Pnewsology

The week’s news with a dash of psychology!

Jane Ogden (Professor in Health Psychology, Emeritus; email janeogden509@gmail.com; based on a conversation with James Cannon at Radio Surrey; 8.40 am 01/05/2026)

Week ending 01/05/2026

All opinions are those of Jane Ogden

Yet again (and again) we have had a week of madness! Bombings, death, kidnapping, lies and just general chaos.  And the King and Queen met Trump.

Early on the week we watched replay after replay of the attempted assassination attempt on Trump and his cronies at the Correspondent’s Dinner and watched with amazement as an armed man simply ran through security before being pinned to the ground.  What then followed were many debates about whether it was real or not – did Trump set it up so he could justify his ballroom? Why did he look so unphased when the shots were fired? Was the shooter linked with Iran? Or Israel? All contrasted with a sense that of course it was real and if we call everything a conspiracy we are simply falling into the trap of the far right and not believing anything!  We do live in strange times.

We also watched a nun being attacked in occupied Jerusalem by an illegal Israeli settler; more bombings by Israel in Lebanon – the death toll now matches 9/11; and ongoing attacks in the West Bank by the settlers of Palestinian homes.  Then, just when we think we can’t be shocked anymore by the lack of consequences, a 58 boat flotilla carrying food and baby milk to Gaza was attacked in international waters by the IDF who then kidnapped 175 activists near Crete.  All surrounded by resounding silence as nothing is done.

More locally – a teacher in Epsom lied to her pupils that she had been shot in a war zone whilst fighting for the Australian forces.  She hadn’t.  A woman from Northampton was pinned to the ground by the police following a ‘welfare call’ – it turns out they had taken a film of her on the toilet?! And a fish and chip shop owner in Hampshire told of his upset and near loss of business after his ex-partner falsely accused him of all sorts including being a paedophile.

All a bit bonkers! The world feels like it is going mad.

And then The King and Camilla went to the US to meet Trump.  Some said he shouldn’t go as this was playing into Trump’s hand.  I didn’t have a view.  But then I listened to his speech, watched him meet the cabinet and heard the repeated standing ovations and suddenly I felt proud!  Our King (and his script writer!) turns out to be calm, clever, funny, informed and a very skilled orator!  He landed key points about Ukraine, climate change and world stability whilst at the same time pleasing politicians from across the spectrum and all with a twinkle.  And he just had class.  Trump could be seen patting Melania’s bottom.  Our King would never do that!  Trump pushed in front of them both to shake the hands of his own cabinet.  Our King stepped aside with a wry smile and just carried on.  And Trump tried to give him one of his alpha male handshakes followed by a hug and Our King was having none of it.

Who knows if it will have any effect or whether any effect will last.  But this, week amidst all the chaos Our King left me with a small feeling of hope that at least there are still some decent people in the world.