2,400 athletes swim in Bosphorus Strait from Asia to Europe
Istanbul, July 22: Around 2,400 athletes swam from Asia to Europe on Sunday, in a cross-continental swimming race in Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait.
The swimmers began the 6.5-kilometer-long race in the Kanlica neighbourhood in the Asian part of the city and swam along the strait towards Kurucesme on the European side, reports Xinhua news agency.
Dogukan Ulac won gold in the men's category with a time of 46 minutes 58 seconds, while Hilal Zeynep Sarac took the spoils in the women's race in 50 minutes 30 seconds.
The strait, one of the most important waterways in the world, was closed to sea traffic for hours for the 30th Samsung Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race.
Over 4,400 swimmers from 55 countries applied to participate in the race, but only around 2,400 of them were qualified to compete, according to organisers.
The strong current of the strait and the wind were determined as the most challenging aspects of the event.
The race was first launched in 1989, when four women and 64 men took part, and has gradually become an important event for swimmers across the world.
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Lebanon: Israeli airstrikes kill 29 in Beirut as Israel intensifies attacks
Beirut: A new wave of Israeli airstrikes targeted Beirut and its southern suburbs, escalating the ongoing conflict with Hezbollah. The attacks follow a deadly assault the previous day that left 29 dead and 66 injured in the Lebanese capital.
On Sunday, the Israeli military announced that it had carried out "intelligence-based strikes" against Hezbollah command centers in Beirut's southern neighborhoods, including Haret Hreik, Burj Barajneh, and Hadath, as reported by Xinhua news agency. Within just 30 minutes, local TV station al-Jadeed documented 12 airstrikes in the area.
Videos shared online captured plumes of dense black smoke rising from the targeted suburbs, indicating the intensity of the bombardment. Prior to the strikes, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee used social media to warn residents to evacuate several buildings in the southern part of the city.
The fresh wave of airstrikes follows a Saturday attack on an eight-storey residential building in Beirut’s Basta Fawka neighborhood. While Israeli reports suggested the target was a senior Hezbollah official, Lebanese lawmaker and Hezbollah member Amin Sherri denied any political or military figures were present in the building during the assault.
In retaliation, Hezbollah declared it had destroyed five Israeli Merkava tanks in southern Lebanon using guided missiles on Sunday. The group also claimed to have launched attacks on several locations in northern Israel, including Kerem ben Zimra and Kfar Blum.
The hostilities have intensified since September 23, with Israeli forces increasing airstrikes on Lebanon and launching a ground offensive across the northern border in early October.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry released figures on Sunday indicating that Israeli airstrikes have resulted in 3,754 deaths and 15,626 injuries since the conflict reignited on October 8, 2023.
