Some interesting items from the other side of the world tonight, beginning with The Smithsonian:
The Super-cute Eastern Quoll Returns to Mainland Australia
Wiped out by a mystery disease and non-native foxes, the spotted, cat-sized predator is being reintroduced in Booderee National Park
From The Straits Times:
BANGKOK • Thailand and Malaysia have agreed to proceed with a plan to build a border wall in Thailand's southern province of Songkhla, as part of efforts to strengthen security operations and fight transnational crime, the Bangkok Post reported yesterday.
The agreement was reached during the 54th meeting of the Thai-Malaysian General Border Committee in Bangkok chaired by Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan and his Malaysian counterpart Hishammuddin Hussein.
Also from Thailand, via khaosodenglish.com
Summer is here in full force, and it’s now time to consider anai aircon staycation at least until the water guns come out in a month’s time.
All of Thailand will experience peak heat of 40C next week, state meteorologists announced Friday, a normal trend for mid-March.
The hottest Bangkok will get is between 34C and 40C. Nationwide, the hottest days will be Tuesday through Thursday.
From The Straits Times:
PARIS (WASHINGTON POST) - The French appreciate their holidays so much that one small business owner was fined 3,000 euro (S$4,800) for not taking one.
In France, everyone is required to take a day off per week. Even if you run your own business. That lesson was learned the hard way by Cedric Vaivre, who owns a bakery in the tourist region of Lake Bakey in Lusigny-sur-Barse, which is about 120 miles south-east of Paris.
Also from The Straits Times:
SINGAPORE - A New Zealand family of four who turned up at Caribbean at Keppel Bay expecting to pick up apartment keys for a four-night stay booked on Airbnb were devastated when they were told such short-term rents were outlawed.
The case highlights problems with allowing rental listings for illegal stays as consumers may be none the wiser.F
From the Washington Post comes a story about snakes:
He had been known for his way with venomous snakes. Pictures and videos of Abu Zarin Hussin show him taking a selfie with his pet cobra, and also exercising at the gym, doing work on his computer and watching TV with the slithering serpent next to him.
He even kissed snakes on the mouth.
From The Seattle TImes:
The Associated Press
PARIS (AP) — France’s anti-fraud body says it has uncovered a huge scam in which a merchant tried to sell more than 48 million liters (some 12.7 million gallons) of wine falsely labeled as Cotes-du-Rhone.
The DGCRF said in its annual report Friday that the fraud encompassed the equivalent of 13 Olympic-sized swimming pools full of wine.
About 20 million liters (5.3 million gallons) of the fake Cotes-du-Rhone were offered for sale between 2013 and 2016 through the scam, including 1 million liters (264,000 gallons) bearing the prestigious Chateauneuf-du-Pape name. Investigators seized a 100,000-liter (26,400-gallon) vat of the latter wine.
From The Local (French news)
Pensioners across France are set to protest on Thursday in towns and cities across France. Their anger has been directed at President Emmanuel Macron and this week some of them let him know in person.
France's elderly population will march through the streets in towns and cities across the country on Thursday in anger at a move by the government they claim is hitting them hard in the pocket.
Pensioners were the main losers of President Emmanuel Macron's first budget mainly due to the 1.7 percentage point hike in the CSG social charge - a levy deducted from salaries and pensions that goes towards paying for France's social security system.
We saw a march in protest of that move in a large town in the south yesterday.
Sorry this is a bit short — it is late and I have to get up early in the morning. Enjoy the shorter selection and feel free to add your own news in the comments.