This Week in Pictures: July 26 – August 01, 2016

The big news stories came thick and fast last week so lets take a moment or two to look back at some of the most important that broke in the past seven days.

In the United States Hillary Clinton became the first woman to be nominated by either of the major political parties to be their candidate for President. Accepting the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia Senator Clinton said “America is once again at a moment of reckoning. Powerful forces are threatening to pull us apart.” This was thought to be a clear reference to her divisive opponent Donald Trump who continues to lead in the polls despite making gaffs galore.

In France a Normandy Church was the scene of the latest terror attack in the country last week when Adel Kermiche and Abdel Malik Petitjean entered wielding knives. The priest in the Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray church, 89 year old Jacques Hamel, was then forced to kneel and had his throat cut by the attackers. The pair then attempted to attack police and were shot dead. Islamic State have claimed responsibility and both Kermiche and Petitjean were known to French law enforcement authorities.

In Japan Yuriko Koike, the former Defense Minister, became the first woman to be elected as governor of Tokyo despite as hard fought campaign following both her predecessors resigning over financial scandals. A member of Shinzo Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party she faced conservative opposition and numerous sexist attacks in the popular press. “I will lead Tokyo politics in an unprecedented manner, a Tokyo you have never seen.” She said on winning and will now oversee the 2020 Olympic games.

In sport the International Olympic Committee decided to change its mind on who decides which Russian athletes will be able to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympics, now saying a trio of officials will select eligible applicants just days after having handed the decision over to the individual sporting federations. The IOC been accused by anti-doping authorities of putting politics above clean sport. Will it overshadow the games? You’ll have to read our daily news pages to find out but in the meantime lets look back at the big stories we covered over the last seven days.

1. GamingZion has collected the most interesting games for Tuesday in regards of betting on Champions League Qualifiers.

2. GamingZion took a look at the UFC 201 main event between two of the most explosive fighters.

3. GamingZion took a look at the figures behind this year’s Olympic sailing events at Rio 2016.

4. Putin claimed that the medals on the RIO2016 will be dis-valued due to non participation of the Russian athletes.

5. LGBT advocacy groups stressed the importance of coming out of LGBT athletes on the Rio 2016 Olympics.

6. The footballer Wendell Lira, winner of the 2015 Puskás award has quit football to play video game.

7. GamingZion analyzed Shakur Steveson’s chances of being the first American male to win gold in boxing since Andre Ward in 2004.

Meanwhile Norway last week decided to consider giving it’s neighbor Finland a present when the latter celebrates it’s one hundred year anniversary of independence from Russia next year, the gift? A mountain. The 1,365 meter high peak is Mounta Halti that sits just a kilometer inside Norway’s border, and if the boundary were changed would be Finland’s highest point. The idea has received widespread support from across the Norwegian political spectrum, and the mayor of nearby Kafjord said it would be a “wonderful” gift.