YOUR WEEKLY NEWS UPDATE
- South Korea reported that North Korea has conducted its first test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) since 2017. According to Japanese officials, it flew for more than an hour before crashing into Japanese waters, travelling 1,100 km (684 miles) and reaching an altitude of more than 6,000m during its flight. On standard trajectories, ICBMs can fly thousands of kilometers and could theoretically reach the United States. North Korea claimed that its recent tests were satellite launches, a claim contested by the US and South Korea.
- State media confirmed that rescue teams have discovered human remains at the site where a China Eastern jet crashed this week. The number of fatalities remains unknown, but there is no indication to date that any of the 132 people onboard survived. Investigators are still in the dark about what caused the plane’s near-vertical dive into mountains, but the intact cockpit voice recorder, the co-called ‘black box’, has been found and sent to Beijing for data analysis. It is hoped that the recording will provide clues into the cause of the crash.
- According to National Trust research, more than half of the orchards in England and Wales, an area corresponding to that of the Isle of Wight, have disappeared since 1900. Most of this decline occurred in the south west. Annie Reilly of the National Trust stated that this was caused by the expansion of towns and cities into areas previously covered by orchards. Often, all that then remains of 18th and 19th century orchards are street names or map evidence.
- According to a report by software firm SEMrush, interest in old mobile phones, known as dumbphones, is rising sharply. Google searches for them have jumped by 89% between 2018 and 2021. Another report by accountancy firm Deloitte estimated that more than 10% of UK mobile users had a dumbphone, while yet another report estimated that global 2021 sales of dumbphones could hit 1 billion. This compares favourably to global smartphone sales of 1.4 billion, a 12.5% drop from 2020. Reasons for the revival of dumbphones include nostalgia and fashion.
- According to new data, the cost of living in Russia is rising as a result of the country’s war with Ukraine. According to official data, the price of some domestic staples, such as sugar, has risen by up to 14% in the last week. This trend is expected to continue, since the Russian currency, the rouble, has lost about 22% of its value this year, raising the price of imports. After a month-long hiatus, the Russian stock market resumed trading on Thursday. Most of the shares ended higher, the Moex showing a 5.6% increase during volatile trading.
- Scientists worry that the levels of toxic PFAS chemicals – also known as forever chemicals – that are permitted in the UK’s tap water are too high. According to a BBC investigation, PFAS amounts surpassed European safety levels in just under half of samples collected, but all of them were below the current UK safety thresholds. The chemicals can be found in a variety of products, including nonstick cookware, food containers, carpets, furniture, and firefighting foam and have been associated with several illnesses, including cancer.
NEWS BROUGHT TO YOU BY PAMELA MOORE
Date: 25/03/22
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