Find today's news in pics from India and around the world for July 09, 2026
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Olav Kooij claimed his maiden Tour de France stage victory after producing a perfectly timed sprint to win Stage 5 from Lannemezan to Pau on Wednesday. Racing for Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, the Dutchman surged clear in a chaotic bunch finish that followed a late crash with just over five kilometres remaining, crossing the line ahead of Germany's Max Kanter and Belgium's Tim Merlier. The flat 158.3-km stage featured French rider Baptiste Veistroffer in an early solo breakaway, but the peloton reeled him in before the sprinters took control. Norway's Torstein Traeen safely finished with the general classification contenders to retain the yellow jersey, preserving his 28-second lead over Sean Quinn heading into the first major mountain test.
From flooded cities and overflowing rivers to landslides in the hills and widespread travel disruptions, the monsoon has left a trail of destruction across India. This photo gallery captures the impact of relentless rainfall, rescue operations, and the resilience of communities as several states grapple with the season's extreme weather.
Iran's dayslong funeral for late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei began on Saturday, with authorities shutting down streets, airspace and daily life in Tehran as mourners commemorate the life of the man who led Iran for decades with an iron fist while confronting the West. Khamenei’s body was taken Wednesday to the Iraqi city of Najaf, holy for millions of Shiite Muslims worldwide, and also to Karbala where Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, was killed in 680 AD. Thousands attended the funeral processions in Iraq before the body was to be returned to Iran.
Linda Noskova continued her remarkable Wimbledon 2026 campaign by defeating Belgium's Elise Mertens 6-3, 7-5 to reach the first Grand Slam semifinal of her career. The ninth-seeded Czech dominated with her powerful serving and aggressive baseline play, breaking Mertens once in the opening set before edging a tense second set with a decisive late break. Mertens showed resilience by saving nine break points and pushing Noskova deep into the second set, but the Belgian could not withstand the relentless pressure from her 21-year-old opponent. With the victory, Noskova became the youngest Czech woman to reach the Wimbledon semifinals since Petra Kvitova and set up a last-four clash against Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk.
Marta Kostyuk produced one of the standout performances of her career to storm into her maiden Wimbledon semifinal with a commanding 6-3, 6-2 victory over Italy's Jasmine Paolini on Centre Court. The Ukrainian needed just 69 minutes to dismantle the 2024 Wimbledon runner-up, breaking serve early in both sets and dominating behind an outstanding first serve, winning 90 percent of those points. Paolini struggled to find any rhythm, committing 26 unforced errors as Kostyuk dictated play with her aggressive baseline hitting and relentless pressure. The win marked Kostyuk's first Wimbledon semifinal appearance and her second Grand Slam semifinal of 2026 after Roland Garros. She will now face Czech ninth seed Linda Noskova for a place in the final.
On No. 1 Court, Alexander Zverev defeated Taylor Fritz in straight sets. Zverev wrapped up his 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 win to set up a semifinal against Fery on Friday. Friday’s other semifinal pits seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic against defending champion Jannik Sinner. The British wildcard beat ninth-seeded Flavio Cobolli 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-0 on Centre Court in front of roaring home fans and a Royal Box contingent that included Britain’s Queen Camilla on Wednesday.
The “Ferytale” continues at Wimbledon. Arthur Fery grew up five minutes from the All England Club and now the 114th-ranked player is a semifinalist at the grass-court Grand Slam. The 23-year-old British player, who needed a wild-card invitation to enter the tournament, beat ninth-seeded Flavio Cobolli 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-0 on Centre Court in front of roaring home fans and a Royal Box contingent that included Britain’s Queen Camilla on Wednesday. Fery earned a standing ovation after winning the first set. The deafening roar that followed Fery taking the tiebreaker to seal the second set was heard over at Wimbledon’s other main stadium — No. 1 Court, where Alexander Zverev was in the process of beating Taylor Fritz in straight sets. The only other wild card to have reached the men’s singles semifinals at the All-England Club was Goran Ivanisevic in his run to the Wimbledon title in 2001.
The Tour de France 2026 Stage 4 was a scorching 181.9 km journey from Carcassonne to Foix, held on July 7, Tuesday. Battling extreme 40°C heat, the peloton navigated the Pyrenean foothills, tackling four categorized climbs, including the challenging Col de Coudons and Col de Montségur. The stage proved tactical, favoring an explosive breakaway that maintained a significant gap. Danish star Mads Pedersen of Lidl-Trek masterfully out-sprinted his rivals to claim the victory, capping a brilliant display of teamwork. Meanwhile, the general classification landscape shifted dramatically as Norwegian rider Torstein Traeen secured the yellow jersey, unseating Tadej Pogačar. Framed by the medieval grandeur of Carcassonne and the historic, three-towered château of Foix, the day blended intense athletic endurance with the iconic, picturesque landscapes that define cycling’s greatest race.
Karolina Muchova reached her maiden Wimbledon semi-final with a commanding 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 victory over 14th seed Naomi Osaka on Tuesday. The 10th-seeded Czech delivered an outstanding serving display, outgunning one of the tour's biggest servers while striking at key moments to seal the win in straight sets. Muchova, now a semi-finalist at all four Grand Slams, will face Coco Gauff for a place in the Wimbledon final, while Osaka's impressive run ended after she struggled to replicate the form that had seen her eliminate World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
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