A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake damaged buildings, cut power and knocked fleeing residents off their feet on New Zealand's South Island early Saturday, but there were so far no deaths and only two injuries reported.

Nine people have died after a light aircraft belonging to a skydiving company burst into flames and crashed Saturday near a popular tourist spot in New Zealand's Southern Alps, police said.

In an unusual joint interview with Israeli and Palestinian television broadcasters a day after she presided over the launch of the first direct talks in two years, Clinton said the rise of Iranian-backed extremist ideology in the Middle East is a major reason why time is short.

TUCSON, Ariz. a " A Mexican man who prosecutors call the leader of a group that smuggled tons of marijuana into the U.S. has been sentenced to 27 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $4 million to the American government.Carlos Molinares Nunez, also known as 'Calinche', was charged in November 2006.

Many Americans have skewed perceptions when it comes to their weight, often believing they are thinner than they really are, even when the scales are shouting otherwise, a new poll finds.

A popular opposition website in authoritarian Belarus says its editor was found dead amid an ongoing crackdown on government critics and independent media.