In January, the U.S. government met face to face with Iranian government to discuss Iran’s possessions of nuclear weapon components. As the United States argued that Iran should not be allowed such control, other countries followed. As a result, Iran suspended the progression and has allowed the United States to monitor Iran’s nuclear movement. Also in January, ISIS claimed responsibility for a car bombing and suicide attack in Damascus, Syria, on Jan. 26, which killed at least 24 people and injured 100. On a higher note, Taiwan elected its first female president, Tsai Ing-wen this month. Ing-wen led the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and hopes to further lean away from China.

In February, the FBI began investigation of Flint, MI’s water contamination, which tested dangerous levels of lead contamination that was found to be a man-made disaster. Michigan declared a state of and federal emergency. Supreme Court Justice Lawyer Antonin Scalia died of supposed natural causes Feb. 13, 2016 in Texas. As a result, the Supreme Court Justice was left with one less individual and the larger problem of fulfilling his spot. In Latin America, the Zika virus made its first large impact on pregnant women, causing major birth defects. The virus is spread by mosquitoes containing the virus and has been progressively spreading amongst southern regions of the United States from imports of Latin American goods.