Colonization of Africa:
Maps, Timeline, Decolonization, & Independence
Learn More

Escalation in Iran

The United States joined Israel in its conflict with Iran when Pres. Donald Trump authorized air strikes—many of which used bunker-buster bombs for underground targets—on Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend. Israel launched an attack on Iran on June 13, just as the latest U.S. attempt to negotiate a deal with Iran over its nuclear program broke down. Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, had warned that the U.S. would suffer “irreparable damage” if it were to attack Iran. On Monday, Iran counterattacked, launching missiles at a U.S. military base in Qatar.
The Israel-Iran Conflict of 2025 So Far
© Meghdad Madadi/Tasnim News—AFP/Getty Images

Much Ado About “I Do”

Jeff Bezos’s three-day wedding celebration in Venice—with a star-studded guest list including Oprah Winfrey, Mick Jagger, and Kim Kardashian—begins this week. The affair is estimated to cost as much as $20 million, but that’s just a fraction of the price tags attached to the following nuptials.

Khadija Uzhakhova and Said Gutseriev

Considered the most expensive wedding in modern history, this 2016 event between the son of a Russian oligarch and a 20-year old dental student featured entertainment by Jennifer Lopez, Sting, and Enrique Iglesias—and reportedly cost as much as $1 billion.

Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani

This union featured two of India’s wealthiest families and is estimated to have cost between $600 million and $1 billion. Performances by Rihanna, Andrea Bocelli, Katy Perry, and Justin Bieber, and an elaborate light show that included 5,500 drones, headlined the events.

Diana Spencer and Prince Charles

When adjusted for inflation, the 1981 royal wedding between Prince Charles (later Charles III) and the future Princess Diana (pictured below) cost some $166 million. Pre-wedding festivities included a gala ball at Buckingham Palace and a massive fireworks display, and the bride’s dress, said to have cost nearly $115,00 (or about $380,000 today), contained 10,000 pearls.

The Prince and Princess of Wales on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on their wedding day, July 29, 1981. Diana wears a wedding dress by David and Elizabeth Emmanuel and the Spencer family tiara. (Charles royal family marriage)
Princess Diana Archive—Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images
ProCon’s Free Summer School
For Students and Nonstudents Alike
Cell Phones in Schools
Should Cell Phones Be Banned in Schools?
Binge-watching
Is Binge-watching Good for You?
Video Games
Should Minors Be Allowed to Play Violent Video Games?

Trending Quizzes

See All Quizzes
Where in America is That?
Crisscross the U.S. by placing these famous landmarks.
From Athena to Zeus: Basics of Greek Mythology
Do you know which hero took a dip in the River Styx? Or what mysteries lurk inside the Labyrinth?
Ultimate Animals Quiz
What is a rattlesnake’s rattle made of? What animals can go over 180 miles an hour?
Guess the Language! Quiz
Can you recognize a language by its greeting?
Best Picture Movie Quote Quiz
Take this quiz or you may regret it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of your life.
American Civil Rights Movement Quiz
Test your knowledge of Americans’ tumultuous fight to end racial segregation and discrimination.
Name That Thing: Tools
A handy quiz to test your tool acumen.
The Dog Breed Quiz
Find out which breed can outrun a cheetah, which breed was created by monks, and much more.
Baking and Baked Goods Quiz
You may have a sweet tooth, but how much do you know about baking and baked goods? Test your knowledge with this quiz.
First Ladies of the United States Quiz
They have been hostesses, helpers, advisers, gatekeepers, guardians, confidantes, and sometimes formidable powers behind...

Featured Videos

See All Videos
What were the Stonewall riots?
What were the Stonewall riots?
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

Britannica Premium Subscription

Unlock Exclusive Content!

Britannica's content is among the most trusted in the world. Subscribe to Britannica Premium and unlock our entire database of trusted content today.
Subscribe Now!
Mortgage Payment Calculator
Estimate your monthly mortgage payments with our free mortgage calculator. Account for interest rates, compound frequency and pay back schedule.
Compound Interest Calculator
Compounding means getting returns on your previous returns plus your initial investment. Learn how to grow your savings with our compound interest calculator.
Percentage Increase Calculator
Calculate the increase from one value to another with our free percentage increase calculator. Evaluate population growth, inflation, stock values and more.
Retirement Income Calculator
Are you on track for retirement? Use our free retirement calculator to help determine how much you'll need to save each year to retire at your desired age.
Time Value of Money (TVM) Calculator
The time value of money (TVM) principle asserts that the same amount of money is worth more now than in the future. Use our TVM calculator to estimate future value, present value & more.

More From Britannica

ProCon
Award-winning ProCon promotes critical thinking, education, and informed citizenship by presenting the pro and con arguments to controversial issues in a straightforward, nonpartisan, freely accessible way.
Britannica Money
Discover all you need to know about retirement, investing, and household finance, without the jargon or agenda. Get reliable guidance, insight, and easy-to-understand explanations, written, edited, and verified to Britannica’s exacting standards.
Advocacy for Animals
Presenting Advocacy for Animals, a blog focused primarily on animal rights, wildlife conservation, environmental health and safety, and the legal and cultural issues related to these topics. This blog is a source of information and a call to action. It is meant to be a provocation and a stimulus to thought regarding humanity’s relationship with nonhuman animals.
Alain Elkann Interviews
Alain has been writing a weekly interview column for the Italian newspaper La Stampa since 1989. His interviews celebrate some of the best known and successful personalities of the present day.