Current Affairs - 2026

[david63]

It is looking clear as to who is the puppet and who is the puppet master in the Iran conflict.

[Onelife]

Not surprisingly - if faced with two options of where we had to spend the rest of our lives - Lebanon/Gaza or Israel…I know where I would choose…how about you?

[Stephen]

This chap has got the measure of Trump.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/125601622 ... &fs=e&fs=e

[Mervyn and Trish]

Not surprisingly - if faced with two options of where we had to spend the rest of our lives - Lebanon/Gaza or Israel…I know where I would choose…how about you?

Well you're less likely to get the sh*t bombed out of you in Israel. But I'll stay here thanks so the question is academic. I'm not a fan of Sir Hindsight but I prefer him to Trump or Netanyahu.

[david63]

I see that Trump has had to get his Missus to step in (as he is too busy fighting a war) and provide the excuses for what is going to be coming out over Epstein.

[Onelife]

There are some who think Melania was one of Epstein hand-me-downs?

[Mervyn and Trish]

It's odd she's denying she ever met him or Maxwell when there are plenty of photos to prove otherwise. Sometimes when you're up to your neck it's best to stop digging.

[david63]

JD Vance warns Iran that if they "try to play us" the US won't be receptive - not that the US would in any way way, shape or form try to play Iran

[Stephen]

I see that Trump has had to get his Missus to step in (as he is too busy fighting a war) and provide the excuses for what is going to be coming out over Epstein.

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[Portsmouth]

Sometimes when you're up to your neck it's best to stop digging.

[david63]

I thought that the purpose of negotiations was to discuss both sides and meet somewhere in the middle and not these are our terms that you must accept and if not we are going home.

It is time Trump realised that there is a vast difference between business negotiations and international diplomatic negotiations and he should start by getting rid of his mates and using some experienced professional diplomats who might stand a better chance of getting the job done. Vance et al are so far out of their depth that it is not only embarrassing but is endangering world peace.

[david63]

Trump must be getting bored as he is now attacking the Pope https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp841y07w5xo

Trump thinks that everything revolves around him with comments such as

If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican.

The man is totally deranged.

[Ray B]

The Stockport Southport inquiry has now reported on its findings of the tragic murders of the three young girls at a dance class.
Departments have said changes will be made and they will take onboard some of the recommendations.
I have no knowledge of the running of Stockport's Merseyside's police or child protection services, but if it's like most City and towns then they are normally way understaffed and carry to many case loads to really perform to their best.
Until the people who work in the areas outlined in the enquiry have sufficient staff numbers to carry out better monitoring of vulnerable people, no amount of changes will stop the next tragedy happening.

[Onelife]

I’m sure there is truth in what you say Ray, but at the end of the day no monitoring of.. .lets say those of unstable character are going to prevent further tragic events like the one that took place in Stockport Southport happening again. It is practically impossible to monitor what goes on in the minds of those who commit such heinous crimes.

Your heart weeps for those parents who have lost the most precious thing in their lives….so bloody sad.

[david63]

I think you both mean Southport and not Stockport. (incidentally and totally irrelevant to this is that I have lived in both of those towns)

One thing that I did like that has come out of this first report is that Sir Adrian Fulford is laying a lot of the blame on his parents and that they should have taken more parental responsibility, something that is lacking in many families these days.

[Portsmouth]

Until the people who work in the areas outlined in the enquiry have sufficient staff numbers to carry out better monitoring of vulnerable people, no amount of changes will stop the next tragedy happening.

I think you mean sufficient trained staff.
I've heard that sometimes, staff who are under trained have to slot in & help out when there are staff shortages ??

[Stephen]

We hear it time after time after the event that ‘changes, improvements etc have been put in place’…….until the next time.

[towny44]

I think you both mean Southport and not Stockport. (incidentally and totally irrelevant to this is that I have lived in both of those towns)

One thing that I did like that has come out of this first report is that Sir Adrian Fulford is laying a lot of the blame on his parents and that they should have taken more parental responsibility, something that is lacking in many families these days.

I agree that in hindsight both the parents, and all the various social services, should have acted more positively to ensure that this troubled youth was prevented from carrying out this horrendous act.
But when govt depts are understaffed and overwhelmed is it any wonder that many troubled "patients" are not given the attention they require to ensure they do not go on to commit such crimes.
So unfortunately I doubt that this reports finding will do more than highlight the inadeqacies in our systems, but until we find a magic money tree I fear that these incidents will continue.

[Ray B]

Thanks for corrections David. The parents are totally to blame , but did they lack the parenting skills or it was their son they were afraid off but but could not bring themselves to highlight a problem to the those that could have helped, who knows.

[Ray B]

Donald Trump, the new Christ. What a p***ock.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Shame he didn't follow that through and get crucified last week.

[Stephen]

I can supply the hammer and nails.

[Meg 50]

but that would make him a martyr, and we can definitely do without that.

Even the Iranian government is accusing him of blasphemy

[oldbluefox]

I think it's about time that parents in this country were held responsible for the actios of their offspring and we stopped hiding behind excuses for them.They were fully aware of his instabilities as there were warning signs all along the way but these should have been heightened when or even if they looked in his bedroom and saw all the weapons he had amassed. They are the adults who should be in control of the situation and excuses are not acceptable.
As for the authorities I agree they should have been more proactive bearing in mind his past. I'm afraid in my career I had little time for Social Services who, rather than look for solutions to problems just made notes and dilly-dallied. Many is the time I rang them long after 6.00 because we still had a child with us at school, couldn't contact parents (probably because they were either stoned or drunk) and was passed from one official to another until I came back to square one again!!! And then they told me to contact the police. I think the technical term is "passing the buck".
In this case it led to tragic consequences for all the people involved.

[Ray B]

Foxy, I think the police should have been called who would then involve social services, the police I believe have the power to take the child more then SS who's powers are limited.
Maybe we have a member who has worked in the environment who could answer that.