Sharon Davis

As women strive for equality in the workplace, an interesting new trend has emerged with more men taking on jobs in fields traditionally dominated by women, such as nursing.

Rescue teams resumed their search today for a missing pilot whose helicopter is believed to have gone down into the northern end of an isolated lake in South Island, New Zealand, on Monday 21st May.

Hundreds of pet owls are reportedly being abandoned by ex-Harry Potter fans across the UK as JK Rowling's Potter craze wanes after the release of the final film version last year.

A German, Korean and Nepal-born Canadian died on their descent from Mt Everest in Nepal on the weekend. Two others are reported missing.

Thee Boston University students were killed and several others injured in a vehicle accident near Turangi on New Zealand's North Island over the weekend.

Bio-security officials in Auckland have moved quickly to contain a possible bio-security threat with the potential to decimate New Zealand's billion dollar fruit and vegetable export industry.

Cannabis as been linked to two recent tragic adventure sport accidents in New Zealand - and the government is considering making drug testing compulsory for the adventure tourism industry.

Wellington - Ten passengers and an experienced pilot died when their hot air balloon caught alight and plummeted to the ground near the town of Carterton, on New Zealand's North Island.

Christchurch - The earthquake that shook Christchurch in February, causing extensive damage and the loss of more than 200 lives was the second-most-expensive disaster for insurers in 2011.

The search for a missing volunteer conservationist on remote Raoul Island, in the Kermadecs 1000km northeast of New Zealand has been called off.

An unnamed man assisting with volunteer conservation work on the remote Raoul Island, 1000km northeast of New Zealand, disappeared while taking water temperature readings on Jan 2. Searchers fear he was swept off rocks as hopes of finding him fade.

Christchurch - The death toll following the 6.3 aftershock that rattled Christchurch at 12h51 on Tuesday, 22 February has risen to 123 and is expected to rise further as search and rescue operations continue in the ravaged CBD area.

Christchurch - The number of people killed in the 6.3 earthquake that hit close to Christchurch on Tuesday, 22 February rose from 103 to 113 this morning.

Christchurch - It's the third day after the 6.3 aftershock that rather rudely interrupted a Skype chat with a colleague on Tuesday 22 February at 12h51.

Christchurch - The official death toll has risen to 75 following the 6.3 aftershock that rocked Christchurch at 12h50 on 22 February 2011.

Christchurch - More than 20 aftershocks a day have rattled through New Zealand's second largest city, Christchurch, following the 7.1 earthquake which shook the city awake at 4.35 am on Saturday.

Christchurch - The magnitude 7.1 earthquake that shook Christchurch in the early hours of Saturday morning is expected to be followed by strong aftershocks, and fierce winds have been forecast for Sunday afternoon raising concerns for newly damaged buildings.

Christchurch - Christchurch authorities have declared a 12-hour curfew in the central city and the outlying suburb of Kaipoi as 80 police officers from Auckland are being flown in to ensure the city remains safe between 7pm and 7am.

Christchurch - Christchurch residents in New Zealand had a rude awakening at about 4.35am this morning as an earthquake rumbled the city, causing much damage.

Durban - Not long after the jubilant day in May 2004, when South Africa won the right to host the games on African soil for the very first time in 2010, pundits began been extolling the benefits of the games to 2010 and beyond.