pandemic | Common News Update

Apr82021 by adminNo Comments

US suicides dropped last year, defying pandemic expectations

Health

The number of U.S. suicides fell nearly 6% last year amid the coronavirus pandemic — the largest annual decline in at least four decadesBy MIKE STOBBE AP Medical WriterApril 8, 2021, 10:06 PM• 3 min readNEW YORK -- The number of U.S. suicides fell nearly 6% last year amid the coronavirus pandemic — the largest annual decline in at least four decades, according to preliminary government data.Death certificates are still coming in and the count could rise. But officials expect a substantial decline will endure, despite worries that COVID-19 could lead to more suicides.It is hard to say exactly why suicide deaths dropped so much, but one factor may be a phenomenon seen in the early stages of wars and national disasters, some experts suggested.“There's a heroism phase in every disaster period,...

Apr62021 by adminNo Comments

Worth of Forbes’ billionaires list grows by $5T during pandemic

World

April 6 (UPI) -- Forbes' annual World's Billionaires List grew to a record 2,755 people in 2021, adding $ 5 trillion in worth despite the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The business magazine released its 35th annual list Tuesday, which saw an increase of 660 of people, including 493 newcomers. Collectively, the 2,755 people on the list represent $ 13.1 trillion in wealth, up from $ 8 trillion in 2020. Advertisement Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos maintained his hold at the top of the list for the fourth year in a row. He's worth $ 177 billion, up from $ 113 billion in 2020. Tesla and SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk shot to the No. 2 spot in 2021, up from No. 31 in 2020, increasing his net worth more than six-fold to $ 151 billion. He briefly held the position as world's richest...

Apr32021 by adminNo Comments

Rising number of celebrities selling video messages during pandemic – with some bizarre requests

Technology

Ever wanted some words of support from your football hero? How about help with a marriage proposal from a famous musician?The coronavirus pandemic has hit the entertainment industry hard - and it's seen a growing number of celebrities selling personalised video messages online. Websites such as Cameo and Memmo give members of the public the chance to ask stars to record a shout-out for their friends or relatives, with prices ranging from around £15 to several hundred pounds.Nigel Farage is one of the latest names to sign up to Cameo - a site which has attracted big stars in the US - with a video from the former Brexit Party leader setting you back £75.Simon Webbe, who found fame with the boyband Blue, says he charges around £50 for a personalised video on Memmo and he received about 100 re...

Mar262021 by adminNo Comments

CDC: Depression, anxiety continue rise in U.S. due to COVID-19 pandemic

Health

March 26 (UPI) -- More than 40% of adults in the United States experienced symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorders at some point between August 2020 and the end of January, according to data released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Over the roughly six-month period, the percentage of adults reporting symptoms of these disorders nationally increased from to 42% from 36%, roughly a 17% jump, the data showed. Advertisement The percentage of adults across the country who took a prescription for one of these disorders during this time rose to 25% from 22%. As of the end of January, 12% of adults of all ages nationally indicated that they needed mental health treatment, but did not receive it, up from 9% in early August. The trends are likely linked with the ongoi...

Mar232021 by adminNo Comments

Stock futures are flat amid renewed concern about pandemic recovery

Finance

U.S. stock futures were flat in overnight trading on Tuesday amid renewed investor concern about the global recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.Dow futures rose 20 points. S&P 500 futures gained 0.08% and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 0.3%.On Tuesday, stocks tied to an economic recovery led the losses amid rising new coronavirus cases in the U.S. and abroad.The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost more than 300 points, dragged down by a 3.4% drop in Caterpillar's stock. The S&P 500 fell 0.76% with major losses from airlines and cruise lines. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.12% as Facebook, Apple and Tesla all closed lower.The small-cap benchmark Russell 2000 fell 3.58%, for its worst day since June.Many regions of the world are seeing rising Covid-19 cases as highly contagious varian...