Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, Germany’s Defense Minister, resigned Tuesday amid pressures related to plagiarism in his doctoral dissertation. Apparently, more than 20% of his dissertation was copied without attribution. Mr. zu Guttenberg was one politician whom many Germans still trusted. The scandal has changed that view for many.

On February 22, a magnitude 6.3 quake struck the densely populated city of Christchurch, on the south island. The quake hit this city of 350,000 people at 1 p.m. in the middle of a business day, and was the second major quake in five months.

Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi recently urged Palestinian refugees to “capitalize on the wave of popular revolts in the Middle East by massing peacefully on the borders of Israel until it gives in to their demands… Gaddafi also issued a call to Muslim countries to join forces against Western powers.

In 2007, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) bought the European Stock operator Euronext. Now, Deutsche Börse, the German Stock market, is in “advanced talks” to purchase the NYSE. This deal will require approval by both the United States government and the European Union.

The UN food agency has announced that the drought in China could place that country’s winter wheat crop in jeopardy. Experts warn that if much of the crop fails it could lead to social unrest like that in Egypt and Tunisia (Associated Press, February 8, 2011). Currently, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization believes that more than two-thirds of China’s wheat crop could be at risk for failure.