Ultrarunner Sophie Power breaks 48-hour treadmill world record in bid to inspire women in sport
Endurance athlete Sophie Power might have come to running later than most, but she’s more than making up for it. After leaving behind a career in investment banking, the British athlete jumped into the world of ultrarunning and now has two world records to her name. She recently broke the record for the most distance covered by a woman on a treadmill in 48 hours. It follows an equally impressive feat last year, in which she became the fastest female to cross Ireland on foot.
Luka Dončić takes revenge against his former team as Lakers defeat Mavericks
Los Angeles is no stranger to glitz, glamor and massive sporting events, and Tuesday night was no exception as the Dallas Mavericks came to the City of Angels to face off against Luka Dončić and the Lakers. It had only been three weeks since Dončić joined the Lakers from the Mavericks in a trade that sent shockwaves through the NBA, and fans were excited to see the Slovenian star face his former team for the first time – with the Lakers winning the game 107-99. Though the atmosphere was electric at Crypto.com Arena, Dončić appeared calm, cool and collected before tipoff. The five-time All-Star was seen during warmups laughing and smiling with former teammate Spencer Dinwiddie then casually draining a shot from halfcourt.
Retired surgeon admits to 'hideous acts' as France's largest child sexual abuse trial gets underway
A retired surgeon accused of raping and sexually assaulting 299 people admitted in court that he committed “hideous” acts, as France’s largest ever child sexual abuse case got underway on Monday. “If I am appearing before you it’s because one day, when most of these people were just children, I committed hideous acts,” Joël Le Scouarnec said in a sober voice after Judge Aude Buresi, the president of a five-judge panel hearing the case, asked if he had a statement to make.
46.1 million people counted in Iraq’s first census in nearly 40 years
The final results of Iraq’s first census in nearly 40 years released Monday show the population has reached 46.1 million. In 2009, an unofficial count estimated the population at 31.6 million. Iraqi officials have called the population count a milestone and said it will provide essential data for future planning and resource distribution. Speaking at a news conference to announce the results, Iraqi Planning Minister Mohammed Tamim said the census “demonstrates the government’s determination” to improve conditions in the country.
China’s Xi affirms ‘no limits’ partnership with Putin in call on Ukraine war anniversary
Chinese President Xi Jinping affirmed his “no limits” partnership in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, Chinese state media reported, on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The leaders held the talks as President Donald Trump has pushed for a quick deal to end the Ukraine war, raising the prospect that Washington could draw a wedge between Xi and Putin to focus on competing with the world’s second-largest economy.
Santorini’s earthquake swarm is declining gradually as thousands return to the Greek island
An earthquake swarm near the island of Santorini is gradually declining a month after it began, Greek scientists monitoring the phenomenon said Monday. The undersea shocks — sometimes recorded only minutes apart — led thousands of residents and workers to flee the famed clifftop towns of Santorini as well as the nearby islands of Ios, Amorgos and Anafi. Schools remain closed on those islands for a fourth week and many other restrictions are still in effect. But scientists said they were encouraged by the decline of the earthquake swarm.
The fragile ceasefire in Gaza faces a key deadline. Will it last?
The first phase of the ceasefire that paused 15 months of brutal warfare between Israel and Hamas militants is set to end on Saturday — and it’s unclear what comes next. The two sides were supposed to start negotiating a second phase weeks ago in which Hamas would release all the remaining hostages from its Oct. 7, 2023, attack, which triggered the war, in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
Thousands gather outside the Vatican to pray for Pope Francis’ health
Thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square Monday evening to pray for an ailing Pope Francis, expressing sorrow for his suffering, hope for his recovery and gratitude for his efforts to steer the Catholic Church in new directions. The 88-year-old Francis has pneumonia in both lungs and remains in critical condition despite showing a slight improvement after 11 days in the hospital.
Anti-US sentiment bubbling up in the West Bank bolsters demand for a local Coke-alternative
Order a Coke to wash down some hummus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank these days and chances are the waiter will shake his head disapprovingly — or worse, mutter “shame, shame” in Arabic — before suggesting the popular local alternative: a can of Chat Cola. Chat Cola — its red tin and sweeping white script bearing remarkable resemblance to the iconic American soft drink’s logo — has seen its products explode in popularity across the occupied West Bank in the past year as Palestinian consumers, angry at America’s steadfast support for Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza, protest with their pocketbooks.
Merz prioritizes Ukraine and US, vows to tackle migration and economy after German election win
Germany’s mainstream conservatives led by Friedrich Merz won the country’s national election, ensuring that Ukraine has an even stronger supporter in the European Union’s largest country and creating hopes for renewal in an economic powerhouse that has been badly battered in recent years. The far-right, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged to become the second-largest political force, gaining from a backlash against the high numbers of migrants and refugees the nation has absorbed over the past decade and a string of extremist attacks that has shaken its sense of security.