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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260716T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260716T113000
DTSTAMP:20260707T101712Z
CREATED:20260707T101155Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260707T101712Z
UID:88138-1784197800-1784201400@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:Burnham's Britain
DESCRIPTION:It is now all but certain that\, by next weekend\, Andy Burnham will become our next Prime Minister. He may have a Messianic appeal within his party\, but the man himself will be under no illusions that the government he inherits – just two years on from its historic election victory in 2024 – has lost the confidence of the voters that it can still deliver on its manifesto commitments\, to change Britain for the better. So\, at this meeting\, we’ll consider the huge challenges that Burnham will face – economic\, social and political – if he is to win over a cynical public\, tired of the Prime-Ministerial merry-go-round of the last ten years. Can he do it… why not come along next Thursday and tell us what you think! \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/burnhams-britain/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Burnham-Banner-format.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260618T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260618T113000
DTSTAMP:20260612T091637Z
CREATED:20260611T140247Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260612T091637Z
UID:80342-1781778600-1781782200@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:The Welfare State: Is it Still Affordable?
DESCRIPTION:In Britain today\, few issues provoke more heated debate than this. On one side are those who argue\, on humanitarian grounds\, that the less fortunate among us deserve all the support they need in order to live with at least the most basic of human needs – shelter\, food\, healthcare\, and the means to raise a family. Against this are an unsympathetic press-pack (pictured) who decry such people\, branding them as feckless skivers\, brazenly scrounging off everybody else. And in the middle – as always – are our politicians\, having to make hugely difficult decisions about dividing up the national ‘pot’ in a fair and equitable manner. So\, at this month’s meeting\, we’ll take a look at some of the data\, and consider the question of whether the welfare state is still affordable in its current form. \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/the-welfare-state-is-it-still-affordable/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Welfare-Reform-Jun26-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260521T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260521T113000
DTSTAMP:20260717T085416Z
CREATED:20260513T134922Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260717T085416Z
UID:71821-1779359400-1779363000@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:Current Affairs discussion group: Open Forum
DESCRIPTION:With so much going on at the moment\, both domestically and around the world\, it’s time once again to open the floor to all of you – our members – to share your thoughts on any topic you wish. Whether it’s making the headlines right now\, or it’s been squeezed out by everything else\, why not come along and give it an airing! \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/current-affairs-discussion-group-open-forum-2/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CA-group-Meetings-archive-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260416T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260416T113000
DTSTAMP:20260717T085244Z
CREATED:20260409T151138Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260717T085244Z
UID:63519-1776335400-1776339000@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:Finding the Truth in the Fog of War
DESCRIPTION:For more than a month now\, the world has held its breath ever since the Middle East was plunged into another deadly conflict between its most hard-line of sworn enemies. And as the cost in lives continues to mount\, so has the fiery rhetoric\, proving the old adage that the first casualty of war is Truth. But when none of the key players – Trump\, Netanyahu\, nor the Iranians – can be trusted to give it to us straight\, how can we\, as mere onlookers\, navigate today’s multi-media minefield to get to the true facts behind the barrage of spin\, disinformation\, and bare-faced lies that make up the so-called ‘Fog of War’. And that’s our topic this month. \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/who-can-we-believe-in-the-fog-of-war/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CA-group-Meetings-archive-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260319T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260319T113000
DTSTAMP:20260717T085117Z
CREATED:20260311T151110Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260717T085117Z
UID:56481-1773916200-1773919800@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:Electoral Reform
DESCRIPTION:With the Middle East in flames and oil prices soaring\, a significant piece of legislation – the ‘Representation of the People’ Bill – attracted little attention when it was debated in parliament earlier this month. Among several proposed reforms\, the most far-reaching would be the extension of voting rights to 16/17-year-olds. You may agree or disagree with that\, but much of the commentary afterwards focussed on what wasn’t in the Bill – our electoral system itself. As Britain’s political landscape continues to fragment\, our long-standing ‘first-past-the-post’ system is increasingly delivering outcomes that are ever-further removed from the true balance of public opinion in the country today. So\, at this month’s meeting\, we’ll be discussing the pros and cons of replacing FPTP with a more proportional voting system. For more information\, take a look at these recent articles: ‘After Gorton & Denton: The case for PR’ and ‘Restoring democracy: Labour’s challenge’ \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/electoral-reform/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CA-group-Meetings-archive-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260219T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260219T113000
DTSTAMP:20260611T132808Z
CREATED:20260211T150852Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260611T132808Z
UID:49494-1771497000-1771500600@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:The Future of the BBC
DESCRIPTION:In 2027\, the BBC will reach a historic milestone\, having been established by Royal Charter exactly a hundred years ago. Under the terms of that Charter\, its remit must be formally renewed by the Government every ten years\, including a statutory period of public consultation. That process began in November\, and will continue throughout 2026\, but the consultation period ends next month\, hence the timing of this meeting. Among the issues up for discussion are the BBC’s mission in a broadcasting environment which is constantly evolving\, the services it provides\, its integration of new and emerging technologies\, its governance and accountability\, its workplace culture\, and last – but by no means least – how the BBC should be funded\, going forward. Surveys repeatedly show that our demographic (the over-65’s) are the most loyal consumers of the BBC’s output\, so we should take the opportunity to have our say. For more information\, take a look at this helpful article from the BBC website: BBC Charter review (Katie Razzall\, 16/12/25) \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/the-future-of-the-bbc/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CA-group-Meetings-archive-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260115T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260115T113000
DTSTAMP:20260515T163857Z
CREATED:20260108T144052Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260515T163857Z
UID:39627-1768473000-1768476600@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:Donald Trump's Unforgettable First Year
DESCRIPTION:Barely a year has passed since his inauguration\, yet even the most fanciful of apocalyptic predictions about how Trump’s second term as US President would unfold\, have fallen way short of the jaw-dropping reality. So\, for our first meeting of 2026\, we’ll be taking a look back at the extraordinary events of the last twelve months\, and ahead to what may be coming next\, both for Americans at home\, and for the rest of us around the world. But whatever happens\, one thing is certain – the ‘white-knuckle ride’ has only just begun – so why not join us for an hour of nervous crystal-gazing! \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/donald-trumps-unforgettable-first-year/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CA-group-Meetings-archive-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251120T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251120T113000
DTSTAMP:20260515T162215Z
CREATED:20251111T123234Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260515T162215Z
UID:22212-1763634600-1763638200@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:Current Affairs discussion group: Open Forum
DESCRIPTION:For our final meeting of the year\, I’m once again opening the floor to all of you – our members – to share your thoughts on anything that’s been making the headlines recently. From the increasingly fractious debate over immigration policy to the prison releases debacle\, the latest round of doctors’ strikes to the crisis at the BBC\, not to mention all the speculation about the upcoming budget – and the PM’s leadership – there’s plenty to choose from\, so why not come along and have your say! \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/current-affairs-discussion-group-open-forum/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CA-group-Meetings-archive-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251016T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251016T113000
DTSTAMP:20260515T162537Z
CREATED:20251004T135123Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260515T162537Z
UID:11078-1760610600-1760614200@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:The Demographic Time-bomb
DESCRIPTION:In common with many other developed countries\, the UK’s birth-rate has been falling for some time\, and now stands at around 1.5 children per woman\, far below the so-called ‘replacement’ rate of 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population profile. If this decline is not turned around soon\, there will eventually be too few working-age tax-payers to fund the ever-growing number of older people requiring costly medical and social care (let alone the workforce to provide this care). Several potential solutions have been suggested\, both fiscal and societal\, but most of them are either expensive\, controversial\, or both. So\, at this month’s meeting\, we’ll look at the various options\, and – who knows – maybe we’ll even come up with some novel ideas of our own for the Chancellor to consider as she prepares her upcoming Budget! \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/the-demographic-time-bomb/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CA-group-Meetings-archive-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250918T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250918T113000
DTSTAMP:20260515T162716Z
CREATED:20250903T094213Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260515T162716Z
UID:10027-1758191400-1758195000@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:Current Affairs group: Open Forum
DESCRIPTION:Since we last met in July\, much has happened in the world\, and yet\, in many ways\, little has changed. The conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine are no closer to a resolution\, while at home the Government’s headaches regarding economic and social policy continue unabated in the face of popular opposition\, spearheaded by Reform UK (from the right)\, and soon to be exacerbated (from the left) by Jeremy Corbyn’s new party. \nSo\, for this month only\, rather than a pre-arranged topic\, we’ll be holding an ‘Open Forum’\, which is where I open the floor to you – our members – to share your thoughts on anything that’s been making the headlines recently. All I would ask is that\, if there is a topic you’d like to raise at the meeting\, I’d appreciate you letting me know in advance\, so I can allocate time for it on the day. \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/current-affairs-group-open-forum/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CA-group-Meetings-archive-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250717T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250717T113000
DTSTAMP:20260515T162851Z
CREATED:20250601T102842Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260515T162851Z
UID:9365-1752748200-1752751800@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:Freedom of Speech
DESCRIPTION:“I disapprove of what you say\, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it”. This famous quotation\, usually – but incorrectly – attributed to the pioneering Enlightenment-era philosopher Voltaire\, neatly sums up that great libertarian principle of ‘Freedom of Speech’. And it shouldn’t be controversial\, enshrined as it has been\, for over 70 years\, in the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 19). Yet even today\, under totalitarian regimes the world over\, it’s still too dangerous to speak one’s mind in public. \nBut freedom of speech is now facing challenges in liberal democracies too. From its roots in the largely benign concept of ‘PC’ (political correctness)\, the threat morphed into the more socially-charged ‘Woke’ culture\, which has bred violence on our streets\, persecution of dissenting individuals (especially academics)\, and culminating in the cruel sanction of ‘cancellation’ – which denies them a platform\, and all too often ends their careers. Add to that the often overblown accusations of double-standards (with regard to enforcement) increasingly being levelled by pressure groups against their national Governments\, the Police\, and/or the Judiciary\, and it’s clear that freedom of speech is in trouble. So\, at this month’s meeting\, we’ll examine the issues involved\, and how they might be addressed. \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group \n  \n 
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/freedom-of-speech/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CA-group-Meetings-archive-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250619T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250619T113000
DTSTAMP:20260515T163018Z
CREATED:20250617T100209Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260515T163018Z
UID:9509-1750329000-1750332600@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:The Israel-Iran Crisis
DESCRIPTION:This week\, in a change from our previously-advertised subject\, we will now be discussing the escalating conflict that has erupted between Israel and Iran. Could it have been avoided\, or was a military showdown between these implacable enemies always inevitable? And with missiles now raining down on both countries\, is a peace deal even possible\, and if so\, who (if not the UN) has the trust of both sides to mediate it? Finally\, as has already been suggested by Israeli PM Netanyahu\, is it realistic to hope for an uprising by the Iranian people to overthrow Supreme Leader Khamenei’s authoritarian regime\, and should Western powers be more openly supportive of that objective? Lots of questions\, but no easy answers! \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group \n 
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/the-israel-iran-crisis/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CA-group-Meetings-archive-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250522T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250522T113000
DTSTAMP:20260515T163244Z
CREATED:20250420T094436Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260515T163244Z
UID:9030-1747909800-1747913400@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:The Mental Health Crisis
DESCRIPTION:Here in the UK\, this week has been officially designated as ‘Mental Health Awareness Week’. And if that’s news to you\, you’re not alone\, because domestic and global events seem to be unfolding at an ever faster pace\, with which it’s increasingly difficult to keep up. That\, and the unrelenting pressure\, especially on young people\, to manage their hectic lives\, strained finances\, and societal expectations\, has led inevitably to a burgeoning mental health crisis across the developed world (see link [Guardian\, Mar’25]. So\, at this month’s meeting\, we’ll explore the problem\, and ask what needs to be done to save this so-called ‘lost generation’ from lives of misery and despair. \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group \n 
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/next-current-affairs-group-meeting-thurs-15th-may/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CA-group-Meetings-archive-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250417T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250417T113000
DTSTAMP:20260515T163412Z
CREATED:20250325T115220Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260515T163412Z
UID:8857-1744885800-1744889400@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:Antidisestablishmentarianism: Has it had its day?
DESCRIPTION:In the wake of former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby’s ignominious resignation over the John Smyth cover-up\, followed last week by his ill-judged public forgiveness of this prolific abuser\, is it now time to end the automatic right of C of E bishops/archbishops to sit in the House of Lords (an archaic privilege not extended to leaders of other faiths)? If so\, then why not go even further by severing for good the age-old constitutional link between Church and State? In short\, has antidisestablishmentarianism had its day? \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/next-current-affairs-group-meeting-thurs-17th-april/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CA-group-Meetings-archive-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250320T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250320T113000
DTSTAMP:20260515T163534Z
CREATED:20250304T122248Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260515T163534Z
UID:8613-1742466600-1742470200@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:Trump's New World Order: Strongmen Make the Rules
DESCRIPTION:Following last month’s jaw-dropping Oval Office ambush of Volodymyr Zelenskyy\, and the subsequent freezing of military aid to his country\, the full horror of Donald Trump’s determination to completely rewrite the rule-book on diplomacy and international relations has been laid bare for all to see. Add to that his reckless and punitive trade-wars with friends and foes alike\, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that\, in this US President’s new ‘world order’\, the rules will now be made not by consensus\, but by the most powerful. So\, at this week’s meeting\, we’ll consider whether there’s any way back from the brink\, not just for the beleaguered Ukrainians\, but for the rest of Europe\, and the wider world too? \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/trumps-new-world-order-strongmen-make-the-rules/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CA-group-Meetings-archive-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250220T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250220T113000
DTSTAMP:20260515T163704Z
CREATED:20250202T110322Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260515T163704Z
UID:8369-1740047400-1740051000@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:Preparing for the AI Revolution
DESCRIPTION:Hardly a day goes by without news of yet another amazing breakthrough in AI and/or robotics\, which\, we are told\, will transform our lives in ever more dramatic and profound ways. It’s both exciting and unsettling\, but\, because its sheer complexity goes way over the heads of most ordinary people like us\, we are left wondering whether – in the end – mankind will be liberated\, enslaved\, or even superseded by it. In other words\, are we – both individually and as a society – prepared for what the AI revolution could ultimately mean for all of us? \nIn this meeting\, we’ll discuss specific areas where its impact – for better or worse – is likely to be the greatest. For example\, as AI-driven automation replaces more and more of us in the workplace\, how will those put out of work fill their time\, and who will pay the taxes to fund public services? Or how about a robotic carer to look after you in a permanently over-stretched health service – it’s already happening in Japan! I’m sure you can think of many other questions like this\, so why not come along and share your hopes and fears. \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/preparing-for-the-ai-revolution/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://u3acommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/CA-group-Meetings-archive-image.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250116T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250116T113000
DTSTAMP:20260513T111836Z
CREATED:20250104T143837Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260513T111836Z
UID:8201-1737023400-1737027000@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:Starmer's First Six Months: Can Things Get Any Worse!?
DESCRIPTION:Back in July\, after 14 years in the political wilderness\, Labour swept back into power with a huge majority\, and a commitment to change our country for the better. But today\, six months on\, public confidence in the party – and the Prime Minister in particular – have slumped to near all-time lows\, as the realities and responsibilities of governing in difficult times have taken their toll. And as if all that wasn’t bad enough\, the barrage of criticism – albeit ill-informed – he’s now facing from ‘across the pond’ could hardly have come at a worse time\, with President Trump’s inauguration just days away. So\, for our topic this month\, we’ll take a look at some of the big challenges facing the government as they seek to steady the ship\, and start to deliver on their promises to the electorate. Can they do it? Why not join us for an hour of lively conversation about those pressing issues. \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/labours-first-six-months-starmers-baptism-of-fire/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241219T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241219T113000
DTSTAMP:20260513T111647Z
CREATED:20241202T111152Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260513T111647Z
UID:7937-1734604200-1734607800@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:Good News Stories from 2024
DESCRIPTION:As another year draws to a close\, and the nights draw in\, it can sometimes feel like the most significant events of the last twelve months were all doom and gloom. So instead\, as the festive season beckons\, let’s raise our spirits by taking a look back at some of the good news stories of 2024. Whether they’re of global\, national\, or even just local interest where you live\, this is your opportunity to share them with the rest of us\, so why not join us for an hour of uplifting conversation! \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/good-news-stories-from-2024/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241121T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241121T113000
DTSTAMP:20260513T111501Z
CREATED:20241102T104025Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260513T111501Z
UID:7267-1732185000-1732188600@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:The Middle East Crisis: Stepping Back from the Brink
DESCRIPTION:A year on from the brutal Hamas incursion into southern Israel\, the bloody chain of events it triggered has left tens of thousands dead across the region\, and has brought Israel and its arch-enemy Iran to the brink of war. Diplomacy has failed\, peace talks have stalled\, and now the impending return of Donald Trump to the White House has added even more uncertainty to this seemingly intractable crisis. So is there any hope of avoiding what some are already calling a new Armageddon. What do you think? Why not join us for an hour of lively discussion about this most divisive of issues. \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/next-current-affairs-group-meeting-thursday-21st-november/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20241017T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20241017T113000
DTSTAMP:20260513T111255Z
CREATED:20240926T111800Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260513T111255Z
UID:6311-1729161000-1729164600@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:Assisted Dying: The End of Unnecessary Suffering\, or a Slippery Slope Towards Execution of the Unwanted?
DESCRIPTION:Our subject for this month’s meeting could hardly be more topical\, coinciding as it does with the introduction\, in the House of Commons\, of Labour MP Kim Leadbeater’s Private Member’s Bill to legalise assisted dying for the terminally-ill in England & Wales. While all previous attempts\, most recently in 2015\, have always been decisively voted down\, public opinion in favour of a change in the law has only hardened\, and especially so since Esther Rantzen joined the campaign. So the outcome this time is expected to be much closer. But what do you think? Why not join us for an hour of lively debate on this most contentious of issues! \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: Subscribe to the Current Affairs group
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/next-current-affairs-group-meeting-thursday-17th-october/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20240919T103000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20240919T113000
DTSTAMP:20260510T140425Z
CREATED:20240810T154003Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260510T140425Z
UID:5731-1726741800-1726745400@u3acommunities.org
SUMMARY:America at the Crossroads: The Battle for the White House\, and Why it Matters so Much More This Time Around
DESCRIPTION:By popular demand\, the Current Affairs Discussion Group is up and running again\, so we’re looking forward to welcoming back some of our old friends\, and hopefully many new ones as well. And for this\, our first meeting\, the topic could hardly be more momentous. In barely two months time\, Americans will cast their votes for one of two candidates whose sharply divergent opinions on how the country should be run\, and its role in the wider world\, are dividing the electorate perhaps more than at any other time in modern US history. Who will win is anybody’s guess\, but of one thing we can be certain – whichever way it goes\, the consequences for America\, and the rest us\, will be far-reaching. So why not join us as we look ahead – nervously! – to the outcome. \nIf you haven’t yet done so\, there’s still time to join our mailing list\, which will ensure that you receive those all-important Zoom log-in details… just click here: “Subscribe to the Current Affairs group” \n  \n 
URL:https://u3acommunities.org/event/current-affairs-discussion-group-grand-re-launch-meeting/
CATEGORIES:Current Affairs Meeting,Frontpage
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