Royals and relatives mark centennial of WWI battle of Passchendaele

PASSCHENDAELE, Belgium (Reuters) - Relatives read letters and diary excerpts from soldiers who died in the World War One battle of Passchendaele when they gathered on Monday for a ceremony to mark...

Malta restores forgotten war rooms, hewn into the rocks in WWII

VALLETTA, Malta, July 31 (Reuters) - In a vast network of tunnels carved into the rocks under the Maltese capital Valletta, faded maps of the Mediterranean hint at the place's role in directing key...

For Mostar bridge-diving champion, success takes more than gravity

MOSTAR, Bosnia (Reuters) - Lorens Listo's name may not headline the world's sports pages, but on the streets of his native Mostar he is hailed as a champion among champions in a sport that is central...

At historic Aleppo hotel, nostalgia for a Syria lost

ALEPPO, Syria (Reuters) - On the terrace of the Baron Hotel in Aleppo, the owner's widow, Roubina Tashjian, sorted through old photographs of its happier past in a more peaceful Syria.

'Most relaxed' hot air balloons lay back over Italy's wine valley

GUALDO CATTANEO, Italy (Reuters) - Around 30 hot air balloons took to the skies in Italy on Saturday as part of what organizers refer to as the "most relaxed" event on the international ballooning...

China mall offers 'man pod' havens for husbands wary of shopping

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - At a Shanghai mall, rows of "man pods" equipped with video games are proving a big hit, providing a refuge for hundreds of weary husbands and boyfriends as their other halves...

Conservationists strive to protect Lebanon's sea turtles

EL MANSOURI, Lebanon (Reuters) - On Lebanon's beaches, endangered sea turtles have a human ally to help them in the face of myriad threats.

South Africa's tourism a bright spot despite recession

CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa's top tourist hub Cape Town expects a 13 percent jump in tourist arrivals this year to 1.77 million, officials said on Thursday, a rare bright spot in an economy...

As temperatures soar, desperate Gazans try any means to beat heat

GAZA (Reuters) - As Middle East summer temperatures soar above 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit), Gazans are struggling to stay cool amid a power crisis, with less than four hours of electricity a...

After-hours drinking hole a haven for Tower of London's Beefeaters

LONDON (Reuters) - After the hordes of tourists with their cameras and selfie sticks depart from the Tower of London every evening, a private drinking hole for Beefeaters comes to life within the...

British tulle artist Benjamin Shine launches New York exhibit

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Artist Benjamin Shine hopes the launch of a new installation featuring his signature tulle fabrics in a New York department store window display at Bergdorf Goodman will inspire...

Mainland Europeans outpace Britons as Ireland tourists for first time

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Visitors from mainland Europe in the second quarter accounted for more trips to Ireland than Britons for the first time since quarterly records began nearly two decades ago.

South Korean shelter dog basks in presidential glory as 'First Dog'

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday welcomed a rescue dog to his official Blue House residence, delivering on a campaign promise to boost awareness of the fast-growing...