On their first official visit as a Royal couple, The Duke and Duchess  of Cambridge took on Canada like Canadian Dry takes to scotch and were warmly welcomed into the Canadian people's bosom with open arms. Like a seasoned pro, as if born to tackle the job and the huge responsibility that comes with it, Catherine warmed to her crowds of admirers and they to her.

The moment their plane touched down on Ottawan soil the couple were besieged by throngs of supporters and well-wishes hoping to catch a glimpse, reach out and touch or even converse with the cherry pair. The Duchess beamed as her name was rhythmically chanted, as if a member of the rock star fraternity had turned up to play a gig.

Beginning their 11 day tour of Canada and California brought back many poignant memories of an earlier generation where the world went crazy over the Duke's  mother and 'Diana-mania' was born, showering the formerly known 'Shy Di'  kindergarten teacher with accolades and wonderment more akin to a prima ballerina at her peak. With the newly crowned Royal couple entering the world arena the flood gates will now be open to a besotted cavalry charge of new Royalists hoping to embrace this galvanising phenomena.

Royal fever even besieged Hollywood well before the couple had even arrived. Anticipating a throng of supporters, police closed the street outside the British Consulate-General where the Royal couple were to be staying during their visit. Neighbours also signed keep-away orders, giving police permission to arrest any paparazzi on the spot if they tried to photograph the royals while on private property.

Journalists from across the globe invaded Canadian and Californian soil to catch footage of the Royal tour, 1,300 in all including more than 200 from countries other than Canada. That alone would be enough to wrinkle anyone's feathers, but the newly crowned Duchess took it all in her stride.

Ottawa becoming the city where 'Kate-mania' was born. With many cities traveled to and celebrations had, wreaths laid, charities honoured, one can only presume there will be no diminished sparkle. As with each new dress change, the light shone ever brighter.

The White House wants to move on, dusting themselves off from this significantly iconic chapter in history - concentrating more on the job at hand - securing it's borders so that there are no devastating repercussions from Bin Laden's well orchestrated assassination.

Threats of any kind to the American Homeland  and with troops on the ground in volatile regions of the world, one doesn't want to ad unnecessary fuel to the fire. The remaining ten people, eight children and two female adults, left alive at the location during this well planned and executed raid are being cared for at the military hospital and questioned by Pakistani intelligence.

Any interrogation from US officials was disallowed. Hamza, one of the sons of the al Queda leader, was found dead and there has been no comment as to whether a second son of Bin Laden was captured. While mobile phones and computers were seized during the raid and will be analysed for any information pertaining to future terrorist attacks and therefore a valuable haul, questioning the survivors will undoubtedly be a major source of information that the US may miss out on.

Hillary Clinton lambasts Syrian Government

- Alan White -

LIBYA: The Giant cost of War. Britain licks it's boots!

- Alan White -

A moment for the Japanese and what lies ahead for them

- Alan White - 

Japan; in the midst of the worst crisis that they have experienced since World War Two.

This stoic race of people in the last month have had to bear the brunt of a massive earthquake topping 9.0 on the richter scale, followed by several destructive after-shocks, an extraordinarily imposing Tsunami, traveling at speeds of 600 miles an hour, crushing and carrying everything in it's path and now, the agonising threat of nuclear fallout.

This stoic race of methodical, systematic and durable people - who may be known to procrastinate when it comes to business, but have the ability to move swiftly during fearful times - are coming to grips with a devastation not known since 1945 and still, with the worst of this tragedy not nearly over now that radiation leaks are extending to far off shores, through air and sea, you have to stop and wonder, is there really such a thing as a merciful God?!

- Anne Hunt -

Is it my imagination, or has the Royal household had a 'Right Royal Shakeup!' And starting, I might ad, at the very top.

The Queen, as lovely as she is, has been smiling from ear to ear all year long, even if one of her sons - the one fourth in line to the throne, with a mis-fit for an ex-wife - was rather wayward in his attemps to keep his own home fires burning. Not quite cricket at all, but then again, he may not even play the game.

However, whether the bad press has given The Establishment a 'bustle' on, one can only guess, but the reversal of form and absolute transformation from stade to sassy and suave that has been seeping out of the resolute walls of Buckingham Palace these last few months is not only extraordinary, but positively effective in it's ability to be inspiring to all.

The Royals  outshone even the gloomy weather during 'The Event' - and I am not talking aliens from outer space. Where the younger Royals gave the country, if not the Globe some joie de vivre.

The Queen's visit to Ireland recently, showed humility and a regalness becoming the stature of her esteemed years. The Irish, should not only feel proud that Britain's monarch shrugged off massive threats of mayhem and violence to tread on their turf, but be enraptured that she obviously cared so deeply about it's significance to want to do so.

Now, we see the warmth, yet again, billowing from beneath the trusted Royal hats for the Obama contingent. It is genuine, yet Regal. Part duty, but there's no denying the fact that there is a kin-ship. One can only suggest

guidance as to how to emotionally absorb her abrupt departure from this life. We all know that everyone grieves and shows joy in their own way, however, we have all now become familiar to living life through everyone elses' 'rear window' - Big Brother has seen to that - and therefore, we expect emotions to be shared, out loud for all to see.

From the cold, hard glare of Kate McCann and Lindy Chamberlain over the tragic loss of a child, to the previous downward blank gaze of our much respected Queen, we now expect much more and she has delighted us with this renewed personable image.

The Royal family are known for their intelligent high spirits and jubilant self deprecation. We want to be part of this human element, it is endearing. Long may our Queen reign and long may this change of tact remain.

that it has been the carefree nature of the Obamas and their ability to mingle with the top echelon in society and the poor alike with an awe inspiring effortlessness that has helped to make this happen.

Kate McCann said recently from the serialised pages of her book; Madeleine, that at one point she was the most hated person in Britain. The same can be said about Lindy Chamberlain, the Australian woman who was grossly accused and wrongly convicted for the disappearance and death of her baby Azaria in 1980 although she swore that the baby was taken by a dingo.

The Queen herself was criticised for her inability to show some personality and public tenderness over the horrific death of Princess Diana. The people and media were in earnest about their own desirous need for some

The ever continuing saga of

Julian Assange and the 'Missing Links'

Terrorism strikes in sleepy Stockholm and Eurozone Terrorist Levels extend East

- Anne Hunt -

'FOOL IF YOU THINK IT'S OVER!'

- Alan White -

At his local mosque in England, Taimour Abdulwahab alarmed elders with his extreme views on Islam.

On the Internet, he posted videos of Chechen fighters and abused Iraqi prisoners. Last weekend, officials say, he died in a botched suicide bombing in Stockholm. Or was that true?Never before has a suicide bomber given a warning as to his intentions. Three explosions, no-one killed.

Despite its apparent failure, the bombing appeared to be well-planned. Taimour was well-equipped with bomb materials, that if positioned right, bearing in mind the busy Christmas shopping season was in full swing at the time, one could imagine the total disasterous conclusion.

Abdulwahab's justification for the Stockholm attack centered largely on Swedish issues. The audio file sent shortly before the blast from his cell phone referred to Sweden's military presence in Afghanistan and an image by a Swedish artist that depicted the Prophet Muhammad as a dog, enraging many Muslims. This could have been a man torn.

His Facebook profile shows a man interested in both modern technology and radical Islam, whose "likes" included both "the Islamic Caliphate state" and the Apple iPad.

He was obviously angry, angry enough to force his beliefs out into the open. But, did he actually want to take a number of people with him, or just show to the world that he could have. Will all of this heightened awareness of the potential dangers out there stop us, as individuals, from doing the things that we normally do and going about our every day lives.

Japan issued a travel alert for Europe, joining the United States and Britain in warning of a possible terrorist attack by al-Qaeda or other groups, but tourists appeared to be taking the mounting warnings in it's stride. 

The Foreign Ministry in Tokyo urged Japanese citizens to be more cautious when using public transport or visiting popular tourist sites, heightening the possibility of damage to Europe's already bludgeoned tourist industry.

European authorities tightened efforts to keep the
public safe in the wake of warnings by officials in several countries that the terrorism threat is high and extra vigilance is warranted.

Last month, French authorities arrested a man in his 50s who was suspected of several bomb threats in Paris, including one at a railway hub, a police official said. The man, who was not identified, was detained southwest of the capital on suspicions of links to a phone-in threat at the Saint-Lazare train station.

The French have recorded nine bomb alerts in the capital last month, including one at the Eiffel Tower -- a threefold increase from a year earlier. No explosives were found. The U.S. State Department alert advised the hundreds of thousands of American citizens living or traveling in Europe to take more precautions about their personal security.

The British Foreign Office warned travelers to France and Germany that the terror threat in those respective countries was high.

Security officials say terrorists may be plotting attacks in Europe with assault weapons on public places, similar to the deadly 2008 shooting spree in Mumbai, India. Business travelers and tourists arriving here at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport from the United States said they were aware of the new warnings from authorities but weren't changing their plans particularly.

Travelers taking the Eurostar trains between London and Paris were similarly determined not to let the warnings disrupt their plans.

This tells us that life does not stand still. People do forget all too quickly, using the old adage, 'it couldn't happen to me'.

However, the recent bombings in Sweden remind us that there will always be someone with an axe to grind and always someone who is willing to die for their beliefs.

The Australian Government, through Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, blamed the United States,  not the WikiLeaks founder for the unauthorized release of about 250,000 secret  U.S. diplomatic cables and said those who originally leaked the documents were legally liable.  Kevin Rudd also said the leaks raised questions over the "adequacy" of U.S. security over the cables. "Mr Julian Assange is not himself responsible for the unauthorized release of 250,000 documents from the U.S. diplomatic communications network," Rudd stated. A pretty Brave statement when his own Government were accused by WikiLeaks of kowtowing to the Americans whims far too often.

Rudd made his position clear and that of the Australian Government. "The Americans are responsible for once," said Rudd, who had been described in one leaked U.S. cable as a "control freak." (As I said, this Rudd is one Brave man)

WikiLeaks founder Assange defended his Internet publishing site, saying it was crucial to spreading democracy and likened himself to global media baron Rupert Murdoch in the quest to publish the truth. Assange has angered the United States and governments across the globe by publishing details of secret U.S. documents.

The original source of the leak is unknown, though a U.S. Army private who worked as an intelligence analyst in Iraq, Bradley Manning, has been charged by military authorities with unauthorized downloading of more than 150,000 State Department cables. U.S. officials have declined to say whether those cables are the same ones now being released by WikiLeaks.

ASSANGE IN UK CUSTODY: Assange was remanded in custody by a British court December over allegations of sex crimes in Sweden. "I think there are real questions to be asked about the adequacy of their (U.S.) security systems and the level of access that people have had to that material over a long period of time," said Rudd. "The core responsibility, and therefore legal liability, goes to those individuals responsible for that initial unauthorized release," he said. In an opinion piece in Murdoch's, The Australian newspaper, headlined "Don't shoot the messenger for revealing uncomfortable truths," Assange said WikiLeaks deserved protection, not attacks.

So, is the reality of truth, even if there are some affects, part of a true Democractic process, or
are we the people within said Democracy, not to be trusted? Or is the reason that the release of these 'intercepted Cables' a threat to National Security? Really! Do you think that our enemies
are so dumb they do not know the location of our soft targets already. Are the CIA that naive?

We have to decide if a Big Brother State, where only the chosen few know the real truths of what we as citizens face each day at the hands of those in power - and what we can be trusted to know, as citizens, or as members of a free Democratic Society - and what we are entitled to know what the hell is being said about us and on behalf of us, and what countries are plotting against us?

WikiLeaks will continue on-line and although Assange's conditions of bail are draconian and his detention in Wandsworth Prison - where he was held in excommunicado in solitary - indicates 'Governments' appear determined to apply many pressures and perhaps go to any absurd and unbelievably silly lengths to apply pressure to shut down Assange's site.

Thousands must wonder how long this modern day 'Cyber Robin Hood' can fend off the 'Politically poisoned' arrows. Longer than they think!