- Tip News
- Posts
- Chaos In South Korea
Good Wednesday morning. The world's tallest-ever Christmas tree was raised 75 years ago this year in Seattle. Have a great day!
In Today’s Brief
Secret Service: Shots fired
Macron: Won’t resign
Hegseth: On the rocks
Campbell’s: CEO change
Stephen A. Smith: New deal
... and more
First time reading? Sign up here
Top Tips
1) A Seoul mess
South Korea's president has thrown the nation into crisis with a failed martial law decree.
What happened: President Yoon Suk Yeol declared "emergency" martial law in a surprise late-night address, alleging his political opposition -- which controls parliament -- was in league with North Korea and working against the government. All political activities in the country were then immediately banned, harkening back to South Korea’s past as a military dictatorship.
The backlash: Hours of protests and clashes with police and soldiers broke out at the National Assembly. Just under two-thirds of the unicameral body eventually passed a unanimous resolution rejecting the decree, triggering a constitutional clause that forced Yoon to reverse himself.
Big picture: Yoon, a lame-duck conservative leader, is wildly unpopular and has been mired in corruption scandals and a budget battle. While his People Power Party takes a more hardline stance toward Pyongyang, the ruling Democratic Party does not support North Korea. So this was a political gambit, not a national security issue.
Next steps: South Korea's democracy does not appear in peril, but Yoon faces calls to resign as lawmakers prepare to launch impeachment proceedings. His chief of staff and other top officials have already stepped down. The country's largest union said its workers will strike until Yoon leaves office.
2) Plot thickens
Police now believe a Hawaii woman is voluntarily missing.
Catch up: Hannah Kobayashi, 30, missed a connecting flight at Los Angeles International Airport in early November. She stopped communicating with her family a few days after the missed flight, with her final messages creating fear she could be in danger. Her father committed suicide in LA while searching for her.
The latest: Police said they have security footage that shows Kobayashi entering Mexico on foot a day after her family reported her missing. She was spotted alone and carrying luggage. Cops said she appeared unharmed; they believe she wanted to go off the grid. Police previously concluded she missed the flight on purpose.
Big picture: Kobayashi's family has expressed skepticism over the police assessment. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said his agency has done everything it can, but will be alerted if she re-enters the country. He urged Kobayashi to contact her family or law enforcement.
3) Uneasy skies
A wave of mysterious drone spottings in New Jersey has drawn the FBI's attention.
Catch up: A "cluster of what look to be drones and a possible fixed-wing aircraft" have made nightly appearances over towns in Morris and Somerset Counties, which are located in the central and western parts of the state. The devices appear larger than hobby drones; some observers have alleged they are car-sized. The origin of the drones is unknown.
Key context: The drones have been spotted near President-elect Donald Trump's golf course in Bedminster, which he frequently visits, as well as Picatinny Arsenal, an Army base and research facility. The Morristown Airport is also in the area; it was used for Air Force One during Trump's first term and is a popular private jet facility for celebrities like Taylor Swift.
Big picture: The Federal Aviation Administration has instituted flight restrictions in the region. Officials said there is no known threat to the public, but cautioned people should not approach a drone if it lands. The incidents continue a trend of murky drone activities around sensitive locations both domestically and abroad.
Are you too young to think about how you’re aging? Probably not.
Starting in our 30s, some key cellular processes begin to slow down, making us feel tired and weak over time. This decline affects not just our physical strength and endurance, but significantly reduces our quality of life making everyday activities harder to enjoy.
Luckily, scientists have discovered a way to shape how we age. Mitopure®, by Timeline, targets the root cause of this cellular decline and is clinically proven to increase cellular energy, giving our bodies the energy they need to function optimally. The results? Double-digit increases in muscle strength and endurance without any change in exercise.
Quick Tips
U.S. News
Secret Service agents opened fire near Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's home. They reportedly had a confrontation with occupants of a nearby car; no one was hit and the people involved in the incident fled the scene (More)
An Illinois sheriff's deputy used his squad car to save a pregnant woman whose vehicle was headed toward a freezing lake. The brakes failed on the woman's car; she, the officer and her dog were unharmed (More)
Six former Apple employees allegedly pulled a charity scam on the tech giant. The ex-workers are accused of defrauding a corporate donation matching program and pocketing the funds, making off with $152K in false donations and fraudulently claiming $100K in tax deductions (More)
World News
French President Emmanuel Macron said he will not resign with his government on the verge of collapse. Prime Minister Michel Barnier is expected to be ousted on a parliamentary non-confidence vote today (More)
Namibia elected its first female president. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah received 57% of the vote to avoid a runoff as her ruling party retained power; opposition parties have alleged electoral improprieties and plan to contest the results in court (More)
Syrian rebels occupied four more towns as they moved toward the city of Hama, the country's fourth-largest. Dictator Bashar al-Assad's forces did regain some territory lost at the start of the unexpected lightning offensive by insurgents (More)
Political News
Pete Hegseth's Secretary of Defense nomination is in peril, according to CNN. The network reported he could be dropped if he cannot win the support of Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, a veteran and potential backup option; the ex-Fox News host faces allegations of alcohol abuse and sexual impropriety, among other issues (More)
New Jersey Sen. George Helmy's short tenure will end this weekend. The Democratic caretaker was appointed to replace disgrace ex-Sen. Bob Menendez; he will step down Sunday so the recently-elected Andy Kim can take office a month early (More)
Trump's transition team has reached a background check deal with the Department of Justice. Some cabinet appointees are resistant to receiving traditional vetting by the FBI; Trump's pick to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration has withdrawn his nomination due to backlash over his enforcement of pandemic lockdowns (More | More)
Business & Markets
Major indexes closed higher yesterday. The Nasdaq and S&P 500 posted new record closes again (Dow -0.17%, Nasdaq +0.40%, S&P 500 +0.05%)
Campbell's CEO Mark Clouse will retire and become president of the NFL's Washington Commanders. Mick Beekhuizen will replace him effective Feb. 1; he has been an executive at the food giant since 2019 (More)
Crunch Fitness' parent company is exploring a sale. Buyout firm TPG is seeking a deal that values the gym chain at over $1.5B including debt; a sale process could be launched early next year (More)
Entertainment & Sports
ESPN and commentator Stephen A. Smith are reportedly in talks on a six-year, $120M contract. Variety reported the deal was close, but the First Take host denied that characterization to The Athletic (More)
Kendrick Lamar and SZA announced a North American tour next year. The Grammy Award winners, who toured together in 2018, will play 21 concerts in 19 cities in the U.S. and Canada from April to July (More)
The NFL suspended the Houston Texans' Azeez Al-Shaair for three games for repeated violations of player safety rules. The linebacker was ejected for a concussion-causing hit on the Jacksonville Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence last weekend (More)
Quick Hitters
Fun Stuff: An elderly man brings a carrot to the rabbit living behind his house each morning. His granddaughter's video of the ritual has gone viral.
New Idea: Roughly 10% of the people who wear dentures have difficulty keeping them in place. Scientists believe octopi may hold the secret to fixing this.
Go Deep: Researchers in Boston have reprogrammed stem cells from the blood of centenarians. They hope their work will shed new light on human aging and longevity.
Take Note: Banks are reporting a tenfold increase in digital scams this year. Investigators have found many fraudsters rely on human error rather than manipulating technology.
Life Hack: If you are looking to maintain a budget while shopping this holiday season, here is a pretty straightforward tip: only pay with cash.
Watch This
Disney has released a trailer for next year's live-action remake of Snow White.
Links
The best national park to visit during your birth month 🏞️
Forgotten but popular TV shows 📺
Music can change how you feel about the past 🎶
Cities that technically fit inside Denver International Airport 🛫
Things got a bit out of hand at Raising Cane's 🚔
Enron's apparently revival is a big joke 📰
Trump wasn't serious about Canada becoming a state 🍁
Use paper to spread holiday cheer 🎁
Kraft Mac and Cheese is not resting on its laurels 🧀
Why your cold may get worse at night 🤧
Looking Ahead …
The European Union is funding a new high-speed rail line connecting Baltic capital cities with the rest of the continent. The project is designed to break the region free from the relics of the Soviet rail system (and allow NATO to move troops quickly if ever necessary) but it is over budget and has no timetable for completion.