FIFA president elected

Gianni Infantino was elected as the 11th president of FIFA on Friday, according to The New York Times. His election was an upset, as the favorite was Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, a member of Bahrain’s royal family.

The sheikh had a controversial history, however, of suppressing pro-democracy protests in his country. Infantino, like his predecessor Sepp Blatter, was a Swiss administrator.

He will be tasked with leading one of the largest sports organizations in the world out of its recent controversies and history of corruption.

More: New FIFA president represents change

 

340-day space journey ends

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko returned from space on Tuesday evening at approximately 11:27 p.m. EST, according to Space.com. Their trip has set the record for the longest time spent on the International Space Station. They have been in space for 340 continuous days.

Cosmonaut Sergey Volkov, who has been at the space station for five and a half months, will accompany the men. Both Kelly and Kornienko will be studied after their return for signs of physiological changes, during which Kelly will be compared to his twin brother, who is a former NASA astronaut.

See a video of Kelly’s stunning photos from space here.

More: Astronaut and cosmonaut return from space voyage

 

Leonardo DiCaprio wins his first Oscar

A diverse pool of movies won major awards at this year’s Oscars, but Chris Rock, the host, made sure to address the lack of diversity among the acting nominees. Rock cracked numerous jokes about both sides of the controversy, which began a political theme for the night, according to The New York Times.

When Leonardo DiCaprio accepted his first Oscar — for his performance in “The Revenant” — he addressed the issue of climate change. When Michael Sugar, a “Spotlight” producer, accepted his movie’s win for Best Picture, he said he hoped the win would resonate with the Vatican.

Lady Gaga also delivered a much-discussed performance of “Til It Happens to You” after an introduction by Vice President Joe Biden. Biden asked everyone to sign the “It’s On Us” pledge, which he discussed at Syracuse University in October.

More: Oscars 2016 is night for politics

 

Navy SEAL awarded Medal of Honor

President Barack Obama gave Navy Senior Chief Edward Byers Jr. a Medal of Honor on Monday for honorable actions in Afghanistan, according to The Washington Post. Byers, a Navy SEAL, was involved in the 2012 mission to rescue American doctor Dilip Joseph from a Taliban compound.

After one of his team members, Nicolas Checque, was shot at inside the compound, Byers raced through the door and engaged with multiple insurgents before shielding the doctor with his body. Checque later died as the team headed back to Bagram Airfield with the doctor.

Although United States Department of Defense officials will not confirm it, Byers is believed to be the first person awarded the Medal of Honor for actions he made while part of what is commonly known as SEAL Team 6.

More: Obama awards Medal of Honor to SEAL

 

Christie endorses Trump for president

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie endorsed presidential candidate Donald Trump on Friday, according to The Huffington Post. Christie dropped out of the race on Feb. 10.

In 2011, Christie nominated Sohail Mohammed for a seat on the New Jersey Superior Court of Passaic County. This goes against the complete ban on Muslims that Trump has proposed.

More: Christie endorses Trump

 

Terrorist attack in Baghdad

At least 42 people were killed in terrorist attacks in a crowded market in Baghdad on Sunday, according to The New York Times. A parked motorcycle exploded on Sunday afternoon in the Mredy market, and a suicide bomber detonated a device nearby while people tended to victims of the first explosion.

The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Earlier in the day, the group took control of a grain silo about 18 miles west of Baghdad and attacked a military base, killing six soldiers.

More: 42 killed in Baghdad attack

 

New York judge rules in favor of Apple

Apple’s refusal to unlock iPhones for the United States government was given a boost on Monday when a New York state judge sided with the company. Judge James Orenstein of New York’s Eastern District ruled that the company did not have to unlock a phone for the government in a drug case.

Orenstein said in this case that the government was overstepping its boundaries by citing the All Writs Act, which is the basis of many government cases involving data extraction. Both parties addressed the issue in front of the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

This ruling could have an impact on a decision in California involving Apple. The case involves the FBI asking Apple to unlock an iPhone owned by one of the San Bernardino killers.

More: Apple wins one case against the government

 

Zika causes issues in Puerto Rico

As of Monday, there are 117 confirmed cases of the Zika virus in Puerto Rico, according to The Washington Post. Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have said that as many as one in five people on the island could be infected by the end of the year.

The virus has spotlighted how basic services on the island have deteriorated as a result of the economic crisis. Five of the 117 cases have involved pregnant women.

From the $1.9 billion emergency Zika funding President Barack Obama is requesting from Congress, $250 million would be allotted to Puerto Rico.

More: Puerto Rico hit by the Zika virus

 

Justice Clarence Thomas speaks up

Justice Clarence Thomas asked a question in the Supreme Court on Monday for the first time in 10 years. His question, which was presented at a relatively low-level case, shocked attendees, according to The Washington Post.

Monday’s case entailed discussion of a federal law that bans people from owning guns if they have been convicted of domestic violence. In the past, Thomas has said he doesn’t answer questions because he thinks oral arguments are for listening to the lawyers’ cases.

More: Justice Clarence Thomas asks question

Published on March 2, 2016 at 1:20 am

Contact Delaney: dovanwey@syr.edu