News and notes from around the interweb:

• How to Claim a VAT Refund

• North Korean Air Koryo flight made an emergency landing in China

• The emerging field of ‘cute studies’ can help us understand the dark side of adorableness.

  

• Last summer I made the point that it was strange for the US airlines to criticize Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar… but not Turkish whose original name translated into English as State Airlines Administration (it was then renamed General Directorate of State Airlines).

  The 49% government-owned airline received initial aircraft and capital from the government — for the first 50 years of its existence. Turkish flies to more countries than any other airline, clearly some at a loss. And now the government just ousted the airline’s CFO in the aftermath of the country’s failed coup. Remind me why Etihad, Qatar, and Emirates are a special case?

• Starwood is offering double points at Tribute Portfolio hotels registration required.