Author Topic: 09/03/23  (Read 1149 times)

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Offline Maik

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09/03/23
« on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 02:04:39 »
Today’s bank rates:
1 €UR = £0.9175 GBP
1 €UR = $1.0861 USD
£1 GBP = 1.0899 €UR
$1 USD = 0.9207 €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.
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

Day, Date   Hi°/Lo°   Wind sp   Wet   Forecast
Thu 09/03   17°/12°   14 km/h   24%   Sun & cloud
Fri 10/03   18°/13°   20 km/h   81%   Light rain probable
Sat 11/03   17°/12°   22 km/h   35%   Showers possible
Sun 12/03   17°/10°   19 km/h   50%   Showers possible
Mon 13/03   16°/10°   14 km/h   05%   Sunny
Tue 14/03   17°/12°   15 km/h   24%   Sun & cloud
Wed 15/03   16°/11°   23 km/h   72%   Light rain probable
Thu 16/03   16°/11°   24 km/h   63%   Showers probable
Fri 17/03   16°/11°   15 km/h   12%   Mostly sunny
Sat 18/03   17°/12°   13 km/h   09%   Sun & cloud

frost.getmap.gr
No risk of frost

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #1 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 02:07:33 »
Quote
A white tiger cub found in the garbage in Athens
It is disabled from the waist down

A white tiger cub was found abandoned in the garbage in Athens. The Greek authorities are investigating the strange case of illegal wild animal smuggling into the country days by the Spata Police Department and the Pallini Region, following the complaint by the founder of the Attica Zoological Park, Jean-Jacques Lesueur, about the 4-month-old white tiger that was found thrown in the garbage of the park.

The animal has arrived in Greece illegally, while according to the park’s experts, it is disabled from the waist down.

As the founder of Attica Zoological Park reports on protothema.gr, the white tiger was spotted on the morning of last Tuesday, February 28 by the cleaning staff of the Municipality.
https://en.protothema.gr/a-white-tiger-cub-found-in-the-garbage-in-athens-video-photos/

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #2 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 02:08:52 »
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Greece is the most affordable destination for UK retirees to relocate, survey shows

Greece ranked first among 100 countries as the most affordable destination to settle after retirement, according to a survey conducted by the British insurance company REASSURED.
https://en.protothema.gr/greece-is-the-most-affordable-destination-for-uk-retirees-to-relocate-study-shows/

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #3 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 02:11:58 »
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Police federation demands minimum 17% pay increase for officers
The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) called for the rise on Wednesday.

The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) has demanded a 17% pay increase for officers, suggesting salaries are negatively affected by restrictions on their right to strike.
https://www.standard.co.uk/business/business-news/police-federation-demands-minimum-17-pay-increase-for-officers-b1065859.html

Quite a bit of public support for nurses, train drivers, posties, teachers, etc, etc. Wonder how much for police, given recent events.

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #4 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 02:18:25 »
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Woman jailed after killing and eating her pet hamster called Mr Nibbles

A woman who was filmed killing and eating her hamster, called Mr Nibbles, has been jailed for 12 months.

Footage shared on social media shows Emma Parker stabbing the animal with a large knife before chopping it in half while still alive and then chewing both parts.

The RSPCA received two disturbing videos filmed at her home in Great Gonerby, near Grantham, Lincolnshire.
https://metro.co.uk/2023/03/08/lincolnshire-woman-jailed-after-killing-and-eating-hamster-called-mr-nibbles-18409135/

Gaoled for 12 months and banned from keeping animals for 15 years. Should've been gaoled for 15 years.

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #5 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 02:20:06 »
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Woman receives €204,000 payout for 25 years of unpaid housework in record divorce settlement
‘This ruling represents the labour of all the women in the shadows,’ the woman’s lawyer said after the record payout

A Spanish court has ordered a businessman to pay his ex-wife €204,000 (£182,000) as compensation for 25 years of unpaid housework in a record divorce settlement.
https://inews.co.uk/news/woman-payout-unpaid-housework-record-divorce-settlement-2193153

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #6 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 02:21:48 »
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London airport becomes first in UK to scrap 100ml liquids rule in hand luggage

The east London airport will be the first in the UK to make the changes to the restrictions, which have been in place since 2006.

This is thanks to new high-tech CT machines, similar to ones used in hospitals, which will replace old scanners.

They’re able to produce a high-resolution 3D scan of passengers’ bags, meaning staff can easily inspect them from all angles.

Instead of 100ml, the liquid limit will now be two litres in hand luggage.

Passengers will also no longer have to place creams and cosmetic items in a plastic bag when going through security.

This also applies to laptops in the new scheme, which won’t need to be removed from flyers’ bags to be scanned separately.
https://metro.co.uk/2023/03/07/london-city-airport-first-in-uk-to-scrap-100ml-liquids-rule-18397404/

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #7 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 02:24:51 »
Quote
Aldi’s bunny-shaped Easter sweets don’t look much like Easter bunnies…

The budget supermarket has owned up to the ‘c**k up’
https://metro.co.uk/2023/03/08/aldi-admits-marshmellow-bunnies-and-chicks-look-like-something-else-18405348/

Pic in link

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #8 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 15:09:40 »
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Greek woman arrested in Ryanair flight for smoking in toilet

A 28-year-old Greek woman was arrested for lighting up a cigarette in the toilet of the aircraft during a flight from London to Thessaloniki on Wednesday morning.

She was arrested upon her arrival at the northern Greek city’s airport by police on charges she violated the express orders of the airplane’s captain.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1206324/greek-woman-arrested-in-ryanair-flight-for-smoking-in-toilet/

:cig:

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #9 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 15:24:24 »
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Fisherman forced to steer migrants’ boat through rough seas jailed for 280 years

Accused of smuggling 476 people, he faced a maximum sentence of 4,760 years under a Greek law introduced in 2014.

He was found guilty at a trial in Crete earlier this week, but the court “took into account his reasons” for helping to steer the ship and gave him a lesser sentence of “only” 280 years in jail.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/03/08/fisherman-forced-steer-migrants-boat-rough-seas-jailed-280-years/

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #10 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 16:01:12 »
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Three more people charged in Tempe train crash

A railway inspector and two more station masters were charged on Thursday in connection with a massive train collision in northern Greece last week that killed 57 people and injured dozens.

All three are being charged with endangering transport safety and multiple counts of negligent homicide and bodily harm. The transport safety charge, a felony, potentially carries a life sentence.

Authorities have already remanded and charged the Larissa station master whose decision to place a southbound freight train and a northbound passenger train on the same track led to Greece’s deadliest train disaster.

The railway inspector was the one who appointed the inexperienced 59-year-old as station master in the city’s important railway hub, to do the demanding night shifts. The inspector has already been remanded.

The two other station masters were supposed to be in their post until 11 p.m. but left early.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1206337/three-more-people-charged-in-tempe-train-crash/

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #11 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 16:15:53 »
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Are India’s stray dog days finally over?

The toddler’s father had left him alone for mere minutes – but that was all it took.

Sensing blood, the pack of dogs nudged the playing four-year-old to the floor before sinking their teeth in. His bone-chilling screams alerted passersby but it was too late. Severe lacerations to his neck meant the toddler died before he reached hospital.

The horrific incident, which occurred last month in downtown Hyderabad, one of India’s largest cities, was caught on CCTV and shared widely on social media, igniting a rare national debate about what to do with India’s out-of-control dog population.

For generations, Indians have lived side-by-side with stray dogs, which, by 2021, numbered 62 million across the country.

This coexistence is effectively codified in India’s constitution, which implores compassion for animals and sets strict protection laws, but is also rooted in religion. Hinduism, practised by 80 per cent of Indians, teaches that living creatures are holy and should be revered.

But following a spate of highly publicised dog attacks, with the number of dog bites almost doubling between 2012 and 2020, according to Indian government data, many are now challenging the nation’s long-standing canine reverence and asking whether more should be done to put human interests first.

As per India’s Animal Welfare Board, stray dogs should be sterilised so they can’t reproduce, while vaccines are recommended to control the spread of disease, such as rabies, which still kills tens of thousands of Indians each year.

But without the resources to effectively implement this approach, as is the case across much of India, many are starting to consider culling (which remains illegal, for now) as a means to claim back the country's streets.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/climate-and-people/indias-stray-dog-days-finally/

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #12 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 16:18:13 »
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Church in town that Vicar of Dibley’s Dawn French once called home bans female vicars

St Fimbarrus Parish Church in Fowey has not had a vicar for four years but still voted to ban women from the role
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/03/09/church-town-vicar-dibleys-dawn-french-called-home-bans-female/


Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #13 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 16:27:45 »
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Boris Johnson criticised for making millions while rarely appearing in Commons

Boris Johnson has been urged to stick to his job as an MP and save the speeches he charges private companies millions of pounds to hear for the House of Commons.

Having already made more than £3.7m in 2023, the former prime minister has faced criticism for the limited time he has spent making contributions in parliament.

New figures released by the “Westminster accounts” investigation, led by Sky News, show Johnson’s outside pay this year accounts for about 85% of that for all MPs.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing and Johnson is said to have ensured all his extra pay has been declared in line with the rules.

Johnson has spoken in the Commons 16 times across 10 days since leaving Downing Street last September, received free accommodation worth tens of thousands of pounds and racked up millions for speeches and an advance on his memoirs.

All that is on top of his £84,000 salary as an MP and the six-figure annual allowance available to all former prime ministers.

The former Tory cabinet minister Stephen Dorrell said Johnson should ask himself: “Is he still in politics, or is he in show business?”
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/mar/09/boris-johnson-criticised-making-millions-rarely-appearing-in-commons

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #14 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 16:40:18 »
Quote
Brexit U-turn: Builders to get special immigration status to tackle construction industry crisis
Builders expected to be added to ‘shortage occupation list’ to allow EU labourers to return

Rishi Sunak’s government is understood to be planning to welcome in more foreign builders to tackle a chronic post-Brexit labour shortage in Britain’s construction industry.

Despite the crackdown on illegal immigration routes, the government is said to be ready to add construction workers to a “shortage occupation list” in a bid to boost sluggish housebuilding.

The building sector has suffered from acute lack of workers since Brexit caused many European labourers to return to the EU.

The shortage occupation list allows companies to get visas for staff being paid the lower threshold of £20,480 a year. The salary needed to obtain a “skilled worker” visa is £25,600.

The Home Builders Federation... has argued that an extra 30,000 workers are needed to build an extra 10,000 homes. Last year, the UK saw around 230,000 new homes built – meaning around 210,000 extra workers would be needed to hit a target of 300,000 new homes.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-eu-immigration-builders-construction-b2297207.html

Hm, paid £20,500 p.a., after tax and NI they'll have a tad over £17,000. Minus, what, £12,000 in rent... leaves a bit less than £100 / week for food and heat. May still be tempting.

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #15 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 19:02:57 »
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Cretan tourist season begins with first international flight

The tourism season for Crete started officially on Wednesday with a flight from Bristol, UK, to the Nikos Kazantzakis Airport at Iraklio.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1206267/cretan-tourist-season-begins-with-first-international-flight/

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #16 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 19:29:22 »
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Cambridgeshire academy's discipline crackdown leaving pupils 'terrified' and dreading school

Parents say pupils have been left "terrified" by a school's new discipline crackdown - claiming children have wet themselves and spent weekends dreading the return to the classroom.

Children at the St Ivo Academy in Cambridgeshire say they are banned from speaking in corridors between classes, and are not allowed toilet breaks during lessons.

The school in St Ives has adopted the SLANT teaching strategy which requires that children "Sit up, Lean forward, Answer questions, Nod their heads and Track the teacher".

The Astrea Academy Trust, which runs the school, said the new policy and stricter disciplinary procedures, is leading to better behaviour from students.

But parents and pupils at the school told ITV News Anglia it was making their lives miserable.

Julie Norton, a parent who has two children at the school, said: "Break times and lunch times are incredibly short. So you've got children who are desperate to use the loo and are having accidents in the classroom. It's inhumane.

"The children have been coming home telling us about this Nazi salute.  "I believe it's when the teacher wants attention - the pupils have to put their pens down, lean forward and they have to hold their hand up at a certain angle which very much mimics a Nazi salute."
https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2023-03-09/pupils-terrified-of-schools-discipline-crackdown

Schoolkids or little Nazi robots? No wonder schoolkids are rioting.

Offline Maik

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Re: 09/03/23
« Reply #17 on: Thursday, 09 March, 2023 @ 22:26:03 »
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Greece 2nd in eurozone growth

Greece achieved the second highest growth rate in the eurozone in the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to the same period in 2021, according to data published by Eurostat on Wednesday.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1206268/greece-2nd-in-eurozone-growth/