water

From Akamas to vultures, a simple public warning

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From Akamas to vultures, a simple public warning

The need for civil society organizations to act as environmental watchdogs remains urgent, as recent revelations have shown violations of environmental conditions in the Akamas area. The scandal involved roadworks that ignored environmental conditions, and the Forestry Department was supposed to oversee the project. The Water Development Department had warned about violations a year before environmental NGOs raised the alarm. Additionally, efforts are being made to protect Griffon vultures from extinction, with poison baits and power line collisions being major threats. Despite efforts to persuade the Electricity Authority to make infrastructure safer, losses of vultures and eagles continue due to collisions and electrocutions.

Five UK market hotspots to watch ahead of the election

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Five UK market hotspots to watch ahead of the election

– Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a summer election in the UK, surprising many and giving a modest boost to the pound.
– Keir Starmer’s Labour Party has been leading in opinion polls since Sunak took power in 2022.
– UK equities tend to be quite flat in the six months after a national election, with the FTSE 250 outperforming the FTSE 100.
– The pound is sensitive to election time, reflecting international investor opinion about the UK and expected government policies.
– Sectors like Natwest Group, housebuilders, and the water sector will be under scrutiny during the election.
– Bond market investors will closely examine the two parties’ spending plans, especially Labour’s, to ensure bond market stability.
– Credit default swap markets currently price the UK as if it had a higher credit rating than it actually does.

Cyprus has best quality bathing waters in Europe

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Cyprus has best quality bathing waters in Europe

Cyprus ranked at the top of Europe in terms of the quality of its bathing waters in 2023, with 97.6% of the surveyed bathing waters on the island receiving an ‘excellent’ score.

Pakistan temperatures cross 52 C in heatwave

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Pakistan temperatures cross 52 C in heatwave

Temperatures in Pakistan’s southern province of Sindh rose above 52 degrees Celsius, the highest reading of the summer and close to the country’s record high.

Cyprus has best bathing water quality in EU

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Cyprus has best bathing water quality in EU

Cyprus has the best bathing water quality in Europe, with 97.6% of its sites rated as excellent in 2023. Coastal waters generally have better quality than inland waters, but ongoing pollution challenges persist due to urban wastewater and agricultural runoff. Austria, Croatia, and Greece also have high-quality bathing waters, while countries like Albania, Belgium, Estonia, Hungary, and Poland lag behind. The report emphasizes the need for improved pollution management to address poor-quality waters and identifies climate change as a potential threat to water quality in Europe. Legislative measures such as the Bathing Water Directive and the Water Framework Directive are in place to protect water quality, but continued vigilance and adaptation are necessary to preserve it.

Trump’s new ‘deal’ could save Big Oil $110 billion in taxes

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Trump's new ‘deal’ could save Big Oil $110 billion in taxes

Donald Trump allegedly offered Big Oil executives 0 billion in tax breaks if they donated billion to his campaign. Congressional Democrats are investigating this potential quid pro quo deal. Joe Biden plans to eliminate these tax breaks for the oil and gas industry if elected. The fossil fuel industry is lobbying to maintain these tax breaks, which are set to expire next year. Some attendees at Trump’s fundraising dinner at Mar-a-Lago included executives of smaller oil companies focused on fracking and gas exporting. The event was also attended by individuals with controversial backgrounds in the oil and gas industry.

Gazpacho: A Tale of Andalusian Origins

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Gazpacho: A Tale of Andalusian Origins

Fact: Gazpacho is a cold soup that originated in Andalusia, Spain, with roots tracing back to the Roman Empire and influenced by the Moors’ occupation of Spain.

Djokovic, ’s shaky season opens window of opportunity at Roland Garros

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Djokovic, ’s shaky season opens window of opportunity at Roland Garros

Novak Djokovic’s form has been erratic in the first five months of 2024, with tame defeats affecting his rhythm ahead of the French Open.

North clamps down on foreigners buying property

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North clamps down on foreigners buying property

The fact described in the text is that the north’s ‘parliament’ passed a law clamping down on foreigners buying property, limiting them to one house or apartment on less than 2,500 square meters of land.

Nicosia students lack access to free potable water- parents federation

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Nicosia students lack access to free potable water- parents federation

Students in the capital are having difficulty accessing free, cool drinking water at school. The federation of parents’ associations of primary schools in Nicosia is calling for the re-launch and completion of a program announced by the education ministry in 2017 to provide cool and clean water to school units.