Jane Birkin’s original Hermes bag sold for over RM42mil in an intense auction

Sketched out on an air sickness bag, the first Birkin handbag – the prototype for fashion's must-have accessory – sold for a staggering €8.6mil (approximately RM42.8mil), including fees, on Thursday (July 10) in Paris to become the second most valuable fashion item ever sold at auction. The winning bid of €7mil (RM34.9mil) drew gasps and applause from the audience....

Matcha: the Japanese tea taking over the world

Matcha is the new drink of choice at hip cafes worldwide, but Japanese producers are struggling to keep up with soaring demand for the powdered green tea. Here's what you need to know about the drink beloved of weekend treat-seekers and "wellness" influencers: What is matcha? The word matcha means "ground tea" in Japanese and comes in the...

Coffee helps with healthy ageing, but cola could be a problem: Study

Drinking coffee could help women age more healthily, while cola could do the opposite, according to researchers from Harvard University, Tufts University and the University of Toronto. A team of scientists speaking at the May 31 – June 3 Nutrition 2025 conference in Orlando say they found indications that "regular coffee intake in midlife were modestly...

Feeling powerless at work? You need a change in perspective

Whether it’s feeling left out of important decisions, not daring to speak up in meetings or ­thinking that everything has already been decided, for many employees, their lack of power at work engenders a form of despondency. Yet a recent study suggests that a simple change of perspective could be enough to help reverse the situation. It...

QuickCheck: Is there a European ‘delicacy’ that has live maggots?

WHEN it comes to culinary adventures, Europe is known for stretching the limits of the palate. From blue-veined Roquefort to fragrant Limburger, cheese-lovers have long been tempted by bold flavours and daring textures. But is there really a traditional dish that takes things to a whole new level – complete with wriggling, live maggots? Verdict: TRUE Europe’s storied culinary landscape...

Delicious end to a Malaysian night

PETALING JAYA: Whether it involves working graveyard shifts or simply socialising with friends late at night for a “lepak” session, Malaysians cannot resist the urge for supper. For many, having supper has become a habit that is difficult to kick. Mohd Sabri Abdul Halim, 35, said that he agreed that Malaysians have a late-night eating culture due...

Shining light on ‘glue work,’ the overlooked tasks that keep the show on the road

Take a high-performing team. Then look more closely. Who schedules the meetings, writes the minutes, welcomes newcomers, liaises between departments? They may not be the most visible person or the one most highly praised by management. Yet without them, everything loses momentum. They do a form of invisible work that is rarely talked about in companies. Picture...

QuickCheck: Are crooked teeth the result of genetic factors?

CROOKED teeth, or malocclusion, are a common dental concern that affects many individuals worldwide – so much so that there are multi-billion dollar industries built around getting and maintaining pearly whites! This dental condition, characterised by misaligned or irregularly spaced teeth, can impact both oral health and self-esteem. Some dentists will recommend early tooth extraction to make...

QuickCheck: Does eating late at night make you fat?

You’ve probably heard the age-old warning: “Don’t eat after 8pm or you’ll gain weight!” Late-night snacking has earned a bad reputation, often blamed for increasing the scales and sabotaging diets. From your parents to your fitness-junkie friend, they swear by this rule. However, is there any truth to this claim, or is it just another food myth that...

Why some people remember their dreams and others don’t

Some people open their eyes and remember their dream perfectly, while for others it's a complete blank. This mysterious difference has intrigued scientists for decades, and is now the focus of a new study published in the journal Communications Psychology. In it, researchers explore the mechanisms that influence dream memory, highlighting the various factors involved. Previous studies had already...