The Week in Pictures: September 29-October 5, 2015

There were a whole raft of big news stories last week so let’s take a time out to look back on some of the most important of the last seven days.

In the US NASA announced the discovery of liquid water flowing on the surface of Mars following detailed analysis of images taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Scientists are as yet unsure of the water’s origin, whether it rises from under the surface or is condensed from the atmosphere, and noted it only flows during the summer months and is highly salted. “Mars is not the dry, arid planet that we thought of in the past.” Said NASA’s Jim Green of the revelations.

Russia began air strikes in Syria last week. A contingent of 34 aircraft based in Syria struck numerous targets across the country as Vladimir Putin sought to support his longtime ally Bashar Assad’s regime. With some of the anti-Assad groups attacked by the Russians financed and supported by the US, the Russian air campaign was described by America as being “indiscriminate” whilst its own air operations against Islamic State within Syria continued unaffected.

Chris Harper-Mercer, a British born 26 year old, opened fire in a classroom at the Umpqua community college in Roseburg, Oregon, last week. Enrolled on a writing course at the college the gunman killed nine and injured another nine in the 45th mass school shooting in the United States this year. Whilst his motives were not immediately clear he apparently targeted Christians in his attack, and a police investigation continued with the gun control issue firmly back in the media spotlight.

In sport Arsenal moved up into second position in the English Premier League with a three nil win over Manchester United, with all the goals coming in the first twenty minutes. This puts Man City two points clear back at the top of the table as they put six past Newcastle on Saturday. The question is will Arsenal be able to repeat their winning ways against Watford? You’ll have to read our daily news pages to find out but in the meantime here’s a look at the big stories we covered last week.

1. OK, we all dreamed about taking this one, but looks like quitting the workplace will have to wait a bit. Somebody took the record-high €269 million jackpot from Powerball lotto.

2. No other than the Chairman of the House Gaming Oversight Committee Nick Kotik (D) proposed that Pennsylvania should allow regulated forms of gambling to increase its revenue.

3. Microgaming took the main prize from this year’s Global Gaming Awards as their Jurassic Park Slot game was chosen Digital Product of the Year in 2015.

4. The Global Gaming Expo 2015 took place in Las Vegas surrounded by great interest.

5. It had been announced as the “epic battle of giants”, however Bayern Munich easily disposed of Dortmund 5-1. This match was more about Muller, but needless to say, Lewandowski scored twice, again.

6. Now that Brandon Rodgers has been let go, it’s basically a matter of days that ex-Dortmund trainer Jurgen Klopp can take over the Anfield bench.

7. Did we say England really needed the win against Australia in the Rugby World cup to keep their hopes alive? Looks like they didn’t read it, because they were creamed by the Wallabies 33-13.

Meanwhile professor Stephen Hawking sought to raise public awareness of the importance of space flight last week by explaining not only that he believed aliens exist but that they might come to invade. In an interview with El Pais Professor Hawking said “Advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they can reach.” He went on to compare the effects of humans meeting extraterrestrials as akin to that of Columbus discovering America on Native Americans.