SBF sentenced, immigrant entrepreneurs, and hot dog water.

Adam Rogers
March 29, 2024

Happy Friday! Today’s edition is 783 words, a 3 minute read.

First-time reader? Sign up here!

Big Stories

Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for securities fraud.

Judge Lewis Kaplan delivered the sentence after rejecting Bankman-Fried's claims of innocence and pointing out his lack of remorse. Bankman-Fried was found guilty of seven fraud and conspiracy counts related to the collapse of FTX in 2022, which resulted in billions of dollars in losses for customers and investors.
Bankman-Fried, once worth $26 billion, rose to prominence through the success of FTX and its involvement in digital assets like Bitcoin. His downfall began when FTX collapsed after it failed to meet a surge in withdrawal requests. Authorities investigated the firm to find the missing money which led to allegations of fraud and misuse of customer funds.
Federal prosecutors called it one of the largest financial crimes in history and sought a sentence of 40 to 50 years. Bankman-Fried plans to appeal his conviction and sentence, while three other people implicated in the case await their own sentencing.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an order requiring Israel to allow unimpeded access for humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

The court rejected South Africa's request for an immediate ceasefire but emphasized Israel's obligation to cooperate with the UN in providing essential services and aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
South Africa initiated the case against Israel, accusing it of state-sanctioned genocide in Gaza under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The ICJ had previously ordered Israel to prevent genocide in Gaza and facilitate more aid but stopped short of demanding a complete halt to Israel's military actions. Israel has denied limiting aid to Gaza and reaffirmed it is committed to expanding assistance while condemning what it sees as South Africa's politicization of the ICJ.
Israel must submit a report detailing the measures taken within one month to comply with the ICJ's order.

The US government is changing how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity on the next US census.

The Biden administration has authorized new response options for race and ethnicity on upcoming federal government forms, including a separate category for "Middle Eastern or North African" and a combined "Hispanic or Latino" option.
Federal surveys will now have at least seven options for race and ethnicity and participants will be instructed to select all that apply. Officials hope to improve data collection with the change. The changes are expected to be implemented gradually. Federal agencies are required to align their forms and databases with the new standards by late March 2029.
The revisions aim to modernize data collection methods but ongoing debates persist regarding the distinctions between race and ethnicity. Further study is needed to better understand the preferences of diverse groups, including Afro-Latinos and specific Middle Eastern or North African communities.

Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 women at a Rome prison during a ceremony. It's the first time he has washed women's feet exclusively during this annual service. The foot-washing ritual, mirroring Jesus' act before his death, traditionally includes marginalized groups. (More)

Immigrants launched new businesses last year at more than double the rate of US-born citizens, according to economist Robert Fairlie of UCLA. Latinos showed notably higher rates of new business ownership when compared to other racial or ethnic groups. (More)

President Biden's Radio City fundraiser with former Presidents Obama and Clinton is expected to raise over $25 million, making it potentially the most successful political fundraiser in American history. The significant haul adds to Biden's already strong cash advantage over former President Trump. (More)

Clemson secured its second-ever trip to the Elite Eight by defeating No. 2 Arizona 77-72 at Crypto.com Arena. The win, fueled by a strong defensive effort against Caleb Love, marks a historic achievement for the Tigers — their first Elite Eight appearance since 1980. Meanwhile, Arizona suffered its fourth consecutive Sweet 16 loss and the second under head coach Tommy Lloyd. (More)

A federal court will permit a US House election in South Carolina for a Republican seat to proceed under a previously deemed unconstitutional map. Despite recognizing the map's faults, judges cited the upcoming primary election deadline as the reason for their ruling. Last year, the court found that the GOP-controlled Legislature had unlawfully redrawn district boundaries, excluding over 30,000 Black residents and creating a racial gerrymander. (More)

Advanced robots can mimic human facial expressions.

A drone photographer captures a cyclone of reindeer.

The greatest pranks of all time.

Your feedback helps us provide the best newsletter possible.