Tips from Spain’s centenarians on how to live to 100

CANGAS DE ONIS, Spain (Reuters) - With more than 100,000 people aged 100 or over, Spain is the country with the greatest life expectancy after Japan, OECD data and the latest population census shows.

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Puppy love: hundreds compete in Madrid dog race to promote adoption

MADRID (Reuters) - Hundreds of dogs and their owners took part in the sixth annual San Perrestre dog race in Madrid on Friday to raise awareness of pet adoption and abandoned animals.

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London street artist Pegasus paints memorial for George Michael

LONDON (Reuters) - Street artist Pegasus has paid tribute to George Michael with a mural of the Wham! singer, who died on Sunday aged 53.

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Manila residents speak out about Duterte's war on drugs

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte completes six months in charge on Friday, with the rising death toll from his war on drugs showing no sign of easing.

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Britain cracks down on illegal nail-salon workers in fight against modern slavery

LONDON (Reuters) - British immigration officers have raided nearly 300 nail salons and arrested 97 people, mostly from Vietnam, for suspected immigration offences as part of a drive to tackle modern...

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'Brexit - We're making a mess of it': mashup artists lampoon Britain's leaders

LONDON (Reuters) - In a satire of the 2016 Brexit vote, mashup artists lampoon Britain's leaders in a video which re-edits their words to say the European Union referendum was dumb and Prime Minister...

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Trump, taking a break from White House prep, tees off with Tiger Woods

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Friday took a break from preparing to take office to engage in a pastime beloved by presidents since Dwight Eisenhower: playing...

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China targets 'toilet revolution', rustbelt regions in plan to boost tourism

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said it will boost investment in tourism, with plans to develop rustbelt regions and upgrade public toilets high on its to-do list as it looks to lift the sector's...

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Leaving war-torn Syria, luxury chocolatier finds new home in Hungary

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Bassam Ghraoui's Syrian confectionary became synonymous with the finest gourmet chocolates anywhere before war decimated his business, and he is starting anew in Hungary with a...

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Save Santa's Sherry, say British lovers of fortified wine

LONDON (Reuters) - A worrying slump in sales of Father Christmas's favorite tipple, sherry, has prompted a British trade group to start a campaign to ensure the fortified wine doesn't fall off menus.

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Japan's female hunters take aim at wild boar, stereotypes

(This Dec. 22 story is corrected to show Wildlife Management Office is in Tokyo, not Fukui)

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Taiwan's Christmas market offers present the size of a tower block

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Good things might come in small packages, but the centre-piece of a Taiwan Christmas market is a present the size of a tower block.

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Spain's socialists cheer at last: they win El Gordo lottery

MADRID (Reuters) - Staff from the Madrid headquarters of Spain's PSOE socialist party were among the top winners on Thursday of El Gordo, the world's biggest lottery jackpot with prizes totaling 2.31...

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Thousands gather at Stonehenge for winter solstice

STONEHENGE, England (Reuters) - More than five thousand pagans, druids and revelers gathered at Britain's ancient monument Stonehenge on Wednesday to celebrate the winter solstice.

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Panto dames come out to cheer Britain after a tumultuous 2016

LONDON (Reuters) - Roy Hudd cakes on the make-up, squeezes into his super-size bra and baby-blue slip dress, then heads out on stage to entertain a packed house of Londoners in need of a laugh at the...

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UK's Queen Elizabeth, 90 and husband Philip, 95, suffering heavy colds; delay travel

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Queen Elizabeth, 90, and her husband Prince Philip, 95, delayed their Christmas travel plans on Wednesday because they are both suffering from heavy colds, Buckingham...

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Vienna State Opera to be headed by record company executive

VIENNA (Reuters) - Vienna State Opera will be headed by a former pop radio boss and record company executive, Austria's Culture Ministry said on Wednesday, hoping to attract a younger audience to...

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Hong Kong uses 3D archive to preserve kung fu heritage

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Kung fu master Wong Yiu-Kau stands in a Hong Kong studio and waits as his black suit is covered head to toe in reflective markers to capture his every motion.

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Traditional English pub becomes lavish Christmas spectacle

LONDON (Reuters) - A traditional English pub has been cloaked in more than 80 bright green Christmas trees while nearly 22,000 dazzling lights attract tourists and locals alike to the festive display...

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Berlin Christmas market attack threatens European tourism again

BERLIN (Reuters) - The truck attack on a Christmas market in Berlin on Monday evening is the latest blow for Europe's tourism industry, hitting a city that had been attracting more and more visitors...

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'Santa Claus isn't coming,' recession-hit Venezuelans tell kids

CARACAS (Reuters) - As a harrowing economic crisis makes food scarce for millions of Venezuelans, many families cannot buy their children Christmas presents, decorate their home, or even host a...

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Amid Middle East gloom, Christmas brings some cheer in Bethlehem

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (Reuters) - This Christmas, for once, Bethlehem really can boast again that there is no room at the inn, as relative calm in the Israeli-occupied West Bank brings pilgrims and...

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Sea of Galilee draws faithful despite receding waters

SEA OF GALILEE, Israel (Reuters) - On the shimmering Sea of Galilee, where the Christian gospels say Jesus walked on water, 150 Nigerian pilgrims aboard a river boat sing and dance to an African beat.

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Chinese turn to gallows humor and superheroes as they hunker down in smog

BEIJING (Reuters) - A Beijing driver calls a radio station in a panic. The smog is so thick he's just shot through five red lights because he couldn't see properly and wants to know what to do.

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British royals join Christmas party for mental health charity's volunteers

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Prince William, his wife Kate and his brother Harry joined in with a mental health charity's Christmas party on Monday, helping to make decorations.

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Artist Liu Bolin live streams Beijing smog to raise awareness

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese artist Liu Bolin, known as "the invisible man" for using painted-on camouflage to blend into the backdrops of his photographs, says his latest project aims to put the...

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Germany's skyscraping Santa, monsters top unusual Christmas celebrations

BERLIN (Reuters) - Santa Claus climbing down a skyscraper in Berlin. A parade of terrifying monsters in Bavaria.

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Senseless selfies, creepy clowns and Trump's triumph make year of odd news

BOSTON (Reuters) - Searches for selfies led to many bad decisions, an outbreak of creepy clown sightings chilled even horror maestro Stephen King, and a hard-fought campaign ended with the election...

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In Lapland home, Santa prepares for Christmas

ROVANIEMI, Finland (Reuters) - At Santa Claus' Lapland home in Finland, his helpers sort out piles of letters from around the world, each detailing children's requests for this Christmas.

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Lights, Santa, action! English village puts on show for charity

LONDON (Reuters) - Residents in the southeast English village of Westfield have transformed their homes into a vast Christmas light show in order to raise money for charity.

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Springsteen's 'Born to Run' Chevy up for auction

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bruce Springsteen's 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible, referenced in his iconic song "Born to Run," is up for auction and is expected to fetch several hundred thousand dollars.

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In Stalin's native Georgia, Soviet dictator still revered by some

GORI, Georgia (Reuters) - In Nazi Stefanishvili's family home in Gori, posters, paintings and books fill a tiny room dedicated to the Georgian city's most famous son, Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

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Strange brews as UK whisky distillers cash in on gin boom

METHVEN, Scotland (Reuters) - Seaweed, rhubarb, Christmas pudding and even ants - all ingredients used by a new generation of gin makers enjoying a booming British market.

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Reindeer herding in Russia's remote Arctic

KRASNOYE, Russia (Reuters) - In Russia's remote Arctic regions, reindeer herding has been a way of life for centuries.

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Slick renovations bring old petrol stations to life

LONDON (Reuters) - From art deco apartments in Sussex to a trendy burger bar in London, some of England's former petrol stations are enjoying a new lease of life following creative makeovers.

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'Democracy sausage' wins Australia's word of the year

SYDNEY (Reuters) - 'Democracy sausage' was named Australia's word of the year on Wednesday after the term was embraced at this year's national election to describe the tradition of grilling sausages...

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Trump Fish: Iraqi restaurant spells out Kurdish faith in president-elect

DUHOK, Iraq (Reuters) - The newest enterprise bearing Donald Trump's name is not a five-star hotel or an exclusive golf club. It is a restaurant in northern Iraq serving fire-roasted carp for $10 a...

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Happiness still elusive in Russia, many ex-Soviet states 25 years after USSR: survey

LONDON (Reuters) - A quarter of a century after the collapse of the Soviet Union, life satisfaction in Russia and other ex-Soviet states remains stubbornly low, and enthusiasm for democracy and open...

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JK Rowling illustrated manuscript sells for $467,000 at auction

LONDON (Reuters) - A rare book hand-written and -illustrated by "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling sold for $467,000 at auction in London on Tuesday, at the lower end of its estimated price range.

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Refugees bring a taste of Syria to German Christmas market

SCHILLINGSFUERST, Germany (Reuters) - Alongside the traditional gluehwein and sausages on offer at a Christmas market in small-town Bavaria, visitors could also try more exotic fare: falafel and...

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Bob Dylan to perform in Sweden in April after Nobel no-show

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Nobel literature laureate Bob Dylan will perform in Sweden in April, offering the singer a chance to give the lecture that is a requirement for getting the $870,000 prize.

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Hendrix and Prince guitars expected to make noise at auction

LONDON (Reuters) - A guitar owned by American rocker Jimi Hendrix is expected to fetch more than 80,000 pounds ($101,000) when it goes under the hammer in London on Thursday as part of the annual...

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Meet the Ma family: How millennials are changing the way China thinks about money

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Ma Yiqing, 24, is typical of China's younger generation - he uses his credit card frequently and borrows from online platforms to fund his shopping habits. In a pinch, he is...

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Artist works to preserve Christian heritage in Hamas-run Gaza

GAZA (Reuters) - Only about 1,200 Christians remain in Gaza -- only a tiny fraction of the population in a territory run by Hamas Islamists -- but artist Naser Jeldha is doing what he can to preserve...

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Kenya's Maasai break with coming-of-age tradition to save the lion

KIMANA, Kenya (Reuters) - Under the shadow of a snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro, hundreds of Maasai boys brave the morning chill to take part in a ritual that marks their coming of age.

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From afar, Dylan muses on honor and surprise of Nobel prize

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Nobel laureate Bob Dylan sent a message on Saturday thanking the Swedish academy for awarding him the Nobel prize for literature, an honor the American singer and songwriter...

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France's Hollande opens replica of Lascaux prehistoric art caves

MONTIGNAC, France (Reuters) - French President Francois Hollande on Saturday opened a new replica of the famous Lascaux caves where prehistoric hunters painted hundreds of images of animals like...

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United States returns stolen 14th century image of saint to Italy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A stolen 14th century illustration of a Roman Catholic saint was returned on Friday to Italy, where it will be put in a museum, U.S. Customs officials said.

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A $30 million splurge on Putin's daughter's favorite sport

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia is building a $30 million complex for acrobatic rock'n'roll, a niche sport in which President Vladimir Putin's daughter is a leading dancer and has a senior role for...

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Beer-loving Czechs approve smoking ban in pubs, restaurants

PRAGUE (Reuters) - The Czech lower house of parliament on Friday approved a ban on smoking in restaurants, bars and pubs, overcoming years of wrangling and bringing the country in line with most...

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Pictures of splendors past: Aleppo before the war

A millennium-old minaret towering above Aleppo's Umayyad mosque, an imposing citadel overlooking the old city center, a medieval covered market and a 21st century shopping mall.

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Book hand-written and illustrated by J.K. Rowling up for sale

LONDON (Reuters) - "Harry Potter" fans will be able to bid for a piece of history next week when a book designed, hand-written and illustrated by J.K. Rowling goes on sale at Sotheby's auction house...

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Walt Disney's signed will, animation trove go up for auction

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney fans can buy a piece of history when the late animation entrepreneur's signed will and other Disney memorabilia go up for auction on Friday.

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Pope prays for unemployed at traditional rite in Rome

ROME (Reuters) - Pope Francis prayed for the unemployed, for families trying to make ends meet and for exploited children on Thursday at a popular wreath-laying ceremony at a statue of the Madonna...

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Britain's Prince Harry turns trader for charity day

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Prince Harry turned trader on Wednesday, taking calls alongside brokers at British interdealer ICAP for the company's annual charity day.

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Japanese kindergarten teaches students pre-war ideals

TOKYO (Reuters) - At first glance, the Tsukamoto kindergarten looks like any other school in Japan, but its unique curriculum is reminiscent of pre-war Japan.

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Fashion designer Carolina Herrera receives Lincoln Center honor

(Reuters) - Veteran designer Carolina Herrera spoke about the interconnectivity of fashion and art as she was honored by a New York arts organization for her leadership and longevity in the fashion...

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Cab-hailing company Careem launches women drivers in conservative Pakistan

KARACHI/LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - Taxi-hailing service Careem introduced women drivers in Pakistan on Wednesday, a rare initiative in a deeply conservative Muslim country where women account for...

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Female Afghan cyclists push boundaries one wheelie at a time

KABUL (Reuters) - Brushing aside suicide bombings and public scorn, the young women of Afghanistan's first freestyle cycling club hope their pop-a-wheelies, bunnyhops and backflips will trailblaze a...

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Starbucks courts millennials with $10 coffee at new Reserve bars

LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Starbucks Corp co-founder Howard Schultz's plan to build a new prestige brand is a bet that moving upscale can raise the profile of the world's largest coffee brand...

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Shock, aftermath of Pearl Harbor attack laid out at U.S. museum

(Editor's Note: please be advised that paragraphs 5 and 9 contain language that may offend readers)

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By royal command, British waxworks get Christmas makeover

LONDON (Reuters) - The waxwork figures of Britain's Queen Elizabeth and her family were festively decorated with kitsch Christmas jumpers on Tuesday to help raise awareness of a children's charity...

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London-based artist Helen Marten wins Britain's Turner Prize

LONDON (Reuters) - London-based artist Helen Marten has won this year's Turner Prize, receiving 25,000 pounds at Britain's annual contemporary art award.

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For London's food and wine businesses, Brexit has a bitter taste

LONDON (Reuters) - Importing fine foods from Spain has been a good trade for London firm Brindisa, but like many food and wine businesses that rely on the free movement of goods and workers within...

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Patti Smith and a speech by proxy to fill Dylan void at Nobels

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Nobel literature laureate Bob Dylan will provide a speech and fellow American singer-songwriter Patti Smith will perform one of his best-known songs in his absence during...

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Turkish hotels cut staff, shut for winter with occupancy lowest in Europe

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish hotels have cut staff by 40 percent, some have shuttered for the winter and others are struggling to pay back loans after a trying year when occupancy rates fell to the...

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St. Nicholas, bringer of sweets, reaches Brussels

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Children gathered with parents in Brussels's medieval main square on Saturday to await the arrival of St. Nicholas, a pre-Christmas tradition in Belgium, the Netherlands and...

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China's Spring Festival travel frenzy to see 3 billion trips

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's transport ministry said on Monday it expects travelers to make nearly 3 billion trips during the upcoming Spring Festival, putting road, rail and air links through their...

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Stolen iron gate of Nazi death camp found in Norway: police

OSLO (Reuters) - An iron gate from Dachau concentration camp in Germany with the notorious "Arbeit macht frei" (work sets you free) slogan has been found in western Norway two years after it was...

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British band Duran Duran lose battle to reclaim U.S. rights

LONDON (Reuters) - The British 1980s pop band "Duran Duran" will not be able to reclaim the U.S. copyrights to some of their most famous hits, an English court ruled on Friday.

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Egyptian man grows 'Beard of Bees', hopes to promote apian benefits

SHIBIN EL KOM, Egypt (Reuters) - Mohamed Hagras stands barechested as dozens of honeybees congregate around his face, eventually forming what he calls the "Beard of Bees". To attract the insects he...

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Ali's boxing gloves, Fidel Castro cigars highlight sports auction

(Reuters) - Muhammad Ali's fight gloves and a box of cigars signed by the Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro are among some of the highlights in an auction of memorabilia steeped in sporting...

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Q&A: How José Andrés grew from apprentice to top chef

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Award-winning chef and restaurateur José Andrés got his start the old-fashioned way - as a teenage apprentice.

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Sharks and jellyfish slow British man's attempt to swim Atlantic

DAKAR (Reuters) - A British man aiming to be the first person to swim across the Atlantic said on Thursday he is grappling with sharks, jellyfish stings, choppy water -- and a sea moth that tried to...

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Taylor Swift, One Direction top list of highest paid musicians: Forbes

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. pop star Taylor Swift, boy band One Direction and British singer Adele were the highest paid musicians in the world this year, Forbes magazine said on Wednesday.

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Rockefeller Christmas tree lights up New York

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Thousands of people braved rainy weather to watch the annual lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in New York City on Wednesday night.

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