Colombia earthquake death toll nears 300 as hopes fade for survivors
Nearly a week after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, hopes of finding more survivors are fading as rescue teams search ...
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.
At least 11 people were killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, among the deadliest since a June ceasefire. Meanwhile, Qatar denied holding Iranian pilots. It said it had found the remains of one pilot after an airspace violation and had contacted Iran to coordinate a handover.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slowed to a near standstill over the weekend, with five commodity vessels transiting Saturday and none on Sunday. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Washington must meet Tehran's conditions for shipping to resume.
A wildfire in Croatia driven by strong winds descended on the tourist town of Omis overnight, engulfing houses, forcing about 1,000 people to evacuate to safety and injuring dozens, fire brigade and health officials said on Friday.
U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to make the Strait of Hormuz part of U.S. territory have been mocked by Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, who said the sea passage "cannot be seized by tweet."
Residents of villages in eastern Indonesia hit by a deadly earthquake that killed at least 54 people were awaiting aid on Monday as rescuers prepared to comb through collapsed buildings in search of people trapped beneath the rubble.
American actress Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in TV shows such as Nashville and Heroes, has died at the age of 36, ABC News reported on Sunday, citing her representative.
Four artworks by 15th-century painter Antonello da Messina have been stolen overnight from the Museo Regionale di Messina, Italy's culture minister said on Sunday, expressing confidence in the police inquiry.
Cristiano Ronaldo has given one of his clearest indications yet that his playing career is nearing its end, saying the 2026-27 season will “probably” be his last in professional football.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has changed Eurovision Song Contest rules to allow a winning country to be blocked from hosting if security risks, armed conflict or geopolitical tensions make it unsafe to stage the event.
Each summer, Gabala becomes a gathering point for artists, musicians and audiences from across Azerbaijan and beyond.
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