There was a very busy news cycle this week. From the ever present presidential bids to another interview with Edward Snowden, the internet sure had a lot to talk about. Here’s the highlights:

Edward Snowden misses America… And Hot Pockets.

Last Week Tonight aired an interview with Edward Snowden on Sunday evening. In the interview John Oliver and Snowden discuss government surveillance, safety concerns over the documents that Edward Snowden leaked and how the government spies on your nude photos.

Death penalty debate swirls over Boston Marathon bomber

A Boston court found Dzhokhar Tsarnaev guilty of 30 charges related to the 2013 bombing of the Boston Marathon.

Families and victims of the attack made statements after the findings.

Family of murdered @MITPolice Officer Sean Collier statement on the Boston Marathon bombing verdict. #Tsarnaev pic.twitter.com/bX68XyfOqf

— Hilary Sargent (@lilsarg) April 8, 2015

  What happens next? The second phase of the trial will decide whether or not 21-year-old Tsarnaev will receive the death penalty. Presidential hopeful and democratic Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren spoke out about the death penalty on a CBS morning show saying, “My heart goes out to the families here, but I don’t support the death penalty. I think he should spend his life in jail, no possibility of parole.” The state of Massachusetts does not have a death penalty, but the current case is federal.

Rand Paul 2k16

Rand Paul, not to be confused with Ron Paul, announced his presidential candidacy Tuesday. The Kentucky Senator is running as a republican candidate and will run against Ted Cruz, who offically announced in March, for the republican nomination. 

Since announcing his candidacy Paul has aimed tweets at Hillary Clinton, who has not announced her candidacy.  

Polls show I’m the best candidate to take on Hillary in 2016. RT & chip in $20.16 to help: https://t.co/wG0YwoT1gJ pic.twitter.com/HM3BTWIuQw — Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) April 9, 2015

ASUO campaigns are everywhere these days. Campaigners are on the streets, flyers are up around campus and every campaign has a social media presence. We Are Oregon, Ducks F.I.R.S.T. and UO Forward all have Facebook pages but recently some new ‘campaigns’ may have sprung up on your timeline.

Two rival pages, ‘Dixie Normous For D Prezz’ and ‘Freida Breast 4 Prez 4 ASUO 4 EVA’, joined Facebook.

Both accounts lobby for votes, typically through memes and typos.

For example the “about” section of the two Facebook pages say:

“i am longing to b d ASUO president.”

and

“Hei, mei name iz Freida, Freida Breast. I am a strong independent wopersxn. I am runing against Dixie Normouse 4 ASUO prez.”

According to UO Find People search, neither Dixie Normous nor Freida Breast currently attends the University of Oregon. Stay tuned to see if the campaigns receive any write-in votes.

*This is not an April Fools joke*

Where did you spend your spring break? Was there wi-fi? Did you let your hair down and ignore the headlines? If you went off the grid or just binge-watched the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, here’s a refresher course on the week’s headlines.

‘Imagine’ Ted Cruz 2016?

Ted Cruz announced his presidential candidacy to the delight of Saturday Night Live writers, Monday. During a speech at Liberty University, Cruz announced that he is running for president with a Beatles-esque slogan, “Imagine.” This prompted the #TedCruzCampaignSlogans where twitter users came up with alternative slogans.

“I’m So Anti-Immigration That If I’m Elected I’ll Deport Myself” #TedCruzCampaignSlogans

— Ken Shadford (@kenshadford) March 23, 2015

A little context, Cruz was born in Canada.

You Betcha, I’m Crazy! #TedCruzCampaignSlogans pic.twitter.com/8CBduqOm7t

— Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) March 24, 2015

  Whatever happens, this year’s republican debates should be interesting. 

I’m thrilled Cruz is running because the debates just went from “ugh do I really have to” to must-see TV. — Walter Hickey (@WaltHickey) March 23, 2015

X-Files are back

Rejoice, nerds! Mulder and Scully will be back for six episodes on FOX. That’s right, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson will reprise their famous roles as two FBI agents investigating paranormal phenomena.

It’s been 13 years, hope my suits still fit. #XFilesReunion http://t.co/T8Yx6J8a5m pic.twitter.com/L1ZM9BzXCr

— David Duchovny (@davidduchovny) March 25, 2015

Zayn Malik goes a new direction?

That’s right. Zayn Malik is leaving One Direction, which will continue as a four person band. Teens, and a fair amount of adults, are shedding tears and composing tweets for 1D.

Pizza -> Pope

That’s right. The Pope got a pizza delivered to the popemobile on Saturday. Rightfully, the internet FREAKED out. Check it out:

#papa #PapaFrancesco #napoli #love #instagood #me #smile #follow #cute #photooftheday #tbt #followme #tagsforlikes #girl #beautiful #happy #picoftheday #instadaily #food #swag #amazing #fashion #igers #fun #summer #instalike #bestoftheday #lapizzeriadelpapa #friends

A video posted by DonErnesto, la PizzeriaDelPapa (@don.ernesto) on Mar 21, 2015 at 4:36pm PDT

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Two archivists suspended during University of Oregon’s latest records release saga will not return to their jobs at the UO.

Remember #recordgate? Here’s a refresher.

Earlier this year, economics professor Bill Harbaugh requested records from presidential archives.

Harbaugh received 22,000 pages of records. The university later clarified that this was an unlawful release. 

The university put the two archivists responsible for releasing the records on paid administrative leave, pending their investigation.

Through a process of elimination the Oregonian identified the librarians as James Fox and Kira Homo.

Wednesday, the Oregonian reported that Fox and Homo won’t be returning to their jobs on UO’s campus. It is unclear if the two were fired or declined to return to the university.

The university hired Hershner Hunter to investigate the leak. The report said:

* The records were released to the faculty member prior to the customary separation and processing required by UO Libraries, University of Oregon, State of Oregon and federal policies, procedures and statutes.

* Records released included information, including student names and addresses, which are protected under state and federal law (FERPA and HIPAA).

* The records were returned and appropriate review and processing is being expedited by the university to ensure full compliance with rules, code of ethics and all federal and state laws.

Follow Alex Wallachy on twitter @wall2wallachy

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Finals week draws to a close and winter term is officially over. While students crammed and cried in Knight Library, the world kept turning. Here’s what you may have missed while wishing you had dropped your anthropology class.

Netanyahu wins again

Benjamin Netanyahu was once again voted prime minister of Israel on Tuesday night. Netanyahu’s win is the subject of many opinion editorials across the globe, many speculating about the relationship between the U.S. and Israel. The Obama administration and Netanyahu aren’t on the greatest of terms. Netanyahu campaigned against Obama’s potential nuclear deal with Iran, the Obama administration criticized Netanyahu’s rhetoric and much more.

World News Videos | US News Videos

Who is Robert Durst?

Where to begin? Robert Durst, the subject of the new HBO documentary The Jinx, was arrested for the 2000 murder of his friend Susan Berman. Durst was arrested the same night that the last episode of the documentary aired.

The show itself is about the real estate mogul’s connections to three separate murders, including Berman’s. Durst’s wife, Kathie, disappeared under suspicious circumstance in 1982. Prosecutors say that Berman may have been a witness to this crime.

Durst has been trending on Twitter all week. The Jinx isn’t the first time Durst has been in the pop culture-sphere, the 2010 film All Good Things was loosely based off the disappearance of Durst’s wife.

Spoiler alert, there may not be a second season.

Virginia governor orders an investigation into excessive force in the arrest of a UVA student

Early Wednesday morning, Martese Johnson was arrested by Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control agents. Johnson was arrested for resisting arrest, profane swearing or intoxication and obstructing justice without threats of force.

Photos and videos of the arrest showed lots of blood after officers slammed Johnson’s head into the pavement. The Cavalier Daily reported that Johnson sustained a head injury during the arrest.

The UVA Vice President for Diversity & Equity Marcus L. Martin and Dean of African-American Affairs Maurice Apprey released a statement Wednesday denouncing police brutality.

“Violence against an individual, no matter the color of his or her skin, gender, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation, is inexcusable and appalling,” the statement said.

Martin and Apprey aren’t the only people upset. On Wednesday, the UVA community held a rally in support of Johnson.

Students gathering at #UVA following #MarteseJohnson arrest. @KellyAvellino will have a live report at 11. pic.twitter.com/lsN2qsgifh

— NBC12 WWBT Richmond (@NBC12) March 19, 2015

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This week on the Weekly Show with Alex and Dahlia, co-hosts and head news correspondents Alexandra Wallachy and Dahlia Bazzaz, discuss contentious abortion protest on UO’s campus. Anti-abortion protestors held graphic signs that sparked a counter protest, and some questions about the first amendment.

Also in this week: would you buy an Apple watch? Plus excitement over Zoolander 2 and fear of the illuminati.

This – and more – on The Weekly Show. It’ll be on iTunes soon, but for now, you can stream and download it on SoundCloud below.

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It’s dead week at the University of Oregon. You may be wondering, why am I here? What am I doing with my life? What happened this week on the web? If your question is the latter here’s what you need to know.

Racist slurs at the University of Oklahoma go viral

Two students have been expelled, the national SAE organization disbanded the OU chapter and the president of the university ordered the frat to vacate their house. This after a viral video of SAE fraternity members singing, “There will never be a ni***r in SAE” was published online.

I have acted today to expel two students who were leaders in the singing of a racist chant. See press release – DBo pic.twitter.com/VypOiVqXi7

— David Boren (@President_Boren) March 10, 2015

 The Apple watch is out and could cost you more than a new Ford Fiesta

Get your wallet out, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook announced the Apple Watch on Monday. The watch comes in three styles: Apple watch, Apple watch sport and Apple watch edition which is made of 18 karat gold. Prices range from $350 to $17,000. It even tells you what time it is!

Zoolander 2 announced at fashion week

There will officially be a second Zoolander movie. How do we know? Well Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson walked the runway during Paris Fashion Week. Zoolander and Hansel walked the runway during Valentino’s show, Tuesday and hung out with Vogue’s editor Anna Wintour. Zoolander 2 is set for release February 12, 2016.

 

Speak no evil. See no evil. Hear no evil. Derek #Zoolander and #Hansel are back! Photo by @kevintachman backstage at @maisonvalentino. #Zoolander2

 

A photo posted by Vogue (@voguemagazine) on Mar 10, 2015 at 7:16am PDT

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President Barack Obama addressed student journalists Wednesday during a White House conference call on the new Student Aid Bill of Rights. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, held a Q&A with college journalists after Obama’s address.

On Monday, the White House announced a presidential memorandum on student aid.

“Yesterday I took new action to make it easier for students to pay for college and pay of their loans through an executive action that streamlines and improves the way the federal government interacts with students when it comes to student loans, helps students cut through the bureaucracy and get faster responses about their loans,” Obama said. “We’re continuing to chip away at this problem, there’s no silver bullet.”

The memorandum directs the Department of Education and other federal agencies to help borrowers with loan payments. It includes a student aid bill of rights, which says:

I. Every student deserves access to a quality, affordable education at a college that’s cutting costs and increasing learning.
II. Every student should be able to access the resources needed to pay for college.
III. Every borrower has the right to an affordable repayment plan.
IV. And every borrower has the right to quality customer service, reliable information, and fair treatment, even if they struggle to repay their loans.

The bill includes a complaint system to ensure quality service and accountability, steps to help students responsibly repay loans and new steps to analyze trends in student debt.

Both Obama and Duncan pointed to the republican dominated congress to pass America’s College Promise, a program that would provide two years of free community college.

Duncan emphasized the success of similar state run programs in Tennessee.

“The community college idea came not from me, not from the president but from the state of Tennessee,” Duncan said. “Where a strong republican government has put that in place.”

During the Q&A, a student journalist from Western Michigan University asked if Duncan was worried that increased federal funding for higher education would set a precedent for states to cut more funding.

Duncan said that if the Congress approved the community college proposal there would be a memorandum of understanding that the US government would only invest in states ‘holding up their end of the bargain.’

“When we invest we want to supplement not supplant,” Duncan said.

A student journalist from the Minnesota Daily asked about pushback on the student bill of rights.

“What we’ve been hearing in the past 24 hours is, hurry up. We hear that and we want to move as quickly as possible to deliver on these issues,” Duncan said. “We also want to make sure that what we do deliver is of the absolute highest quality.”

Obama encouraged Americans to sign in support of the Student Aid Bill of Rights here.

“Higher education remains one of the best investments you can make in your future,” Obama said. “But also one of the best investments you can make in your country’s future.”

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Emailgate (or whatever the kids are calling it these days)

Hillary Clinton has been widely criticized for using her personal email when she was the US Secretary of State. Why is this an issue? Well those emails might not have been kept, it also would make emails and records harder for journalists to request if they didn’t know she used a second email address.

In response to the controversy Clinton asked that her emails be released.

I want the public to see my email. I asked State to release them. They said they will review them for release as soon as possible.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 5, 2015

DOJ confirms racial bias in Ferguson PD but says Daren Wilson won’t face charges

New justice department report said that the Ferguson police department showed a racial bias. Attorney General Eric Holder said that there was “implicit and explicit racial bias” in Ferguson’s policing. The DOJ announced that it would not prosecute Daren Wilson, the police officer who killed Michael Brown, sparking riots and police brutality in Ferguson, Missouri.

Justice Department Announces Findings of Two Civil Rights Investigations in Ferguson, Missouri http://t.co/m9yzkJwIQO — Justice Department (@TheJusticeDept) March 4, 2015

The FBI opened an investigation to determine if a shooting was a hate crime

A North Carolina District Attorney, Roger Echols, will seek the death penalty for the shooting of three young Muslim-Americans near Chapel Hill.The accused shooter’s wife said it was a neighborly dispute over a parking space, many are calling it a hate crime. 

The motive behind the Chapel Hill killings remains a mystery http://t.co/kEoHOltuRk pic.twitter.com/IEYEsVgOg8

— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 3, 2015

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The UO Board of Trustees winter meeting continues Friday March 6 in the Ford Alumni Center. Follow the live-blog and check out news from yesterday’s meeting. During Thursday’s meeting the BOT passed a tuition increase which students protested, forcing the board to a recess.

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