In the UK the week was dominated by the Olympics. Due to kick off on Friday July 27 people wondered just how successful the opening ceremony and Games would be. Other considerations were, would the weather play ball, it is Summer after all, plus  would security issues have been resolved.

The opening ceremony started late, compared to those in other countries. Perhaps it was in order to be shown around the World. Time difference can cause problems. The event ran until around 00:45 BST. The length of the ceremony had been cut in recent weeks in order to ensure that the crowds could travel home on transport provided.

Was the ceremony a success? Well that depends. Many people loved its eccentricity and quirkiness whilst others felt it did not portray Britain at its best. Certainly London did not have the amount of money to spend on the ceremony that China did for the previous games. Perhaps part of the problem too was following China. After all it is always easier to follow a failure than a huge success. For us we enjoyed the colour, humour and Britishness but found it did drag on a bit.

Now though it is all about the games. At time of writing British competitors have yet to win a medal. Normally the host nation is very successful in the Games but the pressure to succeed could have a negative impact. Time will tell.

In the UK BBC1 is offering full coverage of the Games which has meant this weekend that it has aired Olympics, News and not much else. In fact nothing else.

Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney was one of many high fliers who attended the opening ceremony. In London to raise funds for his election campaign his stay was brief. He is now in Jerusalem, hoping to raise more money. It is a certainty that his Monday fund raiser at the King David Hotel will raise millions. Blood money we suppose. Money for promises made. Such is the event that Mitt has barred any representatives of the media from attending. So it will be dodgey deals behind closed doors. Selling a seat in the White House overseas, although many attending will be Americans flown in for their wealth.

Syria has continued along its destructive path. Each side blames the other. The West has issued more warnings to the regime but one has to wonder how western governments would react faced with violent rebels. Of course the difference is that Bashar Assad is a dictator and we have free and fair elections, don't we? 

Well if you take a look at Mitt Romney's quest for campaign money you have to wonder how free and fair the elections are. Do they not simply go to the highest bidder? The UK is not much better though and it must surely lead many to believe that an overhaul of our elective processes is long overdue.

Strange weather has continued to dog the world. For now the British Summer has returned which is good news for Olympians. It is not set to last though. Too many countries have faced weather extremes this year. Some have to be due to mankind's terrible track record on caring for our environment. China is currently experiencing torrential flooding in parts of the country and heat waves in the south.

Whatever is behind the strange weather patterns may never be known. It could just be one of those things, but we doubt it. Taking care of our environment should be top of our list. Without the World we are no more, when all is said and done. Of course each person wants others to make the necessary changes rather than do so themselves.

Whatever you are up to this week have fun, stay safe and spare a thought for the environment. Remember every action has a reaction. It would be good.

Footnote: We have not mentioned the Eurozone as it is becoming an unmentionable. Heaven help us all.

One talking point yet again this week has been the weather. It has not been just the UK obsessed with this though. In the US record high temperatures have caused problems whilst in the UK heavy flooding has threatened to sink the country. In the case of loss of life though the UK has fared relatively well. At least one man has lost his life in the floods but in Russia this weekend more than 140 people died as flood waters rushed in whilst villagers slept. Emergency services in Russia are working hard to restore the affected area. 

The damp squib weather in the UK has played havoc with the Wimbledon schedule, this week, which is par for the course these days. Silverstone race track had to advise spectators to stay away as a sea of mud took hold. The UK deluge is set to continue, courtesy of the Jet Stream.

Brits are celebrating Andy Murray's historic entry into the mens singles final at Wimbledon. Celebrations may seem a little previous but whether he wins or not Murray is now in the history books. He becomes the first Brit to play in the final for 74 years. 

Good luck to Andy for today.

Deaths to foreign military in Afghanistan have continued, leaving it looking unlikely a safe country will result once we finally withdraw fully. Three UK soldiers were killed early in the week. UK military cuts announced this week must then have been a slap in the face to those in the military who work hard for a living?. Chiefs at the top look set to survive but whole regiments are to be lost to the cuts. Gaps will be filled with reservists which means the official line that the military is being streamlined to fit the 21st Century a nonsense. It is after all about saving money.

Yet late this week it was announced that Chancellor Osborne and the rest of the government have implemented much deeper cuts across the country than initially expected. The result is that £6.7bn was saved from government departments and spending was down by £11bn compared with 2010-11. The government plans had been for a reduction of £4.4bn so all in all a massive amount of savings.

The NHS also had an underspend, which was  £1.7bn . The government maintain that this is down to a reduction in IT costs and not to front line staff cuts and the like. As this blogger is what is termed a front line NHS worker she would have to disagree. Black alert is the most severe,as far as hospital bed availability goes, and only used to be called rarely. Even during these summer months it is now a regular occurrence in our Trust as bed numbers are cut, waiting lists extended and job vacancies unfilled. As workers wait to see where the axe will fall next morale is at an all time low. This is expected from the Tory part of the Coalition but the Liberal Democrats?

So will Chancellor Osborne use the money saved wisely? Doubtful. This week it was revealed that Chancellor Osborne is to fight the EU planned crack down on bankers bonuses. It has not escaped most people that the UK government always implements the rotten legislation from the EU and wriggles out of the essential. Most people believe that the EU proposals would not hit the bonus payments hard enough. That is most people except for the government and the bankers.

The proposals would set a maximum 1:1 ratio of bonus to pay. In other words if you "earn" £20,000 your bonus would not exceed that amount. Hardly a strong measure. What about paying a bonus at all when your bank is losing money, being bailed out by the public and those same people are experiencing an ongoing pay freeze?

On the World Stage Mitt Romney continues to raise obscene amounts of money for the US 2012 Election, Syrians continue to blow each other up, probably with outside influence, 1% of people wallow in excess wealth whilst the rest of us tighten our belts and the World becomes that little bit more insane. Stay safe till next week. TTFN

Tags: weekly news wrap, weekly round up of news, That was the week that was, TWTWTW, bankers, bonuses, madness, politics, Chancellor Osborne

The Eurozone crisis has once again dominated the news, especially in Europe. The week began with the Greek election result. A fairly close run result leaving the people opting for the right wing New Democracy Party and the left wing Syriza party meant that political opposites had to find a way to work together. After a brief period of talks a coalition was formed between the New Democracy Party, the Socialist Pasok Party and the smaller leftist party, the Democratic Left. PM Samaras was hastily sworn in and European leaders breathed a sigh of relief.

The problem with the Greek election was that in the end it turned out to be a vote between supporting the European bail out of Greece and those wanting to renegotiate the deal. All remains far from well in Europe though and in particular in the Eurozone. It is now generally accepted that the EU dream is broken. What it needs to repair it though is disputed, if in fact it is not beyond repair already.

Leaders from Europe and the other G20 countries met in Mexico for more debating yet the world still teeters on the brink. Do expensive summits really solve anything? Are they truly necessary? Are they more a way of justifying their jobs? No sooner was the G20 summit over than leaders went their different ways to the Rio summit and a small faction of European leaders to Italy for more Eurozone summit pre meetings.

The carbon footprint of these world leaders who all want us to spend a fortune to protect the environment is laughable. Perhaps the Green schemes they are pushing for are more about big business and profits.

Syria was discussed by UK PM Cameron, US President Obama and Russia's President Putin as an aside during the G20 summit. The outcome was that in spite of those killed allegedly by the Syrian regime President Assad could be given safe passage out of Syria. Who the rebels are and who would replace Assad.should not e ignored.

Egypt is a prime example of a revolution that has not worked.The old military guard are clinging to power and in danger of preventing a democratic election result forming a government.

The change sweeping through the Middle East although positive may in the end leave a destabilised region. In the equation there is Israel. Will they benefit from this ME power vacuum?

As the week drew to a close Israel broke a brief ceasefire. Their attack it was aimed at militants it was claimed. Cross border strikes between Israel and Hamas had increased and the ceasefire was brokered by Egypt. With protesters back on the streets of Egypt they have enough worries off their own without protecting their borders.

Israeli strikes during the week killed nine people in Gaza including a 14-year-old boy. The attacks were launched by Israel after an Israeli man was killed.

World conflicts rumble on. Something has to give. Will they inevitably lead to one massive conflict, that is World War III? Current conditions are ripe for this.

Till next week, stay safe and enjoy what you have, whilst you still have it.

The week's news in the UK has been dominated by European debt, Syria and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. In such austere times the Jubilee is set to antagonise many across the UK.

Much has been made of the limited cost of events. Today, June 3, 2012, there will be a huge flotilla of vessels, including a special royal barge carrying the Royals, forming a floating pageant on the River Thames. This is said to have been funded by business friends of the Royals. However the cost of the Jubilee as a whole is unknown. Additional security will no doubt be one of the largest expenditures.

After a brief period of hot, hot weather the heavens have decided not to smile on the Queen. The day kicked off with torrential rain with a distinct chill in the air. Die hard royalists and tourists lined the Thames from early Sunday to get a prime position. Yesterday the Queen had a special day at the Derby and the sun shone briefly. Will it today? Doubtful.

For those planning on holding street parties and barbecues the weather is bad news but we Brits are used to challenging weather. Much as the mainstream media would have you believe that all of the UK is celebrating this is not the case. In my neck of the woods the Jubilee is hardly evident at all. There will also be, albeit a small contingent of protesters, evident in London.

The Jubilee may have reinvented the Royals once again and increased their popularity but much of this is for Elizabeth and Philip who have served for so many years. Many people would still prefer an elected head of state rather than one because of their birth. That said we are so much better off than countries with dictators.

People are fickle though. It is not that long ago that the Royal family and the Queen were at an all time low, as far as popularity in the UK went. Remember Diane and the fiasco following her death? Say no more. 

 The UK government has been busily making U Turns this week. So much so that they must have ended up dizzy. It is getting difficult to know just what change is underway there have been so many proposals scrapped. Perhaps it is all a cunning plan so we have no idea what the hell is going on. Well that will put us in line with the Coalition we guess.

Spain is the latest European country on the brink of disaster.  Their problems may be financial but this is inevitably affecting the stability of the region. Massive unemployment which is set to increase further is bad news for all. Banking downgrades have added to Spain's woes. Europe now has Greece and Spain on the brink with France and Portugal hot on their heels.

How much longer can the farce of the EU continue?  In Germany protests June 2, 2012, painted a worrying picture. The rise of Neo Fascism and those opposing these extremists is cause for concern. Violent protests are hitting so many countries across the world right now, which could so easily lead to a total meltdown.

One of the main reasons for such civil unrest is unemployment.  Poverty also but that so often comes along with no work. Ultimately in the past it has been  War that has stopped a rise in both. What a prospect!

Syria continues to confound World leaders. The massacre in Houla May 25, 2012, shocked the world.  President Bashir Assad has denied all responsibility. The West seems keen to want to intervene in Syria but it is not that easy. Just who will be the new leaders should he be ousted? Do the majority of Syrians want violent change?

Of course Russia and the US choose their wars economically. Syria trades with Russia and Bahrain with the US. This means that both dictatorships, Bahrain and Syria, have support from their respective partners. The West remains as hypocritical as ever. China and, North Korea both have terrible track records as far as human rights go. We are virtually powerless to change anything in either country and so turn a blind eye.

In Zimbabwe a tyranny runs the country and we do nothing. Of course you could argue that we did intervene in the past and that is part of the problem with Zimbabwe, formerly known as Rhodesia.

Our keenness to step into Syria, albeit more reticent than in Libya, makes you wonder why? Is the prospect of an unstable Middle Eastern region beneficial to the West and in particular the US? Will it help when they finally decide what to do about Iran? After all if there is conflict in the Middle East, Iran will be more isolated. Then of course there is Israel waiting in the wings, wanting a solution once and for all on its problems. A final solution? How ironic.

In the midst of the mayhem there is increasing poverty and an increasing divide between the rich and the poor.

This week's round up of news began with the Jubilee. A blast from the past. A glimpse of medieval England and its pageantry. The British Monarchy for many of us belong to a long gone era. A time when the people doffed their caps to their "betters". Is that what these leaders crave once more?

Till next week, stay safe, enjoy what floats your boat and TTFN, ta ta for now

February has kicked off in the usual crazy style. These days there seems to be so much happening world wide it is hard to keep abreast of world affairs. Perhaps it always was but these days we are the more painfully aware of the World's ills.

The US GOP race continued with two votes this week. In both Mitt Romney was successful. Florida and Nevada decided Romney was there man. In Nevada he cruised home with a massive 51% of the vote, clearly stamping his seal on the nomination.

The rest have vowed to continue but it must only be a matter of time before at least one falls by the wayside. The most likely is Rick Santorum whose campaign has gone from bad to worse. Americans may be intrinsically Christian but his extreme views on abortion and gay rights have failed to wow the voters. The three other candidates though have stressed that to date the vote has been as expected but as they move away from Romney heartlands all is set to change. Positive spin? Maybe.

The phenomenon that is Facebook prepared to get a whole lot bigger. It is expected that it will float on the stock exchange. Whilst this could be good news for the sites owners and users it may not be. We Internet users can be fickle. It could be a case of Facebook today gone tomorrow. 

In the UK the banking bonus furore raised its ugly head again. News that RBS CEO Stephen Hester was in line for a huge bonus angered people around the UK. Whilst some may claim that he is worth every penny, others felt that his already huge salary was reward enough. In the end he caved in to pressure and waved his bonus. Just prior to the news that Hester would wave goodbye to his bonus RBS chairman Sir Philip Hampton declined his  £1.4m bonus for 2011. The bank is majority owned by the UK taxpayer who had to foot the bill for a bail out during the banking crisis.

As an apparent witch hunt against bankers continued former RBS boss Sir Fred Goodwin was stripped of his knighthood, awarded in 2004. He has now also stepped down from his role in one of the Queen's charities to save her embarrassment. Still it is not over yet. It is banking bonus season soon. Expect more of the same.

The Middle East has had more of the same. In Syria the fighting escalated with the city of Homs being under bombardment. As the week drew to a close a high death toll was reported. The UN gathered together to vote on a resolution formulated out of the Arab League Monitors ideas. It was vetoed by the Russian and Chinese representatives much to the disgust of the US in particular. Russia insisted that it could and would not take part in a vote which in effect was interfering in a civil war. That is unless both sides were to be held accountable. A Russian representative is meeting with Syria's President Assad early this week but what will this achieve?

Egypt showed that it is one step away from utter chaos when trouble flared at a football match killing at least 74 people and injuring hundreds more. The violence was about much more than just football and it looks as if the elections planned for June 2012 will now be held much sooner. Can Egypt be brought from the brink of anarchy?

The US in line with France announced this week that it will be drawing down its troops earlier from Afghanistan. Whilst this is understandable it yet again seems that the UK could be left holding the baby, so to speak. It appears to be an admission that the bloody war in Afghanistan ultimately failed and that the massive loss of life of the people of Afghanistan and the foreign troops has been for naught.

With no Afghan deaths this week for UK forces the death toll remains at 397. The US forces death toll is a whopping 1891. The latest US death is that of 49-year-old brigadier general Terence Hildner, who apparently died of natural causes. RIP

In the UK as the week drew to a close Winter finally arrived. A short period of bitingly cold temperatures was followed by heavy snow. Within a short space of time the country was at a standstill. There were reports of people panic buying and stock -piling food. Airports and traffic links ground to a halt. Yet the weather was predicted and was nowhere near as bad as last year's snowfalls. Of course there could be more to come. Watch this space if there is. Th UK will bleat till its blue in the face and that wont be from the temperatures.

Till next week, stay safe, stay warm and try to stay sane in this barmy world of ours, TTFN