Current Events

The increasing level of cooperation between Cyprus and the United States has several countries in doubt, Russia being one of them. The country’s capital recently warned Nicosia, saying that the increasing military cooperation between the island nation and the US to keep away from Russian influence might just backfire and end up with destabilizing consequences for itself.

According to a speech by Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman of the Russian Foreign Ministry, that the American military buildup might just force Moscow to take response measures. She added that her comments were based on special information that DC is planning to make a dominating military presence on the island nation,

Said comment came only two days before Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s a visit to Moscow, and 2 weeks before the United States-backed Greece-Israel-Cyprus trilateral summit.

Increasing military relations between Cyprus and the US have been going on for a while no, with Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades’ declared expectation to have the US express its interest in taking part in said trilateral summit.

Ms. Zakharova also said that the US wants all but to stay hidden – they want to counter the growing Russian influence under the guise of cooperation – in response to the Russian military’s recent successful operations in Syria.

In response to the warning, Nicos Christodoulides, Cyprus Foreign Minister contacted Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister to keep tensions at bay. Prodromos Prodromou, spokesman for the Cypriot government even went on to claim that “militarizing Cyprus” has never been – and will continue to not be their intention.

According to the Turkish Cypriot media, the floods happened due to uninterrupted rain that went on for days. Some resident even went on to claim it as the heaviest they had seen in years.

At least 4 lives were claimed by an accident caused the rains. Said accident occurred when a car carrying 4 people got swept away during the heavy rains.

While Cyprus is known to see some flash flooding every year – even from isolated downpours, sustained floods are rare, if they ever occur.

The bad weather led to the met office issuing a severe 24-hour weather alert warning.

Resident were shocked by the developments, with one claiming how astonishing it was to see the sky go from sunshine to freezing cold with thunder within minutes. Within hours, people began sewing sandbags to keep water from seeping through window seals and under doors.

Social media was abound with images, which showed several scenes, from cars being swept into the sea to vehicles submerged in flood water and water flowing through homes.

The rains caused rivers to burst their banks, which caused damage to people and property in Nicosia and forcefully led to the part-closure of the motorway that linked Kyrenia, a historic harbor city to the northern coast. Schools, offices and even several public buildings were shut down.

The previously American-wide tradition-gone-global, which first came to significance in Cyprus around three years ago, was seen being observed with great pomp in the island nation.

Black Friday refers to the day after Thanksgiving and since 1952 has been known to mark the first day of USA’s shopping season.

The holiday is known for goods being sold at hefty discounts, enticing buyers to wait in lines at store entrances before embarking on a wild shopping spree. While these are mostly done in good spirit, some “fights” have been known to go to an intense level, causing violent incidents. The US alone is said to have faced 10 casualties and 111 injuries caused due to violent incidents on Black Friday sales.

That said, the situation in Cyprus is visibly calmer, partially due to the lower population and partially since discounts on goods on the island nation don’t go to as high as they do in shops in America. Leading online flyer-making and aggregating portal Portofolakis has revealed that Black Friday discount levels in Cyprus have increased alongside the numbers of participating stores from last year’s 20% to around 30-40%, this year. According to Antonis Papadopoulos, Portofolakis’ Marketing Manager, Black Friday is very much a growing tradition in Cyprus, given the entry of “standard players” like Public and Stephanis, along with newer entries from verticals like air travel. The discount shopping section is also on a rise, given the 180 offers and counting on the site’s Black Friday list this year.

Apart from Black Friday, Cyber Monday is also gaining momentum. Cyber Monday refers to the first Monday after Black Friday, where discounts are offered online.

Nicos Anastasiades, the President of Cyprus has publicly apologized for the pardon and subsequent early release of a man, who was previously convicted on grounds of sexually exploiting a minor.

Speaking at an event on fighting sexual abuse against minors, the Cypriot President went off-script and admitted that the decision was indeed hushed and not thought out as properly as it should have been. He added that the error was caused by his belief that sex offenders who were convicted of abused minors above the age of 13 could be released before their due along with other eligible convicts in line with a custom to grant pardons on a new president’s election.

The President was clearly unhappy with the state of affairs and voiced his feelings by saying that corrective steps had been undertaken to make sure that no future president will ever make the same mistake.

The sex offender, who was released six months before his scheduled release after a three-year sentence caused widespread public scorn.

A leading figure from the section has apparently caused widespread alarm by calling another Cyprus invasion, more than forty-four years after the painful partition of the Mediterranean island nation.

According to Meral Aksener’s speech in the Ankara’s parliament, Cyprus has been and shall remain Turkish, and that anything else being said is inaccurate. She went on to predict an open war could be on the horizon given the amount of tension mounting over to exploit oil and gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean area.

Ms. Aksener went on to warn lawmakers that “Aishe may go on holiday again” should the need arise. Said phrase is historic given its use by the Turkish army when launching the invasion of Cyprus back in 1974.

The norther portion of Cyprus is occupied by over 40,000 Turkish troops, who “guard” a a rump state called the “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.” It is unrecognized by all but Turkey.

While several efforts have been made to reconcile the two communities and end the decades-long ceasefire with the Greek south, the island has remained divided and continues to do so.

Aksener aka “she wolf” – as she is called in certain circles – a former interior minister accused the Greek Cypriot government of engaging in “imperialist activity” by solely commissioning energy companies to explore oil and gas.

According to a shocking new statistic revealed as part of a result of a study conducted ibn Cyprus, almost 60 percent of female violence victims never report the incident to anyone.

Cyprus-based Advisory Committee on Prevention and Combating Violence in the Family, which conducted the study – the first of its kind on the island nation – has been urging people to remember and observe the international Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, which begins a two-week period of observance that focuses on the issue of violence against women.

According to the group, violence against women remains one of the most profound violations of human rights on an international level.

Established by a 1999 U.N. resolution, international Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women begins on November 25 and kicks-off a two-week period of campaigning to spread awareness of all kinds of violence against women. The two-week campaigning ultimately culminates in the UN Human Rights Day on December 10th.

According to statistics obtained thus far, violence against women is a commonplace occurrence in a majority of households, not just in Cyprus but all over the world. They happen irrespective to a woman’s age, race, religion and sexual orientation, and in some cases even their socio-economic background, education, and marital status.

According to a news report by the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), The Church of Saint Anne in Famagusta has been restored to its former glory. Dated from the 4th century, the restoration was done by a team of experts with members from Greek as well as Turkish Cypriot communities.

Said community, called the “Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage” was the one to announce that the Church, along with Tanner’s Mosque, also located in Famagusta, will be handed over to the authorities in a special ceremony.

Takis Hadjidemetriou, the Greek Cypriot Head of the Technical Committee, made the announcement of the Church’s restoration. He added that other places in the city of Famagusta will be restored in the near future. Plans include restoration of monuments, part of the ancient city wall, and of course, and churches and places of worship.

A well-known ceramics teacher was murdered in Turkish Cyprus.

Hasan Işık Özgöçmen’s body was found in a wooded area in the North Cyprus’ Iskele district on Sept. 30.

The Demirören News Agency has reported that the 53-year-old ceramics teacher was strangled to death, and his body had been abandoned in the woods.

The Cyprus Police have launched a high-profile investigation to catch the murdered, and in their pursuits, have an abandoned car 150 meters away from the body and near the coast.

Mr. Özgöçmen, taught at the Atatürk Vocational High School and was known to organize the 2nd International Vounous Ceramics Symposium. He has been a resident of Northern Cyprus since the island nation’s division in 1974.

The region, called the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus received it’s independence on November 15^th of 1983. It is, however, not recognized by the UN or by any other country other than Turkey.

The Greek Cypriot father and son duo, who were previously arrested in Turkish Cyprus, have been released from police custody.

Charged and detained on grounds of illegally crossing into a military zone, 47-year-old Anastasis Martis and his 25-year-old son Michalis were fined for their “offense.”

The two, who a driving in the area of Strovilia on Saturday afternoon when they were arrested, appeared before a Turkish-Cypriot judge and were fined 1,500 Turkish Lira (215 euros) before being released from police custody.

Both father and son were on a mission to visit at their ancestral home, which is located in Turkish Cyprus. Theirs was one of the several families which was forced to leave the area during the period of Turkey’s invasion.

Cyprus’ Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has asserted that Turkey will continue to drill for gas off the Cyprus coast, regardless of any and all circumstances to make sure that resources are being shared fairly.

Speaking at a university in the Eastern Mediterranean on the topic of law and politics.  Foreign Minister Cavusoglu warned that Cyprus will not allow for the rights of Turkish Cypriots be infringed upon and that Turkey will not be allowed to pursue drilling activities unilaterally.

According to the state-owned Anadolu news agency, whose report documented the entire incident, Foreign Minister Cavusoglu went on claim that their only aim is to share resources on a fair basis, and not fight with people.

Cavusoglu also spoke critically on Turkey’s involvement in the Cyprus issue, saying how insensible for Turkey to sit down simply to restart negotiations on Cyprus reunification.

Nikos Voutsis, Parliamentary President of Greece presented the first 4 volumes of the “Cyprus File” to Prokopios Pavlopoulos, President of the Hellenic Republic.

Prepared for over two years, the volumes contain all notes of the Special Examining Committee, which was set up over thirty-three years ago to investigate the turn of events that culminated into the ultimate division of the island nation.

President Voutsis announced that the project, which had originally started in 2015 when would be available on the Greek parliament’s website in the near future. He added that having the material available to both the Greek and the international public will help ignite a movement to collect more similar material which in turn will help restore the historic memory of the island nation.

President Pavlopoulos, who was highly appreciative of the gesture, emphasized on the importance of an informed international public opinion. He spoke about how important it was for the details of something as traumatic as Cyprus’ division to be known to the public. He went on to congratulate both the Greek President and parliament, as well as the Cyprus’ House of Representatives on their initiative.

With the low-pressure system having wreaked havoc over Greece with constant storms, hail and lowering temperatures, Cypriot were fair to assume to have to face as similar fate.

As it turns out, however, that all Cyprus may have to face is its temperature going down by a few degrees.

According to Kleanthis Nicolaides, director, met service, it is completely safe to not expect any sort of extreme weather phenomena. At most, the island can expect moderate to heavily clouded skies and some rain. Even that will be expected to clear up soon with the weather going back to normal.

That being said, the met director added that despite not bearing the worst of the storms, Cypriots must prepare to experience colder temperatures for a few days at the very least.

Mustafa Akinci, Turkish Cypriot leader had allegedly threatened to resign over the Cyprus issue, rather than taking another course that would help resolve and reunite the divided island nation.

According to the daily Kibris Postasi, Mr. Akinci, who made the statement last April on a visit of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to the north, said that would not accept any solution that is not a federal system.

The fact was revealed by Erhan Arikli, chairman of the Rebirth party. Also present at the dinner, Mr. Arikli was the one who prompted the Turkish foreign minister to discuss a two-state solution and confederation, which in turn spurred Akinci to make his statement.

The Turkey-Cyprus-Ankara maritime relations are already very strained, and if the latest developments are anything to go by, they might not resolve as soon as expected.

According to several sources, the Turkish survey ship Barbaros was spotted off of Cyprus’ western coast, post Ankara’s issuance of navigational telex which stated the country’s intention to conduct gas exploration inside Cyprus’s special economic zone.

The vessel was spotted in a location that lies 70 nautical miles off the island nation’s western coast – somewhere between Crete and Paphos. Ironically, this happened less than a day after Washington urging Turkey to not take actions which would further exacerbate tension in the Eastern Mediterranean.

An armed robbery was completely foiled by it’s to-be victim store owner.

The Belgian store owner, in a bid to save his store, asked the thieves to return later as there was no money in the till. The gang of thieves, quite surprisingly, did return later – to be unwittingly arrested by police officers waiting for their return.

The event surprised all, including the police, as to the possibility of such things happen in this day and age.

A 29-year-old Somali woman and asylee in Cyprus reunited with her six-year-old daughter after over three years of being separated.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 29-year-old Samia was reunited with her daughter, Manar at Larnaca airport where the girl arrived to meet and live with her mother.

According to IOM Cyprus’ written statement, the woman’s journey to Cyprus was laden with difficulties. She has, however, managed to have secure a safer and brighter future for both her and her daughter.

This event is indeed landmark, being the first time ever of IOM Cyprus helping a Somali family, and the second time ever the organization facilitating a family reunification.

Ms. Samia, who had applied for – and received asylum in Cyprus, had applied for family reunification to bring her sole-daughter Manar to the island nation. Manar was previously staying with her grandparents in Mogadishu.

In the landmark attempt, both the IOM’s Somalia and Cyprus branches joined forces to assist her.

Two Russian tourists were killed due to their rental car having gone off a cliff in the Akamas.

The two, who were man and wife and aged 58 and 48 respectively, were killed due to their rental car going off a cliff and plunging straight into the Akamas area’s rocky coast in Paphos.

A boat from the marine police collected the bodies and took them to Latchi harbour and transferred them to Paphos general hospital. The hospital conformed them dead on arrival.

The couple, who were said to be holidaying after a long period, lost their lives days before their departure from the island nation, which they were touring. Their rental car was spotted by a passer-by, who soon informed the police, and directed them to a cliff in the Kakoskali area near the Baths of Aphrodite.

Andrey Turukhano, champion spearfisher and captain of the St. Petersburg team died in Cyprus while doing some underwater hunting.

According to Filleteferos, a Cypriot newspaper, Mr. Turukhano, 46, was found in the waters of Lara beach on the Akamas Peninsula.

Cyprus Police has said that Mr. Turukhano, had dived into the sea from his inflatable boat to spearfish as his wife remained on the boat. Quite notably, Mr. Turukhano did not use any oxygen bottles. At some point, he came to the surface while signaling for help and lost consciousness not much later. After his wife began to call for help, Mr. Turukhano was dragged out of the water by vacationers and transported to Paphos hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival by the doctors.

The autopsy later revealed that the Russian athlete has died due to asphyxiation from drowning

According to social networks, the individual who is no longer with us was a sports enthusiast, involved in many different areas of expertise including several world level contests in fishing as well as part of a national Russian team.

Nicos Anastasiades, the President of Cyprus, has arrived in New York to attend the UN General Assembly and meetings with Cypriot American organizations.

Anastasiades, who will stay for a week in New York, is scheduled to visit the UN keynote address and meet with the Secretary General of the UN as leaders of other nations.

Besides being involved with the General Assembly, President Anastasiades will also be participating in the upcoming Nelson Mandela Peace Summit. He will be addressing the 2nd Capital Link Forum before leaving for New York.

Accompanying President Anastasiades would be Nikos Christodoulides, Foreign Affairs Minister of Cyprus. The latter, however, won’t be with the President all of the way, and will be in separate meetings with counterparts from other countries, including (but not limited to Nikos Kotzias of Greece.

It has been found that the man in Turkish Cyprus who has been arrested on counts of espionage took 201 photos of Turkish soldiers in a time period of 16 days.

Mehmet Besimoglu, 70, was arrested and detained in Famagusta recently by the Turkish Cypriot police after they allegedly found evidence of him working as a spy for Greek Cypriots.

This came after Mr. Besimoglu admission in his police testimony explaining how the took photos of Turkish soldiers as well as the military base and delivered them to a Greek Cypriot.

The same was confirmed by other sources of the judiciary, who added that the photos were taken in a span of 16 days.

Besimoglu has been called out for providing images to a potential Greek Cyprus agent, and with which, according to phone records, he was said to be constantly communicating.

This incident is an added burden to the Cyprus situation. The island country has remained divided since 1974, after a Greek Cypriot coup and subsequent violence against the Turkish citizens along with the intervention of Ankara as a guarantor power.

The incident led to the declaration of an “independent” Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on Nov. 15, 1983, which is only recognized by Turkey as independent.

Attempts to reunite the two sides have only resulted in failure – the latest being the failure of a two-year negotiation that disintegrated in July 2017.