Life

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — In travel news this week: Wild weather around the world and “unacceptable delays” for American plane passengers. Plus we hear from a woman who broke up with her boyfriend on vacation and moved in with a man she’d known for three weeks. Extreme weather Heat waves, wildfires, floods and

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — In Barbie’s world, she’s the star. Her face launched a global empire, with over 1 billion dolls sold by Mattel to date; she has, for better or worse, the power to set beauty standards; and for well over a year, one of the world’s most famous actors (Margot Robbie)

Lianne Kolirin and Ashley Strickland, CNN (CNN) — Fragments of a skull believed to have been that of composer Ludwig van Beethoven have been donated to a university in Austria after spending decades in the United States. The pieces of bone were donated to the Medical University of Vienna by American businessman Paul Kaufmann, who

By Francesca Street, CNN (CNN) — Liesbet Collaert was about to blow up her life. She’d arrived in San Francisco, California just three weeks earlier, part of an overland journey across North America with her long-term boyfriend, Karl. Now, Liesbet was about to abandon her travels (unthinkable), abandon the plan (out of character), and abandon

By Kathleen Magramo, CNN (CNN) — Two tourists who snapped selfies with dingoes have been fined more than $1,500 each for taking the “extremely dangerous decision” to interact with the native wild dogs following a recent spate of ferocious attacks, Australian authorities said. In a statement Friday, Queensland Department of Environment and Science compliance manager

By Oscar Holland, CNN (CNN) — Whether he’s backstage at the Oscars, shooting posters for the James Bond franchise or roaming the sets of over 200 movies, Greg Williams enjoys the kind of access most celebrity photographers can only dream of. The former war photographer, who covered conflicts in Chechnya and Sierra Leone in the 1990s,

By Julia Buckley, CNN (CNN) — As Europe swelters in a heat wave, and the climate crisis accelerates, many travelers are looking towards trains rather than polluting planes. But those wanting to make their travel more carbon-conscious face hefty bills. According to a new report, taking a long-distance train in Europe can cost nearly 30

By Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN (CNN) — They were originally looking for a vacation home, but Alan Andrew, originally from Pennsylvania, and his Belgian husband Vincent Proost found themselves relocating to Portugal full time after purchasing an abandoned farmhouse in the region of Alentejo. The couple, who met on a blind date in London in 2006,

Reuters Tourists flocked to China’s scenic Flaming Mountains this week to experience searing high temperatures amid punishing heat waves that have scorched much of the Northern Hemisphere. Armed with broad-brimmed hats and umbrellas for added protection, tourists took selfies by a 12-meter (6.5 feet_-tall thermometer that displayed a real-time surface temperature of 80 Celsius (176 Fahrenheit), Chinese state

By Christy Choi, CNN (CNN) — The United States has returned a stolen 15th-century letter by Christopher Columbus to Italy, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Wednesday. Written in Latin, it is one of some 30 surviving first editions of the explorer’s letter announcing his discoveries on the American continent to Spain’s King Ferdinand

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — For the last 62 years, Ken has been the original accessory — designed only to match or complement his predestined life partner, Barbie. If Ken is a compass, Barbie is north. According to toy manufacturers Mattel, just one Ken doll is sold for every seven Barbies. But while this

By Blane Bachelor, CNN (CNN) — Following last summer’s chaos of canceled flights, mountains of lost luggage and other disruptions, many airlines and airports ramped up staffing to meet unprecedented demand – and some have even billed this year’s peak travel season as a return to pre-pandemic normal. But another hurdle currently looms large on

By Lilit Marcus, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — Asia comprises about 30% of the world’s land mass. But there seems to be one consensus about which spot is the best for drinking on this massive continent: Hong Kong’s Coa, which was crowned the Best Bar in Asia for a record third year in a row.

By Teo van den Broeke, CNN (CNN) — Men’s grooming is booming. According to data gathered by market insight company Statista this year, the global male grooming market is expected to be worth $115 billion by 2028, up from nearly $80 billion in 2022. The same market was worth an estimated $74.8 billion in 2021.

By Alex Stambaugh and Nectar Gan, CNN (CNN) — Ancient Buddhist murals and statues in caves along China’s Silk Road are under “direct threat” from extreme rainfall brought by climate change, researchers have found. Dating back to the 4th century, the Dunhuang cave temples in the northwestern province of Gansu have withstood wars, earthquakes, sandstorms

By Marie Lodi, CNN (CNN) — When the trailer for Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” movie was first released, Google Trend searches for fluffy mules shot up 115 percent. This was, of course, largely inspired by the trailer’s scene featuring Margot Robbie’s Barbie stepping out of her pink stilettos and into a tip-toe pose, a reference to

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — What fits your personal belongings and can cost a full year’s salary — or two, or three? In the 1990s, you might have said “a house,” but today a valid answer could also be a Hermès Birkin bag, the capacious saddle-stitched status symbol that has become A-Listers’ accessory of

By Mick Krever, Anna Chernova, and Olga Voitovych, CNN (CNN) — Russian tour operators are pleading with vacationers to Crimea not to make decisions “based on emotions,” as Ukraine’s strike on the Crimea bridge on Monday played havoc on travel between the occupied Ukrainian peninsula and Russia. Hundreds of cars were waiting Tuesday to cross

By Maggie Hiufu Wong and Karla Cripps CNN (CNN) — In many travelers’ minds, Mongolia conjures images of vast plains, nomadic gers, desert landscapes and one of the most famous warriors of all time, Genghis Khan. Though the famed first khagan of the Mongol Empire died in 1227, his legendary pursuits continue to reverberate across

By Caolán Magee, CNN (CNN) — The identity of the elusive street artist Banksy has always been shrouded in secrecy, but a new BBC podcast may have unveiled a new detail about the art world’s mystery man. The 10-episode series, “The Banksy Story,” includes a recording of what may be the graffiti artist’s voice from

Annita Thomas, CNN (CNN) — Ever wondered what happens when a jetsetting flight attendant swaps life in the skies for life on the ground? If the experiences of former Pan American World Airways crew are anything to go by, life takes off in a completely different direction. Pan Am has always been synonymous with glamor,

By Oscar Holland, CNN (CNN) — Jane Birkin, who died Sunday aged 76, will be remembered for many things: Her collaboration with long-time partner Serge Gainsbourg, her vocals on his hit “Je T’aime… Moi Non Plus” and her acting on both stage and screen, among much else. It is in fashion, however, that her legacy may

By Bijan Hosseini, CNN Al Ain, Abu Dhabi (CNN) — “Back! Back! Now, forward! Stop! GET DOWN, GET DOWN!” Rajendra Shrestha’s voice reverberates through Abu Dhabi’s Jebel Hafeet mountains as we navigate the treacherous twists and turns of the rapids. “He fell off! He fell off!” Shrestha screams as I am abruptly pulled beneath the

By Artemis Moshtaghian, CNN (CNN) — A pilot of a small plane suffered a medical emergency in the air Saturday, prompting a passenger to take over controls and make a crash landing with no landing gear at Martha’s Vineyard Airport, authorities said. The pilot of the aircraft, a Piper Meridian Turboprop six-seater plane, suffered a

By Jake Kwon, CNN (CNN) — Despite his industry-perfect looks, South Korean singer and actor Park Jae-chan had achieved only limited success with his K-pop group DKZ, whose albums sold barely 1,000 copies in the first week of their respective releases. Auditioning for “Semantic Error” was a last shot at fame. It was also a

By Alaa Elassar, CNN (CNN) — Jesse Short Bull grew up a mile from an Indian reservation in South Dakota not realizing the ground he was stepping on was once soaked with the blood of his ancestors. Less than a century ago, the Indigenous people of the Lakota Dakota Nakota Nation were killed defending themselves

By Sharon Braithwaite, Al Goodman and Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN (CNN) — Italian authorities have issued an “extreme” health risk for 16 cities including Rome and Florence this weekend as a heat wave that is baking Europe threatens to bring record temperatures. Climate scientists at the European Space Agency (ESA) say temperatures could reach 48

By Terry Ward, CNN (CNN) — Still hoping to get to Europe this summer but wondering if there’s a way to finagle a vacation there during what remains of this record-breaking season without completely busting your budget? With full airplanes crisscrossing the Atlantic Ocean and hotels having no trouble filling rooms across tourist hot spots, you’re

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — In travel news this week: gastronomic delights at vineyards and top hotels, spectacular engineering projects around the world, plus an expert explains must-know nude beach etiquette. Wine, dine and sleep This year’s most glorious vineyard experience has just been announced, according to the World’s Best Vineyards awards, and the

By Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN Hong Kong (CNN) — It’s been several days since US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen left Beijing, and much has been said about her efforts to repair the US-China relationship. But politics aside, her Beijing visit resulted in one unexpected success – she managed to dramatically boost business for a Yunnan

By Jacopo Prisco, CNN (CNN) — Researchers using a cutting-edge technique have discovered hidden details in two ancient Egyptian paintings in the Theban Necropolis, near the River Nile, that date back more than 3,000 years. The paintings are located within the tombs, in chapels where people could gather to commemorate the dead. Using portable chemical