People are missing from a plane crash in Taiwan. Isis released a horrific video showing its fighters burning alive a captured Jordanian pilot. Journalist Peter Greste was freed dramatically after 400 days in an Egyptian jail. Research scientists in the UK made a breakthrough which could mean the end of the common cold.
Do we care?
On Thursday, one of our digital reporters, Kiri Gillespie, pointed out the New Zealand Herald's most read top four stories of the week so far: 1. Wife sees office sex romp images on Facebook. 2. Office sex romp couple are no shows at work 3. Pam Corkery on the office sex romp: pub patrons took this way too far, shame on them. 4. Office sex romp couple will not be able to sue for breach of privacy.
Proving, Gillespie noted, the old adage of "sex sells" is alive and well.
When I checked yesterday, the sex romp was still the most read story, and made up four of the five top stories, with only a story about the America's Cup cheating probe turning readers' attention away.
The "office sex romp", as the story has been dubbed this week, surely needs no introduction. But for those who have been under anaesthetic this week, it concerns two Christchurch insurance workers who unwittingly put on a public sex show for patrons of a pub across the street from the glass-fronted office building after leaving the lights on.
They were cheered on by drinkers, the pub band even gave them a soundtrack (Kings of Leon's Sex on Fire). And my favourite line in the saga, from one of the punters,
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