commits | Common News Update

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...

Feb152021 by adminNo Comments

Jaguar Land Rover commits to UK plants in drive to go all-electric by 2030

Business

Jaguar Land Rover has committed to keep all three of its British plants open in the drive for all its models to be fully electric by the end of the decade.The major shift forms a key plank of the carmaker's plan to become a net zero carbon business by 2039. The firm, owned by India's Tata Motors, said the Jaguar brand will lead the way with a complete electric vehicle range by 2025. Image: The Castle Bromwich plant will focus on 'non-production' activities in the long term Land Rover's first electric vehicle is due to arrive by 2024 and will form the initial step into a six-strong model line-up.Known for its iconic, high-performance E-Type model in the 1960s and 1970s, Jaguar faces the challenge of many other manufacturers in developi...

Jun222020 by adminNo Comments

BBC commits £100m to increasing diversity on TV

Entertainment

The BBC is to increase diversity by investing £100m of its TV budget over a three year period to produce "diverse and inclusive content".Director general Tony Hall has described the move, which will apply from April 2021, as "a big leap".The BBC has set itself a mandatory target - 20% of off-screen talent must come from under-represented groups.That includes those with a disability or from a BAME or disadvantaged socio-economic background.'The stain of systemic racism'There will also be three "tests" for diversity in the BBC's TV output, with programmes needing to meet two of them to qualify - diverse stories and portrayal on-screen, diverse production teams and talent and diverse-led production companies.The announcement follows...

Feb182020 by adminNo Comments

Amazon founder commits $10bn to fight climate change

Technology

Amazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos has pledged $ 10bn (£7.7bn) of his personal wealth to fighting climate change.Mr Bezos, who is one of the world's richest people with an Amazon stake worth $ 100bn alone, told followers on Instagram a new Bezos Earth Fund would start to distribute cash within months. He said he plans to begin awarding grants this summer to scientists, activists and non-profit organisations.The billionaire said in a post on Instagram: "Climate change is the biggest threat to our planet. "I want to work alongside others both to amplify known ways and to explore new ways of fighting the devastating impact of climate change on this planet we all share." ...

Feb112020 by adminNo Comments

NASA commits to returning astronauts to the moon by 2024

Science

Feb. 10 (UPI) -- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration plans to land the first woman and the next man on the moon by 2024. "We are ushering in an unprecedented era of human spaceflight," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, who heads America's space agency, said Monday while introducing the agency's latest budget request. At last year's "State of NASA" speech, Bridenstine said NASA was aiming to return astronauts to the moon by 2028. In the months between then and now, both President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence called on NASA to accelerate the timeline. In the latest budget request, President Donald Trump called for a $ 25 billion NASA budget for 2021, a 12 percent increase over the previous fiscal year's budget. "This is a 21-century budget worthy of 21st-cent...