Toxic sludge
The week's news at a glance.
Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Two French executives of the Dutch oil trader Trafigura have been arrested in connection with the illegal dumping of toxic waste in the Ivory Coast capital. Seven people died and thousands got sick last month after inhaling fumes from black sludge that was unloaded at Abidjan port and dumped at various sites around the city. Trafigura expressed outrage over the arrests. It said it delivered the waste, a mixture of gasoline and corrosives, to an Ivorian company, which was responsible for disposal. The arrested executives, director Claude Dauphin and Jean-Pierre Valentini, the manager for West Africa, were part of a team that Trafigura sent over two weeks ago to help with the cleanup. Ivorians continue to suffer from vomiting, stomachaches, and nosebleeds.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
What should you be stockpiling for 'World War Three'?
In the Spotlight Britons advised to prepare after the EU tells its citizens to have an emergency kit just in case
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Carnivore diet: why people are eating only meat
The Explainer 'Meatfluencers' are taking social media by storm but experts warn meat-only diets have health consequences
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human blood
Under the radar Drugging the bugs
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published