On this day: A love story for the ages, Running Up That Hill, the last Apartheid laws abolished and slaughter at Boipatong

A sad end for the emperor who built the white-marble Taj Mahal for his wife.
On this day: June 17
1631 Mumtaz Mahal dies during childbirth. Her husband, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan I, goes on to spend more than 20 years building her tomb – a symbol of great love – the Taj Mahal.
1837 Chemist and inventor Charles Goodyear obtains his first rubber patent.
1855 A heavy French/British bombardment of Sevastopol, in Crimea, kills more than 2 000.
1877 The Nez Perce Indians defeat the US Cavalry at White Bird Canyon in Idaho.
1885 The Statue of Liberty – gift from the people of France – arrives in New York City.
1928 Aviator Amelia Earhart leaves Newfoundland to become the first woman to cross the Atlantic (as a passenger).
1938 Japan finally declares war on China, a year after having invaded the country.
1939 The last public guillotining – that of a murderer – takes place in France.
1940 The liner RMS Lancastria is sunk by the Luftwaffe near Saint-Nazaire, France.
1954 Rocky 'Raging Bull' Marciano beats heavyweight boxing champion Ezzard Charles over 15 rounds. Marciano is the only person to hold the heavyweight title undefeated, with a boxing record of 49 fights, 49 wins and 43 KOs. He dies at 45 in a 1969 plane crash.
1958 Things Fall Apart by Nigerian Chinua Achebe, the most widely read book in African literature, is published.
1982 President Galtieri resigns after leading Argentina to defeat in the Falkland Islands.
1991 The last apartheid laws are abolished.
1992 The slaughter by Inkatha followers at Boipatong leaves 42 people dead.
2019 Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi dies after collapsing in a court.
2021 China launches its Shenzhou-12 spacecraft, with three astronauts arriving at its space station, Tiangong, 6.5 hours later.
2022 Running Up That Hill single by Kate Bush goes to #1 on the UK chart; originally released in 1985, the song was featured in sci-fi TV show Stranger Things, its record 44-year climb to the top also makes Bush, 63) the oldest female artist to score a No 1.
2024 The Philippines accuses the Chinese coastguard of 'a brazen act of aggression' after a confrontation in the contested Spratly Islands escalating the tension in the area.
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First ever Birkin bag to be auctioned in July [PICS]

The Citizen

3 hours ago

The Citizen

First ever Birkin bag to be auctioned in July [PICS]

The birth of the Birkin bag has become a modern fashion legend. The prototype Birkin will be exhibited at Sotheby's in New York. Picture: iStock The first Birkin bag, designed by French luxury brand Hermès for actress Jane Birkin in 1984, will be auctioned in Paris on 10 July 2025, Sotheby's announced on Thursday. The large black leather tote, whose design went on to become one of the most famous and expensive bags in the world, will be the centrepiece of the 'Fashion Icons' sale, the auction house said. This 'historic, handcrafted prototype', engraved with the initials J.B., has several unique features, including closed metal rings, a non-detachable shoulder strap and a built-in nail clipper. The original Birkin crafted for Jane Birkin in 1985. Picture: ETX/Sotheby's© The birth of the Birkin bag has become a modern fashion legend. During a Paris–London flight, the Anglo-French singer and actress, who died in 2023, complained to a fellow traveller about not being able to find a bag suited to her needs as a young mother. That fellow passenger happened to be Jean-Louis Dumas, then head of Hermes. The result of their conversation was a spacious tote with room for baby bottles, created in 1984 and named the Birkin. ALSO READ: SA-born artist Marlene Dumas breaks global record with over R245 million painting sale [PICS] The bags are not displayed in shops and cannot be ordered online 40 years later, the leather handbag has become the flagship product of the luxury French leather goods maker. Produced in very limited numbers, it maintains an aura of exclusivity, with prices ranging from several thousand euros for the simplest models to several hundred thousand euros for the most luxurious. Beloved by celebrities including Khloe Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez and Victoria Beckham, the bags are not displayed in shops and cannot be ordered online. The prototype Birkin was exhibited at Sotheby's in New York from 6 to 12 June, ahead of the sale in the French capital. In addition to the Birkin bag, the Sotheby's sale will feature iconic runway pieces from designers including Christian Dior, John Galliano, Thierry Mugler and Alexander McQueen. Bidding will open online on 26 June and close on 10 July. NOW READ: 17-year-old Pearl Mathebula wins Miss Teen International in Peru

For entertainment that fits every mood – Find your happy only on BBC Brit

IOL News

6 hours ago

IOL News

For entertainment that fits every mood – Find your happy only on BBC Brit

Whether you're in the mood for high-speed thrills, clever quizzes, or enjoy spending a night trying to figure out the voice behind the mask, BBC Brit's (DStv Channel 120) new season line-up is here to deliver feel-good entertainment, seven nights a week. With premium British programming to suit every mood, across every genre, BBC Brit is your new go-to destination to Find Your Happy. The new slate is carefully structured to deliver something delightful every evening. Fridays bring the rush with Top Gear Australia. Sundays are for surprises through The Masked Singer. Tuesdays delve into drama in the world of Beyond Paradise and Death Valley, and Wednesdays test your trivia with The Weakest Link. This curated content calendar invites audiences to build new habits and rediscover their favourites. It's premium entertainment, tailor-made for every mood BBC Brit is built on the idea that great television not only entertains, but also immerses viewers. The channel offers smart, surprising, and satisfying content that feels like a reward at the end of a long day. Designed with loyal fans of British entertainment in mind, and ready to welcome new viewers with open arms and some tongue-in-cheek British humour, the refreshed channel structure ensures every evening brings something to look forward to. New premieres that pack a punch

Jane Birkin's iconic Hermès prototype handbag to auction in Paris

IOL News

7 hours ago

IOL News

Jane Birkin's iconic Hermès prototype handbag to auction in Paris

The very first Birkin handbag made for actress Jane Birkin will go under the hammer in July. The piece of modern fashion history is likely to spark a bidding frenzy with experts predicting it could fetch upwards of six figures. The first-ever Birkin bag that was designed by French luxury brand Hermès for late actress Jane Birkin is set to be sold at auction in Paris next month. As Birkin recounted in a 2018 interview, the conversation sparked the conception of what would become one of the most iconic handbags in history. The origins of this Birkin bag is steeped in fashion lore, beginning with a chance encounter between Birkin and the late Jean-Louis Dumas, the then CEO of Hermès , on a flight from Paris to London in 1984. "I had my agenda as usual banged full of bits of paper, and everything fell to the ground," Birkin said during the interview. She continued: 'He said: 'You should have pockets in that agenda', I said: 'What can you do? Hermès don't make it with pockets', to which he replied: 'I am Hermès'." 'I think I drew it on the sick bag - or the not-be-sick bag. And (Dumas) said: 'I'll make it for you',' Birkin told "Vogue". That conversation ignited the inspiration that ultimately morphed into one of the most coveted handbags in fashion history. After Birkin's passing in 2023, the original bag, which she had generously donated in 1994 to support the French Aids charity, Association Solidarité Sida, was acquired in 2000 by Catherine Benier, a vintage store owner and collector based in Paris. The prototype heading to the auction block at Sotheby's in Paris on Thursday, July 10, is unlike any other Birkin. Over the years, the Birkin bag has become a symbol of luxury and status, often fetching astronomical sums at auctions. However, this particular piece comes with a rich history, exhibited in prestigious venues like MoMA in New York and the V&A Museum in London, it has been regarded as more than just a handbag; it embodies the "soul" of early Birkin designs. 'This bag was the very beginning of Le Birkin and we know Jane was proud to have it,' said Aurélie Vassy, head of handbags and fashion at Sotheby's.