News from Around the World (4/11)

A 15th Century Cathedral Transformed into a Modern Bookstore - I'm not sure if I want to be happy or sad over this news.

Abandoned Wal-Mart Converted into the Country's Largest Single-Story Library - This is much better, definitely more happy with this story.

Tiananmen Mystery: Can China Hold an Open Terror Trial? - China’s new generation of leaders can now show that the Bo Xilai trial was not an aberration. After that trial, the Study Times, a weekly Party journal, wrote that the gestures of transparency “displayed China’s confidence: the confidence of the rule of law; confidence of the facts; confidence of the ability to distinguish right from wrong.” An open terror trial is another opportunity. 

The World's Most Depressing Museum - Most cities have monuments to the past, so it seems appropriate, given the bloody history of Iraqi Kurdistan, that Sulaymaniyah's main tourist attraction is a torture museum.

FAA to allow use of electronic devices during flights - The FAA’s current policy forces passengers to turn off most portable electronic devices, such as smartphones, laptops, tablet computers and e-readers, during takeoffs and landings -- technically, below 10,000 feet. The fear is that the devices might interfere with flight equipment. However, surveys have showed that many passengers do not turn off their devices, either intentionally or accidentally.