North Korea destroys liaison office with the South

North Korea has blown up the liaison office used to improve relations with South Korea on Tuesday. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In the news today North Korea destroys liaison office with the South [A smoke rises from Kaesong Industrial Complex in this picture taken from the south in Paju, South Korea, June 16, 2020.]( Credit: Yonhap via Reuters In a dramatic escalation of tensions, North Korea blew up the liaison office used to improve relations with South Korea on Tuesday. [Surveillance video]( released by South Korea's Ministry of Defence showed the building, located in the border town of Kaesong, in a large explosion that appeared to bring down the four-story structure. The office, which effectively served as a de facto embassy for the two countries, has been closed since January due to the novel coronavirus. The [destruction of the office]( adds to tensions that have been rising over recent weeks, as North Korea has threatened to cut ties with the South for what it says is retaliation over propaganda leaflets critical of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that have been sent over the border by human rights activists. The liaison office between the North and the South was established in 2018 as part of a series of projects aimed at reducing tensions. --------------------------------------------------------------- Help inform The World's global security coverage Can you take a moment to answer a short (we promise!) survey for The World? [Tell us what you think about our global security stories.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- From The World [Why many in public health support anti-racism protests — with some precautions amid coronavirus]( [Visitors look at a memorial at the site of the arrest of George Floyd, who died while in police custody, in Minneapolis, June 14, 2020.]( Credit: Eric Miller/Reuters Many health care workers say the coronavirus pandemic and systemic racism are intertwined. So when protests erupted across the globe in response to George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis, [many health professionals understood]( the public outcry, despite the risks of being in large crowds. [When ‘oh, fudge’ won’t do: Researchers find benefits to swearing]( [Researchers at the Swear Lab at Keele University in the UK have studied the benefits of swearing.]( Credit: iStockphoto When you stub your toe, there’s nothing like letting out a string of expletives. But it turns out, there’s more to this release than you might think. Researchers have found that swearing [can actually increase a person’s pain tolerance]( — and no, you can’t substitute in a PG equivalent like “Oh fudge!” [Only the real thing will do](. --------------------------------------------------------------- The Number in the News: 74 Randy Juan Muller, 23, is a professional footballer from Ghana. In November, he flew to India for a six-month contract to play soccer in Kerala. But the novel coronavirus hit, and India went into lockdown before he could fly home. [Now, 74 days later](, Muller has finally been moved to a hotel where he can await a flight home. The Number in the News is The World’s daily smart speaker show. You’ll learn one number you won’t forget and why it's in the news today. [Click here]( to add The Number in the News to your Amazon or Google flash briefing and hear a new episode seven days a week. --------------------------------------------------------------- Morning meme What should replace recently toppled statues in the [US](, [Britain]( and [elsewhere](? One suggestion that gained some viral traction on social media recently — air dancers. [A screengrab of statues with air dancers on top.]( [Credit: Screengrab from Twitter]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it on The World - [New music from Vagabon]( - [Paul Whelan guilty verdict in Russia]( - [‘Mass scream’ in Switzerland to protest gender inequality]( - [The science of swearing]( - [Journalist and critic of Philippine president found guilty of 'cyber libel']( - [Alleged Darfur war criminal makes first ICC appearance]( - [Has Germany’s love affair with its car industry come to an end?]( - [Asian 'travel bubbles']( - [How schools around the world are reopening]( - [Backlash in the UK over Johnson’s race commission plans]( - [Protests amid the pandemic]( Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. [The World]( is produced by [PRX](, [WGBH](, and the [BBC](.