Author: LoveWorld UK

Britain’s water regulator said it would allow bills to rise by just over a third in the next five years to fund a higher level of investment than originally planned, with the aim of fixing the country’s broken water sector. The average increase of 36% before inflation, equivalent to a 31 pound ($39.18) a year increase over five years, compares to the 44% average requested by companies and the 21% the regulator had proposed in July. The pumping of raw sewage into rivers and seas has become a major scandal in Britain, with privatised water companies accused of prioritising dividends…

The Bank of England looks set to hold interest rates at 4.75% on Thursday, despite signs of a slowing economy, as persistent inflation pressures limit it to a “gradual” approach towards cutting borrowing costs. All 71 economists polled by Reuters said rates would stay unchanged for now. Most expect a quarter-point cut only on Feb. 6 after its next meeting, followed by three more cuts by the end of 2025. Financial markets are much less certain about the extent of rate cuts next year, following data on Tuesday that showed an unexpected acceleration of wage growth. Investors late on Wednesday priced in…

ARGENTINE PRESIDENT DEMANDS PROMPT RELEASE OF OFFICER DETAINED IN VENEZUELA Argentine President Javier Mileihaa  demanded the immediate release of Nahuel Gallo, an Argentine gendarme detained in Venezuela, during a speech at the National Military College. Gallo was arrested on December 8 while attempting to visit family in Venezuela, after crossing the Colombian border. Milei accused Venezuelan security forces of unlawfully detaining Gallo and he vowed to pursue all diplomatic channels to ensure the gendarme’s safe return to Argentina.

VINICIUS JR AND AITANA BONMATI WIN FIFA THE BEST PLAYER AWARDS –  Carlo Ancelotti and Emma Hayes win coaching prizes. Brazil and Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr was named FIFA men’s player of the year in Doha on Tuesday (December 17), with Spain and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati winning the women’s award for the second year in a row. Vinicius scored 24 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions to help Real Madrid clinch the LaLiga and Champions League double, and he also netted in their Champions League final win over Borussia Dortmund. The Brazilian won the award ahead of…

DAMASCUS AIRPORT REOPENS FOR DOMESTIC FLIGHTS- The New Syrian flag is hoisted on the rooftop of the airport. Damascus International Airport reopened today for the first time since Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad was ousted by insurgent forces led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). The planes were prepared for take-off by airport staff as the new Syrian flag waved on the rooftop of the airport building. The first domestic flight departed from Damascus International Airport, bound for Aleppo. The opening comes as the United Nations envoy told the Security Council the country needs to receive the economic support it…

TRUDEAU FACES MOUNTING CALLS TO STEP DOWN- By Opposition Party In Parliament Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under increasing pressure to quit after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned over a policy clash on Monday. In its closing Question Period before a month-long winter break, on Tuesday Canada’s House of Commons reverberated with discord as Trudeau’s political opponents lambasted the absent prime minister for the recent upheaval and for posting a $62 billion deficit for the year. Liberal MP Dominic LeBlanc, previously public safety minister and one of Trudeau’s closest friends, was named as the new finance minister on Monday…

ENGLAND IN TOUGH WOMEN’S EURO 2025 GROUP WITH FRANCE AND NETHERLANDS – Euro 2025 tournament after the draw was made in Switzerland European champions England will renew their rivalry with France and the Netherlands and also clash with debutants Wales in the group stage of the Women’s Euro 2025 tournament after the draw was made in Switzerland on Monday (December 16).  World Cup winners Spain, second in the FIFA rankings and hungry to claim a first Euro title, should have an easier path against Group B opponents Portugal, Belgium and Italy.  Eight-times European champions Germany, who are ranked third in…

ALIBABA TO SELL DEPARTMENT STORE CHAIN IN TIME – The deal comes as Alibaba looks to shift focus to its core e-commerce and cloud operations Alibaba Group said that it will sell its department store unit Intime to a consortium comprising of textiles firm Youngor Fashion and some of Intime’s management for 7.4 billion yuan ($1.02 billion), subject to customary regulatory approvals. The deal comes as Alibaba looks to shift focus from its dominance in China’s retail sector to its core e-commerce and cloud operations. Alibaba, which owns a 99% stake in Intime, expects to record a loss of about…

VOLKSWAGEN UNIONS CALL FOR SOLUTION –  Unions have threatened strike action from 2025 if an agreement is not reached this year Volkswagen’s works council chief said negotiations with management over cost cuts must find a solution which excludes plant closures or redundancies, as a last-ditch round of talks before Christmas gets underway. A compromise must be struck which is good for both the workers and the company, the union said as the fifth round of talks was due to begin. Unions have threatened strike action at an unprecedented scale from 2025 if an agreement is not reached this year. “If…

BOMB IN ELECTRIC SCOOTER KILLS SENIOR RUSSIAN GENERAL-“Igor Kirillov and his assistant were killed”, says Investigative Committee A bomb hidden in an electric scooter killed a senior Russian general in charge of nuclear protection forces in Moscow today, Russia’s investigative committee said. Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, who is chief of Russia’s Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection Troops, was killed outside an apartment building on Ryazansky Prospekt, southeast of the Kremlin. The investigative committee said Igor Kirillov, the head of the radiation, chemical and biological protection forces of the armed forces of the Russian Federation, and his assistant were killed. A…