Buzz
Staying on top of the latest news can be tough. So tough, in fact, we've decided to make it easier for you by rounding up the most noteworthy, bizarre, or simply astonishing stories each week.
10. France Has Filed Corruption Charges Against Its Former President
From 2007 to 2012, Nicolas Sarkozy governed France amidst a whirlwind of scandals, lavish spending, and constant whispers of corruption. This week, his careless handling of financial laws may have finally caught up with him. On Wednesday evening, France’s former president was formally charged with corruption and illegal campaign financing.
This last detail could truly spell trouble for Sarkozy. The police aren't just accusing him of exceeding funding limits for his 2007 campaign; they claim he managed to do so with the help of illegal donations from Muammar Gadhafi's Libya. After the 2011 revolution, documents surfaced indicating that the Libyan intelligence service had provided Sarkozy with €50 million to aid his election bid. In 2016, arms dealer Ziad Takieddine stated that he had delivered suitcases filled with millions in Libyan cash to Sarkozy's team. It appears French authorities are finally taking Takieddine's claims seriously.
A key complication for Sarkozy is Gadhafi’s son, Saif, who has long resented France’s role in his father's overthrow and is now prepared to testify against Sarkozy. If this case goes to trial, the former president could face a lengthy prison sentence.
9. The Austin Bomber Took His Own Life After Leaving a Confession Behind
The past three weeks have been tense in Austin, Texas. A series of bombings in packages claimed the lives of two individuals and left four others injured, one critically. The bombs seemed to specifically target minorities, leading many to suspect a domestic terrorist was on the loose. On Wednesday, the authorities identified the individual behind the attacks... but his motive remains unclear.
The bomber was identified as 23-year-old Mark Anthony Conditt, a white man with no prior criminal record. That profile might suggest a racial motive for the attacks, but the Austin police currently believe otherwise. After Conditt took his own life rather than face capture, investigators discovered a confession on his phone. In it, Conditt admits to planting the bombs but does not explain his reasons. There's no racial rant, no political agenda—just the words of 'a very troubled young man.'
Whether Conditt’s motivations resemble those of Dylann Roof or Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock, one fact is clear: his bombing spree has come to an end. The people of Austin can finally feel safe again.
8. We Lost the Last Male Northern White Rhino
This is what it feels like to witness the extinction of a species in real time.
On Tuesday morning, the last surviving male northern white rhino was put down by veterinarians after a severe leg infection. Named Sudan, the rhino (who, despite his name, didn’t reside in Sudan but in Kenya), had recently been seen as the final hope for preserving his subspecies. His passing effectively signals the end of the line for the northern white rhino.
Extinction hasn’t yet occurred. There are still two females remaining. However, this doesn’t offer much hope. It’s possible that scientists may be able to fertilize one of the females’ eggs with Sudan’s sperm, but there’s also a chance that the species is beyond saving.
If the northern white rhino does disappear, it will be a profound loss. These animals once roamed across regions from Sudan to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their extinction will make the world a much less fascinating place.
7. Israel’s High Court Prevented A Controversial African Deportation Scheme
Israel is currently in the midst of a highly contentious plan to deport tens of thousands of African asylum-seekers back to their home countries. The government asserts that Israel is unable—and shouldn’t be obligated—to support the African refugees who have been arriving steadily since the mid-2000s from nations like Eritrea and Sudan. Opponents argue that some of those slated for deportation have lived in Israel since they were children, building lives and careers there.
The deportations were set to start on April 1, with those targeted offered the choice of leaving with $3,500 in hand or facing indefinite detention. However, last Friday, Israel’s High Court issued a temporary halt to the program. The deportations, and the futures of tens of thousands of people, are now in limbo.
What will happen next is uncertain. Migrants are widely unpopular in Israel, with over 60 percent of Israeli Jews and more than 50 percent of Israeli Arabs supporting their deportation.
6. Slovakia Descends into Crisis
Last week, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico officially resigned from his post. This decision came after a month of protests larger than any seen since the fall of Communism, all sparked by the murder of a journalist investigating links between the Italian Mafia and the Slovak government. When Fico stepped down, he likely hoped the protests would subside. That hasn’t happened. As of now, more marches are still scheduled.
The murder has plunged Slovakia into turmoil, with President Andrej Kiska expressing skepticism that the new government is clean enough to properly investigate the crime. Nonetheless, Kiska appointed a new prime minister, Peter Pellegrini, on Thursday, warning him that he must work hard to calm the ongoing public outrage.
But will hard work be sufficient? Those accused of orchestrating journalist Jan Kuciak’s murder remain free in Eastern Slovakia, and the public is angrier than it has been in years. This story may drag on for quite a while yet.
5. Japan Prepared To Execute Leaders Of The Aum Shinrikyo Cult
On March 15, 1995, members of the Japanese doomsday group Aum Shinrikyo released a deadly cloud of nerve gas in the Tokyo subway, killing 12 commuters and injuring over 6,000. This attack remains one of the deadliest massacres in Japan since World War II and is one of only two terrorist attacks in history involving a nerve agent. (The group was also responsible for the Matsumoto incident, which killed eight.)
Following the subway assault, the leaders of Aum fled into hiding. The final member was captured in 2012, and all were later sentenced to death. This week, reports emerged that Japan had relocated seven of them to new facilities outside Tokyo. These transfers suggest that Japan is preparing to carry out the executions soon.
Japan employs a secretive form of capital punishment, where executions are only announced to the condemned a few hours before they occur. The rest of the world only learns about the executions afterward, so by the time you read this, the cult members may already be dead. Their deaths will mark the conclusion of a horrific chapter in Japan’s history, one that the nation continues to struggle with.
4. Spain Cast Doubt on the Future Status of Gibraltar
In 1704, a British force seized Gibraltar, a strategically important rock off Spain’s southern coast. Since then, Madrid has made repeated attempts to reclaim the territory, with little success. This week, the government of Mariano Rajoy may have played its strongest card yet. After the EU and the UK finally agreed on a Brexit transition deal, Madrid threatened to derail the deal over the issue of Gibraltar.
Spain doesn’t have a veto over the transition deal, but it certainly wields one over the final Brexit deal, a veto that could potentially cause significant disruption to both the EU and UK economies. Madrid has used this leverage to push for Gibraltar’s inclusion in future discussions, signaling that Rajoy may see an opportunity to reclaim at least partial Spanish control of the rock.
If Rajoy’s gamble pays off, it could throw a British territory into turmoil, a territory that opposed Brexit but is even less eager to become part of Spain. Meanwhile, London is likely hoping Rajoy is simply posturing for his supporters and will eventually back away from his demand.
It hasn’t been a favorable week for Mark Zuckerberg.
Here’s where things get really murky. Selling the data to Cambridge Analytica would have already broken several laws if the company had been a harmless bunch of tech enthusiasts. Instead, they stand accused of using that data to influence elections (though the extent of their influence and the exact elections involved are still debated—see the link above for more details).
After the news broke, Britain’s Channel 4 set up a sting operation on Cambridge Analytica CEO Alexander Nix. They caught him bragging on camera about how the firm had previously used honey traps, fake bribery schemes, blackmail, and hacking to sway elections in countries like Nigeria, Kenya, and Malaysia. Somehow, the scandal just got even worse.
2. New Zealand Has Successfully Eliminated An Invasive Species
The “Million Dollar Mouse” might sound charming, but the reality involves much more death than you’d imagine. This New Zealand government initiative was aimed at completely eradicating all mice on the Antipodes Islands, a remote group located around 800 kilometers (500 miles) off the mainland. Launched in 2013, it has finally succeeded in ridding the islands of mice this week.
The project was part of New Zealand’s ambitious Predator Free 2050 initiative, which aims to eliminate all invasive species from the country, one island at a time. Since the 19th century, creatures like mice, possums, and stoats have wreaked havoc on native wildlife, threatening an ecological disaster. While previous efforts to remove these pests have had mixed results, the success of Million Dollar Mouse places New Zealand at the forefront of expertise in combating invasive species.
While this might sound niche, it has significant global ramifications. In a world that is increasingly interconnected, the spread of invasive species has become a growing issue. By mastering the art of reversing this destruction, New Zealand may play a key role in shaping how the world addresses predator species in the future.
1. The First Pedestrian Fatality Involving a Self-Driving Car Was Reported
On Sunday evening, a self-driving car struck and killed a 49-year-old woman in Tempe, Arizona. While tragic, this isn’t the type of news you’d typically find in a weekly roundup. However, the person behind the wheel wasn’t human—it was a robot. Elaine Herzberg became the first pedestrian in history to be killed by a self-driving car.
The car was part of Uber’s autonomous vehicle testing program, which operates on public roads. Its sensors failed to detect Herzberg as she crossed the street, causing the car to strike her without slowing down. Although Uber’s self-driving cars have human drivers onboard who are supposed to take control in emergencies, the accident happened so quickly that the operator couldn’t intervene in time.
While this marks the first such incident, it’s unlikely to be the last. Until the technology is fully perfected, we can expect more accidents of this nature to occur.
