Author: LoveWorld UK

WELCH TO BECOME PREMIER LEAGUE’S FIRST FEMALE REFEREE She takes charge of Fulham’s home game against Burnley on December 23 Rebecca Welch will become the first female referee to officiate a Premier League match when she takes charge of Fulham’s home game against Burnley on December 23. The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) confirmed the appointment and also said Sam Allison would become the first Black official to take charge of a Premier match in 15 years. Allison will be the referee for Sheffield United v Luton Town on December 26. Welch has been a trailblazer for female referees…

OFGEM PROPOSES HIKING HOUSEHOLD ENERGY BILLS –  Energy regulator is proposing a one-off increase of £16 in the price cap Ofgem is to hike household energy bills to help protect suppliers after consumer debts surged to a record £3bn. The energy regulator is proposing a one-off increase of £16 in the price cap, equivalent to around £1.33 a month, to be paid between April 2024 and March 2025. Last month, Ofgem set the price cap from the current £1,834 for a typical dual-fuel household to £1,928 from January 1. But energy prices remain high compared to historical levels and energy…

OPPOSITION CRIES FOUL AS CONGO READIES FOR VOTE Accusations already flying about electoral legitimacy  As the Democratic Republic of Congo gears up for Dec. 20 elections, the opposition and independent observers warn that issues including illegible voter cards, blocked campaign planes, and electoral list delays threaten the legitimacy of the results. For months, the CENI election commission has rejected criticism it is failing to deliver a free and fair vote as promised, even as it flags logistical setbacks rolling out the presidential and legislative ballot across Africa’s second-largest country. Tensions have escalated in the final weeks of campaigning. Challengers to…

MILAN STUN NEWCASTLE AS BOTH TEAMS BOW OUT OF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – AC Milan take a 2-1 victory over Newcastle United  AC Milan substitute Samuel Chukwueze struck a superb late winner to seal a 2-1 victory over Newcastle United as both teams exited the Champions League at St James’ Park. At one point on a nerve-jangling climax to Group F, Newcastle were heading for the last 16 as they led through Joelinton’s rasping first-half drive and Paris St Germain trailed in Germany to Borussia Dortmund. But seven-times champions Milan were far better in the second half as Newcastle ran out…

THAMES WATER APPOINTS NEW BOSS – Pressure mounts on turnaround efforts of the company Thames Water has appointed a new chief executive to lead its turnaround efforts amid growing pressure on the company over both its operational and financial health. Britain’s largest water supplier said that Chris Weston, formerly of Centrica and chief executive of power specialist Aggreko, would start work on 8 January. His to-do list is extensive. In June, the government was drawing up a contingency plan for a possible collapse over concerns about the company’s ability to service its huge debt pile. That was measured at £14bn…

TRUMP SAYS HE WOULD RENEGE ON $3 BILLION US PLEDGE FOR GREEN CLIMATE FUND Trump is opposed to “climate reparations” to other countries Donald Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, said that if elected he would renege on a $3 billion U.S. pledge to a global fund meant to help developing countries cut emissions and adapt to climate change. The pledge was announced by Vice President Kamala Harris this month in Dubai at the U.N. COP28 climate summit, although it is subject to the politically divided U.S. Congress, which must authorize the release of funds. Trump, who has…

CYPRUS CALLS FOR EU RETHINK ON SYRIA MIGRATION AS REFUGEE NUMBERS RISE Authorities say the arrival of Syrian refugees is gathering pace Against a backdrop of mounting tensions in the Middle East, this easternmost outpost of the European Union Cyprus, is bracing itself for an influx of asylum seekers, adding further strain to resources stretched by what authorities say is an already disproportionately high number of persons seeking sanctuary. Authorities say the arrival of Syrian refugees is gathering pace. In calm seas, it can take a small fishing boat 18-20 hours to get from Lebanon to Cyprus. Superintendent Ioannis Artemiou,…

UK SIGNS DEAL WITH JAPAN AND ITALY TO BUILD NEXT-GENERATION FIGHTER JETS Britain to build new Stealth Jet Fighter The UK has signed an international treaty with Japan and Italy to build the next generation of stealth fighter Jets here in the UK. The deal will see the headquarters for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the defence partnership between the three nations, based in Britain. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the collaborative international effort to build military planes with supersonic capability and cutting-edge technology a year ago. Called Tempest in the UK, the ambition is for them to take…

The chief executive of Sainsbury’s has defended its decision to sell data on the shopping habits of his customers to TV and consumer goods manufacturers looking to target their advertising. Simon Roberts has said the supermarket group protects personal data “incredibly carefully” and that its strategy had made adverts more “relevant” for shoppers. Last weekend, it emerged that Sainsbury’s and its rival Tesco are making an estimated £300m a year from selling information on individual shopping habits collected through loyalty card schemes. The deals included a partnership between Sainsbury’s Nectar card and Channel 4 to tailor adverts to specific groups. Roberts insisted…

The government has cleared the first hurdle in Parliament to push through an emergency bill in a bid to revive its plan to deport illegal immigrants to Rwanda. The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill passed the second reading on Tuesday evening by 313 votes to 269 despite a rebellion from the right wing of the Conservative Party. A total of 38 Conservative MPs abstained, including former Home Secretary Suella Braverman and former immigration minister Robert Jenrick. The Democratic Unionist Party and most opposition parties opposed the bill while Sinn Féin abstained. The vote came as an immigrant died…