Popular News in One Year

A delicatessen shop  in Cannes, France, has been making headlines for its unusual name, “Ma Femme Est Une Cochonne” (My Wife Is a Sow).The word “sow” refers to an adult female pig, and in English, it can carry negative or demeaning connotations when used to describe a person.Opened in mid-January, the shop, founded by two food  enthusiasts, offers a variety of delicacies, including cold cuts and spirits, and while we’re sure their products are all excellent, many people are drawn by the name. “My wife is a sow” sounds more like an insult,  but the two male co-founders swear they have nothing against their spouses; in fact, both of...

A 27-year-old Japanese man has trended on social media because his unconventional name of “Happy” has brought him just the opposite. After Happy Terauchi’s story was reported by ABEMA Prime TV at the end of March, a heated discussion about unusual names was triggered on the internet. His name was given to him by his mother to mark the overwhelming joy she felt when Terauchi, her first child, was born. But she did not expect his name would bring him so much trouble. Terauchi’s name attracted much attention at school and led to him being bullied.   (Terauchi’s name has given him nothing but trouble throughout his life. Photo: ABEMA Prime) He hates...

Less than a month after the Los Angeles wildfires threatened to destroy it, Gwyneth Paltrow’s longtime home in Los Angeles’ Brentwood area has sold for $22 million. The home, which was unharmed by the fires, came on the market for $29.99 million in May 2024. The price was lowered to $24.9 million in October. Paltrow and her ex-husband, Chris Martin, bought the house for $9.95 million in 2012, property records show. The buyer is unknown. The property is located in the Mandeville Canyon area of Brentwood, which is known for its sprawling lots, tall hedges and old-growth trees. The area was ultimately largely spared from the fires. The market in L.A.-area neighborhoods...

THE UK's 'darkest ever' house is up for auction - with entirely black exterior, ceilings and KITCHEN. The unique property in Broxburn, West Lothian, has black exterior walls as well as a black front door, black fencing, black decking and even a black shed in the back garden.   (The house has an entirely black exterior, ceilings and kitchen.Credit: SWNS)   (Located in Broxburn, West Lothian, the semi-detached property has a guide price of £195k.Credit: SWNS)   (Even the back garden features black decking and matching shed.Credit: SWNS)   The stairs, floors, as well as most of the ceilings and walls are black too.Even the kitchen fridge and bathroom...

A Park Avenue residence that has been home to Canada’s consul general and used for official functions is on the market for $9.5 million. “Governments are becoming more strategic in their property portfolio management,” said Douglas Elliman’s Thomas Aabo, who is co-listing the property with Elliman’s Erin Boisson Aries. “As diplomatic requirements change, certain assets no longer fit official functions. This beautiful co-op residence is a great opportunity for a private buyer to acquire a high-quality property at attractive pricing.” A new owner stands to get a splendid piece of property. “The building is known for its gracious layouts and...

This hot desert area has not seen rain in five centuries and it’s so dry it’s gained a reputation for its record-breaking lack of precipitation. The Atacama Desert, in Chile, is the driest non-polar desert on Earth and it’s also the site of a rare phenomenon. Spanning over 600 miles along the Pacific Coast of South America, it is one of the most extreme landscapes on the planet. Some areas of the desert have received zero rainfall throughout recorded history, making the Atacama Desert the driest place on Earth. In other areas of the desert where tiny amounts of rainfall have occurred over the years, a rare phenomenon has taken place.   (The desert spans over...

The London manor that former Supreme Allied Commander and President Dwight D. Eisenhower called home in the crucial months before D-Day has hit the market. The original Telegraph Cottage, where Eisenhower secretly lived from 1942 to 1945, was tragically consumed by a fire in 1987. Still, five detached homes were subsequently built in its place on the 4.7-plus-acre gated site, including Telegraph House, which is now listed for $11.78 million. “During the Second World War, the original Telegraph Cottage provided Eisenhower with a peaceful retreat, offering him respite amidst some of the most critical moments in history,” said Shaun Drummond, residential director at Harrods...

Dream of Californication. The former Beverly Hills home of Red Hot Chili Peppers singer Anthony Kiedis has listed for $11.25 million, The Post has learned. Kiedis, 61, lived at the property from 2004 to 2007, during which time the rock group recorded and released its seminal, Grammy Award-winning double album “Stadium Arcadium,” which includes such hits as “Dani California” and “Snow (Hey Oh).” “Located just moments from the heart of Beverly Hills, this gated estate spans over three lushly landscaped acres and transports you to a European retreat,” reads 1410 Davies Drive’s listing, which is held by agents Carl Gambino and Alyson...

A MAN has revealed how he makes £850 a day after transforming a Boeing 727 "once owned by Pablo Escobar" into an ultimate Airbnb with a hot tub and a sauna. Johnny Palmer, founder of PYTCH, bought the 57-year-old aircraft in mid-2020 after it had been scrapped but its fuselage preserved. (Johnny converted the former commercial airliner into an Airbnb.Credit: airbnb.co.uk/h/pytchair)   (Johnny bought the aircraft, known as PYTCHAir, in 2020.Credit: airbnb.co.uk/h/pytchair)   (The 727 can house four guests.Credit: airbnb.co.uk/h/pytchair)   (It features a luxury interior.Credit: airbnb.co.uk/h/pytchair)   Now, after turning it into an Airbnb, the...

WITH Japan facing a shrinking workforce in recent years, one company has taken a unique route in attracting young people amid the shortage of job seekers. The Osaka-based tech company has offered its employees unconventional types of leave to solidify its competitiveness in the job market since it can only pay its staff a monthly salary of 222,000 yen (RM6,535) with added overtime from an estimated 20 hours of work. The average monthly pay for new employees in Japanese firms amount to 273,300 yen (RM8,046) in 2023, according to the nation’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. One of those leaves offered by the company is a hangover leave for those who want some time to...