Britain is collaborating with Japan on its latest supersonic fighter jet programme with "joint concept analysis" expected to lead to decisions on deeper partnerships by the end of the year.
The two countries are close to an agreement to merge their next-generation Tempest and F-X fighter jet programmes, and are aiming for a deal on a new joint project by year-end.
The research will eventually produce a next-generation replacement for the Eurofighter Typhoon.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his government was backing aviation and technology.
"I am a passionate believer in the potential of our burgeoning partnership, not just with Italy, but with Japan," he said at the opening of the Farnborough Airshow.
Britain and its lead defence partner BAE Systems said a Tempest demonstrator would fly within the next five years, becoming the country's first new jet since the Typhoon nearly 40 years ago.
It will be a piloted supersonic aircraft testing a range of new technology, including integration of stealth-compatible features, BAE said at the show.
Britain wants the new fighter to be in service by 2035 and, after its departure from the European Union, is pursuing a programme separate from a Franco-German-Spanish plan.
The joint concept analysis with Japan and Italy will explore potential partnership options with the UK's Future Combat Air project, Britain said, with decisions expected by the end of the year.
Like the UK, both Japan and Italy operate F-35 fighter jets and the nations have undertaken joint exercises together.
Richard Berthon, UK director of Future Combat Air, said Britain was talking to "serious countries with serious ambitions to invest".
He said talks with Japan were "going better than to plan".
"The extent of the alignment we found with Japan, both on the military side, on the engineering side and on the investment side is fantastic," he told reporters at Farnborough.
"We are exploring what the level of ambition and the scope of our cooperation will be."
Tempest has a government budget of £2 billion ($2.4bn) until 2025. Other partners include Leonardo UK, MBDA and Rolls-Royce.
BAE chief executive Charles Woodburn said taking one of the concepts for the fighter jet from a digital design, which had already "flown" 100 hours, into a physical aircraft was "a big step" for the company.
Tempest is one of a competing series of sixth-generation fighters in development around the world. They have advanced digital capabilities, in areas such as AI and cyber warfare.
Tempest is one of two European initiatives for the next generation of air power, alongside the Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System, currently mired in divisions between partners Airbus and Dassault Aviation.
Mr Berthon said Tempest had a "very aggressive" timetable to meet and so was focused on a small range of partners.
In reference to the rival European scheme, he said he recognised the "complexities that they're grappling with".
"I think we have a really solid foundation and we're open to conversations [with other partners] as time goes by," he said.
Britain and Sweden have also signed an agreement to work on joint combat air development and acquisition.
Mr Berthon said Sweden would remain "a very close partner within future combat systems and technology", but noted there had been a "radical change in their strategic environment" that was likely to affect the country's threat assessment and budget, referring in part to Sweden's application to join Nato.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Super heroes
Iron Man
Reduced risk of dementia
Alcohol consumption could be an issue
Hulk
Cardiac disease, stroke and dementia from high heart rate
Spider-Man
Agility reduces risk of falls
Increased risk of obesity and mental health issues
Black Panther
Vegetarian diet reduces obesity
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Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
Eyasses squad
Charlie Preston (captain) – goal shooter/ goalkeeper (Dubai College)
Arushi Holt (vice-captain) – wing defence / centre (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Olivia Petricola (vice-captain) – centre / wing attack (Dubai English Speaking College)
Isabel Affley – goalkeeper / goal defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
Jemma Eley – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Alana Farrell-Morton – centre / wing / defence / wing attack (Nord Anglia International School)
Molly Fuller – goal attack / wing attack (Dubai College)
Caitlin Gowdy – goal defence / wing defence (Dubai English Speaking College)
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Zahra Hussain-Gillani – goal defence / goalkeeper (British School Al Khubairat)
Claire Janssen – goal shooter / goal attack (Jumeriah English Speaking School)
Eliza Petricola – wing attack / centre (Dubai English Speaking College)
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Mercedes V250 Avantgarde specs
Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo
Gearbox: 7-speed automatic
Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0 l/100 km
Price: Dh235,000
WHAT IS GRAPHENE?
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
