"Rat tours" boom in NYC, more mothers in the workforce, and a productivity hack.

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US News, Politics, & Government

Burning Man flooding strands tens of thousands at Nevada site

Over 70,000 Burning Man festival-goers were stranded in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert after a heavy rainstorm over the weekend. One attendee has died, and the rest have been instructed to conserve food, water, and gas until the deep mud has dried out. The dirty sludge has made the area impassable, and all entrances into the site are closed except to emergency vehicles. (More) Update: Officials have opened up the exits, and thousands of people have begun to leave the festival.

Native tribe to get back land in Minnesota after 160 years

Minnesota is giving back a state park to the Dakota tribe in an attempt to make amends for failing to uphold treaties it had with the Native Americans 160 years ago. Tensions between colonists and a faction of the Dakota people in 1862 led to a war and ultimately the hanging of 38 members of the tribe. It was the largest one-day mass execution in American history. This will be the first time Minnesota has transferred a state park to a Native American community. (More)

“Rat tours” boom in rodent-infested New York

While New York is dealing with a major rat problem — sightings doubled last year — enterprising tour guides have begun capitalizing on the infestation. Visitors to NYC are asking to see the rats in action, and guides are satisfying the demand by leading tours through notoriously infested sites. However, the city is working to solve the problem by requiring restaurants to put their waste in containers instead of garbage bags on the streets and fining businesses that might be encouraging the rats to thrive. They even hired a rat czar in April to help clean up the streets. (More)

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World

Putin says no grain deal until west meets obligations

Vladimir Putin said Russia won’t allow Ukraine to export grain safely through the Black Sea until the West lifts restrictions on the exportation of Russian agricultural products. Western powers have said that food and fertilizer have been exempted from the sanctions they imposed on Russia; however, Moscow remains unsatisfied. (More)

South Korean teachers stage walkout over harassment by parents and students

Teachers in South Korea are participating in a mass walkout in protest of harassment by parents and unruly students, which has led to some staff members committing suicide. The teachers feel they are being mistreated and are demanding better protection for themselves, amidst accusations of child abuse for disciplining students and other complaints. (More)

Barred from freezing their eggs at home, single Chinese women are traveling elsewhere

Even though China is worried about its population decline, it prohibits unmarried women from using any assisted reproductive technologies, including egg freezing. With COVID travel restrictions lifted, Chinese women have begun traveling to freeze their eggs to extend their reproductive window. Women have been fighting the law in court for years but have made no progress. Currently, men are allowed to save their sperm regardless of marital status. (More)

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Business & Economy

Daily stock market update

US stock markets closed mixed on Friday (S&P +0.18%, Nasdaq -0.02%, Dow +0.33%) ~ The Dow and Nasdaq both had their best weeks since July, while the S&P recorded its best week since June. (More)

More mothers are working than ever before

The percentage of working women with young children (70.4%) is significantly higher than it has ever been. The number has rebounded past pre-pandemic levels, with remote work being one of the biggest contributing factors to the surge. However, single women or mothers with older children still have a higher labor force participation rate, at about 80%. (More)

Roz Brewer out as Walgreens CEO as company seeks chief with deep health-care experience

After two years as Walgreens’ CEO, retail veteran Roz Brewer has stepped down. The company’s stock has struggled this year as demand for COVID vaccines has fallen and retail sales have slowed. Walgreens is in the process of transitioning from a drugstore to a healthcare company and wants a CEO that has healthcare experience. (More)

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Sports & Entertainment

“Margaritaville” singer Jimmy Buffet dies at 76

Singer-songwriter and entrepreneur Jimmy Buffett has died at the age of 76, after a 4-year fight with a Merkel Cell Skin Cancer. His most popular song, “Margaritaville,” spawned a lifestyle movement and also helped him launch a billion-dollar empire consisting of resorts, restaurants, and frozen drinks. (More)

Dethroned Swiatek out of US Open after Ostapenko stunner

Defending champion Iga Swiatek was knocked out of the US Open on Sunday, losing in three sets to Latvia’s Jalena Ostapenko. The loss will end Swiatek’s 75-week reign as the women’s world number one. Ostapenko moves on the quarter-final where she will face American Coco Gauff. (More) ~ On the men’s side, Carlos Alcaraz cruised into the quarter-finals, while Djokovic needed a heroic performance on Friday to advance. The two could meet in the men’s final, setting up a rematch of July’s Wimbledon final. (More)

No. 8 Florida State pulls away in the second half in blowout win over No. 5 LSU

The Seminoles scored 31 consecutive points in the second half to beat the Tigers 45-24 in Orlando. This is the second straight season Florida State has beat LSU. The Seminoles opened the 2023 season in the top 10 for the first time since 2017. (More)

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Science, Health, & Tech

New Zealand woman discovers surgical instrument ‘size of a dinner plate’ left in her body after operation

A New Zealand hospital left a surgical instrument the size of a dinner plate inside a woman after her baby was delivered at Auckland City Hospital in 2020. The device, an AWR, is used to draw back the edges of a wound during surgery. The hospital said the AWR slipped through their final instrument check and was accidently sewn into the patient. The woman suffered chronic pain for 18 months until the device was discovered on an abdominal CT scan. (More)

Invasive species cost humans $423bn each year

Invasive species are costing the world at least $432 billion each year and are a threat to the diversity of life on Earth, according to the UN. At least 3,500 harmful invasive species have been found globally in every region, spread by human trade and travel. Most invasive species reports were discovered in the Americas with 34%, followed by Europe and Central Asia at 31%. Scientists say we must focus on preventing the spread rather than costly eradication programs. (More)

Crew-6 returns to Earth

Four astronauts returned to Earth on Monday after a six-month mission at the International Space Station. Their SpaceX craft parachuted into the Atlantic just off the coast of Jacksonville. They conducted more than 200 science experiments and several spacewalks to upgrade the station’s power systems during their six-month stay. (More)

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Bonus Material

50 photos of hilariously bad vacation fails.

Ranked: The most popular US undergrad degrees for the past 10 years.

Here’s a list of the best pizza in every state — let the arguments begin.

Goldman Sachs exec shares a productivity hack that saves her “hours” every work day.