The Panama Papers are a leak of millions of files of data
From now infamous law firm Mossack Fonseca.
National leaders, politicians, celebrities now entangled
Caught in this pants down global tax scandal.

Do not be quick to confuse tax planning with tax evasion
What seems a shady place may be a prudent tax haven.
The world is overdue cross border cooperation and international tax schemes;
Complex tax resolutions require patience – it’s much harder that it seems.

Tata Steel wants to sell its works in South Wales
The future of Port Talbot is on the proverbial rails.
One million pounds are lost, so they say
In that plant, employing thousands, every day.

In 1875 Britain produced forty percent of global steel
Industrial revolution, Empire, unrivalled confidence and zeal.
Today that number is a mere one percent
Self-reliance, nostalgia for industry – we all lament.

In China a ton of cabbages costs more than a ton of steel
Subsidies from Beijing, nationalised enterprise, no level trade deal.
Alas short term over supply may cull centuries of British expertise
And when our skills are gone, we’ll have to rely on those from overseas.

Obama has visited Cuba amongst much fanfare and show
The first President since Calvin Coolidge, 88 years ago.
This is most significant – it is a Berlin Wall moment
It puts squabbles to bed with much mutual atonement.

But be careful what you wish for, oh people of Havana
Americans will arrive with their burgers and bandannas.
Your new found friends with be demanding and encroaching
The dam has burst, the hoards they are approaching!

Taxes are now being imposed on sugary drinks
To curb obesity and cut waistlines methinks.
Perhaps for the dentists this is not such good news
Less cavities and root canals, less to remove.

Mike Bloomberg has announced that for President he will not run
And, alas, we will lose the contribution of America’s brightest sun.
This unique polymath, the like we so rarely find
Will deny the Oval Office of his talents; he’s now declined.

Born in Boston on Valentine’s Day 1942
Descendent of Russian immigrants, blue collar and a Jew.
Mike studied hard, an intellectual mind he did display
He won a place at Harvard and gained an MBA.

At Salomon Brothers he swiftly climbed the ladder, he made senior exec
Aged 39 he was made redundant, received a ten million dollar cheque.
He used the money to create the world’s best hub of information
Terminals, news, analytics – the financial markets must have application.

From information and connectivity he then become New York mayor
He shared leadership and vision, displayed qualities so rare.
This entrepreneur, this philanthropist, won’t make President number forty-five
But his special influence will live on, he remains very much alive.

Zimbabwe’s President celebrated his birthday – an annual charade
Of a starving and impoverished population there was no regard.
The insuperable Robert Mugabe is now 92 years of age
And a 92 kilo cake was the party’s central stage.

Since independence in 1980 this man has ruled his nation
Zanu PF, fear, white slaughter, utter domination.
Perhaps it’s actually Yorkshire where he’s from;
Mugabe written backwards is, simply, E-ba-gum!

Harper Lee has passed away,
Though her literary mark is here to stay.
To Kill a Mocking Bird lives on;
A Pulitzer Prize phenomenon.

The novel is about 1960s racial tension
It struck a chord with the world and drew attention.
An innocent black man in an Alabama court is depicted
Defended by honourable Atticus Finch, yet still he’s convicted.

The magic of the tale is that it is told through the eyes of a girl.
It’s via ten year old Scout that we see the drama unfurl.
Honest, observant, untainted by the isms of real adult life
It’s the child’s innocence that exacerbates such tragic racial strife.

Roses are red
Violets are blue.
In Valentine’s week
We’ve had a gravity coup.

Einstein’s theory
Of gravitational waves
Has at last been proven
Scientists praised.

We will now establish
The birth of space
From where we’ve come
To what might take place.

Black holes, supernovas,
Universal space station,
Meteors, the Great Bear –
My favourite constellation.

Back down here on earth
Is she from Venus, he from Mars?
Will you get a Valentine “Big Bang”?
And will you reach for the stars?

Rugby is back, the Six Nations is here!
A counter to news from crazy North Korea.
From earthquakes in Taiwan and Syrian crisis
A distraction from Brexit, from Zika and ISIS.

Opposing fans intermingle, they banter, they don’t brawl.
Violence confined to pitch via ruck, scrum and maul.
The game unifies these islands, even if only for one day,
Bringing old foes together, it represents fair play.

It matters not if you win Grand Slams, or mere wooden spoons;
Big voice and rousing pride belts out in national tunes
With bagpipe drones, with drums and with mighty horn blasts
Rugby is the only real winner, so enjoy it while it lasts.

Japan, the land of the rising sun, feels forlorn;
Their economy is more like dusk than shining dawn.
Inflation’s low, growth is weak and their average population’s far too old
A country where more geriatric nappies, than those for babies, are now sold.
So Japan’s interest rates have been dropped to negative
Prospects are not “pick me up”, but, alas, they’re dismal sedative.
The hard working Japanese will now be charged to save their hard earned wonga
And thus encouraged not to hoard, but to spend it on Sony, Muji and Honda.

According to the eminent Oxford English Dictionary, it seems
There are several definitions for the word “Trump”, it deems:
“Trump”, verb, to beat a player’s card to become the best;
“Trump”, noun, a playing card that ranks above the rest;
“Trump”, verb, to break wind, to flatulate, to fart out loud.
Many interpretations are there to ponder for the American crowd.
You may think Donald Trump’s full of hot air and a joker you may resent.
But for others he’s a winner, he’s brash and tough, he’s the perfect President.

This week saw the final Landrover Defender come off the production line,
For nearly seventy years it’s been the global motoring icon of our time.
This most stalwart of cars, the quintessential four by four.
It’s been used by everyone, both by the rich and by the poor.
Farmers, soldiers, rally drivers, royalty and all societies’ ranks
As country workhorse through mud and rivers to gleaming Chelsea tanks.
Since 1948 over two million have been made, but so tough are they
That most are still being driven, not gone, they’re here to stay.