THE WEEK IN REVIEW: SEPTEMBER 13-19, 2015

TODAY IS INTERNATIONAL TALK LIKE A PIRATE DAY.

IT'S ALSO INDEPENDENCE DAY IN SAINT KITTS & NEVIS.

SEPTEMBER 22nd MARKS THE 40th ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIKING PROBE DISCOVERING MARS HAD A POLAR ICE CAP!

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK...

*OTHER COUNTRIES TAKE NOTE! In the wake of multiple bribery and corruption scandals in that country, Brazil's Supreme Court has issued a new ruling that BANS corporate money in elections!

*After confirming it has an active nuclear reactor, North Korea claims it has nuclear weapons and is prepared to use them against their enemies if necessary. (NOTE: There are 2 links in this report, separated by the comma.)
*Jose Ramon Cabañas Rodriguez has become the first Cuban Ambassador to the United States since 1961. The announcement of who the American Ambassador to Cuba will be is pending.
*Malcolm Turnbull is the new Prime Minister of Australia.
*Pope Francis is on his way to Cuba to begin his North American Papal visit, with his itinerary taking him to the United States afterward.
*No matter how much some people try to deny the facts about climate change, 2015 will be going in the history books as the hottest year on Earth, to date.
*Doctors in Spain have successfully used 3D printer created parts in an operation on a human being to replace bad bones!
*The United Kingdom is concerned about a new, drug resistant strain of gonorrhea after 15 cases were confirmed in Northern England.
*Bidding to host the 2024 Summer Olympics has been narrowed to Budapest, Hamburg, Los Angeles, Paris, and Rome by the International Olympic Committee.
*The Altice European Communications Company is poised to by American Cable Company Cablevision for $17 Billion US Dollars.
*Lydia Ko of New Zealand has become the youngest person ever to win a professional golf tournament by claiming victory at the 2015 LPGA Evian Championship.

TERRIBLE TERRORIST ACTIVITIES...

*Immigrants from the violence in the Middle East continue to flee to Europe. While many countries are sympathetic to their situation, what to do with all the people is fast becoming a cause for concern.
*The exiled Yemen government has announced it will no longer attend United Nations hosted talks with the rebel Houthis contingent.
*Some within the United Nations contingent are wondering why Russian forces are acting independently within Syria.
*The Taliban successfully broke into a Ghanzi, Afghanistan prison and freed 350 prisoners, killing at least 4 guards in the process.
*The Nigerian Army is reporting a successful raid against Boko Haram forces in Borno, freeing several women and children held hostage.
*Islamist rebels executed over 50 Syrian Army personnel after seizing control of the Abu al-Duhur airbase.

PASSING PARADE...
*Gary Richrath of REO Speedwagon has passed away.
*Former professional basketball player Moses Malone is no longer with us.
*Adrian Frutiger, designer of the fonts Univers, Frutiger, Avenir, and Vectora; amongst many others, has passed away.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...
POLITICALLY...

*Despite all the allegations against the organization having been proven false, the Republican controlled House of Representatives has passed a measure to totally defund Planned Parenthood. While it is not expected to pass the Senate, some Republicans are still threatening another government shutdown if they don't get their way.
*A pending piece of business before Congress: the official removal of the US economic embargo against Cuba established in the 1960s, as part of the ongoing new relations between the two countries.
*President Barack Obama has nominated Eric Fanning, an openly gay man, as Secretary of the Army.
*Meanwhile, it is being reported that the Obama administration has officially paid off the $1.4 TRILLION DOLLAR deficit left by the George W. Bush administration.
*Whether or not he actually needs the money, Donald Trump has sold the Miss Universe organization and pageant to WME/IMG. Meanwhile, NBC Television has replaced Trump with Arnold Schwarzenegger as the next host of Celebrity Apprentice.
ELSEWHERE...
*American Airlines suffered a major "computer glitch" that caused serious flight delays across the country Thursday. Allegedly it was an internal problem and not a hacking incident.
*The Environmental Protection Agency has ordered Volkswagen to repair over 500,000 cars built between 2009-2015, because the vehicles have software that overrides EPA emissions standards.
*A Rolling Stone article has allegedly found a link between wildfires and the growing problem of climate change.
*The lone student who was investigated after his home made science project clock went off in school (because he also happened to be a Muslim?) has been receiving all kinds of invitations since the incident was first reported, including a trip to the White House and various colleges around the country.
*A property versus public rights debate is brewing in Malibu over public use of beach property when celebrity homes border said beach.
*After formally apologizing to previous pageant winner Vanessa Williams after stripping her of the title over 30 years ago, the Miss America contest went on to crown Betty Cantrell (Miss Georgia) the latest winner.
*Ultramarathoner Shaun Evans has completed a run from Puget Sound, Washington State to Long Island, New York, a 3200+ mile journey, all while pushing his son in the child's wheelchair!
*Michael Sam, the first openly gay professional American football player, has announced he is planning to go to graduate school to continue his education and train for an eventual return to football.
*The winners of the 2015 US Open of professional tennis include Women's Singles victor Flavia Pennetta, Men's Singles champ Novak Djokovic, Women's Doubles partnership of Martina Hingis and Sania Mirza, and the Men's Doubles partnership of Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut.

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