Christian Kirk

PhD Student studying the microbiome @MPI_Bio @RuthLeyMicro | I live for my gut microbiome and my gut microbiome alone | he/him

[Christian Kirk @CBioKirk]

E.coli studying hard in hope of gaining sentience

[Nature Microbiology @NatureMicrobiol]

Out Now! The structure of the complete extracellular bacterial flagellum reveals the mechanism of flagellin incorporation https://t.co/bRmSe5N9JK #Microbiology #Bacteria #Flagellum

[Rosie @Rosiecosy]

https://t.co/v0EQudKgNT

[Rachel Reeves @RachelReevesMP]

The UK is back where it belongs, taking the lead in the technologies of tomorrow.
https://t.co/VIQiFjMHlh

[Politics UK @PolitlcsUK]

🚨 BREAKING: The UK's deal with the EU in full

🪖 Security & Defence

- Security and Defence Partnership concluded between UK and EU

- Partnership covers cooperation on Ukraine, cyber, defence industry, crisis management, and more

- UK defence firms set to participate in the proposed £150bn EU Security Action for Europe (SAFE) fund

🎣 Fishing

- 12-year reciprocal fishing agreement until 30 June 2038

- No increase in EU quotas in UK waters

- UK to invest £360 million in fishing industry and coastal communities, such as upgrading equipment

🍽️ Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement

- UK and EU to establish a permanent SPS Agreement to reduce checks and red tape on food and agricultural trade with no time limit

- UK food like sausages and burgers can be exported to the EU again

- Some routine checks on animal and plant products will be removed completely

- Includes "dynamic alignment" of food rules, joint oversight, and a system to resolve disputes

- Extends to Great Britain–Northern Ireland trade via Windsor Framework

🌍 Climate & Energy

- UK and EU to link their Emissions Trading Systems (ETS)

- Prevents UK firms from paying EU carbon border tax (saving ~£800 million/year).

- Includes dynamic alignment and joint governance

- UK and EU to explore UK participation in EU internal electricity market

- Cooperation on hydrogen, carbon capture, and biomethane to continue

- Combined, the SPS and ETS agreements are projected to add £9 billion to the UK economy by 2040

🎓 Youth, Arts and Study

- Agreement to work towards a UK-EU "youth experience scheme", like those with Australia/New Zealand, which will be "capped and time-limited"

- UK to rejoin Erasmus+ (subject to financial and legal terms)

- Agreement to support touring artists

✈️ Travel & Border Management

- UK nationals will be able to use eGates at EU borders, even after the new Entry/Exit System is introduced

- Pet passports for UK dogs and cats to be introduced (no need for individual trip certificates)

💼 Trade & Services

- Conclusion of a Competition Cooperation Agreement

- UK and EU to set up dialogues on services trade, including:

1. Recognition of professional qualifications

2. Business mobility (entry and temporary stay of natural persons)

- British steel exports protected through bespoke arrangement - saves £25 million/year by avoiding tariffs and new EU rules

🧬 Law Enforcement & Data Sharing

- Pending Europol arrangements to be finalised swiftly, including better exchange of fingerprints, DNA, vehicle registration data, and future facial images

- Further cooperation between UK and Europol/National Crime Agency planned

⚖️ Judicial Cooperation

- UK to enter into Hague Convention on Judgments effective 1 July 2025

- UK and EU to improve judicial cooperation in civil, commercial, and family law

💊 Health & Drugs Cooperation

- Regular dialogue to be established on health security, including pandemics, and a proposal for a working arrangement between UK authorities and the EU Drugs Agency

🛥️ Illegal Migration

- Commitment to deepen cooperation on irregular migration, including on returns, best practice sharing, and tackling Channel crossings

- UK may participate in the Khartoum and Rabat Processes - EU-led initiatives focused on tackling human trafficking along key African routes

- Improved cooperation with Frontex and EU Asylum Agency

Keir Starmer: "It’s time to look forward. To move on from the stale old debates and political fights to find common sense, practical solutions which get the best for the British people.

"We’re ready to work with partners if it means we can improve people’s lives here at home.

"So that’s what this deal is all about – facing out into the world once again, in the great tradition of this nation. Building the relationships we choose, with the partners we choose, and closing deals in the national interest. Because that is what independent, sovereign nations do."

[UK Prime Minister @10DowningStreet]

CONFIRMED: A new Universal theme park is coming to the UK – set to be one of the biggest of its kind in Europe.

🎢 Creating 28,000 new jobs with more than 80% of employees hired locally

💷 Bringing an estimated £50bn boost to our economy

This is our Plan for Change in action.

[WildCRU, Oxford @WildCRU_Ox]

Congratulations to Dr Daniel Villar who recently passed his DPhil viva! 👏

Daniel’s research explored the ecology and conservation of the Titicaca Grebe (Rollandia microptera), an understudied, endemic species only found in the Lake Titicaca basin of South America.

[Yen-Ping Hsueh @fungi_worms]

We are ready to recruit new postdocs to join our team at MPI Biology Tübingen! Please help us spread the words. Thank you!!! 😊

[William P J Smith @willpjsmith]

The Oxford U. Foster and Slack labs are hiring! A chance to work in bleeding edge microbiome science with some really great mentors https://t.co/aCmSpLxdEy

[Sassy🦋❤️‍🩹 @Sassy_s89]

Ahhhh this is a dream 😍🥺 @NextToNormalUK I can't wait for it ❤️‍🩹

📷 Michael Longhurst insta story

#NextToNormal
#JackWolfe
#Musical

[Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 @Haggis_UK]

I never thought I would write this, but watch Julia Hartley-Brewer absolutely shred Richard Tice over Ukraine.

[David Lawrence @dc_lawrence]

Here's a problem: the Chancellor can't invest in infrastructure unless the OBR forecasts growth, but the OBR won't forecast growth until there is evidence of investment.

Ironically, the OBR is more being Treasury-brained than the Treasury itself. 🧵

[Romy Petroll @PetrollRomy]

I am very excited to see my first PhD paper out as a preprint. "The expanded Bostrychia moritziana genome unveils evolution in the most diverse and complex order of red algae". Huge thanks to @dr_borg for the great supervision and guidance through this exciting project!🎉

[Alex Wickham @alexwickham]

Rachel Reeves speech

*confirms @BloombergUK scoop that govt backs Heathrow third runway
*gives strong steer that it will back Gatwick, Luton expansion
*insists UK doesn't have to choose between growth and net zero, Heathrow will meet climate rules
*will fund East-West rail in Oxford-Cambridge arc, new homes, new towns, road upgrades
*backs Old Trafford regeneration project
*rail connecting Manchester to York via Leeds
*will work to recreate South Yorkshire airport
*net migration will fall but will look at high-skilled visas
*removing barriers to deliver 16GW of offshore wind
*regulation action plan published in March to systematically remove stifling and unpredictable rules
*vows fundamental reform to welfare, Kendall to set out plans on health and disability benefits ahead of spring statement
*will review Green Book
*backs Wrexham investment zone
*says genuinely shocked at how slow planning system is
*developers can stop worrying about bats and newts
*investments in Connected Kerb, Cornish Metals
*Reynolds will travel to India soon for trade talks
*concedes NICs rise had consequences for business

[The Labour Party @UKLabour]

This Labour government is going further and faster to deliver our Plan for Change and put more pounds in people’s pockets.

[Financial Times @FT]

Labour's decision to back the Oxford-Cambridge Arc marks a return to political favour for a scheme that was shelved three years ago https://t.co/7gLzd7ScKh

[Rachel Reeves @RachelReevesMP]

We’re getting Britain building. https://t.co/7bYdvCMh3u

[Bloomberg @business]

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said “the answer can’t always be no” when it comes to approving major planning decisions, in the latest indication Labour will push ahead with controversial projects including Heathrow's third runway https://t.co/npH5G9YBXq

[Ailbhe Rea @PronouncedAlva]

SCOOP: Rachel Reeves is preparing to publicly support a third runway at Heathrow in her growth speech this month.

Government is set to approve controversial expansions to Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton as part of its growth push.
https://t.co/vibgOhwX2V

[Lords Science & Technology Committee @LordsSTCom]

Thanks to @SynBioBeta for writing up our report into Engineering Biology, which came out today - you can read the full report here:

https://t.co/5j6DLxBGRZ

@johncumbers

https://t.co/eM2HXAg55D