THE WEEK IN REVIEW: JANUARY 3-9, 2016

THE BATMAN TV SERIES WITH ADAM WEST AND BURT WARD DEBUTED JANUARY 12, 1966; MAKING 2016 ITS 50th ANNIVERSARY.

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK...

*While North Korea says they have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb, there is no physical evidence to support their claim.
*Saudi Arabia has stopped diplomatic relations with Iran after Sheikh Nimr's execution and an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran.
*The fugitive drug lord known as "El Chapo" has been recaptured.
*Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Ukraine and Uruguay are now officially part of the United Nations Security Council.
*The United Kingdom has designated Ascension Island and its surrounding waters in the Atlantic Ocean as a Marine protected area.
*FOUR new elements have officially been added to the Periodic Table.

TERRIBLE TERRORIST ACTIVITIES...

*ISIS/ISIL forces have claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing of an Iraqi Army base.
*Despite repeated attempts to do so, ISIS/ISIL forces have yet to seize control of the Libyan oil port of Sidra, but claim they are now in command of the nearby town of Bin Jawad.

PASSING PARADE...
*Robert Balser, animator on Yellow Submarine and Heavy Metal, has passed away.
*Actor (One Day At A Time), comedian (The Jack Paar Show) and voice actor (Inspector Clouseau of animated shorts) Pat Harrington, Junior has taken his last bow on life's stage.

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

*With all the important issues that MUST be done and have yet to be addressed, Republicans in Congress managed to pass a bill calling for the immediate end of the Affordable Health Care Act, aka "Obama Care" and the defunding of Planned Parenthood. President Barack Obama promptly vetoed the measure.
*Meanwhile, President Obama announced executive orders to expand background checks for firearms and toughen regulation of firearms since those same Republicans will not take legislative action themselves.
*YET THOSE SAME REPUBLICANS are considering a possible bailout to help Volkswagen after all their emission and legal troubles of late.
*President Obama's last State of the Union address is scheduled to be given January 12.
*The official citizenry of Republican Presidential nominee hopeful Ted Cruz has been called into question. The issue the GOP has tried to avoid discussing: despite having an American mother, Cruz was born in Canada, where she lived with his Canadian father at the time.
*Regardless of who becomes the next President of the United States, will there be a constitutional convention in 2017 to suggest changes to the Constitution?
ELSEWHERE...
*As Pfizer merged with Ireland based Allegran to reduce its American tax bill, the company RAISED prices on over 100 medicines in the United States.
*Natalie Cole's cause of death has officially been declared as idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, which led to heart failure.
*Could the Playboy Mansion be for sale by the end of 2016???
*Actor Michael Weatherly has announced he will leave NCIS as Anthony DiNozzo at the end of the current season.
*The 15th and final season of American Idol has begun.
*The San Diego Chargers, St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders all want to relocate to Los Angeles.
*Ken Griffey, Junior and Mike Piazza will enter the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame this summer.
*Are Jose Reyes, Yasiel Puig and Aroldis Chapman in trouble with Major League Baseball over domestic violence issues?

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