General News

[leicsmac]

1 minute ago, st albans fox said:

don’t see that happening - thinking more about Iran’s hypersonic capability which could be used to destroy all Israel’s airfields/ naval ports. 

It's still an option that they have when other options are exhausted, though. 

[st albans fox]

1 minute ago, leicsmac said:

It's still an option that they have when other options are exhausted, though. 

Fortunately Ben gvir’s fingers aren’t on the button ….. BN wouldn’t do that and trump certainly wouldn’t sanction it 

iran wouldn’t take things to that level either by restricting their attacks to military targets - they understand where the red lines are, even if Israel attempts to destroy their nuclear weapons program 

[leicsmac]

16 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

Fortunately Ben gvir’s fingers aren’t on the button ….. BN wouldn’t do that and trump certainly wouldn’t sanction it 

iran wouldn’t take things to that level either by restricting their attacks to military targets - they understand where the red lines are, even if Israel attempts to destroy their nuclear weapons program 

Hopefully so. 

[leicsmac]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clynq459wxgo

 

The [UNFPA] has taken its strongest line yet on fertility decline, warning that hundreds of millions of people are not able to have the number of children they want, citing the prohibitive cost of parenthood and the lack of a suitable partner as some of the reasons.

UNFPA surveyed 14,000 people in 14 countries about their fertility intentions. One in five said they haven't had or expect they won't have their desired number of children.

The countries surveyed - South Korea, Thailand, Italy, Hungary, Germany, Sweden, Brazil, Mexico, US, India, Indonesia, Morocco, South Africa, and Nigeria - account for a third of the global population.

They are a mix of low, middle and high-income countries and those with low and high fertility. UNFPA surveyed young adults and those past their reproductive years.

"The world has begun an unprecedented decline in fertility rates," says Dr Natalia Kanem, head of UNFPA.

 

A topic that's cropped up a bit here recently, and it remains difficult to see the best way forward imo. 

 

Obviously fertility rates tailing off will result in big problems that various places are ill-equipped to handle, but seeing them rise at rates similar to recent history with the associated continual population increase at an exponential rate will probably result in bigger problems. 

[st albans fox]

We seem to be losing quite a lot of jobs over the past few months 

 

will the unintended consequence be to force an improvement in productivity??

[Sol thewall Bamba]

Relatively pleased they're pressing ahead with another nuclear plant. Need to actually get on with building things, rather than just complaining about how long things will take, debating it for 10 years and then being a decade down the line with nothing to show for it. 

[Jon the Hat]

4 minutes ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

Relatively pleased they're pressing ahead with another nuclear plant. Need to actually get on with building things, rather than just complaining about how long things will take, debating it for 10 years and then being a decade down the line with nothing to show for it. 

You forgot seeing the cost go up every year well beyond inflation.  Agreed.  For the UK Nuclear is essential imo, a few good power stations will support the transition to renewable energy.

[Super_horns]

Really dreadful and horrific school shooting in Austria .

 

[davieG]

14 minutes ago, Super_horns said:

Really dreadful and horrific school shooting in Austria .

 

BBC

 

• Nine people have been killed in a shooting at a secondary school in the Austrian city of Graz, the local mayor says

• Students and teachers are believed to be among the dead after gunshots at the Dreierschützengasse high school

• A police spokesman tells public broadcaster ORF the suspected gunman is believed to have killed himself

• Police say an operation is under way and a helicopter has been deployed

[Tommy G]

Another Reeves masterclass - surprise surprise what experts thought would happen, is now happening. Even the Guardian has gone in two footed. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jun/10/uk-unemployment-wage-growth-rachel-reeves

Edited 10 June 2025 by Tommy G

[Trav Le Bleu]

42 minutes ago, davieG said:

BBC

 

• Nine people have been killed in a shooting at a secondary school in the Austrian city of Graz, the local mayor says

• Students and teachers are believed to be among the dead after gunshots at the Dreierschützengasse high school

• A police spokesman tells public broadcaster ORF the suspected gunman is believed to have killed himself

• Police say an operation is under way and a helicopter has been deployed

10 now.

 

Shooter was a student there.

[leicsmac]

40 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

Another Reeves masterclass - surprise surprise what experts thought would happen, is now happening. Even the Guardian has gone in two footed. 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jun/10/uk-unemployment-wage-growth-rachel-reeves

I guess we'll see where we are in a couple of years on this one to judge with any degree of accuracy. 

[StanSP]

Nice to hear Pep speak out in support of Gaza

[Tommy G]

17 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

I guess we'll see where we are in a couple of years on this one to judge with any degree of accuracy. 

Don't think the economy can wait two years 

[leicsmac]

10 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

Don't think the economy can wait two years 

Perhaps so. 

 

That being said, there's a lot of things that can't wait two years either that are in the queue with it. 

[Tommy G]

2 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

Perhaps so. 

 

That being said, there's a lot of things that can't wait two years either that are in the queue with it. 

It's not a queue, it's decision making around policies.

[Dr The Singh]

39 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

I guess we'll see where we are in a couple of years on this one to judge with any degree of accuracy. 

I doubt she will be around to see the fruits of her labour

[leicsmac]

48 minutes ago, Tommy G said:

It's not a queue, it's decision making around policies.

I was thinking more from the point of view that it's hardly the only priority policy right now, though obviously economics influences a lot of other policymaking. 

[leicsmac]

42 minutes ago, Dr The Singh said:

I doubt she will be around to see the fruits of her labour

Possible, but again, only time will tell there. 

[Spudulike]

2 hours ago, StanSP said:

Nice to hear Pep speak out in support of Gaza

Why? Is he an authority that deserves attention in this matter?

[StanSP]

11 minutes ago, Spudulike said:

Why? Is he an authority that deserves attention in this matter?

Well, no but you don't hear many others speak out like he has on the situation. 

[RobHawk]

3 hours ago, Tommy G said:

Don't think the economy can wait two years 

It's fine, we are still waiting for the billions we will gain from Brexit. As soon as that kicks in we will be golden. 

[leicsmac]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8xgk1ek19lo

 

The UK has sanctioned two far-right Israeli ministers over "repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities" in the occupied West Bank.

Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich will both be banned from entering the UK and will have any assets in the UK frozen as part of the measures announced by the foreign secretary.

David Lammy said Finance Minister Smotrich and National Security Minister Ben-Gvir had "incited extremist violence and serious abuses of Palestinian human rights".

In response, Israel said: "It is outrageous that elected representatives and members of the government are subjected to these kind of measures."

The sanctions are part of a joint move by the UK, Norway, Australia, Canada and New Zealand announced on Tuesday.

 

Good to see the UK following the equitable application of such things by the rest of the civilised world. 

[foxy boxing]

5 hours ago, StanSP said:

Nice to hear Pep speak out in support of Gaza

Ìts OK for Pep to speak out as his paymasters are supporters of Palestinians where as Gary had to resign because the BBC is meant to be impartial. The issue is just too polarising if you support Palestinians you get called anti antisemitic and if you support Israel then your Islamaphobic.

[Trav Le Bleu]

10 minutes ago, foxy boxing said:

Ìts OK for Pep to speak out as his paymasters are supporters of Palestinians where as Gary had to resign because the BBC is meant to be impartial. The issue is just too polarising if you support Palestinians you get called anti antisemitic and if you support Israel then your Islamaphobic.

I think the point most people miss is that these people aren't supporting either side, just speaking out against evil wherever it is.

 

Speaking out against Israel and speaking out against Hamas are not mutually exclusive.