For reference

The Referees’ Association complained at the level of abuse against officials in amateur football games. Referees go back further than you might think: the first reference to one was in 1842 – meaning someone to whom gentlemanly players might turn if they could not sort out disputes between themselves. The role acquired an extra notoriety in 1874, when referees were first allowed to send players off.  

Who works from home?

Between September 2022 and January 2023, 16% of workers reported working from home only, 28% reported hybrid working, 10% said they could work from home but chose to go to work, and 46% said they travelled to work because they could not work from home. But there are big differences across the workforce.

– Only 6% of 16- to 24-year-olds said they worked from home. 15% were on hybrid working, 14% chose to travel to work although they could have worked from home and 65% went out of necessity. Among 35- 44-year-olds the corresponding figures were: 17%, 35%, 10% and 38%. Among 45- 54-year-olds they were 18%, 30%, 9% and 42%.

– Among those earning less than £10,000 it was 8%, 5%, 12% and 75%.

– Among those earning over £50,000 it was 27%, 53%, 10% and 10%.

Source: ONS

Green measures

How many businesses are taking action to reduce carbon emissions?

Adjusting heating/cooling 29%

Electrifying vehicle fleet 7%

Installing charging points 5%

Switching to renewable energy 3%

Insulating buildings 8%

Introducing cycle-to-work scheme 3%

No action 30%

Source: ONS

Executed

How many countries still use the death penalty?

109 countries have formally abolished it; the latest to do so are Sierra Leone, Kazakhstan and Papua New Guinea. 144 have abolished it either in law or practice. 27 theoretically have the death penalty but have not used it in at least 10 years. 55 still use it. The biggest users in 2021 were:

China 1,000+

Iran 314

Egypt 83

Saudi Arabia 65

Syria 24

Somalia 21

Iraq 17

Yemen 14

US 11

Source: Amnesty International