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Art elevates the look of your home by bringing your bare walls alive. But we all know it can be an expensive indulgence. Does that mean we have to forgo art while doing up our living rooms? Not necessarily. There are some simple ways you can incorporate art in your home without breaking your budget and without having to put up a random poster where a nice painting should go. Here we bring you three fabulous ways to make your living space pop with a dash of art that will have your visitors raving about your creativity. 

Get prints of art by local artists

Do you know prints are cheaper than actual paintings? They are also more marketable and thus many artists are now digitizing their works and selling prints at affordable prices. Find an artwork you like and see if the artist has made digital prints available. If not, you can put in a request for one. Most artists these days will happily oblige. Instagram is a great place to discover amazing new artists whose work resonates with you and will make your home reflect your personality. Krisha Tamrakar, a Kathmandu-based contemporary artist and author, is one of our favorites.

Frame fabrics

And we don’t mean just any fabric. You have to be really creative with this one. Find an heirloom sari or a piece of upholstery from your childhood days that brings back fond memories and get it framed. Make sure it’s something that you love looking at and it matches your decor as well. One of our readers has put up a piece of her mother’s wedding sari on a large frame and she says it’s the focal point of her living room. Another hung a vintage rug that was in her parent’s home on a wall and it reminds her of happy times while giving her space a much-needed pop of color.

Make a fun collage

A collage is a great way to display random notes, cards, ticket stubs, and postcards that might otherwise clutter your space. Collect your favorite memorabilia and paste them creatively and interestingly on a large sheet of paper. This can be a really fun activity to do as a family. You can also add pressed flowers and write down your favorite quotes for added intrigue. There are many ideas on how to create fabulous collages that you can then display in your living room as art on Pinterest and Instagram. All you need is a weekend, some paper, markers, and glue. 

Former special counsel Jack Smith is under investigation by the US Office of Special Counsel (OSC) for alleged violations of the Hatch Act, which restricts political activity by federal officials. Smith had led two criminal cases against President Donald Trump before resigning earlier this year, BBC reported.

The probe follows Republican Senator Tom Cotton’s claim that Smith interfered in the 2024 election. While the OSC cannot press charges, it can recommend disciplinary action or refer findings to the Justice Department.

Smith’s cases against Trump were dropped after Trump’s 2024 election win, in line with rules barring prosecution of a sitting president, according to BBC.

Germany has called the current level of humanitarian aid entering Gaza “very insufficient,” despite a slight increase in deliveries. Following a visit by Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, the German military carried out its first food airdrops into the territory, where over two million people face severe hunger, according to Firstpost.

Berlin stressed that Israel remains responsible for allowing full aid access, while also expressing concern over reports that Hamas and criminal groups are blocking distribution. UN officials have accused Israeli forces of turning a blind eye to aid theft by criminal networks.

Germany is now weighing options to pressure Israel, including a possible arms delivery freeze, though no decisions have been made, Firstpost reported.

A junta airstrike on Saturday killed 13 people in Mogok, a rebel-held ruby mining town in Myanmar, according to Firstpost.

The strike hit a public area in the morning, killing civilians including a monk and a father and son. Several others were wounded.

Mogok has been under rebel control since last year, part of a broader conflict that escalated after the 2021 coup. Despite recent military gains, including retaking parts of central Myanmar, opposition groups are boycotting upcoming elections, calling them illegitimate while Aung San Suu Kyi remains jailed, Firstpost reported.

Hamas has rejected disarmament, saying it will not lay down arms unless a sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is established. The statement came after ceasefire talks with Israel collapsed, according to Firstpost.

Mediators Qatar and Egypt had supported a proposal urging Hamas to hand over weapons to the Palestinian Authority as part of a two-state solution. But Hamas reaffirmed its stance on “armed resistance.”

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu opposes Palestinian statehood and insists on Hamas’ disarmament as a condition for peace.

The war, sparked by Hamas’s October 2023 attack, has left over 60,000 Palestinians dead. Meanwhile, US envoy Steve Witkoff met with families of Israeli hostages in Tel Aviv, Firstpost reported.

Overnight Ukrainian drone strikes killed three people and injured two in western Russia, local officials said Saturday.

In Penza, a drone hit an industrial site, killing a woman and injuring two others. In Samara, falling debris sparked a fire that killed an elderly man. Another drone strike in Rostov led to a blaze that claimed a security guard’s life, according to Xinhua.

Russia reported downing 112 Ukrainian drones overnight, while Ukraine said it intercepted 45 out of 53 Russian drones.

The strikes came just days after a deadly Russian attack on Kyiv and amid renewed US pressure on Moscow to pursue peace, Xinhua reported.

Iranian President Dr. Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Pakistan on Saturday for a two-day official visit, his first since taking office. Invited by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he is joined by a high-level delegation, including Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, according to Xinhua.

Pezeshkian will meet with President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Sharif, and Army Chief General Asim Munir. Talks will focus on regional developments, including the Iran-Israel war, and strengthening bilateral ties across political, economic, and cultural fronts.

He is also scheduled to visit the mausoleum of poet Allama Iqbal in Lahore before heading to Islamabad for official meetings, according to Xinhua.

Gen Z-led protests across Ukraine have prompted President Volodymyr Zelensky to reverse a proposed bill that would have placed independent anti-corruption agencies under political control, according to Firstpost.

Using creative cardboard placards quoting pop culture, music, and literature—some with explicit language—protesters rallied in major cities, voicing concern over threats to institutional independence. According to Gradus Research, over 69 percent of Ukrainians supported the demonstrations, reflecting widespread public opposition to the bill.