The weather - 16 June, 2009
Mostly clear skies are forecast with some scattered clouds, though mainly in the morning. Winds will be light, but in the Aegean they will be blowing in from a northerly direction at speeds of 4 to 6 Beaufort. Temperatures will range from a low of 16C (61F) to a high of 36C (97F) across most parts of the mainland and from a minimum of 18C (64F) to a maximum of 33C (91F) on the islands.
OUTLOOK: Local rainstorms are expected tomorrow afternoon in Epirus, Macedonia, Thrace and Thessaly. Winds will be northwesterly at 3 to 5 Beaufort and temperatures will remain high. Local showers and rainstorms are forecast for Thursday over the mainland, especially in the afternoon. Winds will be northerly at 4 to 6 Beaufort and up to 7 Beaufort in parts of the Aegean. Temperatures are expected to gradually drop.
From: Kathimerini
______________
20 cases of new influenza in Greece - 15 June, 2009
The National Committee for the Influenza Pandemic meets today on the initiative of Health Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, as the number of cases of the new influenza has risen to 20. Subsequently, Avramopoulos will give a press conference. The 20th case involves a young woman from Peru who came to Greece from New York. Of the 20, eight have recovered fully.
Meanwhile, following a meeting with Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis over the weekend, on measures taken to shield the country from the H1N1 virus, Avramopoulos gave assurances that Greece is a safe country and there is no cause for concern. The Health minister stressed that the country has been protected and that all relevant services have taken all the necessary measures for the month of September as well, when there may be a possible increase in cases.
From: ERT
_________
Google photos to protect land - 20 May, 2009
Forestry authorities have started using old Internet satellite photographs to protect forestland from illegal construction, according to the forest ranger for Pyrgos, in the Peloponnese, which was badly ravaged in the wildfires of 2007 that killed more than 70 people.
“We are using Google Earth photographs from before the fires as a reference point to avert all forms of illegal exploitation of land,” Dionysis Thomopoulos said yesterday. “It is much more practical than traditional aerial photographs, as we have the precise geographical coordinates, which we can compare with our measurements on the ground,” Thomopoulos told Agence France-Presse. He added that there had been “far fewer attempts” at illegal construction on fire-ravaged land.
The forestry decision may take the heat off the US search engine, which last week saw its Street View feature banned due to concerns about violations of privacy.
Great Greeks
Ancient warrior Alexander wins Skai’s television poll
The ancient warrior king Alexander the Great was heralded the “greatest Greek” of all time late on Monday when the results of Skai’s three-month television poll were revealed. Of some 700,000 viewers who cast votes, 127,011 voted for Alexander, followed by 103,661 for eminent research scientist Georgios Papanicolaou, inventor of the Pap test, and 84,007 for revolutionary war hero Theodoros Kolokotronis.
From: Kathimerini
______________
Flurry of opinion polls - 18 May, 2009
Five new opinion polls published in Sunday newspapers yesterday indicate a lead, ranging from 2.8% to 5.5%, for the socialist PASOK party over the conservative New Democracy party for the June 7 European Parliament elections. In one surprise result, the Ecologists-Greens came in as third party, garnering 6.5% in a survey conducted by the firm Public Issue and published in "Kathimerini tis Kyriakis".
From: ERT
_________
The weather - 16 May, 2009
Clear skies are forecast across the country, with some patches of cloud in the afternoon over the mainland and a possibility of showers in the northern mountains. Winds will blow in from a south-southeasterly direction at speeds of 3 to 5 Beaufort and later up to 6 Beaufort in the Ionian. Temperatures will range from 13C (55F) to 32C (90F) on the mainland and 17C (63F) to 31C (88F) on the islands.
OUTLOOK: Warm and humid weather is forecast for tomorrow across the country, with occasional showers especially in the west. Winds will be south-southeasterly at speeds of 3 to 5 Beaufort and 6 Beaufort in the Ionian. Unseasonably high temperatures are expected. Clouds and showers are forecast on Sunday in Epirus, Macedonia and Crete. Winds will be south-southeasterly at 4 to 6 Beaufort, turning northerly in the afternoon in the west and north at the same speeds. Temperatures will drop slightly.
From: Kathimerini
______________
Google’s Street View... - 15 May, 2009
A car rigged with a camera yesterday toured the capital, taking pictures of roads for Google’s Street View feature. Earlier this week, the Data Protection Authority barred the US search engine from taking any more images of Greek streets, pending ‘additional information.’
The weather
Clear skies are forecast across the country, with some patches of cloud in the afternoon over the mainland and a possibility of showers in the northern mountains. Winds will blow in from a south-southeasterly direction at speeds of 3 to 5 Beaufort and later up to 6 Beaufort in the Ionian. Temperatures will range from 13C (55F) to 32C (90F) on the mainland and 17C (63F) to 31C (88F) on the islands.
OUTLOOK: Warm and humid weather is forecast for tomorrow across the country, with occasional showers especially in the west. Winds will be south-southeasterly at speeds of 3 to 5 Beaufort and 6 Beaufort in the Ionian. Unseasonably high temperatures are expected. Clouds and showers are forecast on Sunday in Epirus, Macedonia and Crete. Winds will be south-southeasterly at 4 to 6 Beaufort, turning northerly in the afternoon in the west and north at the same speeds. Temperatures will drop slightly.
From: Kathimerini
______________ STRIKE DISRUPTION - 14 May, 2009
Civil servants to walk off job, causing travel problems
A 24-hour strike today by the civil servants’ union ADEDY will result in dozens of flights being canceled. Olympic Airlines said yesterday that more than 100 domestic and international flights will be affected, while Aegean Airlines said it was canceling 48 flights and rescheduling dozens more. The strike will not affect public transport but will close most schools and result in state hospitals running on skeleton staff. Protesting workers are seeking salary increases and better benefits.
Free laptops
A total of 120,000 primary school students are to benefit from a scheme involving the distribution of coupons for the procurement of laptop computers, Economy Minister Yiannis Papathanassiou said yesterday. The laptop scheme forms part of the government’s “digital policy,” which will see all pupils receiving their textbooks in electronic form in the new academic year, Papathanassiou said.
From: Kathimerini
______________
Call to protect dolphins in Med - 13 May, 2009
Conservation group World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Hellas yesterday called on authorities to take the necessary measures to protect the so-called common dolphin (Delphinus delphis). The population of the species is seriously dwindling in the Mediterranean due to overfishing, chiefly with trawler vessels, whose large nets often entrap the mammal.
According to data made public yesterday by WWF, the number of these dolphins off the coasts of Lefkada and Kalamos in the Ionian Sea has dwindled from some 150 to just 15 over the past decade. Marine biologists have said that this rapid decline – particularly in the western and eastern Mediterranean, parts of which are theoretically protected under the European Union’s Natura program – cannot be attributed purely to the migration of the dolphins. The ecological significance of this area has been recognized by many groups, including the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
WWF has also secured the backing of several other conservation and environmental protection groups, including the Alnitak Marine Environment Research and Education Center, MOm, Delphis and Blue World.
The conservationists have called on the Agricultural Development Ministry and the Environment and Public Works Ministry to immediately enforce EU legislation aimed at curbing illegal fishing and to restrict the use of large trawler nets, particularly in EU-protected areas.
“We are asking for the enforcement of measures that can be funded by the European Union,” Giorgos Paximadis, WWF’s marine program representative, told Kathimerini.
The common dolphin, which includes long-beaked and short-beaked species, is to be found all over the world. There are hundreds of thousands in the North Atlantic. But the population in the Mediterranean has been seriously depleted due to overfishing and the deterioration of their natural habitat. There have also been incidents of the dolphins being hunted for their meat.
Google ban
The Data Protection Authority (APPD) has barred the US search engine Google from taking anymore images of Greek streets for its Street View feature, pending “additional information,” it was revealed yesterday. The authority reportedly wants Google to determine how long it intends to keep its images online and what measures the search engine intends to take to inform residents who may be photographed of their rights.
From: Kathimerini
______________
IMF to record Greek economy data - 11 May, 2009
According to a report in the Sunday newspaper, “Kathimerini tis Kyriakis”, the International Monetary Fund plans to send a team to Greece to make a full report on the Greek economy. The team is expected to request data going back to 1995, as successive revisions of figures have caused some discrediting of the domestic economy.
In the meantime, the Finance ministry is examining a series of measures, including increases in car registration fees by up to 50%, in special consumer taxes on fuel by 20-30%, on mobile phone charges by 10-20% and on bank interest by 10-15%.
From: ERT
_________
More Greeks to cancel or cut vacations - 9 May, 2009
More than twice as many Greeks (30 percent of the total number of respondents) say they will take shorter or less expensive vacations this year compared with last, while the proportion of those who will not be holidaying at all is increasing, according to a survey by Kapa Research. The survey was presented at the international '14th Tourism Panorama' at the Expo Athens exhibition center in Anthousa, eastern Attica. The Cyclades, including the islands of Naxos (photo, foreground) and Paros (background), are the top choice for Greek holidaymakers, the survey found. Some 64 percent of respondents estimate there will be a decline in tourism this year but that it will not be as high as forecast. The exhibition will remain open until Sunday.
From: Kathimerini
______________
The weather - 8 May, 2009
Mainly fine with some local afternoon cloud over mainland Greece and a slight possibility of scattered rainstorms in mountainous areas. Winds will blow in from a northwesterly direction at speeds of 3 to 5 Beaufort and temperatures will range from a low of 9C (48F) to a high of 27C (81F) on the mainland and a minimum of 12C (54F) to a maximum of 25C (77F) on the islands.
OUTLOOK: Generally fine conditions can be expected in most parts of the country over the weekend, with some local cloud at times over the mainland but only in the afternoon and a possibility of scattered rainstorms in mountainous areas, especially on Sunday. Winds will be northwesterly and light in most parts of Greece, and at light to moderate speeds of 3 to 5 Beaufort in the Aegean. Temperatures are forecast to continue rising.
From: Kathimerini
______________
 Cretan farmers return to the capital - 7 May, 2009
Some 1,000 farmers from Crete staged a peaceful protest in Syntagma Square in central Athens yesterday, as representatives met with aides of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis. The farmers, who descended on Athens in larger numbers earlier this year but were prevented from leaving the port of Piraeus, also met with officials of the opposition parties in their bid to draw attention to low prices and to demand more state aid for their sector.
From: Kathimerini
______________
Rain has replenished reservoirs - 6 May, 2009
The substantial amount of rain that has fallen since the start of the year means that there is enough water to last Greek households for the next two years, the Athens Water Company (EYDAP) said yesterday. Just last December, the water levels in EYDAP’s reservoirs were at an eight-year low. But, since then, heavy rain has helped almost double the amount of water collected. At the end of April, there were 870 million cubic meters of water in the reservoirs.
On your bike
The Transport Ministry has signed a decision that will lead to the setting up of Greece’s first roadworthiness tests (KTEO) for the country’s 700,000 motorcycles and scooters. Sources said yesterday that the ministry is hoping that by next year several private centers will have been established where motorcycles will be subject to tests similar to those currently conducted on cars. Owners of bikes that are more than four years old will be the first to be called to undergo the tests. They will then have to visit the centers every two years.
From: Kathimerini
______________ Eyes on the road - 5 May, 2009
Anyone due to take a driving test over the next few days could encounter problems, as the doctors that carry out eye tests on learner drivers have decided to stop the examinations in protest at not being paid since last October. All prospective drivers pay 20 euros for this test. Meanwhile, as of yesterday, thousands of civil servants are being told to pay for a range of medical tests and procedures that had previously been covered by their health insurance fund (OPAD). The change was brought about by a decision from the General State Accounting Office, which placed restrictions on what can be claimed by those insured with OPAD.
Sunken dignity
A vessel that had attempted to transport humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip last December but had been prevented by Israeli forces sank in the Cypriot port of Larnaca yesterday during efforts to tow it away. The SS Dignity, which had sustained damage after being rammed by an Israeli vessel during its December mission, had been anchored at the port for the past five months. The vessel sank yesterday after capsizing in winds that reached 7 on the Beaufort scale.
From: Kathimerini
______________
The weather - 4 May, 2009
Cloudy with showers in eastern Thessaly, central Greece, the Peloponnese, Cyclades, southern Ionian, Crete, Dodecanese and the eastern Aegean, with heavy rainstorms in parts of southern Greece. Local cloud elsewhere with rainstorms in the afternoon, mainly in Epirus and Macedonia. Northerly winds at 4 to 6 Beaufort. Temperatures will range from 6C (43F) to 18C (64F) in the north and 8C (46F) to 19C (66F) elsewhere.
OUTLOOK: Showers and rainstorms are expected tomorrow afternoon on the mainland, as well as in eastern and southern parts of the mainland in the morning. Winds will be northerly to 4 Beaufort in the Ionian and 5 to 7 Beaufort in the Aegean. Temperatures will rise. Occasional rainstorms are forecast over the mainland on Wednesday. Winds will be northerly to 3 Beaufort in the Aegean and 5 to 6 Beaufort in the Ionian, gradually easing.
From: Kathimerini
Greece is ready says Health minister
No H1N1 case has been reported in Greece so far, but strict inspections are being conducted at all border stations and coordinated information is being conveyed to schools, military camps and places which attract large numbers of people. Following yesterday's meeting chaired by Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, Health Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos gave assurances that Greece has been placed on the alert from the very first moment the new flu emerged in Mexico and is ready to deal with any potential cases.
Health authorities in Greece have received over 2,500 calls from people returning from trips to Mexico, the US and Europe. Tests on 27 people proved negative for the virus. Seismanogleio Hospial has set up a special clinic ready to treat any cases. The situation is under control and there is no cause for panic, even if H1N1 cases do emerge in Greece, reiterated Avramopoulos.
EC spring forecasts for the Greek economy
European Commissioner Joachim Almounia will announce the European Commission’s spring forecasts for the Greek economy today. They are expected to be gloomy and, according to experts, will place Greece officially in a state of recession. Growth is foreseen to be negative this year, with the public deficit rising above the target of 3.7%, while the country’s public debt will exceed 100% of the Gross Domestic Product.
From: ERT
_________ Cab fares up as young, old get cheaper travel - 2 May, 2009
As taxis hiked their fares yesterday, the first in a series of increases that will double charges over the next year, a new measure offering reduced fees on public transport for the young and the elderly came into effect.
Taxi fare charges are now up 33 percent to 48 cents from 36 cents per kilometer. The next increase will be in November, when the rate will rise to 60 cents, and the final hike is due in May 2010, when it will reach 72 cents. The minimum charge for a cab ride, 3.80 euros, will not change. In exchange for the fare increase, cabbies have vowed to stop common violations such as overcharging and taking on multiple fares.
Meanwhile, a government initiative that also came into effect yesterday offers half-price tickets on the metro, bus, trolley bus and tram for under-18s and over-65s as well as foreign students visiting from abroad.
From: Kathimerini
______________
|
