CYPRIOTS place are seriously worried about climate change, a European survey showed this month, with more than two thirds of them rating it as the gravest problem currently faced by humanity. In the choking traffic jams of gas-guzzling 4x4s, one could be forgiven for being sceptical of such fears, yet such concern at a long-term global phenomenon in a society often accused of short-term parochialism is revelatory of the distance the world has travelled since the last big climate talks more than a decade ago in Kyoto.

A SEARCH and rescue operation from air, land and sea was in full operation last night off the coast of Limassol after a 16-year-old boy was declared lost at sea.
The 16-year-old was training at the Yachting Club in Ayios Tychonas with his coach and co-athletes in preparation for a January competition. At around 4.15pm, police were alerted to the fact that the 16-year-old was the only person not to return to shore with his yacht. 
The authorities scrambled two helicopters and three navy boats to begin the search for the teenager while a number of fishing boats, and a vessel from the Fisheries Department also joined in. Members of the police and fire service were mobilised to stand on the coastline looking for any signs of the missing 16-year-old from shore.

OUR ESTABLISHMENT had initially considered not writing anything about the bizarre theft of the Ethnarch’s remains, for fear of not getting the tone right, and leaving itself open to charges of insensitivity and lack of respect for the dead by the pious custodians of his memory.
After much soul-searching and a couple of stiff drinks, we decided that we would be letting our customers down if we did not offer our worthless views about the freakiest local story of the year, perhaps of the decade. Digging up a grave and running away with the remains of a former president, was a unique event in world history that put Cyprus in all the international news. How could a local, weekly column ignore it?

THREE PEOPLE were arrested in Paphos yesterday in connection with charges of attempting to break into a bank. The three, aged 35, 38 and 39 all come from Limassol.
Police were tipped off at around 1.30am yesterday that a suspicious-looking person with a covered face had been seen walking around the Paphos Central Co-op Bank. Police arrived at the scene to find that the shop situated next to the bank had been broken into. At the same time, they saw two people wearing hoods coming out of a nearby car and walk towards the shop entrance.

WHATEVER became of Marios Matsakis? The former firebrand politician has withdrawn from public life – and the public eye – since stepping down as MEP.
In short, he’s relaxing. For the time being at least.
When the Sunday Mail rang Matsakis for a phone interview, he had just finished watching a documentary about World War I warplanes.
And these days he’s spending a lot more quality time with his 11-year-old son.
“He’s my priority. We’ve got ourselves two off-road hog bikes, and we take trips in hilly country. I’ve trained him myself…we always wear our helmets. We also go to the ice skating rink.”
After a hectic life in politics that began with his election as member of the House of Representatives in 1996, Matsakis is making the most of the downtime.