Can a painting truly rewrite history? In India, it just did. Raja Ravi Varma’s 19th-century masterpiece Yashoda and Krishna has smashed auction records. It sold for a staggering 1.67 billion rupees ($17.9m) at a Saffronart event in Delhi. It overtakes last year’s $13.8m record set by MF Husain. Varma, born in 1848 in Kerala, is
Imagine spotting a 15-ton whale stranded in shallow water—what would you do? That’s exactly the scene unfolding off the Baltic Sea coast in Lübeck Bay, northern Germany. Rescuers are racing against the clock to save a massive humpback whale. The animal, around 12–15 meters long, was first seen Monday near Niendorf in Timmendorfer Strand. Authorities
Should kids really be scrolling through social media before they even turn 16? That’s the question Indonesia is now answering with a firm “no.” The government has announced a sweeping rule that will ban children under 16 from having accounts on major social platforms. The list is long—YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Roblox and
In a remarkable first for the United Kingdom, a baby boy named Hugo has been born to a mother who received a womb transplant from a deceased donor. Born at Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital in London, Hugo weighed a healthy 3.09kg—and carried a story that feels almost unbelievable. His mother, Grace Bell, was born
In an age where everything lives on fragile hard drives, the idea is unsettling. Files vanish. Systems crash. So how do you preserve human knowledge for thousands of years—not just decades? Enter Microsoft’s bold experiment: storing data inside glass. Through its Silica project, researchers are using lasers to etch information into silica glass. Yes, actual
Hong Kong has delivered its toughest verdict yet under the national security law. It’s landed on one of the city’s most recognisable faces. Jimmy Lai, the 78-year-old media tycoon and outspoken pro-democracy figure, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. For “colluding with foreign forces.” For critics, it feels less like justice and more
What happens when a country barely has time to dry out before the next downpour arrives? Portugal is finding out the hard way. Days after Storm Kristin tore through the country, killing five people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands. Authorities are bracing for yet another round of heavy rain. Around 200,000 homes
Japan has just restarted operations at the world’s largest nuclear power plant — a first since the 2011 Fukushima disaster shut down all reactors. But does this move signal a new era of energy independence, or a risky leap back into the unknown? Reactor No. 6 at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, northwest of Tokyo, was brought back online
How does a pile of garbage turn deadly? In Cebu City, central Philippines, a landslide at the Binaliw landfill last week has claimed 11 lives and left more than 20 people missing. Over 100 workers were on site when the disaster struck, and rescuers have pulled 12 injured from the rubble so far. Cebu City
What’s a new year in Tokyo without a little jaw-dropping drama — and a very expensive fish? At dawn on Monday, a massive bluefin tuna stole the spotlight at Toyosu fish market. Selling for a record-smashing 510.3 million yen (about $3.2 million), yes, for a single tuna. The 243-kilogram giant was snapped up by Kiyomura
What began as a quiet hike in Colorado’s backcountry may have ended in a rare and chilling tragedy. Wildlife officials say a woman is believed to have been killed by at least one mountain lion on a remote trail north of Denver. If confirmed, the incident would mark the state’s first fatal mountain lion attack
Talk about a Christmas miracle. Somewhere in Arkansas, one ticket just turned into a $1.8 billion surprise. And yes, it’s one of the biggest lottery wins the US has ever seen. After Monday’s Powerball draw produced no winner, the jackpot ballooned fast. By Wednesday night, fueled by last-minute hopefuls, it hit a staggering $1.817 billion.
