Physical sciences

A surge in gold purchases by central banks to the highest since 1967 helped push global demand for the metal up 4 percent last year, the World Gold Council (WGC) said on Jan. 31.

The Romanian Presidency at the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament have reached a provisional agreement regarding the reduction of the exposure of workers to carcinogens and mutagens, informs the Council of European Union on Tuesday.

The last four years have been the world's hottest since record-keeping began, with 2018 the fourth warmest on record, according to data published Thursday by US research group Berkeley Earth, reports AFP. 

The European Commission on Thursday sent a formal notice to Greece, warning authorities over pollution levels in Athens and saying that they need to take action "to ensure good air quality and safeguard public health."

A moderate earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale shook the southeastern Aegean on Thursday afternoon, and especially the island of Rhodes.

The Geodynamic Institute put the 4.30 p.m. tremor's epicenter some 47 miles off the island's east coast.

There were no reports of injuries or damage. 

 Since yesterday mobile teams of the Ministry of Tourism have been monitoring what is happening with the coastal dunes, instead of waiting for the summer season, Minister Nikolina Angelkova told BTV in the morning.