5 Things that happened this week
February 12, 2016
- Scientists say they have found the first detection of gravitational waves, ripples in the fabric of space-time. The wave was generated by a collision of two black holes, light years away from Earth. In order to understand the data, scientists converted the wave into sound. This milestone discovery for physicians and astronomers is now arriving a century after Albert Einstein predicted it.
- A trial is currently being held against former SS guard at Auschwitz concentration camp Reinhold Hanning. The 94-year-old is accused of the participation in mass shootings and involvement in the inmate selection for executions. According to the prosecutor, Hanning may have been a part of the murder of 170,000 people, if not more, mostly consisting of Jews. The attendance of the trial included survivors of the Nazi concentration camps and some are planning to testify. Hanning denies the accusations but admits to his job as a camp guard.
- The U.S. Department of Justice has decided to sue Ferguson, Missouri in an effort to force police reform. The city has been under extreme inspection since the lethal shooting of unarmed Michael Brown, who was black, and Officer Darren Wilson, who is white, in August 2014. Last year, there was also an investigation done concluding that the Ferguson Police Department had a history of targeting African-Americans. Following this, the city and the Justice Department negotiated reforms to the police force and court system, agreeing on specific requirements. The recent lawsuit was provoked by a city council meeting held in Ferguson on Tuesday to make changes to the deal that the federal government did not know were coming.
- Many eyes have been on North Korea in the recent years and this time it’s because the government has executed a senior military leader for “factionalism, misuse of authority and corruption.” This is only one of the many well known executions in the country lately. Many believe it is Kim Jong Un’s way of demonstrating his power.
- Two high school students were shot in Glendale, Arizona Friday morning. It is reported that the victims are both sophomore girls and at least one of the shots was fatal. The incident took place before 8 a.m. in a covered patio near the main building. The building was put on lock down as the investigation continues and the students are said to be in no further danger.
