he’s just a silly little boy. Telling Toni one thing and everyone else a different story???? Two-faced coward.”
Harrison has been in a love-triangle with Toni and Helena(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
It became clear within minutes that tensions were high in Casa Amor and that the boys were not wasting any time. On their first night, Dejon kicked things off with a flirty round of Truth or Dare to break the ice. Things quickly heated up fast as Ben dived in with a bold three-way kiss, including Harry’s ex, Emma.
Harry then soon came face to face with his ex girlfriend Emma, who greeted him with a cheeky: “Surprise!” He later confirmed the ‘E’ tattoo on his wrist is, indeed, for her.
As the Islanders chatted about their types, Yaz said she needs emotional depth in a partner. Emma didn’t miss a beat, leaning toward Harry and saying: “Well that’s you out.”
Helena has been causing havoc with the other couples(Image: ITV)
Meanwhile, Tommy didn’t hold back with the new arrivals: “There’s definitely a few of you that tickle my fancy.”
After the shock of her entrance, Harry and his ex Emma finally caught up, and he said: “I don’t need you to come and tell me off.” But Emma has no plans to stay quiet as she called him out on his bad behaviour with Helena.
“It’s disgraceful though… like, how are you still doing the same thing?” she said. “The way you’ve been moving with Helena honestly… you two deserve each other… two snakes.”
When the Dodgers left Los Angeles for their final road trip before the All-Star break last summer, they had a 55-36 record and a 7 1/2-game lead in the National League West.
When this year’s Dodgers land in Milwaukee on Sunday night to begin the last road trip before the All-Star break, their record will be a game better and their division lead about the same, pending the results of San Diego’s game Sunday night.
But if you take a good look under the hood, there are obvious — and worrying — differences between this year and last year.
Dodgers second baseman Hyeseong Kim strikes out in the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
In 2024, the Dodgers had one of the best records in baseball against teams with a winning record. After Sunday’s 5-1 loss to the Houston Astros, this year’s team is just a game over .500 — 20-19 — against teams over .500. Those are the only kind of teams the Dodgers will face in the playoffs.
And it’s not just that they lose, it’s how they lose that’s troubling.
In losing three in a row for the first time since mid-May, the Dodgers were outscored 29-6 by the Astros. The sweep was Houston’s first in a three-game series at Dodger Stadium since 2008, when the team played in the National League.
Manager Dave Roberts, however, pronounced himself unconcerned.
“I know we’re a good team,” he said. “The point is to win as many games in the regular season as possible. I really don’t care who we beat, I just want to win more games than anyone.
“So right now, or even going forward, I don’t pay too much attention to that.”
Look a little deeper, though, and there are other concerns. The Dodgers’ injured list, already as crowded as a Beyoncé concert — it swelled to 12 players with Max Muncy’s addition Thursday — could get even larger this week depending on the health of outfielder Teoscar Hernández and utility player Tommy Edman.
Teoscar Hernández, who fouled a ball off his left foot Saturday, spent 13 days on the IL with a groin problem in May and has been troubled by that injury and a nagging hip-flexor issue that could be behind a slump that has seen him hit .188/.240/.321 over his last 30 games. Edman didn’t play Sunday after a ball off the small toe on his right foot over the weekend. Both players had MRI scans Sunday with Edman’s showing a fracture of the toe.
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani is called out by umpire Paul Clemons during the eighth inning of a loss to the Astros at Dodger Stadium Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Kiké Hernández has been battling a sore left elbow that affects his swing for about a month. He may have to be shut down to let it heal.
“There is talk about one of those guys potentially going on the IL,” Roberts said. “I don’t see it being Tommy but we’re still kind of trying to figure that out. And then who would we bring [up]?”
With those three unavailable, the only player Roberts had on the bench Sunday was catcher Will Smith. And with the rotation still missing four starters to injury, he gave the ball to right-hander Emmet Sheehan, who had thrown just four big-innings all season.
That left manager Dave Roberts with a short bench. And with the rotation still missing four starters to injury, he gave the ball to right-hander Emmet Sheehan, who had thrown just four big-league innings all season.
Sheehan went one better Sunday, yielding just a run on five hits over five innings. But his teammates did little against Houston starter Ryan Gusto (6-3), who gave up four hits — including a run-scoring double to Dalton Rushing — over a season-high six innings.
Will Klein came on in favor of Sheehan to start the sixth and after two quick outs, the Astros loaded the bases on a double, a hit batter and an infield single. Klein (1-1) then walked Zack Short on a 3-2 pitch to force in the go-ahead run.
The Astros padded their lead with back-to-back homers from Christian Walker and Yainer Díaz to start the seventh off reliever Tanner Scott.
Jose Altuve closed the scoring with another solo homer off Anthony Banda in the ninth.
French Police observe at the main Gare Du Nord train station after an arson attack has caused mayhem and delays to the train network and Eurostar in Paris, France, in 2024. File photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI | License Photo
July 6 (UPI) — Mechanical issues on a Eurostar train forced a nine hour delay and prompted passengers to evacuate after they were stuck on board for more than nine hours with no working toilets and without air conditioning on what was supposed to be a two journey.
Rescue teams arrived with water and helped passengers off the train, which was stopped on the tracks outside of Calais. They were transported to London in a different train. Eurostar blamed a power failure on the train for the breakdown, the BBC reported.
Eurostar apologized and offered the stranded passengers a full refund
The train departed Brussels just before 9 a.m. local time and was scheduled to arrive in London just before 10 a.m. but lost power between Lille and Calais, leaving the train and its passengers stranded.
The English folk band Stornoway was on the train and its members performed an impromptu concert when passengers were allowed to disembark. They had been required to stay on board due to safety concerns caused by people standing near the rails.
Al-Qaeda affiliate Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) is the main group behind a surge in militant jihadist attacks sweeping across several West African nations, especially Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
On 1 July, the group said it had carried out a major coordinated attack on sevenmilitary locations in western Mali, including near the borders with Senegal and Mauritania.
There is growing concern about the impact JNIM could have on the stability of the region.
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have struggled to contain the violence – and this is one of the factors that contributed to several military coups in the three Sahel countries over the last five years.
But like the civilian governments they replaced, the juntas are seemingly unable to stem the growing jihadist threat, especially from JNIM.
What is JNIM?
JNIM has become one of Africa’s deadliest jihadist groups within the space of just a few years.
It was formed in Mali in 2017, as a coalition of five jihadist militant groups:
Ansar Dine
Katibat Macina
Al-Mourabitoun
Ansar al-Islam
The Sahara branch of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
These groups started collaborating after the French military pushed back several jihadist and separatist organisations that were operating in northern Mali in 2012. Eventually, the leaders of the groups came together to create JNIM.
In recent years, they have expanded geographically, establishing new areas of operation.
JNIM is led by Iyad Ag Ghali, a former Malian diplomat who belongs to the Tuareg ethnic group. He was at the helm of the Tuareg uprising against the Malian government in 2012 which sought to establish an independent state for the Tuareg people called Azawad. Deputy leader Amadou Koufa is from the Fulani community.
Analysts believe the central leadership helps guide local branches which operate across the Sahel region of West Africa.
While it is difficult to know exactly how many fighters there are in JNIM’s ranks, or how many have recently been recruited, experts suggest it could be several thousand – mostly young men and boys who lack other economic opportunities in one of the poorest regions in the world.
What does JNIM want?
The group rejects the authority of the Sahel governments, seeking to impose its strict interpretation of Islam and Sharia in the areas where it operates.
Analysts say that in some areas, JNIM has been known to impose strict dress codes, implement bans against music and smoking, order men to grow beards and prevent women from being in public spaces alone.
This version of Islam can be at odds with the religion as practised by local communities, says Yvan Guichaoua, a senior researcher at the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies.
“These practices are clearly breaking from established practices and certainly not very popular,” he says.
“But whether it’s attractive or not, also depends on what the state is able to deliver, and there has been a lot of disappointment in what the state has been doing for the past years.”
Disillusionment with the secular justice system can make the introduction of Sharia courts appealing to some.
Where does JNIM operate?
After its beginnings in central and northern Mali, JNIM rapidly expanded its reach. While its strongholds are in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, JNIM has also carried out attacks in Benin, Togo and at one point Ivory Coast.
It is now operational throughout Mali and 11 of Burkina Faso’s 13 regions, according to the Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime (Gi-Toc), a civil society organisation.
In the last year, Burkina Faso has become the epicentre of the group’s activities – predominately the northern and eastern border regions. This is, in part, because of divisions and defections in the country’s military as well as how deeply embedded the militants are in the local communities, according to Beverly Ochieng, a senior analyst for security consultancy firm Control Risk.
“JNIM have an ability to embed in local communities or to be able to use local grievances as a means of recruiting or winning sympathy towards their cause,” she told the BBC.
Are JNIM attacks increasing in scale?
In recent months violent incidents have spiked in Burkina Faso to previously unseen levels, according to analysis from BBC Monitoring’s jihadist media team. Major attacks have also recently been carried out in Mali, Niger and Benin.
In the first half of 2025, JNIM said it carried out over 280 attacks in Burkina Faso – double the number for the same period in 2024, according to data verified by the BBC.
The group has claimed to have killed almost 1,000 people across the Sahel since April, most of them members of the security force or militias fighting alongside government forces, according to BBC Monitoring data.
Almost 800 of these have been in Burkina Faso alone. Casualties in Mali were the next highest (117) and Benin (74).
“The frequency of attacks in June is just unheard of so far,” says Mr Guichaoua. “They have really stepped up their activities in the past weeks.”
The militants use a variety of tactics designed to cause maximum disruption, Ms Ochieng explains.
“They plant IEDs [improvised explosive devices] on key roads, and have long-range capabilities.
“They [also] target security forces in military bases, so a lot of their weapons come from that. They have also attacked civilians – in instances where communities are perceived to be cooperating with the government.”
Starlink – a company owned by Elon Musk which provides internet via satellites – has also been exploited by groups like JNIM to enhance their capabilities, according to a recent report by Gi-Toc.
The company provides high-speed internet where regular mobile networks are unavailable or unreliable.
Militant groups smuggle Starlink devices into the country along well-established contraband routes, G-toch says.
“Starlink has made it much easier for [militant groups] to plan and execute attacks, share intelligence, recruit members, carry out financial transactions and maintain contacts with their commanders even during active conflict,” an analyst from Gi-Toc told the BBC’s Focus on Africa podcast.
The BBC has contacted Starlink for comment.
How is JNIM funded?
The group has multiple sources of income.
At one time in Mali, funds were raised through kidnapping foreigners for ransom but few remain in the country because of the deteriorating security situation.
Cattle-rustling has now become a major source of income, according to an analyst from Gi-Toc. They did not want to be named as it could risk their safety in Mali.
“Mali is a big exporter of cattle so it’s easy for them to steal animals and sell them,” the analyst said.
Research by Gi-Toc shows that in one year in just one district of Mali, JNIM made $770,000 (£570,000) from livestock. Based on this figure, JNIM could be earning millions of dollars from cattle theft.
JNIM also imposes various taxes, according to experts.
“They tax the gold, but basically tax anything that goes through their territory, whether that’s listed goods or illicit goods,” Gi-Toc says.
“There can be an extortion type of tax, where JNIM tell citizens they need to pay in return for protection.”
The militants have also been known to set up blockades, at which people must pay to leave and enter the area, according to Ms Ochieng.
What about efforts to fight them?
France’s armed forces were on the ground supporting the government in Mali for almost a decade – with over 4,000 troops stationed across the Sahel region fighting groups that went on to form JNIM, as well as Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.
While they had some initial success in 2013 and 2014, reclaiming territory from the militants and killing several senior commanders, this did not stop JNIM’s growth after it was formed.
“Counterinsurgency efforts have failed so far because of this idea that JNIM can be beaten militarily, but it is only through negotiation that the group will end,” Gi-Toc’s analyst suggested.
In 2014, Sahelian countries banded together to form the G5 Sahel Task Force, a 5,000-strong group of international troops. However, over the past couple of years, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have withdrawn, undermining the task force’s ability to tackle the insurgency.
Minusma, the UN peacekeeping force – while not a counter-insurgency effort – was also in Mali for a decade to support efforts, however it left the country at the end of 2024.
What impact have military coups had on JNIM?
Military coups took place in Mali in 2020 and 2021, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Niger in 2023.
Poor governance under the military juntas in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger subsequently has allowed militant groups like JNIM to flourish, according to analysts.
These juntas were swift to tell French troops to leave, replacing them with Russian support and a joint force formed by the three Sahelian countries.
Though Russian paramilitary group Wagner has withdrawn its troops from Mali entirely, Africa Corps, a Kremlin-controlled paramilitary group, will remain in place.
In Burkina Faso, a so-called “volunteer” army, launched in 2020 before the military takeover, is one strategy being used to fight militants. Junta leader Ibrahim Traoré has said he wants to recruit 50,000 fighters.
But experts say many of these volunteers are conscripted by force. Inadequate training means they often suffer heavy casualties. They are also often a target for JNIM attacks.
The military juntas in Burkina Faso and Mali have also been accused by human rights organisations of committing atrocities against civilians, particularly ethnic Fulanis. Human rights group say the government often conflates the Fulani community with Islamist armed groups, which has furthered hampered peace efforts.
Between January 2024 and March 2025, the military government and their Russian allies were responsible for 1,486 civilian casualties in Mali, according to Gi-Toc.
This extreme violence against civilians has generated anger towards the government, fuelling further recruitment for JNIM.
As temptations rise in Casa Amor the ‘sweetest’ Islander shocks everyone by revealing a side no one saw coming, leaving fans stunned and hearts breaking back in the main villa
There’s set to be heartbreak for one Love Island girl(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
There’s set to be heartbreak for one Love Island girl as her man finally shows his true colours in Casa Amor. The boys all descended on the iconic villa in tonight’s episode, and it wasn’t long before they had all seemingly forgot about the connections that they had spent weeks making.
Viewers watched in sheer disbelief as the sweetest boy in the villa, Tommy, proved that his feelings for Emily were not as strong as he had made out as his tune quickly changed the minute the six new girls came on the scene.
Tommy didn’t hold back with the new arrivals as he told them: “There’s definitely a few of you that tickle my fancy.” Love Island fans couldn’t quite believe their ears at Tommy’s cheeky admission given that he had been telling Emily for weeks how much he liked her and how excited he was for her to meet his family on the outside.
The islander even went as far to say that he knows his mum would ‘love’ Emily and would approve of her. However, he appeared to have forgotten his romantic confessions within in minutes of being in Casa Amor.
Tommy has shocked viewers with his admission(Image: ITV)
Taking to X to share their thoughts on Tommy, Love Island viewers didn’t hold back. One fumed: “Tommy the traitor!!! I don’t like Emily in the slightest but this man has single handedly just proved that every single boy is the same whenever a new women enters the chat.”
Another echoed: “VERY surprised by Tommy tonight! Can’t lie he’s gone down in my books! What a snake.” Someone else complained: “Tommy thinks he’s all that and plays the nice guy card but his true colours are actually out.”
While someone else said: “Tommy and Emily were soooooo boring together anyways!! He needs someone with a bit of spice and edge to them and Emily most certainly doesn’t have that. Hope he shacks up with one of these girls just to sicken her lol.”
Emily could be set for heartbreak after Casa Amor(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
Elsewhere, it became clear within minutes that tensions were high in Casa Amor and that the boys were not wasting any time. On their first night, Dejon kicked things off with a flirty round of Truth or Dare to break the ice. Things quickly heated up fast as Ben dived in with a bold three-way kiss, including Harry’s ex, Emma.
Harry then soon came face to face with his ex girlfriend Emma, who greeted him with a cheeky: “Surprise!” He later confirmed the ‘E’ tattoo on his wrist is, indeed, for her.
As the Islanders chatted about their types, Yaz said she needs emotional depth in a partner. Emma didn’t miss a beat, leaning toward Harry and saying: “Well that’s you out.”
After the shock of her entrance, Harry and his ex Emma finally caught up, and he said: “I don’t need you to come and tell me off.” But Emma has no plans to stay quiet as she called him out on his bad behaviour with Helena.
“It’s disgraceful though… like, how are you still doing the same thing?” she said. “The way you’ve been moving with Helena honestly… you two deserve each other… two snakes.”
The road to elected office can be long and winding and is not always paved with the best of intentions.
Some politicians — think of the Kennedys, or the Bush family — are born to the trade. Others are borne by tragedy.
Former Santa Barbara Rep. Lois Capps succeeded her husband when he fell dead of a heart attack. Former New York Rep. Carolyn McCarthy was spurred to run when her husband was killed and her son gravely wounded in a mass shooting on the Long Island Rail Road.
Typically, though, the ascension is more methodical, one rung after the next, often with a pinch of right-place, right-time fortune thrown in for good measure.
Lately that bit of luck has visited itself upon Adam B. Schiff, in the form of Russian meddling and a president who hurls tweets like poison thunderbolts.
Schiff is the nine-term Democratic congressman from Southern California, representing parts of Los Angeles and several communities, including Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena, skirting the nearby mountains. Mild in mien and nondescript in appearance, Schiff was perhaps best known, until recently, for prevailing in 2000 in what was then the costliest House race in U.S. history.
(Irresistible fact: Adam’s wife is named Eve.)
Everything changed when Congress launched its probe into Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential campaign. As the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, one of several tasked with the inquiry, Schiff has emerged as a leading voice — calm, measured, deliberate — and one of the most prominent faces of the investigation.
This, naturally, drew the attention and ire of the president and tweeter-in-chief, who singled out the former federal prosecutor for his very own ad hominem insult: “Sleazy Adam Schiff.”
Sleazy Adam Schiff, the totally biased Congressman looking into “Russia,” spends all of his time on television pushing the Dem loss excuse!
Schiff, who has never been associated with the slightest whiff of scandal, responded in the purse-lipped tone of more sorrow than anger. “With respect Mr. President,” he tweeted in reply, “the problem is how often you watch TV, and that your comments and actions are beneath the dignity of the office.”
With respect Mr. President, the problem is how often you watch TV, and that your comments and actions are beneath the dignity of the office. https://t.co/NvZydYbnyW
“It felt a bit like Bill Murray in ‘Ghostbusters,’” Schiff said days later. “Like I’d just been slimed.”
Politically, this amounts to pure gold.
With well over a dozen members of Congress crowding the Southern California media market and TV stations having close to zero interest in politics, about the only way for a Washington lawmaker to get attention is participating in a high-speed car chase, ideally in prime time with a Kardashian riding shotgun.
It is one reason the area’s congressional lawmakers have a decades-long, unblemished record of futility when it comes to seeking prominent state office.
By contrast, Schiff has become, if not quite a household name, a hero to an important segment of the electorate — namely activist Democrats. He received a rapturous welcome at the state party convention in May as though, in the words of Times political writer Cathleen Decker, the nerd who headed the Calculus Club had just been crowned homecoming king.
“It’s certainly a role I was neither expecting nor particularly wanting,” Schiff said of his newfound political celebrity. “This role is very against type for me. I didn’t have this kind of relationship with the last Republican president and I didn’t expect to have it with a new president.”
There’s just one problem, from an electoral standpoint: At the moment there’s nowhere beyond the House of Representatives for Schiff to go.
He’s shown no interest in joining the crowded 2018 race for governor. And the most logical step, a bid for U.S. Senate, is thwarted unless incumbent Democrat Dianne Feinstein, who is weighing a sixth run next year, unexpectedly decides to stand aside.
Schiff emphatically ruled out a primary challenge. “If she runs for reelection,” he said, he would be “solidly behind her.”
At age 57, Schiff can wait. But if the Senate seat were to suddenly come available, he’d start the race in an enviable spot.
“Every California Democrat’s favorite parlor game is wondering whether Feinstein will seek another term,” said Dan Schnur, a longtime student of state politics who teaches at USC. “If she decides to run again, this is largely an irrelevant discussion. But if she doesn’t, Schiff moves from being an afterthought to potential front-runner.”
He would hardly be a shoo-in. Schiff would face all the hurdles confronting any Southern California member of Congress trying to make the broad leap to the Senate: the mountainous fundraising requirement, the difficulty of launching from a small geographic base and, not least, the built-in bias many Northern Californians have against voting for any politician from (ugh!) the L.A. area.
But if Schiff got elected to the Senate, he may want to tamp down his natural inclination and send flowers or some other token of appreciation to the president. Even though it is hardly his intent, Trump would have done a good deal to make it possible.
Host nation Switzerland eliminate Iceland with two second-half goals from Geraldine Reuteler and Alayah Pilgrim in their second Group A match at Euro 2025 in Bern.
Pope Leo XIV waves from the popemobile as he arrives for the weekly General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, in Vatican City, in May. EPA-EFE/ANGELO CARCONI
July 6 (UPI) — Pope Leo XIV, 69, started a six-week long vacation at the papal retreat of Castel Gandolfo Sunday, getting out of the Roman summer heat and seeking the cooler temperatures outside of the capitol.
“I hope everyone can have some vacation time to restore the body and spirit,” Leo said before leaving the Vatican during his noontime prayer Saturday.
“Once the gate was closed and the crowd began to disperse towards the square and the lake area, a woman’s cry caught everyone’s attention,” a release from the Vatican said. “Pope Leo suddenly appeared on the balcony of the villa.”
Leo’s visit marks a return to the papal vacation spot after his predecessor, Pope Francis, eschewed the retreat during his dozen year papacy.
Castel Gandolfo overlooks Lake Alban in the hills south of Rome, and has been a favorite getaway for Roman rulers since the time of first century Emperor Domitian.
Leo will have a handful of public events while on vacation, including performing Masses, noon prayers and will also participate in some events at the Vatican, the release said.
The latest round of indirect ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas have ended without a breakthrough, a Palestinian official familiar with the negotiations told the BBC.
According to the official, the session lasted for nearly three and a half hours and took place in two separate buildings in Doha.
Messages and clarifications were exchanged between the two sides through Qatari and Egyptian mediators, but no progress was achieved.
The official added that talks are expected to resume on Monday, as mediators plan to hold separate meetings with each delegation in an effort to overcome the obstacles and narrow the gaps between the two sides.
According to Reuters news agency who spoke with two Palestinian officials, the Israeli delegation was not “sufficiently authorised” to reach an agreement with Hamas because it had “no real powers”.
The latest round of indirect negotiations come as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to Washington to meet Donald Trump.
Netanyahu said he thinks his meeting with the US president on Monday should help progress efforts to reach a deal for the release of more hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza.
He said he had given his negotiators clear instructions to achieve a ceasefire agreement under conditions Israel has accepted.
Hamas has said it has responded to the latest ceasefire proposal in a positive spirit, but it seems clear there are still gaps between the two sides that need to be bridged if any deal is to be agreed.
For now, Hamas still seems to be holding out for essentially the same conditions it has previously insisted on – including a guarantee of an end to all hostilities at the end of any truce and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.
Netanyahu’s government has rejected this before.
The Israeli position may also not have shifted to any major degree. As he was leaving Israel for the US, Netanyahu said he was still committed to what he described as three missions: “The release and return of all the hostages, the living and the fallen; the destruction of Hamas’s capabilities – to kick it out of there, and to ensure that Gaza will no longer constitute a threat to Israel.”
Qatari and Egyptian mediators will have their work cut out during the indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in trying to overcome these sticking points, which have have derailed other initiatives since the previous ceasefire ended in March.
Israel has since resumed its offensive against Hamas with great intensity, as well as imposing an eleven-week blockade on aid entering Gaza, which was partially lifted several weeks ago.
The Israeli government says these measures have been aimed at further weakening Hamas and forcing it to negotiate and free the hostages.
Just in the past 24 hours, the Israeli military says it struck 130 Hamas targets and killed a number of militants.
But the cost in civilian lives in Gaza continues to grow as well. Hospital officials in Gaza said more than 30 people were killed on Sunday.
The question now is not only whether the talks in Qatar can achieve a compromise acceptable to both sides – but also whether Trump can persuade Netanyahu that the war must come to an end at their meeting on Monday.
Many in Israel already believe that is a price worth paying to save the remaining hostages.
Once again, they came out on to the streets on Saturday evening, calling on Netanyahu to reach a deal so the hostages can finally be freed.
But there are hardline voices in Netanyahu’s cabinet, including the national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir and the finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, who have once again expressed their fierce opposition to ending the war in Gaza before Hamas has been completely eliminated.
Once again, there is the appearance of real momentum towards a ceasefire deal, but uncertainty over whether either the Israeli government or Hamas is ready to reach an agreement that might fall short of the key conditions they have so far set.
And once again, Palestinians in Gaza and the families of Israeli hostages still held there are fervently hoping this will not be another false dawn.
The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attacks, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 57,338 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry.
Harry has been labelled as the ‘most unlikeable’ unlikeable contestant in the Love Island villa after sharing a ‘sickening’ admission with Helana
Love Island fans ‘shocked to the core’ as Harry makes ‘sickening’ confession to Helena(Image: ITV)
Love Island fans are ‘done’ with Harry after he made a sickening confession to Helena in tonight’s explosive episode. Casa Amor is finally here, but before the islanders were told their fate, on-off couple Harry and Helena were enjoying a breakfast date before the controversial islander dropped a bombshell.
Harry, 30, was speaking to Helena, 29, about their past relationships when he asked her if she has ever been in love. After some thought, Helena admitted that she doesn’t think she has ever been in love with anyone. When asked the same question, Harry told Helena that he was in love with ex-girlfriend Emma.
Helena then asked why he and Emma broke up, to which Harry admitted that they ended because due to different circumstances. However, he then dropped the bombshell that he cheated on Emma just one week into their relationship – but they ended up staying together for three years after his infidelity.
Love Island fans were left ‘sickened’ by Harry’s admission, but more than that, they were horrified by the fact he seemed proud of the admission. One viewer on X said: “Harry is such a manchild! The way he was loving admitting that he cheated on his ex. Sickening.”
Harry revealed that he cheated on his ex girlfriend one week into their relationship(Image: ITV)
Another echoed: “Harry is the most dislikable person in Love Island history omg. He absolutely loves himself!!!! Helena will have a lucky escape if he finds someone else in Casa.” Someone else said: “HARRY!!!! He just keeps digging a hole for himself. He is so annoying.”
It became clear within minutes that tensions were high in Casa Amor and that the boys were not wasting any time. On their first night, Dejon kicked things off with a flirty round of Truth or Dare to break the ice. Things quickly heated up fast as Ben dived in with a bold three-way kiss, including Harry’s ex, Emma.
Harry then soon came face to face with his ex girlfriend Emma, who greeted him with a cheeky: “Surprise!” He later confirmed the ‘E’ tattoo on his wrist is, indeed, for her.
Harry and Helena have reignited their spark(Image: ITV)
As the Islanders chatted about their types, Yaz said she needs emotional depth in a partner. Emma didn’t miss a beat, leaning toward Harry and saying: “Well that’s you out.”
Meanwhile, Tommy didn’t hold back with the new arrivals: “There’s definitely a few of you that tickle my fancy.”
After the shock of her entrance, Harry and his ex Emma finally caught up, and he said: “I don’t need you to come and tell me off.” But Emma has no plans to stay quiet as she called him out on his bad behaviour with Helena.
“It’s disgraceful though… like, how are you still doing the same thing?” she said. “The way you’ve been moving with Helena honestly… you two deserve each other… two snakes.”
Firefighters on Sunday were gaining control over the massive Madre fire in San Luis Obispo County, which at more than 80,000 acres remains the largest in California so far this year.
Containment on the fire had reached 30% — up from 10% Saturday — buoyed by favorable weather and a flood of personnel, said Los Padres National Forest spokesperson Andrew Madsen. The fire grew slightly on Sunday to just over 80,000 acres in the rural area.
“We’ve got the resources we need,” Madsen said, “and the firefighters on the ground are making some good progress.”
The fire started around 1 p.m. Wednesday east of Santa Maria near the town of New Cayuma. More than 200 people were subject to mandatory evacuation orders, and roughly 50 structures were under threat as of Sunday afternoon. One building has burned. The cause of the fire, which has been fueled by heat and wind, is under investigation. Nearly 1,400 firefighting personnel were on scene.
The bulk of the fire is threatening the Carrizo Plain National Monument, which is home to several endangered and threatened wildlife and plant species. Los Padres National Forest, Cal Fire San Luis Obispo and the Bureau of Land Management share jurisdiction over the fire.
All BLM lands in the national monument are closed to public access until further notice for safety reasons.
Weather conditions were expected to hold steady through Monday before a midweek heat wave across Southern California could make the situation more challenging. Madsen said firefighters were hoping for continued progress over the next couple days.
Times staff writers Colleen Shalby and Caroline Petrow-Cohen contributed to this report.
Clayton Kershaw was named to his 11th All-Star Game on Sunday by Commissioner Rob Manfred, who used his “Legend Pick” to select the Dodgers’ left-hander. Kershaw (4-0) is one of just 20 pitchers in baseball history to strike out 3,000 batters.
He’ll be joined on the N.L. team by right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who leads the Dodgers in wins (8), strikeouts (109), innings (96 2/3) and ERA (2.51). First baseman Freddie Freeman, catcher Will Smith and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani were chosen as NL starters last week. The All-Star Game will be played July 15 in Atlanta.
Injury update
The Dodgers’ injury-battered pitching staff could soon be getting healthier. Right-hander Tyler Glasnow threw a bullpen Sunday in preparation for what Roberts will be a return to the rotation during the Dodgers’ six-game roadtrip. Glasnow has been out sine April 28 with shoulder discomfort. He had a 4.50 ERA in five starts before going on the IL.
Left-hander Blake Snell and reliever Blake Treinen are both scheduled to make minor-league rehab assignments this week in advance for their return to the roster. Snell, a two-time Cy Young winner, as been sidelined since April 2 with a shoulder injury, is expected to pitch for Class A Rancho Cucamonga. Treinen, who last pitched in mid-April, is expected to make a one-inning outing with Triple A Oklahoma City. He is recovering from a right forearm strain.
Israel says it has launched strikes on Houthi targets in three Yemeni ports, including the western port of Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Saif.
The attacks come shortly after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for civilians in the areas, warning of imminent air strikes.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz confirmed on social media the strikes on the Houthi-controlled sites including a power station and a ship that was hijacked by the group two years ago.
Houthi-run media in Yemen said the strikes hit the port of Hodeidah, but no further details were provided on damage or casualties.
Katz said the strikes were part of “Operation Black Flag” and warned that the Houthis “will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions”.
“The fate of Yemen is the same as the fate of Tehran. Anyone who tries to harm Israel will be harmed, and anyone who raises a hand against Israel will have their hand cut off,” he said in a post on X.
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have regularly launched missiles at Israel in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and attacked commercial ships in the Red Sea.
The Israeli Air Force said the latest strikes on Yemen’s ports were in response to “repeated attacks” by the Houthis on Israel and its citizens.
It added that the targeted ports were being used to “transfer weapons from the Iranian regime to carry out terror plans” against Israel and its allies.
Shortly after the attack, Houthis confirmed its air defences had confronted Israel’s strikes with missiles, according to Reuters news agency.
Among the targets was a commercial ship the Galaxy Leader seized by the group in November 2023, which Israel said was being used to monitor maritime vessels in international waters.
The Ras Kanatib power station which supplies electricity to the nearby cities of Ibb and Taizz, was also hit, Israel said.
This latest attack on Hodeidah comes after Israeli navy ships struck targets in the port city last month.
Hodeidah port, which is the main entry point for food and other humanitarian aid for millions of Yemenis, has been the target of several Israeli strikes in the past year.
A Coronation Street star was due to appear at London Film and Comic-Con this weekend, but pulled out due to a family emergency
Coronation Street star concerns fans as they pull out of event after family emergency(Image: UKTV)
Coronation Street star Craig Charles concerned fans after he pulled out of his scheduled appearance at London Film and Comic-Con this weekend. The 60-year-old actor is best known for playing Lloyd Mullaney for a decade on the long-running soap, but was due to appear at the event for his Red Dwarf character, Dave Lister.
The star was due to appear alongside Red Dwarf co-stars Danny John-Jules, Robert Llewellyn and Hattie Hayridge. Taking to their Facebook page, London Film and Comic-Con wrote: “We contacted Craig at 9am to be told that due to a family emergency, he would not be in until 11am. At 11.30am we spent 20 minutes knocking on his hotel room door where there was no answer.
The organiser’s confirmed Craig Charles wouldn’t be at the event(Image: ITV)
“His Red Dwarf colleagues were able to contact him at 12.30, where he confirmed he was ill and unable to attend. These are the facts.
“The Group shot will go ahead with Danny, Robert and Hattie, and ticket holders will receive an automatic £60 refund to allow for the change of lineup. If anybody does not want the group shot, any unused tickets will automatically be refunded after the show.”
Not long after the post was shared, Craig took to his X/Twitter to apologise to fans, writing: “I’d just like to say sorry to showmasters and the fans at comicon. I made it to the hotel but woke up at 3 this morning with stomach pains.
He played Dave Lister on sci-fi comedy, Red Dwarf(Image: BBC/Grant Naylor Productions)
“I then proceeded to be violently ill for hours. Not a pretty sight. I tried to see if it would wear off but at 10 am I called it off and came back to Manchester.
“I’m feeling slightly better now, and I’m drinking lots of water and electrolytes. Again sorry for the cancellation and I look forward to next time.”
Fans rushed to the comment section to share their support, with one fan posting: “Hope you feel better.
“You don’t have anything to apologise for trust me someone that just got food poisoning two days ago I know exactly what you mean by coming down with something very quickly.”
Another concerned fans posted: “Take care of yourself. I’ve been watching you as Dave Lister since I was a child, Red Dwarf was and is still my favorite show.
“Lister inspired my love for curry and good tunes. It may be sad, but you were the closest thing I had to a father figure. Love from America, my guy.”
One commented: “As long as you’re on the mend that’s the main thing.” Red Dwarf is a sci-fi comedy that aired between 1988 and 1999, which follows technician Dave Lister, who awakens after being suspended animation for three million years to find that he is the last living human and that he’s alone on the mining spacecraft.
Israeli attacks across Gaza have killed at least 82 people as negotiations between Israel and Hamas towards a ceasefire deal begin in Qatar.
On Sunday, at least 39 people were killed in Gaza City alone. A midnight attack on the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood in the region also trapped victims under debris.
Witnesses have described apocalyptic scenes as neighbours retrieve body parts, including those of children.
Mahmoud al-Sheikh Salama, a survivor of one strike, said it took place at 2am (23:00 GMT on Saturday) while he was sleeping.
“We heard a loud explosion and shortly after, another one. We rushed over… and people were trapped under the rubble – four families, a large number of residents,” he told Al Jazeera.
“We tried to search for survivors and managed to pull out two people alive from under the debris after about three hours of struggle and breaking through. We got two out alive – the rest were martyred and are still trapped.”
Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud said Israel’s current military escalation in Gaza is “a chilling and brutal reminder” of the opening weeks of the war because of the intensity and scale of each attack.
“In the span of two hours, we have counted at least seven air strikes across the Gaza Strip,” he said.
“A local community kitchen in the northern part of Deir el-Balah was also struck and three people were killed, including the main operator behind it.”
Attacks near aid sites
Besides Gaza City, medical sources at hospitals told Al Jazeera that at least nine Palestinians were killed by Israeli army fire near aid distribution centres operated by the US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) since the morning.
Five were killed near the Netzarim Corridor, located just south of Gaza City, which splits the Strip down the middle. The Palestinian Ministry of Health said Israeli forces killed at least 743 Palestinians in attacks at sites run by the GHF since late May.
The GHF has drawn widespread criticism, with multiple reports that its contractors, as well as Israeli forces, have opened fire on desperate aid seekers. Two American contractors were wounded with non-life-threatening injuries on Saturday during an attack on an aid site.
“The attack – which preliminary information indicates was carried out by two assailants who threw two grenades at the Americans – occurred at the conclusion of an otherwise successful distribution in which thousands of Gazans safely received food,” the GHF said.
The United States on Saturday blamed Hamas for the attack. Gaza’s Government Media Office rejected these accusations.
“We categorically and unequivocally reject the claims issued by the US State Department alleging that the Palestinian resistance threw explosives at American personnel operating at sites run by the so-called ‘Gaza Humanitarian Foundation – GHF,’” the media office said in a statement.
Possible ceasefire?
Meanwhile, indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas towards a ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip have begun in Qatar.
“Negotiations are about implementation mechanisms and hostage exchange, and positions are being exchanged through mediators,” an unnamed official told the AFP news agency.
US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that there is “a good chance” a Gaza captive release and ceasefire deal could be reached with Hamas this week, “as they’re close”.
Trump told reporters such a deal meant “quite a few hostages” could be released. Trump is set to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday at the White House.
The US president said last week that Israel has agreed to the conditions for a 60-day ceasefire, and negotiators could meet to carve out a path to finally end Israel’s nearly 21-month war on Gaza.
On Friday, Hamas said it responded to a US-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal in a “positive spirit”.
On Sunday, before boarding his flight to Washington, DC, Netanyahu also said he believed his discussions with Trump on Monday would help advance talks on a Gaza deal.
“I believe the discussion with President Trump can certainly help advance these results,” he said, adding that he is determined to ensure the return of captives held in Gaza and remove the threat of Hamas to Israel.
Analysts, however, say that Netanyahu wants to continue the retaliatory war on Gaza until he can gain enough political leverage to dismiss the court cases against him in Israel and build enough popular support to remain the country’s leader.
Netanyahu is on trial for corruption and is still widely blamed in Israeli society for the security failures that led to Hamas’s deadly attack on October 7, 2023.
“Israel and Netanyahu are not interested in reaching a ceasefire,” Adnan Hayajneh, a professor of international relations at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera, adding that there is a “very slim chance” of a ceasefire.
“What Israel wants is clear… a land without a people,” Hayajneh said.
“So, Palestinians are given three choices… starve to death… get killed… [or] leave the land. But Palestinians have so far proven they will not leave the land, no matter what.”
NBA star Kevin Durant has joined the Houston Rockets from the Phoenix Suns in a record-breaking trade deal involving seven teams.
The move was first announced last month but was confirmed on Sunday when the league’s new year officially started.
The Atlanta Hawks, the Brooklyn Nets, the Golden State Warriors, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers are also involved in the deal, which involves 13 players and several future draft picks being exchanged.
The previous record for the largest trade in NBA history was six teams, set last summer when Klay Thompson joined the Dallas Mavericks.
Durant, 36, was named the 2014 Most Valuable Player, won two NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors, and is a 15-time All-Star.
He also won four Olympic golds with the US basketball team.
“My time in Phoenix has come to an end,” he posted on social media.
“All these stops along the journey have really impacted me in a positive way. Remember it’s a world behind the scenes, and those who make things work in that space, work tirelessly to make our lives easier as players.
“I truly believe this NBA is a one big community. Much love to Arizona. Houston, Can’t Wait!”
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said: “His skill level, love of basketball, and dedication to his craft have made him one of the most respected players of his generation, and my staff and I are excited to work with him.”
Houston finished second in the Western Conference last season but were knocked out of the play-offs in the first round.
“One of the greatest to ever play the game, we are grateful for the impact Kevin made on our organization and in our community,” Phoenix general manager Brian Gregory said.
“As a member of the Suns, he climbed the scoring charts to become just the eighth player in NBA history to score 30,000 career points, and we wish him the best as he continues his career in Houston.”
Jarry has fallen down the rankings because of an ear condition which affects his balance and vision, but has reminded everyone of his talent over the past fortnight.
After coming through three Wimbledon qualifying matches, he won another three in the main draw – starting with a stunning win from two sets down over eighth seed Holger Rune.
Opportunities against the world number 143’s serve are difficult to obtain – he hit 46 aces – and Norrie clinically took his chance in the first set to break for 5-3 before serving out.
A tight second set offered even fewer chances to either man, but it was again Norrie who struck at a crucial time.
Upping the aggression in his return of serve at the start of the tie-break led to a mini-break that he never relinquished, with a pinpoint cross-court winner on set point proving bold and brilliant.
The third and fourth sets were similarly balanced. With Jarry serving big and Norrie scrapping, it always felt likely they would be decided by tie-breaks.
Norrie led 4-2 in both but could not convert his advantage as Jarry roared back, but he reset wonderfully to eventually end his opponent’s resistance after striking early in the decider.
It sparked jubilant scenes in a partisan atmosphere on Court One, where Norrie has now won nine of his 10 career matches.
“It was a nice moment. It feels a little more deserved coming back from the injury and trying to push back into the top of the game,” said Norrie, who will climb back into the top 50 next week.
“All the hard work, it’s paid off. I’ve been a dedicated professional and have a good team around me. These moments are the icing on the cake.”
