Life

By Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN (CNN) — Scores of foreign nationals who traveled to a remote Indian Ocean island seeking adventure have become stranded there as simmering tensions between warring Yemeni parties and their backers disrupt travel. European and American tourists who spoke to CNN said that up to “hundreds” are stuck on the Yemeni island

By Julia Buckley, CNN (CNN) — Traveling from country to country without restrictions. Shorter lines at the border. The right to live and work in your dream destination, or to reconnect with family roots. All that, and more, is the dream of those who seek dual citizenship. And that includes monsieur George Clooney, who celebrated

Oscar Holland, CNN; Photo editor: Jennifer Arnow (CNN) — Just four days into the new year, Hollywood’s 2026 awards season kicked off in chic but relatively pared-back style at the 31st Critics Choice Awards on Sunday evening. The annual ceremony is considered a bellwether for the Oscars, with the industry closely monitoring how hotly tipped

By Lilit Marcus, CNN (CNN) — Welcome to 2026! The new year is a great time to pause, relax and reflect — and start thinking about what you’d like to achieve in the next 12 months. While you’re easing into the new year, get started thinking about where you would like to go on vacation.

By Rachel Tashjian, CNN (CNN) — On a frigid New Year’s Day, New York’s new democratic socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani was sworn in, with his wife, Rama Duwaji, alongside him, grabbing attention for her romantic brown frock coat, trimmed at the hem and cuffs with chocolate faux fur. For political wives, the inauguration coat is

By Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN Ask an American to name their favorite Chinese takeout dishes, and images of General Tso’s chicken, chow mein and egg rolls stuffed into white cardboard containers will likely spring to mind. Things are a little different across the Atlantic, in the UK. British Chinese takeout — a much-cherished cuisine but

By Oscar Holland, CNN (CNN) — For American architecture, 2025 may be remembered for the deaths of icons Frank Gehry, Robert A. M. Stern and Ricardo Scofidio, a mastermind of New York’s High Line. More likely, however, it will go down as a year dominated by Donald Trump — his preference for classicism and disdain

CNN Travel Team (CNN) — Whether you’re a full-time nomad or a once-a-year vacationer, every special travel memory begins with one essential question: where to? This year, the team at CNN Travel hopes to answer not only the question of where, but also the question of why now? These destinations are special all the time,

CNN CNN Travel Team (CNN) — Whether you’re a full-time nomad or a once-a-year vacationer, every special travel memory begins with one essential question: where to? This year, the team at CNN Travel hopes to answer not only the question of where, but also the question of why now? These destinations are special all the

By Jack Guy and Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — It’s out with the old and in with the new in Times Square this year as the famous New Year’s Eve ball drop rings in 2026 with a dazzling new ball — the largest in the history of an event that started in 1907. The Constellation

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — The bigger the orchard, the more the bad apples. Close to five billion people were estimated to have traveled by air in 2025 — a record-breaking number — and plenty more tourists were also gadding about by boat, train or road. While most enjoyed their vacations without incident and

By Rachel Tashjian, CNN (CNN) — Fashion! A delight to the senses, a thing of beauty, a source of pleasure, pain and, in its determined ridiculousness, humor. But this year, fashion was more likely to inspire something else: pure, unadulterated rage. Sydney Sweeney’s great jeans ad — or were they great genes?! — became a

By Fiona Sinclair Scott, Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — Long before words like “French Girl Chic” became algorithmically entrenched in online shopping guides and mood boards, the late French film starlet Brigitte Bardot created the blueprint for what was once a fresh and exciting style of dressing. Her tousled blonde bouffant, bikinis and capri pants

By Kati Chitrakorn, CNN (CNN) — When New York-based model and influencer Wisdom Kaye went shopping at the Italian fashion label Miu Miu and returned home with a haul of clothes he says he spent $18,000 on, he didn’t expect some of the items would fall apart in front of his eyes. In now-viral videos

By Ben Jones, CNN (CNN) — When you’re standing in a big-city railway station, scanning the departure board for your train, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a seasoned traveler or a nervous newcomer. Few travel moments match that brief tingle of anticipation, as the possibilities for adventure flicker through your mind. Standing beneath the giant

By CNN’s Barbie Latza Nadeau Rome (CNN) — Vivid scenes of battlefield decapitations and female prisoners dragged off by their hair, carved into the 1,840-year-old marble Column of Marcus Aurelius towering over central Rome, are being brought back into focus through a $2.3 million laser restoration. A team of 18 specialist restorers has been working

CNN By CNN’s Barbie Latza Nadeau Rome (CNN) — Vivid scenes of battlefield decapitations and female prisoners dragged off by their hair, carved into the 1,840-year-old marble Column of Marcus Aurelius towering over central Rome, are being brought back into focus through a $2.3 million laser restoration. A team of 18 specialist restorers has been

By Pavlo Fedykovych, CNN Masuria, Poland (CNN) — The narrow road through the Masurian countryside winds alongside shimmering lakes and mossy swamps. It passes through sleepy villages filled with steep-roofed houses that, even on a warm summer’s day, look ready for deepest winter. This region of northeastern Poland is known for outdoor recreation. It’s a

By Tom Page and Gisella Deputato, CNN (CNN) — Once upon a time, artist JR was just another teenage rebel with a spray can, tagging trains in his native Paris. Not big, not clever, but nevertheless a confluence of interests at the start of an illustrious career. The street artist, photographer and Oscar-nominated filmmaker says

CNN By Tom Page and Gisella Deputato, CNN (CNN) — Once upon a time, artist JR was just another teenage rebel with a spray can, tagging trains in his native Paris. Not big, not clever, but nevertheless a confluence of interests at the start of an illustrious career. The street artist, photographer and Oscar-nominated filmmaker

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — In “The Testament of Ann Lee,” two young Shakers, disciples of revolutionary preacher Mother Ann’s teachings, fail to obey their leader’s primary command: Celibacy. Fresh-faced and newly in love, with not much else to look forward to in a dark, gloomy 18th century New York City, the pair sneak

By Anna Cooban, CNN The Cotswolds, England (CNN) — In a churchyard, about 100 miles west of London, the rain drives at a 45-degree slant, pounding the stone footpath so hard it bounces back as white fuzz that hovers just below the ankle. St Mary’s Church is the 14th-century nucleus of Painswick, a town in

By Elyssa Goodman, CNN New York (CNN) — In a windowless room at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Antonio Ratti Textile Center, several swaths of lace hundreds of years old are spread out on a giant expanse of black paper. The tiniest of stitches have been formed into circles, swirls and even animals, some of

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — 2025 was a year of extremes in beauty culture. The $450 million industry felt more polarized than ever, with a push towards “low maintenance” routines that encouraged us to ditch our mascaras or go makeup-free entirely, Pamela Anderson style. The shift came from the fact that this low-effort look

By Lisa Morrow, CNN Şanliurfa, Turkey (CNN) — Under the shadow of a centuries-old castle in Şanlıurfa, in southeastern Turkey, black-spotted golden carp swim in turquoise pools. Tradition holds they were created after Mesopotamian king Nemrut bin Kenan threw the Prophet Ibrahim into a fire burning on the plain below, sometime in the third millennium

By Rachel Tashjian, CNN (CNN) — The year’s biggest trend was barely there. It crested Margot Robbie in slim strands of beads and rhinestones; it draped Julia Fox, Sandro Botticelli-style, in little more than strands of brunette curls; and, through an empire waisted layer of sheer white mesh, it revealed Sienna Miller’s new pregnancy to

CNN By Terry Ward (CNN) — When Brooke Black and her Danish husband first lived together in the United States, she doesn’t recall their different dining habits ever really being a thing. It wasn’t until the 44-year-old mother of two moved to Denmark in 2020 that she became acutely aware that she didn’t use eating

By Terry Ward (CNN) — When Brooke Black and her Danish husband first lived together in the United States, she doesn’t recall their different dining habits ever really being a thing. It wasn’t until the 44-year-old mother of two moved to Denmark in 2020 that she became acutely aware that she didn’t use eating utensils

CNN By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — In travel news this week: a behind-the-scenes look at a “White Lotus” resort, the best places to retire in 2026, plus tips on avoiding vacation stress. Starting over Greece was recently named the world’s best place to retire for 2026, according to an annual index by International Living.

CNN By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — In travel news this week: a behind-the-scenes look at a “White Lotus” resort, the best places to retire in 2026, plus tips on avoiding vacation stress. Starting over Greece was recently named the world’s best place to retire for 2026, according to an annual index by International Living.

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — In travel news this week: a behind-the-scenes look at a “White Lotus” resort, the best places to retire in 2026, plus tips on avoiding vacation stress. Starting over Greece was recently named the world’s best place to retire for 2026, according to an annual index by International Living. Panama

By Jeanne Bonner, CNN (CNN) — When Elizabeth Ruane and her family spent a semester in Lüneburg, Germany, her life revolved around Marktplatz, one of the main squares in the northern German town. “In Marktplatz, there was this massive community market and anything you could want was there. It was a place everyone went to.

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — Some of the best suits in Hollywood have come out of the same modest street in London. Since the 19th century, Savile Row has been a mecca for bespoke men’s suiting, and tailors in the area have created pieces for superstar actors such as Charlie Chaplin, Fred Astaire, Gregory

By Adie Vanessa Offiong, CNN Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) — Lagos is busy at the best of times, but as the year draws to a close, the sprawling Nigerian city is transformed. The annual festivities of Detty December bring blazing lights, pounding music and a spike in prices as one of the world’s biggest parties unfolds

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Miami (CNN) — With a swift kick to her opponent’s face, wrestler Atomic Banshee began to dominate the final fight of the evening on a humid evening in Miami Beach. The match was part of the world championship of Sukeban, the all-female Japanese wrestling league, and the defending champion, wearing studded

By Lily Hautau, CNN (CNN) — Is Paris ready for Emily’s next act? After getting off the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train in Paris this past Sunday, Lily Collins — who plays the titular character in Netflix’s “Emily in Paris” — was photographed promoting the upcoming season in a Saint Laurent look designed by Anthony Vaccarello. Wearing

By Jane Wooldridge, CNN Altamura, Italy (CNN) — A pair of practiced hands pushes novice fingers into the stretchy dough, encouraging the boldness needed to coax the focaccia into the pan’s creases before mashing in juicy tomatoes and garlic. After a sprinkling of dried oregano and a generous splash of olive oil, the pan is

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — When the Obama Presidential Center opens on Chicago’s South Side in the spring, a series of large-scale artworks and installations by some of America’s most important living artists will help set the tone of the nearly 20-acre cultural and civic complex. The latest to be announced, by the artist

By Jen Rose Smith (CNN) — If a steaming bowl of soup strikes you as the ultimate in old-fashioned comfort, you’ve got plenty of company. Soup is one of the world’s oldest and most universal foods, said Janet Clarkson, author of the book “Soup: A Global History.” “Every culture has some kind of soup,” she

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — In our travel news roundup this week: Italy gets angry at “fake” carbonara, the winner of the Wildlife Comedy Awards is revealed, plus the phony tourist attractions built to please visitors. Star-crossed or catfished? “Juliet’s House” in Verona, Italy, is one of the city’s most popular attractions, despite the

CNN By Will Noble, CNN London (CNN) — “Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea,” wrote Henry James in “The Portrait of a Lady.” “Teatime” is one of those quintessential English phrases that stirs up images of steaming silverware pots

By Marnie Hunter, CNN (CNN) — Buckeyes, biscochitos, marionberry pie. All over the United States, locals have concocted sweet treats that visitors should definitely sample. Some are so delicious they’re worth fighting over. Here are 15 of the best regional desserts to tuck into across America. What delights did we miss? Share your favorites in

By Marcel Krueger, CNN Cheiner Torfmoor, Germany (CNN) — Germany’s most peaceful landscape owes its existence to one of its most paranoid. The Grünes Band — the Green Belt threading 860 miles along the former border between West Germany and communist East Germany — is now a sweep of orchids, wetlands and bird-rich moorland. It

By Lianne Kolirin, CNN London (CNN) — British photographer Mark Meth-Cohn had spent four days trekking through the Virunga mountains in Rwanda in search of gorillas when his patience and determination finally paid off. There he encountered a young male gorilla who was keen to show off his dancing skills, something that Meth-Cohn captured on

By Lianne Kolirin and Amarachi Orie, CNN (CNN) — Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the “Shopaholic” book series, has died at age 55. The writer, whose real name was Madeleine Sophie Wickham, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in 2022. Kinsella’s family announced her death in a statement on her Instagram

By Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Rome (CNN) — It’s time to uncork the prosecco and maybe order a plate of tagliatelle al ragù for the table. Italy has a very tasty reason to celebrate: Its national cuisine has become the first entire gastronomic style to be recognized by UNESCO, the UN’s cultural body — a

By Oscar Holland, CNN (CNN) — A British Nigerian artist who produces large-scale draped sculptures and vortex-like circular drawings has become the first person with a learning disability to claim the Turner Prize, one of contemporary art’s most prestigious accolades. Glasgow-born Nnena Kalu, is a learning-disabled artist with autism and limited verbal communication, was awarded

By Oscar Holland (CNN) — Manish Malhotra is to Diwali what Heidi Klum is to Halloween: its ultimate celebrity party host. Every year, the Indian fashion designer throws a star-studded Diwali bash bringing together Bollywood’s biggest names. Film legends Shah Rukh Khan and Shilpa Shetty were among the A-listers in attendance during the most recent

By Griffin Shea, CNN (CNN) — On the outskirts of Luanda, in a centuries-old white house on a hill, a small museum documents one of the greatest horrors of human history. Luanda, the Angolan capital, was the epicenter of the Atlantic slave trade. Now its National Museum of Slavery is working to become a place

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — On Monday night, A-lister couple of the moment Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner arrived at the Hollywood premiere of “Marty Supreme” looking like two ping pong balls in a pod. In an effort to promote Chalamet’s new film, in which the actor plays an aspiring ping pong champion, the

By Rachel Tashjian, CNN (CNN) — Jennifer Lawrence is one of the most widely admired and well accoladed actors on the planet: she was the world’s highest-paid woman in Hollywood in 2015, and has four Oscar nominations and one win (all before the age of 26). She is a genuine movie star in an era

By Rhea Mogul, CNN (CNN) — Thieves made off with more than a dozen pieces of art, including works by Henri Matisse, from a library in São Paulo on Sunday. Two men entered the Mário de Andrade Library during visiting hours and overpowered a security guard and an elderly couple before fleeing toward the nearby

By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — A water leak at the Louvre in Paris has damaged hundreds of books, exposing further issues at the world’s largest museum after a spectacular heist in October. On Monday, a spokesman for the museum told CNN that the leak damaged 300-400 books, which date from the end of the

By Will Noble, CNN London (CNN) — “Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea,” wrote Henry James in “The Portrait of a Lady.” “Teatime” is one of those quintessential English phrases that stirs up images of steaming silverware pots being

By Thomas Page, CNN (CNN) — In the movie “Kokuho,” a three-hour epic spanning half a century in the life of a fictional kabuki actor, we see the traditional art form slowly retreat from Japanese popular culture. What was once a national interest — albeit, a relatively middle class one — recedes into a niche,

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — What goes into building a modern beauty business? Ask Sharmadean Reid, the British mogul with at least four under her belt. In 2009, Reid opened WAH Nails, a trail-blazing London salon that catapulted nail art into the mainstream. She went on to create Beautystack, a platform for beauty professionals

By Caitlin Danaher, Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN (CNN) — One of Britain’s most acclaimed photographers, Martin Parr, died on Saturday at age 73, his foundation said on Sunday. A prolific photographer and collector, Parr obsessively documented his surroundings for over 50 years. During this time, his vibrant photos of people set against backdrops of seaside

By Alexandra Skores, CNN (CNN) — “It’s not a good airport at all,” President Donald Trump said of Dulles International Airport outside Washington DC, at a Cabinet meeting Tuesday. “It’s a terrible airport.” He’s not alone in his assessment. Operational for 60 years, Dulles regularly makes it on worst airport lists, largely due to one

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — In our roundup of travel news this week: the world’s top 100 cities for 2025, the world’s best hotels, the world’s tallest hotel, the world’s longest, deepest, undersea rail tunnel, plus two new record-breaking bridges in China and Kashmir. World’s top 100 cities Forget Miss Universe, Paris is the

By Nick Glass and Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN (CNN) — Frank Gehry, who in the second half of the 20th century forged a new language in architecture, becoming one of the most famous architects of his time, has died at the age of 96, according to a spokesperson at Gehry Partners. He died at his

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — Since Sydney Sweeney starred in a controversial American Eagle ad this summer, which some viewers interpreted as promoting eugenics and White supremacy, it seems like the actor’s every move has been under public scrutiny in an effort to figure out where exactly she falls in the political divide. Her

By Ali Halit Diker, CNN Istanbul (CNN) — For years, the Botter Apartment was easy to miss. On İstiklal Avenue — Istanbul’s busiest pedestrian street, where a vintage red tram rattles past music shops, cafes, and boutiques — most people never looked up. Above the shopfronts, a graceful Art Nouveau façade, once at the forefront

By Leah Dolan, CNN (CNN) — In the medieval fantasy kingdom of Migal Bavel, where the film “100 Nights of Hero” is set, characters speak modern English and wear trendy labels like Cecilie Bahnsen. Directed by Julia Jackman and based on Isabel Greenberg’s graphic novel of the same name, the film even stars singer of

By Rachel Tashjian, CNN (CNN) — Is there still room in fashion for true originality? That’s the question raised by the latest news out of Milan: Versace designer Dario Vitale, the recently installed creative head who showed a surprisingly well-received collection in Milan in September, is departing the brand. “Versace and its Chief Creative Officer,

By Maureen Ohare, CNN (CNN) — What’s la plus belle city of all the world, enticing more than 18 million visitors in 2025 alone? Paris has just been named the most attractive city in the world for the fifth time in a row. The French capital has once again comfortably taken No. 1 spot in

By Bijan Hosseini, CNN Dubai (CNN) — Dubai has a new record-breaker on its skyline — almost by accident. The world’s tallest hotel, Ciel Tower, has officially opened, stacking 377 meters of glass and ambition above Dubai Marina. Its height was never planned — it grew unexpectedly as blueprints were torn up and redrawn. “We

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Miami (CNN) — A pack of robot quadrupeds trot around the floor, bearing the hyperrealistic silicone faces of tech billionaires and famous artists. One, with the uncanny head of Elon Musk, purses his lips as he circles around. Just beside him, Andy Warhol and Mark Zuckerberg nearly collide. Further back, Pablo

CNN By Alexandra Banner, CNN The draw for next year’s World Cup will begin at 12 p.m. ET today, with billions of soccer fans around the globe expected to tune in. President Donald Trump will attend the ceremony at the Kennedy Center alongside a star-studded lineup of athletes, musicians and political figures. Here’s what else

By Issy Ronald, CNN (CNN) — Capturing the cultural zeitgeist and trends for the year ahead is a tricky business. But every year, the Pantone Color Institute chooses a color to do precisely that. And it has settled on a shade of white, “Cloud Dancer,” as its Color of the Year for 2026. The institute,

By Cy Neff Skopje, North Macedonia (CNN) — Spiked with ridges and peaks that deliver scenery running the full four-seasons gamut — from electric green slopes to snow-capped crags — North Macedonia offers one of Southern Europe’s final chances to take the path less-traveled. Previously known as Macedonia after declaring its independence from Yugoslavia in

Rachel Tashjian New York (CNN) — On Tuesday afternoon, Kristen Stewart was ensconced in a New York City subway car, feeling “genuine overwhelm.” Not by the usual stress of a commute – pushy crowds, delayed trains – but by Chanel’s latest runway show. “It’s an emotional environment. It feels cinematic,” she said. “If it says

By Oscar Holland, CNN (CNN) — One of the last Fabergé eggs in private hands sold for £22.9 million ($30.2 million), with fees, on Tuesday, breaking its own record as the most expensive work by the Russian jeweler ever to appear at auction. Commissioned by Tsar Nicholas II as a gift for his mother in

By Rachel Tashjian, CNN (CNN) — On Monday, Melania Trump revealed the 2025 White House Christmas decorations. And with them, she showed that she is no longer the glamorous Grinch who trolled Christmas. Holiday decorations, of all things, have been a particular source of controversy for the elusive first lady. Early on in her husband’s

By Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Rome (CNN) — Italian officials are on thin ice after a skating rink was built around a bronze statue of Luciano Pavarotti and passersby were encouraged to “high-five” the famous tenor. Located in the northern Italian city of Pesaro, the monument features Pavarotti in a tailcoat, holding his signature handkerchief

By Lilit Marcus, CNN Vientiane, Laos (CNN) — Aditta Kittikhoun has learned to anticipate the question. No, not Thailand, but it’s next to Thailand. No, not China, but it’s next to China. No, not Vietnam, but it’s next to Vietnam. Kittikhoun, who is Lao but grew up mostly in the United States, is used to

By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — A painting by Flemish Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens that had been out of the public eye for centuries has sold for 2.3 million euros ($2.7 million) at an auction in Paris. Rubens painted “Christ on the Cross” around 1620-1625, but it was only recently rediscovered at a mansion

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — Humans are living 20 years longer than they did in 1950 and a growing number of people are choosing to spend their later decades abroad. Selling up your home and leaving friends and family behind for a new life overseas is a major move which requires serious research before

By Jacqui Palumbo, CNN (CNN) — If gift-giving talents were ranked by profession, interior designers would likely top the list — after all, curating thoughtful objects to fit a client’s purpose or taste is one of the things they do. For famed California-based designer Kelly Wearstler, curiosity has always guided the projects she works on.

By Max Saltman, CNN (CNN) — The award-winning British playwright and screenwriter Tom Stoppard has died, according to his talent agency United Agents. He was 88. Stoppard, who was born in Czechoslovakia, was perhaps best known in the US for his Oscar-winning screenplay for the 1998 film “Shakespeare in Love,” which he co-wrote with Marc

Editor’s Note (March 10, 2026): On November 30, 2025, after this report was published mentioning the announcement of an investigation by the Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office, the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection of Mexico, Omar García Harfuch, publicly stated: “We have no indication whatsoever that organized crime money was involved in the Miss Universe pageant.

By Maureen O’Hare, CNN (CNN) — For our CNN Travel roundup this Thanksgiving weekend, we’re bringing you a potluck of stories about love, family and friendship from around the world. Hold onto your dinner napkins, as there may be some tears in store. A movie-worthy romance Englishwoman Charlotte Phillips knows a thing or two about

By Jack Guy, CNN London (CNN) — Grace Richardson, a 20-year-old musical theater student, has become the first-ever out lesbian winner of the Miss England beauty pageant. On Thursday, Richardson, who was crowned at a ceremony in Wolverhampton, England, on November 21, told CNN that it feels “incredibly empowering” to have been named Miss England.

By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — A visit to the Louvre museum in Paris is set to become significantly more expensive for travelers from outside Europe, with officials announcing plans to hike the price of tickets by 45%. From January 14, 2026, an individual ticket for visitors from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) —

Oscar Holland, CNN (CNN) — There may soon — potentially very soon — be a time when even the world’s greatest riches are unable to purchase one of Fabergé’s legendary Imperial Eggs. There will simply be none left on the private market. The storied St. Petersburg jewelry house only ever produced 50 for the Russian