Current Events
What’s happening in the US and UK?
Group Work
• Find your group
• Together, use your smartphones to research your topic
• Prepare a 2-minute presentation about your topic
3 dead in Boston Marathon bombing
• 2 homemade bombs exploded in downtown Boston during the Boston Marathon
• 3 dead, hundreds injured• Two brothers are thought to be responsible:
26-year-old (shot by police) and 19-year-old (in hospital) Chechen Muslim brothers
Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Dies
• Was Prime Minister 1979-1990• Conservative Party (“Iron Lady”)• Lower taxes, free market, privatized industries
like coal, limited immigration• Protests, strikes, recessionsfrom the public• “if a man will not work, he shall not eat”• Many Brits celebrated her death, turned their
back on her funeral in London
Obama Pushes for Background Checks, Gun Control Laws
• In the US Constitution, citizens have the “right to bear arms” for hunting, protection, etc
• Newtown school shooting, Aurora cinema shooting• Campaign for stronger gun laws• Campaign for more guns – in schools, etc• Obama pushes for background checks for gun sales• Private citizens own 310 000 000 guns (there are
360 000 000 people in the USA)
White Britons are a Minority in London
• White Brits are 45% of London residents• “white flight” – people leaving
neighbourhoods that become immigrant hubs• In 10 years, 600,000 white Britons have left
London• Immigration gone up 16%• Rapidly changing neighborhoods, foreign
communities, restaurants, shops…
Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg Urges Working Women
• Sheryl Sandberg wrote book Lean In to encourage women to build their careers
• She tells women to seek higher status, management and executive jobs
• Advises women in 20s not to let family planning control career
• Controversial: some people criticize her for changing family values
70,000 dead in Syrian civil war
• International community may be forced to do something
• Evidence of chemical weapons being used
Cellphones are the Cause of 28% of Car Accidents
• In many states, it is illegal to use a cellphone while driving.
• Texting while driving is illegal in most states• Increase in car accidents among people under
20• Many social groups campaign for stronger
laws about cellphones in cars
Kate Middleton Pregnant
• The Duchess of Cambridge, married to Prince William, future Queen of England
• Pregnant with her first child, due in July 2013• British people are excited for the young,
popular couple• Many worry about privacy for the child.
William’s mother, Princess Diana, had a lot of trouble with press
Average Student Debt after Graduation is $27,000
• In the US, university costs are avg. $28,500• Many students stressed about money• 42% of undergraduates quit university• Higher unemployment in US, many young
people delay buying homes, getting married, having children because of money