A rare Indian necklace featuring some of the world’s oldest and largest diamonds is going on sale with an asking price of $20 million.
The 17th century Mughal Golconda mirror diamond necklace features five pendants each made up of a table-cut diamond and an emerald in a gold setting. Suspended from a gold and cream woven cord, the jewellery boasts the largest-known matching set of flat diamonds from Mughal India and is going on private sale at Bonham’s in London.
Matthew Girling, chief executive of Bonham’s for UK and Europe, said the 28.00 carat table-cut diamond in the central pendant is the biggest on record. He added that a necklace of such beauty and rarity would be a worthy addition to a museum.
Baby is born on trolleybus
A woman gave birth to a baby girl on a trolleybus in Bratislava, the Slovakian capital’s transport authority have said.
“The woman was taking the 204 trolleybus to the Kramare teaching hospital on Tuesday evening when her labour began,” spokesman Agata Stanekova said.
“Her partner told the driver, who called the ambulance immediately. It arrived within minutes and the paramedics helped the woman give birth while still on board,” she added.
Silvia, a 31-year-old mother of five, and her baby daughter Jennifer were taken to the nearby hospital.
The mother and the baby are both doing well.
Court backs cannabis curb
Plans to introduce a “weed pass” to prevent foreigners from buying marijuana in coffee shops in the Netherlands have been upheld by a judge.
A lawyer for coffee shop owners says he will file an urgent appeal against yesterday’s ruling by a judge at The Hague District court. The ruling clears the way for the introduction of the pass in southern provinces on May 1. The pass will roll out in the rest of the country next year.
In a written ruling, the court agreed with government lawyer Eric Daalder that the fight against criminality linked to the drug trade justified the measure.
Amsterdam, whose scores of coffee shops are a major tourism drawcard, opposes the plan, and mayor Eberhard van der Laan says he wants to hammer out a compromise.
Fingers stuck in bank ATM
Australian firefighters have performed one of their most unusual rescues – freeing an elderly woman whose fingers got stuck in a bank ATM.
The fire service was called to a Sydney hospital after security guards found the women distressed with three of her fingers jammed in the slot that dispenses cash. The crew prised the front panel away from the machine to free her.
“I’ve been in the job 37 years and never had one of these,” firefighter Steve Webb said.
Monkeying around
Recent downpours have failed to dampen the spirits of a troop of monkeys at a safari park.
The rhesus monkeys have turned puddles at Longleat Safari and Adventure Park in Wiltshire into temporary wet play areas.
Deputy head keeper, Ian Turner said: “I was particularly interested to observe them watching their own reflections in the water. They seemed to be captivated by their own image and it really brings home how intelligent they are.”