Free Republic

It’s one of the richest, fattiest fruits and treated as a delicacy across Southeast Asia. It’s also known for its pungent reputation, which once led to the evacuation of an Australian university campus. It’s even banned from being carried on subways, aboard airplanes and in certain hotels overseas. Durian, with its bright yellow meaty interior, is a fruit you either love or hate — and it’s coming to a Bay Area Costco near you in pint-sized ice cream form this October, dreamed up by the two sisters behind San Jose-based Mavens Creamery. “Some things just can’t be explained,” said Christine...

An Indonesian airliner was delayed for an hour after passengers complained of an overpowering stench released from a load of the notorious thorny fruit durian, according to reports. About 2 tons of the world’s stinkiest fruit was in the cargo hold of the Jakarta-bound Sriwijaya Air flight at Bengkulu in Sumatra, the BBC reported. Boyke Ledy Watra, a reporter with Indonesia’s Antara news agency who was aboard the fetid flight, said passengers began arguing with the crew — with some almost coming to blows with flight attendants. The airline eventually agreed to remove the offending fruit and the plane took...

How's this for a Sunday morning exercise - take part in a 5km run, do it for a good cause and at the end of it, feast on the king of fruits. The catch? Participants must run carrying a durian for the entire 5km route. That is exactly what the Run for Good Durian Run is about. Organised by the Central Singapore CDC and the Ang Mo Kio-Hougang CCC, the run will take place on Jul 23 in Hougang. For S$15, participants get a T-shirt, a whole durian, a medal and a coconut after finishing the run, and a chance...

(BANGKOK)--Thai scientist, Professor Songpol Somsri, has successfully cultivated an odourless durian. Chantaburi 1 is the world's first cultivated durian that is guaranteed not to exude that unmistakable smell. The durian is either the king of fruits and a delicacy to some or a smelly inconvenience to others. With the advent of an odourless durian, people who were previously completely turned off by the fruit may be able to enjoy it now. At the same time, durian lovers may turn their noses up at the mere idea of the fruit without its famous fragrance. Professor Songpol said by cultivating Chantaburi 1,...

(2nd UPDATE) MUDFLOWS from the slopes of the Mayon volcano, triggered by heavy rains from typhoon "Reming" (international codename: Durian) buried at least eight villages, killing up to 20 people and prompting search and rescue operations for an unspecified number of missing, local and disaster officials said Friday. But the Associated Press, quoting a report by Legazpi City Mayor Noel Rosal, said that up to 100 people may have been killed or injured in one village after it was swamped by rain-soaked volcanic debris. Padang is on the foothills of the volcano, which erupted in July, depositing millions of...

<p>SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- A box of smelly tropical fruit sprinkled with carpet deodorizer sparked an aviation alert in Australia on Thursday.</p> <p>A Virgin Blue flight from the eastern city of Brisbane was delayed by four hours after cargo handlers noticed a pungent smell coming from the plane's baggage hold.</p>