I welcome the news that

[Osya Bender]

THAT
You can use that after many verbs, adjectives, nouns, and expressions to introduce a clause in which you report what someone has said, or what they think or feel.
I welcome the news that attacks on women on the railways are 19 per cent down.

a definition from Collins Cobuild dictionary

Hello,

1) Is the use of "that" in the sentence grammatically correct ? I'd expect something like this:
I welcome the news telling that attacks ...
I welcome the news about the fact that attacks

2) How do I understand the end of the phrase?
attacks on women on the railways are 19 per cent down (attacks on men are 81 per cent down)
or
attacks on women on the railways are 19 per cent down (attacks on women in other places are 81 per cent down)

3) What does down refer to ? (in "19 per cent down")

Thank you.

 

[5jj]

2) How do I understand the end of the phrase?
attacks on women on the railways are 19 per cent down (attacks on men are 81 per cent down)
or
attacks on women on the railways are 19 per cent down (attacks on women in other places are 81 per cent down)

3) What does down refer to ? (in "19 per cent down")

Imagine that last year there were 500 attacks on women on the railways. This year there were 405. The figures are 19% down/lower.

 

[Osya Bender]

Thanks.
I've just noticed that my first question was written incorrectly and perhaps was ununderstandable. I've corrected it.

 

[5jj]

1) Is the use of "that" in the sentence grammatically correct ?

Yes

 

[MikeNewYork]

<<<1) Is the use of "that" in the sentence grammatically correct ? I'd expect something like this:
I welcome the news telling that attacks ...
I welcome the news about the fact that attacks>>>

In the first version, I would keep "that" and drop "telling". The word "news" implies telling.
In the second, I would drop "about the fact that". It adds nothing but words.