By Patricia Reaney

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – Belief in a god, or a supreme being, and some sort of afterlife is strong in many countries around the globe, according to a new Ipsos/Reuters poll.

Fifty one percent of the 18,829 people across 23 countries who took part in the survey said they were convinced there is an afterlife and a divine entity, while 18 percent said they don’t believe in a god and 17 percent weren’t sure.

By Patricia Reaney

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – Belief in a god, or a supreme being, and some sort of afterlife is strong in many countries around the globe, according to a new Ipsos/Reuters poll.

Fifty one percent of the 18,829 people across 23 countries who took part in the survey said they were convinced there is an afterlife and a divine entity, while 18 percent said they don’t believe in a god and 17 percent weren’t sure.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stroll into Hogwarts, visit the Gryffindor common room and see Harry Potter’s bed in the dormitory he shared with Ron Weasley in a new exhibition at Discovery Times Square.

The hundreds of artefacts, dozens of costumes, props and furniture from the film franchise used in “Harry Potter, The Exhibition” will transport fans of the boy wizard to the world where Harry, Hermione and Ron battle the evil Lord Voldemort.

By Patricia Reaney

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – Despite being annoying, uncomfortable and invasive, most travelers say security patdowns at airports are necessary, but not everyone is convinced they would be effective in deterring an attack.

Nearly 85 percent of air passengers questioned in a global Ipsos/Reuters poll said the measures, which are considered by some to be a violation of human rights, are warranted but a hassle, although 40 of travelers say the measures would not catch anyone determined to cause harm.

By Patricia Reaney

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – Bruno Tison uses his classical French culinary training and the freshest American ingredients to create innovative dishes that have earned a Michelin star for the restaurant Sante in northern California.

Tison moved to Sante at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa, where he oversees a staff of 150, from the company’s sister property, the Plaza Hotel in New York, where he cooked for the rich and famous, including the weddings of actor Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones, real estate mogul Donald Trump and comedian Eddy Murphy.

By Patricia Reaney

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – Dependence on televisions, cellphones and laptops may be costing Americans dearly — in lack of sleep.

The national penchant for watching television every evening before going to sleep, playing video games late into the night or checking emails and text messages before turning off the lights could be interfering with the nation’s sleep habits.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – After a slump due to the recession the travel industry is booming again but any rebound could be threatened by a fuel price rise, travel experts said.

The mood was buoyant at the New York Times Travel show last week, which featured 500 destinations in 150 countries, but tensions in North Africa and the Middle East, soaring crude oil prices and airline fare hikes were making headlines as travel agents and tourist officials publicized their destinations.

By Patricia Reaney

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – Relaxing holidays with a sprinkling of sightseeing thrown in are the most popular type of vacation for people around the globe and particularly for Germans, Brits and Swedes.

Thirty-five percent of 18,778 consumers questioned in an Ipsos/Reuters survey in 24 countries opted for a low-key break, nearly twice the number who chose an outdoor trip involving hiking, fishing, boating, sailing or camping, a family vacation with children or a cultural excursion.

By Patricia Reaney

STOWE, Vt (Reuters Life!) – Nestled in a valley in north-central Vermont, near Mount Mansfield the state’s highest peak, Stowe is the quintessential New England village with picture-postcard vistas.

It is also one of the top ski and snowboard destinations in the northeastern United States with the longest average trail length in the region, a vertical drop of 2,360 feet and 485 skiable acres.

By Patricia Reaney

LONDON (Reuters Life!) – After teetering on vertiginous stilettos women may get some relief as designers lowered their heights for their 2011 Fall-Winter collections.

Spiky heels and stilettos haven’t disappeared from the catwalk but designers showing their newest lines at New York Fashion Week featured plenty of lower, stacked, chunky heels, wedges, booties and colored socks.