Current Events

Cyprus’ pharmaceutical services have recalled all medications that contain ranitidine due to concerns that It has possible links with cancer.

The measure has been taken in response to FDA’s announcement of the detection of low levels of NDMA – a carcinogen that is probably present in ranitidine. Tests done on animals have shown that NDMA does indeed have risks of inducing cancer in those consuming it.

Commonly taken for heartburn and minor digestive issues, ranitidine’s main function is to block stomach acid. Products that contain ranitidine include were Zantac injection and tablets, Lumaren injection and tablets, Ranitidine Accord tablets, and Verlost oral solution.

The cease will continue till the European Medicines agency makes its own tests to determine the actual safety of the drug – or lack thereof.

For now, patients who are on said medications on a regular basis have been advised to visit their doctor and/or pharmacist to get tested for issues or to get prescribed an alternative medication.

Both European and U.S. drug regulators are currently reviewing the safety of ranitidine after having made the shockingly breakthrough discovery.

A series of explosions at an army ammunition depot in Cyprus left at least 12 injured and several fleeing to save their lives.

Tourists described what seemed like “several fireballs rising” from the Turkish military base, where a fire has been determined as the cause for the blasts. According to several witnesses who were at the scene, there a large number of deafening bangs were head and many pieces of shrapnel were seen flying and falling around.

The blasts, which happened in the village of Catalkoy in the Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus practically shattered the windows of the Acapulco Hotel nearby, leaving several injured. Most of the injured were guests. Needless to say, the Acapulco Hotel was considerably damaged due to the blasts.

Kudret Ozersay, Foreign Minister for Turkish Cyprus later announced on Facebook that the area was cordoned off due to continued explosions at the military base. Additionally, guests at the Acapulco Hotel were evacuated and moved to a safer spot.

The  Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEB) General Director Michalis Antoniou has announced that the OEB has openly asked the government for six tax reliefs, that amount to €500 million annually combined.

Speaking at a working breakfast, General Director Antoniou explained to journalists how said proposed tax reliefs will help increase state revenue by €650 million in the next three years and add at least 9,000 new jobs within the same time period.

Proposals include – abolition of employers’ contribution to Social Cohesion Fund, reduction of percentage of the employers’ contributions to the Protection of Employees’ Rights Fund and the Redundant Employees Fund in the event of an employer’s insolvency, resetting the natural persons’ tax rate, Reduction of interest rate of deposits on national defense contribution from 30% to 15%, Abolition of €350 compulsory company fee to the Official Registrar, and finally, the abolition and/or reduction of deemed dividend distribution.

George Petrou, board chairman of the OEB said that the conditions now being mature enough for tax reliefs in return to payments to the island’s fledgling General Health Scheme (Gesy), businesses can now maintain their edge.

Both France’s Total and Italy’s ENI are now approved to legally explore Block 7 of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) – and legally conduct nine different drilling operations over the following two years.

EEZ Block 7’s access, which is also claimed by Turkey was finalized in a cabinet meeting – the companies had originally applied for the access in November 2018.

Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone is divided into thirteen blocks. Thus far, Turkey claims to have drilling rights in various parts of blocks 1, 4, 6 and 7.

A statement from Energy Minister Fatih Dönmez has revealed that that a second Turkish drillship – the Yavuz will be starting to drill for gas and oil off of Cyprus’ coast. The ship, which was sent by Turkey on the 20^th of June, 2019 will be exploring up until the Karpasian peninsula.

The Yavuz was escorted by Turkish unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as the Barbaros frigate, one of Turkey’s premier warships. The ship has also had of F-16 jets saluting Yavuz, which have promptly been shared on social media.

The first of such vessels, the Fatih, is currently drilling in the search for oil and gas off of Cyprus.

It is a notable fact that Turkey has continued its drilling process, despite warnings from several EU states. Turkey has, however – and continues to – assert that it – along with Ankara do have the right to drill off of the Mediterranean area – Cyprus included.

A woman stabbed her 12-year-old son to death and thereafter attempted to commit suicide.

The act was discovered when the woman’s husband and child’s stepfather, a Greek Cypriot man of 52 years of age, could not enter his own flat on account of the locked door and no answers on knocking. A traffic policeman himself, he called the fire department, who broke in through the window to discover the child dead in his bed, along with the woman unconscious in the hall.

Medical examination proved that the child was killed from being strangulated by his mother. Other wounds and corresponding sharp objects were also found, which is determined to probably have been used in the crime.

The woman, who was found injured and unconscious was taken to Nicosia General Hospital by ambulance, where she had to undergo surgery, he said. The 40-year-old Kazakhstani woman, who committed the crime in Yeri, Nicosia, is currently serious but not critical condition.

In what is being considered a very interesting development in the Cypriot community, Cyprus will be getting a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to name an exoplanet.

Coming right after the accession of the Cyprus Space Exploration Organization’s (CSEO) to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the process of naming will start with a crowd-based campaign. A press conference to be held at a later date will announce other details such as timeframes, the details of the exoplanet, and of course, what the name itself will be.

Founded in 1919 the IAU aims of safeguard and promote the interests of the astronomy community all over the world via international cooperation. It currently stands as the largest body in the world serving the interests of astronomers. Members includes professional astronomers from the world over.

In addition to the above, the IAU functions to assign designations to and surface features on celestial bodies.

In a tragic accident that has many in Cyprus in mourning a 62-year-old man has by falling from a scaffolding in an under-construction building.

According to a statement from the labor inspection department, Demitris Georgiou fell from the scaffolding on the 4^th floor – at a height of 10 meters from a building in Limassol that was under construction.

Work was halted at the site the moment the incident took place. According to Inspector Kypros Kyprou, who conducted the preliminary investigation, the platform that Georgiou was working on was rather narrow and had no side rails.

Crime has been on the rise in Cyprus, but the latest development proves that so has the justice system. The suspect for the murder of 52-year-old Gökhan Naim has been remanded for three days by a court in North Cyprus.

The suspect, İmran Arşad – a citizen of Pakistan, was transferred by the Greek police to their Turkish Cypriot counterparts. He has run away to government-controlled areas after having gunned down Naim just outside of his residence in Nicosia.

Another suspect, Azmad Ali Virk, was later handed over to Turkish Cypriot police by the Greek police. Additionally, another two were arrested in connection with the shooting, bringing the total number to four.

In what is being considered a landmark move in the science and technology department, the Department of Land and Survey in Cyprus has partnered with signed an agreement with Erathosthenes SA from Greece and Sintegra SAS from France to take on a project taking aerial photos of Cyprus that are more enhanced and accurate.

The project, which is expected to continue for a year will be conducted with the purpose of providing high-precision aerial photos of the island nation with the help of precision software and cutting-edge technology. Data collected in the process will be admitted to land information system – it will be an open source resource and can be used by department staff, government staff, private companies and even citizens.

The new and more accurate photos will allow the police to better investigate difficult cases by using cartographic data that is more reliable and accurate.

In addition to the ten Kuwaitis arrested for the brawl at Ayia Napa, two additional arrests have been made.

The two arrested are a 30-year-old UK national and a 37-year-old South African national. Both were in connection with the incident which left the victims seriously injured.

The incident involved a group of people – mostly Kuwaiti and British nationals, who started a fight in a hotel complex in Ayia Napa in the presence of at least 250 persons. Starting near the swimming pool, the fight was stopped by security guards, but only temporarily, as it resumed outside the hotel complex itself.

The incident left two Britons severely wounded, who were later taken to Famagusta hospital for treatment. Also among the injured, were some Kuwaitis, albeit less so with scratches and bruises only. In the meantime, the Kuwaiti nationals arrested were remanded for 6 days.

In what is being considered a new development in the process of reopening of the city of Varosha (Maraş), a group of journalists from Turkey have made a visit to the closed city.

The visit to the city, which has been closed to outsiders since 1974, was organized by the Foreign Ministry as well as the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister the Turkish Northern Cyprus.

The journalists were accompanied by special guides, given that only Turkish army members have the right to enter the ghost town. Also accompanying them was Abdulhamit Gül, the Justice Minister of Turkey.

As a part of the initiative to reopen Varosha, which has essentially been a ghost town since 1974, the Turkish Cypriot government has announced its decision to undertake ownership inventory work there.

In accordance with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu’s announcement, a fourth research vessel from Turkey – the Oruc Reis – has set sail towards Cyprus.

The vessel, which started its journey from a port in Istanbul was reportedly on its way to another in Tasucu opposite to Cyprus’ northern coast, where it will be refueling before resuming its activities.

The plan for the Oruc Reis is to apparently and ultimately encircle the island nation of Cyprus – the Yavuz and Fatih drill ships are already active in the island nation’s eastern and western coast respectively while the Barbaros is on its way to the south.

In the meantime, Greek authorities in Athens are making their attempts to assess whether the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan does actually plan to create a crisis situation, or is simple sizing up its neighbors.

A spokesman for the Cyprus’ government has announced that President Nicos Anastasiades will be undergoing surgery to repair the femur fracture, otherwise known as a thighbone fracture, that he has sustained on his right leg.

The Spokesman, Mr. Prodromos Prodromou made a written statement saying that the procedure was completely safe and sound and posed no threat to the health of the president – general or otherwise. According to Mr. Prodromou, President Anastasiades suffered the fracture while he was in Limassol.

The 72-year-old President Anastasiades, who is presently in the second year of the second consecutive term as president, has previously undergone a heart surgery to repair dodgy heart valves back in December 2014.

After seeing the considerable impact filming has on a country’s perception and economy, Cyprus too is making its own set of efforts to establish itself as a filming destination for film makers far and wide.

Branding their work as Olivewood, the island nation has decided to offer lucrative incentives to film makers who choose to film in the country. Incentives are many, and include seamless paperwork process, less red tape, tax credit of up to 35 percent, and cash rebates of up to 35 percent as well. is

According to Antonis Antoniou, a contributor for Forbes, not only is the effort lucrative because of the incentives in question, they extend beyond films and to other media formats such as mini-series, TV series, Made-for-TV movies, documentaries, and animations. The aim here is not just to attract film makers but to attract new talent and capital from producers all over the globe.

Mr. Antoniou also remarked on the smart move of naming the industry as ‘Olivewood,’ much on the lines of Bollywood and Hollywood, paying reference to the famous olive fields of the island nation.

Two films are currently undergoing shooting in Cyprus – William Baldwin-starrer ‘S.O.S: Survive or Sacrifice’ and Nicolas Cage-starrer ‘Jiu-Jitsu.’

An undisturbed Roman shipwreck has been discovered off of Cyprus’ southern coast.

The antiquities department has announced that the shipwreck – the first ever discovered in Cyprus – was filled with transport amphorae, is undisturbed, and is in all possibility from Cilicia and Syria.

Originally spotted near the Protaras beach resort by volunteer divers from an archaeological research team as a new unidentified object in the water, the “object” was later found to be the shipwreck. Not much later did the antiquities department announce that it has secured funding for a complete investigation, pending commencement soon. They are also working on proper protection and documentation for the site.

An amphora is a special kind of Roman jar that is narrow at the neck and is made to store liquids such as wine and oil.

Cyprus Police have revealed that a bomb has exploded in a company vehicle in the Limassol area.

The police, who are currently investigating the situation, said that the explosion took place in the early morning hours and the reason behind it was a low-level Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that was placed on a lorry which was parked in an open area in Ayios Ioannis.

The police are currently treated the incident as an attempt of vandalism with explosives. Limassol CID is continuing their investigation into the matter.

Jurgen Stock, Secretary-General of Interpol has publicly praised of Cyprus and called it a “very safe” country.

According to Mr. Stock, the fact that millions of tourists choose the island nation as their ideal holiday destination is itself testament to the fact that it is safer than many. He further added that the level pf cooperation between Interpol and Cyprus is one of the best within the police community, and serves as an ideal model to follow for several other nations.

Meeting with Justice Minister Giorgos Savvides, Mr. Stock discussed mutual issues of interest and exchanged ideas and opinions on areas where either side could cooperate – or cooperate better.

Stock further added that the purpose of his Cyprus visit is to further strengthen the level of cooperation between the two entities, and that he is looking forward to it happening.

A missing Nigerian man’s body has been found in the boot of a car.

The man, identified as Obasanjo Adeola Owoyale, went missing on the 1^st of July, and was discovered more than a day later.

According to initial investigations, Mr. Owoyale was probably killed elsewhere, wrapped in a blanket, and then stuffed in the car boot where his body was discovered by police officers. The police officers had gone to check when multiple people in the area reported of a very foul smell coming out of the car.

The police are currently studying security camera footage within the area to find out if any suspects may have been caught on video.

The Meteorological Office of Cyprus has issued its second another yellow alert, warning residents of the sudden and ongoing rise in temperature. According to the Met Office, the maximum temperature is set to hit 32 C near the Troodos’ peaks area, and 41 C in the inland area. Said warning shall remain in full force from 11 am to 5 pm.

Additionally, the Health and Labor Ministries both issued warnings requesting employers, workers, and vulnerable groups to be careful of the weather and stay indoors and out of the way of the heat.

In the meantime, The Forest Department made a red alert, citing the high risk of fires as the reason.