It’s been a busy pre-season marketing campaign for The New Saints, with eight friendlies performed in 4 completely different nations, that includes golf equipment from 5 nations.

On Tuesday, July 9, although, the rubber hits the 2024/2025 aggressive street, because the champions of Wales welcome their counterparts from Montenegro within the UEFA Champions League.

The primary qualifying spherical first-leg tie is an enormous one for Craig Harrison’s facet, as a result of if the problem of FK Dečić is navigated efficiently, then no less than three extra ties throughout the trio of UEFA membership competitions are assured.

The Blues (Plavi), because the opponent from the Balkans is understood, have performed in all however 4 of the First League (top-flight) campaigns because the league was launched, following Montenegro’s independence in 2006.

Following on from third (twice) and fourth placings within the three earlier campaigns, final  season was their first ever league title.

In a division that’s comprised of ten groups – the place all of them play one another 4 occasions (36 video games) – FK Dečić beat their nearest challengers, Mornar, by six factors.

In contrast, The New Saints ended 2023/2024 with a really wholesome hole of thirty-three factors, forward of Connah’s Quay Nomads.

The Montenegrins gained twenty of their fixtures, drew ten and misplaced six, whereas Craig Harrison noticed his Invincibles win on thirty events, with simply two attracts to mar what would have been an ideal season.

Ever-present on the European stage this century, though The New Saints has performed a number of different nations that had been as soon as a part of  Yugoslavia, this would be the first time towards a Montenegrin opponent.

Particulars will likely be launched on the membership’s social media platforms in the end and becoming a member of us for the commentary is Wales C supervisor, Mark Jones.

Ms Le Pen picked up the identical line of assault on Friday.

“I believe that Mr Mbappé is an excellent soccer participant. However this tendency for actors, soccer gamers and singers to come back ahead and inform the French individuals how they need to vote, and specifically individuals who earn €1,300- €1,400 [£1,099-£1,184] per thirty days, whereas they’re millionaires, even billionaires, who reside overseas, that is beginning to be badly obtained, in our nation.

“These are people who find themselves fortunate sufficient to reside comfortably, very comfortably, who’re protected against insecurity, poverty, unemployment and all the pieces that impacts and makes our compatriots undergo,” she mentioned. “At a time when the inhabitants is making ready to vote, they need to present a little bit of restraint.”

She added: “This election is an election of emancipation, seen as a approach for the French individuals to take again management of their future and vote as they see match.”

Roger Federer selected to overlook former shopper Alexander Zverev’s Wimbledon match in favour of sitting on the smaller Court docket 1.

Zverev took on Britain’s Cameron Norrie to open play on Centre Court docket on Saturday. However eight-time champion Federer determined to attend the resumption of Ben Shelton’s contest with Denis Shapovalov.

The German tennis star was beforehand signed to Federer’s TEAM8 administration company. However they parted methods in January 2021.

Federer has been hanging across the All England Membership all week, having fun with his new function as a fan. His spouse was seen watching Jannik Sinner’s match in opposition to Matteo Berrettini on Wednesday evening and their twin boys have additionally been out within the stands.

However the man himself lastly got here out to observe a third-round conflict between Shelton and Shapovalov, which opened play on Court docket 1 after being rained off at 3-2 within the first set the day past. Federer was seen seated alongside fellow retired participant Tim Henman, who additionally sits on the AELTC board. He was later joined by his dad and mom.

It was an uncommon selection contemplating that No. 4 seed Zverev was taking over dwelling hope Norrie on the principle present court docket, with their match beginning half an hour later than the resumption of Shelton vs Shapovalov.

Zverev was beforehand represented by TEAM8, the company co-created by the Swiss star. The Olympic champion signed on with the Federer-backed firm in mid-2019 following a dispute along with his earlier supervisor.

However lower than two years later, he confirmed his departure from TEAM8’s books, additionally splitting with former coach David Ferrer across the identical time. The world No. 4 has additionally competed on the Laver Cup -Federer’s brainchild event – on 4 events and can be part of Workforce Europe once more this yr in Berlin.

Labour’s new Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, confirmed at this time that he considers the previous Conservative authorities’s coverage of sending asylum seekers to Rwanda is ‘useless and buried’.

Starmer was requested in a press convention this afternoon whether or not the Rwanda scheme was now useless and buried.

The Prime Minister replied: “The Rwanda scheme was useless and buried earlier than it began. It is by no means been a deterrent.

“Take a look at the numbers which have come over within the first six and a bit months of this 12 months. They’re file numbers. That’s the downside that we’re inheriting.

“It has by no means acted as a deterrent. Virtually the other, as a result of everyone has labored out, significantly the gangs that run this, the prospect of ever going to Rwanda was so slim, lower than one %, that it was by no means a deterrent.

“The possibilities had been of not going and never being processed and staying right here, due to this fact, in paid-for lodging for a really, very very long time. It is had the exact opposite impact and I am not ready to proceed with gimmicks that do not act as a deterrent.”

The Refugee Council welcomed the Prime Minister’s affirmation.

In a put up on X, the Refugee Council said: “We applaud the brand new PM on following via along with his dedication to scrap the Rwanda plan. All these caught in everlasting limbo must be quickly given a good listening to within the asylum system.”

Labour has mentioned that its substitute for the Rwanda coverage can be to arrange a brand new Border Safety Command to deal with the organised, prison gangs behind the small boats crossing the Channel. The brand new Dwelling Secretary, Yvette Cooper, mentioned yesterday that establishing the brand new Command could be one in every of her first two precedence duties upon taking workplace.

A younger American girls’s tennis spectacle will spotlight the fourth spherical of Wimbledon.

On Friday, No. 2 Coco Gauff earned her spot to face No.19 Emma Navarro after defeating Sonay Kartal 6-4, 6-0.

Sunday’s match would give the winner a spot within the quarterfinals, which might be a primary for both of them at Wimbledon.

“At this level,” Gauff, the 2023 U.S. Open champion, mentioned after the match, “it feels as if shedding within the fourth or the quarterfinals feels the identical, in a approach, simply because I do have such large aspirations.”

Gauff, 20, and Navarro, 23, beforehand met in Auckland in the course of the semifinals of the ASB Basic in January, and the previous got here out on high in straight units, 6-3, 6-1.

“I feel once I performed her at the start of the yr, I wasn’t essentially prepared for that problem,” Navarro mentioned of Gauff, per the Related Press. “I do know I’ve the extent inside me that may beat a participant like her. It’s possibly only a matter of doing it on an even bigger stage.”

Navarro, in the course of solely her second Wimbledon look, has not too long ago come alive as a brand new participant, attaining new profession highs in Grand Slams this yr — making the spherical of 32 within the Australian Open and spherical of 16 within the French Open.

She has collected convincing wins to begin in London, together with a victory over four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka within the second spherical.

Navarro, born in New York Metropolis, powered by way of to win within the third set on Friday after dropping the primary to Diana Shnaider, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Gauff mentioned she isn’t anticipating a cakewalk.

“I at all times knew she was going to be a gifted participant …” Gauff mentioned on the ESPN broadcast hours after her match Friday. “What I anticipate, she is unquestionably going to play lots higher. I feel she’s gonna be actually relaxed, she’s already had some nice wins this match. It’s going to be a tricky match.”

To get her over the sting, Gauff mentioned she must hone in on her serves on the grass floor at Wimbledon.

As a Grand Slam champion, Gauff could enter the match Sunday with extra help round her from the group, and that’s one thing she’s valued extremely since taking part in in Flushing on the U.S. Open final August.

“Coming from expertise taking part in at dwelling within the U.S., you at all times simply play higher and do higher,” she mentioned, earlier than participating with the British crowd.

“Fortunately you guys are fairly good to me,” she mentioned, “in order that helped.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated he won’t proceed with the earlier Conservative authorities’s coverage to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, in a transfer welcomed by rights advocates as lengthy overdue.

“The Rwanda scheme was lifeless and buried earlier than it began. It’s by no means been a deterrent,” Starmer informed his first information convention on Saturday, after his Labour Celebration gained a landslide within the common election.

“I’m not ready to proceed with gimmicks that don’t act as a deterrent,” he informed reporters after a cupboard assembly, describing the plan as a “drawback that we’re inheriting”.

Parliament authorized the contentious regulation in April, declaring Rwanda a secure third nation, which bypassed an earlier UK Supreme Courtroom ruling that stated the scheme was illegal on human rights grounds.

The authorities began detaining asylum seekers in Might.

Then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who promised to cease migrants and asylum seekers arriving on small boats from mainland Europe, had pushed for the coverage.

Rights activists and critics of Sunak’s authorities had slammed the plan to deport individuals to Rwanda reasonably than deal with asylum claims at dwelling as inhumane.

They raised issues concerning the East African nation’s personal human rights document and stated asylum seekers confronted the chance of being despatched again to international locations the place they’d be at risk.

However when confronted with opposition in parliament, Sunak stated in April, “No ifs, no buts. These flights are going to Rwanda.”

Tens of 1000’s of asylum seekers – many fleeing wars and poverty in Africa, the Center East and Asia – have reached Britain lately by crossing the English Channel in small boats on dangerous journeys organised by people-smuggling gangs.

Throughout his Saturday information convention, Starmer stated the Rwanda scheme was broadly anticipated to fail.

“Everybody has labored out, significantly the gangs that run this, that the prospect of ever going to Rwanda was so slim – lower than 1 p.c,” he informed reporters.

“The probabilities had been of not going, and never being processed, and staying right here due to this fact in paid-for lodging for a really, very very long time.”

Sonya Sceats, chief government of the group Freedom from Torture, which helps individuals looking for refuge within the UK, welcomed Starmer’s announcement.

“It is a super victory for campaigners, for refugees, for legal professionals, for a whole bunch and 1000’s of individuals throughout this nation who joined the battle in opposition to the terribly merciless cash-for-human scheme,” she informed Al Jazeera on Saturday.

Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of Amnesty Worldwide, earlier within the day had known as on the brand new Labour authorities to comply with via on its marketing campaign promise to scrap the Rwanda pact.

“Our asylum system have to be made to concentrate on delivering as pretty and effectively as attainable the safety and certainty to which each and every refugee is entitled nevertheless they could arrive,” Callamard wrote in a social media put up.

That, she added, is “simply as demanded by our worldwide obligations, the rule of regulation and fundamental respect for each human individual”.

However Suella Braverman, a Conservative hardliner on immigration who’s a attainable contender to exchange Sunak as celebration chief, criticised Starmer’s plan.

“Years of exhausting work, acts of Parliament, hundreds of thousands of kilos been spent on a scheme which had it been delivered correctly would have labored,” she stated on Saturday. “There are large issues on the horizon which will probably be, I’m afraid, brought on by Keir Starmer.”

With a document variety of individuals coming ashore to the UK within the first six months of the 12 months, additionally it is unclear what Starmer will do in another way to deal with the migration disaster.

Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary College of London, informed The Related Press information company that the Labour authorities goes to wish to discover a resolution to the small boats coming throughout the English Channel.

“It’s going to should give you different options to take care of that exact drawback.”

Freedom for Torture’s Sceats additionally stated that if the federal government is actually severe about tackling the problem of pressured migration, international cooperation have to be a part of the answer.

“We’re undoubtedly searching for the brand new authorities to rule out the externalisation of refugee coverage,” she stated.

In the meantime, reporting from London on Saturday afternoon, Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands stated that aside from the Rwanda coverage announcement, it stays unclear what Starmer’s Labour authorities goes to appear like.

“There was loads of speak about change that the federal government goes to carry to British life and British politics,” stated Challands, referring to the information convention.

“His predominant theme is that the years of Conservative tumult are executed,” Challands added. “And for the primary time in a very long time, the nation goes to be handled first by the federal government in energy, reasonably than the celebration that it comes from.”

Mike Heslin, an actor who appeared within the collection “Lioness” and within the TV film “The Vacation Proposal Plan,” died July 2. His husband introduced his demise on Instagram, writing that the trigger was a “sudden cardiac occasion.”

His husband, Scotty Dynamo (né Nicolas James Wilson) wrote that his demise occurred after every week within the hospital. “Michael was younger, in excellent well being, and the medical doctors don’t have any rationalization for what occurred,” Dynamo stated.

He continued, “Michael was sensible, selfless, gifted, and a real-life guardian angel. He single-handedly carried me by a number of rounds of most cancers. He was the primary individual everybody would name to share excellent news with, and he was the right individual to name in the event that they wanted a shoulder to lean on or the very best recommendation. He really was the sweetest, most caring, and loving man on earth, and he introduced out the best possible in everybody who had the pleasure to cross paths with him. He moved by life with such ease and confidence, and turned everybody round him into a greater model of themselves. Irrespective of how tough issues bought, we knew that there was nothing we couldn’t overcome with Mike in our nook.”

Dynamo wrote that the couple have been planning on beginning a household, saying “You’d be the world’s most excellent father. If I ever grow to be a dad, I’m going to call my son after you and hope that I handle to lift him to grow to be at the least half the person you’re.”

Heslin was an organ donor and had “given the present of life to 4 completely different households,” Dynamo wrote.

Along with enjoying Polo on two episodes of the Taylor Sheridan collection “Lioness” in 2023, Heslin created and starred within the 2020 “The Influencers,” a scripted mockumentary which was nominated for a Queerty award and streamed on Prime Video.

He additionally appeared within the Christmas film “The Vacation Proposal Plan” on Lifetime, the Noggin collection “In Their Sneakers: A Journey Into Homelessness” and on the collection TV Land collection “Youthful.”

On the 2020 film “Boy*Buddies,” Heslin had a co-producing credit score and co-starred as Rupert. His brief movie “Pleased Halloween” received a number of awards at horror festivals together with finest first-time director.

Born in California, he earned a BFA in Directing from the Boston Conservatory, in response to his official web site.

LONDON (AP) — Coco Gauff isn’t any stranger to creating the fourth spherical at Wimbledon. She went that far as a 15-year-old newcomer taking part in in her first Grand Slam match in 2019, after which once more on her subsequent look in 2021.

She’s by no means been to the quarterfinals on the All England Membership, although, and can get a 3rd crack at it after beating British qualifier Sonay Kartal 6-4, 6-0 within the third spherical on Friday.

However for somebody who performed in two Grand Slam finals earlier than turning 20 — successful considered one of them, finally 12 months’s U.S. Open — simply attending to the quarterfinals, even at Wimbledon, isn’t a lot of a objective.

“I really feel like at this level, it feels as if shedding within the fourth (spherical) or the quarterfinals feels the identical in a manner, simply because I do have such massive aspirations,” stated Gauff, who additionally reached the semifinals at each the Australian Open and French Open this 12 months. “I really feel prefer it sucks to say this, however when you win, you form of take it with no consideration. I strive to not, clearly. Once you make lots of quarterfinals in Slams, typically it simply makes you need to make it to a semifinal. You make a pair semifinals, you need to make the ultimate.”

Gauff is considered one of two former U.S. Open champions who want to get previous the fourth spherical at Wimbledon for the primary time. Emma Raducanu is again into the second week for the primary time since her debut as an 18-year-old in 2021, when she needed to retire with respiratory issues within the second set towards Ajla Tomljanovic and later stated the second had “caught up” along with her.

After a few injury-plagued seasons, the British residence favourite is taking part in a few of her finest tennis since successful the 2021 U.S. Open title as a qualifier, and beat No. 9-seeded Maria Sakkari of Greece 6-2, 6-3 on Centre Courtroom.

And any discomfort with taking part in in entrance of a house crowd with big expectations appears to have gone away.

“In the present day was actually up there with essentially the most enjoyable I’ve had on a tennis court docket,” Raducanu stated. “I actually loved each single second. I believe I used to be simply telling myself, what number of instances in your life are you going to get the chance to play in entrance of a full Centre Courtroom?”

Gauff has additionally been a crowd favourite at Wimbledon ever since she burst onto the grass by beating Venus Williams within the first spherical in 2019.

So it was a barely unusual feeling for the American to know that a big part of the group could be rooting towards her on Friday. That’s as a result of she was going up towards Kartal, a British qualifier who had exceeded expectations simply by making the third spherical.

“I believe that is my first time ever taking part in a British participant right here, so I used to be somewhat bit nervous actually, moving into,” Gauff instructed the group after her win on No. 1 Courtroom. “As a result of I knew you guys could be for her. Which is completely comprehensible.”

Gauff will play one other American subsequent in Emma Navarro, who she beat in straight units in Auckland in January. Navarro is making solely her second look at Wimbledon, having misplaced within the first spherical final 12 months, but additionally made the fourth spherical on the French Open in June.

“I believe after I performed her originally of the 12 months, I wasn’t essentially prepared for that problem,” Navarro stated of Gauff. “I do know I’ve the extent within me that may beat a participant like her. It’s possibly only a matter of doing it on a much bigger stage.”

Different ladies to advance to the spherical of 16 included Madison Keys, Paula Badosa, Donna Vekic and French Open finalist Jasmine Paolini.

Raducanu, who can be taking part in combined doubles with Andy Murray, will subsequent face qualifier Lulu Solar, who turned the primary lady from New Zealand to succeed in the fourth spherical at Wimbledon within the Open period.

Solar has quite a bit in frequent with Raducanu. Each have Chinese language heritage on their mom’s aspect, and Solar has additionally managed to make it far in a Grand Slam as a qualifier.

“Qualifiers are literally typically extra harmful,” Raducanu stated. “I’m actually up for a battle, although.”

___

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Actor Mike Heslin, greatest recognized for his function on Taylor Sheridan’s Particular Ops: Lioness, has died aged 30.

Heslin had suffered an surprising cardiac occasion and was admitted to hospital for a week-long keep earlier than he died on 2 July.

Audiences will recognise Helin as Polo, a task he performed on two episodes of the primary season of Particular Ops: Lioness in 2023. The present, created by Yellowstone author Sheridan, additionally starred Zoe Saldana and Nicole Kidman.

Heslin additionally had an element within the Lifetime film The Vacation Proposal Plan final 12 months, and The Influencers in 2020. Previous to that, in 2016, he made an look on the Paramount+ sequence Youthful, which stars Hilary Duff.

Information of his dying was introduced by his husband, Nicolas James Wilson, who goes by the identify of Scotty Dynamo on social media.

“Michael was younger, in excellent well being, and the docs don’t have any rationalization for what occurred,” Wilson wrote alongside photographs of himself and Heslin, together with images from their marriage ceremony in November final 12 months.

Wilson recalled how the late actor had “single-handedly carried me via a number of rounds of most cancers”.

He then went on to disclose that the pair, who had been married for eight months, had been planning to start out a household.

“Only a week in the past, we had been within the early phases of beginning a household and would recurrently share our favourite [sic] child names for our future youngsters,” he mentioned.

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“You all the time advised me that you just felt such as you had been meant to be a dad, and I couldn’t agree extra. You’ll be the world’s most excellent father. If I ever grow to be a dad, I’m going to call my son after you and hope that I handle to lift him to grow to be not less than half the person you might be.”

Wilson went on to reward Heslin as “probably the most beneficiant and giving particular person” – highlighting the truth that he had been an organ donor.

“It brings me peace to know that, via your want to be a donor, you’ve given the present of life to 4 completely different households,” he wrote.

“We’re three weeks away out of your birthday and 4 months shy of our one 12 months marriage ceremony anniversary, however I do know that you’re in a greater place and that heaven has gained one other angel.”

He signed off: “Michael, within the phrases of Shania Twain: I’ll love you ‘ceaselessly and all the time.’”

Russell will begin forward of team-mate Lewis Hamilton and McLaren’s Lando Norris after the one-hour qualifying session, which is break up into three segments with 5 automobiles every being knocked out in Q1 and Q2 earlier than the top-10 shootout of Q3.

British Grand Prix grid: Russell on pole from Hamilton

What occurred in British Grand Prix Q1?

The session began in damp circumstances, with Verstappen setting the early tempo on intermediates at 1m37.518s. Hamilton beat that because the monitor continued to dry with 1m37.134s.

Simply after drivers switched to slicks, Purple Bull’s Sergio Perez spun off at Copse, inflicting a crimson flag with 7m30s to go.

The session restarted with everybody on slicks, however with heavy rain within the neighborhood. Verstappen went off at Copse however managed to run by means of the gravel quite than spinning as his team-mate had, however he did maintain injury to his flooring.

Piastri led the way in which with 1m30.895s, as a quick bathe arrived, however the monitor dried once more for the ultimate lap. Hamilton went to the highest with 1m29.547s, forward of Russell, and the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, as Piastri fell to sixth.

Falling on the first hurdle had been Valtteri Bottas (Sauber), Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Perez and Pierre Gasly (Alpine).

British GP Q1 outcomes: Hamilton quickest from Russell

What occurred in British Grand Prix Q2?

Piastri set the early tempo at 1m26.945s, however the closing runs outlined the session with Norris setting 1m26.559s, lapping 0.164s sooner than Russell.

Knocked out at this level had been Leclerc, Logan Sargeant (Williams), Yuki Tsunoda (RB), Zhou Guanyu and Daniel Ricciardo (RB).

British GP Q2 outcomes: Norris quickest from Russell

What occurred in British Grand Prix Q3?

On the primary runs, Russell led the way in which with 1m26.024s, 0.006s away from Norris, Hamilton, Piastri and Verstappen.

On the ultimate runs, Hamilton snatched provisional pole with 1m25.990s however Russell grabbed it again with 1m25.819s, as Norris aborted his closing lap after “a bit mistake” and was pressured to accept third.

Verstappen salvaged fourth, forward of Piastri, Nico Hulkenberg (Haas), Sainz, Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), Alex Albon (Williams) and Fernando Alonso (Aston).

British GP Q3 outcomes: Russell takes pole