Against the backdrop of rock-cut tombs and sand-swept ruins, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli regales revellers in an ancient Saudi desert city at the centre of the kingdom's tourism push. Bocelli performed alongside family members at UNESCO World Heritage site Hegra in the kingdom's Al-Ula governorate, a long-isolated area seen widely as an open-air museum.

Egypt's combative sport of tahtib (stick-fighting), popular at weddings and dating back at least 5,000 years, has become a modern martial art that enthusiasts hope will eventually make it to the Olympics.

Enthusiasts of ancient Egypt can now take home replicas of famous artifacts and statues made available through the first of its kind factory in the country to be sold at the recently inaugurated Egyptian museum of civilization.

Indigenous Guatemalans practice an ancient ball game in which only the hip can be used to hit the ball. Guatemala boasts 11 teams, all of which have their eyes on December's Mesoamerican Championship.

Lavender, basil or roses: history and aromatic plants are being grafted in Cyprus to broaden its sun-and-sea appeal and regain its lofty status dating back to Roman times.

In the ancient Syrian village of Maalula, whose residents still speak the language of Jesus, volunteers rake stones and scrub graffiti in preparation for the return of Christian pilgrims after years of war. Nestled among towering cliffs in the mountains north of Damascus, Maalula is one of the world's oldest Christian settlements.

In the oldest soap factory in Marseille, French artist Frederique Nalbandian sculpts her latest work. Fabrics soaked in paste are taken directly from the oven and assembled into a body reminiscent of a Greek deity.

The town of Baiae was once a spot for holidaying Romans to drink and party - until it began to sink. Now the ruins of the palaces and domed bathhouses built for Rome's nobility form an underwater archaeological park near Naples.

Heavy rains brought on by tropical storm Dianmu have flooded ancient ruins and temples in Thailand's southern Ayutthaya, about 60 km (40 miles) north of Bangkok.

Ancient Mexican artefacts recovered from abroad are among the archaeological treasures on display at an exhibition showcasing the country's cultural heritage 200 years after it won independence from Spain.

In a square in central Fez, the steady beat of hammers on copper has returned - a welcome signal for the ancient Moroccan city's thousands of artisans that trade is slowly picking up after a brutal COVID-induced slump. Activity is still some way below pre-pandemic levels, and master coppersmith Mohammed Kobbi says the high cost of the metal has hit profit margins. "The situation is starting to improve," he told Reuters as he hurried past Seffarine Square to deliver an order of eight large pans to a local restaurant.

Vancouver Island, in the Canadian province of British Columbia, is home to immense cedars and firs, some of them 800 years old. It's here that an environmental battle is raging between the logging industry and defenders of the Fairy Creek forest. The fight over logging has gone all the way to British Columbia's Supreme Court and is resonating within Canadian society, with police accused of excessive force towards the environmental protesters. Our correspondents François Rihouay, Joanne Profeta and Laura McQuillan report.