Popular News in One Year

Macaulay Culkin has revealed that he came incredibly close to stepping into the shoes of his famed “Home Alone” character Kevin McCallister by buying the iconic Illinois mansion that is featured in the hit holiday movie. The 44-year-old actor and musician confessed during a recent stop on his “A Nostalgic Night With Macaulay Culkin ” tour that he considered purchasing the Winnetka property that serves as the family home of the McCallisters when it came on the market in May for $5.25 million. “I had half a mind to buy it—just for giggles,” Culkin told the audience at the Rosemont Theater in Illinois, according to the New York Times. He imagined...

In the village of Dhami, Himachal Pradesh, a unique and ancient tradition known as the “Stone-Pelting Fair” is celebrated annually. This event, held 40 kilometers from Shimla, draws thousands of people from nearby villages. The fair is deeply rooted in history and cultural heritage, aiming to preserve the customs of past generations.   A Tradition with Deep Roots The fair began as a way to end human sacrifices to appease Goddess Kali. Instead, villagers now participate in a symbolic stone-pelting ritual. Jagdeep Singh, a representative of the Dhami royal family, expressed pride in continuing this tradition, emphasizing its cultural and spiritual...

A Malibu, CA, home with its very own petting zoo—created by parents to honor their 13-month-old daughter who died from a rare genetic disorder—has hit the market for $20 million. Ben and Stacey Herman‘s daughter, Aspen, spent much of her short life in the hospital and found comfort in her interactions with therapy dogs and miniature horses. Aspen died in 2018, and the couple went on to have two more children. In 2023, the family set their sights on finding a larger property. The Hermans landed on the Malibu ranch, which had been damaged in the 2018 Woolsely Fire, and paid $6.65 million for it. They then set about honoring Aspen by creating the non-profit petting zoo,...

Started in 2021, a China-aided poverty alleviation project has transformed a formerly isolated and tranquil Tanorn village in Cambodia’s remote area into a modern one. Situated in Takeo province’s Bati district, approximately 60 km south of the capital, Phnom Penh, Tanorn village spans a total area of 72 hectares and is home to more than 130 households, comprising over 600 people. The tiny village, with limited access to roads, no clean water, no electricity, no school, and no health center, underwent a significant transformation when the China Foundation for Peace and Development funded a poverty alleviation project carried out by Cambodia’s Civil Society Alliance...

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez are asking A-list pals to make donations to the city of Venice instead of giving them wedding gifts. Sebastiano Costalonga, local city councillor for commerce and productive activities of the municipality of Venice, tells PEOPLE, "Certainly the message sent by Bezos regarding the gifts to be given was that they should be gifted not to him but to Venice." Costalonga adds that the couple is sending "a very important message that should also be extended to the other people who come to get married in Venice, or to celebrate any kind of event here. We are definitely happy to have this funding for the protection of our very delicate city." The news that the...

SOME would say winning the lottery is all about luck. While others believe persistence in winning the lottery truly pays off. After 13 years of faithfully placing bets, he struck gold when he hit the 1+3D Jackpot, winning RM17,840,691. The man who had been placing bets since turning 25 shared that the two numbers, 6333 and 0221, were taken from his car plate and birthday. “I’ve always believed in my own unique numbers,“ the winner shared.“It’s not just luck—it’s about perseverance.” Despite the sudden windfall, the man is in no hurry for a taste of a luxury. The man who has been in the printing industry shared that he hopes to improve his...

Suffering from allergies caused by Hanoi’s polluted air, Mai Tuyet Minh decided to quit her well-paying job and sell four of her five homes in the capital to relocate. Minh, 45, was born into a poor family in the city’s suburban district of Son Tay, but her relentless efforts brought her a great career and enabled her to become the head of procurement at the JW Marriott hotel. She also founded two import-export companies on her own. Her earnings, which amounted to hundreds of millions of dong (VND100 million = US$3,927) a month, enabled her to buy five properties in the most sought-after areas in Hanoi. "I had always planned to live in Hanoi for the long term because I...

AN elderly man in Singapore recently caught the attention of onlookers at Chinatown’s People’s Park Food Centre after he was seen eating leftover food from tables and tray return areas. Initially thought to be scavenging due to hunger, the man, known only as Mr. Wang, later revealed his actions stemmed from a desire to prevent food wastage rather than a lack of resources. “It’s not because I don’t have money to buy food. I just don’t want to see food go to waste. I often see people leave large portions of food behind,” Wang told Shin Min Daily News. “The food is still warm and it’s such a waste. That’s why I eat them.” A...

For homebuyers with a special affection for life on the water—and an insistence on creature comforts—floating homes check a lot of boxes. These unique dwellings offer a permanent, water-based lifestyle on lakes, rivers, and bays, but they do require sea legs. Because these homes are built on floating foundations, residents will feel swaying—especially when a storm rolls in. So for those who can handle the occasional shaky spell, we’ve found five floating homes for sale. We’ve limited the budget to prices below $700,000. Yes, that’s well above the national median for a regular old tract home, but isn’t the waterfront life worth a splurge? 1....

A new type of self-healing concrete has debuted in the U.S. market. The concrete, which is called Basilisk Self-Healing Concrete, gets its self-healing properties from bacteria that is mixed into it. This bacteria then produces new limestone when the concrete heals, allowing it to completely close up those cracks without needing to have any concrete reapplied. There are, of course, several reasons why Basilisk concrete offers an advantage to the structures that it is placed within. The first, of course, is that it has an extended lifespan thanks to its durability and ability to heal itself. This means the concrete can help significantly cut down on the need for expensive repairs, as it...