goinggreek.info
To Kafeneion => Grapevine / News Briefs => Topic started by: Maik on Thursday, 27 January, 2022 @ 03:00:51
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Fifty eight new cases of coronavirus recorded on Kefalonia yesterday by EODY, three on Ithaki.
Today's bank rate:
1 GBP = € 1.1633
1 USD = € 0.8610
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
Thu 27/01 12°/08° 12 km/h 03% Mostly sunny
Fri 28/01 14°/09° 16 km/h 05% Sun & cloud
Sat 29/01 10°/06° 24 km/h 81% Showers probable
Sun 30/01 13°/09° 15 km/h 01% Sunny
Mon 31/01 15°/11° 12 km/h 03% Mostly sunny
Tue 01/02 14°/09° 24 km/h 80% Light rain probable
Wed 02/02 13°/09° 19 km/h 71% Showers probable
Thu 03/02 14°/09° 21 km/h 24% Sunny
Fri 04/02 14°/11° 14 km/h 04% Mostly sunny
Sat 05/02 15°/10° 20 km/h 24% Sun & cloud
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Anger as expert who wrote pre-Grenfell fire safety guidance handed £210,000 contract to update it
The government has handed a £210,000 consultancy contract to write post-Grenfell safety guidance to the same company that wrote heavily criticised advice in place before the deadly blaze.
Fire engineer Colin Todd authored influential advice for councils in 2011 which stated that it was “usually unrealistic” to expect landlords and building owners to draw up plans to evacuate disabled people from burning buildings.
The advice remained widely followed by local authorities until last year.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/fire-safety-expert-grenfell-contract-b2001388.html
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Chemicals in plastic consumer products may trigger obesity and weight gain, study finds
Chemicals found in plastic consumer products can affect human metabolism, contribute to the development of fat cells in the body and trigger obesity, according to a new study.
The research, published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology on Wednesday, found over 55,000 different chemical components in plastic consumer products and identified 629 substances of which 11 of them are known to be metabolism-disrupting chemicals (MDCs).
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/plastic-consumer-products-chemicals-obesity-b2001645.html
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UK could grow 40% of its fruit and veg in towns and cities, cutting dependence on imports, study says
If all urban green spaces were used they could support eight times the country’s current fruit and vegetable production, scientists say
There is “huge untapped capacity” for Britain to grow far more of its own fruit and vegetables in underutilised urban areas, without turning more of the countryside into agricultural land, a new study suggests.
Using green urban space in towns and cities, people in the UK could grow almost 40 per cent of the fruit and vegetables we consume, the study said.
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/vegetables-growing-urban-allotments-imports-b2000295.html
:hmm:
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Coronavirus cases on Kef & Ithaka today: 48/5
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Health minister announces loosening of ongoing pandemic measures
Greek Health Minister Thanos Plevris announced on Thursday a loosening of the ongoing measures aimed at stemming the spread of the coronavirus. Specifically, he announced that entertainment venues and restaurants will no longer have a fixed closing time at midnight and will be once again allowed to play music. However, he stressed that standing customers will still not be allowed.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1176378/health-minister-announces-loosening-of-ongoing-pandemic-measures/
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Liz Truss flew by private jet to Australia at cost of £500,000 to taxpayers
Foreign secretary Liz Truss flew by private jet to Australia at a cost of over half-a-million pounds to the taxpayer, rather than using scheduled flights that would have been faster and far cheaper.
The most expensive business-class ticket for the foreign secretary’s entire itinerary on Qantas, which offers lie-flat beds on board the Boeing 787, would have been £7,712.
https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/liz-truss-australia-private-jet-flight-b2001692.html
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Maida Vale driver: Treat me as a witness, not a criminal
In a statement published by his lawyer Mohammed Akunjee of Waterfords Solicitors on Twitter, Abraham said: "I am a person of good character. I have never been arrested before in my life.
"This Monday past I was making my way to work and was waiting in traffic on Chippenham Road in West London at approximately 9am.
"I witnessed a man repeatedly stabbing a defenceless woman on the pavement a short distance in front of my car. Members of the public were attempting to intervene.
"The attacker was wielding a knife and threatening those brave citizens too.
"My instant thought was to protect the woman who had been stabbed and the public who were also being threatened.
"The vehicles ahead of me moved off which gave me the opportunity to intervene. I drove my vehicle towards the attacker in order to get him away from the woman he was attacking. I did not intend to harm the attacker, I only intended to protect those being attacked.
"My vehicle struck the attacker and he was taken under my car causing it to stall, I could not reverse my car to free him.
"I and other passers-by attempted to lift the car away from her attacker so we could prove the man with first aid."
The statement said he is deeply sorry and it was not his intention to harm the attacker, but to stop him from harming others.
It continued: "I understand that the police are doing their job and that my being arrested is not unusual.
"However, I do not see why I as the person who tried to assist in the defence of other human beings remain arrested and on bail under suspicion of murder."
https://www.itv.com/news/london/2022-01-27/maida-vale-driver-treat-me-as-a-witness-not-a-criminal
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In a policy paper called Back to Black which Ms Truss co-authored in 2009 she, along with others, outlined how: “Every public sector worker should feel personal responsibility for the money they spend and the money they save.
“They should spend taxpayers’ money with at least the care they would give to their own.
“This change of mindset would be reflected in everyday changes such as travelling by economy rather than business class, to larger scale changes around focusing on value for money.
“It should start at the very top with MPs reviewing the expenses they have become accustomed to claiming and filter down throughout the entire sector.”
https://www.itv.com/news/2022-01-27/liz-truss-defends-private-flight-to-australia-which-cost-taxpayers-500000
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‘Total rhubarb’: Boris Johnson again denies he ordered Afghan animal airlift as fresh emails emerge
New evidence suggests No 10 involved in evacuation discussion
Boris Johnson has dismissed new evidence that he ordered the controversial evacuation of dogs and cats from Afghanistan for Pen Farthing’s Nowzad charity as “total rhubarb”.
Emails showing that officials had said the prime minister had “authorised” the evacuation of animals from Kabul contradicted Mr Johnson’s previous denials of involvement.
The PM doubled down on Thursday when asked if he had helped to get the animals out, telling reporters: “No, that is… this whole thing is total rhubarb.”
On a visit to north Wales, Mr Johnson said he was “very proud of what our armed services did with Operation Pitting”, adding: “I can tell you that the military always prioritised human beings and that was quite right.”
But, as he was talking, further leaked correspondence was published suggesting that No 10 and the then foreign secretary Dominic Raab had been involved in the decision.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-pen-farthing-dogs-afghanistan-b2001973.html