Podcasts about greek government

World leaders met in Paris earlier this week for the AI Action Summit, a global summit on artificial intelligence. While France and the EU pledged to mobilize hundreds of billions of dollars in investments in the AI sector, Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who was also in Paris, put a spotlight on how Greece is helping to shape European developments in this critical sector. Yannis Mastrogeorgiou, the Special Secretary of Foresight in the Presidency of the Greek Government and the Coordinator of the National Advisory Committee on Artificial Intelligence, joins Thanos Davelis to look into Greece's broader AI strategy. You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Greece is helping to shape developments in AI, Mitsotakis saysEU to mobilise €200 billion for AI investmentAthens and Nicosia set Syria termsAthens offers support to rebuild SyriaNATO tests new deployment model without US ahead of Ukraine war anniversary

On this episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast, Executive Director Veronica Mikos from Healthy Seas discusses their efforts to clean up ghost fish farms. Despite some companies neglecting to follow regulations, Healthy Seas is actively working with governments and partners to enforce laws and clean up abandoned fish farms. Tune in to learn more about their important work in protecting the oceans. Website: https://www.healthyseas.org/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yu56xH8MQxg&t=3s Follow a career in conservation: https://www.conservation-careers.com/online-training/ Use the code SUFB to get 33% off courses and the careers program.   Do you want to join my Ocean Community? Sign Up for Updates on the process: www.speakupforblue.com/oceanapp   Sign up for our Newsletter: http://www.speakupforblue.com/newsletter   Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3NmYvsI Connect with Speak Up For Blue: Website: https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@speakupforblue Twitter: https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc YouTube: www.speakupforblue.com/youtube   Healthy Seas, as discussed in the podcast episode, is actively involved in cleaning up abandoned fish farms, also known as ghost farms. These ghost farms are a significant environmental concern as they pose a threat to marine life and the overall health of the ocean ecosystem. The organization has been focusing on addressing this issue by conducting clean-up operations in various locations, including Greece and other countries. The discovery of ghost farms, where fish farms are abandoned and left behind with all their infrastructure and waste, highlights the negligence and environmental impact of such practices. These abandoned facilities can lead to pollution of coastlines, endanger marine life, and disrupt local communities that rely on the ocean for their livelihoods. Healthy Seas has taken a proactive approach to address this issue by not only conducting clean-up operations but also engaging with local governments and authorities to enforce regulations and hold responsible parties accountable. The organization has emphasized the importance of raising awareness about the existence of ghost farms and advocating for stricter regulations to prevent such environmental crimes in the future. Through collaborations with like-minded individuals, businesses, and volunteers, Healthy Seas has been able to mobilize resources and expertise to tackle the challenges posed by ghost farms. By sharing knowledge and experiences with other organizations working on similar issues globally, Healthy Seas aims to create a network of support and cooperation to protect marine environments from the impacts of abandoned fish farms. One of the key aspects highlighted in the podcast episode is the collaboration that Healthy Seas engages in with various partners to address the issue of ghost fish farms. The organization works closely with government agencies at the local, regional, and federal levels to raise awareness, advocate for the enforcement of laws, and find long-term solutions to the problem. Veronica Mikos, the Executive Director of Healthy Seas, mentions that they have been in close contact with the Ministry of Environment in Greece and other countries where the issue of ghost fish farms exists. The organization has also interacted with an office that examines environmental crimes. While the laws are in place, the implementation and enforcement are lacking. This has prompted Healthy Seas to work with government agencies to push for more effective enforcement mechanisms. Additionally, the organization has been involved in extensive investigations to map out the problem of ghost fish farms. By working with journalists, lawyers, government officers, and other partners, Healthy Seas has gathered crucial data and insights into the extent of the issue. This collaborative effort has allowed them to identify patterns and gaps in the regulatory framework, leading to a more informed approach towards finding solutions. Moreover, Healthy Seas emphasizes that the cleanup efforts are not just about removing the waste but serve as a tool for advocacy, awareness-raising, and community involvement. By engaging in educational programs with university students and partnering with like-minded organizations such as Bracenet, which repurposes fishing nets into accessories, Healthy Seas is actively working towards sustainable solutions and long-term change in addressing the environmental crime of ghost fish farms. Through these collaborations, the organization aims to create a positive impact on marine ecosystems and local communities affected by abandoned fish farms.

Lake Karla supported hundreds of families in Thessaly, providing fish for all of the region and beyond. Christos and Ioanna Kotsikas grew up on the shores of the wetland and have mixed memories of the lake. They too lived off its fish, but they were also victims of its floods. The lake was drained by the Greek Government in 1962, destroying a vital ecosystem. In 2023, when torrential rain poured over Thessaly, the lake was restored – but the region was devastated.Christos and Ioanna Kotsikas speak to Maria Margaronis.(Photo: Lake Karla. Credit: Maria Margaronis)

Greece's Prime Minister has criticised Rishi Sunak's last-minute cancellation of an anticipated meeting. Kyriakos Mitsotakis had hoped to raise the issue of returning the Elgin Marbles amid heated disagreements. UK correspondent Enda Brady says the Greek Government have been trying for years to get the collection back after the British stole them. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

jQuery(document).ready(function(){ cab.clickify(); }); Original Podcast with clickable words https://tinyurl.com/2jytwud6 Contact: irishlingos@gmail.com "Management of the Greek railway system has been neglected for too long". "Faillí déanta le rófhada i mbainistiú chóras iarnróid na Gréige". Two days after the train crash in Greece in which nearly half a hundred people were killed and scores injured, the Greek Government has admitted that the management of the country's railway network has been neglected for too long. Dhá lá tar éis na timpiste traenach sa Ghréig inar maraíodh beagnach leathchéad duine agus inar gortaíodh na scórtha, tá sé admhaithe ag Rialtas na Gréige go bhfuil faillí déanta le rófhada i mbainistiú ghréasán iarnróid na tíre. The government declared that, in view of the disaster, it would be investigated why there was so much delay in improvement works on the railway. Dhearbhaigh an rialtas go bhfiosrófaí, i bhfianaise na tubaiste, cén fáth a raibh an oiread moille ar oibreacha feabhsúcháin ar an iarnród. The delay, it is said, remains inexplicable since the Greek Government sold the state-owned railway company to an Italian state-owned company in 2017 in the hope that hundreds of millions of euros would be invested in the network. Is dothuigthe fós an mhoill, a deirtear, ó dhíol Rialtas na Gréige comhlacht iarnróid an stáit le comhlacht stáit na hIodáile in 2017 le súil go n-infheisteofaí na céadta milliún euro sa ghréasán. In fact, the Greek Minister of Transport resigned yesterday since, he said, he had the political responsibility for railway matters. Go deimhin, d'éirigh Aire Iompair na Gréige as oifig inné ós air, a dúirt sé, a bhí an fhreagracht pholaitiúil as cúrsaí iarnróid. At least 48 people were killed and more than three were injured when a freight train and a passenger train collided at high speed northeast of the city of Larissa in central Greece last night. Maraíodh 48 duine ar a laghad agus gortaíodh os cionn trí scór nuair a bhuail traein lastais agus traein paisineirí faoina chéile agus iad faoi mhórluas soir ó thuaidh ó chathair Larissa i lár na Gréige arú aréir. Because many of the bodies were burned, it is not yet known exactly how many people were killed. De bharr gur dódh go leor de na coirp, ní fios go barainneach fós cé mhéad duine a maraíodh. It is estimated that many young people – students of their establishment – are among the dead. Meastar go bhfuil go leor daoine óga – mic léinn a mbunáite – i measc na marbh. It was reported yesterday that the Larissa station master was accused of gross negligence which was responsible for the death of the 48 people but that he himself claimed that the accident was caused by a technical fault. Tuairiscíodh inné gur cúisíodh máistir stáisiúin Larissa i mórfhaillí arbh é ba chionsiocair le bás an 48 duine ach gur mhaígh sé féin gur fabht teicniúil ba chúis leis an tionóisc. It is reported today, however, that the station master – a 59-year-old man – admitted that he had been negligent in his duties. Tuairiscítear inniu, ámh, gur admhaigh an máistir stáisiúin – fear 59 bliain – go raibh sé faillíoch ina ndualgais. RTÉ News and Current Affairs The scene of the disaster near Larissa Nuacht agus Cúrsaí Reatha RTÉ Láthair na tubaiste in aice le Larissa

David Price, CEO of Rockfire Resources #ROCK discusses how inaugural drilling at its 100%-owned Molaoi zinc/silver/lead/germanium deposit in Greece, has encountered massive sulphides at the predicted depth and position, verifying the historical drilling undertaken by the Greek Government. Highlights · Both massive and semi-massive sulphides have been encountered in Rockfire's first drill hole at a depth and position predicted from historical drill data. · Between 1979 and 1988, 173 diamond drill holes were drilled at Molaoi, as well as metallurgical tests, a feasibility study and the development of a portal and decline to the orebody. The Company's exploration and exploitation permit allows Rockfire to capitalise on this excellent work by the Greek Government to help monetise the project in a timely manner. · The current, first hole (MO_GTK_001) lies between historical drill holes and will serve to provide core for geotechnical test work to feed into a feasibility study. · To encounter massive and semi-massive sulphides at the predicted depth and position verifies the historical drilling and validates the countless hours of mineralisation modelling completed by the Rockfire team. To read the entire RNS click here

News broke this week that Italy is returning a fragment looted from the Parthenon in Athens to the Greek Government. The piece of marble is part of a carving of a draped figure from the eastern side of the Parthenon's frieze. While the chunk seems small, it's significance in the ongoing global debate about repatriation of stolen artefacts is hard to overstate. Alice Procter is an Australian art historian living in London, a city at the heart of the Parthenon drama. She runs "Uncomfortable Art Tours" at six London cultural institutions and hosts a podcast called The Exhibitionist looking at museum culture. She is also the author of The Whole Picture: The colonial story of the art in our museums & why we need to talk about it, which came out in 2020.

2012 Annual Report    Big Cat Rescue is more than just a place that provides permanent care for big cats.  It is a movement;  a change in the tide of human perceptions and is the combined effort of more than 79,000 supporters.  If you are one of them, you are a Big Cat Rescuer and the following is the great work YOU did!  If you haven't helped yet, you can do so now at the top right of the screen or here:  http://bigcatrescue.org/donate   Big Cat Rescue's Mission Statement:  Big Cat Rescue's dual mission is to provide the best home we can for the cats in our care and educate the public about the plight of these majestic animals, both in captivity and in the wild, to end abuse and avoid extinction.  We are Caring for Cats and Ending the Trade   Advances:  With your help we are winning in the battle for compassion! Up until 2003 the number of requests for rescues we had to turn down due to lack of space or funds had roughly doubled every other year, to 312 that year. We feared it would double again to over 500 in 2004. Instead, it has steadily declined since then thanks to the passage of a federal bill and several state bills that restrict the ownership of exotic cats. This year there were “only” 85 big cats who came to our attention as being abandoned.  Note that 69 of them came from failed pseudo sanctuaries.  We were able to take in 7. We offered to take all of the cats who were cougar size or smaller, if their owners would contract to never own another exotic cat, but the rest refused.  We just do not have enough Senior Keeper staff to take on more lions or tigers than the three we took this year.   Volgistics became our new time tracking service on Jan 1, 2012 and has replaced our use of Freshbooks.  Everyone seems to like the big buttons and easy check in and check out process.   Animal Care:  By the end of this year, 96 of our 101 exotic cats are over the age of 12;  80 of those are over the age of 15; and 19 of those are over the age of 20. This is well beyond how long they are designed to live in the wild and much older than most zoo cats.  This is a testament to the excellent animal care we provide, but we are dealing with many more age related illnesses and are losing more of our big cat friends every year.   We use operant conditioning to enable much of our vet care without the necessity of anesthesia, which is very hard on the cats, but despite that, 43 of our animals had to be sedated for vet care in 2012.  We also performed 6 Necropsies:  (most performed for interns, all with Dr. Justin), had 4 high ticket Special Surgeries at Blue Pearl, had 2 intricate specialized surgeries by Dr. Hay, 4 on-site dentals by Dr. Peak and vaccinated 84 cats, in addition to countless trips to Ehrlich Animal Hospital to have the cats treated by our volunteer vet, Dr. Liz Wynn.   Rescues:  With the help of some very special donors we were able to rescue 4 bobcats, two Savannah Cat hybrids and two kittens that were reported to be bobcats, but who turned out to be tail-less Manx.  One of those bobcats was Rufus who came in to a Rehabber on Dec 5 weighing 4 lbs, with a broken jaw, split canine and comatose.  They figured he had been hit by a car, but at 4 lbs couldn't believe that he survived.  After he woke up from the coma he was pretty loopy, but they figured the impact had done brain damage.  They had to wire the jaw shut, tube feed him and removed the broken canine. He appeared to be blind and was having bad and frequent seizures, that ultimately cut his life short, but he touched all of us deeply.   On 12/12/12 we had another perfect USDA inspection.   3 of our Cat-a-Tats were expanded with room additions, four of them had major renovations and five tunnels were installed to join cages to give the cats more room, including our first overhead tunnels.  We constructed new Outdoor Recovery Cage and made major renovations to the Hospital Recovery Cage.  We provided emergency rescue for a fox and a hawk, in addition to the bobcats.   Education:  Our website, BigCatRescue.org underwent a painful renovation from a static html site to a WordPress CMS site during 2010 and 2011.  All of the page names had to be changed to fit the new system which meant a huge drop in traffic and initially a huge drop in inbound links, although, by the end of the year we had gained more than a thousand more inbound links than we had before, so it is going to prove a worth while move.  The site has suffered some major issues and has had to be moved to larger and more powerful servers as our traffic is back up to about 1.5 million new visitors per year.  Our website is primarily an educational tool and according to Alexa we are ranked 445,200 worldwide and 102,750 most visited website in the U.S.  in 2012.  We have 1,110 other sites linking to us.   Our web site addresses local and global concerns about environment and has over 9,213 pages of information, movie clips, sounds, safe interactive online games with a conservation theme and photos.  In any given week the visitors will be from more than 200 countries outside of the U.S.   The information provided has helped wildlife rehabilitators identify animals and obtain proper care instruction, helped officials in smuggling cases to identify rare species of exotic cats being illegally traded and those are just a few of the ways that we know the site has had an impact this year.   We offer about 200 outreach and field trips per year and have committed to offering 12 of them for free each year to lower income schools, but have given 18 such free tours this year and expect that demand will continue to rise with the cost of transportation.  Even when we offer the tours for free, many schools cannot come because they cannot afford the $200.00 fee for their busses.  Our Education Department has been writing grant proposals to raise the money needed for the buses.   Big Cat Rescue has been in the press 125 times, in 42+ states including AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, GA, FL, HI, IA, ID, IO, IN, IL, KY, LA, MA, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, VA, VT, WA, WI & WV and dozens of programs of national or international coverage or in countries other than the U.S.   Award Winning Sanctuary:  Great Non Profit 2012 at Great Non Profits.  We have received this award every year since they started awarding it in 2010 due to the many great reviews we get from visitors and donors each year.  Named as Top Day Trip for Families.  2012 CBS Tampa ranks BCR as one of the top “Day Trips for Families” http://tampa.cbslocal.com/top-lists/best-day-trips-for-families-around-tampa/  Best Place to Work:  Big Cat Rescue was nominated to The Tampabay Business Journal as one of the best places to work.   Legislation/Education:  The steady increase in legislation banning private ownership represents recognition by our society that private ownership leads to massive abuse.  Social values evolve.  It took decades to ban slavery in England and for women to win the right to vote in America.  Those ideas started out as “radical” and were held by a small minority.  Gradually more and more people understood and agreed until they became a part of our value system that we take for granted today.  The same trend is happening with private ownership of exotics.  Gradually more and more people are realizing that this simply leads to widespread abuse of these animals.  The best evidence of this is the accelerating trend in state laws.   Just since 2005 nine more states have passed some level of ban. Sweden, Austria, Costa Rica, India, Finland, Bolivia, Greece, China, the UK and Singapore have all banned or restricted the utilization of big cats in circuses-it's time for the U.S. & South Africa to do the same!   Wins for the Big Cats in 2012: Ohio Bans Private Possession of Most Exotic Cats: On June 5, 2012 the state legislature banned the private possession of dangerous wild animals, including most exotic cats. Those who have the animals must register them but cannot buy or breed more. The only exemptions for breeding are AZA accredited zoos (and ZAA for now, but that needs to change) and sanctuaries that are accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries can continue to rescue wild animals. Up until now Ohio was second (behind FL) in the nation for the number of killings, maulings and escapes by big cats.   • Oprah Announces No Fur in Her O Magazine: The October 2011 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine announced its decision to never feature real fur in the magazine and only use cruelty free materials in its stories, including no leather or exotic skins. This decision was broadly embraced by the readership. • CA, West Hollywood Bans the Sale of Fur: West Hollywood, CA became the first city in the nation to ban the sale of fur. With a three to one vote (with one abstention) the City Council approved the ordinance. The rule faced opposition from the local Chamber of Commerce, whose main trade group, The Fur Information Council, happens to be based in West Hollywood. Nearly half of the 200 stores in town sell at least some fur items and it is estimated to account for approximately $2 million in revenue each year. The measure will take effect on Sept. 21, 2013. • NY, New York City Bars Ban Fur Clad Customers: Bar owner Johnny Barounis, a vegetarian, refuses to allow patrons wearing real fur to enter his trendy bards in Manhattan. His bards include Revision Lounge and Gallery in the East Village, the Back Room on the Lower East Side, and Auction House and Fetch, on the Upper East Side. ”We tell people, you are welcome to come in, but the fur stays out” said Barounis. • Holland: The Holland Circus will no longer include wild animals in their shows. Here is a link to the dutch article: http://www.nu.nl/binnenland/2992728/circus-renz-stopt-met-wilde-dieren.html • UAE Ajman: Jan 2012 became the first emirate to ban the keeping of dangerous animals in private homes. Last July, a two-year-old girl was attacked by a lion cub in Ajman and had to be rescued by a maid. • Greece: Feb 3, 2012 The Greek Government has banned the use of all animals in circuses following a campaign by ADI and the Greek Animal Welfare Fund (GAWF), backed by over 50 local animal protection groups across Greece. The new animal protection law also addresses a number of important issues concerning stray animals. • Bogata, Columbia and Paraguay Ban Wild Animals in Circus Acts June 2012: Hot on the heels of the news last week that the Colombian capital Bogota is to ban all animals in circuses, Paraguay has announced a nationwide ban on wild animals in circuses. Animal Defenders Intenational (ADI) applauds Paraguay for becoming the latest country to ban the use of wild animals in circuses under Resolution 2002/12 passed this week by the Secretary of the Ministry of the Environment (Secretaría del Medio Ambiente). Since ADI launched a major undercover investigation of animals in circuses in South America in 2007, a series of bans have swept across the continent as Governments have acted decisively to end the suffering of these animals. Bans are in place in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and now Paraguay. Legislation for a ban passed its second reading in Colombia earlier this year and legislation for a ban is well advanced in Brazil. • China July 20, 2012: Wildlife conservation and forestry departments of northeast China's Heilongjiang province announced that visitors will soon not be allow to pay for pictures with Siberian tiger cubs in a tiger park.   When our CapWiz account came up for renewal on Dec 31, 2012 we switched to VoterVoice for our CatLaws.com site.  At the time of the move we had 73,503 supporters in our AdvoCat database.  We loved CapWiz, but VoterVoice promises all of the same great tools for half the price so we are going to try them out for 2013 and see how they compare.   Animal Abusers Exposed, Shut Down and / or Fined:  Big Cat Rescue enabled several under cover operations to gather evidence of exotic cats being abused, bred without regard for where they may end up, violations of the Animal Welfare Act that pertains to the cruel treatment of big cats and endangering the public.  This information was presented to the authorities along with affidavits and supporting evidence that we hope will bring an end to much of the suffering in the facilities we selected as being the worst abusers.   • Dade City's Wild Things had complaints about shoving 8-12 week old tiger cubs in the pool and forcing them to swim with patrons who pay 200.00 that resulted in the Florida Wildlife Commission initially taking the position that it was not safe, but then the FWC reversed themselves and said DCWT may continue, what many people find to be cruel abuse, as long as they didn't shove the cubs back in the pool if they climbed out.  Now DCWT staff hold the poor cubs by their tails so that they cannot reach the side to climb out, but the FWC, despite numerous complaints, has failed to shut down these activities. • Inside Edition exposed Joe Schreibvogel of GW Park and the fact that at least 23 tiger cubs died at his facility. • The BBC's Show called America's Most Dangerous Pets with  Louis Therous suggested their show should have been named, America's Most Dangerous Pet Owners. • Animal Planet's Fatal Attractions interviewed Carole Baskin in Tigers Unleashed about dangerous exotic animal owners including Savage Kingdom's Robert Baudy and Lost Creek where Haley Hilderbrand was killed by a tiger while posing with the cat for her high school yearbook photo.   It appears that USDA did not pursue any of the exotic animal abuse cases to conclusion in 2011 or 2012.     Fundraising and Marketing:  Big Cat Rescue was reported favorably in the news 125 times in 2012.   Some of our national press included shows on  CNN,  MSNBC, National Geographic, Animal Planet, Discovery and the History Channel in addition to such publications as USA Today, National Geographic and the New York Post and major media coverage in several other countries as well.   YouTube and Revision 3 were the big news this year.  Revision 3, which is owned by Discovery, contacted us and asked us to be their first animal themed channel.  Thanks to this partnership and cross promotions with Animal Planet, we are experiencing more than 1 million views per MONTH!  By year end we had 359 videos and they received more than 15 million views in 2012.  We ended the year with appx 53,000 subscribers and 53 million views.  Check it out here http://www.youtube.com/bigcatrescue   YouTube Mini Clip Site:  DailyBigCat was launched Nov. 20, 2010 to provide a channel for the mini clips we upload directly from our iPhones.  By year end this site had 3,200 subscribers and 434,000 views.  We surpassed 79,000 fans on Face Book.   2 of 363 million If you search “big cats” our site comes up in position 2 AND 3 out of 363 million competing sites.  We also enhanced our presence on Care2.org and many other such sites.  We now have 500+ contacts in our LinkedIn presence here:  linkedin.com/in/BigCatRescue Our MySpace account now has 7,418 friends. myspace.com/1BigCatRescue  Mavrix Photo began using our photos in Dec. 2012   Google awarded Big Cat Rescue a grant of $40,000 per month in free AdWords. People who love animals love to share their photos and stories.  In 2008 Big Cat Rescue unleashed a Chat Big Cats community but in December of 2012 the underlying provider discontinued the free service.    Big Cat Rescue now has an Endowment Fund to provide a secure future for the cats. The Fund resides at the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay.  We initiated a program with Capitol One so that you can choose one of our beautiful cats for your credit card image and 1% of all of your purchases will be donated to Big Cat Rescue at no cost to you.   We were the Diamond Sponsor for the Taking Action for Animals conference in Washington, DC where more than 1,000 animal activists converged to learn more about legislation to protect animals.  We were a sponsor for Animal Coalition of Tampa's Stride for Strays, as we are every year.   One of Jamie Veronica's photos was accepted by the Fish and Wildlife Service for publication in their 2013 calendar.   We were interviewed by Animal Planet and featured as experts in their series, Fatal Attractions – Tigers Unleashed and another upcoming episode.   An article on Hope the bobcat was featured in Nat Geo Kids Magazine, with a teaser on the cover.   Saving Wild Places for Wild Cats:  In 2012 Big Cat Rescue donated $1500 towards Panthera conservation programs and outfitting rangers in other countries on behalf of our volunteers.   Helping Others: After delivering a couple of free webinars for the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS), and hosting their first in person 2 day Workshop in 2011, Patty Finch asked if the board of GFAS could use our facilities for their meeting. We were delighted to meet the members of the board that we had not met before and were proud to show off Big Cat Rescue to all of them.  Howard Baskin presented on our fundraising streams and the history of Big Cat Rescue and I shared how we use google Apps and how we manage over 100 top notch volunteers.   Big Cat Rescue provided our CatLaws.com service to Animal Coalition of Tampa in their efforts to send a powerful message to the Hillsborough County Commissioners on the subject of TNR.  Trap, Neuter and Return.   As with every year we supplied Free Passes, Certificates for Feeding Tours and Keeper Tours, and Two For One Passes to many other animal causes to use in their fundraising efforts.  We donate primarily to those organizations that are providing services to cats of all sizes.  We do donate to some human related fundraisers as well, but animal causes make up 3% of all charities and yet compete for less than 1% of all donated dollars.   Then and Now: Below are the audited financial statements of Revenue and Expense for the past five years. We pride ourselves in keeping our fundraising and administrative total expenses below 20%. Because our tour revenue exceeds our fundraising and administrative costs, 100% of donations go to Program Expense.   The majority of the increase in Program Expense in 2012 was the cost of lawsuits we filed in furtherance of our mission against what we believe to be one of the most notorious exploiters of tiger cubs. We prevailed in the lawsuit in early 2013. Without the generous support of our donors we could not have sustained this successful effort. Thank you!   Officers and Members of the Board of Directors in 2012 and meetings: • CEO and Founder  Carole Baskin (not compensated by BCR) • President and Chairman of the Board Jamie Veronica (not compensated by BCR for her role as a Director) • Secretary & Treasurer Howard Baskin (not compensated by BCR for his role as a Director) • VP Director Lisa Shaw (not compensated by BCR) • Director Mary Lou Geis (not compensated by BCR) • Pamela Rodriguez (not compensated by BCR) • Darren Kipnis (not compensated by BCR) • Keith Lawless (not compensated by BCR) • Kim Mahoney (not compensated by BCR) These members met for quarterly board meetings at the sanctuary.  The board met 4 times in 2012.   Paid Staff: • Operations Manager & Volunteer Coordinator Gale Ingham • Staff Manager, Editor & Creative Director Jamie Veronica • Gift Shop & Guest Services  Honey Wayton and Kim Dever • Project Manager Chelsea Feeny • Education Director  Willow Hecht • Vernon Stairs Cage Builder and Maintenance • Scott Haller Cage Building Apprentice and Maintenance • PT Operations Manager and Videographer and Social Networking Chris Poole • Director of Donor Appreciation  Jeff Kremer • Assistant to Operations Manager and Staff Relief Person Jennifer Flatt • CFO Howard Baskin • PR Susan Bass • LaWanna Mitchell is an independent contractor who works remotely on web issues. All of our animal care is done by volunteers or by staff who also volunteer time before & after work.   Volunteers:  Big Cat Rescue had 93 volunteers at the end of 2012 who clocked in 37,715 man-power hours in addition to staff, 25 interns (12,700 hours) and 5,658 Volunteer Committee member hours. Volunteers and interns provided roughly the equivalent workforce of 24 more full time staff.  Interesting breakdown of volunteers: We 93 volunteers; 75 women and 18 men.  The youngest 20 years old, the oldest 84 years old.  Between January 1, 2010 and September 10, 2012 Big Cat Rescue had 77 interns from 10 countries and 22 states.   Staff and Volunteer Training:  We want to say a special thank you to all of our staff & volunteers who have just completed their 10th year of service to the cats.  Several of our staff attended the Safe Capture Course, as we do any time they are in Florida.   Get our Financial Reports:  See our IRS 990 and audited financial statement for Big Cat Rescue at http://bigcatrescue.org/finances/  

A top EU official has told the BBC that Greece needs to stop deporting migrants who arrive on their borders before giving them a chance to apply for asylum. Greece have denied this. Stelios Kouloglou is a Member of the European Parliament and says its wrong for the EU to entirely place the blame on Greece. Also on the programme, Google has been fined a record six hundred million dollars by the French authorities in a row over copyright and the Taliban in Afghanistan has warned Turkey that its troops will be considered 'invaders', if they remain at Kabul airport once other NATO troops pull out. ( Pic: asylum seekers in boat Credit : PA)

What is it like to run a business out of your bedroom? In this episode of The Conversationalist Podcast, Sophie sits down with Erifili Gounari, a 21-year-old social media marketer from Athens, Greece. In a conversation that spans a variety of Gen Z topics, including using social media mindfully and how to start conversations that matter, Erfilli describes her unique experience as an entrepreneur in Greece. She offers valuable advice for how to build on your product as a young entrepreneur. Erifili is currently based in Glasgow and has worked on the social media and digital strategies of organizations such as the European Parliament, the Uffizi Museum, the Greek Government, and several startups across various sectors globally. She has a proven track record of helping clients achieve impressive results by optimizing their social media, translating their vision into modern, innovative content. Hoping to bridge the marketing gap between businesses and Gen Z, she launched The Z Link. Here at The Conversationalist, we're on a mission to amplify 1,000,000 Gen Z'ers voices and unify the world, one conversation at a time. On each episode of The Conversationalist Podcast, The Conversationalist Founder and CEO Sophie Beren interviews activists, entrepreneurs, and game-changers from the TC community and experts and thought leaders who are at the forefront of social change. Each conversation invites guests to share their story, their perspectives, and the obstacles they've overcome to get to where they are today. Sophie is here to help break open your echo chamber so that you can unify your world. Now, we want to hear from you! How are you using your voice for good? Join The Conversationalist Community on the Geneva app. You'll be able to make new friends, find new opportunities, and have 24/7 conversations about anything under the sun that matters to YOU! Come and introduce yourself, break the ice, share your hot takes, and so much more. Want to be chosen as our featured hot take on our next podcast? Make sure you're in our community and sharing your thoughts in our hot takes room. Follow The Conversationalist on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok and subscribe to our Youtube Channel to stay up to date on all things Gen Z. Let's unify the world together! Listen to The Conversationalist Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, and more. View the episode transcription here. For a full recap of our podcasts and more info on our guests, check out our blog. We'll see you next week.

Erifili Gounari is a 21 y.o. social media marketer from Athens, Greece, currently based in Glasgow. She has worked on the social media and digital strategies of organizations such as the European Parliament, the Uffizi Museum, the Greek Government, and several startups and other businesses across various sectors globally. Follow The Z Link on Twitter @TZLsocial and Erifili on Twitter @marauders.You can follow Gen Slay @generationslay on IG or Twitter, and we highly suggest following our wonderful host, Emma Havighorst, @emmahavi across all the socials. Especially on Clubhouse -- we're doing some cool things over there, including convos with our guests and other amazing Gen Z-ers! Music, editing, production, and mastering by Jessica Burchett (@jessburchett).

Greek government considering stricter local lockdowns as 11 areas are close to “red alert” status due to the rising rate of coronavirus infections. - Την επιβολή αυστηρότερων μέτρων προκειμένου να περιοριστεί η εξάπλωση του νέου κορωνοϊού, εισηγείται η επιτροπή λοιμωξιολόγων στην Ελλάδα.

Mr. Michael Dritsas, chief of staff of the Deputy Minister for Research and Innovation talks about the creation of www.elevategreece.gov.gr, and how the Greek Government invests and believes in startups to provide an accelerator for the Greek GDP. A transparent and easy database for investors, strategic partners and talent to access the "gems" of Greek Startups.

In addition to the incendiary statements of the Turkish leadership and the responses given by the Greek Government, an intense diplomatic trench has begun between Ankara and Athens at the United Nations' headquarters in New York. - Τα Ελληνοτουρκικά στο επίκεντρο της εβδομαδιαία ανταπόκρισης από την Αθήνα (31.8.2020)

Greece's National Health Organization (EODY) announced a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections to Greece, with dozens of new cases on a daily basis. - Τα αυξημένα κρούσματα του κορωνοϊού στην Ελλάδα, τα Εθνικά θέματα και η οικονομία στο επίκεντρο της εβδομαδιαίας ανταπόκρισης από την Ελλάδα.

From Ibiza to Spain to the Adriatic Sea and the turmoil and overthrow of the Greek Government. More student riots. Ouzo and roasted chestnuts - breaking curfew, being guided along by the spirit of Theseus from Greek Mythology. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/peter-smith05/message

The largest and mostly costly battle of the Greek Civil War takes places in August 1949 in the Vitsi and Grammos mountain range, it results in a victory for the Greek Government forces.  The Greek Communists could have carried on the war but Stalin has the Albanian and Bulgarian Governments disarm the Greek Communists due to his fears of provoking an alliance between Greece, Yugoslavia and the United States which could bring down the Communist regime in Albania.  A brief history of Greece since the Civil War and the story of how the key Greek figures of the war carried on after the war.

On today’s show we’re talking about another of the many distortions that exist in our world. I’ve been to Greece many times. I love the food. I love the weather. I love the islands, and the rich ancient history. My father was born on the island of Rhodes and he was born in a home inside the old walled city in Rhodes. The fortifications date back to the time of the Knights Hospitaler and were built in the 1300’s. My fathers house was built in the 1400’s. Prior to 1910 the island was under Turkish occupation. Then from 1910 until the end of the second world war it was under Italian occupation, before finally being returned to Greece after the war. I love going to Greece. But Greece is a chaotic place. The culture in Greece is one of rebellion. It’s common for traffic violations to happen directly in front of police officers with zero consequence. Greece also struggles to have strong enforcement of tax collection. The underground economy is alive and well. Not surprisingly, Greece is also mired in debt. One sovereign debt crisis after another has befallen the country. The country has struggled to pay its bills. The solution? Each and every time, its creditors have loaned it more money even though it was obvious that they didn’t have the political will to implement the austerity required to improve their balance sheet. But since a default was too distasteful for the creditors, it was easier to loan them more money and kick the can down the road. By the time the next crisis hits, hopefully the decision makers at the bank will be retired and it’s no longer their problem. This week, Greece entered the Negative Club. What is the negative club you ask? Greece sold debt offering less than 0% for the first time on Wednesday in the latest sign of how far investors will go in a hunt for returns amid a global slump in yields. The Greek government issued €487.5 million ($535.31 million) of three-month debt at a yield of minus-0.02%. At a previous auction for bills with similar maturity on Aug. 7, the rate was 0.095%. The move reflects a broader shift in European bond markets in recent years, with investors paying governments from Germany and Switzerland to Italy to hold their money as the European Central Bank cuts borrowing costs to bolster economic growth in the region. That also means investors are being forced to take on more risk to generate returns, with Greece long considered the final frontier. The nation, which emerged in August 2018 from an eight-year international bailout program following a prolonged debt crisis, has been welcomed back into the bond market with strong demand for its debt. While the Greek government so far has issued only very short-term debt at a negative yield, other European governments are borrowing through longer-dated debt that pays no interest. Germany, for example, sold 30-year debt at a negative yield for the first time in August. The yield on the government debt has tracked improvements in the Greek economy, suggesting that debt holders are “not as worried" they’re going to lose money as they were in the past. So the question is would you be willing to lend money to the Greek Government for 90 days and make the bet that they won’t default in the next 90 days? But more importantly, would you be willing to lend money to the Greek Government at negative interest rates, even if it's for only 90 days? Perhaps purchasing a 90 day bond from the Bank of Canada at 1.75% would be a better bet. I know, I know, you would face costs associated with the foreign exchange that would negate any earnings. Europe is a family. Within every family, not all members are an equal credit risk. The very idea of lending money to my cousin who has a spending problem because I don’t know what else to do with my money seems a little crazy.

The United States Government replaces the British Government has the main backer of the Greek Government.  In March 1947 President Harry S Truman addresses congress to announce large scale help in terms of money and weapons for both Greece and Turkey.  Part of that speech that deals with Greece is used.  American military advisors arrive in Greece, they find that Greek National in poor shape to face the Communist menace.  In 1948 the United States government will offer further aid to Greece and other Western European countries as part of the Marshall Plan. 

The Battle of Athens between the British Army and Greek Communists carries on.  British reinforcements and firepower began to turn the tide of the battle in their favour.  A biography of Lieutenant General Scobie, the British Military commander in Greece.  Winston Churchill travels to Athens in Christmas 1944 to show his support for the Greek Government against the Communists.  The Communist kill many of their alleged political opponents in Athens but in February 1945 the Communists agree to lay down their weapons and promise to join the Greek political system.

The Communist controlled ELAS becomes the strongest resistance movement against Axis occupation of Greece during the Second World War.  When in late 1944 the German army pulls out of Greece the Communist take control of most of Greece.  Winston Churchill who is determined to prevent a Communist take over of Greece sends British troops to Greece to aid the Greek Government led by George Papandreou, the Communist are ordered to disarm, they refuse and hold a mass demonstration, at which the Athens Police shot 28 dead.  ELAS fighters attack Police Station, killing Policemen.  Fighting breaks out between ELAS and the British Army.  The British Army is forced into a small pocket in central Athens known in the British press as Scobieland after its commander.  A biography of Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou.   

EN - An interview with Christos Sideris, a volunteer at the Metropolitan Community Clinic of Elliniko, on the services the clinic provides to the poor, uninsured, and unemployed in Greece, and the challenges it faces. Aired November 24-27, 2013.

GR - An interview with Christos Sideris, a volunteer at the Metropolitan Community Clinic of Elliniko, on the services the clinic provides to the poor, uninsured, and unemployed in Greece, and the challenges it faces. Aired November 24-27, 2013.

Ancient Greek Government, written by Mark Cartwright and narrated by James Lloyd: https://www.ancient.eu/Greek_Government/ If you like our audio articles, please support us by becoming a member or donating to our non-profit company: - www.ancient.eu/membership/ - www.ancient.eu/donate/ - www.patreon.com/ahe The ancient Greeks were particularly concerned with such fundamental questions as who should rule and how? Should sovereignty (kyrion) lie in the rule of law (nomoi), the constitution (politea), officials, or the citizens? Not settling on a definitive answer to these questions, government in the ancient Greek world, therefore, took extraordinarily diverse forms and, across different city-states and over many centuries, political power could rest in the hands of a single individual: (monarchies and tyrants) or in a select few (the oligarchies) or in every male citizen: democracy - widely regarded as the Greeks' greatest contribution to civilization.

On this episode of Toilet Talk, Alex Fotiadis and Christian DeKnatel join Bobby and Kevin to talk about Disney World, Straight Outta Compton, and the Greek Government. Later, the guys jam out and rupture their eardrums.

The Greek government plans to propose a new bailout deal with creditors at an emergency Eurozone summit in Brussels today. This comes in the wake of Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis' resignation, after the country voted to reject the terms of a bailout. Experts say the resounding rejection puts the country's euro zone membership into further doubt. For more Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Peter Draper, Managing Director of Tutwa Consulting...

Marilyn Tam, Ph.D. is a Speaker, Author, Consultant, Board Certified Executive/Corporate/Leadership Coach, and Founder and Executive Director of Us Foundation. She was formerly the CEO of Aveda Corp., President of Reebok Apparel and Retail Group; Vice President of Nike Inc. and also a successful entrepreneur who has developed and built four companies. Among her numerous recognition and awards is the Artemis Award from the Greek Government and Euro-American Women's Council, with her image on a Greek postage stamp. Marilyn is featured in many documentary movies including GLOW Project, The Compass, Tapping the Source, and FEMME for her inspiring accomplishments and inner wisdom. She was also recognized as one of the Top 30 Female Entrepreneurs in the USA by Fempreneur magazine. She is also the author of How to Use What You've Got to Get What You Want and Living the Life of Your Dreams. Her mother regarded Marilyn as a waste of a pregnancy and she was abused and mistreated accordingly. As a teen Marilyn left her home in Hong Kong to come to America alone and became an international business success and humanitarian. In The Happiness Choice: The Five Decisions That Will Take You From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be (Wiley; Hardcover & ebook; ISBN: 978-1-1184-9316-8) she shares how anyone can choose to be happy and successful. She shows that happiness is a choice; anyone can find the resources and tools within any circumstance to guide them to a better place. Happiness, as verified by studies at Harvard, Yale and Gallup research is not only good for one's personal health; it increases productivity and creativity too! http://marilyntam.com/   www.UsFoundation.org http://www.fmgradio.com/marilyntam/

Marilyn Tam, Ph.D. is a Speaker, Author, Consultant, Board Certified Executive/Corporate/Leadership Coach, and Founder and Executive Director of Us Foundation. She works globally with Fortune 500 companies, governments and nonprofits, and helps corporations and people find and fulfill their purpose, and provides them with the principles and actions steps towards their goals.  Marilyn was recognized as one of the Top 30 Female Entrepreneurs in the USA by Fempreneur magazine. Among her numerous recognitions is the Artemis Award from the Greek Government and Euro-American Women's Council with her image on a Greek postage stamp. She's also the cofounder and Executive Director of the Us Foundation, one of the partners for the United Nations’ Habitat II, nominated as a candidate for the “Best Practice Award.” Her new book, The Happiness Choice, has received stellar reviews for its wisdom, stories and practicality. The book contain insights from many experts including Jack Canfield, Arielle Ford, Harville Hendrix PhD, Barbara Marx Hubbard and many more. Her book, How to Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want, is in six languages.