Sweden: Blind Swede regains sight after 13 years
A Swedish pensioner has miraculously regained her eyesight after spending more than a decade in the dark.
Ulla Sjöö from Ljungby in southern Sweden lost her vision 13 years ago after suffering a stroke. The 71-year-old was more than a little surprised when she woke up over the Christmas period and was able to make out the chandelier in her home when she opened her eyes. ...
The Local
Korea: Riding into the new year
Symbolizing power, speed, horses remain close to Koreans throughout history.
While the horses are used for leisurely riding in modern Korea, people on the peninsula have had a relationship with the animal since prehistoric times.
For Koreans, the horse has been a stable source of nutrition, a dear friend, an efficient means of transportation, and a symbol of power. ...
The Korea Herald
Germany: Dog poop study points to canine ‘inner compass’
German researchers studying squatting dogs doing their business have found the pooches have an “inner compass” that may help explain how they find their way home over great distances.
When the four-legged friends stop during a walk to defecate or urinate, they tend to do so along a north-south axis, provided the earth’s magnetic field is stable at the time, the scientists said on Friday. ...
The Local
Wales: The Welshman who climbed up a mountain and came down to tend his flock
Climber’s quest to scale one of Snowdonia’s most infamous climbs is captured on celluloid and wins a host of awards.
It is the critically-acclaimed story of a Welshman who climbed up a mountain but came down to tend his flock.
Defaid a Dringo (Sheep and Climbing), a film about unlikely adventurer Ioan Doyle and his personal quest to scale one of Snowdonia’s most infamous climbing challenges, has scooped a host of international awards. ...
Wales Online
Australia: Aussie to walk long trail of WWI
Australians tipped to follow the trail from Belgium to Montebrehain in France to mark 100 years since WWI.
Australia’s World War I campaign in Europe didn’t actually begin until 1916 but commemorations for the outbreak of hostilities is expecting to attract record crowds this year. ...
Herald Sun
Russia: 52 Russians Shortlisted For One-Way Mission to Mars
A non-profit organization preparing a one-way manned mission to Mars has shortlisted 52 Russians among the aspiring astronauts who want to become the first settlers to live and die on the red planet.
The Netherlands-based Mars One said it had picked 1,058 potential space travelers from a pool of 200,000 people from more than 100 countries who had applied for a spot on a flight that is expected to take off in 2024. ...
The Moscow Times
Brazil: Scorching Temperatures Continue in Rio: Daily
The high temperatures that gripped Rio de Janeiro this last week will continue over the weekend. According to estimates from the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET), Rio residents should only catch a break on Sunday, January 5th when a cold front moves in. During the weekend, heavy but fleeting rains may occur in Northern and Western areas.
Yesterday’s highest reached a boiling 50°C (122 F) in Rio’s Zona Oeste (West Zone) of Jacarepaguá and nearly 40°C (104 F) on the coast, drawing a crowd of sunbathers and beachgoers to Rio’s famous beaches, enjoying the sun and refreshing ocean temperatures. ...
The Rio Times
