Long time, no see, friends! After a month and a half long break, the Messenger is back. And while February is the shortest month, there’s a lot to tell you about it:
Entertainment
Leo Takes Home the Oscar (and my Heart)
His sixth nomination, actor Leonardo DiCaprio (famous for Titanic, Wolf of Wall Street, The Great Gatsby, among others) finally won his first Academy award for his role in The Revenant. Playing a frontiersman who is abandoned by his crew, the movie tells a story of perseverance and survival. Oh, and he gets mauled by a bear. In his speech, DiCaprio shed more light on climate change and the struggles of indigenous people, which made us all collectively cry tears of happiness. For a complete list of winners, check out the official website.
- Related news: #OscarsSoWhite, Chris Rock’s monologue, and Lady Gaga’s performance
Getting Even at the Grammys
Newsflash! Kanye West is broke. The rapper previously worth a whopping $145 million is in debt, and not even Kim K can help him (apparently she’s worth less anyways). He’s gone on some mad rampage as a result, asking Mark Zuckerberg and the world for money to finance his career, because “I am of service to the world with my art and I just want to serve more.” But that’s not the only controversy Yeezy has been caught up in. In his latest album The Life of Pablo (Please to all my friends fans and music lovers. Sign up to Tidal now.), West called out Taylor Swift with some seriously misogynistic lines: “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / I made that b*tch famous.” Seems like Taylor had the last laugh, however, slamming him in her Grammys speech with class.
More entertainment news:
- The Golden Globes happened
- The BAFTA Awards happened
- The Broncos won Superbowl 50 (That’s entertainment, right?) and Beyoncé’s halftime show caused controversy
- Fuller House debuted on Netflix (and was renewed for season 2!)
- Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is going to be a trilogy
Nation and World
Trumped—Or Not…
GOP front runner Donald Trump lost the Iowa caucus in early February to Ted Cruz, but swept up wins in other states around the nation at an alarming pace. Here is someone else’s opinion on Trump’s lead. On the Dems’ side, Hillary and Bernie are still battling it out, but Hillary seems to be in the lead. A few debates have taken place as well—3 Republican and 1 Democrat. For recaps:
- February 6, 2016 in which Carson and others miss their intros
- February 11, 2016 in which things got as heated between Hillary and Bernie
- February 13, 2016 in which Rubio and Cruz fight in Spanish
- February 25, 2016 in which Rubio finally slays
For more info on the presidential race as it continues, try this. And for an overview of what the heck goes on during campaign season anyway, click here.
- Related News: The Pope comments on Trump and Trump comments back
P.S. Ted Cruz is the Zodiac Killer.
P.P.S. Not really.
P.P.P.S. But has he denied it? Non.
Antonin Scalia Passes…and Politicians Go Crazy
2016 has had a rough start, and it doesn’t appear to be getting better. Notable deaths include David Bowie (January 10), Alan Rickman (January 14), and Supreme Court Antonin Scalia (February 13)*. Perhaps he wasn’t everybody’s favorite, but Scalia was an influential conservative known for his originalist approach to the Constitution—and his friendship with fellow justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Following his death, the Obama administration has nominated Judge Merrick Garland despite Republican opposition. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell in particular feels particularly strongly about this. Yet, do we all recall what the Constitution gives Obama the right to do? Pretty sure Scalia would have agreed here.
*Followed by Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman (February 19)
(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (to Privacy)
Apple and the FBI have been in a brawl of sorts after the company refused to “unlock an encrypted iPhone tied to the San Bernardino case by building a customized version of iOS.” Apple says that it would not only violate the privacy of their customers, but also open the door for other breaches of security carried out by enemy countries. They even wrote an open letter about it. At the end of the month, a judge ruled in Apple’s favor—but it ain’t over yet.
Well That Escalated Quicky: The Zika Virus
The Zika virus has been dominating headlines for quite some time now, and for good reason. A virus spread through mosquito bites (and sometimes sexual contact), it has been linked to birth defects, notably microcephaly in Brazil’s outbreak. The CDC has issued a travel alert for those traveling to infected regions (read: the Caribbean/Latin America), specifically directed towards women pregnant or planning to get pregnant. For a rundown of the facts about the virus, click here.
More world news:
- Problems with the planned Syria peace talks continue: here, and here
- Progress, though minimal, with the Flint water crisis: here
- The US Department of Justice sued Ferguson
- Gravitational waves were discovered
- A car bomb went off in Turkey
- Sanctions against North Korea were signed
Credit Where Credit is Due: Many, many thanks to TheSkimm‘s emailed newsbriefs for many of the links in this article, and for helping me remember my news after a coffee spill destroyed the records on my old laptop. #RIPPro #GoneButNotForgotten #ILoveYouAlways
