Domestic
On Sept. 1st, Jimmy Buffett died after a four year fight against a rare form of skin cancer at the age of 76. He had Merkel cell carcinoma, a disease that is very rare and spreads very quickly. There’s only 2,500 yearly cases in the United States, and until recent years the life expectancy post diagnosis was 5 months. Buffett was a star, with music dabbling in pop, rock, and country, and his 70s hits “Margaritaville” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise” were what initially skyrocketed his career. He sold at least 23 million albums, and his annual tours would bring in millions of fans. He was also a great businessman, building an empire on the good times he sang about. This year, Forbes estimated his net worth to be $1 billion, attributing $570 million to his tours and recording and $140 million to his planes, homes, and shares in a holding company owned by longtime friend Warren Buffett. Buffet died at his home in Sag Harbor, N.Y. and is survived by his wife Jane, daughters Savannah and Sarah, and his son Cameron.
Last Thursday, Donald Trump pleaded not guilty and waived his right to a formal arraignment in his criminal case in Georgia, a case which charged him and 18 others with inference in the 2020 presidential election. This is one of four cases against Trump this year. This specific indictment includes 13 charges against Trump, including a charge under Georgia’s RICO act. Some of the other defendants in this case have already moved to have trials, and those outcomes will likely affect Trump’s case, especially as he continues his campaign for the 2024 presidency. If elected, Trump would be able to pardon himself of his federal convictions, but because this is a state conviction, he may not be able to do so.
International
On Wednesday, Mexico’s Supreme Court decriminalized abortion after finding that the current ban is unconstitutional. Two years after the Court first stated that the ban was unconstitutional, the issue has finally come to a head. In the wake of the Roe v. Wade overturn, Mexico has recently become an unexpected safe haven for birth givers trying to escape abortion restrictions in the States. Positive response has taken form in green hearts being posted across social media. The green is the representative color of the “Green Wave,” a reproductive justice movement that has been sweeping Latin America for the past decade.
Last Wednesday, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) prepared for their first attempt to land on the Moon. The ‘Smart Lander for Investigating Moon’ (SLIM) launched on Wednesday at 7:42 p.m. ET (08:42 a.m. local time on Thursday) on board a rocket from Japan’s Space Center. SLIM is a small lunar lander designed to pinpoint a specific landing point on the moon, specifically the 984-foot-wide Shioli Crater. While this is JAXA’s first attempt at a moon landing, a Japanese company ‘ispace’ had made failed attempt back in Dec. 2022. If SLIM’s estimated landing in three to four months is successful, Japan will become the fifth country in the world to land on the Moon after India’s recent landing.
