And once again, we set off for a quick trip around the world with interesting news that you probably won’t see anywhere else today.
Vietnam: Apple looks to status-hungry Vietnam for growth
Bich Ngoc, who earns less than $60 a week and has a newborn son, cobbled together four months of savings to buy the latest iPhone so she could impress her colleagues who have older versions of the device. ... (Read more)
Thanhnien News
Japan: Tea brought temporary relief to kamikaze pilots in training
To spread the word of peace among younger generations, Sen Genshitsu recalls his days in the kamikaze suicide corps, a time filled with the fear of death when friends could disappear forever.
But he said he wonders if young people actually understand the words and message he relays in his postwar lectures. World War II ended before Sen could be sent on a suicide mission, and he went on to become head master of a famed tea ceremony school. ... (Read more)
Asahi Shimbun
Poland: Early start to summer sales
Singapore: Universal Studios Singapore the top amusement park in Asia
Overall, the Sentosa attraction came in eighth in the world in this year’s TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards. ... (Read more)
Thai PBS
Iceland: Swiss traveller to cross Iceland by tractor
A Swiss man who is touring Europe on a tractor has arrived in Iceland for the next leg of his journey.
Retired theatre technician Reiner Huttasch is fulfilling a lifelong dream by travelling around the continent on his 54-year-old Buhler tractor. He arrived at the North Atlantic island’s port of Seyðisfjörður after taking the ferry from Denmark, and now intends to circumnavigate the country’s picturesque coastal road. ... (Read more)
Ice News
Hawaii: Thank you for not feeding the feral cats
If you really want to help the feral cats, don’t feed them.
I live in a community complex that, for years, has always had a few feral cats hanging out in the surrounding bushes. I couldn’t help but admire these mysterious survivors — they were sleek, smart, totally independent and perfectly self-maintaining. And as a result of their presence and natural skills, we had no pesky rodents, but still plenty of birds.
Norway: Norwegian fruit industry in a jam
The latest report from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Bioforsk shows that 84 percent of fruits and berries in Norwegian stores contain pesticide residues. Last year’s report found a figure of 74 percent, which means a 13 percent increase in one year. ... (Read more)
The Local
*Image of cat sunning on rocks by the ocean in Oahu, Hawaii via Shutterstock