From Giving It To Nazis To Selling It: When Nobel Laureates Gave Up Medals

In an unexpected move, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado presented her Nobel Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House on Thursday. She described the gesture as "a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom." 

The Nobel Committee, however, was quick to clarify that such a transfer has no legal or symbolic standing. According to the Norwegian Nobel Institute and the Nobel Committee, once awarded, a Nobel Peace Prize cannot be transferred, shared, or reassigned. This rule is a core principle of the Nobel Foundation's statutes, as laid out in Alfred Nobel's will.

While a laureate is free to dispose of the physical medal or prize money as they wish, the official title and honour of being a Nobel Peace Prize recipient permanently belong to the chosen laureate and cannot be passed on.

However, Nobel laureates parting with their award medals is not unprecedented.

Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, with Maria Ressa of the Philippines, for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression in their respective countries. Muratov auctioned his medal the year after he won the prize for a record-breaking $103.5 million. The proceeds from the sales were donated to UNICEF's fund for Ukrainian child refugees after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Danish physicists Niels Bohr and August Krogh also auctioned their award medals to raise funds for Finnish War Relief after the Soviet Union invaded Finland in 1939. The medals were later donated to Danish museums.

Niels Bohr's son, Aage Bohr, also won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1975. He had his medal sold in an auction in 2011 and then again in 2019. He won the prize with Ben Mottelson and James Rainwater for their work on the collective motion in atomic nuclei.

Norwegian author Knut Hamsun, who was a Nazi sympathiser, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1920 and presented his medal to Nazi Germany's Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbels as a gesture of support during World War II. 

James D. Watson became the first living Nobel Laureate to sell his medal. He won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962 along with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins for discovering the DNA structure. He said that the proceeds would go towards scientific research and conservation. However, in a twist of fate, Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov bought the medal and returned it back to Watson, saying that the scientist "deserved" to keep it.

John Nash received the Economic Sciences Prize for his work in game theory. His medal was auctioned at Christie's in 2019, where it sold for $735,000. The proceeds went towards the John C.M. Nash Trust. 

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/mc7bujX

India Won't Leave Iran's Chabahar, Working With US For Middle Path: Sources

As the clock ticks down to the expiry of the US sanctions waiver on India's operations at Iran's Chabahar Port, New Delhi is engaged in quiet but intensive negotiations with Washington to protect what it sees as a critical strategic and connectivity asset.

Top sources in the Indian government have told NDTV that India is exploring a "middle-ground" approach that could address American concerns while safeguarding India's long-term interests at the port.

"India is considering some options that would indirectly protect our interests in Chabahar Port and at the same time satisfy the US side to some extent," top government sources told NDTV, underlining that New Delhi is not preparing to pack up and leave.

According to the sources, after negotiations with the US, a six-month waiver till April 2026 was granted "as a special case" to wind up operations, but that pathway is "not an option as far as New Delhi is concerned".

"India continues to engage with the US side to work out modalities. Exiting the port is not an option as it's of strategic importance to India. India is keen to show the US that New Delhi will work on the conditions of the sanctions. So the negotiations are a bit complicated," the sources added.

The official position was echoed by the Ministry of External Affairs.

"As you are aware, on 28 October 2025, the US Department of Treasury had issued a letter outlining the guidance on the conditional sanctions waiver valid till 26 April 2026. We remain engaged with the US side in working out this arrangement," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said to a question on the status of the waiver.

NDTV had reported on October 30, 2025 that American sanctions would not apply to India's Chabahar Port operations, with a special six-month waiver granted retrospectively from October 29. The reprieve came even as broader US sanctions on Iran remained in place.

In 2024, India had signed a 10-year contract with Iran under which the state-run India Ports Global Ltd (IPGL) committed investments of $370 million in Chabahar, underscoring the long-term nature of New Delhi's plans at the port.

For India, Chabahar is far more than a commercial venture. The port is central to New Delhi's connectivity strategy, offering access to the Indian Ocean and providing a crucial route to Afghanistan and Central Asia while bypassing Pakistan.

It has also been a key hub for India's humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. The strategic logic is not new: in 2018, during the first Trump administration, the US had issued a rare exemption to allow Indian companies to continue developing Chabahar even as sweeping unilateral sanctions were imposed on Iran, whose main port at Bandar Abbas was then facing overcapacity.

The current negotiations come at a time when New Delhi is also navigating a complex global sanctions landscape. The MEA had earlier said it was studying the implications of US sanctions on Russian oil companies.

"We are studying the implications of the recent US sanctions on Russian oil companies. Our decisions naturally take into account the evolving dynamics of the global market," the spokesperson had said last year.

Reiterating India's broader approach, the MEA added, "Our position on the larger question of energy sourcing is well-known. In this endeavour, we are guided by the imperative to secure affordable energy from diverse sources to meet the energy security needs of our 1.4 billion people."

Against this backdrop, Chabahar has emerged as another test case of how India balances strategic autonomy with its growing partnership with the US. For now, government sources are clear about the bottom line: while the waiver deadline looms, New Delhi is determined to find a workaround that keeps India anchored at Chabahar, even as it works to address Washington's concerns.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/gV4ReOs

Salliyargal Is Now Streaming Online: Know All About This Tamil War Drama

Salliyargal is a powerful Tamil war drama that sheds light on the untold stories of doctors operating in underground bunkers during wartime. Set against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan Civil War, the film explores themes of courage, sacrifice, revenge, and moral conflict.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/fmKz2le

"Quite The Opposite": US Senator On Reports Of Trump Not Attacking Iran

US Senator Lindsey Graham, whom President Donald Trump considers to be a "wonderful friend", has claimed that reports suggesting the US does not intend to attack Iran are "inaccurate" and further said that the situation is quite the opposite. In a cryptic post on X, Graham wrote, "Nothing could be further from the truth. Quite the opposite. Stay tuned."

In a separate post on X, Graham stated that the Iranian government is still killing protesters "in full swing" and added, "Hoping help is on the way."

On Wednesday, Graham, who has become an influential member of the Trump administration on foreign policy, said that he wanted to see Trump move ahead with plans to strike Iran. "We must stop those who are responsible for killing the people by any means necessary ASAP. Make The Iranian People Safe Again," he wrote.

All the headlines like these are examples of reporting that are beyond inaccurate. The circumstances around the necessary, decisive action to be taken against the evil Iranian regime have nothing to do with President Trump's will or determination.

Nothing could be further from… pic.twitter.com/HrUtg7GfKu

— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) January 15, 2026

Amid tensions, Graham also met Iran's exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi and wrote on X, "Help is on the way".

Iran's envoy to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, on Thursday stated that Trump has assured Tehran that he won't attack the country and has asked Iran to exercise restraint, Pakistani daily Dawn reported.

A senior Saudi official also told AFP that Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman led efforts to talk Trump out of an attack on Iran.  The Gulf trio "led a long, frantic, diplomatic last-minute effort to convince President Trump to give Iran a chance to show good intention," the Saudi official said on condition of anonymity.

After threatening Iran with imminent attacks in support of anti-government protests, Trump had indicated that he might hold off on attacking Iran. He said that he was reassured by sources "on the other side" that the Iranian government had stopped the killing of anti-government protesters and planned executions would not go ahead. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office regarding military action, Trump said that he would "watch it" and "see what the process is".

However, Trump has always leaned towards diplomacy before launching a full-scale attack, as seen in the case of the Iran strikes in 2025 and the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/ntRh54L

A Massive Black Hole Starved Pablo’s Galaxy, Ending Its Star Formation

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope and ALMA have uncovered how a massive black hole shut down star formation in Pablo’s Galaxy. Powerful winds expelled gas at hundreds of kilometres per second, leaving almost no cold fuel behind. The findings suggest many early galaxies did not die explosively, but were slowly starved by their central black holes in the young universe.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/Y2JOWHs

Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu's Rs 15,000 Crore Divorce Among World's 4th Costliest

Zoho founder and CEO Sridhar Vembu is at the centre of one of the world's costliest divorces, with a California court ordering him to deposit a $1.7 billion bond (around Rs 15,000 crore) amid divorce proceedings with his wife Pramila Srinivasan.

The case is the most expensive divorce involving an Indian businessman and ranks among the four costliest divorces worldwide.

Vembu's net worth is estimated at $5.85 billion, placing him among India's 40 richest people, though most of Zoho's shares are held by his siblings. The company, privately held, employs 12,000 people and serves 80 million users globally.

Vembu married Pramila Srinivasan in 1993, and the couple has a son. After nearly 25 years in the US' San Francisco Bay Area running Zoho, he moved in 2020 to Tamil Nadu to oversee rural initiatives and run Zoho from India.

Pramila Srinivasan filed for divorce in 2020. She alleged that Vembu abandoned her and their son, who has special needs, and secretly transferred key Zoho assets, including intellectual property and shares, to relatives in India. She claimed this was designed to reduce her legal entitlement under California's community property laws.

“My husband of 29 years not only abandoned me and our son,” she said in a 2023 court filing, “he decided to make fictitious transfers or ‘sales' of our most valuable community asset to his family members without their paying any cash or other consideration, and without ever telling me or asking my permission.”

Vembu has denied wrongdoing, saying that he never reduced their shared financial interest and moved to India purely to pursue rural initiatives. He also claimed he asked Srinivasan and their son to join him in India, but the pandemic prevented that.

Court filings showed that Vembu's sister and brother own most of Zoho's shares, while Vembu holds only 5 per cent. Srinivasan's lawyers said that several asset transfers were hidden from her, including the $50 million sale of Zoho's intellectual property to an India-based company, ZPCL, with no clear record of payment. Vembu said the money from the sale is still held by the original US company, T&V Holdings.

Globally, the most expensive divorces include Bill and Melinda Gates ($73 billion), Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Scott ($38 billion), and Alec and Jocelyn Wildenstein ($3.8 billion). Other cases involve Rupert Murdoch and Steve Wynn, each exceeding $1 billion.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/ZKVuo1Y

Poco M8 5G Review: Reliable Where It Counts

At a price tag of Rs. 18,999, the Poco M8 5G is a well-rounded smartphone that's more about delivering on the basics than on fancy features. It brings quite an upgrade in terms of design, a large and colourful AMOLED display, decent performance, and lasting battery life. The promise of long-term software support further adds to its appeal. The cameras, however, are anything but impressive, and the UI is burdened with bloat. But once again, these are expected compromises at this price.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/eKhQDR1

Trader Pockets Over $400,000 After Betting On Maduro's Downfall

Prediction markets let people wager on anything from a basketball game to the outcome of a presidential election - and recently, the downfall of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

The latter is drawing renewed scrutiny into this murky world of speculative, 24/7 transactions. Last week, an anonymous trader pocketed more than $400,000 after betting that Maduro would soon be out of office.

The bulk of the trader's bids on the platform Polymarket were made mere hours before President Donald Trump announced the surprise nighttime raid that led to Maduro's capture, fueling online suspicions of potential insider trading because of the timing of the wagers and the trader's narrow activity on the platform. Others argued that the risk of getting caught was too big, and that previous speculation about Maduro's future could have led to such transactions.

Polymarket did not respond to requests for comment.

The commercial use of prediction markets has skyrocketed in recent years, opening the door for people to wage their money on the likelihood of a growing list of future events. But despite some eye-catching windfalls, traders still lose money everyday. And in terms of government oversight in the U.S., the trades are categorized differently than traditional forms of gambling - raising questions about transparency and risk.

Here's what we know:

The scope of topics involved in prediction markets can range immensely - from escalation in geopolitical conflicts, to pop culture moments and even the fate of conspiracy theories. Recently, there's been a surge of wages on elections and sports games. But some users have also bet millions on things like a rumored - and ultimately unrealized - "secret finale" for the Netflix's "Stranger Things," whether the U.S. government will confirm the existence of extraterrestrial life and how much billionaire Elon Musk might post on social media this month.

In industry-speak, what someone buys or sells in a prediction market is called an "event contract." They're typically advertised as "yes" or "no" wagers. And the price of one fluctuates between $0 and $1, reflecting what traders are collectively willing to pay based on a 0% to 100% chance of whether they think an event will occur.

The more likely traders think an event will occur, the more expensive that contract will become. And as those odds change over time, users can cash out early to make incremental profits, or try to avoid higher losses on what they've already invested.

Proponents of prediction markets argue putting money on the line leads to better forecasts. Experts like Koleman Strumpf, an economics professor at Wake Forest University, think there's value in monitoring these platforms for potential news - pointing to prediction markets' past success with some election outcomes, including the 2024 presidential race.

Still, it's never a "crystal ball," he noted, and prediction markets can be wrong, too.

Who is behind all of the trading is also pretty murky. While the companies running the platforms collect personal information of their users in order to verify identities and payments, most people can trade under anonymous pseudonyms online - making it difficult for the public to know who is profiting off many event contracts. In theory, people investing their money may be closely following certain events, but others could just be randomly guessing.

Critics stress that the ease and speed of joining these 24/7 wagers leads to financial losses everyday, particularly harming users who may already struggle with gambling. The space also broadens possibilities for potential insider trading.

Polymarket is considered to be the largest prediction market in the world, where its users can fund event contracts through cryptocurrency, debit or credit cards and bank transfers. Its top competitor, Kalshi, operates similarly - and has laid the groundwork for event contracts on elections and sports nationwide after winning court approval just weeks before the 2024 election to let Americans put money on upcoming political races. Kalshi began to host sports trading about a year ago.

Restrictions vary by country but in the U.S., the reach of these markets has expanded rapidly over the last couple years, coinciding with shifting policies out of Washington. Former President Joe Biden was aggressive in cracking down on prediction markets. Following a 2022 settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Polymarket was barred from operating in the country.

That changed under Trump late last year, when Polymarket announced it would be returning to the U.S. after receiving clearance from the commission. American-based users can now join a platform "waitlist."

The space is now crowded with other big names. Sports betting giants DraftKings and FanDuel both launched prediction platforms last month. Online broker Robinhood is widening its own offerings. Trump's social media site Truth Social has also promised to offer an in-platform prediction market through a partnership with Crypto.com - and one of the president's sons, Donald Trump Jr., holds advisory roles at both Polymarket and Kalshi.

"The train has left the station on these event contracts, they're not going away," said Melinda Roth, a visiting associate professor at Washington and Lee University's School of Law.

Because they're positioned as selling event contracts, prediction markets are regulated by the CFTC. That means they can avoid state-level restrictions or bans in place for traditional gambling and sports betting today.

"It's a huge loophole," said Karl Lockhart, an assistant professor of law at DePaul University who has studied this space. "You just have to comply with one set of regulations, rather than (rules from) each state around the country."

Sports betting is taking center stage. There are a handful of big states - like California and Texas, for example - where sports betting is still illegal, but people can now wager on games, athlete trades and more through event contracts.

A growing number of states and tribes are suing to stop this. And lawyers expect litigation to eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court, as added regulations from the Trump administration seem unlikely.

Federal law bars event contracts related to gaming as well as war, terrorism and assassinations, Roth said, which could put some prediction market trades on shaky ground, at least in the U.S. But users might still find ways to buy certain contracts while traveling abroad or connecting to different VPNs.

Whether the CFTC will take any of that on has yet to be seen. But the agency, which did not respond to request for comment, has already taken steps away from enforcement.

Despite overseeing trillions of dollars for the overall U.S. derivatives market, the CFTC is also much smaller than the Securities and Exchange Commission. And at the same time event contracts are growing rapidly on prediction market platforms, there have been additional cuts to the CFTC's workforce and a wave of leadership departures under Trump's second term. Only one of five commissioner slots operating the agency is currently filled.

Still, other lawmakers calling for a stronger crack down on potential insider trading in prediction markets - particularly following suspicion around last week's Maduro trade on Polymarket. On Friday, Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres introduced a bill aimed at curbing government employees involvement in politically-related event contracts.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/tjbu1Dw

India Suffer Massive Blow, Rishabh Pant Ruled Out Of India vs NZ Series

India have suffered a setback ahead of the first ODI against New Zealand as wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the three-match series due to a right-side strain injury. At India's optional practice session at the BCA B Ground, Pant looked organised in his batting stint, going for almost 50 minutes. But he experienced discomfort after being hit above the waist while facing a delivery from a throwdown specialist.

He immediately fell to his knees due to the immense pain, was quickly attended to by the support staff, and left the nets. "Scans and assessment by the team doctor showed that Rishabh copped a blow on the ribcage on the right side and a side strain has been detected, thus ruling him out of this ODI series against New Zealand," said sources familiar with the matter to IANS on Saturday.

Pant is now expected to rest for several days before reporting to the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru for further assessment and rehabilitation. He had come into the ODI series on the back of leading Delhi in the 2025/26 Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) league stage in Bengaluru.

He made two half-centuries against Services and Railways, respectively, as Delhi entered the knockouts. This is the second time Pant has been laid low by injuries, after fracturing his right foot in the fourth Test against England at Manchester, before returning to action in the two-match Test series against South Africa at home in November last year.

Pant has been part of India's ODI set-up for the last two years but last played in the 50-over format during the tour of Sri Lanka in August 2024. Ahead of the ODIs against New Zealand, speculation was rife about Pant being axed, but the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee retained him in the squad.

With Pant now ruled out, the Indian team management will need to identify a replacement. Dhruv Jurel and T20 World Cup-bound Ishan Kishan are the likely options due to their strong showings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

India's ODI series against New Zealand will begin at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium (BCA) in Kotambi, Vadodara, with the venue set to host its first men's international game. The second ODI will be played at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on January 14, while the third and final match will take place at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on January 18.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/Fm4gOJd

Bangladesh Cricket Chief Speaks On "Alternate Indian Venue" Amid Venue Row

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam Bulbul on Friday said the board is yet to receive any response from the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding its concerns over playing at venues in India for the upcoming T20 World Cup, reiterating that the BCB's position remains unchanged. Bangladesh has expressed reluctance to tour India for the tournament, scheduled to begin on February 7, and has sought to shift its matches to co-host Sri Lanka, citing security concerns.

The BCB's apprehensions followed the release of Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders on the instructions of the BCCI for unspecified reasons, amid reports of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh.

"We haven't yet received any reply from the ICC. We have sent all the attachments and proofs of our concern," Bulbul told media persons here.

The BCB chief said the board has clearly conveyed its position to the global governing body and stressed that moving matches to another Indian city would not address their concerns.

"Any alternate Indian venue, at the end of the day, is an Indian venue. You all know that no unilateral decision can be taken, and we have to abide by the government's diktat. We are standing where we had been a few days back."

The BCB chief said the board would wait for the ICC's response before taking any further call. "I can't comment on what we will do if we aren't allowed to play in Sri Lanka unless the ICC sends its response," he added.

Bangladesh is scheduled to play three of its group matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. Bulbul also said he was unaware of reports suggesting Hyderabad and Chennai as possible replacement venues.

"I haven't heard about Hyderabad and Chennai being replacement venues. We might come to know maybe on Monday or Tuesday."

Expressing confidence in the national side, Bulbul said Bangladesh has the pedigree to perform well, particularly in sub-continental conditions. "I believe Bangladesh is a big team in world cricket. We have played the quarterfinals of the 2015 ODI World Cup, we played the Champions Trophy semifinals, and in sub-continental conditions we have a good chance of doing well," he said.

Addressing the recent controversy involving former skipper Tamim Iqbal, Bulbul said a BCB director publicly calling the senior cricketer a "traitor" was an expression of personal opinion and that he had sought an explanation from the concerned official.

"It was the personal opinion of the director, and I have asked him to give clarification. Tamim has achieved so much, and he should have kept that in mind while putting his opinion in public," Bulbul said.

Reflecting on his tenure, Bulbul said the phase had been educative for the board.

"It's a learning experience for 25 board directors. It's a mix of ups and downs. But the country comes first," he added.

from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/Do6f43K

NASA Spots Giant Antarctic Iceberg Turning Blue as It Nears Breakup

NASA scientists are closely tracking iceberg A-23A as vivid blue meltwater pools spread across its surface, signalling rapid decay. Once covering nearly 4,000 square kilometres, the Antarctic megaberg has shrunk to about 1,180 square kilometres and is fragmenting in warmer South Atlantic waters, offering valuable insight into how rising temperatures accelerate iceberg breakup and polar ice loss.

from Gadgets 360 https://ift.tt/Uv7NzkV