Kim Sae-ron's death sparks discussion on toxic internet culture in South Korea
South Korean actor Kim Sae-ron’s death this week has triggered an outpouring of grief and calls for changes to the way the country’s celebrities are treated in the public arena and on social media, which critics say can foster a culture of harassment. The 24-year-old began her career as a child actor and earned acclaim for her roles in several domestic films, including the 2010 crime noir “The Man from Nowhere.” She was found dead by a friend at her home in the country’s capital, Seoul, on Sunday. Her death was assumed to be a suicide. Police say they don't suspect foul play and that Kim left no note.
Decorated pilot Harry Stewart, Jr., one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, dies at 100
Retired Lt. Col. Harry Stewart Jr, one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, has died. He was 100. Stewart was one of the last surviving combat pilots of the famed 332nd Fighter Group who were the nation's first military pilots. Stewart earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for downing three German aircraft during a dogfight on April 1, 1945. He was also part of a team of four Tuskegee Airmen who won the U.S. Air Force Top Gun flying competition in 1949. The Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Museum confirmed his passing. The organization said he passed peacefully at his home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan on Sunday.
One of the last Navajo Code Talkers from World War II dies at 107
One of the last remaining Navajo Code Talkers who transmitted messages during World War II using the tribe's native language has died. John Kinsel Sr. was 107. Navajo Nation officials in Window Rock, Arizona, announced Kinsel’s death on Saturday. Tribal President Buu Nygren has ordered all flags on the reservation to be flown at half-staff to honor Kinsel. Hundreds of Navajos were recruited by the Marines to serve as Code Talkers during the war, transmitting messages using a code based on their then-unwritten native language. Code Talkers participated in all assaults the Marines led in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945, including at Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Peleliu and Iwo Jima.
Waffle House Index helps Southerners and FEMA judge a hurricane's severity
For some residents of storm-prone Southeastern states, the best indicator of a hurricane's severity can be found at the local Waffle House. If the Georgia-based restaurant chain stays open in town, neighbors are reassured that the coming storm is unlikely to cause devastation. A closed location of the dependable diner chain has come to indicate impending disaster. What might sound like silly logic has become one of the most reliable ways for Southerners and even federal officials to gauge a storm’s severity and identify communities most in need of immediate aid. The Waffle House Index was created by a federal emergency management official and is still used today.
IRS collects milestone $1 billion in back taxes from high-wealth taxpayers
The IRS has collected $1 billion in back taxes from high-wealth tax cheats — a milestone meant to showcase how the agency is making use of the money it received as part of the Biden administration’s signature climate, health care and tax package signed into law in 2022. The announcement Thursday comes as the much-maligned agency shows the public how much work it is getting done. In a statement, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen praises the Inflation Reduction Act for “increasing tax fairness and ensuring that all wealthy taxpayers pay the taxes they owe, just like working families do.”
Dr. Ruth Westheimer, pioneering sex therapist, has died
Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the diminutive sex therapist who became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics, has died. She was 96. Westheimer never advocated risky sexual behavior. Instead, she encouraged an open dialogue on previously closeted issues that affected her audience of millions. Her one recurring theme was there was nothing to be ashamed of. Westheimer’s giggly, German-accented voice, coupled with her 4-foot-7 frame, made her an unlikely looking — and sounding — outlet for “sexual literacy.” The contradiction was one of the keys to her success. She died Friday at her home in New York City, surrounded by family.
Angry birds fight drones on patrol for sharks and swimmers on NYC beaches
A new initiative to monitor swimmers and sharks on New York City beaches with surveillance drones is bringing a backlash from shorebirds. City officials say the drones had been repeatedly swarmed by birds that have forced pilots to ground the devices on several occasions since the program launched in May. The city is now avoiding known nesting areas, but the attacks have not stopped. Wildlife experts cautioned the drones could provoke a stress response in the birds forcing them to abandon their nests. Attacks have mostly been carried out by American oystercatchers. The beach is also home to piping plovers, a federally designated endangered species.
Angry birds fight drones on patrol for sharks and swimmers on NYC beaches
A new initiative to monitor swimmers and sharks on New York City beaches with surveillance drones is bringing a backlash from shorebirds. City officials say the drones had been repeatedly swarmed by birds that have forced pilots to ground the devices on several occasions since the program launched in May. The city is now avoiding known nesting areas, but the attacks have not stopped. Wildlife experts cautioned the drones could provoke a stress response in the birds forcing them to abandon their nests. Attacks have mostly been carried out by American oystercatchers. The beach is also home to piping plovers, a federally designated endangered species.
US sanctions Boeing for sharing information about 737 Max 9 investigation
Boeing is being sanctioned by U.S. investigators for sharing information about the 737 Max 9 door plug investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday that Boeing “blatantly violated” the agency’s investigative regulations as well as a signed agreement by providing non-public investigative information to the media and speculating about possible causes of the Jan. 5 door plug blowout on a Boeing passenger jet in Portland, Oregon. During the incident, a panel that plugged a space left for an extra emergency door blew off an Alaska Airlines Max 9. Pilots were able to land safely, and there were no injuries.
Amazon's self-driving robotaxi unit Zoox under investigation by US after 2 rear-end crashes
Amazon’s self-driving robotaxi unit is being investigated by the U.S. government’s highway safety agency after two of its vehicles braked suddenly and were rear-ended by motorcyclists. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in documents posted on its website Monday that it will evaluate the automated driving system developed by Zoox. Both crashes happened during the daytime hours. The agency confirmed that each vehicle was operating in autonomous mode before the crashes. In one crash a motorcyclist suffered minor injuries, and a Zoox driver reported minor injuries in the other. Zoox says it's cooperating in the investigation.
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