Died

A global study published this year reports that 259 people have died while attempting to take extreme selfies. The study is based on data from 2011 to 2017. The study also suggested that the numbers are probably far larger, as officials likely reported many selfie-caused deaths as something else. The researchers said the majority of the deaths were from falling, drowning, or vehicle accidents. One example, from the news this July, is the death of Gavin Zimmerman as he tried to take a selfie on a New Zealand cliff. The study suggested the posting of “no selfies” signs at dangerous locations like mountains, lakes, and the tops of tall buildings.

Announced

Nikki Haley announced she would step down from her position as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations at the end of the year. She called her time at the UN “the honor of a lifetime,” citing such administration successes as budget cuts to the UN, U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, and moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Trump praised Haley, as did Republicans in the Senate. “For decades, dictators have tried to use the United Nations as a platform to give lip service to human rights and offer cheap promises to uphold peace,” said U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb. “Ambassador Haley was unafraid to call out their BS, and Americans should be grateful for her clarity and strength.”

Sacrificed

In the midst of an Indonesian tsunami and earthquake, an air traffic controller lost his life to save a plane with its 147 passengers and crew. Anthonius Gunawan Agung, 21, was in the control tower of Palu airport as the Batik Airways plane waited on the runway. A minute before takeoff, the 7.5 magnitude quake struck. As the tower began to shake, the traffic control team fled, except for Agung. He reportedly stayed behind—despite the pleas of others to leave—to guide the plane safely off the ground. His last words were, “Batik 6321 clear for takeoff.” As the plane took off, Agung, probably trapped by debris, jumped from the tower and died on the ground before medics arrived. He was posthumously promoted as recognition of his sacrifice.

Found

Saga Vanecek was vacationing with her family at a Swedish lake when she felt something in the water. Due to a drought, the water was unusually low, allowing the 8-year-old girl to pull out the object, finding it seemed to have a handle. Her father told the media later that he thought it was a weird stick until he showed the object to a friend. Experts at a nearby museum told the BBC that Saga’s discovery is a very well-preserved pre-Viking-era sword. They dated it at around 1,500 years old. The Jönköping County Museum hopes to find more ancient items in the lake.

Lost

Missouri’s State Auditor Nicole Galloway has reported that the state has lost track of more than 1,200 sex offenders, including hundreds of convicted rapists and child molesters. Her report says that more than half of the group has been out of contact for over a year, and Galloway blames local law enforcement. According to Missouri law, any convicted offender must register with local police. If he does not, the sheriff is required to issue an arrest warrant. Galloway’s report found that over 91 percent of the lost offenders did not have any such warrant on their record. Missouri is not the only state with this problem. Wisconsin and Massachusetts have recently issued similar reports.