This was this week’s positive and happy news | Good news

06 Aug 2023 at 13:55

Because the negative news often dominates NU.nl, the positive news sometimes snows under. That is why we list cheerful messages. With this week: falling deforestation in Brazil, rising interest rates and recovering golden lion tamarins.

Brazil deforestation in July at lowest point since 2017

Brazil’s deforestation fell 66 percent in July from the same month a year earlier. In addition, deforestation last month reached its lowest point in a July since 2017, preliminary figures from Brazil’s space research institute INPE showed on Thursday. In addition, deforestation in the first seven months of this year fell by 42.5 percent compared to the same period last year.

It is important to note that in July, despite the decrease, an area of ​​500 square kilometers was still deforested. Nevertheless, Mariana Napolitano, manager at nature organization WWF Brazil, speaks of a significant decrease in a usually dry month.

The Amazon rainforest in Brazil is important for the climate, among other things, because it stores a lot of carbon dioxide. The trees convert carbon dioxide into oxygen and are also called the ‘lungs of the earth’.

The decline already started in January, under the then newly elected president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. He wants deforestation to have stopped by 2030. Under his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, deforestation in Brazil gained momentum.

State lottery finds lucky winner through plane with call

A man from Doetinchem who won the State Lottery in June claimed his prize this week. And that didn’t just happen. He found out he was the winner through a call on a lottery plane.

The man had won 1 million euros on June 10. But because he had not reported, the State Lottery started a search for the holder of the winning lottery ticket. The State Lottery reported that prize winners do not claim their money more often. This almost always concerns holders of lottery tickets that have been bought in the shop.

Higher interest on savings deposits at many banks

SNS Bank, ASN Bank and RegioBank are raising their savings interest rates. The banks reported this last week. They do this after other major banks such as Rabobank and ING have already done so. Savings will yield more for many Dutch people than in recent years.

At ASN Bank, the interest is 1.20 percent from 9 August for savings balances up to 100,000 euros. At SNS and RegioBank, the interest on savings will rise to 1.25 percent. The three banks are part of de Volksbank, which has been wholly owned by the Dutch government since the nationalization of SNS REAAL in 2013.

ABN AMRO raised the interest on savings to 1.25 percent on 1 August. At ING, the interest will be at the same level from 15 August (for savings up to 10,000 euros). Rabobank has had a savings interest rate of 1.25 percent since mid-July and recently announced another interest rate increase. From mid-August, the interest on savings at that bank is 1.5 percent.

Even more news to make you happy

And there was even more good news this week. Among other things, these messages, with big or small news, gave us a smile at the editor:

A royal python was found in a thrift store in Dordrecht on Thursday. The same evening the animal was reunited with its owner. “He now has to warm up again and he gets a fresh mouse. Then he’s okay again,” owner Aleksandra said to Rijnmond. More goodies from Brazil. More golden lion tamarins are living in the Brazilian rainforest since efforts to save the species. The commitment to this already started in the 1970s. Where once only 200 golden lion tamarins lived in the wild in Brazil, there are now more than 4,800, according to research reported by the AP news agency. A stolen baby macaque was reunited with its mother at an Italian zoo this week. Caretakers discovered a hole in the enclosure and saw that the newborn animal was missing. Get notified when good news Stay up to date with notifications

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