Domestic:

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia passed away on Feb. 13, shifting the focus in the 2016 presidential election to future issues slated to be dealt with by the Supreme Court. President Barack Obama’s authority to nominate a new Supreme Court justice prior to the election has been heavily debated, with Republicans fiercely leading the opposition.

The Senate in South Dakota approved a highly controversial “bathroom bill” on Feb. 16, which mandates that public school students use the bathroom that corresponds to their sex at birth. The bill has been criticized for being discriminatory toward transgendered students. If the bill gets signed, South Dakota will be the first state to pass such a law, although other states have proposed similar bills.

International:

Saudi Arabia and Russia outlined a deal on Feb. 16 to raise oil prices and get supply to meet demand by agreeing to freeze oil production. Iran and Iraq are not on board yet, but met on Feb. 17 to discuss. This deal will be the first attempt to stabilize oil prices by implementing a production ceiling.

An alleged terror attack struck Turkey’s capital on Feb. 17, killing at least 28 and injuring 61. According to Turkish authorities, a vehicle carrying bombs set off an explosion that hit three military vehicles and one private vehicle. No terror groups have yet claimed responsibility for the attack.