As armed groups in Syria and Iraq destroy priceless archaeological sites, European authorities and dealers are on high alert for smaller, looted artefacts put on sale to help finance the jihadists' war.

Stolen-art expert Chris Marinello, director of Art Recovery International, said he has been shown photographs of items being offered from Syria that were "clearly looted right out of the ground".

Israeli Jews stood in silence as sirens wailed across the country on Thursday marking Holocaust memorial day and 70 years since the liberation of the Nazi death camps.

Traffic came to a halt and pedestrians stood at attention for two minutes as the sirens rang out.

Indonesia on Thursday banned small retailers from selling beer, despite an outcry from the booze industry and in tourism hotspots over the Muslim-majority country's latest offensive against drinking.

The ban restricts the sale of beer and pre-mixed drinks -- such as spirits with soft drinks -- to large supermarkets only, outlawing sales in the country’s 16,000 minimarts and 55,000 other small shops. Hotels, restaurants and bars are unaffected.

Sitting in his workshop among the winding streets of Tripoli's Old City, Abdulwahab al-Saudi bangs away at a piece of copper.

After nearly two hours, he sets the crescent-shaped work down and moves on to the next piece.

If you think grocery shopping is a chore, spare a moment for those on the tiny island of Saint Helena who never know what will be on the shelf from one day to the next. 

"This is like living under Soviet rule," jokes Francois Haffner, a French tourist determined to eat well on the remote South Atlantic island, famous as the place the French military leader Napoleon was exiled until his death in 1821. 

A Chinese academic study hailed the role of the country's first lady in public diplomacy, reports said Thursday, the latest sign of Beijing's hunger for soft power on the global stage.

Peng Liyuan, the wife of President Xi Jinping, has "enchanted domestic and international media", said the Renmin University study.

France said Wednesday it stood by its choice to send a gay diplomat to the Vatican despite three months of silence from the Holy See over the appointment.

Paris has had no news on whether Laurent Stefanini, an openly gay Catholic, has been accepted to serve as its ambassador to the papal state. 

Under its Media, Peace and Environment program and within the Environmental Media, Peace Building and Conflict Transformation project, Media Association for Peace-MAP organized a training retreat entitled “The Role of Peace Journalism in Environmental Governance and Sustainable Development in Lebanon” in collaboration with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Program (SGP), implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and supported by the European Union (EU). This 4-day retreat took place in the Evangelical Conference Center-Dhour El Choueir from April 6th till April 9th 2015.

More than 15 journalism, media and international affairs students from different Lebanese universities participated in the training that hosted more 15 experts, journalists and researchers in the environmental field.

Holocaust survivor Albert Garih has recounted his traumatic experience during World War II countless times. But as the 76 year old ages, he acknowledges he doesn't have much longer to share his powerful story.

As the world marks the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, these eyewitnesses to history -- some of them volunteers at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum -- are even more acutely aware of their role in keeping the tales alive.

Prominent Lebanese playwright Raymond Jebara passed away on Tuesday at the age of 80, following a battle with illness.

Jebara died at the Bhanness Medical Center in Metn.