Global Pulse

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  • U2 and Moya Brennan’s sister Enya among mourners at star’s funeral

    U2 and Moya Brennan’s sister Enya among mourners at star’s funeral

    One of the most influential figures in Celtic music, Moya Brennan, the longtime lead vocalist of the legendary Irish folk band Clannad, has been laid to rest in her home county of Donegal, with hundreds of mourners — including some of the biggest names in Irish music — gathering to celebrate her extraordinary life and career.

    Brennan, a 73-year-old married mother of two, passed away earlier this week, leaving behind a decades-long legacy that redefined global perceptions of Irish traditional music. Among those who gathered at St Patrick’s Church in the small village of Meenaweal, Crolly, for her Requiem Mass were all four current and founding members of world-famous rock band U2: Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. Also in attendance was Brennan’s younger sister, iconic new-age musician Enya, alongside other prominent Irish music figures including country star Daniel O’Donnell and The Corrs’ Andrea Corr.

    The small church was filled to capacity as community members, loved ones, and peers came together to mourn the loss of a artist who touched millions of lives across the globe. Gweedore Parish Priest Fr Brian O’Fearraigh opened the service by acknowledging the collective grief of those assembled, while also calling for gratitude for the gift of Brennan’s life and music.

    “On that Monday night when Moya died, it seemed as if a sacred silence had descended for a while,” Father O’Fearraigh told the congregation. “The music stood still and her beautiful harp stood silently in the corner of her room as though keeping its own quiet vigil of respect and honour. It was as if the silence itself seemed to sing Moya into eternity and home to heaven.”

    He added that the stillness that followed Brennan’s passing had given way to a fitting celebration: “a musical celebration of a kind and well-lived life.” Within the church, symbolic items that defined different chapters of Brennan’s life were displayed during the service, including her beloved harp, a traditional Irish bodhrán drum, a personal prayer book, a portrait of her immediate family, and a jersey for Donegal’s Gaelic Athletic Association team, honoring her deep roots in the county.

    Born and raised in the Irish-speaking Gaeltacht region of Gweedore in Donegal, Brennan built a five-decade career that reshaped Celtic folk for a global audience. As the lead singer of Clannad, the family band she co-founded in 1968 (with Enya joining the group in the early 1980s before launching her own solo career), Brennan recorded more than 25 albums that combined traditional Irish sounds with contemporary folk and new-age influences, selling millions of copies worldwide. The band’s commercial and critical breakthrough came in 1982, when their ethereal theme track for the British political drama *Harry’s Game*, set during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, topped charts across Europe and introduced their unique sound to international audiences.

    Long before Clannad’s rise to global fame, Brennan cut her teeth performing at Leo’s Tavern, the family pub in Gweedore that remains a beloved venue for emerging Irish musicians. Throughout her career, she continued to return to the tavern, where she regularly made time to support and mentor young artists starting out in the industry.

    Widely known by her honorific title, the “Queen of Celtic Music” (also referred to as the First Lady of Celtic Music), Brennan earned tributes from Ireland’s highest political leaders in the days following her passing. Irish President Michael D. Higgins (shared through his representative Catherine Connolly) noted that Brennan had left an exceptional body of work that would be cherished by listeners for generations to come. Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Ireland’s head of government, echoed those remarks, calling Brennan an iconic, irreplaceable Irish voice.

    Brennan is survived by her husband Tim Jarvis, their daughter Aisling, and son Paul, who grieve alongside her extended family, friends, and millions of fans around the world who discovered a love of Celtic music through her work.

  • Conservative US town grapples with potential ICE detention centre

    Conservative US town grapples with potential ICE detention centre

    Nestled in rural Georgia, the traditionally conservative small community of Social Circle finds itself united in uncommon opposition to a federal proposal that has divided communities across the United States for years. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has recently floated a plan to repurpose a long-vacant local warehouse into a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility, a project that has sparked immediate pushback from across the local political spectrum.

    What makes this resistance particularly notable is that it crosses longstanding party lines. In a town where conservative politics have long dominated local elections and voter preferences, both Republican-leaning and Democratic-leaning residents have come together to reject the federal government’s plan. Neighbors who often disagree on national policy issues have found common ground in their concern over what the detention center would mean for their tight-knit community.

    Local residents have raised a host of concerns about the proposal, from the impact on property values and local infrastructure to broader questions about the role of the small town in the national immigration enforcement system. Many long-term residents say the quiet, close community they have built would be fundamentally altered by housing a large detention facility, bringing with it increased security activity and a shift in the town’s identity that most are not willing to accept.

    The proposal comes amid ongoing national debate over U.S. immigration policy and the expansion of immigration detention capacity across the country. As federal officials continue to search for locations to house detainees amid rising numbers of border crossings, small towns like Social Circle are increasingly being asked to host these facilities – and in this case, the community has delivered a clear, bipartisan rebuke.

  • Colombia’s environment minister says Middle East crisis should speed energy transition

    Colombia’s environment minister says Middle East crisis should speed energy transition

    BOGOTA, Colombia — As roughly 50 nations prepare to gather for landmark talks focused on phasing out carbon-intensive fossil fuels, Colombia’s top environment official is framing new geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East as a urgent catalyst to speed up the global shift to renewable energy sources including solar, wind and geothermal power.

    In an exclusive Thursday interview with The Associated Press, Environment Minister Irene Vélez Torres argued that ongoing market volatility sparked by the Iran conflict demonstrates the critical risks of lingering dependence on oil, gas and coal. Instead of allowing instability to slow decarbonization efforts, Vélez says global leaders should use the crisis as motivation to double down on ambitious climate action.

    “The war in the Middle East has triggered a full global energy crisis,” Vélez stated. “This turmoil should not push our transition off schedule — it should speed it up. I firmly believe we need to radicalize the global green agenda and accelerate this energy transition now.”

    The upcoming summit, co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, is scheduled to run April 24-29 in the coastal Caribbean city of Santa Marta. Unlike formal UN climate negotiating sessions that seek binding international commitments, this gathering is designed as an open political space to advance long-stalled conversations about moving beyond fossil fuels — a topic that has consistently deadlocked formal global climate talks for decades.

    “We are not here to demand that countries sign on to binding commitments,” Vélez clarified. “Our goal is to move the global debate forward on an issue that has remained gridlocked for far too long.”

    Three decades of UN-led Conference of the Parties (COP) climate negotiations have failed to deliver a widespread global agreement on phasing out oil, gas and coal. Critics have labeled this lack of progress a major failure of the formal climate process, and that stalemate was a core motivation for organizing the independent Santa Marta summit.

    Colombia itself faces a unique balancing act between economic realities and ambitious climate goals. As one of Latin America’s largest oil producers, the country relies heavily on crude exports to generate government revenue and foreign exchange, with oil and coal still accounting for a large share of public funding for social programs and infrastructure spending. At the same time, Colombia sits at the heart of the Amazon rainforest, a critical global ecosystem that regulates planetary temperatures, but faces ongoing pressure from deforestation, illegal mining and armed activity across large swathes of its territory.

    Under President Gustavo Petro’s administration, Colombia has positioned itself as a global leader in climate action, pledging to halt all new oil exploration and calling for a coordinated global phaseout of fossil fuel production. Vélez noted that under Petro’s term, the share of non-hydropower renewables like solar and onshore wind in Colombia’s national electricity mix has jumped from just 1% to 16% — a major expansion that demonstrates the feasibility of a fast transition even for major fossil fuel producers.

    The summit convenes at a moment of unprecedented global geopolitical instability that is already reshaping energy policy around the world. The ongoing Iran conflict has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the critical chokepoint through which roughly 20% of the world’s global oil supplies pass. This disruption has pushed international oil prices higher and created pressure on many governments to expand short-term fossil fuel production to shore up energy security, even as they maintain long-term pledges to cut carbon emissions.

    This divide is on clear display between the Colombian and U.S. governments. Under current President Donald Trump, the U.S. has pulled back from international climate commitments and centered its energy policy on expanding domestic oil production. Trump has repeatedly dismissed climate change as a false claim and attacked the global energy transition as what he calls a “Green New Scam,” doubling down on his signature “drill, baby, drill” policy of expanded drilling. Public clashes between Petro and Trump over trade and counternarcotics policy in recent months have underscored these deep divides over climate and energy priorities.

    Major divisions are also visible among global oil producers. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, will not send representatives to the Santa Marta summit. Vélez noted that Colombian officials have engaged with Saudi leadership during past UN climate talks, but the kingdom’s deep economic dependence on oil exports leaves it uninterested in discussions of a fossil fuel phaseout. Saudi Arabia has consistently resisted efforts to add stronger language on fossil fuel phaseouts to UN climate agreements, highlighting the persistent rift between major producing nations and countries pushing for a faster transition.

    While the Santa Marta summit is being held outside the formal UN climate negotiation framework, Vélez says its outcomes will feed into upcoming global talks, including COP31 scheduled to take place in Turkey later this year.

    The Associated Press’ climate and environmental reporting is supported by funding from multiple private foundations. AP maintains full editorial control over all content. Details of AP’s standards for philanthropic partnerships, a full list of supporters, and descriptions of funded coverage areas are available at AP.org.

  • Tickner starts late Bangladesh collapse for New Zealand to win first ODI

    Tickner starts late Bangladesh collapse for New Zealand to win first ODI

    In the opening fixture of a three-match One Day International series hosted in Mirpur, Bangladesh, New Zealand’s fast bowling unit delivered a clinical, match-winning performance under oppressive high humidity on Friday to secure a 26-run victory over the home side.

    After winning the toss and electing to bat first on a slow, challenging pitch, New Zealand compiled a competitive total of 247 runs for the loss of eight wickets. The innings was anchored by opener Henry Nicholls’ patient 68 runs, and boosted by a quick-fire 59 from all-rounder Dean Foxcroft, who would later claim player of the match honors for his contributions with both bat and ball. Nicholls shared a 73-run stand for the second wicket with Will Young, who scored 30, as the pair weathered a devastating opening spell from Bangladesh pacer Shoriful Islam. Shoriful, making his first ODI appearance since December 2024 after stepping in for injured star Mustafizur Rahman, turned in an impressive outing, finishing with 2 wickets for just 27 runs from his full 10 overs.

    Foxcroft acknowledged after the match that his side viewed 247 as an attainable target for Bangladesh, meaning consistent pressure with the ball would be critical to securing a win. “It’s not an easy place to come here and win games. It was extremely hot and we’re not used to it. It’s winter in New Zealand now,” Foxcroft noted of the challenging conditions the visiting side overcame.

    Bangladesh’s chase got off to a disastrous start, with New Zealand pacer Nathan Smith striking early to dismiss top-order batters Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Najmul Hossain Shanto on consecutive deliveries, leaving the home side reeling at 21 runs for the loss of two wickets. A 93-run third-wicket partnership between Saif Hassan and Litton Das pulled Bangladesh back into the contest, putting their chase firmly on track. Will O’Rourke broke the stand by dismissing Saif, who top-scored for Bangladesh with 57 runs, before Foxcroft removed Litton for 46. Lower-order batters Towhid Hridoy and Afif Hossain built a new resistance partnership, which left-arm spinner Jayden Lennox interrupted by sending Afif back to the pavilion for 27, leaving Hridoy to hold the innings together at 194 for 5 in the 44th over, with Bangladesh still well on course to reach the target.

    That was when seamer Blair Tickner produced a devastating match-winning collapse. In a legendary late spell, Tickner claimed four wickets for just five runs, starting with the key dismissal of Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who nicked a catch behind the stumps for six runs. Tickner, who had been relatively erratic in his earlier overs, found his rhythm to clean up Bangladesh’s tail, claiming all four of his wickets in his final four overs to finish with figures of 4 for 40. Smith closed out the innings by dismissing Hridoy for 55, finishing with 3 for 45 as Bangladesh was bowled all out for 221 in 48.3 overs.

    Reflecting on the match, Saif Hassan noted that the pitch had unique challenges for batters. “The wicket was a bit challenging from the beginning but once a batter got set it became easier. It was tougher for new batters. If I could have stayed longer, things might have been easier for the team,” he said.

    The two sides will return to the field for the second ODI of the series on Monday, with Bangladesh looking to level the fixture and New Zealand aiming to extend their early lead.

  • Former Myanmar president U Win Myint released under amnesty

    Former Myanmar president U Win Myint released under amnesty

    On the first day of Myanmar’s traditional New Year, a high-profile amnesty has freed more than 4,500 incarcerated individuals, including former national president U Win Myint, state-owned Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) confirmed in an official announcement on Friday.

    The pardon was issued by current Myanmar President U Min Aung Hlaing, who signed two separate executive orders to authorize the release. According to MRTV’s reporting, 4,335 domestic Myanmar prisoners and 179 foreign nationals held in Myanmar correctional facilities are included in the amnesty, which aligns with long-standing local traditions of marking the annual New Year celebration with acts of clemency.

    State media framed the large-scale pardon as a measure aligned with principles of peace and humanitarian values. The initiative is designed to foster social stability across the country, and to give the released individuals an opportunity to rejoin public life and contribute to national development efforts, the outlet added.

    The release of U Win Myint marks a notable development in Myanmar’s domestic political landscape, coming as the country observes its most important annual cultural holiday.

  • Catholic schools Notre Dame, Villanova to open hoops season in Rome with men’s-women’s doubleheader

    Catholic schools Notre Dame, Villanova to open hoops season in Rome with men’s-women’s doubleheader

    Two of U.S. college basketball’s most prominent Catholic institutions, Notre Dame and Villanova University, are set to tip off their upcoming seasons with a groundbreaking transatlantic doubleheader in Rome, Italy, that blends athletic competition, academic exchange and spiritual celebration. The landmark event, scheduled for November 1, is designed to honor the shared mission and centuries-old religious heritage that bind both institutions, organizers have confirmed.

    Villanova’s official announcement outlined that the day will extend far beyond on-court action, featuring curated special programming that weaves together academic collaboration, cultural exploration and spiritual connection. “From academic engagement and cultural immersion to shared worship and elite athletics, this journey offers a profound opportunity to grow in mind, body and spirit,” explained the Rev. Peter Donohue, president of Villanova University.

    The idea for hosting the matchup in Rome traces back to Pope Leo XIV, an Augustinian friar and distinguished alumnus of Villanova, whose connection to both the university and the Holy See served as the core inspiration for the cross-continental event. For fans, players and staff traveling to Italy for the excursion, the experience will include exclusive opportunities: a joint Mass held at St. Peter’s Basilica, a scheduled private papal audience with Pope Leo XIV ahead of tipoff, and after-hours private tours of the Vatican Museums.

    Broadcast details have already been finalized for U.S. viewers: the men’s matchup will air live nationally on Fox beginning at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time, while the women’s game will follow immediately after on FS1 at noon Eastern.

    The Rome doubleheader is part of a growing trend of U.S. college basketball programs taking high-profile matchups overseas, a shift fueled by the rapidly rising number of international student-athletes competing in the NCAA. Data underscores this transformation: 23 of the 62 total players on 2024 men’s Final Four rosters hail from countries outside the United States, and official NCAA statistics show that the total number of international players competing at the Division I level now sits at 888, more than doubling the count recorded back in 2010.

    This shift has spurred industry leaders to launch dedicated international series to expand the footprint of college basketball. The Intersport and Rochelle Management Group have already announced the creation of the new College Basketball International Series, with additional matchups scheduled for November in Croatia and Serbia currently in active development.

  • Destruction, hope in south Beirut as Lebanese return home

    Destruction, hope in south Beirut as Lebanese return home

    Hours after a fragile ceasefire took hold between Israel and Hezbollah, displaced residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs — a long-standing Hezbollah stronghold — began a tentative journey home on Friday, threading past crumpled building facades and mountains of concrete rubble to assess what remains of their lives.

    Streaming back in private cars and on motorbikes, many carried only the few belongings they grabbed when they fled, their arrivals marked by equal measures of relief at the lull in fighting and heartbreak over the scale of destruction left by weeks of Israeli airstrikes that began on March 2.

    Among the early returnees was 42-year-old Insaf Ezzedine, who fled the neighborhood of Hay al-Sellom and spent the duration of the conflict bouncing between makeshift street shelters after formal evacuation centers hit capacity. Speaking to Agence France-Presse on a Hezbollah-organized media tour of the area — where independent journalist movement remains restricted — Ezzedine described the overwhelming force of the bombardments that shook the district’s aging, densely packed residential blocks. As her young daughter clung to a plastic doll on the back of their motorbike, she voiced what many returning residents echoed: a desperate longing for lasting peace. “We hope the war will stop and we’ll all go back to our homes and live in peace,” she said. “We want to live with our kids in safety. Our own home was badly damaged, so we’re heading to my brother’s place now.”

    The scope of damage is visible on every major thoroughfare in the southern suburbs. Piles of broken concrete, toppled solar panels and dented water tanks block roadside verges, while storefronts along main roads stand gutted, their metal doors blown off their hinges and shop windows shattered into shards. Occasional cars bearing Hezbollah’s yellow flags pass families walking and driving through the rubble-strewn streets, many loaded with whatever personal items they have been able to salvage.

    Seventy-five-year-old Samia Lawand traveled back with her daughter and grandchildren only to confirm the worst: their home was too damaged to reoccupy. “We came to check on the house and pick up a few things, but we found the place was too damaged, so we’re leaving again,” Lawand said from the front passenger seat of her family’s car. Her 42-year-old daughter Mariam added that shattered glass and scattered belongings made the space unlivable. In one particularly striking scene on a major artery, a mid-rise building had its entire side torn away by a strike, leaving office furniture and even a complete dentist’s chair exposed to open air. Opposite a blackened, destroyed building just steps from a large portrait of Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, the twisted wreckage of burned-out cars sits abandoned.

    For 34-year-old Hassan Hanoud, who fled to central Beirut with his wife, children and mother to escape the bombardment, the ceasefire represented a chance to return to the only home his family has. “We left for the kids’ sake,” Hanoud explained, a young child resting in his lap as a young daughter behind him held a worn plush toy. “The last time we went back, all the doors and windows were broken, but now the kids just want to come home.”

    In the Tahouitet al-Ghadir neighborhood, the first signs of slow recovery are already emerging. Shopkeepers have begun sweeping away debris to reopen their storefronts, and small groups of residents have begun to gather. Long-separated relatives hugged and wept when reunited for the first time since the escalation of hostilities.

    Sixty-five-year-old Mustafa, who owns a local garage and spent the war moving between makeshift beachfront tents near the Beirut coast, was one of the first to return, arriving just minutes after the ceasefire went into effect at midnight. “There’s no better feeling than coming back to your area and your people,” he said.

    But for many, the fragile truce comes at a devastating cost, bringing a complex mix of fear and cautious hope. Seventy-six-year-old retired soldier Ezzedine Shahrour, who fled the southern Lebanese town of Kfar Hammam and now has one son serving in the Lebanese army and another in security forces, has been begging his children to take him home, even as they warn the security situation remains unstable. “There’s fear and hope” after the ceasefire, he acknowledged.

    Seventy-three-year-old Jaafar Ali, who fled the southern Lebanese city of Tyre with his family to shelter in Beirut, came to southern Beirut to check on the home of his relatives. He recalled fleeing so abruptly that the family left in their nightclothes, with no time to grab belongings. “We don’t know how we got out, and we don’t know what’s happened to the house,” he said. While he is relieved the fighting has paused, the loss has been overwhelming. “We’re happy about the ceasefire, but we’ve paid a high price. Our homes were badly damaged. We’ve lost a lot… I feel like crying. Thank God we’re still alive, but what about all the people who died under the rubble?”

  • Wuhan University researchers return from five-month Antarctic expedition

    Wuhan University researchers return from five-month Antarctic expedition

    After five months of grueling, groundbreaking fieldwork in one of the harshest environments on Earth, five polar researchers from Wuhan University’s Chinese Antarctic Center of Surveying and Mapping have returned home, capping their contribution to China’s 42nd national Antarctic expedition. On Monday, the university hosted a press event welcoming the team back, bringing together regional and national media outlets to hear first-hand accounts of the expedition’s challenges, key scientific accomplishments, and unforgettable moments working on the icy southern continent.

    The five Wuhan University scholars were part of a broader 550-strong team of Chinese scientists that departed China on November 1 last year to carry out a full season of research across multiple Antarctic research stations. Each researcher was assigned to a different Chinese facility to conduct location-specific scientific work: Center professor Pang Xiaoping, associate researcher Zang Lin, and postdoctoral fellow Liu Mingliang were based at China’s first Antarctic research outpost, Great Wall Station; research assistant Hu Changhong carried out his duties at Zhongshan Station; and research assistant Yu Liang was posted to the relatively newer Qinling Station.

    According to official updates from Wuhan University, the team delivered meaningful progress on a suite of high-priority scientific and infrastructure projects during their five months on the ice. Core tasks included routine maintenance of tide gauges operated under the control of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), critical hardware upgrades to the on-site Beidou satellite observation network, and systematic long-term environmental monitoring of local Antarctic ecosystems. These projects not only advance China’s independent polar research capabilities but also contribute to global scientific understanding of Antarctic climate change, ice sheet dynamics, and satellite positioning accuracy in the polar region.

    The expedition comes as polar research has grown in global importance, with scientists around the world tracking rapid environmental changes in Antarctica that have far-reaching impacts on global sea levels and climate systems. Work like the upgrades to Beidou’s polar observation infrastructure also expand the coverage and reliability of Chinese satellite navigation services for international research and maritime operations in the southern ocean.

  • Oil plunges, stocks jumps as Iran declares Hormuz open

    Oil plunges, stocks jumps as Iran declares Hormuz open

    Global financial markets swung dramatically on Friday, triggered by a key announcement from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical chokepoint for global oil supplies, will remain fully open to commercial shipping for the duration of the ongoing ceasefire between Iran and the United States. The news sent crude oil prices tumbling more than 10 percent and pushed major U.S. stock indices to uncharted record territory, capping a rapid two-week rebound from conflict-driven losses.

    The Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s daily crude oil shipments, had seen growing supply disruption risks after the outbreak of regional hostilities linked to the U.S.-Israeli offensive. Those tensions pushed oil prices to a peak of nearly $120 a barrel earlier this month, stoking widespread fears of inflationary pressure that could destabilize the global economy. Within hours of Araghchi’s statement posted on X, both benchmark Brent Crude and U.S. West Texas Intermediate fell below the $90 per barrel threshold, recording their largest single-day drop in years. By 1330 GMT, Brent traded at $89.56 a barrel, down 9.9 percent, while WTI fell 10.2 percent to settle at $81.88.

    “This news is having an immediate impact on markets,” noted Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB. The development marks the most significant breakthrough since the ceasefire went into effect, she added, saying “it gives hope that the war will end soon, and supply chains will return to some normality.”

    Wall Street opened sharply higher on the news, with the Dow Jones jumping 1.3 percent to 49,221.56 points, while the S&P 500 gained 0.7 percent to hit a new record of 7,092.15. The Nasdaq Composite also climbed 0.9 percent to 24,317.32, extending all-time highs set the previous trading session. In Europe, major benchmarks followed the upward trend: Frankfurt’s DAX gained 2.2 percent, while Paris’ CAC 40 rose 2 percent, and London’s FTSE 100 added 0.5 percent. Asian markets mostly closed lower, however, after recent record-setting runs, with Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 falling 1.8 percent and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dropping 0.9 percent.

    The speed of the U.S. stock rally has surprised many market participants. David Morrison, a senior analyst at Trade Nation, pointed out that the S&P 500 has bounced nearly 12 percent in just over two weeks, a move that caught many investors off guard. “Many investors sold during the first few weeks of the war, either to flatten their exposure or go net short,” he explained. “Now these investors are having to pay up to re-establish their existing positions, or cover their shorts and suffer painful losses.” The rally has also been fueled by a resurgent “fear of missing out” as indices hit new records, supported by stronger-than-expected earnings growth during the first-quarter reporting season.

    Uncertainty remains over the exact scope of the ceasefire referenced in Araghchi’s announcement. It remains unclear whether he was referring to the 10-day Israel-Lebanon truce that took effect at midnight or the earlier two-week Iran-U.S. truce that began on April 8. Even with the positive announcement, U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed that the American blockade of Iranian ports remains in force. Still, the declaration has boosted market hopes for extended ceasefire negotiations and long-term de-escalation.

    Meanwhile, Western leaders were moving forward with contingency planning Friday: French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer chaired an alliance meeting to discuss the deployment of a multinational naval task force to guarantee free navigation through the strait once the conflict concludes. Currency markets also reflected the improved risk sentiment, with the euro and pound gaining against the U.S. dollar, while the dollar softened against the Japanese yen.

  • Men caught competing in the women’s category of a prestigious South African marathon

    Men caught competing in the women’s category of a prestigious South African marathon

    One of South Africa’s most prestigious annual running events has been marred by a brazen act of cheating that saw two male runners disqualified for posing as female competitors to secure top-10 finishes at the iconic Two Oceans Marathon. Held in Cape Town on April 12, the race draws more than 16,000 competitors annually across two distances: a 56-kilometer ultramarathon and a 21.1-kilometer half marathon. Earning a spot in the top 10 is widely considered a major career milestone for most amateur and professional runners alike, making the deceptive scheme all the more damaging to honest participants who trained for months to compete. The two men, identified as Luke Jacobs and Nic Bradfield, initially crossed the finish line in seventh and 10th place in the women’s division, pushing two legitimate female runners outside of the top 10 rankings before the fraud was uncovered. The cheating plot was ultimately exposed by Stuart Mann, a member of the Two Oceans Marathon board, after online photos and race timing technology revealed the ruse. Mann first received a public tip after Jacobs posted social media photos of himself at the finish line, where sharp-eyed observers noticed the name printed on his race bib was “Larissa” — not a name matching any male competitor. Further investigation confirmed Jacobs was running under a bib registered to Larissa Parekh, a female athlete originally signed up for the women’s race. A second discrepancy emerged when official finish line observer records clashed with data from the RFID timing chips embedded in all race bibs: officials had only recorded 10 women crossing the top-10 mark, but chip data showed two additional female-registered bibs had finished in the top window. That mismatch led investigators to Bradfield, who was found to be running under a bib registered to another female runner, Tegan Garvey. Garvey later admitted she had given Bradfield her bib after a sudden hip injury left her unable to compete just one day before the race. “The day before, my hip gave in completely, leaving me unable to even walk. I felt bad as to give up my race entry so my friend ran in my place,” Garvey explained in a post-scandal statement. In the wake of the exposure, Jacobs issued a written apology for his actions, admitting he had made a severe lapse in judgment. “I made an error in judgment and did not consider the consequences. I should not have taken part,” Jacobs wrote. Parekh has not offered a clear public explanation for her role in the scheme, Mann confirmed, though both Garvey and Parekh have issued formal apologies and already received two-year competition bans from the Two Oceans Marathon event. The two disqualified male runners now face formal disciplinary action from the race’s independent disciplinary subcommittee, with additional sanctions likely to be announced in the coming weeks. Following the disqualification, the two female runners who were originally pushed outside the top 10 have been officially recognized for their legitimate top-10 finishes. Mann, who led the investigation into the cheating, emphasized that bib swapping has grown increasingly common in distance running in recent years — but the practice carries far more severe consequences than just unfair competition. Beyond the ethical breach that undermines the hard work of honest runners, Mann warned bib swapping poses serious life-threatening health risks during races. “Not only is it considered unethical, but it also poses health and medical risks in case of an emergency as wrong medication may be administered to a wrong person,” Mann explained. Runners engage in bib swapping for a range of motivations, he added: some do it to avoid losing entry fees when an injury or last-minute emergency prevents them from competing, while more intentional cheaters use the tactic to secure faster qualifying times for prestigious future races. The scandal comes as distance running governing bodies around the world are cracking down on fraudulent entry practices, with many events increasing the use of chip timing, photo verification and post-race social media monitoring to catch cheaters before unfair results are finalized.