goinggreek.info
To Kafeneion => Grapevine / News Briefs => Topic started by: Maik on Tuesday, 05 July, 2022 @ 03:25:25
-
Kef fire risk 05/07/22: High (https://www.civilprotection.gr/el/imerisios-hartis-provlepsis-kindynoy-pyrkagias-05072022)
Forty seven new coronavirus cases confirmed on Kefalonia yesterday by EODY, two on Ithaka
Today’s bank rates:
1 €UR = £ 0.8854 GBP
1 €UR = $ 1.0769 USD
£1 GBP = 1.1294 €UR
$1 USD = 0.9286 €UR
Based on Alpha Bank exchange rates, these are widely used by exchange agencies in Greece.
Other banks likely to offer a different rate which may be marginally higher or lower.
Banks and foreign exchange offices normally charge standard 2% commission.
You may get a better rate changing your holiday money in advance at e.g the Post Office (https://www.postoffice.co.uk/travel-money).
NB: some f-ex agencies advertise "No Commission".
Invariably, they deduct commission before they (don't) advertise the rate.
Foreign exchange offices are businesses, not charities.
Ten day weather forecast for Kefalonia:
This is an overall forecast, due to the mountainous terrain the weather can be very localised.
Updated forecast @ weather.com (https://weather.com/en-IE/weather/tenday/l/GRXX0035:1:GR)
Day, Date Hi°/Lo° Wind sp Wet Forecast
Tue 05/07 33°/25° 20 km/h 01% Sunny
Wed 06/07 33°/24° 23 km/h 08% Sunny
Thu 07/07 31°/23° 25 km/h 10% Sunny
Fri 08/07 30°/21° 25 km/h 24% Sunny
Sat 09/07 27°/21° 30 km/h 38% Stiff breeze, morning thunderstorms possible
Sun 10/07 28°/21° 22 km/h 19% Sunny
Mon 11/07 29°/22° 20 km/h 14% Sunny
Tue 12/07 29°/22° 20 km/h 08% Sunny
Wed 13/07 30°/22° 22 km/h 03% Sunny
Thu 14/07 30°/22° 22 km/h 03% Sunny
-
Dead loggerhead discovered yesterday morning near Kyllini,
Dead dolphin disccovered yesterday morning on the beach at Kamena Vourla.
-
Body of a missing 71 y-o foreign male recovered yesterday afternoon from the sea at Stavros beach, Thessaloniki
-
Reminder from the Municipality of Argostoli that waste for disposal should be placed *inside* the bulk bins, not place around them. Bulky items such as old mattresses are collected after booking with the refuse collections service which can be contacted on 26710 26999 or via email on e.argostoli@gmail.com
-
Appears access to Koroni beach via land will be open to 25 July when it will be challenged in Argostoli Magistrate's court.
-
Climate change: 'Sand battery' could solve green energy's big problem
Finnish researchers have installed the world's first fully working "sand battery" which can store green power for months at a time.
The developers say this could solve the problem of year-round supply, a major issue for green energy.
Using low-grade sand, the device is charged up with heat made from cheap electricity from solar or wind.
The sand stores the heat at around 500C, which can then warm homes in winter when energy is more expensive.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-61996520
-
Potentially deadly superbug found in British supermarket pork
Tests found more than 10% of sampled products resistant to antibiotic used to treat serious illnesses in humans
Some British supermarket pork has been infected with a potentially fatal superbug, an investigation has found.
Tests discovered that more than 10% of sampled pork products, including joints, chops and mince, were infected with bacteria that showed resistance to a “last resort” antibiotic used to treat serious illnesses in humans. The contaminated products included some pork sold under the “Red Tractor assured” label and RSPCA-assured and organic products.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/05/potentially-deadly-superbug-found-in-british-supermarket-pork
-
Shoppers react with disbelief to £9.35 tub of Lurpak: ‘Stop the world I want to get off’
A spokesperson for Lurpak told The Independent that farmers are also struggling with increased costs
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/lurpak-butter-cost-of-living-b2115877.html
-
Boris Johnson news – live: Top civil servant accuses No 10 of lying over Pincher claims
The former permanent secretary at the foreign office Lord McDonald has accused No 10 of “not telling the truth” about allegations received about Chris Pincher’s conduct.
He claimed in a letter to the parliamentary standards commissioner that Boris Johnson was briefed “in person” about an investigation into Chris Pincher's conduct as a foreign office minister.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-chris-pincher-mp-allegations-b2115774.html
Boris Johnson lied. Big shock there, then :oki:
-
High risk of bush fire on Kef tomorrow, according to civilprotection.gr (https://www.civilprotection.gr/el/imerisios-hartis-provlepsis-kindynoy-pyrkagias-06072022)
-
Kef police this morning arrested a truck driver after a 40cm/15.75" wooden truncheon was discovered in the cab of his truck during a routine search.
-
Anyone in the Municipality of Sami who's aware of unneutered stray cats can contact veterinarian Toulatos Pantelis on 26740 22262 or Municipal Councilor Devterios Themistocles on 6993 498652 with a view to arranging neutering.
-
Travel insurance: Air passengers warned to check for strike cover
Four in 10 travel insurance policies offer no protection for air passengers if holidays are cancelled owing to strikes, Which? has warned.
While airlines are required by law to refund the cost of a cancelled flight, some holidaymakers could lose money spent on hotels and other expenses.
The consumer group is urging people to look closely at their policy ahead of expected summer disruption.
Package holidays are covered in full if any part of the trip is cancelled.
Which? said that travellers who organise flights, accommodation, car hire and so on separately should always buy suitable travel insurance when they book.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62049258
-
Royal Mail managers announce strike dates
Royal Mail managers across the UK are to go on strike this month in a dispute over pay and job cuts.
The Unite union says 2,400 managers will work to rule between 15 July and 19 July and will take part in strike action from 20 July to 22 July.
According to Unite, during these periods, deliveries and some services like tracked items, will be delayed.
Royal Mail said there were "no grounds" for a strike and it had contingency plans to minimise disruption.
Unite says the strike action is over Royal Mail's plans to cut 700 jobs and cut pay by up to £7,000.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62038927
-
Owners of Whiskas and Pedigree pet food pause supplies to Tesco in latest price rise row
Brands owned by US group Mars are running low in some stores as the supermarket says it won’t ‘pass on unjustifiable price increases’
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jul/05/owners-of-whiskas-and-pedigree-pet-food-pause-supplies-to-tesco-in-latest-price-rise-row
-
€2 billion underground ‘water battery’ turns on in Switzerland
Swiss plant has power output large enough to power as many as 900,000 homes
A giant ‘water battery’ capable of storing as much energy as 400,000 electric car batteries has been switched on in Switzerland.
The €2 billion project, located nearly 600 metres beneath the Swiss Alps, was under construction for 14 years.
Its 20 million kWh capacity will allow excess energy produced from renewable sources to be stored for future use, thus helping to stabilise the electricity grid and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
The hydro battery works by using the excess energy to pump water between two separate reservoirs at different altitudes in the Swiss canton of Valais.
https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/water-battery-switzerland-renewable-energy-b2115898.html
-
€2 billion underground ‘water battery’ turns on in Switzerland
Swiss plant has power output large enough to power as many as 900,000 homes
A giant ‘water battery’ capable of storing as much energy as 400,000 electric car batteries has been switched on in Switzerland.
The €2 billion project, located nearly 600 metres beneath the Swiss Alps, was under construction for 14 years.
Its 20 million kWh capacity will allow excess energy produced from renewable sources to be stored for future use, thus helping to stabilise the electricity grid and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
The hydro battery works by using the excess energy to pump water between two separate reservoirs at different altitudes in the Swiss canton of Valais.
https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/water-battery-switzerland-renewable-energy-b2115898.html
They've had a similar scheme in North Wales for years.
-
119/3: today's coronavirus count on Kef/Ithaka according to eody.gov.gr (https://eody.gov.gr/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/covid-gr-daily-report-20220705.pdf)
-
Google patches new Chrome zero-day flaw exploited in attacks
Google has released Chrome 103.0.5060.114 for Windows users to address a high-severity zero-day vulnerability exploited by attackers in the wild, the fourth Chrome zero-day patched in 2022.
"Google is aware that an exploit for CVE-2022-2294 exists in the wild.," the browser vendor explained in a security advisory published on Monday.
The 103.0.5060.114 version is rolling out worldwide in the Stable Desktop channel, with Google saying that it's a matter of days or weeks until it reaches the entire userbase.
This update was available immediately when BleepingComputer checked for new updates by going into Chrome menu > Help > About Google Chrome.
The web browser will also auto-check for new updates and automatically install them after the next launch.
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/google-patches-new-chrome-zero-day-flaw-exploited-in-attacks/
-
Boris Johnson ‘forgot’ about Chris Pincher groping claims
Boris Johnson "forgot" he had been told that Chris Pincher was the subject of an official complaint about his conduct, according to his spokesperson. It follows repeated denials from Downing Street - and a succession of ministers - that the prime minister was aware of any formal complaint made against the Tamworth MP.
But on Tuesday the prime minister’s spokesperson confirmed that Mr Johnson was briefed on the complaint by officials at the Foreign Office in 2019, a “number of months” after it took place.
https://www.itv.com/news/2022-07-05/pm-briefing-in-person-about-complaint-against-pincher-before-whip-appointment
-
They've had a similar scheme in North Wales for years.
Dinorwig?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jx_bJgIFhI
https://youtu.be/6Jx_bJgIFhI?t=1
-
Body of an 85 y-o foreign female recovered at noon today from the sea between mainland Epirus and the islet of Sivota.
A 74 y-o fisherman missing since last night was found in sea near his boat in Zogeria cove, Spetses, early this morning. Taken to mainland health centre for assessment.
-
Another easyjet flight from Manchester to Kef was delayed 3 hours this morning, it now looks like the return flight to Manchester has been delayed until wed 6th, so they are scrabbling to find rooms for the punters overnight! no idea why?
No Mike, its not the fault of Boris :bleh:
Updated 6 minutes ago by easyJet Operations Control
Update:
Your new flight details:
Your flight will now be departing on 06/07/2022 at 10:00 local time, with flight number EZY9992.
-
Heard the crew would have gone over their permitted hours. Also heard accoms are 90% full so should be possible to find rooms... somewhere on Kef.
-
It says on the sleazyjet site that punters can find their own rooms and charge for transport and food, we would be jumping in a cab and finding somewhere, then charging the gits! hope it gets sorted out for September :pray:
-
punters can find their own rooms and charge for transport and food
:blink:
-
hope it gets sorted out for September :pray:
Mary's looking at flights around that time but there's so much uncertainty about price rises / cost of living, flights being cancelled, etc, I'm a bit hesitant. Either way, I hope you get there - and back - OK.
-
Yip-pee... Poros port to get a 'porta-loo' - for a mere 7,000 euros. Maybe it'll be a plumbed-in version?
-
Mains water off between 09:00-15:00 tomorrow and Thursday in Poulata due to essential maintenance.
-
We already have the flights booked for Sep, one thing is certain, i will not be going into the sea! the site is full of dead bodies recovered from the sea, also dead turtles, i may be a cynical person, but i think the two are connected, the turtles have probably died after attacking swimmers, best to be safe!
-
:btu:
I reckon us golden (nicely bronzed) oldies need to be careful out there in the big blue.
Here's one you may like:
Iconic Euro sculpture up for sale as 'too expensive to maintain'
The giant euro sign surrounded by 12 yellow stars costs €250,000 every year just to maintain and is frequently vandalised
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/07/05/iconic-euro-sculpture-sale-expensive-maintain/
Up for auction in October so that's something to look forward to when you get back from Kef ;)
-
Strikes threaten total cut-off of Norway’s gas supplies to UK - live updates
Gas supplies to the UK from Norway could be cut off completely this weekend if an ongoing strike escalates.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/07/05/ftse-100-markets-live-news-flight-cancellations-nuclear-power/
-
PM Mitsotakis: Digital Labour Card a significant conquest for employees
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday visited supermarkets and banks in which the new Digital Labour Card system started to be implemented on July 1st, recording the arrival and departure times of every employee with transparency in real time and consequently safeguarding the protection of their rights.
"It is a significant conquest for the employees for us to be in position to know, as the state, exactly how many hours they work in order to avoid any violation involving their working hours," Mitsotakis said.
In the initial phase, the digital labour cards covers approximately 121,000 employees while its extension to all the sectors of the economy is scheduled to be implemented in a period of 12 months.
https://www.naftemporiki.gr/story/1879310/pm-mitsotakis-digital-labour-card-a-significant-conquest-for-employees
The state knows when you clock in and clock out!?!
-
Germans top foreign holiday home buyers in Greece
They buy houses that on average are worth 350,000 euros
https://www.in.gr/2022/07/05/english-edition/germans-top-foreign-holiday-home-buyers-greece/
-
Greece Raises July Energy Subsidies for Homes and Businesses
A total of 722 million euros in support to Greeks hit by the energy crisis and the soaring electricity costs will apply to all users irrelevant of income, said Greek Environment and Energy Minister Kostas Skrekas today, announcing rebates for July.
https://news.gtp.gr/2022/07/05/greece-raises-july-energy-subsidies-for-homes-and-businesses/
Snap election ahead?
-
No Mike, its not the fault of Boris :bleh:
Of course not, it's always someone else's fault!
-
Iconic Euro sculpture up for sale as 'too expensive to maintain'
The giant euro sign surrounded by 12 yellow stars costs €250,000 every year just to maintain and is frequently vandalised
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/07/05/iconic-euro-sculpture-sale-expensive-maintain/
Someone missed a trick by not removing one of the 12 stars last year, eh?
An 8% reduction in stars to maintain...all courtesy the gentle folk of the UK
-
Sunak and Javid quit cabinet as PM admits Pincher mistake
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-62048657
-
Sunak and Javid quit cabinet as PM admits Pincher mistake
mmmm...an act more to do with their own political aims and objectives?
-
Maybe they - and other Conservative MPs - are just fed up with covering for Boris' lies and incompetence?
The prime minister has "trashed the reputation of a proud and honourable party" a Tory MP has claimed.
Sir Roger Gale said Boris Johnson had sent ministers "effectively to lie on his behalf".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-62050666
Mr Javid said the public had concluded the government is neither popular nor competent and "this situation will not change under your leadership and you have therefore lost my confidence".
In his letter to the PM, the health secretary told Mr Johnson that the British people "rightly expect integrity from their government".
https://www.itv.com/news/2022-07-05/you-have-lost-my-confidence-javid-resigns-from-cabinet-in-protest-at-pm
If they have got an eye on the job either has to be better than Johnson, IMO.
-
Boris Johnson admits he knew about Chris Pincher concerns and regrets hiring him
Asked if it was a grave error to hire the MP, the prime minister said: "Yes, I think it was a mistake and I apologise for it".
Mr Johnson did not deny referring to the Tamworth politician as "Pincher by name, Pincher by nature," as his former chief adviser Dominic Cummings claimed.
https://www.itv.com/news/2022-07-05/johnson-admits-he-knew-about-pincher-concerns-and-regrets-hiring-him
"I apologise." Well, that's alright,then. :oki:
-
Plans to build a Metro AEBE hypermarket in Krania have met with resistance from local traders in Argostoli. wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_S.A. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_S.A.)
-
Shock of the summer? Skala's new one way system abd traffic regulations are causing confusion with locals and tourists having had licence plates removed and fines issued. One of those is Dimitris Solomos, head of the local emergency volunteer team who will now be unable to respond to call outs.
-
Weekend burst of exercise can be enough to stay fit
A big burst of exercise at the weekend is as good as spreading activity out across the week, according to a study.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-62040665
-
Conservative Party vice chairman resigns live on air saying he ‘can’t serve’ under Boris Johnson
PM doesn’t have ‘the support of the party, or indeed the country any more,’ MP says
The Conservative Party’s vice chairman Bim Afolami has resigned from his position live on air, saying Boris Johnson no longer has the support of the country.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/bim-afolami-resigns-boris-johnson-b2116479.html
-
Two UK junior-ranking government lawmakers quit in protest at Johnson
Two lawmakers from Britain's Conservative Party quit their junior-ranking government posts on Tuesday in protest at Prime Minister Boris Johnson's leadership.
Parliamentary private secretaries Jonathan Gullis and Saqib Bhatti posted resignation letters on social media. Parliamentary private secretaries assist ministers in their role.
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/two-uk-junior-ranking-government-lawmakers-quit-protest-johnson-2022-07-05/
-
Andrew Murrison MP resigns from government job
DR ANDREW Murrison MP has resigned as Trade Envoy to Morrocco amid the latest government crisis.
In a strongly worded letter, Dr Murrison said Boris Johnson's position had become "unrecoverable".
https://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/news/20258307.andrew-murrison-mp-resigns-government-job/
-
Conservative MP Nicola Richards also quit her role as parliamentary private secretary to the Department for Transport this evening, stating she cannot serve ‘under the current circumstances’.
https://metro.co.uk/2022/07/05/two-mps-quit-government-pps-roles-amid-leadership-crisis-16948493/
-
Portsmouth’s £25m border post stands empty after minister’s imports U-turn
Next to the container terminal at Portsmouth International Port, just a few hundred metres from the water’s edge, stands a new hi-tech border control post.
Built over the past 18 months at a cost of £25m, a cost shared by the taxpayer and the port’s owner, Portsmouth city council, the high-specification facility should be in its inaugural week of use, handling post-Brexit checks on imports of animal, plant and forestry products arriving from the EU.
The building stands empty and silent, however, following the government’s decision in April to delay, probably for good, the introduction of physical inspections of fresh meat, fruit, vegetables and plants from the EU.
The British Ports Association (BPA), a lobby group for the industry, calculates that at least £450m of taxpayers’ money has been spent on these now mostly unwanted new border control facilities.
This includes the £300m spent on buildings at ports, as well as an estimated £250m spent by the government on building 10 inland border facilities, in places such as Dover and Holyhead where there is not space for a checkpoint next to the terminal. These buildings will be difficult to repurpose.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/jul/05/portsmouth-border-control-post-eu-imports-brexit
-
Ynys Môn MP Virginia Crosbie resigns from UK Government, tells Johnson his position is ‘untenable’
She resigned as PPS to the Wales Office as Boris Johnson’s government was hit by a wave of resignations this evening.
https://nation.cymru/news/ynys-mon-mp-virginia-crosbie-resigns-from-uk-government/
-
Theo (Theodora) Clarke:
I am very sad to be resigning as the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Kenya with immediate effect
https://twitter.com/theodoraclarke/status/1544426469660758019
-
(http://goinggreek.info/gallery/1_06_07_22_12_46_23.jpeg)
https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/survey-results/daily/2022/07/05/b572b/1
Labour and Lib Dems must be praying he doesn't resign before the next general election, he's their biggest asset.
Conservatives may well be hoping Starmer doesn't resign over a beer in Durham, currently he's probably their biggest asset.
Hey ho.
-
Alex Chalk:
With great sadness I am resigning as Solicitor General. I won’t be doing media interviews.
https://twitter.com/alexchalkchelt/status/1544437737771655169
-
Norway calls off gas strikes that risked UK supply
Strikes which threatened to cut off most of the UK's gas imports from Norway have been called off.
The Norwegian labour ministry confirmed it had stepped in to end industrial action set for later this week.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62058512
-
Laurence Robertson, MP for Tewkesbury:
I voted against Boris Johnson in the recent confidence vote, and earlier today reiterated my concerns. Resignations of Cabinet Ministers show others agree the issues over the past months have become a distraction from the challenges facing the country. The PM must now resign.
https://twitter.com/lrobertsonTewks/status/1544372644732100609