Air India plane 'hits wall' on take-off Image copyright Air India Image caption The plane landed safely in the city of Mumbai A passenger plane travelling from the south Indian city of Trichy to Dubai sustained damage after hitting the airport wall during take off. Air India IX 611, which was carrying 130 passengers and six crew members, was diverted to Mumbai, where it landed safely. Air India said the two pilots, who have more than 6,500 hours of flying experience between them, have been grounded, pending investigation. Air India is India's national carrier. The airline said in a statement that the Boeing 737 aircraft took off from Trichy airport in southern India early on Friday when airport officials "observed that aircraft might have come in contact with the airport perimeter wall". The aircraft has sustained some damage. Jet Airways: Passengers hurt as pilots 'forget' cabin pressure Air India blames weather for bed bugs infestation "The matter was co..

South Korea's Moon optimistic about end to Korean War Image copyright Getty Images South Korean President Moon Jae-in has told the BBC that it is only a matter of time before the US and North Korea declare an end to their state of war on the Korean peninsula. The war ended in 1953 with an armistice but a peace treaty was never signed. Mr Moon, the son of North Korean refugees, also said there could be more diplomatic "bumps and bruises" as he tries to persuade Kim Jong-un to give up his nuclear weapons. But he described Mr Kim as "candid". In an interview with the BBC's Laura Bicker in Seoul he also said he hoped European leaders would help him to mediate between Mr Kim and US President Donald Trump if negotiations stalled. Mr Moon has met Mr Kim three times this year and has acted as a mediator between him and Mr Trump. He said that he had had "ample discussions" with President Trump and other US officials about an end of war declaration. "If North Korea takes certain mea..

Papua New Guinea Maserati fleet for Apec raises questions Image copyright AirBridgeCargo Image caption The government says the cars are "selling like hotcakes" to private sector buyers Papua New Guinea's government is under scrutiny for importing 40 luxury Maserati cars from Italy for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit. The Quattroporte sedans, which cost more than $100,000 each (£75,000), will be used by foreign leaders. Media and activists have questioned if the poor Pacific country has wasted millions. But the government says the private sector has "committed" to paying. Apec Minister Justin Tkatchenko said the cars would "provide the level of carriage for leaders that is the standard for vehicles used at Apec summits". Pictures of the cars arriving at Port Moresby airport on chartered cargo planes were shared on social media and sparked concern that taxpayer money was being wasted on the lavish purchase. The history of the Apec awkward family photo ..

Queensland storm: Tornadoes and huge hailstones wreak damage Image copyright STEVEN HARLAND Image caption Locals posted images online showing injured and distressed animals Tornadoes and a thunderstorm "supercell" have swept across Queensland in Australia, injuring four people and causing widespread damage. The dangerous weather system hit the state's south-east on Thursday, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said. One tornado struck Tansey, a town 250km (155 miles) north of Brisbane, snapping trees and ripping roofs from houses. Elsewhere, four people were injured when tennis ball-sized hail shattered car windscreens, authorities said. One, Fiona Simpson, posted images online of bruises and scrapes across her body. "I covered my infant with my body to stop her from getting badly injured.... never drive in a hail storm," she wrote of the incident in the town of Kingaroy. Image copyright FIONA SIMPSON Image caption Fiona Simpson suffered injuries while shielding her baby The nation&..

Investigation starts into dramatic Soyuz rocket breakdown Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionThe malfunction became apparent about 90 seconds into the flight Russian officials are investigating the cause of a booster problem that forced a Soyuz rocket capsule to make an emergency landing just after launch. The two crew members, Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin and American astronaut Nick Hague, are in good health, officials say. They were heading for a six-month mission on the International Space Station when their flight was aborted. Their capsule separated and landed 400km (250 miles) from the launch site. What happened during the flight?The launch appeared to be going smoothly, but some 90 seconds into the flight, the US space agency Nasa reported a problem with the booster rocket between the first and second stages separating. Live video of the astronauts showed them shaking violently with the vibrations caused by the malfunction. After around 114 second..

Cyclone Titli: Eastern India battered by deadly storm Image copyright AFP Image caption High winds toppled many trees in Andhra Pradesh A powerful cyclone has swept into eastern India, leaving at least eight people dead and destroying hundreds of homes. Cyclone Titli tore into coastal areas of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states with winds of up to 150km/h (93mph). About 300,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying districts in Orissa. Authorities say roads are blocked and power supplies have been lost in many areas. "We fear that 6,000 to 7,000 electricity poles may have been uprooted," K Dhananjaya Reddy, the district administrative chief of Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh, told Reuters news agency. "Around 400,000 to 500,000 people are now without electricity." Image copyright AFP Image caption Many roads have been blocked by fallen trees in Orissa state The eight reported deaths were all in Andhra Pradesh. The state's disaster management chief, D Varaprasad, said t..