Thursday 23 May 2013
Few have explored the remote volcanic islands of the Galapagos archipelago, an otherworldly landscape inhabited by the world's largest tortoises and other fantastical creatures that inspired Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
Financial markets around the world have fallen after Japanese stocks suffered their biggest slide since the country was hit by a devastating tsunami more than two years ago.
A Russian court has denied parole to a member of the Pussy Riot punk group. The decision followed a plea by Sir Paul McCartney for authorities to consider releasing band members on parole.
Former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has strongly criticised the policies of the country's ruling clerical establishment, days after a constitutional watchdog banned him from running in the June 14 elections.
Twenty soldiers have been killed and another 16 injured after a suicide bomber detonated a car loaded with explosives inside a military garrison in the city of Agadez in Niger.
International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde has faced questions at a special Paris court over her role in the 400 million euro (£342 million) pay-off to a controversial businessman when she was France's finance minister.
Sir Paul McCartney has written to Russian authorities asking them to consider releasing members of jailed punk band Pussy Riot on parole.
Gunmen have kidnapped the father of Afghanistan's national cricket team captain, the sport's chiefs said.
Groups of youths have burnt down a restaurant, torched more than 30 cars and injured three police officers in a fourth night of riots in suburbs of the Swedish capital.
A car bomb in south-west Pakistan has killed 11 policemen and a civilian.
A government investigation found poor quality construction materials and building code violations were among the "series of irregularities" that caused the collapse of a building housing clothing factories last month in Bangladesh, the committee head said.
Eighty-year-old Japanese mountaineer Yuichiro Miura has become the oldest man to reach the top of Mount Everest.
The captain of the Costa Concordia cruise ship which capsized off Italy last year, killing 32 people, will face trial for manslaughter, an Italian judge has ruled. More than 4,000 passengers had to be evacuated from the Francesco Schettino captained cruise ship last year.
It's not unusual for a cat to get a hairball, but a 400lb tiger needed help from vets when he could not cough up a football-sized fur lump by himself.
Sailing experts have made 37 recommendations they say will increase safety in the America's Cup, following the death of British Olympic sailing champion Andrew Simpson.
Troubled Toronto mayor Rob Ford, at the centre of a scandal over a video allegedly showing the leader of Canada's largest city smoking crack cocaine, has been sacked from his job as football coach at a Catholic high school.
The cruise industry has pledged to adopt a passenger bill of rights that guarantees the "safety, comfort and care" of guests.
A Chechen immigrant shot dead in Florida after a confrontation with an FBI agent had ties to one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects, and was being questioned at the time of the shooting.
Hardline students protested in Afghanistan's capital, demanding the repeal of a presidential decree for women's rights that they say is un-Islamic.
Almost half of all money invested in developing countries is channelled through tax havens and deprives the world's poorest countries of tax revenue, according to charity ActionAid.
Hangover star takes 87-year-old to premiere
A new strategy to heal sectarian divisions in Northern Ireland has stressed the crucial need to create a fully shared education system in the region.
The family of the soldier hacked to death in Woolwich has paid tribute to "a loving son, husband, father, brother and uncle" who always wanted to be in the Army and "live life and enjoy himself".
Mourners have gathered to pay their respects to the soldier killed in the brutal terrorist attack in London.
George Best was the finest footballer of them all, according to England World Cup winner Ian Callaghan.
They know each other inside-out as a result of having squared up so often in the past. As well as having gone head to head on such a regular basis, most of the protagonists are Irish training camp regulars. In addition, many of them have been Test match colleagues.
Everton defender Leighton Baines insists the upheaval of losing manager David Moyes to Manchester United after 11 years in charge will not derail the club.
Former Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan did her bit to protest against the skin trade by showing off some flesh of her own.
Twilight's legacy shows no sign of stopping, after the film and its stars lead the Teen Choice Awards with nine nominations.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have vowed not to appear in sex scenes with other people in their films, according to reports.
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