Saturday, February 4, 2017

THE WEEK IN REVIEW: JANUARY 29-FEBRUARY 4, 2017

TODAY IS INDEPENDENCE DAY IN SRI LANKA.

AMONGST EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THIS PAST WEEK…
*The United Nations is seeking support to help prevent a possible famine in Somalia.
*Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has temporarily suspended his war on drugs (which included civilians being able to kill suspected users and dealers) to rid the police of “corrupt” officers, although no civilians are known to be involved in this effort.
*In the wake of American President Donald Trump’s Muslim travel ban, Iran is threatening to bar any US Citizen from their country, even if they plan to be there on official government business.
*British Citizens have gathered enough signatures to have a petition banning President Trump from visiting Great Britain to be officially considered by Parliament.
*England's House of Commons has approved the “Brexit” from the European Union.
*Over 49,000 men in England and Wales have been pardoned under the Alan Turing law for once breaking previous legislation that outlawed homosexual acts.
*Iran faces new sanctions from America following a ballistic missile test.
*Morocco has been readmitted into the African Union.
*Susan Kiefel has become the first female Chief Justice of Austriala.
*Miss France Irene Mittenaere is the new Miss Universe 2017.
*At the conclusion of the 2017 Winter X Games, the top five medal winning countries were (in order): The United States, Canada, Sweden, Norway, and Estonia.

THE TERRORIST REPORT…
*While surprisingly, there has not been that much actual activity this past week, bombs are still the terrorist's main weapon of choice.
*Yet will everything happening in the United States concerning potential immigration reform cause the increase in terrorism that President Trump is hoping to stop?

PASSING PARADE…
*Those innocents who lost their lives in the mosque shooting of Quebec, Canada.
*Professional sound mixer Richard Portman (The Godfather, Star Wars, The Deer Hunter) has passed away.
*Author Howard Frank Mosher (Where the Rivers Flow North) is no longer with us.
*Singer/songwriter (“Only Time Will Tell”, “Heat of the Moment”) and guitarist (Asia, King Crimson) John Wetton has passed away.
*Actor Frank Pellegrino (Goodfellas, The Sopranos) has taken his last bow on life’s stage.

WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA…
POLITICALLY…
IN THE WAKE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S ATTEMPTED EXECUTIVE TRAVEL BAN ORDER…
*Two different Federal Judges, at least temporarily, overturned parts Executive Order #13769 before a Federal Judge in Seattle temporarily suspended ALL of it. Please note that the numbering is based upon the TOTAL amount of Executive Orders within the history of the Presidential office and NOT how many President Trump has written so far.
*President Trump has since called the Seattle Judge's decision "ridiculous", and vowed it would soon be overturned.
*Meanwhile, Washington and other states are in the process of enacting lawsuits against President Trump over the Executive Order.
*Sally Yates, the temporary Attorney General, until Trump’s nominee has received Congressional approval, was fired by the President for refusing to enforce it because she doubted the legality of the order.
*White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was quoted as saying that Department of Justice employees should follow the President’s program or get new jobs.
*There was NO "Bowling Green Massacre"!
*Iran is threatening to bar any US Citizen from their country, even if they plan to be there on official government business.
MEANWHILE…
*Did Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner talk President Trump out of canceling LGTB rights???
*British Citizens have gathered enough signatures to have a petition banning President Trump from visiting Great Britain to be officially considered by Parliament.
*Trump has nominated Federal Appellate Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the vacancy within the Supreme Court that the Republican dominated Congress would never allow former President Obama to do.
*The Republican dominated Senate has confirmed Elaine Chao, wife of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, as President Trump’s Secretary of Transportation, and Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State. Meanwhile, Vincent Viola has removed himself from consideration to be Secretary of the Army.
*While some still question just how distant President Trump actually is from his businesses at the moment, his son Eric's recent trip abroad cost taxpayers over $90,000.
*While promising to "destroy the Johnson Amendment", which helps keep the entities of church, state, and politics separate at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, which may soon result in new executive action concerning religious freedom; was it really necessary for Donald Trump to discuss the Celebrity Apprentice's ratings too? New show host Arnold Schwarzenegger responded to Trump's comments. (There are FOUR separate links in the previous item.)
*America has imposed new sanctions against Iran after they conducted a ballistic missile test.
*How is President Trump doing on the issue of foreign diplomacy? Australia's Prime Minister has an opinion. (There are 2 separate links in the previous item.)
*NEXT on President Trump's agenda: "correcting" the Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Act, while Congress has scrapped former President Obama's regulations regarding the Environment (coal miners can soon resume dumping their "trash" in rivers again) and Gun Background Checks as "restrictive". Both measures are only waiting for President Trump's approval to become official. (There are 2 separate links in the previous item.)
ELSEWHERE…
*So what does former President Barack Obama think of everything that has happened since he left office???
*Just what exactly is going on at the University of California's Berkeley campus???
*There was NO "Bowling Green Massacre"!
*Some speculation into how much longer Sears/K-mart will stay in business.
*The Atlanta Falcons will face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 51 Sunday night.



THE FREE CHOICE E-ZINE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ITS LOYAL READERSHIP FOR STARTING OFF 2017 BY GIVING US 2,283 PAGE VIEWS IN JANUARY.



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

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