Large areas are flooded in the province of Canterbury in New Zealand, after heavy rains in the region. Authorities have declared a state of emergency in the province on Sunday.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern toured flood-hit areas of the country's South Island on Tuesday, expressing shock at the destruction left when three months' worth of rain fell in three days. Swollen rivers swept away bridges and landslides blocked highways in the deluge, which finally began to ease after a 72-hour barrage. While hundreds of people have been forced to evacuate, there have been no reports of serious injuries.

Docked in a river harbour in Warsaw next to coal storage and a rubbish tip, a steel-hulled sailing boat built by a group of homeless Poles is preparing for its maiden voyage. The 17.8-metre (58-foot) long schooner was christened on June 12th with the name "Father Boguslaw" after the priest who initiated the improbable project in 2006 with the aim of reintegrating homeless people back into society.

Laural Hubbard's selection to New Zealand's squad for the Tokyo Olympics has opened a wider conversation on the participation of transgender athletes at major sporting events.

An orca calf that was beached and separated from its mother is cared for by conservationists as the search begins for the baby's mother. Named Toa -- Maori for 'warrior' -- the 2.5 metre (eight foot) orca is unweaned and unable to survive alone in the ocean.

Many Giza residents have been heading to a salt cave to relax and relieve the stress of living in the crowded city. Visitors of the salt cave could be seen placing their feet in salt and filling their hands with it, while others preferred to bury themselves in it, which is believed to help orthopaedic patients improve their health.

Rick Allen was hit by an avalanche while climbing K2, the world's second-highest mountain. The renowned climber was on an expedition for a children's charity.

Almost twenty years ago, Panta Petrovic made social distancing a lifestyle choice when he moved into a tiny Serbian mountain cave to avoid society. Last year, on one of his visits to town, the dreadlocked man with a long beard found out there was a pandemic raging. After vaccines against Covid-19 became available, he got jabbed and now urges everyone to do the same.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announces that the country is heading for a three-day lockdown after identifying a single case of locally transmitted Covid-19 suspected to be the Delta variant. New Zealand had not recorded any infections in the community for six months.

An attacker inspired by the Islamic State group stabbed six people at a New Zealand supermarket on Friday before police - who had the man under surveillance - shot him dead, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.

The tightest restrictions will remain in place in the country's largest city, Auckland, however. Meanwhile, a new Vietnamese school year has started with most students still in a virtual classroom. DW has the latest.