Record | Common News Update

May172018 by adminNo Comments

FTSE 100 strikes new record closing high

The FTSE 100 has registered a new record high - signalling some cheer for UK pension funds as the economy stagnates. London's premier share index closed Thursday's session at 7787 points - a rise of 53 on the previous day as utility and retail stocks made some ground.It beat the previous record close of 7778, which was recorded in January before a stock market wobble.Values sank across the world amid fears of a US-inspired trade war, that pushed the FTSE below the 7000-point barrier at one stage in March.Its fortunes have been largely governed by the pound since the Brexit vote - with weakness in the currency boosting the earnings of its dollar-earning constituents.Sterling has bled value in recent weeks versus the dollar, partly because of continued concern about the state...

May122018 by adminNo Comments

Record $120m fine for nuisance robocalls

Technology

A man has been fined a record-breaking $ 120m (£88m) for making more than 90 million automated marketing telephone calls in the US.Miami salesman Adrian Abramovich was accused of trying to sell holidays and timeshare properties with the unsolicited robocalls.The fine is the largest the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has ever issued.Mr Abramovich said he had not intended to "defraud or cause harm".But FCC chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement that the defence "isn't very convincing"."Mr Abramovich doesn't dispute that he was responsible for placing 96,758,223 robocalls during a three-month period in 2016," he said."He doesn't dispute that all these robocalls were made without the recipients' consent." ...

May52018 by adminNo Comments

New Avengers film set for $1bn in record time

Entertainment

Avengers: Infinity War is set for another milestone as it edges towards becoming the fastest film in history to reach $ 1bn at the global box office.Marvel Studios' latest superhero epic enjoyed the biggest opening weekend on record following its highly anticipated release last Thursday, and since then has climbed to a total gross of $ 905.1m (£756m).That figure was recorded after US cinemas closed on Thursday.The film has made $ 338.4m in America, meaning that it will cross the $ 1bn mark on Friday or Saturday - its 10th and 11th days of release.Star Wars: The Force Awakens holds the current record for the fastest film to $ 1bn, having done it in 12 days when it released just before Christmas in 2015.:: Ryan Reynolds shares Deadpool's Avengers rejection letter

Apr292018 by adminNo Comments

Avengers: Infinity War breaks global record

Entertainment

Avengers: Infinity War broke a global record with $ 630m (£457m) in ticket sales during its opening weekend.The figure, estimated by Disney, is despite the fact Marvel Studios' superhero movie is yet to open in China, the world's second-largest film market.It made $ 250m (£181.5m) in ticket sales during its opening weekend in the US, narrowly beating Star Wars: The Force Awakens for the highest opening weekend ever.However, taking inflation into account would mean the Star Wars film still holds the US record, with about $ 260m (£188.5m) in today's dollars.Image:The film brings together more than 20 superheroesDave Hollis, head of distribution for Disney, said: "To have now the biggest movie of domestic history as one of the Marvel cinematic universe films seems like a fitting tribute to th

Apr252018 by adminNo Comments

Record concentration of microplastics found in Arctic

Science

Record levels of microplastics have been found trapped inside sea ice floating in the Arctic.Ice cores gathered across the Arctic Ocean reveal microplastics at concentrations two to three times higher than previously recorded.As sea ice melts with climate change, the plastic will be released back into the water, with unknown effects on wildlife, say German scientists.Traces of 17 different types of plastic were found in frozen seawater.Microplastics are tiny plastic pieces under five millimetres long. They can be eaten by filter-feeding animals and passed up the food chain. A considerable amount of microplastic is released directly into the ocean by the gradual breakdown of larger pieces of plastic. But microplastics can also enter the sea from health and beauty products, washing synthetic...