EU referendum: UK science wakes up to new future

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Image copyright Dan Kitwood Image caption The changes that are coming will have a big bearing on UK science

UK science will have to fight to make sure it is not an after-thought as Britain renegotiates its relationship with the EU, say research leaders.

The science establishment expressed its "disappointment" on Friday with the referendum"s outcome.

It had been in the "remain" camp.

The decision to leave the EU now means new structures will have to be put in place if the science sector is to continue to enjoy favourable access to the union"s programmes and funding.

Jo Johnson, the minister for universities and science - an "in" supporter - was one of the first to react.

He took to Twitter in the early hours to say: "Big decision. Let"s make it work."

Britain"s science sector has done increasingly well out of the EU in recent years, receiving 8.8bn in research funding in 2007-2013 versus the 5.4bn it paid in over the same period. And UK-based scientists have won about a fifth of all the grants, in terms of value, from the top-tier programmes run by the European Research Council.

This funding flow-back has been described as being akin to having another Research Council to go with the seven national bodies that presently distribute UK government monies.

To maintain access to the EU stream, Britain will likely now have to get itself some kind of "associated country" status, similar to the positions held by other non-EU countries such as Norway, Switzerland and Israel.

Associated countries pay a GDP membership fee to "join the club", after which, in principle, their scientists can bid for support in the same way as those from full EU member states.

But the exact arrangements will need to be worked out, and are going to depend on wider economic and political factors.

Switzerland, for example, only has "partial" associated status currently because it is not allowing Croatian citizens free access to its labour market.

And having free movement to work collaboratively is central to the way modern science is done.

National dimension

Scientists for Britain is the group of researchers that has most prominently lobbied for Brexit.

It has argued that the policies of "political union" - and the regulations that flow from Brussels - are not a prerequisite for the UK playing a full role in European scientific collaborations.

The UK can survive and thrive outside full union membership, it contends.

And on Friday, its spokesman Dr Lee Upcraft said he was confident a new settlement would be found to maintain UK involvement in EU programmes and by extension the country"s world-leading position in European and global science.

But he also urged the research establishment to hold government to account on national funding.

He echoed a recent complaint from Stephen Hawking, that "we"ve become reliant on EU funding. We get back a little more than we put in, and associated status will need to address this. But the other thing we need to do, and what UK academia needs to do, is get much better at lobbying government."

EU funding had masked a stagnation in national support, he told BBC News.

Research reorganisation

Dr Sarah Main from the pro-remain Campaign for Science and Engineering said there would inevitably be a big uncertainty factor going forward - which comes on top of sector changes already being pushed through parliament in the form of the Higher Education and Research bill (this will bring the seven Research Councils into a single body).

"In the run-up to the referendum, people talked a lot about associated status," she said. "To what extent the EU will make a clear path to enable the UK to obtain associated status and join science programmes back in the EU, I think will be driven by the politics.

"You have to remember that every associated country that people have quoted in the arguments up till now - none was previously a member of the EU that then exited. So, it won"t necessarily be straightforward, but it would be welcome because we do want to compete in EU competitive funding streams, and as far as possible influence EU regulations, markets and the conditions for doing science and the training of scientists."

Prof Venki Ramakrishnan, the president of the Royal Society, agreed with Dr Main that ministers must not lose sight of science as they renegotiate Britain"s relationship with the EU.

"In the upcoming negotiations, we must make sure that research, which is the bedrock of a sustainable economy, is not short-changed, and the government ensures that the overall funding level of science is maintained," he said in a statement.

Image copyright NASA/ESA Image caption The European Space Agency is a separate legal entity

Areas that should not be affected directly by the Brexit vote include the big intergovernmental research organisations.

The likes of the European Space agency; the European Southern Observatory, which operates major telescopes; and Cern, which runs the Large Hadron Collider - these are all separate legal entities to the EU.

However, EU money has increasingly been directed at some of their work. For example, Brussels is now the largest single contributor to Esa"s budget, using the agency to procure the Galileo satellite navigation system and the Copernicus/Sentinel Earth observation constellation of satellites.

Britain"s science-related companies working in these kinds of fields will want re-assurance that a renegotiated future does not turn into a competitive disadvantage.

Patrick Wood is the managing director of Surrey Satellite Technology Limited, which assembles the navigation payloads for every Galileo spacecraft.

He told BBC News on Friday: "We are days away from submitting the proposal for the next follow-on order, to complete the Galileo constellation, and we will continue to work hard with our supply chain to do this.

"I would look for our UK politicians to unite together to continue to support this flagship European project containing key UK technology, knowhow and to help protect jobs here in the UK."

Likewise, the chair of the House of Commons Science and Technology committee, Nicola Blackwood MP, wanted to highlight the care now needed to ensure the commercial science sector was properly supported.

"My committee"s recent report into EU regulation of the life sciences pointed out that this sector alone comprises almost 5,000 companies employing 200,000 people in the UK, generating an annual turnover of 60bn. The Science and Technology Committee will want, in the coming weeks and months, to look at the consequences of this vote for British science," she said.

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Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-36622842

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Euro 2016: 150 Russians "behind" violence

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Media captionA French prosecutor says there were around 150 Russian "hooligans" who travelled to Marseille "well-prepared for violence"

A group of "well-trained" Russian hooligans were behind the violence in Marseille when Russia played England in a Euro 2016 match, prosecutors say.

The 150 Russian football supporters "were well prepared for ultra-rapid, ultra-violent action" and were able to evade arrest, a city prosecutor said.

Five England fans have been jailed for throwing bottles at police. One more fan is due to face immediate trial.

Two Russians have been arrested, both for a pitch invasion.

Some 35 people have been injured - four seriously, and most of them England fans - and a total of 20 people have been arrested after three days of disorder in the French city.

Home Secretary Theresa May accused Russian football football fans of bearing a "heavy responsibility for initiating violence", but said some England fans had let their country down.

Meanwhile, England manager Roy Hodgson and captain Wayne Rooney appealed directly to fans to "behave themselves".

Media captionEngland boss Roy Hodgson & Wayne Rooney urge fans to avoid trouble

The clashes in Marseille"s Stade Velodrome on Saturday followed England"s 1-1 Euro 2016 draw with Russia, after Russian fans appeared to rush at England supporters.

Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin told a news conference: "There were 150 Russian supporters who in reality were hooligans. These people were well prepared for ultra-rapid, ultra-violent action. These are extremely well-trained people."

This was what made it difficult to arrest them, the prosecutor said, adding that he did not think the Russian hooligans were "professional" but that they were "extreme".

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin spoke to the press on Monday

He was speaking as five England fans appeared in court for sentencing, following the disorder.

The first fan to appear in court in Marseille on Monday was 20-year-old Alexander Booth, from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, who was sentenced to two months for throwing a plastic bottle at police.

Reacting to the sentence, Booth"s father Chris, who was later seen in tears, said he would "fight it".

Ian Hepworth, 41, a psychiatric nurse from Sheffield, was sentenced to three months for throwing a bottle at police and then walking forward to pick up a second bottle.

Ashley Kelly, 26, from Birmingham, was sentenced to three months in prison for throwing seven bottles outside the stadium.

Both Paul Jackson, 21, from Halifax, and Lee Phillips, 23, from Taunton, were given one month in prison.

All five have been banned from visiting France for two years each.

In other developments:

• Another four people - three French and an Austrian - are due to appear in court imminently
• A 16-year-old Briton was among those arrested and charged with throwing bottles
• Two Russian nationals were being expelled from the country, French prosecutors said
• Seven England fans are still in hospital, Mrs May told the Commons
• An England fan, who is in an induced coma with severe brain injuries, has been named as Portsmouth supporter Andrew Bache, 50, known as Pepe
• British officers are being sent to Lens ahead of the England-Wales match on Thursday
• The French government urged cities hosting Euro 2016 matches to ban alcohol near venues
• Lens, in northern France, banned alcohol from being sold

During the press conference, Mr Robin said officers were looking at pictures with foreign colleagues - Russian and English football spotters - to try to identify those involved in the disorder.

And British Assistant Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs" Council lead for football policing, appealed for fans with their own camera phone footage to contact crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Skirmishes involving England fans broke out ahead of the game in the city"s port area

Witnesses said trouble began in the stadium on Saturday after flares were let off by Russian fans near the end of the game. Some then climbed across barriers designed to keep rival fans apart.

A number of Russia supporters appeared to kick and punch fleeing England fans, who were forced to clamber over fencing to escape.

Uefa has been investigating and has threatened to ban both teams if there is further violence.

It also opened disciplinary proceedings against the Russian Football Union for alleged crowd disturbances, racist behaviour and the setting off of fireworks.

There were 12,000 Russian fans in Marseille who travelled to the city by train, according to French prosecutors.

Sanctions against Russia will be decided at a disciplinary meeting on Tuesday, Uefa said.

Image copyright Getty Images

Russia"s sports minister, Vitaly Mutko, said Uefa had "done the right thing" to start a disciplinary case against the Russian Football Union, R-Sport news agency reported.

But Russian MP Igor Lebedev criticised French police and called on Russian football fans to "keep up the good work".

Russia"s next match against Slovakia will take place in Lille on Wednesday - the day before England"s match against Wales, just 24 miles away in Lens.

In a separate incident not related to the disorder in Marseille, a Northern Ireland football fan died after falling from a promenade in Nice following the team"s 1-0 defeat by Poland.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-36515213

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Papers try to fathom Florida massacre

What led Omar Mateen to attack a gay club in Orlando? BBC News
Image caption Like most of the papers, Metro leads with the massacre at the Pulse gay club in Orlando, Florida, describing the gunman as "an Islamic extremist angered by two men kissing". The latter allegation comes from a suggestion by the man"s father. Image caption The Mirror says the man who "sprayed bullets at 320 revellers in the worst US terror attack since 9/11" was an "Isis maniac" following reports that he made a phone call pledging allegiance to so-called Islamic State. Image caption The Daily Telegraph reports that gay groups and venues in Britain have been warned to be on their guard in the wake of the Orlando massacre. Image caption The i"s front page highlights President Obama"s condemnation of the attack on the "solidarity of the LGBT community" and adds that links to Islamic extremists are being investigated. Image caption As well as extensive coverage of the events in Orlando, the Guardian front page carries an analysis predicting that America"s political class will "pick through the wreckage" resulting from the killings and try to explain them in a way "that suits their agenda". Image caption The Times front page is dominated by the Orlando carnage. The paper says investigators are examining the gunman"s personal records to see if he was a "self-radicalised lone wolf" or part of a plot. Image caption The Sun calls the attack "America"s Bataclan", after the venue in Paris where some 90 people were killed by gunmen last November. Image caption For the Daily Star, the warning that England might be disqualified from Euro 2016 is paradoxical. "Russian thugs" fired a flare at England fans during Saturday"s match, it says, "but WE get warning". Image caption The Daily Express reacts angrily to David Cameron"s warning in Sunday"s papers that Brexit could jeopardise government spending on pensions. It quotes UKIP"s Nigel Farage as reminding the PM that he had said Britain would "do fine outside of the EU". Image caption The Daily Mail returns to coverage of suggestions that many Turkish citizens could be allowed visa-free access to Britain and other parts of the EU, as part of a deal over blocking migration routes. The UK home and foreign secretaries have said any suggestion that Britain would ease border restrictions is "completely untrue".

Most of Monday"s papers lead with the shooting massacre at a gay club in Florida. All of them try to describe what happened, its causes and impact.

Each describes the dreadful scenes at the Pulse nightclub, where, according to a Times reporter, "suddenly the beat seemed louder and more pronounced" as the attacker started shooting.

All mention his previous, inconclusive interrogations by the FBI, and his father"s claim that the attack was nothing to do with his Islamic religion but was provoked by his anger at seeing two men kissing.

Image copyright AFP

America"s political factions, says Gary Younge in the Guardian, will "pick through the wreckage of the heinous events" and try to portray the tragedy in a way which suits their agenda.

Some writers note the confident reaction of Donald Trump, who, says the Daily Telegraph, "used the shootings as a chance to boast that was "right on radical Islamic terrorism"" and attack President Obama and Hillary Clinton for being, he says, ineffectual at combating it.

The Telegraph is among those who quote Mr Trump as saying Mr Obama should "resign in disgrace" for not linking the massacre to Islamic terrorism.

Image copyright Getty Images Tense time for England fans

• Amid warnings that England could be disqualified from Euro 2016 if there is more violence involving fans, the papers contain many accounts of the clashes with Russian supporters.
• The French police are widely condemned for doing little to prevent the fighting. "It was disgraceful. We got no protection at all," one fan tells the Daily Mirror.
• The Russian hooligan, stresses the Daily Mail, is unlike "his paunchy, drunken British counterpart"- he is disciplined, extremely fit and "motivated by extreme right-wing nationalism".
• And the papers fear that mismanagement could lead to fresh clashes, with fans being advised to stay in Lille - where Russia will also be playing - when England play Wales in nearby Lens.
• Writing in the Daily Mirror, Dave Kidd calls the arrangement an "astonishing Uefa blunder".

The president has been cautious in declaring the exact motivation for the attack, but the papers describe how he and others have used the event as an example of why they say more gun control is needed.

Nevertheless, says Tim Montgomerie in the Times, the massacre will ensure that US gun shops will "do a roaring trade" since many Americans believe the way to stop such atrocities is to make the attackers fear that their victims will shoot back.

None of the papers ignores the fact that the gunman"s target was a gay club. But the extent varies to which they portray the atrocity, as does the Financial Times, as a "savage attack on the US gay community" during Pride Month, and after the Supreme Court"s recognition of same-s*x marriage.

Media captionRob Merrick, Westminster Correspondent at South West News Service, and writer and broadcaster Natalie Haynes join the BBC News Channel to review Monday"s front pages.

The Telegraph says gay groups and venues in Britain have been told to be vigilant following the Orlando attack. It quotes gay campaigner Peter Tatchell as saying attacks by Islamic extremists on gay and other target groups in the West have "always been on the cards".

In the Guardian, Steven W Thrasher writes that "gay America is stronger than its enemies" and the tragedy "could be gay America"s moment to find the best in ourselves".

Image copyright PA Image caption Gordon Brown is to take a leading role in Labour"s Remain campaigning, say the papers.

In the EU referendum debate, warnings continue from opponents of a Brexit. The Times and Guardian quote European Council president Donald Tusk, who says a vote to leave would be followed by two years of exit talks, and then five years for approval of future relations by every other member state "without any guarantee of success".

But there is anger concerning the warning by David Cameron and George Osborne about the effect of a Brexit on public spending. "Voters won"t easily forgive the vicious threats the PM and chancellor have levelled at things like pensions and the Army," says the Sun.

The Daily Express claims that "Tory aides were on the retreat last night" and promising that retirement benefits would be guaranteed until at least 2020, whatever the referendum result.

Eye-catching headlines

Most of the papers report plans for Labour to conduct what the Daily Mirror calls a "10-day media blitz" led by ex-PM Gordon Brown "to rescue the Remain campaign after Leave surged ahead in the polls".

"The focus will be on Labour"s efforts to win over voters in its working-class heartlands," says the Financial Times.

It says shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn will make a speech stressing Labour"s internationalist roots.

Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, says the Times, has cleared his schedule for an "all-out push" for Remain, starting with a speech on Monday.

Image copyright PA Are cats outdated?

• There is much interest in the views of Dr John Bradshaw, who says cats could be bred to lose their primeval hunting instinct, to stop them preying on unfortunate birds and bringing their remains into the house.
• For 10,000 years we have prized cats" ability to hunt, but now we are put off by "blood and flesh and death," he says in the Times.
• He believes we can tackle the problem by identifying the genetic differences which make cats more or less eager to hunt, according to the Mail.
• The paper adds helpfully that putting bells on their collars will warn off their prey.
• With the whole cat genome already sequenced, it should be possible to alter the "hunting" genes, the Telegraph quotes Dr Bradshaw as saying.

The Telegraph quotes shadow chancellor John McDonnell as saying Labour will "save" the Remain campaign, as well as remarking that "If we come out while the Tories are in power I think it will be disastrous for working people."

With many pictures still appearing of the Queen"s 90th birthday celebrations the Times combines the subject with the EU debate in a cartoon showing rain-drenched revellers in ponchos thronging the Mall.

"You said the forecasts were just a part of Project Fear," a woman chides her husband as the rain pours down.

There are claims that a ban on umbrellas for security reasons aroused some annoyance among the partygoers. "It feels like I"m in a tent in this poncho. It"s so British. We"re going to enjoy ourselves regardless," the Sun and other papers quote one woman as saying.

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Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-36513703

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Forth Road Bridge closed to traffic over structural faults

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Image copyright PA Image caption The bridge has been closed to all traffic since midnight

The Forth Road Bridge has been completely closed to traffic to allow repairs to structural faults.

Transport minister Derek Mackay said it was too early to say how long it would be closed but it would be "not just today".

The total closure came into force at midnight with initial guidance it would remain shut for at least 24 hours.

Early on Friday morning, 11 mile tailbacks have been reported approaching the Kincardine Bridge.

The southbound carriageway had been shut since the discovery of steelwork defects during inspections on Tuesday.

Since then engineers have identified eight other parts of the bridge where similar problems could be encountered.

If you don"t need to travel, then it"s probably best that you don"tSpokeswoman, ScotRail

Mr Mackay told the BBC Good Morning Scotland programme: "Ministers are meeting again by teleconference this morning with further advice on what the repair plan looks like.

"I"ll be able to say more about that later today. I don"t want to give a timescale only to change it within a few hours.

"It"s not going to be just today."

The closure decision was taken late on Thursday after the latest reports indicated the faults were more serious than had earlier been thought.

Mr Mackay added: "It"s important, on the expert advice we"ve had, that we get access to the site.

"It"s quite a restricted and difficult to access area to look at the repairs that are required.

"There"s a complete bridge closure because the advice we"ve been given is that continuing to have traffic flowing across the bridge will cause further damage."

Officials had earlier spoken of putting a "temporary fix" in place before longer term repairs were undertaken.

Image copyright Forth Road Bridge Image caption Engineers inspected the bridge on Wednesday morning

In a statement Transport Scotland said: "A full closure of the bridge is being put into effect after midnight on Thursday December 3, 2015.

"The Forth Road Bridge is to shut following the discovery of defective steelwork earlier this week.

"The decision has been taken as a precautionary step after inspections carried out earlier this week showed a fault in the bridge steelwork.

"The results of earlier inspections will continue to be analysed overnight."

Rail congestion

Since Tuesday vehicles have been using the northbound carriageway only with a contraflow system in place.

The restrictions on one of Scotland"s major transport routes led to major disruption with long tailbacks affecting commuters on Wednesday and Thursday.

The rail operator has warned that trains crossing the Forth are likely to be exceptionally busy.

A ScotRail spokeswoman said: "We are working to see what we might be able to do to add more capacity to what is already an extremely busy route.

"However, even if we do manage to add carriages or services in the area, trains are likely to be incredibly busy at peak travel times.

"So if you don"t need to travel, then it"s probably best that you don"t."

Image copyright Aerial View Scotland Troubled waters

Before the bridge was opened by the Queen on 4 September 1964, cars could only get across the Forth on a ferry.

So the Forth Road Bridge, which at the time was the fourth biggest suspension bridge in the world and the longest outside the United States, was welcomed as an engineering marvel.

It transformed the journey between Edinburgh and Fife and from the north of Scotland to the south.

Traffic on the crossing grew steadily and it now carries 24 million vehicles across the Forth every year - far more than it was originally designed to handle.

But its reputation for engineering excellence has been tarnished over the years by traffic congestion and maintenance problems.

Read more on the troubles of the Forth Road Bridge

Now more than 50 years old, the planned traffic capacity of the bridge is regularly exceeded, shortening its projected lifespan.

Concern about corrosion of the main suspension cables, first confirmed more than a decade ago, prompted ministers to order a new crossing.

A new 1.4bn Queensferry Crossing over the Firth of Forth is due to open in December next year.

Image copyright Traffic Scotland Image caption The closure of the southbound carriageway had already led to major disruption on one of Scotland"s major transport routes

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-35001277

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