RADIO advertisements about the two performances of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, held at the new Strovolos municipality theatre, included a reminder/warning — that everyone should be in their seats by 8.15pm. This was a peculiar announcement, given that the advertised start-time for the performance was 8.30pm.
POLITIS: “We will stand by you solution or not” Talks were held by Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou regarding the elections in the north. He noted the need for a decision to be made by the Greek Cypriots regarding the Annan plan in order for Cyprus to move forward into talks with the European Union.
CYPRIOTS are losing patience with institutions on the island, a survey released yesterday has found. The services offered by the public sector, the running of hospitals and the Church have all been rated for the most part as negative, while there has also been a general decrease in positive assessments for other institutions. Likewise, the survey shows declining trust in politics and politicians.
CYPRUS is seeking from the EU the recognition of the humble ‘kolokasi’ as a root vegetable unique to the island. The crop – a kind of sweet potato – does not exist on EU agricultural produce lists as it is not cultivated anywhere else in the European Union.
TOURISM and Culture Minister Pefkios Georgiades yesterday announced the government’s plans to go ahead with the construction of a £30 million official Cultural Centre in Nicosia. Building work on the project is expected to begin in two and a half years’ time and should be complete within five years.
CONCERT-goers are being read the riot act as organisers try to instil a sense of discipline and respect among unruly audiences in Cyprus. This week, Britain’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra had two performances at the Strovolos theatre in Nicosia as part of the government’s flagship Kypria festival.
THE CYPRUS Association for the Protection of Horticulture has begun an awareness campaign aimed at farmers and pesticide salesman over the abuse of common agricultural substances widely used to poison dogs and cats The poisoning of strays has become a widespread problem in Cyprus – with domestic pets often caught in the crossfire, and fears that a child could be one day be hurt or even kill
POLICE were yesterday continuing investigations into the whereabouts of 52-year-old escaped convict Andreas Onoufrios, amidst daily reports of sightings. Although all reports were investigated, none had not led to the convicted bomber from Limassol, police spokesman Demetris Demetriou told the Cyprus Mail.
THREE Greek men arrested in the north on Wednesday and accused of spying on military facilities were released yesterday. According to police and UNFICYP spokesman Brian Kelly, the deputy Mayor of Anoyia in Crete, Ioannis Chairetis, 71, as well as members of the municipality, Sophocles Chairetis, 65, and Emmanuel Skandalis, 39, crossed back to the south of the island yesterday afternoon.
GREEK Foreign Minister George Papandreou yesterday told Turkish Cypriots that the Greek side wanted them to be part of the large European family and active citizens of the European Union. He added Greek and Turkish Cypriots’ safety would be safeguarded by participation in the European Union rather than by occupation troops.
The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.
