quit

The WRU announced plans to cut to three teams on 24 October after a consultation period on previous proposals to go down to as few as two.

The governing body then held talks with all the professional clubs and Dragons state that they expected a “constructive and meaningful” engagement.

“Under the current WRU proposals professional clubs would have no control over rugby decisions including coaching, player recruitment and selection,” read a club statement.

“For Dragons RFC this is not viable or desirable, but we have consistently sought a constructive discussion on how to improve the Union’s plans.”

“Shortly after the meeting started, it became clear and apparent that the WRU was not inclined to make amendments to their proposed governance arrangements. We therefore left the meeting soon after.

“In short, nothing had changed, the WRU was still insisting on controlling all rugby related matters and demanding that they directly employ all players, coaches and all support staff.

“Central management by the WRU of all rugby operations is not acceptable, nor is it in the interests of club owners, who expect to be fully responsible and accountable for rugby operations, a key and fundamental element of the club and business we bought.”

Dragons say they are also unhappy with “a new set of financial commitments demanded from owners… which are both unacceptable and off-market” that they had been unaware of prior to receiving documents from the WRU on 6 November.

Loose Women star Kelly Brook is about to head into the I’m A Celebrity jungle but has admitted that she is afraid of just about everything prior to the show’s launch

Kelly Brook has sparked fears that she could quit I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! before the show has even started. The model, 45, is one of the famous faces gearing up to take part in Ant and Dec’s reality show and recently landed in Australia but recent admissions from her could mean that it’s all over before it has even begun.

The Loose Women star will have to live in the jungle with her fellow celebrities, which include big names like Emmerdale legend Lisa Riley, Spandau Ballet singer Martin Kemp and presenter Alex Scott amongst a host of others, and face all sorts of unpleasant things. Kelly discussed her phobias during an appearance on the How to Fail podcast – and it seems she may struggle.

Speaking to host Elizabeth Day, she admitted: “I’m even scared to get the Tube at Leicester Square… I wait for someone to be in front and behind me so I’m sandwiched. I’m scared of heights, snakes, spiders — all of those things.”

READ MORE: I’m A Celeb star Kelly Brook’s major feud with huge star who blanked her live on airREAD MORE: I’m A Celeb chaos as star ‘drops out’ and Ant and Dec feud resurfaces

Kelly previously claimed she would never take part in the survival reality show and had always ruled it out because of her fears, but, upon announcing that she has changed her mind, she admitted that she now “didn’t give a damn”.

She said: “What changed? Really good question. A friend of mine got asked to have a meeting with the producers of I’m A Celebrity and I said, You have to do it, I love watching it, what an incredible life experience… I was thinking, why can’t I give myself that advice? I realised it was basically out of fear, and I thought, it’s about time that I live my don’t give a damn era!”

Before flying out, Kelly was spotted at Heathrow Airport with husband Jeremy Parisi as she prepared to say goodbye to home comforts – and her beloved dog, Teddy.

She admitted: “I am going to miss my dog Teddy and my husband Jeremy.” According to insiders, Kelly went above and beyond to make sure her pampered pooch was well cared for during her time away.

A source told The Sun: “Kelly is besotted with Teddy and he is used to fine dining, so Kelly spent all hours making sure the freezer was piled high with his special dinners.”

They added: “There’s everything from poached salmon with cavolo nero cabbage through to venison steak with Chantenay carrots. She didn’t have much time to get everything sorted among all her work commitments but catering for Teddy was the priority.”

Reports also claim Kelly even labelled Teddy’s meals to stop her husband from accidentally eating them.

Kelly, who married Italian model in 2022, is said to have finally been convinced to enter the jungle after years of saying she’d never do it.

Back in 2018, she told The Sun: “I hate confined spaces. I don’t want to eat eyeballs or sheep testicles. Even if I had a huge tax bill I had to pay it urgently, I still wouldn’t do it.” Now, seven years later, Kelly has had a change of heart – and fans are eager to see how the glamorous TV personality copes with bugs, bushtucker trials and jungle life.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

In July, one of Brazil’s last coal plants in Candiota resumed operations after significant investment from Ambar, owned by billionaires Wesley and Joesley Batista. They believe that Brazil will continue to use coal despite having over 80% of its electricity from renewable sources. As Brazil prepares to host the UN climate summit COP30, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed concern that the war in Ukraine has revived coal mining.

Coal plants, including Candiota, still supply 3% of Brazil’s electricity, highlighting the influence of special interest groups and the absence of a proper transition plan away from coal. Experts like Christine Shearer from Global Energy Monitor argue that Brazil has the resources to phase out coal, but the strong coal lobby in mining regions keeps these plants running.

The Candiota plant lost its government contract last year, leading to local economic downturns and outmigration. It now sells energy on the spot market during peak hours when solar and wind energy are less available. Nevertheless, Brazil’s Congress recently passed a bill allowing coal plants to operate until 2040, which Lula could potentially veto. The government also made coal eligible for a capacity auction aimed at improving energy security by using thermal plants during low renewable output.

Critics note that including coal in these plans contradicts the goal of energy flexibility, as coal plants cannot start quickly. They argue that poor long-term planning allows coal to persist, despite a surplus of clean energy that goes underutilized due to inadequate demand and transmission infrastructure. This situation makes the government susceptible to coal and natural gas lobbying, leading to higher financial and environmental costs.

Ambar asserts that coal from the Candiota plant is reliable and necessary for power supply, denying claims of relying on political influence. They also argue that critics prioritize the interests of large energy consumers over those of smaller entities and the broader public. Keeping coal operational aligns Brazil with countries like India and South Africa, where strong lobby groups impede efforts to transition away from coal, which is crucial to local economies.

Shutting down Candiota could result in around 10,000 job losses in the region. Local coal miner Jose Adolfo de Carvalho asserts that eliminating the plant won’t significantly impact global carbon issues. The future of the plant causes anxiety among residents, with former employee Graca dos Santos emphasizing the need for a just energy transition to avoid leaving the community jobless.

Lula’s administration lacks a transition plan for Candiota, and little progress has been made in strategizing for other coal facilities. Some suggest diversifying into sectors like beef, wine, and olive oil, which could provide new jobs for former coal workers. Local union leader Hermelindo Ferreira highlights the potential job losses from shutting down Candiota while recognizing that faith in the coal industry is wavering. Ferreira encourages workers to gain new skills, such as maintenance for wind energy, as a way to adapt to future opportunities.

With information from Reuters