Europe

A song that became a global pop hit in 1979 has continued to fund child-protection work decades after its release. Swedish pop group ABBA’s Chiquitita had generated more than US$5 million for UNICEF by April 2024, helping support programmes that protect vulnerable children from violence, abuse and exploitation, according to the United Nations children’s agency….

Helen Mirren, 81, is campaigning to protect Italy’s ancient olive trees from Xylella fastidiosa, which has devastated millions of trees since 2013. (Photo: Instagram) Oscar-winning actor Dame Helen Mirren has spent decades entertaining audiences with her performances, but one of her most important missions lies far from the film sets. The 81-year-old actor is fighting…

Scherrer and his brother have transformed 600 square metres of their expansive 1,500-square-metre garden into themed attractions. For most people, a summer escape means booking a flight, packing a suitcase and leaving home behind. For Michael Scherrer, the holiday destination is considerably closer. In his garden in Switzerland, the 48-year-old content creator has spent a…

Peter Hvid’s castle hosts an annual Halloween event, now featuring 16 actors and treats sponsored by local businesses On a quiet residential street near Aalborg, Denmark, one house looks as though it has wandered out of another century. There are towers where neighbours have garages, battlements where most homes have rooflines and a moat surrounding…

A diamond tiara crafted in 1862 for the London International Exhibition and gifted to a French royal bride two years later is heading to auction at Sotheby’s Geneva. Missing for nearly 69 years, the Mellerio Orléans Tiara, which can also be worn as a necklace, is estimated to fetch up to $1.3 million, according to…

A six-year-old girl living beneath one of Europe’s most active volcanoes recently became the only pupil at a school that the Italian media is calling the smallest in Europe and where the bell hadn’t rung for the past 20 years. On September 10, 2026, Aysha went off to her first day of school in Ginostra,…

Representative Image of The Macallan 1926 Fine & Rare whisky bottle displayed against an exclusive auction backdrop ( AI Generrated Image) On 9 October 2026, a bottle of The Macallan 1926 Fine & Rare whisky sold for £2,125,000 at auction, making it one of the most expensive bottles of whisky ever sold. The sale took…

Representative Image of a historic ranch in the John Day River Valley surrounded by farmland and mountains ( AI Generrated Image) In the remote John Day River Valley of central Oregon, where neighbours could live dozens of miles apart, Scottish immigrants James and Elizabeth Cant built a ranch that became an important gathering place for…

Image Credit: Cinema Treasures Cillian Murphy and his wife, artist Yvonne McGuinness, bought the historic Phoenix Cinema in Dingle, County Kerry, in 2024, hoping to bring the long-standing venue back to life. The cinema holds a personal connection for the Oscar-winning actor, who visited it during childhood holidays and later watched films there with his…

Representative Image of a circular bridge resembling a flying saucer, suspended above traffic, with cyclists and pedestrians crossing above ( AI Generrated Image) At a busy junction in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, cyclists ride around a circular bridge suspended above motor traffic. Known as the Hovenring, the structure resembles a flying saucer held aloft by a…