News today

Tokyo sparkles with light installations and holiday shows, bringing Christmas cheer despite the holiday's non-religious roots. In Taipei, a festive Christmas tree and entertainment zone light up near Taipei 101. Nairobi's malls dazzle with Christmas lights, while Dubai embraces the season with fairs and a giant Santa. European capitals are glowing too. London shines with angel decorations on Regent...

Christmas illumination has been lit up in London. An 18-meter tall Christmas tree stands in the square near the Covent Garden shopping center. It was grown in Great Britain. 30,000 bulbs sparkle among the branches. The building itself is also decorated with garlands. And inside, giant bells are frozen under the ceiling, which seem to be about to ring. The shopping center is always crowded. Tourists are...

One village in Hungary has now gotten its own gingerbread replica. The locals created it for Christmas. Agnes Kelemen, deputy director of a dance group, said: “We use 70 kilograms of flour, 20 kilograms of powdered sugar, 20 kilograms of honey, 220 eggs and two big boxes of gingerbread spices.” It turned out just like in the real world: about 100 houses, businesses, churches and a town hall. The...

Five days a week, Athena Powell turns her Perth garage into a temporary food bank to help those in need. Everything here is free. Athena Powell, Perth resident: “The movement has really grown, so many volunteers and so many people in need of help.” It was her personal experience that prompted the Australian to start helping the people of Perth. The fresh food comes from supermarkets and producers....

The Christmas Fair at St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest has already been recognized as the best in Europe. Here you can not only buy handicrafts, but also take a gastronomic journey. This year, almost 200 types of food and drinks are on offer. The official culinary curator of the fair is the famous Hungarian chef Lazar Kovacs. He visits the market every day and goes around the food stalls. Lazar Kovacs,...

Age is no barrier to surfing - that's what Brazilians decided to prove. 300 surfers over 50 years old gathered on the beach in Santos in the state of São Paulo. Many of them got into the sport just a few years ago. The participants of the event also tried to break the world record for the number of people surfing at the same time. The goal could not be reached, as only 98 people stood on the boards at...

These cute Christmas mice are just one of the products that stores hope will encourage shoppers to spend money this festive season. From trinkets, wreaths and garlands to luxury scented candles: companies showcase the latest trends at London's Spirit of Christmas fair. More than 600 retailers gathered here. Many expect the upcoming holidays to bring more profits. Last year's holiday season was difficult...

The 7th NTD International Piano Competition kicked off in New York at the Kauffman Music Center. 16 participants from nine countries gathered here to show their skills. Each submits two selected works based on the requirements of the competition committee. They must include compositions by classical composers such as Bach and Paganini. The young contestants also showed impressive skills. Wei Wu is a...

The new Aston Martin Vanquish will make its debut in Venice. It is the fastest and most powerful production car of the British brand and its flagship. The two-seat hypercar is powered by a gasoline powertrain. There will be neither hybrids nor electric versions. The name of the model means “to win”. Marco Mattiacci, an Aston Martin employee, said: “This is the most iconic car in our lineup. It's a...

In Rio de Janeiro, 2,000 runners helped collect food for the poor. Christmas is still two months away and everyone is already preparing for the holiday. A charity run was dedicated to the upcoming festivities. Local non-profit organization Citizen Action collects money for food for low-income Brazilian families. According to statistics, last year 64 million Brazilians experienced some degree of food...

It has long been known that dolphins love to play. They chase each other, perform acrobatic tricks in the water and jump above its surface. And now Italian scientists have found out that dolphins can also smile. Of course, these sea creatures do not have such a lively facial expressions, as, for example, in dogs or monkeys. Dolphins simply open their mouth, or, as it is also called, beak. Scientists...

Thousands of New Zealanders have broken the Guinness World Record for the largest number of people performing haka, a ceremonial Maori war dance. The event took place in Auckland at New Zealand's largest stadium, Eden Park. Participants came together to take the record away from France. It set it in 2014. The exact number of participants is still being counted. That said, a Guinness Book spokesman said...