One of the last major obstacles to the UK and EU signing a much-vaunted Brexit reset deal at next month’s delayed summit looks to have been removed, after France and Germany signalled they are prepared to drop their demands on tuition fees – for now.
In a goodwill gesture to Andy Burnham, EU chiefs have been leaning on member nations to postpone their contentious demands for cheaper university tuition fees for European students, as both sides seek to avoid a damaging breakdown at next month’s meeting.
Member nations, particularly those from eastern Europe, want access to British universities for the same cost paid by home students, rather than more expensive international fees.
MI5 monitored Nye Bevan for more than 20 years, records show
Anuerin “Nye” Bevan – feted for founding the NHS – was subject to monitoring by MI5 for more than two decades, according to newly released official files.
What you need to know
Papers released to the National Archives show Bevan first came to the attention of the Security Service in the 1930s amid concern about his links with prominent communists.
The monitoring continued even after he became a minister in the post-war Labour government when he drove through the creation of the NHS.
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What do the files tell us?
- The files start from 1933, four years after Bevan became MP for Ebbw Vale in South Wales.
- At the time, he was notorious as a staunch critic of Labour prime minister Ramsay MacDonald.
- Bevan met many high-profile left-wing leaders from trade unionists to communists.
- This meant his name commonly appeared in intercepted letters and tapped conversations.
A closer look at the files
- He strongly opposed the government’s handling of the Second World War, which attracted particular MI5 attention.
- MI5 deemed it “sufficiently serious” in May 1949 when Bevan was associated with communist Wilfred McCartney – a serial offender of the Official Secrets Act.
- Prime minister Clement Atlee was informed of Bevan’s maintained relationships with the Communist Party of Great Britain.
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Bevan was ‘never a spy’
It was previously thought that Bevan was the subject of Security Service surveillance during WW2. This significant set of documents confirms that it was the case for the best part of three decades. What is revealed is that Nye was never a spy but someone who was true to his country and believed in democratic socialism to transform Britain for the better.
NICK THOMAS-SYMONDS, Labour mp and historian
What is PHP – and why did it spark a global cyber security scramble?
A total of 32 government services are offline and four are partially unavailable amid the , a minister has said in the House of Lords.
Organisations around the world have been scrambling to fix a critical security flaw in the programming language PHP.
What is PHP?
- Developed in the 90s to serve dynamic web pages, PHP still powers lots of platforms today, including Wikipedia, online shops and WordPress.
- According to cyber security firm Wiz, which helped uncover the critical vulnerabilities this week, PHP powers 70 per cent of the world’s websites.
The vulnerability
- A group of cyber security researchers disclosed two vulnerabilities within PHP this week, which they warned could upend sites across the internet.
The alert disrupted services globally, from gaming platforms to government portals and online forums.
The impact on the UK
- As of 12pm on Wednesday, 32 UK government services were offline and four were partially unavailable, a minister said in the House of Lords.
- The security of next week’s Government Budget has not been compromised by the flaw.
- A spokeswoman added that it is not “standard practice” to provide a list of government services that are affected.
What happens now?
- Organisations have been warned that Russian state actors or organised criminals could exploit the flaws again.
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Gusts of 70-80mph in exposed coastal areas and high ground are possible.
The Met Office has announced the second named storm of the year, with Storm Boelo to bring strong winds and heavy rain to parts of Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England on Saturday and Sunday.
What you need to know
- Storm Boelo is expected to mostly affect northern parts of the country over the weekend.
- Strongest winds will be across Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England on Saturday.
- Boelo’s arrival comes less than 48 hours after the announcement of the first named storm, Austen, which is set to impact on Friday.
- When Boelo hits, it will bring “impactful winds” to northern parts on Saturday night and through Sunday, the Met Office warned.
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What to expect
Gusts of 70-80mph in exposed coastal areas and high ground are possible, with 50-60mph gusts more widely. The strong winds will be accompanied by heavy rain, making for an impactful weekend of weather. Severe weather warnings and forecast detail will continue to develop, so people should keep up to date with the forecast.
Chris Bulmer, Met Office Deputy Chief Forecaster
The weather warnings for Storm Austen already in place
All the ways Trump’s man in Moscow debased the US in front of Putin
Sat at a big round table in a gilded chair in St Petersburg on Wednesday, face-to-face with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, US envoy Steve Witkoff had the eyes of the world on him. Would this be the beginning of the end of the war in Ukraine? Would he push for peace?
‘All Putin’s Christmases come at once’
One reporter described it instead as “all Putin’s Christmases come at once”. Matthew Sussex, a national security expert at Australia’s Deakin University, warned not to view it as a game of geopolitical poker. Witkoff was “playing tiddlywinks”, he said. A promise to resume trilateral talks would probably amount to nothing.
What Witkoff said to Putin
You talk so much about my president, President Trump, being a humanitarian, you are a humanitarian also, sir. And I salute that. I commend you, and I thank you again.
Witkoff said to Putin, early in the public portion of the talks before they began in earnest behind closed doors
What was he referring to?
- He was referring to Russia’s release earlier that day of Stephen Hubbard, a retired US schoolteacher imprisoned in Russia.
- This is not the first time Witkoff has been effusive in his praise of Putin.
- When he met Putin in September he told the Russian leader that just before the meeting they “were all talking about when we retire, we’ll have all these incredible stories…and yours will be right at the top of it all”.
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How did Trump react?
Calling Putin a “humanitarian” was such a reach that even Donald Trump tried to qualify it later, saying: “Well, I guess you could say [it] for that particular purpose, for the purpose of allowing a man who was thinking he was going to be in prison for life, out, but you know, I wouldn’t say anything one way or the other, you know?”
Other Republicans found it harder to swallow.
Blood tests could identify men most at risk of prostate cancer
Researchers at Oxford University have discovered signs in men’s blood that could protect those most at risk of the disease.
Here is everything you need to know.
What you need to know
This latest research will help predict which men will develop the cancer most aggressively and hopes that doctors will soon be able to screen for it in hospitals.
- It found that 12 proteins in the blood were linked to a future diagnosis of the cancer – sometimes appearing as late as 15 years.
The expert view
Prostate cancer is not one disease. By measuring thousands of proteins in blood collected years before diagnosis, we can investigate how men who develop aggressive cancer differ from men who do not. We hope this will improve how we assess risk in the future.
Dr Zhe Huang, a postdoctoral epidemiologist at Oxford Population Health
How does this research change current practices?
- The research found that the immune system may be keeping early cancerous stages in check before diagnosis.
- It opens avenues to identify the processes that drive aggressive forms of prostate cancer.
- It could help implement a national screening programme, which does not currently exist in the UK.
- It could help prevent unnecessary biopsies and treatments for slow-growing tumours.
- While these proteins do not always equate to cancer, they help reveal biological changes which can lead to the increased likelihood of it.
Prostate cancer – in numbers
- 7proteins linked to aggressive cancer.
- 1,500men a year will be offered tests under the latest NHS proposals, unless they have symptoms.
- 12,000men a year die from the disease in the UK.
- 63,000men are diagnosed with the cancer annually in the UK.
It’s official – Glee will return to our screens
At last month’s series 13 premiere, director Ryan Murphy revealed he’d written an for a Glee reboot.
It’s been 11 years since the final episode of the musical-comedy-drama aired but now “Gleeks” have something to believe in as reported that Disney+ and Hulu officially picked up a revival of the iconic show.
I just finished the script an hour ago, so, we have a script. Brad, Ian, and I, who wrote all the first two seasons, have written something. I’ve been in touch with around 10 of the original cast members.
murphy in an interview with entertainment tonight
Who is coming back for the reboot?
Ryan Murphy seemingly confirmed that 10 of the original cast members are “enthusiastic” about reprising their roles – who are they?
Sources revealed to that Lea Michele, who played Rachel Berry, is “in”. Heather Morris confirmed in an Instagram post that Brittany Pierce “is alive and well” and back for more”. Chord Overstreet, who played Sam Evans, seemingly announced his return on X: “Reunited and it feels so good!”
What will it be about?
Will it pick up from where the series ended in 2015? Or will it fast-forward a decade?
As of the series finale, it left off as:
- Mr Shue becomes the principal of the up-and-coming performing arts school, McKinley High, and names its auditorium in Finn’s honour.
- Rachel wins a Tony Award, marries Jesse St James and becomes a surrogate mother to Blaine.
- Mercedes pursues a career in pop music and ultimately ends up as an opening act for Beyoncé.
A cultural phenomenon
How popular was Glee?
10 million
The chaotic six-series-long drama attracted an average audience of 10 million viewers a week, transforming stars like Lea Michele and Jonathan Groff as household names.
207
Known for its ballads, the show landed 207 covers on the Billboard Hot 100 alongside winning six Emmys and four Golden Globes during its run.
How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps
The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.
NHS GP dR RADHA
The science
Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.
- The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
- This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
- We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
- Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.
How can we build gratitude?
Change your words
Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it.
Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.
Express it
This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.
How can we build gratitude?
Notice more
Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?
The basics
By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.
What to do
Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality.
- Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
- Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
- Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.
Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.
Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery
Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.
The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars.
4 min read
A champion of EV efficiency
It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.
It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.
Priced from £37,400
2 min read
It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.
The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.
The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.
With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.
It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion.
All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.
- While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
- It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps.
- There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
- Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds.
2 min read
But British negotiators are resisting this, with strong pressure not to cave in coming from cash-strapped universities who rely on international fees to make ends meet.
With an agreement unlikely before the November 20 summit, the European Commission has asked EU governments to consider shelving the issue until next year in order to get a wider deal over the line that can be signed in Brussels. This would reward the Prime Minister’s more conciliatory approach to the bloc, and remove a major obstacle to his plans for closer ties.
‘We’re not dropping the issue’
The concession follows weeks of increasingly acrimonious negotiations, with several member states, led by France, insisting that EU students should pay the same university fees as their British counterparts.
However, diplomats say attitudes have softened since Burnham took office and promised to pursue a more pragmatic relationship.
“We’re seen goodwill from the UK, and the EU is ready to show goodwill in return. We want to keep up the momentum,” one EU official said, adding that Burnham’s approach had helped change the atmosphere.
“We’re not dropping the issue, but we’re not going to blow up the summit about it either.”
The proposed compromise would allow negotiators to conclude the main elements of a three-part Brexit reset package ahead of the summit, while giving Britain another six months to reach an agreement on tuition fees.
However, the concession is not yet settled. EU governments have not reached a consensus, and diplomats expect implementation of the wider agreements to remain conditional on resolving the dispute.
Cost for UK universities
The stakes are particularly high for Britain’s financially stretched universities.
Since Brexit, EU students have generally been charged international tuition fees, sometimes three or four times the £9,790 paid by domestic students.
Brussels originally demanded a return to domestic rates, but British universities warned that this could deepen their financial difficulties. The Russell Group estimated that granting EU students home-fee status would cost universities around £580m.
Even a compromise under which European students paid approximately £13,000 annually – enough to cover teaching costs but less than the full international charges – could leave universities facing a £280m shortfall, according to modelling previously reported by The i Paper.
The dispute has threatened to derail a wider set of agreements that would ease checks on food and drink exports, reconnect British and European carbon markets, and establish a reciprocal youth mobility scheme. All three deals are set to be formally confirmed at the summit.
For Burnham, the meeting represents an early test of his ambition to rebuild relations with Europe without provoking a domestic backlash over immigration.
The decision to postpone the tuition fees confrontation would therefore offer him a valuable political victory, allowing him to present the summit as evidence that his approach is delivering results.
Germany in favour
However, the underlying disputes would remain unresolved, leaving both sides facing another difficult round of negotiations after 20 November.
The Germans are understood to be in favour of delaying the bid to allow a successful summit. France did not comment at the meeting, but around nine member states expressed doubts, sources said.
However, it is is likely that if France and Germany agree, the other smaller nations would fall into line.
The UK would be asked to commit to finalising an agreement on tuition fees with the EU within six months, as part of implementing a wider deal after the summit.
Elements to be discussed include removing border checks on food and drink exports, re-linking EU and UK carbon markets, and allowing 18 to 30-year-olds to live, work and study in each other’s countries for up to three years.
But this next phase of talks would come against a backdrop of Burnham throwing open to the British people the prospect of rejoining the EU, its customs union or single market.
Since the Prime Minister’s Labour conference speech last month, in which he opened the door to rejoining, European capitals are looking more favourably on the UK and are determined to make the summit a success.
Negotiators are also still understood to be thrashing out the number of work visas for young people to be made available for a youth experience scheme. Britain has suggested 50,000 a year, Brussels has suggested 150,000, but no compromise has yet been reached.