Too busy to read the news on this fine Tuesday? Check out the CliffsNotes of the top news stories everyone will be talking about:
1. Bangkok bomber identified
Officials have released surveillance footage that identifies the man they say placed a bomb inside a religious shrine in Bangkok, popularly visited by tourists. The act of terror killed at least 20 people and wounded 140 others on Monday night during Bangkok rush hour. Thailand authorities have pinpointed the Bangkok bomber as a man wearing a yellow shirt, captured on video near the Erawan Shrine before the explosion occurred. The man in the yellow shirt was seen carrying a backpack that he left on a bench near the crowded shrine before walking away prior to the blast. Authorities say this man isn’t just a suspect, “He is the bomber.” — Fox News
2. Comedy fail
Everyone’s favorite comedy gal just made a big mistake on national TV. Fans are demanding that Amy Poehler’s new Hulu seriesDifficult People be canceled because of a tasteless joke made about Blue Ivy, Beyoncé’s 3-year-old daughter. Actress Julie Klausner’s character said on the show, “I can’t wait for Blue Ivy to be 18 years old so R. Kelly can piss on her.” To say that fans aren’t happy would be an understatement. In the comedy world, Poehler can do no wrong — until she approves a raunchy joke about a child. — The Independent
More: Amy Poehler made us rethink how we treat ourselves and other women
3. First female Army Rangers
For the first time ever, two women have passed Army Ranger School, which prepares candidates to serve as Rangers in the Army’s Special Ops force. Two women passing Army Ranger School is an even bigger deal than it sounds — the training program is considered one of the hardest in the military, mentally and physically. But we can’t congratulate the badass women who passed yet, a captain and a first lieutenant. Even after completing a grueling course that moved them one step closer to the U.S. Special Operations unit, there’s still one problem: Women are currently banned from combat jobs. As disappointing as it is, these women can’t serve as special operators yet, but they have earned our respect. — The Christian Science Monitor
More:NFL’s first female coach Jen Welter is already making history
4. Horror movie comes to life
What sounds like the plot of a B-grade horror movie is actually happening right here in the U.S. Health officials have found what appears to be a “brain-eating amoeba” (also called the Naegleria fowleri amoeba) in a water sample from Terrebonne Consolidated Waterworks District No. 1 in Louisiana. Infection caused by the brain-eating amoeba is rare, though it’s possible for the freshwater amoeba to make its way into homes through water distribution systems. And here’s something that’s not going to make you feel better at all: Terrebonne Parish officials say tap water in the area is still safe to drink, as long as you don’t get any in your nose. That’s comforting. — WDSU News
5. Oscar Pistorius outrage
You might remember the big media frenzy in fall of 2014: Oscar Pistorius, South African Paralympic athlete, was convicted of killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and sentenced to serve five years in prison. Now he’s getting out early, and everyone wants to know why. The 29-year-old runner served 10 months in a South African prison and will be released on house arrest this week. The public is furious that Pistorius essentially “got away with murder” after serving only one-sixth of his sentence. Legal experts argue that this type of early release, called correctional supervision, is expected because of overcrowded and underfunded South African prisons. — CNN
More:Oscar Pistorius texts reveal troubled relationship
6. Stinky flower in bloom
A corpse flower may not sound like much, but Denverites are lining up at the Denver Botanic Gardens to catch the scent. The Amorphophallus titanum, affectionately called the “corpse flower,” is expected to bloom for the first time at any moment after years of growth. Once it blooms, the intriguing flower will release a pungent stench for 48 hours — hence, the nickname. The corpse flower was expected to bloom on Sunday, but there hasn’t been a whiff of it yet. You can brush up on your corpse flower trivia before you settle down to watch the live stream of its bloom. — Denver Post
Leave a Comment