Here’s a roundup of major news from around the world this week:

Terrorist attacks rock Brussels

Explosions rocked Brussels, the Belgian capital, on Tuesday morning, killing at least 30 people. The Islamic State has since claimed responsibility for the attacks, according to The New York Times.

The bombings occurred at Brussels’s main international airport and at a subway station in the center of the city. More than 230 people were wounded in the attacks. One unexploded bomb full of nails was found during house searches.

After the attacks, additional police forces were put on patrol in Paris and New York City.

More: IS hits Belgium

 

Merrick Garland nominated to Supreme Court

President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court on Wednesday, defying the protests of Republicans. Garland is the chief judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, which is often referred to as the second-most influential court.

Garland is known to be moderate in the judicial process, according to ABC News. Many Republican leaders have said that they will remain firm against confirming any appointment, although many are calling on them to seriously consider the nomination.

More: Contention continues over Supreme Court nomination

 

FBI says it may not need Apple’s help

In a new court filing on Monday, the United States government said an outside company has demonstrated a way to unlock the iPhone of a gunman in the San Bernardino terrorist attack without Apple’s help. The FBI and Department of Justice have been seeking legal action against the tech giant since December. The FBI and the Justice Department are looking to unlock the attacker’s iPhone.

Apple representatives have said that unlocking the iPhone would jeopardize the security of all iPhones. A judge postponed a court hearing between the two sides in light of the new information.

More: The FBI seeks outside help

 

Paris attacker captured

Salah Abdeslam, the only known living attacker involved in the November attacks on Paris, was captured in Belgium on Friday. He has been Europe’s most-wanted criminal since the attacks. Despite speculation that he had fled to Morocco or Syria, Abdeslam was found in his hometown, according to Newsweek.

The arrest came after a long series of raids throughout the city. Now, authorities are searching for two of Abdeslam’s accomplices, Najim Laachraoui and Mohamed Abrini.

More: Europe’s most-wanted criminal is taken into custody

 

Former president of Brazil seeks legal protection

The ever-growing corruption scandal in Brazil became more complex on Wednesday when former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva became the current president’s chief of staff. This will give da Silva many more legal protections as he faces corruption charges and the wrath of the Brazilian people, according to The New York Times.

Dilma Rousseff is the country’s current president and has been a longtime mentee of da Silva. Lawmakers are currently exploring routes to impeach her as they become more concerned that she was involved in the corruption.

The upheaval started from numerous claims of corruption against officials in many levels of government, the largest of which is related to the national oil company Petrobras.

More: Upheaval in Brazil

 

Gawker faces heavy fines in Hulk Hogan case

A jury ordered Gawker, an online media outlet, to pay an additional $25.1 million in punitive damages to former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan on Monday. The company had already been slapped with a $115 million payout to the celebrity, whose real name is Terry Bollea.

Gawker owner Nick Denton must personally pay $10 million of the additional damages, while former editor A.J. Daulerio must pay $100,000, according to the New York Post.

Hogan sued the company for publishing a sex tape featuring him and his former best friend’s wife. Daulerio posted the video on the site.

More: Gawker loses to Hulk Hogan

 

Supreme Court declines to hear suit against Colorado

The Supreme Court announced Monday that it will not hear Nebraska and Oklahoma’s case against the state of Colorado. Representatives from the two states sued Colorado over the legalization of recreational marijuana there, which they said has caused indirect damage to their states.

The representatives claim spillover from the legalization of marijuana has caused additional strain on their states’ law enforcement systems and hurt the health of their states, according to The New York Times.

Solicitor General Donald Verrilli Jr., the federal government’s top appellate lawyer, said Nebraska and Oklahoma failed to make a case against Colorado that directly accused it of endorsing people bringing marijuana across the border.

More: Setback for Nebraska and Oklahoma

 

Obama makes historic trip to Cuba

President Barack Obama arrived in Cuba on Sunday, becoming the first sitting U.S. president in 88 years to visit the country. Obama’s visit to the communist nation marked another development in the thawing relations between Cuba and the U.S. He was in the country for three days.

Obama’s first stop was meeting with American diplomats from the newly reopened embassy. Many people accompanied the president on the trip, including 11 CEOs, 39 members of Congress and the family of baseball legend Jackie Robinson.

More: Trip to Cuba makes history

 

NCAA upsets match record

The first round of this year’s NCAA Tournament made history on Friday when the Northern Iowa Panthers sent the Texas Longhorns packing, marking the 13th upset in the tournament. The round matched the record for most upsets since the tournament was expanded to include 64 teams in 1985. The record was first set in 2001, according to ESPN.

Both Syracuse University’s men’s and women’s basketball teams made it past the first round of their respective tournaments and will play in the Sweet 16 this weekend.

More: NCAA upsets make history

Published on March 22, 2016 at 11:43 pm

Contact Delaney: dovanwey@syr.edu