Why are the European Ariane rockets launched from the Korou site in French-Guyana, South-America, and not simply from some place in Europe where the rockets are partly built?

Why does a flash of lightning take only an instant, while the corresponding thunder can last for a few seconds? You might have expected that that the sound is caused by the flash, and that the thunder should therefore be audible also for an instant.

A thief in ancient times was caught stealing from the king. The usual punishment for the crime was death but the thief begged for mercy. The king decided to be lenient and let the thief choose his own way to die. Which way did the thief choose?