Spring paradise: Tourists flock to Korea’s Purple Island as lavender blooms blanket the land
Images | Depositphotos
More than 20 million lavender plants have transformed Sinan County's Purple Island into a breathtaking sea of purple, drawing thousands of visitors to the annual French Lavender Flower Festival.
Footage filmed on Saturday captures the stunning fields glowing at sunset, as crowds of tourists flock to take photos amid the blossoms.
I came all the way from Seoul because I heard there's a lavender festival. It's really beautiful here-the air is fresh, and although the weather wasn't great earlier today, it cleared up nicely," a tourist said.
Purple hues dominate the island, the bridge leading to Purple Island is painted in lavender tones, rooftops gleam with violet pigments, and vibrant flowers blanket the landscape, creating a magical, monochromatic spectacle.
This year’s festival runs for 10 days, from May 17 to 26, offering a limited-time opportunity for guests to witness the island in full bloom.
Back in 2024, the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) named Purple Island the World’s Best Tourist Village as one of the 55 "Best Tourism Villages" globally.
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Hong Kong hosts a spectacular dragon and lion festival
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Around 140 dance troupes filled the streets of Hong Kong on the first two days of 2026, celebrating the Hong Kong Festival and the eighth World Dragon and Lion Day.
Dance troupes took part in the New Year's parade along the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, joining more than 1,500 performers from over 10 countries to showcase the richness of Chinese culture to a global audience.
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Hyundai-owned Boston Dynamics unveils humanoid robot Atlas
Images | Hyundai y Boston Dynamics presentan al robot Atlas en el CES 2026 / Luis Chacon, EFE
Hyundai-owned Boston Dynamics publicly demonstrated its humanoid robot Atlas for the first time Tuesday at the CES tech showcase, ratcheting up a competition with Tesla and other rivals to build robots that look like people and do things that people do, 1news reports.
For the first time ever in public, please welcome Atlas to the stage," said Boston Dynamics' Zachary Jackowski as a life-sized robot with two arms and two legs picked itself up from the floor at a Las Vegas hotel ballroom.
It then fluidly walked around the stage for several minutes, sometimes waving to the crowd and swiveling its head like an owl. An engineer remotely piloted the robot from nearby for the purpose of the demonstration, though in real life Atlas will move around on its own, said Jackowski, the company’s general manager for humanoid robots.
The company said a product version of the robot that will help assemble cars is already in production and will be deployed by 2028 at Hyundai's electric vehicle manufacturing facility near Savannah, Georgia.
The South Korean carmaker holds a controlling stake in Massachusetts-based Boston Dynamics, which has been developing robots for decades and is best known for its first commercial product: the dog-like robot called Spot. A group of four-legged Spot robots opened Hyundai's event Monday by dancing in synchrony to a K-pop song.
Hyundai also announced a new partnership with Google's DeepMind, which will supply its artificial intelligence technology to Boston Dynamics robots. It's a return to a familiar partnership for Google, which bought Boston Dynamics in 2013 before selling it to Japanese tech giant SoftBank several years later. Hyundai acquired it from SoftBank in 2021.
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Kazakhstan police held a New Year's flash mob to celebrate the arrival of 2026
Images | Screenshot from the video
Police in various cities across Kazakhstan held unique flash mobs using official vehicles.
Using flashing lights and organized columns, law enforcement officers congratulated Kazakhstanis on the arrival of 2026.
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TOP-10 Cities to Celebrate Christmas in Europe in 2026
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he ranking includes cities with the most atmospheric Christmas markets, festive illuminations, and rich cultural programs, which traditionally attract tourists from all over the world.
From magical old towns to iconic winter festivals, these Christmas markets are the must-visit destinations for your upcoming winter trips.
In anticipation of the holidays, we present a selection of Christmas songs that will help create a warm and cozy atmosphere. These songs have been associated with Christmas for many years and remain an enduring symbol of the holiday season.
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Chinese robots wowed audiences with somersaults at a concert
Images | Screenshot from video
G1 humanoid robots from the Chinese company Unitree Robotics performed a synchronized front somersault while serving as backup dancers during singer Wang Lihong's concert in Chengdu, reports the South China Morning Post.
The robots performed a number to the song "Open Fire," demonstrating complex choreography, including arm and leg movements and turns. On stage, they wore silver suits and black pants.
The video of the performance quickly went viral and attracted international attention. Elon Musk reposted the video on social media site X, calling the performance "impressive."
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Giant car snowman was built in Ridder
Images | Screenshot from video
Last Sunday, the football field at the Stroitel stadium in Ridder became the site of a vibrant New Year's flash mob. At the initiative of the Crazy Racing Club, approximately 80 cars formed a massive, illuminated snowman.
The idea was conceived by Dmitry Lukashkin, Anton Arbuzov, Stepan Repin, and Alexey Pushkarev. The unusual event became a unique way to congratulate city residents on the upcoming New Year, reports infor.kz.
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Hormuz Beach Turns Blood Red
Images | pikabu.ru
After heavy rains, the coast of Hormuz Island in southern Iran turned bright red.
This is due to the island's unique soil, which is rich in iron oxide. Heavy rains wash these minerals into the sea, turning the sand and shallow waters a deep red hue.
This natural and completely safe phenomenon is known as Red Beach, although it looks like a scene from a horror movie.
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Almaty Zoo celebrated the birthday of polar bear Purga
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The Almaty Zoo celebrated the eighth birthday of Purga, a polar bear and one of the most recognizable inhabitants of the Arctic zone.
According to the zoo, her keepers congratulated her and presented her with new toys, showering her with attention and care. Staff prepared a birthday cake for Purga, specially designed for predators.
Purga is considered one of the zoo's most beloved and frequently observed inhabitants. She is considered the pride of the Arctic exhibit.
The zoo noted its gratitude to everyone who has shown concern and support for the bear.
May Purga grow up healthy, active, and happy," the statement read.
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