Starting in our own neck of the woods with a wild waiters’ race in Paris, and ending in the (not really) Instagrammable halls of Japan’s imperial palace, here’s a quick world tour of the internationally weird:
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A French waiter’s Olympic Games
WHERE?
Paris, France
WHAT?
About 200 Parisian waiters raced a two-kilometer loop around the French capital’s City Hall, rekindling the “Course Des Cafés“: a tradition that dates back from the early 20th century by that had not taken place for the past 12 years. The “serveurs,” clad in traditional white shirts, black trousers, black aprons, and bow ties, attempted to carry a tray loaded with a croissant, a glass full of water, and an empty coffee cup with one hand without spilling — at a brisk pace, but without running. Coffee to go, je présume?
No more monkeying around in Thailand
WHERE?
Central Thailand
WHAT?
Thai wildlife authorities have come up with a plan to put an end to the monkey invasion that has been causing mayhem in cities in central Thailand. Many have blamed the monkey business on negligent tourists and residents feeding monkeys in non-monkey-feeding areas, therefore drawing the cheeky creatures into the city. The plan? Simply capturing and relocating 2,500 monkeys to a larger enclosure. So far, authorities have reportedly managed to captured 37 monkeys.
Emo the “smiling” robot
WHERE?
Columbia University, New York, U.S.
WHAT?
Meet Emo, the eerie robot that can anticipate and mimic human facial expressions — including, errr, “smiling” — within 840 milliseconds. It has taken Colombia University’s Creative Machine Lab five years to perfect Emo’s skills and reflexes, using 26 separate actuators to mimic facial expression features. Emo’s eyes also feature cameras, designed to track the eyes of a human conversation partner, just like people do. The robot’s creators hope to narrow the gap between human expression and robotic expression.
Now, who designed that font?
WHERE?
Germany
WHAT?
The German Football Association (DFB) said on Monday that it will redesign the number “4” on the country’s national jerseys after social media users pointed out the resemblance between a 44 jersey and the logo of the SS (Schutzstaffel) Nazi paramilitary units. While the number is not currently used by the German men’s or women’s teams, the uniform supplier Adidas said it would “block the number 44 as quickly as possible.”
0.3 seconds on the clock
WHERE?
Limerick, Ireland
WHAT?
Limerick Sport Eagles beat Portlaoise Panthers 80-78 in March but the game ended in controversial fashion, with free throws (which ended up being decisive) awarded as the buzzer sounded. After much back and forth, the National League Committee ruled the game would not be replayed in full — but instead only the remaining 0.3 seconds. How much are the tickets for that?!
Fu Bao’s travels
WHERE?
South Korea/China
WHAT?
Thousands of well-wishers gathered in Yongin, South Korea on Wednesday to bid farewell to Fu Bao, the first giant panda born in the country, as she left to be flown to China. Fu Bao’ parents were gifted to South Korea in 2016, as part of Beijing’s so-called Panda Diplomacy, which asks that any offspring are returned to China. She is now being quarantined at a wildlife reserve in southwestern China, where she is expected to join a breeding program, and hopefully help perpetuate panda cuteness forever.
Botswana’s tusk force
WHERE?
Botswana/Germany
WHAT?
Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi has “threatened” to send 20,000 elephants to Germany, as part of a conservation dispute between the two countries. Germany proposed stricter limits on importing hunting trophies, leading Botswana to emphasize the necessity of hunting to manage the elephant population. Botswana, home to a significant elephant population, faces the challenges of herds damaging property and crops. Discussions continue between Botswana and Germany regarding import rules, amid broader international debates on trophy hunting and ivory trade bans.
#JapanImperialFamily
WHERE?
Tokyo, Japan
WHAT?
The world’s oldest continual hereditary monarchy entered the age of social media on Monday, when some 19 images were posted by Japan’s Imperial Household Agency (IHA). The Instagram debut for Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and their daughter, Princess Aiko, included a medical award ceremony and bonsai exhibit. Kardashians, watch out!
