THE WEEK IN REVIEW: MAY 10-16, 2015

THE SANJA MATSURI FESTIVAL BEGINS TODAY IN TOKYO.

YESTERDAY WAS THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY

OF THE McDONALD'S FRANCHISE.

MAY 21ST IS THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF

THE ARCADE CLASSIC PAC-MAN.

MAY MARKS THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF STAR WARS, EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH AND THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF EPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

NISSAN AND TOYOTA ARE RECALLING OVER 6.5 MILLION VEHICLES OVER FEARS OF EXPLODING AIR BAGS. Contact your local dealerships for more details.

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK...

*A 7.3 aftershock in Nepal has claimed another 125 victims while injuring over 2500 more people and delaying rescue and relief efforts. While those efforts have since resumed; sadly, the overall death toll has surpassed 8000 victims.

*A coup against the established Burundi government has failed, with the suspected ring leader in custody.

*A temporary truce has been established between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, but charitable relief efforts have yet to enter Yemen.

*King Salman of Saudi Arabia has canceled his scheduled meeting with United States President Barack Obama, allegedly over disagreeing with a proposed Iranian nuclear deal.

*After North Korea successfully tested a ballistic missile, South Korea warns that it is prepared to defend itself, if necessary.

*Chile and the United Kingdom will each be establishing new governmental cabinets soon.

*Cuban President Raul Castro had a private audience with Pope Francis in Rome.

*United States Secretary of State John Kerry will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin soon to discuss a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian crisis.

*Nico Rosberg has won the 2015 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix.

TERRIBLE TERRORIST ACTIVITIES...

*45 people were killed during an attack on a bus in Karachi, Pakistan.

*ISIS/ISIL's second in command has allegedly been killed during an air strike, while a "senior official" within the organization has been reportedly killed by an United States special forces operation.

PASSING PARADE...

*Blues legend B.B. King is no longer with us.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...

POLITICALLY...

*According to Doyle McManus within an Los Angeles Times article, while David Koch might be privately favoring Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker as the Republican Presidential candidate in 2016, the Koch Brothers officially will only be endorsing with their huge monetary war chest whoever wins the nomination next year; although several potential candidates will be "summoned to a round of auditions this summer".

*Senate Democrats rallied to block a fast track passage of the Trans Pacific Partnership.

*The House of Representatives has voted to end collecting phone data under the USA Freedom Act. The measure has yet to be heard in the Senate.

*King Salman of Saudi Arabia has canceled his scheduled meeting with President Barack Obama, allegedly over disagreeing with a proposed Iranian nuclear deal.
*Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the State Guard to monitor the United States military when they conduct Operation: Jade Helm 15 within the Lone Star State (and six other states) this summer to ensure that the military exercise isn't a cover for the federal government to seize control of the state, seize Texas citizen's guns, or round up "dissidents".

ELSEWHERE...

*The man found guilty in the Boston Marathon bombing has been given a death sentence.

*An Amtrak train derailed while traveling through Pennsylvania. There are 8 confirmed dead and over 200 injured. The train's black box has been recovered, but no word on the results of its examination yet.

*Verizon has agreed to purchase AOL for $4.4 billion dollars.

*A woman working for a company in California has been fired for allegedly disabling the app within her employer provided phone that allowed them to track her every movement 24/7.

*New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has been suspended for 4 regular season games, while the team has been fined $1 million dollars and forfeits future draft picks as a result of the National Football League's investigation into "Deflategate". All sanctions are being appealed.
*"American Pharaoh" won the Preakness, the second leg of professional horse races' Triple Crown, and might complete the trifecta in June.

For more news at any time, either scroll down to our IN OTHER NEWS feature at the bottom of your screen or visit any other reputable news source.