UK to rejoin EU Horizon programme through 'bespoke new agreement'
The UK will rejoin the European Union's flagship Horizon science programme after two years of absence post-Brexit, the government has confirmed.
Number 10 said the move would happen "through a bespoke new agreement with the EU".
A spokesperson added Prime Minister Rishi Sunak secured "improved financial terms of association that are right for the UK and protect the taxpayer".
Mr Sunak said: "We have worked with our EU partners to make sure that this is the right deal for the UK, unlocking unparalleled research opportunities, and also the right deal for British taxpayers."
Scientists called the announcement "tremendous news".
Horizon is a collaboration involving Europe's leading research institutes and technology companies which sees EU member states contribute funds that are then allocated to individuals or organisations on merit.
The UK was negotiating a deal to remain in the €95.5bn programme, but talks stalled over Brexit-related disagreements such as Northern Ireland.
In the two years since the UK was removed, Downing Street has stepped in to match EU grant money lost.
However, scientists warned that UK researchers have been missing out on collaboration with colleagues in Europe.
Professor Paul Stewart, from the Academy of Medical Sciences, said the return "marks a pivotal moment for UK science".
"After a hiatus, the scientific community is celebrating the tremendous news that we are once more part of the EU's flagship funding programme," he said.
"Health research is an international endeavour, it relies on supporting the best ideas, but also on creating cross-border networks which is good news for the UK, Europe and the rest of the world.
"Association sends a very strong message that the UK is open for business and remains a prime destination to work on health research and innovation to improve lives."
The government said UK researchers can apply for grants and bid to take part in projects under the Horizon programme from today.
As well as Horizon the UK will join the EU's space programme, Copernicus, but it will not take part in the bloc's nuclear technology scheme, Euratom.
The breakthrough comes after months of talks between London and Brussels.
It had been hoped that a British return to Horizon would follow in the wake of the Windsor Framework deal, agreed in February and designed to address concerns over post-Brexit arrangements in Northern Ireland.
Whitehall sources said in July a draft deal was with the prime minister - but Downing Street said a UK-based alternative known as Pioneer also remained an option because Mr Sunak was concerned about "value for money".
Michelle Donelan, the secretary of state for science, denied the move was "mission creep back into the EU".
She told Sky News: "This is fantastic news, not just for British scientists and researchers but also for the British taxpayer.
"What we're announcing today is a great deal, a deal that many said we won't be able to get."
Under the terms of the deal, the UK will not need to pay into the scheme for the two years it was absent with costs under the programme beginning again in January 2024.
The government also pointed to the inclusion of a so-called "clawback" mechanism, which will mean that the UK will be compensated if British scientists receive significantly less money than the UK puts into the programme.
Ms Donelan said the deal also includes an overperformance indicator, which means the UK won't be penalised for overperforming "so we can really back our British scientists to achieve".
Newly-appointed shadow science secretary Peter Kyle told broadcasters that ministers now need to "get on with it".
"What we're missing out on is two years' worth of innovation," the Labour MP said.
"Two years of global companies looking around the world for where to base their research centres and choosing other countries than Britain, because we are not part of Horizon... This is two years of wasted opportunity for us as a country."
Source- Sky News
BMW will not charge extra to activate existing functions in cars
BMW will expand its offering of paid-for on-demand services and functions with future models – but its sales boss has said the firm is not considering charging customers to activate hardware-based functions in the future.
As with many car firms, the Munich company is using the increasing connectivity of cars to offer over-the-air updates, which can include the ability to add new functions. BMW created controversy last year after offering a monthly subscription to activate heated seats in some models.
Asked how BMW will ensure customers don’t feel they’re being made to pay extra for functions they would previously have expected as standard, Pieter Nota, the firm’s board member for sales and marketing, said: “We have some experience with that, and testing how the customer responds is part of that process.
“We actually are now focusing with those ‘functions on demand’ on software and service-related products, like driving assistance and parking assistance, which you can add later after purchasing the car, or for certain functions that require data transmission that customers are used to paying for in other areas.
“What we don’t do anymore – and that is a very well-known example – is offer seat heating by this way. It’s either in or out. We offer it by the factory and you either have it or you don’t have it.
“We thought that we would provide an extra service to the customer by offering the chance to activate that later, but the user acceptance isn’t that high. People feel that they paid double – which was actually not true, but perception is reality, I always say. So that was the reason we stopped that.”
Asked which services the firm could charge for, Nota said: “What we find is software-based services, like downloading a parking assist product, is very well accepted. People know it’s a certain piece of software they can download that costs money. It’s the same as downloading a film or an extra feature on an app. That is accepted and we do that increasingly successfully.”
Source- Auto Car
PRESS RELEASE
JOINT STATEMENT FROM HER EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR AND THE
HONOURABLE PREMIER ON OPERATIONAL RESPONSE MEASURES
The National Security Council (NSC) met on 1 and 5 September. We want to keep you
informed of the measures we are taking to support the multi-agency response to tackle
the threats to the safety of our islands.
The RTCIPF is spearheading Operation Reclaim III with continued enhanced
patrols and active investigations. Officers of the Royal Bahamas Police Force
arrived yesterday for active deployment in support of the RTCIPF’s operations
to disrupt and dismantle gang-related crime.
The Turks and Caicos Islands is continuing to collaborate with international
partners such as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the US Customs and
Border Protection (CBP). In supporting marine domain awareness, CBP assets
are providing important aerial surveillance to help safeguard our waters. This
assistance is partly funded by the UK.
The National Security Council, through a multi-agency approach, will be
undertaking a medium to long-term strategic assessment of threats and
required measures to tackle the challenges of transnational crime and gang-related activity affecting the Turks and Caicos Islands. Strengthened multi-
agency cooperation is showing success. A joint operation involving RTCIPF
Marine Unit officers, the Customs Department, and the TCI Regiment resulted
in the seizure of marijuana (found on board an illegal migrant vessel) with an
estimated street value of $500,000.
The Informal Settlement Unit (ISU) is at an advanced stage in its assessment
of Informal Settlements across the TCI. To date, forty-five (45) informal
settlements have been identified, comprising over 500 acres and 700 parcels
of crown and private land, primarily on Providenciales and Grand Turk. The ISU
is developing a 90-day operational plan to commence with the issuance of
notices and several reclamation activities. The ISU will be partnering with and
supporting private landowners in this initiative.
The Ministry of Immigration and Border Force, as part of multi-agency efforts,
continues with their enforcement activity of irregular migrant interceptions,
repatriations, and prosecutions. Members of Immigration and Customs are
currently undergoing enhanced training as part of wider efforts to strengthen
border security.
The National Security Council will continue to assess threats and keep you informed
of our efforts to ensure the safety and security of our communities. To assist our police
investigations, we kindly ask for your cooperation. If you possess any information,
regardless of its significance, please speak to someone you trust or contact TCI Crime
Stoppers at 1-800-8477 to provide information anonymously and with confidence, for
the safety of all.
6PM NEWS ITEM ON HURRICANE LEE WEDNESDAY
NEWS ITEMS ON HURRICANE LEE ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, AT 6:00 PM EDT, WEDNESDAY 06TH, SEPTEMBER 2023
...LEE STRENGTHENS INTO A HURRICANE...
...LIKELY TO INTENSIFY INTO AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS MAJOR HURRICANE BY EARLY SATURDAY...
AT 5:00 PM EDT, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE LEE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 14.9° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 46.4° WESTOR ABOUT 1130 EAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS.
LEE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST AT 14 MILES PER HOUR. THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 75 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. CONTINUED STEADY TO RAPID STRENGTHENING IS
FORECAST, AND LEE IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE IN A DAY OR TWO.
THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT 6:00 AM THURSDAY.
Police clash with Eritrean asylum seekers
Dozens of people have been injured, including some from live gunfire, during clashes between Eritrean asylum seekers and Israeli police in Tel Aviv.
Stun grenades, tear gas, and sponge-tipped bullets were used against hundreds of protesters.
The unrest was sparked after activists opposed to the Eritrean government said they asked Israeli authorities to cancel an embassy event on Saturday.
But protesters also clashed with supporters of the Eritrean regime.
The divisions within Eritrea over the rule of President Isaias Afwerki have spilled over into the diaspora, and this is the latest outbreak of violence in recent weeks.
According to Israeli news reports, the demonstrators marched towards a venue where the event was due to take place. They were initially held back by police barricades but later managed to break through them.
Residents said the streets of central Tel Aviv sounded like a war zone as police helicopters buzzed overhead and Israeli officers fired live rounds into the air.
Protesters fought with police, damaged cars, and smashed the windows of nearby businesses.
A statement by Israeli police said that officers used their guns as they felt their lives were in danger.
Photos from inside the hall that had been hired by Eritrean diplomats for the event showed tables and chairs overturned after angry demonstrators broke in.
Videos shared on social media also showed street battles between Eritreans who support the regime in their home country and those who oppose it. Israeli police said they tried to separate the two sides.
In a message put out on X, previously known as Twitter, the police asked uninvolved members of the public to stay away from the scene.
Eritrea country profile
Earlier this week, police said at a news conference that different Eritrean factions had agreed to rally in two locations this Saturday.
Supporters of the government in Asmara were supposed to meet close to the embassy venue. Opponents were due to protest at the old central bus station, which is a short distance away.
However, the two sides did not stick to their commitments, police said.
The Haaretz newspaper quoted an unnamed senior police source as saying: "We were astonished by the level of violence, scenes you only see in the West Bank."
Hundreds of officers have since been deployed in the area, according to the police.
In the middle of the afternoon, the Magen David Adom emergency medical service said it had treated 114 wounded people. Most had minor injuries, including 30 police officers - most of whom were badly bruised. Eight were in a serious condition and 13 were in a moderate condition.
There have been previous cases of violence between different factions of Eritrean asylum seekers.
In 2019, one asylum seeker who was a regime supporter was fatally stabbed in south Tel Aviv amid a turf war - between those for and against the Eritrean government - in poorer neighborhoods where many people from the community live.
It is estimated that there are about 18,000 asylum seekers from Eritrea in Israel, most of whom arrived illegally years ago by crossing Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. They said they fled danger, persecution, and compulsory military conscription in one of the world's most repressive countries.
Although Eritreans supporting the regime would not appear to be in need of international protection as refugees, the authorities in Israel have not made differentiations between asylum seekers based on their political affiliations, according to local media.
As Eritrea marks 30 years of independence from Ethiopia, festivals have been held by its diaspora.
But as well as Israel, some in Europe and North America have been marred by protests and outbreaks of violence - last month a three-day Eritrean cultural festival in Toronto, Canada was canceled after supporters and opponents of Eritrea's regime clashed.
Source- BBC
Grenada: No plan to introduce LGBTQ curriculum in schools
Minister of Education for Grenada David Andrew has made it clear that there are no plans to introduce any LGBTQ curriculum in schools nor or there any plans to change any laws or any curriculum in schools.
Andrew made a statement on the issue after rumors began circulating online about alleged changes to the Health and Family Life Education (HLFE) Curriculum.
The Education minister during a Senate sitting this week said: “Within the last few weeks there has been a lot of chatter about the government allegedly having a plan to introduce an LGBTQ curriculum in schools from September.
I struggle to understand that for a number of reasons because I don’t understand what an LGBTQ curriculum is... so I struggled to even conceptualize what was being thought when people said the minister is hiding... calling out the minister.
I want to put it on record, I want to make it categorically clear that the Ministry of Education... the government, we have no plan to change the curriculum neither to introduce any... well I don't even know what the LGBTQ curriculum is....(I’m struggling with that)... but we have no plan to introduce any such curriculum and there is no plan to change the law contrary to what is being bandied about and that the HLFE curriculum that is currently in use is the HLFE curriculum that has been adopted since 2009. That’s the same one being used and there’s no plan to change it.”
The Education Minister said the confusion that has been created probably out of mischief, probably surrounds a document that is an international technical guidance on sexuality education and focuses on comprehensive sexuality education.
Andrew said it is a document that was first published in 2009 which Grenada signed onto in 2018 under the former administration.
The Education minister revealed teachers and guidance counselors were trained in 2019 about the international guidance document (not part of the curriculum) which when read, one would realize needs to be tailored to suit the culture and values of the various international communities that you might choose to use or guide to. He said there is no exception for Grenada.
If anything has to be used from the document (which is a guidance or reference, not a curriculum) then it has to be adapted and be within values within the cultural norms of society to which it is applied.
“What’s the fear... what’s the worry,” said the Education Minister.
He went on to add: “I want to assure every parent at home... I want to assure every school teacher...every guardian... any concerned Grenadian citizen, that under this government’s watch, we are committed to the values of the Grenadian people... there is no plan to change the curriculum to introduce sex education or to introduce a new LGBTQ curriculum or anything of that sort and we remain committed to the values of the Grenadian people.”
However, the education minister left this message before ending his response on the matter:“I want to say we have an aversion to sexuality that we need to look at because that’s where the scare is coming from... because all those things are right around us...in the news, in the cartoons, in the advertisements, they are everywhere. If we pretend they don’t exist and put our heads in the sand like ostriches, and pretend it does not exist around us and tell education to shut up and tell the church to shut up... who informs our children about the right values... who informs them about how to make the right choices?”
Source- Loop Caribbean News
Adele stops Las Vegas show to defend standing fan Juan Pablo
Adele has halted one of her shows mid-song to defend a standing fan she thought was being "bothered" by security guards.
The British singer, 35, who is partway through her Las Vegas residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, stopped singing Water Under The Bridge to speak directly to a male fan after he was approached by fellow concert-goers and two security guards.
The fan, Juan Pablo, who was filming himself on a selfie stick during the show, later shared a short video on TikTok of the moments before and after Adele defended his right "to have fun".
In the video, a female audience member can be seen approaching the fan, who is standing and singing along with the songs, and appears to ask him to sit down.
The fan does sit down, but a short while later - as Adele leads into her next song saying "You can stand up now darling" - he jumps up from his seat, at which point two other security guards approach him.
One guard says: "Look behind you, everybody's upset," to which the fan responds, "I'll stay calm".
His friend, sitting next to him, asks: "We can sing though, right?"
It's at this point, that Adele stops singing and intervenes, saying: "What is going on with that young fan there who's been bothered so much since I've been on for standing up?
"Can you leave him alone, please?
"They won't bother you anymore, darling. You enjoy the show.
"He's here to have fun, all of you are here to have fun."
At that point, the third security guard to approach the situation, appearing to respond to Adele's request, tells the fan: "You don't have to sit down, you're fine, stay here," telling the other two security guards: "It's all done" and signaling for them to move away.
'I'm sorry I didn't respond'
Posting two videos of the incident on TikTok - of the same moment captured from different angles - the fan also gave a message to the singer, writing: "Adele thank you so much for this breath-taking night and for standing up for me so that I could live your concert as it should be.
"I'm also sorry that I didn't respond back to anything you asked me. you started talking to me and I literally stopped breathing."
He went on to say he had been planning his attendance at the concert for over a year and hit out at "the haters" who tried to make him sit down.
He went on: "I still cannot wrap my head around the fact that I was in the same room as Adele, sang every song with her, and she even stopped the show to defend me.
"I did not expect everyone in my section to be mad at me for having the time of my life and wanting to stand up and sing with her but I honestly did not care at all about what anyone was saying to me I just was in awe with the masterpiece I was watching with my own eyes. I did not have time for them haters."
He has since told US entertainment website TMZ he has no regrets about standing up, and that people behind him who were blocked should just have stood up too.
He also said he later had a selfie taken with one of the security guards.
Earlier this year, in a similar fashion, Taylor Swift halted mid-chorus during Bad Blood during a Philadelphia performance of her Eras tour to reprimand a security guard for their interaction with a female fan.
It comes amid a host of incidents during concerts, film screenings, and play performances, with singers hit by objects thrown from the crowd, and audience members ejected from theatres due to loud and disruptive behavior.
Source- Sky News
Russia pledges to give BAE's business 'attention'
Russia has said that BAE System's new business in Ukraine will be an "object of special attention" for its military.
The UK defence giant has signed deals to ramp up weapons and equipment supplies to Kyiv, which include ultimately producing light artillery in the country.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Russians saw the move "in a negative light".
BAE has made much of the arms the UK and other nations have sent to Ukraine.
Since Russia's invasion of the country in February 2022, Britain has become a major defence supplier to Ukraine.
The BBC understands that BAE has not yet opened an office or factory in Ukraine but is in discussions about potentially doing so.
The firm said the move will allow it to work directly with Ukraine to explore potential partners and produce some weapons there.
"The development of our own weapons production is a top priority," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
Mr Zelensky made the announcement after holding a meeting with BAE's chief executive Charles Woodburn.
"Signing the agreements and establishing a legal entity in Ukraine builds on our existing trust and support and paves the way for us to work together to provide more direct support to the Ukrainian armed forces," said Mr. Woodburn.
But Mr Peskov responded to the decision saying: "We of course see it in a negative light, and any facilities for the production of weaponry, particularly if that weaponry shoots at us, do of course become an object of special attention for our military".
Interfax news agency said the Kremlin's spokesman said foreign arms production in Ukraine "cannot fundamentally change the situation".
"It also cannot in any way influence the predetermined successful outcome and completion of the special military operation," he added
Ukraine and Sweden signed a statement of intent to strengthen cooperation in the production, operation, training and servicing of CV90 armoured vehicles, which are currently produced by BAE Systems' Hägglunds business in Sweden.
Mr Zelensky said in May that Kyiv and BAE were working on a plan for the company to open an office in Ukraine.
Kyiv is eager to boost its supplies of weapons and other military equipment, as well as create jobs in an economy hit hard by the war.
BAE, which has seen its share price jump by more than 75% since February 2022, is already providing training and repair services to Ukraine's military.
The multinational arms, security and aerospace company employs 93,000 people in about 40 countries around the world.
It is Europe's biggest defence contractor with annual sales of more than £23bn and almost £2.5bn in profits last year.
Source- BBC
Haaland nets hat trick as Man City beat Fulham after disputed goal
Erling Haaland scored a second-half hat trick as Manchester City extended their perfect start to the English Premier League with a 5-1 home victory over Fulham on Saturday.
Two days after being named UEFA Player of the Year, Haaland's treble helped City pull away from a Fulham team that drew at Arsenal last weekend and knocked Tottenham out of the League Cup in midweek.
City took a first-half lead through Julian Alvarez before Tim Ream equalized for Fulham. The game then turned on a disputed goal for the hosts just before halftime that had Fulham fuming as they left the field for the break.
Nathan Ake's headed goal was allowed to stand even though Manuel Akanji stood in an offside position and in goalkeeper Bernd Leno's field of vision as he jumped over the ball.
City, and notably Haaland, made that goal less of a talking point with a dominant display after the break to secure another win for absent manager Pep Guardiola, who continues to recuperate following back surgery.
After a hesitant start, City took the lead just after the half-hour mark when Haaland raced onto a pass from Mateo Kovacic and swiped the ball across the area for Alvarez to stab home.
The advantage lasted just two minutes. Fulham's Raul Jimenez lashed a shot at goal from a corner and Ream pounced on the rebound for a tap-in at the far post.
City regained the advantage from a corner after Ake planted a firm header into the bottom corner.
Fulham argued that Akanji’s movements impacted Leno and their protests were long and hard, even continuing after a VAR review concluded the goal should stand.
Manager Marco Silva was furious on the touchline and the players were still disputing the decision after the ball was placed in the center circle for the restart. Referee Michael Oliver did not back down and Silva was shown a fourth yellow card of the season.
The stormy end to the first half appeared to take its toll on Fulham as City moved through the gears in the second period.
Haaland made it 3-1 just before the hour with a clinical low finish after Alvarez put him through on goal with a quick flick, and the striker converted a penalty before completing his hat trick in injury time by turning home following good work by substitute Sergio Gomez.
Source- BBC
X, formerly Twitter, to collect biometric and employment data
X, formerly known as Twitter, will collect biometric data on its users, such as a photograph of their face, in an update to its privacy policy.
People signed up for its subscription service, X Premium, can choose to provide a selfie and photo ID for verification.
The policy also states X may collect employment and educational history.
This would be to "recommend potential jobs for you, to share with potential employers when you apply for a job".
There has been speculation that X may want to offer recruitment services.
In May, X Corp acquired a tech recruiting service called Laskie, according to reports. It was the first takeover of a company since Elon Musk bought Twitter, as it was then known, last year for $44bn (£34.7bn)
The new privacy policy will come into force on 29 September.
It states: "We may collect and use your personal information (such as your employment history, educational history, employment preferences, skills and abilities, job search activity and engagement, and so on) to recommend potential jobs for you, to share with potential employers when you apply for a job, to enable employers to find potential candidates, and to show you more relevant advertising."
Liberty Vittert, professor of the practice of data science at Washington University in St. Louis, said the move is in line with X's attempt to establish "more targeted and individual experiences for users" and rival platforms such as LinkedIn.
But she said the shift was one user "should absolutely be wary of", warning it could be misused by employers in ways such as using tweets, retweets or accounts followed to make decisions about a job.
Dr Stephanie Hare, tech ethics researcher says the data collection "is a massive data grab, though with your consent" and as this is not compulsory for users she doesn't believe the move is upsetting from a civil liberties standpoint.
According to X, the collection of biometric data - a term that covers data relating to a person's physical attributes such as a facial scan or fingerprint - is for X Premium users.
The company told the BBC: "X will give the option to provide their government ID, combined with a selfie, to add a verification layer.
"Biometric data may be extracted from both the government ID and the selfie image for matching purposes. This will additionally help us tie, for those who choose, an account to a real person by processing their government-issued ID. This will also help X fight impersonation attempts and make the platform more secure."
Mr Musk has also reiterated X's plans to give users the option to make video and audio calls. He said the feature "works on iOS, Android, Mac & PC" and that no phone number would be needed.
"X is the effective global address book", he claimed.
However, there was no date given for when the new calling feature would be available.
TikTok already collects biometric data in the United States.
"We may collect biometric identifiers and biometric information as defined under U.S. laws, such as faceprints and voiceprints," the company says in its privacy policy.
However, last year in a Senate hearing, TikTok's then-chief operating officer, Vanessa Pappas, said the company did not use "any sort of facial, voice or audio, or body recognition that would identify an individual."
Mr. Musk has an ambition to turn X into an "everything app", a one-stop-shop for various services, as part of that the addition of extra features, and extra updates to the privacy policy to enable them, may well continue.
Source- BBC