0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Small dip in Greece’s resident populationGreece’s resident population dropped to 10,413,982 individuals on January 1, 2023, down 0.5% relative to the previous year, data from the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) has shown.The population decline, ELSTAT said, is the result of the natural decrease in the population, where deaths (139,921) outnumbered live births (75,921) but net migration amounted to 16,355 persons.The data also suggests that there are almost 233,000 more women (5,323,391) than men (5,090,591).The population aged 0-14 years accounts for 13.4% of the total population, whereas 63.7% corresponds to the 15-64 age group and 22.9% to the cohort aged 65 years and over.The ageing ratio (the population aged 65 years and over to the population aged 0-14 years) amounted to 171.8.Net migration was estimated at 16,355 persons, corresponding to the difference between 96,662 immigrants and 80,307 emigrants.In 2021 net migration was estimated at -22,476 persons (57,120 immigrants and 79,596 emigrants).
Smaller harvest could give rise to olive oil shortagesShortages of olive oil in the market are expected in the next months, according to cooperative executives, due to lower production and producers’ unwillingness to sell, expecting prices above 8-9 euros per kilo.The concern is that a bigger increase in prices will lead consumers to switch to other products.
Tony Blair considered using Elgin Marbles as 'bargaining chip' for London Olympics bidTony Blair contemplated a "long-term loan" of the Elgin Marbles to Greece in an attempt to boost support for London’s bid to host the Olympic Games, newly released files reveal.Papers released by the National Archives in Kew, west London, show No 10 advisers believed the Marbles – also known as the Parthenon Sculptures – could be a “powerful bargaining chip” in the race to host the 2012 summer games.However, they warned any attempt to reach a sharing agreement with Athens could face stiff resistance due to the “blinkered intransigence” of the British Museum, where they had been housed since the 19th century.The return of Marbles, controversially taken from the 2,500-year-old Parthenon by the Scottish peer Lord Elgin, was a longstanding demand of the Greeks.With the approach of the 2004 Olympics in Athens, the campaign was entering “a more energetic phase” with the Greeks hoping to make them the central exhibit in a new Acropolis museum, which they planned to open to coincide with the start of the games.The idea that a new treaty allowing the two countries to share ownership could help London’s bid was first put forward by Lord Owen, the former SDP leader and foreign secretary, who said he believed the idea had “real legs”.
UK ministers asked to explain fourth delay to Covid wine cellar reportMinisters have been asked to explain why a report on the UK government’s consumption of wine during the Covid pandemic has been delayed four times over the last year.Labour said the Foreign Office, which holds the government’s wine collection, should publish the data on its stocks for 2020 to 2022 immediately, as the delay was causing suspicion about how much had been used.The yet-to-be-published data should cover the period March 2020 to March 2022 – the whole course of the pandemic. Given the cellar is supposed to be used only “to provide guests of the government, from home and overseas, with wines of appropriate quality at reasonable cost”, the report would be expected to show a decline in consumption, given the curbs on indoor gatherings and international travel caused by the Covid pandemic.In the last report, the cellar’s stock stood at 32,921 bottles of wine and spirits with a market value of £3.2m in March 2020.
Greek, Albanian organisations save trapped bear after effective cooperation An adult female bear was freed from an illegal trap after the successful collaboration of Greek and Albanian authorities and wildlife organisations on Wednesday.Weighing approximately 90kg and aged 5, the bear managed to survive deep in the woods for an entire week, caught in the grip of a steel wire noose, a known illegal trap usually installed by poachers.Although unable to move and fend for itself, it is believed that the bear survived by feeding on nearby roots and leaves, helping it stay hydrated.The incident and the ensuing cooperation of the two countries’ authorities took place near the Albanian town of Pogradec, north of the Prespes Lakes region. The bear was freed on Wednesday.
Sir Winston Churchill and Buckingham Palace celebrated on new coins for 2024Commemorative coins celebrating Sir Winston Churchill, Buckingham Palace and the RNLI have been unveiled by the Royal Mint among five new designs to appear in 2024.The designs will celebrate some key events and anniversaries, the Mint said.The 2024 Annual Set will include designs for a Buckingham Palace £5 coin; a 150th anniversary of the birth of Sir Winston Churchill £2 coin; a 200th anniversary of the National Gallery £2 coin; a 200th anniversary of the RNLI 50p coin; and a Team GB and ParalympicsGB 50p coin.