Weekly Wrap-Up

It was a tumultuous week in the United States and around the world, as the race for the Republican presidential nomination heated up and tensions escalated over everything from Iran’s development of nuclear capabilities to the ongoing conflict in Syria.

Major wins for Romney: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney cemented his position as frontrunner this week, culminating in a landslide victory in the Nevada caucuses on Saturday. Despite Romney’s decisive win, rival Newt Gingrich says he plans to move forward with his struggling presidential campaign, vowing to draw a contrast between himself and “timid” Romney. The two face off again this coming week, with Tuesday primaries in Minnesota, Colorado and Missouri, and Maine’s weeklong caucuses, which conclude on Saturday.

Obama seeks diplomatic solution to troubles with Iran: Despite tension between the United States and Iran over Iran’s development of nuclear capabilities, President Barack Obama says there are risks to consider before launching any kind of military action. Obama also said he does not believe Iran has the “intentions or capabilities” to attack the U.S., despite threats. Obama also made it clear he does not want to see more conflict in the oil-producing Gulf region. Iran maintains its nuclear program is designed to produce energy, not weapons.

China, Russia veto Syria sanctions: As promised, China and Russia used their veto power to vote down a United Nations Security Council resolution regarding the ongoing violence in Syria on Friday. The resolution would have condemned the Syrian government’s violent crackdown against civilian protestors. The initiative was sponsored by the Arab League, which has condemned the violence by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.