u3a

South East London

U3A Current affairs discussion group 10th February 2025

  1. Why do we take any notice of this man?

Trump's Gaza plan will be seen as flying in face of international law

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9w5q8qn59yo

No US soldiers would be needed in Gaza plan, Trump says

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g9xgj2429o

Jeremy Bowen: Trump's Gaza plan won't happen, but it will have consequences

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2pwjgp59do

Relocation of Gazans would be temporary, Rubio says

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g9xgj2429o

Does this plan have any chance of being implemented?

Does it have any chance of success?

Is there actually a plan? The president says one thing, Marco Rubio another and the White house another.

Is it really to distract from what is happening in America?

  • What is happening in our schools?

Phillipson says new Ofsted report cards will help struggling schools

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20gkmy6k74o

Tributes paid to boy, 15, after school stabbing

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn01zpyrllqo

'I'm going to kill you' - how school day turned to chaos amid stabbing.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy9xexze2lo

Horrific incidents lead us to think that such things as the stabbings are common place in schools, but are they?

Will the new Ofsted report system be an improvement?

Should schools be subject to external inspection at all? Wouldn’t exam success be sufficient?

  • Plan to demolish Grenfell Tower.

Grenfell to be demolished, bereaved families told

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq5g99xy979o

Families' anger at plan to dismantle Grenfell Tower

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq5g99xy979o

There does not appear to be a consensus as to what to do with the tower. Should it stay as it is until the 10th anniversary?

  • Climate – why are we all over the place with our position on climate change.

Record January warmth puzzles climate scientists

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyjk92w9k1o

Norwegian oil giant cuts green investment in half

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1jg7k1kjwyo

UK to make it easier to build nuclear reactors

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c805mjxe2y9o

Urgent action needed to ensure UK food security, report warns

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/06/urgent-action-needed-to-ensure-uk-food-security-report-warns

The government is talking a lot about net zero and green growth but seems conflicted when it announces its policies.

Should the Rosebank oil field be developed or not?

  • Planetary alignment

Crescent Moon and Venus light up the night sky

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/articles/c3914yk4g7wo

Planetary alignment sees 6 planets visible in the night sky, into the beginning of February

https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news/planetary-alignment-2025

A few nights last week enabled a view of this planetary alignment. Do our city dwelling children miss out on the magic of looking at the night sky?

  •  Sale of Alcohol.

How will alcohol duty changes affect the price of drinks?

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jan/31/how-will-alcohol-duty-changes-affect-the-price-of-drinks

Alcohol-related deaths in UK hit record high of 10,473, ONS data shows

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/feb/05/alcohol-related-deaths-in-uk-hit-record-high-of-10473

Will increasing the price of alcohol reduce alcohol related deaths?

It seems that after the pandemic there was an increase in alcohol related deaths.

  • Is this anything more than a sound bite?

Civil servants could face sack for not saving money

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czx89z1qnl9o

Will a civil servant get blamed if a politician changes their mind on spending priorities?