Astronomers in the United Kingdom are still reeling from the news, announced November 15th, that they're about to lose access to one of the "big guns" of observational astronomy. The nation's Science and Technology Facilities Council intends to withdraw from participating in Gemini Observatory, a pair of identical optical/infrared telescopes with 8-meter apertures. A final decision will be made by STFC on November 21st.
Under the terms of a seven-nation agreement in force through 2012, the UK has a 24% stake in Gemini, which it gained by committing about $70 million toward construction costs. But the STFC's anticipated budgetary shortfalls over the next few years precipitated this drastic action so that it can reinvest the planned savings in its "highest priority programmes."

The UK already operates a smaller facility atop Mauna Kea, the UK Infrared Telescope, but its aperture is just 3.8 meters quite modest compared to the Gemini goliaths.
Meanwhile, Gemini's governing board will be looking to its other signatories to cover the withdrawn funding. Work on two major new instruments will continue, and the Board says it is "confident that the Gemini Observatory will continue to operate efficiently and productively."
It’a a shame to learn of funding cuts in Science in general, I believe, and there have been t[w]o many.
In my particular case, it was most painful when NASA
killed GRM circa 1983, for, I had already been accepted
for Ph.D. in Mathematics under Dr. James C. Alexander, then at the University of Maryland at College Park, therefor,
and my employer, BFEC, was going to allow me to attend
during prime time with funding.
So, here I am now at over 63 years of age, unemployed,
and just about nobody cares, for, while I am still
extremely intelligent, honest, accomplished, et caetera,
I don’t hold a Ph.D., so I am obviously vitually worthless
to society as I don’t have 3 more letters following my
most infamous nomenclature, and that through no fault of
my own, I further believe!
However, Urania and I still get along quite well, and
no amount of Bureaucracium, smybol Bs, will destroy a
relationship that has thrived for over 50 years, I
sincerely hope!
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make
you free.” (ref.: St. John 8:32, KJV, 1611).
Scientia est Potentia!
Happy Hol[y]days!