Notations For the Week-End: Quite a Few Days on #Yemen, #Iran, #Israel & #VEDay70

We have simmering tensions on-going around the World especially as the War in Yemen has been going on despite a ceasefire going into effect later on this week.     Houthis have accepted the Saudi ceasefire offer.     We will continue to monitor this throughout the week as some 1400 people have so far died as a result of the bombings by the Saudi-led coalition.  One of the targets bombed was the home of the former President Saleh.

 The #Outsider team also was trying to assess the upcoming summit President Obama has conveyed with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council.   There are some interesting developments as King Salman has backed out at the last minute and will be sending his Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Nayef and his Son and Defense Minister, Prince Mohammad.     Only 2 out of the 6 leaders are attending to underscore the apparent profound displeasure of the emerging deal with Iran.   We will have comments throughout the week.

This was a week-end to remember and celebrate the victory over Nazi Germany.    Ceremonies were held throughout Europe.     This from the British Monarchy was quite telling on reflections by Queen Elizabeth:

To mark #VEDay70, we have some rare audio of The Queen recounting her memories of the day: http://t.co/UDmkHup2mr pic.twitter.com/7AIb8yI3Hv

— BritishMonarchy (@BritishMonarchy) May 8, 2015

The ceremony  at Westminister Abbey was quite moving which also featured a parade by the living Veterans presided over by the Prince of Wales.      What happened in Russia was also quite impressive as the BBC provided live coverage of the parade in Moscow's Red Square:

Quite impressive as #Russia holds V-Day parade http://t.co/dVNnLqgRIx @中国日报双语新闻 pic.twitter.com/hqgKCiTaCi

— Mike Pouraryan (@mikepouraryan) May 10, 2015

Although Western Leaders boycotted the event, the Presidents of China and India were there as troops from their countries marched.    It was quite a pagaentry as the ceremony began with the Defense Minister greeting the Units (some 16,000 soldiers) and all marched in perfect unisom before Vladimir Putin and the other dignitaries.     In addition to Chinese and Indian Soliders, soldiers from former Soviet States (including Kazahestan and Azerbeijian) also  marched.   28 Million Soviets died in World War II--referred to as the Great Patriotic War that has impacted every family in Russia. 

There is also Israel.    As we went to press here, our team could not agree ever more with +i24news EN  Correspodent Tal Shalav when she noted how the Government of Israel in its' current form   "  is a mess".    The Israeli Prime Minister is trying to expand the Government as opposition is crying fool and as the deadline for the new Government to be formed keeps getting pushed back with a 61-member majority.    It is just amazing how there is a prohibition against no member of the Parliamentary Caucus in the Knesset  leaving Jersuelaeum as "the Mess" is sorted out.   

It was quite a development as well as Raul Castro visting Pope Francis noted how impressed he was with his humility--and even more startling that he would consider returning to the Catholic Church if this persisted.    He noted this during his news conference with the Italian Prime Minister as Prime Minister Renzi smiled broadly at this.       

As we went to press, we received news in our Virtual Newsroom on the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jalayaitha, being cleared of corruption charges.  This is as the actor Salman Khan was given a suspended sentence for a vehicular manslaughter charge he was convicted of.      The twists and turns of the Indian Justice system may be of concern as the Prime Minister is trying to transform India--and as a resurrgent Congress is trying to get its' groove after a challenging year and a half.     

It is bound to be fascinating this week in #outsiders....