The trouble with Fifa, Silvio and Conrad Murray

Fifa, Silvio and Conrad Murray in the headlines this week

It is only Wednesday and already the world has produced massive headlines. With my absence of writing frequently due to far too deadlines, I am having to write a blog about three big stories that have affected the front pages around the globe.

Fifa bans the poppy


Football world's governing body has banned England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland the right to wear a poppy to remember the armed forces in war. As Remembrance Day is occurring this Friday and Sunday, we are all required to do a two minutes silence to think about all who have fallen in World War 1, World War 2 and other wars which have affected Great Britain.

What's Fifa's problem, their argument is that Remembrance Day has turned "political" and they have a rule which denies countries to advertise their nation politically, religiously or commercially. I have two arguments in mind for this, both for and against Fifa's case.

For: I do agree that Remembrance Day has turned political. I recall when I was a child when this occasion was to remember our grandparents and even parents who battled and some lost their lives defending our country as Nazi bombers shattered all of our cities with our lives never being the same again. Now we are remembering those who lost their lives in the Falklands War, Iraq War and the war we're still with at Afghanistan. This year, we are remembering the war at Libya.

These wars mentioned were completely avoidable and I find we aren't defending our country but we're interfering with others. Something I am not in support of. The World Wars we had no choice as we had the likes of Adolf Hitler attacking us and were deserved to be brought to justice - however, our Prime Ministers are doing the same thing. Tony Blair and former US President George Bush has made so many Iraqi's homeless and killed just to search for some Weapons of Mass Destruction which they failed to find, haven't they done bad things too? I shouldn't really compare them with Hitler but killing people for no moral reason is unjustified and that's who they want us to remember on Remembrance Day - that's probably what Fifa are trying to say but I cannot read their mind. I continue to purchase my poppy with pride and remember those who had no choice but to be part of the war. Not to help things but David Cameron has gone out of his way condemning Fifa's actions - that's made it even more political.

Against: I mentioned that Remembrance Day is now a political event but when writing this, I thought to myself "what isn't political"? What isn't religious? Iran's flag was new since the revolution there in 1979, are they going to be banned for life just because their flag has religious connotations. They're an "Islamic Republic" and yet Fifa haven't got the power to stop that so what is stopping the British teams from wearing poppies, apart from the fact the football's world governing body has denied them this chance. Wales, Scotland, England and Northern Ireland having their own flags is political in its own right. Fifa really have not looked through this properly and although Remembrance Day has lost its original meaning, I feel that banning the poppy is a bizarre decision.

What is also baffling is the constant squabbling between the English Football Association with Fifa. Both governing bodies are acting like children who are fighting over who should play on a swing in the park. Sepp Blatter leaving won't do anyone favours because whoever replaces him could lead to more corruption cases. Fifa are political. FA are political - why not ban them too? Would be a selfish idea, I know - however having a poppy on a shirt wouldn't make any difference whatsoever. Besides, why start discussing this matter now when the British Isle sides have played at this time of year before?

All-in-all, I would like people to remember their loved ones on Remembrance Day on Friday and Sunday - trying to forget all the political madness behind it.

((I have now been told that Scotland, England and Wales can wear poppies on their black armbands, debate closed?))

Silvio Berlusconi to resign as Italy PM

The inevitable has happened. Silvio Berlusconi is set to leave as Prime Minister of Italy after three separate times in the hot seat (he was Prime Minister in 1994-5, 2001-6 and 2008-11). The 75-year-old Milan born, with a colourful personality is to say goodbye to being PM of a country rich with good food, wine and art and do the things a Prime Minister shouldn't have done in the first place.

We can say all we want about him but as a person who looks towards the future myself, I would want to think of what it would be like without Berlusconi making the life changing policies. He has certainly left Italy in a pickle - with their debt sky high, they could be the next country like Greece, Ireland and Portugal to have a bailout. Was his decision to leave now bad timing or a perfect opportunity to let someone else try and save Italy from being a mess?

I personally don't want to hear news of more countries in rising debt but today, Italy's borrowing records have reached 7% - a horrifying percentage the people of Italy would not like to discover, especially after discovering the news that the city of Genoa was hit by flash floods last week. What is annoying me about this Eurozone ordeal is that France and Germany are eager to throw billions of euros to countries in need so that they could be the next country in debt and in need of a bailout. The chances maybe minimal however, if something like that happened what next? Who would save them then? How about an alternative?

Britain were, and still are in an economic mess yet the government are so frustrated with the Euro crisis, they want to get out of the European Union altogether. That would be a mistake, but the fact Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel are a little laid back about this, I can understand UK's anger. With the news of Silvio Berlusconi leaving would make things worst. Giving a fresh face the biggest job of his/her life would be too much for them going to late night meetings at the most prestigious places in Europe (Cannes) trying to sort out the issue, they won't cope - and the more meetings there are, the more likely more markets in various countries will collapse. Get a clear strategy agreed and signed as soon as possible before more people will start thinking about an alternative Christmas.

Conrad Murray guilty of killing Michael Jackson

So, the case is settled. Doctor Conrad Murray has been convicted for essentially killing Michael Jackson, the king of pop. He is the man Los Angeles Superior Court proved guilty after viewing countless amount of evidence that suggested Murray must be locked behind bars.

People on Twitter and Facebook are delighted that this doctor was brought to justice. How could this man kill Michael Jackson? How could he do such as thing? Nobody would "involuntary manslaughter" a pop singing legend who had 13 US number one hits, surely? These are questions that people across the world may wonder, however the big picture is; a doctor killed his patient according to the American judges.

The outcome of Conrad Murray frustrates me. I find three major problems over the court rulings and here they are:

1. Conrad Murray - He was hired by Michael Jackson in May 2009, a month before the pop star died but they were friends three years previous, to take care of his health issues and trusted Doctor Murray from the very start. Murray opened his own practice in 1999 but was educated in pre-medicine and biological sciences almost two decades beforehand - so plenty of experience as a medical doctor so he would be the man to increase Jackson's chances of performing in his 50-date farewell tour. A huge responsibility for a man Jackson only met three years before his death.

Jackson was preparing himself for his major farewell tour "This is it" he was gearing up for but his health was deteriorating and many then feared the worst - he even was forced to cancel some of the events. It was too much for him and perhaps he felt he couldn't cope with his health being so bad. Conrad Murray was at Jackson's house on June 25th, 2009 and told him to take the fatal anaesthetic but not all of it, of course, left him alone for a moment before he returned and the king of pop wasn't breathing.

Although Conrad Murray should have been there 100% when Jackson was in dire straits, Murray should not take full responsibility for the death of the pop star. Jackson was told repeatedly not to take a sleeping drug which could harm him but Murray gave little information about this drug. Jackson should have taken full responsibility over his drugs however, an addiction is something doctors have to try and stop - Murray could not do that. There should have been more than him to help Jackson at one time.

2. Michael Jackson's family - On June 25th, 2009 Michael Jackson's family wept by his death bed at UCLA Medical Centre yet none of them were questioned during this MJ trial. However, they did spend millions on arranging the likes of Christina Aguilera, Smokey Robinson and Pixie Lott to perform in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium last month to remember him - all during the time of this major court case. Was this perfect timing or just pure coincidence? I feel they should have been more involved in the court cases rather than taking the back seat hearing La Toya screeching with joy after witnessing the first "guilty" called out to Conrad Murray.

3. Michael Jackson's loyal supporters - Michael Jackson has been in the media spotlight since he was just five-years-old singing with his brothers at Jackson5. His remarkable voice was loved by his fans for decades and will remember his unique music forever more. However, fame can get into people's heads and when he changed his skin colour, his supporters were still behind him, when he was in court himself for alleged child molesting, and his fans still were behind him and were utterly convinced he did not do such atrocity. The court ruled that he was in fact, not guilty, there were parades, celebrating this outcome - never seen such scenes in my life. It was hard to recognise if people were happier to see Michael Jackson not guilty for serious charges or to witness United States having their first black President in Barack Obama. If the court ruled otherwise, I'm sure there would be riots on the streets.

During the Conrad Murray court case, a large number again gathered by the Superior Court with banners supporting Michael Jackson and hoping Murray would be guilty. Once Murray was announced "guilty" (he pleaded not guilty), fans were throwing yet another party. Millions love Michael Jackson and I must admit that some of his music was pure genius, however I feel his supporters convinced the this week's decision to lock Conrad Murray behind bars.

The court has to be unbiased when decision making however, there must have been one who was a huge fan of Michael Jackson. Let's put it this way, if I was a judge of an murder inquiry of say, Elvis Presley for example and his doctor was in Conrad Murray's position, my decision would be towards convicting the doctor. It is bad and you can tell I won't make a good judge but a strong fan base can be a major contributor towards Murray's imprisonment. If Murray was proved not guilty, Michael Jackson fans wouldn't haunt the judge for the rest of his/her life.

I can accept the decision given to Conrad Murray but I am still not totally convinced. Michael Jackson was very unwell and perhaps may not have been saved.

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