So much for Summer being the time of doldrums. While the Western Hemisphere (or at least the northern part of it) was preoccupied with the firing of Gen. McChrystal and the ongoing catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico, the rest of the world was quietly going about their own dramas. The days long siege in Jamaica over the capture of drug lord Christopher Coke finally came to an end. Australia elected it's first Female Prime Minister. The G20 Summit got off to it's usual start (even though it's in our hemisphere, the demonstration are international in flavor). The Catholic Church was the recipient of the gift that keeps on giving, this time it's Belgium's turn and arrests in the shooting of a Rwandan exile in South Africa are keeping that region under a nervous gaze.

(Christopher Coke - some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed)

After a siege that went on seemingly forever and leaving some 75 dead in the process, Jamaican drug lord Christopher Coke finally surrendered to authorities to face the next chapter in the drug soaked saga of the Caribbean.

(Julia Gillard - a first for Australia)

For the first time in their history, a woman became Prime Minister of Australia. ABC Radio National's Politics Program took a look at the historic election and the ramifications for the country.

(Now it's Belgium's turn)

Fresh new allegations of sexual abuse and pedophilia by Catholic priests surfaced, this time in Belgium which prompted the Belgian Police to stage a raid on the Archdiocese in Brussels this week. As reported on the BBC World Service's Newshour, records files and mountains of paper were carted away in what is another in a long line of embarrassing situations for the Vatican to pretend never happened.

(It's that time again)

Amidst the flurry of accusations of financial bungling in its hosting, Toronto opened the G20 summit talks this week. The legions of protesters arrived, as did the teargas canisters, nightsticks and horses. While all raged on outside, the financial crisis gripping just about every country the world was raging inside. All in all, a great place to set up a Valium concession. The CBC program The Current did a run down on the first days events.

(Stanley has left the building)

Even our misfortunes didn't escape the scrutiny of the world Press. As reported by the BBC's Lyse Doucet from the From Our Own Correspondent Series, observations and opinions on the aftermath and reactions to the firing of General Stanley McChrystal reverberated all over.

(Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa - no place to hide)

And finally, arrests in the shooting of Faustin Kayumba Naywasa, the exiled General also alleged to have participated in the Rwanda genocide, sparked a wave of concern the tip of the iceberg had been viewed and more was to come.

Perhaps the Dog Days of Summer will finally catch up to the rest of the world. But the rate things are going, it isn't likely. We'll find out soon enough in the next day or so.

A busy week for floods, riots, apologies and team sports. Aside from our own goings on with the everlasting Gulf of Mexico catastrophe and mumbled "sorry 'bout that's" from CEO's, the rest of the world was having its own set of trials and tribulations to deal with. From the release of a report on a 1972 massacre in Ireland and its reaction in the town where it happened, to another scene of violence in a former breakaway republic in Eastern Europe. The specter of Darfur raised its genocidal eye this week. Further evidence our climate is going haywire if you were living in Southwest France and The World Cup heads into the end of its first week.

(Getting to be a familiar scene)

The violence in Kyrgyzstan erupted again this past week with civil unrest claiming more lives and another flood of refugees. This report from Voice of Russia's Hourly News from June 14th gives some details.

(opening old wounds)

Shocking enough when it happened in 1972. The demonstration turned ugly in January of 1972 when British troops opened fire on a group of unarmed civilians, killing 13 in a day to be know forever as Bloody Sunday. Initially the report claimed the troops were fired on. But an inquest brought about by pressure to the Blair government reopened the old wound and fresh details and horrifying revelations came out. The revelations were such that it prompted Prime Minister Cameron to publicly apologize for unwarranted behavior on the part of the Army. This report from the BBC World Service Newshour program of June 15th also features the statement as well as reaction from the government.

(and thirty-eight years after this scene . . .still seems like yesterday to some)

RTE in Ireland, as part of their News At One program from the 16th of June went to the scene of the original massacre to get reactions from those who were there at the time to see how the report and the apology set with the people who were most effected.

(A possibility of justice)

From the BBC Africa Service also on June 16th, came word of the indictment and arraignment of Abdallah Banda Abakaer Nourain and Saleh Mohammed Jerbo Jamus, the two Sudanese Rebel leaders accused of mass murder during the Darfur conflict. Now comes the trial, the revelations and the opening of old wounds for this part of the world. Seems to be a lot of that going on lately.

(George Osborne - wading through the sea of financial debris)

As BBC Radio 4's Today Program reported, The Bank of England has put into place a scheme to regulate the UK financial sector in an attempt to get a handle on the seemingly on-going crisis. Spearheading that campaign is Chancellor George Osborne, who was interviewed on the program and gives details and points a few fingers in the process. Yes, the first decade of the new millennium was something of a free-for-all for people in banking.

(It seems no one is particularly immune to flooding these days)

While we've been going through our own horror stories of flooding around the U.S. in recent weeks, it's cold comfort in knowing the same is going on in Southwest France at the moment. According to this report from Radio France International's English Service "Focus On France" program from June 17th, this was the worst flooding in the region in over 200 years. Gives further evidence our climate changes aren't imaginary - oh, but some will still think so anyway.

(A very familiar sight this week)

And finally, the Friday installment of the World Cup Daily reports from BBC 5Live. When this piece went to press (at around 6 this morning) the U.S. hadn't played their latest game, so there's no word on the outcome. But I'm sure you've heard about it by now.

Another week in paradise. And another one is poised to appear shortly.

Another week and the world was part of it. From the Dutch elections where a surprising upset by the right-wing VVD Party forced the resignation of the center-left Prime Minister. It also signaled a shift in Immigration policies, with the VVD adamantly proclaiming an anti-Muslim stance. The week also brought about the demise of Helen Thomas, the long standing cornerstone of the White House Press Corps. In France the trial began for former rogue trader Jerome Kerviel which could be a harbinger for similar trials to come in other countries (hint-hint: U.S.). In the UK, a moment of silence and memorials on Wednesday for the mass killing of 12 in Cumbria. A 24 hour strike in Spain in protest to new austerity measures adapted by the Zapatero government. A $2 million dollar wading pool constructed in Ottawa for the upcoming G-20 summit and finally, the World Cup started on Friday in South Africa with a narrow win for South Africa in the first game against Mexico. And there it was.

(Saga of the Fake Lake)

When the final tally came in for construction of an indoor pool to be used as part of a Visitors Center in Ottawa during the upcoming G-21 Summit, it brought about howls of protest from members of Parliament in Canada on Monday. The expenditure, said to run $2Million (Canadian Dollars) for the "Fake Lake" was only part of a somewhat lavish construction scheme viewed as wasteful by the opposition in the wake of austerity measures pledged by the Canadian Government in view of the current financial situation. Prime Minister Harper offered withering justification and in the end, no one was happy as this episode of CBC's The World At Six explains.

(Jerome Kerviel - aka: Deer In Headlights)

From RFI International's Focus On France program also from Tuesday, the beginning of the trial for rogue trader Jerome Kerviel whose exploits lost billions of Euros. The trial, which is said to be a lengthy affair, will try and fix blame on what was a broken system. It would seem a state of nervous hysteria may break out any minute as the result. Particularly when fingers start pointing.

(Helen has left the building . . .)

With the news of the abrupt departure/firing/retirement of veteran White House Correspondent Helen Thomas over her somewhat indelicate remarks regarding the state of the Middle East, it's interesting to get an Australian take on the firing/departure/retirement via ABC Radio National's Late Night Live. Australian/American correspondent Bruce Shapiro offers his take on the events as well as some insights to the current state of Big Oil in the world today, as the Gulf Of Mexico disaster is only part of a bigger picture.

(The all-too-familiar aftermath of the senseless act)

The otherwise quiet English town of Cumbria was still reeling from the events of the last week, when a gunman took the lives of innocent passersby before taking his own life. More questions than answers as is always the case. The end result was a nation in mourning, families torn apart, loved ones struck numb with grief and no words to explain. This report comes from the BBC World Service Newspod from June 9th.

(Rumored to be a trend)

The Dutch elections were thought to be close, according to the polls. The Center-left government had been taking hits in recent months from the growing anti-Immigrant sentiment taking place in The Netherlands. But on election night the news was bad for the Christian Democrats of Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende who was forced to resign as the result of a stinging defeat for the Chrisitan Democrats party and a huge victory for the VVD Party of Mark Rutte which has been viewed throughout the rest of Europe as a sign of things to come. This report comes from the English Service of Radio Nederland Worldwide via their Newsline program of June 10.

(The World Cup - Desmond Tutu's reaction: "Yippeeee!!")

By the end of the week everything else in the world was put on hold as the 2010 World Cup Games got underway in South Africa. In what is probably the world's most popular game, teams from all over the world landed in South Africa to compete for Soccer/Football/Futbol's most coveted prize. From BBC 5Live Extra and their daily podcast comes the opening day of the games. And as a bonus, the last 90 seconds of the opening game between South Africa and Mexico via Talk Radio 720 in Johannesburg (down here).

(Austerity measures not hitting a positive note in Madrid)

And finally, for our Spanish friends (or those of you brushing up on your Spanish), news from RNE's program 14 Horas from June 8th, the day a general strike was called in Spain in protest to austerity measures proposed by the Zapatero government. The measures, which asked for the laying off a large percentage of the Public work force has not been met with any favorable response. Spain is only one of the latest countries to experience the financial downturn in recent months, coming hot on the heels of the situation in Greece just a few weeks ago. By all indications, the crisis has no intention of quitting any time soon.

And that was the week that was. Get ready for the next one.

The news throughout most of the world this week was focused on the Gaza Flotilla incident, with repercussions going on for days, and in fact continuing with the latest on-going story on the Irish relief ship Rachel Corrie heading towards Gaza and no doubt another confrontation of one kind or another. But the world had other news. In Japan, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama stepped down, Australian immigration laws were coming under fire (sounds familiar), and the world continued its reaction to the Oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

(Stepping down amid the Okinawa question)

Amid allegations that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama stepped down as the result of an indecisive stance on the Okinawa question. It was still a surprise when NHK broke in with a bulletin on June 1st informing of the Prime Ministers decision.

(Developing story, even as we speak)

RTE in Ireland reported that 6 Irish nationals had been taken prisoner during the first confrontation with the Israelis during the Gaza Aid run. It was now turning into a diplomatic skirmish as the Irish government was now asking the Israelis for repatriation of the six workers.

(so close, yet so far away for a lot of people)

From ABC Radio National Australia's news program National Interest, news on the immigration problem currently going on in New South Wales, and what is being proposed to be done about it.

(brush up on your French right here)

And finally, for our French friends or people who just want to brush up on their French skills, here's a June 4th broadcast of Journal Francais which discusses the Gaza situation, the Gulf disaster and numerous domestic issues on this 8:00 pm (in France) newscast.

That's the week as it looks from this Friday night. I'm sure in 24 hours everything will change just as it will again by Monday.

If you can't keep up, don't feel bad - nobody else can either.