Andy needs a good metaphorical slap!

2011-01-31

Against my better judgement, I agreed to take my 12-year-old to ‘hang out’ at the Mall (the big pink one) on Saturday afternoon. This involved me wasting two hours of my life drinking coffee while my son and a bunch of his pre-teen classmates trolled around the Mall attempting to look cool while not achieving very much. What an absolute waste of everybody’s time, I thought. What on earth is the attraction? However, I was feeling generous at the time, looking forward to a more relaxing Sunday.

Nazi ELAM condemns the very practices that once helped us

2011-01-31

THE recent activities of the Nazi organisation ELAM is of great concern. Their xenophobic and anti Turkish Cypriot rants horrify everyone. They make several false claims to attack immigrants, and these are the same false arguments used against us in England by the British Nazis of the NF, BNP and EDL. These “Blue Wolves” in the south are no different from the “Grey Wolves” in the north. They should be resisted and condemned.

The Hackney Cypriot Association is one of the oldest organisations in the UK organising and supporting both Greek and Turkish Cypriots in North London. In our experience the two communities share a lot in common and through the Hackney Cypriot Association we have been jointly campaigned on several issues since 1976.

Growing tolerance of Muslims

2011-01-31

After my recent visit to the Republic of Cyprus as Head of a Muslim delegation from the UK I was impressed by the reception given to us.

Of particular interest to us was to discover the tolerance shown to the growing community of Muslims in the Republic with regard to the practice of their religion – Islam.

One striking aspect of this tolerance is the maintenance and upkeep of the places of worship – the mosques – by the department of antiquities of the ministry of the interior.

You can’t ‘turn’ a child gay

2011-01-31

Mr A Dinou in his response to my reply to his letter regarding  parenting by same sex couples (Sunday Mail, January 9) rather lets the cat out of the bag when he cites his objections due to “religious reasons”.

Are these the same religious reasons that allow the Taliban to gas girls in their schools, that endorse the execution of “blasphemers” in Pakistan or forbids the use of condoms in Africa condemning thousands of heterosexuals to death from AIDS?

More promises after yet more violence

2011-01-31

POLICE said yesterday they were determined to take the steps suggested by British experts to end football hooliganism, following a new bout of violence late in Friday in Larnaca, which left 14 officers injured and at least eight patrol cars damaged.

Trouble flared during and after a match between Ermis and Anorthosis at the Ammochostos-Epistrofi stadium, which is situated in Larnaca.

Our View: Putting off of difficult decisions has become the government’s trademark

2011-01-31

THE GOVERNMENT was in celebratory mood after the European Commission’s announcement that Cyprus, with another three countries, “had taken action representing adequate progress toward the correction of the excessive deficit.” Cyprus had been placed on the excessive deficit watch-list last year, but would be removed from it on the recommendation of the Council, as a result of the measures taken by the government.

‘Sword robber’ clocks up five heists in a week

2011-01-31

WITH A number of robberies already under his belt, the ‘sword robber’ struck again twice on Friday night in Limassol.

Police thought they had caught the thief during the week. They believed it was a 22-year-old Iranian man who fitted all descriptions of the culprit, and appeared to be the person depicted on various CCTV film footage. However, they were unable to find the supposed weapon on the suspect and released him on Friday.

On Friday night a hooded thief held up a bakery in the Ayios Athanasios area of Limassol just after midnight. He threatened staff with a sword and made off with €80.

Avoiding mixed messages crucial in fighting cancer

2011-01-31

RECENT PIONEERING research into the cumulative results of cancer studies over the last 50 years reveals that changes in people’s nutrition and lifestyle can reduce the risk of cancer by 30 per cent.

While developed countries tend to have higher cancer rates, as a result of longer life, the ongoing research project into the relationship between nutrition, body weight, lifestyle and cancer shows that people and governments can actually help reduce the risks by encouraging a specific diet and physical activity.

Professor Elio Riboli and Dr Teresa Norat from Imperial College London presented these findings at the 11th Marianna Lordos Lecture last Friday at the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics.

Casualty department deluged with non-emergency cases

2011-01-31

THE ACCIDENT and Emergency Department at the Nicosia General Hospital saw 10,500 people between January 1 and January 28, reports said yesterday suggesting doctors were at their wits end.

The health ministry has repeatedly said in the past that many who visit the emergency department do not need to, and are using it as an outpatients clinic, which puts a huge strain on staff and resources.

However according to reports yesterday, the situation has worsened, with nearly 400 people a day turning up since the start of the year, and as many as 450 on the weekends.

Tracing multiculturalism in Famagusta

2011-01-31

POST Research Institute is continuing the exploration of the multiculturalism of Cyprus, with Famagusta next on the list on February 5.

The ‘Tours for Peace’, is being implemented in cooperation with the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot Teachers’ Platform “United Cyprus” (Greek Cypriot Section). The project is being funded by the UNDP-ACT/ USAID through the “ENGAGE” project, which is being executed by the NGO Support Centre and The Management Centre.

This tour will be the second event organised under the project, following the successful tour in Nicosia on January 15, in which over 40 participants from across Cyprus experienced the multicultural history of the divided city.

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.