High | Common News Update

Feb142022 by adminNo Comments

Amazon deforestation: Record high destruction of trees in January

Science

ReutersThe number of trees cut down in the Brazilian Amazon in January far exceeded deforestation for the same month last year, according to government satellite data.The area destroyed was five times larger than 2021, the highest January total since records began in 2015.Environmentalists accuse Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro of allowing deforestation to accelerate.Protecting the Amazon is essential if we are to tackle climate change. Trees are felled for their wood as well as to clear spaces to plant crops to supply global food companies.At the climate change summit COP26 in Glasgow last year, more than 100 governments promised to stop and reverse deforestation by 2030.The latest satellite data from Brazil's space agency Inpe again calls into question the Brazilian government's commit...

Apr72021 by adminNo Comments

S&P 500 barely strikes record high as Federal Reserve commits to economic recovery

Business

April 7 (UPI) -- The S&P 500 scraped its way to a record close on Wednesday in a mixed day of trading as the Federal Reserve indicated it would remain committed to policies supporting economic recovery. The equity benchmark gained 0.15% to a new closing high of 4,079.95. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 16.02 points, or 0.048%, while the Nasdaq Composite dipped slightly to close down 0.07%. Advertisement Markets reacted to minutes from the Fed's March policy meeting where officials indicated the pace of asset purchases is likely to remain the same as the central bank works toward its economic goals. "Participants noted that it would likely be some time until substantial further progress toward the Committee's maximum-employment and price-stability goals would be realized and that...

Mar292021 by adminNo Comments

Survey: 1 in 5 Colorado high school students has access to a handgun

Health

March 29 (UPI) -- Roughly one-fifth of high school students in Colorado report having access to a handgun, according to the results of a survey published Monday by the Journal of Pediatrics. Advertisement Students were 24% more likely to report easy handgun access if they felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks, the data showed. In addition, they were about 30% more likely to report easy handgun access if they had attempted suicide or had been in a physical fight in the past year, the researchers behind the survey said. "Our findings highlight that it is relatively easy to access a handgun in Colorado for high school students," study co-author Ashley Brooks-Russell said in a press release. "This finding, combined with the high prevalence of feeling sad or depressed and suicid...

Mar252021 by adminNo Comments

High Streets: ‘Catastrophic blow’ as business rates appeals denied

Business

Getty ImagesThe Treasury has been criticised for saying it will legislate to "rule out" Covid-related business rates appeals.Experts said the legal change on appeals would be a "catastrophic blow" for many firms hit by the property tax.Retail, hospitality and leisure have benefitted from a rates "holiday", which was announced at the start of the crisis.It will continue until the end of June, with discounts in place until next year.But many supply chain firms and commercial property owners have been ineligible for much of this support.The Treasury said those unable to receive rates relief have appealed against their bills as a result, arguing that they have been hit by a "material change of circumstance" due to the pandemic.But the government will now legislate to "rule out" Covid-19 relate...

Mar132021 by adminNo Comments

Bitcoin surpasses $60,000 in record high as rally accelerates

Finance

Representation of the virtual currency Bitcoin is seen on a motherboard in this picture illustration taken April 24, 2020.Dado Ruvic | ReutersBitcoin crossed a record high of $ 60,000 on Saturday morning, continuing its rally as major companies and financial institutions adopt cryptocurrencies.Bitcoin, the world's biggest cryptocurrency, was at $ 60,415.34 as of 7:25 a.m. ET, according to Coinbase, recovering from a dip at the end of February that followed a previous record high that month.The digital currency is up 963% over the last 12 months, according to Coinbase. Its value surpassed $ 1 trillion last week for the second time this year. Bitcoin's rally is driven partly by increased adoption by larger institutional investors and firms and speculative demand. Tesla has purchased $ 1...