State of Emergency is declared in Flint (January 16) For the last two years, residents of Flint used water from the Flint River because it was cheaper to buy. However, the Flint River’s water is dirty and unhealthy. State officials claimed the water was drinkable, however the water from the river was dirty and smelly. Flint residents started to develop rashes and other ailments. On January 19, independent studies found high levels of lead in the water.

Historic Iran Nuclear Deal (January 16) The U.S. and European nations lifted financial and oil sanctions on Iran after the country proved they had dismantled their nuclear weapons. The two countries released prisoners and and removed some individuals from the international watch list.

Black Lives Matter protests take place outside the courthouse during and following the trial of Sam Tensing. The movement fights for reform and attention to African Americans being killed by police. City leaders are working to keep the situation safe for everyone involved.

Oscar Boycott (January 18) The Oscars sparked outrage when they again failed to nominate any African- American actors in any major category. People joined the outrage with #OscarsSoWhite movement. Soon after the Academy of Motion Pictures of Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) took a pledge of diversity to highlight more minority actors and actresses.

Einstein’s Theory is proven true (February 11) Scientists announced that they have recorded two black holes colliding into each other, which is the first evidence of gravitational waves. This proves Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity. The detection of gravitational waves was a scientific breakthrough that proved the 100 year old theory true.

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia Died (February 13) Antonin Scalia died at 79 in his vacation home in Texas. The Supreme Court now has four liberal and four conservative justices. Republicans in Congress claim that a president in his last year of service should not pick a new justice (though it is not a law, and part of his duty to fill the position). Senate leader Mitch McConnell announced on Feb. 23 that the Senate will refuse to even consider or hold any meeting to discuss the Supreme Court nominee.

Merrick Garland nominated for Supreme Court (March 16) President Barack Obama nominates Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court. However, Republican leaders refused to hold a hearing for Scalia’s replacement. They claimed the President should not nominate a judge in the last year of the presidency.

President Barack Obama visits Cuba (March 21) On March 21, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama visited Cuba- the first president to travel there in 88 years. The President met with Cuban President Raul Castro to discuss the trade embargo as well as relations between the United States and Cuba.

Brussels Terrorist Attacks (March 22) On March 22, terrorists placed bombs in the airport and a metro station, killing and wounding hundreds of people. The attacks were conducted by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Following the attack many countries in Europe stepped up security measures.

Prince dies (April 22) Rock legend Prince died from opioid overdose at the age of 57. Prince was known for his wide range of music and unique stage presence. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

Harriet Tubman to be on $20 bill (April 22) Secretary of the Treasury Jacob Lew decided to put Harriet Tubman on the twenty dollar bill, the first women and African- American individual on paper currency. The final designs will be announced during 2020, and the bill will go into circulation at a later time.

Investigation into Russian Doping Program (May) The United States Department of Justice opens an investigation on the Russian Government’s doping program. Athletes are believed to have taken performance- enhancing drugs before international sports competitions at the insistence of the Russian government.

Harambe is shot and killed (May 28) A young, three- year -old child climbed into the gorilla’s enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo. Harambe grabbed the child and began dragging him. To save the child’s life, the zoo’s dangerous animal response team chose to shoot and kill Harambe. After the incident, Harambe became an internet sensation.

Muhammad Ali dies (Jun 3) The iconic professional boxer died at the age of 74 in a hospital. Ali was the heavyweight boxing champion as well as an Olympic gold medalist. Not only a celebrated sports figure, Ali also took a stance on social issues. He continually took a stand against the Vietnam draft, even when his boxing license was stripped. Ali also took to philanthropy, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005.

Deadly mass shooting in Orlando (June 12) An American- born individual, who pledged allegiance to ISIS, gunned down 49 people in a gay nightclub in Orlando. This terror attack is the United State’s deadliest mass shooting yet. The FBI conducted two investigation in years prior of the suspect, but found nothing significant.

Hamilton at the Tony Awards (June 12) The musical “Hamilton”, a smash hit with audiences, was created by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The show chronicles the life of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the United States and he established the national bank. “Hamilton” engages its audience with fast- paced raps and ingenious lyrics. “Hamilton” won 11 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

Brexit vote (June 23) In a referendum, the citizens of the UK voted for Britain to leave the European Union. The decision was Leave 52% to 48%. England and Wales voted to leave the EU, however Scotland and Northern Ireland strongly voted to remain. During the following days, former Prime Minister David Cameron resigned, and Theresa May took up the post of Prime Minister. The UK’s economy has also deteriorated after the vote.

Transgender individuals allowed in military (June 30) The Pentagon allows transgender individuals to openly serve in the military. They will be allowed to to enlist in the military and can not be drummed out based on their gender identity. Transgender individuals will also be provided the same medical coverage, which also extends to hormone therapy and surgery if doctors deem it necessary.

(July 5) Baton Rouge shooting Alton Sterling is fatally shot by two white police officers while being pinned to the ground. The incident was recorded by bystanders. The shooting sparked outrage and protests afterwards.

(July 6) Minnesota shooting After being pulled over, Philando Castile was fatally shot by a Minnesota police officer in his car. When Castile handed over his license and registration as instructed, he informed the officer that he had a licensed weapon in the car. As Castile was putting his hands back up, the officer shot him. Castile’s girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, and his four year old daughter were both in the car.

Pokemon Go takes over the world (July 6) Pokemon Go takes the beloved media franchise and transforms it into a type of virtual reality game. With the app, people can search for and capture Pokemon. The app was launched by Niantic, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.

Wimbledon finals (July 10) Serena Williams wins her 22nd grand slam title, and Andy Murray wins against Milos Raonic. Williams holds the most doubles, singles, and mixed doubles titles of any male or female tennis player. The finals took place in London, United Kingdom.

Terrorist attack in Nice, France (July 14) On Bastille Day, a 19 ton cargo truck plowed through crowds, killing 86 people. The Islamic State claimed to be behind the attack. After the attack French President Francois Hollande declared an extended state of emergency for the country.

Mike Pence picked as Donald Trump’s VP (July 15) Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump selected Indiana governor Mike Pence to run alongside him. Pence sparked controversy when he signed a law that allowed shop owners to discriminate against LGBT individuals. Pence has been in public office since 2000.

Attempted Military Coup in Turkey (July 15) A faction of the Turkish military attempted a coup d’etat against the government, including President Erdogan. The coup was unsuccessful after the army failed to capture key buildings. Over 300 people were killed in the coup.

Roger Ailes steps down (July 21) The founder and chairman of Fox News stepped down amid sexual harassment allegations. Earlier in July, former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Ailes. After that, multiple women including Fox News Anchor Megyn Kelly came forward with their own stories of sexual harassment.

Tim Kaine as VP (July 22) Hillary Clinton selected Virginia Senator Tim Kaine to be her running mate for the 2016 Presidential election. Kaine has years of experience as a politician, and he is from a key battleground state.

Hillary Clinton Nominated (July 25) Hillary Clinton becomes the first female presidential nominee of a major party. Clinton accepted her nomination at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) which took place during a three day period from July 25- 28. Speakers at the convention included First Lady Michelle Obama, President Barack Obama, Senator Bernie Sanders, gold star father Khazir Khan.

CDC announces Zika warning (Aug 1) The Zika virus is transmitted through Aedes species mosquito. Most worryingly, Zika can be transmitted between a pregnant mother and her fetus, which results in severe birth defects. The virus has been reported in North, South and Central America.

Rio Olympics (August 5 – 12) The 2016 Summer Olympics opened in Rio de Janeiro amid controversy. Tales of murky waters the Zika virus, and government instability swirled around the city. Some of the Olympic highlights include the rise of Simone Biles, Michael Phelps’ historic gold medals, and Usain Bolt’s last Olympic races.

Major flooding in Louisiana (Aug 12) Louisiana had prolonged and heavy rainfall prior to the floods, with rainfall of six to 10 inches in some areas. According to The Red Cross, the floodings were the worst natural disaster to hit the United States since Hurricane Sandy. The catastrophic floods devastated tens of thousands of homes in Louisiana.

Columbia Peace agreement (August 24) The Colombian government signed a peace treaty with a rebel group, bringing an end to the 52 year civil war that has ravaged the nation. For many Colombians, the country has been at war for their whole lives. However, in October, the peace deal was defeated, with 50.2% rejecting the peace deal, and 49.8 in favor.

First U.S. Presidential Debate (September 26) Clinton and Trump face off at Hofstra University for the first of three debates. The candidates discussed issues such as immigration and the economy. Both candidates claimed victory after the debate.

Elon Musk announces plans to colonize Mars (Sept 27) SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk reveals his plan to colonize the Red Planet through his company. His Interplanetary Transport System (ITS) will carry humans to and from Mars. Almost 250,000 signed up for the trip.

Nobel Prize Winners (October) The winners are: Yoshinori Ohsumi for Physiology or Medicine; Oliver Hart and Bengt Holmstrüm for Economic Sciences; John Kosterlitz, Duncan Haldane and David Thouless for Physics; James Fraser Stoddart, Jean-Pierre Sauvage and Ben Feringa for Chemistry; Juan Manuel Santos, the president of Colombia, for the Nobel Peace Prize; and the Nobel Prize for Literature went to Bob Dylan.

Hurricane Matthew hits Haiti (October 4) On Oct. 4, Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti as a level five hurricane. The storm decimated towns and infrastructure on the island nation. Hurricane Matthew also caused evacuations in the states along the East Coast.

Massive Cyber attack launched (October 21) The internet performance management company, Dyn, was the victim of a huge, three-wave cyber attack. The attack took down websites such as Twitter, Amazon, Netflix, Reddit, and Tumblr. The attacks affected mainly North America and Europe.

“The Jungle” closes (October 24) The massive refugee camp evicted thousands of migrants from the area, with the intention of resettling them in different parts of France. The camp was located in the port city of Calais, where many refugees tried to enter the UK. The camp had housed about 7,000 migrants and refugees.

Presidential Election (November 8) The citizens of the United States elected Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States. Trump won the election with a total of 289 electoral votes. He and his Vice President Mike Pence will be inaugurated January 2017.

Protests follow Presidential Election (November 12) Outrage followed after the historic Presidential election on Nov. 8. Since the election, transgender suicide hotlines reported receiving significantly more calls, the Trevor Project’s calls were up 124%. Additionally, thousands of men and women plan to march in the “Women’s March on Washington” on inauguration day to protest the president- elect’s derogatory remarks during the election cycle.

Ray Tensing mistrial (November 12) Ray Tensing, a former UC Police officer, charged with the murder of Samuel DuBose, was put on trial starting Oct. 25. The incident took place on July 19, 2015, where Tensing fatally shot Dubose at a traffic stop. After 17 hours of deliberation, the jury was unable to come to a unanimous decision, and a mistrial was declared on Nov. 12.