Japan: Botanists baffled by rapid growth of ’space cherry’
A tree grown from a cherry pit that traveled in space five years ago with astronaut Koichi Wakata, now commander of the International Space Station, has bloomed far ahead of what is normal--to the astonishment of botanists. ... (Read more)
Asahi
Wales: 21 things you only remember from your childhood if you’re Welsh
There are some things that only a child growing up in Wales would remember. …
Everyone in Wales has heard of Llanfair PG [Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch] by the time they’re five. It takes a little longer to learn to say it all and then a lifetime of having to put up with being asked to say it by English friends … (Read more)
Wales Online
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch is a village community in Wales.
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch railway station. (Wikimedia Commons)
New Zealand: NZ ditching monarchy is ‘inevitable’
It is “inevitable'' that New Zealand will ditch the monarchy and become a republic, Sir Don McKinnon says. ...
‘‘[There are] 54 countries in the Commonwealth, only 16 are realms, and I can tell you now that one Caribbean publicly, and three Caribbean, privately are probably going to give up that relationship with the monarchy when the Queen dies. So it is a diminishing group of countries, and the important thing is for us to openly and candidly debate the issue.’' ... (Read more)
New Zealand Herald
Germany: Spraying history on Munich’s walls
Munich, the birthplace of modern graffiti in Germany, wants to promote street art. But is legal graffiti still fun? Some artists see subsidies as interference, while property owners are already calculating removal costs. ... (Read more)
Deutsche Welle
Romania: Saharan dust cloud moves over Romania this weekend
A Saharan dust cloud which has been affecting several Western European countries will move East and arrive above Romania’s territory this weekend, but its effects should be slim, specialists say. ... (Read more)
Romania Insider
Latin America: Chinese technology failures and cheap imports are a growing concern for many Latin America countries
China badly needs a shining success in space cooperation to boost Latin America’s confidence in Beijing’s space technology after the disastrous launch failure late last year of a much touted, expensive Brazilian Earth-observing satellite. …
Not only do Latin American nations have concerns about Chinese technology, but they also are leery of China’s trade and commercial practices that are often mercantilist in nature and hamper development of indigenous culture and ecology. … (Read more)
Cuenca High Life
Peru: Authorities Confiscate Archaeological Pieces from Cusco Stores
Authorities in Cusco confiscated Inca and pre-Inca ceramics and textiles that were being sold to tourists in stores in the city’s historic center. ... (Read more)
Peruvian Times
*Image of cherry blossom via Shutterstock
