Feds bust $545 million catalytic converter theft ring

Plus, Ethiopia and Tigray agree to end conflict. Feds crack down on catalytic converter theft network; Ethiopia and Tigray end a two-year civil war. Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin.   TOP NEWS DOJ takes down catalytic converter theft ring Victor Hilitski/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images - Wednesday, the Justice Department arrested 21 individuals suspected of operating a nationwide catalytic converter theft ring. [[CBS News](] - Law enforcement executed search warrants and seizures in nine states, recovering millions in cash, homes, and cars in an unprecedented crackdown. [[Los Angeles Times / Gregory Yee](] - Catalytic converters help reduce harmful emissions from cars. The devices contain precious metals like rhodium and platinum and pull in $1,000 each at scrap yards. [[Fox Business / Paul Best](] - Officials say 15 defendants bought stolen converters and shipped them to New Jersey, where the precious metals were extracted and sold to a refinery in a $545 million scheme. [[NPR / Ayana Archie](] - The suspects now face charges including conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to receive the stolen catalytic converters. [[The Hill / Olafimihan Oshin](] [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Ethiopia and Tigray agree to end civil war - Ethiopia and Tigray officials on Wednesday reached a deal to end two years of brutal civil war. [[BBC / Cecilia Macaulay and Anne Soy](] - Under the deal, Tigrayan forces agreed to disarmament. Ethiopia will restore services for millions in the region who need access to humanitarian aid. [[Associated Press / Mogomotsi Magome and Cara Anna](] - War broke out two years ago over territorial and political disputes between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Tigrayan forces who ruled the East African country for decades. [[Reuters / Estelle Shirbon](] - Negotiators cautioned the truce is just the first step in achieving long-term peace. Millions are now displaced and at risk of starvation. [[New York Times / Declan Walsh, Abdi Latif Dahir, and Lynsey Chutel](] 📍 If you read just one story Vox’s Jen Kirby explains why the hunger crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray region is human-made. [[Vox / Jen Kirby](]   Support our journalism Reader contributions help keep Vox and newsletters like Sentences free for all. Support our work with a one-time gift today. [Yes, I'll make a gift](   MISCELLANEOUS Republicans are using voters’ fears about crime to attack Democrats ahead of next week’s midterms — and it’s working. [[Vox / Li Zhou](] - According to a UNESCO report released Thursday, glaciers in a third of the UN World Heritage sites will melt by 2050 because of climate change. [[BBC / Patrick Hughes](] - US immigration officials say the man suspected of attacking Paul Pelosi last week is illegally in the country and could face deportation to Canada. [[CNN / Priscilla Alvarez](] - Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was shot in the leg at a rally on Thursday. [[Al Jazeera / Robert Kennedy and Federica Marsi](] VERBATIM “This national network of criminals hurt victims across the country. They made hundreds of millions of dollars in the process — on the backs of thousands of innocent car owners.” [[FBI Director Christopher Wray’s statement on the arrests / The Hill](]   LISTEN TO THIS Yuval Noah Harari thinks humans are unstoppable Sean Illing talks with Yuval Noah Harari, historian and bestselling author, about how humanity came to be the dominant species on earth, and what our future might hold. [Listen now ▶](   Read more from Vox [The 9 races that could decide Senate control]( [“A path to chaos in America”: Biden’s dark warning about election deniers on the ballot]( [The nightmarish Supreme Court case that could gut Medicaid, explained]( [Your free pandemic health perks are on the way out]( [The surprising value of a small patch of grass]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences]( or [unsubscribe](param=sentences). If you value Vox’s unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring [contribution](. View our [Privacy Notice]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2022. All rights reserved.