Australian marathon swimmer Susie Maroney walked ashore on a Cuban beach early yesterday after swimming from Mexico in what swim organisers said was a new world record for open water swimming.
Joe Pignatiello, the event co-ordinator, said from Las Tumbas beach in western Cuba, where Maroney touched shore just after 5 a.m. local time, that he estimated the 23year-old Australian swimmer had covered around 123 miles on her gruelling swim inside a special shark-proof cage.
The remaining Spice Girls were working out their future as a foursome yesterday after Ginger Spice Geri Halliwell's bombshell departure this weekend.
Meanwhile, Geri (25) contemplated her new-found independence at a secret hideaway with rumours suggesting she could launch an international career in films or television.
Despite the upheaval, the group has promised to go ahead with a charity performance in Modena, Italy on June 9th with Luciano Pavarotti.
They may not be works of art, but they do have that unmistakable flourish of some of Italy's most famous painters.
Centuries-old documents signed by Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian and Bernini are all to go under the hammer in Milan on June 23rd in a sale organised by the auction house Sotheby's.
Among the lots is a mail receipt inked by Michelangelo dated December 12th, 1517 which relates to a funeral monument for Pope Julius II.
There is also a missive written by Titian dated November 17th, 1545 when he was working in Rome.
New Zealand is taking a symbolic step away from the British monarchy - still its head of state - by introducing a new set of awards for bravery.
Prime Minister Jenny Shipley said yesterday the new gallantry awards would replace the British awards although there would still be some royal awards and a strong link with the past.