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Paris Ritz: Missing €750k ring found in hotel vacuum bag

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A €750,000 (£643,000) ring, initially reported missing at the Ritz hotel in Paris, has been discovered inside a vacuum cleaner. The owner, a Malaysian businesswoman staying at the hotel, suspected theft by an employee and filed a police complaint on Friday. Ritz security guards found the ring in the vacuum bag on Sunday, resolving the mystery. Despite the guest having traveled to London, she plans to return to Paris to retrieve her ring.

The Ritz extended an offer of three additional nights to compensate for the inconvenience caused to the guest, but she is reportedly not interested in taking up the offer. The hotel expressed gratitude for the security guards’ meticulous efforts in locating the missing ring and commended their integrity and professionalism.

According to the businesswoman, she left the ring on a table in her hotel room on Friday while she went shopping in the city. Upon her return, the ring was nowhere to be found. The police are currently safeguarding the ring until the owner can collect it.

This incident is not the first time that valuable items have gone missing at the Ritz hotel. In 2018, a group of five armed men stole over €4m (£3.5m) worth of merchandise from a jewelry shop within the renowned establishment. Additionally, later that year, an unnamed member of the Saudi royal family reported the theft of hundreds of thousands of pounds’ worth of jewelry from her hotel room suite.

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Two arrested in France over alleged bedbug scam

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In France, two individuals have been arrested for allegedly scamming elderly people by convincing them to pay exorbitant amounts for unnecessary bedbug treatments. The suspects, operating in Strasbourg, would visit the homes of their victims, conduct fictitious inspections, and then exploit the situation by overcharging for purported treatment products. The victims, numbering 48 in total, were predominantly elderly women, many of whom were over 90 years old. This fraudulent activity comes amid a growing concern over the rise of bedbug infestations across France, prompting government officials to consider measures to address the issue.

The modus operandi of the alleged scammers involved contacting potential victims, informing them of a bedbug infestation in their neighborhood. Subsequently, the suspects would visit the targeted individuals’ homes, posing as health officials. They would simulate a treatment process using aerosol sprays, then offer a supposed bug-repelling ointment, which, in reality, was a basic eucalyptus-scented cream. The victims, unaware of the scam, were charged varying amounts ranging from €300 to €2,100. Authorities received a total of nine formal complaints related to suspected fraud, leading to the surveillance and arrest of the suspects as they left the residence of an alleged victim in Strasbourg.

The escalating bedbug issue in France has raised concerns about its potential spread, with fears that Parisian infestations could impact other cities, including London. London mayor Sadiq Khan expressed apprehension about the threat to the capital’s public transport system, emphasizing efforts to prevent a similar problem. In October, he reported engaging with counterparts in Paris and officials at Transport For London to collaborate on strategies aimed at averting the potential spread of bedbug-related challenges.

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Dire Straits star Mark Knopfler to auction Brothers In Arms guitars

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Dire Straits star Mark Knopfler is preparing to auction over 120 of his guitars and amps, with a notable 25% of the proceeds earmarked for charitable causes. Among the instruments up for sale is the iconic 1983 Les Paul that Knopfler used to record hits like “Money For Nothing” and played on stage at Live Aid in 1985. The auction, scheduled for January at Christie’s in London, spans the entirety of Knopfler’s illustrious 50-year career, offering fans a chance to own a piece of music history.

The collection boasts a range of guitars, including the revered 1959 Gibson Les Paul with a sunburst finish, often referred to as the “Holy Grail of electric guitars.” This particular instrument carries an estimated value between £300,000 to £500,000. In keeping with Knopfler’s diverse musical influences, the auction also includes more accessible items, such as a mandolin once owned by blues legend Yank Rachell, with an estimated value of £300 to £500. Knopfler expressed his appreciation for both the expensive and more affordable instruments, stating, “I like the cheap ones as much as the expensive ones.”

Mark Knopfler, considered one of the greatest guitar virtuosos of all time, shared his sentiment about parting with his beloved instruments, citing his age as a primary factor. The 74-year-old musician emphasized his desire for the guitars to find new owners who will play and appreciate them, rather than being confined to cases. Knopfler’s guitars have been companions throughout his career, contributing to the distinctive sound of Dire Straits and his solo work.

Reflecting on his lifelong connection with the guitar, Knopfler reminisced about his childhood fascination with the instrument, inspired by the likes of Elvis Presley and Hank Marvin of The Shadows. His journey began with a Spanish guitar plucked off the wall of a shop in Newcastle, England, where he spent hours dreaming of owning his own instrument. Despite initially yearning for a Fiesta Red Fender Stratocaster, he received a twin-pickup Höfner Super Solid, sparking a lifelong love affair with the instrument.

The decision to part with his cherished guitars, including the first lot—a twin-pickup Höfner Super Solid—is rooted in practicality. Knopfler acknowledged owning around 20 guitars for recording purposes, leaving approximately 100 others that won’t see much play. Despite the bittersweet farewell, he emphasized having enough guitars left to continue playing and creating music. The guitars will be on display in New York and London before the auction, allowing fans to witness these iconic instruments up close.

Mark Knopfler’s illustrious career began with the formation of Dire Straits in 1977, and the band achieved widespread success with albums like “Brothers in Arms.” Beyond his role in Dire Straits, Knopfler engaged in session work for notable artists, contributed to film soundtracks, and forged a successful solo career. Known for his fluid and cinematic guitar solos, he downplayed his technical prowess, attributing his success to songwriting and storytelling. The auction proceeds will benefit charities such as the Red Cross, Tusk, and Brave Hearts of the North East, showcasing Knopfler’s commitment to philanthropy even as he bids farewell to some of his most cherished possessions.

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Oil protesters throw soup on Van Gogh’s Sunflowers painting

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Apparently tomato soup cans have been hurled over a Van Gogh painting of sunflowers at the National Gallery in London by environmental protestors. Two persons were captured on camera opening tins, throwing the contents onto the artwork, and then sticking their hands to the wall while wearing Just Stop Oil T-shirts.
 
Two people, according to the Metropolitan Police, have been detained. The picture was declared to be undamaged by the gallery because it was protected by glass. According to a statement from the Trafalgar Square location: “This morning at little after 11 a.m., two individuals entered Room 43 of the National Gallery.

“The two appeared to have applied wall glue to the area next to Van Gogh’s Sunflowers (1888). Additionally, they daubed the artwork with a red material that appeared to be tomato soup.

“The room was cleared of visitors and police were called. Officers are now on the scene.

“There is some minor damage to the frame but the painting is unharmed.

“Two people have been arrested.”

Officers were on the scene at the National Gallery this morning after two Just Stop Oil protestors threw something over a picture and then fastened themselves to a wall, according to the Metropolitan Police.

“Both have been detained on suspicion of aggravated trespass and criminal mischief. Currently, officers are de-bonding them.

Videos of the event on Friday captured a protester yelling, “What is worth more? Or life, is it? Is it more valuable than food? More valuable than the law? Are the protection of our planet and its inhabitants more important to you than the preservation of a painting?

Additionally, she made mention of the rising cost of living and the “millions of hungry, chilly families” who “can’t even afford to heat a can of soup.”

Van Gogh painted seven sunflower-themed pieces between 1888 and 1889, five of which are currently on exhibit in galleries and museums around the globe. They were made by the artist to adorn his home in Arles, France, before his friend and fellow artist Paul Gauguin paid him a visit.

The sunflower paintings are “among Van Gogh’s most recognisable and best-loved masterpieces,” according to the exhibition.

Three months prior, individuals from the same group covered John Constable’s The Hay Wain in the same gallery with paper using tape.

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Rare Conjoined twins successfully separated in London

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Safa and Marwa, the rare conjoined twins from Pakistan were successfully separated in Great Ormond Street Hospital, London. The twins were born by caesarian section in early January 2017 in Peshawar, Pakistan.

The two year old twins had undergone three major operations to separate their heads at the Great Ormond Street Hospital.


Safa and Marwa

They had their first operation at the age of just 19 months in October 2018.

This was a very rare case where the girls were craniopagus twins, with their skulls and blood vessels fused together. Craniopagus twins are those who will be fused at the cranium.

According to Britain’s National Health Service, one in every 2.5 million births produces conjoined twins and only 5% of them are fused at the head.

The hospital had previously separated craniopagus twins in 2006 and 2011, which was all successful.

The technology of virtual reality and 3D printing had been used in the surgery, for creating an exact model of the girls’ anatomy. This helped the doctors to view the complex structure of their skulls as well as the positioning of their brains and blood vessels.

Four major operations with a total time of 55 hours had been done in this medical case with about 100 medical staff included. Reports said that all the amount was funded by a private donor.

The girls were discharged from the hospital and sent with their mother Zainab and their grandfather Mohammad Sadat Hussain.

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