New Zealand floods turn deadly as state of emergency declared
New Zealand declared a state of emergency in Otorohanga on Saturday (14 February) after torrential rain caused severe flooding, power outages and evac...
More than 100 couples tied the knot at a mass civil ceremony in Lima, Peru on Thursday, ahead of Valentine’s Day. The Lima Metropolitan Municipality regularly holds community weddings to make civil marriage more accessible to local couples, provide legal protection and speed up the paperwork.
It was the first collective wedding of the year and it brought together 109 couples at the Magic Circuit of Water, one of the Peruvian capital’s best-known attractions.
Couples queued to record 360-degree videos and take photographs in front of fountains and decorative displays, including giant letters spelling “Love”. Brides adjusted grooms’ ties, had their make-up done on site and posed beside wedding cakes before sealing their vows with a kiss.
“February is an important month for us because Valentine’s Day is practically here, when many couples come together,” groom Jose Mamani Flores said.
“We chose this month because we’re on holiday and can take advantage of the opportunity to take this step of getting married.”
Isabel Ayala, Human Development Manager at the municipality, said the ceremony reflected the spirit of the season.
“Today we are celebrating our community wedding, the first of the year. We have 109 couples,” she said, noting that participants ranged from young couples to those who had been together for many years and wanted to formalise their relationship.

The ceremony concluded with couples exchanging rings, declaring “I do” and raising their hands in celebration as newlyweds kissed beneath the fountains.
Europe heads into the Munich Security Conference, on Friday (13 February), amid deepening unease over U.S. policy, as President Donald Trump’s hard-line stance on defence, trade and territory fuels doubts about Washington’s long-term commitment to transatlantic security.
Türkiye and Greece signalled renewed political will to ease long-standing tensions during high-level talks in Ankara on Wednesday (11 February). Maritime borders, migration and trade topped the agenda as both leaders struck a cautiously optimistic tone.
Stalled U.S.–Iran talks and mounting regional tensions are exposing a growing strategic rift between Washington and Tel Aviv over how to confront Tehran, political analyst James M. Dorsey says, exposing stark differences in approach at a critical moment.
“Respected and feared globally,” U.S. President Donald Trump told troops at Fort Bragg on Friday, framing America’s renewed strength as a backdrop to mounting pressure on Iran amid stalled nuclear talks.
Dubai-based global ports operator DP World said on Friday that its long-serving chairman and chief executive, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, has stepped down following mounting pressure linked to alleged ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Egyptian archaeologists have uncovered a major prehistoric site in South Sinai dating back around 10,000 years, revealing layers of human activity carved into rock across millennia. South Sinai is the least populated governorate of Egypt.
James Van Der Beek, who rose to fame as Dawson Leery in the hit teen drama Dawson’s Creek, has died aged 48 following a battle with stage 3 colorectal cancer.
A Japanese city near Mount Fuji has cancelled its annual cherry blossom festival, saying growing numbers of badly behaved tourists are disrupting daily life for residents.
The Netherlands has returned a 3,500-year-old Egyptian sculpture to Egypt, after an investigation confirmed the artefact had been looted and unlawfully removed from the country.
A Rome church has painted over an angel that had been restored to resemble Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, after the image triggered political and clerical criticism.
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