Bedbug hoax targeting tourists in Greece, authorities warn

Published

11 months ago

December 7, 2023

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Greece’s health ministry has asked police to help tackle bedbug hoaxers trying to scare foreign tourists out of some Athens short-term rental apartments.

On Tuesday, the ministry issued a statement that said “absolutely false” posters were put up outside apartment buildings in the city centre, complete with fake ministry and Athens municipality logos.

The posters claimed health authorities had ordered local “private guesthouses” to be evacuated “to protect the public health of permanent Greek tenants.”

Warnings were addressed to visitors and were written in misspelled English.

Referring to a non-existent bedbug infestation, visitors were told to leave their accommodation and threatened with a 500 euro fine (£428) for failure to do so. This was followed by a message wishing visitors a pleasant stay in Greece.

The health ministry has informed the police “to do what is necessary” to combat the hoax, saying “nobody is allowed to terrorise and misinform the public” on public health issues.

Greece has not reported any major bedbug infestations, despite recent outbreaks in France.

An increase in short-term apartments mainly for foreign visitors, coupled with the cost of living crisis, has worsened housing problems in Athens and other parts of Greece.

Many locals have become priced out of residential areas in central Athens, where there has been a surge in long-term rental costs for Greeks.

Greece’s “golden visa” program, launched in July 2013, offers a five-year residency visa to foreigners in return for an investment in real estate – which has also contributed to spiralling property values.

Tourism plays a key part in driving Greece’s economy and accounts for a fifth of annual output.

Next year is expected to be a record year for arrivals.

World

Elon Musk hints 80-hour-a-week DOGE job for ‘high-IQ revolutionaries’ will be unpaid

Published

5 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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Elon Musk hints 80-hour-a-week DOGE job for 'high-IQ revolutionaries' will be unpaid

“Super high-IQ revolutionaries” who are willing to work 80+ hours a week are being urged to join Elon Musk’s new cost-cutting department in Donald Trump’s incoming US government.

The X and Tesla owner will co-lead the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

And in a post on X, the official DOGE account put out a call to arms for people to sign up and help “dismantle government bureaucracy”.

The post said: “We are very grateful to the thousands of Americans who have expressed interest in helping us at DOGE.

“We don’t need more part-time idea generators.

“We need super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting.

“If that’s you, DM this account with your CV. Elon & Vivek will review the top 1% of applicants.”

In a reply to an interested party, Mr Musk suggested the lucky applicants would be working for free.

“Indeed, this will be tedious work, make lost of enemies & compensation is zero,” the world’s richest man wrote.

“What a great deal!”

When announcing the new department, President-elect Donald Trump said Mr Musk and Mr Ramaswamy “will pave the way for my administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies”.

Mr Musk has previously made clear his desire to see cuts to “government waste” and in a post on his X platform suggested he could axe as many as three-quarters of the more than 400 federal departments in the US, writing: “99 is enough.”

World

At least 10 dead after fire rips through retirement home in Spain

Published

5 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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At least 10 dead after fire rips through retirement home in Spain

At least 10 people have been killed after a fire broke out at a retirement home in northern Spain in the early hours of this morning, officials have said.

A further two people were seriously injured in the blaze at the residence in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in Zaragoza, according to the Spanish news website Diario Sur.

They remain in a critical condition, while several others received treatment for smoke inhalation.

Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the residence – the Jardines de Villafranca – at 5am (4am UK time) on Friday.

Those who were killed in the fire died from smoke inhalation, Spanish newspaper Heraldo reported.

The residence is home to 82 elderly residents.

The blaze started in one of the rooms, Fernando Beltran, the national government’s top official in the region, told reporters.

All of the victims were elderly residents, he added.

Fire crews, paramedics and police officers remain on site, said a spokesperson for the regional government of Aragon who confirmed the fatalities.

It took firefighters several hours to extinguish the blaze, they said.

The cause of the fire is unknown and is being investigated.

World

At least 10 dead after fire rips through retirement home in Spain

Published

11 hours ago

November 15, 2024

admin

At least 10 people have been killed after a fire broke out at a retirement home in northern Spain in the early hours of this morning, officials have said.

A further two people were seriously injured in the blaze at the residence in the town of Villafranca de Ebro in Zaragoza, according to the Spanish news website Diario Sur.

They remain in a critical condition, while several others received treatment for smoke inhalation.

Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at the residence – the Jardines de Villafranca – at 5am (4am UK time) on Friday.

Those who were killed in the fire died from smoke inhalation, Spanish newspaper Heraldo reported.

The residence is home to 82 elderly residents.