Coal dominated Europe's electricity for most of the twentieth century, but it is now disappearing quickly across many Western European countries. Coal plants have become expensive to run, and carbon prices make burning coal costlier still, while wind, solar and gas now provide cheaper power. The United Kingdom became the first major economy to phase out coal power, closing its last coal plant in 2024. Several other countries have set dates to shut their remaining plants in the coming years.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.