Author: LoveWorld UK

UK ECONOMY CONTRACTED UNEXPECTEDLY IN JANUARY – Economists had forecast a monthly expansion of 0.1% The UK economy contracted unexpectedly in January, extending a run of stop-start data that has beset Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ attempts to spark growth, before an update to parliament on the economic outlook. Gross domestic product fell by 0.1% in January, pulled down by a sharp drop in industrial output compared with December, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday (March 14). Economists had forecast a monthly expansion of 0.1%. While January’s drop only partially reverses a 0.4% expansion in December, the reading represents a…

USDA HALTS FUNDING TO UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM – The state faces federal scrutiny for refusing to comply with barring transgender athletes from women’s sports The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has suspended funding to the University of Maine System (UMS) as the state faces federal scrutiny for refusing to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order barring transgender athletes from women’s sports, according to UMS officials. The decision comes as the USDA reviews potential Title 9 and Title 6 violations by the university system. Maine’s defiance of Trump’s directive has drawn national attention, particularly after the president reaffirmed his…

ASTON VILLA MARCHED INTO THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINALS –  Aston Villa had an easy 3-0 win over 10-man Club Brugge   Aston Villa marched into the Champions League quarter-finals with an easy 3-0 win over 10-man Club Brugge in their last-16 second leg, giving them a 6-1 aggregate victory and setting up a far tougher task next against Paris St Germain. Trailing 3-1 from the home leg, Brugge actually began the tie better and gave Villa some early scares, but they faced an impossible challenge after Kyriani Sabbe was sent off for pulling down Marcus Rashford while through on goal in…

ARSENAL EASE THROUGH AS PSV RESTORE SOME PRIDE – Arsenal cruised past PSV Eindhoven 9-3 on aggregate Arsenal eased into the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 9-3 aggregate victory over PSV Eindhoven after a 2-2 draw in the second leg of their last-16 clash. Progress was already a formality for the London club after their stunning 7-1 victory in the Netherlands last week and when Oleksandr Zinchenko blasted them ahead in the fifth minute, PSV would have feared another hammering. Ivan Perisic replied for the visitors though with a sublime finish in the 18th minute to give the…

COUCHE-TARD TRIES TO SELL JAPANESE PUBLIC ON $47 BILLION BID FOR 7-ELEVEN – Couche-Tard has been pursuing Seven & i since August Alimentation Couche-Tard took its case for its $47 billion takeover of Seven & i straight to the Japanese public, marking a change in strategy by the low-key Canadian firm in response to what it described as months of stonewalling by the 7-Eleven owner. Couche-Tard, which owns the Circle-K convenience store chain, has been pursuing Seven & i since August, when it unveiled an initial bid that it has since increased to acquire the Japanese retailer. Speaking to reporters,…

TRUMP WARNS EU ON RETALIATORY TARIFFS – The European Commission said it would impose counter-tariffs on 26 billion euros worth of U.S. goods U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to respond to the European Union’s threat to impose counter-tariffs on 26 billion euros worth of U.S. goods from next month after Trump implemented blanket tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. At the start of a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in the Oval Office, Trump said Ireland, a member of the European Union, was among countries taking advantage of the United States. Trump said Ireland had used its tax…

UTAH SET TO BAN FLUORIDE IN PUBLIC DRINKING WATER – The decision makes Utah the first state in the U.S. to implement such a ban Utah Governor Spencer Cox has announced that he will sign a bill prohibiting the addition of fluoride to public drinking water, making Utah the first state in the U.S. to implement such a ban. The bill, HB81, prohibits public water systems from adding fluoride while allowing pharmacists to prescribe fluoride tablets as an alternative for residents who wish to use them. The measure passed the state legislature last month with mixed bipartisan support, as lawmakers…

KANE LEADS THE BUNDESLIGA SCORERS’ LIST WITH 21 GOALS – A 2-0 victory gave Bayern Munich a spot in the quarter-finals Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane earned praise from coach Vincent Kompany after scoring one goal and setting up another in a 2-0 victory at Bayer Leverkusen that saw them book their Champions League quarter-final spot. Kane, who leads the Bundesliga scorers’ list with 21 goals, netted his 10th Champions League goal of the season in the 52nd minute to put Bayern in front and then set up Alphonso Davies for a second goal in the 71st. The 31-year-old England…

SLOT TAKES PRIDE IN HOW LIVERPOOL EXITED CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – PSG beat Liverpool 4-1 in the Shootout While Liverpool boss Arne Slot called the team’s exit from the Champions League a shock, he took solace in losing to an excellent Paris St Germain team in a wildly entertaining two-legged tie that needed a penalty shootout to decide the outcome. In what Slot labelled “the best game of football I’ve ever been involved in” PSG beat Liverpool 4-1 in the shootout to advance to the quarter-finals, winning second-leg match at Anfield 1-0 thanks to a goal from Ousmane Dembele. PSG goalkeeper…

TRUMP’S STEEL AND ALUMINUM TARIFFS TAKE EFFECT – Prior exemptions, duty-free quotas, and product exclusions have expired U.S. President Donald Trump’s increased tariffs on steel and aluminum imports have now taken effect as prior exemptions, duty-free quotas, and product exclusions expired, as his campaign to reorder global trade norms in favor of the U.S. stepped up. Trump’s action to bulk up protections for American steel and aluminum producers restores effective global tariffs of 25% on all imports of the metals and extends the duties to hundreds of downstream products made from the metals, from nuts and bolts to bulldozer blades…