Widespread damage in New Zealand’s second biggest city Christchurch is being reported after a major earthquake in the area.
The quake, which measured 7.4 on the Richter Scale, destroyed roads, wrecked building façades and disrupted power supplies. Building frontages fell onto cars, crushing them.
Authorities declared a formal civil defence state of emergency to co-ordinate recovery operations [...]
An aeroplane en route to Poland was forced to make an emergency landing in Germany after a 56-year-old woman spilt a hot cup of tea on herself, German police said on Wednesday.
The low-cost carrier Ryanair flight from Liverpool to Poznan made the unscheduled landing in the northwestern city of Bremen on Tuesday, local police said.
After [...]
Burger King, the fast food giant famous for the ‘Whopper’ burgers, has agreed to be bought out by private investment firm 3G Capital for $3.26 billion (£2.1 billion; €2.52 billion).
At $24 (€18) per share, the deal represents a 46 per cent increase to Burger King’s share price when compared to that before news of talks [...]
The body of a man who fell to his death from a mountain in Canada more than twenty years ago has been discovered by climbers. The body is reported to be in a well-preserved condition after lying frozen in ice for more than two decades.
William Holland, a 38-year-old American, was climbing down Snow Dome mountain [...]
A gunman in Bratislava has gone on the rampage, killing six and wounding at least 14 people.
News agency reports said the shootings occurred before midday on the streets of the Devinska Nova Ves neighbourhood on the outskirts of the Slovak capital.
The perpetrator, a man who is yet to be identified, opened fire on passers-by and shot [...]
33 miners trapped half a mile underground in Chile are waiting for an escape tunnel drilling operation to begin on Sunday or Monday.
The miners were trapped on August 5 after a tunnel collapse, and rescuers established contact with them 17 days later by drilling a 6-inch-wide (15-centimetre-wide) hole to the shelter.
After having components of the [...]
British Airways apologised to passengers after an automated emergency message warning they were about to crash into the sea was played through the sound system by mistake.
The London Heathrow to Hong Kong flight on Tuesday evening was carrying around 275 passengers when the message went out. The plane is believed to have been flying over [...]
Paul Hogan, the Australian actor whose most famous role was in the film ‘Crocodile Dundee’ has been barred from leaving Australia over a disputed A$35m (€24.4m) tax bill.
The ‘Shrimp on the barbie’ and Fosters lager advertiser was served with departure prohibition order after he visited Australia from his home in California over the weekend to [...]
An HIV-positive German popstar who has been on trial accused of infecting a former partner with the virus has avoided prison and been given a two-year suspended sentence.
Nadja Benaissa, 28, admitted having unprotected sex and keeping her HIV status secret, but denied deliberately infecting anyone.
The No Angels singer was found guilty of causing bodily harm [...]
A motorcyclist photographed riding along a motorway in Australia ‘wearing’ a barbecue around his body has escaped with a fine after being found guilty of careless driving.
Michael Wiles, 29, was photographed on Melbourne’s bustling Eastern Freeway riding his motorbike with the frame of the barbie pulled over his body – his vision ahead made only possible through [...]
