This Week in Pictures: March 14 – 20, 2017

There was a cavalcade of big news stories last week so we take a moment to look back over some of the massive stories that hit the headlines.

The world of music was shaken last week as one of its most celebrated artists passed away. Chuck Berry, full name Charles Edward Anderson Berry Snr, one of the true pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll was found dead at his home last Saturday aged 90. Tributes flooded in for the man from a middle class area of St Louis who’d fought his way up to produce classic hits such as My Ding-A-Ling and Johnnie B Goode, the basis for so much of the music that followed in the wake of his trade mark “duck walk”.

In the Netherlands the incumbent government of Mark Rutte saw off a populist challenge from Geert Wilders in a national election. The ruling VVD party got 21.2% with the anti-immigration PVV getting just 13.0% making them the second largest party with the CDA and D66 picking up nearly as many seats in what many commentators saw as a scattering of the electorate. Mr Rutte said the Dutch people had rejected the “wrong sort of populism” and that it was a vote for future economic stability.

In the US last week President Donald Trump hosted a visit from German Chancellor Angela Merkel who said “It is always better to talk to one another than about one another” but looked a little bemused when the President joked about both having been wire tapped by the US intelligence services. Angela Merkel faces an election this year from SPD candidate Martin Schulz who last week denounced the “racist” rhetoric of the US President. German federal elections will be held on September 24th.

In sports England failed to win back-to-back Grand Slams in the Six Nations tournament losing out to Ireland 13-9 in the final game, taking home the trophy but not the full glory they were seeking, the question is what changes will Eddie Jones make in light of their almost self imposed downfall? Keep up with developments on our daily news pages but before you do that here’s a look back at some of the big headline news stories from around the world that we covered over the last seven days.

1. We took a look at a few of the best websites that offer betting lines for MMA.

2. We at GamingZion take a look at what makes Mike Krzyzewski one of the most badass college basketball coaches alive.

3. The draw for the Champions League Quarter-Finals was held last Friday and it resulted in some pretty interesting encounters. Leicester City were still hopeful, even after the draw!

4. Dutch elections took place. Anyone in French politics betting their Presidential election won’t be effected by the result in the Netherlands should check the narrowing odds at Bet365.

5. We took a look at the betting odds for when the next Scottish Referendum will be introduced.

6. GamingZion aimed to collect the best betting sites you should join to bet on eSports games like League of Legends, Call of Duty or World of Tanks…

7. We analyzed the odds German candidates have for winning at the next elections.

Meanwhile in Russia a raccoon became the center of scandal last week after it was hired for a film shoot and returned “traumatized” by the experience. Apparently used in a photo shoot with a naked actress the raccoon “now behaves strangely” according to the zoo who’ve threatened to sue, although ranged against that is the charge from the film company that the animal, named Thomas, had stolen the bra of the model in the shoot and gnawed at it. The studio has called the suit “absurd”. Thomas has not commented.