In their tributes, his fellow marines recounted how he had once rescued a cow that had got trapped in barbed wire near their base, and treated its injuries.

BBC: Marine killed in attack is named

While historically dependent on the export of bananas and coffee, Honduras has diversified its export base to include apparel and automobile wire harnessing.

FORBES: Honduras

Upon returning to base and landing, he caught an arresting wire attached to an anchor chain, dragging it along the runway.

FORBES: Neil Armstrong's Immortal Footprint

For the first approach, he shapes a wettened cone of clay on a fast-spinning wheel, gradually turning a small dimple in the top into a bowl shape, which he smooths with a deerskin cloth and releases from its base with one quick draw of a taut wire.

BBC: The art of Japan

But for Mr Aso, Mr Kingston says, the incident has swiftly turned into a high-wire act in which he must reassure Japan's neighbours without destroying his own conservative base.

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