US Soldier Detained, World Swelters, and Powerball Jackpot

American Soldier Detained

US service member Travis King is reportedly in North Korean custody after crossing the heavily fortified border from South Korea, according to a UN official yesterday. The incident occurred at the Joint Security Area within the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, known to be full of land mines and has stationed troops and guard posts on both sides.

Officials revealed the US citizen had served time at a detention facility in South Korea and was being escorted back to the United States for disciplinary reasons. However, he managed to slip through airport security and join a border tour before willfully crossing into North Korea.

The incident is expected to add to already heightened tensions between North Korea and the US following a recent visit of a US nuclear submarine to South Korea. Visiting North Korea has been banned since 2017 after the death of American student Otto Warmbier, who suffered severe injuries during detention there. See other Americans who have crossed into North Korea here.

A Hemisphere of Heat

A global heat wave spanning much of the Northern Hemisphere continued yesterday, breaking or nearing heat records and setting off health alerts in regions across Asia, Europe, North Africa, and the United States. The latest stretch of extreme heat comes after global average temperatures reached their highest level on record last month. 

Phoenix recorded its 19th consecutive day with temperatures reaching at least 110 degrees, breaking a five-decade-old record. On Sunday, China recorded its highest-ever temperature at 126 degrees, while Europe came close to its record of 120 degrees; an airport in Iran saw the heat index—which accounts for humidity's effect—reach a dangerous 152 degrees. The World Meteorological Organization warned of an increased risk of heat-related deaths in light of the hemisphere-wide trend.

Additionally, California's Death Valley came within 2 degrees of the hottest air temperature record on Earth, while in nearby Las Vegas, several passengers awaiting takeoff fainted amid triple-digit temperatures. Read what extreme heat does to the human body here.

Wildcats Hazing Suit

A former Northwestern football player has filed a lawsuit against the Wildcats' ex-coach Pat Fitzgerald and university leadership, including the school's president and athletic director, over alleged hazing in the football program. The lawsuit comes about a week after Fitzgerald, who served as head coach of his alma mater for 17 seasons, was fired from the Big Ten school following an independent investigation finding allegations of hazing by 11 current or former players. 

The unidentified player in the lawsuit, who was part of the program from 2018-22, alleges he and other players were subjected to sexual harassment, including forced nudity and racial discrimination. Fitzgerald maintains he had no knowledge of hazing within the program. The Daily Northwestern student newspaper first detailed the hazing incidents (read here). A separate group of eight former Northwestern football players announced Monday they are pursuing their own case against the school.

According to the NCAA, 74% of student-athletes have said they experienced at least one form of hazing while in college.

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