Geological monitoring services say a magnitude 7.1 earthquake has hit in the South Pacific off the French territory of New Caledonia.

In a secret deal struck a decade ago, the US and Pakistan agreed that Washington will carry out a unilateral operation against Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil if he was found there following which Islamabad would vociferously protest the incursion, a media report said on Tuesday.

Actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver have confirmed their split after 25 years of marriage.

Apple has overtaken Google as the world's most valuable brand, ending a four-year reign by the internet search leader.

Britain's Liberal Democrats, punished in local elections for their role in an austerity government, looked set on day to see their hopes of electoral reform crushed in a referendum.

Hollywood actress Courtney Cox was spotted attending a dinner party with her best friend Jennifer Aniston's former husband Brad Pitt and seemed quite comfortable with him.

Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad were appointed as the new captains of England's one-day international (ODI) and Twenty20 teams respectively, it was announced here on Thursday.

Actress Penelope Cruz has admitted she gets nervous more during her birthday celebrations than at the Oscars and once set her hair on fire while blowing out the candles. The 37-year-old Spanish beauty, who gave birth to a son in January, said she gets uncomfortable with all the attention on her birthday and words fail her, reported Daily Mail.

France fears it will be the target of reprisals for the killing by US forces of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, French interior minister Claude Gueant said on Wednesday.

Singer Katy Perry says she didn't have a childhood because of the strict upbringing by her evangelical Christian parents. "I didn't have a childhood. Growing up, seeing planned parenthood, it was considered like the abortion clinic.