Chinese tech giant Huawei said on Monday it had developed a new way of making semiconductors that could get around its U.S.-enforced lack of access to the most advanced chipmaking equipment. Huawei has in recent years been at the centre of a geopolitical standoff after Washington warned its
World Tarot Day 2026: The most misunderstood tarot cards and what they actually meanPeople tarot as entertainment or fear it because of the dramatic social media readings. But tarot was never meant to work through fear; it is a symbolic tool. Updated on: May 25
From mirrors to mood lighting, these 5 budget-friendly decor tricks can make small homes look surprisingly luxuriousWant to upgrade your home into a luxurious space? Here are some budget-friendly decor ideas you can consider for a beautiful home. Published on: May 25
A Bahraini court sentenced nine defendants to life in prison and two others to three years in jail for collaborating with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to carry out what it described as “hostile and terrorist acts” against Bahrain
Tarot vs Astrology: Which one can predict your future better? An expert breaks it downAstrology explains cosmic timing and patterns. Tarot explains your emotional experience of those patterns. One gives you the map, the other acts like a mirror. Updated on: May 25
The Japanese fruit ‘sando’ is becoming India’s favourite summer dessert; take a look With fluffy milk bread, clouds of whipped cream, and jewel-like slices of fresh fruit tucked inside, the Japanese sando has become India’s go-to dessert Updated on: May 25
Madhuri Dixit serves ‘a little bit of drama’ as she gives classic white saree a modern twist with chic jacketMadhuri Dixit proves age is just a number as she stuns in ivory saree with floral prints, layered with a sleek jacket, blending elegance with modern drama. Published on: May 25
3 elephant calves die within 17 days in Chhattisgarh’s DharamjaigarhEight elephant calves have died in Dharamjaigarh forest division over the past five months due to drowning, getting trapped in marshland, etc Published on: May 25, 2026 1:27 PM IST By Ritesh Mishra Share via Copy link Three
Ripley's revealed as buyer of $12m golden toilet
Ripley's revealed as buyer of $12m golden toilet
A gold toilet that fetched $12.1m (£9.3m) at auction was bought by Ripley's Believe It or Not!, after its first casting was stolen from Blenheim Palace in 2019.
America, created by Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan, is a fully functional toilet, made from more than 15st 13lb (101.2kg) of solid 18-carat gold.
The first version of the work was initially installed in a public bathroom at the Guggenheim museum in New York in 2016 but hit the news again three years later when a gang of thieves stole it from the Oxfordshire palace.
The existence of a second golden toilet was later revealed, and went under the hammer at Sotheby's in New York City on Tuesday. The 101 kg toilet received just one bid.
The auction house said that in a world first, the starting bid would be determined by the exact price of its weight in gold, at about $10m (£7.6m).
While it only said it was bought by a famous American brand, Ripley's Believe It or Not! later revealed themselves as the mystery buyer in an Instagram post, writing "we're flush with excitement".
The entertainment company runs attractions including museums of oddities and aquariums around the world.
It made headlines in 2022 for allowing celebrity and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian to wear a dress owned by Marilyn Monroe to the Met Gala.
Now, their team say they are "exploring possibilities" as to whether guests will ever be permitted to "take the ultimate golden seat".
"Such an opportunity requires serious planning and someone brave enough to ensure everything keeps flowing in the right direction," Ripley's added.
The artwork achieved the second highest price for a Cattelan piece at auction. His sculpture of a kneeling Hitler sold for $17.2m (£11.9m) in 2016.
It is estimated more than 100,000 people used the first toilet while it was at the Guggenheim before it was moved and exhibited at Blenheim Palace.
It was there that in the early hours of 14 September 2019, five men smashed their way in, ripped out the £4.8m solid gold installation and fled in a stolen Volkswagen Golf.
The heist and the trial that followed made news across the world.
James Sheen, 40, from Oxford, pleaded guilty to burglary and transferring criminal property in 2024. Michael Jones, 39, from Oxford, was found guilty of burglary in March. Both were both jailed earlier this year.
Fred Doe, 36, from Windsor, was also convicted of conspiracy to transfer criminal property and given a suspended sentence.
Sotheby's revealed that Cattelan created three toilets in 2016, with the second version on display in a bathroom at New York's Breuer Building until it went under the hammer.
The auction house described it as a "cultural phenomenon" and an "incisive commentary on the collision of artistic production and commodity value".
David Galperin, head of contemporary art at Sotheby's New York, called it Cattelan's "tour de force".
"Holding both a proverbial and literal mirror to the art world, the work confronts the most uncomfortable questions about art, and the belief systems held sacred to the institutions of the market and the museum," he said.
On the same evening a portrait by the Austrian artist Gustav Klimt was sold for $236.4m (£179m), making it the second most expensive piece ever sold at auction.
You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Gold toilet 'America' that vanished in daring heist is up for auction with a $10 mn starting price Rhea Ripley reunites with Damian Priest after WWE SmackDown 18-karat solid gold functional toilet The Man Who Loved the Edsel So Much That He Bought Three How 10-year-Old bought AI Votes ‘Bought’ For Siddaramaiah Boney Kapoor Says First Wife Mona Shourie Bought Rings For Him Bought a new smart TV Should you be eating store-bought ginger-garlic paste US singer D4vd bought tools online to dispose of girl's body
The Canadian Grand Prix was the race in which the Formula 1 title battle finally came alive this year. It was also, however, the race in which it took a potentially decisive turn, putting a huge dent in George Russell's hopes of beating his 19-year-old Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli to the
3 hours ago
CBSE Class 12 answer sheet scanned copies application window ends today, direct link hereCBSE Class 12 answer sheet scanned copies application window will close today, May 25, 2026. The direct link to apply is given here. Published on: May 25
3 hours ago
Microsoft techie couple in Noida breaks down ₹1.6 lakh monthly expenses, says city feels balanced despite rising costsA Microsoft couple in Noida revealed they spent around ₹1.6 lakh monthly while balancing work, lifestyle and family needs. Published on: May 25
3 hours ago
A CBSE Class 12 student has raised serious concerns over the board’s re-evaluation process after claiming the Physics answer sheet uploaded under his roll number does not belong to him. The student shared comparisons of multiple answer sheets and demanded an urgent investigation into the alleged
3 hours ago
Thyroid disorder cases have been gradually rising over the past few years, especially in younger adults and the younger working generations. Even though genes and autoimmune disorders play a role, the way we live our lives is becoming a reason for thyroid problems. We speak to Dr Aravind Badiger
3 hours ago
Sandhu finishes T-63, Sterne wins after gap of 13 yearsSandhu finishes T-63, Sterne wins after gap of 13 years Published on: May 25, 2026 1:47 PM IST PTI Share via Copy link Rinkven , Indian golfer Yuvraj Sandhu endured a difficult final day to finish T-63 at the Soudal Open here
3 hours ago
Mumbai's old building redevelopment market grows 16% in 2025; Momentum continues in 2026: DataMumbai real estate: A total of 1,094 development agreements (DAs) were signed between January 2020 and March 15, 2026, according to data from Knight Frank India Published on: May 25
6 hours ago
New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued statewide directions on Bakrid across the state. In a meeting with officials, Adityanath reviewed the festival’s preparedness and also looked into Ganga Dussehra arrangements and actions against illegal activities
6 hours ago
Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek will make permanent a 75% price cut on its flagship V4-Pro artificial intelligence model, keeping prices at a quarter of their original level, the company said in a statement on Saturday. DeepSeek did not disclose whether the permanent
6 hours ago
For years, carbohydrates have been put on trial in the fitness world. Scroll through social media, and you will find countless posts blaming carbs for weight gain, sluggishness, and poor fitness results. Many athletes and fitness enthusiasts respond by cutting carbs drastically
6 hours ago
‘Work culture is not hell’: Man who worked in Europe, UK, Canada and US says Bengaluru’s real problem is commuteA man claimed Bengaluru’s commute, not work culture, is the real reason many professionals feel exhausted. Published on: May 25, 2026 10:56 AM IST By Mahipal Singh Chouhan Share
6 hours ago
Sunrisers Hyderabad’s victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their last league outing has brought the curtain down on the top-two battle in IPL 2026, with both finalists now officially confirmed. Although RCB walked away on the losing side
6 hours ago
, which has a global market capitalisation of $343 billion, has advocated modernising India’s power grid to help drive the country’s AI dream, underscoring the intricate linkages and dependencies across multiple domains and utilities crucial to acing the technology that's now grabbing 80% of
6 hours ago
Aishwarya Rai's stylist gets emotional about dressing 'icon' for her high-stakes Cannes return: 'What a week it’s been'Stylist Mohit Rai hails Aishwarya Rai as Cannes ‘legend’, silencing critics with a masterclass in avant-garde couture: ‘Showing the children how it’s done’
6 hours ago
Uttar Pradesh groom murder main accused killed in police ‘encounter’Police said Ravi Yadav, the accused, who carried a reward of ₹1 lakh on his head, was on a motorcycle when he was asked to stop during vehicle checking Published on: May 25, 2026 10:54 AM IST By HT Correspondent Share via
6 hours ago
Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts has announced the birth of her first child. In a social media post, the singer, 40, said her daughter had "arrived healthy and content a couple of weeks ago at 38 weeks" and was "thriving". Photos from her Instagram account show the star holding her baby
6 hours ago
Uber's board met on Saturday to discuss raising its offer for after a major shareholder rebuffed Uber's bid that would value the German food delivery group at over 11.5 billion euros ($13.39 billion), the Financial Times reported on Sunday
6 hours ago
Editorial independence is core to our work. Some links may earn us a commission, without influencing our opinions.Looking for a compact bedroom air purifier? Here's why Qubo R250 is a solid choiceThe compact Qubo R250 punches above its weight with rapid HEPA filtration and smooth smart controls
6 hours ago
May 25 Birthday Horoscope: Here's what the tarot cards have in store for you this yearIf your birthday falls on May 25, here’s what your year ahead looks like, as per Tarot. Published on: May 25, 2026 11:00 AM IST By Kishori Sud Share via Copy link If you were born on May 25
6 hours ago
Opposition parties in Kerala accused the Congress of double standards after Kerala’s former chief electoral officer assumed charge as the secretary to Chief Minister VD Satheesan on Sunday, PTI reported. Rathan U Kelkar, a 2003-batch Kerala cadre Indian Administrative Services officer
6 hours ago
In late April, India's Sun Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay $11.75bn (£8.59bn) to acquire New York-listed women's health and biosimilars firm Organon & Co. It marked the biggest overseas acquisition by an Indian company in nearly two decades and followed a string of high-profile international deals
6 hours ago
‘Laughed at me, called me stupid’: Founder of AI data collection firm on Pronto CEO Anjali SardanaHuman Archive founder Rushil Agarwal has taken a swipe at Pronto's Anjali Sardana amid the row around the Bengaluru startup recording inside customers’ homes Updated on: May 25
6 hours ago
In the English translation of Franz Kafka’s short story, Metamorphosis, published in 2007, Michel Hofmann translated the famous opening line (which included the German word “Ungeziefer”, generically meaning insect) in this manner: “When Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from troubled dreams
6 hours ago
Marco Rubio visits Taj Mahal in Agra with wife Jeanette | VideoAfter the Agra visit, he is scheduled to continue his trip to Jaipur later in the day. Updated on: May 25, 2026 10:46 AM IST By HT News Desk Share via Copy link US secretary of state Marco Rubio visited the Taj Mahal in Agra on Monday
6 hours ago
Full Moon May 2026: Astrologer shares how this intense Blue Moon might impact your zodiac signAccording to astrologer Sidhharrth S Kumaar, every zodiac sign could experience this lunar energy differently. Here's what this Blue Moon may mean for you. Updated on: May 25
6 hours ago
Cardiologist reveals the real cause of heart attacks that most people overlook and it’s not just ‘bad cholesterol’Could your gut health be affecting your heart? A cardiologist explains how inflammation, poor sleep, stress, and unhealthy habits may raise heart attack risk. Published on: May 25
6 hours ago
Turkish riot police fired tear gas and forced their way into the main opposition party’s headquarters to evict its ousted leadership on Sunday (May 24, 2026), deepening a crisis at the heart of Turkiye’s democracy. Clouds of tear gas billowed within the Republican People’s Party
6 hours ago
